Daniela Vargas Arias - Portfolio

AN ARCHITECTURAL PORTFOLIO SHOWCASING UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE PROJECTS COMPLETED BY DANIELA VARGAS ARIAS AT BOTH THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA AND VIRGINIA TECH.

COMMENCING WITH HER MASTER THESIS PROJECT, THE IRON HEART MEMORY VILLAGE, COMPLETED IN SPRING 2024, THIS INNOVATIVE ENDEAVOR AIMS TO REVOLUTIONIZE DEMENTIA CARE THROUGH ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, EMPHASIZING LOW-DENSITY HOUSING WITH ACCESS TO AMENITIES AND NATURAL SURROUNDINGS. FOLLOWING THIS, THE PROFILE HIGHLIGHTS THE SHADOW PLAY MUSEUM, FINALIZED IN SPRING 2023 AND LOCATED IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA. THIS FACILITY IS SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO ACCOMMODATE VARIOUS FORMS OF CONTEMPORARY ART PERFORMANCES. LASTLY, ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO THE SUPREME COURT MUSEUM, COMPLETED DURING DANIELA’S SENIOR YEAR IN SPRING 2018. COLLABORATING WITH CBDS TEAMS, SHE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DESIGN EFFORT FOR A COMPETITION SITUATED AT THE NATIONAL MALL OF DC. THEIR FIRST-PLACE ACHIEVEMENT IN THE DESIGN COMPETITION, FROM CONCEPTUALIZATION TO CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION, HIGHLIGHTS THEIR EXCEPTIONAL WORK.

THIS PORTFOLIO AIMS TO SPOTLIGHT THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED ACCLAIM IN COMPETITIONS AND AMONG PEERS, PROVIDING AN INSIGHTFUL OVERVIEW OF DANIELA’S CURRENT PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS.

MEMORY VILLAGE HEART IRON

PROPOSAL OF ELEMENTS

LIGHT | RADIANCE

TRANQUILITY | STILLNESS

SOLID/ VOID | FULL/EMPTY

SHADOW | REPETITION

OUR MISSION IS TO REVOLUTIONIZE DEMENTIA CARE THROUGH INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, PRIORITIZING LOW-DENSITY HOUSING WITH ACCESS TO AMENITIES AND NATURAL SURROUNDINGS. WE INVOLVE PATIENTS IN THE DESIGN PROCESS TO FOSTER INDEPENDENCE, COMFORT, AND SAFETY, VALUING THEIR INPUT. OUR INTEGRATED APPROACH PROMOTES MOBILITY AND MEANINGFUL INTERACTIONS, CREATING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR PATIENTS, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, AND VISITORS. BY RECOGNIZING THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF PERSONAL, PHYSICAL, AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS, WE CULTIVATE A UNIFIED AND NURTURING ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE FACILITIES. THROUGH THOUGHTFUL PROGRAMMING AND DESIGN, WE AIM TO ELEVATE THE OVERALL WELL-BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR DEMENTIA PATIENTS.

NATURAL STONE

PROPOSAL OF MATERIALS

SYCAMORE WOOD

BALD CYPRESS

TERAZZO

THE IRON HEART MEMORY VILLAGE

THE PROPOSED ARCHITECTURAL REDESIGN FOR DEMENTIA CARE FACILITIES ADVOCATES FOR LOW-DENSITY HOUSING, OFFERING ACCESS TO PUBLIC AMENITIES, ENTERTAINMENT, AND NATURAL SURROUNDINGS, THEREBY SIMULATING EVERYDAY LIFESTYLES TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR DEMENTIA PATIENTS. CENTRAL TO THIS DESIGN ETHOS IS THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH DEMENTIA SHOULD FRAME THE DESIGN PROCESS, FOSTERING ENGAGEMENT, INDEPENDENCE, AND A SENSE OF MEANING, COMFORT, AND SAFETY. RECOGNIZING THE INSEPARABLE LINK BETWEEN PERSONAL, PHYSICAL, AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS IN THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF DEMENTIA, THE DESIGN INTEGRATES THESE ASPECTS HARMONIOUSLY TO CREATE A COHESIVE AND SUPPORTIVE ATMOSPHERE. BY REIMAGINING PROGRAM SPACES WITHIN LOW-DENSITY HOUSING, THE DESIGN FACILITATES INDEPENDENT MOBILITY WHILE ENCOURAGING INTERACTION AMONG PATIENTS, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, AND VISITORS IN DAILY ACTIVITIES, ULTIMATELY AIMING TO ELEVATE THE OVERALL LIFESTYLE OF DEMENTIA PATIENTS.

