Photography by Iris Van Nes
Many people struggle to get on a steady track toward professional success. This reality is actual for various industries, including the architecture and interior design world. As markets get more competitive, it can be hard for young people, women, and immigrants to break into the sphere of architecture. But leading architect Gloria Kloter shows people everywhere that anyone can succeed in the field no matter what gender, race, or age.
Gloria hails from the small country of the Dominican Republic. She grew up with a single mother who raised two daughters on her own. Early on, Gloria Kloter had to start playing her part at home. She worked her way through college to alleviate her mother of the financial burden.
After getting her architecture license, Gloria would get to work very quickly. With dedication and hard work, she started to make a name for herself. But when she decided to move to the United States, she would face the issue of getting a new license as one would not be honored in the United States. Someone advised her against even trying it, telling her it was impossible to do so. But Gloria Kloter decided to pursue a US architect license anyway. It wasn’t a walk in the park, but after years of pursuing it, she finally got her license. Today, she runs a prestigious architecture firm called Glow Architects.
Always quick to help, Gloria now also readily lends a hand to architects from outside of the United States to gain a license to practice in various states in the country. She also spends time mentoring young and aspiring architects in the Tampa Bay area on the world of architecture. A volunteer for “Architecture in Education” at the Lee Elementary school, Gloria has taught the organization’s eight-week program directed mainly towards fifth-grade students. Through the program, she has exposed kids to the practice of architecture to inspire the next generation of leading architecture practitioners.
Gloria Kloter also currently serves as part of the board of directors for the American Institute of Architects in Tampa Bay. She also acts as the Architect licensing advisor for AIA Florida, improving the industry by helping other professionals in the field to get their architect license. She also serves as the chairwoman for Women in Architecture and Young Architects Forum Tampa Bay, two committees which she also founded. Apart from her volunteer and community work, Gloria also travels all over the country to speak in conferences on topics around motivation, leadership, women empowerment, and trends in architecture.
A licensed architect and interior designer operating in Florida and the Dominican Republic, Gloria works as the CEO of Glow Architects, which she co-leads with her husband Jeremy Kloter, who serves as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Also part of the team is talented computer graphic artist Luis Cruceta, who directs computer-generated walkthroughs and virtual 3D models. The award-winning architect completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture at Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, a prestigious university located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Universidad de A Coruña in Spain and Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra in Santo Domingo. With her international education, Gloria brings a culture-crossing perspective that merges the best that the world has to offer.
Gloria leads Glow Architects into the future with over sixteen years of experience in national and international architecture and interior design. Today, the firm provides some of the best work in 3D modeling and video walkthrough work, helping builders in the creative process. She has designed many retail stores, restaurants, corporate and residential projects. One of her most notable work was one of fashion brand Steve Madden’s stores located in Blue Mall in Santo Domingo. The store design would appear in the premier architecture publication, Aquitexto, which put Gloria Kloter on the map in Dominican architectural circles.
Gloria hopes to take Glow Architects to the next level in the next five years by becoming a firm with a culture that revolutionizes her community and architectural designs that make the world a better place for everyone.
To learn more about Gloria Kloter, visit Glow Architects’ website and Gloria’s blog site.
