Architetra Celebrates 25 Years with Lattanze Guitar Collaboration

Guitar design marries architectural elements with rare materials; reclaimed Brazilian Rosewood from recovered 1930’s Shipwreck

​PHILADELPHIA, December, 5, 2023  –Architetra p.c., a leading architectural firm specializing in residential and commercial design (based in Paoli, ​​Pa.), has announced its celebration of 25 years in business. To commemorate the milestone, Architetra’s co-founders Joseph Lombardi and Todd Kentzel partnered with Philadelphia luthier Anthony Lattanze, of Lattanze Guitars, to celebrate the similarities of architecture and guitar design. In partnering with a local luthier for the design and construction of a guitar, Lombardi mirrored his practice of hiring local artisans to create custom pieces for Architetra’s projects.

Joseph Lombardi, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Co-Founder of Architetra, is also a longtime composer and guitarist. Lombardi explained his idea for the guitar collaboration, saying, “Like architecture, custom guitar design is a combination of art, engineering, and intuition.” He continued, “In both disciplines, you have to bring your aesthetic vision to life within the formal limitations of an object’s structural reality. Artistic ambition and first rate engineering must harmonize perfectly to achieve an exceptional design and finished instrument.”

For Anthony Lattanze, founder of Lattanze Guitars, the path to becoming a luthier was almost inevitable. A fourth generation carpenter who achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Music, Lattanze took an old surfer maxim – before you can really ride the wave, you have to build your board – and applied it to his guitar playing. Lattanze explained, “I began to see luthiery as an extension of my playing and how I conceptualize the instrument. I’ve carried that sentiment into every guitar I’ve built.” With ten years of tutelage under world renowned luthier Bill Comins, Anthony has become a builder of musically and aesthetically exquisite guitars.

Lombardi and Kentzel had an overall vision for the guitars (Lattanze actually built two, highlighting minor variations in design and construction) and did the initial legwork developing the design motifs. The rosette features an egg and dart pattern, much as you would find along the cornices of an old classical building, with an abstract letter “A” as the “egg.” It is a subtle and beautiful touch, and reused on the purfling (the beading around the edge of the guitar). Lattanze’s meticulous execution of the pattern is magnificent. “These are my favorite rosettes that I’ve ever done,” he said.

Lattanze incorporated his signature fertility-themed inlay motif into the headstock that includes a vase, a root, and an egg. Architetra’s stylized “A” logo is contained within the egg. The two guitars diverge and become distinct on the headstock and neck, where Lombardi’s guitar features brass tuners and position markers, gold mother of pearl inlays, and gold frets, while the Kentzel’s uses nickel and stainless steel. The fretboard inlay design spotlights fire, water, air, and earth in mother of pearl hieroglyphs – inspirations taken from nature which are frequently reflected in architecture designs such as Art Nouvea and in Arts and Crafts architectural styles.

Lattanze’s choice of wood for the guitars was also very deliberate. The back and sides were made with Brazilian Rosewood, a species that can be difficult to obtain in good quality, as most of the availability is from reclaimed wood or fallen down trees. “That wood was very special. Brazilian Rosewood is on a global restriction list – it’s illegal to cut down. Most of what you find is not straight and not this color.” said Lattanze. He sourced his from a 1938 shipwreck off the coast of Brazil that was salvaged by divers in 2006. Among the cargo bound for Denmark were Brazilian Rosewood logs destined to be made into Danish furniture. Lattanze added, “the logs may have simply been too heavy for the ship.” The salvaged logs were subsequently processed in Brazil and sold to luthiers desirous of the unique tones inherent to some old waterlogged woods.

For Lombardi, the acoustics and the feel of a guitar are of the highest importance. While the tone of an acoustic guitar can deteriorate with a heavier, structurally reliable wood like Brazilian Rosewood, Lattanze was able to remove weight strategically, revealing the highly musical resonance that a guitarist desires. “I’m in love with the natural reverb and overtones that have long been associated with Brazilian Rosewood, and I couldn’t be happier with the result of Anthony’s efforts. These guitars are extraordinary products of art, engineering, and intuition, just like an outstanding, fully realized feat of first-rate architecture.”

Media Contact:

Carolyn Cordrey
carolyn@prescottpr.com
410-858-7266