Leonora Bustamante Sauma is a designer based in Los Angeles, California, and a licensed architect in Costa Rica.
Originally from Costa Rica, Leonora holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a professional Licentiate in Architecture from Universidad Latina in Costa Rica. She later earned her Master of Architecture II from SCI-Arc, Southern California Institute of Architecture, graduating with distinction.
Her graduate thesis, Captive Objects, received a Merit Award and was exhibited at SCI-Arc’s Selected Thesis Exhibition in 2015. Her work has been published and exhibited in Costa Rica, the United States, and Europe.
Her professional experience includes mixed-use projects and retail centers, with a focus on concept design. More recently, she has been developing personal residential landscape projects, exploring her interest in outdoor spaces, planting, materials, and the relationship between buildings and their surroundings. She also continues to explore new digital tools and emerging technologies as part of her ongoing creative practice.
R E S U M E
E D U C A T I O N
09.2013 - 09.2015 | Master of Architecture - Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Los Angeles
01.2011 - 05.2013 | Licentiate in Architecture - Universidad Latina, San Pedro, Costa Rica
01.2008 - 12.2010 | Bachelor in Architecture - Universidad Latina, San Pedro, Costa Rica
P R O F E S S I O N A L E X P E R I E N C E
01.2020 - Present | Independent Designer, Los Angeles, CA | Residential & Landscape Design
Developed and executed residential landscape and outdoor living projects, including comprehensive front and backyard transformations.
Led projects from initial concept and schematic design through material selection, construction coordination, and implementation.
Designed an outdoor kitchen addition, integrating architectural elements, landscape, and functional outdoor living spaces.
Managed phased improvements, adapting design solutions to existing site conditions, budgets, and construction constraints.
06.2023 - 02.2024 | Olivepoint Capital, Los Angeles, CA | Design Consultant (Part-Time)
Provided architectural design consulting to support real estate development initiatives.
Contributed to conceptual design, spatial planning, and property improvement strategies.
Assisted with preliminary assessments of design opportunities and potential property enhancements.
12.2015 - 02.2020 (Active until 04.2019) | Gensler, Los Angeles | Architectural Designer, Associate | Lifestyle 7 Studio, Mixed Use and Retail Centers
Contributed to conceptual and schematic design, feasibility studies, leasing plans, and construction documentation for more than 15 projects,
including Westfield Century City, The Shops at South Town, Galleria at White Plains, Westside Pavilion, and Colorado Center.
Served as lead conceptual designer on multiple international mixed-use developments.
Promoted to Associate in December 2018.
01.2016 - 04.2016 | Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Los Angeles | Assistant Teacher
John Enright and Francisco Pardo Vertical Studio
09.2014 - 05.2015 | Southern California Institute of Architecture, Los Angeles | Teaching Assistant
Applied Studies Seminar “Advanced Building Systems” - Instructors: Ilaria Mazzoleni, Jeffrey Landreth
and Visual Studies Seminar “Modeling, Tooling, and Computation” - Instructor: Elena Manferdini
05.2014 - 09.2014 | Atelier Manferdini, Los Angeles | Intern, Architecture and Design
3D modelling and graphic design for several installations, including “Building the Picture”, at Art Institute of Chicago, 2015 and
“From Still Life to Living Picture”, for the Design Biennale, Istanbul 2014.
Collaborated with the production of Construction Documents and the design process for the lobby ceiling and glass facade
at Zev Yaroslavsky San Fernando Valley Family Support Center.
Worked on other small projects doing graphic design, edition and textile design.
“From Still Life to Living Picture”, for the Design Biennale, Istanbul 2014.
Collaborated with the production of Construction Documents and the design process for the lobby ceiling and glass facade
at Zev Yaroslavsky San Fernando Valley Family Support Center.
Worked on other small projects doing graphic design, edition and textile design.
09.2010 - 08.2013 | HABITAR Magazine, San José, Costa Rica | Member of the Editorial Council and Director of the Academic Section
Recruited and led a design team to improve the graphic quality of the magazine.
Responsible for media coverage of major events, including the International Design Festival (FID), Costa Rica’s International
Biennale and several architecture seminars
More than 20 written articles published
Recruited and led a design team to improve the graphic quality of the magazine.
Responsible for media coverage of major events, including the International Design Festival (FID), Costa Rica’s International
Biennale and several architecture seminars
More than 20 written articles published
I N D E P E N D E N T & C R E A T I V E P R O J E C T S
07.2025 – Present | Lollipop Wonders @LollipopWondersTV | Creator & Content Producer
Independent Educational YouTube Channel for Children
Independent Educational YouTube Channel for Children
Created and developed an original educational YouTube channel featuring 39 videos and additional short-form content.
Produced educational songs and animated videos, combining storytelling, visual design, animation, video editing, and AI-assisted creative tools.
Managed the creative process from concept development and scripting through visual production, editing, and publication.
H O N O R S A N D A W A R D S
2018| Gensler Research and Innovation Awards. Honorable Mention for "Urban Farmification: Big Box Underground".
09.2015 | SCI-Arc Merit Graduate Thesis for the project “Captive Objects” - SCI-Arc Los Angeles
09.2015 | SCI-Arc Graduation with Distinction - SCI-Arc, Los Angeles
09.2015 | Awarded the Alpha Ro Chi Medal - SCI-Arc, Los Angeles
2013-2015 | Admissions & Continuing Merit Scholarships - SCI-Arc, Los Angeles
05.2013 | Thesis Project Honorable Mention “Holistic Hospital” - U.Latina, San Pedro, Costa Rica
01. 2013 | Graduated with Honors, Bachelor in Architecture - U.Latina, San Pedro, Costa Rica
2008-2012 | Admissions & Continuing Merit Scholarships - U.Latina, San Pedro, Costa Rica
2009-2011 | Founder and first President of the Student Association for the Architecture School Universidad Latina, San Pedro, Costa Rica
S K I L L S
Architectural Design and Documentation: Revit, Rhino, Sketchup, Layout, Maya, ZBrush, 3D Coat, Autocad
Rendering and AI Visualization: Enscape, VRay, Keyshot, Gendo AI, Midjourney, Kling AI, Nano Banana, Capcut
Graphic Design and Digital Media: Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Lightroom,, After Effects, Adobe Express, Acrobat Pro, Canva, Procreate
Additional: Microsoft Office, Project Coordination, Concept Development, Visual Storytelling
Languages: Spanish (native) and English (fluent)
P U B L I C A T I O N S A N D E X H I B I T I O N S
02.2016 |“Designers to Watch” Interiors + Sources Magazine
02.2016 | Graduate Thesis “Captive Objects” Published on SCI-Arc website and SCI-Arc Channel -
2015-2016 | Graduate Thesis “Captive Objects” Published on Abitare, Italy -
10.2015 | SCI-Arc Selected Thesis Exhibition
05.2015 | SCI-Arc Spring Show, 3 projects exhibited
04.2015 | Selected speaker at the SCI-Arc Thesis Symposium
01.2012 | Project “Plex Eco City” published in HABITAR Magazine #75