Author:
"Locus"
Image
Locus is a cross disciplinary office based in mexico city, whom founders, Jachen Schleich and Sana Frini understand space as a place that results from a constant in betweens where form(s) follow(s) behavior(s) and belonging(s).
Its tools embody the tangible, as the told, the felt the hidden and the unseen. history is fundamental, while context(s) and narrative(s) are lenses to look at the present to build in. Locus is currently leading the construction of the first zero-carbon footprint building in mexico.
The office recently won second place in the iom headquarters competition in geneva (2023) and fourth place in the national museum of carthage competition in tunisia (2023). They were also selected to take part in the eco pavilion competition in mexico city (2023) and exhibited several different ranges of upcycled furniture at mexico city’s design week the same year.
Sana Frini, co-founder of locus and tunisian born is an architect based in Mexico City, holds a M.arch in urban studies (utl, Lisbon) and MSC in globalization and environment (nova, Lisbon). Sana’s research focuses on architectural practices in the global south, including participatory processes, neovernacular systems, and sustainable development.
She has managed projects in social housing, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, as well as artistic installations in France, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, the United States, and Tunisia.
Sana has recently been selected to curate the Biennale d’Architecture et de Paysage in Versailles (bap, 2025). Her work has been exhibited at events such as the Mexico City design week (2023), the Herbert Johnson Museum (2021), the mexican Abierto de Diseño (2019), the chicago architecture biennial (2018), and the Lisbon Architecture Triennale (2013).
Sana has received awards such as gensler visiting critics (2021), the mexican national art creators system grant (2020), and the erasmus mundus fellowship. She has collaborated with universities such as Cornell Aap, Chicago (iit), kent university, head Geneva, Versailles School of Architecture, and UNAM Mexico.
Jachen Schleich, co-founder of Locus, swiss-born, is an architect based in Mexico City. He holds an MSC (eth, zurich) and shapes his architectural practice around essential elements, addressing broader contemporary themes. His work spans scales from furniture to urban infrastructure and masterplans.
Alongside being co-founder of Locus and sustainable living, Jachen oversees the swiss sustainable construction certification (minergie) in mexico. additionally, he manages ceela program activities in Mexico with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (cosude).
Jachen is also co-founder of Liga de la Madera, an interdisciplinary group dedicated to research, practice and teaching the wood production chain in Mexico.
Blending his practice with research and teaching, Jachen is currently involved in a course about wood construction in centro university, Mexico, and has been invited in various places as jury / guest professor.
Exhibited recognitions include being a finalist at the 2018 Venice Biennale’s ‘young architects in latin america’ (YALA) and winning the gold medal at the 2022 Mexican Architecture Biennial and the 2023 Architecture Biennial of Mexico City.
Its tools embody the tangible, as the told, the felt the hidden and the unseen. history is fundamental, while context(s) and narrative(s) are lenses to look at the present to build in. Locus is currently leading the construction of the first zero-carbon footprint building in mexico.
The office recently won second place in the iom headquarters competition in geneva (2023) and fourth place in the national museum of carthage competition in tunisia (2023). They were also selected to take part in the eco pavilion competition in mexico city (2023) and exhibited several different ranges of upcycled furniture at mexico city’s design week the same year.
Sana Frini, co-founder of locus and tunisian born is an architect based in Mexico City, holds a M.arch in urban studies (utl, Lisbon) and MSC in globalization and environment (nova, Lisbon). Sana’s research focuses on architectural practices in the global south, including participatory processes, neovernacular systems, and sustainable development.
She has managed projects in social housing, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, as well as artistic installations in France, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, the United States, and Tunisia.
Sana has recently been selected to curate the Biennale d’Architecture et de Paysage in Versailles (bap, 2025). Her work has been exhibited at events such as the Mexico City design week (2023), the Herbert Johnson Museum (2021), the mexican Abierto de Diseño (2019), the chicago architecture biennial (2018), and the Lisbon Architecture Triennale (2013).
Sana has received awards such as gensler visiting critics (2021), the mexican national art creators system grant (2020), and the erasmus mundus fellowship. She has collaborated with universities such as Cornell Aap, Chicago (iit), kent university, head Geneva, Versailles School of Architecture, and UNAM Mexico.
Jachen Schleich, co-founder of Locus, swiss-born, is an architect based in Mexico City. He holds an MSC (eth, zurich) and shapes his architectural practice around essential elements, addressing broader contemporary themes. His work spans scales from furniture to urban infrastructure and masterplans.
Alongside being co-founder of Locus and sustainable living, Jachen oversees the swiss sustainable construction certification (minergie) in mexico. additionally, he manages ceela program activities in Mexico with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (cosude).
Jachen is also co-founder of Liga de la Madera, an interdisciplinary group dedicated to research, practice and teaching the wood production chain in Mexico.
Blending his practice with research and teaching, Jachen is currently involved in a course about wood construction in centro university, Mexico, and has been invited in various places as jury / guest professor.
Exhibited recognitions include being a finalist at the 2018 Venice Biennale’s ‘young architects in latin america’ (YALA) and winning the gold medal at the 2022 Mexican Architecture Biennial and the 2023 Architecture Biennial of Mexico City.
