Marianne Starke is an associate senior designer at Gensler’s Chicago office.
Tell us about your background. Where did you grow up, where did you go to school?
I was born and raised in Mexico City. I studied architecture at Universidad Iberoamericana and was able to do an exchange semester abroad in Italy at the Politecnico di Milano. A couple of years after graduating, I decided to go to New York City to pursue my master’s degree at Parsons School of Design, where I received a Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design.
When you were young, what did you aspire to be?
I had a few things in mind growing up. I was really involved in sports, so I wanted to be a professional athlete. Swimming, golf, and paddle tennis were the main sports I was playing at the time. But at the same time, I also wanted to be a trader on Wall Street. My dad was in investment banking and traveled to New York City a lot when I was young, so I just wanted to do what he was doing, especially if it was taking him to New York City. It all just sounded very exciting!
How did you get your start in the industry?
I was first drawn to architecture through my love for photography, and then I became obsessed with it on a trip to Egypt. I was fascinated by the scale, grandiosity, and perspective the architecture plays in the culture, which really influenced my fascination for architecture. Since I am the first architect in my family, my parents thought it might be a good idea for me to chat with the architect who designed their home in Mexico, Francisco Guzman. I decided to do an internship at his firm the summer prior to my senior year of high school, and I loved everything about it. This convinced me that architecture was the career I wanted to pursue.
After college, I worked in the industry in Mexico City for a couple of years before I moved to New York City to pursue my master’s degree. It was while living in NYC that I learned about Gensler, ultimately returning to Mexico City to help build the firm’s office there. With my experience working in the city and my background in both interiors and architecture, I was tasked with bringing in clients and taking on corporate workplace projects.
Did you have a mentor who helped you get on your feet, or is there someone you turn to now for support?
I had two mentors who guided me into the architecture world; one of them was a professor in my final year at university, Roberto Velasco, who leads KMD Architects in Mexico, and the other is Fernando Gutierrez, who is the Founder and Co-Leader of GAYA, a contracting firm in Mexico. Both have inspired me in different ways, and they’re still very important mentors of mine.
Roberto pushed me to believe in myself when I was about to graduate, helping me build the confidence in myself to graduate with honors. We remained connected during my time in Mexico as I began my career. Fernando has helped shape my professional career in so many ways. He has an incredible amount of experience and knowledge, and I admire his candor, work ethic and professionalism. I continue to work with him on projects through my project work at Gensler, and look to him often for guidance and mentorship on the corporate world. He has always believed in me and encouraged me to challenge myself; he was the one who reassured me that moving to Chicago was a good idea!
Since joining Gensler’s Chicago office in 2017, I’ve found an incredible number of mentors—most of them women. It has been truly inspiring to see how our profession is beginning to look more diverse and inclusive. Some of these mentors include past and current colleagues: Todd Heiser, Helen Hopton, Lena Kitson, Brian Hungerford, and Linda Mysliwiec. Each one has helped me shape my pathway as a designer.
What does a day in the life of Marianne Starke look like?
I always try to exercise in the morning, whether it’s running, biking, or going out to hit some golf balls at a driving range or golf course. I just try to get some sort of movement to feel energized and get my day started.
If it’s a weekday, I assess the projects I’m working on and prioritize what needs to be done. I’m often working on different types of projects, from workplace to healthcare and beyond, which helps spark creativity as I move between them. I’m always looking for inspiration and new ways to push myself to bring out my most innovative self. I listen to a lot of podcasts or music throughout the day, and if I can, I will put on a Masterclass in the background to learn something new. Having these different inputs from various creatives and people I admire helps me stay curious. Lately, reading during short breaks has been a great source of inspiration for me as well.
What do you like most about your job?
People. I love the energy people bring and their different perspectives and ways of thinking. Having lived in three countries, speaking three languages, and coming from a multi-cultural background, I can say that broad frame of reference helps me connect even more with people. At the end of the day, it always comes back to connection and interaction.
The nature of this job also presents opportunities for me to be flexible and versatile in my work, which I find very rewarding. I’m able to work on many different projects that vary in practice areas, clients, and teams; this has challenged me and helped me grow so much. Just having the freedom to create, explore, and be innovative is something that keeps me going and motivates me.
Looking to the future, what do you hope to achieve/work on that you haven’t already?
I hope to continue working on a variety of projects, especially in areas of practice I haven’t explored quite as much, like sports, education, retail, and product design. I’d even love to get to work in countries and cities I have not experienced yet – that would be amazing! But mainly, I hope to continue be mentored by people who inspire me, challenge me, move me, and help me be better every day, and in turn, continue to be that person for people who are just getting started in the field. I’ve had some terrific people in my life that have guided me through it all, and I love being able to be that person for someone else. I want people to love what they do as much as I do!
What is one thing about the industry you look forward to seeing improve or change?
It’s been amazing to start to see more and more women in design leadership roles, and as a Mexican woman, I hope to see many more Latinas out there as we work together as an industry to make our profession more diverse. I would also love to see more variety in thinking, in backgrounds, and in culture. What makes us diverse is our experiences and individual passions, and I think the industry would benefit from embracing this diversity by not only having architects and designers in the conversation, but also continuing to involve strategists, sociologists, software developers, artists, and others.
How do you spend your time away from the office?
I love photography. I find it very inspiring! If I’m not running or golfing, I try to walk around the city and get some shots of the random things that inspire me. I also love spending time with friends and now that live concerts are coming back, I’m very much looking forward to getting out there to see some live music.
After a year of lockdowns, what do you look forward to most or where would you like to travel?
I recently got back from the Highlands in Scotland, and right before the pandemic, I had the chance to go to Iceland and explore a country with the most unique landscapes in the world. I believe nature heals and recharges you in so many ways, and just being out in nature is something that I missed the most while in lockdown. I have an upcoming trip to Alaska that I am very much looking forward to as well. I am so happy to get to travel to incredible places and enjoy that again.