Eliany Rodriguez Selected Works 2021-2024

About the Designer

Hi, I’m Eliany Rodriguez, a recent graduate of architecture with an environmental studies minor. I’m passionate about creating spaces that prioritize the wellbeing of occupants.

This passion is deeply rooted in my homeland of Panama, where natural light and nature are abundant. Relocating to Canada, with long winter months and predominant urban landscapes, challenged my connection to nature and emphasized the profound impact that building design has on human well-being.

In response, I utilize research to integrate features such as wide-open views, maximized daylight, and access to the outdoors into my designs. Through my work, I aspire not only to create spaces that enrich people’s lives but also that can minimize environmental impact.

I’m happy to share my work with you.

EDUCATION

2019-2023 Honours Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies University of Toronto

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2021 – Present Freelance Architectural Designer

2022 – 2023 Research Assistant at The Design for Climate and Comfort Lab

May 2021 – Aug. 2021

Architectural Intern at Technical Design Studio

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS

2023 Publication in the Building Simulation: 18th Conference of IBPSA 2023 1st Place in the Sustainable Buildings Challenge

2022 Selected by jury in the RAIC Student Work Showcase

CERTIFICATES

2023 Revit 2024: Essential Training for Architecture

2023 LEED Green Associate

2022 Architectural Visualization (SketchUp, Lumion, Photoshop)

SOFTWARE

SKILLS

Page

Circadian Rhythm & Sunlight 1

Lightness + Heaviness

Balcony Design for Wellbeing

Office Renovation

Portugal Cove

Sustainable Buildings Challenge

1

Circadian Rhythm & Sunlight Student Residence

*Selected project for the CASA-ACEA 2022 Student Work Showcase

*Showcased in the Doors Open Toronto 2022 at the Daniels Faculty

Project Type: Academic

Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus

Area: 64,000 sq. ft.

Software: Rhino, Grasshopper, Illustrator, Lumion

Instructor: Lukas Pauer

Year: 2022

Description:

This student residence explores ways to improve students’ wellbeing and performance by providing access to sunlight and an increased sense of time while indoors. Its program encourages students to work with their circadian rhythm to optimize performance of daily tasks.

Goals:

• Maximize the availability of natural daylight in all dormitory rooms by including south-facing windows in each room.

• Open views while controlling solar heat gain.

Building Massing

• Mimics Toronto’s sun path: ascending from the east, curving southward, setting in the west, and returning northward as a new day commences.

• Inspired by the Sun Dance Ceremony, commemorates Indigenous traditions.

Building Orientation

• Slightly shifted southeast to make early morning sun available in each room.

• Exposure to natural light in the morning plays a significant role in regulating the circadian rhythm by signaling to the body that it’s time to wake up.

Perforated Aluminum Panels

• Modelled using Grasshopper.

• Diffuse incoming daylight to produce a soft illumination.

• Provide privacy.

Self-Shading Façade

• Reduces both the required cooling energy in the summer and the heating energy in the winter.

• Blocks summer sun rays of 45 degrees and higher.

• The length of the shades was determined through solar geometry shading design calculations.

Summer Solstice Sun Angle 70°

Winter Solstice Sun Angle 20°

SUNRISE

SUNSET

Lightness + Heaviness

Laneway Housing

Project Type: Academic

Location: Augusta Avenue, Toronto Area: 590 sq. ft.

Software: SketchUp, Illustrator, Lumion

Instructor: Nova Tayona

Description:

The house was designed for a family of four; two adults, one child, and a dog. The design features a main living space, two work spaces, two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a backyard.

Goals:

• Combine wood, glass, and concrete to explore lightness and heaviness through materiality.

• Provide private outdoor spaces.

• Maximize daylight in common spaces such as living room, kitchen, and circulation spaces.

Year: 2021 Massing Diagram

Connection to the Outside Openings

Private Outdoor Spaces

Heaviness to Lightness Thresholds

3 Balcony Design for Wellbeing Research

Project

*Published in the Building Simulation Conference Proceedings Vol. 18

Project Type: Work-Study

Location: Vancouver & Toronto

Software: Grasshopper, Climate Studio, Illustrator

Supervisor: J. Alstan Jakubiec

Year: 2022-2023

Description:

This project is focused on quality of life for inhabitants in urban high density dwellings, specifically evaluating view quality, residential daylighting, gardening potential, and circadian entrainment potential in balconies.

Goals:

• Establish a design baseline to inform the design of future condominiums with balconies in Toronto and Vancouver.

• Develop a grasshopper script of a set of balconies with parameters for dimensions of unit and balcony, type of balcony, distribution of balconies, glazing materials, orientation, and window-to-wall ratio.

• Perform simulations on 5 human-centric lighting metrics for urban homes with balconies.

Walls

Walls

Circadian Entrainment Potential Gardening Potential

Application to Existing Building

Sample Unit

Urban Context - Downtown Toronto

View to Ground View to Vegetation

View to Sky

Sustainable Buildings Challenge Competition

Multi-Unit Residential Building

*Obtained 1st Place

Project Type: Design Competition

Location: Milton, Ontario

Area: 2,800 sq. ft.

Software: Rhino, Climate Studio, Illustrator

Team: Javeriya Hasan Year: 2023

Description:

The competition consisted of developing sustainable strategies to improve the current design of a mid-rise multi-unit residential building to be constructed in the Milton Education Village by Mattamy Homes.

Goals:

• Perform daylighting simulations on original design to inform how daylighting in the units could be improved.

• Increase the Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) in units only facing north.

• Reduce the Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) to recommended values.

Sun Path Diagram at 9AM

Sun Path Diagram at 3PM

Proposed Design Recommendations

Orientation Change

Shifting orientation of the building 10 degrees northeast to allow more sunlight into the northfacing units.

Climate Specific Shades

Implementing climate specific shades in selected windows on the East, West, and South façade would reduce heat gain.

Spatial Daylight Autonomy Score

Increased from 72% to 88% and significally improved daylighting in the targeted north-facing units.

Annual Sunlight Exposure

Decreased from 22% to 9% while maintaining the sDA above 55%.

Portugal Cove

Single Family Home

Project Type: Professional

Location: Newfoundland, Canada

Area: 13,334 sq. ft.

Software: Revit

Supervisor: David D’Andrea

Year: 2021

Description:

Conceptual design and construction documents for a single family home. The gable roof and L-shaped form is a strategic response to the prevailing winds in the area. One wing acts as a protective barrier for the other, creating a serene indoor and outdoor living space.

Key Contributions:

• Topographic Map Creation

• Furniture Placement

• Master Bedroom Design

• Front Façade Iterations

• Drawing Set: Floor plans, elevations, sections, axonometric views, and callout detailing.

Front Fa çade

Option 1

Front Fa çade

Option 2

Front Fa çade Option 3

Topographic Map

TERRACE ENTRY FOYER MUD ROOM

FAMILY ROOM

GARAGE

GUEST BEDROOM

LIVING ROOM BAR

DINING ROOM

KITCHEN

PANTRY

POWDER ROOM W/C

POOL TABLE

North-South Section

East-West Section

Stair Section

Office Renovation

Commercial Space

Project Type: Professional

Location: Santiago, Panama

Area: 470 sq. ft.

Software: Revit

Year: 2024

Description:

The office space is situated on the second floor of a pharmacy. The space was in dire need of renovation, as it lacked natural light and was arranged in a cubicle layout.

Goals:

• Open space layout

• Maximize natural light and ventilation

• Integrate biophilic design through earth tones, plants, and views to the outside.