Ozzie TapiaAIA, LEED AP

Ozzie Tapia is a passionate advocate for a multidisciplinary, informed design process rooted in collaborative engagement with communities. Working primarily with K-12 and higher education clients, he has led design on a generation of high-performance facilities that address the fast-evolving needs of students and educators — libraries, student unions, recreation and wellness centers, academic buildings, and complete campuses that are healthier, operate more efficiently and elevate the user experience.

A native of Lima, Peru, with two decades of architectural experience, Ozzie emphasizes an inclusive approach in leading design exploration, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and collaborating with users to help shape the design direction for projects. His influence can be found in a wide variety of transformative award-winning projects. He led the design effort for the Cal Poly Pomona Bronco Recreation and Intramural Complex, a 120,000-square-foot health and wellness center for his alma mater. His multi-year work with California State University San Bernardino includes the three-story, 70,000-square-foot, LEED Platinum Center for Global Innovation, a new social and academic space for the campus. For the San Bernardino City Unified School District, he worked with educators and the community to design a net zero early childhood learning center, which may serve as a model for a new generation of pre-K campuses. On the multi-year expansion of the Tarbut V’Torah Community Day School, Ozzie led an integrated team to develop indoor and outdoor educational spaces that earned a national AIA-CAE Committee on Architecture for Education Award of Excellence.

In 2020, Ozzie was the recipient of the American Institute of Architects’ Young Architect award, in recognition of his distinguished body of work and efforts to integrate high performance design through a more inclusive, collaborative approach. Ozzie is an active leader in the industry, sharing his knowledge and helping to mentor the next generation of design leaders. He served as chapter president of AIA Orange County in 2021 and is an enthusiastic supporter of student programs, including at his alma mater, where he helped form the school’s first successful integrated design studio. At LPA, he helped launch LPA for Change, the firm’s community support effort, which focuses on combatting homelessness, supporting volunteer initiatives, and developing young professionals through the LPA Interdisciplinary Diversity Scholarship program.