[OUTDATED] Avory Lai | Waterloo Architecture Portfolio | Winter 2024

Hello, I’m Avory!

I am currently a third year architecture student at the University of Waterloo looking for a four month coop position. My passion lies in using design as a tool to create supportive spaces of growth and comfort. I believe that empathizing with people’s stories is the start of any design, and I use this as a basis to explore how spaces and structures improve one’s wellbeing and quality of life.

This portfolio displays a selection of my academic, professional and personal works. Thank you in advance for your time.

Avory Lai

EXPERIENCE

Architectural Assistant | Parkin

SEP 2023 - DEC 2023

• Participated in weekly trade meetings and gave status reports on outstanding RFIs and SDs.

• Coordinated with the Construction Adminstration teams across all trades for a large scale hospital project in Vancouver.

Architectural Intern | Larkin Architect Limited

JAN 2023 - APR 2023

• Developed schematic drawings using Revit according to the Ministry of Education guidelines for childcare centres.

• Selected interior finishes for a church and created a physical material board; coordinated with sales representatives to source high quality materials.

• Prepared visualizations for client presentation packages and boards using the Adobe suite.

• Created orthographic drawings and layout for a zoning report, and graphic design for a heritage church report

Teacher’s Assistant | GCS Daycare

JUL 2022 - AUG 2022

• Assisted the E.C.E. in providing individual program plans for children with special needs.

• Guided children through developmentally appropriate activities and conversations to stimulate their development, sense of curiosity and growth.

Pre-Admissions Receptionist | St. Michael’s Hospital

SEP 2019 - JAN 2020

• Greeted patients and caregivers in a friendly, attentive manner at the reception desk and directed them to their destination.

• Triaged medical documents and assisted nurses delivering patient care as needed.

Camp Counsellor | RHCCC Day Camp

JUL - AUG 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

• Planned and led team-building activities for children aged 5-8, and helped to organize a final performance for the parents to see.

avory.lai@uwaterloo.ca

(416) 209-9629

linkedin.com/avorylai

EDUCATION

University of Waterloo

SEP 2021 - PRESENT

Candidate for Honours

Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Co-op).

SKILLS

Revit

Rhino 7

AutoCAD

Sketchup

Enscape

Illustrator

Photoshop Indesign

Lightroom

Premiere

After Effects

Physical Modelling

Hand Drafting

Sketching/Illustration

DISTINCTIONS

UWSA Project DisplayDesign at Riverside

1A Studio Final selected for 2022 Project Reviews exhibition and online archive of works.

McPhie Family Architecture Scholarship

Awarded to one outstanding student entering first year.

University of Waterloo President’s Scholarship

Admissions average above 90%.

May 20, 2023

To whom it may concern,

Re: Letter of Reference for Avory Lai as an Internship Candidate

It gives me great pleasure to provide this letter in support of Avory Lai’s application for an internship position with your organization. Avory spent 16 weeks with Larkin Architect Limited between January – May 2023 and her work exceeded our expectations in every way.

During her time with us, Avory was trained in the use of Revit for presentation and working drawings. Avory assisted with the preparation of a working drawing package for a childcare renovation and was exposed to the regulatory requirements and their architectural resolution These skills were used to develop a schematic design package for an interior renovation for a worship community. She assisted with the graphic design and layout of a heritage report using adobe InDesign software. Avory also played a critical role in assembling finishes, renders, and material sample boards for an addition to a place of worship. As a small office Avory was able to take part in office training sessions, product learning sessions, and was exposed to all aspects of a small practice.

Through these experiences

Avory demonstrated a strong commitment to learning new skills and software. She demonstrated remarkable capacity for someone of her experience with adobe creative suite skills, space-planning, material research, communications, Revit modelling, and simple working drawing tasks. I would characterize Avory as diligent, hardworking and a quick learner.

Avory was a delightful addition to our office culture. While quiet, she was amiable, pleasant and a valued addition to our team. We would be pleased to welcome her back at any time. I support Avory’s desire to seek out new opportunities in the future and know she will be quick to learn new skills and make meaningful contributions to the profession. I offer you my unequivocal recommendation. Avory will be an asset to any firm.

If you wish to discuss this recommendation further, please feel free to contact me directly.

Larkin Architect Limited

Per:

Michael Nicholas-Schmidt, OAA, MRAIC Principal

Letter of Reference for Avory Lai as an Internship Candidate:

To Whom It May Concern,

I am pleased to provide a letter of reference to recommend Avory Lai. She worked with me at Parkin Architects as an architectural assistant and reported to me as her supervisor.

During her 4-month time with us, our colleagues find her as a great addition to my team. She is organized, eager to learn, understood our team dynamic quickly, and showed strong time management skills and teamwork. On meetings, we could see her progress on developing confidence to speak up, show her ideas, and progressively developing her communication skills. She asked questions as much as possible to understand the tasks and expectations. Usually, getting experience on the Contract and Construction Administration phase and be passionate about it is not typically for everyone. But Avory did great on adapting and absorbing the process to get the job done.

Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reach me.

Sincerely,

Tysa Thomson

SENIOR ASSOCIATE

ARCHITECT AIBC, PMP, CM-LEAN, EDAC, LEED AP

O: 604 283 8054 EXT 631

D: 604 925 5491

local rock lodge and landscape

Course: 2B Design Studio

Location: French River, Ontario

Skills: Rhino, PS, AI

The focus of Local Rock was to explore the existing granite that the lodge is built on. Through this project I was able to research the landscape and construct a social lodge, incorporting the surrounding natural forms and textures.

