PORTFOLIO
GIA MENCHACA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CAL POLY POMONA
CONTENT
PHILOSOPHY My design philosophy is informed by regeneration and indigenous practices (traditional ecological knowledge) and land management in order to create landscapes that reflect and foster recoprocity, curiosity, and abundance.
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OR GREENBELT
03 PERSONAL INTEREST
age 4
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ND CORRAL
age 14
RESUME + REFERENCES page 26 3
01 INTERIOR GREENBELT Case Study + Design Ecological Urbanism Professor: Maryam Eskandari Spring 2022 Site: Interior Greenbelt Location: San Francisco, CA
The goal researching and redesigning the Interior greenbelt is to restore the native ecology with design that focuses non-humans as the primary users. As well as restoring the disconnect between humans and the natural ecology creating oppoutunities for community bonding with the land.
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SITE ANALYSIS + HISTORY
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NATIVE SPECIES STUDIES
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REDESIGN FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION The basis of the design stems from the restoration and rewilding of the Woodland Creek. Using information the native species diagramming native plants (both existing and introduced) were selected to optimize biodiversity and build habitat for habitat indicators and endergenered species.
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02 Diamond Corral Nature Center, analysis + design Ecological Restoration Professor: Maryam Eskandari Team Members: Hiromitsu Suetake, Tania Bowen, Anthony Diaz Fall 2021 Site: Dangermond Preserve Location: Lompoc, CA
The nature center will function as the introduction to the sites programming. Showcasing the land’s history, Chumash culture, and the first of four on site classrooms. At its core is ecological education. This will play a role in weaving each program together.
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CHUMASH LAND HISTORY
One of the primary goals of the Nature Center is to uplift and highlight the indigenous people’s of the land, the Chumash, rich cultural and ecological history. Programming for such is based off of the following research.
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ETHNOBOTHNIC STUDIES
All design and programming is based upon ecological education and interactive learning. The following diagrams explore the cultural uses of native plant communities found on site.
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NATURE CENTER PROGRAMMING
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The nature center is built with regenerative practices in mind higlighting the principle of “stack benefits.” Making sure the design of the building is multipurpose while the programming is overlapping and interactive in various ways 21
03 PERSONAL INTEREST Hand graphics Painting Poetry
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Axon Lurie Garden, Chicago IL Spring 2020
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Conceptual drawings for Children’s Garden Japanese Friendship Garden, San Diego CA Spring 2020
THE CYCLE No longer a functioning member of society A detriment I think is what they meant Doesn’t matter, because it all means less than Back then black people weren’t human Until colonizers saw criminality Exploitation, population 3/5 of a person in society
Poem, painting and sketch
Not much had changed just a reversal of the same You do drugs You’re a thug Your anger is a danger Your situation is a bother Therefore, your status as person is now criminal And punishment is the minimal Like scar on your face that will not fade The bars of the prison will always stay In America prison is where punishment begins Death is where it will end Restoration is foreign Just ask the 43% of people who are repeat offenders In the time of COVID Stirs Depression and isolation But there’s not enough funding for rehabilitation So they’re closing Now you take away their only salvation But you know what’s essential the liquor store Relapse Recap Reincarnate Restate That mistakes Aren’t forgiven But forbidden I spoke to a man the other day My cousin He’s said lock me up I’m not afraid I’ve already been through that pain Shame Two years ain’t nothing Come at me again So you see prison became a part of them It’s just another place to go A cage normalized into a home They do not live in fear of what has been done But in acceptance of what’s to come Walking on eggshells Waiting to disappear Somewhere A girl is waiting for her father He’s been out for 12 years But something lingers in-between Feels cold like steal He’s not a bad man He just never healed
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SKILLS Hand Sketching Autcod Rhino Twinmotion Photoshop Illustrator
SOFTSKILLS Public Speaking Collaborating Problem Solving Community Connections
CONTACT Email : menchaca.gia@gmail.com Phone Number : 210.461.3641
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Indepent work o planting, and
Tend office dutie rese
EDUCATION Bachelors of Science in Landscape Architecture Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona, CA August 2018 - Present Day Associates of Science in Boilogy Palo Alto Community College, San Antonio, TX January 2015 - May 2018
WORK EXPERIENCE Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies | Student Assistant Jan. 2020- Apr. 2020, Aug. 2021- Present
on general landscaping and maintence duties such as: pruning, weeding, d harvesting. I have also gained experience in maintaining irrigation. Cal Poly Pomona, ENV Dean’s Office | Student Assistant Sept. 2021 - Present
es such as organizing documents, scheduling appiontments and events, earch and data collection, graphic design task, and assisting students , falcuty, and guest.
REFERENCES Douglas Kent Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies | Lecturer Email : dgkent@cpp.edu Phone Number : 714.308.3547 Samantha J. Harris Cal Poly Pomona ENV College | Lecturer Email : sjharris@cpp.edu Phone Number : 323.533.4232 27