Dimension Magazine • Fall 2024 • UH Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN / FALL 2024 / ARCH.UH.EDU

OURNEY JTHROUGH DESIGN COVER STORY LAUNCHING OFF The Hines College's BUILD+ Established & OpenHOUse Team Gears Up New Studio Tackles for Gateway Decathlon Regional Climate Challenges

TRAILBLAZING Alumni Fulbright Research in Mexico & Innovation in Motorcycle Safety

MAKING THEIR MARK Student and Faculty Projects Earn Regional, National, and Global Awards

THE JOURNEY HAS JUST BEGUN Right before Thanksgiving, freshmen Hines College students celebrated their first semester by inviting their families and friends to the End-of-Semester show in the Architecture Building to show off their final projects.

CONTENTS FEATURES 42 Illuminating Safety Industrial design student pioneers award-winning motorcycle design protecting riders

48 OpenHOUse on the Move: From Houston to an Innovative Future in Housing Hines College’s journey to the Gateway Decathlon fueled by multidisciplinary and industry collaboration

58 Unboxing Gentrification Fulbright project seeks to emphasize displacement of historic, cultural neighborhoods

62 Forging a Future: The Birth of Build+ How UH's Graduate Design/ Build Studio inspired a bold new initiative

66 Transformative Travels Abroad Hines College fifth-year architecture students broaden their design thinking in Italy and Japan

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IN EVERY ISSUE 4

Dean's Letter

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Upcoming Events

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College News

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88 Studio Highlight

STUDENT STORIES

Dean Patricia Belton Oliver, FAIA

16 Drafting Dreams: Laying a

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Foundation for Career Success

20 SITting at the Top

Associate Dean Dietmar Froehlich, Ph.D., RA Associate Dean Trang Phan, Ph.D.

23 Planting a Seed of Community and Sustainability

Dimension is published by the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design Office of Marketing and Communications.

24 Creating Connections: Honors Society Shapes UH Design Students’ Futures

25 Retail Ready: Design Students Executive Director of Marketing, Communications, and External Relations Stephen Schad

Take Their Skills to Market

28 Imagining a Plan to Power Up Houston’s Near Northside Community

Director of Alumni Relations Paula Canada

30 Hines College Student Organizations You Should Know: American Institute of Architecture Students

Director of Digital Media Nicholas Nguyen

FACULTY FOCUS 34 New Faculty Shaping College

32 FWIA Drawing

Student Assistants Insherah Alhajrasi Sanam Davariar Noor Loubani Marcel Omen Pablo Quepons

Curriculum

Competition Winners

34 Environmental Design Program Receives Interim Director

35 Exhibition Design by Hines College Faculty Earns Architect's Newspaper Design Award

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35 Hines College and Rice

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Architecture Collaboration Results in Exhibition on Houston Climate and Urban Ecosystem

36 Hines College Professor Receives Texas Society of Architects Educator Award

37 Computational Design Award Honors Hines College Professor

37 Places Journal Features Hines College Professor

38 Professors Launch Shaping the Gulf Coast of Tomorrow Studio Tackling Regional Climate Challenges

ALUMNI BULLETIN 70 Alumni Celebrate the Season for College Community and 2024 Award Winners

On the cover: Renderings of the OpenHOUse project by Diego Contreras Rios Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture & Design 4200 Elgin St. Houston, TX 77204 713-743-2400 arch.uh.edu

71 Hines College Alumni at the TxA 85th Annual Conferencei

72 Helping Students Get Ready for Career Fair

@UHCoAD

74 Starting Off the Holiday Season with Cheer

/UHCoAD

/school/UHCoAD

78 Alumni Spotlights DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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DEAN'S LETTER Dear Friends,

Khanh Vu’s Project Legacy tackles one of the most pressing issues in motorcycle safety: visibility. As Vu strives to bring his vision to market, his work shines as a testament to the transformative potential of persistence, innovation, and a design education rooted in problem-solving.

OpenHOUse is paving the way for more sustainable housing solutions tailored to Houston’s challenging

climate. As the team prepares for the Gateway Decathlon in 2026, their innovative designs, blending passive and active environmental systems, serve as a blueprint for the future of housing.

Expanding upon the College’s 30-year legacy in design/build education, BUILD+ aims to enhance research, deepen student involvement, and independently develop innovative speculative projects.

Paul Molina’s Rasquachismo project reminds us of the power of storytelling through design. As a Fulbright Scholar, Molina is using his skills to address the devastating effects of gentrification in Mexico City. By crafting a temporary scenic installation that documents displaced communities, he merges interior architecture with the Chicano aesthetic of resilience.

As you delve into this issue, I encourage you to reflect on the ripple effects each journey through design and how your own personal experience can make a difference.

Through BUILD+, a newly established 501(c)3 nonprofit organization associated with the Hines College, students can participate in larger-scale design/build projects.

FEATURED STORIES With the newly established BUILD+ organiation, more students can participate in projects like the Bird Blind Wildlife Observatory for the Woodlands Township (this page), recently completed by the Graduate Design/ Build Studio. Read more on page 62.

Khanh Vu's Project Legacy (opposite page) innovates in the area of motorcycle safety while combining a futuristic aesthetic with the design.

Read more on page 42.

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GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Best regards,

Patricia Belton Oliver, FAIA, Dean ACSA Distinguished Professor Director, designLAB

DESIGN BUILD PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICK PETERS; MOTORCYCLE PHOTO COURTESY OF KHANH VU

At the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, our stories are not just individual achievements but collective inspirations, each adding to the fabric of a community dedicated to innovation, resilience, and transformative impact. This issue of DIMENSION highlights how each journey may be different but contributes to advancing the field of design.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

SPRING 2025 LECTURE SERIES

“ENTANGLEMENTS”

UH Architecture Building Theater + Mashburn Gallery Entanglements celebrates the inherent messiness, heterogeneity, and pluralism of design practice. While design is ensnared in many complex and problematic relationships — including complicity with inequitable systems of power, social and environmental injustice, and unsustainable extraction of matter and energy — design has the capacity to weave together many disciplines, realities, and alternative futures. Rejecting the myth of disciplinary autonomy and challenging the ongoing siloing of knowledge that keeps us from tackling these issues head-on, we invite practices that rewild the edges and center of our field and get stuck in the mud and weeds of our world.

The Entanglements series highlights projects that exceed simple categorization, simultaneously operating across multiple temporal and spatial scales and bridging conceptual and technical boundaries. Beyond simply negotiating this landscape, the designers, artists, and architects participating in this series seek to embrace contingency, amplify reciprocity, and create new forms of solidarity and agency through design.

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GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

EXHIBITION: Drawing Codes January 22 – Opening January 27 – Symposium Andrew Kudless LECTURE: TAKK February 4 Mireia Luzárraga + Alejandro Muiño LECTURE: HANNAH February 17 Leslie Lok + Sasa Zivkovic EXHIBITION: Is Housing still Housing?

March 3 – Opening March 26 – Symposium 1 April 9 – Symposium 2 Gail Peter Borden LECTURE: Colectivo C733 March 31 Gabriela Carrillo

ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN CAREER FAIR

END-OF-YEAR SHOW

February 26, 2024 UH Student Center South

Beginning April 25, 2025 UH Architecture Building

The annual spring Career Fair, organized in partnership with the Architecture + Design Alumni Association and University Career Services, welcomes all students and recent alumni. The event features a day filled with meet-andgreet opportunities and on-site interviews in the afternoon. Employers interested in participating are encouraged to contact Paula Canada at pcanada@uh.edu.

The end-of-year show expands on the projects showcased during Jury Week, providing additional time for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the College to explore this semester's work in a more relaxed setting. Visit the Hines College to view student projects from all levels and disciplines displayed throughout the architecture building. The exhibition will remain open until graduation day, May 8.

EXHIBITION OPENING:

ANNUAL ID EXHIBITION OPENING

May 2025 UH Architecture Building The College’s Industrial Design program presents its annual ID Exhibition and Senior + Graduate Showcase, featuring groundbreaking and innovative student projects from the 2024-2025 academic year.

COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY + CELEBRATION May 8, 2025 Cullen Performance Hall + UH Architecture Building Following the College’s annual spring commencement ceremony in Cullen Performance Hall, graduation festivities will continue in the architecture building with the opportunity for photos, visits with alumni and friends, and even confetti.

All dates are subject to change. Visit uh.edu/architecture for current details.

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COLLEGE NEWS

New On Board: New Leadership Council Members Advance Key Goals Industry leaders join dean’s advisory board with focus on future C.R.A.F.T. Lab and student-industry connections The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design’s connection between academia and industry is crucial to the success of its students and college programs. Paving the path for these connections is the College’s Leadership Council, a group of prominent leaders in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries. The Council has successfully cultivated partnerships that elevate the student experience and created new opportunities for advancing College initiatives. In 2018, the College established the Bill Kendall Memorial Endowed Professorship in Design Technologies (currently held by Andrew Kudless), a direct result of the Council's fundraising efforts, raising over $1 million for the professorship.

The Leadership Council recently welcomed several new members with extensive experience supporting the Council’s current goals to strengthen industry connections with students and complete fundraising for the Construction Robotics and Fabrication Technology (C.R.A.F.T.) Lab.

FORMER DIRECTOR, CITY OF HOUSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

Margaret Brown is the retired Director of the City of Houston’s Planning & Development Department. With more than 35 years of public service, her experience is a unique combination of policy and engagement.

Throughout her tenure as director, she infused innovation into the City’s land-development regulatory system and fostered collaboration with customers and the general public. Through her efforts, the City’s regulatory environment refocused toward more walkable, contextsensitive development, creating better streetscapes and more compact, multi-modal developments.

Margaret is certified by both the American Institute of City Planners and the Congress for the New Urbanism and has served on numerous national and local committees in the planning, architecture, and landdevelopment arenas. A died-in-the-wool Houstonian, she spends her free time cheering on the Coogs and enjoying the green spaces our City has to offer.

PAUL DONOVAN RETIRED REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVE – EXXONMOBIL

Paul Donovan is Principal of PMD RE Consulting Services, LLC. His company provides Real Estate and IT Infrastructure support to the

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GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Permian Strategic Partnership. Donovan is a retired real estate executive from Exxon Mobil Environmental Services Company with over 36 years of company service. He began his career with Exxon Company USA in June 1984 on the internal audit staff and eventually took on additional responsibilities and was a supervisor in Downstream Controller’s Refining and Financial System Development.

Donovan began his real estate career in May 1998. That July, the Exxon Upstream Development Company was formed, where he led a 350ksf renovation of Greenspoint 4 and 6. In 1999, he was named manager of the Exxon Mobil merger team, and his team completed over 30,000 moves and renovation of hundreds of thousands of spaces throughout Houston (~6msf).

In late 2000, Donovan moved to London and led real estate projects across Northern Europe, West Africa and the Middle East, including the Saudi Gas Initiatives. In 2004, Donovan returned to Houston as the southern facilities manager and led real estate facility operations across the southern United States, including all industrial facilities. In 2007, Donovan moved to Fort McMurray as facilities manager for Syncrude Canada, Ltd and took over all of the Imperial Oil facilities in 2008. In April 2009, Donovan became program manager for what was to become the Exxon Mobil Spring Campus. Donovan led the design and execution strategy for the campus, supported by 45 architectural, engineering, and project management firms.

In July 2011, Donovan was named project executive for the Imperial Oil campus in Calgary. Donovan’s team designed and executed this award-winning campus, which was completed in early 2016, culminating with Imperial Oil’s annual shareholders meeting. Both of these projects were lifetime opportunities that he was privileged to be a part of. In 2016, Donovan returned to Houston and was the global projects manager responsible for executing projects in Shanghai, Baytown, Baton Rouge, Guyana, and Singapore.

COURTESY IMAGES

MARGARET WALLACE BROWN, AICP, CNU-A (B.S. ’83)

Donovan retired from Exxon Mobil on October 31, 2020, after a nine-month loan assignment to the Permian Strategic Partnership. In 2021, Paul received CoreNet Houston’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He remains active in CoreNet. He received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northeastern University and is a retired Certified Public Accountant.

ANDREA DOWNS

PRESIDENT, DEBNER

As the president of DEBNER, a commercial furniture and services company, Andrea Downs is a vision-driven leader with the ability to motivate talent and build exceptional sales organizations, drawing upon years of consultative sales experience, strategic problem-solving, and entrepreneurial experience. She is privileged to work in a creative industry blending her passion for design with business strategy and execution.

Prior to joining DEBNER, Downs was the Knoll Regional Director for the third largest region in Knoll’s portfolio.

During her 19 years at Knoll, she held multiple executive positions, including Market Development Manager and Divisional Vice President of KnollTextiles. Downs enjoyed creating strategy and revenue growth for a global luxury brand. She understands how our environment can positively benefit our wellness and work outcomes for individuals, teams, and organizations.

Born and raised in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, Downs graduated from the University of North Carolina - Greensboro with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and a minor in Political Science. She has lived in Nashville, Tennessee, and more recently in Chicago, Illinois, for ten years before moving to Houston in 2012.

Downs currently serves as the treasurer of the Board of Fresh Arts Houston and as a fundraising member of the Steer Auction Committee of The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Downs has one son who is a freshman at the University of Arkansas and another son who is a senior at St. Thomas High School. When not spending time with her sons, she enjoys spending time with friends, knitting, running, and traveling.

CHRIS HINES

DIRECTOR – *RAND CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION Chris Hines is a native Houstonian and a proud graduate of the University of Houston in 1989. The Hines family is definitely a cougar family, with Chris’ father graduating in the 40s, his brother graduating in

1974, and his son graduating in construction science last year.

Chris has been in the commercial construction industry for 36 years, specializing in high-end corporate interiors projects as well as new construction and data centers.

Chris was CEO and managing partner for Trademark Construction in Houston for 29 years and was acquired

by HITT Contracting in 2016. Chris remained on board at the newly integrated firms for six and a half years and opened new offices in San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas.

Since then, Chris has been working for Rand Construction and launched a new office for the company in Houston two years ago. He is most proud of how he worked his way through the field for a few years, learning to be a builder.

This experience has served him well with this background.

Chris has two children, 21 and 25 years old, and looking forward to grandkids soon.

ANGELA HODSON

CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER, YMCA OF GREATER HOUSTON

Angela Hodson joined the YMCA of Greater Houston in May 2021 as the Chief Philanthropy Officer, bringing 28 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She has a unique and diverse perspective, having served as a consultant with Dini Spheris for organizations of all sizes through capital campaigns and strategic planning for almost a decade.

Providing a path for these organizations to create sustainable fundraising and reach their fullest potential is Hodson’s passion and drive.

Hodson honed her leadership skills while serving as President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, where she transitioned the organization from its previous leader of fifty years to a renewed approach and focus on impact, updated processes, and quality programs.

Prior to this, Hodson served as Vice President of Baylor College of Medicine where foremost among her accomplishments was successfully managing their $1 billion capital campaign for five years. These roles have given her the knowledge and capability to lead teams and individuals to realize their greatest strengths and maximize their success.

In her role as the YMCA's Chief Philanthropy Officer, Angela provides strategic leadership to advance sustainable and innovative development programs that further the YMCA of Greater Houston’s mission. Hodson has a B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M University, where she played on the women’s golf team. She has two daughters and enjoys hiking, playing golf, and exploring national parks. —Stephen Schad DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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COLLEGE NEWS

Plaza Houston:

A collaborative project by University of Houston architecture students and professors Rafael Longoria and Alfonso Garduño in Querétaro, Mexico, has been named a finalist at the XXIV Quito Pan-American Architecture Biennial. Over four years, students worked with the La Estación community to transform a neglected hillside site into Plaza Houston, a public space that doubles as a playful stairway and community gathering area. The design successfully addressed challenges like trash dumping and site inaccessibility, creating a vibrant landmark fostering social interaction and celebrating local culture. This recognition highlights the project's innovative approach and the impactful partnership between UH students and the community. —S.S.

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A Collaborative Neighborhood Transformation Earns International Recognition

Places Journal Welcomes the Hines College as a New Academic Partner The Hines College shares Places’ commitment to producing public scholarship on architecture and design. Faculty will have the chance to submit work for publication in the journal and gain access to a growing archive of more than 2,000 articles for teaching and research.

The College's membership in the Places network is being funded by a grant from the Mellon Foundation, which is supporting the membership of four Historically Black Colleges and Universities, four Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and one Tribal College.

Dean Patricia Belton Oliver will represent the College on Places’ Partner Council, which helps guide and build an inclusive public readership for serious writing and scholarship on architecture, landscape, and urbanism.

Learn more about Places at PlacesJournal.org.

New Online HEALTH DESIGN LAB WEBSITE LAUNCHED The Health Design Lab at the Hines College is spearheaded by Dr. Elham Morshedzadeh and industrial design co-director Jeff Feng. It serves as a dynamic hub where the next generation of designers and engineers converge to advance healthcare design.

The Lab cultivates an ethos of participatory design and collaborative research, encouraging diverse perspectives to tackle complex healthcare challenges. It provides a fertile ground for thinkers from various disciplines to conduct research and develop innovative solutions, leveraging cutting-edge technology to bring ideas to fruition.

Since its inception, the Health Design Lab has facilitated collaborative projects closely aligned with the Texas Medical Center, aiming to make a positive impact on the healthcare industry. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, participatory design principles, and rigorous research, the Lab endeavors to create meaningful and sustainable improvements in healthcare delivery and patient care.

