Glocal 89 | Mónica Suberville: Weaving Networks in Mexican Architecture

A Career Built on Turning Points

Mónica Suberville’s career has never followed a straight path. Instead, it is the result of a series of bold decisions that have shaped her into one of northern Mexico’s most committed architects. After graduating from Parsons School of Design in 2005, she trained at the New York-based firm LTL Architects before returning to her hometown to collaborate with Agustín Landa Ruiz Loba, one of Monterrey’s most influential architects. From that partnership emerged Landa Suberville, a studio responsible for projects that engage in dialogue with the natural landscape, such as Casa del Desierto (Desert House) and Casa del Bosque (Forest House).

Three Decisions That Changed Everything

When reflecting on the moments that have defined both her personal and professional life, Mónica identifies three pivotal turning points: establishing her own practice, reconnecting with Agustín Landa years later—this time as his partner rather than his employee—and, what she describes as the most transformative of all, founding Arquitectas.mx alongside her colleague and friend Laura Gómez.

The digital platform was born from a shared need to increase the visibility of women in a profession historically dominated by men. What began as a personal concern evolved into an active support network for more than 200 professionals. “I can no longer unsee or ignore it. What I’ve learned about the gender gap now shapes every drawing and every project I create,” she says.

Putting Equity into Practice

For Mónica, architecture is not only about design—it is also about economics and politics. She openly addresses the persistent wage disparities within the profession and the responsibility that comes with positions of leadership. “A woman doing the same job as a man earns 30 to 50 percent less. If I have the opportunity to be an employer, how do I ensure that doesn’t happen under my leadership? That’s the challenge—not just learning about it, but putting it into practice.”

She applies the same ethical standards in her office as she does at home. Suberville speaks candidly about the exhaustion of balancing motherhood, entrepreneurship, academia, and activism, and believes that collective support—not individual perfection—is the only sustainable path forward. “My partner and I share parenting responsibilities because I can’t take care of the firm, the platform, the household, and myself alone. We all have the same amount of time,” she acknowledges.

A Network to Lean On

The future of Arquitectas.mx is guided by a vision that Mónica refuses to leave in the realm of utopia: the genuine integration of a gender perspective into Mexican urban planning. Not as a matter of “men versus women,” but as an inclusive approach that makes cities safer and more welcoming for everyone.

Her message to younger generations is both an invitation and a reminder: “Reach out. I would have given anything to have had a support network when I was 20. Receiving support is valuable, but it’s equally meaningful to know you were there for someone else.”

For Mónica Suberville, success is measured by far more than the buildings she creates. “Success isn’t just about building a wall—it’s about making sure those who come after us have a network they can rely on.”