FOURTH LEVEL

THE GREENHOUSE COURTYARD

AN ENCLOSURE STRUCTURE THAT EVOKES THE TRANQUIL AMBIANCE OF A GREENHOUSE, COMPLETE WITH CLERESTORY WINDOWS ADORNING ITS ROOF, STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED TO WELCOME AMPLE NATURAL LIGHT AND BREEZE. THIS SPACE IS INGENIOUSLY CRAFTED TO CATER TO THE NEEDS OF INDEPENDENT DEMENTIA PATIENTS, PROVIDING THEM WITH A UNIQUE BLEND OF PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY AND A SECLUDED GREEN OASIS TO CALL THEIR OWN. HERE, AMIDST THE VERDANT FOLIAGE AND SOOTHING ATMOSPHERE, RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO EMBRACE A SENSE OF AUTONOMY AND RECONNECT WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND THEM, FOSTERING A PROFOUND SENSE OF WELL-BEING AND BELONGING. BEYOND ITS PRACTICAL FEATURES, THIS COURTYARD SERVES AS A SANCTUARY—A PLACE WHERE RESIDENTS CAN RETREAT FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF DAILY LIFE AND FIND SOLACE IN THE SERENITY OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS. IT’S MORE THAN JUST A PHYSICAL SPACE; IT’S A TESTAMENT TO COMPASSIONATE DESIGN, OFFERING DEMENTIA PATIENTS A HAVEN WHERE THEY CAN THRIVE AND FLOURISH INDEPENDENTLY.

THE COMMUNITY COURTYARD

THIS COURTYARD A SENSORY-RICH ENVIRONMENT. WITHIN ITS CONFINES, AN ARRAY OF CAREFULLY SELECTED AMENITIES AWAITS, METICULOUSLY DESIGNED TO CAPTIVATE AND STIMULATE ALL THEIR SENSES, PROMOTING MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. ENCOMPASSED BY A CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM ENCASING ALL FOUR SIDES, THIS ENCLOSED SPACE PROVIDES A SECURE HAVEN WHERE PATIENTS CAN FREELY EXPLORE THEIR SURROUNDINGS UNDER VIGILANT SUPERVISION. WHAT SETS THIS COURTYARD APART IS ITS INNOVATIVE DESIGN, FEATURING OPERABLE WINDOWS STRATEGICALLY PLACED ON EVERY FLOOR, ALLOWING NATURAL LIGHT AND FRESH AIR TO PERMEATE THE CORRIDORS, FOSTERING A SERENE ATMOSPHERE AND A SEAMLESS CONNECTION TO THE OUTDOORS. IT’S MORE THAN JUST A SPACE—IT’S A THERAPEUTIC RETREAT WHERE PATIENTS CAN FIND COMFORT, JOY, AND MOMENTS OF RESPITE AMIDST THE CHALLENGES OF THEIR CONDITION. IN ESSENCE, THIS COURTYARD IS A TESTAMENT TO COMPASSIONATE DESIGN, SERVING AS A SANCTUARY WHERE DEMENTIA PATIENTS CAN FLOURISH AND THRIVE.

