Erada Zeynu Portfolio

ERADA ZEYNU

ABOUT ME.

SUMMARY.

As a fifth year architecture student, I view the built environment as a powerful tool for connection and civic engagement. My work is focused on community centered design and the ways that spaces can shape human interaction to foster a deep sense of belonging. Growing up between different cultural environments gave me a unique awareness of how deeply place influences identity throughout daily life. This perspective continues to guide my design thinking and motivates me to create environments that are grounded and socially meaningful for the people who use them.

My approach to each project is first understanding the site and the people it serves then developing those ideas from concept through detail with purpose. I believe that design is about more than just form and it should respond to real needs and help strengthen the communities around it. My goal is to create thoughtful and resilient spaces that bridge the gap between human experience and the built environment.

EDUCATION.

Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture University of Houston - May 2026

Bachelor of Architecture

Business Administration Minor

SKILLS.

Technical: Rhinoceros 3D, Autodesk Revit, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Bluebeam, Microsoft Office Suite, Digital Fabrication

Professional: Team Collaboration, Communication, Problem-Solving, Leadership, Detail-Oriented, Time Management

EXPERIENCE.

Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts, University of Houston, Houston, Texas

Fabrication Lab Assistant

Oct 2025 - Present

• Manage daily operations of the wood and metal shops, supporting student projects through tool access, material preparation, and workspace organization

• Assist students with fabrication processes and assembly while reinforcing proper tool use and shop safety protocols.

• Maintain shop equipment, work areas, and material inventory to ensure a safe, clean, and efficient working environment.

DLR Group Dallas, Texas

Architecture Intern

May 2025 - Aug. 2025

• Contributed to early pre-design programming by researching space requirements and comparable project types to inform project scope and spatial needs.

• Assisted with construction administration through site visits, submittal reviews, and RFI drafting to support coordination between design intent and field conditions.

• Reviewed drawing sets, renderings, and presentation materials for accuracy, redlining and editing renderings to provide clarity and strengthen communication with clients, consultants, and project teams.

Advancing Community Engagement & Service Institute, Houston, Texas

Academic Tutor

Sep. 2022 - Feb. 2025

• Tutored 40+ elementary students in under-resourced communities, improving math and reading proficiency through personalized lesson plans.

• Designed interactive learning tools to enhance vocabulary retention, resulting in students meeting grade-level performance.

Harrison. Dallas, Texas

Architecture Intern

Jan. 2021-May 2021

• Collaborated with architects and interior designers to develop client presentations, organizing 15+ material collages and floor plans to communicate design options clearly

• Researched and sourced sustainable materials, coordinating with manufacturers to verify product specifications and availability

INVOLVEMENT.

National Organization of Minority Architecture Students

Faces of African Muslims

American Institute of Architecture Students, Future Women in Architecture, Black Students in Design

Students of East Africa, Muslim Student Association

HONORS.

Corporate Entrepreneurship Certificate

Undergraduate Architecture Prospectus Publication

Academic Excellence Scholarship

Dean’s List

Membership Chair Outreach Chair Member Member

2023-2024

2022-2023

2021-2025

2021-2024

AVIAN ECOLOGIES

p. 20-29

VERTICAL VILLAGE

p. 30-39

+ WORKS

p. 40-43

ASTROSTAGE

Adaptive Reuse | Year 5

Professor: Mili Kyropoulou & Maria Christofi | Partner: Ashley Gonzalez & Taylor Henderson

Software: Rhinoceros 3D, Adobe Illustrator, D5

ASTROSTAGE reimagines the Houston Astrodome as a media production campus that preserves its cultural legacy while transforming it into a hub for film, education, and public engagement. The proposal carefully balances private production studios with a vibrant public experience , unified by a central axis that organizes circulation and encourages interaction between creators and visitors. A layered network of ramps and bridges supports continuous movement while maintaining clarity between public and operational zones. Environmental strategies and a shaded park extend the campus into the surrounding site, reshaping the former parking landscape into a pedestrian-focused creative district.

