Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Salazar.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a Miami native of Colombian descent and consider myself a designer. My father is an Architect and when I was younger I was always at his office and remember very well the distinctive smell of the blueprint machine. As I entered his office, I would see all the drafting tables filled with hand-drawn details and floor plans. They were so profound and intricate; almost as a series of geometric paintings on translucent paper. These memories left a long-lasting impression on me and molded my future avenues in the right direction. In high school, I followed my passion for art and was accepted into an art magnet program at Coral Reef High School. After I graduated, I was conflicted with the choices of my aspirations.
Originally, I wanted to become an Architect but at the time, I felt that It was too difficult and out of my reach. I decided to attend International Fine Arts College and received my associate degree in Fashion Design. My first job was working as a set costume stylist for a Swedish soap opera filmed locally. After gaining more experience in several styling jobs, I was hired by a prominent Italian apparel company based in Miami. As an assistant, I quickly worked my way up to become one of their main designers. Several collections I designed were published locally and internationally. I traveled to influential trade shows in New York, LA, Paris, and Lyon. After a four-year run, I was determined to branch off and begin my own line of clothing. I started off by knocking on the doors of local boutiques. One of the main my clients was a stylist for Key Biscayne magazine and featured a couple of my designs within the publication. Because of the 2008 recession, my company faced a huge loss and I was forced to close my business. I then continued to style again and worked as a design consultant for local brands. I moved to New York shortly after to pursue other job opportunities. By this time, I had been working in the industry for 6 years and realized this was not fulfilling anymore. New York was a turning point in my life because it pushed me to change directions in my career and pursue my true passion. I returned to Miami to work for my father’s Architectural firm and began studying at Miami Dade College.
Soon after, I graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor’s in Architecture. At the same time, I was working within the industry designing residential, commercial and healthcare projects locally. Due to my research involving generative design strategies within an informal settlement and participatory design by using augmented reality, I was the recipient of the ARCC Kings Medal and the FAU Thesis Award for my Design studio. I am currently an associate at Salazar Architectural Group and have been working within the company for about eight years. I am launching my own Design firm that not only will focus on Architecture but multiple aspects of design that will promote Design innovation, technology, and sustainability.
Has it been a smooth road?
As my Mentor will say “fail fast, succeed faster and the road to success is persistence”. I have had many failures along the way but have adapted and reinvented myself. Throughout my career, I have encountered many difficulties within both industries and the transition between fashion and Architecture has been challenging in many ways. In the beginning, it was strenuous while working as I enrolled in the demanding curriculum. Unfortunately, I was living on my own and didn’t have the opulence of dedicating myself full time. It was a laborious effort in balancing my work and design studios but, I accomplished what I thought was impossible. In this industry, I encountered the reality of the business and the city politics, building code and zoning regulations. Each project brings its own obstacles but as an Architect, one must understand human social influences, existing context, environmental conditions and the longevity of your projects. It is a multifaceted industry that requires coordination between multiple disciplines to execute a vision. Even though this is a challenging industry especially for women I look forward to balancing a prosperous career and a family life.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with your business – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am currently working on commercial and residential projects within Miami and am venturing within co-development of sustainable multifamily projects within Orlando and Texas. As a co-developer, I can orchestrate the process of development from the beginning to end and can influence more pristine vision. I am fortunate enough to have partners/clients that believe in my concepts. My other venture includes the research I did within mixed reality and the Hololens. I will be published at the Design Modeling Symposium in Berlin 2019 on “Immersive environments for persistent Modelling and Generative design strategies in an informal settlement.” The paper discusses the potential of a workflow that integrates spatial computing which allows designers to work in a mixed reality environment to make design decisions during the design process versus using the technology as only a visualization tool. This tool allows the users to visualize and interact with the model in full scale and make edits which permits assessment of design in real-time before finalizing design decisions. I hope to integrate all these elements within my firm and produce projects that will promote Design innovation, technology, and sustainability.
Contact Info:
- Website: rsdesignstudio.miami SalazarArchitecturalGroup.com
- Email: Rsalazar@rsdesignstudio.miami
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rs_designstudio.miami/
Image Credit:
Ralph Wong
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
