AMA Architectural Office is an architectural firm based in the Basque Country, founded by Jaime Gutiérrez Armendariz and Itziar Molinero Miranda. Their professional career began in Barcelona. In 2023, they returned to the Basque Country and established their own practice under the name AMA, an acronym of their maternal surnames, meaning "mother" in Basque.
Their approach is based on a transversal and interdisciplinary approach, with attention to the domestic scale, archetypal references, and timeless solutions. The practice includes texts, ephemeral interventions, artistic pieces, and works with the same level of involvement, developed together with other architects and artists.
Bio
Jaime Gutiérrez Armendariz (Bilbao). Graduated from the Basque Country School of Architecture (ETSASS), with exchange studies in Naples and Seville; Qualifying Master's Degree from the ETSAV (Basque National University of Catalonia), Master's Degree in Advanced Studies from the ETSAB (Basque National University of Catalonia), Master's Degree in Public Housing from the ETSASS (Basque National University of Catalonia).
Itziar Molinero Miranda (Donostia-San Sebastián). Graduated from the Basque Country School of Architecture (ETSASS), with an exchange program in Lisbon and Seville. Qualifying Master's Degree from the ETSAV (Basque National University of Catalonia), Master's Degree in Public Housing from the ETSASS (Basque National University of Catalonia).
Writings
— Articles in the publication "9 Reflections on Public Housing. Final Project Selection 2020-2024." Essay "Europlan. Housing through the Europan Competition in the Basque Country" pages 115-135. Essay "Comparative Architecture. Basque Public Housing through the Comparative Method" pages 175-199. Donostia-San Sebastián, 2024. Master's Degree in Public Housing, UPV/EHU. ISBN: 978-84-09-66115-2.
— Article on the estextual website "Souvenir", 2024.
— Article on the vicevesrsa magazine website "Kitsch or an Evolutionary Conclusion", 2023.
— Article on the estextual website "El mar menor", 2023.
— Publication "Trazas de Ronda". International Architecture Biennial of the Basque Country Mugak/. 2023. ISBN: 978-84-09-55387-7.
— Publication "Ark-Hub: Eskolatik aurkibide bat/2020-2021 urteko argitalpena". Donostia-San Sebastián, 2022. ISBN: 978-84-09-39338-1.
— Layout of the publication "El tercer temps". Barcelona, 2022. Department of Architectural Projects, ETSAB-UPC. ISBN: 978-22-455674-9-3.
— Articles in the publication "Arquitectura fit: Ejercicios contra el extremo" (Fit Architecture: Exercises against Excess). Barcelona, 2021. ISBN: 978-84-98-80917-6.
Awards
— 2025 winners in the research and theory category of the AJAC Awards, with the publication "Trazas de Ronda" (Traces of Ronda).
— 2024 winners for the construction of the temporary "Etxenoi" pavilion in Bilbao for the Mugak International Architecture Biennial.
— 2024 winners for the renovation of the Sasturain House, for the construction of a day center and five supervised housing units.
— 2024 finalists in the 13th BIAU-Climas, with the research "Trazas de Ronda" (Traces of Ronda).
— 2024 CSCAE Architecture Awards selected for ephemeral architecture "Garabiak: Pop Industrial-City."
— 2024 FAD Awards selected for ephemeral architecture "Garabiak: Pop Industrial-City."
— 2023 winners to develop the publication "Trazas de Ronda" at the MUGAK/International Architecture Biennial.
— 2023 ARTNOU Festival exhibition at the H2O gallery in Barcelona, the work "Trazas de Ronda."
Teaching
— 2025-2026 professors in the subject "Graphic Representation, Form Analysis, and Storytelling" for the CSP master's degree in "Introduction to Interior Design."
— 2025 conference "Collective Housing in Transformation. The Facilities Model" at the Basque Institute of Architecture, with Atxu Amann and Mariona Benedito.
— 2025 "Right Now" conference at the ETSASS auditorium, as part of Udaberriark 2025.
— 2025 participation in the IED Kunsthal Bilbao Workshop Week with the workshop "Making the Obvious Visible."
— 2023 conference "Intergenerational Debate Session on Architecture and Gender" during the MUGAK/ International Architecture Biennial.
— 2022-2023 workshops on the subject "Egitura dimentsioen historia" at ETSASS.
— 2022 junior tutors for the RECURSOS workshop, ETSAV. Final conference at the CCCB, Barcelona.
