We are back with another interview for our In The Spotlight series this month; we are talking to Jocelyn Ramirez, Architect at HAC Arquitectura.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey in architecture.
Since I was little, I have been interested in knowing how a house's spaces are organized. Later, I became very interested in observing and appreciating the aesthetics of great works. That's when I knew I wanted to learn everything about design and space, so I studied architecture. Since then, I have worked in various offices where I have had the opportunity to learn about all types of architecture, from houses to shopping malls and hospitals. I found it interesting to learn about various topics because it has helped me empathize with each space's users.
What has HAC Arquitectura meant to you professionally?
For me, it has been very significant to be able to be in contact with clients and help them transfer their needs to the design, also in hac as a multidisciplinary team that takes their projects from the beginning of the design to its construction has helped me to nurture myself with knowledge and to continue improving myself with better architectural solutions.
Being part of the design team, you have already had the opportunity to attend directly to several clients, listen to their ideas, and design for them. What has been your greatest challenge in working with them, and what has been your greatest lesson?
My biggest challenge has been to be able to have good effective communication with the clients; sometimes, we receive so much information from the client that we must be able to have the ability to transfer all their ideas to their project, and as part of my growth, I have been able to learn to ask the right questions to be able to absorb all the information necessary to have the best result in the design.
You started assisting in designing houses in Guadalajara, and now you work designing homes in Los Cabos. What are the significant differences in designing houses in the two cities, and what are the main physical and spatial characteristics that differentiate them?
The most significant difference in design is the use that will be given to each house. A house in the city will always have to be designed for urban life and daily activities. A house in Cabo will be more likely to be a space to relax and, vacation, spend more time with the family, and that can change the size of each space a lot from one house to another. Also, the use of materials, from color to textures, can vary depending on the sensation you want to offer in a city or beach environment.
What recommendations would you make to someone about to start designing their home?
You should think about your lifestyle and main needs and identify what you use the most in your current home to analyze what you would like to have or improve and the feeling you want in that new space that will be your home. And having a mood board of your favorite architectural homes will help architects start with a good direction of what you want.