RJL Design Portfolio

01/13R O N A L D J . L O M B A R D ODESIGN PORTFOLIO

RONALD J. LOMBARDO DESIGN PORTFOLIO

2001/2013

CONTENTSIntroduction, 2Perkins Eastman Architects, 2009-2010 3Eckles Architecture & Engineering, 2006-2008 7Pennsylvania State University, 2001-2006 14Freelance Graphics, 2006-2013 32

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EVERYONE HAS A STORYFrom stacking Lincoln Logs in my basement to

sitting on my grandfathers lap as a child watch-ing him draft, it now seems as if my future was set in stone. So when the time came to decide on a major in my senior year of high school, archi-tecture was my first choice. In fact, architecture was my only choice, with nothing else even close behind it. So when my letter of approval came in the mail from Penn State in November of 2000, I remember being excited and relieved because I didn’t have a backup plan.

I received my Bachelor of Architecture in May of 2006 from the Pennsylvania State University. The following month, I was hired by Eckles Architecture as an intern architect. I had the opportunity to work on projects of various scales. From hand sketching schematics to detailing sections in the construction phase, I quickly realized that success-ful architecture doesn’t happen overnight. It is a race filled with mountains and valleys and takes true perseverance to make it to the finish line.

While much of my stay at Eckles was defined by teamwork, I was blessed to be given my own project just months into my career. I fell in love with the early stages of design. Listening to a cli-ent share their vision of the future made me realize I had chosen the right path. Taking their ideas and turning it into something tangible they can see and feel is an incredible experience.

While at Eckles, I also spent time working on feasibility studies and proposal presentations. You only get one shot at a first impression. I joined the marketing team about half way through my stay with hopes of bringing in future work. The truth is architecture isn’t just a pretty picture. It's a busi-ness in which the night owl and the early bird gets the worm. I was inspired by our principals ability to manage so many projects at once.

Eckles equipped me with a well rounded knowl-edge of the field. From the transition to new software, researching new codes, and receiving a client’s wish to go in a new direction, it is easy to see that remaining flexible is vital for anyone work-ing in this environment.

In June of 2009, I was the one making the changes. I was offered a position at Perkins East-man in Pittsburgh and packed my bags. I went from creating spaces for children to learn and grow to designing towers that keep the elderly young at heart. Our team of over 20 people worked on drawings for a 21 story senior living facility on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I have a new appreciation for how important every inch is in New York City. I was excited to be shutting down Photoshop for presentations and opening up Revit to draw structural grids and elevator cores. Pretty renderings will sell you a project but they won’t support the weight of a tower. I gained valuable experience cutting wall sections and researching code for the Manhattan project. I looked forward to the project managers returning from their meetings in New York to give us feedback on our progress. Communication played a vital role in keeping a project of that size on track. Perkins Eastman made me realize how proud I am to be in this profession. From their office, to their award winning intranet and beautiful projects, any-one would benefit from being a part of their team. Looking back, it's easy to see how different the design cultures were going from Eckles to Perkins. However, they did shared a common bond. The end product was always worthy of the time and effort they invested into it.

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JEWISH HOME LIFECARELong Term Care Center - New York, New YorkPerkins Eastman01

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Site plan along 106th Avenue

Northeast view of the Care Center

Resident Floor Lobby

SCHEMATICS

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The first floor plan shows the elevators and stairs as the central core of the building. They are flanked by lobby space including an aviary, bistro, and gift shop. Concrete columns laid out in a grid are utilized as this towers main structural element.

The north facade boasts a front entry set apart from the brick by a series of aluminum panels. As you look up from the entrance, you begin to see the unique detail of each resident window. The care center brings about a sense of playfulness to the block by splashing its exterior with a variety of vibrant colors.

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Second Floor Plan Resident Floor Plan

Exterior Bistro Wall Section

Resident Floor Lounge 6

HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM Steubenville, Ohio

Eckles Architecture & Engineering 02

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03JAMES M. BURKE FIELDFox Chapel, Pennsylvania

Eckles Architecture & Engineering

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Fox Chapel High School chose Eckles Architecture to redesign their football field. Over a dozen options were created with numerous variations to each design. The final product boldly implements the school colors as well as their logo in the end zone. The detailing of the new field resembles those seen at the college level.

SCOTTISH RITE CATHEDRAL New Castle, Pennsylvania

Eckles Architecture & Engineering049

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Y-ZONE LOBBY New Castle, PennsylvaniaEckles Architecture & Engineering

KIOSK Gibsonia, Pennsylvania


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EDEN HALLGibsonia, PennsylvaniaEckles Architecture & Engineering

MOON HIGH SCHOOLMoon Township, Pennsylvania


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The Highland House, located in New Castle, was a feasibility study created to see if the client could afford to build a new facility. The study required professional renderings for a site plan and elevations. It also included floor plans that would alleviate current issues within the layout of the existing building.

