Meet Andres Villegas, the architect with a fascinating journey from Colombia to the US. In this episode we highlight Andres and his incredibly inspiring and unique story that led to his passion for architecture and design and brought him to our firm.
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Episode Transcript
Skyler: Welcome to another episode of laying the foundation.
Welcome back to another episode of laying the foundation podcast. We're here with another behind the blueprints and I'm here with architectural designer, Andres Villegas. Did I say that right? Yes. Or at least pretty close. Okay. Awesome. All right. Awesome. And, uh, you're here to tell us a little bit about yourself and what got you into, uh, architecture and.
What that kind of means for you and what that kind of looks like within your position. So, um, I guess, first and foremost, uh, tell me a little bit about yourself, where you're from and what kind of sparked that interest for architecture for you and everything
along the way, I suppose. Yeah, sure. Um, so I was, uh, originally born in Columbia.
Okay. Um, so I lived there until I was about 12 years old. Um, and then I moved to Nebraska, United States. So it was a big change. Oh, absolutely. You know, getting, uh, accustomed to the new culture and learn, learning the English language took me some time. But so why,
why Nebraska out of
Andres Villegas: curiosity? Yeah. So my, yeah, my mother, she met, uh, my stepdad, he's an American.
They met in Columbia and, uh, well, he proposed to, if, if we wanted to start over a new life in the United States. And obviously that was a huge opportunity for us. So we took it and yeah, they're still happily married. Good. Good. And, um, I still miss all of my family back in Columbia. We, uh, we go visit when we can.
Sure. So no, that makes sense. Awesome. Awesome. Um, So, yeah, I started, uh, seventh grade, uh, here when I moved and I went to Hastings Middle School. Okay. I was taking ELL or ELL classes. Oh, okay. English, uh, learning language. Right. Classes. So, in that period is like a big transition. Oh, absolutely. From Columbia to the United States.
Um, and then... So I also went to Hastings High School. Sure. And upon graduation, I decided to go to UNL to study architecture. Cool. So, um, I received my bachelor's and master's degree. And, um, Uh, you know, uh, during a career fair, I interviewed with CMBA and they offered me a job opportunity. So, um, before I started as a full time employee, I did two summer internships and, um, lastly, I came back for a winter internship.
So that was the winter before I started, uh, full time in, in, in May. Oh, okay. Yeah. Perfect. Awesome. Uh, and then, so upon receiving my master's in 2021, I started working full time. Very cool. So I will celebrate my. Second year anniversary, this upcoming May. Awesome. Well, congratulations.
Skyler: Thank you. And awesome.
That's awesome that you've been here longer than I have. So you definitely know things a little bit better than I do. So I'm doing my best to learn for sure. And like I said, getting to sit down with all the architects and the interior designers and everybody, it's a really great learning experience for myself.
So, um, out of curiosity. So what point did you feel like architecture was the path that you wanted to go down?
Andres Villegas: Um, so I can't pinpoint exactly at what point in my life I decided to pursue architecture. Um, you know, it wasn't like a sudden epiphany. Um, but it was more of a gradual development as I tried to figure out what I was good at.
And what I enjoyed doing with the skills that I was interested in developing while I was in high school during my high school years. Um, So it was just a combination of factors. Um, ever since I was a kid, I always enjoyed creating structures out of books and pencils. Oh, okay. So I would stack them up and then like, I would, um, bring one out.
A little bit to kind of like create a canopy. Yeah. And then I would support that canopy with pencils. Oh, okay. Uh, and this was like in an attic where, you know, just abandoned books that nobody uses anymore. Sure. So interesting. Okay. Um, and then, yeah, huge influencer. During my, uh, youth was, uh, when I took driving classes in high school.
Sure. I think that's what really sealed the fate. And that's when I was sure that architecture could be something, you know, potential candidate. Okay. For what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Yeah. And, um, lastly, uh, I remember this, uh, video game, I don't know if you're aware of it, uh, it's called, uh, Sims.
