Team

Founder of the firm, Ricardo was born in Quito, Ecuador, and raised in Queens. Zurita, though very much tied to his roots in the Ecuadorian Andes, equally embraced all that was promising about New York City, traveling beyond his neighborhood to go to high school in Manhattan and then a greater distance, physically and culturally, to Cornell University. The importance of how to make one’s own place in the world was his main focus during these formative years.

Ricardo believes that architects have parallel roles in society: as creative forces and as stewards of the city. He is committed to working within the public realm, and he understands that any addition to the city of a work of architecture, no matter how small, has a social impact.

His work on Randall’s Island has been, to date, his most significant contribution to his city. Throughout the last two decades, he has transformed the island into a beloved destination for the public and a showcase of high-level sports facilities. Icahn Stadium, the municipal track and field center, and the tennis center where John McEnroe has his top-flight academy, along with other new buildings in the park, were the projects through which he tested his ideas about urban space, deepening his belief that public space is important for the health of a community and a benefit to civic life. Zurita personally led these efforts, presenting in public forums as the face of his firm’s designs, serving as both a passionate advocate for architecture and as a bridge between the project and its users.

 When not at work, you can find him sipping a caipirinha in Rio de Janeiro, an ouzo in Athens, a prosecco in Venice, or a canelazo in Quito.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Architecture

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

REGISTRATION

New York, New Jersey, Washington DC

FAVORITE ARCHITECTS

Le Corbusier & Alvar Aalto

Louis Sullivan & Frank Lloyd Wright

FAVORITE NON-ARCHITECTS

JS Bach & Philip Glass

Pablo Picasso & Paul Cezanne

FAVORITE PLACES

Greece

Venice, Italy

After ten years of experience in Spain, Rafael joined RZAPS in 2012 to continue developing his passion for architecture in a new and enriching professional context. An important part of his work has been devoted to social and institutional projects, which are especially appealing to him for the opportunity they offer to resolve community needs through architectural design.

Rafael’s interest in architecture encompasses very different scales, which provides him with the flexibility to work on a wide range of projects, from master planning to building details.

When not in the office, you can find Rafael planning his next trip.

EDUCATION

Master of Architecture

ETSA of Seville

Seville, Spain

FAVORITE ARCHITECTS

Louis Khan

Alvaro Siza

FAVORITE NON-ARCHITECTS

Pablo Picasso

Paco de Lucia

FAVORITE PLACES

Portobello Market, London

Chichen Itzá, Mexico

Margarita is a Bulgarian – American artist and licensed architect.

Born and raised in a family of artists, her senses have always been astute to colors, proportions, and harmonious relationships between volumes and surfaces. Being an architect brings an understanding of structure, utilitarian values, and budget interwoven with a passion for proportions, movement, and spatial acceptance of the surrounding world.

Margarita's art projects provide another perspective, passion, and angle, which benefits both her architectural and art designs. Her overarching goal is to seamlessly span and traverse both worlds; to create integrated holistic designs with a strong personality, one that inspires, questions, and challenges our sensibility, while simultaneously evoking joy and telling a new, different, and enriching story.

In her free time Margarita enjoys creating whimsical and abstract body adornments out of simple rubber bands. She loves to travel and enjoys meeting people from all walks of life.

EDUCATION

Master of Architecture

University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy

Sofia, Bulgaria

REGISTRATION

New York

FAVORITE ARCHITECT

Oscar Niemeyer & Mies Van der Rohe

SANAA & OMA

FAVORITE NON-ARCHITECT

Christo

Chet Baker

FAVORITE PLACE

Grace Farms by SANAA

Art galleries

Giulio is an Italian licensed architect who studied in Milan and in Prague. After graduating he moved to Australia where despite sharks, crocodiles, and deadly spiders, he worked for three years. Always looking for new challenges, he returned to Milan and worked there before starting his NYC adventure and joined RZAPS.

For Giulio, Architecture is listening and understanding the complexity of reality, reflecting on technical solutions, and combining art and science together. He believes that architectural details and BIM workflows are fundamental to achieving spatial quality. The aim is to raise functional buildings to improve communities’ social and cultural life.

When not in the office, you can find Giulio trying new cuisines, drinking a gin & tonic around the world and dreaming about parallel universes.

EDUCATION

Master of Architecture – Technology and Environmental Design, Polytechnic University, Milan, Italy

FAVORITE ARCHITECT

Alvar Aalto

Renzo Piano

FAVORITE NON-ARCHITECT

Niccolò Ammaniti

David Lynch

FAVORITE PLACE

Lake Maggiore, Italy

West End, Brisbane, Australia

Originally from a little town south of the Pyrinees, Pedro studied Architecture in Barcelona. Always open to new experiences, he moved to Paris where he worked for three years. Looking for new and exciting points of view in American ground, Pedro moved to New York and joined RZAPS.

He believes in the process of creation and its materialization in the world that we inhabit to improve it. Sometimes acts are a reflection of it and sometimes must be a reaction to it. He is always searching for inspiration in other forms of expression, from cinema to literature.

When not in the office, you can find Pedro lost in some fantastic world... or eating with his dog and husband.

EDUCATION

Master of Architectural Design & Engineering

ETSA of Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain

FAVORITE ARCHITECTS

Luis Barragán

Ricardo Bofill Leví

FAVORITE NON-ARCHITECTS

J. R. R. Tolkien

Wes Anderson

FAVORITE PLACES

Le Marais in Paris

Denise Galon's company has been providing administrative services for RZAPS since 2004. 

