Corbelletti Design Charrette
the namesake & hand-drawn design
The Raneiro Corbelletti Memorial Student Awards Fund was established by George H. Miller (’73 B.S. Arch.) and his wife, Anne Tichich, in memory of Corbelletti who was head of the Department of Architecture at Penn State from 1968 to 1988.
Additional support for the fund was established by Lou Astorino (’69 B.S. Arch.).
Corbelletti had a significant influence on many Penn State architecture students during his tenure at the University, during which time he also served as interim dean of the College of Arts and Architecture.
The award funds the monetary prizes for winners of the annual Corbelletti Design Charrette, in which students respond to a brief, focusing on the use of hand drawing and rendering. A respected teacher, administrator, and practitioner, Corbelletti gained international recognition for his own drawing and rendering skills.
Winners typically use their awards to help fund their study abroad expenses.


The competition
The annual Corbelletti Design Charrette traditionally marks the start of a new academic year for upper-level Penn State architecture students. A competition brief is authored and presented by at least one visiting architect to students within the first few days of the fall semester. The visiting architect hosts a lecture to delve deeper into the motivations behind the brief, and also serves as the guest juror of the competition.
Students are to consider the intellectual notions presented in the brief — along with historical precedents, projects, and relevant literature — as they undertake to craft a hand-drawn narrative and visual design response to the brief over the next several days.
Entries are due by the end of the week and are traditionally displayed in the Stuckeman Family Building Jury space for open judging. An awards ceremony is held following the judging session. Jurors award a first-place winner and may also determine second-place and honorable mention submissions.
The Corbelletti Competition is open to second-year through graduate-level architecture students.
Visit the Corbelletti Digital Archives to view the winning designs.

Past Winners
2022
- Sophie Marks
- Madison Asbury, Marisa Calbi, Kieron Cook, Grace Fallon, Gaurav Ganguli, Megan Vercilla, and Katie Zezyus (Honorable Mention)
2021
- Puja Bhagat (1st)
- Noah Bennett (2nd)
- Katie Bair, Mila Hirsch, Aysan Jafarzadeh, and Katie Morgante (Honorable Mention)
2020
- Tiffanie Leung (1st)
- Brad Feitl (2nd)
- Miranda Ocampo (3rd)
- Puja Bhagat and Olivia Heim (Honorable Mention)
2019
- Karen Fenner (1st)
- Xi Jin (2nd)
- Audrey Buck and Paul Pannasow (Honorable Mention)
2018
- Drew Marshall (1st)
- James Graef and Emily Troutman (2nd–tie)
- Brenna Pribanic, Molly Mank, Alec West, Natalie Walter, Zainab Hanzakian, Annabel Hnath, Teresa Pecher, and Saige Runyan (Honorable Mention)
2017
- Heather Schneider (1st)
2016
- Alexia Cavasos (1st)
2015
- Heather Schneider (1st)
- Owen Marhefka (2nd)
- Zhen Tong, Andrew Barnett, Molly Mank, and Alexia Cavasos (Honorable Mention)
2014
- Lindsay Connelly (1st)
- Brittany Hardaway and Andrew Hoffman (2nd–tie)
- Torin Miner, Fitore Shllaku, Lauren Pelletier, Matt Avallone, Hannah Lasota, and Marie McKenna (Honorable Mention)
2013
- Rosalie Schlenk (1st)
2012
- Connor Pritz (1st)
2011
- Michael Stonikinis (1st)
- Alex Donahue (Honorable Mention)
2010
- Elise Stirzel (1st)
- Alex Donahue (Honorable Mention)
2009
- Nathaniel Rice (1st)
2008
- Qian Li (1st)
2007
- Justin Towart (1st)
2006
- Mian Ye (1st)
2005
- Tianwei Xia (1st)
2004
- Jacklynn Arndt (1st)
2003
- Jay Stauffer (1st)
2002
- John Jackson (1st)
2001
- Marilia Rodrigues (1st)
2000
- Jason Cole (1st)
1999
- Rodney Lindsey (1st)
1998
- Corrie Messinger (1st)
1996
- Patrick Hyland (1st)
1995
- Steven Shaffer and Curtis Gibbs (1st–tie)
1994
- Gerald Smith (1st)
1993
- Kathleen Lynch (1st)
1992
- Carol Donten (1st)
1991
- Kenneth Roscioli (1st)
1990
- Douglas Patt (1st)
Visiting Architects & Themes
2022
- Tsz Yan Ng
Theme: Façade Integration
2021
- Reza Azard
Theme: Cities, From Old to New
2020
- Pia Simmendinger
Theme: Experiencing Abstract Space
2019
- Susanne Gampfer
Theme: The Invisible Inside
2018
- Hugo Dworzak
Theme: Float and Fly
2017
- Leonidas Papalampropoulos and Georgia Syriopoulou
Theme: A City with Two Climates
2016
- Mike Webb
Theme: What is a home without a Mother?
2015
- James Wines
Theme: The ‘Selfie Structure’
2014
- Perry Kulper
Theme: Drawn Down
2013
- Shayne O’Neil
Theme: Drawing Conclusions
2012
- Dennis Maher
Theme: The Perfect Point of Contact