Seth Cohen is highly experienced in the design and renovation of academic, civic, cultural, and institutional facilities. Seth was with Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates for 14 years.
Seth is currently managing extensive renovations to Princeton University’s Fisher / Bendheim / Corwin Halls, home to Woodrow Wilson School of public and international affairs, politics, gender studies, and computer science departments. Our work includes programming, design, furnishings, signage, and window replacement. Seth recently managed design and construction for the new South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center, a combined clinical care, education, research, and recreation facility for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the City of Philadelphia.
Previously, Seth managed design of the Curtis Institute of Music’s Lenfest Hall — an education, performance, and student residence facility on a dense urban site. In addition, Seth managed three subsequent projects for Curtis — renovation of two buildings and creation of a new organ studio. Previously, he served on the project team for renovation of the Main House at Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection and as project manager for Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart’s Cor Unum facility — a theater / auditorium / chapel / meeting place with a black box theater, choral room, music classrooms, and practice rooms. Seth worked on the 440,000 sf Anlyan Center for Medical Research and Education at the Yale School of Medicine, including design and documentation of the exterior envelope as well as interior and exterior public spaces. He completed Construction Documents for the Frist Campus Center at Princeton University and the renovation of Houston Hall at the University of Pennsylvania. Other projects include a shell and core design for Edison School Headquarters and Museum Project and predesign for the Woodmere Art Museum.
Prior to joining VSBA, Seth worked as an architectural intern on the design of a 566,000 sf laboratory building for Janssen Pharmaceutical New Research Center in Beerse, Belgium. He also worked on a 450,000 sf corporate office building for Dow Jones Inc., Bernard Kligore Center in South Brunswick, NJ.
EDUCATION
Syracuse University, Bachelor of Architecture, 1997
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional, U.S. Green Building Council, 2006
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Board Member, Board of Directors of the AIA Philadelphia Chapter, 2004-2005
Board Member, Board of Directors of the Center for Architecture, 2005
Associate Director, AIA Philadelphia Chapter, 2004-2005
Jury Member, AIA National Honor Awards, 2004
TEACHING
Adjunct Professor, Philadelphia University, School of Architecture and Design, 2001-2006
Instructor, The Architecture in Education Program, Philadelphia Public Schools, 1999
Instructor, Architect in the Schools Program, Rydal Elementary School, 1998
Guest Critic, Drexel University, Pennsylvania State University, Philadelphia University, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, 1998-present
LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS
GSI Partners Quarterly Meeting Presentation on the South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center, Temple University, Philadelphia, 2017
BuildingSuccess Presentation on the South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center, Philadelphia, 2017
“Healthy and Wise: How the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and City of Philadelphia Created a New Community Health and Literacy Center,” Presentation, National Healthcare Design Conference, Houston, 2016
“South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center” Construction Tour, AIA Philadelphia, Design on the Delaware, Philadelphia, 2015
“Doin’ It All: Creating a Multiuse Educational / Residential Facility on a Dense Historic Urban Site,” tour and presentation for Curtis Institute’s Lenfest Hall, Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, Philadelphia, 2013
“A Jump in Scale: The Curtis Institute of Music Expands with the New Lenfest Hall,” 62nd Annual Meeting of ERAPPA, Philadelphia, 2012
“Lenfest Hall, Curtis Institute of Music,” AIA Regional Conference, Design on the Delaware, Philadelphia, 2011
“Lenfest Hall, Curtis Institute of Music,” Design Philadelphia 2011, Philadelphia, 2011
AWARDS
Emerging Professionals Component of the Year Award, AIA Pennsylvania, 2004
Exhibitor, Architour Amici Dei Musei di Firenze Italia, 1996