Diego González
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Bachelor of Architecture
'21
I am from Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, and besides architecture, I like to spend time working on other forms of design such as industrial and graphic design. I follow and play soccer, and love cooking and baking, when I have time. Apart from the facilities such as the Materials Labs, CAPLA is its own little community. It's nice to share most of your courses with your friends. I struggled my first year with the studio workload and the required courses and so I was not accepted into the professional phase of the program the following year. I was forced to have an off-year, which I used to take my general education courses. I was accepted the next year. That has been my biggest struggle while at CAPLA. It was beneficial, though, to take a break and develop a new mentality for the rest of my time. The summer after my third year, I landed my first internship at FORS architecture+interiors, in which I was exposed to a new working environment and how projects evolve from initial design towards construction. I am currently interning at Ibarra Rosano Design Architects. I'd like to work for a few different-sized firms after I graduate, eventually earning my license, and starting my own practice some day. My advice to prospective students is to take it as it comes. There is a definite learning curve when it comes to studio, but there is no need to stress. It's very important to be yourself, in your personality and your design identity. Develop and maintain relationships with faculty and other students; you never know what opportunities might come your way and from whom. Lastly, be sure to cherish your experiences while you're here. It goes by quickly.
The CAPLA experience is about constantly being engaged. It's about learning new skills, both tangible and intangible, digital and hands-on. It's also about being surrounded by mentors who inspire your efforts.