OUT NOW: HINES COLLEGE ANIMATED STICKERS Now available for Instagram stories, search for fun Hines College animated stickers on Giphy with “UHCOAD” or “Hines College” to show some college pride! #GoCoogs #UHCoAD

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COLLEGE NEWS

Linda Silva Retires After 18 years of service to the Hines College, staff office supervisor Linda Silva is retiring. Linda is the “face” of the dean’s office, having assisted likely thousands of students, faculty, and staff throughout her tenure. She is a go-to resource for the entire College and saw it through critical times, including damage caused by two hurricanes (Ike and Beryl) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Linda’s valuable on-campus relationships helped the Hines College ensure our facilities were attended to and our events were coordinated well.

Our Hines College community will undoubtedly miss Linda, but wish her the best in this next chapter. —S.S.

“I have enjoyed my time working for the College!

It is an incredible place to work, and I feel fortunate to have been a part of it. It has been a pleasure working with each one of you, and I wish you all nothing but the best. I will miss the collaborations and friendships we have built within our College.” —Linda Silva

ABOVE: Silva poses for a photo with her son at the Hines College Holiday Party

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Making an Impact: Hines College Day of Service On August 24, Hines College students, alumni, faculty, and staff joined with family and friends for a Day of Service at the Houston Food Bank for the second year in a row.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for their participation! We had a great time connecting with one another to build community while giving our time to a great cause.

Together, we filled: 6 pallets ...which contained 480 boxes ...which contained 3,840 bags ...which contained 7,680 pounds ...which ultimately rendered 6,400 meals.

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End of an Era:

Prospectus Wins Prestigious AIGA Award The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design Prospectus 2020–21 Undergraduate Architecture Program book cover by the design agency Normal and published by the College has been named a winner for the AIGA 50 Books | 50 Covers of 2023.

The annual competition by the American Institute of Graphic Arts celebrates the best of book and cover design. The 2020–21 Prospectus was the first in a series of publications working to index the Hines College undergraduate architecture program.

The students and faculty that have formed this body of work represent myriad of fields of sensibility that range from the most pragmatic professional to the most experimental soul; from the logics of technique to the speculations of history, theory, and criticism; from tactile craftsmen to new design media robotics.

Congratulations to the College's collaborators, students, faculty, and staff who made the book a reality! —N.N.

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COLLEGE NEWS

From built to conceptual projects, AIA Houston recognizes the work of Hines College architects and designers

Faculty, students, and alumni from the University of Houston’s Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design took home six honors at the annual AIA Houston Design Awards in August.

The awards celebrated outstanding achievements in various fields of architecture, including residential, urban, and interior design. The program’s jury evaluated more than 100 submissions on criteria such as design quality, innovation, sustainability, and overall execution.

GATHERING

E33

Winner in the “On the Boards” Category

Winner in the “On the Boards” Category

Working together at Tucker de Vazquez Architecture, Hines College director of interior architecture Sheryl Tucker de Vazquez and alumna Martisa Cabrera (B.S. ’24) developed Gathering to further the mission of Project Row Houses.

The mixed-used development was designed by Hines College instructional assistant professor Sam Clovis of clovisbaronian. It is comprised of a storefront gallery and four residential units with a draped layer of woven metal mesh, enveloping the building’s mass.

It aims to connect the African American community in Third Ward with the work of Black artists by adaptively reusing an existing two-story storefront as a coffee shop and meeting space.

The design utilizes a reclaimed indoor/outdoor scaffolding system to blur the distinction between the two areas while acting as a gateway and marquee. The system also creates a microclimate mitigating weather conditions for special events and offering respite for people passing by.

Tucker de Vazquez is honored to receive the award this year, explaining that it felt particularly meaningful to “have the award certificate signed by Hines College alumna, fellow NOMA member, and AIA Houston chapter president, Melvalean McLemore.”

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“Layered beyond this outer skin, window apertures, balconies, and sun-rooms pocket the facade to produce shadow, depth, and varied material expressions,” Clovis described.

Situated in Garden City, ID, E33’s residential units have conditioned and unconditioned spaces, along with exterior spaces provided by balconies and roof terraces. The project uses a shifting line of insulation to create “sunstairs,” weatherproof paths of vertical circulation.

GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

DR. SHANNON WALKER NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY Winner in the “Architecture Less Than 50,000 SF” Category The 23,000-square-foot library was designed

by BRAVE/Architecture, whose team consisted of Hines College alumni Fernando Brave, FAIA (M.Arch. ’88); Peter Ho, AIA (B.Arch. ’07); Eddy Hidrogo (B.Arch. ’18); Dominique Khawaja (B.Arch. ’19); Maurice Marroquin (B.Arch. ’15); and Abran Arvizu (B.Arch. ’18).

A part of the Houston Public Library system, the neighborhood library contains reading areas, spaces for teens and young children, and flexible work and meeting areas with a café. The library also houses studios for recording podcasts, music, and video and a computer center. One of the defining traits of the design is the central, seethrough, and automated book vault.

“This award represents the firm's work, but most of all, it represents how we can bring together the client, the users, the operators, and the construction team to deliver a project successfully,” said Brave, principal and founder of BRAVE/Architecture.

CONTENT ARCHITECTURE PHOTOS BE CESAR BEJAR; ALL OTHER COURTESY IMAGES

“Six”-cessful Designs with Impact

ELEMENTAL HOME

DETERRITORIALIZING THE RIO GRANDE

SUDOR SAUNA

Winner in the “Residential Architecture” Category

Winner in the “Conceptual” Category

Winner in the “Interior Architecture” Category

Snatching up a second win for his firm CONTENT Architecture, Hager worked on this house to bring together raw elements in distinct yet comforting ways.

Recent graduate Christopher Torres (B.Arch. ’25) submitted his senior thesis to the competition (which also earned him a graduation award), read

by Hines College faculty members Susan Rogers, Daniel Jacobs, Olivia Miljanic, and Matthew Johnson.

Led by Hines College faculty member Jesse Hager, the CONTENT Architecture team for Sudor Sauna included former faculty member Katie LaRose and alumna Otilia Gonzalez (B.Arch. ’19). The team also won a TxA Design Award for this project.

His thesis project examined how movement through the borderlands is restricted. Torres explained, “In a region where the flow of goods is valued more than that of people and landscape, bridges have become tools of border enforcement and riparian neglect. A bridge should be an unrestricted crossroads and a catalyst for unraveling and developing agency to the complex issues of living in the borderlands.”

The design creates a journey that gradually disconnects visitors from their daily routines through subtle transitions. The team used spatial shifts, varying light intensities, and calming materials, all aimed at enhancing the sensory and experiential qualities of the space. Visitors enter through grand thirteen-foot-tall cypress doors into a lobby featuring a striking stone desk beneath a vaulted ceiling and bathed in natural light. A thickened wall marks the transition from the brightly lit entry to the darker, more intimate corridor, where slender cove lights gently illuminate the path and highlight the wall’s texture.

From the outside, dark brick wraps around the exterior, creating a solid, grounded outer skin with flush windows. The shell includes warm wood which contrasts and calls attention to various thresholds. The home’s entry is elevated by a series of rough stone steps and a guest room and library combo facing the street.

“From the elevated entry, guests descend onto a polished concrete floor. The cool surface provides relief to bare feet during the hot summer months,” Hager noted.

The generous windows and sliding doors help connect the living, dining, and kitchen areas to an interior, covered patio, and backyard, blurring nature with the interior. Another special feature of the home is the staircase to the second floor, constructed from a rough-cut block of wood and a thin steel plate suspended from above.

To Hager, winning the award “speaks to the power of thoughtful design.” He is happy to evoke a moving sentiment while working within a tight budget. He added, “The home is comfort and what we value as a family, with or without the award.”

His design proposal links two parks to create a zone of exception for passage through the borderlands. It uses the environment, including the Rio Grande River and natural river island formations, to subvert how the international boundary is determined. He also proposed a pedestrian bridge to allow families on both sides of the Rio Grande to cross freely and use the river recreationally, regardless of nationality.

“It is a huge honor to be recognized by the AIA for a project where I could use architecture to give voice to the pressing issues affecting the community that raised me,” Torres said of the award. Winning brings attention to the importance of the Rio Grande Valley for both the U.S. and Mexico. Torres added, “This honor validates the project as a milestone in my professional and academic career and encourages me to pursue further study through the architectural discipline.”

As visitors move through the curved corridor, they encounter a shift from the cool, hard surfaces of the lobby to the warmer, softer materials of the private spaces. Locally sourced cypress slats wrap the corridor walls and conceal the sauna entrances, adding warmth and comfort. The floor subtly ramps upward, enhancing the sense of elevation before each private room.

“The award recognizes our team efforts, creativity, and the endless iterations that take place behind the scenes. We had a great time exploring materials,” Gonzalez said. She also enjoyed collaborating with the builder and client for this project. “Overall, it is great to see others enjoy what we wholeheartedly created.” —N.N. DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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STUDENT STORIES

Hines College architecture students hone their skills through summer internships

INSHERAH ALHAJRASI

OLIVIA ARGUELLO

Fourth-year Architecture Student

Fifth-year Architecture Student

As an intern at Pfluger Architects, Alhajrasi’s first day included a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The introductory experience helped her understand architectural design influences in creating unique experiences for visitors, helping her gain an appreciation for Plfuger Architects’ mission to “inspire people to create a more meaningful human experience.”

Arguello worked as a member of the Lifestyle Studio at Gensler with a focus on hospitality projects. In the Houston office, she developed conceptual work, created diagrams, assisted in creating design packages for clients, and attended meetings. Her projects ranged from full master plan designs to design initiative proposals. All the work was also balanced by a community she said she was “lucky enough to experience.” Gensler hosted socials to celebrate their interns all summer with festivities for the Olympics, Taco Tuesdays, and more.

While working at the firm, she was assigned K-12 projects and participated in all stages of project development, including creating schematic diagrams, assisting in design documents, and participating in client meetings. She worked on drafting plans, producing digital and physical models, and attended site visits to help ensure projects were on track, including collaborating with engineers and consultants.

Alhajrasi leaned on the techniques and knowledge she learned at the Hines College to help her create diagrams for analysis, make models, and utilize programs like Rhino and Climate Studio to contribute to projects. Now, she will look back on her experience and apply it to her school work.

“The knowledge I gained in detailing and construction processes will help me create more practical and executable designs,” said Alhajrasi. “Understanding project budgets also allows me to better manage resources and plan projects more efficiently in both my studies and future career.”

To maximize her learning experience, she asked questions, sought feedback, and took on additional responsibilities. As students enter the field as interns, she advises them to also network with professionals and fellow interns because they are valuable connections that can provide insights to help them move forward in their career journey.

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GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Her internship also included a special project addressing housing and reducing homelessness in Houston, led

by Hines College alum and adjunct faculty member Travis Mohle (B.Arch. ’17, M.Arch. ’23). She collaborated with seven other interns to develop Hope to Home, a proposal situated just north of the University of Houston Downtown to create resources and support systems for the community and homeless population.

“At Gensler, by working and observing others, I was learning anything from project management, client communication, and using new design software,” Arguello reminisced.

She had drawn on her experiences in class to help her approach her work critically and to help her problemsolve creatively. “I’ll use these skills to stay organized and effective during my last year and future jobs, ensuring I handle projects well and work smoothly with others.”

To land an internship, Arguello’s biggest advice for students is to put themselves out there and attend as many career-related events as possible, including networking events, portfolio reviews, and mentorship programs helping students to prepare themselves for interviews and build professional relationships. “While having a beautiful portfolio is important, the key is how you present the story and passion behind your projects.”

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Drafting Dreams: Laying a Foundation for Career Success

MIGUEL CARRION

JOANNA IBRAHIM

Fourth-year Architecture Student

Third-year Architecture Student

While working at Arc Three, Carrion contributed to residential and commercial projects during schematic design and design development stages while producing renderings to communicate projects visually.

Ibrahim has a lot to be proud of from her internship at the Houston Airport System (HAS) — she had the opportunity to present one of her interior buildout designs for the Supply Chain Management office at Bush Intercontinental to senior staff, including the CEO, COO, and Director of Aviation at HAS. The feedback from stakeholders and approval by the system’s board resulted in an incredible experience that she cannot wait to see come to life.

He also helped create presentations for design award submissions to showcase the firm’s previous work. One memorable moment from the internship for Carrion was presenting in front of the firm for an internal sketch competition. He spoke about the architecture of the Paris Olympics that included a challenge for everyone to quickly sketch buildings he discussed.

While he applied the know-how he obtained from his studio experiences to work, his learned ability to communicate efficiently through design allowed him to feel like he seamlessly fit into the team. Carrion grasped new insights by watching how the team at Arch Three Studio collaborated and prepared for projects, from charettes and sketching sessions to 3D modeling and drafting.

As he applies what he learned over the summer to this semester, he encourages students to start looking for internships now.

“Be on the lookout for opportunities through the Career Fair, Cougar Pathway, and on LinkedIn. Have a resume, and a portfolio so recruiters can see the work you have done in studio and your electives.”

Her work for HAS also included creating joinery drawings for the new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Station at Bush Intercontinental. She worked with clients, airport staff, partner firms, and contractors for other airports in the system, including Hobby and Ellington airports, and learned the importance of collaboration and teamwork through her internship. Because of the many layers and divisions of the system, she learned to navigate complex systems and improved her design documentation.

“My design experience in school provided a strong foundation … which was invaluable during my internship,” she added. “I could apply my knowledge of tectonics, materiality, and spatial design directly to realworld projects.”

Had Ibrahim not put herself in professional networking situations, she would have never known the airports had their own in-house architects. “A chance encounter eventually had me working alongside them this [past] summer,” Ibrahim recalled.

Once starting their internships, Ibrahim believes students should observe how others work as much as possible and connect with people on different teams and divisions to expand their abilities. Entering a new environment can also be overwhelming and intimidating for young professionals, but Ibrahim shared reassurances: “Do not be afraid to make mistakes or ask questions; you are there to learn, and those architects were in your shoes once, too.”

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STUDENT STORIES

TESSNIM MOHAMMED

ANDREA MOSCOSO

Fourth-year Architecture Student

Fifth-year Architecture Student

A UH Energy Scholar student, Mohammed interned with the U.S. Department of Energy for ten weeks at the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Taking on an internship in a different city also allowed Mohammed to experience life away from home. On her off time, she explored Pittsburgh and went to baseball games and watched the Pirates.

Interning at Kirksey Architecture, Moscoso worked on two large building projects and contributed by making corrections to detailed wall sections. She also became more involved in the design process of a smaller project at the firm where her responsibilities included modeling, conducting code analysis, developing schedules, and working on plans, sections, and elevations.

At work, she conducted full-time research in a restricted lab on extracting rare earth elements that make emerging technologies and material science more sustainable. The work included collaborating with federal employees to test new affordable and accessible tools for detection and extraction. Mohammed used her knowledge about sustainable design methods learned at the Hines College to help her with her internship.

Most of what Moscoso worked on were completely new experiences for her, but she credits her strong foundation at the Hines College with helping her get up to speed on learning new software and adapting to different workflows.

“I learned how to overcome challenges and push myself to continue to learn new things every day. There is always something new to learn — you just have to be open to putting yourself out there,” she expressed.

As a result of her summer internship, Moscoso now grasps software, including Revit and Bluebeam, while learning the ins and outs of building codes and design documentation. After working on so many projects, she also strengthened her skill in managing multiple tasks and deadlines.

Moscoso believes a strong portfolio is essential for applying for an internship, and she advises students not to “hesitate to apply for your dream firm.” Once students have their foot in the door, she advises them to stay curious and always ask questions to learn even more.

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GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

COURTESY PHOTOS

Not only did she learn more about the workings of a lab, but Mohammed also walked away with more motivation to finish her studies and pursue her passion for sustainability. As a result, she also encourages her peers to try something new and possibly add another layer to their design practice.

“School projects taught me how to think critically and creatively, which helped me approach challenges during the internship,” Moscoso explained. “Also, the collaborative work I did in school prepared me to effectively communicate with my team in a professional setting.”

CHRIS ODOLSKI

MARIA OLIVIA RAMOS

Fifth-year Architecture Student

Fifth-year Architecture Student

During his internship at eStudio Architecture, Odolski worked on many retail projects at the Houston Galleria.

This experience also led to working on other mall projects in Austin and preparing construction documents for restaurants at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport.

Ramos interned at Project Luong, where she worked on commercial and multi-family residential projects. Her experience involved attending coordination meetings, helping draft drawings, and using software to 3D model and produce renderings.

“The most memorable moments for me in my internship experience were my site visits at the Galleria,” Odolski said. “I was able to experience the direct real-world environment of construction and bring our work to life as an architect.”

What helped Odolski the most during his internship were technology courses at Hines College that deepened his technical understanding. Now in his final year at school, the experience at Estudio Architecture deepened his design skills and helped him understand the importance of considering the clients and end-users of the final product.

For students seeking to gain experience through internships, Odolski recommends engaging in studio as much as possible to advance school projects for portfolios. Because internships can be highly competitive, he also recommends looking at alternative avenues to gain real-world experience, like research jobs. Working in industries adjacent to architecture, like construction, could also offer even more insight.

“It was fun getting to do a little bit of everything this summer,” she said, also recalling that her favorite memories include participating in site visits to see projects come to life. At one visit, she learned about how a project repurposed timber from the existing site and influenced the engineering and construction of the structure, which then impacted the architectural design.

As a student about to graduate, Ramos is well-seasoned in the process of reviews and juries for school projects.

Learning to talk about her designs ultimately helped her confidently present and explain her work in the real world, as well as her understand how to receive feedback and implement changes to her work. Aside from using what students learn in the classroom, Ramos advises them to keep an open mind and absorb as much as possible. She encourages them to show up “confidently with the skills you have and know that the tools are there for you to grow.”

