Nalu means wave — in Hawaiian, the shape of energy moving through water. It also traces the golden spiral, the same geometry that organizes shells, storms, and good architecture. Our practice is named after both.
Chris Schumm, AIA, is a California-licensed architect (C-36569) and the founder of Nalu Architecture Inc. He founded the firm in 2017 to stay hands-on across commercial, multifamily, and HOA work — the practice lanes where drawing quality, code fluency, and permit timing matter most. He is personally involved on every project, produces construction documentation coordinated across the design team, and delivers drawings a contractor can build from with clear intent and coordinated details. As the architect of record, his stamp is on every set that leaves the office.
The studio is a small senior team of architects and designers, coordinated with a long-standing group of independent consulting engineers (structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing), civil engineers, energy consultants, and coastal specialists — each licensed in their own discipline. You get a full team's resources with Chris involved from start to finish.
The office dog-son and the reason the firm has its name. A Belgian Malinois rescued from Mexico in 2017 at twelve weeks old — the same year Chris founded the practice. Nalu has been on the payroll ever since, in an ambiguous but load-bearing role.
Off the clock — to the extent a Malinois is ever off the clock — you'll find him at Del Mar Dog Beach, tormenting his big brother Chopper, or asleep under a desk with a frisbee.
A custom-built camper on a 1995 Ford E350 chassis — Nalu's mobile site office. Built for jobsite work anywhere: it runs a rebuilt drivetrain for off-road access and Starlink internet so a full workday can happen wherever the project is.
Fully self-contained for extended site visits and construction check-ins. Frequents coastal communities up and down Southern California — and, weather permitting, doubles as a beachside studio.