Ana Builes

@upb.edu.co

Associate Professor, Architecture and Design School, Faculty of Clothing Design
Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

Ana Builes


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https://researchid.co/abuilesv
Product Design Engineer from Universidad EAFIT, Medellín. Master in Design, management and execution of projects. Associate professor at the Faculty of Costume Design, School of Architecture and Design, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín. She leads the study group Fashion, city and economy. Her work has focused on urban development through social innovation, sustainable development and multiple social, cultural and economic impacts of urban transformations in the city of Medellin, Colombia.

EDUCATION

Product Design Engineer
Master in Project Management

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Multidisciplinary, Multidisciplinary, Language and Linguistics, Literature and Literary Theory
12

Scopus Publications

86

Scholar Citations

5

Scholar h-index

3

Scholar i10-index

Scopus Publications

  • Beyond Top-Down Narratives: Thick Mapping and Participatory Spatial Development in Coastal Colombia
    Ana Elena Builes-Vélez, Lina María Escobar-Ocampo, Luz Patricia Rave
    Land, 2026
    In the face of intensifying climate disruptions, coastal landscapes like Necoclí in Colombia’s Department of Antioquia are sites of both vulnerability and resilience. This paper examines how thick mapping acts as a methodology for decentralized spatial planning and a practice of revolutionary care by amplifying youth voices and fostering situated climate adaptation. Drawing from a participatory mapping process co-developed with young people, we reflect on how community-based approaches can trigger territorial restructuring from the bottom up. Through storytelling, visual documentation, and collective drawing, the mapping process brought to light lived experiences and local ecological knowledge that are often excluded from technocratic spatial integration strategies. These thick maps function as tools for sub-local territorial agency, allowing youth to reconnect with their landscapes while providing municipal administrations with the granular data needed for equitable spatial development. The paper explores how this form of mapping challenges top-down adaptation narratives and enables more inclusive planning for just futures by centering the territorial dimensions of climate risk. Our findings reveal a profound divergence in territorial perception: while older settlers maintain a narrative of loss tied to a lush, forested past, children’s drawings expose an internalized ecological thinning, characterized by the absence of native flora and the threatening proximity of a rising sea. Ultimately, this study demonstrates how thick mapping contributes to socio-ecological transitioning by bridging the gap between national climate policies and the spatial expression of local needs in frontline communities.
  • Immersive museography and marine conservation: The case of the Ecos De Mar exhibition of the Colombian Caribbean Sea
    Juliana Restrepo Jaramillo, Maribel Rodríguez-Velásquez, Ariel Acevedo-Acosta, Ana Elena Builes-Vélez
    Museums and Social Issues, 2026
  • Gender and Sustainability in Higher Education: The Case of Female Leadership at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (Colombia)
    Danny Jean Paul Mejía Holguín, Ana Elena Builes-Vélez, Juliana Restrepo Jaramillo, Juan Diego Martínez Marín
    Social Sciences, 2025
    This study addresses the limited empirical evidence on women’s contributions to sustainable development leadership within higher education institutions. Focusing on Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia, we employed a mixed-methods approach that combines surveys, semi-structured interviews, and bibliometric analysis of women-led scientific publications and academic courses. Our findings demonstrate that women leaders at UPB significantly influence and enhance sustainable practices and policies, fostering a culture of sustainability through their formal roles and collaborative, empathetic leadership. Key characteristics include inclusivity, shared vision-building, and community responsibility. Their systematic thinking and holistic problem-solving contribute to more effective sustainability outcomes, integrating environmental values into curricula, campus operations, and community engagement. The positive impact of women’s presence in sustainability governance on the university’s performance and commitment to Sustainable Development Goals highlights the importance of the institutional context. The research highlights the importance of policies that strengthen women’s leadership in sustainability as well as for continuous measurement of their contributions within specific educational and research ecosystems.
  • Integration of Sustainability Competencies in Creative Disciplines Training. Colombian Case
    Lina María Suárez-Vásquez, Ana Elena Builes-Vélez, Juliana Restrepo Jaramillo, Natalia Pérez-Orrego
    World Sustainability Series, 2025
  • Climate Change Education and Gender Equity: A Challenge for Higher Education Institutions in Latin America
    Juliana Restrepo Jaramillo, Ana Elena Builes-Vélez, Danny Jean Paul Mejía Holguín, Juan Diego Martínez Marín, Luz Patricia Rave Herrera
    World Sustainability Series, 2025
  • The significance of sustainability in higher education: a view to the curricular proposal at a Colombian University
    Ana Elena Builes-Vélez, Juliana Restrepo, Juan Diego Diego Martínez
