Hey there! My name is Alejandra Siguenza, and I am pursuing a B.Arch degree at Cornell University. My journey into architecture wasn’t exactly linear. I started at Wellesley College and MIT to immersed myself in spatial projects and exhibitions. Through this journey, I realized that architecture is about crafting experiences and fostering connections
My work often pushes the boundaries of traditional representation, embracing immersive storytelling to challenge how architecture is perceived and experienced.
This passion for transformative design has inspired the very format of my portfolio. The following pages invite you to embark on a journey that moves beyond typical chapters or sections, allowing each project to unfold as part of a larger narrative. It is divided into four thematic sections:
ORIGINS | Projects relating to historical context, where the past informs the present.
CONNECTIONS | Projects that emphasize the relationships between spaces and people.
TRANSFORMATIONS | Designs focused on change, adaptability, and the evolution of spaces to meet evolving needs.
The final section, Manifestations, where the abstract becomes tangible, showcases how I translate ideas into real-world implementations. Through community engagement and technical expertise, I demonstrate my ability to turning theoretical designs into practical, functional solutions.
As you navigate through this book, the narrative will guide you through my process, philosophy, and concepts, offering deeper insight into the stories and spaces behind the designs.
CHRONICLES OF DESIGN
01 | RECLAIMING ALBINA’S LEGACY
Carving as a Catalyst for Healing and Community Restoration
Professor Imani Day and Suzanne Lettieri | Fall 2023
1st Place | 2023 NOMAS Barbara G. Laurie Design Competition
Contributions: Co-Team Manager and Presenter. Conceptualization, Design Development, Massing, Drafting
ORIGINS | Integrating demolished Hill Block to honor history and incentivise revitalization.
The project aims to heal Albina’s fractured history by drawing from the cultural heritage of the demolished Hill Block, once a thriving hub disrupted by urban renewal policies. Rooted in the site’s origins, the design reclaims its past, reconnecting the community through communal spaces that represent fragmented memories.
By integrating history, ecology, and social infrastructure, the design fosters belonging and transforms loss into collective healing. Five healing pillars (medical health, urban agriculture, community activation, resilient systems, and commercial integration) form a regenerative framework that acknowledges past injustices and empowers the Albina community.
SITE STRATEGY
The design draws from historical lot lines and erased typologies, shaping topography while reintroducing lost spatial forms. This approach acknowledges erased history while creating continuity within the evolving landscape.
RECONSTRUCTED HOUSING
INMACULATE HEART CHURCH
HILL BLOCK BUSINESS DISTRICT
HISTORICAL HOUSING
i. Taking Existing Site Condition
ii. Underlaying Historical Lot Lines
iii. Creating a Topography and Generating Form
iv. Carving Smaller Erased Typologies
FIVE HEALING PILLARS
The project is built upon five healing pillars that shape its central concept: medical care, communal space activation, home and retail connection, healthy living, and sustainable rainwater collection.
Medical Care
Communal Space Activation
Home and Retail Connection
Healthy Living Rain Water Collection
Alejandra Siguenza
PHYSICAL MODEL: Highlighting the Green Roof ‘Topography’
DIAGRAM: Showing Square Footage of Required Program
Alejandra Siguenza
OLIVIA PETERSON (18 year old)
Olivia is a curious high school student who loves gardening. Her green thumb was nurtured by her beloved grandpa, who taught her the secrets of gardening, from planting delicate seeds to tending to the full-bloomed flowers on the roof of her unit
DR. SARAH CRISLIP (72 year old)
Dr Sarah works at the Legacy Emanuel Hospital of the history, she seeks to heal the relationship covid testing stalls, and seasonal vaccination
SITE SECTION: Showing Relationship between Housing Complex and Adjencies (vibrancy, scale)
| Reclaiming Albina’s Legacy | Origins
Hospital who runs the community health clinic. Aware relationship with the community by organizing blood drive, vaccination booths.
CARLOS AND LORETTA GUZMAN (43, 44 year old)
Carlos and Maria are a couple who own a coffee shop in one of the retail spaces. With a passion for crafting the perfect brew and a commitment to sourcing locally, their cafe has become a thriving hub, not only for caffeine lovers but also for boosting economic growth in their town.
