Publications → Soulmates: Matilde Ucelay and Félix Candela. The seizure of the Madrid College of Architects and the repression of architects during the Franco Regime

This study explores the personal and professional relationship between architects Matilde Ucelay and Félix Candela through their correspondence from 1951 to 1960, offering new insights into their trajectories and the historical context that shaped their lives. The letters reveal not only the development of their careers, marked by exile in Candela’s case and by repression and professional sanctions in Ucelay’s, but also the networks of support that sustained them in challenging circumstances. The analysis situates their experiences within post–Spanish Civil War Spain, focusing on the impact of Francoist purges on the architectural profession. It also highlights epistolary exchange as a valuable source for understanding resilience, professional continuity, and identity construction in contexts of exclusion. From a gender perspective, the study brings renewed attention to Matilde Ucelay, the first woman architect in Spain, emphasizing her agency, intellectual networks, and ability to navigate a restrictive social and professional environment.