Looking forward to her future, she will carry what she learned from her internship forward. Ramos concluded, “I learned how architects adapt, collaborate, and coordinate with the entire team throughout the span of a project. In the future, I hope to take this knowledge to become a more well-rounded, informed, and considerate designer.” —Nicholas Nguyen DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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STUDENT STORIES

SITting at the Top Hines College industrial design students take home awards for innovative chair designs This year, the SIT Furniture Design Awards recognized four University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design industrial design (ID) students for their talent and creativity. The international competition honored professional and emerging designers chosen by a panel of designers, artists, and business owners from around the globe.

“Recognizing both emerging and established designers from around the world underscores our commitment to inspiring innovation in furniture and interior design,” said Astrid Herbert, the co-founder of the SIT Furniture Design Awards. “This year’s winners exemplify the global impact of design creativity and the collaborative spirit that drives our industry forward.”

The four ID students who won awards and received honorable mentions are: • Adron Blount for La Fleur, winner in the “Bar Stool” category • Zach Robison for Versa, winner in the “Other Chairs” category • Brandon Burlison for MuYi, honorable mention in “Furniture Design” • Srivats Srinivasan for Chrono, honorable mention in “Furniture Design” ABOVE: The Versa chair can be used two ways OPPOSITE PAGE: La Fleur was inspired by flower anatomy

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LA FLEUR “I based my chair form around the concept of a flower with the legs acting as stems, leading up and converging into petal-shaped seats,” Blount described.

GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Blount’s design bends elegantly, morphing into a stool that considers manufacturing constraints, such as “stackability” and material thickness. While he created 3D-printed models and life-size versions of La Fleur for class, he envisions the construction process as a Monobloc, single-mold construction method where strength and stability are found in the interconnecting plastic structure and compound surfaces of the chair.

In the ID curriculum, bringing designs to life through prototypes teaches students how to problem-solve and experiment with technology. Blount recounted how, thanks to improved 3D printing technology, he printed all his chair parts in sections over the course of a weekend.

“La Fleur is made up of 24 individually 3D-printed sections attached with steel rods for alignment and strength,” he explained. “Leveraging a recent improvement to consumer-grade printers allowed me to spend more time in the design phase to refine the form.”

VERSA Robison drew on personal experience for his versatile design. He revealed, “Versa was inspired by my experience working in the studio and wishing I had a chair to assist me with various functionality. I wanted something that could perform as a lounge chair and work stool.”

Working hard on dozens of iterations, Robison sketched to develop full-scale prototypes to achieve the right proportions for functionality while achieving his aesthetic vision. The challenge paid off.

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In the ID curriculum, bringing designs to life through prototypes teaches students how to problem-solve and experiment with technology.

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STUDENT STORIES

“It’s validating to see all the hard work my professors and I put into Versa. This award inspires me to keep pushing the envelope on my future projects to tap into their buried potential,” Robison said.

his arsenal of skills. He added, “I look back at MuYi, and it feels like a shift in the quality of work I was aiming to achieve.”

If given the opportunity to pursue the project further, Robison would want to make a working aluminum prototype of Versa. He envisions it as a nimble piece of furniture suited for indoor and outdoor use in an aluminum finish or enamel paint finish, adding color to any space.

Named for its form evoking continuity and endurance, Chrono was inspired by the concept of the perpetual flow of time while embodying minimal beauty and timeless design. Blending traditional craftsmanship and modern engineering, the chair integrates a C-channel skeleton beneath the seat to enhance its structural integrity and weight capacity. Grooves in the wooden seat allow the metal form to slot in seamlessly, exemplifying how functionality can drive aesthetic design decisions.

“The general concept of my chair, a single shape serving two different sitting positions, could lend itself to a plethora of future iterations,” Robison remarked. “There are many ways this could be stylized or manufactured to look like a completely different chair while serving the same multipurpose functions.”

MUYI

"The process of cutting, rolling, bending, and welding the metal, followed by powder coating and veneering, showcases my commitment to precision and quality in bringing my vision to life," Srinivasan said.

“My goal when designing MuYi was to create something flat packable and economically viable for production via laminated plywood. I learned much about furniture production through this chair design,” Burlison shared.

His professor, Min Kang, added, "Chrono is a testament to the creativity and skill of industrial design students who deeply understand form, material, and fabrication to create functional objects with beautiful aesthetics."

MuYi takes inspiration from architecture through the work of Frank Gehry and Chinese characters known as hanzi. The chair’s name in Chinese roughly translates to “wooden chair.” In addition to drawing from design and cultural influences, Burlison also applied his own personal design style to the chair.

In addition to earning a nod for his chair from the SIT Furniture Awards, Srinivasan also won a 2024 Innovation + Design Award from the International Society of Furniture Designers earlier this spring. While winning these accolades feels incredibly meaningful, he shared that the journey of creating and sharing Chrono with his family, friends, and mentors is the true reward. The recognition provides him a platform to showcase his vision, one made possible through collaboration.

“I identified what I believe to be my style, coining it as ‘Modern-flow.’ It is a combination of three key elements: modern, flow, and rigid,” he explained.

While MuYi embodies those qualities well, despite Burlison having had no previous interest in furniture design (his other work includes designing prosthetics for patients in the Harris Health System), this project provided him with ample design experience to add to

"I am deeply thankful to professor Min Kang and my mentors, Spencer Feuerbach and Pascal Bakari, whose guidance was instrumental in bringing this vision to life.

These awards celebrate a personal achievement and a collective effort from my friends and family that I hold in the highest regard," Srinivasan shared. —N.N.

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BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: MuYi was inspired by Frank Gehry's architecture and Chinese characters; Chrono embodies a minimalist, timeless design aesthetic

CHRONO

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GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Planting a Seed of Community and Sustainability Architecture student merges design and storytelling while "raking up" local and national honors When Brenda Castillo (B.Arch. ’24) graduated in May, her Village of the Levy: Switchgrass project earned a first place Undergraduate Architecture Design Award from the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design. Since then, the project’s impact has grown, earning a spot in the 2024 Study Architecture Student Showcase by Study Architecture, sponsored by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). Most recently, Castillo earned a 2024 Student Design Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter.

The Village of the Levy: Switchgrass is an innovative project that uses natural ecosystems, particularly switchgrass, to support environmental and architectural goals. Switchgrass has unique properties for soil enhancement, carbon capture, and eco-friendly ethanol production.

Through "Switchgrass Pods," the project seeks to establish a network of eco-friendly structures along Houston's Buffalo Bayou, highlighting the need for green alternatives to refinery infrastructure in the area.

The project offers a blueprint for blending human, natural, and industrial ecologies. Site plans and architectural layouts showcase how these systems can serve as research hubs, inspiring sustainable urban development. Castillo’s idea represents a bold step in ecological innovation, aiming to create a village relfecting harmony between nature and urban landscapes.

“My project is rooted in growing up in the area and in seeing the influence existing machines have on the world,” explained Castillo, “It is also based in the discovery that something as simple as a little plant

ABOVE: Castillo posed with her project model for a graduation photo could have a huge influence on a different future.”

infrastructure, and the community,” Castillo expressed.

Conceived in the ARCH 5500 studio with Hines College interim director of environmental design Roya Plauché, Castillo’s process included serious research and crafting a narrative. In it, she explored how architecture can meaningfully engage with history, place, and community. She believes architecture can be based on storytelling, and structures can carry narratives about the world around us.

Plauché praised her student and added, “Brenda’s work stands out for the compelling narrative she presents, guiding us through a storyline that shows how something as simple as a plant can inform, heal, and reshape the way we envision the future."

“I tried to understand the ‘characters of the story’ at both micro and macro scales. The main characters of this story were switchgrass,

Through research and design development, Castillo ultimately learned to question things more and broaden her horizons. She said, “It is almost like a process of dissecting things to see how they exist, why they exist, and how they function. This plays a huge part in ‘setting the stage’ to create a beautiful story.” —N.N.

Provost Profile Spotlights Father and Son Students UH Provost Diane Z. Chase recently spoke with Hines College students Dave and Alex Schuman about their academic journey and experience for this month’s Provost Profiles.

The father and son duo came to UH to study graduate architecture and undergraduate industrial design respectively. Watch the video by scanning the code below.

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Hines College students induction into Tau Sigma Delta Beta Delta Chapter

World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and the Vietnam Conflict, the Society endured, though some chapters became inactive during these periods. In recent years, Tau Sigma Delta has experienced a resurgence, with the number of new chapters reaching an all-time high.

“This is a relationship career; relationships are the key to our success,” said Lampson. “Your new affiliation with the Tau Sigma Delta Honors Society is an opportunity to develop your network and create lifelong relationships.”

In 2023, the Hines College launched a concerted effort to reestablish the TSD at the College after years of dormancy. Students have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to build connections with other highachieving students to strengthen their professional networks and aid their future careers.

Lauri Goodman Lampson (BFA ’88), President and CEO of PDR – Planning Design Research in Houston, joined the celebration as the event’s featured speaker. An alumna of the former UH interior design program, Lampson is an active member of the Hines College’s Leadership Council, an advisory board of industry professionals working to advance the College through strategic initiatives.

Last year, Lampson was recognized by Houston Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business, and recently, the International Interior Design Association (IIDA)

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GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

remarks. “That, combined with your design thinking and creative talent, will make you wildly valuable. And when you land your dream job – seek out the leaders who model what you aspire to be and invite them to be your mentors. They will be as excited to learn from you as you are to learn from them.”

Students have eagerly taken advantage of the chance to connect with other accomplished peers through TSD, fostering professional relationships and supporting their career growth and future success. Lampson emphasized the value of relationships in the architecture and design field.

“This is a relationship career; relationships are the key to our success,” said Lampson. “You will need a strong network of peers, connections in the industry, and connections with your future clients. Your new affiliation with the Tau Sigma Delta Honors Society is an opportunity to develop your network and create lifelong relationships. The people you meet may become your future colleagues, business partners, or clients. Take advantage of this opportunity; don’t let this become just another accolade on your CV, just a certificate. Get involved, get to know people, and see where it takes you.” —Stephen Schad

TAU SIGMA DELTA PHOTO BY MARCEL OMEN; CONTEMPORARY OBJECTS PHOTO COURTESY OF MEG JACKSON

fall, the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines celebrated her as the honoree of the IIDA Leadership Creating This College of Architecture and Design inducted a Award of Excellence. remarkable 38 top students into the University’s Beta Connections: Delta chapter of the national Tau Sigma Delta (TSD) Lampson spoke about the importance of leaders who Honor Society in Architecture and the Allied Arts. The influenced, mentored, and invested in her during Honors Society Society is the sole national honor society for architecture have her professional career. Their knowledge and wisdom design majors holding accreditation from the gave Lampson encouragement that empowered her to Shapes and Association of College Honor Societies. make great strides throughout her life, developing her UH Design TSD was founded in 1913 at the University of Michigan into the leader she is today. a senior honor society for architecture and landscape “You will come out of school with advanced knowledge Students’ asarchitecture students, later expanding to include of technologies, robotics, and programming that is students in allied arts and design more advanced than many firms,” Futures fields. Despite challenges such as Lampson shared during her

Retail Ready: Design Students Take Their Skills to Market Hines College students show off their entrepreneurial spirit through creativity and design Students from the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design embarked on a semester-long journey to design, produce, and sell their own products through a unique collaboration with local retailer Space Montrose. Guided by Meg Jackson, associate instructional professor, the seminar course “Contemporary Objects” offered students a hands-on introduction to entrepreneurialism in design, turning their ideas into tangible, marketready products.

The interdisciplinary course challenged students to ideate, prototype, and manufacture modern housewares, soft goods, furniture, and functional art, all while considering branding, marketing,

and the realities of production. They were not merely classroom exercises.

Instead, each product faced the scrutiny of Space Montrose’s discerning customers at the product launch event on December 5, where students got to display their work in-store and talk to shoppers about their designs.

REAL-WORLD COLLABORATION Every three weeks during the fall semester, students met with Carlos and Leila Peraza, Space Montrose’s owners, to present their evolving concepts and gain valuable feedback on prototyping, pricing, and packaging.

“Collaborations such as this build confidence, improve communication skills, and encourage a respect for

other ways of thinking,” explained Jackson. “Real-world collaborations allow students to apply practices and experiences from industry to their own design process.”

BELOW: The Contemporary Objects class pose with Space Montrose owners and Jackson at the launch event at Memorial Mall in early December

Students quickly learned that designing for production involves more than just creativity. They grappled with manufacturing constraints, iterative processes, and the practicalities of scaling their designs for a small batch production run. For some, the transition from single prototypes to producing multiples was a steep learning curve but one

“Collaborations such as this build confidence, improve communication skills, and encourage a respect for other ways of thinking,” explained Jackson.

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THIS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Juan poses with his bathroom organizaer, Neru; Armstrong prototyped the Cloud Bound Travel Pillow & Book Cover with spare materials; a photo of the Sky Scratcher

by Gomez; the Slab Car Incense Holder

by Kennedy is inspired by Houston car culture; Within the Lines by Ford can serve as a mirror and tray; Decker has plans to offer the Pill Bug in more colors

that ultimately yielded a range of creative, market-ready products.

Santiago Kennedy, a senior industrial design student, enjoyed the feedback from Space Montrose.

Kennedy designed the Slab Car Incense Holder, an homage to Houston’s car culture in the form of a sculptural and functional piece.

“Working with Space Montrose was awesome as it allowed me to work with a client and listen to their feedback to make further iterations to my design,” Kennedy said. “I feel like this class and working with Space Montrose has prepared me for future design collaborations.”

“My class has not had many sponsored projects, so we do not often get to design for preexisting companies. Bringing them [Space

Montrose] ideas and refining alongside their feedback was an eye-opening experience,” added Kael Juan, another senior industrial design student who created a Brutalist-inspired bathroom organizer called Neru.

LEARNING BY DOING One of the biggest hurdles students faced was embracing the iterative process — a cycle of designing, refining, and testing that mirrors professional design work. The students’ progress demonstrated how learning to “fail forward” could lead to innovative solutions and polished final products.

While industrial design students comprised the majority of the seminar course, some architecture students with no previous experience in product design were

part of the class. David Gomez, a third-year architecture student, created Sky Scratcher, a series of catscratching posts inspired by iconic buildings in Texas.

“This class helped me understand what it is like designing in a way for consumerism compared to design in architecture, especially the different ways to think about how the product will work and be used,” he recalled.

Drawing on her architecture background, third-year architecture student Avery Ford created Within the Lines. Ford said, “I designed a simple mirror into a piece of art mimicking a natural landscape.

Drawing from my experience with spatial design, materiality, and the ways in which both natural and human forces shape landscapes, I envisioned the mirror

STUDENT PHOTOS COURTESY OF MEG JACKSON; OTHER PRODUCT PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTICE STUDENTS

STUDENT STORIES

At the annual UH Holiday Market hosted by RED Labs at the C.T. Bauer College of Business's Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, some Hines College students took the opportunity to put their small business on the map.

Architecture student Orlando Gomez created OGhats (@og_hats1) because of his deep passion for Western wear and caps. He uses his design skills to create custom hats, leveraging his ability in various software and

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engraving tools. Over time, he learned the important lesson of investing in himself by purchasing a laser cutter to help him produce higher-quality models and expand his business.

“Success does not happen overnight — it requires hard work, dedication, and persistence,” Gomez shared.

“While I am still in the early stages of my business, I remain hopeful that, with time and effort, I will see it grow and thrive.”

While environmental design major Savannah George does not sell a product, she uses her artistic ability to offer henna and mehndi services through Sana’s Henna Artistry (@vaurghesan). Since she was in third grade and inspired by her mother and aunts doing henna, she has honed her hobby into a marketable skill. Starting on her own now, she built her confidence by offering her service to friends and family at first.

GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

“This business has taught me that being versatile and open to many styles drives customers. Continuing to grow my repertoire is key and drives my inspiration,” George said.

She advises students to form a relationship with their clientele and use the power of word-of-mouth to help grow a customer base, adding, “You would be surprised how your mutuals are your biggest assets!”

UH HOLIDAY MARKEY PHOTOS BY SANAM DAVARIAR

Hines College Students at the UH Holiday Market

to have versatile aspects, just like architecture. Designing an object, as opposed to buildings, was a challenge; however, working at a smaller scale still allowed me to express my interest in universal design.”

The diversity of the students’ design capabilities brought an unexpected richness to the final lineup of products. While some created sleek, modern furniture pieces, others crafted whimsical home goods or elegant soft furnishings. Each product reflected the personality and perspective of its designer, culminating in a collection that was as varied as it was cohesive.

BUILDING SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE Nearly all of the students in the class have future plans for their project, and some hope to

continue collaborating with Space Montrose after the launch event and consignment period.

Alex Armstrong, a senior industrial design student, created the Cloud Bound Travel Pillow & Book Cover.

The idea came to them from using leftover sherpa and upholstery materials to “reignite that old feeling of sleeping on your textbook in class!” Customers responded positively during the event, and now they hope to continue working with the retailer to produce more.

Walking away from the experience with more knowledge of product development, production timeframes, and effective communication, Bennett Decker already has ideas on how to improve his product, Pill Bug. The playful 3D-printed keychain inspired

by origami can curl up like a rolypoly and carry small knickknacks.

“I hope to create an updated version where the magnet connection and internal components are a bit cleaner and more secure. I would like to make more color, material, and finish variations and experiment with more materials as well as other animals this shell container form could be applied to,” Decker said.

The partnership between the Hines College and Space Montrose is a testament to the transformative power of education intersecting with industry. For these emerging designers, the semester was more than just a class — it was a launchpad for their creative potential. —N.N.

