Ernie Vasquez is not slowing down.
The 69-year-old architect, who first became well-known as the “V” in Irvine’s MVE + Partners Inc. and in recent years has been the co-owner of SVA Architects Inc. in the South Coast Metro area of Santa Ana, these days is focusing on what he wants to build and has no plans to retire.
“I’m enjoying it,” Vasquez said while looking relaxed in his company’s conference room on the 11th floor of a Griffin Towers office building overlooking the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway. “I’m not going to deal with stuff that I don’t like.”
MVE, where the “M” stands for partner Carl McLarand and the “E” for Rick Emsiek, became well-known locally for designing a number of Irvine Co.’s large apartment complexes, including those near Fashion Island in Newport Beach and the Spectrum in Irvine, as well as major projects like the Water Garden, a 1.2-million-square-foot office that’s the largest-ever approved by the city of Santa Monica.
About 15 years ago, MVE set up a unit to target the public sector. Five years ago, MVE decided to focus on apartments while spinning off that public sector unit, which became known as SVA Architects after the initials of the firm’s principals: Vasquez and Bob Simons.
The SVA founders, who graduated from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, are influential in building circles, having won numerous awards over the years.
Simons, who’s been an architect for more than 30 years, is a specialist in projects that combine the public and private sectors.
Vasquez is sometimes referred to as the “architectural diplomat” by being able to get public and private community groups to work together. He also has deep connections in the nonprofit world, currently serving in leadership roles with Abode Communities, the Wooden Floor and the National Parks Foundation.
SVA has worked on various private projects, such as a luxury coastal project underway in Oxnard and the modernizing of a Laguna Woods performing arts theater.
It even found time to design a residential housing project “in the middle of nowhere in the desert” of Abu Dhabi in the Middle East.
However, the company focuses mostly on the public sector sphere.
It’s the main architectural firm for the County of Orange, which “calls us a lot” for projects like an outdoor amphitheater, Simons said.
Its work ranges from energy efficient schools to auditoriums and libraries. They’ve even found business designing homes for the homeless.
“That’s our bread and butter,” said Simons. “We’d like to continue to grow with socially conscious projects.”
Work is booming. They have grown their office from 15 employees to 55 and may expand to 75 eventually. They opened an office in San Diego, in addition to their Oakland office.
SVA does about $20 million in billings annually, roughly 80% the size of MVE, which ranks No. 6 among OC’s architecture firms, with reported $25.5 million in local billings a year ago.
$8 Electric Bill
Simons showed off the La Escuelita Education Center, an Oakland school that is the highest-rated energy efficient educational facility in California.
It features solar panels on the roof and rainwater aqueducts. It doesn’t have an air conditioner, but instead uses fans to cool off the 123,000-square-foot building.
“I think their last electric bill was $8 or so. This is the most sustainable school in the state,” Simons said.
“This is the trend in the K-12 sector where they’re pushing for zero energy schools. That’s the goal for schools in California.
“We think we’re ahead of the times.”
Billions of dollars are being allocated for retrofitting schools and building new ones, he said.
“There’s a ton of money for K-12,” Simons said. “With thousands of square feet, you can imagine the potential.”
Among other projects are Claremont High School Academy of Business and Technology in San Diego and schools in Hawaii. It designed a 5,000-seat event center at California Baptist University in Riverside and a 360-seat performing arts center for Costa Mesa High School. It also worked on a 600-seat performing arts center for Irvine’s Woodbridge High School, which was named a Signature School by the Grammy Foundation for its outstanding music program.
“It’s challenging because it’s a very narrow site,” Simons said.
Homeless High Rise
Another focus for SVA is combatting homelessness and providing affordable housing, which at first glance doesn’t appear to be a profitable venture.
The firm, along with San Diego-based Studio E Architects, designed a 17-story affordable housing project “with amazing views of the San Diego Bay,” Simons said.
The $76 million building was arranged by Bridge Housing, a San Francisco-based affordable housing development nonprofit agency where Vasquez is a board member.
The building has 250 studios with one-bedroom units; monthly rent ranges from $533 to $879. Studios run about 325 square feet, which is a tad smaller than typical studios that are normally around 500 square feet.
The facility has “natural ventilation,” an eco-roof with drought tolerant planting and gardens with edible plants and terraces. It also has 125 solar panels arranged in a 143-foot array to generate 20% of the common area’s electricity.
“It’s been a great project,” Simons said. “The goal is to house as many people as possible.”
Container Homes
Potter’s Lane in Orange County’s Midway City has created a buzz in architectural circles by converting 20-foot long shipping containers into 480-square-foot homes for 15 chronically homeless veterans.
Each unit of the SVA-designed project is configured with a bedroom plus dining area, kitchen and bathroom. It has drought tolerant landscaping, a reflective cool roof and high-efficient heating/cooling units. It has a courtyard where residents can gather; residents also receive comprehensive services to help achieve self-sufficiency.
The project took containers that carried dry goods from China and weren’t returned to that country because the cost was too high. The buildings are up to 20% cheaper to build than traditional housing, Simons said.
“The containers will last forever,” Simons said. “It’s the ultimate in sustainability. There are millions of used containers.”
The project was featured at the Urban Land Institute’s Housing Opportunity 2019 conference, which took place in February in Newport Beach.
Last September, Potter’s Lane was recognized by Builder Magazine with a 2018 Builder’s Choice & Custom Home Design Award of Merit in the Affordable Housing category. It was also featured in the September issue of Builder Magazine and on Custom Home’s website. Potter’s Lane was one of 11 North American projects honored at the awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
“It’s another method to economically house our homeless people,” Simons said. “More of these [need to be] built. It’s starting to catch on across the country.
“There are a lot of displaced people out there,” Simons said. “I don’t see affordable housing slowing down. The need is too great.”
It’s all part of a trend in the way cities will be built in the future, Simons said.
“Cities are becoming more socially conscious,” he said.