    International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2024
    Purpose This paper aims to identify how the faculties of a Colombian University have understood the concept of sustainability and the way they have embedded it into their training. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative research was done using documentary and content analysis which allowed researchers to recognize features correlated to sustainability which are needed to promote and act for social equity, ecological care and economic development. Findings It was found that most faculties at the university do not conceptualize it; ergo, courses are designed neither for promoting sustainability nor sustainable education. Besides this, almost no level of integration was identified among faculties on this topic. Research limitations/implications Many people agree education for sustainability is a key action to overcome the complex challenges the planet is facing; nevertheless, the prejudice that training to solve sustainability problems is an exclusive task of certain disciplines is common. This misunderstanding reduces the possibilities of pursuing a sustainable future, considering that these issues affect all humankind and that they can only be solved through interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Practical implications The paper also outlines some actions that Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) can take to consider sustainability issues, and they are as follows: identification of competencies to include in the curricula; recognition of the potential of integrating education for sustainable development (ESD) into the curricula by strengthening the competencies and capacities; strengthening the competencies and capacities of the academic staff through ESD training processes; articulation of research with the curricula in such a way that the results of research processes permeate the curricula. Social implications This study has some limitations. For instance, regarding the survey, the size of the sample may seem too small, a bigger sample will allow better information for the results. Regarding the case studies, a greater diversity of programs could have provided a wider range of results. Despite these limitations, for UPB, the study shows a snapshot of the literature review and the articulation of sustainable development and climate change education (CCE) in all programs the university has. The implications of this paper and research are the following. First, it reiterates the importance of having within the same institution a common language to talk about sustainability. Second, it recognizes the competencies and skills that should considered when implementing ESD and CCE in curricula. Originality/value This idea corresponds to a lack of debate about what the term signifies and means. It is believed that, as sustainability has been highly researched in the past two decades, it is a cross-cutting element in any faculty proposal; however, due to the complexity of the term, it is understood differently by each member of the same academic community, affecting their ability to design a systemic and systematic curriculum that enables to educate for sustainable goals.
  • Are Innovation and Creative Districts New Scenarios for Sustainable Urban Planning? Bogota, Medellin, and Barranquilla as Case Studies
    Ana Elena Builes-Vélez, Lina María Escobar, Claudia Villamil-Mejia
    Sustainability Switzerland, 2024
    Creative and innovation districts are focused on boosting local economies. However, they also pay attention to the global scale since this local identity of the Orange Economies gives them added value and competitiveness globally, as well as international projection and visibility of products, services, and new technologies associated with creativity and innovation. Thus, this study reviews three case studies of the cities of Barranquilla, Bogota, and Medellin in Colombia, seeking to characterize the creative and innovation districts. The methodology used is strictly qualitative, resorting to the characterization of the polygons and the analysis of public policies. This study describes the general aspects of creative and innovation districts in Colombia. Then, it identifies the forces for CD and ID development in three Colombian cities and the drivers for urban sustainable transformation. The main purpose of this study is to understand if innovation and creative districts are new scenarios for sustainable urban planning.
  • Teaching Strategies for Sustainability in Creative Disciplines
    Ana Elena Builes-Vélez, Juliana Restrepo Jaramillo, Natalia Pérez-Orrego, Lina María Suárez-Vásquez
    World Sustainability Series, 2023
  • Introduction: The Colombian Pacific Coast: Life Rhythms from Juradó to Cape Manglares
    Ana Elena Builes, Adriana Anacona Muñoz, Lina Suárez Vásquez
    Revista De Estudios Colombianos, 2022
    Introducción al número de las co-editoras
  • The Strategy of Social Responsibility at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Toward the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals
    Ana Elena Builes Vélez, Paula Andrea Zapata Ramírez
    World Sustainability Series, 2021
  • Analysis of Urban Transformation Through the Use of Expanded Research Tools
    Ana Elena Builes-Vélez, Lina María Suárez Vásquez, Leonardo Correa Velásquez, Diana Carolina Gutiérrez Aristizábal
    Sage Open, 2021
  • Creative social innovation and urbanism: The case of Medellín
    S. Satoh
    Cultures of Sustainability and Wellbeing Theories Histories and Policies, 2017

