Mariana Moreira is from São Paulo, Brazil. A talented illustrator with a knack for organizing spaces, she always had a passion for architecture. She inherited this from her father, who had always wanted to become an architect but could never afford the education. Together, they would visit mock-up apartments for sale, go home, and draw the floor plan of what they saw.

As Mariana grew older, she became determined to fulfill her dream of pursuing an international degree related to architecture—both for herself, and for her father. She spent ten years after high school working in a variety of occupations, from massage therapy to graphic design, saving up for school. In 2012, she became the first in her family to attend college, enrolling at Faculdade Metropolitanas Unidas de São Paulo (FMU), where she earned her Bachelors in Architecture and Urbanism. During her time at FMU, she started an independent project in thermal comfort and became fascinated with retrofitting spaces to improve life quality. 

Once Mariana graduated, she finally moved to the United States, so that she could learn English and complete her dream of getting an international Master’s degree. After extensive research, she found the Urban Sustainability program at CCNY. She’s loved her coursework in Cities and Sustainability and is excited to start a capstone project that will allow her to study Passive House strategies for affordable housing next semester, under the mentorship of a professional from the North American Passive House Network (NAPHN).

Outside of school, Mariana loves to draw. During college, she joined an international group called Urban Sketchers. Enthusiasts with a variety of backgrounds, from complete amateurs to professionals, gather weekly in different places to draw what they see. Since moving to NYC, she has gone sketching here as well and found it to be a therapeutic activity during the pandemic. Mariana is also reading Building a Passive House – The Architect’s Logbook, by Stefano Piraccini and Kristian Fabbri, recommended to her by her Cities and Sustainability instructor, Dr. Hillary Brown.