Jose Cotto
jccotto@gmail.com | 413.230.7849 | jccotto.com
Education Tulane University, Tulane School of Architecture, March I Cumulative GPA: 3.6/4.0 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Bachelor of Fine Art: Architecture Cumulative GPA: 3.6/4.0 Minor: Building Construction and Technology
Recent Experience Public Interest Design Intern, Tulane City Center Collaborate with other PID interns and TCC staff to provide design services for community partners. Create branding materials for projects such as the Bayou Road Commercial Corridor and the L9 Vision Coalition. Coordinate and facilitate engagement events with communities to ensure a collaborative design process on projects. Assist the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority in developing the ‘facade reNEW’ program by conducting field research of commercial corridors in New Orleans, creating neighborhood maps, and program branding. CEO/Founder, Jointed Creativity Provide an innovative brand of clothing to accent, complement and supports Black and Latino communities. Responsible of communication, design decisions, overseeing web presence, managing budget and inventory. Create a network of young entrepreneurs to grow and work together towards positive social change. Program Planning Assistant, New Students Orientation, University of Massachusetts Assist in the creation of schedules, programs, and activities for both Summer and Fall Orientation Programs. Design and develop advertisement tools such as posters, schedules, and flyers. Coordinate and build partnerships with local businesses to strengthen the program and secure gifts for students. Designer/Program Developer, Sneakers 4 Success Design publication materials such as flyers, sponsorship decks, etc. Plan and develop an academic curriculum that uses sneaker culture and design to engage inner-city youth. Resident Assistant, Office of Residential Life and Student Affairs, University of Massachusetts Assist in the creation of schedules, programs, and activities for both Summer and Fall Orientation Programs. Design and develop advertisement tools such as posters, schedules, and flyers. Coordinate and build partnerships with local businesses to strengthen the program and secure gifts for students.
Skills Technology AutoCad, Revit, Rhinoceros 3D, V-Ray Render, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, Photography Fabrication Construction/Framing, Cabinetry/Woodworking, Metal Fabrication, Laser Cutter Other Fluent in Spanish, Community Engagement/Outreach, Youth Development, Spoken Word
Leadership 1 in 6- Led an effort to implement a mental wellness campaign to destigmatize mental illness in New Orleans. Youth Solutions Working Group - Member of a New Orleans Arts Council committee developing a program to pair artist/designers with youth. Project Pipeline New Orleans - Mentor for a design and architecture program for middle and high school students.
Mixed-Use Development
Contemporary Architecture in the Historic Context | Spring 2014 | Professor: Gene Cizek
neither enrolled in school nor employed. To put that into perspective, that is more than the 1 4 , 0 0 0 arenumber of students at Tulane University. More than the number of students at Loyola, Dillard, and 14,000. Fourteen thousand. That is the number of youth ages 16-24 in the New Orleans metro that 1
reconnectingdisconnectedyouth
Xavier -- combined. The Smoothie King Center, home to the New Orleans Pelicans, has a capacity of 18,000. Currently there are not many options for this population that truly lack the “social anchors that could instill the type of character that incite youth to fight injustice instead of producing it,� as Dr. Andre Perry states. With limited resources, limited education, and limited opportunities for employment, a lot of these youth find themselves in difficult situations that often times produce unfortunate events. This project aims to begin to address this issue by redeveloping an existing hardware store and programming it to serve as a place for youth to learn the craft of carpentry and woodworking. It also provides housing for youth that need a little extra stability and would benefit from being around others trying to better their lives and mentors. A gallery and retail component allows these youth to learn about business and provides an opportunity to create revenue. The addition of single family row housing and a small cafe serve as opportunities to generate revenue to make a project like this financially feasible and to provide long term sustainability for the neighborhood
1. Building an Inclusive, High-Skill Workforce for New Orleans Next Economy, Greater New Orleans Data Center
n robertson elevation
view from dorm terrace towards cafe
view upon entry into row houses
aerial view of gallery/retail space
row house view from rear
alley space and gallery
view into double height space at rear of row house
northwest aerial view
southwest aerial view
Legend A. Row Houses - 4 two-story, two bedroom (1,176sf interior, 400sf exterior) - 3 three-story, four bedroom (1,764sf, 515sf exterior) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Living Kitchen Dining Restroom Bedroom Office/Sitting Area Outdoor Space
