Maria Bentel


Maria Bentel was an American architect. She is known for her work as a founding partner of the architecture firm Bentel & Bentel Architects/Planners A.I.A.

Early life

Maria Bentel, née Maria-Luise Ramona Azzarone, was born on June 15, 1928, in New York City to Maria Teresa and Louis Azzarone, both of Italy. Bentel grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens.
Maria attended Hunter College High School and graduated in 1946. She was accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed the five-year bachelor of architecture program in 1951 as one of four females in her class. She studied with Alvar Aalto, Ralph Rapson, Pietro Belluschi and Laurence Anderson.
After graduation, she received a Fulbright-Hays Scholarship for 1952-1953, which she spent attending the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia.
The Jackson Heights, Queens native died on November 8, 2000 at her home in Locust Valley from complications of bone marrow cancer. She was 72.

Education

In 1976, Bentel became one of the first women to become a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects. And a year later she began teaching architecture at the New York Institute of Technology.
Bachelor of Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1951; Fulbright scholar, Scuola d'Architettura, Venice, Italy, 1952-1953. As an educator, Bentel was known for her demanding yet supportive teaching style and served as a mentor to many women starting out in the industry.

Career

Maria was a lecturer at the City University of New York before becoming a teacher at the Architecture School of New York Institute of Technology.
Registered professional architect, 1983-95 Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Vermont registered professional planner, New Jersey. Partner Bentel & Bentel, Locust Valley, New York, from 1955.
President Tesstoria realty corporation, New York City, from 1961.
Vice president, secretary-treasurer Correlated Designs, Inc., Locust Valley, from 1961.
Partner Cobblestone Enterprises, 1967. Founding member Locust Valley Business District Planning Commission, from 1968.
Regional vice chair Massachusetts Institute of Technology Educational Council. Advisory member Massachusetts Institute of Technology Council for the Arts. Associate professor architecture School Architecture and Fine Arts New York Institute of Technology. Member APD panel New York State Council for Arts, 1985-1989.

Bentel & Bentel

Maria and her husband Frederick Bentel founded the architectural firm Bentel & Bentel in 1957. its three principals are their sons Peter and Paul Bentel and Paul's wife Carol Rusche Bentel.

Personal life

Maria moved to Boston to study architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She married her husband Frederick Bentel in 1952.

Awards

Bentel & Bentel received 13 awards in design in architecture from organizations such as The AIA National Chapter and Archi Awards before Maria's death in 2000. Since her death, Bentel & Bentel has gone on to win 86 more awards for their accomplishments.
Named Woman Architect of Year Nassau-Suffolk County, 1976.