THE ZEN COURTYARD

THIS COURTYARD SERVES AS AN EXCLUSIVE LIVING SPACE FOR THE DEDICATED MEDICAL STAFF. IT STANDS AS A DISTINCT OASIS, PROVIDING A SANCTUARY WHERE STAFF MEMBERS CAN RETREAT, UNWIND, AND REJUVENATE AMIDST THEIR DEMANDING SCHEDULES. NESTLED WITHIN ITS CONFINES, THE METICULOUSLY CRAFTED ROCK GARDEN OFFERS MORE THAN JUST A PICTURESQUE LANDSCAPE; IT SERVES AS A TRANQUIL HAVEN, INVITING MOMENTS OF INTROSPECTION AND PEACEFUL SOLITUDE. WITH EVERY ELEMENT METICULOUSLY CURATED, FROM THE PLACEMENT OF EACH STONE TO THE ARRANGEMENT OF FOLIAGE, THIS SPACE IS AN EMBODIMENT OF SERENITY AND RESPITE, OFFERING A SANCTUARY FOR MEDITATION, QUIET REFLECTION, AND MOMENTS OF SOLACE AMID THE BUSTLING ENVIRONMENT OF THE MEDICAL FACILITY.

RESIDENT HOUSING

WITHIN OUR RESIDENCY, WE OFFER TWO DISTINCT HOUSING OPTIONS: ONE TAILORED FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING AND ANOTHER DESIGNED FOR DEPENDENT CARE. THE STUDIO APARTMENT STANDS OUT AS THE MOST PREVALENT CHOICE, PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR INDIVIDUALS BATTLING DEMENTIA AND NECESSITATING CONTINUOUS MEDICAL SUPPORT. THIS STUDIO UNIT, SPANNING A GENEROUS 20X30 FEET, OPTIMIZED FOR SINGLE OR DOUBLE OCCUPANCY. INSIDE, AND YOU’LL FIND A COMPACT YET FUNCTIONAL KITCHENETTE, COMPLETE WITH ELEGANT QUARTZITE COUNTERTOPS, A CONVENIENT SINK, A MICROWAVE FOR QUICK MEALS, AND A REFRIGERATOR TO STORE ESSENTIALS. THE LIVING AND DINING AREA, SPANNING A COMFORTABLE 12 X 17 FEET, OFFERS AMPLE SPACE FOR RELAXATION AND SOCIALIZING. MOREOVER, OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY IS EVIDENT IN THE INCLUSION OF AN ADA COMPLIANT BATHROOM, ENSURING COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE FOR ALL RESIDENTS. AS AN ADDED BONUS, EACH UNIT COMES WITH A CHARMING 5X7 BALCONY, PERFECT FOR ENJOYING FRESH AIR AND SCENIC VIEWS.

THEATER SHADOW PLAY

PROPOSAL OF ELEMENTS

EVOLVING | CHANGE

SHADOWS | FIGURE

OUR MISSION IS ANCHORED IN A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROFOUND INTERPLAY BETWEEN LIGHT AND SHADOWS WITHIN THE REALM OF THEATER. WE ARE COMMITTED TO ILLUMINATING THE OFTEN OVERLOOKED BUT CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ROLE THAT SHADOWS PLAY IN SHAPING THE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE. BY DIRECTING OUR FOCUS TOWARDS HARNESSING THE POWER OF SHADOWS, WE AIM TO CATALYZE A SIGNIFICANT EVOLUTION IN THE WAY ARTISTS ENGAGE WITH THEIR CRAFT ON OUR STAGE. SHADOWS, WITH THEIR ENIGMATIC ALLURE AND TRANSFORMATIVE POTENTIAL, SERVE AS SILENT COLLABORATORS IN THE CREATION OF EVERY PERFORMANCE, ADDING DEPTH, TEXTURE, AND DIMENSION TO THE NARRATIVE. LEAVING OUR AUDIENCE, FULFILLED, ENLIGHTENED, AND INSPIRED BY THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF SHADOWINFUSED THEATER.

