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.

Ric. Abramson, FAIA, has a vast amount of knowledge and passion when it comes to the Housing Crisis, which is why he is an ideal member of the AIACC Housing Congress. Here’s a bit more insight into this man and where his ideas originate.

1. When did you decide to become an architect?
   Actually this happened more by happenstance. I had always enjoyed process of making things and had studied ceramics, puppetry, painting, cartooning, geometry and graphic design before taking a drafting class in high school. One day was summoned to the office and Guidance Counselor asked, “What are you doing with the rest of your life?”. Hadn’t given it much thought but after talking it through with one another he concluded, “You should be an architect.” Figured I would give it a try. Applied and was accepted to Cal Poly, SLO. As college years progressed, I grew to love architecture more and more and realized I had found a true passion be happenstance as opposed to careful planning.
2. If you weren’t an architect, you would be…
   Family lore contends that when I was seven years old I insisted I would be a farmer when I grew up. Prior to moving towards architecture, I thought briefly about oceanography as I was so curious about the majority of the planet about which we know so little.
3. What did you listen to on this morning’s commute?
   Actually don’t listen to music much. Sort of strange I suppose. Also do not listen to news commentary much either. Cannot be trusted so why waste the time. Generally spend the commute catching up with friends or making business calls.
4. Coffee or tea?
   Both/and. Find coffee a good way to get up and going or stay somewhat alert when needed and tea for relaxation.
5. Why are you serving on the Housing Congress?
   The older I get, and the more experience I garner, the more I realize just how little influence architects actually have in making cities. In affecting policy and, strategizing growth of the city itself.
   Yes, architects design housing, and even win some awards, depending on design or technical innovation or aesthetics. But when it comes down influencing how cities are made through housing and land-use policy, I feel as though architects generally do not have a proverbial seat at the table. (At least this is what I have learned from my experiences.)
   Which leads me to believe there has to be a different, more inclusive way. I’m interested in how this process might change. Housing is a fundamental human need, yet the process of designing and producing new housing seems a bit backwards. Policy is set first based on arbitrary round numbers (or what I construe as arbitrary round numbers. Can anyone decode or translate how these numbers are really determined?) And then designers are asked to somehow make it fit. (As if we have Tim Gunn from “Project Runway” over our shoulder chanting, “Make it work.”) Instead, in my opinion, design thinking and creative typological and lifestyle-based solutions geared towards crafting more livable, dense urbanized areas should be led by architects and urban designers first. Innovative ideas are more effective when absent arbitrary and prescriptive constraints. Once effective, situational and performance-based housing solutions are generated then necessary policy and collaboration can follow.. I see the Housing Congress as a first step in discussing how these types of housing solutions might start to emerge through leadership by architects.
6. One place you want to visit from your bucket list:
   Too many places on the bucket list but first one that comes to mind would be the Mesa Verde Cave Dwellings. Something so clear there about housing a large population in concert with nature, day and night, and the changing seasons.

Meghana Joshi, Assoc. AIA

Meghana Joshi, Assoc. AIA, from Irvine, is practicing architecture, and teaching anyone who visits her blog or social media links about the power of design in the everyday existence of all humans.

She serves right now on the AIACC Communications Advisory Committee, a team of people helping with social media tasks and the design of the new AIACC website (soon to come). Here is what she had to say:

I am the Founder/ Chair of Women in Architecture Committee for AIA Orange County, Communications Committee member for AIA Orange County and AIACC, and a Peer Reviewer for AIA Conference on Architecture. Last year, I joined the Los Angeles team for “Girl Uninterrupted”, a 3- phase research project to bridge the gap between young designers of all genders, and leaders in the architecture field.

I am an Associate at William Hezmalhalch Architects based in Santa Ana.

Meghana Joshi, Assoc. AIA

Earlier this year, I wrapped up Construction Administration for Luxaira, a Senior Affordable Housing project in Irvine.

Currently completing construction, Crestavilla is a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly located in Laguna Niguel, California.

I am also an archimom to two wonderful daughters, and a Pekingese canine. I live in Irvine, CA with my husband and children.

When did you first learn you wanted to be an architect?

