Pratt Institute

Education

B.Arch, Pratt Institute

Biography

Anthony Mekel began his career in design with a degree at our own Pratt Institute. After several years of experience in the architectural field as a meticulous and disciplined traditional hand-draftsman, his passion turned to the world of corporate interior design.  In his efforts to pursue a design process that brought to bear all the benefits of using a digital design skill set,  including accuracy and efficiency, greater quality control, and a direct link between the designer and the contract documents, Mr. Mekel focused on software applications such as AutoCAD, 3D Studio MAX, and Photoshop – learning and mastering each on his own. Always remembering that the computer is merely a tool for design, and that the ultimate use for this tool is in more effectively communicating the design intent to the client, to the production team, and to the agent of construction, his knowledge and use of these applications have led to many successful projects at some of New York City’s largest and most prestigious architectural firms.  From dot-com projects to traditional workspaces to corporate headquarters design, Mr. Mekel’s contributions as a Senior Designer and Project Architect at Mancini-Duffy, The Phillips Group, and most recently at HOK give him the valuable perspective of using a digital design skill set in the professional practice. It was during that tenure that he felt the calling to share his skills, to mentor junior staff, and ultimately begin a successful second career as a part-time AutoCAD instructor at Pratt Institute – for over 10 years now.