Puerto Rican architect Antonio Fiol-Silva has distinguished himself through his professional work in both architecture and urban planning. Urban planning focuses on organizing and designing the built environment on a large scale, including cities, neighborhoods, and public spaces. It considers the broader context and how buildings connect through streets, transportation, green spaces, and services to make a city function as a whole.

Architecture, on the other hand, focuses on the design, structure, and construction of specific buildings, as well as their technical and aesthetic balance. Through his academic training, Antonio developed an interest in architectural projects centered on urban planning to create vibrant, resilient, and cohesive places.

The distinguished professional served in the public sector as director of Urban Development for the city of San Juan during the administration of Mayor Sila María Calderón, who promoted the revitalization of the capital through the creation of the Department of Urban Development and the Department of Public Works, so they could work together. Among Fiol-Silva’s urban projects were “El Tren Urbano,” a railway system with 15 stations, and “La Placita” in Santurce.

Midway through his career, he worked on large-scale urban projects that advanced transformative initiatives in both his adopted city of Boston and his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico. These projects involved collaborations with public officials, planners, engineers, and the general public. “The configuration of cities begins with planning, and by establishing this cohesive framework for growth, movement, and public life, planning transforms individual spaces that support community, identity, and enduring civic values,” he says.

The architect moved to Philadelphia because his wife is from the city. In 2016, he founded his firm, SITIO A+U, which is characterized by its commitment to sustainability, design excellence, and the creation of places with a strong sense of community. He leads a team that includes Elizabeth Mahon, Karen Blanchard, and Andrew Ferrarelli. Among the firm’s major urban projects are the Steelstacks Master Plan in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and the development of Bridesburg Riverfront Park.

The firm’s work has received local and international recognition. It has earned seven Urban Land Institute (ULI) Philadelphia Awards for Excellence and a ULI Global Award for Excellence, one of the highest honors in urban development worldwide.

One of the firm’s most emblematic architectural designs in Philadelphia is the Taller Puertorriqueño building, created to celebrate Latino heritage and the resilience of the Puerto Rican community in the diaspora.

SITIO is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a public exhibition titled “En Su Sitio / In Its Place,” housed in the Taller Puertorriqueño building. The retrospective explores the firm’s philosophy and how architecture can shape collective identity, social inclusion, and memory, rather than being treated as an isolated object.

Antonio graduated with a degree in Architecture from Cornell University and holds a master’s degree in Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University. He has been named an American Institute of Architects Fellow (FAIA) and has received multiple distinctions from the Urban Land Institute (ULI), as well as the prestigious John Frederick Harbeson Award in 2023.

This Architect of Impact is known for his humility, teamwork, patience, and ability to listen to the community when developing projects that connect the physical environment with local culture. On November 7, he invited Maurice D. Cox, the “Emma Bloomberg” Professor in Residence of Urban Planning and Design at Harvard University, to speak at Taller Puertorriqueño. The talk was titled “The Power of Place.”

The exhibition “En Su Sitio / In Its Place” will remain open to the public at Taller Puertorriqueño, in North Philadelphia, through November 14.