Portfolio

Portfolio of Selected Works

Fall 2022-Fall 2024

River’s Edge

Fall 2023

Faculty:

Sina Mostafavi

Collaborators: Corinne Tendorf

This mixed-use center is situated along the historic Riverwalk and hosts a wide programmatic range, encompassing lush gardens that mitigate pollutants currently existing in the river as well as those in runoff carrying pollutants from the urban environment; shaded outdoor areas providing public shelter from the warm, semi-arid climate; research laboratory space to further innovation towards improving water quality and usage in urban areas; community-building instructional space that allows for extra-institutional learning for all ages; and two gallery spaces that celebrate local art and findings from researchers and community members.

The aim of City Garden is to shield its occupants from the surrounding roadways and urban hubbub, therefore creating a hub for innovation, collaboration, and exploration centered around the improvement of urban quality—of life and water alike.

Contribution:

• Developed Grasshopper definition to design the organic form of the second gallery

• Conducted climate analysis simulations to inform shading and siting

Above: Parti diagram describing special gallery development using parametric design

Right: Partial elevation showing exterior of gallery spaces

NATIVE ECOLOGY + PLANTING FOR FILTRATION

Native plants develop a deeper root system,thus they aid in rainwater retention as well as combat erosion. This site will be a combination of xeroscaping and native florals to remain low maintainence and respect its semi-arid region.

Oxygenating river plants will be featured in the three pools to aid in the filtration process of the river water before it is returned to the river.

SUBSTRUCTURE

LEVEL INDICATOR

GARDEN ROOF

Provide shading and create micro-climate to foster native plants and create comfort downtown

COLLECTION SYSTEM

DIVERTER CONTROLS + POWER SUPPLY

TREATMENT SYSTEM

OVERFLOW

EXTERIOR SHADES Diffuse mitigate and glare display as well PV

Water is oxygenated through a multi-pool process that steps down toward the river, in order to keep a flowing system and reduce chance of alage, harmful bacteria, and insect growth by avoiding stagnant water

100W

#5 in the US San Antonio Ranked with over PV capacity per capita for cities using solar power in 2022

EXTERIOR SHADES

Diffuse and mitigate light glare within display gallery, well as house panels

SPECIAL GALLERY

Unites research laboratory, instructional areas, and main gallery within reclaimed wood volume

3,978 2,356

sqft area across 184 photovoltaic panels gallon cistern capacity

SOLAR ENERGY + LIGHT MANAGEMENT

Solar radiation simulation informed formal design of the Riverfront Restoration Initiative.Prioritizing exterior shading in spaces that needed daylighting while allowing for window placement and opaque facadesto be placed where most ideal, the Riverfront Restoration Initiative capitalizes on natural light while mitigating unecessary solar heat gain and glare. Additionally, these simulations aided in placement of photovoltaic panel systems. These were optimized to be used both as shading and as a source of energy to offset usage of city grid during the building’s lifetime.

WITH A CITY-WIDE GOAL OF CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2050

Photovoltaic panels integrated into shadingdevices offer a dual benefit of generating renewable energy while mitigating glare in daylit spaces. This not only reduces the reliance on conventional energy sources but also enhances the visual comfort within the daylit environment.

The photovoltaic panels absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity, which can be used to power various electrical systems in the building.

The San Antonio River watershed is a vital ecosystem that spans over 4,200 square miles. It includes various streams, creeks, and rivers that ultimately feed into the San Antonio River. The watershed serves as a home to diverse flora and fauna, providing habitats for numerous species. San Antonio has a unique tradition of draining the San Antonio River every 2 years. This practice allows the city to clean and maintain the riverbed. During this event, the river is temporarily

drained, revealing the riverbed and providing an opportunity for maintenance and cleaning activities.

The management of the San Antonio River watershed is crucial for maintaining the overall health of the ecosystem. Efforts are made to protect and preserve the watershed through initiatives such as land conservation, erosion control, and water quality monitoring. These measures aim to safeguard the natural resources within the watershed and promote sustainable use of the land.

