• Techniques: Physical model-making, hand sketching, digital drawing conventions
• Soft Skills: Team collaboration, leadership, time management, public speaking
Professional References
Dr Shooka Motamedi - Professor | Studio Instructor, OU Gibbs College of Architecture shookamotamedi@ou.edu
Steve Hixon- Facility Coordinator, OU Fitness and Recreation higgy@ou.edu
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BLER Building & landscape for Ecological Regeneration pg 1-8
SEAM, The Hill - Noma Student Design competition 2024 pg 9-12
Renegade Vessels pg 13-20
Land Vessels
pg 21-26
Other Works pg 27-30
BLER Building & landscape for Ecological Regeneration
The Aviary
The Aviary is a space for ecological restoration, biodiversity prefoliation, and education. Designed to be a living extension of the landscape, it serves to actively educate and involve the community in advancing ecological resilience and sustainability.
The project reconnects the Oliver Woods Preserve ecosystem by means of sculptural tree abstractions creating a crossing that safely guide birds across the highway.
Integrating with the natural geometries and patterns found in blue jay habitats, the design is inspired by the aerodynamics of the blue jay’s wings and the protecting structure of trees in which they nest.
Constructed predominantly from wood, the structure hosts indoor and outdoor classrooms, research labs, offices, and a viewing platform to observe and engage with the expanding ecosystems north of the preserve.
Wood paneled interior classroom features large that aid to maintain the buildings connection to nature while flooding the space with of natural light.
The curated building approch guides visitors along tree lined access path parallel to its research wing. Supplemented by the striking observation tower to the right peeping form behind the swaying tree canopies .
SEAM, The Hill - NOMA Student competition 2024
SEAM
The SEAM Compass is the University of Oklahoma NOMAS (National Organization of Minority Architects Students) submission for the 2024 Student Design Competition.
The project seeks to reunite and revitalize historically Black communities in West Baltimore disrupted by the construction of the unfinished “Highway to Nowhere,” which left a deep scar in the urban fabric.
Alongside the proposed Red Line train system, SEAM is a transit-oriented design project aimed at reconnecting divided neighborhoods and transforming vacant parking lots and abandoned ice factory into vibrant, community-focused destinations.
The project introduces dynamic spaces such as The Canyon, Ice Factory, Hive, and The Hill , each fostering economic growth, sustainability, and cultural preservation. Through adaptive reuse, affordable housing, and accessible public areas, SEAM weaves together ecological, economic, and social elements to create a thriving, interconnected ecosystem that honors Baltimore’s history while paving the way for its future.
The Hill
Situated at the east end of the SEAM Compass, The Hill serves as a gateway, connecting the campus to the elevated U.S. Route 1 street. This green space is dedicated to wellness, physical activity, and community engagement. It features landscaped areas, gathering spaces, water gardens, fountains, multi-purpose outdoor sports courts, public restrooms, playgrounds, and a community garden.
The Hill also functions as the main entrance to the required off-street parking, which is conveniently located beneath it.
While the team collaboratively developed the overall concept, I worked more closely on the detailed design and development of this section following the initial conceptualization phase.
BY NOMAS OU
CONCEPTUALIZATION
THE HILL
PUBLIC FACILITIES GATHERING & MEETING POINT
CONNECTION TO CANYON KIDS PLAYGROUND PLAY
STORM-WATER FILTRATION POOL SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY
ENTRANCE TO UNDERGROUND PARKING
GARDENS WITH NATIVE VEGETATION WELLBEING + LIVE
Land Vessels
Costa Rica Tree House
Olson Kundig
From a curated list of houses by notable architects that uniquely interact with their surrounding contexts and landscapes, the Land Vessels project introduced us to orthogonal drawings. The goal was to develop skills in reading, interpreting, and reproducing building plans, sections, and elevations by hand.
Olson Kundig’s Costa Rica Tree House stood out to me for its vertical integration within the dense tree canopies of its forested hillside site. Overlooking Hermosa Beach, the house was designed for surfing-enthusiast clients and seamlessly blends architecture with nature.
In addition to orthogonal drawings, we created axonometric analytical drawings. I developed an exploded axonometric drawing highlighting the house’s structure, façade constructed from locally sourced teak wood, and sustainable features such as rainwater catchment tanks beneath the foundation, passive cooling from ocean breezes, and rooftop solar panels that enable off-grid functionality.
The final component of the project was a 1/4” scale model showcasing how the house integrates with the topography and surrounding forest canopy.
Other Works
BLER Aniamal Crossing
BOMBCYCLONE
Inspired by one of Georgia O’Keeffe’s two-dimensional paintings, this project attempted to reimagine the artwork as a three-dimensional space. Using the painting as a plan, I visualized a section cut through it, transforming its abstract forms and colors into architectural elements and spatial volumes.
To complement the first model, I created a twin model that mirrors the original composition, maintaining the same visual “DNA” while bringing the artwork’s essence to life in three dimensions.
