Vanessa Lessa got her degree in Architecture from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 1996. The following year, she won the prestigious "Architects of Tomorrow" contest, sponsored by the Brazilian Architecture Institute.After a few years working for different firms in Brazil, in 2003 Vanessa moved to the U.S. In 2010, she founded Vanessa Lessa Inc., which focuses on residential projects. Vanessa's approach to architecture and interior design privileges her clients' needs along with aesthetics and functionality; she also brings a little bit of her Brazilian roots to her projects with the use of natural materials such as wood and stone, and furniture pieces by Brazilian designers.