Gabriella Bermea, 29

In her junior year at the University of Arkansas, Gabriella Bermea “found her voice in architecture,” she said. 

That “aha” moment came through an internship with a firm that worked on elementary and high schools, which is now Bermea’s specialty at VLK Architects, where she works out of the firm’s office in Austin, Texas. Bermea is particularly fond of VLK’s “launch” process, which engages the students, faculty and surrounding community in the early design phases of new projects in order to understand the needs of the community with regard to the new facility. 

“You can’t fake authenticity. It’s going to be determined based on the users who are in the space, and it makes all the more impact when they are in the early-on process and actually given a voice,” Bermea said.

One of her best moments on the job was getting to design Almquist Middle School in Hutto, Texas, in the school district she attended and where her mom works in special education. It’s on track to open to students and families in the fall.

Bermea’s accolades and involvements are many. She’s a recipient of the 2024 American Institute of Architects’ National Young Architects Award, a 2023 Young Hispanic Professional Association of Austin Rising Star, and an Association for Learning Environments Otto D. Grove Jr. Scholar, to name a few.

She’s also a mentor in the ACE Mentorship Program of America, where she’s served as student recruitment chair and helped dole out over $180,000 in scholarships to architecture, construction and engineering students in the Austin area.

“Architect may be the title, that may be what I do day to day, but it’s so encouraging to be able to give back in more ways than just one,” Bermea said.