I approach architecture as a way to question and reimagine how we live together. My work emphasizes reinvention, experimentation, and the use of conceptual metaphors to push projects beyond their program and into the realm of cultural and social meaning. I’m interested in how architecture can carry memory, invite play, and create environments that respond sensitively to context, climate, and community.
My design process is rooted in research and iteration: testing ideas through drawings, physical models, and digital explorations to uncover unexpected possibilities. I integrate advanced tools and visualization techniques not only to communicate ideas clearly but also to immerse others in the experience of space.
Beyond design, I am deeply influenced by my upbringing in Houston’s Second Ward, a community that shaped my belief in architecture as a civic responsibility. I see design as a way to give back, to amplify voices often overlooked, and to build spaces that foster belonging. My interests in art, photography, and graphic design also inform my approach, allowing me to frame architecture as part of a larger cultural and visual conversation.
Ultimately, my goal is to create architecture that is both innovative and grounded—work that not only solves a problem but also inspires, empowers, and transforms the communities it serves.
Hello! My name is Alfred Rivera
b-60 brownwood reborn
By 2060, Hurricane B-60 strikes the Texas Gulf Coast with lasting consequences. Sea levels, already rising for decades, accelerate dramatically. At the edge of this transforming landscape, a modular floating structure is deployed. Constructed as a ring of sixteen interlocking modules, the Gaia Device buffers wave energy while supporting floating settlements and marine farming systems. Its architecture draws from biomimicry and modular design, using seaweedderived materials and storm-resistant systems to maintain flexibility and reduce environmental impact. The Gaia Device is not permanent. It is designed to gradually degrade and become part of the ecosystem it once protected, forming artificial reefs, substrates for biodiversity, and components in a broader carbon sink strategy. Rather than resisting environmental change, B-60 explores how architecture can participate in ecological adaptation.
Recipient of the 2025 Texas Society of Architects Studio Award.
BROWN
ZOOPLANKTON BLUE
full gaia device
hurricane B-60 path
WELLNESS CENTER
The Wellness Center, located within a self-sustaining village in Houston’s Second Ward, is a holistic space fostering health, community, and connection to nature. Comprising five elevated buildings, the design mitigates flood risks while creating open ground-level spaces that facilitate humananimal interaction. Inspired by Richard Rogers, the bright yellow structural elements and tensioncable facades emphasize function and elegance.
The center integrates four programs—Medical Care, Physical Wellness, Mental Wellness, and Ecopsychology—offering spaces for healthcare, fitness, meditation, and nature-focused therapies like cow cuddling. Modular facades, sustainable materials, and calming interiors reflect its wellnessdriven mission. Bridging environmental sustainability and social equity, the project reimagines how architecture can nurture both community and ecosystem.
details structural assembly
5’-6”
5’-6”
5’-6”
5’-6”
URBAN PARASITISM
“Urban Parasitism: Multi-Family Housing Extension” is a project set in the city of Waco, Texas. This endeavor reimagines a conventional 6-story parking garage, infusing it with new life as multi-family housing, while introducing a striking 2-story mass timber extension. Through the lens of parasitism and object isolation, the project transforms the urban landscape, creating a symbiotic relationship between existing structures and innovative design elements.
The core of the project entails repurposing two floors of the existing parking garage for residential use and seamlessly integrating a 2-story mass timber extension. This extension not only adds visual contrast to the concrete structure but also symbolizes sustainability and warmth through its materiality. The transformation elevates the utilitarian garage into a dynamic residential space, enriching the cityscape and fostering community engagement. spring 2024 project type:
fourth floor communal garden
wood: seventh floor
hybrid: sixth floor
concrete: second floor
site isometric
hybrid: sixth floor communal space
section isometric 01
wood: eighth floor housing units
unit panels 1 & 5
final maquette 1/16” = 1’-0”
final chunk maquette 1/8” = 1’-0”
massing study
FLOS
Brady Island, situated along the Houston Ship Channel, redefines its purpose beyond a recycling center. Named ‘Flos’ from the Latin ‘flower,’ it symbolizes transformation and growth, mirroring the Buffalo Bayou Partnership East Masterplan. ‘Flos’ integrates pathways reminiscent of flower petals, embodying the island’s evolution into a sustainable community hub.
The project embodies sustainability at its core, integrating a comprehensive waste management system and energy-efficient technologies. Brady Island represents a harmonious convergence of nature, recreation, and industry, envisioning a future where waste is transformed into opportunity
perpective drawing of the restaurant at 21:00
perpective drawing of the employee center kitchen and lounge
maquette 1/16” = 1’-0”
perpective drawing of the employee center
perpective drawing of the employee center reception room and offices
NEXUS
The design for Nexus embodies principles of transparency, connection to the earth, and seamless program transitions, creating a dynamic space for contemplation of art, architecture, and nature. As a central hub, Nexus fosters connectivity and collaboration, promoting interaction and engagement. It seamlessly integrates into the landscape, utilizing organic curves to harmonize with the site’s topography and create visual continuity with the natural world. Inside, an open floor plan encourages exploration, while curved walls and large windows promote fluidity and connection with the environment. Courtyards and outdoor spaces further unite the building with its surroundings.
