Cultivating dynamic design careers

JV: Mexico’s current boom in the industry involves contextual, economic, political, and social aspects. Latin America, in general, is like a playground for architects, in a good sense. Europe and other first-world countries are already developed and somewhat stagnant. For emerging architects, competing there is challenging as they face the best in the world. In Mexico and Latin America as a whole, the region is still developing, and many things are happening. Cities need to be built and rebuilt continuously, creating a dynamic environment for architects and developers. I studied extensively in Europe, and my friends practicing there find it challenging. They must enter competitions with a lot of talent and innovation around them. Here, opportunities are more accessible, fostering entrepreneurship among younger generations in Mexico. This environment enables friends to pursue ventures such as opening a restaurant or launching a store for their sweatshirt brand. This makes it an excellent place to build a portfolio and start a career.

I first studied Architecture at Universidad Iberoamericana here in Mexico. It was a very interesting school because it teaches how to become a good designer, but for me remained very technical. Throughout my career, I wanted to try something more experimental, more artistic, and less rigid. I went to study at the AA in London as a visiting student. That was a life-changing experience for me in all aspects of my personal, creative, and professional life. The AA viewed architecture in a completely different light compared to what I was studying at Iberoamericana. Afterwards, I tried to apply to the AA as an undergraduate student but was not accepted. This feeling stayed with me, the need to move and explore different approaches. I decided to finish school first and then explore other options. I completed my studies and then went to the Glasgow School of Art to approach architecture in a more artistic way. Studying in Glasgow was really inspiring. I studied at the Mackintosh Building, which unfortunately burned down just after I finished. Then I returned to Mexico and started working with Tatiana Bilbao. Before that, I had worked with Ricardo Legorreta, gaining significant experience with large scale firms in Mexico. I then began working with Alessandro Arienzo, who now runs Lanza Taller in partnership with Isabel Abascal. This was particularly interesting because it was a small, emerging studio, and I felt much freer. Being an architect is not just about drawing; you have to do many things beyond designing.

Afterwards, I went to study as a graduate student at the AA for my M.Phil. That was also a great experience, challenging my understanding of architecture in many ways. Afterwards, I returned to Mexico City. I knew I wanted to pursue my dream of opening my own firm ever since I started working at one of the large firms. Life there was miserable, to be honest. One major criticism I have about architecture is the long working hours and night shifts, which often limit personal freedom and work-life balance. Sometimes, I stayed at the office, slept there, and worked for 24 hours straight. It was very tough, and I knew I did not want to live like that. Back in Mexico, I found the work environment very rough and intense, but not in a good way. To maintain creativity, it's essential to prioritise adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and social interaction. Creativity cannot be overexploited; it needs to be nurtured in daily life. This is what I learned. I realised I did not want to live like that and wanted to open my own firm, which is what I did just after returning from studying in England. My first project was very exciting because it was with the Danish firm Frama. For me, it was interesting because before choosing my master's at the AA, I wanted to study in Copenhagen. I have always loved their design approach. For some reason, I did not select the school and went to the AA instead. When I came back, I started working with Frama for a year and a half. 

Prioritising well-being in practice

JV: When I was studying architecture, I was told constantly that to be an architect, you basically had to quit with your personal life. I learned a lot during that stressful time in my life. However, I also learned that I did not want to live like that. I was quite depressed. I remember leaving the office and vomiting, then returning to work without having slept for hours. I had to return because we had a competition. It was very difficult. Since I opened my practice, we have never been overworked. We work from “this hour to that hour”, and that's it! I try to show the people who work for me that nourishing personal life is very important for having a successful professional life. It's about finding the balance. You need to give people time to switch off . I want to be careful with that. Treating people like machines is not good.

As I mentioned, I studied in Glasgow for one year. I won a scholarship after finishing my studies at Iberoamericana. The scholarship was initially for a school in Liechtenstein, but I didn't find it attractive. I wanted to do art and something different, and I found the Glasgow School of Art was a better opportunity. After my intense work experience, I needed a break. I wanted to go to a small city where I didn't know anyone and study something I was truly interested in. I put myself in that situation. The weather in Glasgow was difficult, but it was very inspiring. It was a moment I gave to myself. Studying in that landscape and in that school building was really nice, it was like a creative incubator. I came back to Mexico City with lots of energy, surrounded by my friends, and ready to open my firm. 