She has also worked in a similar capacity with special event design and planning company, McNabb Roick Events; Lawfirm, Tonachel & Lewis, P.C.; Non-Profit school, Singers Forum Foundation; Banking Business Specialist, Citibank; and creatively in theatrical costume & clothing design with the Fabric Alternative. 

EDUCATION

B.A., De Sales University

Center Valley, PA

PhD, Metaphysical ULC

Modesto, CA

Born and raised in China, Weiya is always curious and passionate about exploring cities. After graduating from college in Urban Planning, she decided to move to the U.S. to continue her dream of studying Architecture.

From Weiya's point of view, architecture is the space that generates the story, and the structure is the container that holds the scenery. When we design buildings, we create possibilities for emotions and stories.

When not in the office, Weiya is wandering around the corners of different cities in search of new discoveries.

EDUCATION

Master of Architecture

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, USA

FAVORITE ARCHITECTS

Louis Kahn

Rem Koolhaas

FAVORITE NON-ARCHITECTS

Gustav Klimt

Jay Chou

FAVORITE PLACES

Barcelona

Balconies with views

Originally from Quito, Ecuador, Michael studied architecture and urbanism at Universidad de las Américas (UDLA). In 2019, he founded Minqa Atelier, a small studio focused on experimental design and resourcefulness within Ecuador. Now based in New York, he’s continuing to explore new perspectives—still figuring things out along the way.

Michael sees design as a mix of scrappiness and curiosity. He’s into spaces that aren’t afraid to feel different—ones that challenge what we expect but still offer comfort and clarity. For him, architecture works best when it’s resourceful, a little bold, and never too precious.

When not at work, you can find Michael either relaxing at home or at some dodgy warehouse party in Brooklyn.

EDUCATION

B.Arch, Universidad de las Americas, Quito, Ecuador

FAVORITE ARCHITECT

Gabriela Carillo & Mauricio Rocha

Solano Benitez, Peter Zumthor

FAVORITE NON-ARCHITECT

Steven Gerrard

Julio Jaramillo

FAVORITE PLACE

A freshly cut field on a summer morning.

Sunset on a rooftop in Quito.

Originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador, Pierre has professional experience spanning professional practice, research, and teaching. His career bridges design innovation with academic inquiry, fostering dialogue between architecture, culture, and material experimentation in both local and international contexts.

Pierre is passionate about merging vernacular traditions with contemporary innovation. His work explores tectonics, material experimentation, and spatial narratives that respond to cultural identity. His goal is to create rigorous, human-centered architecture that connects daily life with broader ecological and social systems.

When not in New York, you can find Pierre surfing in the Pacific coast of Ecuador. When not in the office, you can find him experimenting with new furniture designs, traveling, or practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

EDUCATION

Master in Architectural Design

Universidad de Navarra

Pamplona, Spain

FAVORITE ARCHITECT

Louis Kahn

Sigurd Lewerentz

FAVORITE NON-ARCHITECT

Jorge Luis Borges

Eddie Vedder

FAVORITE PLACE

Ayampe, Ecuador

Tena, Ecuador

Gabriela is from Ecuador and studied architecture at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. She worked on a major renovation of Paseo San Francisco  in Quito, one of the city’s largest malls as well as leading residential and interior design projects there. She recently completed a Master’s in Creative Business Leadership at SCAD in Savannah, Georgia.

Gabriela’s goal as an architect is to build a strong Latin American design community to globally elevate the region’s recognition. She values Latin America’s rich heritage, craftsmanship, and innovative, eco-friendly materials, aiming to empower local talent, foster collaboration, and create international opportunities.

When not at the office, you can find Gabriela reading a book in a coffee shop in the West Village.

Education

Master’s in Creative Business Leadership

Savannah College of Art and Design

Savannah, GA

Favorite Architects

Frank Gehry

Santiago Calatrava

Favorite Non-Architects

Jay Shetty

Jon Batiste

Favorite Place

Wherever her family is.

Originally from Peru, Adriana is an architect, designer, and illustrator. After studying architecture in Lima, she began her career working on architectural projects while shaping a growing interest in how architecture could be narrated. This curiosity led her to explore visual storytelling and communications in architecture, specializing in Bologna and later continuing with her master’s studies at Columbia GSAPP. For Adriana, communicating can be as vital as the built work itself.

She approaches her work through the intersections of heritage, communication, and architecture, seeing them as opportunities to advocate for cultural preservation. Her practice seeks to bridge past and present, using architecture and visual representation to highlight culture within contemporary contexts.

When not in the office, you can find her wandering through museums, illustrating, or enjoying an açaí bowl somewhere in the city.

Education

Master of Science in Critical, Curatorial, and Conceptual Practices in Architecture

Columbia University GSAPP

New York, NY

Favorite Architects

Mikkel Frost

Arinjoy Sen

Favorite Non-Architects

Avicii

Shakira

Favorite Place

Mirador de Tres Cruces, Cuzco

Bondi Beach, Sydney

Having been born in Jerusalem, Amalia was always interested in the importance of cities. During her studies at New York University, Amalia stumbled across an urban planning and architecture class. This cemented her passion for architecture and public space.

Amalia approaches her work through the lens of psychology and economics, which were her main studies in university. She believes there is great power in incorporating different points of view into every project.

When not in the office, Amalia can be found trying exciting restaurants or going to the Metropolitan Opera House, as she is an avid classical music fan.

Education

Bachelor of Arts

New York University

Favorite Architects

Elizabeth Diller

Mies van der Rohe

Favorite Non-Architects

Neri Oxman

Anthony Bourdain

Favorite Place

Berlin in the summer

St. James Park, London