A L E X A N D R A P O L Y A K O V A
PORTFOL IO : Architecture, Research, Pedagog y
ALEXANDRA P O LYA KO VA ARCHITECTURE/RESEARCH/ PEDAGOGY
1.Introduction / Research & Teaching Overview 2.Selected Projects- ARCANE Studio Personal Information
NEXUS Pavilion
Schlesische Straße 16, 10997 Berlin
A Garden Too Secret
+66613710476 (Thailand)
SPECTRA
polyakova.oleksandra@ gmail.com www.alexandrapolyakova. com www.arcane.works
SESAM Poliklinika MOLOLITH (Photography) 3. Academic Studio Work LANDCRAFT Y3_S2 MICROCOSMS Y3_S1 Healing Landscapes Y4_S1 4. Design and Build Projects ALFRESCO LEARNING 5. Workshops and Seminars Machine Craft Life of The Surface Second Skin Seduction Of Uniqueness 6. Exhibition and Curation Next GEN Final Year Show (INDA)
PERSONAL STATMENT
“To design is not to impose a form, but to open a space.”
I am an architect, educator, and researcher working at the intersection of practice, pedagog y, and spatial storytelling. My work explores how architecture can respond to the urgencies of our time — social, ecological, and material — through grounded design research, collaborative making , and contextual sensitivity. I co-founded ARCANE Studio as a platform to investigate architecture as both process and provocation. Our work engages with site-specific installations, design-build projects, and ephemeral structures that open up new ways of seeing and using space. My projects often examine edge conditions — geographic, social, and material — with a focus on tropical urbanism, water-based cities, and the reuse of existing environments. In my academic work, I see the studio as a laboratory of ideas and action. I encourage students to investigate through doing : to test, build, and reflect. I believe that architecture is not only a discipline of form, but of relationships — between people, place, and material. My current research is shaped by questions of water urbanism, material reuse, and the role of design-build pedagog y in shaping more inclusive and resilient built environments. Working across Bangkok, Berlin, and Singapore, I aim to build bridges between hands-on experimentation, critical reflection, and architectural education.
ARCANE STUDIO
NEXUS ‘Nexus’ is an invitation to cross the boundaries of the canal edges and re-think Bangkok’s Khlongs as attractive public spaces.
Location: Phitthaya Canal, Bangkok, Thailand Year: 2024 Role: Lead designer and collaborator. ARCANE Studio Details: Floating installationBangkok Design Week, reimagines khlongs as safe, inviting enviroments for public
Bangkok is a congested city where the rhythm of life is dictated by the complex rules of vehicular traffic flows. Large motorways have replaced spaces once occupied by canals which regulated the city’s movements and relationship to nature. A shift to motorised transport of wheels have subverted the relationship between humans and water. An increase in speed and volume of movements was achieved at the expense of a problematic ground condition where an already delicate water management became a problem to resolve rather than an opportunity. From a resource water became not only forgotten, left unmanaged but also something to protect from. Dramatic floods and unpleasant smell are still keeping inhabitants away from water, even if water is the very reason for the existence of most cities including Bangkok. Beyond fulfilling the basic needs of cleaning and hydration of humans, water feeds vegetation and regulates micro-climate as well as offering a sense of delight. Water should therefore at the centre of human public life. Nexus is an installation floating in Bangkok’s Phitthaya Sathian canal and a provocation to rediscover Khlongs. Through the display an object three-dimensionally complex water invites the public to come close with a temptation to reach out and inhabit it. Nexus is therefore an object to look at with the potential to inhabit. The object was designed to become a potential stage or a scenography. A potential that will remain unfulfilled during Bangkok Design Week, yet a seed planted in the public’s perception.