CONCRETE

PROPOSAL OF MATERIALS

OPAQUE GLASS

WHITE OAK

MARBLE

SHADOW MOVEMENTS

THE SHADOW STUDY CONDUCTED WAS CRUCIAL FOR COMPREHENDING HOW TO EFFECTIVELY DESIGN A THEATER, WITH LIGHTING BEING THE FOCAL POINT. ACCORDING TO MY PROFESSOR FEUERSTEIN, THEATRICAL SPACES SERVE AS PLATFORMS FOR BOTH REALITY AND ILLUSION, OFFERING SPACES FOR OBSERVATION, PARTICIPATION, AND STORYTELLING.

WHILE INTRICATELY UTILIZING LIGHT, SHADOW, MOVEMENT, SOUND, AND IMAGERY TO CONSTRUCT AND STAGE A CAREFULLY CURATED WORLD. NONETHELESS, ANY ARCHITECTURAL WORK HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A STAGE FOR NARRATIVES AND SPECTACLES, SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATING WITH EVERYDAY ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS.

THE SHADOW PLAY THEATER

THE SHADOW PLAY THEATER IS DEFINED BY FOUR CORE CONCEPTS: LIGHT, ORDER, EVOLUTION, AND SHADOWS, WHICH COLLECTIVELY SHAPE THE AUDIENCE’S PERCEPTION OF THE THEATER SYSTEM. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS ARCHITECTURAL ENDEAVOR WAS TO ACHIEVE UNITY BY SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATING THESE ELEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. BEGINNING WITH THE SITE, THE ANGULAR ENTRANCE ESTABLISHES A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE ADJACENT PUBLIC SIDE STREET, AS WELL AS AN ALLEY, A COMMON ENTRY POINT FROM MAIN STREETS. THE ARCHITECTURAL FORM IS CAREFULLY CRAFTED TO COMPLEMENT AND HIGHLIGHT THE HISTORIC CONTEXT OF OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

INTERNALLY, THE SPACES WITHIN THE BUILDING UNDERSCORE THE NOTION OF EVOLUTION, AS EACH FLOOR IS DEDICATED TO A DISTINCT GENRE OF PERFORMANCE ART. THIS SEGMENTATION ALLOWS FOR FOUR UNIQUE EXPRESSIONS OF HOW LIGHT AND SHADOW INTERACT WITHIN EACH SPACE, EMPHASIZING THE DYNAMIC NATURE OF THE THEATER EXPERIENCE.

ballet studio music room

THE THEATER ENCOMPASSES FOUR DISTINCT PERFORMANCE AREAS TAILORED TO ACCOMMODATE VARIOUS GENRES, AUDIENCE, LIGHTING, AND LEVELS OF NOISE. THE BALLET STUDIO SERVES PRIMARILY AS A SPACE FOR PRACTICE SESSIONS AND TEAM-BUILDING EXERCISES. MEANWHILE, THE MUSIC ROOMS ARE METICULOUSLY CRAFTED TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL ACOUSTICS, PROVIDING AN INTIMATE SETTING SUITABLE FOR SMALL-SCALE PERFORMANCES. THE CENTRAL THEATER BOASTS DIRECT AND CONTROLLED LIGHTING, CATERING TO LARGER AUDIENCES SEEKING A TRADITIONAL THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE. LASTLY, THE STORYTELLING PLATFORM OFFERS A UNIQUE INTERACTIVE SPACE WHERE ARTISTS CAN UNLEASH THEIR CREATIVITY, UTILIZING THE DOUBLE-STORY LAYOUT TO ENGAGE WITH AUDIENCES THROUGH IMMERSIVE ART EXPERIENCES.

