How can architecture respond to the complexities of human experience?
To me, architecture is more than the creation of built environments—it is a dialogue between the past, present, and future, where spaces create dialogue to their surroundings and inspire those who inhabit them. A design must interact with its surroundings, whether through passive systems, sustainable material choices, or a structural language that reflects the natural and cultural context. I believe architecture must not only adapt to these forces but also inspire a more conscious relationship between people and their environment.
Above all, I see architecture as a medium for fostering community. A well-designed space provides opportunities for connection, collaboration, and collective growth. Through thoughtful programming and spatial design, I aim to create places that serve diverse needs while encouraging a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
I explore these challenges through the lenses of material innovation, spatial clarity, and contextual sensitivity, balancing craftsmanship with forward-thinking design. Balancing these elements—material, environmental, and communal—guides my work toward meaningful and enduring design.
Interior
Axonometric
Aluminum Roof Panels
Wooden Structure
Reinforced Concrete Columns
Structure/ Load Bearing Walls
Concrete Foundation Exploded
Nao Wa Shi Paper Mill
The project analyzes the structure of the Nao Washi Paper Mill in Japan, a building that combines traditional craftsmanship with modern architectural and environmental solutions. The mill’s design addresses the dual functionality of its program. The outdoor workspace occupies nearly half the site, featuring water basins for soaking raw materials and steaming pots. Inside, the milling process transforms raw materials into handmade Washi paper.
Structurally, the building is elevated on a 3.93 feet reinforced concrete foundation, which safeguards against water damage and provides resilience against seismic forces. Surrounding the concrete foundation are pebbles intended to assist in the drainage of the structure. A wooden framework rests on this foundation, with columns arranged allowing for a flexible layout.
Concrete Foundation
Wood Side-Insert
Wood Column (3.742”X0.137^2)
Wood Column (3.742”X0.137^2)
Wood Beams
from a Chair
...to a Space
The project began with an analysis of Dieter Rams’ 620 Chair, designed in 1962 and embodying the philosophy of “less, but better.” Its kit-of-parts system allows for various configurations, including single and multi-seat arrangements, adjustable back heights, and various base options. The chair’s lightweight, shell-like form, crafted from hot-pressed sheet molding compound, is softened by filleted edges and emphasizes design simplicity. These principles informed the initial exploration of modularity and kit-of-parts formation.
Building on the 620 Chair’s principles, this project focused on creating a 12-foot by 12-foot space inspired by its design and production methods. A grid structure supported hot press-molded plastic panels with filleted edges and varying sizes to define the space. This exploration of modular assembly and materiality served as a bridge between the chair and larger architectural concepts.
The final project situates a community center for surf enthusiasts on Puerto Rico’s northwest coast near the historic Ruinas del Faro. Rooted in the modular principles of earlier assignments, the design integrates workshops for traditional and press-molded surfboard production, classrooms, dining spaces, housing, and exhibition areas. A boardwalk extends from the ruins, connecting indoor and outdoor spaces while providing a dynamic spine for activity. The grid structure, derived from the lighthouse proportions, unifies the layout and guides the transition from land to water.
At its culmination, the reconstructed lighthouse lamp rises as a cultural landmark— no longer a navigational beacon, but a symbol of remembrance and renewal.
This semester’s work highlights architecture’s power to transform forgotten sites, with thoughtful use of color and high-resolution drawings.
1. Surfboard Workshops
Workshops
BEDROOM
LIVING
BATHROOM
KITCHEN
LIVING
BEDROOM
KITCHEN
BATHROOM
The Cookhouse
The Cookhouse began with an analysis of Can Lis in Mallorca, Spain. Analysis diagrams investigated the building’s interaction with its surroundings, circula tion, program, and the role of natural light within the main living area at 9 AM, 12 PM, and 3 PM.
This laid the foundation for speculative drawings and models. The initial model featured a paper structure composed of intersecting and overlapping cylinders, while the later model introduced a wood en, multilayered, translucent structure em phasizing diagonal and vertical themes.
The final design of the spring roll cookhouse emphasizes translucence, circula tion, and harmony with the natural environ ment. The facade features a diagonal grid with more delicate vertical elements that continue within the structure and create a dialogue with the surrounding bamboo forest. The cookhouse also promotes sus tainability through its use of green roofs for cultivating vegetables.
This semester serves as a testament to the exploration of light, shadow, and the interaction between architecture and envi ronment, with a focus on wooden mod el-making and technical drawing to bring these concepts to life.
1st Floor Plan
Drilling
Fracturing
Tile Cutting
Quarry Pavilion
This project begins with hands-on experimentation with various stone. Through techniques such as drilling, chiseling, torching slate, and layering marble, I explored the tactile essence of stone.
The project transitioned into paper models, where modular design became a central theme. Inspired by the tile cutting paper model, I iterated on a 27-pixel design incorporating chamfered edges.
The final phase translated these modular concepts into a stone model using rockite as a surrogate material. This folly, designed for integration within a quarry, merged the artificial with the natural. A modular grid guided the design, enabling the removal of components to echo the quarry’s excavation process. Chamfered edges and voids redefined the quarry experience, inviting interaction and emphasizing the harmony of modular forms.
This semester serves as a testament to the exploration of materiality, form, and context, with a focus on model-making and craftsmanship to explore how materials and modular systems can shape spatial narratives.
