GLORIA REFRIGERI Selected Work - MFA Pratt Interior Design

SELECTED WORKS GLORIA REFRIGERI PRATT INSTITUTE MFA Interior Design 2023

“EINSTEIN’S DREAMS” BY GLORIA REFRIGERI

Throughout my academic and professional careers, I have been searching for ways to make my creativity and strategic thinking collide. I highly value learning from others and often find myself connecting with people over our shared emotional relationships to space. I excel at planning and implementing projects with a great attention to detail while never losing sight of my conceptual and artistic intentions.

I am interested in all the possible intersections between sustainability and interior design, in particular the instances in which social justice plays a role in the merging of these concepts. As someone who is extremely passionate about interior architecture and design in all its forms, I am eager to meet my next project.

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DIFFUSE LIGHTNESS

TYPE OF PROJECT: Residential YEAR: 2021 LOCATION: New York

Located in the Gramercy area in Manhattan, between 2nd Ave and Gramercy Park, the given space is a pre-war brownstone. Two families are trying to re-think the residential paradigm ofapartment living vs. private housing, and have determined that they cannot afford to buy a single-family residence in the current NYC market, so they have decided to pool their resources and buy a property together.

LIGHTNESS AS CENTER

LIGHTNESS AS SUBTRACTION

The design approach for the interior, is to fill the space with light canalized from a central internal courtyard, and diffuse it through a series of openings, glasses and reflective and translucent surfaces that allow light to flow freely horizontally and vertically throughout the entire levels of structure, from out to inside.

1

DIFFUSE LIGHTNESS

LEAVING AREA | family A

There are very few interior walls, painted in bright colors, which can be seen through the enclosing transparent and translucent glass partitions which incorporate 2 different levels of transparency ranging from clear to opaque.The amount of privacy/space seen from the outside-inside is dependent on the level of transparency chosen by the dwellers, which adds visual interest and depth.

MUSIC ROOM | family A | GLASS ON

MUSIC

ROOFTOP

THIRD FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

ROOF

COURTYARD | family A and B

GROUND FLOOR

COURTYARD | family A and B

BASEMENT

DECK | family A and B

ROOM | family A | GLASS OFF

Rendered by Gloria Refrigeri with Revit and Enscape

2

SAZEN TEA HOUSE

TYPE OF PROJECT: Retail YEAR: 2021

LOCATION: Kyoto, Japan

COLLABORATOR: Nathalie Elzayn

Sazen is a Kyoto-based company celebrated for its global distribution of tea and teaware. The store’s atmosphere reflects the grace of Japanese aesthetics, with traditional furnishings seamlessly blending into the serene surroundings. Soft, subdued lighting, adds an elegant and cultured ambiance to the space, warmly welcoming tea enthusiasts. Furniture and design elements, inviting visitors to embark on an immersive journey into the heart of Japanese tea culture.

MOOD BOARD

Rendered by Gloria Refrigeri with Revit and Photoshop

2

SAZEN TEA HOUSE

FURNITURE

LIGHTING STRATEGY

Rendered by Gloria Refrigeri with Revit and Photoshop

3

SUSTAINABLE FLUCTUATION

TYPE OF PROJECT: Officeww YEAR: 2021

LOCATION: New York

Nestled in the iconic Lever House in New York City’s bustling midtown, RETI is committed to fostering a culture rooted in resilience and sustainability.

The office embodies the concept of a resilient landscape, integrating functional and multi-dimensional interior stairs that not only facilitate movement but also adapt to fluctuating occupancy, promoting a sustainable approach to space utilization. These innovative features create a dynamic and responsive interior, reflecting the ethos of sustainable fluctuation.

RESILIENT LANDSCAPE urban costal areas are increasily subject to extreme weather. flooding and sea level rise. working with nature to create multi-layered defenses provides several co-benefits.

Resilient = able to recoil, spring back into shape (flexible) able to withstand, to recover quickly from difficult conditions (strong) DIAGRAM FROM YALE UNIV.