The building itself is partially embedded in the granite site, creating an opportunity for a set of interior stairs and a recessed shelf for the bar. The main floor has the heavier materials, transitioning the outdoor rock formations to a similar rough texture indoor. This is where meals are served and where there can be larger indoor gatherings. The second floor was designed to be a quieter more intimate space with wood finishes and a warm fireplace. The research lab is also located on the second floor, with the south side under the double-head space, looking out to the forest, and the north side looking out to the French River.

natural form

cut / tiles

polished / tiles

cut / slabs

carved / recessed shelf

cut / blocks

polished

exterior view

model photo, north

model photo, south

ground floor, social bar & stairs to the upper floor

west

east

south

second floor, quiet communal space with a cozy fireplace

granite metal plaster

materiality study

With the main focus being the use of alterantive forms of rock, additional materials were used to create textural differences and separate atmospheres between the floors.

wood stone

greenwave home

student residence

Course: 1A Design Studio

Location: Cambridge, Ontario

Skills: Rhino, PS, AI

Selected for UWSA Projects Review 2022.

Greenwave Home is a mixed-use building combining a community study space as well as housing for two student residents.

The basic form of the building resembling the organic movement in nature, focuses on the well-being of the visitors and residents. Several carefully chosen plants symbolizing and encouraging a healthy, focused study space were placed throughout the building. As well, the wavy exterior shading facades visually connect with the inner structure that doubles as a bookshelf.

1. Chlorophytym Comosum Prosperity & Happiness

2. Lavandula Devotion & Calmness

3. Monstera Deliciosa Respect & Honour

4. Gladiolus Moral Integrity

5. Dracaena Trifcasciata Persistance & Happiness

6. Scabiosa Japonica Strength & Enthuasiasm

second floor plan

view from upper balcony

view of lower bookshelf

case study: safari 7

visualization

Course: 2B Design Studio

Location: New York, New York

Skills: Rhino, PS, AI

Safari 7 is a project that is an addition to the Line 7 subway in New York. It aims to reunite people back to their surrounding ecology through a series of twelve podcasts commuters can listen to as they travel between Queens and Manhattan.

Through my research into the project, I have found that there are various landscapes in New York, each with a unique function in the ecology. There is a direct connection between human habits and practices and their respective ecological landscapes. This project is no longer active and the information is less accessible, but the values and intentions are still relevant. Today the information is shared through word of mouth.

Queensboro

highlighting the ecology around Line 7, specifically the animals and landsapes that appear most prominently in the neighbourhood

illustrating the elevation change as the subway moves from above ground to underground as it passes through the East River

Corona Plaza

Flushing Meadows

4 of the 12 stops with podcasts highlighted, their unique ecology is illustrated in the diagrams

rubble island inaccessible by humans, now occupied by birds.

oysters are filter feeders and provide habitat for other aquatic life.

traditional caskets releasing methane, biodegradable caskets return to earth.

geese in manmade lake polluted by eutrophic bacteria.

re-brick

supportive housing

Course: 2A Design Studio

Location: Cambridge, Ontario

Skills: Rhino, PS, AI

Re-Brick is situated in Cambridge, Ontario, between two buildings. The building’s brick is sourced from local abandoned buildings and upcycled to create a playful, welcoming exterior. The user groups are women and children, and refugees, both of whom have possibly faced negligence, abuse, discrimination and are suffering from trauma. Similarly to how the materials are given a new building to be a part of, the women and refugees are given a safe and supportive place to find their new life and build their families and careers.

Safety and support were the guiding factors for this project. The resident should always feel safe in their home, and the design should encourage that idea. A major part of the design is the courtyard that opens towards the adjacent building rather than the road or driveway. The courtyard on the ground floor is then semi-private as it is accessible by the public. This can make some residents uncomfortable, the response was to create a resident’s balcony on the second floor, as well as further utilize the roof as a completely private resident space.

As for support, the building includes a daycare, counselling rooms and a collaborative workspace for women and refugees to work on their own projects or collaborate with others.

The visual connections between the interior and exterior of the building can be observed from the social spaces on any of the floors or from any of the resident’s units. This allows for more opportunities for residents to interact with each other and explore their new environment.

site plan

site surrounding counselling and daycare buildings

1. site with adjacent buildings.

3. courtyard created to allow space for:

- outdoor social space

- daycare outdoor space

- windows for all the bedroom units

2. first floors plus rooftop balcony to accommodate all users and support programs.

4. private balcony created for residents on second floor.

massing diagram

collaborative workspace

daycare

counselling rooms

program diagram

ground floor plan

second floor plan

typical 2-bed room

typical 1-bed room

third & fourth floor plan

typical 2-bed room

typical 1-bed room

standing in front of the entrance, facing the courtyard

sitting in the social space, looking out into the courtyard

building table

floors

FAR/FSI

collaborative workspace

counselling rooms

exterior brick upcycling diagram

section perspective

1. brick panel cut out of existing building

2. brick panel within frame

3. steel

frame

5. panel assembled onto building wall

4. panel hung from load-bearing “I” profile brackets