CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST FELLOW

Pioneering Sustainable and Innovative Design

For nearly three decades, Matthew Porreca, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, has been at the forefront of sustainability and passive design, driving innovation to achieve design excellence. He defines high-performance design through four key principles—performance, wellness, community, and experience—using project constraints as opportunities to push boundaries.

His work has led to groundbreaking sustainable achievements, including downtown San Diego’s first LEED Platinum + Zero Net Energy office building (Makers Quarter), the first ZNE community college project pursuing Living Building Petal certification (Palomar College M+O), and the largest naturally ventilated building in Southern California (Pacific Center Research & Development). His latest endeavor, El Cerrito Permanent Supportive Housing, is the largest steel modular project on the West Coast.

Matthew’s projects have earned 75 design awards over the past decade, including 28 AIA awards across the U.S. and 12 national or international honors, such as the Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award and ENR’s “Best of the Best” Sustainability Award. His holistic design approach prioritizes human-centered experiences, environmental responsiveness, and social connectivity—whether on college campuses, in affordable housing, or within public spaces. By embracing lean design and minimizing embodied carbon, he elevates architecture through rigorous detailing and the interplay of light, scale, and materiality.

Leadership and Advocacy in Sustainable Design

Matthew has championed all-electric, carbon-neutral buildings for nearly a decade. His advocacy at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego has influenced campuses to move away from central plants in favor of stand-alone, all-electric systems. He continues to lead projects that exceed the AIA 2030 Commitment, setting new benchmarks for energy performance.

As a board member of the San Diego Green Building Council, he co-chaired the country’s first Living Building Collaborative chapter and helped establish a similar initiative with AIA Los Angeles. His efforts in sustainable community planning include the Pacific Beach Eco District, a partnership between AIA San Diego’s COTE and SDGBC.

Matthew is a dedicated mentor and educator, regularly presenting at national and regional conferences such as AIA San Diego, SCUP National, and Getting to Zero. His work with AIA design juries and university architecture programs fosters the next generation of architects, expanding awareness of sustainability and design excellence.

Collaboration and Research for Future Innovation

Matthew’s design philosophy has been shaped by collaborations with leading architects, including Steven Holl (Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art), Moshe Safdie (Kauffman Center), and Lake Flato (UCLA Med Ed Facility). He is currently engaged in projects with Foster & Partners (San Diego Museum of Art West Wing Expansion) and Moore Ruble Yudell (UCLA Engineering VI), advancing sustainable solutions in complex design environments.

From 2014-2018, he led research with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies to analyze the impact of passive design on human well-being, pioneering methodologies that measure user performance to inform future projects.

As Principal and Design Director at LPA Design Studios, Matthew fosters an inclusive and research-driven design culture, mentoring interdisciplinary teams in high-performance strategies that align with AIA’s 2030 goals. His leadership ensures that sustainability, innovation, and human experience remain central to the evolving practice of architecture.

Matthew will be honored at the Investiture and AIA Awards Gala, June 5, 2025. Learn more about fellowship on AIA’s website.