How to Design Effective Shade Shelters for Schools: Balancing Light and Shade
What to expect from this read: Learn about designing effective shade shelters for schools with insights from Platt/Whitelaw Architects, who have managed over 53 shade structure projects at 26 schools across San Diego County, with 38 more structures in the works. As extreme heat events become more common, especially in Southern California, schools need functi
Restoring History: Balboa Park’s San Diego Air & Space Museum Building Begins Renovation
As community architects, we get to work on the coolest projects! On the heels of our architectural work on Balboa Park’s historical Botanical Building, we’re happy to announce that our restoration design for the historic San Diego Air & Space Museum building, also in Balboa Park, has moved to the construction bid phase. About the […]
Platt/Whitelaw Architects Leadership Series: Peter Soutowood – Leadership, Kindness and the Future of Design
As part of our leadership series of profile articles, read on to learn more about Principal Peter Soutowood, AIA and his leadership style, and about Platt/Whitelaw Architects’ design philosophy and culture. Platt/Whitelaw Architects Principal Peter Soutowood, AIA, just couldn’t stay away. Peter worked at our firm for several years before leaving to open
Platt/Whitelaw Architects Promotes Yolanda Velazco to Associate: A New Chapter in Leadership and Design Excellence
What does it take to become an associate at Platt/Whitelaw Architects? We know someone who can tell you. We’re proud to announce that longtime Platt/Whitelaw team member Yolanda Velazco is moving up to a leadership position! With her new role as an associate, she joins Senior Principal Naveen Waney, AIA, Principal Peter Soutowood, Principal Thomas [&hellip
Water Works: Architecture’s Role in Resilient Water Supply Systems
A quick overview of this read: Platt/Whitelaw Architects specialize in designing sustainable water infrastructure, including advanced water treatment and reclamation facilities that support drought resilience and reduce dependency on natural water sources. Seamlessly integrating architecture with engineering and community aesthetics, Platt/Whitelaw creates e
Modernizing Baker Elementary: PWA’s New Building Design Brings Innovation and Cohesion to San Diego School Campus
“School is a building which has four walls with tomorrow inside.” – Lon Watters PWA is creating a new tomorrow for Baker Elementary School in San Diego’s Mountain View community. The neighborhood school will move into the latest addition to its campus in November 2026. We feel fortunate to have provided the initial architectural assessment […]
Mira Mesa Community Park Phase II: A Family-Friendly Makeover
Transformative Upgrades Include New Pools, Play Areas, All-Wheels Plaza and More As the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department continues to upgrade park amenities throughout the region, Platt/Whitelaw is proud to be the Mira Mesa Community Park Phase II architect. What Will Mira Mesa Community Park Phase II Include? While Phase I, approximately [&
Helping Design Professionals and the Environment Thrive
Platt/Whitelaw Principal Thomas Brothers Cochairs AIA SD Committee on the Environment We’re proud of our firm Principal Thomas Brothers for cochairing the American Institute of Architects San Diego Chapter’s Committee on the Environment (COTE). Time and time again, Thomas shows commitment to sharing best practices with his contemporaries and the next gen
Expanding Our Team with Another Dynamic Designer
Getting to Know Arjun Urbonas From his high school to college years and into his professional career, we had the good fortune to mentor, train, and ultimately snag Arjun Urbonas. Fresh out of graduating early from high school (where he played rugby … just like one of our firm legends, Sandra Gramley!), Arjun interned at […]
Exciting Changes at Le Lycée Français
All combined, members of our Platt/Whitelaw team can speak nine languages and dialects, and we hail from six different countries. Of course, when Le Lycée Français de San Diego approached us about architectural design services to support its international French school, our answer was, “mais oui!” We’re proud to help this school expand its classroom
Lifesaver at the Bay? Designing for Comfort…Stations
Platt/Whitelaw is Architect-of-Record for Many of Mission Bay’s Most-Visited Buildings On average, humans spend up to three years in the bathroom over their lifetimes. Chances are, you visit the bathroom six to eight times a day. With the pun very much intended, isn’t it a relief to know there’s one nearby? If you’re in Mission […]
Platt/Whitelaw Architects’ Leadership Team Expands
Thomas Brothers and Peter Soutowood Elevated to Principal You don’t get to be one of San Diego’s oldest architecture firms without always planning for the future. On that note, we’re excited to announce our next generation of leadership. Longtime Platt/Whitelaw architects Thomas Brothers and Peter Soutowood are now principals of the firm, while Naveen