Bio:
The Great Designer, Victoria Acevedo is a project designer at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Victoria, a Georgia Tech grad, has been a key contributor in multiple higher education and laboratory project teams by producing vivid spatial visualizations, meticulously crafting and documenting details, and translating ideas into comprehensive and actionable drawings. Victoria currently serves as the Vice President of NOMA PGH. She resides in her 1930’s four square home in the Stanton Heights neighborhood with her dog, Honey.

How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I learned about it from a friend at the end of my freshman year who told me that architecture was a mix of art, science, and technology; all topics I am interested in. Like many decisions people make at 19, pursuing architecture was a leap of faith.

What do you do?
I am a designer, team member, and friend in almost everything I do. I support, I lead, but most importantly I try to exemplify my best work with given resources, prioritizing communication to get to our goals. I am a designer of stories and space.

What excites you in the work you do?
I enjoy working with people in and out of the office, although it is one of the hardest parts of a collaborative profession. I enjoy crafting and solidifying a “story” for a project through the design process graphically and guiding it to fruition.

Who or what inspires you professionally?
My colleagues inspire me. Designers are so knowledgeable and passionate about design, art, architecture...you name it. They motivate me to open my eyes, ears, and heart to pay more attention to the moving world around me.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
One of my proudest professional achievements is being honored the Pittsburgh Business Times 30 Under 30 Award for my service to NOMA PGH. Also I am very proud to have passed my first two ARE exams earlier this year.

Featured Project Name: 
Ostermayer Lab Renovation
 
Featured Project Location: 
McKeesport, Pennsylvania
 
Featured Project Completion Date: 
Spring 2021

Role in Featured Project: 
Project Designer
 
Featured Project Description:
The Ostermayer Lab Renovation is a complete interior and partial exterior renovation of a 1970s-era laboratory building at the Penn State Greater Allegheny Campus in McKeesport, PA. An entry canopy with a daylight-filled double height space adjacent to the building’s circulation spine creates intimate nooks and vibrant social outlooks for students, faculty, and guests. These simple but crafted moves provide elements of a large campus experience within a primarily commuter commonwealth campus building.

Photography Credit:
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson