Issuu

portfolio

2020-2025

Academic + Professional Projects

Gary Evan Rockow

Architecture & Design

hello

Background

My name is Gary Evan Rockow. I am a recent graduate of the NewSchool of Architecture & Design, Magna Cum Laude, and I am eager to pursue my architecture license in California. I am seeking an innovative design firm where I can apply my skills in detailed design, concept development, schematic design, and design development. I am passionate about architecture, art, music, and custom furniture. Currently, I am working independently and part-time for an architecture firm, designing and fabricating custom furniture while actively looking for additional architectural opportunities. In addition to my architectural work, I have been teaching a Rhino bootcamp, with a total of 12 students, and marketing the class through social media. My goal in teaching this course is to develop a solid lesson plan that I can potentially use to teach a Rhino class at a community college after graduate school.

I am originally from Santa Cruz, California, and have now lived, attended architecture school, and worked in San Diego for about seven years. In 2026, I plan to apply to graduate school to obtain a Master’s in Architecture.

Skills

11/2024 - CURRENT- Part Time

Poppy Architecture & Design

Worked on various residential projects, primarily remodels. My responsibilities have included creating as-built drawings and developing new drawings with revisions for permit sets.

02/2022 - Present

RockowStudioDesigns

Created freelance design company consisting of but not limited to restaurant & nightclub design, custom CAD work, graphic design, product design, and custom furniture design & build.

04/2020 - Present

Yoon Fest: Music Festival & Record Label

Operated as COO and Lead Design: Operating festival logistics for a crowd of 1,500 people. Stage design/ build. Sound and lighting design. Art installation design/ build.

10/2016 - 01/2019

Builders Collective

Apprentice Carpenter: Framing and Interior/ Exterior finish work.

Specialized in designing and building custom decks.

Education

01/2020 - 06/2024 San Diego - CA

New School of Architecture & Design.

Bachelor of Architecture - June 2024

Magna Cum Laude

San Diego - CA Mesa College Classes in design (transferred).

Santa Cruz - CA

Cabrillo College

Engineering, Art + Communication Classes

Experience Contact

+1 (831)-713-7160

5072 West Point Loma

Blvd Unit D

evanrockow@gmail.com

Page 1 ........................................................... Cover Page

Page 2 ......................................................... Background

Page 3 ............................................................... Contents

Part 1 Architecture

Page 5 .............................................. Encanto Harmony

Page 6 ...................................................... Collage Study

Page 7 ........................................................... Form Study

Page 8 ................. Opportunities & Public Features

Page 9 ............................................................ Occupancy

Page 10 .................................................................... Model

Page 11 ................................................................. Renders

Page 12 .................................................... Cluster House

Page 13 ............................................................. Drawings

Page 14 .................................................. Ar303 Housing

Page 15 ..................................................................... Plans

Page 16 ................................................................. Section

Page 17 ................................................................ Renders

Page 18 ........................................................... El Corazon

Page 19 ............................................................... Sections

Page 20 .................................................................... Plans

Page 21 ................................................................ Renders

Part 2 rockowstudiodesigns

Page 24 .............................................................. Proposal

Page 25 ..................................................................... Build

Page 26 ............................................................. Proposal

Page 27 ..................................................................... Build

Page 28 ............................................................... Drawing

Page 29 ..................................................................... Build

architecture

encanto harmony

Project Title: Encanto Harmony: Multi-Cultural Art Center

Location: 6365 Imperial Ave, San Diego, CA 92114

Introduction:

Welcome to Encanto Harmony, a visionary project nestled in the heart of the proposed Arts District of Encanto, San Diego. This multi-cultural art center serves as a celebration of diversity, encapsulating the rich tapestry of Encanto's vibrant community. Inspired by the rhythmic pulse of the Encanto Street Fair music scene, this project harmonizes art, culture, and architecture to create a dynamic space that resonates with the spirit of Encanto

Project Overview:

Encanto Harmony is envisioned as a multi-faceted cultural hub, designed to showcase and promote the arts while paying homage to the unique identity of Encanto. The primary goal of this project is to embody the essence of Encanto through architectural expression, utilizing the sounds, rhythms, and cultural heritage of the community as guiding principles.

Design Concept:

Drawing inspiration from the diverse musical traditions of Encanto, the design concept for Encanto Harmony is driven by the dynamic interplay of sound waves and natural curves. The fluidity and movement inherent in music are translated into the form and massing of the buildings, creating a visually striking composition that reflects the energy and vitality of the community.

Key Features:

Rhythmic Architecture: The form within Encanto Harmony are characterized by their fluid and organic forms, reminiscent of the undulating waves of sound. Curvilinear elements and sculptural volumes evoke the sense of movement and rhythm, inviting visitors to engage with the space on a sensory level.

Cultural Integration: Embracing the multi-cultural fabric of Encanto, the art center serves as a platform for diverse artistic expressions, including music, dance, visual arts, and theater. Flexible and adaptable spaces are designed to accommodate a wide range of cultural events and activities, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration.

Community Engagement: Encanto Harmony is more than just a physical space; it is a catalyst for community engagement and empowerment. Interactive art installations, outdoor performance areas, and communal gathering spaces encourage social interaction and creative exchange, nurturing a sense of belonging and pride within the community.

Sustainability: Committed to environmental stewardship, Encanto Harmony incorporates sustainable design principles and practices. From passive cooling strategies to renewable energy systems and rainwater harvesting, the art center sets a precedent for eco-conscious development within the neighborhood.

Conclusion:

Encanto Harmony represents a bold vision for the future of arts and culture in Encanto, San Diego. By integrating the rich heritage and dynamic energy of the community into its very fabric, this multi-cultural art center celebrates diversity, fosters creativity, and cultivates a sense of unity among residents and visitors alike. As a beacon of artistic innovation and cultural exchange, Encanto Harmony stands as a testament to the transformative power of architecture to inspire, connect, and enrich lives.

Opportunities & Public Features

Hours Of Operation: Dependent on space, 8:00am-2:00am Estimated Job opportunities: 40 Persons

Occupancy

cluster house

The cluster house is a project completed in 2021 at Studio202 with instructor Alan Rosenblum. For this project, we assigned a color to each function of the home; gray for working, green for resting, red for eating, blue for cleaning, and yellow for meeting. We then began by sketching different conditions for these colors to interact within a home. We then created a language of symbols to apply to each space indicating the layout, openings, and lighting applied to each space. Then the walls were extruded. The goal of this family home is to create a “cluster home” that can be stacked against one another. An important feature of this home is its ability to grow. The idea behind growth is as the family grows so can the house with strategic design allowing for additional bedrooms to be added later.

ar303 housing

Unit Development

For this project I went back to a case study from a project where I researched the O Apartment in Japan by Yohei Kawashima Architects. In this project, the units have generous amounts of outdoor patio space and many of the units enter through the patio. The front door opens to an open patio so the door to enter the home is within the patio. I used this technique in my building as well, trying to utilize large outdoor space and patio entryways. There are a mix of two-bedroom units and one-bedroom units. This building is intended for working professionals who may be living with a significant other in a single bedroom or two working professionals sharing a two-bedroom unit. A few of the units will work well for a small family as well. The first two levels are two bedrooms except for one single on the second floor and the third has three luxury single bedroom units.

Building Envelope

For this project I had a few buildings I used for case studies. First, I studied the TOD’s Osmotesando Building by Toyo Ito and Associates Architecture which features an interesting exoskeleton resembling a tree branch with sharp angles instead of curves. The next building I studied was the Kerez Culture Center CBD which has an array of different triangles on the outside and inside. Finally, I found an interesting building in South Korea, the Hannam-Dong HANDS Corporation Headquarters by THE_SYSTEM LAB. This building has an intriguing organically flowing exoskeleton envelope with a walking path between the envelope and the building. I felt extremely inspired by this building and decided to try to make something similar. I feel as though I was successful in creating the catwalk between the building and envelope, but I think I lost touch of the idea of maintaining a pattern and got way too organic. If I could redo this design, I would develop a better pattern for the organic shapes of the envelope.

el corazón

El Corazón is in San Ysidro California. San Ysidro is the last town just before the busiest border crossing from the United States to Mexico. This project is a community land trust in partnership with Casa Familiar. The goal of the project is to design one-bedroom to three-bedroom family homes. These are designed to be lived in for many years because in a community land trust, renters work towards ownership over time. This project has 14 one-bedroom units roughly 800 sq ft, 22 two-bedroom units roughly 900 sq ft, and 25 three-bedroom units roughly 1200 sq ft. This building is designed to be a modern twist on the traditional Spanish style home. The details of the building are painted corrugated metal, white stucco, black window casing, and dark walnut for exterior patios and doors. Starting from the top, we have created a new age terracotta roof with the use of corrugated metal painted to a terracotta color and then lifted two feet above the parapet to allow for the building and its rooftop mechanical systems to be nicely shaded. The idea behind this roof is to create a buffer of cool air above the building to decrease the building’s overall heat gain. There is also integrated solar on all the south pitched parts of the roof. Moving down the building, we have inset horizontal walnut panels encased in a six-inch frame of white stucco. For each main entrance to the building, there are large ten-foot by ten-foot arched entryways with large walnut doors. There are a total of six on the project. Next, there is an operable window shading system of walnut slabs on a barn door style rolling rail. These are only present on the south facing operable windows. Finally, we have the heart of the building, the community center. The community center consists of an indoor, two-level space used for community meetings and a computer lab center for a total of 1750 sq ft split into two levels and an 1800 sq ft partially enclosed courtyard.