Already at the age of 31, architect Eduardo De Anda has had an impressive career. He arrived in Puerto Vallarta in January 2005 to work as the Coordinator and Supervisor of Architecture for the Grand Mayan, a 509-room resort in Nuevo Vallarta. At the same time, he also supervised the construction of the Mayan Island's two luxury condominium projects, Etzna and Seibal. After completing these projects, De Anda started his own architectural firm, De Anda Architects.
Originally from Tepatitlán, a small town near Jalisco’s capital of Guadalajara, De Anda has been fascinated by architecture since a very young age. As a child, he loved building elaborate sand castles. In university, he studied Architecture with a focus in Urbanism at ITESO in Guadalajara. He told us that even though architecture is his career, he also considers it his hobby because he enjoys it so much.
De Anda’s main source of inspiration is his travels. He has made two extensive tours of Europe to research architectural history and to study the works of British architect Norman Foster. He also enjoys taking road trips throughout Mexico to study the mixture of old and new, the materials, and the textures of his country. From these influences, De Anda has developed a Mexican style with enduring, classical elements. His favorite materials are cantera (a volcanic stone), marble, concrete, steel, and wood such as guayabillo, ipe, kumaru, and teak.
Other notable projects of De Anda’s include Villas Escenicas in Las Amapas, the 120-room Mayan Puerto Penasco in Sonora, and a number of private homes in Nuevo Vallarta.
When designing a private home for a client, De Anda sees his role as being that of a translator of sorts – he takes the client’s personality, the client’s ideas, and the site, and then translates them into a beautiful and practical concept with his architectural vision.
De Anda goes through six steps when working with a client. First is the initial interview. Here, De Anda talks to the client about what he or she has in mind, and provides estimates. Second is a more comprehensive interview in which De Anda and the client talk about the client’s lifestyle and how the home will be used. Third is the architectural phase. This is the point at which De Anda designs the home, does all the pertinent studies, and receives all necessary permits. Fourth is construction – all the materials are purchased and the home is built. De Anda also administers all the labor issues for construction, such as unions and health care. The fifth step is finalization, which is when all the legal processes are finished, the landscaping is done, and services such as maintenance or gardening are set in motion. The final step, furnishing, is optional. If the client wishes, he or she and De Anda can collaborate on furnishing and decorating the new home.
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