Alexandra Cuber
“Knowledge inspires confidence, so learn and grow your skill set, be open to new challenges, and follow your passion and dreams.”
Photo By: Mike Allen Photography
#WomenWhoBuild meet Alexandra Cuber,
Alexandra is a Director with the renowned architecture and interior design firm Fogarty Finger, where she leads the firms hospitality department on the interiors side. During her tenure with Fogarty Finger, Alexandra has worked on some incredible projects including Dock 72 at Brooklyn Navy Yard’s public and amenity spaces, Nike and Uber workplaces, and a boutique hotel in downtown Manhattan. Prior to her time with Fogarty Finger, Alexandra studied at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences in Germany and the Universidad Superior de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. She began her career as a junior architect at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
ArchNative sat down with Alexandra (virtually of course) to discuss her journey in architecture and interior design, how her extensive travels have influenced her career, how she ensures she is always growing in her role, and her advice for women just entering the field.
Tell us a little bit about your journey in the Architecture/Design space? What made you pursue it as a career?
Ever since I was a child, I have been inspired by my grandfather who was an architect. Besides his influence, I always loved the creative process. Being engaged in a driven and dynamic manner gives me a sense of calm, peace, and fulfillment. I also have a very analytical side, which was reflected by my interest in math and later at the university level in structure classes. The rational and logical components made sense to me. So, in the end, architecture was the perfect blend of both creativity and logic for me.
Although I believe there is not always one right answer in architecture and design, I intuitively know when a design decision is right or when it is not there yet or just wrong. I think my love for the creative process but also the need for it to make sense have helped me in my career.
At the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, where I obtained my undergraduate degree in Architecture, my focus was ‘Hochbau’ which translates to “ground-up architecture.”My studies there were very practice-oriented and technically focuses. The university taught me how a building is put together, how to draw details and pragmatic information such as where vapor barriers must go, the importance of things like insulation, good transitions, and structural integrity. From my third year on, I worked in an architecture office two days each week while studying.
At the Universidad Politecnica de Catalunya in Barcelona my course of study was called “Arquitectura: Critica y Proyecto”(Architecture: Criticism & Project). It was the exact opposite experience: We looked at projects and architecture from different points of view to understand the concept and inspirations of certain projects. We focused on two buildings in my thesis – ‘Casa Curutchet’ In Argentina by Le Corbusier and the ‘Neue Nationalgalerie’ in Berlin by Mies Van De Rohe. They made us dive into each project and understand it on a much deeper and fundamental level, in the context of the time it was built and the circumstances of that period and through the lens of the building architect. I love looking back at that time as it felt playful and very inspiring. It opened an artistic door of architecture for me, and I felt a spark of creativity, which I didn’t have in Germany. My inner artist was awakened.
You spent your 20's travelling the globe. Can you tell us a little bit about that journey. What places did you visit? How did the architecture and interior design style of these countries influence your overall style?
I could talk for hours about this …. But let me just start by saying that in my 20’s you could not tie me down. I was and still am a nomad at heart, and those years I felt the happiest and most myself. That backpack became my home, and I still have it although I haven’t used it in many years. Sometimes when I was on-the-go I didn’t know where I was going the next day or where I was sleeping that night and that sense of freedom taught me to stay open and flexible for new things or even surprises. Those experiences help me now tremendously.
I took every opportunity to travel. Even during my studies in Germany, I packed my backpack as soon as my year was over and traveled for three to four months. I ventured through most of Southeast Asia, India, portions of Africa and South America, and, of course, Europe. I never stopped; the trips just got shorter.
When I came to the US and started working here, I only had 10 days of vacation each year, which I used to visit family abroad. I took two sabbaticals over the past 20 years to travel through Brazil, Argentina, Vietnam, and Central America. In February 2020 I even made it to New Zealand for two weeks, just before the lockdown. During the pandemic I spent a longer period working from Costa Rica. It is becoming a second home for me as it helps me balance the concrete jungle with a real jungle.
I always tell young talent to travel because my trips have influenced and formed me on so many levels. Not only did they help me grow personally, but they also made me very nimble and appreciative of new and different things. I love seeing how countries have unique demands because of climate, social habits, and local resources. The results, although varied, are stunningly beautiful solutions. For example, I saw a striking house in Vietnam with a layout that inspired me in so many ways; I also recall the bamboo screens used for sun protection in Cambodia. As an architect, that country’s Angkor Wat site is probably THE place to go in your lifetime. It’s a place where nature takes over architecture.
You are currently a director with Fogarty Finger, can you tell us a little bit about your role? What does your day to day look like?