Alejandra Siguenza
02 | VAULTED LIBRARY
Revitalizing Community Spaces Through Traditional Craft
Professor Katharina Kral | Spring 2022
Key Words: Community Library, Vault Structures, Catalan Vaults
CONNECTIONS | Fostering relationships between people, space, and architectural tradition
The Vaulted Library intertwines traditional Catalan vaulting with contemporary spatial needs, creating a structure that encourages interaction and exchange. Eleven free-standing vaults, built from recycled brick, vary in height to engage with the urban fabric, shaping a dynamic roofscape that blends with the community. Rather than imposing strict spatial hierarchies, the design promotes openness and interaction, with a porous layout that facilitates movement between the lobby, a café, and exhibition spaces.
More than a repository of knowledge, the library serves as a communal hub where flexible seating and multimedia installations invite dialogue, learning, and shared experiences, reinforcing the connections between people, space, and history.
Alejandra Siguenza Portfolio
CATALAN VAULTS: create sculpted enclosures that enhance spatial fluidity while framing transitions between open and intimate areas
SECTION: Communication across the two levels
TRIPLE-HEIGHT SPIRAL STARICASE: upward procession, where each transition between
STARICASE: choreographs an each step reinforces the rhythmic between levels
FLOOR POROSITY: enhances visual and spatial connectivity across levels, allowing light, movement, and interaction to flow seamlessly through the space.
STRUCTURAL LOGIC
SKETCHES: Precedent Analysis on Various Vault Types
DIAGRAM: Construction Logic of Chosen Vaults System (Catalan Vaults)
CONSTRUCTION
1. Place a layer of 0.75” brick tiles
3. Do a second layer of 0.75” brick
2. Apply a layer of 0.5” cement plaster
4 Apply a layer of 0.5” cement plaster
3. Place last layer of 0.75” brick tiles
SECTION THROUGH BRICK VAULT
ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES
PV PANEL PLACEMENT ANALYSIS
EUI REDUCTION ANALYSIS
PASSIVE STRATEGIES
SUMMER: Design Strategies
SKYLIGHT releaseshot air
CLESTORY WINDOWS gentle breezes, SE and NW
ROOF OVERHANG protect from high summer sun
FLOOR POROSITY engables heat flow throughout the bldg SHADING SYSTEM prevents overheating
PV PANELS facing south to maximize sun exposure
HIGH TERMAL MASS brick releases heat during the night
WINTER: Design Strategies
WINDBREAKERS trees slow winds from NW and SE
ROOF OVERHANG uses low winter sun
VAULT FORM slow impact from NW winds
VAULT FORM hot air circulation, increase thermal comfort SKYLIGHT sun increases thermal comfort
GUTTER SYSTEM form guides water down
DRAINAGE SYSTEM at vaults intersections
HIGH THERMAL MASS brick stores heat and releases at night
FLOOR POROSITY enables heat flow
03 | INVERTING THE DINNING EXPERIENCE
Designing a Culinary Journey Through Spatial Explorations
Professor Martin Miller|Spring 2024 with Valetnina Sanz 25’ and Omar Leon 25”
Contributions: Conceptualization, Design Development, Massing and Visualizations
CONNECTIONS | Redefining the act of dining as an interactive and communal experience
The project reimagines dining as a dynamic social experience, breaking away from the conventional static meal by encouraging movement and interaction. Guests progress through a sequence of spaces, shifting companions with each course, fostering new connections and shared encounters. Transitional ‘cleansing’ areas punctuate the journey, turning movement itself into an integral part of the experience.
Each dining space is carefully crafted to embody the essence of its corresponding course, using architecture and atmosphere to heighten sensory engagement. By blurring the boundaries between food, space, and human interaction, the design transforms dining into an immersive, ever-evolving dialogue between people and place.
INITIAL CONCEPT: Orchestrating a procession
FINAL OUTCOME: Rhythmic Development of Geometries
SEQUENCE OF SPACE
TRANSITORI (A): Transitory spaces
Use of arches to frame the progression between dinning rooms while reinforcing the rhythmic movement of the overall experience
UNROLLED SECTION: demonstrates the orchestrated procession across the dining experience
PORTARE (B):
Each course is shaped transition from intimate
Dinning Areas PULIZIA (C): Cleasing Spaces
shaped by distinct atmospheres that intimate enclosures to expansive spaces.