Crafting connections in design

JV: My collaboration with Frama started when I was in London studying for my master's degree. I had a good friend who lived in London at the same time. We were both into design and took quick trips to Copenhagen and other countries to explore. I was obsessed with Danish design. It was fascinating because it was simple yet powerful. We went to Copenhagen and visited Frama because we were obsessed with their work. We met Niels Strøyer Christophersen there, who has become a great friend. We talked about our interest in their designs. My friend wanted to open a design gallery in Mexico, now called STUDIO IMA. After I returned to Mexico, my friend started working with Niels. Then, I received a phone call from him. He said they needed an architect and asked if I would take the job. Their client was Enrique Olvera, one of the top chefs in Mexico City who wanted to renovate Eno, one of his restaurants in the Lomas neighborhood. I immediately agreed. I put my heart into the project, aiming to create a really cool space. I learned a lot about how they work and their attention to detail. I learned that as architects, we often have ideas in our heads that the place doesn’t always allow. Instead of pushing it, find another way, for this specific project it had to  be subtle, not overly pragmatic. When the restaurant opened, I started receiving more clients. 

Another learning experience was when I worked at Tatiana Bilbao. I learned a lot from her. She always said you need to be proactive and look for jobs because you already have the ‘no’; just look for the ‘yes’. It's about asking questions and offering your services. Throughout the process of establishing the studio, there were periods of hard work and feeling stuck. It's always important to look for advice and to know that it takes time to learn. The road of entrepreneurship is not always straight and it can get quite bumpy.

Balancing pressure and passion

JV: During this time, I got invited to design a house because of the 2017 earthquake. I was invited as a new architect, together with a group of architects, such as Pritzker Prize winners, Mexican established offices and new practices. At that moment, I was also focused on setting up my office and establishing standards. It was very interesting because I was going to work on a project where firms such as Frida Escobedo and Alberto Kalach were also involved, practices that I really admire. Nobody knew my practice, so I was determined to excel. We worked on a tiny house, 45 square meters, but we dedicated a lot of time to it. It was simple yet formally interesting, and we called it Casa Martha. I remember we did about seven different versions to perfect the project. There was a lot of pressure because I had this massive opportunity. The project became viral. I remember deciding to send it to a magazine, feeling very skeptical. To my surprise, it got published. I was at a wedding when my phone started buzzing non-stop. The project gained many followers on my Instagram account, and I received numerous emails requesting the press kit for Casa Marta. It became very popular.

Then the pandemic hit, and I felt trapped in my work. However, I received an email from Wallpaper magazine asking if I could be on their list of the top 20 emerging architects. This recognition taught me a valuable personal lesson: nobody teaches you how to be a leader, how to navigate challenges in the building process, or how to handle mistakes and uncertainty. It made me realize the importance of taking time to relax. All the hard work and strictness I imposed on myself were necessary, but I also needed to care for my creativity and lifestyle. The success of this project taught me the importance of balancing hard work with relaxation. It showed me how to enjoy and have fun while doing my work.

Building for a better society

JV: Casa Martha and Lago Algo are interesting examples of the work I developed. Casa Martha is a multi-generational social housing project, and Lago Algo is a public space that functions as a gallery and restaurant, which opened two years ago in Bosque de Chapultepec, the biggest park in Mexico City. For me, these two projects highlight the kind of work I would like to do more, such as social housing and public spaces. They show how architecture can address problems and transform lives. Architecture can be a tool for transformation. A house can change a family, and if that design is repeated, it can change society. It is fascinating to think about architecture in this way.

In Casa Martha, it is very evident. When we arrived, the earthquake had just happened, and the charities were deciding which houses to rebuild. This family’s house was not damaged, but they lived in very poor conditions. They were living in a tent without any bathrooms. The family consisted of an elderly couple and their two sons, who were 35 and 40 years old, with their wives also living there. It was a multi-generational setup. We decided to design a space that could accommodate everyone within 40 square meters, including an elderly flat.Martha had difficulty walking, and her husband was blind, so we needed to create a design that catered to their specific needs.

