We help developers distill and give form to their visions -- creating a roadmap that guides projects from informal napkin sketches to final ribbon-cutting.
We help you define, clarify, and give form to your vision through the schematic design phase. Then we create a roadmap to guide the technical architect and project team from design development and CD’s into construction.
We represent you, as an advocate for the design. Creative integrity is maintained throughout the process.
Our design approach pays homage to the context and character of neighborhoods, while adding the next layer to that history. We believe in the healing power of nature and advocate for universal access to nearby parks.
Meet our Founder!
Rebecca Costanzo is a licensed architect and urban designer.
She helps design cities that work by blending her Master's Degree in Architecture from Columbia University with an undergraduate degree in Cultural Anthropology from William & Mary. Her research draws lessons from multi-generational homes in Mexico. She has contributed to exhibits and events about housing at the MoMA, the Buell Center for American Architecture, the Institute for Public Architecture, and the New York Center for Architecture. She volunteers with Neighborhood Design Center and Storefront for Community Design.
Rebecca mentors emerging designers at every opportunity, from spearheading AIA Mentoring programs to co-founding Women@Stantec in DC. She naturally connects people, has recruited talent to architecture firms and brought together teams for project pursuits.
Having lived and worked in Mexico City, New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC, Rebecca has returned to her hometown of Richmond. With all that that she has learned from these diverse experiences, she is ready to roll up her sleeves and make a difference
Rebecca Costanzo, AIA
Architect, Landscape Designer, Interior Designer
EDUCATION
Master of Architecture, Columbia University, 2009-13
Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology, William & Mary, 1997-01
WORK EXPERIENCE
Align Design, Principal, 2020-present
Contractor, various landscape architecture firms, 2022-present
Waterstreet Studio, Landscape Designer, 2019-20
RNL Design, Architectural Designer, 2017-19
Wiencek Architects + Planners, Architectural+Graphic Designer,2016-17
Costanzo Designs, Principal, 2015-16
Blaze Makoid Architecture, Architectural Designer, 2013-14
Princeton Review, Mexico City, GMAT Math Teacher, 2007-2009
Costanzo Designs, Principal, 2004-07
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Urban Land Institute, VA
AIA 360 Mentoring Program, Co-Chair, DC
AIA NoVA Women in Architecture, DC
Women@Stantec Co-founder, DC
Better Housing Coalition Jr. Board, VA
Storefront for Community Design, VA
Neighborhood Design Center, MD
MoMA exhibit, “Rehousing the American Dream”, NY
Project Experience
State Department Project
Rebecca’s contributions include visualization of the design through renderings and fly-throughs. She also synthesizes ideas into succinct and compelling presentations.
Multifamily Housing, Waldorf, MD
A developer sought a rezoning of a 50-acre parcel, to provide affordable housing to commuters and to veterans. Rebecca created a conceptual master plan for the 500 housing units (a mix of cottages, condos, low-rise apartment buildings amidst walking trails, pond amenities, and a community center and pool.
Multifamily Housing, Southeast, DC, Northeast DC
Rebecca worked with the developer and architect of record to design tasteful, contextual facades for three apartment buildings. She also designed the lobby interior for one of the projects.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Park, Richmond, VA
Rebecca helped facilitate a landscape architecture studio taught by C.L. Bohannon at Virginia Tech to reimagine an underutilized space under a bridge in Richmond, VA.
Darden Business School Grounds, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Rebecca contributed to the construction documents and LEED calculations for this large public project. She also helped design and visualize the hardscape for the main outdoor amenity space, and a few of the small gardens.
Southwood Community, Habitat for Humanity, Charlottesville, VA
Rebecca helped facilitate bilingual community engagement sessions, and created illustrative plans and diagrams to elicit participatory design from community members.
Durham Water Management, Durham, NC
Rebecca led the visualization of the project, and also contributed to construction documents.
Arlington County Trade Center, Shirlington, VA
Arlington wanted to renovate their aging trade center complex. Rebecca researched and wrote and 100-page benchmarking study for the county.
Hayfields Farm, Highland County, Virginia
The county received a 1,000 acre parcel due as part of a land swap for the proposed pipeline. Rebecca helped the Virginia Outdoors Foundation facilitate community engagement sessions to determine the best use of the site. She also assisted in writing an accompanying report.
Reid Temple Senior Housing, MD
The AME congregation Reid Temple wanted to build a senior living community for congregants. Rebecca guided the presentation materials, and worked with the renderer to create a compelling movie of the client’s vision.
Residence, Bridgehampton, NY
The client wanted to design a 4-bedroom home, situated on a challenging site, sandwiched between the ocean and wetlands. Rebecca helped with the schematic design, site layout, and municipal approvals for the design of this luxury residence.