Thanks for sharing your story with us Luciana. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am originally from Argentina and graduated from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) in 2003 a Masters in Architecture.
The Argentine economy collapsed shortly before I graduated, so I decided to move to the United States. By that point I had been coming to Los Angeles for a number of years to take architecture classes at UCLA during my summer breaks.
I will be forever grateful to Richard Gemigniani AIA, who gave me my first job out of school and taught me a good deal about residential and commercial architecture. Later, I joined Studio Pali Fekete Architects, known as SPF:a, where I focused on projects ranging from high-end single-family residences to multi-family housing, mixed use and educational projects, all with a focus on contemporary architecture and attention to detail.
I have been interested in sustainability and green building for decades. I am a LEED AP BD+C and dedicated my life to educate myself and implement green building strategies, reducing energy consumption, natural lighting and ventilation and selecting the right materials for the project.
That focus played well for my next career move. As residential construction ground to a halt with the financial crisis in 2008, I joined CO Architects’ strong academic and healthcare practice. There I worked on much larger and more complex projects, including the award-winning, LEED Silver HSEB Medical Education and Research Buildings at the University of Arizona Biomedical Campus in Phoenix, AZ; and the South Specialty MOB for Kaiser Permanent located in Panorama City, CA.
After having my two girls and feeling that I had all the experience that I needed to navigate the turbulent waters of being self-employed and running an architecture firm, I opened my own architecture studio in 2014. Since then it has been probably the most challenging and exciting time of my life working on residential and commercial projects.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been a smooth ride, then again I did not expect it to be smooth. Growing up in a country like Argentina teaches you to be resilient and the need to adapt to changes. Besides, I would have been bored if it would have been too smooth. I like life with challenges and adventures, new things, new experiences.
That’s not to downplay some of challenges along the way. At times I’ve worked very long hours of work with very little pay. For several years I had to take two buses to get to work until I was able to afford a car. I moved to Los Angeles due to a major economic crisis in Argentina, and then found myself losing my job due to the 2008 financial crisis here. There were definitely many challenges associated with opening a new architecture firm and learning how to be a businesswoman from scratch.
Those and more have definitely shaped me during my professional experience.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Tagliaferri Architects story. Tell us more about the business.
Tagliaferri Architects is a boutique architectural firm. We deliver smart, sophisticated planning, design, documentation and construction administration services to institutional, commercial and residential clients on projects of all sizes. Our design is clean, contemporary, respecting the site and the client’s ideas.
The firm not only assists clients in designing striking and original spaces but also carries that collaborative spirit forward. We like our clients to be part of the design team, along with the consultants, engineers, and contractors. We believe that is the best way to achieve a beautiful design and see the project through completion. Inspiring sustainable design, straight-forward advice, collaboration and superior customer service is what Tagliaferri Architects is all about.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Absolutely. But luck is also what we make out of it, and it always helps to be nice to people, make connections, do good work, and stay aware of opportunities. I am a very positive person so I often feel that I am a very “lucky” person. And I also try to remember that in “unlucky” situations there can be a new opportunity to change things around.
