Matt Gilbertson, AIA is the President and Director of Design at MGA Architecture in Honolulu, which he founded in 2008 after a decade of leadership at other local firms.

MGA Architecture is highly regarded for providing architectural services across the full spectrum of retail, hospitality, residential, healthcare and commercial clientele. Matt’s diverse, award-winning Oahu portfolio ranges from the signature Honolulu Design Center, Waikiki Business Plaza and Waikiki Shopping Plaza renovations, the Central Pacific Bank Flagship Branch reimagining, the iconic Matsumoto Shave Ice (North Shore) renovation, the new Pu‘unene Shopping Center on Maui, the Kū‘ono Marketplace in Kāhala, the $100 M Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home in Kapolei, and an abundance of retail boutiques, restaurants, and shopping malls throughout the islands.

MGA has been recognized annually as a “Top-10” Oahu architecture firm. MGA and Gilbertson have frequently been recognized by PBN, Pacific Edge, and other organizations and publications including multiple Fastest 50 Awards, Best New Business, Business Executive of the Year, and Outstanding Industry Veteran.

Throughout his career, Matt has made a commitment to seeking ways to expand the conversation on the intersection of architecture, art, design, and culture in Hawaii. Through his writing and speaking engagements, he has advocated for quality design, grounded in local traditions while aspiring to the future. From 2015-2020 he created and hosted “Design Talk Hawaii,” an hour-long weekly radio broadcast and podcast where he conversed with local creatives and explored the many ways that our lives and communities are served through art, culture, and creativity.

Matt received his Master of Architecture degree at the University of Minnesota, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, Waikiki Improvement Association, and is Charter Committee Chairperson for TEDx Waikiki.