As an emerging designer, my philosophy architecture and design, possess the profound uplift communities, especially those marginalized This conviction is deeply influenced by principles of reconciliation between architecture have profoundly shaped my approach. strives to create spaces that harmonize alysts for regeneration, sustainability,
My portfolio showcases projects that bodying the commitment to healing urban tainable solutions. Inspired by Clark’s aesthetic appeal, aiming to foster community heritage, and address critical issues such degradation.
“Architecture, whether as a town of ourselves with the natural land. vlost with something that - W.G
philosophy is anchored in the belief that both, profound capacity to heal, transform, and marginalized by rapid urban development. my mentorship under WG Clark, whose architecture and the natural landscape approach. Following Clark’s guidance, my work harmonize with their environment, serving as catsustainability, and empowerment.
reflect these values, each design emurban fractures through innovative, susteachings, these projects go beyond community resilience, celebrate cultural such as gentrification and environmental degradation.
or a building, is the reconciliation land. At the necessary juncture of that atones for the loss.”
Clark
Blurring the Boundaries
Cultural and Educational Facility
Brooklyn, New York
Recognizing the impact of non-verbal communication, sports and arts are crucial tools for bridging the linguistic gaps faced by many immigrant students. These arenas provide unique opportunities for self-expression and cultural integration, helping students navigate their new environments. My thesis, “Blurring the Boundaries,” introduces an innovative architectural solution that transforms Fort Hamilton High School’s athletic field into a dynamic space where language barriers dissolve. This design integrates sports and arts to foster emotional expression and a sense of belonging, offering students a supportive environment to express themselves and connect with others.
The building’s roof doubles as bleachers, providing seating that extends usable space and offers scenic views. The multifunctional first floor supports a variety of activities, while the mezzanine is dedicated to artistic endeavors, creating a vibrant atmosphere. Repurposed sloping spaces maximize utility for storage. This design not only meets the immediate needs of Fort Hamilton students but also serves as a replicable model, showcasing the transformative power of sports and arts to create an inclusive and expressive educational environment.
Design Studio 6: Thesis
Astrid Lipka | Spring 2024
Program
Overhang for courts
Bleachers
Painting Studio
Exercise and Warm up Space
Roof
Interior render highlighting the calisthenics area with a stepped ceiling and frosted glass overlooking the tennis court.
Exterior render showcasing the basketball court with a protective ceiling overhang and a striking frosted glass facade.
Mixed Use Library
Harlem, New York, New York
This project envisions a culturally enriching library in Harlem, Manhattan, located on the vibrant Sugar Hill Luminaries Lawn. The design features three interconnected pavilions surrounding a central atrium, reflecting a commitment to community engagement and sustainability. The first pavilion is dedicated to community activities, offering an auditorium, gallery, and gathering space with a photovoltaic roof for solar energy utilization. At the heart of the library, the atrium serves as a versatile space functioning as a lobby, café, and central hub, with an open-air metal mesh roof for natural ventilation.
The two east pavilions focus on library functions: the southeast pavilion houses children’s rooms, staff offices, and meeting spaces, while the northeast pavilion provides serene reading rooms with ample bookshelves. Aligned with sustainability goals, both east pavilions feature green roofs for rainwater drainage. Low-e coated glass curtain walls optimize temperature regulation by balancing natural light and heat. Additionally, the building integrates approximately 20 geothermal wells underground, providing heated floors and reducing reliance on conventional heating and cooling systems.
Design Studio 5: Comprehensive Hayes Slade | Fall 2023
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Photovoltic Panels
Woven Metal Fabric
Green Roof with Storm Water Drainage
Geo-thermal Wells
Low-E Coated Glass
Total: 21,343 SQFT
Floor 2: 10,299 SQFT
Floor 1: 11,044 SQFT
Site: 15,346 SQFT
Max Building Height from Heighest Elevation: 25’
SHAFT W ALL ASSEMBLY @
SHAFT WALL
SHAFT W ALL ASSEMBLY @ 3 PLY CLT - CONC. CURB
3" = 1'-0"
3" = 1'-0"
= 1'-0"
SHAFT WALL
SHAFT WALL
3" = 1'-0"
3" = 1'-0"
GREEN ROOF DRAINGAGE FOR NATURAL TURF
SAND ROOT
ZONE MIX
NATURAL TURF
North Elevation
East Elevation
South Elevation
West Elevation
Sketches and Interior the atrium showcasing connecting both and the sloped ground, the connection between pavilions.
