While working for several years in local firms, she not only designed projects here in Miami, but also in foreign countries (i.e., Saudi Arabia, Fiji, Costa Rica). Ten years after starting her career as an architect, she established United Architects, Inc.
Maria Luisa Castellanos is almost a product of Miami-Dade County. Although born in Cuba, she lived her childhood in different places throughout the eastern United States. However, every year she would vacation on Miami Beach or Key Biscayne with her parents and her sister. She watched Miami grow into the international, multi-cultural, multi-lingual metropolis it is today, where people from all over the world come to live and play.
Maria Luisa Castellanos herself is involved
in all aspects of the design and construction of her projects. She has passion for the
design and development of a project from initial conception, through design
development, to the actual preparation of the final plans. And she takes it a step further by acting as the project manager throughout the construction phase. She loves the challenge of turning raw ideas
into plans for comfortable, livable, inspired buildings and residences, the tag line for
the firm. Ms. Castellanos, as a licensed general contractor, understands
construction and the day-to-day problems encountered on an actual construction
site. She designs down to the smallest details and coordinates extensively with the engineering disciplines to avoid costly change orders. Because her drawings are well detailed, the
contractor does not have to waste time trying to decide the best way to build
something. In the end, this saves the client money. Because United
Architects is not a large firm, the client is guaranteed direct principal
involvement in all aspect of his/her project.
Ms. Castellanos was recognized in 2003 by
Georgia Tech, at its 50th anniversary of admitting women to the
institution, as the first minority woman to receive a Master of Architecture
degree from the College of Architecture. She has been a guest on the
radio show, Topical Currents on WLRN, National Public Radio (NPR) and World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer. She is a
regular contributor to EzineArticles.com and Examiner.com.
From 1992 to 1993, she was a commissioner on the Dade County Commission on
the Status of Women. Ms. Castellanos was a Finalist in the 1995 National
Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Recognition Awards.
Active in her community, Ms. Castellanos has served on standing committees of both Miami-Dade Public Schools as well as Miami-Dade County. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Downtown Bay Forum and the Association of Women Architects and Engineers. Some of her civic activities and publications follow.
Ms. Castellanos’ Publications and Communications Programs:
“How you can avoid fraudulent contractors and how an architect can help you in the construction process”, Topical Currents, WLRN,6-4-08.
Residential Project featured on HGTV “Before and After”, Episode 1203 – Back from the Brink, 2004.
"Understanding the Coral Gables Residential Building Process", Coral Gables Gazette, Nov. 12, 1997
"Has protecting the public welfare gone too far?", Construction Issues Forum , April 1997.
"Hurricane Andrew, An Architect's Perspective", Costs and Trends, Mid-Year Edition, 1993.
“Hablando EN
VIVO con Alex Fiuza”, Radio Paz (830 AM), October 27, 2000.
Additional Professional Associations and Community Participation:
“Community Partner” on CAHSA Task Force Subcommittee, “Rental, Homeownership, and Rehabilitation”, 2006.
Member, Florida Housing Coalition; attended Affordable Housing Conference, Sept. 23-24, 2003
Member, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, May 2001 to May 2003.
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Networking Chairperson 2003 – 2004.
Member, Minority Business Advisory Committee, Dade County School Board, 1985 – 1990.
Founding Member, Founding Board of Directors, Assoc. of Women Architects and Engineers (A.W.A.E.).
Code Enforcement Hearing Officer, Dept. of Code Enforcement, Miami-Dade County, 2000 – 2001.
Member, Coalition for Rational Construction Regulation (CR2), 1997 – 1998.
Guest, Governor Chiles' Public Forum, April 18, 1995.
Visiting Lecturer, Georgia Institute of Technology, May 1994.
Finalist, National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Recognition '95 Awards.
Member, Minority Business Advisory Committee, Dade County School Board, 1985 – 1990.
Vice-President, Board of Directors, New Women Entrepreneur Center, 1995 – 1996.
Participant, Women's Summit of the Americas, November 1994.
Commissioner, Dade County Commission on the Status of Women, 1992 – 1993.
Member, Metro-Dade Fire Prevention and Safety Appeals Board, 1992 – 1993. Member, Dade
County Community Relations Task Force, 1990.
United Architects
With an exciting track record of executing world class projects for both public and private clients, United Architects has been in continuous
operation since its founding in 1986. Please look at the testimonials or letters of reference recommending
the firm. The corporation has a corporate license to practice in the
state of Florida - AAC001377.
To ensure a commitment to excellence second to none, the firm has developed the following 10 Point Project
Management Checklist. It will curtail errors in the plans
and reduce change orders in the field. Construction is difficult
enough and the client shouldn't have to worry about costly errors in the
construction of the project.
Our work appears throughout this entire
website. Some pages give background on the city and county in which we
reside. Others give information on the architectural design and construction
process. We hope you find it interesting, engaging and useful
to you.
Call 305-552-5465 to discuss your exciting project with us.
