Directory

Fascinated by a quest to understand the forces (real and imaginary at all scales) that shape our minds and the environment around us, Armando Plata leads plata-forma design studio; an interdisciplinary design driven operation based in Boston which focuses on the making of meaningful spaces and objects at all scales.

Utilizing his cross disciplinary skills in design and structural engineering to support the courses he teaches, Armando’s focus is in developing a pedagogy that connects the tangibles of structure to better understand the intangible aspects of architectural design. His goal is to develop these concepts and implement through the intimate scale of details ion structure and ornament. Using a combination of form making through structural systems as artisanry, he seeks to weave the technical rigor of built form with the creative means of craft and art making. He is working on developing a “Construction Lab” in order to explore these ideas in detail on campus.

EDUCATION
 M.Arch, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
 M.Arch, Studies University of California San Diego (UCSD)
 BS, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) – Architectural Engineering

Armando’s professional architectural experience in architecture, art, structural engineering, and construction allows him to collaborate with architects and artists throughout the entire design building process.
His teaching focuses on the art and science of the built environment, and a collaborative inclusive spirit that embraces socially and environmentally responsive design. Practice in architecture and structural engineering expands to Mexico and the US.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
“Project SUM- Sculpture Under McGrath” Lia’s Quilt, Somerville MA
“Site Seeing: Architectural Mappings”, Simayspace. San Diego CA
“Un Cuarto, Fragmento espacio total”, Galeria Nina Moreno. Tijuana Mexico
“Ceci n’est pas une maison / This is not a House”, The Athenaeum. La Jolla, CA

Industry Experience

plata-forma. Boston, MA Founder & Principal Architect and Structural Engineer: A multidisciplinary design studio
addressing Design, Architecture and Structural Engineering for different scales of buildings

MassHousing. Boston. MA Architect-Engineer: Provided support to architects and developers through the process of financing affordable housing

Le Messurier Consultants. Cambridge. MA Project Structural Engineer: Preparation and coordination of structural calculations and drawings for institutional and commercial projects in all phases of construction.

Building Inspection Department. San Diego. CA Structural Engineer Associate: Reviewed projects to comply with Building Code requirements; Analyzed and calculated structural members, connections and overall adequacy for gravity and lateral design. (Steel, concrete, wood and masonry)

Integrated Structural Design. San Diego. CA Structural Designer: Established design criteria for Structural Design and Analysis. (Gravity and Lateral Loads); Designed structural members and connections in steel, concrete, wood and other materials.

Professional Affiliations

American Institute of Architects, AIA
Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE, SEI
International Association for Shell & Spatial Structures, IASS
United States Green Building Council, USGBC
Building Technology Educators Society, BTES