“and whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him”
- Colossians 3:17
Personal Statement
Dedication, honesty, and a strong work ethic have always guided my life. As an architecture student, these values, instilled through my upbringing in a strict, working-class household, drive me to approach my work with discipline.
Having grown up in the construction industry, I’ve developed a deep understanding of the built environment, which has honed both my architectural knowledge and problem-solving abilities. I am proficient in software tools like Revit, Rhino, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop, using them to tackle complex challenges with precision.
Attention to detail and punctuality come naturally to me, traits shaped by my construction background. I strive to exceed the highest standards in everything I do.
This book compiles my process, case studies, and final design, reflecting my growth and evolving thought strategies. I’m grateful to see how my work has evolved and how it will guide me in future endeavors.
I dedicate my work to my Heavenly Father, who lifts me up to work with purpose and humility. Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
01 02 04 03
San Jose, CA | Fall - Year 5
NoHo Housing
New York City, New York | Spring - Year 3
ECOWAS
Topeka, KS | Fall - Year 3
Wichita, KS | Spring - Year 3
ASC(END)DURA
San Jose, CA | Fall - Year 5
In this project, the design intent was to create a space that not only serves the employees but also engages the community of San Jose. The requirements of this project was to create a office building being 300,000 office square footage and 300,000 park square footage. The goal was to design a building that would attract both regular users and passersby, offering amenities that provide a sense of purpose and invite people in. The unique rising amenities, which extend from the building, create a clear distinction between office spaces and public amenities. The project is made up of three key components: the rising amenities, the enclosed office spaces, and the cutting park. These elements define the project, and through the use of precedent studies, these concepts were strengthened, making the building stand out in the San Jose skyline.
Ministry of Health and Education
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Ministry of Health and Education elevates the courtyard to the third floor, making it accessible only to employees. The building also features a passageway beneath, supported by a grid of columns that create a covered space for the landscape below.
Central Park
Location: New York City, NY
The iconic Central Park incorporates various concepts, such as creating distinct zones, some more private than others. It also offers a unique ability to transition quickly from the bustle of the city to the peaceful, tranquil atmosphere of the park.
Central park consists of zone throughout the park some being more private than others. These zones are split up by road access to allow cross through circulation from the west to east side of the park. A large trail circulates around the park creating more zones.
Precedent Collage
This collage represents the future design of the project, illustrating the park’s role in splitting the building into two. The central park concept creates distinct zones—public and quiet— while the lifted building, inspired by the Ministry of Health and Education, introduces the floating aspect of the amenities throughout the site.
Toranomon Hill Station Tower
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Toranomon Hills Station Tower uses amenities to guide users throughout the building, deviating from traditional first-floor placement. By situating amenities on the roof, middle, and ground floors, it creates varied experiences, encouraging users to explore the entire building.
Toranomon Hills Station Towers focuses highly on the multipurpose function by highlighting the public amenities which becomes the opposite of the three other buildings of the Toranomon District.
Little Island
Location: New York City, NY
Little Island uses amenities to shape various locations on the site, utilizing changes in topography to position them. By going down, it forms an amphitheater, while going up creates elevated views from a pier, offering diverse experiences through the landscape.
Precedent Collage
This collage represents the concept found in both the Toranomon Station Tower and Little Island, where amenities serve as the main factor in guiding users through different experiences. In both projects, the amenities create spaces or direct users to them through strategic placement and significance.
The project requirements focused on establishing a connection between César Chávez Plaza and the Federal Court passageway.
A 50-foot-wide passageway through the center of the site divides the building into two distinct components, enhancing circulation and spatial organization.
This passageway now extends César Chávez Plaza into the project, creating a new plaza at the ground level. In turn, this enhances connectivity to the Federal Court passageway, seamlessly integrating the spaces.
Rising Through Amenities
This model serves as an initial exploration of how amenities can shape circulation throughout the building. It was later refined into the diagram above, offering a more practical and structured interpretation of this concept.
Section Diagram Concept Model - Amenity
The section diagram highlights the relationship between the amenities, office spaces, and overall building program. The offices are distinct yet seamlessly integrated with the amenities and park, creating a cohesive flow among the three components within a single structure.
Section A - A’
This activated section sets the project’s tone by highlighting the amenities in pinkish-red, emphasizing their rise in a diagramatic way. It clearly shows the office and park spaces while showcasing structural elements that support the floating amenities, ensuring columns don’t disrupt the park areas.