Mullion Bolt

6” x 6” Aluminum Square Tubing

Skylight Mullion

Double-Glazed Skylight

Double-Glazed Curtain Wall

Z Furring Channel

Bent Aluminum Tubing

Milled Reclaimed Wood Paneling

Aluminum Tubing

Opaque Glass

Spandrel Panel

Rigid Insulation

12” x 15” S-Shape

Aluminum Beam

18” Limestone Tile

CLT Decking

12” HVAC Duct

Drywall Suspension

Grid

Gypsum Board

12” HVAC Duct

Curtain Wall Mullion

Wood Veneer Paneling

Air Gap & Flashing

Rigid Insulation

Aluminum Stud

J Bolt

Concrete Footer (Depth 36”)

Rebar Ties

36” x 12” Aluminum

Rectangular Tubing

Fillet Weld

30” x 6”

Aluminum

Rectangular Tubing

Shading Louvers

Base Plate

Rigid Insulation Foundation (Depth 4”)

Gravel

Roof Louver Shades Aluminum Grid

• Provides external, primary structure for glass display space envelope

• Louvers tilted at 27 degrees to optimize solar radiation for photovoltaic paneling

• Aluminum Rectangular tubing supports louver load to columns on gallery’s exterior

Second Floor Interior Roof

• Punched skylights provide daylight in building interior

• Allows for diffusion of natural light without excess heat gain

Instruction + Research Spaces

• Aluminum framed walls members 16” O.C.

• Limestone facade responding to urban context

Gallery Space

• One-Way Structural Aluminum Framing with Rectangular Tubing

Special Gallery

• Parametrically-designed reclaimed wood paneling and aluminum tubing structure

• Wood reclaiming demonstrates a new way to use this local industrial byproduct

Exploded Axonometric Diagram

• Substructure for skylight mullions

• Diffuses natural sunlight into the main gallery

Cafe + Research Roof

• Capturing Rainwater

• Opaque: windows provide daylighting within these spaces

Facade Louver Shades

• Columns carry load from the roof to foundation

• Diffuses Southern sunlight

• Louvers tilted at 27 degrees to optimize solar radiation for photovoltaic paneling

Adaptive Reuse: Lapham Apartments

Fall 2022

Faculty: Dr. Asma Mehan

The historic Lapham Woolen Mill, built in 1800, is located along Singletary Brook, a tributary of the Blackstone River, where the American Industrial Revolution began. Situated at the entrance of Millbury’s Industrial Sector, Bramanville, it replaced the previous Burbank Paper Mill, which supplied printing services during the Revolutionary War. Despite being in a rural mill town, it is an important piece of American Industrial heritage.

Millbury, is a small, close-knit community of 14,000 primarily comprised of affluent, white homeowning commuters.Millbury had seen little economic growth until the opening of the Shoppes at Blackstone Valley Mall, but there is a desire to stimulate its economy by promoting local businesses, particularly in retail, dining, and tourism.

This site, situated on a picturesque, treefilled section of Singletary Brook, is ideal for such a development. This proposal for Lapham Apartments, a new cafe, a public recreation center, and a small clothing boutique, reflecting the building’s textile manufacturing history seeks to connect Millbury residents with the history of their town, the natural features it hosts, and with new residents that can help bring their goals of a prospering Millbury to life.

THRIVE Community Center

Spring 2023

Faculty: Erin Hunt

Although Downtown Lubbock hosts many community events throughout the year, there is a gap in the opportunities for residents of the city to enjoy carefully planned, open public space in the area. This community center would address that opportunity, allowing for residents and workers downtown to enjoy a public space meant for relaxed exploration while also providing research and education space about local ecology and food growing. This center would host an array of varietals native to the Llano Estacado, providing an enriching landscape downtown and research opportunities for the residents of the complex. Community program to involve locals could include classes such as home gardening, food preserving, and knowledge about the unique climate of the West Texan plains.

The Ecological-Research-Community Center will provide an educational, enriching experience for its residents, but also the Lubbock community, by providing opportunities to explore their environment, escape to nature, and engage with the local arts and music culture.

Timber Trails Therapeutic Riding Center

Spring 2024

Faculty:

Sara Bradshaw

Timber Trails is a therapeutic riding facility located within the historic Lubbock Lake Landmark in Texas. The facility’s design prioritizes accessibility and connection with the natural landscape, creating a serene environment where patients can receive treatment with dignity. Constructed from heavy timber, multiple buildings are connected by walkways, allowing patients and employees to experience the surrounding landscape while maximizing airflow for passive cooling. This design promotes community engagement while maintaining an intimate setting for individual therapies. Situated southwest of the playa lake on a hilltop, this strategic location prevents flooding and minimizes disruption to existing park activities.Convenient access is provided through the Berl Huffman Sports Complex with expandable access roads and a separate service entrance on Kent Road. Timber Trails improves upon the design of the existing Texas Tech Riding Center by reducing travel distances for both patients and staff. Accessibility is further enhanced with all patient spaces located on the ground floor, short egress paths, increased ADA parking spaces and bathroom stalls, including three individual bathrooms.

