Portfolio
Alejandra Gomez 2023-2026
Master of Architecture candidate at The University of Texas at Austin with a background in economics, design research, fabrication, sustainability, and GIS mapping. My work explores the relationships between architecture, people, and the environments they inhabit, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary research and material exploration. LEED Green Associate with experience in architectural representation, spatial analysis, digital fabrication, and student mentorship. Practical skills: Rhino, Grasshopper, Revit, AutoCAD, Adobe Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Microsoft Excel, cost benefit analysis, literature review, market research, spatial data visualization.
Contents
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Terra Astra
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Obervatory in Spain Advanced Studio| Juan Miro | Spring 2026
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Of Root and River
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Bathhouse and Spa Buildner Competition| Summer 2025
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Wood Design
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Coffee Table Wood Design| Mark Macek | Summer 2024
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Architectural Transects
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Housing and Agritecture Advanced Studio| Dean Almy | Summer 2025
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Bicho
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Performing Arts Center Integrative Studio| Matt Fajkus | Fall 2025
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Personal Work Oil Paintings 2023
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01 Terra Astra Advanced Studio Professor Juan Miro Spring 2026 In Collaboration with Eva Lindberg
The concept of this studio project is an astronomical and landscape observation center located within the natural monument of Los Barruecos in Cáceres, Spain. The natural landscape consists of large rocks and sprawling plains, with the area classified as a hot-summer mediterranean zone. This means it has hot and dry summers, and mildly rainy winters. The ground has a soil type of granitic cambisol which means its shallow & sandy with large subterranean rocks, ultimately providing good load-bearing capacity. Our design features individually supported exterior walls and roof. The main materiality of our project is brick, as per competition guidelines, and we chose to add steel and concrete to the building for structural support and to break up the heavy use of brick.
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i. Inverted axonometric diagram ii. Southwest render 5
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez The observatory begins as a path, tracing the landscape of Los Barruecos. As the journey unfolds, the path thickens into walls that frame movement, guide views, and gradually enclose space. What starts as a simple line through the terrain transforms into an observatory, where architecture emerges from the act of walking, culminating in a place that directs the visitor’s gaze from the earth to the sky.
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Terra Astra | Observatory
i. Site plan contextualizing the project and highlighting key site elements. 7
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
Roof and Dome
Steel Beams 4” x 8.5” x 45’
Steel Girders 6.5” x 20” x 35’
Steel Columns 6” diameter
Rat Trap Bond Brick Walls 1.5’ thick
Concrete Floor Slab on Grade
EXPLODED STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM
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Terra Astra | Observatory
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iii i. Entry indoor render ii. Exhibition indoor render iii. Section model
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Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
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Terra Astra | Observatory
i. Program diagram and northeast elevation
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Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
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Terra Astra | Observatory
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02 Of River and Root Buildner Competition Professor Dean Almy Summer 2025 In Collaboration with Angelina Mayers, Michelle Marquez, Emily Morales
Nestled along the bank of Portugal’s River Vez, the spa emerges as a fluid extension of the landscape, shaped by the gentle movement of water and the timeless rituals of bathing and wellness. The architecture draws directly from the river’s natural currents, translating its meandering flow into a sequence of intimate and public spaces that guide visitors through moments of solitude, cleansing, and sensory immersion. The design plays with opacity, weight, and permeability to create a dynamic threshold between interior and exterior, built and natural. The result is a sanctuary where body, water, and landscape converge in a quiet dialogue of movement, material, and meaning. Using the River Vez to inform the design of roof and circulation of the spa, the fluidity of these elements represents the constant flow of water.
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i. Inversed oblique diagram ii. West Render 15
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
Roof
Structure
Facade
Shear Wall
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Concrete, limestone, and charcoal brick shear walls anchor the structure, reflecting the site’s geology. Heavy timber supports the curving roof, while glass curtain walls and wood slats connect interior and exterior spaces.
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Private Public
Of River and Root | Bathouse and Spa
Circulation
i. Northeast render 17
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
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01. Biophilic Path 02. Restroom 03. Massage Room 04. Gym 05. Sauna Turkish 06. Dressing Room 07. Pool 08. Jacuzzi 09. Food Area 10. Green Space
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Massing
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Of River and Root | Bathouse and Spa
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Structure
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Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
We intended define spatial hierarchy through material choices: heavy, enclosed elements shape private, introspective zones, while lighter, open materials frame public, and circulation spaces. i.
