TCA Architects

Sara Schneider, LEED AP

tcaeditor - Mar 02, 2022

Sara Schneider, LEED AP is Director of Interior Design for TCA, with over 17 years of design experience. She delivers residential and hospitality spaces, inspired by the location, culture and the people who will inhabit them. She has a true understanding of authentic, livable spaces where residents experience place as home.

As Director of Interior Design, Sara provides leadership and design direction to the Interiors Team. Sara approaches projects with an eye for detail and a positive outlook. She strives to create rich design narratives that leave lasting impressions for residents, and finished products that deliver value for her clients.

Since joining TCA, Sara brings her hospitality experience to the multi-family market. Sara’s current projects include Orchard Park, Graduate and Family Housing with amenity buildings at UC Davis. She is also working on the interiors for 5420 Sunset – a 735 unit multi-family redevelopment in Hollywood, and Lumina Towers – a full refresh on existing Luxury Housing, including new amenities, retail and dining in Hollywood.

Sara has a broad project background with various regional firms. Her experience includes residential, restaurants, hotels, and amenities spaces, at all project stages: branding, interiors and architecture. As Studio Director with Erin Martin Design, Sara completed notable projects like The Four Seasons, Napa Valley, featured as Hotel of the Month by Lux Magazine. While at Erin Martin Design, Sara received the award for Andrew Martin’s, Design Firm of the Year. Sara’s past works have been featured in CA Home and Design, Lux Magazine, House Beautiful, Desert Living, and Travel and Leisure.

Melissa Logan

TCA Staff - Nov 29, 2016

Sandy Chung, AIA

TCA Staff - Nov 29, 2016

Sandy Chung is a Principal and Project Design Director at TCA with over 20 years of design experience in high-density, multifamily, mixed-use projects and urban master plans. She has led project designs from conceptual phase through schematic design, with typologies ranging from wood podiums to dense urban high-rises. Her experience in planning and entitlement procedures makes her a valuable asset to TCA as well as our client base.

Prior to joining TCA, Sandy began her career in multifamily architecture at Togawa Smith Architects, where she first developed a passion for housing design. She also gained international experience at RTKL, then living and working in Hong Kong, where she experienced the epitome of high-density urban livability.

Sandy’s recently completed projects includes TCA’s first pre-fab modular building, 6th Street Place, an affordable housing project located in the heart of LA’s Skid Row.

Sandy holds a BA from Wellesley College and a Master of Architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design. Sandy is a licensed architect in the state of California.

She is proficient in Revit and AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, Blubeam; Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. She is fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese.

Robert (Bob) Collins, AIA, LEED AP

TCA Staff - Nov 29, 2016

Robert Collins joined TCA Architects in 2013 and has over 25 years of experience in housing and mixed-use projects including new buildings, both affordable and market-rate, as well as adaptive re-use, with a scale ranging from single family infill to whole neighborhoods. Prior to TCA, Robert was employed as a Senior Architect at Steinberg Architects.

Robert has been responsible for leading Architecture and Urban Design, managing project teams from Concept Design through Schematic Design. He has also previously led projects through construction documents, and takes the lead in coordinating with clients and jurisdictions during the entitlement process. He is a licensed architect in the State of California, is LEED Accredited, and well versed in code and building technologies. Robert is proficient in Sketch-up, Revit, 3D rendering, and hand sketching.

Robert graduated from the University of Colorado with a Master’s Degree in Architecture. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the University at Buffalo. He has been awarded several industry awards, including most recently, Habitat for Humanity’s Micro-Home Infill competition.

Kevin Buchta, AIA

TCA Staff - Nov 29, 2016

Joining TCA in 2016, Kevin is a Principal and Project Design Director with 24 years of experience in multifamily housing. His projects include Vermont Manchester, a mixed-use TOD affordable development, with 50,000 SF of ground level retail. Kevin also worked on The Townsend, a 277-unit Wrap project in San Diego. The Townsend is a high-density apartment project of 267 residential units and 10 shopkeeper units, with 9,816 SF of commercial/retail space.

Prior to TCA, as Senior Associate, Design Director at Steinberg Architects in Los Angeles, Kevin’s experience includes several urban infill projects, such as 3033 Wilshire, an 18-story, 190-unit luxury mixed-use project, and Sage Park, a 92-unit affordable workforce housing project.

Mr. Buchta graduated from California State University Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He is a licensed architect in the state of California.

Jerrin Chu, AIA

TCA Staff - Nov 29, 2016

Jerrin is a Principal and Studio Director at TCA with over 22 years of design and project management experience. His focus is high-density, mixed-use housing projects that he guides from concept design through construction. Jerrin directs design for several of TCA’s multi-family projects in the greater Los Angeles area. He is currently working on a 300-unit project in Koreatown and a 426-unit high-rise tower in Playa Vista.

As Studio Director, Jerrin’s experience includes Wallace on Sunset, a 200-unit development in Hollywood directly adjacent to his other project, The Camden, a 287-unit apartment building with 39,000 SF ground floor retail on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In addition to his project responsibilities, Mr. Chu is a member of the Los Angeles Central City Association (CCA), where he is participates in lobby government and policy to help shape the future of Los Angeles.

