Undergraduate Portfolio

Anthony Cotignola

Drexel University B. Arch, 2022

ANTHONY COTIGNOLA.

Architectural Designer

t: 813.368.0245

e: anthony.cotignola01@gmail.com

a: 1108 Fitzwater St, Phila. PA, 19147

Skills

+ Autodesk Revit & BIM360

+ Enscape for Revit

+ Autodesk AutoCAD

+ Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop Illustrator Indesign

+ Microsoft Office Word Excel Powerpoint

+ Construction Management Software Procore E-Builder

+ Analog Techniques

Hand-drafting & sketching

Physical model-making

References

+ Ulrike Altenmuller-Lewis

215.895.0207 ualtenm@drexel.edu

+ Aaron Humbert 410.850.5425 ext. 36 rah@tsparch.com

Awards

+ Westphal Portfolio Scholarship (2016)

Top portfolio of incoming freshman in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design at Drexel University.

+ Metropolis Future 1o0 (2021)

Top 50 architecture student graduating in North America, class of 2022.

+ Leonard Bureau Research Award & Thesis Finalist (2022)

Best researched senior thesis of the class of 2022.

Education

+ Drexel University, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design (2016-2022)

Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch), cum laude distinction. Six-year degree with co-operative education program, combining classroom education with professional experience in field-of-study.

+ T.R. Robinson High School, International Baccalaureate (2012-2016)

Experience

+ Architectural Designer, The Sheward Partnership, LLC (2018-present)

+ + + + + +

Full-time architectural designer with 4+ years of experience on ground-up construction & renovations of commercial, educational, and transportation projects. Involvement in all phases of a project, from schematic design & rendering, to construction documentation & construction administration.

Coordination with design consultants to complete contract drawings & specifications. High proficiency & use of BIM (Revit) to aid in design and documentation of projects.

+ Teacher’s Assistant, Architecture History & Society (2017-2018)

Selected by Drexel staff to assist in teaching & tutoring younger architecture students enrolled in the Architecture History & Society courses. Included grading exams & essays.

+ Educational

-Mayfair Elementary School Addition (Ground-up) * **

-Kensington High School Exterior Envelope Renovations

-Girard Academy Science Laboratory Renovations * **

-Paul Robeson High School Cafeteria Renovations *

-Blankenburg Elementary Classroom & Cafeteria Modernizations

-Elementary School Classroom Modernizations (School District of Philadelphia)

Edmonds Elementary School

Ethel Allen Elementary School

Emlen Elementary School

Bregy Elementary School

Longstreth Elementary School

Vare-Washington Elementary School

+ Commercial

-The Sheward Partnership New Philadelphia HQ * **

-Philadelphia Housing Authority Logistics Center (Ground-up)

-Dale Construction HQ Exterior & Interior Renovations *

+ Transportation

-Southwest Airlines Operations & Training Fit-out at Concourse A at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) *

-Concourse A/B Connector & Baggage Handling System at BWI Airport (Ground-up)

+ Retail

-Beyond/Hello Medical Marijuana Dispensary Fit-out * Center City, Philadelphia Westchester, PA Johnstown, PA Colwyn, PA Pittsburgh, PA University City, Philadelphia Easton, PA Ardmore, PA

+ Residential

-Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) Affordable Housing & Community Center Development (Ground-up)

-Concourse C/D Connector & Hotel at BWI Airport (Ground-up) ** projects of extreme personal involvement in the construction administration * projects of extreme personal involvement in the overall design & documentation

Florida Keys Center for Marine Research & Ecotourism

Reconnecting us back to our fragile marine ecosystems to restore mutalistic symbiosis.

Delaware River Pier Understanding and visualizing space and planes in three dimensions.

03 04

Westphal College Center for Innovation

Designing for the future of arts and design while enagaging with and teaching the local community.

Hahnemann Tower & Urban Redevelopment

Revitalizing an abandoned superblock in Center City, Philadelphia to create a sprawling urban environment.

Florida Keys Center for Marine Research

& Ecotourism.

Reconnecting us back to our fragile marine ecosystems in the hope of restoring mutualistic symbiosis between man & nature.

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Marine Research & Ecotourism Center

Sugarloaf Key, Florida Senior Thesis, 2021-2022

Advisor: Joanne Aitken

description /

The Florida Reef is the third-largest barrier ecosystem in the world and is facing imminent threats due to climate change. Coral reefs and mangrove forests have mutualistic symbiosis with one another, working in unison to create the most ecologically diverse and beneficial ecosystem in the world.

This year-long thesis performed in-depth research on the decaying Florida reef tract & mangrove forests in the Florida Keys and proposed a programmatic solution to both restore the marine ecosystem and teach the world about the importance of coral reefs & mangroves. The project began to delve into building technologies, particularly off-site modular construction, that are resilient to hurricane-force winds and inevitable sea level rise. Biomimicry, or learning from and mimicking nature, was a core concept to the overall design, shape, and arrangement on site. The goal of the project was to restore mutualistic symbiosis between man and nature, a relationship that is currently parasitic, in favor of man.

The site is located in the Florida Keys, an archipelago of 1700 islands off the southern tip of Florida.

