Meet The Team

Professor Alejandro Lara Allende, Green Star AP, PIA (Assoc.) is an urban scientist, planner, and co-founder of UP Global, with a strong focus on urban analytics, environmental performance, and data-driven planning. He is currently a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, where he also teaches urban and spatial analytics.

His research examines the relationships between urban form, resource flows, and environmental impacts, with an emphasis on life-cycle assessment, greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainable urban development. Alejandro has published peer-reviewed research in indexed journals, including Elsevier publications, and regularly presents his work at international academic conferences such as the Architectural Science Association.

He holds a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Melbourne, where his thesis on life-cycle emissions in “green” developments received the People’s Choice Award at the Three-Minute Thesis competition. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Universidad Iberoamericana.

In parallel to his academic work, Alejandro brings over a decade of professional experience across the public and private sectors, including roles in economic research, infrastructure planning, and international business development in Mexico, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

At UP Global, he leads the integration of research-based methodologies into planning and design practice, developing strategies that align environmental performance, urban systems, and long-term sustainability goals.

Professor Jorge Espinosa González, LEED Green Associate, Intl. Assoc. AIA is an architect and urban designer whose work engages the intersection of mobility, public space, and urban development across diverse international contexts. With over a decade of experience spanning Mexico, the United States, and Australia, his practice focuses on transit-oriented design, housing, and the integration of infrastructure with ecological and social systems.

As founder of UP Global, he leads the design and planning of complex urban projects, including mixed-use developments, public realm strategies, and transportation frameworks. His work operates across scales and disciplines, coordinating with stakeholders, consultants, and institutions to translate strategic vision into implementable, context-responsive outcomes.

Jorge holds a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University and serves as a professor at Universidad Iberoamericana, where he teaches and researches around digital methodologies for achitecture and urban systems. His work has been recognized in national and international biennales and reflects a commitment to rigorous, systems-based approaches to contemporary urban challenges.