Puerto Rican architect joins Venus Williams’ design firm
Enrique Vela aims to expand V Starr’s services and bring his bold design approach to luxury residential and hospitality projects.
Puerto Rican architect Enrique Vela, who recently became the new principal at V Starr, an award-winning interior design studio recognized for the hospitality, multifamily and luxury residential spaces it has created in West Palm Beach, Florida, is incorporating his Latin roots and personable personality with his coworkers and clients to, as he put it, “deliver the projects the right way … in a nice, friendly environment.”
In an interview with News is my Business, Vela said that in his role, he is working closely with the leadership team to refine purposeful business objectives and expand upon the firm’s services to meet shifting industry demands.
Born and raised in San Juan, Vela moved to the U.S. mainland to pursue academic studies at Syracuse University in New York, where he earned an undergraduate degree in architecture and graduated in 2006. He then continued his studies to obtain his master’s degree in advanced architectural design from Columbia University and remained stateside after being offered a job opportunity.
“After [graduating], I had big plans to move back to Puerto Rico, but then I got my master’s at Columbia and was offered a job,” Vela said. “I thought this would look good on my resume, and then my plans were to go back. But from that job, I went to another, and at one point, my parents, who were still on the island, told me I was probably better off staying [in the States] because I would never work on projects like the ones I am working on now.”
The new hire noted that V Starr, which is owned by former world No. 1 tennis player Venus Starr Williams, is committed to delivering well-rounded interior design concepts.
“It’s been around for about 15 years and started as a single-family residential practice, then transitioned into a corporate multifamily hospitality type practice,” he said. “My career has always been around hospitality and multifamily. Not by design — it’s kind of how it happened. But I love both of those sectors.”
Vela said that, along with another coworker, he runs the office and tries “to make all of those decisions: I oversee the design as the design director for all the projects coming into the office and existing projects that were here before my time. I also have to make sure everything gets built the right way and that the design stays the same, so I would say I split my time between both design and management.”
He explained that his Latino cultural background helps him value balance in life while also being amicable and open-minded when working with his staff and clients.
“We deliver the projects the right way. We are always warm and friendly. It’s in my personality, and I attribute that to growing up there,” in Puerto Rico, he said.
With regard to designing, he recalled growing up with a lot of color in his life in “structures and things that celebrate color,” which is something he is not “necessarily afraid of, but designers and architects tend to be more subdued when it comes to color. We are a lot more neutral, and I think that in my case, I am a bit bolder, and I am happy to take some of these risks.”
Leveraging his rich global perspective with notable experience in New York and Los Angeles, Vela’s addition to the team ushers in an era of opportunity for V Starr and its partners, as well as access to a wealth of knowledge in the high-end and luxury sectors. He is especially looking forward to expanding the firm’s expertise, particularly with his demonstrated experience in condominium and hospitality development.
Vela’s creative vision can be found in spa, restaurant, hotel and bar projects around the world — most notably in New York, Las Vegas, Dubai and California. He has also worked globally with most major hotel operators on projects ranging from small boutique hotels to large luxury resorts.
From a residential perspective, Vela’s expertise spans everything from 50,000-square-foot single-family homes to leading the interior design team for Central Park Tower, the second tallest building in New York City which is located in the Billionaires’ Row neighborhood.
Before joining V Starr, he was the principal, owner and director of Interiors at Olson Kundig, where he helped the firm venture into competitive hospitality markets.
