Claudina Flores
Frequenting between Guadalajara and Mexico City, Claudina Flores is a supremely educated architect and designer who does a little bit of everything, con estilo. Needless to say, when we discovered her design work, we became ob-sessed. As a 15-year professional (with 12 of those years leading her own studio), she is a force in the design world with thoughtful insights and practical advice for designers in all stages of their career. Meet Claudina.
DS: Hi, Claudina! Thank you for joining us. Tell us about how you began your design education, what do did you study?
Claudina: Thanks for having me! My profession as a Mexican designer and architect is formed around the 3 majors I studied. I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design, a Master’s in Architecture and Design for the Built Environment, and a Postgraduate in Lighting Design: Architecture and Objects.
DS: Wow! Impressive. What do you specialize in?
Claudina: I focus on projects driven by concept and experience around the space and the built environment. My current practice goes around architecture, interior design, and furniture design. I also have my own furniture manufacturing workshop and a construction team that provides a complete creative services.
DS: What is the a project you worked on that you are the most proud of?
Claudina: One of the recent projects that makes me feel very proud of my team and my practice is "The Cabinet Society: A Feminine Story" which highlights the work of women designers and architects from the 20th century who were excluded from the industry, giving credit only to successful men of their time, tolerating the invisibility and the underestimation of a society that did not believe them capable of developing in their profession. Based on extensive research, we chose 6 women where the work of all of them converges in the redesign of the domestic space through cabinets, as articulating elements to modulate and reconfigure the interior space, and in this way they increased the female presence in areas public and private within a society dominated by men at that time.
Design by Claudina Flores.
DS: What do you love most about your job?
Claudina: My favorite part around the studio and my job is the people. I am a great leader and I love to learn new thing all the time, so I truly enjoy teamwork happening at my studio as well as outside of it when collaborating with brands, clients, and other colleagues too.
DS: What advice would you give to aspiring interior designers, artisans, or architects?
Claudina: Some advice I would give to students and aspiring designers to work in the design, crafts and architecture industry is to be constant, disciplined, and persistent with their practice. Also, to understand that it is a long career and everything takes time, success does not happen immediately like we are used to seeing so quickly on social media. I would also advise them to trust their instincts and have an open mind to explore various fields of work within the creative industry, which is always generous and the opportunities are very broad for everyone.
DS: Your work is simply gorgeous. Where do you find inspiration?
Claudina: I find inspiration in things that are not related to my practice, for example when I am traveling or visiting art galleries. I love to imagine and explore everyday life scenarios where the relationship with the space, people, and objects happen outside of the norm. One of my biggest passions is watching film/movies. The film making industry is quite interesting to me, I watch movies and miniseries all the time. I am fascinated by reading about women who made history around the creative industries, and finally, find inspiration when listening to music of different old genres from past eras 1920’s until 1990’s.
Design by Claudina Flores
DS: Speaking of travel, what cities do you love the most?
Claudina: Mexico City, Tokyo, Paris. I believe all of them coincide in having an impressive vibe starting from their cultural, social, artistic and gastronomic heritage that has re-configured their experience for visitors but has also made a difference over the years in their constant evolution, growth, and multicultural free spirit.
DS: Your work is colorful, but minimal, but also full of details. What is your favorite design style?
Claudina: In reality, I think I can travel from one style to another, depending on the context of the project we are designing in my Studio. Perhaps the style that most identifies me today is the natural, raw, Mexican and honest style, of an artisanal and endemic nature where the origin of the materials and the production and life cycle have a fundamental weight in our collective consciousness.
DS: Who are some creative people that you find interesting?
Claudina: Hella Jongerius - Dutch industrial designer, Kazuyo Sejima - Japanese female architect, Patricia Urquiola - Spanish interior designer and architect
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Find Claudina
Instagram: @estudio_claudinaflores ; @claudina_flores
