2022 Ones to Watch: Carolina Hernandez, Associate AIA, Architectural Designer at QA+M Architecture

What recent project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of? WYSH House, Meriden, CT - A multi-family for homeless youth 18-24. The reason I am so proud of this project is because one of the reasons I got into architecture, was for the ability to make a difference in a community. I aspire to create buildings that give back to the community.

What led you to your current profession? As an immigrant nothing came easy to me. My parents instilled in me a good work ethic and made me realize the importance of seeking higher education. Coming to this country with limited resources has taught me to be resourceful and resilient. These principles are best exemplified in the field of architecture and are things that have attracted me to this field.

What does it take to succeed in your specific industry? Hard work, determination, creativity, the ability to effectively communicate your ideas and think outside the box when challenges arise are some the tools needed to succeed in this industry.

What are the top 3 items on your bucket list? I am very passionate about architecture and my bucket list items include traveling to exotic locales like Greece, China, India, Japan. I believe that traveling to different countries and seeing how the environment and culture can affect the way architects develop projects, that can navigate different climates and that serve different functions, can inspire architects, and push the field of architecture further.

What are you doing when you aren’t working? Raising a beautiful and creative daughter with my husband consumes most of my free time. We enjoy traveling, cooking, dancing, and going to the beach.