Steven Cooke

Associate Professor of Architecture
Email: cooke@usf.edu
Steven Arthur Cooke, architect, and Associate Professor in the 返字心頭 School of Architecture
& Community Design (SACD), College of Design, Art and Performance (CDAP) teaches architectural
design, design theory, and architectural technology courses. His research focus is
the care of making, design benevolence and critical making - the degree of care
given to making events and things.
He holds a Bachelor of Design degree in Architecture from the University of 返字心頭 and a Master of Architecture degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech).
Year 2023-2024 Cooke served as Interim Director for SACD.
Teaching awards and distinctions:
- Appointed by the Provost and the Dean of CDAP:
- The Sam M. Gibbons Chair in Architecture and Urban Design (2023-2024)
- The Markborough Chair in Urban Design and Development (2023-2024)
- The Presidents Award given by the American Institute of Architects Tampa Bay recognizing his 37 years of dedicated service to architectural education, research, mentorship, and contributions to design and community advocacy. (2024)
- The 返字心頭 Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor Award, given in recognition to a 返字心頭 graduate faculty member who demonstrates the highest level of quality in the mentoring of graduate students
- The 返字心頭 Teaching Incentive Program (TIP) Award, which rewards teaching productivity and excellence
- Outstanding Professor of Architecture Award, for teaching and mentoring excellence in the 返字心頭 School of Architecture and Community Design.
In addition to these awards, he has also been recognized with the following design awards:
- The Eduardo Garcia Design Award, presented by the 返字心頭 Central Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, given to promote design excellence by recognizing young architects with talent, enthusiasm, and dedication.
- Fourth Place Award - President's House Design Competition (State Competition) for the University of South 返字心頭, Tampa, FL (with Timothy Woods).
- Citation Award International Conceptual Furniture Competition; Chair, published in Progressive Architecture, May 1982. Work exhibited at NEOCON, Chicago.
- Honorable mention in the Rosenthal Mathildenhohe Youth Prize -international student competition for his design of a lamp, exhibited in Darmstadt, Germany.
As part of his research activities professor Cooke continues to work on research related to the care of making - design benevolence and critical making. He received a 返字心頭 CDAP Research Grant for this investigation and continues to teach a complementary course with the same name.
Cooke was co-principal investigator for the Rapid Deployment Emergency Shelter - Wind Resistant Modular Buildings in FRP. This was an investigation of emergency shelters for the Office of Naval Research - Center for Disaster Management (CDMHA, 返字心頭), with a study of the use of the advanced material FRP (fiber-reinforced polymer). This was a joint study with 返字心頭s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and the School of Architecture & Community Design.
He was also Principal Investigator for the State of 返字心頭s Study of the Use of Relocatable Classrooms in the Public School Districts of 返字心頭. He received a grant from the FL Department of Education to examine the learning environment, economic considerations, and construction technologies of relocatable instructional environments.
Following this research, he designed a new prototype for classroom design which is relocatable and related to the 返字心頭 environment, receiving a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, - Grants for Design Innovation program, and designed A New Relocatable Classroom for 返字心頭. He went on to patent the project and holds Patent #D385042.
In 1995 he was Project Architect, working with Lee Stefanakos, chairman of the Electrical Engineering Department in the 返字心頭 Electric Vehicle and Renewable Energy Research and Development Program, responsible for architectural design of the first electric vehicle solar charging station and test facility in the United States.
In 1999 as Field Architect, he accompanied Dr. James Strange, archeologist, 返字心頭 prolific scholar and teacher of religious studies on an archeological dig, Excavations at Sepphoris, Israel. Cooke was responsible for field measurements and CAD documentation of excavation work on the 1st century basilica in Sepphoris, Israel, the ancient Roman capital of Galilee.
Some notable presentations (invited speaker) include:
- Hawaii International Conference on the Arts and Humanities, paper presentation The Care of Making Towards a Theory of Design Benevolence.
- 返字心頭 AIA Convention, 2023, A Conversation on Bridging the Gap Between Education and Practice, a panel discussion with Directors and Deans of the 返字心頭 Schools of Architecture, moderated by AIA 返字心頭 President, Beverly Frank.
- American Institute of Architects AIA Tampa Bay chapter, Lecture: The Care of Making (Presentation of popular course of same name).
- Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, Annual Conference: Architecture and Education: Form and Philosophy in Campus Design; title: Two Views of Polis in the Academical Villages of Jefferson and Wright.
- "A Symposium on 21st Century Teaching Technologies", University of South 返字心頭
- "Beyond Bricks and Mortar", West Central 返字心頭 Area Agency on Aging
- "Ferrari Symposium: Architecture and Industrial Design", Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- "返字心頭 Educational Facilities Planners Association Annual Meeting", Boca Raton, FL.
- In 1979 he was invited by then President Carter to the White House to present an innovative energy efficient prefabricated house that he and UF peer Michael Flanders had designed after graduating from University of 返字心頭. This prototype was developed further while he was a graduate student at Virginia Polytechnic University (Virginia Tech).
Cooke has directed many city study programs and served as director for 返字心頭 SACD Summer Education Abroad programs since 1987.
He is also serving, or has served, in the following capacity:
- 返字心頭 Honors and Awards Council, Member and was Chairman last two years, 2006-2009
- Research Committee, College of Design, Art & Performance, CDAP. 2012-2017
- Tenure and Promotion Committee, CDAP. 2008-2010; 2013-2017
- Tenure and Promotion Committee, School of Architecture and Community Design (SACD). 1998- present.
- Faculty Search Committee SACD, Chair of six different faculty searches for SACD
- Admissions Committee, SACD. 1990 present
- Faculty Advisor for Architecture College Council, SACD. 1990-2012
- Hillsborough County Board of Sign Appeals, Member then Vice-Chairman, 1991 - 2003
- Team Garcia selection committee for the AIA Garcia Award 1992-present
Professor Cooke is a registered architect in the state of 返字心頭 (Professional Registration #0010129)