Susy Munguia Mikhail, B.Arch '13

Following her passion for standards and guidelines, Susy co-founded 4 Ideal Design, a digital practice consulting firm specializing in optimizing a firm’s use of software and tools.

At 4iD, Susy found synergy between its guiding principle and her vision to bridge the gap between the design and technology worlds. She works with firms to create great architecture through development of effective and efficient standards, providing customized solutions based on her experience and ongoing study of the optimum use of software and tools.

In addition, Susy supports architecture talent by teaching Revit in English and Spanish. In a recent venture, she collaborated with a Technical School teaching construction workers how to read and understand construction drawings in Spanish.

Susy also teaches digital and hand drawing at the New York School of Interior Design. Her passion to teach and optimize design continues to align with her vision and mission in the architecture profession.

How do you draw inspiration from your culture in your life and work?

Us, Hispanics are a blend of people that share common things like the Spanish language and many cultural values, but at the same time, we are all unique in our own ways, we come from different countries, have different slangs and different ways of cooking the same rice and beans. With this idea, my life revolves around wanting to learn more about other cultures and people and understand what we share and what sets us apart.

Furthermore, my work at 4iD has a similar nature, so I leverage the idea that we are the same but different. The people we work with are all architects and designers but every office’s needs are different, you cannot treat them all the same. I first need to learn what the firm’s and people’s roots and culture are in order to create a roadmap tailored to their digital practice goals.