Alvaro LRDesign
Alvaro Lopez Rodriguez, Phd
@alvarolrd
alvarolopezrodriguezdesign@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/alvaro-lopez-559286106
Alvaro Lopez Rodriguez is an architect, researcher, and Associate Professor (Teaching) at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, where he leads innovation at the intersection of robotics, 3D printing, and mixed reality. In October 2025, he completed his PhD at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid with the thesis "Digital Interactions: Architecture for the Augmented Era," which redefines the synergy between human craftsmanship and digital automation. He also holds a Master of Architecture with Distinction from The Bartlett and a Master’s in Architecture from the European University of Madrid.
Complementing his academic tenure, Alvaro is a highly sought-after Digital Manufacturing Consultant. He has collaborated with pioneering international firms, including Nagami, Ensamble Studio, and DBT ETH Zurich, to implement advanced robotic fabrication and augmented reality workflows in large-scale architectural projects. His expertise bridges the gap between computational design and physical construction, focusing on "Augmented Craftsmanship" to empower local labour through intuitive technological tools.
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CV
RC9
THE BARTLETT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, 2017-2023
RC9
Alvaro Lopez Rodriguez +
Someen Hahn (2017-2019)
Igor Pantic (2019-2023)
Jose Pareja (2020-2021)
Students:
SkillCast+ Sarah Aladayleh, Misha Gliwny, Esra Oksuz, Yi Li
Mixiti Xu Zhang, Yinchu Yu, Xiuyun Hu, Jill Lee
MindCraft Huilin Zhang, Lemeng Ran, Hongyu Pan, Pengcheng Zhai
Diffusion Teng Wang, Minzhe Song, Danping Meng, Rouxi Lyu, Siwei Qin
XRef Haonan Wang, Haoya Chen, Yulin Guo, Vingxuan Tang
MisMif Carl Barrett, Nian Liu, Ziqin Wei
Acticiti Dorsa Hosseinkhani, Lihua Feng, Peixuan Li, Yiyuan Ma
DESCRIPTION
Research Cluster 9 (RC9), situated within the prestigious B.Pro AD program at the Bartlett School of Architecture, operates at the intersection of the built environment and the "Augmented Age." Historically, technological shifts have dictated architectural evolution; today, RC9 responds to this trajectory by investigating how Extended Reality technologies—including Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Realities—fundamentally alter the way we design, construct, and inhabit urban spaces.
Central to the unit’s research is a rejection of the binary choice between purely analogue craft and total automation. Instead, RC9 champions a hybrid approach to fabrication. By utilising cutting-edge head-mounted devices, designers are holographically assisted, allowing for a "reinvigorated craftsmanship." This Mixed Reality (MR) framework augments traditional hand-skills with digital precision, embedding data-rich machine logic into human-led processes. This approach purposefully reconsiders the role of human labour in an increasingly automated construction chain, ensuring that intuitive decision-making remains central to the making process.
Beyond the physical site, the cluster explores the speculative digital frontier. Students interrogate the surge of virtual platforms and the "metaverse" as a canvas for social and economic activity. Through the development of multi-player design platforms and AI-assisted workflows, the research questions traditional concepts of intellectual property and art ownership. Ultimately, RC9 positions architecture as a primary enabler of the virtual, examining how digital environments intertwine with our physical cities to redefine our perception of reality.
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