Ya Min_Portfolio

PORTFOLIO.

Ya Min/Sumera Ismail

GRADUATE OF ARCHITECTURE

Mobile: +61 416 157 595

Email: sumeraismail07@gmail.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sumera-ismail-b8b95b1a3

I am a Graduate of Architecture from the University of Western Australia with a strong belief that architecture has the power to inspire, connect communities, and create lasting value in the built environment. My design approach is rooted in observing and celebrating the art of detail; how light moves through space, how materials meet, and how greenery can soften and enrich built form. I strive to design for people, considering user-experience, wellbeing, community, and atmosphere, while balancing creativity with technical precision.

Beyond design, I explore architecture through photography, capturing how spaces tell stories of place, time, and craft. This attentiveness to detail extends into my professional practice, where I bring precision, creativity, and contextual awareness to every project. I’m eager to contribute my skills and curiosity to teams that value design integrity, sustainability, and the craft of building, while continuing to grow as a professional in the field.

EDUCATION

The University of Western Australia

Master of Architecture | 2023 – 2025 | WAM: 71.438

Bachelor of Environmental Design | 2020 – 2023 | WAM: 71.375

AWARD

UWA Global Excellence Scholarship 2023

Linda Clarke Memorial Prize 2020

SOFTWARE

BIM - CAD: AutoCAD, Revit

Modelling SketchUp, Rhino, 3ds Max

Rendering Enscape, V-Ray

Adobe Suite Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign

Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint, Excel

CERTIFICATION

• Class “C-A” Automatic Driver’s Licence.

• WHS (Work, Health & Safety)- Smart Move General Module & Building and Construction Certificate 2025

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Architectural Intern at Classical Architects Co., Ltd | Yangon, Myanmar | Dec 2023 – Feb 2024

• Produced design iterations during the schematic design phase of an international school in Nay Pyi Daw, Myanmar.

• Developed 2D drawings and 3D models using AutoCAD and SketchUp to support design exploration and client presentations.

• Engaged with client requirements and incorporated feedback into design proposals, ensuring an effective reflection of their vision while providing design recommendations to enhance the overall outcome.

• Assisted in project documentation, technical execution, and design development under the supervision of senior architects.

• Applied creative problem-solving and research-driven approaches to contribute to high-quality project outcomes.

01 02 03 04 05 06

07

we are water - the floating sanctuary

Design Studio - Bathhouse in Bali

from void to connection: re-imagining trastevere

Intensive Design Studio - Urban Design

the granny flat revolution

Detailed Design Studio - Residential

hygge hideaway

Rendering - Remote Cabin

drafting

Documentation, detail

s.a.s.s

Empowering Communities Through Design - Strategy Booklet

miscellaneous

Building Analysis, Photography, Painting

We Are Water - The Floating Sanctuary

Design Studio - Bathhouse in Bali

Payangan, Bali, Indonesia | 2025 | Tutor: Craig Nener

Softwares used: AutoCad, SketchUp, Enscape, Photoshop, Illustrator

The Floating Sanctuary bathhouse draws on Bali’s traditional architecture and the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, which emphasizes harmony between people, nature, and the divine. Set on a steep slope descending over 100 meters to a river at its base, it arranges a series of pavilions around a central pool. The design reflects the courtyard typology of Balinese homes, where each structure serves a distinct function: yoga, hydrotherapy, thermal suites, treatment rooms, or dining. Water connects these spaces, guiding movement along floating pathways and evoking the stillness and spirituality of Balinese temples.

Through a thoughtful approach to materiality, the project balances solidity and lightness. Stone retaining walls anchor the buildings into the sloped site, while layered bamboo roofs hover above, filtering sunlight into shifting shadows that animate the surfaces below. Layered, sheer curtains replace glass to soften boundaries, offering flexibility between openness and privacy and filling interiors with diffused, calming light. Together, stone, bamboo, fabric, and water create a sensory environment that encourages mindfulness and reflection.

