Fuse
University of Maryland | Fall 2015
ARCH 600 Integrated Design Studio | Professor Garth Rockcastle, FAIA Washington, D.C. The Union Market neighborhood of Washington, D.C. has spent much of its history as a food hub of the city. Though the open-air market closed its doors in the early 1960’s, the area has maintained its eclectic, lively character. However, developers are pushing a high density mixed use agenda which is threatening to drive out the authentic wholesale market vendors.
This project aims to acknowledge the historic character of the market while looking towards the future with Pigmental Animation Studios on the site of an abandoned warehouse. By dissecting and revealing the existing structure, creating points of exchange, and stitching various programs, the new structure will FUSE the existing neighborhood fabric with the modern Union Market and Gallaudet University. |
Diverge
University of Maryland | Fall 2015
ARCH 460 Site Analysis and Design | Lecturer Jana Vandergoot, RA Takoma Park, Maryland This course approached site analysis and design through the themes of site systems and infrastructure. Through the semester, I was tasked with completing multiple design vignettes, culminating in a final term project which explored the threshold between architecture and landscape architecture.
My design focused on a small area of Takoma Park, Maryland. Using the concept of paper streets - streets designed but never built - I designed an intervention within a small wooded area. Analysis of the area through the lens of landscape ecology, history, and mobility provided direction for the form of the design. The design addresses the lack of connectivity between residents and the natural environment. Considering PATH, GROUND, and CANOPY, I created a path that allows people to meander through the woods. The ultimate effect is for residents to DIVERGE from their daily routine and retreat into the woods for a reflective stroll through nature. |
Void
University of Illinois Study Abroad | Spring 2015
ARCH 476 Architectural Design and Exploration | Lecturer Jaime Batlle Barcelona, Spain Barcelona’s markets are deeply rooted within the city’s Old Town. Though the city expanded past its Gothic walls with Ildefons Cerdà’s Eixample plan, Barcelona is still in touch with its historic core. Located on the edge of the Eixample grid, this site was ideally located to connect the new city to the old through the market program.
As opposed to focusing on designing the mass, the architecture instead looks at designing the void. The dimensions of the Old Town follow this thinking and served as the foundations for the market’s form. Through plan, section, materials and elevations, the future market will provide a seamless connection between the two hearts of the city. |
Budapest In Detail
As part of the Illinois Architecture Study Abroad Program, I was fortunate enough to travel to Budapest, Hungary for a week long travel workshop. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Visiting Lecturer M. Smearman guided the workshop which aimed to study the evolution of architectural styles within the unique urban fabric of Budapest. I collected detailed observations documented in the form of journal entries, on-site sketches, and photographs of cultural landmarks throughout the city. Struck by the evolution of detail in Hungarian architecture over time, I chose this as my area of focus.
We were provided with accordion sketchbooks created from BFK Rives Printmaking paper to craft an experiential timeline. I collaged my sketches and journal entries on top of strips of historic travel maps of Budapest. Additionally I created a map documenting my travels throughout the city. The exercise allowed me the freedom to experiment with other artistic techniques for documenting visual analysis. |
Hub
University of Illinois Study Abroad | Fall 2014
ARCH 475 Comprehensive Design Studio | Lecturers Tomeu Ramis + Amadeu Santacana Barcelona, Spain A large concrete box enclosing both metro and high-speed train lines imposes a physical divide within the Sants neighborhood of Barcelona. I decided to use the nearby train station to activate an empty lot adjacent to the box. The main focal point of the design is a flexible amphitheater. Topographic stairs inside the theater
and around the building create gathering spaces to invite people in to the building and up to the concrete box. With future plans for parks along the top of the box, this intervention will serve as an ideal connection between the box and the neighborhood, becoming a future hub for activity and life within Sants. |