Ingrid Martinez

Inspired by a lifelong love of art, Ingrid finds in architecture a medium through which to make art more real. Architecture is the art form we need to protect us from the elements, the art we get to spend our lives in. A native of South America, Ingrid understands how profoundly culture and lifestyle influence design. She spent her first ten years as an architect designing government offices, workspaces, urban and rural homes and warehouses. Her move to California, where she now works in residential design, highlighted how much different lifestyles require different designs. Ingrid especially enjoys learning about the people who are going to live in the houses she designs so she can adapt her work to their needs. As a Senior Designer, Ingrid is involved at every stage of a project’s design, from measurements and designs to pricing, permits and construction. She loves creating places where people can feel comfortable, healthy and inspired.

“Architecture is really a beautiful way to see the history of a society. I grew up in Venezuela where the architecture of the colonial towns and cities offers us a way to understand how people have lived and how different cultures have shaped the landscape.”

Ingrid received her Advanced Degree in Architecture and her MS in Rural Development from the University of the Andes. Before working at architectural firms in the US, Ingrid was the principal of her own design firm, ICM Solutions. When she’s not designing and appreciating buildings, Ingrid enjoys spending time with her two young sons — gardening, cooking, hiking, playing and recording their own live plays and performances. She and her family live in Oakland.