Meet The Award-winning Interior Design Team at Casai
At Casai one of our core values is to infuse local artistic traditions and designers into our spaces. They are a testament to the vibrancy of local life and couldn’t be the way they are without our creative Interior Design Team.
This year Casai’s unique interior design won a gold award at the 2021 Muse Design Awards. This internationally-renowned prize is granted by a jury of art directors and creative professionals who recognize top talent that will move the industry forward. This is undoubtedly an achievement our design team are extremely proud of. Let’s meet the team…
Global Design Director – Alexa Backal
Our Global Design Director, Alexa, has over seven years of experience in residential projects, furniture development, and retail and hospitality design.
“Passionate about all types of design —I’m an industrial designer who loves how interior design can change our lives.”
Previously, Alexa was the Retail & Interior Designer at GAIA Design, where she worked with the interior design and layout of offline stores and as a visual merchandiser. Alexa then went on to become Head of GAIA interior design projects. She was the interior and retail designer for their first two showrooms in Mexico City. Alexa holds a degree in Industrial and Product Design from the Iberoamerican University, Mexico City.
Claudia Gómez – Interior Designer (Mexico)
Claudia has over eight years experience in high-end residential projects, color theory, sales and retail projects. Having studied Industrial and Product design at the Iberoamerican University, Claudia began to shift towards interior design after her degree and joined the design team at Casai in 2019.
“I love how Interior Design can completely change the experience and the feeling of any space, no matter the background.”
Previous to Casai, Claudia created her own brand, Trōt, which specializes in the manufacture and design of accessories and furniture mainly with marble. The pieces are handcrafted in the state of Puebla. Prior to this, Claudia was the Interior Design and Sales Manager at BAUHAUS Mexico. Here, she was in charge of over 200 interior design and sales projects and worked hand in hand with architects and designers to create innovative spaces together.
Alfredo Crimpalis – Interior Designer (Mexico)
Alfredo is an Interior Designer at Casai and joined the design team at the beginning of 2020. He was previously an interior designer and visual merchandiser at Costura y Display in Mexico City, where he worked with the furniture and visual merchandising concepts for clients such as: Presidencia, Avon, Volkswagen, El Palacio de Hierro, Grupo Inditex, among many others. He also worked as a freelance designer developing interior residential and commercial spaces. Alfredo holds a degree in Textile Design from the Universidad Iberoamericana.
“Whenever I create something, I like to think of how someone will experience it. I believe that you can improve anything with the right attention to detail and by maintaining its originality you can create an essence that fills the space. That’s why I am passionate about the creation of a product that tells a story through its design.”
Regina Gutiérrez – Jr. Interior Designer (Mexico)
A recent addition to the design team at Casai is Regina. Prior to Casai, Regina worked at HUACAL STUDIO for over two years as Junior Designer. Regina studied at CENTRO design | cinema | TV — an educational institution focused on professionalizing creativity.
“My goal is to create and develop new products that improve the life of the user and also provide them with a unique experience.”
Since Regina was a little girl, she knew that she wanted to become a part of the creative world. At the beginning of her professional career, she was fascinated by interior design because of the fact that you can create a variety of different spaces or furniture styles, based on the particular tastes of clients.
Regina is very excited to be a part of Casai because through design, she likes to make the client feel at home, which is key in enjoying their stay and returning.
Rafaela Vulcanis – Jr. Interior Designer (Brazil)
Rafaela recently joined Casai’s Brazil design team in June 2021 as Junior Interior Designer. She studied Interior Design at the School of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro, where she was introduced to the world of arts which enriched her portfolio, as well as her understanding of the design creation process.
“Design has always been present in my life in a way. I’m a carpenter’s daughter and I’ve always been very observant of the care and meticulousness that my father had, both with who would live in the space, and with the raw material.”
For six years, Rafaela worked in project consulting, specializing in joinery and furniture. Most recently, Rafaela worked as a freelance Interior designer in São Paulo and developed projects in partnership with the engineering office. She was responsible for the creation of residential interior spaces and the development of technical projects, from the preliminary study stage to the final project.
Want to work with the Design Team at Casai? Check out our careers page to see what positions are available!