We recently caught up with BA (Hons) Architecture graduate, Larissa Andreoli Braga, to find out more about her time at Kent and what she’s been up to since graduating.
What have you been up to since you finished your Part 1 in 2018?
After graduating, I joined the MA in Interior Design programme at Istituto Marangoni in London. I found myself in Interior Architecture and have decided to stick to it going forward. I now have my own interior architecture studio and have only been doing what I enjoy: creating!
Why did you choose to study architecture at Kent?
Funnily enough, I always knew I wanted to be an architect. I guess I always enjoyed creating and was very interested in art. I knew I wasn’t artistic enough to be a painter or a sculptor, but I was sensitive to what was around me and how I perceived my surroundings. Kent is a campus university which appealed to me at the time – making friends, joining societies and feeling at home were really import things to me.
What aspects of your BA course did you enjoy the most, and why?
The part of my BA that I enjoyed the most were the celebrations post-crit by either grabbing a drink with my course mates or enjoying a long night’s sleep. You truly underestimate the joy of sleeping before pursuing a degree in architecture, that’s for sure!
What is your favourite memory of your time at Kent?
My fondest memories at my time at Kent are either the campus scenery or the time Elliott Ritchie and I won the catalogue competition, and with Rhiannon Fleur we also won the shelter competition. That was definitely the highlight of my studies and it was actually amazing!
What advice would you give to someone thinking of studying architecture?
I would say to focus on the work in front of you. Sometimes, during my architecture studies I felt people were constantly trying to compete with one another to see who achieved the best grade or project. I now realise that was the biggest mistake anyone could have made, by comparing and competing we only doubt our own likes and dislikes, strengths and weakness, interests and preferences. I wish I was confident enough to think mine was good enough and so were my peers. Oh, and definitely start building up that CV from day one, you can definitely work part time at a studio and study at the same time.
How would you describe your time at Kent in three words?
Let’s see: MEANT TO BE, does that count? I am so grateful to be where I am at this point in my life and KSAP is not only part of my journey, but the start of it. I am extremely grateful for all I learned during my time at Kent.
Congratulations on starting your own studio! Could you tell us a little bit about this venture?
Thank you! I had just completed my postgraduate studies and as a graduate, fresh out of university, I was determined to find a job. Little did I know we were about to enter the hardest time for fresh graduates to find jobs. So I began to find work around me, through friends, neighbours and close family members. Shortly after, I found myself surrounded by projects I was designing and putting out on my own. So far, I have completed two smaller projects and a refurb in London, as well as carrying out three residential apartments in São Paulo, Brazil. I then decided to open ‘The Lar Studios‘, a multidisciplinary design studio working on interior architecture projects worldwide. It hasn’t been easy, but the amount of knowledge and confidence I have gathered along the way is truly priceless.
What does a typical work day look like for you?
A day in my life consists of designing on SketchUp, CAD and Photoshop, as well as negotiating with suppliers and visiting the works-in-progress. I am also warming up to social media to try to boost the Studio’s reach, so you’ll find me joining online courses to help build a stronger online presence. I have been also lucky enough to have an architect assisting me in the completion of these projects, so we are constantly on Zoom calls too.
Do you have any projects that you’d like to share?
The Studio has just submitted a competition entry for United in Design. I have entered competition every year since graduating and I think it’s a great way to keep my creative juices flowing.
You can keep up to date with Larissa’s work at The Lar Studios on Instagram @thelarstudios.