IRWIN YAU, AIA, LEED AP

TCA Staff - Nov 15, 2016

Irwin Yau is the Principal-In-Charge (PIC) of TCA’s Orange County office with over 20 years of architectural design experience. As the PIC, he works closely with multiple Studio Directors and Designers, focused on high density housing projects throughout the state. Irwin started at TCA as a designer and is still heavily involved with the design process and guides multiple projects with national clients from initial conceptualization through design and completion of construction. He enjoys the challenge of designing complex projects and obtaining approvals from demanding municipalities that can positively affect local communities. As Principal-In-Charge, Irwin oversees the operations and profitability of the OC office and works closely with TCA leaders to ensure the success of their projects.

Since he began his tenure at TCA, Irwin has designed and built over 20 projects and 5,000 units. He is a proponent of collaborative design and teamwork by working closely with TCA’s design staff to explore all possible avenues and options. He is skilled in analyzing sites to develop a product that balances the needs of the client’s program with the community’s desires.

Aside from his project responsibilities, Irwin is a Partner at TCA, involved in multiple facets of the firm’s business, internal structure and future planning. In addition to recruiting and leading the Orange County office, he is engaged in the training, mentoring and professional development of the teams.

Irwin is a graduate of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. He continued his education with postgraduate work at Columbia University in New York, earning a Master of Science in Advanced Architecture degree. His combined education and experience have provided the requisite design skills to create dynamic architecture through a hybrid process of hand drawings and computer 3D visualization.

PAUL ANDERSON, AIA

TCA Staff - Nov 15, 2016

Paul joined TCA Architects as a Senior Designer and Associate Principal in 2012. He now operates as a Studio Director managing a wide range of projects. His more than 27 years of experience encompasses projects from lower density residential townhomes and apartments, to higher density mixed-use design with residential, retail and office uses. Paul also has extensive experience with large residential land planning projects and master plans. Prior to TCA he held titles of Senior Designer at Bassenian Lagoni Architects and Associate Partner at McLarand Vasquez & Emsiek Partners (MVE).

As a Studio Director, Paul provides solutions for complex design problems, including code related issues and diplomatic interaction and negotiation with public agencies. He is responsible for the management of simultaneous projects while collaborating with clients, consultants and the architectural team. He establishes productive working relationships and deals effectively and cooperatively with team members while making independent judgments and decisions. Paul supervises and leads team members, setting goals and prioritizing activities for self-management and efficient use of time. He clearly and effectively communicates with clients, city and governmental agencies, through written project narratives and verbal presentations. He is ultimately responsible for the financial health and stability of the project within TCA. Because of that, Mr. Anderson remains consistently on the project throughout its life, beginning with concept design and ending at project occupancy.

FRANK PASKER, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C

TCA Architect - Nov 15, 2016

Frank Pasker, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C has more than 20 years of experience in affordable multi-family and sustainable projects. His focus is large scale market-rate projects as well as family housing, single room occupancy accommodations (SRO), senior residences and adaptive re-use projects. He is well versed in the various applicable special codes and regulations, such as the federal standard UFAS , ADA 2010 and the various accessibility requirements by state and local jurisdictions for these particular types of projects.

Frank has served as Project Director of TCA’s most notable high-rise projects. He has also completed and is working on several high-density, mixed-use, and market-rate projects throughout Los Angeles. Frank is working on TCA’s affordable modular project 6th & San Julian by Mercy Housing, to provide urgently needed housing for Los Angeles’ homeless population.

Frank’s second focus is sustainable architecture and is holding active LEED AP, BD+C credentials. He is familiar with the various green building programs and regulations, such as the California based Build it Green, Enterprise Green Communities, the new California Green Building Code and the various sustainability requirements for publicly funded projects. Frank has received recognition from the City of Los Angeles and the Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC) for the Nob Hill Haus, an experimental certified Green Building achieving net zero electricity while using only 25% of the water of a conventional residence. Additionally, his project Hanover Olympic offers the first “net zero” energy rentals in Los Angeles.

In his role as Technical Director of the LA office, Frank oversees the technical staff, mentors aspiring young Architects and provides training to the technical team.

RADZIAH LOH, AIA, LEED AP

TCA Staff - Nov 15, 2016

A partner at TCA, Radziah Loh has been in the architectural industry for 30 years, working on single family homes, mixed-use, and residential housing to airport terminal projects. She is licensed in the states of California and Arizona, but her work covers across the US, Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Since returning to California in 1999, Ms. Loh worked for notable firms such as, MVE & Partners, KTGY, and Steinberg Architects. She has been involved extensively in mixed use multi-family projects and in Transit Oriented Development (TOD) projects. Having managed more than a dozen such projects with sizes ranging from 167 units to 660 units, Ms. Loh has established herself as an expert on “podium” and “wrap” type projects and is very well versed in the code issues pertaining to such projects.

Ms. Loh is highly involved in her community, taking part in many different local groups including El Cerrito Boyscouts Troop 104 where she served as Treasurer, and was a Commissioner and Chairperson for the Design Review Board Commission from 2009 to 2013.