Elena is an architect and educator. She is currently a Professor of Practice at ASU. She holds a BArch and Masters in Architecture, Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) and ABD from ETSAB, UPC, (Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. As an educator, she has taught as a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Arizona, and an Associate Professor at ETSAB and UIC, Spain. She is a licensed and registered architect in Europe.
Founder of Canovas Studio in 2018, a nonprofit studio on research and practice on urbanity and architecture.
Co-principal and co-founder of aSZarquitectes, www.aszarquitectes.com. Projects by the firm include the Badalona Central Library, the Hejduk Memorial Towers, and A Trisca Community Center in Santiago de Compostela, Vidrà Public Housing, Rianxo Auditorium, Gavà Seafront Modular Housing, Capuchinas School of Restauration at the University of Huesca, and collaboration with Barcelona Tramway System in a transdisciplinary team.
The work has been exhibited in Europe, Zurich, Barcelona, Galicia, and at the 2012 Venice Biennale, among others. Awards of the firm aSZ include the FAD prize 2004, finalists, Cidade da Cultura Towers, and John Hejduk Memorial, the ECOLA award 2008, finalist (European Conference of Leading Architects).
The work has been widely published: a+u n, Japan; ARQCAT, COAC, Official Guide of Architecture in Catalunya, Spain; Conversions, 2007, London; Architectural Record, USA; Arquitectura Viva, Spain; DAX magazine, NL.