Architecture Portfolio

PORTFOLIO AGNIESZKA

TYPE: Individual academic project

UNIVERSITY: University of Liverpool

YEAR: 2022/23 Year 3 of BA, Term 2

LOCATION: Berlin, Germany

SOFTWARE: AutoCAD, Revit, Sketchup, Photoshop, Rhino, InDesign, Illustrator, Enscape.

TYPE: Individual academic project

UNIVERSITY: University of Liverpool

YEAR: 2021/22 Year 2 of BA, Term 2

LOCATION: Birkenhead, UK

SOFTWARE: AutoCAD, Revit, Sketchup, Photoshop, Enscape.

TYPE: Individual academic project

UNIVERSITY: Wroclaw University of Science and technology

YEAR: 2020/2021 Year 1 of BA, Term 1

LOCATION: Bielsko-Biala, Poland

SOFTWARE: AutoCAD.

TYPE: Individual academic project

UNIVERSITY: University of Liverpool

YEAR: 2022/23 Year 3 of BA, Term 1

LOCATION: Liverpool, UK

SOFTWARE: AutoCAD, Revit, Sketchup, Photoshop, Rhino, InDesign, Illustrator, Enscape.

FINNISH CULTURAL CENTRE AGNIESZKA

P. 8-14

P. 18-24

P. 15-17

ART PAVILION

MUSIC COLLEGE

P. 1-7

FINNISH EMBASSY

FINNISH EMBASSY

Berlin, Germany

The Architecture of Politics: Embassy Building Berlin

The aim was to design an embassy building for a country of our choice in Berlin, Germany on one of the three sites on offer. Being inspired by Finnish traditions, culture, architecture and people who have a very close connection to nature I have decided to design the Finnish Embassy and locate it south of the Tiergarten Park in the Diplomatic Quarter on the corner of Tiergartenstraße and Clara-Wieck-Straße, facing the Tiergarten Park. The park with its’ winding treelined paths, open green spaces and ponds offers a unique opportunity for the Finnish embassy design.

My goal was to design the functional building which on the one hand represents the country, its culture and its political standing in the world, and on the other hand is an appropriate fit for the site and diplomatic region it is located in.

Permanence & Finnish character

An embassy building should be distinguished by its solidity, stability and sense of security. Ideally it should also make a statement or encapsulates an impression about the country. My design consists of four solid blocks surrounded by the transparent wrap symbolizing the Northern Lights. Altogether it creates a strong, unified elevation Tiergartenstraße sublty marking Scandynavian nature.

Nature & Well-being

Concern for human health and well-being as well as closeness to nature are important aspects of Finnish culture. The atrium, which is the main representatuve space in the design, provides the interior with the daylight and forms a relation between outdoors and indoors, connecting the embassy with nearby nature of Tiergarten.

Embassy routes

Residents Ambasador Petitioners & finnish citizens Guests Office workers

Back entrance

Atrium

Sunken garden

Materials

Office materials:

Office furniture and partition walls. are made from timber and CLT. To provide views to the atrium and the daylight access the wall facing the atrium is fully glazed with timber mullions. For good acoustic insulation, suspended ceilings are designed in the offices.

Technical Section

Atrium materials:

o add warmth to the concrete interior and reflect FInnish wooden character, timber ceilings and planters are implemented. Additionally represntative the staircase is made from light

Elevation materials:

To obtain the permanent and solid character of the building, elevation is cladded in concrete panels. Floor-to-ceiling bullet-proof glazing in thin aluminium frame is applied between the concrete walls. Ledochowski mesh wraps the concrete blocks to add the transparency and lightness to the building to resemble the Northern Lights.

Structure:

Precast reinforced concrete structure and COBIAX slabs.

MUSIC COLLEGE

Birkenhead, UK

Regeneration scheme of Birkenhead was the main driver for the project of the Music College. It focuses on teaching mission with performances seen as an integral part of the project. The building satisfies both private and public requirements of the college by providing a range of teaching facilities, the auditorium accommodating 250 people and the outdoor performance space.

My main goal was to create a facility that becomes one of Birkenhead’s landmarks - the vibrant blend between eduction and social interaction of the inhabitants of Birkenhead. The simplicity and sophistication of the form was a crucial factor for the aesthetic value of the “landmark”.

John Rankin Award for the best sketch design in BA2.

1. Hamilton square

2. Grade III listed buildings

3. Grade III listed buildings

The image of Birkenhead based on the vision of American urban theorist Kevin Lynch.

Concept serial vision

Concept model 1:200, foambaord

Atrium

Rehearsal room

AGNIESZKA KANIA MUSIC COLLEGE

Simple form of the building is complemented with the perforated texture of white corrugated steel that makes the Music College elegant and stand out. The Music College brightens up the dark colour palette of Birkenhead’s architecture.

For the auditorium and rehearsal room, the timber acoustic panels are applied both on the walls and the ceiling. They offer more design flexibility, provide more consistent quality and dramatically reduce installation time and waste, helping to significantly lower costs.

