Business Details
19 Years
experience
Equitable, Sustainable Architecture for Community Empowerment
Salazar Architect was founded in 2007 with a mission to create equitable, resilient, and just communities through architecture and urban design. Our work originated in the 1990s as a pro bono anti-displacement practice serving low-income Black and Brown communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since relocating to Portland in 2015, we have expanded our focus while maintaining our commitment to affordable housing, community development, and social justice. Our firm is structured around three Design Research LabsCommunity Design, Wellbeing Design, and Sustainable Designthat ensure our projects integrate participatory processes, trauma-informed strategies, and environmental stewardship. We collaborate with marginalized communities to shape spaces that address historical inequities and promote cultural empowerment.Our multicultural team reflects the communities we serve, and we prioritize culturally appropriate engagement without language barriers. Certified as a Minority Business Enterprise and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise across multiple states, we combine decades of expertise with innovative design practices. Our work is grounded in the belief that housing is a human right and that design must advance racial, social, and climate justice. Through pro bono initiatives like the Catalyst Design Grant, we provide early-stage design support to mission-driven housing providers. We measure success not by awards but by the tangible social impact of our projects, which are designed to be restorative, liberatory, and economically inclusive.
Services
Affordable Housing Design
Community Engagement
Urban Design
Sustainable Architecture
Trauma-Informed Design
Pro Bono Design Services
Details
- Year established: 2007
Highlights and features
- We have over 20 years of experience in community-based design for marginalized communities.
- Our three Design Research Labs integrate equity, wellbeing, and sustainability into every project.
- Certified as a Minority Business Enterprise and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise in multiple states.
- We employ trauma-informed and culturally specific design strategies to promote healing.
- Our pro bono Catalyst Design Grant supports early-stage housing justice initiatives.
Associations and certifications
- Oregon Minority Business Enterprise
- California Minority Business Enterprise
- Washington Minority Business Enterprise
- Federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Services
Affordable Housing Design
We create cost-effective, high-impact housing solutions for underserved populations. Our designs prioritize accessibility, cultural relevance, and long-term affordability while meeting rigorous sustainability standards. Projects include permanent supportive housing and mixed-income developments.
Community Engagement
Our trauma-informed engagement processes include workshops, focus groups, and open houses to ensure community voices shape every project. We prioritize language accessibility and collaborate with residents to address historical inequities in planning processes.
Sustainable Design
We integrate climate justice principles through energy modeling, passive design strategies, and certifications like LEED and Net Zero. Our approach balances environmental responsibility with human comfort and economic feasibility for marginalized communities.
Urban Design
Our urban designs focus on equitable public spaces and infrastructure that empower marginalized groups. We address systemic racism in planning through restorative practices and prioritize community-led development in historically disenfranchised neighborhoods.
Pro Bono Design Services
The Catalyst Design Grant provides $15,000 in free design services for housing providers. We help organizations develop feasibility studies and adaptive reuse plans through collaborative charrettes that incorporate our three Design Research Labs.
Questions
What types of projects does Salazar Architect specialize in?
We focus on affordable housing, community development, and urban design projects that advance racial, social, and environmental justice through participatory processes.
Do you serve areas outside Portland?
We primarily work in the Portland metro area, Sacramento, and the broader Pacific Northwest region, with select projects that align with our social mission.
How does your firm incorporate equity into design?
Our three Design Labs ensure every project integrates community voice, trauma-informed strategies, and climate justice principles to address systemic inequities in the built environment.
Are you certified as a minority-owned business?
Yes, we hold MBE/DBE certifications in Oregon, California, Washington, and at the federal level as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.
What pro bono services do you offer?
Our Catalyst Design Grant provides $15,000 in free design services annually to mission-driven housing providers for feasibility studies and early-stage project development.
