Mehdi Taghavi
I bring over 20 years of international and U.S. experience in architecture, with a career spanning Dubai, Oman, Iran, Iraq, Costa Rica, Canada, and the United States. My work has covered every stage of the design and construction process—from concept and schematic design through design development, construction documentation, project management, and site supervision.
Internationally, I led large-scale commercial and residential projects including office towers, retail, mixed-use developments, luxury villas, hotels, and palace complexes. After relocating to San Diego, I focused on high-end coastal residential renovations in La Jolla before transitioning into complex commercial projects such as historic adaptive reuse, wellness and rehabilitation centers, eco-tourism resorts, and large-scale hospitality developments.
Since 2019, I have taken on leadership roles in the U.S., serving as Project Manager at Tucker Sadler Architects on multi-million-dollar commercial, hospitality, and mixed-use developments, and currently as Studio Manager at Tawaw Architecture Collective, where I guide culturally grounded, community-driven projects for Indigenous clients in the U.S. and Canada.
Academically, I earned my Master of Architecture from NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego, graduating top of my class, receiving the President’s Award, winning multiple sustainable design competitions, and being awarded the AIA Henry Adams Medal of Excellence. My Bachelor’s in Architectural Engineering (Ajman University, UAE) was also NCARB-accredited.
I am licensure-eligible with more than 11 years of NCARB-approved AXP hours completed and am preparing to sit for the ARE. My design philosophy is rooted in human-centered, sustainable, and culturally responsive architecture, blending international experience with local context to deliver innovative, resilient solutions.
About Mehdi
Mehdi Taghavi is an associate member of AIA and an award-winning architect with over a decade of experience working on commercial and residential projects around the world.
Mehdi has always had a keen eye for observing the human experience and has found that the best way to express his vision of the world is through art. Through architecture, he found a way to marry his creativity and passion for helping people by designing spaces that enhanced the way his clients work, play, and live.
Thanks to the building boom in the Arabian Gulf and his hunger for experience, Mehdi has gained a wide range of skills and experiences. Mehdi's career has seen him working in all stages of the architectural process, from client meetings to site engineering, 3D rendering to architectural project management, on skyscrapers, exhibition stands, residential homes and commercial interiors in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iran, and the United States.
Mehdi never says ‘no’. Instead, he does the research to find out ‘how’. Mehdi is always looking for new challenges and new ways to enhance the beauty of the world and the quality of his clients' lives through his work.
Education & Awards
Mehdi earned his Masters of Architecture degree from New School of Architecture + Design in San Diego, where he graduated top of his class and was awarded the prestigious AIA Henry Adams Medal of Excellence.
At the age of 19, Mehdi earned the Iranian National Award for best freehand drawing, just before beginning his studies in Architectural Engineering at Ajman University in the United Arab Emirates in the department of science and technology. He began working for architecture firms in Dubai shortly after, and graduated with both his five-year bachelors of science degree and certificates in observation tower construction, sustainable design, and public landscape design.
