Land Office is a full service architectural firm
commited to good design and getting it built.
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Land Office clients benefit from our prior experience realizing major projects at high-profile architectural offices. Our goal is to bring that level of talent and professionalism to every project, especially local and community-oriented efforts. We strive for the best balance of the ambitious and the achievable in all our work.
Land Office is a woman-owned business. The firm supports local arts institutions and is proud to offer pro-bono services to local cultural and institutional non-profit groups as a part of its mission of good design for all.
Principal & Founder
Nora Gordon established Land Office in 2008 to leverage her skills in realizing complex, high-profile projects to benefit community-focused clients. As Principal, Nora sets Land Office’s high standards and is directly involved in all projects. Her design process combines creativity with pragmatism and emphasizes clear communication. Nora has a strong track record of successfully delivering both conventional and design-build projects. She is well-versed in building regulations and construction standards and addresses their implications from the start of each project. She works closely with owners, developers, and property managers on all phases, from due diligence, acquisition, and entitlements review to permitting and construction.
Before founding Land Office, Nora played significant roles in the design and construction of some of Los Angeles’ most notable new cultural buildings. Nora served as Gensler’s lead architect for their executive work with Diller Scofidio + Renfro on all interiors and building systems at the Broad Museum. As project architect for SPF:architects in association with Machado & Silvetti, she spent three years as on-site job captain for construction of the Getty Villa’s 125,000sf North Campus. While at Michael Maltzan Architects, Nora worked on major design projects for the UCLA Hammer Museum and the Museum of Modern Art’s interim location in Queens, NY.
Nora holds a BA in Art History and a Master of Architecture from Tulane University, where she was awarded the Outstanding Thesis prize in 2000. She is a licensed architect in the states of California and Nevada. She holds NCARB and CSI certificates, is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the International Code Council (ICC) and is an accredited LEED AP BD + C design professional.
Project Architect
Sarah Ramsey joined Land Office in 2019. As Project Architect, Sarah oversees projects from the early design phases through their completion. Her passion for design and its thoughtful execution, along with her keen eye for detail, allow her to move fluently between design and construction phases and interface effectively with clients, consultants and contractors.
Sarah’s 15 years of professional experience ranges from bespoke residential to large-scale cultural projects. Prior to joining Land Office, Sarah worked at wHY as a designer and leader of the firm’s IDEAS Workshop. In addition to her contributions on numerous mixed-use and cultural projects, she was an integral team member for wHY’s design competition entries including the winning Edinburgh Ross Pavilion and West Princes St Gardens, LA’s Pershing Square Renewal, and the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art. A native of New York City, she spent 4 years working at Brooklyn-based CWB Architects (now The Brooklyn Studio) before moving West to pursue her graduate studies.
Sarah holds a B.S. Arch from University of Virginia. She received her M.Arch from University of California, Berkeley, where she was the recipient of the AIA Medal for Academic Excellence as well the 2014 John K. Branner Traveling Fellowship, a grant supporting a yearlong architectural research project. Entitled “Postwar Concrete Postscript,” Sarah’s project examined Brutalist architecture across the globe and its capacity for change and re-use. Her research has been featured in numerous publications, including the L.A. Forum Newsletter, as well as on the podcast 99% Invisible.
Sarah is a licensed architect in the state of California. She holds an NCARB Certificate, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Job Captain
Can Jiang joined Land Office in 2026. Can is a Job Captain with experience in custom residential design, modular construction, tenant improvement, hospitality, and international commercial projects. Can’s thoughtful design approach, technical fluency, and attention to detail allow for a fluid transition between concept design, design development, documentation, visualization, and construction coordination.
Can’s professional experience includes work with Bevyhouse, a Southern California custom modular home company focused on expanding access to high-quality residential design through prefabricated construction. Previously, Can spent nearly five years at Assembledge+ in Los Angeles, contributing to more than ten residential projects as well as an office tenant improvement project at ROW DTLA. Can’s project experience includes Laurel Hills Residence, Rustic Canyon Residence, Bailey Residence, and Posetano Residence. Can also worked with OMC on restaurant projects in Beverly Hills and a housing project in Bel Air, and gained additional experience through roles with Geoffrey von Oeyen Design in Los Angeles, PH Alpha Design in Hong Kong, and HPP in Shanghai.
Can holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Southern California, where Can received the SOA Merit Scholarship, and a Bachelor of Architecture from Nanjing University of Technology.
Junior Designer
Charlie Ngov joined Land Office in 2026. As a Junior Designer, Charlie has contributed to institutional, cultural, and residential projects in San Diego and Los Angeles. He has worked with RNT Architects, Zyme Studios, and Synchronis Architecture in roles that provided support through design and construction phases. From intimate homes of Beverly Hills to community-pier masterplan in San Diego, Charlie provides a variety of professional skillsets to Land Office as he works towards becoming a full-fledged architect.
In addition to professional work, Charlie has contributed Zyme Studios for Case Study 2.0 Program to rebuild the Pacific Palisade homes, presented the talk How do we create a passionate future? at the 2025 Los Angeles Design Festival: Design Futurism, as well as an experiential installation at the 2025 LA Design Weekend, and a Pecha-Kucha presentation for Japan Institute of Architects in Shibuya.
Charlie holds a Bachelor of Architecture with NAAB accreditation from NewSchool of Architecture and Design, is an Honorary Fellow of the Japan Institute of Architects, a member of BeCAT at Kyushu University, and an Associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).