Today we’d like to introduce you to Rushika Patel.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Rushika. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It all started back in Memphis, TN, where I attended the University of Memphis as a confused but excited freshman. I wasn’t sure what to choose as my ‘major’; I knew that both my numeric and creative skills were strong and I wanted to find a field where both would be nurtured. So I decided to head down to the department of architecture for a tour and never looked back! Soon after, I transferred to the University of Tennessee’s college of architecture & design in Knoxville, where I graduated with some lifelong friendships, internship experience I was soon going to be grateful for, and finally, a B.Arch degree.
Then came the time to get out in the real world for some hands-on experience. I enthusiastically chose to do so in San Francisco with a very unfortunate first job which only lasted two months and left me scarred with the manner in which employees were treated there. My shattered confidence soon rebuilt itself at my second job (my first REAL job) as an architectural designer at Y.A. studio & Martine Paquin Design. Here I worked with a great team of architects and interior designers who taught me so many valuable lessons and were super supportive on my journey to licensure which I was determined to finish during my time there.
The next and current chapter of my life is when I relocated to Florida as a licensed architect and founded Hólos Architecture + Design in 2018, followed by Hólos for Home in 2019. It took a lot of courage to put myself out there and start acquiring projects under my own brand. I soon realized the importance of building my own brand with patience, trust and providing real value to the community.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Absolutely not! As is with every new journey, struggles are part of the reward! There are and will be many struggles, but one of the bigger ones has been to get noticed in a crowd of experienced industry leaders. It has been difficult getting clients to trust younger talent when they can so easily resort to any number of highly experienced professionals who will get their work done with minimal risk involved. I am really thankful for our clients who have given us the opportunity to prove our worth as we build our company portfolio. Despite having great talent and zeal, it is so difficult to capture attention and trust as a young professional.
Hólos Architecture + Design – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Hólos Architecture + Design is a licensed full-service architecture & interior design firm founded in 2018 and based out of Bradenton, Florida. We are an interdisciplinary firm that is excited to take up any projects requiring care and creative thinking, be it commercial or residential, big or small. Lately, we have been obsessed with murals for the character they add to any space and are in the process of trying to grow our mural portfolio!
Hólos for Home, our sister company, is an online home decor shop founded in 2019 by my sister, Ayushi and I. We both spent our childhood in Uganda, Africa, where we grew up and often made two month-long trips to our birthplace in India. This has made our understanding and appreciation for diverse cultures very deep.
We established the product line to celebrate our distinctive background. Just as one’s life experiences, travels, & culture shapes their unique identity, we designed these products in-house to honor this uniqueness inherent in all beings; because we believe that when you embrace your uniqueness, others will embrace you for it. My sister and I have sourced beautiful sought-after fabrics, motifs, and superior craftsmanship from our culturally vibrant hometown of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and worked them into creating playful geometric shapes and patterns inspired by our architectural and geographically-diverse background rooted in India, East Africa, and The States.
I think that our diverse background and appreciation for cultural differences in people is what sets us apart. We love to listen to our clients’ needs and understand that everyone’s needs vary and that their spaces should be tailored to fit them. We are also very flexible with the projects that we take up and just can’t wait to get our hands on anything that requires problem-solving and some TLC.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I strive to make a positive impact on lives with my work. Architecture can play a very vital role in one’s day-to-day. The quality of your space, especially the space that immediately surrounds you (your home), can have a lot to do with your mood and outlook. If you invest in making your space look and feel good, it can significantly improve your being. Whenever my clients love the work, I have done to their space, that goes down in my book as success!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://holos.design/ & https://shop.holos.design/
- Phone: 901.647.7510
- Email: info@holos.design
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/holosarchitecturedesign & www.instagram.com/holosforhome
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