Steven Tran Architecture Portfolio 2026

STEVEN TRAN

PHONE NUMBER: (515) 991-5283 || EMAIL: steventran2137@gmail.com|| linkedin.com/in/steventran25

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY:

4th-year architecture student with creativity and problem-solving skills looking for internship opportunities in architecture and design.

EDUCATION:

Iowa State University | Ames, IA

Bachelor of Architecture

Expected Graduation May 2027

Achivements:

• Dean’s List

EXPERIENCE:

Tous les Jours | West Des Moines, IA

Barista/Cashier (Jun 2025 - Present)

• Provide excellent customer service by greeting customers warmly, taking orders accurately, and addressing any inquiries or concerns.

• Packaged and displayed baked goods while maintaining cleanliness, food safety, and visual presentation.

• Prepare and serve coffee drinks, teas, and other beverages according to established recipes and standards.

Paris Banh Mi | Windsor Heights, IA

Cashier (Jun 2023 - Aug 2023)

• Create a welcoming experience for customers.

• Operated a cash register.

• Called out orders when ready

Subway | West Des Moines, IA

Sandwich Artist (Feb 2022 - May 2022)

• Greeted customers in a friendly and professional manner.

• Maintained food safety by following store protocol.

• Prepped food.

Waukee Asipiring Experience (APEX) | Waukee, IA

Architecture & Engineering Associate (Aug 2021 - Jan 2022)

• Learned technical skills, such as using Sketchup and Revit.

• Experienced different architecture and engineering professions.

• Worked on real-world projects, such as designing a “tiny house,” and designing and prototyping a “locker of the future,” for an elementary school and present it to INVISION Architecture.

SKILLS:

• Revit

• SketchUp

• Rhino 3D

• AutoCAD

• D5 Render

• Lumion

• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, & InDesign

• Laser Cutting

• 3D Printing

• Microsoft Office

• Teamwork

• Communication

• Adaptability

• Problem-solving

1.

TASTE LAB

ARCH 4010 (Fall 2025)

4

2.

COLLECTIVO

ARCH 3020 (Spring 2025)

12

3.

ARTID 5710 (Summer 2025)

24

TASTE LAB

ARCH 4010 (Fall 2025)

Site: Des Moines, Iowa

Instructor: Paul Mankins

Partner: Devin Lamb

Taste Lab is located in Drake University, replacing and reimaging an existing surface parking lot on the south side of the campus, transformed into a culinary arts institute. We want to develop an exciting and engaging space primarily for students, faculty, and all outside guests, also including celebrity chefs.

Our proposal is organized as a simple architectural mass that connects with the adjacent buildings and is strategically divided into three primary components: an east massing, a west massing, both wrapped around with brick and a food hall and demonstration kitchen in the center connected with glazing and a metal sawtooth roof in the center to allow lights from the north to enter, functioning as the heart of the institute and is characterized by openness and transparency. This space is defined by extensive glazing on both the north and south façades, creating clear entry points and strong visual connections to the campus. This organizational strategy allowed us to clearly separate programmatic functions while maintaining a strong spatial and visual connection throughout the building. Taste Lab is a culinary arts institute activate the space while preserving its openness and creating openess to the campus.

COLLECTIVO

ARCH 3020 (Spring 2025)

Site: East Harlem, New York City, NY

Instructor: Justin Burnham

Partner: Evan Reincke

Collectivo is a 17-story tall building that provides a needed middle-ground solution for New York City: affordable housing. Affordable housing in New York City is defined as housing for households spending no more than 1/3 of their income on rent and utilities. Both the NYC Housing Preservation & Development and the NYC Housing Development Corporation are driving development, establishing more affordable housing in New York City. The NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) as the largest public housing in the United States is a partner agency to our project. Our project is designed within city zoning and housing guidelines to provide residents of East Harlem with this middle-ground solution. An attractive variety of unit types, communal living spaces, and the project’s location provide a link for the community. Collectivo provides the start to affordable housing for East Harlem’s residents, in a world with ever-increasing demand for affordable housing with quality construction. Our project is a celebration of this type of housing for the whole of East Harlem.

Site Plan

The residents’ city lifestyles are what make the project possible. A variety of charter and public schools in immediate proximity promote family living. In addition, the site provides accessibility to necessary city functions. The existing 4, 5, and 6 Lines located one block away and the proposed Second Avenue Subway extension near the site are a premiere connection to work and leisure in all 5 boroughs. Recreation along the East River is accessible, with basketball courts, playgrounds, and a river path in close proximity to the site.

Precast Method

Precast concrete is the construction method, allowing for quick and sustainable construction practice in a city that is in need of a breath of calm. Hollow-core slab panels along with precast wall modules provide modularity and high-quality construction to all units in a concise, insulated assembly. Steel beams and bolted cantilevers allow for the saw-toothed facade to extend support to the shear wall circulation elements. Precast method provides a durable, low-cost material applicable to our affordable housing.

South Elevation

109th Street

East Elevation 3rd Avenue

Section 1 Section 2

LIMINAL

ARTID 5710 (Summer 2025)

Site: Joshua Tree, California

Instructor: Yongyeon Cho

Individual Project

Liminal is a cozy, modern micro home designed for a young professional couple seeking a peaceful lifestyle. Working remotely, they prefer to keep external distractions aside. Their connection to nature and spirituality influences their desire for a micro home that supports their everyday life, whether they’re shifting between work and relaxation, balancing between technology, or looking at the natural environment.

The site is located in Joshua Tree, California on a fairly flat desert area with rocks, creosotes, and wide open views. The overall design of the micro home focuses on passive systems. The tall glass facades facing northeast and southwest are not only aesthetic features that distribute light, but are also designed to minimize heat gain. Skylights evenly bring in daylight across both floors, resulting in the creation of natural ventilation and air flow from all directions.

To make sure there’s privacy and fewer noise distractions, the home is built with materials of exterior wood cladding along with insulated metal panels, creating a tranquil retreat that supports both work and leisure, and bringing all of this together for the micro home meets the young professional couple’s values and needs.

Given Volume Expand for more space