Join the Latinos in Architecture (LiA) Committee for a series of intimate conversations with leadership from firms of different sizes about workplace culture, efforts to place historically underrepresented individuals in leadership positions, and supporting a diverse pipeline from high school to college and architects pursuing licensure.
The series begins with three Latino managing principals of small-sized firms, including Victoria Goldstein, AIA (VG Studio), Michael Gonzales (Protolab Architects), and Rogelio Hernandez, AIA (English + Associates Architects). These leaders will candidly discuss what motivated them to take the leap and start their firms, their biggest challenges, and the culture they hope to cultivate within their firms.
Hosted and sponsored by GSMA
About the Panelists
Victoria Goldstein, AIA began her practice, VG Studio in Houston on 2014 . VG studio is an Architecture office ranging from park projects to ‘petit residential Architecture’. VG Studio has design and built homes in Houston and Buenos Aires, both small and large. Victoria has ample experience collaborating with engineers, artists and local communities, VG Studio’s designs emerge as truly collaborative experience, taylor-made and integrating state of the art craft with digital fabrication. Selected projects include spectator and art spaces for the Downtown Jamail Skatepark in the Eleanor Tinsley Park, “Tiny House” in Houston, “Montrose Casitas”, “Casa Ron” in Houston as well as the Werner Center Art Gate in Los Angeles. During Victoria’s work at Arup Associates in London she designed the façade for the Coventry University of Engineering and Computing. These projects integrate Architecture, Engineering and Art. . Previous work experience includes United Visual Artists, Zaha Hadid Architects and Arup Associates, all in London, UK.
Victoria taught Architecture thesis in the Architecture Masters at UH 2011-2016. Selected crits and student reviews include, Rice University, Pratt Institute, Architectural Association (London) and Tate Outreach Program (London). She also directed 4 Architectural Association Visiting schools in Houston (University of Houston) and Buenos Aires (Universidad Torcuato Di Tella).
Victoria earned her professional degree in Architecture at Universidad de Buenos Aires, FADU and her masters at the Architectural Association in London
Michael Gonzales is the owner and principal of Protolab Architects. Michael specializes in digital fabrication innovation for civic, cultural and commercial projects. He has extensive experience working with the latest fabrication technologies to develop efficient strategies for optimal construction and project delivery at all scales and complexities. Michael is also an Instructional Associate Professor at the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design where he focuses on the integration of digital design and fabrication. He actively publishes and lectures on emerging techniques in computation and design
Rogelio Hernandez, AIA received a Master of Architecture from Texas Tech University and began his career in Corpus Christi, TX. Since moving to Houston in 2021 he has been active with the AIA Houston Chapter on Small Firm Roundtable committee and TAC committee. He is the Managing Principal of English + Associates Architects, a multi-discipline firm focused on delivering civic, educational, aviation and commercial projects. Rogelio is passionate about school design and impacting human well-being through thoughtful building design.