The proposed Timber Trails complex addresses the challenges of the current Texas Tech Therapeutic Riding Center, allows for future growth, engages with unique local landscape, and provide a serene environment where patients can receive treatment with dignity.

Section Model at Courtyard

Offline OASIS

Fall 2024

Faculty: Jes Deaver, Steven Roop

Offline OASIS is a two-story residence designed for Wade “Parzival” Watts, the main character of Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One. The home sits along the Buffalo Bayou waterway, adjacent to four historic gravel silos, two of which that have large trees growing within.

To accommodate Wade’s desire for security, while creating multiple outdoor living spaces, the home features an outdoor deck overlooking the Bayou, as well as private courtyards that carve into the existing silos while shielding views from the surrounding neighborhood and streets.

Additionally, the home includes two OASIS immersion suites, complete with robotic-arm controlled haptic chairs, omnidirectional treadmills, storage for haptic suits, and smartglass paneling for re-introduction to the physical world. These suites are configured to accomodate both immersion to the virtual world that Wade inhabits during the original novel and a his new lifestyle post-Ready Player One.

BuffaloBayouHike&BikeTrail

Verticality and Proximity Study

Democratizing Earth Construction: Material and Process Optimization for SoilBased 3D

Printing in Semi-Arid Climates

2024

Faculty: Erin Hunt

Initial soil collection and processing assisted by Skylar Perez

“Democratizing Earth Construction: Material and Process Optimization for Soil-Based 3D Printing in Semi-Arid Climates” is an ongoing research project investigating how local soils can be adapted to become a suitable printing medium. This work seeks to democratize workflows related to the processing and preparation of local soils for 3D printing in architectural applications, and how to evaluate the potential of these soils and recipes for improvement of 3D printing outcomes.

Initial testing included the isolation of a desirable moisture content, then was further developed to evaluate the changes occuring with different additives to the soil-water mixture, such as sand, stoneware clay, and reclaimed wheat straw. These protypes were evaluated for print quality and fidelity, as well as preliminary testing for moisture resistance and compressive strength. Future research will investigate how the most successful recipe, which incorporates locally reclaimed wheat straw, can be implemented in architectural applications to aid in passive cooling.

Ap: 0-8”, clay loam

Bt: 8-31”, clay loam

Btk1: 31-48”, clay loam

2. SATURATE: Mix soil with water using a drill to combine, making a pourable mixture.

3. STRAIN: Strain soil mixture through strainer twice, removing aggregates that could inhibit printing.

Btk2: 48-80”, clay loam

1. EXTRACTION: Extract soil from below the organic layer (approx. 3’ below surface, soil section shows OcA).

4. DESSICATE: Allow soil to air-dry on canvas over a large container to maximize surface area.

5. SCORE: Use a blunt knife or clay tool to score the semi-dry mixture to create smaller portions.

6. MEASURE: Add 1/2 of necessary water, soil, then remaining water. Allow 5 minutes saturation before mixing.

7. MIX: Mix saturated soil for approx. 5 minutes (for 3000 mg tests) or until fully combined.

Nevada Rd

33.77642° N, 102.09510° W

Extraction Site

Clay Loam Soil

Sandy Loam Soil

1’ Contour

Olton Clay Loam

Posey fine sandy loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes

Posey fine sandy loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes

Site Map from soil extraction location in Hockley County, Texas, showing soil type, contextual details, and topography at 1’ resolution.

Recipe

80% Earth 20% Water

70% Earth

20% Water 10% Clay

Recipe

70% Earth

20% Water 10% Sand 79.5% Earth

20% Water

0.5% Wheat Straw

Print test results organized by recipe and geometry

CeramiX Twist

Spring 2024

Faculty: Erin Hunt

Collaborators: Nubia Betancourt, Aaron Garza, Jessica Horton, Luiz Trujillo

CeramiX Twist was a short introductory project investigating how clay 3D printing can be used to create modular units conducive to evaporative cooling and water movement across a facade system. The two modules can be arranged in a multitude of different configurations. These potential configurations of interlocking blocks with compressed apetures can create a facade screen for evaporative cooling, light filtration, and airflow control using the Venturi effect.

