Can you tell us about your background and what initially sparked your interest in architecture?
I was born in Guadalajara, a small city close to Madrid. I had a happy childhood, I enjoyed school time and especially summertime, which I spent mostly with my grandparents in their villages. That meant loads of time outdoors (fortunately, there weren’t many screens around when I was a teenager).
I used to like—and still do—drawing, painting, and later travelling and visiting museums, so when the time came to choose a career path, my dad suggested trying Architecture. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do, but I could see how attractive this discipline was. It combines the technical side with the artistic one, giving you an excuse to travel and learn from almost everything.
How has your upbringing in Spain influenced your approach to design and architecture?
Having lived in Swansea for 10 years, I understand how climate influences everything–not only the way you dress, the local ways of building or the materials that were traditionally used, but your routines, the way you eat, and the way you socialise. I definitely was taking the sunshine for granted! I guess over there it is easier to consider the external space as an extension to the internal space and you must be sure you include solar shading to south and west elevations. However, at university, we were tasked to design buildings all over the world, and we were challenged with all sorts of crazy briefs and building uses.
Are there any famous Spanish architects or specific architectural styles from Spain that have inspired your work?
There are many brilliant Spanish architects to learn from. I find inspiration in the works of Enric Miralles, Beth Gali, and Nieto Sobejano. I also like the way Andres Jaque and his team approach design, being political through architecture.
Can you share a favourite project you've worked on and why it stands out to you?
The most exciting project I have worked on so far is Biophilic Living Swansea, with Powell Dobson Architects. It has it all–a city centre location, an existing and a new building, collaboration with universities, innovation and a mix of uses, including social housing, offices, research spaces and an urban farm. It also links Oxford Street with a new piece of public space that the Council will be providing inside the urban block.
To me, it has been a great journey and learning experience. The project has been partially funded by the Welsh Government under IHP3 (Innovative Housing Programme). It is currently being built and it is to be completed in the next year or so. The idea is that a Community Interest Company is established, formed by the building’s users and members of the local community, to ensure the urban farm and the green infrastructure across the building are looked after and enjoyed by everybody. It will certainly be a brilliant project to do post-occupational evaluations and measure to what extent residents’ wellbeing has improved.
What advice would you give to young architects starting their careers?
Try not to be overwhelmed by the amount of work you are asked to do and explore and be bold! Get involved in some construction and practical work as soon as you can, it will make you appreciate the detail and internalise things more effectively. Go and study abroad for a year if possible. One last thing, do not forget the global climate situation we all live in and design with that in mind.
What are some of your favourite hobbies or activities?
I have a 19-month-old child so I have forgotten about hobbies. However, being a mum has been the greatest experience of my life, and I have been fortunate that everything has gone very well. I enjoy the pleasure of reading before going to bed. I understand the importance of working out after all those hours sitting in front of a computer, so I try to do a bit of yoga every day and find time to go to the gym. I love photography, and I have tried some pottery, and I really liked it as well, especially throwing pieces on the wheel.
