Hi! I am Claudia Canizares.
In 2009 I graduated from the University of Bogota (UJTL) with the title “industrial designer”. During my studies I developed a passion for interior design and interior architecture. After graduating I decided I was more into interior design and I was lucky enough to find jobs in Interior Architecture Studios which allowed me to gain a lot of work experience in the field of space design. Some of the most important projects for my professional development were with Google* and Oracle in Colombia.
After working for 7 years in Colombia as an interior designer I felt I needed to go abroad and find other fields where design can contribute. Also, my official title still was “industrial designer” so I thought of making the role I was already performing my official title by applying for a masters degree in Interior Architecture.
English taught masters and design-recognised countries were part of my requirements and that’s how I ended up joining the Rotterdam University program of Interior architecture (MIARD). I graduated in 2018 which now allows me to officially wear the title of “Master of Interior Architecture”.
What I learned from my masters degree is that I really want to use architecture and design not just in aesthetic ways but also to have more purpose. It also helped me re-connect my work expertise with learning and researching as part of the design thinking process.
That is when I really started to think about wellbeing as a way to find purpose in design and architecture. So, initially I went out to search for jobs or companies where I could realise this vision where architecture and design contribute to the wellbeing of people but I just really couldn’t find it.