Real Real dimension dimension Dimension Dimension provider provider to to center center of of connection connection
N E X U S
Frame Frame module module M* M*
Frame Frame module module M M
793 793
668 668
334 334
540 540
134 257 134 257
148 148
341 341
405 405 154 154
231 231
129 129 231 231
307 307
171 171
146 146
156 156
203 479 203 479 273 154 364 364 273 154
163 163
170 170
428 428 179 179 180 180
188 188
188 137 188 137
197 197
322 322
179 179
196 196
214 214 502 502 377 377 280 280
358 358
239 239
565 565
283 283 190 190
589 589 251 251 222 222 188 188 438 438 325 325
221 221
219 219
110 110
163 163
247 247
274 274
110 110
597 597 384 384
257 257
530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530
257 257
530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530
375 375
187 187
254 254
728 728
509 509
255 255
258 294 258 294
899 899
219 219
693 693
346 346
256 256 397 397
1129 1129
951 951
476 476
?
A R C A N E
8x 8x
8x 8x
M 2x 2x M
6x 6x
8x 8x
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8x 8x
8x 8x
8x 8x
Vertical Vertical pipes pipes dimensions dimensions (Centre (Centre to to Centre) Centre) M*
M* M* M*
B
00
Arcane
Project ProjectName Name Nexus Nexus
Drawing DrawingTitle Title Module ModuleGeometry Geometrysetting settingout out
Drawing DrawingNumber Number NW-A-04 NW-A-04
Notes Notes
Rev. Rev.01 01
Rev Rev Date Date
Drawn Drawnby by Alexandra AlexandraPolyakova Polyakova
00 00 07.01.24 07.01.24 Issue IssuetotoDrainge Drainge&&Sewage Sewageauth. auth. 01 01 21.01.24 21.01.24 Issue Issuefor forConstruction Construction … … ….. ….. ……………… ……………… … … ….. ….. ……………… ……………… … … ….. ….. ……………… ……………… … … ….. ….. ……………… ………………
Description Description
0.5 0.5
11
22
5m 5m
M
Insert Insertnotes noteshere here SDP SDP
Date Date 07.01.2024 07.01.2024
5018
Scale Scale 1:50 1:50
Modules assembly diagram
1590
4770
Project ProjectTeam Team Alexandra AlexandraPolyakova, Polyakova,Stefano StefanoDal DalPiva Piva
5018
M
Client Client Bangkok BangkokDesign DesignWeek Week
00
55
15 15
50m 50m (Scale (Scale1:500) 1:500)
530
530
Arcane
4770
S e c t i o n , f l o o rA p l a n
00
240
B
Project Name 4770 Nexus
Top View
55
530
Drawing Title 00 assembly 11 Axo View of modules
Typ 10 10
Drawing Number 33 55 NW-A-05
A x o n o m e t r i c Scale w - vie 22
Client Bangkok Design Week
A
22
240
PVC Pipes Axonometric view
Project Team Alexandra Polyakova, 00 Stefano 0.5 0.5 Dal Piva 11
Elevation A
20m 20m (Scale (Scale1:200) 1:200)
Rev. 01
4770
Rev
Drawn by Alexandra Polyakova
Date
00 07.01.24 01 21.01.24 … ….. … ….. … ….. … …..
Date 07.01.2024
Description
10m 10m (Scale (Scale1:100) 1:100)
Issue to Drainge & Sewage auth. Issue for Construction ……………… ……………… ……………… ………………
Notes Insert notes here
SDP
5m 5m (Scale (Scale1:50) 1:50)
Elevation B
1.NEXUS Perspective View
00
0.2 0.2
00
0.1 0.1
0.5 0.5
11
2m 2m (Scale (Scale1:20) 1:20)
2. NEXUS Top View 3. NEXUS Night View
Arcane
Project Name Nexus
Drawing Title General Arrangement Plan & Elevation
Drawing Number NW-A-01
Rev. 01
Rev
Drawn by Alexandra Polyakova
00 07.01.24 Issue to Drainge & Sewage auth. 01 21.01.24 Issue for Construction … ….. ………………
Date
0
0.5
0.5 0.51
2
1m 1m (Scale (Scale1:10) 1:10)
5m
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0
ARCANE STUDIO
A GARDEN TOO SECRET A Garden Too Secret invites exploration of Bangkok’s hidden green spaces, reimagining their accessibility and potential as vibrant public sanctuaries.