Junya Ishigami
sports courtyard and viewing areas
FLOOR
perpective drawing of the locker rooms/showers
perpective drawing of the building at 21:00
1/6” = 1’-0”
maquette
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
RW Concrete Church, a notable project by Nameless Architecture, establishes a commanding presence in Byeollae, Seoul’s northeastern periphery. Characterized by monumental simplicity, the church features fair-faced concrete, symbolizing enduring religious values. Its box-like structure, with a distinctive corner removed, creates a visually striking profile, while the open ground floor layout embodies modernist principles. The chapel, adorned with timber finishes, aims to evoke a worship service ambiance. Supporting facilities include prayer rooms, a cafe, and offices, ensuring a comprehensive user experience. Nameless Architecture employs an intriguing interplay of iconography, subtly integrating crucifix motifs throughout the design
RW Concrete Church
concrete parapet wall
pour joint pour joint
sealant
aluminum window unit
aluminum window unit
backer rod and sealant
concrete wall wash pour joint
concrete wall
crushed stone 4" perforated pipe pour joint
SECTION 1/2” = 1’-0”
metal counterflashing
4" polystyrene foam ballast
concrete slab roof membrane
1/2" gypsum board
1" polystyrene foam
vinyl cove base
extruded aluminum closure screwed to floor
concrete slab
mineral fiber safing
1/2" gypsum board
vapor retarder
wood studs and insulation
1" airspace
1" polystyrene foam sealant
concrete slab
moisture barrier
6" crushed stone
2" polystyrene foam
WELLNESS CENTER
Alfred Rivera
The wellness center features a robust steel frame structure based on a 20x20foot grid, ensuring both structural integrity and flexibility in spatial organization. The open design fosters a tranquil environment, with a polycarbonate facade that diffuses natural light, maintaining both privacy and warmth.
The wellness center features a robust steel frame structure based on a 20x20 foot grid, ensuring both structural integrity and flexibility in spatial organization. The open design fosters a tranquil environment, with a polycarbonate facade that diffuses natural light, maintaining both privacy and warmth.
Modular shutters, precisely measured at 6’-8” each, are integrated into the facade, forming a 3-module system per structural bay/column span. These adjustable elements effectively regulate light and heat, ensuring a controlled interior climate.
Modular shutters, precisely measured at 6’-8” each, are integrated into the facade, forming a 3-module system per structural bay/column span. These adjustable elements effectively regulate light and heat, ensuring a controlled interior climate.
The roof is designed with a glass system complemented by cantilevered shading devices, which manage light penetration while keeping the spaces cool, providing an optimal setting for relaxation and focus. Wellness Center
The roof is designed with a glass system complemented by cantilevered shading devices, which manage light penetration while keeping the spaces cool, providing an optimal setting for relaxation and focus.
education
F. 2021 - present
F. 2019 - S. 2021
experience
Jun. - Aug. 2025
Aug. - Dec. 2025
Feb. - May 2023
Mar. - May 2024
publications
2023-2025
Jan. - Feb. 2025
July.- Nov. 2025
skills
software skills
University of Houston - Main Campus
B.S. in Architecture
Expected Graduation: 2026
GPA: 3.71
University of Houston - Downtown
Dean’s List, 4 semesters
GPA: 3.96
Gensler - Professional Intern
Contributed to Construction Administration by preparing ASIs and Day-2 models, producing high-quality drawings and digital models in Revit and Rhino, and supporting project teams with client presentations, design documentation, and materials research to ensure design intent was realized.
Interior Architecture Instructor Assistant
Assisted in a senior-level design studio focused on adaptive reuse and climateresponsive educational architecture. Helped facilitate desk critiques, reviews, and client presentations while reinforcing studio themes of sustainability, modularity, urban domesticity, and the integration of landscape and play into learning environments.
Studio Juror
Participated as a juror for a 1st-year architecture studio. Provided constructive feedback on student projects, focusing on design principles, creativity, and presentation.
Video Creator & Editor
Developed and edited a video proposal for a 5th-year architecture studio. Crafted a visually compelling narrative that highlighted the course’s curriculum, integrating advanced design concepts and digital media techniques to engage and secure approval.
Estudio Alexandre
Resposible for creating illustrations and concrete designs that meet clients’ needs. Delivered commissions in a timely and professional manner.
Cooglife Magazine
A selection of my photography was featured in Cooglife Magazine, a design-focused publication highlighting culture and urban narratives within the University of Houston community.
Texas Magazine/Texas Society of Architects Studio Award
Recognized for an unbuilt project demonstrating innovation and excellence in design. The award honors forward-thinking architectural work addressing critical contemporary issues, with winning projects published in Texas Architect magazine and celebrated at the Society’s Annual Conference & Design Expo.
Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper, 3ds Max, Blender, Illustrator, Photoshop, Lightroom, Premier Pro, InDesign, Microsoft Office Suite technical skills
additional skills
sketching, model making, lasercut, CNC, 3D print, painting, woodwork, OSHA 30, film and digital photography
Collaboration and Teamwork, Adaptability, Visualization and Ideation, Creativity, Presentation Skills, Decision-Making
languauges awards
English- Fluent
Spanish- Fluent
French - Elemantary
Dean’s List (F. 2019 - S. 2025)
Texas Society of Architects Studio Award (2025)
organizations
2024 - present
creative work
2019 - present
AIAS (The American Institute of Architecture Students)
An independent, non-profit, student-run organization that is dedicated to providing resources, information, and programs that are critical to architecture and the advancement of its students.
Street/Documentary Photography
Developed an ongoing body of photographic work focused on urban environments, atmosphere, and everyday culture. My practice emphasizes street photography as a way to document fleeting moments, social interactions, and the layered character of the city. This work has been published in Cooglife Magazine and continues to inform my architectural perspective through its attention to context, narrative, and visual storytelling.