Interior render of showcasing the bridge library pavillions ground, emphasizing between all three pavilions.
Revitalizing Red Hook
Mixed Use Building
Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York
The Red Hook Houses initiative sets a benchmark in urban renewal, tactfully marrying architecture with the surrounding landscape to bolster both community spirit and affordability. This project stands out by skillfully reimagining the footprint of existing NYCHA buildings, focusing on preserving neighborhood character without spurring gentrification. By integrating organic designs and communal patios, it cultivates a shared space for humans and wildlife, enhancing social bonds and environmental stewardship. The strategic downsizing of NYCHA structures, complemented by the introduction of exterior patios, makes housing economically accessible, ensuring that revitalization enhances rather than erases the community’s fabric. Encapsulated by a resilient, landscaped park designed as a sanctuary from urban pressures and natural threats, this effort showcases a sustainable, inclusive approach to urban design, championing the power of architecture to foster community resilience and sustainable living.
PGAR 5002 | Design Studio 2: Housing Rachely Rotem | Spring 2022
Typical Floor Plan Space:
Patio Space: Accessible to Non-human communities
Patio Space: Private/Shared between residents’ units
Saving the Shadows Installation
Jacob Riis Beach, Queens, New York
Inspired by interviews with members of the queer community, where safety was metaphorically referred to as being in the “shadows,” this shade structure celebrates and preserves the unique identities and experiences of the community. The project envisions a captivating shade structure on a vacant asphalt area, which previously housed the nurse resident and female dormitory of Neponsit Hospital. Emphasizing simplicity and elegance, the design concept blends seamlessly with the environment, combining wooden poles and flowing fabric. The fabric adds vibrancy and artistic expression, while the wooden poles provide strength and stability.
Underneath the envisioned shade structure, a versatile program adapts to the changing seasons and meets the practical needs of beachgoers by offering storage for beach chairs, umbrellas, and the materials needed to create personalized shade structures. Save the Shadows aims to honor the intersectionality of identities and challenge societal norms, providing a physical manifestation of inclusivity and acceptance. The project empowers individuals, promotes dialogue, and fosters a sense of belonging within the community, embodying non-heteronormative, anti-capitalist, and anti-racist principles.
PGAR 5202 | Design Studio 4: Urban Architecure
Brian McGrath | Spring 2023
Reclaiming the Wild
Installation
New York City, New York
Central Park, designed as a natural counterpoint to the urban chaos of New York City, has failed to serve as a great equalizer among the city’s stratified classes. Despite its idyllic reputation, the park has a problematic history of displacing and forcibly evicting marginalized communities. The 1989 Central Park Five case further exposed the park’s harmful impact on innocent Black Americans. Five teenage boys were wrongfully accused and convicted of raping a jogger in Central Park. They were coerced into making false confessions and using the term “wilding” to describe their supposed motive. The media used this term to dehumanize the boys, calling them “savages” and “monsters.”
To reclaim the term “wilding” and its negative connotations, this chaotic bridge is being designed to fit into the park’s ramble. This design uses messy and imperfect methods to represent wildness in architecture, while also providing a habitat for eastern grey squirrels and beavers. The methodology of the design mirrors that of the joinery of twigs and sticks used by these species to build their habitats. The intention of this design is to redefine the term “wild” as kind and nurturing rather than dangerous, while simultaneously healing the place it inhabits and reminding observers of the park’s connection to the wilderness and its positive attributes in the pluriverse.
PGAR 5001 | Design Studio 1: Archi-Scape |Eirini Tsachrelia | Fall 2021
