Hispanic Heritage Month: Elevating Gensler Voices
Hispanic Heritage Month is a period in the United States from September 15 — October 15 where we recognize Hispanic-American champions that inspire others to achieve success. Started in 1988, this month celebrates the histories of cultures and contributions of those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The month also celebrates the independence days of several Latin American countries, including: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on September 15th, Mexico on September 16th, and Chile on September 18th. They also include holidays that recognize Hispanic contributions such as Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day that is celebrated in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To celebrate this month and the contributions of our Hispanic and Latinx colleagues, we invited three architects, designers, and employees from across Gensler offices and a variety of backgrounds on the Gensler Design Exchange for this special episode. Lisette Ortiz, Gensler’s Southeast Region Photography and Awards Manager with Cuban-Colombian roots, sits down with Vivian Caravaca, a [Tica] Costa Rican architect in Gensler’s Tampa office, Christian Hernandez, a Cuban technical designer in Gensler’s Miami office, and Dani Marquez, a Venezuelan designer in Gensler’s Atlanta office, to discuss their career journeys, what it means to be Hispanic in our industry, their role in making our communities more resilient & equitable, and the impact that diversity in design and architecture can have on the human experience.
“Construction in this country is so deeply influenced by Latino and Hispanic heritage and culture and folks from these communities that I can’t ignore [it] when I’m doing my job. It’s very conscious and incredibly humbling, and I feel very lucky to be a designer on this side.” — Dani Marquez, Assoc. AIA, LEED Green Associate, Designer, Gensler Atlanta
First, Lisette talks to Vivian [2:00–14:37], who recently transferred from Gensler’s office in her hometown of San Jose, Costa Rica, to Gensler’s Tampa office. Vivian shares how her upbringing in Costa Rica — a country that has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2021 — has shaped her design philosophy around sustainability, and how that aligns with the way that she approaches her work and Gensler’s Cities Climate Challenge (GC3). When asked what her favorite project or piece of work by a Hispanic or Latinx designer, she references her current inspiration: the Museo Soumaya in Mexico City.
“The Costa Rican government is working towards carbon neutrality by 2021…so growing up with that mentality in my country made me take action on little things…so I like to have a similar mindset towards architecture and my work [by] paying attention to those details that relate to sustainability.” — Vivian Caravaca, RA, Architect, Gensler Tampa
Next, Lisette catches up with Christian [14:42–32:50], a fellow South Florida-native used to work in Gensler’s Washington D.C. office. Now that he’s returned to his roots in Miami, they discuss how Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to both learn from and teach others about our different cultures and traditions. Christian explains how the Spanish word compartir which means to “to share” translates into his designs, and how that sentiment influences his passion for designing places for people to gather — and maybe enjoy a cafecito, or Cuban expresso, together. Christian also shares how he’s inspired by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí’s timeless designs like La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, and the power of architecture to have lasting resonance in society.
“Architecture and design in general is a form of art…at a point it almost has no barriers, which is so beautiful because through design you can express yourself…it’s a way to represent your culture, your teachings, your character, and it’s something that is so cool because architecture and design is everywhere.” — Christian Hernandez, LEED Green Associate, Technical Designer
Finally, Lisette and Dani have a conversation [33:00–51:00] on how craftmanship and the art of making things by hand is infused in Hispanic and Latino culture. In her projects, Dani likes to incorporate artisanal elements made by members of local communities to create greater connection and garner emotional responses from a space’s users, ultimately creating a sense of belonging. When asked what her favorite project or piece of work by a Hispanic or Latinx designer, Dani references El Moro, a churrería in Mexico City that incorporates the idea of craft into the design and branding of the space. She also explains how Common Unity by Rozana Montiel is an example of a project that removes barriers to create a welcoming space. Although these two projects have a small footprint, they create a large impact by establishing community — something that Dani believes is one of the most powerful outcomes of good design.
“My heritage has given me a large appreciation for what craft and craftsmanship is, to not take those elements for granted, and to not ignore our emotional and physical responses to such items of delight or spaces of delight.” Dani Marquez, Assoc. AIA, LEED Green Associate, Designer, Gensler Atlanta
While we acknowledge that each person’s experience is vastly different, there were a few common threads in our conversations that we can all learn from: the importance of family, hard work, and gathering; the unique influence of and history that Hispanic culture and heritage has in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry; the lack of Hispanic and Latinx designers and architects in our profession; and the need to listen to others’ diverse perspectives to create truly human-centered designs.
We hope you enjoy listening to these conversations as much as we enjoyed having them!
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Gracias!
