Lance A. Collins, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP (BD +C) – Director, Partner Energy & President, So Cal NOMA

As part of the AIA|LA Citizen Architect initiative, we are profiling architects that are currently engaged in civic affairs by serving on Boards, Commissions, Neighborhood Councils  or who work for public agencies.

IMAGE CREDITS: Lance A. Collins, AIA, NOMA

What inspired you to become an architect and what were some of the formative memories that continue to shape your design philosophy?

I knew that I wanted to be an architect since I was very young. I have an uncle who was an architect, so I knew it was a possible career choice, but it was really seeing the power of a building to make an impact on a community that drew me to the profession. That goal of making a positive contribution to a community, city, and beyond is still what drives me and inspires me every day. My design core tenets include understanding of the context and scale of the surroundings that a building will be a part of and factoring in the human experience of how a building will be received by its user all the way from the exterior in through the circulation of the interior spaces.

What motivates and fascinates you the most (or challenges you the most) about your current role?

In my current role, I am constantly motivated by the power of designing in an environmentally responsible manner and seeing measurable results based on energy, water, and greenhouse gas reductions in all our projects. The challenge is always to help educate our clients on the importance of sustainability and understanding how to achieve high levels of performance in a way that is respective of the financial bottom-line.

As you’ve become more civically engaged, what insight can you share on how architects can become both better listeners and stronger leaders?

As a professional, the beginning of my civic engagement came through urban design and planning projects and meeting with community members and stakeholders when looking at city planning ideas. Listening and understanding are critical skills in urban design, but for me it is the ability to synthesize that information received and bring back a project that reflects those stakeholders that really hits at the power of architecture. Also, a good understanding of sociology, culture, and history go a long way to listening and leading. When working with a diverse team or leading in a civic capacity, you must be able to synthesize different perspectives into one vision to keep all of the stakeholders happy!

At this time, what do you recognize to be amongst our most pressing needs?

At this time, increased diversity and understanding are our most pressing needs. The architecture profession has lacked racial and gender diversity since its inception and the metrics have not shown marked improvement since the AIA first started measuring statistics in the 1970s. I am a firm believer that a diverse team is a strong team from bringing a greater set of experiences to the process of design. Understanding is tied to that, as we are moving in a direction as a society of silos and echo chambers where we only associate with like-minded people. For me, the best architecture comes from experience and exposure to many inputs. Whether we agree with everything we see and hear is second to understanding of new ideas, positions, and perspectives.

And what do you anticipate will be our most pressing needs in 2028? In the year 2058?

In the future (and now) our most pressing needs will be the ability to provide affordable housing in urban setting in a way the can still minimize the environmental impact on the planet. With increasing urbanization, the demand for space for living is at a premium and the density of energy and water use grows exponentially as we pack more people in to a smaller space. Our consumption of resources will hit a tipping point where we will need to see a combination of new design precedents and emerging technologies to provide housing in an affordable manner. Changes will need to be made at every level from policy, land use planning, and building design & engineering to meet this demand.

What’s your favorite city/building/park/plaza/place and why?

My favorite city is Mexico City because of the fusion of colonial architecture, modern architecture, and cultural aesthetics. For me, Mexico City unlocked a way to fuse the design principles I learned in school with a personal cultural heritage that I wanted to express in buildings that I designed.

What your favorite way to spend the weekend? (What do you do for fun? Favorite book? Podcast? Museum?)

On the weekend you might see me out for a run (a great way to see the city), watching movies, volunteering my time with the SoCalNOMA or USGBC organization, or at a bookstore (always looking for inspiration or to learn something new)!

Lance A. Collins, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP (BD +C) – Director, Partner Energy & President, So Cal NOMA

Lance Collins is a Director at Partner Energy, an energy efficiency and sustainability consulting firm, where he has led the Sustainability Practice Group since 2012.  He has been a leader in the high-performance building space and is passionate about designing and building buildings in an environmentally responsible manner. His experience in sustainable design and construction practices include green certification rating systems, whole building energy analysis, existing building energy conservation measures, materials & resource reduction strategies, building commissioning, renewable energy project development, sustainability polices and planning, and project/construction management.

Lance is a licensed architect in the state of California, a LEED Accredited Professional, a Green Globes Assessor, and a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor with over 15 years of professional experience to the fields of sustainable design, architecture, and urban design. His work has included all ranges of project types from multi-family residential projects, civic institutional buildings, to large scale masterplans.

Lance is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), and the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). Lance is currently serving as the President of the Southern California Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (SoCalNOMA) and is a past Chair of the Long Beach Branch of the USGBC-LA Chapter.

In addition to his professional experience, Lance has also been an adjunct professor at Long Beach City College and has guest lectured at the University of Southern California, Santa Monica College, California State University at Long Beach, and Mt. San Antonio College.  Lance has also served as a design critic/juror at both USC and Sci-Arc for final project reviews.