ABOUT US
Hi there! We're Crate, and we're very glad you're interested in getting to know more about us!
We are a collective of Houston designers with the mission of making our city a more connected and equitable place.
One of the ways we plan to do this is by putting together educational and entertaining events, both physical and virtual, that promote culture, belonging, and interactive experiences. We call these events, "Happenings"! We're still fresh on the scene, but we're already working hard to make that happen. In fact, our first "Happening" is already happening! You can check it out by clicking here!
By putting together our creativity and different skills and strengths, and with the support of our wonderful Houstonian communities, we believe that we can contribute our grain of sand in making our amazing city even more amazing!
Thank you for joining us on this journey!
-The Crate Team
Claudia Cepeda was born in Mexico and grew up in
Cloverleaf, TX graduating from NSSHS. Claudia has a
Bachelors of Architecture from the University of Houston. It
was there that she became interested in the enhancement
of communities and their health through public art
projects. She is currently a project manager at Walter P
Moore engineering consulting firm.
Hung Pham is an artist and architect based in Houston.
He moved to the USA with his family of 7 with the
American dream in mind. He has a Bachelors of
Architecture from the University of Houston. Hung is often
being involved in arts events such as Via Colori, through
which he’s been fortunate to connect with people of
all ages and all walks of life. He strives to promote art as
a medium to bring awareness to our communities.
Juan Pablo Fuentes Rojas is an architect urbanist born
in Lima, Peru, based in Amsterdam and Houston.
Juan Pablo’s research and design practice lies at the
intersection of community building, landscape, urban
policy, and economy as a platform to speculate on
achievable futures for a just city. His work ranges in
scale from exhibition design to city master plans
across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Mirna Santillan Cantu is a first generation Mexican
American and Houstonian at heart. After graduating from
the University of Houston Architecture Program, Mirna
became passionate about community engagement,
urban planning, and public outreach. She has worked on
projects of various scales, from public art to buildings to
master plans, always focusing on the user. She believes
that through design we can affect the quality of life of
families and ultimately generations.
Fernando J. Moguel was born in Houston, TX, and his
family is from Mexico. For many years, he toured and
performed with international children’s entertainment
group “The Wiggles” and was the Yellow Wiggle for
the Latin American Wiggles. He received a Bachelor of
Arts from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. His
passions include producing music, writing and illustrating
poetry books, creating videos and animations, and
building brands. His mission is to use music, art, and
creativity to inspire wonder and curiosity.