Victoria Via

Architect / Associate / Livable Communities Lead (she/her)

Victoria Via, AIA, is an Associate at FORA. She is an architect licensed in Oregon and New York State with over a decade of experience in housing, including affordable multifamily developments, ADUs, and high-end residential interior and ground-up projects in the Bay Area and New York City.

Victoria believes that everyone deserves great options for living in, moving within, and interacting with their neighborhoods, and that community members should be empowered to forge connections and lead change. As the Livable Communities Lead, she brings cross-disciplinary research into FORA's design process, going beyond housing and bringing in knowledge from the fields of land use, transportation, civic engagement, economic development, and other areas critical to healthy communities.

She and her husband live in Portland, Oregon, where they enjoy soaking up all the Pacific Northwest has to offer. She is dedicated to serving her community as an active citizen and housing advocate, co-leading the Strong Towns PDX community advocacy group. Victoria is also a rock climber and powerlifter, vegan, and nature enthusiast!

“The freedom to make and remake our cities and ourselves is one of the most precious yet most neglected of our human rights.”

-David Harvey

  • If you could go anywhere (real or fictional, at no cost), where would you go?

    I would like to visit Hogwarts someday.

  • What's your happy place?

    “I'm happiest outside, especially in the beautiful forests of the Pacific Northwest. If there's rock climbing nearby, that's even better!”

  • What's the best meal you've ever had?

    When I lived in NYC, Kajitsu was my favorite restaurant for a special occasion.

  • Coffee or tea?

    Coffee. Soy lattes for the win!

  • What's something that made you smile recently?

    I love the adorable, funny squirrels that visit my patio every day.

  • What are some things your bucket list?

    I'd like to do a tour of the world's best climbing destinations.

FAVORITE PROJECT

“The Samish House. Our ultra-modern design really compliments our client's fun personality. I love how the project sits within the beautiful, dense forestland.”