Robert Mastriana, a design architect and founding partner of 4M Company LLC, always knew he wanted to pursue architecture.
“I feel most architects are born with this passion and this gift, and if you’re a design architect, which is what I am and most architects are or strive to be, it’s just natural,” Mastriana told The Vindicator newspaper. “I started drawing homes, I think, in third grade, and it just starts that way. There was no question that I was going to be an architect. I wanted to be an architect from day one.”
Mastriana earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Kent State in 1972 and went on to establish the 4M Company, based in Boardman, Ohio, with his brothers and father shortly thereafter. The company provides both commercial and residential architectural services and has designed several important buildings in the Boardman community.
Mastriana’s love for traditional and timeless artwork is evident in his designs, such as the renovation of the Poland Library, a historical landmark, where President William Howard Taft is said to have spent time. In a recent interview with The Vindicator, Mastriana shared how his experience as part of Kent State University’s first class to study in Florence, Italy, shaped his design work. Today, the Kent State Florence program is an award-winning, nationally distinctive education-abroad experience for students.
“We got to spend a lot of time touring things. Out of all the artwork and the things that were the most impressive, my wife and I totally were just so impressed by the statue of David by Michelangelo,” Mastriana said. “The scale of it, the fact that it was carved out of solid marble. The veins. I mean, it was unbelievable and then the buildings and the domes and everything that they have done, we can’t even build buildings like that today. So that was one reason why we put the dome on the Poland Library.”
Reflecting on his passion for community service, Mastriana emphasized the importance of contributing time and skills to help others. He believes architects have a unique role in town planning and can significantly contribute to their communities.
“God gave us these talents to help the world and other people, and so I just feel this is one way I can contribute. Most people, especially if you’re wealthy, just write checks. And money, of course, can be replaced. But if you give up your time, it’s irreplaceable, and it’s something that can be lasting,” Mastriana told The Vindicator.
Read the full article from The Vindicator.
Photo Credits:
Header Image – Kent State Florence
Article images – 4M Company LLC; Brandon Cantwell, The Vindicator