Mini Portfolio UCLA MSAUD

Rebecca John

(beccaj@g.ucla.edu)

(beccaajohnn@gmail.com)

Website/Portfolio/Resume

About Me

I’m an architecture student passionate about urban design and exploring sustainable materials like algae and other biomaterials. I have my BArch from The Cooper Union and currently working towards my MS in Architecture and Urban Design at UCLA. I’m interested in how cities and public spaces can better respond to the environment and support the way people live and interact. I enjoy working at the intersection of design, ecology, and technology, and I’ve been using AI tools to push my ideas further during grad school. In the future, I hope to integrate design through biomaterials in an urban context.

My Skills

Revit, Rhino, Grasshopper

Blender, Enscape, Vray

ArcGIS, Climate Consultant, Ladybug

Stable Diffusion

ComfyUI, Automatic1111

Unity, Unreal Engine

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Applications

Sea Ranch - A Collective Future

Winter 2024

Our proposal reimagines the typical pattern of single-family homes in Sea Ranch by introduc ing a continuous, interconnected housing sys tem. Inspired by generative forms developed in ComfyUI, the design flows with the terrain, forming loops that open into shared courtyards shaped by natural topography. This shift from private to collective space strengthens social ties and fosters a more resilient, fire-adapted environment. Instead of individual perimeters, the landscape becomes a shared responsibility—making fire mitigation more manageable and effective through com munal maintenance and defensible buffers. Architecturally, the massing steps with the slope, preserving views while maintaining a low, sensitive profile. Public spaces are placed at ground level, with private retreats above— reflecting a balance between openness and intimacy.

More than a formal system, this project pro poses a new framework for living—one that is ecologically grounded, socially connected, and designed for collective resilience. It envisions a Sea Ranch rooted in both community and the land.

One Night Fling - Holi Festival

Summer 2024

Transforming Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California into a festival - Holi Celebration. The atmoshere explodes with pigmented powders as you experience each street. These animations show a glimpse of experiencing this festival.

Using reference images to model into the festival and with the aid of Stable Diffusion which generated over 600 images of styled images. Each image is unique in each frame of the 10 second video that appears as you walk through the street.

Housing + Ecology

Summer 2024

California faces multiple challenges, including rising housing demands, an aging population, food scarcity, and issues with mass-produced food supply chains. As the state struggles to address these problems, a potential solution emerges: well-planned housing arrangements that incorporate garden spaces for fresh ingredients. This approach not only tackles housing and food needs but also creates natural green spaces that attract beneficial creatures like bees, butterflies, and insects, crucial for maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

Inspiration from nature has often provided answers to complex design problems, and this principle can be applied to create environments that benefit both humans and animals. Our society’s functionality depends on these small creatures; without them, we risk future extinction.

By reimagining Sunset Boulevard’s facades and open spaces, we can lead the way in sustainable urban development. This approach is particularly crucial as California’s growing population and increased housing demand are significantly increasing the city’s carbon footprint. Integrating ecology with high-density housing can create healthier, more resilient, and aesthetically pleasing spaces.

Looking ahead to 2050, the built environment could seamlessly integrate clean agroecology and applied ecology. This vision combines affordable housing solutions with sustainable practices, addressing both immediate needs and long-term environmental concerns.