Robyn Savacool, AIA & Aaron Bell, AIA - New Co-Chairs of the Housing Committee

Cheers to Robyn Savacool, AIA and Aaron Bell, AIA on becoming the new co-chairs of the Housing Committee!

About Robyn Savacool, AIA

Associate, CBP Architects

Robyn Savacool joined CBP in 2019. During her tenure she has been project architect/manager for several affordable housing projects and has worked with various non-profit clients; helping them to distill their needs and working to ensure their limited resources are used in the most effective ways. 

Robyn spent three years with the Peace Corps, in a concurrent graduate program that found her gathering photography for a thesis on place-identity in Moldova. In her third year, she partnered with EcoVillage Moldova, introducing sustainable and cooperative living concepts to the village of Rîșcova. Using predominantly local materials, such as straw bales, she helped build houses, confirming her interest in architecture with a decided emphasis on affordable housing. She strives to design thoughtful architecture that offers sustainability and dignity.

Robyn has been involved in her local community as a strategic planning consultant with Philadelphia’s Theatre Exile, participates in the Building Industry Association (BIA) of Philadelphia, and supports Green Building United.

She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology and a Master of Sociology from Illinois State University. She is registered in New Jersey.

Aaron Bell, AIA

Senior Associate, Strada Architecture

Aaron Bell is a Senior Associate at Strada Architecture, where he leads the firm’s AI policy and workflow development, oversees documentation and BIM standards, and manages several of the office’s large-scale projects, including The Battery in Philadelphia. His work on The Battery was recognized with the 2025 Driehaus Award.

Bell’s professional experience spans a range of building types, including K–12 education, hospitality, multi-family housing and high-rise conversions, life science facilities, restaurants, and master planning. He approaches these project types with a focus on technical rigor and the organizational systems that support high-quality design and project delivery.

Bell earned his Bachelor of Architecture from the Tyler School of Architecture at Temple University, where he received the Thesis Prize. He also studied and worked in Rome, Italy, an experience that broadened his understanding of urban structure, architectural history, and the relationship between design and public life.

In addition to his work in practice, Bell has been involved in neighborhood-level planning and implementation efforts. As a board member of the East Falls Development Corporation, he helped secure and administer approximately $500,000 in funding for local initiatives and coordinated the introduction of nearly one hundred new street trees along the Ridge Avenue corridor. His interest in community development emphasizes steady, incremental improvements to the public realm.

Within AIA Philadelphia, Bell serves on the Advocacy Committee and is the co-chair of the Housing Committee. His work focuses on issues of housing policy, zoning, and the role of architects in addressing the region’s affordability challenges. He has been an active proponent of Point Access Blocks as a tool for producing well-designed, neighborhood-scaled housing options consistent with missing-middle goals.

Bell’s broader professional perspective is shaped by a belief in walkable urbanism, the importance of public transit investment, and the value of civic engagement. His current committee work is directed toward understanding how architects can contribute more effectively to housing delivery and policy discussions in Philadelphia.

About the Housing Committee:

The Housing Committee of AIA Philadelphia has been established to provide an avenue for discussion, exploration, and continued education on all aspects of housing with a specific interest towards Philadelphia and the surrounding region. Planned activities include lunch presentations with local housing officials, panel discussions, as well as joint events with housing providers in the region. The committee is open to anyone with a shared interest in pursuing better housing outcomes for all.