More than a place of physical rejuvenation, the bathhouse becomes a place of balance and retreat, embodying Bali’s reverence for the natural and spiritual worlds, where architecture, landscape, and sacred water form a holistic sanctuary for rest, wellness, and spiritual renewal.

Collage of Google Maps Street View screenshots, used to analyze existing conditions and context of the surrounding site.

The arrangement of the buildings is based on the concept of linear communal open space running from kaja (mountain) to kelod (sea). In this site, the axis runs from north to south.

The communal open space in this concept are the communal pools and relaxation areas which is where people would gather most whereas other areas are more private or in smaller groups.

Stone and bamboo physical model of one of the bathhouse buildings, enabling experimentation with materiality, texture, environmental response, and the sensory qualities of architectural space.

02

From Void To Connection: Re-imagining Trastevere

Intensive Design Studio - Urban Design

Rome, Italy | 2025 | Tutors: Emiliano Roia, Matteo Broggini, Matteo Clerici

Softwares used: AutoCad, SketchUp, Enscape, Photoshop, Illustrator

Re-Imagining Trastevere is a project that responds to the challenge of transforming a neglected urban void into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly public realm. Positioned within the context of Viale Trastevere, the historic Ex-GIL building by Luigi Moretti, and the ancient Roman wall, the design draws inspiration from the city’s layered history while addressing contemporary urban needs. The intervention introduces multipurpose spaces for exhibitions and cultural events, an open-air cinema for summer activities, and an integrated landscape that fosters connectivity between surrounding landmarks. The proposal balances functionality and cultural significance, reactivating the site as a place for both everyday use and civic gathering.

The design concept is grounded in the dialogue between permanence and transformation. Using the monumental rhythm of the Roman wall as a starting point, a sequence of travertine block-like structures emerges as abstracted ruins, their varied heights and orientations shaping circulation and framing views across the site. These fragmented, jagged forms evoke a sense of timelessness, while reinterpretations of triumphal arches provide thresholds and gathering spaces that blend heritage with modern utility. The interplay between architectural elements and green spaces strengthens the dialogue with the ruins, as vegetation weaves through the fragmented structures, softening their presence and reinforcing a sense of continuity. By blurring the lines between past and present, the proposal creates a dynamic urban plaza that honours Rome’s architectural legacy while inviting new cultural and social life into Trastevere.

The design takes inspiration from the ancient Roman wall, using its columns to establish a structural grid that organizes a series of block-like forms and landscaped spaces throughout the site. Anchored by the historic wall, these elements are strategically positioned in close proximity to it, creating a spatial buffer from surrounding buildings. Variation in the blocks’ height and orientation guides movement through the space, creating moments of openness and enclosure that invite exploration. The resulting composition of wall-like structures defines a sequence of exhibition spaces, recreational areas, and event zones, fostering a dynamic and adaptable environment.

Reference Studies

03

Resilient Living Modules - The Granny Flat Revolution

Detailed Design Studio - Residential

Western Australia, Australia | 2024 | Tutor: Joel Benichou

Softwares used: AutoCad, SketchUp, Enscape, Photoshop, Illustrator

Western Australia’s housing crisis has prompted changes to the Residential Design Codes (R-Codes) that allow ancillary dwellings up to 70 sqm to be developed more easily, without planning approval under certain conditions. This initiative aims to expand affordable housing options, support flexible living, and promote inclusive urban communities. The project engages this context by exploring how architecture can foster coexistence between new and existing dwellings within suburban lots, enhancing livability without compromising privacy, comfort, or environmental performance.

My design responds to this challenge through a 68 sqm ancillary dwelling that shares a lot with an existing house, carefully balancing connectedness and independence. The proposal harmoniously integrates nature, privacy, and functionality through a layout organized around a north-facing courtyard that maximises light and cross-ventilation while maintaining a sense of openness. Brick and timber screens mediate privacy between shared boundaries, and a vertical garden on the southern façade mitigates direct sunlight and shields the interior from excessive exposure to the neighboring properties. Careful spatial planning and integrated built-in elements ensure every area serves multiple purposes. The result is a compact yet generous dwelling that demonstrates how smallscale architecture can foster affordability, sustainability, and well-being.