Location: Maen Sri Waterworks Bangkok, Thailand Year: 2023 Role: Lead designer and collaborator. ARCANE Studio Details: Immersive installation – Bangkok Design Week, visualizes green space inequality in Bangkok and invites reflection on urban nature through light, plants, and spatial proportion.
A Garden Too Secret, exhibited during Bangkok Design Week 2023, is an immersive art installation addressing Bangkok’s critical shortage of accessible green public spaces. Drawing on urban data, the installation translates the city’s meager 3m² per person of public green space—far below the World Health Organization’s recommended 9m²—into a tangible, emotional experience. The installation combines natural and artificial elements to create an enclosed environment where visitors reflect on the scarcity and beauty of Bangkok’s tropical flora. The 50m² space is defined by translucent fabric, giving a blurred view of lush vegetation arranged in a 3m² central area. A 9m² section, delineated by fluorescent lights, represents the ideal public green space per person. Painted gridlines on the floor help visualize these proportions, immersing visitors in the data-driven concept. The project emphasizes sustainability by sourcing plants from local nurseries and using materials, such as nontoxic removable paints and translucent fabrics, that can be repurposed post-installation. Artificial lighting , including UV for plant health and LED for ambiance, enhances the atmosphere while showcasing Bangkok’s biodiversity. Through its design, A Garden Too Secret serves as a research-driven commentary on the need for inclusive urban planning and accessible green spaces in rapidly urbanizing cities. It not only critiques existing urban conditions but also invites the public to imagine a greener, more equitable Bangkok, seamlessly blending art, nature, and social responsibility.
Real Real dimension dimension
A
R D E N
T O O
S E C R E T
951 951
476 476
?
A R C A N E
Dimension Dimension provider provider to to G ofofA center center connection connection
793 793
668 668
334 334
Arcane8x8x
257 257
540 540
257 257
134 257 134 257
148 148
341 341
405 405 171 171
146 146
307 307 129 129 231 231
231 231
154 154
203 479 203 479
156 156
179 179
273 154 364 364 273 154
163 163
170 170
428 428 188 137 188 137
188 188
180 180
280 280
197 197
322 322
377 377
179 179
196 196
214 214 502 502
239 239
565 565
283 283 190 190
589 589 251 251 222 222 188 188 438 438 325 325 358 358 110 110
6x 6x
8x 8x
8x 8x
8x 8x
8x 8x
8x 8x
8x 8x
540 540
Vertical Vertical pipes pipes dimensions dimensions (Centre (Centre to to Centre) Centre) M*
M* M* M*
B
257 257
134 257 134 257
148 148
341 341
Frame Frame module module M M
257 257
565 565
221 221
219 219 375 375
163 163
247 247
274 274
110 110
597 597 384 384
2x 2x M
00 Project ProjectName Name
8x 8x
8x 8x
M
530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530
405 405 171 171
146 146
307 307
231 231
154 154
163 163
273 154 154 364 364 273
129 129 231 231
203 479 203 479
156 156
239 239
170 170
428 428 179 179
179 179 180 180
188 188
8x 8x
Frame Frame module module M* M*
322 322
197 197 280 280
358 358 110 110
M
530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530 530
188 137 137 188
214 502 502 214 377 377
222 222 221 221
325 325
188 438 438 188
196 196
251 251
190 190
589 589
283 283
219 219
668 668
334 334
793 793
187 187
254 254
728 728
509 509
255 255
?
