Maria Del Rocio Mendoza Refosco
Designer/Drafter



Rocio was born and raised in Mendoza, Argentina. Raised by an architect and an engineer, she grew up on job sites and amidst blueprints, always curious and asking questions about construction. She decided to complement the skill set she had developed throughout her life with a formal education.

Architecture has always been her passion. The more she learned, the more she wanted to know. Rocio sees architecture as a lifestyle, not just a job. On any given day, you can find her enthusiastically discussing the characteristics of buildings with anyone who will listen. She is particularly passionate about modern and postmodern architecture, drawing inspiration from luminaries like Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Daniel Libeskind, and Zaha Hadid.

Rocio graduated in 2019 with a double major in Architecture and Urbanism from the University of Mendoza. Her studies encompassed not only the traditional exterior and interior aspects of buildings but also how spaces are experienced and lived in. During her last year of school, she completed a diploma in architectural phenomenology, a discipline that emphasizes human experience, background, intention, historical reflection, interpretation, and poetic considerations. She had the privilege of studying under the guidance of world-renowned architects, including Eliana Bormida, Luis Longhi, and Cristian Boza.

Rocio's first encounter with Tahoe was for skiing. She spent her college years working as a ski instructor in various countries, transitioning between hemispheres and living in winter for six years. After graduating and working in her home country as an independent architect and interior designer, her love for Tahoe drew her back to the United States. In 2022, she joined MWA, where she currently serves as a designer and drafter.

In her free time, you can find her skiing, practicing various aerial arts, painting or traveling to new places in search of more inspiration and "cool buildings."


All Staff

Kurt Reinkens designed our Truckee home in 2005. It is really a work of art, as much as it is a house. We continue to appreciate its many design features, and the compliments from visitors have never stopped to this day. The home is incredibly comfortable to live in. It is our mountain retreat, and we cherish the time we spend there.

The success of our project with Kurt began in the design programming stage. We provided him with a design philosophy comprising 6 elements: (1 ) Rustically Elegant, (2) Timelessness of Design, (3) Native to Place, (4) Uplifting to the Spirit, (S) Respect for Materials, and (6) Good Design More Important than Large Spaces. Our home's design embodies every one of these elements. Kurt took words on paper and made them into a physical reality.

Kurt worked very well with us throughout the iterative design process, as we went back and forth on alternatives for various parts of the house and as we finalized decisions right up to the end of the design phase. Some architects have a tendency to take pride in ownership of their design to the point that they resist changes to their work. That was not the case with Kurt. In Tact on several occasions, Kurt counseled junior architects on the project to listen to the clients' preferences and to be open to making design changes. Consequently, we felt very good about our working relationship with Kurt during this important phase of the project.

We would also like to compliment Kurt for his more subtle architectural skills, beginning with his understanding of light and its impact on the home. He talked about this point in early meetings, but we truly appreciated it after living in the home. Accordingly, he both positioned the house on the lot and designed rooms with light as a major consideration. He even identified which windows to have screens on and which to not have screens on, out of consideration for views out of the home. His design also carefully accounted for shedding of snow. In addition, we found Kurt to be very knowledgeable and experienced with respect to design details and construction materials.

Finally, Kurt worked extremely well with our contractor and interior designer during the construction phase. It was definitely a team project, and everyone involved felt great about working together when it was over. Designing and building a home is not easy, particularly when the owners are working full time. Therefore, the architect, interior designer, and builder are crucial to the effort. We couldn't be more happy than with those who worked on our project.



-- John and Kathy Glaub
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