MARK J. LEONARDI ARCHITECT, PA
Profile
Mark J. Leonardi Architect, PA designs architecture from the edge where structure, climate, and daily life are deliberately resolved. In a coastal environment like Naples, architecture is not defined by façades or finishes alone, but by the spaces in between: the thresholds where inside and outside overlap, where shade tempers light, and where privacy and openness are carefully balanced.
We understand the edge not as a line, but as a zone of inhabitable thickness formed by walls, roofs, screens, and courtyards working together as a single architectural system. These elements shape how a home performs in the subtropical climate and how it is experienced every day. Overhangs moderate light and heat. Screens organize space and movement. Outdoor rooms become primary living environments rather than amenities added after the fact.
This philosophy is realized through a deliberate and disciplined design process. Our work begins by studying the conditions that shape experience. We examine how massing creates shade, how movement unfolds through layered transitions, and how architecture frames landscape while maintaining comfort and privacy. We design in section as much as in plan, resolving transitions early, before surface and finish, so that proportion, material, and detail meet the human body at full scale with clarity and restraint.
Through this process, architecture becomes not only composed, but relevant. Relevant to climate. Relevant to site. Relevant to how one lives. The home does not impose itself upon its setting or rely on stylistic cues for identity. Instead, it responds measured, grounded, and intentional.
In a Naples market often driven by surface expression and familiar luxury cues, our approach is quieter and more enduring. We do not pursue a prescribed style. Instead, we follow a considered process that produces architecture capable of performing spatially, climatically, and over time. The result creates homes that feel calm, connected to their setting, and deeply considered.
Ultimately, our work is defined less by what it encloses than by how it connects. An architecture shaped at the edge, guided by process, and made relevant through its response to place and life. Where shelter and openness coexist, and thoughtful design gives lasting meaning to coastal living.
Mark J. Leonardi
Principal Architect
Born and raised in northwestern Pennsylvania, Mark J. Leonardi received his Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University in 1985. Following graduation, he moved to New York City, where he interned with firms including Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and 1100 Architect. Working within these demanding professional environments shaped his understanding of architecture as a process-driven discipline - where disciplined inquiry, iterative refinement, and methodological rigor are essential to translating abstract ideas into enduring built form.
In 1993, Mark established his own practice, carrying forward that commitment to process as the foundation of his work. Initially undertaking educational, commercial, and residential commissions, he applied a consistent methodology across building types. That methodology grounded the work in proportion, structural clarity, and careful spatial resolution.
Over more than three decades, this disciplined approach has evolved into a focused engagement with custom residential architecture in complex coastal environments.
Through Mark J. Leonardi Architect, PA, he continues to pursue architecture that is measured, contextually attuned, and executed with restraint. The work privileges enduring relevance over stylistic expression and seeks to create homes that remain meaningful through time, climate and daily life.
Taylor Lichteberger, AIA
Project Architect
Taylor Lichteberger joined Mark J. Leonardi Architect, PA in 2019 and serves as a Project Architect within the practice. A licensed architect and member of the American Institute of Architects, she contributes to the firm’s work through the development and coordination of residential projects from early design phases through construction documentation and implementation.
A native of Naples, Taylor brings a strong familiarity with the region’s coastal environment, building practices, and regulatory framework. Her understanding of the local context informs a careful and pragmatic approach to project development and helps translate design intent into clear and carefully resolved architectural documentation.
Taylor received her Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Miami. Within the office she plays an integral role in advancing projects through design development and technical coordination, ensuring that the conceptual foundations of each project are carried forward with clarity and precision. Her work reflects the firm’s commitment to architecture shaped through process, where the careful resolution of structure, environment, and daily life gives form to spaces that are both enduring and thoughtfully realized.
