From model to architect, and from architect to editor

From model to architect, and from architect to editor

She worked as a model for fifteen years; in 2006, she graduated with a degree in architecture; and in 2010, she launched a project she had been developing for ten years: *Doble ALTURA deco*, a magazine covering architecture, interior design, design, and landscaping. Architect María Fernanda Navarro, a graduate of the School of Architecture from Universidad ORT Uruguay.

Tell us about the Doble ALTURA deco project.
Doble ALTURA deco is a quarterly magazine published in Peru as part of an ambitious editorial project aimed at bringing architecture, interior design, design, and landscaping to the general public. It approaches these topics from a journalistic and expository perspective, as well as from the practical standpoint of interior decoration. It covers the latest national and international trends in interior design, as well as a wealth of ideas and suggestions for the various spaces in our daily lives. The magazine is organized into different sections, and the articles are illustrated with high-quality photographs from special photo shoots produced for each issue. The focus of the articles is carefully planned, and their content is presented with the readers’ interests in mind—ranging from professionals in these fields, to non-professionals who are avid collectors of such magazines, to those interested in new aesthetics and decorating solutions. In each issue, we feature the home of a prominent figure in our field on the cover. We also include an in-depth profile of an architect, interior designer, or landscape architect whom we interview, showcasing a selection of their work. We dedicate a section to social responsibility, where we highlight various initiatives and projects aimed at environmental stewardship from a design perspective. We also cover various national and international exhibitions and shows in the Design Fairs section through special correspondents. There are sections on corporate design and furniture, trends in Europe, a space dedicated to the relationship between art and architecture, another on decorating with nature, and we devote significant space to gardening and landscape design in the section Green & Greens.

In the segment Lifestyle We showcase majestic residences, but in another section titled “My Deco,” we feature a home alongside the owner’s story—perhaps without luxury, but with plenty of ingenuity and good taste. In the final pages, a comprehensive practical guide indexed by categories of professionals, companies, and services. Additionally, after each edition is printed, we use the magazine’s own pages to craft handmade accessories by reusing some of the leftover paper, thereby aligning ourselves with recycling policies and the reuse of materials in the interest of caring for the planet. This is our small contribution. We then raffle off these accessories among our subscribers.

What is your role in this publication?
I am the managing director and oversee both the editorial and commercial aspects of the publication. I personally oversee most of the production work and also coordinate the valuable contributions of various collaborators: colleagues, professionals, and design consultants in our country who are also committed to this publication.

You graduated in 2006. As an architect, why did you decide to go into publishing?
When I chose my career path, I was convinced that my calling would be to design and build—as is the case for most of us who opt for the rewarding profession of architecture. As I progressed through my courses and subjects, combined with the opportunity I had to work abroad in other fields, I found myself increasingly drawn to editorial work. Realizing I had the potential to grow in this field, I felt I would be more comfortable promoting architecture than actually practicing it. Doble ALTURA deco was launched in September 2010, after I had been developing it as a project for over ten years and had amassed a large collection of international magazines—not only on architecture but on design in general—which I collected from everywhere I went. Sometimes people tell me I should have studied communication or graphic design. However, I have absolutely no regrets about my training, which allows me to maintain a balanced perspective on aesthetic, socio-cultural, technical-practical, and methodological aspects to develop a publication of this nature. My training as an architect has given me the tools necessary to pursue this passion and madness at the same time: editing a magazine. Combined with my background as a producer, I bring a great deal of effort, full confidence, and complete dedication to this venture. I could say that I view architecture as a means rather than an end; this is a goal I set for myself a long time ago.

You were a model for 15 years. How do you apply that experience to Doble ALTURA deco?
I approach it with the same professionalism I showed years ago when I walked the runway for a haute couture collection. I was highly respected, and everyone who knows me is aware that I would go to production rehearsals with my books and to class with slightly eccentric hairstyles, but I always did so naturally, as a way to balance work and study. Today, Doble ALTURA is a synthesis of both: styling blended with a conceptual foundation. My career as a model and as an architecture student began almost simultaneously, and I always made sure to dedicate the necessary time to each. Of course, I alternated between exam periods and fashion shows and collections. At eighteen, I represented Uruguay in several international beauty pageants, including Miss Universe and Miss World in 1993. In addition to the unforgettable experience this gave me, I learned even back then that one must seize the opportunities that come along, and give others time to mature with vision, determination, and patience, to achieve the goals one pursues. I continued modeling for several more years until my family grew and the magazine took shape. I believe that the way one approaches activities is independent of the field; as a true Virgo, I am very demanding, detail-oriented, and I give my all to the responsibilities I take on, which I believe is reflected in the final product.

Tell us about the magazine’s short- and long-term challenges.
May it continue to grow as a collectible and go-to publication for professionals, students, and, in general, anyone captivated by design and interior decoration. We are growing and evolving at the same time, taking both criticism and praise to heart. We have a real reach throughout the interior of the country, and that has allowed us to find an audience there that is eager for this type of content, and has encouraged us to increasingly focus our productions on the “interior” of Uruguay, as someone who hails from a small town in Soriano (Cañada Nieto). Furthermore, I identify with and care deeply about them. The trust of our readers and the firm commitment to positioning from the companies that support us will make this publication a lasting product, achieved without a doubt through constant updates, keeping pace with changes in the market and society at large, and through hard work to maintain the stipulated quality, both in presentation and content.