Written by AD&V®
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | AD&V® is dedicated to advanced and energy-efficient sustainable architecture & interior design that enhances people’s experience of the world and improves their lives.
WE BELIEVE IMPACT GOES BEYOND THE PLACES WE DESIGN.
It is about the people we empower, the communities we serve, the knowledge we share, and the choices we make to help build a more sustainable and resilient future.
Our 2025 Impact Report, “Evolving with Purpose,” reflects a year of transformation and learning. As our practice continued to evolve, we strengthened our leadership, invested in our people, explored new technologies and service models, and continued finding ways to create positive social, environmental, and economic value.
Here are some of the highlights that defined our impact in 2025:
1. INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE
Our people remain at the heart of everything we do. In 2025, our average team tenure reached 8 years and 1 month, reflecting the experience and long-term commitment that continue to strengthen our practice. We also celebrated Gina Tormos and Carla Joan González with our Purpose Award, recognizing each of them for ten years of dedication and service to AD&V®.
We continued creating pathways for leadership from within. Mariana Alvelo Vizcarrondo, who first joined AD&V® as an intern in 2017, was promoted to Associate, becoming the seventh team member to reach this milestone since 2019.
Representation also remained an important part of our workplace culture. Women represented 67% of our C-suite, 88% of our leadership team, and 64% of our overall workforce in 2025.
By investing in our people and creating opportunities to grow, lead, and thrive, we continue building a stronger organization for the future.
2. CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN & GROW
Continuous learning helps us strengthen our practice while preparing both our team and the next generation of designers for the future.
In 2025, we hosted eight AD&V [U]niversity sessions, providing our team with opportunities for knowledge sharing, professional development, and collaboration across disciplines. At the same time, 100% of our emerging professionals were actively pursuing professional licensure, and 70% of our design team were licensed architects and interior designers, up from 55% in 2024.
Our commitment to learning also extended beyond our team. Through the AD&V® Internship Program, we welcomed seven students from six universities across four program areas, giving them hands-on experience and mentorship in architecture, marketing, research and development, and the AD&V® Maker Lab.
For the second consecutive year, our AD&Vantage Night introduced high school students to careers in architecture and interior design. The 2025 event welcomed 25 students and 56 attendees representing 11 educational institutions. Through conversations, presentations, and interactive activities, students gained a closer look at the possibilities available within the design profession.
We remain committed to creating opportunities that inspire learning, growth, and the next generation of design leaders.
3. GIVING BACK WITH PURPOSE
Through AD&Volunteers, three team members participated in the Bridges to Community initiative in the Dominican Republic, contributing their time to community development efforts alongside volunteers from other organizations.
During Earth Month, our Green Week initiative combined sustainability education with hands-on action, including a volunteer day at Huerto Comunitario in El Bastión. The initiative reinforced that sustainability is not a single action or annual observance, but an ongoing responsibility.
Our Green Carpet Thrift Shop became a permanent initiative, collecting more than 115 pieces of clothing and accessories, while a collaboration with a local student collected more than 30 pounds of used crayons for The Crayon Initiative.
Together, these efforts remind us that creating meaningful change starts with how we show up for the communities around us.
4. TURNING EVERYDAY ACTIONS INTO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Sustainability is part of how we operate every day. Through our recycling efforts, we diverted various materials, including 8,358 plastic caps, 248 pounds of glass, 101.1 pounds of newspapers, and 70.3 pounds of magazines.
Our Composting Program diverted another 1,841 pounds of organic waste from landfills in 2025, bringing the program's cumulative total to 8,994 pounds since 2021. These numbers demonstrate how consistent, everyday actions add up.
Turning small, everyday choices into consistent action allows us to continue building a more responsible and sustainable way of operating.
5. ADVANCING INNOVATION & SHARING KNOWLEDGE
Innovation continued to shape how we think about the future of design. Throughout 2025, our research and development efforts explored sustainability, resilience, affordable housing, economic development, placemaking, and community impact.
We also accelerated our exploration of technologies including artificial intelligence, digital twins, virtual and augmented reality, computational design, advanced visualization, and scan-to-BIM technologies.
Beyond our own practice, our team contributed to 12 speaking engagements across Puerto Rico and the United States, sharing perspectives on topics ranging from sustainability and resilience to affordable housing, hospitality, workforce development, public policy, and the future of design.
2025 also marked the launch of Villalón Interiors, a virtual interior design platform that expands access to professional design services through a flexible digital experience. The new model reflects our commitment to exploring innovative ways of making thoughtful design more accessible to a broader audience.
Through new ideas, technologies, and ways of sharing our expertise, we expanded how design can create value and positively impact people’s lives.
6. RECOGNITION THAT REFLECTS OUR COLLECTIVE WORK
Our work and expertise continued to receive recognition throughout the industry. In 2025, AD&V® received seven awards and recognitions, including being ranked#233 on Architectural Record's Top 300 Architecture Firms in the United States.
Building Design+Construction also ranked AD&V®#20 among its Top 120 Hospitality Facility Architecture Firms and#78 among its Top 200 Multifamily Architecture Firms for 2025.
These recognitions speak to the expertise of our team, the trust of our clients, and our continued commitment to creating Places of Purpose® that deliver lasting value.
EVOLVING WITH PURPOSE
Our 2025 Impact Report tells a story not only of results, but also of evolution. It reflects the progress we have made, the lessons we continue to learn, and the responsibility we share to use design as a force for positive change.
As we move forward, our focus remains on creating projects that strengthen communities and improve quality of life, expanding access to thoughtful design, investing in our people and future leaders, advancing innovation, and building a more sustainable and resilient future.
Because no matter how much our practice evolves, our commitment remains the same: to positively transform people’s lives through design.
FURTHER READING: DESIGNING CLIMATE ACTION: 6 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM CNU’S NEW HANDBOOK FOR URBANISTS