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Immersive museography and marine conservation: The case of the Ecos De Mar exhibition of the Colombian Caribbean Sea
    J Restrepo Jaramillo, M Rodríguez-Velásquez, A Acevedo-Acosta, ...
    Museums & Social Issues, 1-21 , 2026
    2026
  • Beyond Top-Down Narratives: Thick Mapping and Participatory Spatial Development in Coastal Colombia
    AE Builes-Vélez, LM Escobar-Ocampo, LP Rave
    Land 15 (3), 457 , 2026
    2026
  • Climate and Environmental Literacy for Future Architects and Landscape Designers
    LM Escobar Ocampo, AE Builes-Vélez
    University Initiatives on Climate Change Education and Research, 1-16 , 2026
    2026
  • Gender and Sustainability in Higher Education: The Case of Female Leadership at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (Colombia)
    DJP Mejía Holguín, AE Builes-Vélez, J Restrepo Jaramillo, ...
    Social Sciences 14 (12), 727 , 2025
    2025
  • Female slavery on the islands of San Andrés and Providencia in the novels Si Je Puis. I will if I can (2019) and Copra (2020) by Hazel Robinson Abrahams
    AE Builes Vélez, C Barragán Ardila, DJP Mejía Holguín, ...
    Iberoamericana–Nordic Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies 54 (1) , 2025
    2025
  • Integration of Sustainability Competencies in Creative Disciplines Training. Colombian Case
    LM Suárez-Vásquez, AE Builes-Vélez, JR Jaramillo, N Pérez-Orrego
    Education for Sustainable Development: The Contribution of Universities, 177-192 , 2025
    2025
  • Climate Change Education and Gender Equity: A Challenge for Higher Education Institutions in Latin America
    JR Jaramillo, AE Builes-Vélez, DJPM Holguín, JDM Marín, LPR Herrera
    Education for Sustainable Development: The Contribution of Universities, 1-18 , 2025
    2025
  • Gender and Sustainability in Higher Education: The Case of Female Leadership at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (Colombia)
    DJPM Holguín, AE Builes-Vélez, JR Jaramillo, JDM Marín
    Social Sciences 14 (12), 1-12 , 2025
    2025
  • El ahogado más hermoso del mundo de Gabriel García Márquez: un devenir de la lectura, la escritura y lo vivido como hermenéutica transtextual desde la perspectiva de Gérard …
    FA Piedrahíta Lara, DJP Mejía Holguín, JD Martínez, AE Builes Vélez
    Escritos 33 (70) , 2025
    2025
  • The significance of sustainability in higher education: a view to the curricular proposal at a Colombian University
    AE Builes-Vélez, J Restrepo, JDD Martínez
    International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 25 (5), 943-961 , 2024
    2024
    Citations: 15
  • Are innovation and creative districts new scenarios for sustainable urban planning? Bogota, Medellin, and Barranquilla as case studies
    AE Builes-Vélez, LM Escobar, C Villamil-Mejia
    Sustainability 16 (7), 3095 , 2024
    2024
    Citations: 12
  • Relatos de espacios utópicos y heterotópicos
    AE Builes Vélez, S Carvajal Castro, JF García Castro, JD Martínez Marín, ...
    Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , 2024
    2024
  • A Procedure for Assessing the Effect of Climate Change on Organizational Cash Flows in Developing Countries
    SG CA, C Lochmuller, A Builes-Vélez, AM Osorio
    2023
  • A Procedure for Assessing the Effect of Climate Change on Organizational Cash Flows in Developing Countries
    CAS González, C Lochmuller, A Builes-Vélez, AM Osorio
    Preprints , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 1
  • Teaching strategies for sustainability in creative disciplines
    AE Builes-Vélez, JR Jaramillo, N Pérez-Orrego, LM Suárez-Vásquez
    Sustainability in practice: Addressing challenges and creating opportunities … , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 5
  • Un tetra-fármaco para la escuela
    AE Builes - Vélez, JD Martinez, JP Mejía-Holguín, F Piedrahita
    Revista Textos, 59-65 , 2023
    2023
  • Narrativas del cansancio
    BV Afanador Gómez, AE Builes Vélez, GM Bustamante Orrego, ...
    Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , 2023
    2023
  • Territorio y economía civil. Reflexiones humanistas
    GA Solórzano Hernández, JJ Bustamante Arango, ID Toro Jaramillo, ...
    Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , 2023
    2023
  • Slow Cities: la reformulación de las ciudades a partir de nuevos comportamientos urbanos
    MF Guidobono, AE Builes-Vélez
    Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 1
  • El litoral Pacífico colombiano: ritmos de vida de Juradó a Cabo Manglares
    AE Builes-Vélez, A Anacaona, LM Suárez-Vásquez
    Revista de Estudios Colombianos, 5 - 9 , 2023
    2023

