Mario believes that architecture is a language that puts us in dialogue with nature—that through architecture, we speak of our needs as we respond to a site. Architecture is interdisciplinary, a form of cognitive linguistics involving our mental actions as we acquire knowledge and understanding through our experiences and senses. Architectural conversations can be so profound that they leave lasting memories of an environment, from the Acropolis to the familiar creeks of a childhood home. 

Born and raised in Los Angeles, he journeyed north for his education, getting a BS in Architecture at Portland State University. Mario’s architectural explorations relate to his nature as a curious person who loves learning and who sees looking for solutions as an art. He is willing to experiment with almost everything, enjoying a wide range of music and movies (or “film” if he wants to sound pretentious), cooking and eating adventurous food, and attending concerts, combat sporting events and bars when he can. He also loves landscaping and hard labor like working on his car, named Velma. Mario describes himself as a “single father” who loves “spending time with my son Mighty. I love seeing how happy he is chasing other dogs at the park, watching him bark and run in his sleep, and waking himself up with his own sounds. If I can take him, he’s coming along.”