Cleasing passages where diners pause before continuing the dinning experience. A space of renewal.
Alejandra Siguenza
ATMOSPHERIC QUALITIES ACROSS THE JOURNEY
APERITIVI: Focaccia with Tomatoes | Foccacia Grilled Artichoke
PRIMI PIATTI: Cacio e Pepe Tagliatelle
SECONDI PIATTI: Aqua Pazza
04 | HOTEL ATABEY
Reimagining Hospitality for Ecological Stewardship
Professor Lisa Chervinsky | Spring 2023
1st Place | The Regeneration Collection Competition
TRANSFORMATIONS | Repurposing an old Sugar Mill into a sanctuary of ecological and communal renewal.
Hotel Atabey redefines hospitality by embracing nature and history. Rooted in the Taíno concept of “Atabey,” the design recontextualizes the Old Canóvanas Sugar Mill through adaptive reuse and environmental stewardship. The design includes a 48,0000 sqft pavillion, 40 movable ‘casitas,’ restaurants, and agricultural plots. With hiking trails and a zipline, the hotel fosters ecological resurgence and unites people
The process began with a site visit and socio-environmental analysis, addressing challenges like its floodplain location, historical preservation requirements, and large size of the site. The project had to meet regulations set by FEMA and the Canóvanas municipality planning department which prohibited new construction and requiring facade preservation.
MASTER PLAN: Hotel Atabey with central marketplace, room units, art center, microplots, etc.
Site Legend
Micro Plots
La Central
Roaming Nests
Nature Reserve
Art installations
Meditation Deck
Zipline Station
Refreshment Station
Seating
Parking
CARBON NEGATIVE
ADAPTIVE REUSE
Using adaptive-reuse to preserve the industrial past while allowing nature to reclaim its space. By repurposing existing structures rather than building new ones, the design reduces environmental impact while reimagining historical elements into a functional, sustainable framework.
EXISTING CONDITION
REPURPOSED SPACES
EXTERIOR COLLAGE: Entering the Casitas Enclave
iii. Repurposed Spa Pods
i. Open-Air Meditation Spaces
ii. Scultuptural Plaza and Artist Residency
i. Abandoned House
ii. Pavillion and Adjacent Structure
iii. Drying Compartments Alejandra
INTERIOR RENDER: Use of Natural Materials
: Looking into Eating and
Seating Spaces
INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE: View of La Central: Market Hub for Local Vendors and Cultural Events
05 | SEEDING [IN]FORMALITY
Fostering Community-Led Growth and Infrastructure
Professor Felix Heisel |Fall 2024 with Idil Derman 25’ Contrinbutions: Conceptualization, Design Development, Model Making, Drafting, Massing, Visualization.
TRANSFORMATIONS | Envisions a phased approach to improve infrastructure and security, transforming for a sustainable, self-sufficient community in Mathare 4B.
Examining the microeconomies that sustain households in Mathare 4B, this proposal introduces key urban interventions (‘the park’, ‘the workshop’, ‘the bridge’, and ‘the market’) to address infrastructure and security challenges. By integrating these elements, the project aims to transform the informal settlement into a more sustainable and self-sufficient community.
The approach is phased, beginning with immediate improvements to basic services and addressing insecurity. As the project progresses, the focus will shift to enhancing road infrastructure, waste management, and ensuring long-term security of tenure for all residents. This phased, transformative process lays the foundation for a resilient community and sustainable futures.
