“My favorite thing about architecture is seeing a desire and a need from a client brought to life.” – Victoria Tranca, Project Designer

Victoria loves thinking outside the box and diving into the details – which makes her a perfect fit as a project designer at Pinnacle. A designer by day and farmer by night, Victoria runs a ranch alongside her family. This makes for some fun stories at happy hour. Read on to learn how Victoria started in architecture and her passion for making an impact.

Why did you decide to pursue architecture?

My first love was interior design. While I was in high school my family was building a house and seeing the components and how the spaces could be organized and arranged piqued my interest. I think this eventually led to architecture because my dad is a structural engineer and my mom worked in furniture design – architecture is a bit of both worlds.

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite thing about architecture is seeing a desire and a need from a client brought to life. The best part of my job is the “Ah ha moment” – when things click into place, the research pans out, and we can solve the puzzle. I love logic games and I think I bring that passion into my work.

Your portfolio of projects is so diverse, do you have a favorite project?

I couldn’t possibly choose one project to be my favorite. There are parts of many projects that are near and dear to me. I worked on a large multi-family housing development in Romania that had two different owners and design teams and I loved the challenge of creating a cohesive design for the entire project in collaboration with multiple stakeholders. To create a cohesive aesthetic, I proposed a unique exterior feature to be included on all buildings. The owners loved my idea, and it ended up being part of the constructed development.

Here in Central Oregon, I worked on an addition to the Bethlehem Inn, a community-based non-profit homeless shelter in Bend. It was wonderful to gain insight from the end users so their wants and needs directly influenced the design. When designing spaces that will serve marginalized populations, I think it is important to treat the users with respect and dignity and consider their unique needs.

How do you enhance lives and communities every day?

I enjoy mentoring and teaching. It doesn’t necessarily have to be in architecture. For instance, in college, I volunteered my time tutoring middle school and high school students in math. I find great joy in volunteering with Architects in Schools and connecting with the community. I recently spent three days with 2nd graders leading activities to explore architectural principles. It is wonderful to see the creativity and imagination of children.

Pinnacle values its company culture. Any addition to our team must be the right fit – dedicated, creative, and collaborative. We asked Victoria a few fun questions to get to know her a little bit more:

If you were a superhero, what powers would you have?

Since hearing people’s thoughts is too creepy, I am going to say time travel. I would love to visit history to satisfy my curiosity, then return to my comfortable home. I love movies and my favorite movies are sci-fi that have a plot centered around time travel.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

This answer might be too practical, but I would hire a good financial advisor and invest my money in multiple buckets. I’d still work because I am the kind of person who would not be able to stop. I could just be very choosy about my projects, and try to help my community and others in need.

If you had a warning label, what would it say?

It would say, “Beware! Cares too much.”

Favorite bumper sticker

I am going to make one up, “Don’t change your speed in the passing lane just so people don’t pass you.”

Victoria’s natural curiosity and collaborative spirit make her a fantastic addition to the Pinnacle team. The team can always rely on Victoria to ask questions to get the ideas flowing.

Have a question of your own for Victoria? Reach out to her at victoria@parch.biz