Yeah. Oh,
Skyler: absolutely. My wife
Andres Villegas: plays all the time. Yeah. So, I, I wasn't really interested in, you know, in creating the family and, and all of that. I was more interested in, you know, creating a house. Yeah. Yeah. And designing the house and all the furniture and all the finishes. Um, so I think all of that, all of those things, uh, kind of.
Came together, came together, very cool. And made me, you know, think of architecture as a real possibility.
Skyler: Awesome. Awesome. Well, of all the people that I've talked to so far, I think you're the first person to mention a video game, having kind of that, that push towards architecture, which is really cool. So awesome.
Very cool. Um, I know within CMBA, we kind of have our main areas like K through 12, or K 12, higher ed, and, um, healthcare. Do you have any of those particular areas, or maybe something within, um, architecture specifically that you kind of, um, have a strong passion for, or lean towards usually, or something
Andres Villegas: along those lines?
Um, I think, uh, I really enjoy working in the education sector. Oh, okay. Um, Um, you know, it's, it's, they give you like certain standards, um, so it's not like you have to create something from scratch. Right. So, um, yeah, I really enjoy working on, in that, uh, in that category. Schools and school related, I guess.
And, um, I'm actually working on a daycare. Oh, very cool. Okay. Which is, is not the same, but it has the similar, similar layouts.
Skyler: Okay. So. Very cool. Very cool. How did the, uh, the daycare, I guess, kind of. It Come up, I guess, within the process, because I'm still kind of learning how the process all works, but like, um, how did you get involved, I guess, would be the best way to put it into that daycare project.
So,
Andres Villegas: um, I think it was Brad, which he retired now, but, uh, he basically was contacted by a client and, uh, they wanted a daycare and I think I was the only available stuff at that point. Um, so I was kind of just through, I was kind of like thrown into the project. Sure, sure. Um, but you know, um, he wanted, I started working on some ideas for the layout and also the facade of, you know, what, how the building is going to look like and everything.
So I started out working on some renders for that. And, um, yeah, after that, I just kind of began working on that and. We're almost done with it. Oh, awesome. So it's supposed to go out sometime in this spring. Very cool.
Skyler: Awesome. And then it'll kind of really kick off the rest of the project and head towards completion and awesome.
Very cool. Very cool. Um, so I guess, and you kind of talked a little bit about sort of the process of getting involved into one of our projects or, or, you know, working on the drafting or whatever the case, um, and. To be fair everybody I've talked to said this isn't really a thing, but what does a typical day look like for you?
Within what you do or rather maybe just some of the things that you do because I know everybody keeps telling me like well There really is no typical day. Yeah
Andres Villegas: Yeah, yeah, like I said It really varies every day. Okay, it's not something, you know, it's not something that you're gonna do Repeat the same thing every day.
Sure. Uh, but mostly I'm working on the computer and the work that I do on it varies quite a bit too. Um, so I usually begin my week by touching base with senior architects and project managers just to kind of figure out What work I will need to do for the week and then so we also have a weekly meeting for the staff And that's where we coordinate, you know Well, we need to get going on this project and so on and so forth.
Um, and then so after I figured out my work plan, um, I get down to work. So some of that work involves, you know, picking up red lines or construction, or constructing 3D models in Revit. Very cool. Sometimes I go out to a job site for field verifications. Okay. Or do punch, punch list. Okay. Uh, which is, I don't know if you know what that is, but vaguely.
Uh, so a punch list is when you go out to the job, to the site. Okay. And the building is nearing its completion construction. Sure. So you're just there to make sure that everything is in order and Right. There's no, um, uh, defections in the work or anything like that. So it's almost like a quality control.
Oh,
Skyler: sure. Sure. At the end of, so you're checking on and making sure that they're following the. Stuff that you've given them to, as far as the design goes, kind
Andres Villegas: of. Yeah. And it's mostly just checking, like if there's no holes in the wall or that there's no, um, you know, um, irregularities with products. Um, so I, I did get to do that, uh, in my internship, which I never thought I was going to do, you know, I thought I was just going to be working on.