Contribution:

• Developing Grasshopper definition to create design iterations.

• Fabricated and assembled clay 3D printed blocks.

Generative Lattice

Spring 2024

Faculty: Erin Hunt

Collaborators: Nubia Betancourt, Aaron Garza, Jessica Horton, Luiz Trujillo

Generative Lattice is a short project that investigates how 3D printed ceramic formworks can begin to create apetures and connections not possible with traditional formwork methods. During this short project, we used computational design tools, including Grasshopper in the form-finding process, allowing for the rapid generation of a series of design iterations.

Contributions:

• Worked with Luiz Trujillo to develop the Grasshopper definition used in the iterative design process.

• Helped fabricate the formwork and casting the final iteration.

Middle: Team casting into reinforced porcelain formwork

Bottom:Formwork removal

Right: Resulting cast with formwork partially removed

Evaporosity Garden

Spring 2024

Faculty: Erin Hunt

Collaborators: Nubia Betancourt, Aaron Garza, Jessica Horton, Luiz Trujillo

Evaporosity Garden was a four-week research project building off the knowledge from CeramiX Twist and Generative Lattice to address evaporative cooling in architectural applications with varied pororsity generated by parametric design tools.

This project aims to explore the efficacy of 3D-printed ceramic blocks in shading and evaporatively cooling a vertical garden system. Utilizing Rhinoceros and Grasshopper with the Parakeet plugin, we were able to generate different levels of porosity by controlling the distance between lines in the toolpath. This allowed us to evaluate the potential of each pattern density to facilitate changes in humidity and temperature. By combining form and function through computational tools and parametric design, this investigation seeks to offer creative solutions to environmental challenges in architecture.

Contributions:

• Assisted Luiz Trujillo in developing the Grasshopper definition to define the pattern and toolpath.

• Created graphs that allow for data analysis.

Above: Elevation views of 3 final toolpaths generated with recursive pattern, from top to bottom: 30mm, 15mm, and 8mm pattern spacing.

Right: Perspective showing screen with vegetation

Java and Jam

Summer 2023

Faculty: Neal Lucas Hitch and Erin Hunt

Build Team: Enrique Espinoza, Mark Segovia, Shailyn Beaty, Matthew Coyle, Emily Hammer, Kristen McCullough, Emily Perez, Abigail Petrofes, Kani Willis, Antonio Braz Camargo, Aiden McGorry, Isaac Mendez, Melissa Eagleton, Kiri Channer

This project was fabricated in Bethel, New York as a portion of a product design course where students spent two weeks doing on-site fabrication towards a pair of parametrically designed pavilions that are composed of computationally designed ruled surfaces made from hand-cut plywood and clad in bio-composite materials with locally sourced ingredients.

During this two-week fabrication period, we cut and assembled both of the pavilion surfaces, including leveling and reinforcing their forms. and applied the coffee ground coating to the Java Pavilion.

Contributions:

• Printed the templates for cutting the plywood sheets

• Participated in the cutting, assembling, leveling, and reinforcing of both the Java and Jam Pavilions

Ceramic 3D Printed Hydroponic Pavilion

Fall 2024

Faculty: Logman Arja

Collaborators: Nubia Betancourt, Zachary Casey, Judith Duarte, Aaron Garza, Haley Gomez, Kathleen Gutierrez, Mattia Hajmeli, Max Halwas, Mahamat Hassane, Jessica Horton, Jacklyn Hurtado, Marc Loya-Reyes, Gunner Murrell, Plamedi Kevamviri, Jakelin Silva, Harmony Smith, Luiz Trujillo

This installation was completed as part of an advanced architectural technology topical course, which began with students conducting research on different kinds of hydroponic growing systems and precedent examples of hydroponics and modular design applied in architectural settings.

The course culminated in a class-wide 6-week fabrication project that integrated Deep Water Culture hydroponic systems with clay 3D printed modules that grow a variety of plants within the college’s courtyard. This installation mediates the grid condition of the courtyard and the organic form of the pre-existing rock on site.

Contributions:

• Collaborated with classmates to create a series of design iterations of the installation

• Assisted with fabrication of planter units

• Worked with other classmates to arrange, align, level, and integrate plants and aeration systems into the final courtyard installation

Completed Ceramic 3D Printed Hydroponic Pavilion, located in the center of the Huckabee College of Architecture courtyard.