VIKA-taller: Innovating Sustainable Urban Design
About the company
VIKA-taller is an architecture studio led by a highly accomplished architect who graduated with honors from the Universidad Mesoamericana de Quetzaltenango. With a strong background in design and technical expertise, she has worked on various local, national, and international urban projects. Her experience includes serving as a designer and maker at the Granja fab lab and Baus (Bioarquitectura y urbanismo sostenible Quetzaltenango), as well as being part of the technical design team at the Urban lab of the ICES BID.
One of her notable achievements was winning the first place in the Danta Awards at the 2016 Guatemala Architecture Biennial. Her winning project focused on the application of digital design and fabrication for the development of innovative models of productive housing. This recognition highlights her skill and creativity in utilizing technology to shape the future of architectural design.
In addition to her individual accomplishments, she has been actively involved in collective participation in both national and international competitions. Notable entries include the Urban Lab Panama competition, the ICES-BID 2015 international competition for urban regeneration in Curundu, Panama, and the International Competition for UN-Habitat's Urban Revitalization of Mass Housing in 2013. These experiences have allowed her to showcase her talent on a global scale and contribute to discussions on sustainable urban development.
As a co-founder of HABITANTE COLECTIVO and the HAGAMOS CIUDAD EN QUETZALTENANGO festival, she has played a vital role in promoting community engagement and inclusive urban planning. Her efforts, along with the Xela Inclusive collective, were recognized with the prestigious Erick Barrondo Award. Currently, she is working as a designer on the URBAN LAB team for the development of the Master Plan in Nassau, Bahamas. This project is part of the Initiative for Sustainable and Emerging Cities (ICES) led by the Inter-American Development Bank (BID). With her expertise and dedication, she continues to contribute to the advancement of innovative and sustainable urban design.