We recently connected with Hugo Mijares and have shared our conversation below.
Hugo, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the early days of establishing your own firm. What can you share?
The road for an Architect is very long, internships, apprenticeships and cutting your tooth at a respectable firm before getting to apply for a State License. I did follow the book but in different order. After working for several firms I landed a dream job at oppenheim Architecture in Miami, designing at top level and winning lots of awards until it was the time to set my own studio.
The main challenge was to handle the practice as a business since my training was exclusively in advanced techniques of design.
My advice to young professionals in the creative field is to take class in business and gatter financial literacy.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
One D+B Miami is a Multidisciplinary Design Company developing a wide range of projects from small exhibits thru High-End Homes, Buildings and Hospitality projects. Everything we do is shaped by our love for thinking (designing) and making (building). It is essential to our architecture that materials, details, and construction are an integral and informative part of the design process. Materials are what realise the architecture and interior design.
We identify with Tropical modern, timeless values, and in our Architecture, we bring the outside in and link purpose with beauty. We do so with an architectural design response that is simple and intuitive yet strong and elegant and sustainable. By subtracting, we find the solution that adds value through simplicity.
We can improve the environment by designing buildings that are built with clarity and simplicity at their core through design excellence, innovation, and public service. We basically bring award-winning perspective and depth to help our clients achieve the world-class design. All the work of our studio is based on the principles of intelligence and beauty.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I understood that although life is a meandering road, everything happens for a purpose. Most of the challenges arise from the desire to advance and step up. I studied architecture in Caracas, Venezuela, before moving back to the US and learning that I would need to return to school in order to succeed. Since few people pursue a full career in education twice, this tells you a lot about my motivation, character, and love for architecture. Then, in the midst of the economic crisis, I started my own studio in 2008, but I was able to stay afloat thanks to my overseas clients. In retrospect, going through that kind of difficulty was the route that led to the success I am experiencing today.
Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?
2008 was incredibly difficult; we reduced our practice from 8 to 3 personnel while using my savings as payroll. Letting people go is never fun, so I came up with the idea that they could work from home and get paid for each task they did; in this way, we were pioneers of work from home. I entered a few contests, and one that we won in Brazil was never built, but we did earn a few Home Commissions that help to support the studio. I will always be appreciative and a fan of Brazil and its people.
Contact Info:
- Website: onedbmiami.com
- Instagram: @onedbmiami
- Facebook: @onedbmiami
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/hugo-mijares-883437
- Youtube: @hugomijares
- Other: Instagram @ugomi_miami @hugomijares
Image Credits
Sophia Mijares Art Photography, Uli Architects, Mr. Alex Goldstein, Devin Kay