I grew up in Bijapur, India. Bijapur is the epitome of religious landmarks, decorated with citadels, palaces, mosques, mausoleums, whispering galleries, and daunting imperial office buildings. As the city modernized, the monuments were renovated and repurposed into restaurants, office spaces, and community spaces. My childhood comprised of life around Indo-Islamic architecture elements, such as arches and domes. Additionally, my frequent visits to South Indian temples, deriving design elements and patterns from math, added to my ever-growing interest in architecture. I wanted to be an architect to leave my mark on the world, designing buildings that left a legacy and told a story for the generations to come.

How has that dream translated into your reality?

After 15 years of learning, teaching and practicing architecture, my life as an architect resembles a melting pot. No longer am I the starry-eyed teenager dreaming of morphing into a Queen of Curves. I have become a jack of many trades, and a master of many tools. From my paper and pencil to AutoCAD and Revit, I easily and effectively transition between technology to communicate and express my ideas. As my exposure to various facets of design, documentation and construction administration increase, I apply what I learn to refine what I know and add value to my work.

Experience has taught me that a building is more than an aesthetic presentation of an enclosed space. It is about life and safety, and accessibility, and user experience. It is about the interwoven- interconnected social, environmental, and economic characteristics that lay within the walls and roof. From worrying about the environmental impact of choosing that virgin land to stressing about the footprint of the building material sourcing, to pondering over the social impact of having a diverse team of architects/ consultants and contractors, to agonizing over the economic impact of illegal and undocumented labor, the reality of what I do, and what I can do as an architect is beyond standard definition.

What can architects do to get the word out on how valuable design is to the everyday human experience?

According to the research conducted by Tom Albright, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, “Architectural design and environments are capable of eliciting an array of emotions, thus the physical, social, and aesthetic qualities of our surroundings can have a deep effect on people”. Every building we design shapes a community, yet the media chooses to focus on a handful of Starchitects, circling their wardrobes, personal lives, and quotable quotes. The daily victories and achievements of our friendly neighborhood architect designing our everyday spaces, is lost in the blur of colors, textures and patterns between the roles of architect, interior designer, and decorator.

As architects, it is our job to educate people of what we do. The more we share, the more they will know. Last year, Women in Architecture Committee AIAOC introduced architecture as a career choice for the Seniors in Rosary High School. Many of the students were not aware of what an architect does, let alone what a woman in architecture does.

People care so much the origin of the apple they are eating, and frown when they see titanium oxide listed as an ingredient on their cereal, yet they continue to live in buildings without thinking about the materials that make up the floors, walls and ceilings. Given that average humans spend over ninety percent of their day in built environment, it is up to us architects to educate them in making a sustainable and ethical choice.

We need to share with them the life and safety aspect that ensures their safety, accessibility that focuses on ease of use. We need to make an effort to help them understand sustainable design, and carbon footprint. We need to talk about our roles in helping create solutions to curb homelessness and strengthening inclusionary housing. We need to showcase what we do, rather than remain behind the scenes.

Something about you that others may not know:

As an archimom with full time employment, it is hard for me to do everything I want to do. Of late, I have started “mini-projects” on social media to continue my contributions towards equity in architecture.

#projectamplify. This Women’s History Month, I started “Project Amplify” to share the achievements of contemporary women in architecture by sharing links to podcasts featuring them and their publications. The aim is to amplify the voice enough to ensure recognition of the talents of the women in architecture around us, managing projects that require time commitments, volunteering at AIA to further the profession, mentoring juniors to help them ease into the profession, leading efforts to bring equity and equality in the profession, and being that everyday role model who someone can aspire to be. They exist, and it’s time everyone knows they exist.

Link: https://twitter.com/MeghanaIRA/status/980147400038739968

#archimomshaveitall A thousand experiences, and a million unique paths to have it all, as defined by us – that is the theme of the Archimom Mother’s Day blogs – a mini project to gather stories from archimoms to help us know what it takes to balance life as an archimom, and document our experiences. As each generation progresses, and the world around us takes one step closer to an equal opportunity experience for parents of all genders, it is important that we document lives of everyday architects to reflect upon one day, and determine the extent of change our contributions brought to the profession.

Link: https://aremeghana.wordpress.com/2018/05/13/archimoms-have-it-all/

I love sharing life as an architect, and as an archimom on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meghanaira/