IRVINE, CA, Feb 28, 2025 – LPA Design Director Matthew Porreca has been elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), an honor recognizing architects who have made contributions to the profession and society. Porreca is the sixth LPA leader honored with Fellow status.
Based in LPA’s San Diego studio, Porreca was selected for his decades-long commitment to innovation, sustainability and integrating health and wellness strategies into higher education, commercial, mixed use, healthcare and housing projects. His work prioritizes passive design strategies as a foundation for high-performance buildings, demonstrating that sustainability and design excellence are inseparable.
“For almost 30 years, Matthew has worked with clients to push the boundaries of sustainable design, setting new benchmarks for performance and innovation across a diverse portfolio,” says LPA CEO Wendy Rogers, FAIA. “His design process demonstrates the critical role designers play in creating healthier and more efficient projects.”
Porreca’s leadership in net-zero, all-electric design has been instrumental in shaping LPA’s portfolio and developing the “we-don’t-do-this-alone” culture. The AIA recognized LPA with the 2025 AIA Architecture Firm Award, the highest national honor given to an architectural practice, hailing the firm as “a trailblazer in sustainable, high-performance design.”
“Matthew exemplifies the leadership that spurs us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable architecture,” says LPA president and chief design officer Keith Hempel, FAIA. “Matthew is always looking for the innovation, the extra design element that will make a project spectacular.”
As design director, Porreca leads integrated, research-driven teams focused on designing around performance, wellness, community and experience on every project, regardless of scale or budget. His projects include downtown San Diego’s first LEED Platinum and net zero energy office building (Makers Quarters); the first net-zero community college project in California designed to achieve Living Building Petal certification (Palomar College M+O); the largest naturally ventilated building in Southern California (Pacific Center Research and Development); and, most recently, the largest steel modular project on the West Coast (El Cerrito Permanent Supportive Housing). He has championed all-electric buildings at institutions such as UC Berkeley and UC San Diego, helping to lead major campus-wide shifts toward decarbonization.
Earlier in his career, Porreca contributed to a series of landmark projects that shaped his approach as a design architect, working alongside masters in the field. In Kansas City, he worked with Moshe Safdie on the design of a world-class performing arts venue, recognized for its iconic form and acoustical excellence (Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts), and with Steven Holl on an expansion of a major art museum that redefined the integration of contemporary and historic architecture (Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art). His research collaboration with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies furthered his focus on designing environments that support human health, a theme that continues to inform his work today.
Porreca’s work has been recognized with 75 design awards in the last decade, including 28 AIA component awards and 12 national and international honors.
“This honor from the AIA is recognition of the extraordinary work of my colleagues, clients and communities,” Porreca says. “I am honored to work with so many talented and passionate designers, and I want to thank them all for this recognition.”
Source: LPA, Inc.
About LPA, Inc.
LPA, Inc., established in 1965, is an integrated design firm headquartered in Irvine, CA. The company offers a range of services, including architecture, engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, and master planning. Serving diverse sectors such as education, healthcare, corporate, and civic markets, LPA put emphasis on sustainable and collaborative design solutions. Operating from six studios across CA and TX, the firm employs over 400 professionals. As of recent reports, LPA employs over 400 professionals across its studios. The firm’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its achievement of a 78.7% predicted energy use reduction across more than 6.2 million square feet of projects in 2022.
About AIA College of Fellows
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows, established in 1952, is a distinguished body recognizing architects who have made significant contributions to the profession and society. Comprising less than 3% of AIAs over 98,000 members, the esteemed professionals are granted the FAIA designation, reflecting their achievements in design excellence, education, and public service. The College aims to foster shared interests among Fellows, advance architectural practice, mentor emerging architects, and enhance societal service. Governed by an Executive Committee, the College also offers initiatives like the Latrobe Prize, a biennial $100,000 research grant supporting advancements in architecture. While the College itself doesn’t generate revenue, it operates under the umbrella of the AIA, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
