A space of contemplation and deliberation for students and staff
ARCH 2552 - Tyler Shafer - 4 Weeks
The End Is Only The Beginning
A memorial in remembrance of nuclear bomb testing
Silent Architecture Competition - 2025
SynthoNatura
A connection between AI and nature
ARCH 4557 - Carlos Alba, Eddie Castaneda, Jason Wheeler - In Progress
Cover Page: ARCH 2552, 3553, 3554
Accumulation of studio sketches
Charcoal Drawing - ARCH 2552
Columns of the Director’s House at the Saline Royale
Qalugiaq Research Center
A Research Cabin For Investigation Of A New Phenomenon
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Brooks Range, Alaska
Located in the Arctic Circle, the Kutuk River (pronounced Koo-tu-ark), has become one of 72 rivers in Alaska that has recently began to turn orange. This phenomenon, commonly called “rusting rivers,” has occurred due to global warming melting the permafrost that has been frozen for thousands of years. This causes the release of carbonates and toxic elements in the water, altering the water quality. The contamination of the water creates a direct impact on the local environment and more importantly, the spawning grounds for Arctic Greyling and Sheefish. Through researching the cause of this new phenomenon, only dating back to 2009, the introduction for designing a research center along the Kutuk River will surface as a optimal location for gathering data where this phenomenon happens at every year.
Massing Model 1
Massing Model 2
Massing Model 3
Massing Model 4
Massing Model 5
Massing Model 6
The Qalugiaq Research Center’s (QRC) commitment to, and implementation of sustainable strategies in the design significantly influenced the building’s form, optimizing its ability to conserve heat and natural lighting. The round shape minimizes the chilling effects of snow accumulation, while strategically placing windows to ensure ample natural daylight illuminates the interior without causing glare or overlighting. The roof is angled to maximize solar energy collection, enabling the building to function solely on the energy it generates. In the offseason, the roof also creates a snow blanket, further enhancing the cabin’s insulation. The QRC is thoughtfully divided into three sections: home, work, and lab, ensuring functionality and efficiency. The cabin features a double-wall design, with superior insulation and minimal thermal bridging to retain heat and prevent cold infiltration. Situated in a northern location that experiences nearly two months of continuous sunlight, the cabin’s design rises to the challenge of applying sustainable approaches in an extreme environment, demonstrating how architecture can harmonize with even the harshest natural conditions.
Massing Model 7
Sun Angle Diagram
Longitudinal Section C
Alatna River Tributary Migration Analysis Model - 1” = 100’
Site Analysis Study Models - 1”=100’
Site Analysis Study Models - 1”=100’
Site Analysis Study Models - 1”=100’
Form Progression Study Models - 1/16” = 1’-0”
The exploration of using different materials to represent migration in the analysis model was both challenging and effective, as it successfully captured the dynamic changes occurring in areas and regions affected by global warming. The impact of global warming extends far beyond the melting of ice, altering entire ecological systems within already harsh environments. In the model, the wire mesh represents regions with mild to high concentrations of iron carbonates, highlighting areas of geological change. The rings of thread indicate locations where fish spawning occurs along the river, emphasizing the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems. Finally, the painted basswood sticks mark the recorded locations of villages and fishing camps, reflecting the human and cultural dimensions of these shifting landscapes.
Resin Color Dye Tests
Main Street Sound House
A Performance Hall For Community Engagement
100 Vickery Blvd, Fort Worth, Texas
A proposed community performance space situated right off a highway presents several challenges, including noise, shadows, form, accessibility, and the lack of nearby vegetation. The site is located on a vacant lot, with no existing buildings or structures to provide shade, which adds another layer of complexity to the design. In response, the concept of creating selfshaded spaces was integrated into the design, along with a facade of vertical fins to reduce the harsh solar heat reaching the interior. This strategy not only mitigates the impact of direct sunlight but also contributes to the building’s overall aesthetic and environmental performance. Designing a theater next to a high-traffic highway raises the critical question of how to mitigate the constant noise. Through investigative research into sound movement, the project’s design emphasizes passive strategies, including the implementation of sound barriers and circular forms. These strategies work together to create an acoustically comfortable environment that allows the performance space to thrive amidst a noisy urban setting.
