We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Lorenzo Lopez, AIA, LEED AP, and Eric Sifuentes, CASp, RA, to principals of Nacht & Lewis. Their combined decades of expertise, leadership, and dedication have significantly shaped the firm’s success and will continue to inspire our future growth.
Lorenzo Lopez, AIA, LEED AP
26 Years with Nacht & Lewis | 31 Years of Total Experience | Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo BArch (1992)
Lorenzo brings over three decades of experience planning behavioral health, justice, and civic facilities, with extensive expertise in detention and secure environments. His portfolio spans a variety of facility types, including correctional medical and mental health housing, crisis residential treatment, psychiatric health facilities, and re-entry centers. From initial programming through construction, Lorenzo’s involvement ensures compliance with complex licensing, funding, and agency review requirements. His deep understanding of operations, suicide prevention, accessibility, and fire and life safety enables him to design spaces that are safe, efficient, and supportive for both patients and staff. Additionally, Lorenzo has played a pivotal role in all of Nacht & Lewis’ county and state correctional projects and many of its civic and justice facilities, providing practical and constructible designs that address the needs of stakeholders and the public alike.
As an active leader within the AIA Academy of Architecture for Justice Knowledge Community, Lorenzo contributes to advancing best practices in justice architecture. He is a recognized expert in building codes, regularly consulting with the California Office of the State Fire Marshal on code authorship and interpretation. Notably, he has chaired efforts to develop an interpretive manual for detention occupancies and is spearheading proposals to align state and federal building codes with the goal of improving rehabilitative design and housing conditions for those who must be detained. This relates to his desire to provide better access to healthcare within custodial environments as well as prioritize the design of alternatives to incarceration, diversion, community behavioral health programs, and reentry facilities.
Eric Sifuentes, CASp, RA
17 Years with Nacht & Lewis | 20 Years of Total Experience | Cal Poly State University, Pomona BArch (2006)
Eric Sifuentes has dedicated his career to designing, constructing, and modernizing facilities. As a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) and Subject Matter Expert (SME) by the Division of the State Architect, Eric leads the firm in resolving accessibility challenges and ensuring compliance with ADA and other design standards. He is highly skilled in facility assessments, identifying accessibility deficiencies, and providing cost-effective design solutions. Eric’s expertise also supports the firm’s successful and timely review processes with the Division of the State Architect (DSA) in Oakland and Sacramento, further cementing his reputation as a leader in accessible design.
His dual focus on theoretical knowledge and practical application uniquely qualifies him to address accessibility shortfalls in existing facilities and guide the design of improvements. As a founding member and Past President of the CASI Institute, a nonprofit center for accessibility education, Eric remains active in the accessibility community. He frequently shares his expertise as a guest speaker at professional forums, including the Construction Specifications Institute, the American Institute of Architects, and California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation events. His leadership ensures that Nacht & Lewis delivers innovative, compliant, and inclusive designs for all users.
Please join us in congratulating Lorenzo and Eric on their well-deserved promotions. We look forward to their continued leadership and the outstanding contributions they will bring to Nacht & Lewis.