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Cultures of sustainability and wellbeing
    P Spinozzi, M Mazzanti
    Taylor & Francis , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 18
  • The significance of sustainability in higher education: a view to the curricular proposal at a Colombian University
    AE Builes-Vélez, J Restrepo, JDD Martínez
    International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 25 (5), 943-961 , 2024
    2024
    Citations: 15
  • Are innovation and creative districts new scenarios for sustainable urban planning? Bogota, Medellin, and Barranquilla as case studies
    AE Builes-Vélez, LM Escobar, C Villamil-Mejia
    Sustainability 16 (7), 3095 , 2024
    2024
    Citations: 12
  • Analysis of Urban Transformation Through the Use of Expanded Research Tools
    AE Builes-Vélez, L Suárez, D Gutiérrez, L Correa
    Sage Open 11 (3), 1 -11 , 2021
    2021
    Citations: 6
  • RECONFIGURACIÓN DE LOS IMAGINARIOS POÉTICOS DEL ARCHIPIÉLAGO DE SAN ANDRÉS, PROVIDENCIA Y SANTA CATALINA: LOS RELATOS DE LENITO ROBINSON-BENT Y JUAN RAMÍREZ DAWKINS
    AE Builes, M Pérez
    Visitas Al Patio, 92-110 , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 6
  • Teaching strategies for sustainability in creative disciplines
    AE Builes-Vélez, JR Jaramillo, N Pérez-Orrego, LM Suárez-Vásquez
    Sustainability in practice: Addressing challenges and creating opportunities … , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 5
  • Education for Sustainability approaching SDG 4 and target 4.7
    AE Builes Vélez, N Builes Escobar, E Rossi, A Mattram, J Stocker, ...
    Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 4
  • The strategy of social responsibility at universidad pontificia bolivariana toward the implementation of the sustainable development goals
    AE Builes Vélez, PA Zapata Ramírez
    Integrating Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development: Addressing … , 2021
    2021
    Citations: 4
  • Changing perspectives: Formative research at the faculty of clothing design as a transforming mechanism of the textile and clothing industry in the city of Medellín
    AE Builes Vélez, LM Suárez Vásquez
    Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , 2021
    2021
    Citations: 3
  • Moda, ciudad y economía
    AE Builes, N Uribe Lemarie, F Vélez Vélez, DC Gutierrez, ...
    Editorial UPB , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 2
  • Creative social innovation and urbanism: The case of Medellín
    AEB Vélez, MF Guidobono
    Cultures of Sustainability and Wellbeing, 222-231 , 2017
    2017
    Citations: 2
  • Nuevas maneras de habitar la ciudad como resultado de las continuas migraciones intraurbanas y las transformaciones sociales y culturales
    AE Builes Vélez
    Arquetipo,, 12-18 , 2014
    2014
    Citations: 2
  • A Procedure for Assessing the Effect of Climate Change on Organizational Cash Flows in Developing Countries
    CAS González, C Lochmuller, A Builes-Vélez, AM Osorio
    Preprints , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 1
  • Slow Cities: la reformulación de las ciudades a partir de nuevos comportamientos urbanos
    MF Guidobono, AE Builes-Vélez
    Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , 2023
    2023
    Citations: 1
  • Distopía, frontera y desplazamiento en la novela Ver lo que veo, de Roberto Burgos Cantor Dystopia, border, and displacement in the novel Ver lo que veoby Roberto Burgos Cantor …
    AE Builes-Vélez, DJP Mejía-Holguín
    Contexto 26 (28), 58-70 , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 1
  • Education for sustainability in creative disciplines at universidad pontificia bolivariana, universidad de medellín and institución universitaria pascual bravo at Medellín–Colombia
    AE Builes-Vélez, LM Suárez-Vásquez, J Restrepo-Jaramillo, ...
    Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , 2022
    2022
    Citations: 1
  • San Andrés y Providencia. Nostalgias, migraciones y literaturas
    AE Builes-Vélez, D Mejía - Holguín, M Pérez-Peña, A Rengifo, ...
    2021
    Citations: 1
  • Creación y debate
    N Builes Escobar, AE Builes Vélez
    Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana , 2019
    2019
    Citations: 1
  • Sustentabilidad y territorio. Herramientas para la gestión sustentable del hábitat (Hábitat Sustentable Contemporáneo)
    MAC Lara, RD Padilla, DE Sardo, CP Farah, G Franz, GV Gatica, ...
    Iteso , 2018
    2018
    Citations: 1
  • Immersive museography and marine conservation: The case of the Ecos De Mar exhibition of the Colombian Caribbean Sea
    J Restrepo Jaramillo, M Rodríguez-Velásquez, A Acevedo-Acosta, ...
    Museums & Social Issues, 1-21 , 2026
    2026