Besides being involved in business and administrative decision-making for Fogarty Finger to help grow our office on all levels,I also have my own studio which focuses on hospitality projects (office amenity clubs, some headquarters, a showroom in midtown, and a boutique hotel in downtown). My main task is leading the design of those projects while mentoring our talent. I have to say that I really get to do what I love most about architecture and design –balancing the creative process with human interaction.
As we are working from home currently, my day looks a bit different than before the pandemic, but in essence it’s the same. In general, I start my day by answering the most important emails and then start checking in with each project manager. In the office I usually walked from one person to the next and sat down with them. Now that routine has been replaced withnumerous Microsoft Teams or Zoom calls. So, during a regular day I spend most of the time in casual or formal meetings, which could also be pitches or presentations to clients. I am easy to reach so people can come to me when they have questions, need help, or just need to check in. I enjoy mentorship and right now it is more important than ever before as mental health is more and more of a topic. This pandemic has us all stretched thin.
I try to always keep a few hours blocked for actual production time for myself when I can think about design, projects, or anything that needs my focus.
1700 Broadway Club. Photo By: Connie Zhou
How do you approach each project you on? Where do you draw inspiration?
I usually let the project talk to me first by looking at the location, the neighborhood, the history, and the space itself. I also try to understand the client’s goal. With this first vision in mind, I like to involve the team early on, so they are part of the process. I really love our brainstorm sessions. Each of us brings something to the table. We use inspiration images, supportive texts, art pieces and materials to create a vision board. In the end, we come up with a strong narrative which serves as a foundation for the project and as a tool for the client. I do have an overall idea for my project work early in the process, but I like to stay flexible. Sometimes letting go of something makes space for a better idea. It’s important to have fun with the process and stay open.
Maker Space. Photo Courtesy of Hypebeast.
How do you ensure that you are constantly growing and learning in your position?
I think my nature will not allow me to be stagnant. As soon as I’m too comfortable with something or within a situation my mind starts wandering. I’m not afraid of new challenges. I worked for 10 years in ground-up architecture before I moved to interior architecture. It was a steep learning curve, but I am so grateful to have done this. I find that there is often a bit of confusion about interior architecture, and it sometimes gets mistaken for decorating and is not seen as being as complex as ground-up architecture. I think that seeing how complex this practice type can be has made me a more well-rounded and better architect.
I learn and grow by exposing myself to new challenges, new project types, and by staying connected to peers in thearchitecture field. Mentorship makes you aware of the challenges, the opportunities, and the talent in our industry. It’s humbling and fulfilling to be able to help someone manage a tough situation or reach their higher potential.
Platt Street Hotel. Rendering by Hypertecture.
What has been your favorite project so far?
I have enjoyed many projects, but a favorite since working at Fogarty Finger is an office project in the penthouse of an old building at 5th Avenue in the Bryant Park area. It has 15’ ceiling, old French windows along the façade, and two huge skylights. It was like Paris meets New York. The client wanted a residential environment for their office which only had working desks for approximately 20 employees spread across 6,600 SF. The space itself was just special and the collaboration between client, general contractor, interior decorator, consultants and teamwas smooth and positive. Not only did I love the design we created and the furniture by the interior decorator, the clientalso had a large art collection for this space which was the icing on the cake.
Nothing was an after-thought.
The project was completed in 2016, but it was the first commercial project at the firm that brought a more hospitality-infused aesthetic into a commercial space. The process of working on this project has informed many more recently completed projects I have led such as the amenity spaces at Dock 72, at Brooklyn Navy Yard, and at 1700 Broadway Club.
Since then, art has also become an integral part of our process in addition to furniture, accessories, and plantings. Our approach is holistic, and we begin thinking of these final details from the onset of every project. We now have our own art department and have incorporated art into many of our projects.
“I always tell young talent to travel because my trips have influenced and formed me on so many levels. Not only did they help me grow personally, but they also made me very nimble and appreciative of new and different things. I love seeing how countries have unique demands because of climate, social habits, and local resources. The results, although varied, are stunningly beautiful solutions. ”
What is your advice for women entering the field?
Our industry is changing. At Fogarty Finger we are 54% women so the stigma that architecture is a male domain is not quite true anymore, especially in our office environment. But there is still work to be done when it comes to women in leadership positions. I’m confident though that we will get there as I know a lot of wonderful and strong women in this industry who are changing the playing field already. If your heart is in this profession, don’t shy away from it. Knowledge inspires confidence, so learn and grow your skill set, be open to new challenges, and follow your passion and dreams.
I’m a strong believer that if you follow your heart in a profession, you will succeed. Not every move needs to be logical, but you will always perform best and achieve your goals when you love what you do.
