Exploring Life & Business with Jessica Fritz of J.Cor Architecture

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Fritz.

Hi Jessica, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in the small rural town of Dalton Massachusetts. When I decided I wanted to become an architect, I really didn’t know what that meant aside from drawing cool houses… I honestly was not as far off as I thought! However, what I didn’t realize was the time, energy, and dedication it would take to get to that point.

In 2007, I set off to Boston to attend college at a little private school called Wentworth Institute of Technology. The architecture program was both grueling and inspiring. I was by no means a stranger to hard work and within the emersion of stunning buildings, gorgeous homes, and historical marvels I excelled through both my undergrad and master’s program.

In my final year, I completed my thesis based in Downtown Phoenix Arizona. After completing a 5-week workshop at Paolo Solari’s Arcosanti (archeology in the desert) I fell in love with the desert. I had family living here as well so was able to take trips and complete enough research to comprise a thoughtful thesis project. Through this process, I met and interviewed the Scottsdale hometown legend Vernon Swaback. He offered me my first full-time architecture job only 2-weeks after graduation.

I spent about 8 years working for large firms between Arizona and Southern California, During this time, I was a sponge. I learned as much as I possibly could, made as many industry connections as possible, and completed my 8 licensing exams.

In September of 202o, I set off on my own and founded J.Cor Architecture. We specialize in all types of residential design and our mission is to promote women in the construction industry while creating a beautiful and fulfilling experience for our clients.

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 path has been less than smooth. If a successful career was the only objective to getting to where I am today I would say fairly smooth sailing, but as we all know life happens.

The most obvious struggle to note is that being a young woman in the construction industry is a tough place to be and it takes imposter syndrome to a whole other level. There have been many meetings where I am the only female in the room as well as the youngest person in the room. To add to this, as the architect, I am also the one person in the room that everyone is looking, for to guide the meeting and have the answers. This can be intimidating, to say the least!

There have been plenty of struggles personally as well. I have had two failed long-term relationships and if I hold the responsibility for the failure I would have to say my focus on my career over a family has been a large contributor. This really just lead to me figuring out who I am as a person, my values, and how I choose to design my life.

Lastly, I would say that building a business brings on its own set of challenges that you don’t realize until you make the leap. At times it does feel like you jumped out of an airplane and are building the parachute on your way down and the ground is coming up fast! Trial and error, having a strong faith, and not being afraid to ask for what you need have all helped in this area.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At J.Cor Architecture we specialize in residential design and construction documents. We work with both large-scale production and custom home builders as well as with local home owner’s looking to upgrade or expand their current homes.

We are most known for our smooth process and exceptional candor when working with us. We have the ability to design an array of different styles from traditional design to more contemporary and eccentric. Every home and homeowner is different but our process always stays the same.

We pride ourselves on being the first stop on your construction journey. With the ability to guide your process through all of the challenges of hiring other professionals, receiving permits, and moving into the construction phase we are happy to stay on board for the entire journey.

Technology is a huge component of our practice. Our design work will always be shown in 3D so that everyone has the ability to visualize the final product right from the beginning. Traditional 2Dimensional drawings will still be used for permitting and construction, however, the extra level of 3D detail brings a completely new experience for homeowners.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
Of course! I had many people along my journey that were very supportive of me. The first would have to be my family, mainly my mom who helped me navigate financial aid and student loans as well as never let me give up during college.

Two of my professors, Beth Gibb and Elizabeth Ghiseline were great leaders both during and after my time at Wentworth. They are both strong women leaders in both the profession and the higher education system who I looked up to. Vernon Swaback of Swaback Partners here in Phoenix was very influential during my master’s thesis and also offered me my first job after graduation.

Fernando Laullon of WHA Inc. in Southern California was the single person that taught me how to be an architect. I can’t express enough gratitude for what I learned during my time working under him.

Contact Info:

• Email: jessica@jcor-architecture.com
• Website: www.jcor-architecture.com
• Instagram: @jessicafritzarchitect

Image Credits
Christina Michelle Photography, Michael Bast Graphics, and Zar Media