OWNERSHIP, IMPACT AND TRIGGERNG INDEPENDENCIES
Alejandra Siguenza Portfolio |
SEEDS INTERVENTIONS
A THE WORKSHOP
B THE MARKET
C THE PARK
D THE BRIDGE
PROPOSED OPEN SPACES
SEEDS INTERVENTIONS
OPENING THE CLUSTERS
A THE WORKSHOP
B THE MARKET
OPEN SPACES
C THE PARK
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
D THE BRIDGE
VEHICULAR ACCESS
PROPOSED OPEN SPACES
UC BERKELEY PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURES
OPENING THE CLUSTERS
PERFORMATIVE RIPERIAN ZONE STUDY (2011)
OPEN SPACES
MATHARE RIVER
EXISTING VEHICULAR ROADS
SEEDS INTERVENTIONS
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
A THE WORKSHOP
VEHICULAR ACCESS
PROPOSED VEHICULAR ROADS
B THE MARKET
PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN
C THE PARK
PROPOSED SEWER LINES
UC BERKELEY PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURES
D THE BRIDGE
PERFORMATIVE RIPERIAN ZONE STUDY (2011)
PROPOSED OPEN SPACES
EXISTING CONDITION
MATHARE RIVER
HOTSPOT AREAS
EXISTING VEHICULAR ROADS
ILLEGAL DISPOSAL AREAS
SEEDS INTERVENTIONS
OPENING THE CLUSTERS
A THE WORKSHOP
PROPOSED VEHICULAR ROADS
GOVERNAMENTAL CLEARANCE (15 M)
OPEN SPACES
B THE MARKET
PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN
VEHICULAR ACCESS
C THE PARK
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
PROPOSED SEWER LINES
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
D THE BRIDGE
VEHICULAR ACCESS
MATHARE RIVER
EXISTING CONDITION
PROPOSED OPEN SPACES
UC BERKELEY PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURES
HOTSPOT AREAS
ILLEGAL DISPOSAL AREAS
OPENING THE CLUSTERS
PERFORMATIVE RIPERIAN ZONE STUDY (2011)
GOVERNAMENTAL CLEARANCE (15 M)
MATHARE RIVER
OPEN SPACES
VEHICULAR ACCESS
EXISTING VEHICULAR ROADS
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
PROPOSED VEHICULAR ROADS
MATHARE RIVER
VEHICULAR ACCESS
PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN
PROPOSED SEWER LINES
UC BERKELEY PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURES
PERFORMATIVE RIPERIAN ZONE STUDY (2011)
EXISTING CONDITION
MATHARE RIVER
HOTSPOT AREAS
EXISTING VEHICULAR ROADS
ILLEGAL DISPOSAL AREAS
GOVERNAMENTAL CLEARANCE (15 M)
PROPOSED VEHICULAR ROADS
VEHICULAR ACCESS
PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
PROPOSED SEWER LINES
MATHARE RIVER
EXISTING CONDITION
HOTSPOT AREAS
ILLEGAL DISPOSAL AREAS
GOVERNAMENTAL CLEARANCE (15 M)
VEHICULAR ACCESS
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
MATHARE RIVER
SEEDS STRATEGIES
SEED A: HOUSING (+workforce development)
SEED B: MARKET (+clean water points)
LAND & HOUSING
Densify and upgrade housing
Maintein of existing roads
Enforce building standards
Ensure building tenure
MARKET
Design a well planned public market for county
Facilitate government investment
Allow open spaces for social interaction
Include water points
SEED C: RIPERIAN PARK (+waste management facilities)
ENV & SANITATION
Incorporate open green spaces
Designate waste collection points
Extend sewer connections
Provide sanitation mngmt facilities
SEED D: DAY/NIGHT CARE BRIDGE (+public toilets)
CHILDCARE
Add childcare facility (to reduce walk distance)
Provision of mix development (public+private)
Integrate public toilet facilities
INITIAL PROPOSAL | SKETCHES
THE WORKSHOP + HOUSING
The Workshop and Housing is designed as a hub for skill development and housing. It has a core shaft that allows for ncremental build and flexibility in workshop and housing layouts. The façade acts like an insertion, adapting to the few existing permanent structures. Financing comes from community residents, who pools funds for materials and labor, and NGO and a Mathare-based CBO offering expertise and resources. The workshop employs local residents as trainers and administrators, creating a codependency where the facility thrives on community engagement, and residents gain new skills and livelihoods. Programs focus on relevant skills like tailoring, carpentry, and ICT, promoe collaborative use of resources by doubling as a space for production and meetings.