The Florida barrier reef spans 350 miles parallel to the Keys along the continental shelf on the Atlantic side, from Key West to Miami.

Gulf of Mexico

Atlantic Ocean (Straits of Florida)

Key West

The Florida Reef is the third largest barrier ecosystem in the world.

It spans 350 miles along the Atlantic Ocean side of the Florida Keys and is home to 1,400 species of marine animals and plants.

6 million people in Florida are protected by the reef due to the fact that it can absorb up to 97% of wave energy from hurricanes and tropical storms.

25%

of marine species live in /around coral reefs.

of the ocean floor is coral reef.

450 million people worldwide rely on reefs for livelihood.

As of 2020, only 2% of the Florida Reef is live coral cover (down from 16% in 1996).

To protect the decaying ecosystem, NOAA (national Ocean & Atmospheric Administration) established the Florida Reef as a National Marine Sanctuary in 1990.

The ocean has already lost 40% of its total documented coral cover.

Coral reefs around the world are facing major threats due to ocean acidification via increased CO2 emissions, overfishing & malpractice in commercial fishing, and increased ocean temperatures from trapped greenhouse gases.

Without coral reefs....

100 countries are susceptible to coastline damage

1 million marine species extinct

1 billion people without main source of food

25% of the world’s mangroves have been lost or destroyed since 1975.

Mangrove forests around the world are facing major threats due to sea level rise, human neglect via coastal communities & developments, and ocean acidification.

If all mangroves were cut down, it would contribute to 10% of global carbon emissions since mangroves store 4x more carbon than regular trees deep in their roots below the soil.

02 | Coral bleaching events around the world (2000-2016) 03 | Global Mangrove Loss (Natural vs. Human Driven)

Severe coral bleaching Minor coral bleaching

0.5%

Re(Connect)

6,800 sf ea. (x2, 13,700 sf total) 25 total researchers

The research outpost is where the research laboratories, operation, imaging, and staff offices are located. A total of (2) on site, each outpost houses 12 scientists and researchers of different specialties - microbiologists, geochemists, and geologists - that study to understand how the chemistry & physics of the ocean are influenced by biological processes.

The building is elevated above the mangroves to limit disturbance and respond to 2100 sea level rise and storm surge datums. The form and shape is simple; primary curved glulam frames that are mirrored at each column line create an undulated roof and wall system that helps to deflect high wind loads and protect against storm surge. Conditioned, interior work spaces sit within this typical gridline and are paired with covered, exterior breezeways for collaboration and break.

World-class scientists, paired with state-of-the-art technology, come together to study the decaying coral reef and marine ecosystems at the location where it is happening.

Constructability

The construction aspect of the two main building types was thoroughly studied to ensure that the construction respects the land it sits on, is economical, and resilient to hurricanes and high wind forces.

1

Prefabrication

To respect the land and limit on-site construction upon it, most components would be prefabricated off-site and shipped to the site via car or boat, where once on site, final connections can be made. Prefabrication allows construction waste and site disturbancee to be limited as much as possible.

2

Minimal Kit of Parts

For economy & ease of construction, the building would be constructed of only a few kit of parts with the same shape. These parts would consist of primary curved glulam girders (“hoops”) and secondary purlins/ joists, regularly spaced. These few components create an easy-to-assemble blueprint for erection on site.

Sustainable Materials

Locally-sourced South Florida wood would be used for the structural glulam members and sheathing. Recycled concrete from structures destroyed during hurricanes would be used for the micropile foundations and flat plate slabs. At the research outpost, fiberglass plastic (FRP) would be used for the shell to protect against prolonged sun exposure and accomodate the complex undulated roof form. The skin would be molded in small pieces off site in a controlled environment and then shipped to the site.

Locally-sourced timber

Native species to South Florida: Mahogany, Bald Cypress, Southern Red Cedar, Live Oak, Silver Buttonwood.

Concrete

Has a high thermal mass that holds well in warm temperatures and with exposure from direct sunlight.

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)

Has low thermal conductivity, is non-corroding, easily assembled and prefabricated, and can be molded into any organic form.

2,400 sf ea. x4, 9,600 sf total

The visitor outposts are the gallery and exhibit spaces that teach and inform site visitors about the destruction to the marine ecosystem (and pending climate crisis), the importance they hold in the local and global context, and the strategies and tactics employed on site to remedy those issues. There are (4) outposts: the Welcome Center, the Mangrove Outpost, the Coral Reef Outpost, and the History and Culture of the Site Outpost. Each outpost is tailored to educate and teach about its respective topic via guided tours from marine scientists and researchers or independent meandering.

The main, conditioned galleries are elevated above the ground, mimicking the feel of being elevated above the forest, like a tree-house. Below, at grade, is a snaking immersion trail that immerses the user at the forest floor amongst the mangrove trees & local fauna. A skylight and light-well at the center forces daylights through the interior and down to the forest floor, creating an ecosystem that mimics a mangrove tree and its multiple ecosystems.

Delaware River Pier.

Understanding lines, planes, and volumes in threedimensions.

