ALEJANDRA ZAPATA

Portrait by Gilbert Santana - Courtesy of Alejandra Zapata

Alejandra Zapata is recent graduate of the Spitzer School of Architecture. Growing up in Mexico, she developed a passion for construction and architecture and moved to New York in 2015 for her bachelor’s in architecture. Her experience in school and through working at different architectural firms inspired her to pursue a Concentration in Technology and Sustainability and to become a LEED Green Associate. She seeks to promote environmental justice and excellence in design in every project she works on. She is currently a Research Assistant at the J. Max Bond Center for Urban Futures where she works on interdisciplinary research and innovation to ensure successful urban futures. In her work, she strives to successfully incorporate the community’s insight and sustainability to create meaningful design.

Alejandra at a construction site in Mexico, Summer 2018.

Throughout architecture school, you have been trying to create opportunities for yourself. Who inspired you to apply for the WX Scholar Mentor program? How do you think WX will stimulate your growth as a woman in this field?

I learned about the WX Scholarship when I was transitioning from third year into fourth year. At the time, the women in the year above of mine were given the opportunity to apply to the scholarship and I learned that a student who I already admired, Alexandra Bilinski, received the award. I later learned that there was a larger group of female students from the Spitzer School who had received this honor for over five years, and I thought ‘If they can do it, I can do it’. On the professional side I was inspired by Robin Osler. She founded and was the principal of EOA where I worked for a couple years during my time in school. An important take away for me was to learn what it feels like to be mentored by a successful woman who experienced hardship in the profession, yet she was courageous and rose to the challenge of creating a seat at the table for her and future generations. Similarly, Samantha Josaphat, principal and founder of Studio 397 has been an important figure and inspiration for young female architects as myself to believe in our talent. It is for these reasons why I am convinced the cohort of women at the WX are not only an incredible network, but they are a nurturing group committed to empowering and educating their members, and for my career that is more valuable than ever. I encourage any aspiring female architecture students to find these inspirations early on and to learn as most as they can from them.

Elene and Alejandra on their first day at EOA, Spring 2016.

In an atmosphere that rarely gives minority women recognition, what motivated you to create opportunities for yourself?

I was lucky to have supportive parents that motivated me and my two brothers equally and led me to believe in myself. It gave me the confidence to keep my head up even when I faced the challenges of this atmosphere. I needed that confidence when I first came to the US and I did not fit in the eligibility requirements for most of the scholarships, mentorships or growth opportunities. Facing the lack of recognition was a pivoting moment for me but I was not about to give up and therefor thought I had to be consistent and patient through the struggle. Opposite from when we ‘fight for something’, when we struggle, we become resilient. On my fourth year, hard work and consistency led me to receive the Ennead Scholarship that recognizes students at the Spitzer School for excellence in design. Through this honor, I learned the value of recognition and I was more motivated to pursue my passion for architecture.

Alejandra with her parents at Spitzer School of Architecture, CCNY’s Scholarship Ceremony, Summer 2018.

Speaking of opportunities, in collaboration with J. Max Bond Center, Community Boards 9 and 10, how did you archive the information and digitalize essential services in Harlem, New York?

It was a great collaboration between the entire student staff of the Bond Center and the director of the center, Shawn Rickenbacker, who has been an important mentoring figure to all of us. Community Board 9 was our client before COVID-19 and we had worked with them to create tools and resources that would make data available. When the Pause began, we knew that rather than stopping our service to them we had to refocus our energy to the current crisis. We utilized data available from Google Maps and the New York City database to generate both physical and interactive maps. Data management allowed the team to create these resources swiftly and accurately. My work at the Center and this particular project led me to believe that some of the crude challenges that society face can be addressed through data utilization.

Alejandra and Josias Agustin presenting to members of Community Board 9 with other members of Bond Center, Fall 2019 and Post about the emergency resource mapping on @whatsonatssa. - Courtesy of Alejandra Zapata.

Congratulations on your acceptance to Yeshiva University to their M.S. in Data Analytics and Visualization program! How do you see yourself merging Data Analytics and Architecture?

Because vulnerable communities have fewer resources and access to information, architectural designers have an ethical responsibility to be at the top of our profession for the communities we serve. I became interested in learning about data analytics so that I am able to fulfill the duty that I feel my colleagues and I possess. In terms of development I learned that large real estate companies utilize similar techniques to find sites with buildable potential in lower-income communities. Data literacy allows the community to measure opportunity and study minimal viable development alternatives. Through this multi-disciplinary approach, I hope to be a better designer and aid in giving communities better data-driven tools to plan their futures.

Research for Stack Studio with Shawn Rickenbacker about land use and its relationship to heat island and zoning, Spring 2019. - Courtesy of Alejandra Zapata.

How do you think your career will change going into this new path?

Architects are problem solvers. We derive questions from problems and then answer them through research and creativity. My interest in data analytics has been sparked through my experiences with design studios and professional projects. The use of data helps architects answer the quandaries of the built environment with far more accuracy. Growing up in Mexico, the inequalities seen in the construction and real estate market were evident, driving me to consider the needs of underprivileged communities. I am convinced that data analytics can help me reveal discrepancies and begin to formulate solutions grown from fact. The approach I am taking towards architecture might be different, but it is one with a foundation in solid data, rather than design alone. I am certain there is so much that can be done with data analytics as an instrument to find better solutions to design problems.

CCNY Students presenting to judges at NOMAS Student Competition, Fall 2019. - Courtesy of Alejandra Zapata.