We had to consider making the space wheelchair-accessible and ensuring easy circulation. We also needed to integrate the two families, allowing the sons and their spouses to live independently from their parents while still being able to care for them and keep them company. The design incorporated a shared kitchen to encourage daily interaction among family members, fostering mutual care within the household. It included an elderly flat for the couple and two additional rooms for their sons and their spouses. Additionally, if one of the sons moved out, the space could be rented out. This approach aimed to create a functional and supportive multi-generational home.

We decided to address many aspects of their lives, depending on their circumstances. This was particularly interesting because it involved social housing. Social housing, which originated in England, is a way of integrating social, economic and political values allowing architecture to change society at large. In informal settlements here in Mexico, people often share a single room, leading to issues such as promiscuity and a sense of demoralization within households due to lack of privacy. Everything happens in close quarters, which is not conducive to healthy societal norms. Therefore, for me, designing housing that promotes morality, values, privacy, and care within a home was essential to include in Casa Martha.

Layers of architectural legacy

JV: The second project, Lago Algo, was one we had to take on despite the impossible circumstances. We had three months to design and build this massive project. It is a really cool building with a hyperboloid and paraboloid ceiling. This ceiling is asymmetrical, unlike the usually symmetrical designs of Felix Candela. 

When the Olympics took place here in 1968, it was part of the park infrastructure in Chapultepec because they wanted to revitalise the area, which was abandoned. The restaurant was meant to be public, but after it was finished, it became privatised and turned into a fancy restaurant frequented by celebrities and politicians. Later, an architect intervened and built more rooms around it to rent for events. One of his changes was to build walls that divided the spaces under the hyperboloid and paraboloid ceiling, essentially hiding it. The place became a venue for parties like quinceañeras and baptisms. The restaurant remained, but it was mainly used for political gatherings and became a somewhat shady place. Galeria OMR, one of the main contemporary art galleries in Mexico, invited me to create an exhibition space that included a gallery, a public area, and a restaurant. They wanted a space where they could invite chefs to do pop-ups related to art and sustainable food that were open to all ages. It was a really interesting project.

The challenge was that we had a very limited time to design and build, and there were no architectural plans. We literally moved the office into the building and worked there constantly, trying to figure out the original structure and remove all the add-ons from previous interventions. We aimed to create a truly democratic space. We loved the ceiling, and as we started removing the layers of the building, we uncovered the various stages and reforms it had undergone. We wanted to preserve the history of the building so that when people enter, they might think it's a raw mess, but they can see the construction methods from the 60s and 90s in a raw form. Our intervention aimed to showcase the building's history as a public space that was later privatised. You can see the plaster walls added during its private period and then its return to public use. This illustrates how a building can have multiple lives, shifting between public and private. We found these layers of history very interesting. The ceiling, for example, is beautiful. It's concrete, but you can see the layers of paint from various renovations. We left it like this to tell the story of its privatisation and return to public use. It's a fascinating building to explore.

Balancing spaces and speed

JV: We are deeply passionate about housing, public spaces, and landscape design, and currently fortunate to be engaged in all these areas. Restaurants, as public spaces, have provided us with rapid learning opportunities in the office and are particularly intriguing to design because they allow for critical thinking. In comparison to the others, restaurants have the worst timelines. Clients usually pay rent, so everything has to be finished quickly. Managing large kitchens and numerous technical challenges has made me an expert in this field. It's fun, but it can be quite challenging. 

This journey has been an enriching learning experience internally, allowing us to explore diverse ideas within short timeframes. I believe these design concepts will form the foundation for future architectural projects. Reflecting on the five years since opening our studio, the process has been incredibly rewarding. I could not have envisioned the amount of work and growth we've experienced from the outset. It's truly motivating to realize that we are just beginning and have learned so much.

As a young creative entrepreneur, I always encourage others to pursue their dreams, there's nothing to lose. "You just need to continue paddling slowly and with loads of patience," as Frida Escobedo once told me. Today, we see that the seeds have been planted, the roots have taken hold, and the soil is fertile. We are growing, and our excitement knows no bounds.