Natalia Chavez joined Jones Pierce’s team of architects and designers in October 2023. She’s been actively involved in client work, assisting with commercial and residential projects.
Natalia is passionate about fusing creativity, functionality and sustainability in architectural spaces. Her two years of prior experience in residential design included assisting in designing more than 80 single-family custom homes in metro Atlanta.
It’s great having Natalia as a valued team member. We hope you enjoy learning more about her and her long-time interest in all things design.
Design Appreciation Begins in Childhood
Natalia’s interest in architecture dates to when she was a young child living in Mexico. Inspired by her aunt, an accomplished interior designer and university professor, Natalia became exposed to fundamental design concepts early on. She gained insight into the world of architecture and interior design by listening in to her aunt's school lectures and has fond memories of those learning experiences.
“I remember rearranging my bedroom a lot, thinking about spatial arrangement as I drew up floor plans of my bedroom,” Natalia said. (Spatial arrangement means organizing objects, elements and features in a physical space.)
Moving to the U.S. to attend high school allowed Natalia to grow her interests in architecture and design even more. In her senior year, she began using Revit, a building information modeling software used by architects, engineers and contractors. She enjoys its advanced 2D and 3D visualization.
Architecture Major at Georgia Tech
At the Georgia Institute of Technology, Natalia pursued a Bachelor’s of Science in Architecture for education to support her long-time interests. In college, she learned about sustainable architecture — designing and building structures that are good for the environment and the people who live or work there.
Natalia eventually received a certificate in sustainable architecture. She appreciates how earth-friendly design and construction uses less energy and water, creates less waste and incorporates reused or recycled materials. Natalia also values how sustainable structures are designed to complement their surroundings and bring nature closer to humans.
Work Experience Before Jones Pierce
Natalia’s first professional job in the field was as an intern at Tate + Hanson. There, she gained invaluable experience about what it’s like to work at an architecture firm and spent much of her time working on New Black Wall Street Market, an adaptive reuse project supporting minority and women-owned businesses.
In May 2021, Natalia moved to the Linda MacArthur Architect firm, honing her skills in residential design for more than two years.
Prioritizes Mentoring and Volunteer Service
Active in volunteer work since high school, Natalia has spent the past eight years volunteering for HoPe, the Hispanic Organization Promoting Education, where she mentors high school students interested in pursuing higher education, especially in architecture.
“I often get asked about an architecture and design career,” Natalia said. “While I encourage students to consider becoming architects, I tell them what to expect. First, it can be a difficult field of study — and some states may accept degrees from other accredited programs or offer alternative pathways to licensure, such as through a combination of education, experience and examination.”
Dance in Her Spare Time
When Natalia isn’t at work or mentoring young adults, she enjoys exercise and dance. She recently joined a performance dance team specializing in Salsa and Bachata, another type of Latin dance.
_______
Read Natalia’s company bio and meet other members of the Jones Pierce team.