B. Trade School Residential Spaces - 7 student rooms w/3 shared baths - 1 mentor room w/private bath - 1 private apartment for shop director 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Living Kitchen Dining Restroom Bedroom Communal Living Space Outdoor Space
C. Trade School Production/Retail Spaces 1. Production/Learning 2. Retail/Gallery Space 3. Storage 4. Restroom
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Project LOOP
Tulane City Center Design + Build | Fall 2013 | Professors: Emilie Taylor + Sam Richards
The Louisiana Outdoor Outreach program [LOOP] engages local students in outdoor education and leadership programs through adventure-based activities on their challenge course site in City Park. Through an open Request for Proposals, LOOP identified a need for a space that would allow program expansion. Their current site is difficult to access and far from any seating, storage or shaded gathering spaces and a new pavilion would allow LOOP to provide better, safer programs for the students with whom they work with. It would also assist the program and City Park with fund-raising by attracting more professional groups to use the course. To address these issues, the project team designed a shade pavilion that incorporates storage and seating into a large shade structure used for teaching and gathering before and after challenge course activities. The design was inspired from the tree canopies that surround the challenge course and uses blank aluminum traffic signs as a modular, exterior grade unit to create an abstracted, tree canopy overhead. In keeping with the context of the adjacent ropes course structure, the canopy was suspended with steel cable from a larger steel structure in a way that creates a series of complex curve. The seating, which I was the lead on, is built into an earth berm that was constructed with reclaimed railroad ties from the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line. Project Team: Dan Akerley, Madison Baker, Casey Bemis, Jose Cotto, John Coyle, Rachel Conques, Michelle Carroll, Maggie Easley, Ellen Hearle, Emma Jasinski, Kate Luxner, Sarah Satterlee, Meredith Zelenka | Photos by Dave Armentor & Sarah Satterlee
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Tanzakademie
Comprehensive Studio, Dance School and Performance Center | Spring 2013 | Professors: Wayne Troyer
Tanzakademie is a dance school and performance center sited in the Warehouse District of New Orleans. This particular area of the neighborhood is home to the Contemporary Arts Center, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and the World War II museum – making it a vibrant and culturally diverse destination for locals and tourists. Given this rich and diverse culture, the focus of my design was to celebrate the culture and movement of dance. This manifested itself in the form of a screen system that was developed from abstracting long-exposure photographs of dancers performing various dance moves. The panels overlap one another further abstracting the silhouettes, this, along with the reflections of the panels on the curtain walls, create a facade that is constantly moving, symbolizing the activity that takes place within the dance studios. The screen was also a way of embracing another urban, cultural element that is typically found in warehouse districts – graffiti. The screen serves as a contemporary interpretation of the wildstyle graffiti which like dance, involves intricate movement and precision. The layout of the building places the dance studios at the streets with a central circulation core that provides visitors views into the studios and creates intimate, informal spaces for dancing and gathering. This also places the dancers in the studios in a position in which they are constantly serving as performers for audiences in the building and on the street.
magazine st elevation
st joseph st elevation
alley way elevation
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STEEL STUDS w/ BATT INSULATION EXTERIOR GYPSUM
BLOCKING HardiePanel®
St. Josephs St.
Magazine St. Black Box 1246 SF
1 1/2” SPRUNG G FLOOR FLOOR
Studio 1737 SF
St. Josephs St.
Studio 735 SF
Studio 1472 SF Student Lounge Space 841 SF Studio Terrace 447 SF
Magazine St. Women's Dressing Room 910 SF
Studio 1566 SF
Student Lounge Space 947 SF
Studio Terrace 434 SF
GLASS GUARDRAILS
St. Josephs St.
Men's Dressing Room 771 SF
Studio 1459 SF
EXTERIOR RUBBER FLOORING GALVANIZED GRATE COVER
Studio Terrace 420 SF
Magazine St. Administration 491 SF Control Room 362 SF Storage 596 SF
Student Lounge Space 970 SF
Lecture Room 293 SF
Teacher's Offices 196 SF
Library 656 SF
St. Josephs St.
Administration 752 SF
INTERIOR GYPSUM 8” STEEL STUD WALL w/BATT INSU. EXTERIOR GYPSUM AIR SPACE BRICK VENEER
FLASHING ADA RAMP _ 1:12 SLOPE
Magazine St. Shop, Storage, Loading 1523 SF
Green Room 424 SF
Theatre 1823 SF
Women's 159 SF
Men's 126 SF
Costume Shop 1315 SF
Cafe Area 1335 SF
Magazine St.
