Justin Cortez, AIA, Gossen-Holloway-Cortez

As an emerging professional architect in coastal Louisiana, Justin Cortez aims to leave a lasting impact on the architectural landscape. He combines innovative design with a strong dedication to serving local communities, driven by his deep-rooted passion for community-focused projects.

Justin earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2009. He then completed two summer internships with Gossen-Holloway and Associates while working on his master’s degree at ULL. In 2011, he earned his Master of Architecture degree, and was hired by GHA as an architectural intern. During his time with the firm, he gained extensive experience in educational, medical, and university design. After passing his licensing exams, he received his architectural license in 2015. In 2016, Justin became a partner in the firm, resulting in the name change to Gossen-Holloway-Cortez.

Most recently, Justin has served in officer positions with the Louisiana AIA Coastal Section from 2017 to 2020, and as President of the section from 2021 to 2023. During this period, he also served as a Louisiana AIA board member.

Why did you choose architecture as a profession?

From a young age, I was passionate about design. Working on school projects and engaging in crafting and building activities with my father and grandfathers unknowingly instilled the principles of architecture in me. My involvement in the arts throughout childhood led me to take architectural drafting courses in high school, where I discovered a love for drawing floor plans, sections, and details, as well as building physical models and designing spaces. These experiences propelled me into the architectural field.

Do you have a special routine/habit you may do to get creative juices flowing?

To foster my creativity, I enjoy turning on instrumental music, isolating myself, and then I begin sketching. Once I’ve captured several ideas on paper, I then research materials and construction methods to figure out how to bring my sketches to life.

What type of projects do you like to take on?

I take great pleasure in working on projects that benefit our communities, particularly in enhancing the quality of life for people in South Louisiana. Collaborating with local school boards, hospitals, and governments enables me to create projects that serve diverse groups. My goal is to design spaces that not only meet their needs but also serve as proud symbols of their excellence.

Best project, most unique/favorite project?

We recently completed a multi-use educational building for East Ascension High School. This project included a new media center/library with technical support spaces, private study areas, and a public Wi-Fi lounge. The building also features special education classrooms, a life skills lab, art labs, drama classrooms/performance areas, and Future Farmers of America classrooms. We successfully integrated all these spaces into a 40,000-square-foot, two-story building, which was constructed at the heart of the existing and already occupied campus. Our contemporary design, emphasizing abundant natural light, seamlessly connects all existing campus buildings. This project stands out as one that closely aligns directly with our architectural vision and reflects our enthusiasm to design, and problem solving for the public in the communities we serve.

What is your most satisfying professional accomplishment?

In my professional career, I became a licensed architect, which had always been a goal of mine. Most recently, I am proud to now be the sole owner and President of our firm, Gossen-Holloway-Cortez.

What is the greatest personal or professional obstacle you’ve overcome?
On August 29th, 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Lafourche Parish, devastating many of the local communities that my firm serves and that I call home. Just days after the storm, our firm convened at our office, despite having no electricity or running water, to discuss how we could support our community. We swiftly contacted clients to determine how we could assist with recovery efforts and, within two days, began leading assessment efforts for our local school district and other clients in need of storm remediation services. For the next month, we worked seven days a week to design emergency repairs for all the schools in Lafourche Parish, aiming to get the children back to school as quickly as possible. We celebrated with the community in mid-October when the final emergency repairs were completed at South Lafourche High School, marking the reopening of the entire school district. Over the past two years, we have worked on numerous projects for the local school district, parish government, hospital, and diocese, restoring many schools, government buildings, hospitals, and churches to their pre-storm conditions. Although the recovery is still ongoing, I am extremely proud of the progress we have been a part of in this region of Coastal Louisiana.

What do you do after a hard day at work to unwind?

The best way for me to unwind after a hard day at work is to spend time with my wife and family at home. Playing with my 5 year-old son and 2 year-old daughter makes all the hard work worthwhile. Additionally, I enjoy hobbies like woodworking, furniture building, and tackling home improvement projects.

If you could have any other job what would it be?

Thankfully for me, I have the job I’ve always desired to have!  I couldn’t imagine doing anything else for a living.

What other leadership roles do you hold in the community and/or what volunteer efforts do you support?

I recently served on the museum board in my hometown of Des Allemands, LA, where I helped with fundraising efforts and renovating the historic original school which we hoped to transform into the new community museum. Additionally, I volunteer with the Rotary Club of Thibodaux and actively participate in their activities. I am a recent graduate of the Leadership Lafourche program, class of 2024, which selects only 20 participants each year to engage in monthly leadership-building activities, meet with local leaders, and learn about local government, the economy, and social structures. Moreover, I contribute to the projects committee at my church, leveraging my architectural expertise and construction experience to guide our liturgical projects.

What is your favorite way to spend your time?
I love spending time with my family and immersing myself in various projects. Whether I’m building a toy box for my children or renovating my mother’s bathroom, I find joy in creating things for others. I’m also passionate about researching construction methods and design concepts to apply to architectural projects that we have on the drawing boards at the office.  I always seem to be thinking about how to elevate our designs and architectural practices.