Since joining ZHA in 2006, Maria Loreto has contributed to a diverse range of projects from competitions to direct commissions. Her current focus is the design and management of large-scale mixed-use and masterplan projects. Her extensive knowledge, coupled with strong leadership and soft skills, positions her at the forefront of large teams. She advocates for research-driven design that thoughtfully responds to community needs, ensuring large-scale projects align with the evolving demands of society and resonate with the communities they serve. Using parametric design tools, her designs address local contexts and cultural codes.

Prior to joining ZHA, she collaborated with practices in Chile and received several national architectural design awards.

Maria Loreto received her Bachelor of Architecture from the Faculty of Architecture & Urbanism of Universidad de Chile and her Master of Architecture and Urbanism from the Design Research Laboratory (DRL) at the Architectural Association (AA) in London. She has taught in Chile and the UK and has been a visiting critic at architecture schools worldwide, including the AA, the Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL) in London, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) in the US.

Maria Loreto’s work has been published in Architectural Digest magazine, Collective Intelligence in Design (2006), and Architextiles (2006). Widely exhibited and published, her master’s thesis project, Netlab, was awarded the AA distinction and FEIDAD 2006 Design Merit Award.

As a member of the Women in Architecture UK (WIA) committee, Maria Loreto advocates for women’s rights in the industry and has played a key role in improving maternity policies and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion at ZHA.