#51 - Building a Collaborative Design Practice with Natasha Espada, AIA, Founder of Studio ENEE

Natasha Espada, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP BD+C is the founder and
Principal of STUDIO ENÉE Architects. She has over 25 years of
design and construction expertise in both renovation and new
construction for institutional, civic, and commercial clients.
Natasha served as the 2020 President of the Boston Society for
Architecture. Her platform focused on equity, diversity,
inclusion, and social justice in the profession, as well as
working to make Boston a Design City by bringing art and design
to all neighborhoods in Boston.


She has been a speaker on Equity and Practice at the AIA
Grassroots Conference in Washington, D.C., AIA Connecticut’s
Equity Summit, and AIA New Hampshire’s The Future of Practice
Conference. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern
University and has been a design critic and lecturer at Harvard
GSD, MIT, Yale, Wentworth, Roger Williams, and the BAC. Since
2012, she has served on the Committee for Green Communities and
the board of the Permanent Public Building Committee in Needham,
MA. Natasha is a graduate of University of Florida and holds a
master’s degree in architecture from the University of Virginia
with a certificate in American Urbanism.


In this episode you’ll hear:


When Natasha decided she was ready to start her own firm

The prep that went into it before she made the jump

The biggest challenge of starting the practice

On forming a new, collaborating type of design practice

Her goals for the firm, and what the ideal size is

Natasha’s experience as an adjunct professor

The idea of code switching and feeling like you need to hide
your true self at work

When Natasha realized she could be herself

Advice for emerging professionals who feel like they still
have to mask themselves at work

Natasha’s work as the 2020 President of BSA, and what she
plans to do next



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