{"id":849,"date":"2016-06-16T11:48:54","date_gmt":"2016-06-16T11:48:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/?p=849"},"modified":"2016-06-16T12:00:20","modified_gmt":"2016-06-16T12:00:20","slug":"architect-frida-escobedo-shares-working-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/lifestyle\/architect-frida-escobedo-shares-working-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Architect Frida Escobedo shares her Working Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Architect Frida Escobedo<\/strong><\/em><\/a> weighs in on the debate and talks self-fulfilment, idle colleagues and her social responsibility as a boss.<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

Over the past few years, Escobedo has been working on very different projects: from a pop-up store for hip Australian cosmetics brand Aesop<\/a> to conceptual designs for New York City\u2019s MoMa PS1<\/a>. Together with Design Milk<\/a>, She\u2019s Mercedes<\/a> stopped by her home, explored her working environment in a shared-use gallery space and find out more about her most ambitious endeavour: the remodelling of the La Tallera<\/a> museum.<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO: Marmol Radziner\u2019s project with Lenny Kravitz<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"banner<\/a><\/p>\n

How do you work?<\/span><\/p>\n

In our office, there are no assigned desks. I just grab my laptop, check my e-mails and jump from computer to computer. There is also a big table where we all come together. This is where we brainstorm, do the first sketches, etc.<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

Is the environment relatively quiet or do you listen to music?<\/span><\/p>\n

We used to listen to music, but we all have different tastes and neighbours, so we switched to using headphones. But when it gets late, of course we crank the music up, have a beer or mezcal and everyone just has a good time. It\u2019s a really relaxed environment.<\/p>\n

What about the other people in the building?<\/span><\/p>\n

Everything is super open! For example, we have this small, informal table in the hallway that we share with our neighbours. It\u2019s a great space for a quick break, but can also serve as a small meeting table.<\/p>\n

How long have you been in this space?<\/span><\/p>\n

For a year. Before that, we worked from my home. But with four people, it soon got too crazy, so I decided to rent a proper studio. At some point, you need to separate your private life from work.<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

How do you record your ideas?<\/span><\/p>\n

I keep my sketchbooks in my apartment because there\u2019s no real privacy in this public building. We also make little books for every project that contain all the visual references, the conceptual background, etc. \u2013 this creates a beautiful linear narrative.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your creative process or workflow like? Is there a certain rhythm to it all, or does it change from project to project?<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a very horizontal, shared process. With competitions, it starts with a briefing and then we all get together to discuss the brief and initial ideas. After that, we work individually on images, sketch works and references, followed by another round of joint discussions. Then we start on the models. So, everyone from intern to senior participates in the process. It\u2019s all about editing and focussing on individual strengths. My favourite part of the working process is that very first moment when everyone participates at the same level.<\/p>\n

How do you see your own role in the process?<\/span><\/p>\n

Early on, it\u2019s my role to frame the task, add context and maybe a vision. Take the MoMa PS1 pavilion where the main theme was sustainability. So, I first explained my thoughts: If we want to create something truly sustainable, we need to do it with nothing. Let\u2019s only use what\u2019s already in the museum\u2019s courtyard. After that, the whole team comes up with ideas.<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

Do you have an inspiration board? What\u2019s on it right now?<\/span><\/p>\n

I dont really have an inspiration board. We use our walls and I have some sketches from a wall structure at \u201cLa Tallera\u201d and the proposal for the MoMa PS1 courtyard.<\/p>\n

What kind of design objects do you have in here that you like?<\/span><\/p>\n

We don\u2019t really have precious things in our studio. We designed some chairs which are mock-ups and we are producing them in copper in the future. Also, I love MUJI, but who doesn\u2019t?<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

Do you have anything that you designed at your home?<\/span><\/p>\n

The volcanic rock chair in the little garden and a small table. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

What are your favorite tools?<\/span><\/p>\n

I would have to say sketch paper and pencil. I also love books \u2013 to me, they are communication tools.<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

And what about tech or gadgets?<\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing but computers and a regular printer. No 3-D printing or anything fancy\u2026<\/p>\n

