Esmeralda Aceituno

selected works

01.

KIWI DIY

New Zealand has long been a nation of home renovators, where the Kiwi can-do spirit thrives in every DIY project, backyard extension, and self-built home. Embracing this ethos, this proposal introduces affordable, mid-density modular housing that is turn key ready on day one yet designed to evolve over time. Rather than a rigid, mass-produced model, these row houses offer mass customization, empowering homeowners to shape their spaces to fit their changing needs. A dedicated building service pad in each backyard allows for effortless expansion, whether it’s a home office, guest suite, or rental unit, each addition builds both space and equity. More than just housing, this is a social experiment in adaptability and community, where vibrant streetscapes, shared experiences, and collaborative living redefine the modern Kiwi neighborhood.

Publication - New Zealand Listener - October 12, 2024

Model Photographs

02.

BARREL WORSHIP

Oakwood is a residential neighborhood located in Venice, CA. Also referred to as Ghost Town and Dogtown, this small neighborhood has deeply rooted gentrification issues. In 2017, a rich business mogul bought the site of a culturally significant and widely used church and began demolition for the construction of a massive mansion. Despite community outrage and public protests, this church was not considered for designation as a historicalcultural monument and proceeded to be torn down. To fulfill this void in the community, this design proposes a larger community center and non-denominational church be constructed across the street from the original site. The central axis is voided out to enable a safe passageway between the street and the park.

1. Primary Structure

2. Secondary Structure

3. Thermal Insulation

4. Waterproofing Membrane

5. Exterior Cladding - Support

6. Exterior Cladding - Skin

7. Interior Cladding - Support

8. Interior Cladding - Skin

Vignette Series

RICE REVENUE

Yuanyang, China is a landscape of breathtaking rice terraces, sculpted by generations of farmers whose lives and history are deeply intertwined with the land. Where tourists see a mesmerizing, photogenic panorama, for the local Hani people, these paddies are a lifetime for survival. As tourism flourishes, so too does the fear of commercialization, where the workers who cultivate these terraces risk being reduced to mere scenic elements in a curated experience rather than recognized as stewards of an essential way of life. This is a critical lens into the future of Yuanyang, questioning the fragile balance between economic opportunity and cultural preservation. The challenge for this community lies in ensuring that its world-renowned beauty remains a reflection of its thriving tradition, not just a spectacle for passing visitors.

Objectification Vignettes

VERTICAL RISE

Barcelona currently faces a lack of social housing, with the estimated calculated need being 27 million m2. In the city of Barcelona, this footprint stands to leave a very lasting mark. In order to reduce this footprint, a vertical city is necessary which builds density in elevation, rather than planimetrically. Located along the Rondas, one of the most important interconnected streets in Barcelona, our skyscraper reaches the height of 512 meters of Tibidabo, the mountain range which caps off Barcelona’s north west access. This vertical city acts as a double helix, with the four exterior helix forms housing co-living townhouse units, which fulfill the social housing need, and the interior helix includes mixed programming and green space. One neighborhood of housing acts as 30 floors, with a range of circulatory distances, programming needs, and green space fulfilment.

Team Member - Annabelle Asali

BAMBOO TRIANGULATION

Located in the heart of Chinatown, this social justice research center provides valuable services to the community, such as office spaces, meeting rooms, an indoor workout facility, and an exterior running track. The facade system features bamboo, a symbol of oriental beauty in traditional Chinese culture. Used as scaffolding for modern construction in China, bamboo is lightweight, sustainable, and cheaper to source than most traditionally used building materials. The facade tessellates itself in response to the programmatic features of the building, offering moments of exterior interaction and sunlight infiltration through the cantilevered punch outs. The structural system is comprised of CLT to further accentuate the facade qualities, as well as, provide flexibility to the building’s interior organization.

Vignette Series

Concrete Raft Foundation Vertical Systems

Diaphragm Systems

Shear Systems

Horizontal Systems

Complete Structure

ACTIVE CHILLED BEAMS 8” WIDE

WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE

DRYWALL PANELING ROOFING UNDERLAY ROOF DECKING

BATT INSULATION

PRIMARY AIR INTAKE

ACTIVE CHILLED BEAM

CEILING VENTILATION

WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE

FLASHING BAMBOO

SECONDARY FACADE

CYLINDRICAL FASTENER

STRUCTURAL C-CHANNEL GLAZING GASKET

CLT FLOOR PANEL AND FINISHED FLOORING

PRIMARY STRUCTURAL TIMBER BEAMS 1’3” X 1’9”

SECONDARY FACADE LAYER OF 3” WIDE BAMBOO

LOW-E DOUBLE GLASS

STRUCTURAL C-CHANNEL GLAZING GASKET CYLINDRICAL FASTENER

METAL PLATE CONNECTOR

CONCRETE MAT FINISHED FLOORING

METAL DOWEL CONNECTOR BATT INSULATION GRAVEL

PROFESSIONAL WORKS

Through internships within world-renowned firms, I assisted on designs for a range of projects and proposals with different scopes and requirements. Within Safdie Architects, I worked with a team of 3 to design several spaces intended for artists and creatives in the Crystal Bridges Museum located in Arizona. In addition to these spaces, I designed a custom cafe bar with the capacity for all the necessary equipment and adequate bar seating for the museum’s patrons. In illustrating professional renderings and three-dimensional conceptial design mockups, I aided in the team’s transition from design development to construction documentation. Within Meyer Davis, I produced professional-quality renderings for client approvals on furniture and material selections for the Limelight Hotel in California. In working alongside a team of 4, I created all three dimensional mockups for custom millwork and furniture pieces and coordinated any outsourcing for necessary materials.

Safdie Architects Team - Sarah Rinehart, Tunch Gungor, Kevin MacNichol Meyer Davis Team - Zoe Pinfold, Stephanie Schreiber, Hannah Moore, Teresa Do

Safdie Architects - Artist in Residence Space

Safdie Architects - Custom Cafe Design

Meyer Davis - Limelight Mammoth Ski Club

CREATIVE WORKS 07.

Along with architectural design, I have explored my interests across a variety of mediums, including photography, digital media, art, film, and animation. In these explorations, I have utilized my architectural skills in three-dimensional modeling, aesthetics, framing, and drawing to explore how different mediums showcase projects narratives, both when used individually and collectively. During my time studying abroad in Barcelona in the fall of 2022, I traveled with my sketchbook and sketched moments of architectural wonders and unique intersections of materials that captured my attention during our daily field studies. In this exploration of sketching as a medium, I was able to capture unique memories during my experience around Europe and better understand certain architectural features and distinctive details in the spaces we studied.