09THE HIGHLAND HOUSE New Castle, Pennsylvania

Eckles Architecture & Engineering1113

10 A RESCUE MISSIONNew Castle, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania State University

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THESIS STATEMENTThe problem lies in architecture’s ability to respond to the needs of it’s culture. As people and their needs adjust, so should the buildings they occupy. The interesting thing about humans beings is that many of their needs remain the same. Although many are blessed with food, shelter, and an educa-tion, millions of people aren’t so fortunate.

After returning home from my study abroad it be-came evident that the Italian and American cultures differed. While I could pinpoint many differences, the focal point of this project begins to look at how religious space has lost its grip on the urban environment. Strolling through Rome, it is easy to see the importance of religious space. It defines every part of the ancient world and the majority of the spaces encompass this religious entity.

One of the fundamental aspects of religious space is its outreach to those in need. Returning home to New Castle, Pennsylvania, I began to see how separated society is from religious space. Because it’s not strategically placed, religious space is losing ground in impacting lives in a positive way. More often than not, religious space manifests a certain randomness in terms of its location and respon-siveness to the public. While many see religious space as just a space of intimacy, a churches most important role in society is reaching out to those who are in need.

My project is located in New Castle Pennsylvania. New Castle remains an abandoned post-industrial-ized city just north of Pittsburgh. The Rescue Mis-sion sits along the Neshannock creek in the heart of town. The building is clearly labeled and defined as a religious space surrounded by an urban fabric.

New Castle began redeveloping a few years ago and has completely overlooked the mission. This project will take a closer look at how other programs can begin to interact with the existing presence of a viable mission. Because there is a stigma attached to places like rescue missions, this thesis explores if this perception can be altered by creating interac-tion between the client and its urban environment. The projects suggests a religious space that begins to unravel the mission with its surrounding, but providing enough distance to allow a sure recovery for its client.

Finally, it will provide downtown New Castle with a recognizable landmark encouraging the population to begin renovating in the area. Bringing in new programs to the mission will provide job opportuni-ties for the clients as well as a filter back into the community. The building will be approximately 50,000 square feet, large enough to be recognizable but small enough to remain a part of its context.

How can one attempt to create a religious architec-ture that also allows provision for those in urgent need?

Can this architecture also provide ways for the rehabilitated to have a positive impact on the urban community?

Will the integration of urban programs into the mis-sion have a positive impact on its clients?

How does one urbanize a religious space?

COMMUNICATION

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CONCEPTThe previous page depicts initial sketches for the Rescue Mission. The main theme of this project is to provide space of interaction for those seeking to get back on their feet as well as the every day consumer. A ribbon that supports this concept begins to take shape physically providing space for both programs. The site is a narrow strip of land that runs

It begins to take shape structurally announcing to the community that this Rescue Mission can successfully provide shelter and offer courses for rehabilitation as well as generate a buzz downtown for those interested in grabbing a cup of coffee and reading the Saturday paper.

adjacent to the Neshannock Creek. The existing build-ing is a box that sits next to a small plot of land with a few trees planted. Early concepts take this “park” and explode it into the new facility. With the park and build-ing distinctly separate, the new layout joins the two to blur the lines of interior and exterior. The ribbon seen in previous sketches doesn’t just remain conceptual.

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The linear site offers great opportunity to utilize natural ventilation. On hot summer days, the large swinging doors, that make up the commercial/retail space on the first floor, can open to allow for the breeze over the creek to enter the building. Also, the reflective pool near the west end of the Rescue Mission would become an attractive water feature for anyone visiting downtown.

Study model giving shape to the Rescue Mission

Sectional sketches show the thinking process of positioning each program. The intent is for this building to be a funnel from the 4th floor to the 1st floor. Rescue mission residents can live on the top floor, go to chapel on the third, meditate in the second floor garden, and dine in a first floor cafe. Each floor represents a step of healing back into the public.

Similar to the growth of a tree, the process of healing can be a slow one. Large concrete planters with a glass wall revealing the root system not only create a powerful statement inside the space, but also provide structural support. These trees, along with the 2nd floor garden, provide an interior get-away for residents and cafe-goers. You can also see the garden begin slope downward to the creek below.

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Study model giving shape to the Rescue Mission

Ribbon-like structure landing over the reflecting pool.

Final model showing the glass shell surrounding the structural ribbon.

View of the first floor swinging walls and second floor garden running along the creek.

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MODELING

The cafes and commercial space on the first floor, along with the reflecting pool and outdoor seating along the creek, provide a much needed attraction to the downtown area. The clean lines of the glass enclosure and the large steel columns contrast the colorful trees and plants inside the building. There is a tension created between the permanance of the metal and the growing, vibrant, vegetation.

The building becomes the symbol of the journey from death to life, offering a place to heal, worship, socialize, and work.