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Gomez with his line of custom hats at the UH Holiday Market; George offered on-the-spot henna services at the market

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STUDENT STORIES

Hines College architecture students win Energy Mentor award for innovative urban planning with usage of biofuel technologies

Over the summer, University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design students won the inaugural “Power the Community” International College Design Competition, earning a $7,000 prize for “Distinguished Design – Urban Planning.” Energy Mentors is a non-profit founded to provide students with mentorship in the energy industry. Hines College architecture students Yen Co, Yulisa Tran, Lucia Poggioli, Jailyn Benavides, Leslie Alamirra, and Lauren Smith formed Team Jelly Fish while enrolled in the QuadZero studio at the College.

Professor Bruce Race, who also serves as the College’s director for the Center for Sustainability and Resilience, and adjunct faculty member and UH alum Travis Mohle (B.Arch. ’17 and M.S. Arch. ’23) led the QuadZero studio. After learning how Energy Mentors and the QuadZero studio shared similar learning objectives, it became a spring studio requirement for students to package their final team project and submit it to the competition.

“The QuadZero Studio explores the convergence of renewable energy, transportation, and net-zero development,” Race explained.

“Working with local community partners, students research and propose net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water, and waste strategies at a district scale. Their net-zero district becomes the context for their individual building designs.”

In the studio, Team Jelly Fish developed concepts for a net-zero neighborhood fueled by emerging biofuel technology in Houston’s Near Northside Community.

They began in two stages, first focusing on renewable energy, transportation, and net-zero practices on an urban scale. Then, they designed individual projects to further their energy narrative.

ABOVE: Renderings from the group's winning project

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“Our research and site analysis provided valuable insights into the community’s needs, guiding our design process. It was essential for

GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

us to keep the focus on the intended beneficiaries as we explored sustainable and resilient strategies to promote growth opportunities within the neighborhood,” the group shared in a statement.

The masterplan focused on waste management, water conservation, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency. By focusing on these areas, the group hoped to propose ways for the community to be less reliant on the oil and gas industries in the area.

While creating opportunities for socio-economic growth, they also explored the potential for using algae biofuel as a key feature in their urban plan. During their research, they learned that one kilogram of algae can absorb nearly double its weight in CO2. This led to the creation of zones utilizing algae bioreactors while collecting wastewater and stormwater, as well as an attempt to address flooding in the neighborhood.

All of this also went hand in hand with their studio's objectives. Race added, “They estimated a net zero energy outcome from algae bio-fuel production for green hydrogen, rooftop solar, and energy waste.

Their proposal also managed water harvesting for algae production and domestic water to achieve net zero water and waste targets.”

Team Jelly Fish also considered social issues in their master plan, aiming to make the district walkable while enhancing public transportation to facilitate job access while reducing emissions. They prioritized creating opportunities for education and extracurricular activities for the youth and established daycare centers, making the neighborhood more family-friendly.

“By determining that our goal was to revitalize the community, considerations were made to stabilize the current population and lay a foundation for future generations,” they said, making equity a key factor in their decision-making.

PHOTOS AND RENDERINGS COURTESY OF TEAM JELLYFISH

Imagining a Plan to Power Up Houston’s Near Northside Community

Not only did they gain invaluable knowledge on sustainability and resilience applied to urban planning, but the group also developed strong collaborative skills to prepare them for the profession.

Not only did they gain invaluable from Race and how to shape a knowledge on sustainability and narrative from Mohle. resilience applied to urban planning, but the group also developed strong Ultimately, participating in Energy collaborative skills to prepare them Mentors and winning an award has for the profession. They learned inspired the designers to explore the value of making quick decisions opportunities in the design world. and the importance of trying new things, making mistakes, and then “The competition taught us that learning from the experience. As anything is possible and that everything they worked with each other, they starts with an idea that is modified also benefited from a multi-layered along the way to result in the desired studio mentorship experience. The outcome,” they said. “One shouldn’t group of fourth-years also included limit their scope and should explore a fifth-year member, Yen Co. Along revolutionary ideas yet to be seen as with receiving insights from other they can potentially be researched fifth-year students, Team Jelly and adapted into the future. We are Fish acknowledges the help they the front line of innovators for our received through technical pointers generation to come.” —N.N.

ABOVE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Team Jellyfish working together on a map of the community to plan their project; the group poses together at the end of jury review

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Hines College Student Organizations You Should Know:

American Institute of Architecture Students Students build a foundation for their future as architects

• Crystal Nguyen, President • Jeremiah Anyakwu, Vice President • Skylar Caldwell, Secretary • Stacey Echartea, Social Coordinator • Simon Chiquito, Professional Coordinator • Fidel Argueta, Publicist • Alessandra Villaruel, Store Manager • Paige Holmes, Freedom By Design Director • Litzy Garcia, NCARB Advisor

Today’s architecture students are laying the groundwork for tomorrow's built environments. With innovations and challenges shaping our world, student organizations like the University of Houston American Institute of Architecture Students (UH AIAS) play a vital role in preparing aspiring architects for their future careers.

AIAS forms strategic alliances with organizations forming the architectural landscape, representing the student voice. Collaborating with influential bodies such as the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), and the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), AIAS ensures students' perspectives are heard and integrated into the profession’s future trajectory. Together, these partnerships create pathways that not only elevate the architectural discipline but also inspire students to become leaders, innovators, and community-builders.

At the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, UH AIAS has existed for decades to advance its mission and enrich the student body.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: UH AIAS at Welcome Day to meet with incoming freshmen; the student org regularly attends industry events like the AIA Sandcastle Building Competition and the Houston Design Gala; to help students prepare for the profession, UH AIAS hosts lunch and learns as well as lectures revolving around licensure

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When and why was UH AIAS founded?

CRYSTAL NGUYEN, PRESIDENT: UH AIAS was founded back in 1971! The organization promotes excellence in the role of architecture students in the broader architectural profession and fosters leadership, innovation, and community among aspiring architects.

What is UH AIAS’s mission?

CN: The mission of UH AIAS is to empower and support students of architecture by providing opportunities

for professional development, networking, and advocacy.

How does the organization advance its goals?

JEREMIAH ANYAKWU, VICE PRESIDENT: Our team advances goals by working together to plan and organize events. We also love to encourage and invite students who are interested to join us in planning workshops and initiatives.

It is equally as important to build a network at school with your peers, studio mates, and professors.

How do you bring awareness to UH AIAS on campus?

SKYLAR CALDWELL, SECRETARY: We try our best to bring awareness to UH AIAS on campus by building a social media presence, hosting recurring sessions, and engaging with the student body and other student organizations. Building connections is one of our biggest goals, which is especially important in architecture school and after.

In what ways does UH AIAS collaborate with internal and external organizations?

CN: Collaboration is possibly one of AIAS’s biggest strengths. We love to collaborate as much as possible with our surrounding community. We work closely with AIA Houston to engage students as much as possible with the local AIA chapter and local firms.

This semester, we also had the opportunity to join Hines College faculty and host NCARB lectures, providing students with knowledge and insight on the path toward licensure. In addition to the lecture, we have also collaborated with Jeanette Shaw (B.Arch. ’01) of Powers Brown Architecture. She will join us monthly for educational lunch-and-learn lectures.

Over the summer, we enjoyed

GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

working with all other student organizations to organize the College’s annual Welcome Day. How does UH AIAS prepare students for the profession?

JA: We prepare students for the profession by providing as many opportunities as possible. This includes educational lectures, advocacy initiatives, volunteering and community engagement opportunities, and interactions with professionals in the field.

Why should people join UH AIAS? CN: Students who seek development in leadership excellence and a sense of community should join us.

What kinds of events does UH AIAS host?

SC: Not only does UH AIAS host professional events such as educational lectures and collaborative events with local firms and the local AIA chapter, but we also have social events to help build more connections with students and professionals.

What is the organization most proud of in recent years?

CN: In recent years, we are most proud of the different opportunities we are creating for students. We have opened doors for students to build their network and jump into the community. The gap between academia and the professional world can be a great leap, so we work hard to close the gap for students and professionals to ensure a smooth transition after graduation or even during school.

Follow UH AIAS (@UHAIAS) on Instagram. —N.N.

COURTESY PHOTOS

CURRENT OFFICERS:

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STUDENT STORIES

FWIA Drawing Competition Winners Future Women in Architecture hosts a final drawing competition each semester with cash prizes for students across three levels of studio categories.

BRACKET ONE: 1500+2500 WINNERE: Minh Tran PROFESSOR AND STUDIO: Emine Canak, ARCH 2500 PROJECT NAME: Hyoko Cathouse "Hyoko means 'elevation' in Japanese, capturing the building’s cultural inspirations and its architectural concept. The cathouse serves as an interactive cat adoption center, where visitors can come to adopt or simply play with cats. It is also a cafe-like community center, perfect for students to come and study."

BRACKET TWO: 3500+4510 WINNER: Fahriye Betul Caliskan PROFESSOR: William Truitt, ARCH 3500 PROJECT NAME: Linear Layers "Through analyzing Texas City, I identified three evolving layers of residential and industrial zones over time. As the industrial areas shifted northward, residential growth expanded northwest. This inspired my concept of layering, particularly in the context of advanced technology. In this design, multiple layers create a pathway for air circulation. Exterior fans first draw air into the building, directing it through honeycomb-shaped filters. The air then passes through a damp pottery beehive cooling system. These damp pottery tubes cool the air as it moves through them, eventually delivering cooled air into the building. This technology operates as an independent structure, with buildings interconnected by bridges. Additionally, the building features adjustable kinetic solar panels that track the sun’s direction. To reinforce the layering concept, a visible linear grid is integrated into the design, reflected in the layout of trees, pathways, and bodies of water on the site."

BRACKET THREE: 5500+GRAD WINNERS: Raman Binning, Alfredo Blanco, Dayanne Molina, Jacqueline Valladares, Jamison Wicks PROFESSOR AND STUDIO: Asmaa Olwi & BAAG, ARCH 5500 PROJECT NAME: Reclaim "Reclaim is a wooden corridor that mimics the experience of walking through a forest. The project takes an inherently manufactured product, lumber, and creates an expressive product that returns the material to its roots. Just as the trees carve out a path in the forest, the corridor incorporates hanging lumber (branches) that presents a path for the user to take. These branches can be modified to create a number of spaces, each with its own unique circulation.

Just as the CoAD serves as a gateway for the campus, this corridor serves as an experiential gateway between the CoAD and the other installations."

SEE MORE This project was part of Manufacturing Transitions, an exhibition of student work from the Stern Studio. Learn more on page 90!

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FACULTY FOCUS

New Faculty Shaping College Curriculum Hines College introduces faculty in new positions for the 2024-2025 academic year The University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design welcomes two new faculty members and elevates three members to new positions this year. Joining the College as an assistant professor under the University’s Presidential Frontiers Faculty initiative, Christopher Battaglia will focus on growing the College’s instruction and research on emerging construction technologies. As an assistant professor, Ruth Lo, Ph.D., joins the College’s History, Theory, and Criticism of Architecture team.

SHERYL TUCKER DE VAZQUEZ

CHRISTOPHER A. BATTAGLIA

Associate Professor Director of Interior Architecture

Assistant Professor Emerging Construction Technologies Presidential Frontier Faculty

After an extensive search, Sheryl Tucker de Vazquez has been named associate professor and director of the interior architecture program. She has led the program as its interim director since 2021. Sam Clovis and José Roldán have moved from adjunct faculty to instructional assistant professor roles in graduate and undergraduate architecture, respectively. All five members bring decades of architecture and design experience in professional and academic fields. —Nicholas Nguyen

RUTH LO, Ph.D. Assistant Professor History, Theory, and Criticism of Architecture

SAM CLOVIS, AIA

JOSÉ ROLDÁN

Instructional Assistant Professor

Instructional Assistant Professor

Environmental Design Program Receives Interim Director Hines College adjunct faculty and alumna Roya Plauché (B.Arch. ‘01) has been named the Interim Director of Environmental Design. The Hines College revamped and relaunched the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design (BSED) degree program to establish a more robust curriculum that would better serve future generations of students. The pre-professional degree plan better equips students with the skills needed to work in multiscale design and emphasizes interdisciplinary opportunities.

This fall, we had 58 students enrolled in the BSED degree program, compared to 16 students in fall 2023. With this year’s growth and the anticipation of its future trajectory, appointing leadership to the BSED program gives environmental design a voice among the other disciplines in the College, better positioning the program to initiate and pursue interdisciplinary undertakings core to the BSED program.

Combining her experience as a principle of her own practice, plodes®, with her experience in the classroom, she will lead the BSED program to continued success and contribute to the vibrant breadth of research and instruction at the College.

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COURTESY IMAGES

Plauché will oversee the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design (BSED) degree program, which has seen a great growth in enrollment this semester.

She will help position the program to initiate and pursue interdisciplinary undertakings core to the BSED program’s identity.

Exhibition Design by Hines College Faculty Earns Architect's Newspaper Design Award

Congratulations to Sam Clovis, assistant instructional professor at the Hines College, and his partner Georgina Baronian, assistant professor at Rice, on receiving an Honorable Mention in the Architect’s Newspaper 2024’s Best of Design Awards!

Their firm clovisbaronian earned the honor in the Emerging Architects Project Award category. The project, “Ambient Architecture,” was an architectural exhibition at the Knowlton School of Architecture. The exhibition considered architecture through material experimentation and sought to reframe the dialogue of sustainable practice and notions of comfort.

Hines College and Rice Architecture Collaboration Results in Exhibition on Houston Climate and Urban Ecosystem

EXHIBITION PHOTO COURTESY OF AIA HOUSTON

Hines College assistant professor Dalia Munenzon collaborated with Rice assistant professor Maggie Tsang to curate “Big, Hot & Sticky” which spotlights Houston as a novel urban ecosystem: a constellation of highways, waterways, air-conditioned buildings, remnant prairies, and possums.

This exhibition, which ran from June 27–August 23 at the Architecture Center Houston, invited seven designers to respond to Houston’s provocation through critical histories, design research, and speculative projects rooted in the city’s urban landscape: How are environments, climates, and cultures co-constructed? What is the future of this notoriously air-conditioned, car-centered, energy capital? What does it look like to thrive in a city that is “Big, Hot & Sticky?” The exhibition was also featured in a story article on Archinect.com over the summer.

“Big, Hot & Sticky” was generously supported by: Diluvial Houston Initiative, an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation-supported project; Rice School of Architecture; Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design at the University of Houston; and Rice University Office of Research.

Architecture Center Houston is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.

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FACULTY FOCUS

Hines College Professor Receives Texas Society of Architects Educator Award Rafael Longoria honored for educational contributions across 36-year career at the University of Houston

From the Texas Society of Architects Announcement: "Rafael Longoria, AIA, is ASCA Distinguished Professor of Architecture at the University of Houston and principal of LONGORIA+. He serves as advanced studies coordinator and director of the Atrium Press at the UH College of Architecture and Design. Longoria’s work focuses on contextual architecture and sustainable design at all scales, with a focus on Latin America and parts of the US settled by Spain. In his 36 years at UH, he has made outstanding contributions in the areas of community collaboration and international teaching; academic service and community outreach; and disseminating scholarship and design work. Longoria is a founding editor of AULA: Architecture and Urbanism in Las Américas and has served on the boards of numerous publications and organizations. He was elected as president of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture in 2004."

How did you find your way to the University of Houston and Hines College 36 years ago?

Rafael Longoria: I had never considered teaching until Chris Genik, who was my classmate at Rice University, started inviting me to participate in his juries at the University of Houston. I was only 28 years old when dean Peter Wood invited me to join the UH faculty as a tenure-track professor.

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What are your research interests? How have they impacted your students at the Hines College?

RL: Since my student days, I have been interested in a broad understanding of context – including natural, urban, economic, and cultural contexts – as a generator of form. This interest in exploring different contexts more deeply has led to many research and design projects with both students and colleagues.

You have been influential in leading the Hines College’s Pan-American international programs. How did these studios come about? How have they allowed students to develop new perspectives on architecture and the world?

RL: The Pan-American studios started with a summer program in Argentina that was organized soon after Dean Patricia Oliver arrived at the Hines College. Over the years, I traveled with students to multiple countries, producing a series of publications documenting urban development patterns in a variety of cities, including Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, Mexico City, Barcelona, Madrid, and Rome.

In the last three years, our focus has shifted to Queretaro, a fascinating city 135 miles northwest of Mexico City, where we are starting a study abroad program during the fall 2024 semester, collaborating with local architects and residents to build much-needed community projects.

What do you hope your students will take away from your classes and years of experience? What do you wish to inspire in your students?

I hope I managed to communicate that architecture is the great public art.

What does this award mean to you? How does it honor your career and academic service?

RL: I am very grateful for this opportunity to celebrate 36 years of teaching at the University of Houston with many friends and former students. —Stephen Schad

LONGORIA PHOTO BY NICHOLAS NGUYEN; BOOK PHOTO BY SANAM DAVARIAR

This fall, the Texas Society of Architects honored Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design professor Rafael Longoria, AIA, DPACSA, with the 2024 Award for Outstanding Educational Contributions in Honor of Edward J. Romieniec, FAIA. During the course of his 36 years at the University of Houston, Longoria has impacted generations of students, opening their minds to the different contexts in which architecture develops and serves the world.

Computational Design Award Honors Hines College Professor Congratulations to Hines College professor Andrew Kudless for receiving the Society Award for Leadership from the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA). The jury chose professor Kudless for playing a significant role in the organization’s leadership and acting as a voice for the computational design community through his scholarly work and research.

“I am deeply honored to receive the ACADIA Society Award for Leadership. This recognition means the world to me, as my career has

been shaped by the organization’s mentorship, inspiration, and countless opportunities,” he said. “Attending my first conference workshop as a recent graduate in 2004, co-chairing the 2008 conference with Marc Swackhamer and Neri Oxman, and serving as a board member and technology officer for many years, ACADIA has been a cornerstone of my professional journey.”

