OUR TEAM

MALI TORRIERO
FOUNDER - PRINCIPAL

Mali has been a practicing architect for 25 years.  She earned her Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech and upon graduation she moved to Pittsburgh, PA.  She then received her license in 2011 and started Luca Construction and Design soon after.       Mali loves the integration of design and construction and appreciates each phase of the process.  She heads to the construction sites on a regular basis and enjoys working directly with the contractors.  Periodically throughout her career she has worked as a construction project manager with her family company. 

Mali has always believed in trying to be a good steward of our enviroment. It started out with integrating basic passive design principles in to each project - solar orientation, utilizing cross ventilation, etc. She then became acquainted with Passive House and because a certified Passive House Designer in 2016.

Several years ago, Mali and her family started to spend more time in Florida and decided to expand her work and practice to the Southwest Florida region. She spent several years working with a local architect and enjoyed the new challenges in a new environment and new construction methods.

She recently also received her license in South Carolina and is looking forward to practicing more there.

Gino Torriero
Partner

Gino Torriero brings more than three decades of construction industry leadership to Luca Architects, where he oversees business development, client relations, and firm operations. His career spans the full lifecycle of the built environment — from pre-construction and general contracting to commercial real estate advisory and architectural project delivery.

Gino served as CEO of Nello Construction Company, a Pittsburgh-based commercial general contractor founded in 1952. Under his leadership, the firm grew to ENR-ranked status with annual revenues exceeding $67 million, delivering complex commercial projects across the Mid-Atlantic region. That l foundation in construction informs every aspect of his work at Luca Architects — from understanding what makes a design buildable and budget-conscious to navigating the permitting, code compliance, and contractor coordination that shape a project's success.

At Luca Architects, Gino partners with Principal Architect Mali Torriero, AIA, to bridge the gap between design vision and real-world execution. Whether guiding a client through a restaurant build-out, a medical tenant improvement, or a custom residential project, he ensures that every engagement is grounded in practical expertise, clear communication, and a builder's understanding of cost, schedule, and quality.