Lobby 1157 SF
St. Josephs St.
Ticket Booth 120 SF
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Pyramid
Tulane City Center Design + Build | Fall 2012 | Professors: Emilie Taylor + Sam Richards
In the fall of 2012, the TCC design + build studio look at the issues of mental illness in New Orleans through the lens of the Pyramid project. Located at the intersection of Canal Street and Jefferson Davis Parkway, Pyramid Resources Wellness Institute provides treatment services for persons in the greater New Orleans, Louisiana metropolitan area who are homeless, have mental illness diagnosis or co-occurring substance use and mental illness. Like many organizations working with these populations, Pyramid was hugely affected by budget cuts at state and national levels and ultimately had to part ways with the original project site in the Sixth Ward. The new project site became the exterior spaces at their outpatient facility on Canal, an L-shaped site roughly 9-10 feet wide. The studio worked with the staff and clients of PRWI to transform this outdoor space into an area that can adapt to the multiple needs of the residents – a space that can accommodate group meetings and dining, individual counseling, conflict resolution, meditation, and provides a more welcoming backyard for the clients and staff of the facility. Over the course of 14 weeks, we designed and constructed a scheme which responded to the needs and desires of the community partner. Project Team: Steven Baker, Victoria Bryant, Jose Cotto, Katherine Delacey, Hunter Duplantier, Gage Edwards, Rena Foster, Emily Green, Charlotte Hutton, Bahareh Javadi, Whitney Jordan, Leslie Katz, Michael Kirschner, Sarah Knapp, Jake McGregor, Kevin Michniok, Danielle Musselman, Alison Rodberg, Risa Schoenfeld, Guan Wang, Grant Whittaker, William Zink
preliminary designs
final design
above: rear yard | below: side yard
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planter
bench
table
shade structure
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SECTION 1/2’’=1’
wood frame
corrugated metal planter
structural frame
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1 in Six
Mental Health Awareness Campaign | Independent Study | Advisor: Emilie Taylor
1 in Six is a graphic advocacy campaign that was launched in the Spring of 2013. During the Tulane City Center design + build studio in the Fall of 2012, it became evident that there were a lot of issues regarding mental illness that extended far beyond the boundaries of our site. We knew that in order for organizations such as Pyramid to attempt to address these issues, we first had to try to destigmatize mental illness. In 2010, a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 16% of Orleans Parish residents, 1 in 6, had been told by a doctor that they have a serious mental illness, three times the rate in 2006 (5%). With an increase in cases and decrease in funds, we believe this number is likely to be greater today. To those that continue to battle illnesses and , our message was simple – “If you or loved one suffers from mental illness, you are not alone.” Project Team: Jose Cotto, Emily Green, Bahareh Javadi, Kevin Michniok, Alison Rodberg
*Kaiser Family Foundation, 2010
New Orleans 911 Services
*ask for the NOPD mobile crisis unit
Metropolitan Human Services District Crisis Unit
24/7 crisis phone triage for mental health or addiction related crises
Child+Adolescent Response Team_Family Services of Greater NO
crisis counseling, advocacy, referrals and support to youth and immediate family
911 504.826.2675
1.800.248. 1152
Interim LSU Hospital_Mental Health ER Extension
504.903.3000
Metropolitan Human Services District
504.568.3130
psychiatric assessment, evaluation and help in obtaining treatment and obtaining other community services
outpatient mental health services for persons with chronic mental illness
Bayou Road
Neighborhood Branding & Brochure | Tulane City Center | Supervisor: Maurice Cox
Bayou Road is one of the oldest road in New Orleans - having connected Native Americans and travelers from the bayou to the Mississippi River. Today it connects several neighborhoods – Treme, the 7th Ward, Bayou Saint John, and the Fairgrounds. Since the 1980s, this small commercial corridor has become known for its distinctly Afro-Caribbean culture, its strong sense of community, and its diverse collection of locally owned businesses offering art, music and food. By 2000, a significant group of African-American women owned property and businesses along the corridor, establishing a community of women entrepreneurs. The TCC was approached by Vera Warren-Williams, owner of the Community Book Center, and Beverly McKenna, founder of the New Orleans Tribune and owner of several Bayou Road properties, to develop a historical narrative of Bayou Road and to provide basic design services and create a graphic identity for the neighborhood. For this project I was tasked with developing the graphic identity for the neighborhood which included a logo, color palette, and slogan. I was also responsible for the layout of the brochure and preparing the files ready for print. The logo incorporates the geographical identity of the neighborhood – Bayou Road itself – significant for its unique angle that breaks the traditional grid.
