Firm Profile
Cumella Architects was cofounded in 2010 by George Luis Cumella and Maria Guendjian-Cumella. Together, they offer comprehensive knowledge in the design and construction of private residences, multi-unit dwellings, museums, galleries and libraries. George and Maria share common goals focusing on design which aims to: address the needs of its clients; bring out the best features of a site; understand carefully the characteristics of natural light that are specific to the project's location; use local and sustainable materials which integrate the work within its natural setting; and carefully orchestrate these elements to create timeless architecture enjoyed by its occupants.
From their previous experiences in the offices of Richard Meier & Partners and Gwathmey Siegel and Associates Architects, and now in their own work, they have learned to elevate architecture from its functional and utilitarian role to three dimensional works of art where occupants become active participants and performers.
George Luis Cumella, R.A. George Luis Cumella has had an active and leading role on the following featured projects: the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California (Project Architect / Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects); Luxury Condominium Project in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, New York (Senior Project Manager / Izaki Group Investments); the Bronx Library Center in the Bronx, New York (Project Architect / Dattner Architects); and more recently on independently commissioned private residences designed and built throughout Mexico (Principal / Cumella Architects). Many of the projects have been published in architectural books and journals. George has appeared in televised interviews conducted by Telemundo and New York 1 regarding his role on the Bronx Library Center in the Bronx, New York. George's educational background starts in New York City where he received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the New York Institute of Technology and continued in Florence, Italy where he achieved a Master of Architecture from Syracuse University. His studies in Italy focused on Urban Design and Planning, a benefit his projects have had through the more thoughtful understanding of the context in which they are built. As an Adjunct Professor, he has taught all levels of Architectural Design Studios and has had an active role in University sponsored Foreign Travel Programs taking students throughout all of Europe to learn from seminal works of Architecture, Urbanism and Landscape Design. Maria Guendjian-Cumella Maria Guendjian-Cumella worked in the office of Richard Meier & Partners Architects as an Architectural Designer on internationally notable projects such as: the Handsmooth Residence in Oxfordshire, England; Palm Beach Residence in Palm Beach, Florida; OCT Clubhouse in Shenzhen, China; and Saint Denis Office Building in Saint Denis, Paris. Maria's career started as an Interior Designer having received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design from the New York School of Interior Design and then transitioned to the field of Architecture after receiving her Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the New York Institute of Technology. Maria has dedicated herself to teaching Architectural Design Studios at the New York Institute of Technology. Her commitment to teaching has been recognized by the School of Architecture and Design, and as a result she's been given the opportunity to develop and coordinate curriculum for the Architecture Program. Philosophy Cumella Architects works exclusively on select projects and is committed to producing architecture that both provokes and stimulates the senses yet also has lasting and meaningful impact for the people it serves. The work achieves this by bridging the gap between the natural and built environments. Cumella Architects looks for opportunities to elevate daily norms and create forums where light, form, space, color, materials and nature are simultaneously sculpted and synthesized. The work embraces the surrounding environment by capturing it in ways that artists capture subjects in their art, through very carefully studied and proportioned apertures. The intent with the houses is for them to act simultaneously as private galleries and performance spaces while functioning normally in their daily rituals.
From their previous experiences in the offices of Richard Meier & Partners and Gwathmey Siegel and Associates Architects, and now in their own work, they have learned to elevate architecture from its functional and utilitarian role to three dimensional works of art where occupants become active participants and performers.
George Luis Cumella, R.A. George Luis Cumella has had an active and leading role on the following featured projects: the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California (Project Architect / Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects); Luxury Condominium Project in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, New York (Senior Project Manager / Izaki Group Investments); the Bronx Library Center in the Bronx, New York (Project Architect / Dattner Architects); and more recently on independently commissioned private residences designed and built throughout Mexico (Principal / Cumella Architects). Many of the projects have been published in architectural books and journals. George has appeared in televised interviews conducted by Telemundo and New York 1 regarding his role on the Bronx Library Center in the Bronx, New York. George's educational background starts in New York City where he received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the New York Institute of Technology and continued in Florence, Italy where he achieved a Master of Architecture from Syracuse University. His studies in Italy focused on Urban Design and Planning, a benefit his projects have had through the more thoughtful understanding of the context in which they are built. As an Adjunct Professor, he has taught all levels of Architectural Design Studios and has had an active role in University sponsored Foreign Travel Programs taking students throughout all of Europe to learn from seminal works of Architecture, Urbanism and Landscape Design. Maria Guendjian-Cumella Maria Guendjian-Cumella worked in the office of Richard Meier & Partners Architects as an Architectural Designer on internationally notable projects such as: the Handsmooth Residence in Oxfordshire, England; Palm Beach Residence in Palm Beach, Florida; OCT Clubhouse in Shenzhen, China; and Saint Denis Office Building in Saint Denis, Paris. Maria's career started as an Interior Designer having received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design from the New York School of Interior Design and then transitioned to the field of Architecture after receiving her Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the New York Institute of Technology. Maria has dedicated herself to teaching Architectural Design Studios at the New York Institute of Technology. Her commitment to teaching has been recognized by the School of Architecture and Design, and as a result she's been given the opportunity to develop and coordinate curriculum for the Architecture Program. Philosophy Cumella Architects works exclusively on select projects and is committed to producing architecture that both provokes and stimulates the senses yet also has lasting and meaningful impact for the people it serves. The work achieves this by bridging the gap between the natural and built environments. Cumella Architects looks for opportunities to elevate daily norms and create forums where light, form, space, color, materials and nature are simultaneously sculpted and synthesized. The work embraces the surrounding environment by capturing it in ways that artists capture subjects in their art, through very carefully studied and proportioned apertures. The intent with the houses is for them to act simultaneously as private galleries and performance spaces while functioning normally in their daily rituals.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
.png)