Suylen De La Rosa Portfolio

ENVIRONMENTALLY JUST DESIGN

Suylen De La Rosa

MArch ‘26 Candidate - USC Graduate School of Architecture

Architectural Portfolio

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ENVIRONMENTALLY JUST DESIGNS

TTU HCoA

TYPE IV CATALYST

USC Graduate School of Architecture

VERTICAL LANDSCAPE

RECYCLED LOW CARBON STRUCTURES

URBAN MOBILITY HUB

TERM: FALL 2022

PROJECT TYPE: ACADEMIC (INDIVIDUAL)

INSTRUCTOR: ALEXANDRA CORTEZ & PAULINA LAGOS

INSTITUTION: TEXAS TECH COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE- EL PASO

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN V

Located in downtown El Paso, Texas. The hub seeks to act as a catalyst for environmentally resilient architecture to try and reduce El Paso’s massive carbon footprint. Using GLULAM and CLT wood joinery structure modeled after Shigeru Ban’s wood studies, the mobility hub makes an attempt to supply cleaner urban transit for both El Pasoans and migrant workers from our sister city, Ciudad Juarez.

1 STRUCTURE ON SITE

KEY MODES OF TRANSPORTATION NEAR DOWNTOWN AND USA-MEX BORDER

BUS ROUTES

SUN METRO BUS RAPID TRANSIT

BIKE ROUTES

US/MX BORDER

EL PASO DOWNTOWN DISTRICT

GIS mapping displays the possibility for a new urban transit system typological building in El Paso, Texas.

STRUCTURAL CONNECTIONS: JAPANESE WOOD JOINERY

Non-rotational geometry studies based on Shiguru Ban precedent. Joinery prevents rotation amongst the structural members, thus providing structural rigidity.

SECTIONAL SITE SEQUENCES

Existing garage serves civilians utilizing car infrastructure. While ground floor serves as connection points for pedestrian and transit users

1. Perimeter Fence, “pool fence” Supporting Climbers

2. Perforated Aluminum Curb w/ Drainage Fabric

3. 2’ Upstand

4. Emergency Overflow

5. Gravel

6. Roof Drain w/ Parapet Well

7. Concrete Pavement

8. Erosion Control (Jute Mesh Blanket)

9. 1’ Growth Medium

10.Filter Fabric

11.Drainage: 4” to 6” Granular (Mat system)

12.Filter Fabric

13.Thermal Insulation

14.Membrane Protection and Root Barrier

15.Green Roof Waterproofing Membrane

16.Japanese Wood Joinery Structure

Roof garden designed to be inhabited as a moment for public infrastructure as well as a necessary infusion of greenery in dowtown El Paso’s baren landscape.

Using the grid as a spatial moment rather than a rigid program divider, the freeplan idea is represented on every floor. PUBLIC ACCESS LEVEL - GROUND FLOOR

1. Entrance Hall

Outdoor Auditorium

BRT Station

Ticket Kiosk

Restrooms

Bus Station

Bike Racks

Bridge To Garage

Available Job Information Station

El Paso / Juarez Transit Info

Janitors Closet

Security

Mechanical Room

Electrical Room

Archive

Office Clusters

Conference Room

Viewing Platform

Outdoor Auditorium Space

Gathering and Seating Areas

OPERABLE SPACES

HOUSING TOWER

TERM: FALL 2023

PROJECT TYPE: ACADEMIC (INDIVIDUAL)

INSTRUCTOR: ERSELA KRIPA

INSTITUTION: TEXAS TECH COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE- EL PASO ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN VII

Operable spaces is a proposed communal housing tower located in Medellin, Colombia. The tower situates itself on the border of residential and communal spaces as catalysts for economic growth in an underserved and self-built community. Using such an important export crop like coffee beans, the tower serves both as a living space and export facility for the COMMUNA 13 area and the city of Medellin as a whole.

AGGREGATION SEQUENCE 1

AGGREGATION SEQUENCE 2

SINGLE BED CONNECTIONS

THRESHOLD FRAMING

AGGREGATION SEQUENCE 3

ITERATIONS

PERPENDICULAR THREADING

CANTILEVER GARDENS

CROSS-PERPENDICULAR THRESHOLD

CORNER MOMENT

Iterative design process focused on positional qualities of threshold, gardening spaces, and which walls would be operable.

Threaded enclosure systems provide differing public and private moments for social gathering and communal gardening for economic growth within the tower. Opening and closing operable walls allow for personal control of spatial elements.

COFFEE BEAN EXPORTATION LEVEL

Site plan orientation and podium programs all serve to inform eachother as catalysts for a successful planting economy. 9 PRODUCTION + EXPORTATION PROGRAMS + DOMESTIC SPACES

To allow for complete interaction within the units, each apartment is allotted space for wet areas and shed walls. Operable walls and drainage areas allow for passive watering to all the crops.

EXPORTATION SEQUENCES

Podium programs are divided by levels with the first level being farmers markets and exportation services, while the second floor is for prep work or pre-exportation area. Greenhouse roof collects rain water and acts as a passive drip irrigation system for coffee beans being grown in the second floor of the podium.

