Louis D. Astorino (born 1948) is an architect in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the first American architect to design a building in the Vatican.[1]

Biography

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Astorino was born in Pittsburgh to a family of mixed Italian and Serbian origin. His Serbian cousins influenced Astorino's upbringing and career choice.[2] He received a bachelor's degree from Penn State College of Arts and Architecture in 1969.[3] In 1972, he started his own firm, L. D. Astorino & Associates.[4] It was later named Astorino.[5]

Astorino was introduced to the international stage in 1996 when Gateway Clipper Fleet founder John E. Connelly introduced him as a prospective architect for the Domus Sanctae Marthae that Pope John Paul II wanted to build to house cardinals during the selection of popes. Connelly was offering to finance the project. Astorino's design was rejected but he was kept on as supervisory architect. He later designed the adjoining Chapel of the Holy Spirit.[6] Astorino's firm designed the new Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, completed in 2009 at a cost of $622 million.[7]

In December 2014, Astorino's firm was acquired by CannonDesign, which is based in Buffalo, New York.[8]

Astorino, who has a brother Dennis, is of Serbian origin through his mother.[citation needed]

Projects

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References

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  1. ^ Porterfield, Andrew (April 14, 2020). "Architect behind iconic Pittsburgh buildings and Penn State alum Louis Astorino reflects on career". Daily Collegian. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  2. ^ Astorino, Louis D. (2018-12-20). A Pencil in God's Hands: The Story of the Only American Architect to Design a Building in the Vatican. Dorrance Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4809-9990-9.
  3. ^ "Louis D. Astorino '69" (PDF). Penn State Alumni Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  4. ^ "L.D. Astorino Companies". Emporis. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "Companies". Emporis. Archived from the original on April 11, 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "A Conversation with Louis and Dennis Astorino". Engineering News-Record. June 9, 2006. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  7. ^ Fabregas, Luis (May 3, 2009). "Children's Hospital patients check into $622M Lawrenceville facility". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on May 21, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2009.
  8. ^ "Astorino architecture business sold to N.Y. firm | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette".
  9. ^ Vassilaros, Dimitri (October 17, 2008). "Mr. Rogers' neighborhood nitpickers". TribLive. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on March 6, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2009.
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