Martin E. Ruvalcaba, P.E. – The Designer & Engineer
Founder | Residential Designer & Structural Engineer
Martin E. Ruvalcaba, P.E., is the founder of Orohaus Design, a unique residential design and structural engineering firm serving Long Beach and surrounding areas.
Martin’s passion for architecture and engineering began early — at age five — watching his father and uncles work in the construction industry. He grew up studying blueprints, building model homes, drawing cartoon characters and architectural sketches, and tagging along to job sites. By the time he was a teenager, he knew he wanted to design buildings that were not only beautiful but built to last.
Throughout his younger years in his spare time Martin had a passion for drawing cartoon characters, practicing architectural sketches, watching episodes of “This Old House” on KCET, researching California Spanish missions, assembling furniture, building model sets, playing little league baseball, and going to work with his dad when time permitted to learn the family business. All this in preparation for his future job as an architect or engineer.
While exploring architecture as a career path, Martin noticed a shift in the industry: most architects were no longer handling structural design. After the Northridge Earthquake and changes in building codes, architects began outsourcing engineering to specialists. This realization inspired Martin to pursue a more powerful combination — mastering both creative design and structural engineering.
He earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering with a structural specialization from UC Irvine, and spent nearly a decade at Parsons Transportation Group, designing million-dollar infrastructure projects across California — bridges, retaining walls, sign structures, and more.
But something was missing: creativity. Martin wanted to design homes — not highways.
In 2015, he founded Orohaus Design to bring a new approach to residential projects: combining design vision with structural expertise in one streamlined service.
Martin is not an architect — he’s more than an architect. He is a Registered Design Professional and licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) who can take your residential project from concept to permit approval, ready for construction. From ADUs and remodels to custom homes, Martin designs every project with care, precision, and a deep respect for structure, function, and beauty.
Located in Long Beach, Orohaus Design is proud to serve homeowners throughout the area with honesty, clarity, and expert service — turning ordinary homes into golden ones.
Let’s bring your dream project to life — with care, precision, and no outsourcing!