Marcia Lopes de Mello

Courses Taught (past two academic years)

ARC 101—Beginning Design Studio
ARC 102—Beginning Design Studio
ARC 225—Design: Behavior, Perception, Aesthetics

Top 5 Areas of Expertise

Interface between Urbanism and Interiors, Human-Centered Design, Social Policies and Multidisciplinary Design, Post-War Architecture, Beginning Design Studio Curriculum

Educational Credentials

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)—Architecture and Urbanism: History and Fundamentals of Architecture and Urbanism, School of Architecture and Urbanism, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
• Master of Science (MSc.)—Urban Management and Development: Urban Land Governance, Institute for Housing and Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
• Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)— Computer in Design, School of Architecture, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States.
• Graduate Certificate of Specialization in Architecture and Urbanism, School of Architecture and Urbanism, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
• Graduate Certificate of Specialization in Didactics of Higher Education, School of Architecture and Urbanism, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
• Bachelor of Architecture and Urbanism (B.Arch.); U.S. equivalency by ECE (EESA-NCARB), School of Architecture and Urbanism, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Teaching Experience

• Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA—College of Creative Arts, Department of Architecture + Interior Design—Assistant Professor (2024, present).
• Florida International University (FIU), Miami, FL, USA—College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA), School of Architecture, Department of Interior Architecture—Visiting Assistant Professor (2021-2022), Lecturer (2014-2020).
• Miami Dade College (MDC), Miami, FL, USA—School of Architecture and Interior Design—Associate Professor Senior, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Instructor (2004-2018).
• Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo, SP, Brazil —School of Architecture and Urbanism—Adjunct Assistant Professor (1990-1994).
• Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo, SP, Brazil —School of Communications and The Arts—Adjunct Faculty (1990-1994).
• Centro Universitário Belas Artes de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil— Architecture Program—Adjunct Faculty (1990-1994).

Professional Experience/Licenses/Registrations

• Board of Architecture and Urbanism—Conselho de Arquitetura e Urbanismo de São Paulo (CAU-SP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil, # A87155-9.
• Board of Architecture and Interior Design (NCARB), Florida, USA, eligible for examination.

Lopes de Mello has worked in the architecture and interior architecture professions for seven years, as a Project Architect and Designer, in several architecture firms in Miami, FL, United States, including Arquitectonica International Corporation (ARQ).

Additionally, she had previously practiced for seven years, as a licensed architect in São Paulo, Brazil, in her own design firm and through collaborations with other "paulista" architects including Roberto Loeb.

Significant Publications/Creative Projects/Paper Presentations

• "Designing for People: Morris Lapidus' Interiors as a Response to U.S. Social Policies in the Post-War” (presentation). Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) 2025 Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, USA, 2025.
• "Ver a Cidade: Metacolagem Paulistana” (paper and collage). Pixo—Arquitetura, Cidade e Contemporaneidade magazine: Collage I, Brazil, September 2023, issue 26, v.7, p.312-319, 2023.
• “Reflection" (collage). Clepsydra Literary and Art magazine, Issue 3: “Reflection" on refugees, USA, Spring/Summer 2023.
• "The Public Interior—Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Design: Social and Spatial Justice” (presentation). Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Design — Spring Speaker Series, Department of Interior Architecture, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 2021.
• "The Architecture of Miami Dade Junior College: Rooms Without a Roof” (presentation, conference proceedings). X DOCOMOMO Brazil – Modern and International Architecture: Brutalist Connections 1955-1975 Conference, Curitiba, PR, Brazil, 2013.
• "Miami Dade Junior College North and South Campuses: Ethics and Aesthetics” (presentation), East-West Dialogues: Modern Architecture in Florida Symposium, Tampa, FL, USA, 2013.

Lopes de Mello has exhibited her Creative Work: Analog Collages at the Vayo Collage Gallery, in Lyons, NY (2023); the Arts Warehouse in Delray Beach, FL (2023); the Coupee Collage Collective, Ghent, Belgium (2023); and the 20th International Festival Jazz Dance Open, Pardubice, Czech Republic (2023).

Additionally, she has published her collages in magazines including: Pixo—Arquitetura, Cidade e Contemporaneidade, Brazil (2023); Clepsydra Literary and Art (2023), Photosynthesis (2023), and Collé (2023) in the United States; and the Contemporary Collage magazine (2023) in the United Kingdom.

Awards/Recognitions/Grants/Competitions

• International Interior Design Association (IIDA)—South Florida Chapter Educator of the Year, 2014.
• "Hands on Miami" Artist of the Year, 2008 (community engagement and outreach in South Florida).

Professional Memberships and Service

• MU ARC+ID—Coordinator of First-Year Design Studio, 2024-present
• MU College of Creative Arts (CCA)—Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee, 2024-present
• MU Center for Career Exploration and Success (CCES)—Career Champions program, 2024-present
• Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA)
• Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC)
• Society of Architectural Historians (SAH)

Professional Development

• "Two-Part Grant Workshop: Finding Funding Sources" — Miami University Howe Center for Writing Excellence (HCWE), 2024.
• "AI-Informed Writing Pedagogy Pilot Program" — Miami University Howe Center for Writing Excellence (HCWE), 2025.