Leif Estrada is an emerging award-winning artist and designer, who recently completed his Bachelor of Architecture degree in Architecture with High Distinction from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.  He is an incoming Master in Design Studies Candidate with a concentration on Urbanism, Landscape, and Ecology at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design.

Born in a provincial town in the Philippines to a clan of artists, and growing up on the beautiful island of Maui, Leif attended CCA with the hopes of studying Fine Arts; however after a serendipitous event of signing up for an architecture elective class, he fell in love with the idea of space-making and being able to influence the people, who use and thrive in those designed spaces.

During his five years at CCA, Leif was not only actively involved in his design practicum (having studied design in abroad studios, including in Athens, Paris and Venice; collaborated with a local San Francisco design firm: Visible Research Office, and international landscape architecture firm: SWA Group), but was also heavily involved in extra curricular activities including his membership in the Cossutius Chapter of the Alpha Rho Chi fraternity (in which he was elected as Chapter Secretary and Chapter President, and appointed as Fundraising Chair and Pledge Educator).  During his term as Chapter President, he developed a close professional network with the Bay Area Young Architects, which enabled the Chapter to host a school-wide Mixer and Networking event.

He was also a member of the the school’s AIAS chapter, participated in a group Honors Critique Program, and served as a mentor in CCA’s Architecture Mentorship Program.  Not only was he active with the school curricular activities but was also a constant volunteer in the community including in the Habitat for Humanity, Equality California and at the SF Food Bank.

Most recently he has been selected as the sole American representative to join the Venice Architectural Association at the Universitá IUAV di Venezia on their 2nd Annual “Tall on the Water” international competition, for which his group’s skyscraper design was selected and was highly-commended, most notably by SOM.  His group’s design; symTEC, will be exhibited at the prestigious Biennale di Venezia di Architettura.

His dedication to academics and school curricular programs have earned him awards, including:

Universitá IUAV di Venezia’s Venice Architectural Association ”Tall on the Water” International Competition: Selected Project; 2012

American Institute of Architects-San Francisco Design Awards: Unbuilt Category, Citation Award for Peel 27; 2012

California College of the Arts Excellence in Leadership Award; 2012

California College of the Arts Community Service Award; 2012

California College of the Arts Creative Achievement Award; 2007-2012

California College of the Arts Diversity Scholar; 2007-2012

California College of the Arts Scholar; 2007-2012

Carmen Christensen Endowed Scholar; 2008-2011

Jury Prize Nomination for Architecture Studio 2 Project; 2009

American Institute of Architects Scholar- Maui Chapter; 2008

CCA All College Honors; 2008

Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce Scholar; 2007

Just as he’s accomplished in his academic studies, so was he with his artistic talent, having exhibited on Maui, San Francisco, New York and in Venice’s prestigious la Biennale di Venezia di Architecttura.  His self-portrait piece, entitled “Starving Artist,” was highly praised at the 2007 Celebrating the Artist in Us Exhibition at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, which was later used for the Center’s magazine cover.  Competing in the state and national level; he received the Region-at-Large Award and Gold Key Award from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in New York.

His awards in the finer arts include:

Lahaina Art Scociety Scholar; 2007

Art Maui Scholar; 2007

Scholastic Art and Writing Award (Region-at-Large and Gold Key) for Dots Me; 2007

Kaha Ki’i: Hawai’i Congressional Art (Third Place) for The Shaved Ice Man; 2006

82nd Maui County Fair: Art Competition (Best in Show) for Fragile; 2004

Na Mele O Maui (First Place) for Untitled work; 2003

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