Bio:

The great architect, Geraldine Pontius, AIA Emerita, holds a Masters of Architecture from Columbia University, Graduate School of Architecture. Her first design was the Portland (ME) Museum of Art for IM Pei . Moving to Kohn Pederson Fox Architects as technical architect, she was promoted Senior Designer of Hyatt Regency Hotel, Greenwich. In 1982, she was awarded the Grand Prize in an AIA National drawing competition. In 1989, she became Associate Principal at RTKL, later her career advanced with other firms.

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How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?

A colleague suggested Architecture might  combine my art and mathematics aptitudes. To investigate, I studied architecture in night school, then graduate school.

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What do you do?

During my professional career as an Architect, I have been responsible for the design of museums, court houses, office buildings, laboratory buildings, hotels, and custom residences.

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What excites you in the work you do?

The most exciting feeling is seeing the vision become reality in working with large teams. I love developing building plans and selecting materials, brick, concrete and glass.

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Who or what inspires you professionally?

I was inspired by my Architecture Professor, Ada Karmi-Melemede, an internationally known Israeli Architect, and the first female architect I met. Women in Architecture today continue to inspire me.

 

What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?

Suffering a family tragedy my first semester of Architecture School, I find my most significant accomplishment is to have completed my professional degree at all. After that, my successful design career would be my proudest achievement.

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Featured Project Name: 

Commerce Place AKA One South Street

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Featured Project Location: 

Baltimore, MD

 

Featured Project Completion Date: 

1992

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Role in Featured Project: 

RTKL Associate Principal, Project Architect, Lead Designer

 

Featured Project Description:

The 30-story One South Street is the fifth tallest building in Baltimore. In 1986, Mercantile Safe Deposit and Trust, a building surviving the Great Fire of 1904, was dismantled to clear the site. Portions of the elaborate facade are found reconstructed in the adjacent Redwood Court, a ground level park. H. Oribe, Kajima Development’s Vice President, dictated the new building’s style requesting forms that said “Baltimore”, referring to classical styles found on early Baltimore skyscrapers.

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Photography Credit:

CallisonRTKL