Designer Profile: Katherine Mendez
Katherine Mendez is a native New Yorker, where currently, she works as an Interior Project Director at ODA. Katherine studied architecture at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, where she earned both her Bachelor of Science and a master’s degree in architecture.
Post graduation, she worked at Elkus Manfredi Architects in Boston on large-scale mixed-use and educational projects. Upon returning to New York, she transitioned to working in interior architecture at Groves & Co., where she led multiple high-end residential projects from multi-family developments to private residences.
Katherine’s design sensibility has been shaped by storytelling through design and creating layered and refined spaces that convey a narrative. At ODA, she has worked on projects of multiple scales, from large mixed-use projects, construction administration to furniture design.
Here, we talk to Katherine about her career past, present and future.
What is your style aesthetic?
‘My design aesthetic does not lean to a specific style, but rather it reacts to the environment. I aim to create spaces that are inspired by their context and rooted in a strong concept. My approach to interior architecture is less decorative, but more architectural, often implementing one bold gesture that repeats itself at multiple scales.'
'An example of this is my recent work on 2200 Brickell in Miami, which utilizes handcrafted and artisan materials to create depth and rich textures that not only elevate the overall tropical ambiance of the project, but mirror the opulence the neighborhood is known for through bespoke design choices.’
What inspired you early on?
‘I have always had a strong passion for art. Architecture was a way for me to express art that can be inhabited. Through my college years, I focused my architectural studies on form and function with a strong interest in urban voids and the stories they told. I drew inspiration from artists like Gordon Matta-Clark, who cut slices into old buildings revealing hidden spaces and bringing them to new light.’
Which are your most notable projects?
‘My first project at ODA was 208 Delancey (above, and above, with purple couches), a condo building on the Lower East Side of Manhattan that drew inspiration from the transient nature of the neighborhood.'
'The idea of movement manifested through undulating forms in the space guiding residents to different spaces. I also worked on the design of the Post Rotterdam interiors, an old post office in Rotterdam that was repurposed into a mixed-use development. There, I conceptualized the idea of post and mail, and the motif appears in the different design choices made in the spaces.
'Regardless of the project type, I always work to develop a clear narrative for each and thread it through the designs.’
What inspires your design today?
‘I tend to pull my inspiration from my travels. In my free time, I enjoy discovering new places and experiencing different communities and ways of life. I often use my travel experiences to create spaces that are fresh and rooted.’
What’s next for you?
‘I am working on several high-end hospitality projects, including the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences in both Puglia, Italy, and Jacksonville, Florida.
'I am also leading the interior design efforts for a one-of-a-kind (and confidential) observation deck experience in New York, and for 2200 Brickell, a boutique mid-rise tropical enclave in Miami’s prestigious Brickell neighborhood.
'As ODA Interiors takes on more and more high profile projects, I am excited to show the world that good interior architecture and design brings the soul to our environments. While buildings shape our environments, well-designed interiors bring buildings to life at a human scale.’
Follow ODA Interiors on Instagram