PLAN: Tracing interdependencies generated by ‘The Workshop’
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
COLLABORATIVE MODEL
AXON: Integration of housing + workshop in urban fabric
HOUSING UNITS: Incremental build and flexible layouts
HOUSING | RENTAL
1, + 1 PPL
1BA,1 LR, + SUITE
EXTENDED HOUSING
3, + 1 PPL
2BR,1BA,1 LR, + SUITE
NUCLEAR HOUSING
3 PPL
2BR,1BA,1 LR
MODEL: Adaptation of facade to existing infrastructure
HOUSING | RENTAL
4 PPL
2BR,1BA,1 LR, +RENTAL
NUCLEAR HOUSING
7 PPL
4BR,1BA,1 LR
NUCLEAR HOUSING
4 PPL
2BR,1BA,1 LR
PERSPECTIVE: Street view, core shafts being built
NUCLEAR HOUSING
3 PPL
2BR,1BA,1 LR
EXTENDED HOUSING
5, +2 PPL
3BR,1BA,1 LR, + SUITE
AXON: Structure built on existing bridge
PERSPECTIVE: Interior Playground using scaffold system
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
PERSPECTIVE: Childcare at a key transit point for convinient handover
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
Alejandra Siguenza
Alejandra Siguenza
THE PARK
Designed as a landscape strategy, the park mitigates floods and foster environmental protection through gabion walls and bioswales. It integrates community-driven farming and composting as key components for resiliency. Financing would be secured through a government-community partnership, where land and initial funding come from government grants and environmental NGOs, supplemented by small contributions from residents. A cooperative model allows residents to manage operations and hold equity, while a public-private partnership leases land from the government. The park creates employment opportunities at the local level, through construction, land care, composting, and maintenance Beyond its socio-economic benefits, the Riparian Seed is a survival strategy that engages residents with composting instead of waste disposal.
SECTION | PERSPECTIVE: Featuring farming, gabion walls and bioswale for flood mitigation
AXON: Structure follows farming terracing
PLAN: Tracing interdependencies generated by ‘The Park
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
COLLABORATIVE MODEL
THE MARKET
The market fosters cross-collaboration among Mathare 4B and adjacent villages by allowing small businesses and craftsmen to set up shop and sell their products. A harvesting rainwater system, made with large shading structures, adds to environmental and social benefits of the community. A local developer finances and builds these shading structures and water collection systems, defining the extent of the marketplace. Members of the cooperative own the individual stall, while non-members may pay a nominal rent. This ‘seed’ uses a BuiltOperate-Transfer model. Initially, the ownership is shared between the investor and community cooperative, and after recouping costs through rental income over a specified period, ownership is transferred completely to the community cooperative.
PERSPECTIVE: Shading structures and water collection points
AXON: Structures defined by urban conditions
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
COLLABORATIVE MODEL
PLAN: Tracing interdependencies generated by ‘The Market’
TECHNICAL SKILLS
DAYLIGHT ANALYSIS
ARCH 2616 | Spring 2022 | Prof. Timur Dogan
USEFUL DAYLIGHT AUTONOMY
33.7% of the rooms receive more than 300 lux
Offices and computer spaces don’t receive enough lighting, needs to be addresed.
ANNUAL GLARE
14.7% of the bldg receive disturbing glare
Expected result but goal is to try and lower while getting more light into rooms.
PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL &
ARCH 3102 Architecture Studio | Spring 2023
PLUMBING
Residential Kitchen and Bathroom
Commercial Laundromat
ELECTRICAL
STRUCTURAL
6”x8” Wood Purlins and Rafters
STRUCTURAL
2023 | Prof. Sydney Maubert
Plumbing Axonometric
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
ARCH 2102 Integrative Design Studio| Spring 2022 | Prof. Katharina Kral
Alejandra
Concrete Walls with Stucco Finish
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
MATHARE 4B INFORMAL SETTLEMENT VISIT
ARCH 5101 Studio Fall 2024 | Nairobi, Kenya
In collaboration with Slum Dewellers International. Week long opportunity to talk with the residents, visit their houses and participate in design charades with them. Meet with local stakeholders and UN-Habitat Kenya.
BARBARA G. LAURIE 2023 STUDENT
NOMAS Cornell Fall 2023 | Portland, OR.
Co-Lead the project and presented the final Portland Conference. Competed against 38 architecture
STUDENT COMPETITION
proposal in front of a jury at the 2023 NOMA architecture schools across the United States.
REGENERATION COLLECTION COMPETITION
Hospitality Competition Spring 2023 | Netherlands and Puerto Rico
Architectural designer in a multidisciplinary team developing a financially viable regenerative hotel. Engaged with municipality planners and local organizations in Puerto Rico. Presented the final proposal at NHL Stenden in the Netherlands.
