With over 21 years’ experience in design, preservation, and project management, Lopez is a welcomed asset to RJ Heisenbottle Architects. With the firm’s emphasis on historic preservation, theatre arts, educational facilities, and high-end commercial and residential projects – Lopez’s level of expertise with both sustainable urbanism and classical architecture is an asset.

A native of Miami, Lopez earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Architecture and Urbanism from the University of Miami’s School of Architecture. Since 2004, he has served as a member of the UM faculty teaching drawing, design, and historic preservation courses both locally on campus and abroad in Italy and Greece. Lopez developed the school’s Historic Documentation of Architecture course by integrating new technology with the Institute for Data Science & Computing. This new course thus led to multiple Peterson Prize winning documentations. 

Prior to the appointment as Principal at RJHA, Lopez served as the Assistant Director at the Center for Urban and Community Design with a concentration in Preservation and Engagement Projects in the Caribbean. He is the current chair of the City of Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board.