Professor Kudless's recent works have also garnered attention through the release of two new books this year.

FLUX: Architecture in a Parametric Landscape was reviewed in the October

issue of Architectural Record magazine.

Co-written with Ila Berman, the book explores design and documents parametric and computational design.

A story in The Architect’s Newspaper examined Drawing Codes: Experimental Protocols of Architectural Representation co-authored with Adam Marcus this past November.

Drawing Codes features 96 works by architects around the world in the realm of computational design, including some Hines College faculty and alumni. An exhibition featuring works from the book will come to Hines College in January 2025. —N.N.

Places Journal Features Hines College Professor In a recently published article for Places Journal, Hines College assistant professor Deepa Ramaswamy recalled her experience with Hurricane Beryl over the summer. She drew a parallel between living in Houston and a recent research trip to Mumbai.

Read "Field Notes on Repair: 8" by scanning the code below.

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FACULTY FOCUS

Professors Launch Shaping the Gulf Coast of Tomorrow Studio Tackling Regional Climate Challenges NASEM Gulf Research Program empowers students to create sustainable solutions for the Gulf Coast

by Stephen Schad

University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design professors Dalia Munenzon and Matthew Johnson are launching the Adaptive Ecofutures: Shaping the Gulf Coast of Tomorrow studio, an ambitious new program dedicated to addressing the complex environmental and urban challenges facing the Gulf Coast. Developed in partnership and funded with a $748,848 research grant from the Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), this program focuses on equipping future designers with the tools necessary to build sustainable, resilient communities.

Through Shaping the Gulf Coast of Tomorrow, Johnson and Munenzon will explore interdisciplinary approaches to climate adaptation, urban resilience, and ecological restoration. Students participating in the studio will have the opportunity to address pressing local issues, including watershed management, coastal planning, and energy transition, with the goal of reimagining the built environment of the Gulf Coast.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Students visited the UH Coastal Center and met with program director Evelyn L. Merz to learn about the wetlands and coastal prairie

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“The next generation of designers must grasp the complex interplay of natural systems, economic forces, built infrastructure, and community needs to envision long-term, resilient strategies. This program provides students with a unique opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary research, combining scenario planning and community involvement to address pressing

environmental and social challenges along the Gulf Coast,” said Munenzon. “The potential outcome of this exploratory framework is to enhance the capacity of next-gen designers to narrate and create tools that share thoughtful, contextual, and time-bound stories—building social and environmental awareness and fostering sustainable, equitable design, with a significant focus on urbanism and the environment as key levers for climate adaptation.

Additionally, the program offers a limited number of scholarships and research assistantships for highly qualified and motivated students.

Shaping the Gulf Coast of Tomorrow takes an innovative, multi-scalar approach spanning large-scale watershed planning to detailed architectural interventions.

Throughout the course, students will engage with experts across environmental science, engineering, public health, and urban advocacy, working collaboratively on projects addressing the intersection of climate change, industrial development, and community health.

“Houston grew up around the industrial Ship Channel, one of the largest petrochemical complexes in the world," explained Johnson.

"As we look to the future, Houston needs to consider the ecological possibilities of an energy transition and the transformation of our industrial landscape. What will that evolution mean for Houston’s urban systems, its infrastructure, and its architecture? How can we plan for an adaptive and resilient

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SITE VISIT PHOTOS COURTESY OF DALIA MUNENZON; JOHNSON PHOTO BY NICHOLAS NGUYEN; MUNENZON PHOTO BY JONATHAN BURKE

future for the city, given the compounding crises of climate change, sprawl, pollution, and habitat loss? These questions are the focus of our program."

The Lower Galveston Bay Watershed serves as the studio's focal point. This 4,000-squaremile region, home to the nation’s second-largest port and one of the world’s largest petrochemical complexes, presents opportunities and challenges. With a history shaped by rapid growth and industrialization, the watershed faces critical issues, including flooding, pollution, and the impacts of climate change.

Students will explore how thoughtful design interventions can balance ecological preservation with sustainable urban development.

Through interdisciplinary collaboration, the program leverages partnerships with local community organizations like the Hurricane Resilience Research Institute (HuRRI), Bayou City Waterkeepers, Air Alliance Houston, and others. Students will also connect with experts from the University of Houston’s Climate Health Research team, gaining insights into the links between climate drivers and public health.

In addition to studio work, the program will foster broader conversations on urban resilience

and environmental justice through two initiatives – the Adaptive Urban Systems Research Lab and the Climate Adaptation Club, a student-led organization promoting interdisciplinary dialogue on Gulf Coast issues. Johnson and Munenzon also plan to host public exhibitions, symposia, and publications, encouraging community engagement and knowledge sharing.

“Houston and Gulf Coast communities are at the forefront of climate change impacts, grappling with rising flood risks, extreme heat, and the environmental challenges posed by industrial activity. Along the Gulf Coast, we see communities repeatedly recovering from extreme climate events, while encountering new challenges exceeding the direct impacts of any one event,” shared Munenzon. “Recent years have shown how infrastructure failures, like power blackouts, expose even deeper vulnerabilities, particularly when extended outages during extreme heat conditions lead to serious health issues. Extended power outages following hurricanes not only affect physical health but also contribute to increasing mental health concerns, including PTSD, due to the compounded stress of infrastructural collapse. This program is designed to address these multifaceted challenges by equipping the next generation of designers to rethink not just infrastructure but also architectural

“Houston grew up around the industrial Ship Channel, one of the largest petrochemical complexes in the world," explained Johnson.

"As we look to the future, Houston needs to consider the ecological possibilities of an energy transition and the transformation of our industrial landscape. What will that evolution mean for Houston’s urban systems, its infrastructure, and its architecture?" design, building codes, urban planning, and policy, ensuring that the urban realm is built to be more resilient, equitable, and adaptive to future climate risks.”

This opportunity represents the Hines College’s long-standing commitment to engaged scholarship in the Gulf Region.

With its three-year research cycle, the program aims to produce actionable design strategies while creating a foundation for future growth in sustainable urban systems education.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Students also visited the LSU Center for River Studies this past semester near the banks of the Mississippi River ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Matthew Johnson and Dalia Munenzon

“A core interest of all of our work is the future of the Gulf Coast and the greater Houston megaregion,” said Johnson. "In numerous books, projects, and exhibits, we have speculated on adaptive ecofutures for our city and its architecture and infrastructure. We want to imagine a resilient Houston that not only plans for the future but can embrace its own evolution.”

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PHOTO BY JOSHUA PETERSON

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Industrial design student pioneers awardwinning motorcycle design protecting riders

by Stephen Schad

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OTORCYCLISTS FACE HEIGHTENED RISKS, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, DUE TO THEIR REDUCED VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS. Project Legacy, an innovation in motorcycle safety, addresses this issue with advanced lighting and smart detection systems designed to make riders more visible and reduce accident risks. Developed by University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design alumnus Khanh Vu (B.S. ’24), an experienced rider who combined personal insights with thorough research, Project Legacy offers a bold solution to a pressing problem in the motorcycle world.

RENEWING INSPIRATION In spring 2024, Vu created Legacy as his senior capstone project under the director of industrial design (ID) co-directors Jeff Feng and Mark Kimbrough and associate instructional professor Adam Wells. Instructors challenged students to fashion a design exemplifying their education through research, innovation, and project development. Legacy took three and a half months to develop and a budget of approximately $9,000.

“This project was a personal journey that helped confirm my passion for industrial design and my capability to succeed in it,” shared Vu. “I initially joined the ID program in 2017 but dropped out after a semester because I was not sure it was the right fit. After taking a few gap years to explore different majors and career paths, I returned to the program with a renewed commitment and used this project to prove it was the right choice.”

REVOLUTIONIZING DESIGN The standout feature of Legacy is its high-strength LED lights with diffusion filters, ensuring riders are visible without blinding other drivers. These lights, kept below 3000 lumens to comply with transportation codes, provide clean, bright illumination. Additionally, laser projection technology enhances rider safety by projecting red lines behind the motorcycle when braking, clearly signaling to surrounding drivers a clear indication of where to stop.

Motorcycles can brake significantly faster than cars, so this new technology helps prevent rear-end collisions.

Legacy also integrates front and rear cameras into its design, offering riders real-time blind spot monitoring and situational awareness. These cameras, combined with the lighting system, provide continuous data to ensure safety in various traffic conditions. The smart infotainment system, sourced from Amazon, includes GPS, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, giving riders a connected, seamless experience on the road.

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ABOVE: A rendering shows how Vu incorporated lighting to help signal a rider's movements and increase safety on the roads

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BOTTOM ROW: Project Legacy was unveiled during the ID Spring 2024 Exhibition; Vu's latest award came from the Electrify Expo in Austin in November

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PHOTOS AND RENDERINGS COURTESY OF KHANH VU

TOP ROW: Vu spent the semester crafting the motorcycle parts and performing research and tests on features with the help of classmates

Vu found inspiration from futuristic designs like those seen in Tron, desiring for Legacy’s sleek, cyber-style aesthetic to stand out in the electric motorcycle market. Using 3D CAD modeling and a full-scale 3D-printed prototype, Vu carefully tested and refined his design to prioritize style and function. Powered by a 72V motor, the bike went through rigorous user testing to ensure the LED lights did not blind drivers and the bike remained visible from various angles.

Legacy has already garnered industry attention, winning the DNA Paris Design Award in the Transportation sector and earning recognition as a finalist in the international SPARK Design Awards. Vu hopes to attract investors and bring the bike to production, making the necessary adjustments to comply with industry standards while maintaining its innovative safety features.

"Recognition from these awards shows that my design can address challenges that even major companies have yet to resolve, demonstrating innovation on a global scale,” said Vu. “They represent the hard work, creativity, and support from my friends and family, allowing me to achieve something unique as a student. This is just the beginning of my journey, and I will continue to improve and make a lasting impact on the community through meaningful design."

IMPACT OF THE JOURNEY Looking ahead, Vu envisions Project Legacy as more than just a capstone project but as the foundation for his future in industrial design and a bold statement about the potential of student innovation. The overwhelmingly positive response to Legacy, from industry awards to freelance opportunities, has solidified Vu’s belief in the power of thoughtful, user-focused design to solve pressing challenges.

"This endeavor has shown me that even as a student, it is possible to make an impact and contribute something meaningful to the industry," he shared.

Vu’s journey exemplifies how passion and determination, paired with a strong educational foundation, can lead to groundbreaking achievements in the design world.

"It’s exciting to think about how Legacy could one day become a tool that not only saves lives but inspires other designers to think differently about safety and style."

As Project Legacy continues to gain recognition, Vu plans to expand its reach by showcasing it at additional expos and events while leveraging social media to engage with the motorcycle community. He is also exploring partnerships that could bring the bike to production, bridging the gap between concept and market-ready innovation.

For the Hines College, Vu’s success adds to a growing legacy of impactful student projects combining innovation, creativity, and real-world problemsolving. In 2020, Josh Probst (B.S. ’19) won the DNA Paris Design Award for his innovative, customizable motorcycle design. In 2022, the Toyota Logistic Design Competition named Jacob Abraham (B.S. ’22) as the first-place winner for Oro, a delivery vehicle created for the transportation of valuable items in urban environments. Industrial design studios have also focused on racing wheelchairs, adaptive watercrafts, and electric vehicles.

Project Legacy stands as a testament to the program’s ability to prepare students for dynamic careers while fostering designs that resonate far beyond the classroom. Vu’s journey exemplifies how passion and determination, paired with a strong educational foundation, can lead to groundbreaking achievements in the design world. It sets a new standard for motorcycle safety, blending advanced technology, intelligent design, and rider-focused features to create a safer, more connected riding experience. ❑ DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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HOUse on the Move: From Houston to an Innovative Future in Housing

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Hines College’s journey to the Gateway Decathlon fueled by multidisciplinary and industry collaboration

by Nicholas Nguyen

GETTING READY FOR THE RACE WITH OPENHOUSE Jason Logan, associate professor and director of the Burdette Keeland, Jr. Design Exploration Lab, worked with fellow faculty members to develop a winning proposal for a thermodynamic house to address living in Houston’s climate.

PREVIOUS SPREAD: A rendering of the current design of OpenHOUse's northeast corner with its sliding walls opened (rendering by Diego Contreras Rios)

“We have all experienced, as a result of overcooling, needing a sweater in a building when it is over 90° Fahrenheit outside,” said Logan. “Buildings are inherently thermodynamic, yet most structures are homogenously air-conditioned based on a singular notion of comfort. Our proposal offers an alternative through passive and active conditioning systems, leveraging different temperatures within a building to improve environmental performance.”

AT RIGHT: OpenHOUse team members traveled to St. Louis for an all-team meeting and site visit; from left to right, Mili Kyropoulou, Jason Logan, Matthew Avelar, James Devaney, Matthew Johnson, Ezequiel Alvarenga, Benjamin Mendoza, Joaquin Tobar Martinez, and Haley Hudgeons OPPOSITE PAGE: Students in the fall 2024 studio presented two design concepts for OpenHOUse in a weeklong exhibition to get feedback from peers and faculty

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The team Logan assembled to kick off the project included architecture faculty Chris Battaglia, Dijana Handanovic, Matthew Johnson, Andrew Kudless, Mili Kyropoulou, and Joaquin Tobar Martinez, along with Driss Benhaddou from the UH Cullen College of Engineering.

Together, they worked with student researchers Ezequiel Alvarenga, Hozeh Chae, James Daveney, Haley Hudgeons, Cameron Klassen, and Benjamin Mendoza to develop OpenHOUse, both the team’s name and the project concept for their prototype for shared and sustainable forms of living. OpenHOUse seeks to create a design to reduce a home’s carbon footprint and rethink ways passive and active systems can create indoor and outdoor microclimates, balancing human comfort and building performance.

The team met weekly throughout the spring 2024 semester to complete competition objectives and project milestones, working on drawings, models, and renderings to bring their idea to life. At the same time, Logan worked to secure industry partnerships, bringing on Timberlyne to help provide lumber and fabrication support and Daikin to provide equipment and design support for HVAC systems.

This past summer, the team traveled to St. Louis to present their concept alongside competitors, attend workshops hosted by Gateway Decathlon, and tour construction companies. Most importantly, they also got to experience the site where they will eventually construct their design for the exhibition.

TEAM PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON LOGAN; REVIEW PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS NGUYEN

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YEAR HAS PASSED SINCE THE GATEWAY DECATHLON CHOSE THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN as a player in its competitive event, including ten categories addressing the future of housing and providing teams with $100,000 to build their housing units. The international competition puts the Hines College against other architecture schools at California Polytechnic State University, Virginia Tech, Dalian University of Technology, and more. The multi-year process culminates in an exhibition near the iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, where eleven teams will showcase their built designs on-site in the summer of 2026.

COLLABORATING AND RUNNING FULL-SCALE AHEAD To get more students involved and enrich their design education with a real-world project, Logan led a vertical 1:1 Design-Build Studio this fall, comprising both undergraduate and graduate students. The first in a series, the studio promoted full-scale thinking for all tasks. Students drew all the assembly and fabrication details and constructed models large enough to test joinery methods. This method helped students consider materiality and thinking beyond a conceptual framework.

In the class, students developed OpenHOUse’s design while investigating ways to transport the project to St. Louis. They worked in teams to present two design schemes building on open plans and sections to incorporate passive cooling and heating strategies.

One scheme accommodates a roof deck and terrace with a large, shared living area. It could also be shipped without needing a wide-load permit. The other design included a wraparound porch, more roof overhang to provide shade, and a clearer diagram of nested volumes.

The studio hosted a one-week exhibition in the College’s Mashburn Gallery to solicit feedback from the public after presenting their ideas to more industry partners secured by Logan, including CRAFT Engineering Studio and Aura Dwellings & Hospitality.

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on merging both schemes in a design addressing the project’s goals while retaining some of the characteristics of the original concept, such as the sawtooth roof design.

MODEL MAKING PHOTO BY NICHOLAS NGUYEN; AUTODESK TECHNOLOGY CENTER PHOTOS COURTESY OF JASON LOGAN

The semester’s impact has been profound for the burgeoning designers. Mario Guzman, a fifth-year architecture student, was able to understand more about how mechanical systems like HVAC work in the context of the building. Students also visited Timberlyne and Aura to learn about how each company fabricates their products, which made Guzman excited about how OpenHOUse will eventually come together at full-scale.

“Seeing the outcome of the physical model is my favorite [part] of the semester as it allowed the whole class to work together,” Guzman shared. “It allowed the public to see a visual of how the project would look. One [other] fulfilling aspect of this studio's work has been seeing how a house is truly put together. Residential architecture has always fascinated me, and learning the smaller details has helped me understand the process.”

Like her classmate, Dana Shnoudi, a third-year graduate student, enjoyed the model-making process because it strengthened her skills and helped her understand the assembly process. She also enjoyed researching wood joints and creating models to test their strength and suitability for OpenHOUse. Combining research and the act of design deepened her knowledge of how things connect and interact with each other.

“In this studio, we worked alongside undergraduate students and structural engineers as one cohesive team,” Shnoudi added. “It felt like working in a professional firm, where everyone contributed towards a shared goal. This teamwork provided a valuable and realistic experience of the collaborative nature of architectural practice.

Witnessing the transition from conceptual design to a physical structure will be incredibly rewarding. It will

“It felt like working in a professional firm, where everyone contributed towards a shared goal. This teamwork provided a valuable and realistic experience of the collaborative nature of architectural practice." —Dana Shnoudi showcase the result of our design ideas and planning efforts and allow us to evaluate how our concepts work in a real-world context.”

