Meet Editorial Committee member Andres Diaz, Assoc. AIA, of Fresno. When Andres isn’t busy with his job as a designer for Paul Halajian Architects, studying fervently for licensure, or participating as an active member of the AIACC’s Editorial Committee, you can find him taking over the AIACC Instagram account. (Visit to see his additions).
1. When did you decide to become an architect?
I was studying to become an engineer in community college, halfway through the prerequisites I was required to take an intro to architecture class. The rest is history. I pursued both my B.S. of Architecture and M.Arch at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. I am currently practicing in the San Joaquin Valley and pursuing my licensure at Paul Halajian Architects as a designer.
2. If you weren’t an architect, you would be…
A street artist. I have always been a proponent of street art’s use of the public realm as a canvas. Bringing art accessible to anyone and not just museum patrons. I believe good street art has the ability to provoke, instigate thought, and enhance our environment when performed respectfully.
3. What did you listen to on this morning’s commute?
Local public radio. KVPR often features segments on architecture in the Central Valley but not enough. That is why I decided to co-found DESVGN.com to promote art, design, and architecture of the San Joaquin Valley. The V stands for “Valley.” Our mission is to educate the local community through workshops and exhibitions as well as expose San Joaquin Valley talent to the rest of California and beyond through monthly podcasts.
4. Coffee or tea?
Coffee. Morning coffee has been the regular since I’ve been in the profession.
5. Why are you serving on the editorial committee?
I decided to join the AIACC Editorial Board to ensure a conduit between the San Joaquin Valley and the rest of California’s architects and design community. I am currently working on stories which celebrate Fresno’s architectural heritage and share the challenges and that affect our built environment. My hope is to establish a conversation to address these issues in a broader knowledge context beyond our region. Returning as a boomerang, I have discovered that Fresno offers a blank slate to solve social economic problems through architecture, design and art. We must also collaborate with the progressive metros of Los Angeles and the Bay Area to share ideas and solutions to improve our region.
6. One place you want to visit from your bucket list:
I travel as much as possible. My next trip is to Hong Kong and India to visit friends from college. I am looking forward to being immersed in eastern culture, learning from those experiences and becoming inspired by the region’s sacred architecture and embracement of progressive design and infrastructure.