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Of River and Root | Bathouse and Spa
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i.Pool render ii. Biophilic path render 21
03 Wood Design Wood Design Professor Mark Macek Summer 2024
This design draws inspiration from the unique geometry and composition of the volcanoes in my home country, Guatemala. The piece functions as both a coffee table and a bookshelf, seamlessly blending form and function. Crafted from white oak, the design highlights the strength of the material and offers practical versatility.
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i. Joint detail ii. Front view of table 23
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
The coffee table is primarily constructed from white oak. No screws or visible hardware are used. Each component is intentionally connected through carefully designed joinery, creating seamless connections between the pieces while maintaining the simplicity and integrity of the material.
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Wood Design| Coffee Table
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i. Side view of table ii. Clamplng process iii. Sanding process iv. Axonometric diagram 25
04 Architectural Transects Advanced Studio Professor Dean Almy Summer 2025
This project addresses the food deserts emerging in Austin’s rapidly expanding eastern periphery, where displaced residents face limited access to essential resources amid fragmented suburban growth. By introducing a network of communitycentered and commercial greenhouses, the proposal creates accessible food infrastructure that doubles as civic space, fostering education, microeconomies, and social connection. Operating within the Prairie Archipelago framework, the project positions food systems as a foundation for resilient, equitable urban expansion. This approach embedscproductive landscapes into the peri-urban fabric and reimagining the greenhouse as both an ecological and cultural anchor for community life.
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i.Housing axonometric ii Site plan 27
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
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Anchored by the existing Onion Creek corridor and the Prairie Archipelago, the design leverages these natural assets as the foundation for a resilient community network. The project aims to cultivate the creek and prairie remnants as interconnected systems that support food production, stormwater management, biodiversity, recreation, and public health.
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Architectural Transects | Housing and Agrictecture
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i Commercial development ii. Trail network and parks iii. Buildings and floodplains iv. Market view render 29
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
Access is organized from the active commercial edge into a sequence of productive and residential landscapes. The market engages the highway frontage, creating the project’s primary public gateway, Expanding orchards anchor the site, and agricultural fields are located along the western edge within the 100-year floodplain, using productive landscapes to accommodate periodic flooding.
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Architectural Transects | Housing and Agrictecture
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iii. i. Greenhouses ii. Housing iii. Market
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Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
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Architectural Transects | Housing and Agrictecture
i. Housing process ii. Axonometric plan iii. Housing map 33
05 Bicho Advanced Integrative Studio Professor Matt Fajkus Fall 2025 In Collaboration with Angelina Mayers
This project proposes a Performing Arts Center in downtown Austin organized around three core ideas: continuity, carving, and connection. The name of the project Bicho is taken from the participatory hinged sculptures by Brazilian artist Lygia Clark. Just as Clark’s sculptures hinge, fold, and open in response to the body, our continuous envelope unfolds and carves open to generate connections between performance, learning spaces, and public life. The project embodies the idea of a form that responds to its environment inviting engagement and shaping experience through movement
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i. Indoor render ii. Axonometric 35
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
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Bicho | Performing Arts Center
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i. 1st + 2nd floor plans ii. Youth center render iii. North outside render 37
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
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W 6th Street Elevation 3/32 "=1'-0"
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Bicho | Performing Arts Center
etal Roofing System Metal Cover Plate M Roof Membrane mide Thermal Break
