Dr Carolina Rodriguez
About me
Colombian-British architect and senior researcher with over 24 years of international experience in sustainable construction, energy efficiency, thermal comfort assessment, and architectural education. Carolina has led research projects in Colombia and the UK, produced high-impact publications, coordinated academic programmes, and secured competitive national and international funding. Her career spans roles at the University of Nottingham, University of Liverpool, Universidad de los Andes, and Universidad Piloto de Colombia, where she currently serves as Associate Professor and research group leader (GUIAS, A1 classification). She has also undertaken postdoctoral appointments supporting peacebuilding and educational innovation initiatives in Colombia.
Carolina Rodríguez is a Colombian-British architect and senior researcher with more than 24 years of international experience in sustainable construction, energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and architectural education. She holds a PhD from the University of Nottingham and has developed a recognised body of work on sustainable and adaptive envelopes, and climate-responsive design and kinetic architecture earning multiple international awards in her career.
She has held academic positions at the University of Liverpool, the University of Nottingham, Universidad de Los Andes, and Universidad Piloto de Colombia, where she currently serves as Associate Professor and leads the A1-classified GUIAS research group. Her research has produced high-impact publications in journals such as Building and Environment, Sustainability, Urban Climate, and ACE, and she is an active reviewer for leading journals in the field.
Carolina has secured competitive funding from MinCiencias, CYTED, the British Council, and other national and international programmes, advancing research on thermal comfort in tropical climates, energy vulnerability, passive design, and experiential architectural education. She has supervised multiple master's and doctoral theses across Europe and Latin America and frequently participates as an invited lecturer in international courses on net-zero buildings and sustainable design.
Her recent work includes two postdoctoral appointments: leading the award-winning “Jóvenes Edificando la Paz” project funded by the Orquídeas Programme, and contributing to the Futuramente project at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia with a focus on research design and impact evaluation.
Carolina’s professional practice includes sustainability consultancy, architectural design, and collaborative work with Indigenous communities through the Amazon Conservation Team. She is committed to inclusive, evidence-based pedagogies and has been recognised for her contributions to live-project teaching and innovative educational models.
Academic profiles:
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=l_7eC4QAAAAJ&hl=es
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carolina-Rodriguez-27
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolina-margarita-stevenson-rodriguez-189b…
Behance: https://www.behance.net/Carodriguez
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3409-7886
CvLAC: https://scienti.minciencias.gov.co/cvlac/visualizador/generarCurriculoC…
Degrees:
o Rodríguez CM, Coronado MC, and Medina JM. (2021) Thermal comfort in educational buildings: The Classroom-Comfort- Data method applied to schools in Bogotá, Colombia. Building and Environment 194:107682, doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.107682.
o Medina, J. M., Rodriguez, C. M., Coronado, M. C., and Garcia, L. M. (2021). Scoping Review of Thermal Comfort Research in Colombia, Buildings 11(6), 1–27. doi: 10.3390/ buildings11060232.
o Osuna-Motta, Wegertseder, P and Rodriguez, C (2021). Método para la selección de casos de estudio: adaptación climática del Movimiento Moderno en el clima cálidoecuatorial. ACE: Architecture, City and Environment, 16(47), 10452. doi: 10.5821/ace.16.47.10452.
o Rodriguez, C., Alessandro, M.D. and Medina, J. (2019). The Importance of Standardised Data-Collection Methods in the Improvement of Thermal Comfort Assessment Models for Developing Countries in the Tropics. Sustainability 11(15), e4180. doi:10.3390/su11154180.
o Rodriguez, C. and D’Alessandro, M. (2019). Indoor thermal comfort review: The tropics as the next frontier. Urban Climate 29, 100488. doi:10.1016/j.uclim.2019.100488.
o Rodriguez, C., Medina, J.M., Pinzón, A. and García, A. (2019). A post-occupancy strategy to improve thermal comfort in social housing in a tropical highland climate: A Case study in Bogotá. Informes de la Construcción 71(555), e305. doi:10.3989/ic.61006.
o Salzar, C, Artega, I. , Rodriguez, C., and Nadal, D. (2019). Active Learning in Architectural Education: A Participatory Design Experience ( PDE ) in Colombia, International Journal of Art & Design Education 39(2), 346-366. doi:10.1111/jade.12280.
