Alan Jesse “Al” Cuteri, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Founding Principal of Strada, will retire on December 31, 2025, after more than four decades in the profession and 25 years with the firm.
Before looking ahead to his next chapter, Al takes us back to where it all began, sharing the story of Strada’s founding, the vision that shaped it, and the people who made it possible.
If you missed the Epilogue, click here to check it out.
Part Two – Prologue: The Birth of Strada
By Alan Jesse “Al” Cuteri
My career has been shaped by a wonderfully diverse range of opportunities, ventures, and collaborations that laid the foundation for my role in Strada.
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, I gained valuable experience at both a small practice and a large firm—each offering unique lessons in design and professional growth. In the mid-1980s, I served as the Owner’s representative for the renovation and expansion of Taylor Allderdice High School, an intensive on-site role that deepened my passion for translating design into reality. By 1987, I had opened my first office, and by 1990 I was in partnership with another architect, before returning to sole practice in 1998.
At that time, conversations began with those who would become my future partners. I had served on the AIA Pittsburgh Board with John and Ed, and through them, met Michael. Together, we envisioned a multidisciplinary practice that would unite architecture, landscape architecture, preservation, interior design, and urban design. Our ambition was to shape not only individual buildings but also the communities they serve.
From the outset, we chose a name beyond our own—Strada, Italian for “street,” symbolizing the place where people and buildings come together, and a vision meant to endure long after us. That vision will come full circle with my retirement on December 31st, the last of the founding partners.
Our business motto was simple: do better than average architecture, make better than average money, and have fun. That spirit became part of the firm’s DNA—where design thrives on collaboration, relationships, and colleagues who bond over the joy of designing and creating meaningful experiences.
The journey has brought remarkable opportunities: the vision and design for Rivers Casino, the Fifth and Forbes Master Plan, and shaping Pittsburgh’s North Shore between the Steelers’ and Pirates’ stadiums with five major buildings. We helped transform Bakery Square into Pittsburgh’s ultimate mixed-use development, anchored by Google’s engineering hub and the newly designated AI Alley, tied in part to our design of Carnegie Mellon University’s groundbreaking Cloud Laboratory.
More recently, our work on The Battery in Philadelphia was honored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation with the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Award.
What began as an idea for a different kind of practice has grown into a legacy of transformative projects, enduring partnerships, and a culture that continues to inspire Design with People in Mind®.
