The 2018 Jury of the Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated The Ohio State University’s Bernard Costantino to its prestigious College of Fellows. The Fellowship program recognizes members who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made significant contributions to architecture and society.
“I am honored to represent The Ohio State University on this elite list of my industry peers,” Costantino said. “This award speaks to the high-quality work performed at Ohio State, and I share this honor with our entire planning, design and construction teams who have contributed to the physical transformation of our campus.”
Costantino, who has served as Ohio State’s university architect since 2005, will be honored at an investiture ceremony at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral on June 22 during the 2018 AIA National Conference in New York City.
As Ohio State’s university architect, Costantino is directly involved in the planning and design of all major projects, including buildings, landscapes and streetscapes. He is a member of the university’s Design Review Board, a decision-making council of esteemed practitioners and university leaders tasked with reviewing all major architectural and landscape projects for alignment with the university’s design guidelines. He has been a key proponent of several important Ohio State initiatives, including sustainability-focused building and design excellence.
Ohio State is a key contributor to the Central Ohio construction industry and continues to build more sustainably. Since 2009, Ohio State boasts 23 LEED certified projects from the U.S. Green Building Council, including LEED Gold certification for The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, the South Residential High Rise and the Residence on Tenth.
“Bernie has provided vision and innovative leadership working across our planning, design and construction departments to help Ohio State develop a vibrant, sustainable urban campus,” said Jay Kasey, senior vice president, Office of Administration and Planning. “Ohio State continues to advance the Framework 2.0 Plan, a guiding vision for physical change to support the academic mission.”
During Costantino’s tenure as university architect, design firms have won numerous awards for their work on Ohio State projects, including national honors for the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library and the 2010 One Ohio State Framework Plan.
Before joining Ohio State, Costantino worked for five years as City of Columbus downtown development planner and more than two decades in private practice, including 19 years as principal of an interdisciplinary design firm.