The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated Technical Principal Francesca Oliveira, FAIA, to its College of Fellows—a prestigious honor awarded to members who have made significant contributions to the profession.

A commitment to serve is at the forefront of her ethos and is reflected in her contributions to SOM—from research to decarbonize SOM’s specifications library to high-performance civic buildings around the world. Oliveira develops practical solutions that expand our capacity for environmental resilience, most notably at San Mateo County Office Building 3, the first net-zero-energy civic building constructed with mass timber in the United States. Slated for completion later this year, the design achieves a 70 percent reduction in embodied carbon relative to conventional building techniques. “Architecture is a gateway to the ideals of the institution it serves, expressed in the careful craft of experience and built with purpose,” said Oliveira.

A specialist in high-performance design and strategic programming, she implements a holistic approach to sustainability in architecture, in addition to a deep commitment to mentorship and teaching within the profession. Oliveira remains dedicated to fostering the next generation of innovators in architecture through sharing construction challenges and sustainability research to empower emerging professionals. She has been a champion of the newly opened San Francisco Center for Architecture + Design (CFA+D) and was recently elected as the 2024 President of AIA San Francisco.