o Rodriguez, C., Hudson, R. and Niblock, C. (2018). Collaborative learning in architectural education: Benefits of combining conventional studio, virtual design studio and live projects. British Journal of Educational Technology 49(3), 337–353. doi:10.1111/bjet.12535.
o Rodriguez, C.M. (2018). A method for experiential learning and significant learning in architectural education via live projects. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education17(3), 279–304. doi:10.1177/1474022217711878.
o Rodriguez, C. (2017). Student-centred strategies to integrate theoretical knowledge into project development within architectural technology lecture-based modules. Architectural Engineering and Design Management 13(3), 223–242. doi:10.1080/17452007.2016.1230535.
o Sierra, F. and Rodriguez, C. (2014). Architectural envelope systems based on triply periodic minimal surfaces. International Journal of Space Structures 29(4), 161–169. doi:10.1260/0266-3511.29.4.161.
Q2-Q3 PUBLICATIONS
• Rodriguez, C, Coronado MC, Medina JM, (2019). Classroom-comfort-data: A method to collect comprehensive information on thermal comfort in school classrooms, MethodsX 6, 2698-2719, doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2019.11.004.
• Rodriguez, C., Medina, J. and Pinzon, A. (2019). Thermal Comfort and Satisfaction in the Context of Social Housing: Case Study in Bogotá, Colombia. Journal of Construction in Developing Countries 24(1), 101-124. doi: 10.21315/jcdc2019.24.1.6.
• Rodriguez, C. and Chilton, J. (2003). Swivel Diaphragm a new alternative for retractable ring structures. Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures 44(143), 181–188.
BOOKS AND BOOK CHAPTERS
• May Tzuc, O., Jiménez Torres, M., Rodriguez, C. M., Demesa López, F. N., & Noh Pat, F. (2023). Cluster Analysis as a Tool for the Territorial Categorization of Energy Consumption in Buildings Based on Weather Patterns. En A. Adadi & S. Motahhir (Eds.), Machine Intelligence for Smart Applications: Opportunities and Risks (pp. 73–91). Springer Nature Switzerland.
• Rodríguez, C.M., Zapata, M.A. (2024). Building the Future: Empowering Young Minds in the Digital Era Through Experiential Architectural Education. In: Bienvenido-Huertas, D., de la Hoz-Torres, M.L., Aguilar Aguilera, A.J. (eds) Teaching Innovation in Architecture and Building Engineering. Springer, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-59644-5_25
• Rodriguez, C., Londoño, R, and Manrique, A. (2023). Representations of modern architecture and urbanism in Colombian children's literature from the mid-20th century onwards. In Schmiedeknecht, T, Rudd, J., Hayward, E. (eds.) Building Children’s Worlds – Architecture and Modernity in Picture Books, London: Routledge. Pp.68-92 ISBN 9781003131755. DOI: 10.4324/9781003131755-6. Rodriguez, C. and Medina JM. (2023). Aprendizaje activo, significativo y experiencial en arquitectura: Desafíos y posibilidades durante la pandemia. In EducaciónSuperior: retos y oportunidades en pandemia. Puebla: BUAPCA. ISBN:978-607-8957- 64-4
• Motro, R., Rodriguez, C., Chilton, J. and Wilson, R. (2010). Flat Grids Designs Employing the Swivel Diaphragm. In Motro,R. (ed), An Anthology of Structural Morphology. World Scientific Publishing Company, Singapore, pp. 159–172.
• Rodriguez, C. and Chilton, C. (2006). Transformable and Transportable Architecture with Scissor Structures. In Kronenberg,R., Klassen,F. (eds), Transformable Environments III. Taylor & Francis, Oxon, pp. 145–157.
• Rodríguez, C. (2000). Arquitectura Metamórfica. Bogotá: Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Instituto Colombiano para el foment de la Educación Superior ICFES. ISBN 958-11-04333-X.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
• Rodriguez, C., and D’Alessandro. (2019). Indoor thermal comfort in the tropics. International Association of Urban Climate. Newsletter Vol 73 September. pp. 9-15
Rodriguez, C., Medina, J.M. Coronado, M.C., and D’Alessandro, M. (2019). The development of data-collection methods for thermal comfort assessment in Tropical countries. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. In: 4th World Multidiscip. Civ. Eng. – Archit. – Urban Plan. Symp., WMCAUS, Prage. p. 223, doi:10.1088/1757-899X/603/5/052001.