Biophilic/Passive Design

Places to Perch

Living Process Sequential Section the daily activities of a workaholic

Hygge Hideaway

Rendering - Remote Cabin

Western Australia, Australia | 2024 | Tutor: Dev Mawjee

Softwares used: SketchUp, 3ds Max, V-ray

As part of a visualisation unit exploring photorealism in 3ds Max with VRay, I created a cabin for a Danish writer seeking retreat and inspiration. The design merges the warmth and simplicity of Scandinavian architecture with the Australian landscape, serving as both a refuge and a creative space. Throughout the semester, I refined a single model to reproduce real-world lighting, materials, and spatial storytelling, drawing inspiration from the stylistic techniques of an architectural photographer to achieve a series of rendered scenes.

For reference, I studied the work of Copenhagen-based architectural photographer Hampus Berndtson. Through his lens, he highlights the interplay of light, materials, and minimalism that makes this style timeless. Translating these qualities into rendering, I adopted minimalist furniture placement and carefully composed perspectives to showcase the cabin’s materiality and its relationship to the landscape. This process taught me the value of subtlety, balance, and restraint in architectural visualisation, as well as how imagery can communicate both atmosphere and design intent.

Drafting Documentation, Detail

ARCT4430 - Architectural Technology, Structures and Services

ARCT4440 - Project Implementation and Documentation

BLDG5000 - BIM Authors

Softwares used: AutoCad, Revit

This section highlights my engagement with architectural documentation and construction processes, developed through both practical observation and technical learning. Through site visits to active construction projects, I gained first-hand insight into how design intent is translated into built form; observing structural systems, material junctions, and service integrations. These experiences allowed me to understand how construction detailing evolves in response to real-world constraints and compliance requirements.

Alongside this practical exposure, I strengthened my knowledge of the National Construction Code (NCC) and building regulations, focusing on safety, performance, and documentation standards. I applied this understanding in producing precise technical drawings and BIM-based documentation, ensuring accuracy and constructability. This hands-on approach has reinforced my ability to bridge design and construction through clear, compliant, and wellcoordinated documentation.

Requires 2 soakwells of 1500 x 1200m with a capacity of 2.10m3 each.

Masonry single brick wall with stud on one side. Stud side 13mm Gyprock Soundchek Plasterboard, masonry side 13mm Gyprock Standard Plasterboard.

FRL: 90/90/90

Rw/Rw + Ctr: 63/55

Balustrade 1m high

20 mm porcelain floor tiles on pedestals with concrete flooring on a slope of 2° to allow for water drainage.

J5: Doors and openable windows sealed on the edges.

D3D25: All required exits are 900mm wide swing doors against the direction of egress and fitted with a device for holding it in the opening position

Class 2 Building Climate Zone 5 (Perth)

Effective Height: North building 6m, South building 9m R-Code: R60

3, 4 storeys in rise

Type A Construction required Not a building of multiple classification or mixed type of construction.

C2D10: All materials used are non-combustible. Fire-rated timber flooring and doors.

S7C4: Class 2 Building sprinklered. 16mm Gyprock Fyrchek Plasterboard for ceiling lining (Group 1 material)

S7C7: No fire control room or escalators in the building.

E1D2: Fire hydrant system not provided (total area less than 500m)

75mm glass wool insulation and 2 x 13mm Gyprock Fyrchek plasterboards. FRL: 90/60/30 (more than 3m from FSF) Rw/Rw + Ctr: 54/51

C3D7: Vertical spandrel between windows is 1500mm 200mm thick concrete slab with waterproof membrane.

