A JOURNEY OF EMPOWERMENT
The Barack Obama presidential center acts as a catalyst that engages a multiplicity of connections, programs and places that unite the community of Jackson Park. The user is put through an experiential journey that creates opportunities for all walks of life. Along this journey the visitor travels on an elevated pathway that penetrates through the building and beyond creating an adventure within a picturesque landscape. While nesting within the tree line the design preserves an existing grove of trees and programs that exist on site. My building is a symbol of those connections and the unity we all strive for.
One of my goals for this project was to blur the lines between landscape and the built environment. A challenge that came across was trying to preserve the existing characteristics of the site such as the dense population of trees and programing that is use by the community on the daily bases. Barriers were created from these existing characteristic so the design intent was to work with them instead of against.
The concept of the design represents a legacy that proves even the most difficult change is possible. This project is based on the idea of breaking barriers.
The site for the design is positioned in Jackson Park which is located in Hyde Park on the south side of Chicago. Within this site South Cornell Drive splits Jackson Park creating a barrier that generates heavy vehicular traffic. This makes it difficult to have a direct pathway to the Lagoon that avoids traffic. On the side of the Lagoon other features included the Osaka Garden and the Museum of Science and Industry which would make for a great opportunity to connect and engage other activities with the presidential center to add to the diversity of programs within Jackson Park.
The form of the design was created from organic massing in a programmatic way according to the site. Based on the activity around the site generated the decision on how to insert new development without making any changes to the existing structures on the site unless necessary.
The structural system for the design consist of Site-Cast concrete with a two way flat slab. Fifty percent of the exterior facades are covered with vertical ivy garden walls which are connected by perforated steel panels.
This project proposes a revised relationship between the fluid layers of social infrastructure and the more robust and entrenched physical structure that remains important to certain users. How can we activate, occupy and re-imagine the physical infrastructure of the overlapping set of conditions? Which includes the seemingly ownership, the right to the various layers and by default explores new ideas about public space and the commons. As such, architecture will need to be accommodating and clear in the manner that it opens up new forms of engagement with the context and with the users.
The design proposes a meshwork of movement layers that are punctuated with more focused nodes of deliberate and curated activities. The layers of movement would allow for the sharing of ideas and products with the wider public, whereas the concentrated nodes would allow intellectual lectures that require a more controlled environment. The landscape and the building as contextualized within this northern corner of the island will be self-revealing and communicate the degree of interaction, transaction and social agency afforded by this proposed development. Hoping that the architecture will in time transcends notions of form and manifest the fit and complexity of the layered use patterns.
The digital manufacturing incubator explores the idea of using architecture as a tool to funnel people through the site by creating a network that embraces layers of movement. There were three key terms that were chosen to represent the concept of this project; layers, nodes and delusive spaces. Layers of folds were used to create a means of circulation and movement throughout the site. Nodes were used to create activity spaces for users to stop and engage, creating a break from movement throughout the site. The term delusive as used to generate thresholds that would funnel users into grand spaces therefore, causing a deluded experience.
Within this idea of fluid layers of movement will lead to nodes of activities. These activities will involve gathering spaces such as popup installation space that will generate focal points of exclusive interactions. The layers of movement will involve exhibits throughout the public space adding an intriguing experience for all users, showcasing newly developed ideas to the community. This scheme will inspire a fluidness between spaces, building a vibrant social relationship of sharing and observing. In conclusion this process will create a pedestrian engaged atmosphere with information and people flowing through the space leisurely reviling a way in which we interact and communicate with one another. this concept designs an interface that facilitates product and information to all users. This architectural tool uses a robust form with a fluid function to guide users through the site by leading them to interactive activities throughout the space.
A soft drawing is the type of communication that relies on bias and intuition in design processes. It mobilizes different mediums, techniques and genres of representation and champions imaginative realities.
Through embedding narrative, this drawing enhances the communicative ability of traditional representational mediums for both specialized and non specialized audiences. This drawing focuses on proposition of suggesting new worlds orders and futures.
Surrounding suburbs once densely populated are being depleted of their resources such as security, water, energy and people in order to support the development of the future city. People are migrating to the future city for a better quality of life and opportunity. Therefore, leaving the suburban lifestyle in its ruins. This has caused the remaining inhabitants to live in dystopia, creating two types of social classes; the Remembered and the Forgotten.
Inspired by the eastern screech owl this abstract drawing brings together a complex system of layered information to depict the owl in its natural habitat and essential qualities such as hunting, being a nocturnal creature and its camouflage defense mechanism. The owl feathers resemble tree bark which helps it blend within the forest. Another fascinating quality is how an owl maneuvers through a maze like forest which nature provides with its arrangement of trees that are identical and yet the owl remains capable of finding its nest.
The pavilions intent was to create a environment that obscured the view of the pavilion. The pavilion use will be for educational purposes and musical performances. The eastern screech owl is known for its loud screech which it uses to express itself. People will give musical performances to express themselves within the pavilion. The pavilion will also act as an observatory space to view the site from within the sanctuary of Montrose beach.
Fen Observatory started with a sketch of person within the landscape of the fen that described their relationship with the environment. When exploring the fen after a few hours one begins to feel overwhelmed by the vegetation that inhabits the area.
Being able to view the site from above relieves this feeling of being overran by the fen. Up and away leaving behind green pasture. Soaring into the sky viewing the area from above.
The concept of this project attempts to express the relationship between positive and negative space through a series of courtyards in the heart of Havana, Cuba. The form derived from the manipulation of hardscape which was divided by the city's street grid.
The campus attempts to act as a port which creates a place where people can get away from communist ways and express their beliefs through the art of performance. This design creates a gathering area which expresses the Cuban culture "love and friendship."
This historic landmark in Bay City Michigan known as the Crapo building was built in the late 1891 for commercial use. In the 60's the exterior of the building was modernized with a steel screen that wrapped the existing structure from the second floor and above. The entire first floor of the interior was converted into exterior glass walls.
A model was generated to develop a strategy to preserve its historic features and restore what was lost such as the first floor exterior efficiently as possible.
The objective of the design charrette formed by Kenya Relief Organization was to design a cafeteria addition for the academy within 8 hours. This project involved a design team of three people.
The program included conference rooms, a kitchen, food prep area, storage room, and a staging area. The design concept was to create a boundary that protected the children from the outer environment while welcoming in the community with open arms.
Other key features were to include sustainable design by using construction techniques and building materials that were accustom to the region. Design features included rainwater harvasting, natural daylighting, and a natural ventilation system.
Personal involvement includes concept design, constructing schematic floor plans, exterior elevations, and 3D modeling.
