ALICIA PONCE
FOUNDER PRINCIPAL of APMONARCH LLC | NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, Living Future Accredited
Alicia Ponce is the founder and principal of APMonarch, a Latina and Woman-owned Architecture & Design firm with an expertise in sustainability. APMonarch’s services include Architecture, Sustainability and Community Engagement. The firms mission creates visionary projects that are healthy, highly efficient and beautiful.
Notable projects include The Field Museum Long Term Master Space Plan, Midway International Airport Concessions, The University of Chicago Keller Center, Erie Family Health Clinics and the Exelon Corporation 55th Floor Headquarters.
Alicia is proud to be among the <1% of licensed Latina architects in the U.S. She is a frequent guest speaker at industry events promoting her mission of designing radically better buildings and increasing diversity and Latinx visibility in the Architecture. She is a contributing author of Today’s Inspired Latina Vol. VI Europe Edition. In the book, she writes about her purposeful journey to architecture, entrepreneurship, and connection with nature.
Alicia‘s Fun Facts
Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is coming up on November. This holiday is so special because we take a moment to remember our ancestors. The movie Coco did such a great job of depicting what Dia de los Muertos means to us, Familia and Food!
We can find any reason to celebrate! We celebrate all the normal things like birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and passing the ARE of course, but we also find ourselves celebrating the purchase of a new home, a new car, learning how to cook, adopting a pet, we will throw a party for anything if you want us to.
Being bilingual is beautiful. I host a podcast called “Designing Healthy Environments” and some of my guests are native Spanish speakers and I love our prep talks before the day of the podcast. We speak in Spanish only and it’s beautiful to speak about a profession I love in another language. It is helpful when speaking in Portuguese and French as well. I’m not proficient but Spanish definitely comes in handy to overcome language barriers. In 2018 I worked directly with Santiago Calatrava on a design competition. Most of the team was in Chicago and only spoke English. Although Calatrava is fluent, when I switched to Spanish, he expressed how delighted he was and preferred Spanish. It was like this layer of unfamiliarity was lifted and we comfortably spoke about architecture and design, our families and our culture. It was a pretty great experience.
Our culture is very colorful. I love that we come in all shades and colors. I especially love speaking in Spanglish with other fluent Spanglish speakers or “code switching” as they call it these days.
What inspired you to study architecture?
I vividly remember being on a construction site at the age of 6. I went for a ride with my father and as he talked to someone, I observed the construction of a building. I instantly fell in love with the moving bright yellow bulldozers and smell of freshly poured concrete. I can close my eyes to this day and smell it. I didn’t know that is was called architecture or construction per se but I knew I wanted to do “THAT”. I wanted to build structures and wear a hard hat. I wanted to design and create buildings for people.
Chicago Community Loan Fund. - Courtesy of Alicia Ponce.
Which Latina/x architect/artist influenced you the most as an emerging professional?
That’s definitely my Aunt Caroline. Many of the women in my family have been great role models for getting the job done and exemplifying a strong work ethic. But growing up I saw my Aunt Caroline start and grow her business in I.T. She has been my life coach and professional mentor into entrepreneurship. It’s a blessing to have someone like her cheering me on in the good times and lifting me up in the challenging times.
Chicago Community Loan Fund. - Courtesy of Alicia Ponce.
Name a favorite project completed by a Latina/x Architect. Why is it your favorite?
One of my favorites is by architect Patricia Saldana-Natke. She designed Galewood Elementary School located in Chicago. It has a swooping curve on one of the exterior facades and is designed to allow maximum natural light for an optimum learning and comforting environment. It’s also a LEED Certified project. You normally don’t see this type of new and exciting architecture in the underserved Galewood neighborhood. It’s a predominantly Latino and I’m sure that a building like this will inspire little girls and boys to pursue a career that they may otherwise had never heard of.
Exelon Headquarters 55th Floor. - Courtesy of Alicia Ponce.
Are there any organizations that helped you grow in architecture?
There are several throughout my architectural journey that have helped to shape my career in architecture. The first organization I came across is Arquitectos over 20 years ago. It was there that I met architects that looked like me. I hadn’t seen many other Latino architects in school or work. In fact, I could probably count them on one hand. We remain close friends to this day. The next is Chicago Women in Architecture in which I have recently met many amazing women in the field, women who have made great contributions to the built landscape. Finally, there is Arquitina! Arquitina is an organization that I initiated this year to fill a huge gap in the architecture industry. The Arquitina mission is to reach above and beyond the 1% mark of licensed Latina architects in the United States while creating equitable and inclusive opportunities in the architectural profession. Being in the field for 20+ years and owning a business for almost 14 years has brought me to this moment, to lift other Latinas in pursuit of their architectural license and move that needle. We recently completed our first cohort and it was nothing short of empowering and uplifting. It’s time, we are on our way!
Nature. - Courtesy of Alicia Ponce.
How does your culture affect the way you design?
The Latino culture is so vibrant and full of joy! As an architect, I believe everyone has the right to a space that brings them joy. Who doesn’t want to FEEL good in a space? Growing up, I spent every summer in Mexico in my parent’s home town Lagunillas, Michoacan. I didn’t know it then but those summers was what fostered my connection and love of nature. In Mexico, we were free to roam immersed by green mountains and flowing streams of clear water. The night sky was full of bright stars and a crisp yet comforting air with a distant smell of firewood. As architects, we have the responsibility to design architecture that co-exists and co-inspires with nature. We must be able to use the tools and resources at hand and build responsibly for future generations. I thank my upbringing for this passion and purpose.
Nature Center Sketch. - Courtesy of Alicia Ponce.
If you would talk to your younger self, what advice would you give yourself?