Narrative Diagram

Relevance to Houston’s existing entertainment industry and potential for growth with Texas Bill funding.

Program Diagram

Axis

Axis divided based on site access public & private, and wind direction.

Circulation integrated to connect public to media production side

Spatial relationships established between soundstages and public program.

ORGANIZATION CONNECTION

Organization

Spatial relationships established between soundstages and public program.

Spatial relationships established between soundstages and public program

CONNECTION

Circulation integrated to connect public program to media production side.

Circulation program

Connection

Circulation integrated to connect public program to media production side.

Divided based on site access, public and private, and wind direction

Concept Development

Southeast Isometric

Conceptual Model - 1/64” Scale

Materials Used: MDF, PLA Filament, Bristol, Plastic Mesh

AVIAN ECOLOGIES

Landscape Ecology | Year 4

Professor: Matthew Johnson | Partner: Besan Yousef

Software: QGIS, Rhinoceros 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop

AVIAN ECOLOGIES restores the Texas City Coastal Prairie through a design shaped by bird migration along the Central Flyway. In response to the loss of coastal habitat, the project focuses on s ustaining the environmental conditions required for seasonal movement. Research on four key bird groups informs habitat placement across the site’s transition from prairie to wetland to shoreline, reinforcing the existing ecosystem rather than replacing it. Elevated boardwalks connect these zones to research and education hubs, concentrating public access where birds and visitors can safely coexist while preserving sensitive areas.

Seasonal Migration Patterns

Study of annual migration patterns through all seasons to inform habitat conditions

WATERFOWL

WATERFOWL

Habitat: Freshwater ponds, brackish marshes, and tidal wetlands

Diet: Aquatic plants, seeds, insects, snails, and small fish

SHORE BIRDS

Habitat: Mudflats, estuary edges, salt marshes, and exposed tidal zones

Diet: Mudflats, estuary edges, salt marshes, and exposed tidal zones

WOODLAND BIRDS

Habitat: Native prairie grasses, oak mottes, and upland shrub zones

Diet: Seeds, berries, nectar, and insects found in grasses and flowering plants

WADING BIRDS

Habitat: Shallow freshwater and coastal wetlands, marshes, mudflats, tidal pools, and pond edges

Diet: Small fish, crustaceans, insects, amphibians, and other aquatic invertebrates in shallow water

Interaction Zones

VERTICAL VILLAGE

Residential | Year 3

Professor: Sam Clovis | Partner: Nathan Salas

Software: Rhinoceros 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop

VERTICAL VILLAGE proposes a 300-unit affordable housing development in Montrose, Houston, rethinking the conventional high-rise through connection and community. The design prioritizes shared amenities and courtyard spaces, creating a “city within a village” that fosters engagement among residents and encourages interaction at every level. Exterior circulation wraps the building, linking programs and reinforcing movement as a social experience, transforming the tower into a dynamic living environment. The first three levels extend this energy to the neighborhood through retail and public spaces that reflect Montrose’s cultural identity.

Maximizes natural daylight, promotes passive cooling, and enhances cross-ventilation

Southwest Corner

Sectional Model - 1/2” Scale

Materials Used: Basswood, MDF, PLA Filament, Metallic Paper

+ WORKS

Technical Drawings | Year 2-5

Professor: Kevin Story

Software: Rhinoceros 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Twinmotion

+WORKS focuses on the anatomy of a building through detailed assemblies and material transitions. This section investigates the tectonic logic of construction , including how structural systems and building envelopes are coordinated to move from a design from concept toward reality.

1. Edge of Slab Firesafing 2. Roof Paver System Anchored to Pedestals 3. Rigid Insulation 4. 1-1/2” Steel Roof Deck 5. WF Steel Beam

Spandrel Assembly 7. Insulated Curtain Wall Assembly 8. Perforated Facade System 9. Suspended Ceiling System