theaufgang_clu510

Year Joined: 2019

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor of Architecture Degree, Tehran Azad University South Branch
• Master’s Degree in Urban Design, Tehran Azad University Science & Research Unit
• Master’s Degree Architecture and Urban & Regional Planning, New York Institute of Technology
• Member: American Institute of Certified Planners

Professional Background: Prior to joining Aufgang, Shiva co-founded SPARC—Spatial Art and Construction with offices in Brooklyn and the Netherlands. Shiva has built a career by focusing on affordable housing & responsible neighborhood planning. Of note is that, while with SPARC, Shiva won a contract from the City of NY to reconstruct over 100 single- and two-family coastal homes in New York destroyed by Hurricane Sandy and successfully completed that commission.

Position: As Director of Planning and Community Development, Shiva is heavily involved in navigating zoning regulations and leading her team in developing compliant designs to bring projects to successful completion.

Personal Life: Shiva has been teaching “Sustainability: History and Practice” course at City Tech (CUNY) since 2018.

Year Joined: 2016

Education and Certifications:

• Degree in Architecture, Bangalore University, India

Professional Background: Vidya started her career in Singapore working on school building designs. Her passion for sustainable architecture and designing multi-family housing began while she was working on senior living projects in Chicago. She was also involved in a diverse range of projects including hospitality and retail.

Position: Vidya joined Aufgang to further develop her talent, and her diverse professional background and passion for the field of architecture have made her a valuable member of our team.

Personal Life: Vidya enjoys gardening, traveling to new places and experiencing other cultures.

Year Joined: 2017

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor of Architecture, New York Institute of Technology
• Active member: American Institute of Architects
• Licensed Architect in the state of New York

Professional Background: Joseph has decades of experience working on a variety of projects in the tristate area and beyond. His diverse work includes luxury homes and apartments, churches and synagogues, high-end shopping centers, fast food restaurant chains, auto dealerships, schools and healthcare facilities. His international work also includes architectural consultancy for many luxury homes in Kerala, India.

Position: He incorporates his worldly experience into his everyday design work and brings to the table a wealth of knowledge about designs from all over the world. His vast experience, both personal and professional, comes with a considerable cultural understanding, which is an important factor in any design.

Personal Life: In addition to his dedication to architecture, Joseph holds a deep passion for world travel and has visited over 40 countries. Joseph resides in the home he completely remodeled and rehabilitated with his family in Nyack, NY.

Year Joined: 2019

Education and Certifications:

• MBA in Business Leadership, Concordia College 2015
• Bachelors in Behavioral Science Health Services Management
• Certified life coach

Professional Background: Jessika has a passion for business with over a decade of administrative experience supporting C-Level executives as well as working with law firms supporting judges, attorneys, paralegals and other large organizations in New York.

Position: She is responsible for managing the project submittal workflow, organization of shop drawings, maintaining calendars and daily day-to-day tasks.

Personal Life: Jessika has a passion for traveling the world, meeting new people and has visited many different countries in Europe in addition to being a big time foodie who enjoys tasting diverse foods from different cultures and backgrounds.

Elianna joined the firm in May 2018.

She has over 10 years of experience in the Architecture industry and is known for her meticulous attention to detail and keen eye for design.

As a graduate from Pratt Institute with a Bachelor of Architecture degree, she has worked on numerous, notable single family and multifamily projects ranging in budget, design and project facets throughout the Tri-State area.

Elianna brings to the Aufgang team a wealth of knowledge having been mentored from some of the best in the business thus allowing her to successfully manage projects from schematic design through construction administration.

Year Joined: 2004

Education and Certifications:

• University of Belgarno, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Licensed architect in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Professional Background: Vivien was born in the United States but was raised in Buenos Aires. After graduation, she became an assistant professor at the University of Buenos Aires, where she taught undergraduate classes in drawing and design. She spent time working at Juan Carlos Recepter Architects, before becoming principal of her own architectural firm. Expanding on her passion for unique and innovative design, Vivien created her own line of housewares and furniture, which were sold in top design stores. Her work earned her a series of notable mentions, including a cover feature in the Argentinian publication “First” Magazine, an inclusion in the Central Society of Architects exhibit “El Diseño es el Objeto,” and an honorable mention in Architectural Record Magazine, as a runner-up in their annual cocktail napkin sketch contest.

Position: At Aufgang, Vivien brings her immense talent and creative vision to craft original interior and exterior designs for numerous large and small mixed-use residential buildings, commercial structures, and hotels. She approaches each project as a unique piece of art and applies her tenacious attention to detail to provide the highest quality designs for each client’s needs. Vivien is a leader in design preparation, concept development, layout design, presentations, hand sketches, and drawings. Her other skills include implementation of the latest software including AutoCAD, Revit, Adobe Illustrator, and Sketch Up, in drafting her unique designs.

Personal Life: In her spare time, Vivien paints and does indoor sculptures.

Year Joined: 2018

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Touro College, New York 2009
• Licensed CPA

Professional Background: Prior to joining Aufgang, Yitzy has worked in public accounting for almost 10 years and brings a wide array of knowledge and experience in accounting, taxes and auditing.

Position: As Controller, Yitzy manages proposals, accounts receivable, accounts payable, human resources, and taxes.

Personal Life: Yitzy enjoys spending time with his wife and five children.

Year Joined: 2001

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor Degree of Architecture, University of Buenos Aires in Argentina 1994, graduated with honors

Professional Background: Growing up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pablo was immersed in an environment of mix of Art Nouveau, Neoclassical, and Rationalist architecture. At a young age, he discovered his appreciation for architecture, and began designing spaces and building architectural models after school at home. After graduation, Pablo worked for several firms in Argentina, gaining valuable working experience in all aspects of the architectural and construction process – from schematic design to managing the construction of residential and commercial buildings.

Position: Pablo brings over 21 years of experience in developing multi-family residential, commercial and community facility projects to our team at Aufgang. His responsibilities include design and development, project management, and client relations. Pablo has personally managed several successful projects and is focused on achieving all of our client’s objectives. In addition to his design and management experience, he also has extensive experience in preparing feasibility studies, developing construction documents, coordinating with other trades, code review and zoning analysis.

Personal Life: Pablo enjoys traveling and exploring different cultures.

Year Joined: 2017

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, Lehigh University 2014
• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Lehigh University 2014

Professional Background: Before joining Aufgang, he worked as an assistant project manager for two years at KMB Design Group, a telecommunications engineering company. He also spent time working as a CAD designer at Tricarico Architecture and Design, where he designed retail stores for Foot Locker, Puma, and Adidas among others.

Position: Dan appreciates the design philosophies of people like Dieter Rams and Jony Ive, most notably the fact that good design is as little design as possible. He keeps the “less is more” philosophy in his work.

Personal Life: In his spare time, Dan enjoys playing golf and hanging out at home with his two cats, Happy and Peanut.

Year Joined: 2019

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor of Architecture, City College of New York 2012
• Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning, Rutgers University 2014
• Licensed Architect in New York and Florida

Professional Background: Iskra has built her career by managing very complex projects nationwide and is knowledgeable in various building codes nationwide. Her drive for architecture and planning developed from her interests in drawing, mathematics, and improving the lives of families. Even in her personal life, she is constantly looking for ways to make spaces more efficient and tailored to the user.

Position: Iskra is currently working on various shelters throughout NYC, as well as tenant in place rehabs, and substantial gut rehabs both in NYC and NYS.

Personal Life: Iskra has a healthy addiction to DIY.