Plan Diagram
The plan diagram demonstrates the circulation flow through the amenities, effortlessly connecting all areas of the building. It also identifies the office locations, organized around a central circulation core. The park encircles the amenities, integrating with the design and gradually rising alongside them.
Concept Model - Park
This concept model laid the foundation for the idea of using the park to rise alongside the amenities startng from the ground floor, giving the impression that the amenities are floating. The park preserved the initial design’s rising effect, with a few minor adjustments to enhance the integration between the two elements.
Park in the Subtraction
Finalizing the rise of the amenities throughout the site marks the first step in this process, establishing a dynamic foundation for the design’s progression.
Determining the building’s form was also a crucial step in the process of integrating the park, ensuring a harmonious relationship between the structure and the surrounding landscape.
Combining both the building form and amenities creates a cohesive design, where the architecture and functional spaces work together to enhance the overall experience and flow throughout the site.
Cutting through the building masses creates voids within the structure, which in turn help shape and define the office spaces, providing both functionality with an architectural touch.
The park extends onto the floors, walls, and ceilings of the outdoor spaces throughout the building, creating distinct zones and courtyards. Additionally, outdoor spaces are integrated on top of the amenities, further enhancing the connection between the building and its surrounding environment.
Model Pictures
Eighteenth Floor Plan
Model Pictures
F26
NoHo Housing
New York City, New York | Spring - Year 3
In this project the design intent was to allow the students of NYU to have their own personal space to call home. Due to the cost of apartments in New York my goal was to be able to design an apartment that can be used to its full potential; by using custom cabinets that contain the beds and other necessities such as drop down tables. This design is also meant for the students to leave their apartments but still use the same building to study or relax. Adding outdoor courtyards that cut into a large courtyard in the center of this building and allowing wind-flow and views to enter and exit the exterior space. This is done by removing apartments like if they were Jenga Blocks. These lifted courtyards are covered and have exterior bridges that connect the building once it gets exposed to the exterior. The users have their own garden balcony that is extruded from the building creating that depth to the facade and also expressing the life inside the building.
The architectural cutouts in the building, designated for residential apartments, not only accommodate exterior spaces but also facilitate the growth of natural flora, including plants and trees, which contribute to evaporative cooling. Furthermore, these strategic openings enable passive ventilation to flow through both the central courtyard and elevated courtyards.
ECOWAS
Topeka, Kansas | Fall - Year 3
This design for the Ecowas Cultural Center of Kansas is a way of inviting the community from Topeka but also making them feel welcomed and exposed to the African Art that is being presented in this building. Adding a courtyard that is exposed to the sky as the first entry point before entering the building is good way to allow the natural light into this building. This design consists on a main entry courtyard, third story courtyard that has access to gallery and views to the capital, Street and main courtyard, and exterior rooftop terrace that is available to any of the users of the building allowing for views from a high altitude and natural light and air flow. The Sun Shading for this building consists of Steel panels that follow a grid and offset from each other creating a depth to the facades of this building. Some of these Steel panels follow the form of the building and others keep the shape of the site. These panels aren’t solid and use a pattern of two inch perforated holes to give an illusion of solidness but when having a closer look and being level with one of these panels you will be able to experience the exterior while still being indoors, these panels also slide left or right to allow natural light into the building.
Third Floor Plan
Fourth Floor Plan
Fifth Floor Plan
Grand Stairs Communal Area
E. Douglas Theater
Wichita, Kansas | Spring - Year 3
This design for the E. Douglas Theater consists of 1 x 2 ft. glulam beams and thin wood panels that become the structure and shading device for this building. This building’s main purpose is to be inviting to any person walking or driving by incorporating the park and street into my design. As you arrive at this building you are greeted with an exterior front yard that is free and open with seating, also an entry that becomes compact as you walk into the building.
As you enter the main gathering space you are greeted with a large three story open space and circulation through the building. The White Box theater is set on the first floor center of the building with Sky-fold garage doors that can be open and allow the exterior to connect with the interior for different performances and experiences for guests in the theater.
E Douglas Ave
Void & Mass
This building adopts a three-bar architectural scheme, featuring Void, Middle, and Mass elements. The Mass component serves as the rear section, specifically to employees and individuals involved in performances. It’s characterized by a high level of enclosure. The Middle section is designed for broader use, encompassing classrooms, outdoor areas, and the White Box theater. This section enjoys partial enclosure. The Void section, on the other hand, serves as an inviting entrance, providing a gathering space and facilitating vertical circulation throughout the building. It prominently incorporates glass elements, ensuring transparency and visibility.
White Box Theater
Daniel Isai Vega-Fraire
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