1.Roof construction

100 mm gravel ballast

drainage / water retention layer

15 mm impact soundproofing layer

5 mm building protection mat

2 x bituminous sealant layer min 180 mm PIR insulation to falls

Vapour barrier

80 mm cross laminated timber

Suspended ceiling

Laminated timber beams 150 / 500 mm

2.Floor construction

Floor panels

2 x 30 mm dry screed

60 mm woodfiber footfall insulation

Polymer membrane

80 mm cross laminated timber

Suspended ceiling

laminated timber beams 150 / 500 mm

3.Floor construction:

Floor panels

2 x 30 mm dry screed

60 mm woodfiber footfall insulation

Polymer membrane

80 mm cross laminated timber

100 mm mineral wool acoustic insulation

laminated timber beams 150 / 500 mm

4.Auditorium floor construction : Hardwood floor

Levelling layer

60 mm cross laminated timber

150 mm insulation

Steel construction

5.Floor construction:

Floor panels

60 mm dry screed

PE foil

1 x 50 mm, 1 x 80 mm woodfiber footfall insulation Weathering membrane

200 mm reinforced concrete floor

160 mm XPS insulation

6.Double glazed windows in aluminium frame

8.Wall construction:

3 mm corrugated white steel sheet

8 mm siding

20 mm cavity

Fixing brackets

separating layer

2 x 120 mm foam glass thermal insulation

80 mm cross laminated timber wall

prefabricated timber acoustic panels of 20/40 mm glazed battens + 34 / 45 mm counter battens

9.Cross laminated timber columns 150 / 240 mm fixed to concrete with metal fixing

10.Basement wall construction:

160 mm XPS insulation

separating sheet

300 mm reinforced concrete wall

20 mm mineral wool acoustic insulation

prefabricated panels of 20/40 mm

glazed battens + 34/45 mm counter battens

Construction

Technical section A

CLT structure and reinforced concrete base.

PARK PAVILION

City Park, Bielsko-Biala, Poland

The aim of the project was to design a small service building on the chosen sight in my home town. I decided to design the Park Pavilion that functions as an art gallery with the cafe, which resulted from the needs of the local community to revitalise and bring back to life the city park. My main aim was to create a connection between the old part of the city and the river Biala, from which the city derives its name and is an important feature of the city. The pavilion will become the symbol of the park and the transition between the old and new. Being immersed in the lush greenery, the pavilion is about providing the visitors with a comfortable atmosphere and beautiful views towards the park and the river.

Final model 1:200, foamboard and cardboard AGNIESZKA

FINNISH CULTURAL CENTRE

Sudley House Park, Liverpool, UK

The aim was to design the centre for international exchange in Liverpool. At a time when the UK is reorienting itself with regards to its international position and coming to terms with the fall out of Brexit, cultural exchange seems paramount to an understanding and peaceful cooperation between nations.

My aim was to investigate the “architecture of culture” as a mediator between the UK and Finland through a study of how typology, perception of context, materials, and construction may offer significance and cultural value to a building. The Finnish Cultural Centre is the exploration of Alvar Aalto’s statement “Form must have a content, and that content must be linked with nature”. Finnish traditions and culture are closely related to nature and their architecture is mainly based on the natural materials. The Finnish Cultural Centre promotes Finnish traditions and language, responding to the natural site of Sudley House with its simple geometrical forms.

AGNIESZKA KANIA FINNISH CULTURAL CENTRE

The horizontal ground floor with public spaces, partially sunken in the ground responding to the sloped site. The first floor is made of five vertical modules accommodating the teaching area and the auditorium. Space between the cubic forms creates the courtyards that bring the nature inside of the building and enable sunlight to penetrate the interior of the design.

Section B

Elevation

AGNIESZKA KANIA FINNISH CULTURAL CENTRE

Roof and skylights

80 mm CLT walls and glazing. External walls on ground floor cladded in fibercemnt panels and on the first floor in timber slats.

80mm CLT floors. CLT partition walls

Glulam beams: 280 x400 mm

280 x 800 mm in auditorium

Glulam columns:

Main columns - 280 x 280 mm on a 5m x 5m grid

Supporting columns - 2.5m x 2.5m grid

Reinforced concrete slab with the retaining wall and reinforced concrete lift shaft.

Strip foundation for the part that “sits on the ground“.

Reinforced concrete cantilevers to support the CLT structure on the first floor.

AGNIESZKA KANIA FINNISH CULTURAL CENTRE

1.Roof construction: waterproof barrier protection mat

2 x bituminous sealant layer min 180 mm PIR insulation to falls

vapour barrier

80 mm cross-laminated timber suspended ceiling

laminate timber beam 280/ 400 mm

2. Floor construction:

floor panels

2 x oriented strand board

underfloor heating

60 mm woodfiber insulation

vapour barrier

80 mm cross-laminated timber suspended ceiling

laminated timber beam 280/ 400 mm

3. Laminated timber column 280 / 280 mm

4. Floor construction:

floor panels

60 mm dry screed

underfloor heating

PE foil

1x 50 mm, 1x 80 mm woodfiber insulation

waterproof membrane

240 mm reinforced concrete

PE foil

160 mm XPS insulation

5. Wall construction:

polyethylene damp-proof course

160 mm XPS insulation

waterproof membrane

240 mm reinforced concrete

20 mm mineral wool acoustic insulation

34 / 45 mm battens

40 mm timber acoustic panels

6. Wall construction:

10 mm fiber cement panels mechanically fixed

15 mm gap

150 mm thermal insulation

240 mm reinforced concrete

20 mm mineral wool acoustic insulation

34 / 45 mm battens

40 mm timber acoustic panels

7. Double glazed windows in aluminium frame

8. 40 mm timber slats mechanically fixed

laminated glass

80 mm thermal insulation

40 mm cross-laminated timber

40 mm thermal insulation

vapour barrier

AGNIESZKA KANIA FINNISH CULTURAL CENTRE

Concept model 1:500, cast acrylic & MDF