Leandro Minuchin

Leandro Minuchin is a Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Global Urbanism at the University of Manchester. His research explores the intersection of urban politics, construction practices, and material theory, with a focus on Latin America. He is affiliated with the Manchester Architecture Research Centre (MARC) and leads the architectural practice Material Politics, which investigates radical infrastructures.

• PhD in Material Imaginations and Political Theory (UCL, 2010)
• MA in Latin American Studies (University of Salamanca, 2005)
• MSc in Modernity, Space and Place (UCL, 2005)
• Licenciatura in Political Science (National University of Rosario, 2002)

His research centers on the politics of construction, examining how infrastructural practices enable solidarity networks and territorial innovation. Key themes include material imaginations, material histories, and new materialisms, with a focus on concrete, urban natures, and prefigurative design. He investigates alternative construction methods in Argentina and Ecuador, collaborating with social movements and cooperatives.

Minuchin’s recent work includes studies on southern urbanisms during the pandemic and prefigurative urbanism in Quito. His research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals for sustainable cities and communities.

• Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award (PhD funding)

He teaches courses on prefigurative architectures, material methodologies, and research design, and has contributed to interdisciplinary programs in Argentina. His collaborations include partnerships with the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MIDUVI) and Hogar de Cristo for community-led housing initiatives.