258 294 258 294
899 899
219 219
693 693
346 346
Dimension Dimension provider provider to to center center of of connection connection
256 256 397 397
1129 1129
Real Real dimension dimension
Nexus 8x 8x Nexus
8x 8x
8x 8x
Drawing DrawingTitle Title Module Module Geometrysetting settingout out 8x 8x Geometry
Drawing DrawingNumber Number NW-A-04 NW-A-04
Project ProjectTeam Team Alexandra AlexandraPolyakova, Polyakova,Stefano StefanoDal DalPiva Piva
Scale Scale 1:50 1:50
Notes Notes
Rev. Rev.01 01
Rev Rev Date Date
Drawn Drawnby by Alexandra AlexandraPolyakova Polyakova
00 00 07.01.24 07.01.24 Issue IssuetotoDrainge Drainge&&Sewage Sewageauth. auth. 01 01 21.01.24 21.01.24 Issue Issuefor forConstruction Construction … … ….. ….. ……………… ……………… … … ….. ….. ……………… ……………… … … ….. ….. ……………… ……………… … … ….. ….. ……………… ………………
Description Description
0.5 0.5
11
22
5m 5m
M
Insert Insertnotes noteshere here SDP SDP
M* M* 0.5 0.5
11
22
ient angkok Design Week
5m 5m
00
S e c t i o n , f l o o rA p l a n 55
15 15
50m 50m (Scale (Scale1:500) 1:500)
Top View 55
530
10 10
Project Name 4770 Nexus
Elevation A
20m 20m (Scale (Scale1:200) 1:200)
240
Drawing Number 33 55 NW-A-05
A x o n o m e t r i c v i e22 w
Project Team Alexandra Polyakova, 00 Stefano 0.5 0.5 Dal Piva 11
Scale -
Rev. 01
4770
Drawn by Alexandra Polyakova
Date 07.01.2024
Project Name ElevationNexus B
Rev
Date
00 07.01.24 01 21.01.24 … ….. … ….. … ….. … …..
Description
10m 10m (Scale (Scale1:100) 1:100)
Issue to Drainge & Sewage auth. Issue for Construction ……………… ……………… ……………… ………………
55
530
Typ 10 10
Drawing Number 33 55 NW-A-05
A x o n o m e t r i c Scale w - vie 22
Typicl connections detail
20m 20m (Scale (Scale1:200) 1:200)
Rev. 01
4770
Rev
Drawn by Alexandra Polyakova
Date
00 07.01.24 01 21.01.24 … ….. … ….. … ….. … …..
Date 07.01.2024
Description
10m 10m (Scale (Scale1:100) 1:100)
Issue to Drainge & Sewage auth. Issue for Construction ……………… ……………… ……………… ………………
Notes Insert notes here
SDP
5m 5m (Scale (Scale1:50) 1:50)
Elevation B
530
Drawing Title 00 assembly 11 Axo View of modules
Arcane
50m 50m (Scale (Scale1:500) 1:500)
Project Team Alexandra Polyakova, 00 Stefano 0.5 0.5 Dal Piva 11
1. A Garden Too Secret Perspective View 2. A Garden Too Secret Detail
22
Drawing Title 00 assembly 11 Axo View of modules
Client Bangkok Design Week
A
PVC Pipes Axonometric view 22
00
Arcane
4770
00
15 15
240
B
530
00
55
PVC Pipes Axonometric view 240
1590
M
gram
oject Name 4770 exus
Modules assembly diagram
5018
es s here here
00
5018
4770
mensions mensions (Centre (Centre to to Centre) Centre)
Date Date 07.01.2024 07.01.2024
5018
M
Client Client Bangkok BangkokDesign DesignWeek Week
00
0.2 0.2
00
0.1 0.1
0.5 0.5
11
2m 2m (Scale (Scale1:20) 1:20)
Notes Insert notes here
SDP
5m 5m (Scale (Scale1:50) 1:50) Drawing Title General Arrangement Plan & Elevation
Drawing Number NW-A-01
Rev. 01
Rev
Drawn by Alexandra Polyakova
00 07.01.24 Issue to Drainge & Sewage auth. 01 21.01.24 Issue for Construction … ….. ………………
Date
0
0.5
0.5 0.51
2
1m 1m (Scale (Scale1:10) 1:10)
5m
Notes
Description
Insert notes here SDP
00
100 100
200 200
500mm 500mm (Scale (Scale1:5) 1:5)
0
ARCANE STUDIO
SPECTRA
“SPECTRA creates an immersive urban sanctuary where light, sound, and nature converge to evoke healing and transformation amidst the city’s bustle.”