Metal Roofing System Metal Roofing System 1/4 " Metal Cover Plate 1/4 " Metal Cover Plate EPDM Membrane Metal Roof Roofing System EPDM Roof Membrane 3/4" "Metal Polyamide Thermal 1/4 Cover Plate Break 3/4 "System Polyamide Thermal Break Inverted Gutter EPDM Roof Membrane Inverted Gutter System Gutter Expansion Joint 3/4 " Polyamide Break GutterThermal Expansion Joint 1/4" Sealent & Backer Inverted Gutter SystemRod 1/4" Sealent & Backer Rod 10” Sill Mullion Assembly Gutter Expansion Joint Assembly 10” Sill Mullion 1/4" Sealent & Backer Rod 10” Sill Mullion Assembly
Metal Roofing System 1/4 " Metal Cover Plate EPDM Roof Membrane 3/4 " Polyamide Thermal Break Inverted Gutter System Gutter Expansion Joint 1/4" Sealent & Backer Rod 10” Sill Mullion Assembly
erted Gutter System ter Expansion Joint alent & Backer Rod
ill Mullion Assembly
1 A-101
4 "
Top of Level 4 Level 4 Top of 78' - 0" Top of Level 4 78' - 0" 78' - 0"
Top of Level 4 78' - 0"
dding Panel System d Aluminum Panels rusions Connectors el 3″ × 1-1/2″ flange
Cladding Panel System Cladding Panel System 1/4" Perforated Aluminum Panels 1/4" Perforated Aluminum Panels AluminumPanel Extrusions Connectors Cladding System Aluminum Extrusions Connectors Hat channel 3″ ×Aluminum 1-1/2″ flange 1/4" Perforated Hat channel 3″ Panels × 1-1/2″ flange Aluminum Extrusions Connectors Hat channel 3″ × 1-1/2″ flange
Cladding Panel System 1/4" Perforated Aluminum Panels Aluminum Extrusions Connectors Hat channel 3″ × 1-1/2″ flange
Howe Truss
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Window Wall System Glass Window Wall System Glass
Window Wall System Glass
Window Wall System Glass Tube Steel Tube Steel
Tube Steel
Tube Steel
ion Horizontal Joint 1'-6"x1'-6" Steel Reinforced Concrete Column
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Level 3 Level 3 54' - 0" 54' - 0" Level 3 54' - 0"
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6" Partition Wall
Concrete Slab On 4"Steel Decking
Curtain Wall System
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2 A-101
-Beam Connection
1'-6"x1'-6" 1'-6"x1'-6" Steel Reinforced Steel Reinforced Concrete Column 1'-6"x1'-6" Concrete Column Steel Reinforced 6" Concrete Slab On 4"Steel Decking 6" Concrete Slab On 4"Steel Decking Concrete Column MTL Fascia MTL Fascia 6" Concrete Slab On 4"Steel Decking Rigid Insulation Rigid Insulation Level 2 Level 2 MTL Fascia 30' - 0" 30' - 0" C-Channel Assembly C-Channel Assembly Rigid Insulation
1'-6"x1'-6" Steel Reinforced Concrete Column 6" Concrete Slab On 4"Steel Decking MTL Fascia
Level 2
Rigid Insulation C-Channel Assembly
Level 2
30' - 0"
C-Channel Assembly
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A-101
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A-101
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Steel Truss A-101 Steel Truss
Steel Truss
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Curtain Wall System Drainage Mat 2% Sloped Pavers Compact Fill
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Window Wall System Window Wall System Floor Finish Floor Finish Window Wall Drainage MatSystem Drainage Mat Floor Finish STL Beam Ground Ground Level Level STL Beam Drainage Mat 0' - 0" STL Beam Ground Level 0' - 0"
Window Wall System Floor Finish Drainage Mat STL Beam
Ground Level 0' - 0"
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n Detail ng Plan Detail Alley Side Wall Section & Elevation n Detail 1/4 "=1'-0"
Basement Level Level Basement -19' - 0" Basement Level -19' - 0" -19' - 0"
Basement Level -19' - 0"
Continuous Dampproofing Loose Fill Concrete Footing PVC Culvert
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Continuous Dampproofing Continuous Dampproofing Loose Fill Loose Fill Continuous Dampproofing Concrete Footing Concrete Footing Loose Fill PVC Culvert PVC Culvert Concrete Footing PVC Culvert
6th St6th Side & Elevation StWall SideSection Wall Section & Elevation 6th St Side Wall Section & Elevation 7 Unitized Curtain Wall Plan 6th "=1'-0" St1/4 Side Wall Section & Detail Elevation 1/4 "=1'-0" 27 71/2 1/4 "=1'-0" "=1'-0"
1/4 "=1'-0"
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Aluminum Cladding Plan Detail8
1/2 "=1'-0"
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Aluminum Cladding Plan Detail Aluminum Cladding Plan Detail
81/2 Aluminum Cladding Plan Detail "=1'-0" 1/2 "=1'-0"
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i. 6th St side section ii. Aluminum cladding detail 39
Portfolio | Alejandra Gomez
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Bicho | Performing Arts Center
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06 Personal Work Oil Paintings 2021-2023
During my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to take several oil painting courses, where I explored, developed, and practiced the craft. Most of my paintings are self portraits or portraits of people in my life. I also enjoy incorporating living subjects, such as plants, and capturing everyday moments in motion, like cooking or eating. Color plays an important role in my work. I enjoy introducing vibrant pops of color to highlight the energy, emotion, and intensity of everyday moments.
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iv. i. Self Portrait with plants 56” X 31” ii. Two seated figures facing up 49” X 32” iii. Woman preparing food 36” X 24” iv. Self Portrait with food, 24” X 36”