The studio also collaborated with the Hines College’s Building Analytics and Sutstainable Environments (BASE) Lab led by Kyropoulou. The BASE Lab designed box modules helping the team test a variety of insulation materials, all going back to the house’s thermodynamic philosophy. In line with the studio’s full-scale mentality, at the end of the semester, students presented their design progress, models, renderings, and studies about how their housing unit could be affected by the elements.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Shnoudi (at left) working on a final model with her classmate Yulisa Tran at the end of the fall semester ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Logan and Battaglia (pictured at left) at the Autodesk Technology Center working on timber joinery prototypes developed with students for OpenHOUse

During the fall semester, Logan and Battaglia were awarded places in the Autodesk “Design Sprint” Residency in Boston. Battaglia, who joined the Hines College under UH’s Presidential Frontier Faculty initiative specializing in emerging construction technologies, worked with students to develop joinery concepts and studies. The pair taught remotely for three weeks while working at the Autodesk Technology Center, developing research and utilizing construction robotic technology to fabricate timber prototypes for OpenHOUse. DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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THIS SPREAD: At the end of the fall semester, the 1:1 Design-Build Studio displayed their research, drawings, models, and other materials and received feedback and words of gratitude from Logan on the last day of class.

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS NGUYEN

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CLOSING IN ON THE FINISH LINE After the Gateway Decathlon competition is over, the OpenHOUse will return to UH for an exhibition and serve as a case-study home for continued environmental and performance analysis. In addition to these plans, students in Martinez’s class will propose ways to integrate 3D concrete printing, including creating a foundation, exterior benches, and planter and rain garden elements for the house. The class has already worked with industry partner PERI 3D Construction for two years.

While the OpenHOUse team has already thought about the far future, much is still to be done in the next 18 months leading up to the Gateway Decathlon.

“Since the fall studio focused on narrowing the design to one scheme and developing the structure for the project, the spring 2025 semester will begin to develop the interior of the project, the exterior building envelope, and the building systems like mechanical, electrical, and plumbing,” Logan noted.

Plans for the spring 2025 studio include an interdisciplinary studio with the Hines College’s interior architecture program, co-led by Logan and Handanovic.

AT RIGHT: An exploded isometric drawing that shows the relationship of the OpenHOUse modules (drawing by Gabriel Castaneda) OPPOSITE PAGE: The evolution of the OpenHOUse design throughout the fall semester; the top row depicts elevations of schemes one and two, and the bottom depicts the current design (renderings by Ezequiel Alvarenga, Benjamin Mendoza, and Diego Contreras Rios)

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With the focus shifting to the interior of OpenHOUse, the studio will help develop finishes, millwork, and furnishings.

The students’ research will also include using a digital knitting machine to fabricate textiles for curtains to control solar exposure and create privacy within the home.

As OpenHOUse continues to make headway on the design phase and will soon enter the construction stage, Logan hopes to connect with additional industry partners to provide support for different areas and have an opportunity to showcase their products through the home at the Gateway Decathlon. Currently, the team seeks connections with industry partners for solar energy, rainwater collection, plumbing fixtures and appliances, kitchen systems, exterior and interior lighting, and electrical wiring, switches, and outlets.

The team will begin building at full scale this upcoming spring, and the plan includes construction through the rest of the year and into 2026 until the exhibition in St. Louis.

Students who join the team through future studios will continue to get hands-on experience and the opportunity to tour industry partner facilities to build their skills, knowledge, and network. Follow OpenHOUse’s journey on Instagram (@OpenHOUse_UH)! ❑

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UNBO

GENTRIF

IMAGE BY GERMAN ROJAS FROM PIXABAY

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OXING

FICATION

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Fulbright project seeks to emphasize displacement of historic, cultural neighborhoods

by Stephen Schad

Molina's proposal uses the Chicano aesthetic of rasquachismo, an artistic movement emerging from Mexican American communities in the U.S., as a form of resistance to displacement and erasure. The concept, rooted in embracing resourcefulness and survival in the face of adversity, is a visual expression of defiance against gentrification, blending Mexican and American culture. Molina seeks to translate this spirit into his project to document and preserve the cultural histories being displaced by Mexico City's rapid urban transformation.

THIS PAGE: Molina has been working on interviewing and illustrating the “While I am from El Salvador, I was experience of Maricela Jasso López who always immersed in the Mexican is being displaced from her home due culture in Houston and feel that it to lease termination in the Roma Norte raised me; all of my family friends neighborhood of Mexico City. While are Mexican,” said Molina. “When documenting her experience, Molina also exploring different proposal topics, I helped her pack and move. went through several news websites

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in Mexico and looked into the border and other politics. There is a huge issue of digital nomads and the displacement of families. Homes are sacred, so I became attached to this issue and brainstormed ideas to represent this problem in a way that will hopefully generate change.”

The project involves creating a largescale, temporary scenic installation on the streets of one of the city's gentrified neighborhoods. Molina plans to install ten cardboard packing boxes designed to resemble the architecture of traditional Mexican homes. Each box, meticulously painted with facades of ungentrified buildings, will contain miniature vignettes symbolizing the lives and stories of the displaced families. Molina plans to fill the boxes with handcrafted furnishings, trinkets, and memorabilia representing the intimate cultural histories of these families.

The design will incorporate rasquachismo’s signature DIY spirit using recycled materials from local neighborhoods, thrift stores, and discarded objects. Mirrors placed throughout the installation will serve as a literal reflection for visitors, particularly the digital nomads and landlords who have created these gentrified environments, forcing them to confront their role in the erasure of these communities.

“My professors at the Hines College really instilled in me the importance of the history of a building in informing a design, and so I was drawn to the idea of using history because of its story narrative,” shared Molina. “Set design is more metaphorical and magical, but there is also practicality to it, like interior architecture. In both, you are given a built environment and have to intervene with design.”

GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

By collaborating with professor Gloria Carrasco, a respected scenographer in Mexico, and utilizing his background in stage design, Molina aims to complete this project over nine months. He hopes to immerse himself in the neighborhoods most affected by displacement, building relationships with local residents and documenting their personal histories.

His goal is to offer an artistic critique of the gentrification sweeping through Mexico City while paying homage to the resilient spirit of its long-time inhabitants.

Molina’s work will also contribute to the field of set design, particularly in Chicano and Latino theater in the U.S., where rasquachismo has yet to be fully explored as a scenic art form.

Through this project, Molina seeks to disrupt traditional norms in both theater and public art by utilizing low-budget, high-impact methods challenging elitism in the arts.

After completing his Fulbright project, Molina expects to bring his experience back to Los Angeles, where he hopes to work with Latino-led production companies like Eva Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment. By integrating rasquachismo into mainstream entertainment and community workshops, Molina aspires to foster a dialogue on displacement and cultural resilience, particularly in Latino communities facing similar challenges in the U.S. Ultimately, Molina’s work is not just about documenting loss; it’s about preserving the layers of cultural memory forming the heart of Mexico City’s most vibrant neighborhoods. ❑

INTERVIEW PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL MOLINA; HEADSHOT PHOTO BY LOUIS STEIN

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OLLOWING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, MEXICO CITY HAS BECOME A MAGNET FOR DIGITAL NOMADS FROM THE U.S. AND EUROPE. However, the influx of short-term renters has driven up real estate prices, displacing long-term residents from iconic neighborhoods such as Roma, Condesa, and Juarez.

Landlords, eager to capitalize on the booming demand for short-term rentals, have evicted many locals, erasing the cultural fabric of these historically rich areas. Hines College alum Paul Molina (B.S. ’19) has set out to explore a design project specific to this change, combining his education in interior architecture and scenic design (Carnegie Mellon MFA ’24). The Fulbright U.S. Student Program selected Molina’s proposal, Rasquachismo: Revealing Cultural Memories of the Mexican Home as a Form of Resilience, to shine a light on this displacement through a unique design project.

“My professors at the Hines College really instilled in me the importance of the history of a building in informing a design, and so I was drawn to the idea of using history because of its story narrative.”

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FORGING A FUTURE:

The Birth of

BUILD+ How UH's Graduate Design/Build Studio Inspired a Bold New Initiative

by Stephen Schad

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INCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1990, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON'S GRADUATE DESIGN/BUILD STUDIO (GD/BS) has been a pioneering force in university-based design and construction education. Recognized locally and nationally, the program has provided graduate students with an immersive, hands-on experience bridging theory and practice. As the architectural field has undergone profound transformations, the Studio has remained steadfast in its mission to prepare students for the complexities of the profession. By engaging with every phase of the building process, from the initial concept to the completed structure, participants gain the skills and confidence needed to adapt and excel in an everchanging industry.

NAVIGATING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Two years ago, the Hines College began exploring ways to shape a more accessible and opportunistic path for its design/build program. Inspired by Studio 804, a program at Kansas University, dean Patricia Belton Oliver, FAIA, sought to see what could be done at UH to increase and better students' educational experience in design/build and cultivate a program serving the College's future.

Dean Oliver charged the College's research liaison officer, Maria Modelska, to research various institutions and programs across the United States and learn about the different approaches and outcomes others had experienced.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF PATRICK PETERS

In recent years, however, the Studio's projects have become increasingly challenging to design and construct within the short timeframe of a semester or academic year. Permitting takes considerably longer than it did thirty years ago. Combined with external constraints, as a public institution, the University's academic calendar, budget schedule, and contracting process evolved into hindrances for successfully executing design/build projects and further expanding the program.

"Many programs I encountered encouraged us to strive toward being a separate organization; however, we had to be careful about ensuring we had thought of everything," said Modelska. "How were we going to insure students and our work sites? Where were we going to get our tools and supplies? Could we use our College fabrication facilities like the Keeland Design Exploration Lab? It became clear we needed to set up an independent organization that was still connected with the University."

Modelska studied many institutions; however, the programs established by Mary Hardin at the University of Arizona (Drachman Design-Build Coalition) and Dan Rockhill at Kansas University (Studio 804) proved the most compelling.

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA – DRACHMAN DESIGN-BUILD COALITION The University of Arizona's Drachman DesignBuild Coalition, founded in 2004, transitioned into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit housing provider by 2006. Initially, the program focused on affordable housing projects in collaboration with organizations like Habitat for Humanity, which constrained student creativity to pre-existing designs. The University established the nonprofit to allow greater independence, enabling the program to secure loans and develop its own projects. The program provides architecture students valuable experience and NCARB-registered AXP credit hours, offering handson construction exposure on job sites. Students are covered under university liability policies as part of their coursework, with the College of Architecture supporting grants and providing access to fabrication facilities. The program operates on a multi-semester model, dedicating 13–14 hours per week during studio sessions to complete one project annually. Graduates benefit from strong job placements, reflecting the program's emphasis on professional readiness and practical expertise.

KANSAS UNIVERSITY – STUDIO 804 Founded in 1980, Studio 804 is a 501(c)(3) organization operating separately from Kansas University but governed by an agreement defining responsibilities and liabilities between the nonprofit and the University. Initially partnering with the Lawrence Housing Authority to address urban housing needs in Lawrence, Kansas, the program later expanded its efforts to Kansas City. It began operating out of a barn and an abandoned warehouse but now resides in a university-owned warehouse while maintaining its autonomy. Studio 804 eventually evolved into a self-sustaining business, giving it creative freedom in design and construction. The program emphasizes intensive, hands-on learning for students, who collaborate with its director full-time for nine months on a single project each year. Studio 804 offers students valuable practical experience while keeping a clear distinction from direct university operations.

Patrick Peters, professor and coordinator of the Hines College's graduate design/build studio, continues to be inspired by the quality of the design and construction work performed by students learning under Rockhill's leadership.

OPPOSITE PAGE: The next Graduate Design/Build Studio project to be built has just broken ground in November in Galveston County for the Dr. William McCray Johnson Outdoor Classroom ABOVE: Students working in the Hines College's Keeland Lab to fabricate parts of the Bird Blind Wildlife Observatory for the Woodlands Township

"In August 2023, I visited Studio 804 and was again generously toured through its recent work," shared Peters.

"What struck me anew during this most recent trip was how successful entrepreneurship and ambitious investment in infrastructure have enabled the Studio's influence to expand far beyond that of a university-based initiative.

Studio 804 continues to serve as a model from which we learn many lessons in Houston."

Could the Hines College create a program combining the best of both organizations?

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AT RIGHT: A photo of the Bird Blind Wildlife Observatory, located in the George Mitchell Nature Preserve trail network, completed earlier this fall

Inspired by the work of these two programs, the Hines College decided to move forward with establishing a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that would reflect the best that both programs had to offer – BUILD+.

However, this new initiative would just not happen overnight. The College had much to carefully consider and ensure its new endeavor would honor its exemplary design/build history while giving new life to expand the program in new ways.

THE ROAD AHEAD FOR BUILD+

"Launching an organization like BUILD+ seeks to expand the benefits of design/build experiences beyond the limited but decades-long impact of the Graduate Design/ Build Studio to include more undergraduate students and to tackle more complex projects," said Peters. "Often, I receive unsolicited testimonials from former GD/BS students who cite the positive impact of the design/ build experience on their careers. BUILD+ will contribute significantly to the growth of more students from all disciplines of the Hines College while creating lasting improvements to Houston and the region."

As the Hines College worked to establish BUILD+, it was necessary to articulate its mission, draft bylaws, and prepare an initial board of directors, including dean Patricia Belton Oliver, FAIA (president), director of graduate studies Gail Peter Borden, FAIA (treasurer), and associate provost Jim Briggs (secretary). BUILD+ has now begun searching for additional board members in industry and the Houston community who will extend its reach and help the organization flourish. The critical need to start fundraising also starts as BUILD+ seeks to establish a foundation for its operations.

For a year and a half, Hines College worked closely with the University of Houston's General Counsel to evaluate the best options for establishing a new entity as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that would maintain its relationship with the University and provide more autonomy for design/build projects moving forward. In addition to taking on more intricate projects, BUILD+ could buy property and use the sites to engage in speculative projects, increasing research opportunities.

“BUILD+ will allow us to continue our legacy of community impact through the designs our students bring to life from concept through construction without the ever-increasing constraints we experience both internally and externally,” said Oliver. “As we develop BUILD+, we need board members committed to the education of our future architects and designers who also have the business acumen to help us advance projects, large and small. Our partners in this venture must be passionate about the impact BUILD+ can make on the communities we serve.”

This fall, BUILD+ received nonprofit approval from the State of Texas and is expected to receive federal approval soon.

"BUILD+ will contribute significantly to the growth of more students from all disciplines of the Hines College while creating lasting improvements to Houston and the region." —Patrick Peters 64

"BUILD+ represents an exciting new chapter unleashing the rich legacy of design/build at the College from previous constraints, allowing the expansion of building typologies, clients, material systems, and more," shared Gail Peter Borden, director of graduate studies and BUILD+ board member. "The aggregated impact will deeply challenge students across the curriculum and enlighten them to greater opportunities available through the synthetic thinking of design directly coupled with making."

GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Throughout the founding of BUILD+, the Hines College has developed key relationships with other higher education institutions running similar design/build programs throughout the country. Many are interested in maintaining those relationships and open communication moving forward. BUILD+ and the Hines College have the opportunity to partner with these organizations and other design/build professional groups to extend further as a leader in the design/build field and bring everyone together through future symposia and exhibitions.

BUILD+ shines a bright light on the future of design/ build at the Hines College. The outcomes of what it means to create more opportunities for students, increase research, and make a stronger workforce will have a significant impact.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PATRICK PETERS

A VISION FOR TRANSFORMATION

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Hines College fifth-year architecture students broaden their design thinking in Italy and Japan

by Nicholas Nguyen DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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HIS PAST SUMMER, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN STUDENTS TOOK JOURNEYS that advanced their pursuit of academic excellence and deepened their knowledge in new ways. Each day was a lesson in culture and discovery, giving them a chance to step out of their comfort zones to broaden their perspectives and gain a global outlook, enriching their studies and lives. As they navigated new environments, they forged relationships across borders, adapted to diverse perspectives, and expanded their horizons to build their futures.

COLLABORATING TO BLEND CULTURE AND DESIGN Amal Khalil had always dreamed about visiting Italy to experience the country’s architecture firsthand.

When her professor, undergraduate architecture director Rafael Beneytez-Duran, told her about the “Texas 8 ItalArch Analisi” program, she knew she needed to apply to study abroad. The program, proposed by the University of Texas San Antonio’s School of Architecture + Planning, invites eight architecture schools across the state to select one to two students to participate in the summer retreat outside of Siena, Italy.

“The opportunity to collaborate with students from other schools and blend our skills was incredibly exciting,” Khalil explained. “It offered a unique combination of hands-on architectural design and cultural immersion that perfectly matched my aspirations. The comfort and hospitality provided by the organizers and hosts made the trip exceptional — I could not have asked for a more engaging and comfortable experience.”

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As the student representing the Hines College, Khalil described her experience as “unforgettable.”

She will always remember visiting Siena for the first time and realizing her dream had come true. Khalil also recalled visiting Florence and ascending to a rooftop to sketch a “breathtaking” panoramic view of the city.

When she was not residing at a renovated monastery and enjoying pizza-making nights with her class, Khalil was hard at work on a group project to design a transportable jazz festival venue.

and surrounding areas, establishing a natural gathering place reflecting the lifestyle and values of the local community,” said Khalil. Taking the travel experience and what she has learned from working with students from other schools have her excited for her final fall semester. While she’s eager to apply what she learned about Italian architecture, new ideas, and techniques to her work, Khalil now knows the importance of creating spaces that blend beauty and meaning together through merging history, culture, and daily life.

Each group consisted of students from different schools so they could apply their unique skills and complement one another.

