A fifth-year architecture student presents her thesis to a jury.

Kossman Design Thesis Award & Lectures

The History

The Paul M. Kossman Endowment for Excellence was established by the late Paul Kossman, Kossman Development Corporation, and Paul’s wife, Agnes Kossman, to provide support for lectureships and student awards.

Paul Kossman earned his degree in architectural engineering from Penn State in 1949. As a proud alumnus, Kossman envisioned this award and lecture series to enrich the Architecture program at Penn State.

The endowment supports a thesis competition and lecture series in the Kossman name, which began in 1990 and has become a coveted award among fifth-year architecture students at Penn State.

Excerpt from Thomas Leonard's 2020 Kossman Award-winning design.

Kossman Senior Design Award

The Paul M. Kossman Senior Design Award in Architecture is presented to the most deserving fifth-year student for excellence in design based on their senior thesis and as recommended by the faculty and the jury to the head of the department.

Kossman Excerpt Archives

At top, a view of 40th Street Station in Philadelphia with a proposed architectural structure outlined atop to identify the location. Beneath are three views of the installation from different angles.
The floorplan of the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia with an area where a proposed architectural structure will be placed indicated.
Four images of an architectural model of an installation.
A cross sectional view of a wall
A musical score designed by Xi Jin for her 2022 Kossman Award-wining project.
Three side-by-side renderings of an architectural project showing the detailed design features.
A rendering of the outside of a community center for the homeless.
A colorful rendering of a recreation area inside a community center.
A colorful rendering of a sleeping and living area in a community center for the homeless
Excerpt from Thomas Leonard's 2020 Kossman Award-winning design.
A close up view of an architectural rending of a building.
An architectural rendering of a building on the banks of a river.
Three drawings of the different stages of a proposed building.
Four views of the placement of a building, its development, the roads surrounding it, and the removal of huts in the area.
Four views of the walls, roofing, slabs, and structure of a building.
A birds-eye view of the top of a proposed building.
An architectural model of a proposed building.
An architectural rendering of a building built into a mountain.
Four images of the schematic plans of a building.
A split-screen of a building with floating floors at left and a construction site at the right.
Three images of a proposed building with floating floors.
Six side-by-side photographs of buildings.
An architectural rendering of a building and its floor plans at right.
An architectural rendering of a building at left and elevated floor plans at right.
A wooden architectural model of a building
A split-screen image of a building site from above at left and an architectural rendering of a brick building at right.
A split-screen image of a schematic of building at left and a wooden model of a building at right.
An architectural model of a school and the surrounding area.
A split screen image of the site of a proposed school from above at left and a sketch of the proposed school at right.
A hand-drawn architectural rendering of a proposed school.