Firm: Uriu Architecture
Firm Website: http://www.uriuarchitecture.com
Education: BArch California Polytechnic of Pomona, Diploma Unit 7 Architectural Association of London
Principal, Uriu Architecture
My architectural journey began in 1993 while still a student at Cal Poly Pomona, when I joined the office of Frank Gehry as employee number 26. It was an incredibly exciting time—by the time I left in 2000, the firm had grown to over 150 people and completed major milestones like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and had broken ground on the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
From 2000 to 2006, I worked with the talented residential architect Georgie Kajer. It was there I gained invaluable experience—not just in thoughtful residential design, but also in navigating contracts, managing client and contractor relationships, and understanding the importance of clear communication—lessons sometimes elusive in larger, more corporate settings.
Between 2004 and 2022, I co-led the firm Baumgartner+Uriu, focusing primarily on avant-garde architecture. In 2022, I launched Uriu Architecture, returning to my passion for high-quality residential work. Our current projects include homes in Pasadena, South Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Glendale, and Los Angeles, as well as a cliffside residence on the island of Sardinia. We’re also engaged in select commercial work, including a warehouse/office in South El Monte and a mixed-use project in Hollywood.
I’ve also been teaching since 2010 at both SCI-Arc and USC. At SCI-Arc, I lead the Professional Practice course, where students learn about the business, ethics, and mechanics of architecture, and engage with leading professionals such as Larry Scarpa, Barbara Bestor, Thom Mayne, Michael Maltzan, and others. The course also brings in voices from city government, development, film, and client-side perspectives. At USC, I teach across a spectrum of design studios—from “Super Future,” a forward-looking urban design studio imagining resilient, sustainable cities 200 years from now, to comprehensive studios that explore real-world systems, construction, and detailing. Recently, my students developed design proposals for the Odyssey School’s South Campus, tragically lost in the Eaton Canyon Fire, with a focus on resilience, fire resistance, and innovative prefabrication techniques. Their work was presented to Odyssey’s Executive Director, Dr. Carlos Garcia Saldana, and Governing Board Chair, Dr. Joretta Joseph.
Favorite Project: Villa Scalesciani Costa Paradiso in Sardinia is a seaside home I've had the great experience of working on the renovation of. The home originally designed by Alberto Ponis in 1977 was literally built into the cliffside fo the amazing Costa Paradiso. Our renovation updated the kitchen, bathrooms and modernized amenities to the project while maintaining all of it's original main rooms character.
A bit about me personally:
I’m a not-so-great guitarist, but I loved jamming with a neighbor’s band—also a fire survivor. The night of the Eaton Fire, I foolishly left my prized guitars hanging on the wall, thinking I had more time. I also swim regularly—not quite avidly, but it’s my go-to for meditation and clearing the mind.
Design Philosophy:
I truly enjoy working with clients and believe that great architecture comes from strong collaboration. It’s often said that great projects require great clients—and it’s true. I also believe that meaningful, beautiful design doesn’t require extravagant budgets. Many of my clients actively contribute to the design process, and together, we shape projects that are more refined, more personal, and ultimately more successful.
Why I joined AIAPF:
The Eaton Fire... I joined the volunteer efforts of "ask an Architect" and have been involved with many of the AIA PF's outreach programs, and although I was a member of the AIA LA chapter for decades, which is a wonderful group, a large portion of the LA chapter's efforts are concentrated with the Palisades (understandably, being part of the City of Los Angeles) and Altadena (being an unincorporated part of LA County) did not have the focus per se that the PF chapter has on the local community (while also looking at the bigger picture and continuing to help LA where it can as well). I do foresee the need of great architects in this community and predict that Altadena will become one of the most desirable neighborhoods (if not the) to live in the future, with a focus still to the middle class, which is a design challenge that many of us are taking on full heartedly.