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Abstracted River Pier

Philadelphia, PA

Year One, 2016

Professor: Ulrike Altenmuller-Lewis

description /

In an attempt to understand spatial relationships and hierarchies, one of the first undergraduate studio projects was an abstracted pier on the Delaware River. The project manipulated an unfolded elevation of a cube from a previous project, pulling and recessing certain planes and elements to create interesting spatial arrangements. These arrangements were translated into a series of section cuts that created intriguing spaces with scattered “moments of pause” for sightseeing and appreciation of views over the river landscape.

This project was an important lesson in thinking and visualizing spaces in three-dimensions, often one of the first lesson taught in an architecture studio.

Westphal College Center for Innovation.

Designing for the future of arts & design while engaging with the local community.

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Center for emerging technology & innovation in the fields of Art & Design University City, Philadelphia Year Five, 2021

Professor: Tom Kirchner

description /

The Westphal College Center for Innovation is a hightech facility designed for the future of Drexel’s College of Media Arts & Design. The goal of the new facility is to provide its students, and the local West Philadelphia community, dedicated spaces to test new theories & advancements and utilize emerging technologies related to the future of art, architecture, and design.

Engagement with the local community via student-led education and meaningful, shareable public spaces was at the forefront of the design. The site, and building, connects the developed university campus to the east, the fragmented local neighborhood to the north, and the future U. City Square development to the west. The site acts as a hinge; and important artery, with the goal to reconnect the distanced university & neighborhood via art & design.

The design of the building stems from opening its east edge to the campus and west edge to the local neighborhood via large expanses of glass, providing a visual connection & transparency between both districts. The ‘canyon’ cuts through the center of the site, providing a literal connection between both districts. Bridges of glass span over the canyon with rotating artwork installations at its soffit, inviting users to stay and occupy the public space beneath.

The sunken amphitheater, strategically located at the northwest edge of the site for prolonged sun exposure, gives the local community and students a place to practice & showcase their work while having an immediate connection to nature in the urban campus core

04 | Canyon at Nightime 05 | Canyon from west 06 | Sunken Amphitheater

Amphitheater

/ Interior Design

Concepts of biophilia and nature are at the core of the interior architecture. A triple-height lobby, that acts as the hinge of the building, promotes interdisciplinary interactions between students and community members. The maker’s lab fronts onto the outdoor sunken amphitheater, permitting outdoor working & peaking pedestrian interest. Virtual reality pods and projector teaching walls allow for increased collaboration and digital sharing of concepts between students, staff, and local community members. Private classroom spaces are tucked at the core of the interior and collaboration & public spaces are wrapped around the perimeter.

The warm texture of wood juxtaposed with the industrial feel of concrete build off the current design of the industrial & exposed steel URBN design center. Views to nature from all floors aid in producivity and focus.

Hahnemann Tower & Urban

Redevelopment.

Revitalizing an abandoned superblock in the center city core district to create a sprawling urban environment.

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Office & hotel high-rise, urban master plan Center City, Philadelphia Year Four, 2020

Professor: Simon Tickell

description /

The Hahnemann Hospital super block, located in the core Center City District of Philadelphia, was recently decommissioned and abandoned. This project proposes the redevelopment of the city block with multi-family housing, an academic & research building with associated student housing, and a mixed-use office and hotel high-rise. In-depth site analysis and program studies were performed to create a master plan that best suited the site, its neighboring context, and the needs of the immediate neighborhood and city as a whole.

Ground-level retail activates the street edge along the perimeter with points of entry into the buildings from a newly created plaza core. A proposed elevated pedestrian bridge spans over the dangerous Vine Street Expressway, creating a safe means of entry into the site from the residential neighborhoods north of it. While a master plan was proposed, the office & hotel high-rise was developed for this project.

An in-depth site & program analysis was performed during the first stage of planning, culminating in a final program proposal & master plan for the super block.

The site analysis helped to understand its relationship to mass transit, landmarks & major city institutions, and neighboring sites susceptible to change.

The relationships stated above were pivotal in informing the appropriate programming for the site. Climate and sun analysis, as well as site adjacencies, began to inform the massing and sizing of different program elements, and their arrangement on the site.

Site & Program Analysis

05 | View from pedestrian bridge

Featured Professional Project

+ The Sheward Partnership New Philadelphia HQ

Completed September, 2021

Design Team: Michael Sheward, Carl Hillengas, Maegan Sweeney, Anthony Cotignola, Brett McKenna

Project Description: A 9,150 SF renovation that would house the new Philadelphia office of the The Sheward Partnership and showcase the highest levels of sustainable design & architecture. The new office space was doubled from their previous office and includes 7 private offices, 2 meeting rooms, 1 conference room, a wellness room, 30 workstations, and a small kitchen and multipurpose area.

The project is pursuing LEED v4 for Commercial Interiors Platinum certification, WELL v2 Platinum Certification, and Living Building Challenge Petal Certification.

Design Role: I was heavily involved in the schematic design, which included spatial planning & layout, selection of initial materials, and creation of the renderings. In addition, I worked on the construction documentation and detailing and selection of final materials & FF&E.

Final Renderings