Structural planters revealing root system along lobby entrance

View of lit reflecting pool at night

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Final Model [2’ wide x 5’ long]

Glass facade along Croton Avenuehighlighting the fourth floor resident windows

Walkway along the Neshannock Creek just below the second floor garden

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Section through reflecting pool showing glass enclosure and steel roof

Long section showing the first floor cafes, second floor garden, third floor chapel, and 4th floor resident housing

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PENCIL DRAWINGS

Long section showing the first floor cafes, second floor garden, third floor chapel, and 4th floor resident housing

Partial first floor plan showing the cafes, large planters, and swinging doors

Partial fourth floor plan of the resident housing

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11 SEDE DI ROMARoma, Italy Pennsylvania State University

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I can honestly say that his passion for the history of architecture was contagious. I believe I would have stayed a tourist in Rome if it werent for his desire to show us how to make it home.

Through all of the lectures, tours, and site visits while living there, it became evidently clear to me how the built form has gone through various changes over the years. Although the materials and methods have evolved, architecture still remains the backbone that supports such a thriving culture.

There are a variety of things that I brought home with me from traveling overseas. Many of which I couldn’t fold up and place in my carry-on. One of the greatest lessons I learned from my studies in Rome was the reality that there is nothing new under the sun. It can be a heavy burden to try and be original as an artist or architect. This city has proved to me that there is always something from the site, the culture, or even the generation before to pull from in terms of creating a respectful piece of architecture.

Instead of being pressured to be original, I now focus on being observant. I believe successful architecture is made when context and creativity collide. Whether its to a road, a piece of literature, or a way of thinking, the design process is always a response. This revelation has freed me from being frozen by indecision. I am thankful for the many layers of the ancient world that taught me so many lessons on life and design.

The first step to understanding the art of architec-ture isn’t to sign up for a college credit, but to buy a pair of hard-bottom oxfords, a sketchbook, and a plane ticket to Rome.

In 2005, during my fourth year of study, I had the privilege of traveling to and learning from one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Rome, Italy. The ancient Romans, known for being advanced in numerous aspects of living, paved the way for gen-erations to come in terms of architecture. Not only did they excel in creating materials for building but they also pushed construction to a new limit. They played a major role in the advancement of roads, aqueducts, theatres, bridges, baths, and arenas. The city boasts a legacy of design development that has lasted thousand of years.

From January through May of that year, I was purposeful in soaking up as much of antiquity as humanly possible. I consider myself blessed to have walked the ancient roads and rest beneath the trees of a city that has astonished the world since its inception. To take on such a task alone seemed daunting to say the least. Enter Mr. Allan Ceen, a true adventurer and acknowledged expert on the history of Rome.

Our first assignment under Mr. Ceen was to use a map handed out in class to find our way to his studio in the heart of the city. The project proved to us that the only way to truly experience a new place was to get lost in it. I seemed to experience more of the city than anyone else that day because I got lost twice and showed up 30 minutes late to his lecture. Mr. Ceen guided us through every facet of the changing city challenging us to know the pope, architect, and intent of every building, sculpture and fountain along the way.

O B S E R V A T I O N

E X P E R I E N C E

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Site model showing project just south of the Colosseum

C O N T E X T

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C O N T E X T

Our last assignment while in Rome was a charette focusing on a triangular plot of land south of the Colosseum. The site was between a large hospital and Via Claudia, the road that ran next to one of Rome’s ancient walls. I realized during our first site visit that this green space was fairly unused by the surrounding community. The building would need to become a destination as well as being sensitive to keeping as much of the park as possible.

The building consists of commercial and retail space on the 1st floor, an extension of the park onto

the 2nd floor, and a rooftop street flanked by houses and terraces on the 3rd floor. The circulation remained on the exterior of the building adjacent to the ancient wall offering views of different heights. Also, the outdoor steps would frame the view north, to the Colosseum.

By extending the park into the 2nd floor it would be as if the original site still existed. This would be-come a quiet space utilized by the 1st floor shopper and third floor residents. It would be filled with an array of local plants from all over the city. It’s easy

to see that commercial and retail space is a high commodity in Rome. The 1st floor would open up for markets to sell fresh fruit and vegetables. The markets would be easily accesible from both sides of the building. With filled parking spaces all around the site, it would become an easy place to shop before heading home from work.

Finally, the top floor would become its own Roman street offering more places to live in the city. With varied heights and terraces, this street above the street would fit right into the Roman cityscape.

Section of building between the ancient wall and the park 27

First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

Roof Plan28

The plans on the previous page, were studies giv-ing a small amount of detail to the unfolding of the mixed-use studio project. The first floor, typical of the Roman culture, consists of commercial and retail space. The second floor would become an extension of the park, which is a valuable piece of green space in the city. The top floor would become houses and terraces that ran on opposite sides of a quiet “street above the streets”.

The footprint of the building would remain small and would mirror the ancient wall. The circulation from the park to the rooftop housing was placed on the exterior of the building giving various views to the sacred wall across the street.

Sectional model with a view of the rooftop street and housing.

Long Section of commercial space, garden, and rooftop housing.

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12 ANALYTIQUE Roma, Italy Pennsylvania State University

Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi

Brunelleschi’s Dome

The Pantheon

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Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi

Brunelleschi’s Dome

The Pantheon

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STEWARDSON COMPETITION Bethany, West Virginia

Pennsylvania State University - Finalist

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RJL DESIGN PORTFOLIO