Cromwell is proud to recognize our Architectural Department Intern, Valeria Ortiz Jauregui, for her selection to be a part of AIA Arkansas ELEVATE Exhibition at the AIA Arkansas Conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
The ELEVATE Exhibition highlights the work of select students from the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas. Student participants receive nominations by a faculty member, and then a selection committee finalizes the entries. Selected students are also invited to attend the AIA Arkansas conference to view their work on display and network with industry professionals.
Valeria’s project, “Spine Hall”, was her 3rd year studio final project.
The studio was tasked with designing an architecture school and a public equity and justice center in New York, New York. The design needed to follow the 10 Cote principals to be mindful of how the building was impacting the ecosystem.
About Spine Hall: (From Valeria Ortiz Jauregui)
Spine Hall Exterior View developed by Valeria Ortiz Jauregui
Situated in Manhattanville, New York, this project reimagines architecture as a socially responsive and environmentally intelligent framework for education, equity, and ecological resilience.
Designed as a dual-purpose facility that houses both an architecture school and a public equity and justice center, the building operates at the intersection of community access and institutional infrastructure. It prioritizes passive strategies, locally sourced materials, and native plantings to minimize environmental impact while enhancing user experience.
A double-skin façade with operable recycled steel screens manages daylight and thermal performance, complemented by a rooftop garden and urban forest that extend the local ecological corridor. Equitable design principles drive site circulation, accessibility, and program distribution, ensuring that the project is not only sustainable, but socially inclusive and deeply embedded in its urban context.
Spine Hall Lobby developed by Valeria Ortiz Jauregui
Through an integrated systems-based approach, the project delivers long-term environmental performance, promotes occupant well-being, and strengthens community ties that demonstrate architecture’s capacity to support both people and planet.
Valeria joined the Cromwell team as an intern during the summer and has stayed on during her fall term. She has quickly become a valued member of our Northwest Arkansas team.
“Valeria has been great to work with these past few months as an intern architectural designer. She always has a positive attitude and is a diligent worker,” Senior Architect Tim Kwasny said. “She is inquisitive and always ready to learn. We are incredibly proud of her recognition at AIA Arkansas and look forward to her continued success.”
Cromwell is excited to celebrate this impressive achievement with Valeria. We are eager to see her continued growth and contributions to our architecture team.
