Exclusive interview with Paola Calzada mexican architecture

It’s a pleasure to share with you another exclusive interview with one of the most talented people. This time you will read fantastic words by Paola Calzada. A very bright architect and interior designer that gave me an interview that is a delight to read!

You can’t miss this! Paola Calzada gives a very high level of attention to her projects and is involved in the creative process of each and every single design, to make sure that there is always the opportunity to make something different. This is really a very brilliant interview that you must read! Be amazed by the words of mexican architect Paola Calzada!

Paola Calzada
Paola Calzada

 How and why did you get into the interior design/ architecture Industry?

I attended architecture school in Mexico City, at Universidad Iberoamericana, class of 2000 and left for Milan right away to pursue a masters in industrial design at a Futurarium and arts oriented private school founded by Alessandro Guerriero. Being used to Full time architecture school I had a lot of time free and enrolled in the IED (instituto europeo del design) for a Interior design diploma. That was my first casual approach to interior design, a bit by chance. After a year, I was bewitched by Milan’s design world and found a junior architect position in Matteo Thun & Partners office, except the position was opened in the interior design area, I wasn’t very happy at first but that’s where I found the true love to interior design and understood interior and exteriors (architecture) are just as interesting and important just have different scales.

Project by Paola Calzada
Project by Paola Calzada | Photo by Jaime Navarro

– How would you describe your projects? Do you have a signature touch with your designs?

My signature is not a style but an approach to a case by case basis. Each project is a new opportunity to do something creative and different from the my previous work. I always do the creative part personally even though there is a lot of team work involved in each project.

– What do you love about being an architect?

The fact we can influence the senses through materials and space. The creativity necessary for the conceptual work I find it to be just as rewarding as the creative work involved to solve the day to day client or site related problems.

Project by Paola Calzada
Project by Paola Calzada | Photo by Jaime Navarro

– Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Everywhere, anywhere! A photo, a material, a feeling.

– What are some of your most popular projects? Tell us a bit about some of your creations and what you love about them. What’s your favorite and why?

This years personal favorite is the boutique hotel “15.28” in San Cristobal de las casas, Chiapas, Mexico. It’s a mixture between indigenous Mexico and immigration from Europe durin colonization whith a contemporary architectural language that really represents San Cristobal and the mestizo culture of my country. Mestizo=son of spaniard and indigenous. My second favourite are residential work and office refurbishments. In pictures please find casa lomas II, casa Virreyes II and oficinas Reforma. The latter was a very low cost office refurbishment based in preexisting see through wall. It was recycled and reused as partition wall, furniture, facade.

Hotel "15.28" by Paola Calzada
Hotel “15.28” by Paola Calzada | Photo by: Jaime Navarro

– Is there anything exciting that you are working on at the moment that you can tell us about?

The 15.28 hotel and a new residence with modernist influence  in the south of Mexico City in the Pedregal area. This area of the city holds the most beautiful modernist period houses and urban development and that’s where I’m getting my inspiration from.

Spa - Hotel "15.28" by Paola Calzada
Spa – Hotel “15.28” by Paola Calzada | Photo by Jaime Navarro

– What is your favorite building in the world? 

Therme di vals by Peter Zumthor and the Naoshima ferry station bu SANAA.

The Therme Vals  byPeter Zumthor
The Therme Vals byPeter Zumthor

– If someone gave to you the opportunity to design a space anywhere in the world and without rules what you you do? 

A maternity center in the middle of natural landscape. I just had a baby a month ago, I guess he’s influencing my desition.

– Describe yourself in three words.

Creative, constant, caring.

Paola Calzada | Photo by: Marta Kowalska
Paola Calzada | Photo by: Marta Kowalska

– What are your dreams and goals professionally? Always have a small architectural practice in which I can select the projects and have time to design them myself. Never to loose the real goal and in my case is to create spaces that truly satisfy my clients soul and needs more than just being visually attractive and empty conceptually.

I hope you have enjoyed this exclusive interview with one of the most important architects in México: Paola Calzada.

I want to say “thank you so much” to Paola Calzada. It’s a honor to have you on my blog!

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