Meet Jovanna Joseph | Founder & Design Director at Prime Projects

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

Hi Jovanna, what do you attribute your success to?
We have found success in Interior Design by partnering with clients who are also designers at heart. Our clientele has a visual eye and something to say.

We have a strong sense of responsibility towards our clients and their involvement is integral to the success of our projects. I see these relationships as a collaboration. It is our business to take you through the creative process where we attempt to understand how you live, or how you dream to live in your spaces. Each journey taken is about discovery between ourselves and the client or brand—be that retail, art, fashion, hospitality or residential interiors.

We believe design must make you feel something; our final results are always refined and authentic. All this searching, unraveling and creating is an expression of my curiosity; the idea that spaces, buildings, and interiors hold history, stories, and personalities unique to each client.

Success is the ability to communicate our clients intentions, honor it, define it, and reflect our own feeling of freshness.

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?
At Prime Projects, we imagine, ideate, and execute with intention and drive to discover new ways of designing and detailing spaces. As Interior & Architectural designers we use what inspires us—from the world around us and in the brief—to unearth unexpected possibilities. With an innate desire to create, our work is inspired by intense research. We describe our design intentions as playful and elegant, calming and confident, raw and seductive.

We contemplate internally, live intentionally, and design purposefully. Constantly inspired by the world around us—whether it’s a vintage obsession or more of a modern luxury—we often pull references from things that are seemingly unrelated. We challenge ourselves to consider alternative solutions, iterating and improving to ensure our work resonates with our clients.

We value diversity in voices—through history, collective knowledge, current culture, and independent experiences. From all of these contributions, we find a path to now.

We put a concentrated effort into detailing specific elements–whether it’s forms and objects or spaces and materials–to create an interior dialog and evoke emotion. Consider a space that is soft and calming, and we’ll add a sudden pop of color or texture to create tension and playfulness.

Big interventions are as important as small moves in design. From building physical scale models and testing alternative approaches, we challenge ourselves to discover the strongest over-arching concept with the details to make it real. We seek out conversations with both collaborators and critics. We specialize in concept-driven design and are open to all experiences and perspectives.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A blended itinerary of art, design, food and culture is a must. Miami is a destination where one travels to be in the spotlight, to hop from one famous location to another and enjoy life in the view. It goes without saying that the beach or a yacht trip is always in the cards. In Miami, you are never far from the ocean.

A more boutique hotel experience is preferred these days; a stay at Esmé on Española Way or Lifehouse in Little Havana’s on the list. Here you will discover the smaller, buzzing streetscapes that Miami has to offer.

Any great Miami experience encompasses the art scene; a quick stop at Perez Art Museum is a great introduction to modern and contemporary art. The architecture of the building by the renowned Herzog & de Meuron is enough to be enamored by. Further inland, the Nina Johnson Gallery boasts a diverse collection of emerging contemporary artists. This wonderfully eclectic collection is a must-see.

Later, a walk through the Design District is a sightseeing tour for the architect and fashion lover. Each flagship store’s uniquely designed facade is the perfect backdrop for that splurge-worthy purchase. Art follows you here as well with a myriad of creative art installations that always seem to be changing. Not to mention, the impressive Buckminster Fuller Fly’s Eye Dome.

Food is at the heart of Miami’s culture, and the culinary arts here are a testament to that. Mandolin’s grilled octopus and outdoor terrace with saturated blue doors transport you straight to the Greek islands. The tacos at Coyo are a staple (and don’t forget the hidden tequila bar through the unmarked doors). Sanguich’s modern cafeteria approach to the traditional Cuban sandwich is the perfect to-go meal. No trip is complete without a latte from Panther Coffee; the East Coast Espresso we even brew at home… And for my NY pizza friends, a sourdough slice at La Natural is a unique option with all the laid-back aesthetics. I mean, the list just goes on.

Ending the night at The Standard hotel with a boozy Lido Lemonade overlooking the bay and wandering the gardens is a great finale to any Miami adventure.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Brendan Mahoney, our Co-Director, is an integral part of the success of Prime Projects. With a strong attention to detail, Brendan is inspired by the language between eclectic objects. He believes spaces should communicate our deepest desires, curiosities, and explorations. Through design, Brendan crosses between the worlds of rational and free thinking, finding resonance in the two.

Based in New York City, he currently leads project interests beyond Miami.

Having that strong connection to New York City’s audience and resources allows Prime Projects’ work to resonate on a national and international level. Brendan plays the key role of lead designer, custom furniture expert, and construction coordinator with the utmost tenacity and we’re mighty grateful for that.

Website: primeprojects.co

Instagram: instagram.com/primeprojects

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jovannajoseph

Facebook: facebook.com/primeproject

Other: Email: jovanna@primeprojects.co

Image Credits
Project Images 1-6: Photography by Ball & Albanese Project Images 7-8 and Portrait: Photography by Herby Joseph