Rossitza Kotelova MArch ‘15 is a designer at Piaggio Fast Forward where she is the lead designer on exterior features of the robot Gita, interfacing between design, mechanical, and electrical engineering. Gita, the team’s first product, was recently featured on the Today Show, and in The Economist, Wired, the Boston Globe, as well as in other media outlets. Kotelova was one of four team members first hired at Piaggio Fast Forward and has the unique experience of participating in the evolution of the company as well as the creation of Gita from concept sketch to fully functioning prototype.

While at the GSD, Kotelova was selected to participate in the ETH Zurich exchange program, where she worked with pioneering robotic fabrication architects Gramazio & Kohler on complex timber structures. After returning to Harvard, she continued to investigate design through robotics, working with a team to develop the Robotic Roller which strives to eliminate the mold necessary in manufacturing variable surface ceramic tiles. She was an architectural design intern at SHoP Architects in NYC, SCB Architects in Chicago, and E2A Architekten in Zurich. Kotelova continues to apply her architectural training by leading the efforts on spatial projects taken on by Piaggio Fast Forward, including the company’s office space which was featured on BostInno’s Office Envy.

Photos courtesy of Kotelova.

Kotelova_PFF Team_Gita