Concrete slab with suspension grid: 150mm concrete slab with 150mm ceiling cavity including 50GW Acoustigard 11kg and 2 x 16mm Gyprock Fyrchek Plasterboards. FRL: 90/90/90 Rw/Rw+Ctr: 64/57

S.A.S.S

Empowering Communities Through Design - Strategy Booklet

East Asia | 2024 | Tutor: Lara Camilla Pinho

Group: Tina Ly, Yunting (Tina) Liu, Ya (Sumera) Min

Softwares used: Illustrator, InDesign

This Social Impact Design unit challenged us to address critical social and environmental issues through collaborative design. Our team chose to focus on the issue of stray animals, investigating the causes and impacts of urban pet homelessness while exploring strategies for creating more animal-friendly and ecologically balanced cities. Working closely with my group, we combined research, case studies, and data visualisation to define opportunity areas and develop a framework of design guidelines that promote coexistence between humans, stray animals, and local wildlife.

Throughout the process, I actively contributed to brainstorming sessions, coordinated visual and conceptual outputs, and maintained a consistent design language across the project. Collaborating in a small team allowed us to merge diverse perspectives, iterate on ideas, and test design strategies collectively, resulting in a holistic proposal that not only enhances animal welfare but also enriches community spaces and urban environments. This experience strengthened my ability to work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary setting while delivering thoughtful, socially impactful design solutions.

THE GARDEN

Designate stray animal areas in already existing parks, integrate into neighbourhoods.

Each neighbourhood can have one where the local community/volunteers can schedule dates to get together and work on it as a community project. Would serve as green/ wildlife corridors among the urban landscape.

Possible flowers/foliage/herbs to include

Avoid: Lilies are particularly toxic to cats. Others include alliums, amaryllis, crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips. For a full list of poisonous plants, refer to Poisonous plants | International Cat Care (icatcare.org)

Benefits to local wildlife

NOPESTICIDES

Collaborative Food System:

Partnering with restaurants to share leftovers reduces waste, prevents poisoning, and keeps streets cleaner.

Walking and Cycling: Promoting walking and cycling reduces car use and collisions, keeping both strays and people safer.

THE

STREET

(Drawing by Tina Ly)

Widen Street Setbacks: Wider setbacks and bike lanes create safer, more spacious movement zones for strays and people.

Street Art: Positive depictions of strays in public art reduce stigma and foster empathy.

Natural Pest Control: Strays help control pests naturally, reducing pesticide use and protecting gardens and crops.

Shelter and Shade: Trees, plants, and shading structures provide hiding, cooling, and resting spaces that enhance well-being.

THE HOME

Fences

Cleaner air, privacy, wildlife passage.

Supports biodiversity, acts as perches.

Greener streets, shade, wildlife support.

Supply water and cooling for strays and habitats for wildlife.

Miscellaneous

Building Analysis, Photography, Painting

In this concluding section of my portfolio, I showcase the creative side of my design journey; a space where observation, intuition, and artistic exploration intersect. Through the Advanced Design Thinking unit, I explored design as a humancentred and iterative process, grounded in curiosity and critical observation. I spent time moving through the city, photographing chosen sites, sketching, and modelling buildings from memory and measurement. This process of reconstructing and analysing spaces; their form, light, sound, and materiality, taught me to see architecture not just as built form, but as lived experience.

Alongside my architectural work, I have included a selection of my photography and paintings to showcase the creative practices that continue to inform my approach to design. Whether through the lens or the brush, I explore atmosphere, texture, and emotion, qualities that translate into my architectural thinking. Together, these works represent the balance I strive for between technical understanding and artistic intuition, and my belief that meaningful architecture begins with the ability to observe deeply, see creatively, and respond with intention.

Circulation of Humans vs Cats

Surrounding Objects and Space

The Light of Things

The Body of Architecture

Little Leaf Co, Myaree WA

Mobile: +61 416 157 595

Email: sumeraismail07@gmail.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sumera-ismail-b8b95b1a3

Instagram: @archivedbysumera