Daily Inspiration: Meet Danilda Polanco

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danilda Polanco.

Hi Danilda, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It all started when I was 17 years old and went on my first trip to Europe. At that point, I was already two years into my bachelor’s degree in Architecture. Seeing and experiencing how beautiful buildings and spaces could impact your mood, and perspective of the world and enhance your overall quality of life, hypnotized me into this beautiful career called Architecture. I wanted to be part of changing people’s lives through design and beauty.

Preparing for that path, I found myself at Pratt Institute for my Master’s program. At Pratt, I was introduced to a whole new level of thinking and approach to design. It took my creativity to a freeing space where everything was possible and the human experience through design was at its highest. On the other hand, the quality of a design can only be matched by the quality of those building it. During my construction journey, I’ve had the pleasure of working with fantastic creative minds like Michael Gabellini and Kimberly Sheppard with Gabellini Sheppard Associates in NYC. My ultimate mentor has been Margaret Salamone, with Margaret Salamone Architect, who taught me and exposed me to all of the layers of residential construction and design. Working closely for over 18 years with general contractors, vendors, and installers, honed my skills to develop a critical eye for quality and an understanding and respect for the construction process. Being on-site became my passion and seeing how my designs came to life, through a group effort, was humbling and addicting.

D.O.P.E. Architecture Inc. was born in 2020 as a tool to provide my clients with the highest level of quality and design for their projects. D.O.P.E. Architecture is a Woman/Latina-owned company, providing design-build services for residential renovations and construction in Denver and its adjacent cities. No project is too big or too small for my company. My overall goal is to enhance your quality of life by providing my clients with beautiful spaces, so if that space is simply a bathroom, a kitchen, or a deck, then it’s my honor to help you to “Live in Beauty” through those rooms.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been long, hard, and expensive. Architecture school doesn’t train you for the real world in construction. As a young architect, Margaret would put me on site and I had to answer all the questions the subs had for “the architect”.

That training quickly brought my ego down to my feet and I realized that without the construction knowledge and truly understanding the process of how the design was going to be built I was not going to earn the respect and trust of the contractors and those involved in bringing the design to life. Clients are fantastic but good sub-contractors, vendors, and salespeople are the ones to remain with you and move on from project to project.

Feeling that we can be a cohesive team on behalf of one mutual goal it’s my pursuit with the construction team. Every day I am blessed with new challenges that demand me to continue learning and honing my skills so that my clients can rely on the best team for design and construction.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Most people don’t know that D.O.P.E. are the initials of my Hispanic name (Danilda Olivia Polanco Estrella). As an immigrant, I represent the hard work of perseverance, tenacity, and intense responsibility for providing a product I can be proud of.

Pride distinguishes good from great because you hold yourself to the highest standards. I try to apply the same quality of construction we had in a Vera Wang store in NYC to a residential bathroom or kitchen in Wheat Ridge, CO. The outcome must be a space where you want to be at all times because its beauty makes you happy.

DOPE Architecture is the team you need if you are ready to start your design and construction work. We get the job done…period!!

What are your plans for the future?
As I embark on my first project as a developer, a dream I’ve had since I started architecture school.

The process had me questioning, what am I doing differently and better to provide a quality of living I consider enjoyable and beautiful? I started to find the answers in my own home. My husband, Scott Streeb, is a renowned landscape architect and the best designer I know. He has created a jungle in the interior of our home bringing that outdoor greenery and air quality we all crave, especially in the winter months.

He has provided a year-round garden for me and our children. I started getting more involved with the care and selection of our interior plants to the point that I created a sister business called DOPE Plants. Incorporating nature, interior gardens, and a play with the outdoor spaces it’s going to be my design study for the first duplex project we’re developing in Arvada. It is exciting and nerve-racking but doable and if achieved, we’ll be providing a new level of living experience to the standard duplex.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/dope.arch/

Image Credits
Sierra Ann Photography