ILLUMINATING POD

PREFAB CHAIR

TERM: FALL 2023

PROJECT TYPE: ACADEMIC (GROUP)

GROUP MEMBERS: SUYLEN DE LA ROSA, VALERIA DUENAS, MELISSA LEXA

INSTRUCTOR: KIMBERLY MCGLONE

INSTITUTION: TEXAS TECH COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE- EL PASO ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY IV - ATMOSPHERES

Using the concept of reusable energy, the seating pod creates self sufficient lighting moments to an infrastructurally lacking park setting in Far East, El Paso. The power of solar not only provides energy to the LED lights, but also to the heated seat placed underneath the pod. As the pod users grow in quantity, so does the surrounding thermal energy, thus allowing the micro-climates to change.

VERTICAL LANDSCAPE

CO-DIVIDUAL HOUSING

TERM: FALL 2024

PROJECT TYPE: ACADEMIC (GROUP)

GROUP MEMBERS: SUYLEN DE LA ROSA & AACHAL KATWA

INSTRUCTOR: HADRIAN PREDOCK

INSTITUTION: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

CORE III STUDIO

Co-living housing tower in East Los Angeles that combines private and communal spaces. Each floor features a garden along the perimeter, creating a green retreat for relaxation and connection with nature. Shared spaces like lounges and kitchens encourage social interaction among residents. The circulation is dynamic, with pathways that vary from floor to floor, offering residents moments of connection, solitude, or creativity as they move through the building. This design strikes a balance between privacy and community, fostering belonging while providing opportunities for personal reflection.

Repetitive Spaces

Clustered Pattern: Each space contains a different type of program.

Centralized Program: Program becoming the center while the garden becomes the surrounding program.

Centralized Pattern: Shared spaces happen within the center and corners.

In the first iteration, I designed the garden intervention at the scale of the unit. This allowed for the garden to be a scaler unit in the larger assembly of the building.

PUBLIC ACCESS LEVEL - GROUND FLOOR

1. 3-4 Family Townhouse

2.Foodcourt

3. Daycare

4. Eating Area

5. Workshops

6. Community Garden

7. Main Entrance

8. 5-6 Family Townhouse

9. Below Grade Garden

10. Ramp to Entrance for Townhouses

11. Outdoor Community Garden/Farmers Market

12. Emergency Stairs

The building’s ground level, out of 8 floors, features an inviting public space with amenities such as a daycare, art workshops, a food court, and a public garden for residents and locals to cultivate their own plants. This helps for fostering community interaction. At the rear, a farmers market and additional activities further promote communal engagement and growth.

RENDER

Each unit in the co-living tower has direct access to its own garden, which doubles as a circulation space. The gardens are designed to blend seamlessly with the building’s pathways, allowing residents to move freely while tending to their plants. Planters are provided for each individual or unit, enabling residents to cultivate their own plants, vegetables, and herbs. This integration of personal gardening with circulation encourages a sense of ownership and connection to nature. The garden spaces not only serve as a green sanctuary but also promote sustainability and community engagement, as residents share and care for their growing environments.

The physical chunk model uses color to differentiate spaces: neon green highlights the garden circulation between the facade, dark green represents the building’s exterior, and grey indicates the program areas. This color coding clearly distinguishes the various functional zones, enhancing the model’s visual clarity and spatial understanding.

1443 West 37th Drive sdelaros@usc.edu suylendelarosa1@gmail.com

With a heavy emphasis on social equity as it pertains to climate enfornced design, my architectural philosophy as a student expands to encompass a range of different climate mediums. My architecture is fueled by my own expierences with disinvestment and torrential weather patterns.

Master of Architecture / 4.0 GPA

University of Southern California

Texas Tech University College of Architecture - El Paso

El Paso Community College SUYLEN DE LA ROSA OVERVIEW:

EDUCATION: RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor of Science in Architecture / 3.06 GPA

Project for Operative Spatial Technologies (POST)

Research assistant for POST Borders at the Texas Tech Univeristy at El Paso campus where explored topics of spatial, architectural, and environmental injustic in the border region through GIS mapping and data layers. also was apart of a larger team researching and putting together an exhibit on the politics of the built environment in Segundo Barrio in El Paso, Texas.

ACADEMIC AWARDS + DISTINCTIONS:

USC SCHOLARSHIP - 80% SCHOLARSHIP + ADVANCED STANDING (2 YEAR)

COLUMBIA GSAPP | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - BERKELEY | PRATT INSTITUTE (ADVANCED STANDING + 50% SCHOLARSHIP)

UNDERGRADUATE

PROVEN EARNERS SCHOLARSHIP

PRESIDENTIAL TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIP

EL PASO ART MUSEUM EXHIBIT (SELECTED WORKS DISPLAYED)

EL PASO ART MUSEUM EXHIBIT (SELECTED WORKS + MODEL DISPLAYED)

DRAWINGS PUBLISHED IN “CROP” AN ARCHITECTURAL JOURNAL FROM TTU

WORK PUBLISHED ON @LINES.DRAWING ON INSTAGRAM

FIRST GENERATION SCHOLARSHIP

HISPANIC HERITAGE SCHOLARSHIP

DEANS LIST

SKILLS

PHOTOGRAPHY | SOCCER | FASHION

HOBBIES COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN FABRICATION LANGUAGE GRADUATE OTHER GRADUATE PROGRAMS ADMITTED INTO