MIAMI, FL—MKDA today announced that Sofia Fernandez has joined its Miami architecture studio as a Project Designer. In her role, Ms. Fernandez will leverage more than 10 years of workplace and retail design experience to bring clients experiential and human-centered design solutions from pre-design through construction, occupancy and beyond. 

“Sofia is a natural fit for our talented team. She joins us with a wealth of creative and technical expertise in workplace design, retail and brand experience-making,” said MKDA Executive Managing Director Amanda Hertzler. “Given her strong research-based approach and New York industry experience, she brings both a practical and fresh design perspective to our Miami studio.”

Ms. Fernandez was most recently a Designer with Gensler NYC, where she designed workplace projects ranging from tech, media, financial, law and not-for-profit firms. Notable projects include the CitiBank Headquarters, Disney Media Headquarters, General Electric Marketing Office, Colony Capital Inc. and Latino Justice. Additionally, Ms. Fernandez was “Membership Chairman” for the ToastMasters International Gensler Chapter, assisted in developing Gensler’s Not-For-Profit sector, was involved with her studio’s BIM technology task force, and participated in their S.L.A.M. softball team.

Prior to Gensler, Ms. Fernandez was a Designer at The Jones Group, Inc. and Nine West Group, Inc., where she designed and developed compelling retail concept environments from conception to completion. 

Ms. Fernandez has been a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers, International Interior Design Association and the Retail Design Institute. She graduated Cum Laude from SCAD with several honors and recognitions, including Graduation Ceremony Outstanding Achievement Award, Interior Design Faculty Award, and Inter Club Council Outstanding Service Project of the Year, among others. 

“I’m thrilled to be joining this exceptional team in my hometown. Bringing a holistic design philosophy, I aim to improve the human experience through combining fundamental design principles with bold concepts” said Ms. Fernandez. “With this approach, I hope to spark positive change within the Miami community to create a future that promotes equity, resilience and wellbeing for everyone. I cannot wait to collaborate with the other MKDA studios to execute purpose-focused projects and solutions for today’s ever evolving challenges.”  

MKDA is a national architecture, interior design and advisory services firm with offices in New York, Stamford, Miami and Washington, DC. The firm, established in New York in 1959, is a corporate interior design studio with an architecture arm in Miami that designs notable hospitality, retail, mixed-use and commercial buildings across South Florida and the Caribbean. MKDA is ranked year-after-year as one of Interior Design magazine’s Top 100 Interior Design Giants and in 2018 was named a Top 10 New York Commercial Interior Design Firm by Commercial Observer. Client brands have included Snapchat, SoundCloud, Guggenheim Partners, Design Within Reach, LearnVest, Cambridge University Press and Taboola, as well as leading building owners Rockrose, Boston Properties, Silverstein Properties, George Comfort & Sons, Vornado Realty Trust, Blackstone and ClearRock Properties. www.mkda.com