Zaira has been working in architecture for the last 15 years with experience in conservation and new build both in UK and overseas. After graduating from Polytechnic of Bari university in Italy in 2007 she worked with a number of local firms on projects within historic centres, including C14 Romanesque architecture. She later gained experience in working on repairs and extensions to simple and complex dry stone buildings in the Itria Valley including sites with UNESCO World Heritage status. This involved collaboration with craftsmen and clients with a deep interest in preserving the local heritage, something that Zaira has pursued ever since.
A keen interest in travelling lead her to Britain, and she has been working for Roger Mears Architects for over 10 years, developing her passion for working with historic fabric and attention to detail. She is involved in the design and project management of works to Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas on a variety of different building types, including houses, churches, pubs and shops. She holds a Masters’s Degree in Architecture, and is a registered Architect both in the UK (ARB) and Italy (OAPPC Bari).
She is also a RIBA Chartered member and Associate member of the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID).
Zaira has a keen interest in urban regeneration and is member of the Hackney Design Review Panel, contributing to the Council’s wider objectives to achieve balanced, sustainable communities and neighbourhoods.