Anselmo Canfora

BSAS Univ. of Illinois;
MArch Univ. of Michigan

Assistant Professor

Anselmo Canfora joined the faculty at the University of Virginia, School of Architecture as an Assistant Professor the fall term, 2004. He directs the 2nd year undergraduate introductory core design studios. An area of particular interest to him is teaching the beginning design student. He implemented a new curriculum for Architecture 201 – Introductory Architecture Design studio in 2005. Through this introductory framework, each student is encouraged to develop a design method comprised of thoughtful application of fundamental design principles, rigorous foundational techniques of representation, and effective systems of fabrication in service of realizing comprehensive critical design strategies. Some Assembly Required is a design/build program Anselmo initiated upon joining the School of Architecture to develop projects for various departments at the University of Virginia. Anselmo realized a series of four design/build projects at the University of Michigan which ranged greatly in scale and scope. While teaching at the University of Michigan for seven years, Anselmo was the 2002 and 2004 recipient of the Donna M. Salzer Award of Teaching Excellence. He graduated from the University of Michigan with high distinction and was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi Medal. Anselmo was awarded an ACSA Faculty Research/Design Award during the annual conference in Chicago. In 2006, Anselmo founded TOOLPATH, Design + Digital Fabrication, LLC a research design practice which operates at the critical juncture between design and fabrication. He is deeply commitment to qualitative and sustainable advancements of the built environment and involves the use of new and emerging digital information and fabrication technologies as a critical component of a comprehensive research and design strategy. In 2007, Anselmo founded Initiative reCOVER – a University of Virginia School of Architecture design/build program established to assist humanitarian organizations with efforts to improve the built environment for populations affected by natural and man-made disasters. Initiative reCOVER promotes a constructive spirit of interdisciplinary collaboration and entrepreneurship to ensure diverse and effective design development and implementation. Based on a fundamental philosophy that design processes and building methods are dialectically interdependent, a building – or the act of building – is not simply considered a result, outcome, or even a product of design, but instead it is promoted as a collaborative effort well informed by thoughtful research, substantive interdisciplinary exchanges, and direct community involvement. Architecture and engineering, academic and professional, non-profit and governmental agency partnerships are essential for the efficacy of Initiative reCOVER’s primary goals. The three principal goals of Initiative reCOVER are as follows: first, to positively affect the design and building of safe, healthy, and sustainable communities around the world through partnerships with non-profit, humanitarian organizations; second, to focus the student’s attention on immediate, real-world, real-time, hands-on design applications and experiences in service of a comprehensive architectural design education; and third, to work to advance translational research in the areas of building materials, methods, techniques and technologies in the discipline of architecture.