The computer the whole time. Oh, absolutely. So that was that was interesting to do and um, nice to get out
Skyler: of the office Yeah to go see everything as it's kind of going up, which is awesome. Yeah, that's
Andres Villegas: very cool Um, and then uh, you know, just uh addressing and responding to submittals And, uh, most of my work is right now is just, uh, developing construction documents, but there's also fun things like, uh, volunteering for community activities.
So, um, for example, like they would ask me to speak at the high school for students that are interested in, in, you know, Pursuing architecture, you know, I could go on and on, but there's so many things that I get to do and, um, but you know, I'm very young in my career, so I think that, um, as I continue to grow and advance, I believe that there will be more responsibility and things involved, like more in the business side of architecture.
Yep. No, that makes sense. And then, you know, just also help schedule launch and learns. Sure. Um, that's where we have product reps coming and just lecture us about building systems and how they're. Uh, products my, uh, enhance our, our building new
Skyler: like types of things, kind of like cutting edge or whatever the case of like new stuff coming out that could be used in different
Andres Villegas: applications, whole things like, uh, doors, windows, uh, masonry materials.
Uh, so I, I help, uh, coordinate and set up those meetings. We usually have one every month. Okay. So from eight to five. It could be anything, you know, any of those things. Yeah. Any of those things. But very cool. Uh, I usually get done around five or five 30. Okay. And, um, I am pursuing licensure, so Oh, okay.
Sometimes, usually I will study for the exams. Yeah. And I'm done about eight. And then I'll finish my day just by working out, going to the gym. And then just after that, just relaxing and getting ready for the next day to do it all over again. Absolutely.
Skyler: Awesome. Very cool. Very cool. That was some great insight on like some of the specific things like within that.
Cause some people they're like, well, I get to, you know, meet with clients and I get to, they say like work on. The project, whatever that means. So I'm glad that you kind of broke down like some of those steps, writing up the plans, going and seeing the project, doing the, like you said, the quality controller, the punch list, you know, and everything in between there.
So that was, that was some good detail as. As I've said before, as the marketing, I don't always get to see some of this process and hear the terminology as much or know what the terminology means. So I'm glad that you explained a lot of that. So
Andres Villegas: attention architecture students. Are you looking for a hands on internship opportunity that will provide you with real world experience and a competitive pay rate?
Look no further than CMBA Architects. Our internship program offers flexible scheduling, a casual dress code. and team building exercises to help you build valuable skills and connections in the industry. Plus, who doesn't love having Fridays off?
Skyler: To learn more about our internship program, visit the careers page at cmbaarchitects.
com and spend your summer with CMBA. Do you have, um, any particular projects you've worked on so far that you were like, man, this is a really like fun or interesting project or something that, you know, really excited you along the
Andres Villegas: way? Yeah. So because of my short experience in the field, uh, I don't have a lot of projects in my portfolio, but I do, I can think of two small projects where I was, you know, actively involved, um, um, and I was acting.
I'm going to say acting as the project manager. Uh, but really I was under the supervision of, uh, of an architect, licensed architect. Right. But, um, uh, and, and that was, uh, Citizens Bank and Weapon State. Uh, so Citizens Bank was, uh, they wanted to do a canopy drive through. Oh, okay. Sure. In, uh, Newman Grove.
Very cool. Very small town in Nebraska. And then the other one was, uh, Weapon State. Which was, uh, it was, uh, it was for a developer, so he wanted to build a, uh, uh, tenant space. Oh, okay. Sure. So, uh, you know, overall really small projects, but I was, I was in charge of the whole thing. So it was, there was a lot of growth and a lot of, uh.
Um, learning that I, I got to
Skyler: do. So you got it firsthand as being kind of the lead on the project, getting to have to work through every step of the process and yeah, gaining all that, that knowledge of what that full project might look like. Right. Yeah. Very cool. Very cool. Um, so, and I know you've kind of mentioned it a couple or mentioned a couple of different possibilities along the way, but when it comes to like great architecture and design.
