Studio Luz representative says culturally centered design guided Socia Latino work and that firm is prime on Brook Charter School renovation with DCAM

An unidentified representative of Studio Luz said the firm’s design work is rooted in clients’ cultures and community needs, recalling they told their mother as a child, “I'm gonna be an architect.”

The speaker described Studio Luz’s approach as placing clients’ cultural background “at the front of the table” when planning projects. They pointed to Socia Latino, completed in 2021, as an example of that approach: the executive director, identified in the transcript only as Alex, sought to move the organization from leased space to owning a building, and Studio Luz was engaged to renovate the historic structure into a multi-use community space.

The speaker also said Studio Luz is working with DCAM on the Brook Charter School elementary renovation and characterized that engagement as the firm’s first prime contract with DCAM: “we're doing the Brook Charter School Elementary renovation, and that's our first prime project with DCAM.” The representative noted the school renovation is near Studio Luz’s Roslindale office and said the work is intended to benefit neighborhood children and families.

The speaker recounted business credentials included in the transcript: they said they were certified as a minority woman-owned business in 2008 and that Studio Luz has been in operation for 23 years. The representative emphasized the firm’s community focus and design empathy, stating clients know “we want to make a long lasting impact” and that the firm approaches projects with the community at heart.

No formal votes or motions were recorded in the transcript. The statements above reflect claims made by the unidentified Studio Luz representative in the recording; some items (for example, DCAM’s full legal name or specifics of contract terms) were referenced only by acronym or description in the transcript and were not detailed further.