Sound Barriers
Interior Theatrical Wall
Exterior Wall
Background: Facade Study Sketches
Massing Model 1
Massing Model 2
Massing Model 3
Massing Model 4
Situated in an area experiencing a downtown revival, the addition of this community performance hall serves as a key catalyst for uniting the public, fostering cultural engagement, and contributing to the growth and vibrancy of the neighborhood. At the heart of the building, the concert hall serves as a symbolic representation of the need for quiet, reflective space in a bustling, noisy environment. Its placement in the center of the structure emphasizes its role as a sanctuary, offering a place of calm and focus amidst the surrounding activity. To encourage public interaction, the design features an entirely glass-walled first floor, drawing visitors into the space and inviting them to explore the art gallery at its center. The building also includes community rooms and a two-story restaurant that offers views of the revitalizing south side of downtown Fort Worth, further strengthening the connection between the space and the surrounding urban renewal.
Longitudinal Section Model - 1/16” = 1’-0”
Background: Model Progress Photos
Form Progression Study Models - 1”= 60’ Greenscape vs. Hardscape
Sacred University Sanctuary
A Space of Contemplation and Deliberation for Students and Staff
University of Texas at Arlington Campus, Arlington, Texas
A design charrette focused on creating a sacred building on the university campus for students and faculty. The sanctuary offers a space where individuals can retreat from campus life to meditate, pray, reflect, or simply find solace in a quiet, distraction-free space. The project is rooted in concepts of light and shadow, spatial planning through plans and sections, and the interplay of emotion and geometric analysis. The inclusion of a gallery and an overhang not only enhances the building’s functionality but also provides essential shelter from weather elements, including protection from the intense heat and glare of the harsh west-setting sun in Texas. The gallery further enriches the building’s concept by fostering a sense of spirituality, serving as a transitional space where light, form, and art converge to inspire contemplation and connection to the sacred. This interplay of physical and metaphysical elements reinforces the building’s purpose, creating a serene environment that encourages introspection and peace while harmonizing with its spiritual intent.
Storage
Mezzanine
- Restroom
Individual Contemplative Space 1- Gallery
The building’s layout is anchored by three robust wall structures that provide its core structural integrity. Initially designed using a golden ratio pattern, the design evolved by identifying commonalities and shaping spaces accordingly. The primary focus of the design is the creation of an individual contemplative space, envisioned as a sanctuary apart from the university environment. By carefully blocking and directing views, the architecture is crafted to influence and enhance the user’s emotional experience, fostering a sense of tranquility and introspection.
Longitudinal Section A - 1/8” = 1’-0”
Longitudinal Section B
South Facade
Longitudinal Section B - Top View
Axonametric View
The End Is Only The Beginning
A memorial in remembrance of nuclear bomb testing
The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial Competition
Runit Dome, Enewetok Atoll, Marshall Island
Amy Aguirre + Isaac Brown
The Runit Dome Nuclear Memorial explores the lasting impact of nuclear bomb testing at Enewetak Atoll through the symbolic use of illumination. Light becomes a medium to reveal the unseen, representing both the invisible dispersion of radiation across the landscape and the physical destruction inflicted upon the island. While the project acknowledges the deep scars left by these tests, it also contemplates the potential for revitalization, juxtaposing devastation with the resilience of life.
In the following pages, a central element of the installation was the Runit Dome itself, where visitors are granted a rare opportunity to see within the dome itself. Beneath the structure, illuminated roots extend and weave through the earth, embodying both contamination and the slow reclamation of nature. The glow serves as a haunting yet hopeful reminder of the atoll’s complex history.
The project engages with the two craters, each serving as a counterpoint to the other. One crater remains an open, gaping void, an abyss that speaks to the permanent damage inflicted upon the atoll. In contrast, the other is transformed into a vision of renewal. Where deep within its depths, life has begun to return, glowing with an eerie yet vital presence.
By utilizing illumination as both a literal and metaphorical tool, the project compels viewers to confront the consequences of nuclear testing, engaging with the landscape not just as a site of historical trauma, but as a living entity still bearing its wounds.
SynthoNatura
A connection between AI and nature
Osaka World Expo 2025, Japan
Isaac Brown + Amber Alvarez + Aldair Garcia + Mark Ibarra
A team project to design an exhibition pavilion for China. The pavilion will showcase the capabilities of Chinese development in AI technology and also how it can connect with nature. Through informative displays of data showcasing the trajectory with and without AI incorporation, and the introduction to AI in nature, visitors will get a understanding of how AI can be used and the possibilities it presents. AI has the power to create cities where people not only coexist with nature but actively engage in its preservation, ultimately fostering a more sustainable and biophilic future. The pavilion encases an experiential journey through the past, present, and future of AI incorporation. As we lean to a future with more and more advancements in AI, it is imperative to not lose the physical connection and well-being to human health.
