Our role is to use our expertise and judgment to promote the client’s vision and passions while balancing inclusivity, sustainability, and equity.
I was born in Ploieşti, Romania, along with my twin sister. At the age of four, my mom made the difficult decision to relocate to the US, and I spent most of my childhood in small Maine towns, skiing, fishing, and camping. We moved almost annually for financial reasons, and as I explored apartments and townhomes with my mom, I began imagining future homes that could provide everything my family needed.
These experiences sprouted into a passion for affordable and equitable architecture. I spent my childhood sketching, drawing, and imagining a more just future where every family could live in pride and comfort. Now, I look forward to realizing these ambitions through my work at Neumann Monson.
My approach to design starts at the human scale. Too often, architects adopt a bird’s eye view instead of thinking about how different people will experience the space. We should think about each object in a model in terms of how the human body will interact with it. Adopting an occupant’s point of view leads to the most comfortable, equitable, and accessible design solutions.
How do you promote your client’s interests and passions?
There’s a misconception that architects know all the answers and are the sole owners of a design. The process is way more collaborative. Our role is to use our expertise and judgment to promote the client’s vision and passions while balancing inclusivity, sustainability, and equity.
What does Neuman Monson do well?
Neumann Monson does a great job at inclusion, from integrating young designers into projects to day-one involvement with clients, stakeholders, and communities. We believe in an equitable design process and pushing the profession forward to collectively better our communities.
What do you do in your spare time?
When I’m not walking my dog, you can find me attending to my houseplants. I hope to have a full garden outside my house one day. Recently, I’ve gotten into playing chess. Forcing myself to slow down and consider the implications of each move has been a great way to sharpen my design thinking.
Education
Iowa State University (BArch)
Contact
mnastase@neumannmonson.com