2336 Esplanade Ave. | 504.233.0384
Le Musee de f.p.c.
Le Musée de f.p.c., a historic house museum, is one of the country’s few attractions dedicated exclusively to preserving the material culture of and telling to the story of free people of color. The founders of this repository strive through their collection of documents, paintings and decorative arts to present, interpret and preserve the history and culture shared by so many free people of African descent in New Orleans and throughout the country.
a short history of
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BAYOU ROAD
Bayou Road was laid along the historic portage route from Bayou Saint John to the Mississippi River. The portage permitted travelers to land up river of New Orleans along the bayou and then journey down to the river for trade. The route was shown to European settlers by Native Americans who had established a trading ground at the location of the historic LeBreton Market - halfway between the bayou and the French Quarter.
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Bayou Road was one of the first brick roads laid down in New Orleans.
2521 Bayou Road | 504.942.5625
THROUGH
Beauty on De Bayou
As Dwana Makeba prepared to open her all-natural beauty salon, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. She was committed to being on Bayou Road because of the area’s history, the character of the old buildings, and the collection of successful women-run businesses on the corridor. Opened in 2006, the salon now has clients that drive from hours away for braiding, cuts, styling services, and Dwana’s own line of all-natural hair products.
take a stroll
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for details on events and visiting
BAYOU ROAD
2443 Bayou Road | 504.949.9246
Club Caribbean
In ‘99, after Club Oasis closed, Al Reece continued the tradition of a reggae venue on Bayou Rd and opened Club Caribbean, across the street from Shotgun Park. It is the only venue in New Orleans dedicated to reggae music - entertaining the city with its dj and live shows, ranging from roots to dance hall reggae.
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visit us at www.bayouroadnola.com
- Matt Knowles, Domino Sound Record Shack
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Coco Hut
2515 Bayou Road | 504.945.8788
As plantations were divided and developed in the area, much of the historic road was incorporated into other streets, but the distinctive diagonal section of the brick road survived. Cutting across the regular street grid, Bayou Road connects several neighborhoods – Treme, the Seventh Ward, Bayou Saint John, and the Fairgrounds. Urban out-migration and disinvestment in the mid-20th century plagued Bayou Road — St Rose de Lima School closed, the market shut down, and many shops went out of business. In the 1980s and ‘90s, Reggae music filled in some of the empty space along Bayou Road and a few street vendors catering to the Reggae crowd decided to lease or buy their own storefronts in the area. The neighborhood naturally took on an Afro-Caribbean vibe and has been on the rise since.
By 2000, a significant group of African-American women owned property and businesses along the corridor, establishing a community of women entrepreneurs. After Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, music and art gained a stronger foothold in the area through shops, artist support programs, and the presence of culture bearers. Several notable rehabilitation projects are currently in the works to revive this historic section of New Orleans.
Community Book Center
2500 Bayou Road | 504.317.7570
King and Queen Emporium
Sula Janet Evans and Andaiyé Alimayu occupy a sacred site on Bayou Road; the grounds where their business stands served as a Native American trading center. The open air LeBreton Market was built on the site in 1867 and the market structure was improved and enclosed as part of a WPA project in the 1930s. One of the building’s many incarnations since being a market was the Church of I Am that I Am. Their space is now a laboratory and shop for their homemade oils, candles, soaps, and incense varieties.
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Duchesne Volunteer House
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2545 Bayou Road
In 2007, the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, a service missionary order of the Catholic Church, established a presence in New Orleans and took over the rectory of the former Saint Rose de Lima Church. The Sisters of the Sacred Heart were called to help New Orleans rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, and in particular, to provide a place for rebuilding volunteers to stay. The half dozen sisters who live in the large historic house on Bayou Road provide lodging, as well as counsel to volunteer groups, and they continue to serve in this unique capacity for the area and for New Orleans.
2557 Bayou Road | 504.309.0871
Before Pam “Mother Nature” Thompson opened up Coco Hut in 2000, she sold jerk chicken, fried plantains, beans and Jamaican rice at Shotgun Park. Although she has gone from cooking on a smoker she built herself to cooking in her own restaurant, her menu and prices have changed little since she opened the doors. The food is a Caribbean/Latin mix and the atmosphere, like Pam’s food, evokes the Caribbean – colorful and spicy.
