James R. Meyer, AIA

J R M / A: The Studio For Architecture was established in 2021 by James R. Meyer, AIA.  Prior to the establishment of this new office, James founded and acted as the Principal Architect of Lean Arch, Inc. the award-winning Los Angeles based Architecture, Design and Construction Services firm formally located at 530 S. Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles, California. For twenty-five years, James R. Meyer, Architect has been collaborating with a diverse array of clients in a variety of industries to deliver quality projects throughout the region and abroad.  As was the case with his previous firm, James describes J R M / A as a design collaborative which focuses on a variety of project types including commercial core and shell, interior design, and single-family residential architecture, but also as having worked on a number of creative projects which range from landscapes to furniture and product design.  The firm has also assisted clients with corporate branding, packaging and graphic design.

Founded on the principles of modernism, the staff at J R M / A firmly believes that architecture and the built environment has a profound impact on people’s lives and that smart, functional and beautiful design has a positive impact on wellness and productivity. The firm is committed to listening to their clients, and all project stakeholders, and offering ideas that address their specific needs while remaining conscious of the long term physical and psychological impact a work will have on both natural and human-made environments.  J R M / A is a full-service firm offering a full range of architectural design and construction related services. The office has built a reputation for the quality and extent of service provided to clients. All projects, regardless of scale, are given the same high level of attention to standards and outcome.  Through the design process, we support our clients by providing design solutions which help to strengthen and enhance their business goals and objectives. From the conceptual stages through the completion of construction, J R M / A works tirelessly with their clients, project managers, consultants, and contractors to make sure that what has been designed is what will be constructed. Challenges have always been met by keeping in mind the idea that people must work together to solve a problem. We believe that more ideas, make for better solutions.

With almost thirty years of experience working in the field of architecture and twenty-five of those years managing his own practice, James R. Meyer, Architect has overseen the design and execution of residential and commercial development and tenant improvement projects throughout the region. His work has received awards which include a 2015 Silver Award from the Los Angeles Business Journal for The State Bar of California, recognition by LA Architect Magazine as one of the “Top Ten Firms to Watch for 2007” and an AIA Award in 2008 for Kuhlhaus 01 in Manhattan Beach. J R M / A has been published in numerous books and magazines in the United States, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Sweden and China, including A5: Los Angeles, where his firm is included among the city’s top design firms. Currently, James is working with the Italian Consulate and the Italian Trade Agency in Los Angeles to promote opportunities for both American and Italian Architects and Designers through the organization of design showcases beginning Summer 2024.  He has recently been selected as the co-chair and Architect for the Red Hawk Ranch Architecture Review Committee in Park City, Utah, and currently has several projects under construction in the Park City area.  He is a member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Board and the American Institute of Architects.

Prior to establishing his own practice, James worked for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP (1995-1997) in New York, and Johnson Fain Partners (1997-1999) and Lubowicki Lanier Architects (1999-2000) in Los Angeles. During his tenure with SOM, James served as an influential member of the design teams for well-known projects including The John F. Kennedy International Arrivals Terminal in New York, Logan International Airport in Boston, and The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada. SOM was awarded Firm of the Year (1996), by The American Institute of Architects, and all of the above-mentioned projects were featured as part of the firm portfolio deserving of the honor. At Johnson Fain Partners in Los Angeles, he served as Senior Designer for The Department of Education and General Services East End Complex in Sacramento, the new MGM Tower at Constellation Place in Century City, and for several design proposals for the Robert Mondavi Wineries. The East End Complex was certified by LEED, The Leadership in Environmental Design program of the U.S. Green Building Council.

James is dedicated to the integration of new building technologies in response to project specific needs and the environment. He is an active educator, spending time with students at Cal Poly SLO, USC, and SCI-ARC, and has taught Interior Design at Brooks College in Long Beach. James has participated in urban and architectural study programs abroad. In 1991, he attended CVUT in Prague, Czech Republic, and in 1994, the Washington Alexandria Architecture Consortium in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1994, James received the scholarship for Professional Degree Candidates from the American Institute of Architects. He has interned with Holt Hinshaw Jones Architects in San Francisco (1993), and STUDIOS Architecture in Washington DC (1994). James graduated in 1995 from the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Architecture degree.