• Rodriguez, C., Coronado, M.C. and DÁlessandro, M. (2018). The Need for a Thermal Comfort Model in Colombia. In Velasco,R., Chavarro,D., Botero,J., Rueda,C. (eds), Eficiencia+Experiencia: Hacia una arquitectura del confort. Universidad Piloto de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia, pp. 222–239.
• Rodriguez, C. and Medina, J. (2017). Thermal Comfort in Social Housing: Challenges And Opportunities. III Congreso Nacional de Investigación en EdificaciónCOINVEDI. Escuela Politécnica Superior de la Universidad de Alicante, España. December pp.14- 15.
• Rodriguez, C. and Medina, J. (2017). Confort térmico en edificios de Vivienda social en Bogota Tipo VIS. Seminario Clima y Confort en Edificios, Sociedad Colombiana de Arquitectos, June 06-08. Rodriguez, C., Medina, J.M. and Cerquera, M.P. (2016). Estrategias para mejorar el confort térmico en viviendas en Bogotá y áreas conexas. In Uniandes,E. (ed), VII Encuentro Latinoamericano de Gestión y Economía de la Construcción (ELAGEC). Bogotá, Colombia, November 15-18.pp. 671–680. Rodriguez, C., Medina, J.M. and Cerquera, M.P. (2016). Mejoramiento de las condiciones de confort térmico de las viviendas de interés social ubicadas enBogotá a través de simulaciones térmicas dinámicas. Jornadas BIM FADU 2016 & 3o Congreso Sudamericano de Simulación de Edificios, Buenos Aires 7, 8 y 9 de Noviembre
• Rodriguez, C. (2016). Plataforma interactiva sobre procesos de construcción de elementos arquitectónicos. Paper presented at Conferencia Investiga-TE 330, Bogotá, Colombia, June 27 - 30. Rodriguez, C.M. and D’alessandro, M. (2014). Climate and Context Adaptive Building Skins for Tropical Climates: a review centred on the context of Colombia. In Advanced Building Skins. Economic Forum, Munich, pp. 575–591.
• Stevenson Rodriguez, C.M. (2013). Wiring vs " Guayering " : explorations with interactive-kinetic environments in Latin-America. In Escrig,F. (ed), New Proposals for Transformable Architecture Engineering and Design. Editorial Starbooks, Sevilla, pp. 213–218. Rodriguez, C. (2011). Morphological Principles of Current Kinetic Architectural Structures. In Centre,T.B. (ed), Adaptive Architecture. London, pp. 1–12.
• Stevenson, C., (2010). The Evolution of Temporary and Permanent Kinetic Architectural Structures. In Temporary to Permanent. Paper presented at The IASS Symposium, Shanghai, China, November 8-12. pp- 827-837.
• Stevenson, C. & Xi, J., (2010). The Evaluation of Temporary and Demountable Architecture as Post-Earthquake Shelter Solutions. In Temporary to Permanent. Paper presented at The IASS Symposium, Shanghai, China, November 8-12.pp. 962-972. Rodriguez, C. (2007). The Swivel Diaphragm: potential applications in transformable architecture. In: H. Bögner-Balz, & A. Zanelli (Eds.) Ephemeral Architecture - Textiles and Time. Paper presented at The TensiNet Symposium 2007, Milan, Italy, April 16- 18. pp 273-281.
• Rodriguez, C.; Wilson, R. and Chilton, J. (2005). Kinetic canopy using the swivel diaphragm mechanism. Paper presented at The II Latin-American Symposium on Tension Structures, Caracas, Venezuela, May 4-6.
• Rodriguez, C. and Chilton, J. (Apr. 2004). Transformable and Transportable Architecture with scissors Structures. Paper presented at The 3rd International Conference on Portable Architecture and Design, Toronto, Canada, April 28–30 pp. 87-93.