Platt Whitelaw Architects

05/28/2026

Congratulations to Naveen Waney, for being recognized as one of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Leaders of Influence 2026! With more than 40 years of experience in Southern California architecture, Naveen has made a lasting impact as an award-winning designer, an ACE mentor guiding future generations, a former Chair of the Clairemont Community Planning Group (CCPG), and a dedicated contributor to the San Diego Blood Bank.

This honor is a reflection of both his professional commitment to excellence and his continued dedication to the community. Thank you to the San Diego Business Journal for highlighting such deserving leaders, and congrats to all the honorees. Subscribers can read the full article here: https://www.sdbj.com/issues/leaders-of-influence/aapi-leaders-2026/

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05/26/2026

Lee Platt designed this La Jolla home in 1986 for a luxury car dealership executive and his family. While our firm has long been known for public architecture, single- and multi-family residential design comprised a significant part of Robert Platt’s practice in the 1950s and 60s, and when he took over the firm, his son Lee continued to accept the occasional residential project.

05/21/2026

The last progress report before the grand opening at Mira Mesa Community Park!

Big strides across the site—construction progress continues, with crews actively installing irrigation, landscaping, playground surfacing, sports lighting controls, bleachers, and improvements at the aquatic complex and recreation center.

Recent milestones include new sod at Ballfields 3 and 4, installation of trash enclosure gates, perimeter fencing around the ballfields, and concrete placement at the public artwork structure. It’s exciting to see the project continue taking shape week by week!

All of this is made possible through our outstanding project partners! Thank you to City of San Diego; Landscape Architect: Schmidt Design Group; Structural: Aark Engineering; Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing & Technical: Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Inc.; Aquatic: Aquatic Design Group; Geotechnical: Ninyo & Moore, A Socotec Company. Additional thanks go to PCL Construction company, (General Contractor), and Richard Brady & Associates, Inc. (Construction Management - WHB Engineers). You all are the best team! Thank you.

05/19/2026

We’re celebrating Rick Strickland’s 12-year work anniversary! 👏 His steady dedication, thoughtful leadership, and commitment to helping PWA thrive have played an important role in our continued growth and success. We’re grateful for his contributions and look forward to many more years of collaboration. Congratulations Rick, on 12 remarkable years with the team!

05/12/2026

We can't wait!!!

05/07/2026

Congratulations to new staff member Michelle MacDonnell on earning her California Architect’s license! Originally licensed in Utah in 2019, Michelle recently relocated to California and successfully completed the state licensing process. What an incredible achievement — we’re proud to celebrate this exciting milestone with her. Way to go, Michelle!

04/29/2026

If you are a native, do you recognize the building for British Motors Auto Display Room? It used to be on Kettner Blvd. & Hawthorne. Robert Platt designed the San Diego showroom for British Motors in the modernist style. The building was a recognizable San Diego historical landmark.

British Motors was originally established in 1947 in San Francisco. It was a dealership for new and used vehicles as well as providing car repair services and distributing car parts. Its historic showroom still stands as part of Van Ness Auto Row in San Francisco's historic Auto Row.

04/28/2026

Big progress is happening at Mira Mesa Community Park!
Crews are actively installing irrigation, planting trees and shrubs, and preparing areas for new sod. The all-wheels plaza is taking shape, along with concrete work for public artwork benches, ballfield improvements, site bleachers, fencing, and lighting systems. Behind the scenes, work continues on pool equipment, plumbing, and HVAC systems at the recreation center and aquatic complex. We’re also excited to share that several features are complete, including landscaping in Area 1, the outstanding public artwork structure, aquatic complex handrails, and new bike racks and lockers.

All of this is made possible through strong coordination with our project partners as the park continues to come to life! Thank you to City of San Diego; Landscape Architect: Schmidt Design Group; Structural: Aark Engineering; Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing & Technical: Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Inc.; Aquatic: Aquatic Design Group; Geotechnical: Ninyo & Moore, A Socotec Company. Additional thanks go to PCL Construction company (General Contractor), and Richard Brady & Associates, Inc. (Construction Management - WHB Engineers).

04/23/2026

Pop quiz: Which of our firm’s principals is carrying on a family legacy of sacred space design? Designing sacred spaces goes beyond aesthetics—it’s about creating environments that support spiritual connection, community and everyday life. Read on to find out the answer to our quiz and to explore how thoughtful architecture balances tradition, functionality and emotion to bring meaningful places of worship to life. Read more:

Explore how sacred space architecture blends functionality, tradition and emotional design to create meaningful, community-centered places of worship tailored to each congregation.

03/26/2026

Happy 10-year work anniversary to Associate Yolanda Velazco! She is a dynamic designer, an inspiring mentor, and an incredibly talented individual. Thank you for your hard work and for helping make PWA such a great place to work. Your creativity and encouragement make our team better every day. Congratulations, Yoli!