Location: Yodpiman Riverwalk Bangkok, Thailand Year: 2024 Role: Lead designer and collaborator. ARCANE Studio Details: Immersive light and sound installation – Bangkok AWAKENINGS Festival, transforms scaffolding , textiles, and plants into a calming sanctuary exploring light, healing , and emotional atmosphere.
SPECTRA transforms the theme “Somewhere Light, Someone Rise” into an immersive installation of light, sound, and space. Inspired by the spectrum of light and energ y, it evokes a range of emotions through an interplay of industrial scaffolding , soft textiles, and greenery. This dynamic structure offers a sanctuary for reflection and calm in the bustling heart of Phra Nakhon, transitioning from day to night to symbolize healing and transformation. Design A minimalistic modular scaffolding system, wrapped in flowing textiles and interwoven with plants, balances industrial and organic elements. Natural light filters through during the day, while glowing LEDs create a dreamlike atmosphere at night, responding to visitor movements and enhancing tranquility. Sound and Interaction A curated soundscape complements the shifting light, fostering a serene environment for relaxation and social connection. Sustainability The installation prioritizes sustainability with rented scaffolding and plants, recycled textiles, and energ y-efficient LED lighting powered by solar energ y where possible, ensuring minimal environmental impact.
5430.
Materials: Rented scaffolding, LED strips, textiles, potted plants.
1930.0
Technical Drawings: Detailed plans, elevations, and lighting configurations are attached. Electrical Requirements: Low-energy LED lighting
A R C A N E
S P E C T R A 9000.0
21000.0
21000.0 3000.0
3000.0
3000.0
3000.0
S
P
E
C
T
R
3000.0 3000.0
9000.0
3000.0
3000.0
A
A R C A N E
22022.0
1.Axonometric View 2.Section 3.Floor Plan
9000.0
21000.0
21000.0 3000.0
3000.0
3000.0
3000.0
3000.0
3000.0
3000.0 3000.0
9000.0
3000.0
3000.0
22022.0
1.Axonometric View
1. SPECTRA Axo 2.Section
2. SPECTRA Section3.Floor Plan 3. SPECTRA Floor Plan
4. SPECTRA Night Expericne with Visitors
3000.0
3000.0
ARCANE STUDIO
S
E S A M POLIKLINIKA
SESAM 2021 Poliklinika was a part of Slavutych - Small Capital of Culture and is supported by Ukrainian Cultural Foundation and Municipality of Slavutych.
Location: Slavutych, Ukraine
Year: 2018-2021 Role: Organaiser and collaborator - Alexandra Polyakova (ARCANE Studio) Organizing Team: Alexandra Polyakova Eduardo Cassina, Yana Buchatska, Liza Goncharenko, Mariia Pastukh, Alexandra Polyakova, Maryna Zaitseva, German Mitish Details: Architecture and urban festival – Slavutych, Ukraine. Reactivates a lateSoviet polyclinic through workshops and spatial interventions, exploring memory, identity, and architectural reuse.
Slavutych, Ukraine’s youngest city, was built in record time after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster to house displaced nuclear power plant workers and their families. Designed collaboratively by architects from eight Soviet republics, the city’s districts reflect diverse architectural styles, materials, and influences, creating a unique modernist urban fabric. However, with the closure of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 2000, Slavutych’s original purpose faded, leaving its future identity undefined. SESAM 2020: A Festival for Exploration and Renewal SESAM 2020 aimed to celebrate and advocate for Slavutych’s late Soviet modernist legacy while addressing its evolving identity. Centered on the abandoned polyclinic—a prime example of late modernist architecture—the festival transformed the building into a hub for workshops, spatial experiments, and cultural events. Participants inhabited and reactivated the polyclinic, engaging in interventions that explored new ways of interacting with and inhabiting the structure. Reclaiming the Avant-Garde Spirit Through the reactivation of this architectural ruin, SESAM 2020 highlighted Slavutych’s importance in architectural discourse, reconnecting the city with its avant-garde origins. The event underscored the cultural and urban value of Slavutych, fostering dialogue on its architectural heritage while proposing innovative uses for its spaces. This festival positioned Slavutych as a platform for experimentation and reflection, blending past, present, and future through architecture, community, and creativity.