Gonzalo Sanchez Garcia is an architect and urban designer, and a Tutor at Manchester School of Architecture. His work sits at the intersection of architecture and urban design,  with a particular interest in how design controls shape the quality of built environments.

He is currently undertaking a PhD at The University of Manchester, funded by the President’s Doctoral Scholarship. His doctoral research examines how UK design codes define “design quality” and how their expectations translate into built outcomes, particularly at the public–private interface (the street edge).

Academic and professional qualifications

  • PhD (in progress), The University of Manchester.
  • MA Architecture and Urbanism, Manchester School of Architecture (Distinction), 2020.
  • MA Urban Design, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. First Class. 
  • Postgraduate Specialisation in Urban Design, Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
  • BArch (Architecture), Universidad Piloto de Colombia.

Relevant teaching and academic roles 

  • Tutor, MA Architecture and Urbanism Studio, Manchester School of Architecture (2024–present).
  • Studio Leader and Lecturer in Architecture, Universidad Santo Tomás, Tunja, Colombia (2021–2022).

Professional experience 

  • Research on design governance and UK housing-led urbanism (2022–present)
  • Design Consultant, BCD Biosfera (2016–2018): Consultancy support for architecture and urbanism projects. (2016-2018)

Awards

  • University of Manchester President’s Doctoral Scholarship, recipient (2022).
  • Master’s studentship funding (2019).
  • MA Architecture and Urbanism (MSA), Distinction (2020).
  • Honourable mention for undergraduate thesis project (Architecture).

Research interests

  • Building standards and coding practice
  • Design codes (form-based codes) and design governance
  • Design quality and evaluation methods
  • Design education in architecture: methods and pedagogic practice

Selected publications

  • ‘Design Codes at the Street Edge: Lessons for the North West’, in RTPI North West Annual Review: A Review of 2025. Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) North West, pp. 36–37. (2025)
  • “Towards Local New Urbanism. New Urbanism for neighbourhood development in Bogota, Colombia.” Urban Design Group Journal 159 (2021)
  • “La representación del diseño urbano como estrategia para la aprehensión de conceptos.” Arka (Architectural Journal), Vol. 006 (2017).
  • Vocabulario Básico Ilustrado de Sistemas Estructurales Arquitectónicos (co-author) (2016).