Laurinda Hope Spear facts for kids

Laurinda Hope Spear (born 1950) is an American architect and landscape architect. She lives and works in Miami, Florida. She is famous for helping start Arquitectonica, a big company that designs buildings, plans cities, and decorates interiors. This company began in 1977. In 2005, she also helped create ArquitectonicaGEO (ArqGEO). This new company focuses on landscape architecture and urban design. It explores ways to design things that are good for the environment.

Early Life and Education

Laurinda Spear was born in 1950. She has lived in Miami for most of her life. She was the oldest of three children. Her father, Harold Spear, was a surgeon.

She finished Everglades School in 1968. Then, she went to Brown University. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1972. Later, she served on the university's board for six years. In 1975, she got her Master of Architecture degree from Columbia University.

Years later, she went back to school. She earned a Master of Landscape Architecture degree in 2006. This was from Florida International University. In 1978, she won the Rome Prize for architecture. In 1992, she became a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. This is a special honor for architects. In 1999, she joined the Interior Design Magazine Hall of Fame.

Her Career in Design

Laurinda Spear helped start Arquitectonica in 1977. She worked with other architects like Bernardo Fort-Brescia. In the beginning, their company made colorful buildings. These buildings often had interesting shapes. Examples include the Pink House and the Atlantis. These buildings quickly became very well known.

Laurinda also brought new interior design ideas to Arquitectonica's buildings. This led her to create her own product lines. She designed items for big companies like Brayton and Hunter Douglas. In 2000, she designed a unique glass fan called the "Whirlybird." It was released to the market in 2001.

Focus on Nature and Environment

After about 20 years, Laurinda's interests changed. She became very interested in nature. She wanted to know how buildings fit into their natural surroundings. She felt that architects sometimes ignored the land around their buildings. She thought it was important to visit the building site.

Around 15 years ago, she decided to learn more. She believed that to design correctly, you also needed to be a landscape architect. So, she went back to school. She earned her master's degree in landscape architecture. She then got her license. In 2005, she started ArqGEO.

ArqGEO is a company that works together on projects. Their goal is to blend building design with landscape design. They want to make the line between them disappear.

Laurinda now works differently than before. She focuses on how a building fits into its site. She puts the site first. ArqGEO works on projects of all sizes. Their main goal is to create strong landscapes. These landscapes help with big problems like climate change. They also help with fairness for all people.

Laurinda believes we must rethink our role with nature. She wants to make sure green spaces are open to everyone. She says, "Planting more trees is what will make a difference." She also adds, "Every project that we do in GEO is about elevating landscape. We’re always thinking of resilience, things that will work in the years to come."

Her Writings

In 2020, Laurinda Spear released a book. It is called GEO BIO MIAMI. The book talks about topics she cares about. These include green infrastructure and climate change. It also covers how landscape architecture adds value to projects. Charles Birnbaum wrote in the book's introduction: "GEO’s work establishes the young firm’s holistic approach to the site. It uses many ideas from landscape architecture."

Personal Life

Laurinda Spear is married to Bernardo Fort Brescia. They live and work in Coconut Grove, Florida.