Khalil and her team developed Il Pianoforte, inspired by jazz music’s inherent qualities of improvisation and fluidity. They worked closely with Jacopo Guidi, director of the Siena Jazz University, to refine their ideas for stage design. The team created a design borrowing forms from pianos to emphasize modularity and adaptability, ideas important to the nature of the genre. Through their design process, she learned to consider cultural and regional aspects.

She added, “Studying abroad opened my eyes to diverse global practices and the unique beauty in these differences.”

“Italian towns are renowned for their walkable, human-scaled environments, so our design naturally prioritized pedestrian movement and social interaction.

We aimed to create a space that seamlessly integrates with the café

GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

If other students want to strengthen their technical talents and interpersonal skills to become a more well-rounded designer like her, Khalil advises them to “just go for it!” Studying abroad can seem daunting at first, but the opportunity to become immersed in a new environment significantly impacted her understanding of people of different backgrounds.

“Don’t be shy. Make an effort to meet new people and build connections, as you might make lifelong friends. Finally, document everything. Bring a camera, sketchbook, or journal to capture and remember your experiences,” said Khalil in hopes of inspiring more students to take the leap and travel.

PREVIOUS SPREAD: A photo from Evelyn Palafox of classmates and her in Naoshima, Japan this past summer

PHOTOS AND IMAGES COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE STUDENTS

THIS SPREAD: Khalil's photos highlight memories she made in Italy, including sketching atop a roof in Florence and meeting other architecture students from across Texas. The drawing at the bottom is from her group project designing a transportable venue for a local jazz venue in Siena.

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TRANSPORTED BY NEW PERSPECTIVES The Hines College offered an ARCH 5500 studio course in Japan over the summer, led by associate professor Tom Diehl. Students traveled to 15 cities across the country, including well-known destinations such as Tokyo, Osaka, Shibuya, and Okayama. Similar to Khalil, Imran Ahmed, Aliyah Davis, and Evelyn Palafox all yearned to experience another country’s architecture up close and learn about different cultures.

“Along with the chance to see a different culture and way of life, I was also able to knock out a studio and two electives, which will allow me to graduate a semester earlier,” Ahmed said, noting that careful planning can also result in the unexpected benefit attaining a degree faster.

Palafox also echoed her sentiments, observing other differences in how design decisions are framed in each country. For example, in American architecture, things can be deemed “too costly and unimportant for the functionality of the building,” but in Japan, special consideration is made for “design intentions increasing beauty, grandness, or serenity of a space” to create more public interaction.

Students also learned concepts they would likely incorporate into their final year in studio. Ahmed recalled two examples, one being Ma, which refers to the gaps and spaces existing between other spaces. These create boundaries and transitional areas, even influencing the design of the materials themselves. The other is Ihyou, moments referring to elements of surprise in design. For example, doors and windows are crafted to seamlessly blend with the walls they intersect, resulting in a more unified and cohesive overall design.

Studying abroad is more than an academic pursuit; it is an experience of all the things in between — like culture and values — shaping the way these Hines College students see the world and their roles within it.

Perhaps these two ideas best sum up the very nature of these students’ experiences. Studying abroad is more than an academic pursuit; it is an experience of all the things in between — like culture and values — shaping the way these Hines College students see the world and their roles within it. By embracing the diversity of thought and creativity encountered abroad, students return equipped with a broader vision and a deeper sense of purpose. As Palafox pointed out, "Experiencing different cultures and architecture elevates our contributions to our own country's society and civil industry." ❑

THIS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A photo from Davis (center) with professor Tom Diehl (at left) and classmates as they sightsee; Palafox's photo and selfie from visiting a Japanese garden and preparing to hop on a train; Ahmed, third from right, with his classmates at a fire station in Hiroshima

PHOTOS AND IMAGES COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE STUDENTS

Palafox’s most memorable moments included all the travel between cities. Students relied on public transportation to visit tour sites and to get to their next destinations, learning the value of being punctual.

Her classmates agreed — for Ahmed, the train stations were “monumental works of architecture.” His favorite memories included climbing the 171 steps of the Kyoto Station Daikadan (Great Staircase) and renting bikes to explore museums around Naoshima Island.

In addition to exploring all the cities on their itinerary and trying different regional foods, Davis also enjoyed seeing the stark contrast between American and Japanese architecture. “I learned that Japanese architecture pays so much more attention to detail at every level and every scale than here in the United States,” she expressed.

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ALUMNI BULLETIN

Alumni Celebrate the Season for College Community and 2024 Award Winners On September 26, the UH Architecture + Design Alumni Association Kick-Off at the Architecture Center Houston brought together Hines College alumni, students, faculty, and staff for a fun evening celebrating our Alumni Awards winners and reconnecting with fellow Coogs.

ALUMNI KICK-OFF PHOTOS BY MARCEL OMEN; WINNERS PHOTOS: COURTESY IMAGES; TXA PHOTOS BY STEPHEN SCHAD

Dean Patricia Belton Oliver delivered remarks and spoke about her recent trip to Querétaro, Mexico where

a studio of Hines College students are working on a pavilion design. Guests also heard from association president Eric Hudson and board members Jennifer Higgins and Jennifer Murray about initiatives to engage with students and fellow alumni. Student leader Sanjana Bheri, president of Future Women in Architecture, spoke about the impact alumni can have by working with student organizations at the College. —Nicholas Nguyen

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Congratulations to Our Alumni Award Winners!

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD WINNER Amanda Tullos, FAIA, LFA, LEED AP (B.Arch. ‘03) CEO & Founder | GreeNexus Consulting, LLC

LEADERSHIP ALUMNI AWARD WINNER Jeanette Shaw, AIA, RID, LEED AP (B.Arch. ‘01) Associate, Director of Quality and Sustainability | Powers Brown Architecture

SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR AWARD WINNER Geoffrey Lyon, Assoc. AIA (B.Arch. ‘97) Owner, President, Principal Photographer | G. Lyon Photography, Inc.

INNOVATOR ALUMNI AWARD WINNER C.R. Betirri (B.Arch. ‘07) Founder | Betirri Creative, LLC Founder, President | Goal Park Foundation

OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD WINNER Kevin Hai Pham (B.S. ‘16) Project Designer | Space Exploration Design Adjunct Faculty | Columbia GSAPP

Hines College Alumni at the TxA 85th Annual Conference The recent TxA 85th Annual Conference & Design Expo included a reception hosted by the UH Architecture and Design Alumni Association as well as the New Architect Convocation to celebrate newly registered architects in Texas.

Hines College Dean Patricia Belton Oliver joined a full house of families, friends, colleagues, and employers to celebrate these professionals.

Congratulations to Hines College alumni listed below who have achieved this milestone in their careers this year! —N.N. • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Bryant Alcantra, AIA (B.Arch. ’04) Madonna Fanos (B.Arch. ’20) Weiqiao Gao, AIA (M.Arch. ’16) Katy Garvey, AIA (B.Arch. ’12) Amy Marie Habeeb, AIA (B.Arch. ’14) Ivan Lopez, AIA (B.Arch. ’12) Rashida Mogri, AIA (B.Arch. ’07) Doris Ramos, AIA (B.Arch. ’05) David Rincon (B.Arch. ’22) Daniel Jacinto Serna, Jr., AIA (B.Arch. ’14) Nyx Dafne Valerdy Marquez, AIA (B.Arch. ’22) Tyler Westry, AIA (B.Arch. ’19) Christopher Yoon (B.Arch. ’13) Austine Yu, AIA (B.Arch. ’18) DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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Helping Students Get Ready for Career Fair In advance of the Career Fair on February 26, 2025, Hines College students are benefitting from the experience of alumni to become prepared for networking events and interviews for jobs and internships. During the fall semester, the College hosted Meet the Firm events with firms participating in the fair. Alumni from these firms joined colleagues to talk to students about career paths while giving advice on portfolios, resumes, and skills needed to make a good first impression.

The College thanks the following firms for meeting with students: • Brave/ Architecture • Gensler • HarrisonKornberg Architects • Method Architecture • PGAL • Smith and Company Architects • Smith Group • VLK Architects In addition to the Meet the Firm events, the UH Architecture + Design Alumni Association also hosted an Elevator Pitch Workshop in late October to help students craft a narrative about their experience and learn how to talk about their career aspirations. Stay tuned for additional Meet the Firm events and workshops from the alumni association in January and early February before the Career Fair. —N.N.

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GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

ELEVATOR PITCH WORKSHOP BY MARCEL OMEN; MEET THE FIRM PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS NGUYEN AND MARCEL OMEN

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Starting Off the Holiday Season with Cheer

PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS NGUYEN

The UH Architecture + Design Alumni Association thanks the Hines College alumni, faculty, staff, and friends for attending the annual holiday party on December 2. The evening included food and drink at Lawless Spirits and Kitchen as guests mingled and caught up on professional and personal news. The evening also included special remarks from Dean Patricia Belton Oliver to honor Linda Silva who has worked at the College for 18 years and will retire at the end of the year. —N.N.

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Alumni Spotlight: Andres A. Pacheco (M.Arch. '03)

Why did you choose the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design? What drew you to design?

I was always intrigued by a graduate degree in architecture. However, I was living "the life" as a young architect back in Ecuador. A friend suggested I consider the graduate architecture program at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design at the University of Houston.

I thought, It is now or never!

ABOVE: Pacheco was the lead designer for the Thurston Hall Renovation in Washington D.C. which recently won a 2024 AIA National Architecture Award, Housing Award, and COTE TOP Ten Award (Photo by Alan Karchmer)

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What is one of your favorite memories from your time on campus? Was there a particular professor who influenced your education?

I miss my walks to and from Cougar Place to the Architecture Building. It was the longest distance you could walk on campus and perfect for meditation.

There were no cell phones back then, which was perfect. Many excellent professors there challenged me and sometimes pushed me to the edge, so this meditation time was priceless.

Bruce Webb, one of my studio professors, sensed I was a little rigid in my ways in my first semester. He took the time to teach and coach me through my first semester, almost like what a disinterested but loving Mr. Miyagi (from the Karate Kid) would do.

I still remember when, after working so hard through the week to produce drawings for my first studio review, he put my drawings aside without looking at them. He said to me, "Tell me the story of your project." I was shocked.

I didn't have an answer for that; I just had drawings. How about all the hard work?, I thought.

I remember being so frustrated and angry walking back to Cougar Place that night. It hit me; I realized what Professor Web was trying to do, and I knew he was on to something.

I said to myself, "What's there to lose?" I would either embrace the reality and potential of beauty in meaning and stories in architecture, or I would be content and happy with beautiful compositions and technical achievements.

What is one career accomplishment of which you are particularly proud? How do you feel the College prepared you for this?

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Winning the 2023 AIA National Architecture Award for the Lubber Run Community Center with VMDO Architects was an extraordinary moment, and we just won that same award again with GW Thurston Hall, a project in which I also led the design.

On top of that, this project also won AIA's COTE Top Ten Award and a Housing National Award. Just mindblowing. I've been truly blessed.

"Being able to work on any project at hand is what truly motivates me the most every day.

I am so thankful for that opportunity. I look forward to discovering and uncovering each project, contemplating how to shape each idea, and bringing innovation, clarity, and execution to every project that comes my way. It's a privilege that I treasure."

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Name: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­Andres A. Pacheco Hometown: Charlottesville, Virginia Major: Master of Architecture Graduation Year: 2003 Employer: VMDO Architects Title: Senior Associate

Winning awards is undoubtedly exciting, and I am so grateful for the recognition. Still, these come and go, and someday, they will remain somewhat static on the wall, like a snapshot in the past. Being able to work on any project at hand is what truly motivates me the most every day.

I am so thankful for that opportunity.

help me and be easy on me. This was a truly challenging class. He said, "No, You have the same opportunities and resources as everybody else in this class. If you truly like this class, you will find a way to put more effort into it." I almost failed that class, but I truly enjoyed that theoretical world and felt deeply challenged.

I look forward to discovering and uncovering each project, contemplating how to shape each idea, and bringing innovation, clarity, and execution to every project that comes my way. It's a privilege that I treasure.

The following semester, I defied the advice of my peers and professors and enrolled in another class taught by the same professor. I dedicated myself to working and studying harder than ever before. By the end of that second semester, the professor praised my significant improvement (a rare occurrence, I heard) and awarded me an excellent grade. I am grateful for that experience and that the professor didn't give in to my requests. Now, I realize that he could have crippled me for life if he had given me any special treatment.

I know now that I can conquer all challenges with enough hard work and determination.

Tell us about a typical day in your job. Do you have a particular design or business philosophy?

Architecture is such a wonderful profession. I have the blessing of working with a fantastic, talented group of people, and we all strive to take our projects to the next level through challenging VE processes, technical difficulties, and last-minute client requests. In the middle of all these challenges, I often find myself directing the project in a path that hopefully keeps its soul and story alive, infusing rigor and clarity throughout the multitude of ideas, constantly pruning and nurturing the design until it is powerfully perceived and executed.

What advice would you give to current architecture and design students?

“Keep it simple,” but packed with life, soul, and stories.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Another photo of Thurston Hall; the Liberty University Athletic Center, Lynchburg, VA; the award-winning Lubber Run Community Center, Arlington, VA

What is one valuable lesson you learned during your time at the Hines College?

My first semester at UH was tough.

I was low on cash and working too many hours on campus to help with the bills. Coming from Ecuador, I was homesick and ultimately lost in translation. I knew barely enough English to pass the TOEFL (English exam), but it was not enough to read about Plato, urban determinants, and the theory of architecture.

It was nearly the end of the first semester, and I knew I was in trouble.

I remember asking this professor to

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Alumni Spotlight: Tarek Moubayed (M.Arch. '23)

"Design, in and of itself, is a process of bringing people together to solve problems. In this day and age, the various set of problems we face requires a diverse group of thinkers and doers capable of tackling the issues with innovative solutions.

This is the kind of environment I felt I was exposed to at the College, and it is one I am grateful for."

Why did you choose the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design? What drew you to design?

The diversity of the student body and faculty was undoubtedly one of the most important reasons, drawing me to the Hines College. When I think of diversity, I not only think of it from an ethno-racial standpoint, but also from the cultural, intellectual, and creative perspectives bringing everyone to the table. Design, in and of itself, is a process of bringing people together to solve problems.

In this day and age, the various set of problems we face requires a diverse group of thinkers and doers capable of tackling the issues with innovative solutions. This is the kind of environment I was exposed to at the college, and it is one I am grateful for.

In essence, similar reasons are what drew me to design. I always felt the need to think of solutions to problems that were not my own – to a fault (when I should also be working on my own problems!).

Seeing the day-to-day struggles people have with the functionality of the spaces they inhabit or the cities those spaces occupy made me interested in diving into the art of problem-solving in architecture!

What is one of your favorite memories from your time on campus? Was there a particular professor who influenced your education?

Even though it has not been too long since I graduated, the memories have somewhat begun to fade, and I am left with a great group of friends and a strong network and community in and around Houston.

Some of the silly memories I will

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not forget are going with friends to Shasta's and grabbing a coffee and ice cream while on my dieting yet stress eating cyclical stages.

Some more serious memories would be my general aha moments in classes with some really great faculty members who supported my growth and made me the mature man and designer I am today.

While I do not want to specifically call on anyone because I feel I was influenced by all faculty in a very unique and memorable way, I would definitely have to mention and thank professors Deepa Ramaswamy, Susan Rogers, Bruce Race, Matthew Johnson, and Sofia Fonseca de Nino.

I also want to give a special thanks to associate dean Trang Phan for her support in this journey. They all played a vital role in shaping who I am today.

Tell us about a typical day in your job. Do you have a particular design or business philosophy?

My typical day at work involves collaborating with people all over the country to resolve design issues from the mundane to the complex.

AECOM's tagline is "Delivering a better world." While that could be a generic statement anyone adopts, I do not think just anyone can deliver.

I am cognizant of the fact that we are not perfect, but I do believe AECOM’s process and methodology strive to develop high-quality deliverables we can to a wide range of public- and private-sector clients we serve across the globe.

Having only been out of school for a year, the design philosophy I live by is to first, ask questions; second, make mistakes; and third, learn from my mistakes. I hope that doing so will make me a thoughtful architect over time, but for now, it is a work in progress! This design philosophy – the philosophy of iteration – was definitely something I learned from the Hines College. We try so many

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times to find the right solution, and then when we do, we inadvertently stumble upon another set of complexities we did not anticipate. I believe it is this set of unknowns and the process of experimentation that make me enjoy both where I work and what I do for work.

What is one career accomplishment of which you are particularly proud? How do you feel the College prepared you for this?

I feel like this is a question you would typically ask someone with years under their belt. For now, I am proud of my ability to juggle work, get licensed, maintain a social life, volunteer, and be actively engaged in the community. I am often told that I am trying to do too much all at once, but as long as the ship has not sunk, I can keep living in a "this is fine" mode, just like the meme of the dog in the burning house by artist KC Green. Even though I try to do too much , I will keep operating at this pace, and maybe next time, I will have a BIG accomplishment I am proud to share.

What is one valuable lesson you learned during your time at the Hines College?

One lesson I cherish from the Hines College is the notion that you really can do anything you put your mind to. While my parents were always very supportive and believed in me in that same way, I grew up in a design environment where my design skills were not necessarily sharpened in the same manner.

While my undergraduate degree from my previous school equipped me well for the Hines College, the freedom to design was not as 'free,' and we were more restrained by the need to create what we ‘needed.’

While that is not necessarily an erroneous design philosophy, I believe the real world will, at some point, equip you with the skill to tackle the problems you will face every day. The problem with that

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Name: Tarek Moubayed Hometown: Lebanon Major: Master in Architecture Graduation Year: 2023 Employer: AECOM Title: Architect

philosophy is it will not equip you with the ability to tackle the bigger problems our society faces when they come up tomorrow.

