Autumn 2013
Critic - Phu Hoang
Columbia University GSAPP
Istanbul’s most active public spaces are undeniably its sidewalks. These spaces are actively registered through virtual social networks. Today, Galata_Port is subjected to extensive spatial boundaries imposed by political authority between port, city, and country. Through active research, it was discovered that social networks allow virtual access to physically inaccessible places. The goal is to establish a relationship between street, sidewalk, and program by creating a social network through the integration of sidewalks in the global and local space, thus uniting different social groups. Proposed is a future where the city is connected with the waterfront and is occupied by local and global visitors of all classes by creating two piers & threee incisions.
Proposed are programs of recreation center that links to the existing park, visitor center that acts as a political node of the global and local and an artistic center that extends the existing cultural scheme. Their programs will generate economic growth and boost privatized development.
Summer 2013
Critic - Keith Kaseman
Columbia University GSAPP
Philadelphia is a city full of potential urban realities amongst underutilized spaces like many other cities. The 30th Street Railway Station train yard is fertile ground for expanding the city’s reach of new forms of occupation, and program. The construct has a widespread reach but can be expanded upon in an incremental membrane of space. It can act as a new type of urban-scape that can exhibit an array of possibilities for Philadelphia’s vibrancy. The implementation of an urban-scape model can start to respark the railyard with activity. The membrane is permeable, the urban- scape is inhabitable. These spaces can be cultivated across a wide-spread area. Since the train yard is barren, looking at the construct as a new form of program and movement, specifically a rideable type of movement, ie: bicycles, scooters, skates, strollers -- any transport for fast/slow pace. Rollable terrain stretches across the uppermost surface in separate directions. Water is collected at the surface and deposited in filtration tanks stored below.
Comprehensive Architectural Project
Autumn 2009 - Spring 2010
Critic - Chris Beorkrem
Univ. North Carolina - Charlotte
In a craftsman collaborative collective, the overarching premise is for collaborative working to develop between creative minds. Said minds must reside in dwellings built to respond to collaboration. With the selective displacement of artist office, dwelling, studio and workspace, even within the same building, the consequences could be that the dwellers never make it to collaboration because of the enormous opportunities in privacy. This typological example of collaboration must give way to more public than private workspaces, and a modified live-work typology would satisfy this premise. Modified in the format of living functions being loosely separated against the Studio. All craftsman Studios in the collaborative could be woven and joined together along facades to communicate to street traffic the use of this entire building- -the creative togetherness in creation of work. The weaving of the studios allows for interaction between craftsmen without having to move great distance to get an idea across.
In a city such as San Francisco, CA, there exists strong forces of history, and prevalent artist movements (originating in the 1950s) that ultimately affected American and World art for generations. Today, San Francisco’s neighborhoods offer a rich diversity, but none more artistically focussed as the South of Market neighborhood, or SOMA. SOMA is an area south of Market Street, the most dominant of streets in San Francisco. This area is made up of a plethora of art venues, theaters, shops, museums, institutions, universities, bars, residence studios, professional design studios, start-up internet companies, design firms and the like. SOMA has become one of San Francisco’s largest growing culturally invigorated urban neighborhoods.
Ideas & Issues
The corner site, at the intersection of Howard Street & Second Street, is a unique spare parking lot which is situated between the heights of the downtown business district and SOMA’s smaller scale urban buildings. Before design of a Craftsman Collaborative, it must first be defined as a building which houses artists and designers in residency programs for a temporary period, and displays the work that they create, work relative to the specific location (SF) and experiential, visual, or sensory stimulating. The forces acting on the site, it’s unique location, and the vitality of the place can coalesce within the project in the culmination of the craftsman's work for public display. Since this work is ever-changing, and ever-produced, the building should respond to this. The envelope is not simply the container, but a container with its contents on display for the entire metropolis to see and experience. Following this, the building should respond to the making-nature of artists and display their process first and foremost and final work should be secondary. The product is in effect, the process of the craftsmen's work. Collections, iterations, and processes are just as important as final works and should be visible to all patrons, and street traffic as well, in order to establish an identity for the specific place.
The Collaborative is always in flux, never at rest, a factory of creation, a factory of creative endeavors. The work is on display, and so is the process behind the work in the form of the artists’ studio, where all can see the creation taking place instantly. Patrons come to understand the work by visiting the Collaborative. The dialogue between craftsman and patron is essential for creative discourse to flourish.
Competition Details
Spring 2009
Critic - Chris Beorkrem
Univ. North Carolina - Charlotte
Any Given Moment
We are constantly moving. Our nature has adapted our species to mercilessly multitask. To not change & to not adapt would be counter-productive and cause instability. It is only natural & human to expect our shelter to adapt like we can. Without the extreme case of adapting to our every whim or desire, our structures can adapt to different uses at different times allowing to accommodate our overlapping agendas. To this end, we are creatures of transference, continually at work, forever in thought and tirelessly shifting. One's desire to do governs the outcome.
Under the constraints of three distinct programatic scenarios, we respond with a space that engages the occupants and adapts to meet their needs. The form for the pavilion is derived from these programatic scenarios and is achieved through a system of cables and low-gear hand winches that allow the occupants to easily and safely manipulate the architecture into the desired configuration. We conceptualized the pavilion as being similar to a Swiss Army Knife in that it is able to deploy to meet the needs of each particular scenario and then fold up into a compact form when not in use. In addition to the hinged side panels, our pavilion employs a set of four modular blocks that are arranged and stacked in order to meet further programatic requirements. The exhibition scenario transforms the two short sides into canopies that cover the standing sculptural pieces and allow the occupants to walk through the space to view the artwork. In the presentation scenario, only one of the canopies is employed, leaving the other short side as backdrop for an intimate presentation. Finally, in the party scenario, all panels are unfolded to create a bar with views towards the canal and a loungescape that encourages social interaction.
Competition Details
Spring 2009
Critic - Chris Beorkrem
Univ. North Carolina - Charlotte
A project by: New York City Affiliate of Architecture for Humanity, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, & Architizer LLC
Open to architects, engineers, artists, students and youth, FlyNY aspires to inspire design novices and professionals alike through the challenge of designing and flying a kite. At this summer's event, over 4,000 design professionals and community members are expected in attendance.
Founded in 2008 by architects Aurelie Paradiso and Victoria Partridge Walsh, FlyNY is an event by the New York City Affiliate of Architecture for Humanity.
In 2009, the inaugural FlyNY kite-flying extravaganza attracted over 2,000 designers, families and kite enthusiasts to Riverside Park. On a beautiful afternoon, volunteers distributed over 600 free kite kits to community children. A panel of distinguished judges, including Michael Sorkin, evaluated the designers’ original designs first flight. Winning designs were exhibited and auctioned to benefit the New York Affiliate of Architecture for Humanity.
Our challenge was to not only design and make a kite for the competition, but to design a kite pavilion to house multiple kites in the Central Park of New York City, namely in the East Meadow. Our kite consisted of recycled plastic grocery bags fused together to create a tyvek-like material, lightweight and durable & reclaimed drinking straws from typical fast food restaurants. The pavilion is a demonstration in movement with obscured sight lines creating a space that promotes discovery and wonderment.
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