Armando Lopez | Principal Architect

Originally from New Mexico, Armando grew up surrounded by the desert, mountains, and vast skies. This landscape — shaped by the shifting interplay of light, land, and sky — instilled an early awareness of proportion, shadow, and materiality, qualities that continue to inform an approach attentive to both the natural and built fabric. After completing his Architecture studies at the University of New Mexico and gaining early professional experience, Armando earned his Master of Architecture from UCLA. His time there, and then afterward, practicing in Los Angeles, immersed him in a global design culture and sharpened his ability to balance conceptual vision with technical precision.

Over decades of practice, he has led projects ranging from private custom residences to churches, civic buildings, schools, and commercial developments. The variety of this work has reinforced a design ethos rooted in adaptability, discipline, and a commitment to purposeful design — architecture that is authentic, resilient, and enduring.

In 2011, Armando founded AL : A as a platform for pursuing thoughtful and progressive work that values collaboration and craft. Licensed in California, New Mexico, and Texas, he approaches each project as an opportunity to design with intelligence, restraint, and respect for the client and all factors that will affect the project. AL : A was formed on the belief that architecture begins with “listening” — to the client, the land, and the story each project brings. We seek design solutions that are intuitive and intentional, shaped by a deep respect for a project’s “place”. From quiet retreats to complex structures, our work translates vision into form, in a constant quest to elevate the human spirit.