What do you think are, you know, maybe one or a couple of like really key elements to making great architecture and design?
Andres Villegas: Um, so for me, I think that, you know, the greatest key to, uh, doing, uh, great architecture is listening to your client's needs. But, and it's really listening, you know, uh, just really understanding what the problem is and figuring out, uh, in which ways architecture can solve that problem through design.
Okay. Um, Also understanding the interaction between the users and the building. And, um, overall understanding the wicked problems that arise with the project. Right. Um, and I think once you really have a grasp and, uh, uh, a really deep understanding of those issues, I think that's when architecture becomes interesting and practical.
Yeah. But like I said before, I'm still quite a baby in this field and there's a lot more to that. I need to learn. Right. So, um, Hey, no, yeah. Yeah, no,
Skyler: that, that totally makes sense. Lots of learning to go, but at the same time, you know, you bring in a fresh perspective too, which is really awesome as well.
Like having somebody looking at projects with, um, a newer, newer view or having just come out of school and having. Um, maybe new technologies or new ideas thrown your way that you're able to bring to the table that people that have been working in the field for, you know, 20 years or whatever, might not have, because they've been doing it this way all this time, or, you know, having taken steps along the way, but they might not be up to the same date that you are
Andres Villegas: proverbially speaking.
And it's funny that you mentioned that because, you know, sometimes some of the senior architects would approach me and actually ask for my help, which I think it's, uh, It's interesting because it's usually the other way around, um, I'm the one asking questions, but like, if they need something, if they need help with like a Revit issue or something like that, you know, um, just technology, it's a technology issue.
So, um, I'm able to help with that. So very cool. Very cool. And that
Skyler: really kind of speaks towards and not to plug or anything here, but kind of speaks towards CMBA and the fact that we're all here to kind of collaborate, work with each other and, you know, Not just have like, well, I'm going to tell you what to do, you know, sometimes I'm going to come to you and say, Hey, what do you think about this?
Andres Villegas: So, yeah, overall like the work culture is very collaborative. Awesome. So
Skyler: yeah. And maybe that's the answer to my next question. I don't know, but my next question is going to be, uh, what do you enjoy most about working at CMBA?
Andres Villegas: Yeah. So like I said, the work culture is something that I really appreciate.
Yeah. And, um, I think CMBA does a great job of understanding. Uh, everyone's, you know, lives, right? They understand that, you know, we have lives outside of our work and they let you take care of those issues. Sure. Um, so the company is very laid back with their employees. They offer great benefits. So I I'm really satisfied and happy with.
That's what I do and what I'm doing. Awesome. Very cool.
Skyler: Very cool. Well, it's exciting to sit down with you and I really appreciate you sitting down with me and giving me a run through about what you do, uh, on a day to day basis and kind of the, the V the big variation of what that is, but I digress and kind of, I'm sitting here learning all kinds of new information about the, uh, the different.
Parts of the projects and what all goes into being an architect. So I really appreciate you sitting down with me. This has been another episode of laying the foundation, uh, behind the blueprints. Thank you so much, Andres, for being on the show. Absolutely. If you are interested in learning more about CMBA or wanting to hear more from laying the foundations, you can check us out on other podcast streaming sites, such as Spotify, iTunes, Google podcasts, and many more.
And of course, be sure to follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, as well as heading over to our website and checking us out there because we've got all kinds of really great information there. If you want to see some of the projects that we've worked on, some of the Andres work on and will be working on in the future, I'm sure.
It's not
Andres Villegas: that interesting, but yeah, feel free to
Skyler: check out that one. Yeah, absolutely. And of course, if you are an architecture professional or maybe somebody studying architecture in college, looking for an internship or something along those lines, you can apply for that CMBAarchitects. com and check out our careers page.
This has been another episode of laying the foundation.
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October 19, 2023