Meet Gaia Sonzogni | Architectural and Interior Designer, Builder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gaia Sonzogni and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gaia, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Nature and Beauty have been my inspiration and motivation to pursue my career in building and designing sustainable homes: the positive impact on the environment is equally matched by the upgraded knowledge that clients, contractors and other professionals receive in the process of remodeling or building an eco-friendly home. With every project I design or build, I get the chance to show more people that it is possible to make a difference with every choice: the products and materials that you choose, the orientation and shape of the home, the efficiency of the appliances and technologies that you decide to invest in. Everything matters and I am glad that I can be part of such a positive movement.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The process of remodeling or building a home could be a stressful and complicated experience: I simply make that experience easier and more pleasant. From designing and budgeting, to managing all the professionals and contractors involved in the permitting and construction process, my role is to fully understand my clients needs, interpreting them in the design that most fit their tastes and representing their interests in the development of the project, toward the realization of their dream homes. I started working at my mom’s engineering office in Crema, Italy, when I was fourteen, and since then I never stopped learning and studying: Architecture is a fascinating discipline, a unique mix of creativity and science, that requires as much studying as field experience. For the past 20 years I have been living and breathing Architecture and Construction, and when moved to Miami Beach, ten years ago, I relentlessly worked and studied, to become the professional that I am today:  I completed more than 70 projects in the past ten years, and participated in the making of some of the most iconic buildings in South Florida, as designer and construction manager,  and I am currently working on the remodeling and new construction of ten homes in Miami Beach, Miami, Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles and Key Biscayne, with my design studio GAIA/S DESIGN and with my development company JO/GA Homes. My goal is to keep on designing and building spaces that simply make people happy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a Miami Beach resident and lover, I would absolutely take my friends for a bike ride or run on the 13 miles beach walk, a tour of the most beautiful Art Deco buildings, the bass museum and just chilling on my balcony with the most incredible sunset views. Can’t miss a dinner at Barceloneta, Intimo and Call Me Gaby (you have to get the Monica pizza!). Drinks at Soho Beach House and at the Standard Hotel. A full moon party with a drum circle on the beach on 83rd Street. A meditation or yoga at sunrise on the beach of 3rd Street. Miami Beach is a lifestyle choice for people that love to be outdoors.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my shoutout to my home country, Italy and to my Mom, Giovanna Maria Bianchessi. Being born in Italy gave me the opportunity to grow up surrounded by its unique, timeless and divine natural and architectural beauties. Italy also allowed me to receive the best university education at no charge, at Politecnico di Milano, rated in the top ten schools of Architecture worldwide. Being a woman in construction is not easy, but my Mom, a structural engineer and successful residential developer, has been the perfect example and role model for me, teaching me the importance of listening, respecting and being always willing to learn.

Website: www.gaiasdesign.com

Instagram: gaia_s_design

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/gaiasonzogni