2523 Bayou Road | 504.948.7323
In 1983, with a $300.00 investment and a dream, Vera Warren-Williams started Community Book Center from her parents’ home in the Lower Ninth Ward. As a substitute teacher, Vera shared books by and about people of African descent from her personal library with students and teachers. Since its inception, “Community” is (has been) “more than a book store”… Mama Jennifer has a wealth of knowledge and will welcome you along with the “unusual” cast of characters. CBC is a literary hub and cultural resource center, for locals and visitors alike, where Black History is proudly celebrated 365 days a year!
Domino Sound Record Shack
“Domino Sound” is how some reggae lovers know Matt Knowles, owner of Domino Sound Record Shack. The record store is a tangible mark of his evolution from a reggae DJ and vinyl collector to a business owner. Drawn to the Caribbean feel of Bayou Road, Matt opened his record (and cassette tape) shop on the corridor in 2007. The store has been recognized as one of the top record stores in the U.S. and is a charming, intimate space to browse through the built-in record bins and listen to the eclectic tunes spun by DJ Matt and his staff.
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Guide created in collaboration with:
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Sneakers 4 Success
Branding, Collateral Design, & Event Posters
Sneakers 4 Success is a non-profit that engages inner city youth in the subjects of design, engineering, math, entrepreneurship, and marketing, using sneakers and sneaker culture as springboard for engagement. They achieve this through a program that consists of scholarships, mentorship, and a sneaker design project based curriculum. For many 12-18 year olds, sneakers are a way of establishing social status. This social impact has created energy within the sneaker culture, making youth the largest consumer base for sneaker companies. These youth live and die for sneakers, literally. If channeled correctly, this energy can become a major portal to achieve academic and professional success.
sam@sneakers4success.org (xxx)xxx-xxxx @sdpallday
In addition being part of the development and implementation of the curriculum in its first years, I was also tasked with developing the organization branding and event materials. Projects ranged from business cards to sponsorship decks that were used to secure partnerships with the likes of Reebok Classics and Vita Coco. One of my larger projects was developing all graphic materials for Sole Connections, a fund-raising event held in New York City that was attended by over 500 people.
www.sneakers4success.org
Jointed Creativity
Urban Streetwear and Art Collective
Jointed Creativity is a brand that I started while attending UMass Amherst. It serves as an agent for collaboration in the arts, fashion, culture, and all the other pleasures of life that we enjoy. Our goal is to make connections with other Movers&Shakers to create a movement of change that thrives on the idea of community partnerships rather than the individualistic ideologies often encouraged in our society. We are always searching for inspiration from our communities with the hopes to create something that reflects the sentiments of the people. Our work aims to engage, inspire, and challenge society. We hope to convey messages that will spark conversations and force people to think critically about the world that we live in and the roles we each play. The motto CREATE.INSPIRE.SUPPORT. speaks to our process and the essence of our vision. Creating something that people appreciate is great, but its impact is limited. By inspiring others and supporting them in their own creative endeavours we will eventually create a cycle of creative minds that are not only producing good work, but more importantly, helping produce good people.
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Branding + Logo Design
Selected Logos for Print and Web
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The Shop
Documentary Photography | New Orleans | 2014
The barbershop has been an important component of Black and Latino communities in the Unites States for decades. It is a place for cultural exchange, political dialogue, education and engagement, and of course, getting cleaned up. For many men of color, myself included, the barbershop is where some of life’s most important lessons are taught. It is one of the few places where you can engage in a conversation that evokes perspectives from multiple generations; that opportunity for exchange makes them vital to the survival of these communities. The images presented here are from Joytown Square Barbershop & Beauty Salon in the 7th Ward, The Hot Spot Barber & Beauty Salon in Central City, Dennis’ Barber Shop in Uptown, and HeadQuarters Barber Beauty & Natural Hair Salon in Mid-City. This ongoing series documents the daily exchange one can witness when you walk into any of these shops and aims to create a narrative about the similarities between barbershop in a Black or Latino neighborhood. They also serve as a reminder to those of us who grew up with the smell of talc powder and aftershave in the air every Saturday morning, that no matter where you are, walking into a barbershop will always feel like home.
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Photography
Selected Photographs From Around the World
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