I guess there\u2019s design software involved?<\/span><\/p>\n

We use AutoCAD, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and sometimes 3-D modelling tools like Rhino or Artlantis, but that\u2019s really rare. We are more hands-on and love to work with paper and wood. Sometimes, our studio turns into a real workshop.<\/p>\n

\"Architect\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

What has been your favorite project so far?<\/span><\/p>\n

Right now, it\u2019s the MoMA PS 1. Although we didn\u2019t win the competition, I\u2019m very happy with our proposal and I think the idea itself will resurface in a different iteration\u2026 The overall theme was sustainability and we wanted to create something with the materials that were already present in the museum\u2019s courtyard. So, our plan was to extract a soil triangle and shift it from one side to the other \u2013 using what\u2019s already there to create a different space: positive and negative. In the end, it\u2019s a universal shape like a theatre or stage with a lot of didactic and political implications, yet derived from a really simple action. I\u2019m really interested in this kind of process, something that\u2019s really complex but resolved through a very simple idea.<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

Do you feel like you\u2019ve \u201cmade it\u201d?<\/span><\/p>\n

No. I\u2019m really grateful that I\u2019m able to run my own practice and make a living of something that I love. I think that\u2019s a privilege, but I don\u2019t think that I ever feel like \u201cI\u2019ve made it\u201c.<\/p>\n

What will it take to get you there?<\/span><\/p>\n

If you can collaborate with people that you appreciate and respect, if you keep learning with each project, if you can share time with your family and friends \u2026 But I also think that the notion of success changes with time; it differs when you are twenty or forty years old.<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

How can we encourage more women in architecture?<\/span><\/p>\n

My mum campaigned for women\u2019s rights, so it\u2019s always been quite important to me. The state needs to take responsibility, which is really tough in a country like Mexico. We need to discuss the meaning of caretaking since it\u2019s a huge economy that relies solely on women. They\u2019re just starting to quantify the true costs of taking care of people \u2013 whether that\u2019s babies, sick people, elderly people\u2026<\/p>\n

I also think we need more tolerance. If a woman takes time off from work to start a family, we are really tough on her and say \u201cshe is out, she is not productive anymore\u201c. I think motherhood should be valued and we also need to make it easier to re-engage in the professional world after becoming parents. People take sabbaticals to write a book, so why shouldn\u2019t they do the same when they are having a baby?<\/p>\n

\"Architect<\/a><\/p>\n

Are there any people with kids in your office?<\/span><\/p>\n

Not yet because everyone is very young. But we\u2019ve discussed it. If someone wants to have a kid, then we need to have a playground here\u2026 But it\u2019s especially difficult in an independent practise with no real stability since we only have project-based contracts. But I want to create an environment where people can actually thrive in both personal and professional aspects. I do want to have children. I can totally imagine me being in my studio with a kid. We might have to baby-proof the stairway, though\u2026<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the current project you\u2019re working on?<\/span><\/p>\n

Right now, we\u2019re working on a small produce market here in Mexico City and a housing complex in Puerto Vallarta.<\/p>\n

\"banner<\/a><\/p>\n

Text<\/em>: Sarah Weinknecht | Photo<\/em>: Ana Hop<\/p>\n

Source: Design Milk<\/a>, She\u2019s Mercedes<\/a><\/em>
\n_
\nWe really hope you liked our article. Feel free to pin all the images to your favorite Pinterest board or to print it and use in your mood board. You can always choose to follow us and see the coverage of this event step by step. Follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Pinterest<\/a> , Instagram<\/a> or subscribe here and don\u2019t miss a single breath.<\/p>\n

Guardar<\/span><\/p>\n

Guardar<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Architect Frida Escobedo weighs in on the debate and talks self-fulfilment, idle colleagues and her social responsibility as a boss. Over the past few years, Escobedo has been working on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[523,525,526,529,524,415,181,533,456,532,530,338,527,531,528],"class_list":["post-849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-architect","tag-conceptual-designs","tag-design-milk","tag-environment","tag-frida-escobedo","tag-home","tag-inspiration","tag-laptop","tag-office","tag-pencil","tag-private-life","tag-projects","tag-shes-mercedes","tag-sketchbooks","tag-work"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=849"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":871,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849\/revisions\/871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essentialhome.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}