central theater storytelling dance platform

MUSEUM OF COURT SUPREME THE

OUR MISSION IS TO DIRECT “LIGHT” TO THE IMPORTANT DECISIONS MADE BY THE SUPREME COURT THAT HAVE IMPACTED OR “EVOLVED” SOCIETY IN THE UNITED STATES. THE EXHIBITS IN THE MUSEUM ARE INTENDED TO EDUCATE THE VISITORS WHILE “UNMASKING” THE SUPREME COURT’S DECISIONS THAT HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THROUGH TRULY “IMMERSIVE” AND “ENLIGHTENING” EXHIBITS, WE SEEK TO CONNECT OUR VISITORS TO THE SUPREME COURT ON AN EMOTIONAL LEVEL THAT WILL LEAVE THEM “FULFILLED” AND “INFORMED” ON WHAT INFLUENCE THE SUPREME COURT HAS HAD ON OUR SOCIETY. ORDER | ORGANIZATION EVOLVING | CHANGE

SACRED SPACE

A CENTRAL SPACE (A CUBE) THAT STARTS FROM THE GROUND FLOOR AND ENDS ON THE THIRD FLOOR. ON EACH FLOOR, PEOPLE EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SACREDNESS. THE RENDER ON THE LEFT IS FROM THE SECOND LEVEL. THE SPACE IS ILLUMINATED WITH DIM LIGHTING AND SURROUNDED BY TRANSLUCENT GLASS. THE CENTER OF THE EXHIBITION SPACE DISPLAYS AN IMPORTANT CIVIL RIGHTS CASE. THE RENDER ON THE RIGHT IS FROM THE THIRD LEVEL. THIS EXHIBITION SPACE IS THE MOST SACRED. THE ONE LIGHT FIXTURE AND THE OPAQUE WALLS ALLOW FOR A DARKER AND MORE INTIMATE SETTING. IN THE CENTER OF THE SPACE IS A SERIOUS CIVIL RIGHTS CASE.

THE MUSEUM OF THE SUPREME COURT

THE SUPREME COURT MUSEUM IS DEFINE BY 4 MAIN CONCEPTS. ORDER, LIGHT, SACRED AND EVOLVING, THESE ELEMENTS REPRESENT HOW THE PUBLIC CONCEPTUAL VIEWS THE SUPREME COURT SYSTEM. THE MAIN FOCUSES OF THIS BUILDING WAS TO EMPHASIZE UNITY BY INCORPORATING ALL ELEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. STARTING WITH THE SITE, THE ANGULAR LANDSCAPE CONNECTIONS WITH THE BUILDINGS SLITS THROUGHOUT. THE BUILDING IS FORMED IN A WAY TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONTEXT OF THE NATIONAL MONUMENT AND AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL MALL.

THE SPACES INSIDE THE BUILDING EMPHASIZE THE ELEMENT OF EVOLVING BY DIVIDING EACH FLOOR TO A MOMENT IN HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COURT SYSTEM. WHICH HAS FOUR DIFFERENT EMOTIONS BASED ON THE COURT CASES DISPLAYED IN THE EXHIBITION SPACES.

THE FINAL LEVEL OF THE BUILDING FOCUSES ON VIEWS OF WASHINGTON D.C. TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT THIS BUILDING IS LOCATED ON THE AXIS OF NATIONAL MALL. VIEWS STRAIGHTS TO THE NATIONAL MONUMENT.

PROFESSOR | BRAD GUY

realization recognition

THE SUPREME COURT MUSEUM HAS FOUR DIFFERENT EMOTIONS BASED ON THE COURT CASES DISPLAYED IN THE EXHIBITION SPACES. WHEN PEOPLE MOVE THROUGHOUT THE EXHIBITION SPACES THE EMOTION INTENSIFIES. THE SPACE BECOMES DARKER AND MORE ORDERLY. THE FIRST EMOTION IS REALIZATION. THE SECOND EMOTION IS RECOGNITION. THE THIRD EMOTION IS SENTIMENT AND EMPATHY. FINALLY, THE FOURTH EMOTION IS RESENTMENT AND DISAPPOINTMENT. THE FIRST THREE EMOTIONS ARE LOCATED ON THE SECOND LEVEL. THE LAST EMOTION IS LOCATED ON THE THIRD LEVEL.

sentiment and empathy

resentment and disappointment

SKETCHES PHOTOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATIONS

LIGHT + SHADOW FACADE STUDIES

HONG KONG HAZE