At the Hines College, it was unique that I got to experience both design philosophies of my choosing, which goes back to the diversity of intellectual perspectives I mentioned. I got to see what it was like to be a more pragmatic day-to-day architect, and also what it would take to be a more generalist designer who can look at the problem from the satellite, rather than the microscope. I know this is a heated topic at our school and in our profession, but I do believe that there is a state of equilibrium where we can be equipped with everything we need to be successful designers.

What advice would you give to current architecture and design students?

The only advice I could impart is to be curious and explore what you like or dislike while you are at school because the professional world does not always give everyone

the opportunity to do so. I think architecture, at the end of the day, is a degree that opens doors to do a bunch of cool things, and the same goes for interior architecture and industrial design. Houston's diversity on an economic-industry level means that we have a plethora of interesting markets to tap into when it comes to the design process. Find what you like and go for it, and if you are like me and you still do not know what you really like, then just go for it. The chances are it is out here somewhere!

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: An example of Moubayed's work as a graduate student; Moubayed's work with AECOM includes the University of Texas Medical Branch, Building 17 - Institute for Drug Discovery, Galveston, TX; and AECOM Energy Client – Office Building, Norco, LA

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Alumni Spotlight: Mariel Piña (B.S. '11) Name: Mariel Piña Hometown: Ciudad Juárez, México.

Now living in Chandler, Arizona.

Major: Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design Graduation Year: 2011 Employer: Renaissance Learning Title: Director of User Experience

After touring industrial design schools in different states, I was convinced that the Hines College's ID program's focus, experienced leadership, and perfect location were the right fit for me. With the support of my family and friends, I moved to Houston the following year.

What is one of your favorite memories from your time on campus? Was there a particular professor who influenced your education?

Design critique days were especially meaningful because I learned to edit and make decisions quickly.

More importantly, as classmates, we bonded in the stress of delivering good work and in the celebratory relief of a completed project. In the program, I met lifelong friends and my now-husband.

ABOVE AND OPPOSITE PAGE: Before her role at Renaissance Learning, Piña worked on a number of products for Bumbo for infants, children, and home products

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As for the faculty, I often recall Dr. Luisa Orto's words, "Design does not happen in a vacuum.” She exposed us to iconic designs, which

elevated my taste as a designer. Dr. EunSook Kwon shared her passion and discipline for design, pushing the envelope of what we thought possible. I grew from her belief in us to accomplish more. Adam Wells trained us on problem definition and superb execution (people before objects) – key steps in my design process. William Lidwell taught me about the principles guiding how humans interact with the built and digital world. He is, to this day, a friend and a mentor.

Tell us about a typical day in your job. Do you have a particular design or business philosophy?

After many years as an industrial designer, I focused my career on user experience (UX) design. I now work as Director of UX for an education technology company. While the medium changed, the principles of design, process, and focus on people remained the same.

On a given day, I’ll have one-on-one meetings with my team and critiques with the larger UX teams. I chat with product stakeholders to make sure our work is helping meet business goals.

I listen to user experience research sessions to learn about the people we serve and how to improve our products.

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"I think dearly of my time at the Hines College. I learned from lectures, experimentation, and, sometimes, failure.

Working in a creative environment with high standards prepared me for the professional world of design."

I concentrate on my own design work, whether that is a problem definition workshop, low-fidelity prototypes, or collaborating with others to get work ready for development.

What is one career accomplishment of which you are particularly proud? How do you feel the College prepared you for this?

I so appreciate the teams I have worked with and the products we delivered together – some have earned patents, great reviews, and awards. I am especially proud, however, to have brought my senior thesis design to market. My project, inspired by my abuela, was a study of simple living and ID. I focused

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Why did you choose the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design? What drew you to design?

My parents dedicated their careers to serving their communities. I dedicated much of my childhood and adolescence to artistic endeavors. I always knew I would pursue a career that combines my creative drive with something that helps people improve their lives. I was three years into an art degree when I encountered Architecture for Humanity's book, “Design Like You Give a Damn,” and I learned about industrial design (ID).

Sitting at the bookstore, I decided I wanted to be a designer.

on principles from Mexican designs in the 1900s: honesty of materials, flexibility in function, and simplicity in form. I wanted to reduce clutter without sacrificing functionality. The end product was a dual-function grater and colander.

The project received an IDSA award from our local chapter and first place at the International Housewares Association student design competition. Years (and many pitches) later, Ambos became a reality, manufactured in collaboration with an American kitchen brand.

It is still unreal to watch my kids prep dinner with the product that started as a school project. I could not have achieved this feat without the support of the Hines College’s ID community.

What is one valuable lesson you learned during your time at the Hines College?

I think dearly of my time at the Hines

College. I learned from lectures, experimentation, and, sometimes, failure. Working in a creative environment with high standards prepared me for the professional world of design.

Aside from good design and human-centricity, I learned about the art and science of productive feedback. Giving and receiving advice from peers and people who use your products is crucial but certainly not easy. Practicing constructive feedback has helped me be more effective at work and build stronger relationships.

What advice would you give to current architecture and design students?

This is very simple – eat and sleep well. It helps more than you think to have these basics down, especially during stressful periods. You will be more creative and effective when you take care of yourself, connect with others, and enjoy what you do.

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Alumni Spotlight: Jessica Valdez (B.Arch. '14) Name: Jessica Valdez Hometown: Houston Major: Bachelor of Architecture Graduation Year: 2014 Employer: Page Title: Project Healthcare Planner, Senior Associate

The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design had a great program that was also NAAB accredited. Plus, it was local, which allowed me to stay close to my family for support.

What is one of your favorite memories from your time on campus? Was there a particular professor who influenced your education?

My favorite memory is the building itself, which felt like home for five years. I worked part time and lived in Atascocita. So, I would travel from Atascocita to work in Northwest Houston, and then spend my afternoons and days off at the Hines College. It became my touchdown place.

The college's study abroad program was another highlight, profoundly influencing my education. It opened my eyes to global perspectives and helped me understand cultural disparities. This experience sparked my interest in analyzing why things are done in certain ways in different regions, ultimately enhancing my understanding of planning.

ABOVE: Valdez's projects include the Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital.

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aim to collect detailed information to ensure the project meets their goals and needs.

Collaborating with departmental staff is always a privilege. We work together to create spaces tailored to their needs while keeping the patient experience in mind.

We prioritize every step of the patient journey. From arrival to discharge, we focus on streamlining patient flow and enhancing accessibility and wayfinding.

For staff, we aim to design spaces that optimize adjacencies for their daily workflows. Every step and detail matters, and our planning process is deliberate in generating optimal facility layouts, which is why analyzing and studying multiple iterations is so important.

What is one career accomplishment of which you are particularly proud? How do you feel the College prepared you for this?

What sets me apart and has helped me reach my current role is my ability to adapt to any project. I have demonstrated versatility that has made me stand out as a designer and healthcare planner on projects ranging from small renovations to large-scale greenfield hospitals, working through several phases of design.

I typically collaborate with large project teams where effective communication is crucial, especially given the intricate coordination required in healthcare projects.

Tell us about a typical day in your job. Do you have a particular design or business philosophy?

My typical day starts with a cup of coffee! I check emails and Teams messages, then prioritize meetings by preparing any necessary content. I usually work closely with the lead healthcare planner at Page.

In my role, I focus on generating floor plans from scratch, transforming ideas into functional designs. This involves collaborating closely with project teams and utilizing my adaptability to create innovative solutions tailored to each project’s goals and needs.

As a healthcare planner, I get involved in the early stages of a project. We either take an existing program or create a new one, and we begin by laying out massing blocks.

Throughout the schematic and design development phases, we meet with leadership and healthcare staff, typically holding three rounds of schematic design meetings and three rounds of design development meetings. Once we’ve gathered all design decisions, we dive into the construction drawings. These meetings

The Hines College prepared me by challenging me to find innovative design solutions through studying and analyzing different design concepts. My education experience made me detail-oriented and purposeful in my work. The software skills I developed during my studies also made me tech-savvy, allowing me to embrace new design technologies in a world where tech is ever-evolving. Although there wasn’t a healthcarespecific program, I leveraged these skills to distinguish

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"There is no single 'correct' way to design.

Imagination is limitless, and multiple iterations are often necessary before arriving at a final outcome. However, every design decision should have a purpose."

Why did you choose the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design? What drew you to design?

Growing up, I was obsessed with home makeover shows.

They influenced my career path at a young age without me even realizing it. I was always very good at drawing and analyzing things. Architecture seemed like a natural fit, where creativity and expression could be applied into something that could take shape or form.

myself as a "Rising Star" in the field, which has become one of my greatest accomplishments to date.

What is one valuable lesson you learned during your time at the Hines College?

There is no single "correct" way to design. Imagination is limitless, and multiple iterations are often necessary before arriving at a final outcome. However, every design decision should have a purpose. It's essential to be mindful of the reasons behind each choice.

What advice would you give to current architecture and design students?

Find your passion! We focus on becoming great designers and view architecture as a whole. However, architecture has many branches, and there is so much more to explore.

One can choose to be a project manager, project architect, planner, designer, BIM specialist, sustainability specialist, or even a researcher under different specialties.

In my case, I was unaware that healthcare planning even existed when I was in school. I never imagined I would design hospitals, thinking they were rigid and dull, with no real design elements. Today, I've discovered a passion for healthcare, in particular planning, and realized that design exists in every detail, shape, and form. I firmly believe that everyone will find their niche when the time comes. I found joy and excitement from designing healing environments for people to experience. Passion is a significant driver in any career path you choose.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Other projects include the CHI St. Luke's Health - Memorial Hospital Women's & Children's Center in Lufkin; the Valleywise Health Medical Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Phoenix; and the Memorial Hermann Susan & Fayez Sarofim Pavilion in Houston DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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Alumni Spotlight: Kadmiel Konan (B.S. '23)

"The sense of community within the industrial design program and the camaraderie with friends in Alpha Rho Chi kept me going through tough times.

Working together on projects and sharing these experiences created lifelong bonds."

Why did you choose the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design? What drew you to design?

I chose the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design because of my lifelong passion for technology and design. Growing up in the Ivory Coast, I was captivated by how things worked—especially after my mother brought home an iPhone. My curiosity led me to research its design origins, which eventually introduced me to industrial design through the book Inside Apple. Learning about Jonathan Ive’s work at Apple sparked my interest, and after moving to Texas, I found myself looking for a way to formally study design. The Hines College’s industrial design program was ideal, with its strong focus on practical skills and innovation. The hands-on approach aligned perfectly with my ambition to create products making a real impact.

What is one of your favorite memories from your time on campus? Was there a particular professor who influenced your education?

I once built a hot chamber under my bed to test a prototype—my “mad scientist” approach to projects always made people laugh. The sense of community within the industrial design program and the camaraderie with friends in Alpha Rho Chi kept me going through tough times. Working together on projects and sharing these experiences created lifelong bonds.

Each faculty member contributed to my growth.

Adam Wells challenged me to sharpen my prototyping skills, and Jeff Feng introduced me to data-oriented design, helping me create a prototype I showcased at graduation. Mark Kimbrough’s career reassured me that I had made the right choice, while Min Kang taught me how to develop ideas fully. Professors like George Chow encouraged my 3D modeling skills, directly leading to my first job.

Tell us about a typical day in your job. Do you have a particular design or business philosophy?

At AmPD Labs, a startup specializing in 3D-printed products, I wore many hats. My day often started with checking the machines and tracking ongoing projects.

Once work was completed, I would move it to the next phase, then review the schedule to prioritize between design tasks, maintenance, or finishing parts to ensure on-time shipping. One of my favorite parts of working at a small company was the chance to design real products.

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Each project—whether dock bumpers for DockToyz or cookware handles for Warefor—was an opportunity to refine my skills and apply flexible, real-world solutions.

What is one career accomplishment of which you are particularly proud? How do you feel the College prepared you for this?

I am especially proud of my work on projects for major clients like Snap-on, Tabasco, NOV, and KOCH early in my career. The College prepared me well by making me a versatile designer. The industrial design program equips students to become “jacks of all trades” with skills applicable to many roles beyond traditional industrial design. This adaptability has been essential in a startup environment, where I have tackled diverse challenges— from NFTs to reverse engineering a plastic product into a metal version. Many industrial design students might be surprised by how widely our skills apply to roles not explicitly titled “industrial designer.”

What is one valuable lesson you learned during your time at the Hines College?

One critical lesson I learned is that effective design solutions are built on thorough research, not intuition alone. This approach has shaped my career, as I always start with a clear understanding of user needs and market dynamics. I also learned that innovation doesn’t always mean inventing something new—often, it involves adapting existing solutions to meet new challenges.

It’s essential to stay curious about fields outside your specialization, as this broader knowledge can lead to meaningful advancements in your own work.

What advice would you give to current architecture and design students?

My advice is to pursue projects that genuinely excite you.

Choose topics inspiring you, even if they are challenging— passion fuels growth and creativity, making it easier to go above and beyond. Embrace challenges and learn from failure. College is a sandbox where your projects will not impact the world at large, making it the perfect place to make mistakes and learn from them. By focusing on projects you love, you will set yourself up for the industry you want to enter. Finally, never give up—I was once told I did not have the natural predisposition to be a designer, yet my project was showcased on graduation day.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Konan's school projects included a Fully 3D Printed Stool for Makelab Layer Logic Design Competition; Konan doing mill work for snap-on projects at AMPD Labs, Konan worked on many 3D printed objects and fabrication methods while adding to and utilizing his diverse skillset; Coda, an innovative hard hat designed to reduce health risks associated with heat; and Real Sense, a universal measuring tool.

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Name: Kadmiel Konan Hometown: Houston Major: Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design Graduation Year: 2023 Employer: AmPD Labs (until May 2024) Title: Designer and Machine Operator

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Alumni Spotlight: Jes Deaver, AIA (M.Arch. '16)

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leaders who pushed me further than I thought possible. Professor Patrick Peters also opened my mind to the joy of working with others to create something meaningful for the community.

Why did you choose the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design? What drew you to design?

I was drawn to Houston because of its scale, history, and ecology.

After visiting UH, I knew that I was in a place that valued independent thinking and innovative perspectives about the built environment. Design was always a part of my life as a writer, filmmaker, and photographer.

Tell us about a typical day in your job. Do you have a particular design or business philosophy?

A typical day has me on a job site meeting with builders and clients, working on drawings in my office with my partner and father, Nick Deaver, AIA, and more recently, teaching at Texas Tech University Huckabee College of Architecture. I usually finish my day working on an article for Texas Architect magazine or researching innovative ways to discuss design with the public. My interest is in the future, land stewardship, and helping people tell personal stories.

What is one of your favorite memories from your time on campus? Was there a particular professor who influenced your education?

There are many great memories from my time on campus; however, I am especially fond of the time Professor Colaco reviewed my second-year drawings and told me that I had an innate understanding of how things are built. It boosted my confidence in ways that are reflected in my daily practice. Dr. Gregory Marinic and Professor Jason Logan will forever be ingrained in my memory as brilliant, cross-disciplinary design

What is one career accomplishment of which you are particularly proud? How do you feel the College prepared you for this?

I was honored to be invited as the 2024 H. Dean Pierce Endowed Visiting Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University Huckabee College of Architecture. The confidence and passion for sharing my ideas is something I began to build as a student at the Hines College.

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"The confidence and passion for sharing my ideas is something I began to build as a student at the Hines College."

What is one valuable lesson you learned during your time at the Hines College?

Coming from a background in film and television I was new to learning software and drawing skills required for architecture. I learned that if you need to understand something quickly, the fastest road to knowledge is to find a partner.

I collaborated with undergraduate students and my peers in graduate school to elevate technical skills while sharing my knowledge of storytelling.

What advice would you give to current architecture and design students?

My advice to current students is to be fearless. Do not be afraid to make decisions in your student projects, your career, or your ideas about the broader world. Being curious is something you should nurture as an everyday practice.

COURTESY IMAGES

ABOVE: Deaver and students in her Sci-fi House course at Texas Tech on a Buffalo Bayou tour with Steven Roop, AIA along with their guide, hines college Professor Susan Rogers

Name: Jes Deaver, AIA Major: Master of Architecture Graduation Year: 2016 Employer: Nick Deaver Jes Deaver Architecture Title: Principal/Partner

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Canvas by Nick Deaver Jes Deaver Architecture, Austin, TX; Offbeat by Nick Deaver Jes Deaver Architecture, Austin, TX (Offbeat photos by Leonid Furmansky) DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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Manufacturing Transitions Local industry supports Stern Studio and fall exhibition

The resulting exhibition in the College’s Mashburn Gallery, Manufacturing Transitions, utilized materials — wood, metal, and brick — directly contributed by local industry. It examines architecture across scales, from the environment to full-scale prototypes, focusing on territory, materials, and transitions. By tracing materials from extraction to assembly, it ties design to industry, fostering innovation in production. This connection, whether literal or abstract, encourages an intuitive, experimental, and artisanal approach, broadening possibilities and enriching the design process. Houston’s local and available materials are surveyed through the lens of territory, industry, culture, society, and history, allowing various hypotheses to emerge and inform students’ architectural responses. The exhibition is on view through January 4.

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PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS NGUYEN

THIS FALL, THE HINES COLLEGE WELCOMED BAAG AS THE WILLIAM F. STERN VISITING PROFESSOR, ALLOWING STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE VISIONARY DESIGNERS TO REIMAGINE TRANSITIONAL spaces and architectural elements. The studio was led by Hines College adjunct faculty member Asmaa Olwi along with Gabriel Monteleone and Emilia Migali of BAAG.

DIMENSION MAGA ZINE / FALL 2024

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