Stuckeman School welcomes two faculty additions to architecture department

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Stuckeman School in the College of Arts and Architecture at Penn State has welcomed Hungary natives Orsolya Gáspár and Istvan Gyulovics as full-time faculty members in the Department of Architecture for the 2023-24 academic year.

Most recently a visiting fellow at the Form Finding Lab at Princeton Unviersity, Gáspár takes on the role of assistant professor of architecture in the Stuckeman School. Her queries in the stereotomy of masonry structures led to her involvement in the Princeton lab's “Angelus Novus Vault” project for the 2023 Venice Biennale of Architecture.

Gáspár works on the interface of structurally informed architectural design and construction history, with a keen interest in the interdependence of geometry, topology and structural performance of spatial structures. In her research, she seeks to support sustainable building practices by ‘clever' structural design, fueled by both vernacular and engineering tradition.

She regularly presents her work at international conferences and her research has been published in top-tier journals of the architecture field, including the International Journal or Architectural Heritage and the International Journal of Solids and Structures.

Gáspár earned her master of architecture and doctorate from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). While an assistant professor there, she co-authored a textbook on complex architectural structures.

“Orsolya Gáspár brings a wealth of expertise in the field of structurally informed architectural design and construction,” said Frank Jacobus, department head and professor of architecture. “Her dedication to sustainable building practices, which is on display in Venice, showcases her commitment to advancing the field.”

Gyulovics comes to Penn State as a lecturer with an extensive background as a practicing architect and design studio instructor. He has run Studio Konstella, a boutique office in Budapest, since 2015 with three friends from graduate school.

Materiality plays an essential role in his firm's approach to architecture, whether working on the urban or the object (i.e., furniture, fixture) scale. The firm's interests lie in the fine arts, such as photography, watercolor, and linocut; in craftsmanship, such as ceramics; and in furniture design. The studio regularly participates in international competitions, such as the Hungarian Architectural Museum in 2021 and the Hungarian Pavilion for the Expo Milano 2015.

Gyulovics has been an adjunct lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, BME, since 2011. His research focuses on conversion and adaptive reuse. He is interested in the possible contemporary interpretations of modernist heritage from an artistic point of view but feels strongly that keeping and transforming our existing building stock is going to be essential for a sustainable future.

Gyulovics holds a master of architecture and a post-graduate degree in architecture from the BME.

“Istvan Gyulovics has an extensive background as a practicing architect and design studio instructor, and his firm's focus on materiality and commitment to preserving and transforming existing buildings aligns perfectly with our values here at the Stuckeman School,” said Jacobus. “We are eager to witness the impact of his extensive experience on the growth and development of our students.

Jacobus, who is beginning his first semester as professor and head of the department, continued by saying: “Orsolya and Istvan's contributions to the realms of architecture, craftsmanship and research will undoubtedly enrich our academic community and propel us towards a more sustainable and innovative future.”