Nick Asaro
Nick Asaro, CPHC
Project Manager
Building Systems Advisory Unit
Year Joined: 2022
Education and Certifications:
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Hartford, 2004
- Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC)
Professional Background: Nick brings 17 years of MEP experience to Aufgang. He has extensive knowledge in all aspects of MEP design for hospitals, outpatient facilities, compounding pharmacies, office buildings, residential apartment buildings, schools, religious institutions, hotels, restaurants, and government agency spaces. As an MEP engineer, Nick prepared construction documents for filing with the NYC DOB, and is extremely knowledgeable in NYC and NYS Codes including Building, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation, ASHRAE Guidelines, and FGI Guidelines/AHSRAE 170 for Article 28 spaces. He designed numerous projects in accordance with NYSERDA, Enterprise Green communities, and LEED. Nick has a passion for high performance buildings, including passive design, high efficient mechanical systems, and indoor air quality.
Position: In his position as Project Manager, Nick oversees all elements of a project’s development, from schematic design through construction documents, guiding consultants, and coordinating with the owner and contractors.
Personal Life: In his spare time, Nick enjoys spending time with family and is an avid NY hockey and baseball fan.
Franco Atienza
Franco Atienza
Project Coordinator
Construction Administration
Franco received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of the Philippines and his local licensure shortly thereafter. As a second-generation architect, he comes to Aufgang with nearly 30 years of design and building experience including single family homes to notable high-rise luxury skyscrapers.
Franco’s expansive experience provides our clients with hands on knowledge of building systems, familiarity of construction materials and their applications, project documentation with an acute awareness of prevailing building codes, zoning laws, green building practices and handicap accessibility guidelines. He appreciates all planning evolved from sound and altruistic concepts, as well as, forms dictated by constructive elements.
Javier Bazalar
Javier Bazalar
Architectural Associate
Rehabilitation and Preservation
Florida Team
Year Joined: 2023
Education and Certifications:
- Ricardo Palma University, School of Architecture & Urban Design, Peru 1996
- Licensed architect in Peru
Professional Background: Throughout his career, Javier has worked in a wide variety of architecture firms in Florida, Georgia, Spain, and Peru. He has experience using Autocad, Recap and Revit Architecture, and has skills in developing architectural drawings and details for custom interior design components, developing complete construction and permit set of documents, coordination with Structure and MEP models and editing families, and design consulting. Some of the buildings he has helped bring to completion are a mixed use complex (office building, theater, recording studios and cinema), Yuengling Beer Campus, Educational Performing Arts Center for Jesuit High School Tampa, banks, restaurants, retail, healthcare facilities, and townhouses.
Position: Javier is working with the Rehabilitation and Preservation Team under its Director Iskra Petrova in the Florida office. The current projects include rehabilitation and preservation SD drawings and permit sets of existing residential buildings in the New York area.
Personal Life: Javier enjoys bike rides in Florida’s natural parks and beaches. He enjoys going to concerts and The Beatles is one of his favorite bands. Javier is also a fan of Lionel Messi and the Inter Miami soccer team.
Jude Cullen
Jude Cullen
Job Captain
Rehabilitation and Preservation
Year Joined: 2024
Education and Certifications:
- Bachelors degree in Architecture, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Professional Background: While in school, Jude and a team of students entered a design competition in Princeton, New Jersey centered around the Jewish holiday Sukkot. Their design of a sukkah, a temporary dwelling structure, won and his team had the opportunity to build and display it for the length of the holiday.
Jude also worked for Brian Murphy Architecture for two years prior to joining the Aufgang team.
Position: Jude is working with the Rehabilitation and Preservation Team. Current projects include rehabilitation and preservation SD drawings and permit sets of existing residential buildings in the New York area.
Personal Life: Jude enjoys hiking in the woods near his home, where he explores his interest in photography by capturing landscape images.