Experience
Architectural design, restoration of World Heritage sites and real estate appraisal
Jaime Correa Vélez graduated in 1997 as an architect with a research thesis titled “Analysis of the Expression Application in Design Approach” and in 1999 as a specialist in conservation and restoration of architectural heritage from the University of Jorge Tadeo Lozano in Cartagena de Indias, off the northern coast of Colombia. In 2003, he earned a diploma of University Teaching from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and approved the virtual class “Innovation and Creation of Technology-based Enterprises” with sponsorship from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism of Colombia.
Architectural
Design
Jaime Correa Vélez has worked on different project types such as housing, hotels, health facilities, offices, and commercial premises as well as sport, cultural, industrial, and educational institutions. He has distinguished himself by participating in architectural design competitions for the site of “The Foundation of Mario Santo Domingo” in Barranquilla (1999) and for “The Water Complex of 2006 Centroamerican Games” in Cartagena (2003). Partnering with architect Pedro Ibarra Jiménez, he designed the project “Solar Dial Park” in Cartagena in 2000. In partnership with architect Alberto Samudio Trallero, he designed and supervised the completion of the condominium “House of Virrey Eslava” for the Constructora Barajas in Cartagena between 2005 and 2009. In 2012, Correa Vélez was hired by the Spanish firm BXD Arquitectura as an architectural supervisor of the “Paradise of the Sea” phase of their project “Sea of the Indias” in the northern zone of Cartagena. Since 2011 he is working on the Restoration Master Plan of the Seguros Bolívar Building, the urban gate of Bocagrande, the Cartagena touristical neighborhood.
Restoration Consulting
In 2000, Correa Vélez directed the team of Architectural Survey of “East Colombia Cultural Center” in Bucaramanga. In 2005, 2013 and 2014, he served as advisor of the Heritage Division of Cartagena's Institute of Heritage and Culture and worked in the program of Research, Documentation, and Dissemination of Material Heritage.
As an architect, Correa Vélez practices restoration consulting that focuses on property assessment, intervention criteria definition, technical expert testimony, and architectural design. He participated in the following projects — Condominiums: House of Virrey Eslava and Villa Ana María; Houses: Hard Rock Café Cartagena, Saudade, Parody, Barnes, Lara, Tica, French Alliance; and Hotels: Tcherassi, Bastión de los Reyes, Santa Cecilia and Cartagena de Indias Small Luxury Hotel; as well as the Naar Pupo Building, Rafael Núñez Museum, Carulla Bocagrande Supermarket, and the Contemporary Cloister of the University Institution of Fine Arts and Sciences of Bolivar.
Between 2010 and 2012, he worked as a consultant representing universities in the “Special Plan on the Management and Protection of Cartagena's Historic Center and its Zone of Influence (PEMP)”, developed by the Institute of Heritage and Culture (IPCC) and the District Planning Secretariat of Cartagena. Between 2013 and 2015 Jaime Correa Vélez was an advisor to the Mayor of Cartagena as the Coordinator of PEMP with the task of developing this urban regulation and presenting it to the Colombian national government, the District Council of Cartagena, the private business sector as well as the community in a variety of scenarios. During 2018 and 2019 he was the Heritage National Advisor for the last stage of the Downtown Cartagena Urban PEMP.
An important achievement in this exercise was Correa's active participation in the regulation of the public spaces in Cartagena's historic center through his development of cartographical support for twenty-one public squares in order to help the city generate revenue to be invested in the long-term maintenance of these areas. His studio got together the most recent and accurate survey of Downtown Cartagena with a powerful database to help authorities and developers in urban decisions making.
Infographics Consulting
Cartografía del Plan Especial de Manejo y Protección del Centro Histórico de Cartagena.
In 1995, Correa Vélez expanded his professional experience in the field of infographics. Between 1998 and 2000, he developed the thematic cartography for the components of Patrimony and Public Space of the “Land Use Plan of Cartagena (POT).” In 1999 and 2000, he served as the coordinator of Cartography of POT and developed a prototype of GIS for the thematic cartography of the city. Since 1999, he has provided consulting in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) to clients such as the Mayor's Office of Cartagena, the Regional Port Society of Cartagena, and the Mamonal Foundation. He has offered personalized training to Colombian professionals who have emigrated to the United States, Canada, Australia, Spain, and the Cayman Islands.
Since 2000, he directed the professional presentation of architectural projects of various authors at international competitions such as “The Museum Tomihiro Hoshino” in Japan, “The Rehabilitation of the Plaza de Cuzco” in Peru, and “The Building Set for Schools of Nursing and Dentistry at the National University” in Bogota, Colombia. Architect teams advised in this manner by Correa Vélez have earned prestigious awards and recognition for their professional work, including 3rd place in the competition of the “Caribbean Cultural Park “ in Barranquilla (2000) and 1st place in the competition of “The Sinú Round” in Montería (2002). In 2011, he led the process of inventory for the entire graphical planning archive for Julio César Turbay Ayala Convention Center as part of their agreement with UJTL. Between 2010 and 2012, Jaime Correa Vélez Arquitectos developed and implemented the digital thematic cartography for the “Special Plan on the Management and Protection of Cartagena's Historic Center and its Zone of Influence (PEMP).” The company processed information provided by the consulting team, the Geographic Institute Agustín Codazzi (IGAC) and different district entities of Cartagena to develop a new reliable cartography showing urban planning rules in the old city.
Academic Work
In 2001, Correa Vélez began teaching as a certified instructor at the University Rafael Núñez and at the University Jorge Tadeo Lozano (UJTL), accumulating more than 5000 hours of teaching experience over the span of 11 years. Between 2003 and 2005, he worked as the technology coordinator for the School of Architecture at the University Corporation Rafael Núñez and was actively involved in the process of the Quality Registration of their program with the Colombia Ministry of Education. In 2001 and 2002, respectively, Correa Vélez designed the projects of institutional development “Module of Digital Graphic Expression” (Infographics Laboratory) and “Eratostenes” (Information Portal).
In 2003, he was selected as evaluator for the project and research component of the “Quality Examination of Higher Education (ECAES)” in its first version for all the architectural schools in Colombia. In 2004 and 2005, Correa Vélez designed and directed the first diploma program of Infographics in Cartagena with an extension of 200 hours. In 2007, Correa Vélez served as master/teacher of Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias. In 2012, he was hired by the School of Humanities, Arts and Designs of UJTL as professor of architectural survey and qualification module in the postgraduate program of Conservation and Restoration of Architectural Heritage.
