Harmony as the Norm: Woods Bagot's Julieta Loya on Empowering Teams and Shifting Perspectives
By Julia Gamolina
Julieta Loya is Woods Bagot's Sustainable Design Leader for Australia and New Zealand, with experience spanning architectural design, building, and ESD consulting. A Mexican Architect with a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Design, her work explores biomimicry, biophilic design, permaculture, organic agriculture and living systems thinking. In her interview with Julia Gamolina, Julieta talks about advancing climate solutions in design and the different “languages” of the built environment, advising those just starting their careers to look beyond traditional paths for a fit that’s right for them.
JG: Tell me about your role at Woods Bagot. What are your priorities for it as we enter 2024?
JL: My overarching aim at Woods Bagot is to embed sustainability in the way we work. I focus on awareness and education, co-designing sustainability strategies for the projects alongside the teams, supporting them with research or specific ESD scope to respond to design challenges, and building the necessary structures to help us embed sustainability into our practice. I also design processes to test the performance of our projects around daylight and carbon
My priorities for the coming year are to empower our teams to take sustainability into their own hands, keep our studios in touch and actively championing the work, and to keep exploring what good looks like for all the typologies we work on.
Archer & Albert Residential Development, courtesy of Woods Bagot.
Now going back a little bit, tell me about why you studied architecture, and how you choose where you studied architecture.
I chose to study at Universidad La Salle in Mexico City for two main reasons. The first is that the school was amongst the top three universities for architecture in the country, and it proved to have a great balance between design — design labs, history, and other philosophy and theory subjects — and the technical side of the profession, like structural design, construction detailing, building services. The second reason was that Universidad La Salle was where my stepdad studied Architecture, and he was a big inspiration for me to pursue this path.
I later obtained a Master of Architectural Science in Sustainable Design at The University of Sydney. Back then, it was one of the few schools that offered a great program focused on sustainability in the built environment. Australia also sounded like an amazing adventure, and in this it has not disappointed.
“My priorities for the coming year are to empower our teams to take sustainability into their own hands, keep our studios in touch and actively championing the work, and to keep exploring what good looks like for all the typologies we work on.”
Tell me about the start of your career and your experiences working for various offices before joining Woods Bagot. What did you learn that you still apply today?
I’ve been lucky to have gained experience in construction and in sustainability consulting, in addition to architecture. This gave me a wider view of the industry and the profession early on, and an understanding of how these fields interact, as well as the gaps and opportunities for sustainability. It’s taken the architectural profession a long time to realize it should integrate sustainability experts into their DNA, but we’re finally starting to head in that direction.
Through all this, I’ve different “languages” — design, construction, science. I’ve also learned that sustainability can only flourish in a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment where everyone has an opportunity to contribute; to see sustainability beyond checklists and through potential rather than obstacles; and finally, I’ve learnt to be where my values align; and I’ve learnt the value of high-quality relationships.
Rushcutters Bay Residential Development. Courtesy of Woods Bagot.
Looking back at it all, what have been the biggest challenges? How did you both manage through perceived disappointments or setbacks?
Externally, the biggest challenge has consistently been being able to prove and communicate the added value that sustainability has for investors and the business. Internally, it has been managing change, both within myself and within others. As Carol Sanford once told me, “People are not afraid of change, they’re afraid of how you want them to change”. Shaping the “how” is still a work in progress.
A key to managing disappointment and setbacks has been to not take things personally, to try to understand people’s fears and motivations, to keep aligned with my values, find allies, and keep walking.
“...we’re part of nature and if it thrives, we do too, by definition.”
Who are you admiring now and why?
My dad’s work ethic and leadership; my mum’s kindness and lateral thinking; my sisters’ discipline, grit, creativity and sense of adventure; my mentors’ generosity and caring for their work and mentees, and their patience to persevere when not many were listening. My colleagues’ clarity and drive, and my friends’ support and generosity.
What is the impact you’d like to have on the world? What is your core mission? And, what does success in that look like to you?
To touch as many people as I can through who I am, what I do, and the things I care about. To effect change even if very small in everyone I get to interact with. To shift perspectives and contribute to the paradigm shift where sustainability is the norm and human activities are in harmony with the natural systems; where it’s clear that we’re part of nature and if it thrives, we do too by definition. Aim high, right? I don’t know if there’s measurable success to the above, and I’m ok with that.
Dubai Design District Master Plan. Courtesy of Woods Bagot.
Finally, what advice do you have for those starting their career? Would your advice be any different for women?
Architecture provides a very broad, diverse, and valuable set of skills, and the profession is evolving. Don’t feel scared to look outside of the box and find the right fit for you and for what you’d like to contribute to from your essence, values, and strengths.
To women, don’t ever enter a room feeling self-conscious of being a — or the only — woman in the room, unless it’s seen through the lens of empowerment. You are there because you have something to add. Coming from a country where patriarchy is strong, I’ve learned that being a woman won’t be a disadvantage if you don’t see it as one — you create the field from which you are perceived. Stand tall.