SUSTAINABLE FLUCTUATION SKETCH

PROGRAM FLOW DIAGRAM

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SUSTAINABLE FLUCTUATION

SECTION A

PLAN VIEW | 9TH FLOOR FLUCTUATION OF URBAN HUMANITY

The office space boasts a modern and contemporary vibe due to its sculptural interior design. The active, open layout accommodates flexible activities, encouraging collaboration, recreation, and events. The consistent use of materials creates a seamless look. Indoor gardens are incorporated to enhance employee well-being, offering a calming environment and improved air quality.

PLAN VIEW | 8TH FLOOR

4

URBAN VILLAGE OF PERINATAL CARE TYPE OF PROJECT: Academic Thesis YEAR: 2023

LOCATION: Brooklyn Navy Yard New York

This thesis explores integrating nature, urban elements, and cultural artifacts into interior design to enhance collective memory, social connection, and well-being. By incorporating local history, spaces can strengthen ties between people and their cultural identity.

Focusing on new mothers dealing with postpartum isolation, the project examines how a perinatal care urban village, can provide emotional support, positively impact and environmental and social sustainability attitudes.

RECLAIMING

THEATER

ERODING

GARDEN

SUBVERTING ORDER MAIN ENTRANCE

RECONNECTING Reintroducing a link to the territory that was previously absent. An ideal line was traced on the Navy Hospital building, linking it to the historical symbols of encounter in the area - the Wallabout River and Wallabout Market.

MAIN ENTRANCE EXISTING CONDITION

DESIGN STRATEGY

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URBAN VILLAGE OF PERINATAL CARE

One of the main objectives of the Urban Village is not only creating a dialogue between the old and the new but also preserving an important symbolic connection between its spaces and the surrounding.

COLLECTIVE MEMORY The recovery of collective memory and transformation of existing materials involves a process of utilizing materials and artifacts discovered on a site to create new spaces and atmospheres.

Inspired by original 1936 drawings, the ceramic tiles' recurring presence evoked a connection to memory.

These tiles were applied to a corridor wall in the Neve Hospital, reflecting sunlight and creating a nostalgic ambiance reminiscent of the past light bouncing off the water.

BREASTFEEDING ROOM - ELEVATION

The breastfeeding room offers customizable sections for group breastfeeding, private consultations, and practical baby care.

Incorporating movable elements and versatile design features enables flexibility and adaptability.

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EXCEEDING BOUNDARIES THROUGH LIGHT

TYPE OF PROJECT: Retail YEAR: 2020

LOCATION: Noguchi Museum New York

Noguchi studio is conceived as an integral part of the museum experience, where both identities are determined by the sensorial contact with the artwork displayed and the nature.

“Harmonic Contrast” and “Directional Angles”, derived from the study of Noguchi’ssculptures, conceptually inform the design of the display system, while the spatial strategy focuses on flexibility, multifunctionality, and coexistence of multiple programs.

Akari light sculptures guide the visitors through the space. The distinction between retail, art exhibition, and theatrical performance is blurred as well as the concepts of inside and outside.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT “To break away is very important to me; I shift very rapidly because that is the only way I can get away from myself. You have to escape that trap which limits your life”.

Isamu Noguchi DIRECTIONAL ANGLES CONCEPTUAL MODEL

FOLDED TORSO 1959 PENCIL SKETCH

EXCEEDING BOUNDERIES

MOVING FORWARD

DIRECTIONAL ANGLES

AKARI LIGHT TAXONOMY

NOGUCHI STUDIO

Akari light sculptures are designed

by Isamu Noguchi and handmade by the original manufacturer in Gifu, Japan.

They are a harmonious blend of Japanese handcraft and modernist form.

SHOW ROOM | PLAN VIEW

The movable display unit provides the versatility to easily configure the second bay in various ways, allowing for customized utilization of the space to meet specific needs and objectives.

CONCERT CONFIGURATION | PLAN VIEW

DINNER EV

NOGUCHI STUDIO AND MUSEUM

TRACK SYSTEM SKETCH

TRACK SYSTEM SKETCH

SHOW ROOM CONFIGURATION | SECTION A

DESPLAY UNIT

GARDEN

ENGAWA

VENT CONFIGURATION | PLAN VIEW

CONCERT CONFIGURATION | SECTION C