“Interlace” Co-Housing Apartment Graduate Architecture Design Studio II
Academic Project (07-14)
06
“Echoes” Lumber Academy Studio 05
Academic Project (29-34)
03 Whispers of Time Archisource
Design Competition (15-16)
07 Local Vs. Non-Local Studio 04
Academic Project (35-40)
04
Port Revival: Reimagining Community Spaces AA Autumn Semester Program
Academic Project (17-24)
08 CoolNomads Tiny Homes
Design Competition (41-44)
Thidaraye Residential Building
Project: 2021
Company: Htun Kar Construction
Location: Mandalay, Myanmar
Thidaraye was designed to create an intimate and cozy environment for a family while remaining versatile enough to accommodate boisterous gatherings with extended family members. The project site was compact and surrounded by low-rise buildings, prompting the client’s request for a design that offered adequate height to ensure privacy for personal spaces while maximizing natural light, ventilation, and scenic views. The primary design approach was to create a clear separation between private and public spaces, which resulted in a unique spatial experience that blended functionality with aesthetic appeal.
As a design intern, I played a pivotal role in shaping the project’s development. My responsibilities included designing and drafting initial conceptual sketches that effectively communicated the design intent to the client during weekly meetings. Beyond drafting, I took a proactive approach to engaging with the client, carefully documenting their feedback and addressing their concerns to ensure the design aligned with their vision. For example, when the client’s wife expressed her deep appreciation for green spaces—an aspect initially overlooked—I proposed incorporating landscaped areas on each floor. This design adjustment harmonized the building’s modern aesthetic with the surrounding vegetation and transformed it into a more inviting and livable space.
& below: parti diagram
Responsibilities
• Site visits and research
• Worked under the licensed architect
• Drew plans, sections, elevations
• Coordinated with various teams within firm during design process
• Worked closely with the team to communicate and fulfill project needs
• Participated in client meetings
• Utilized Sketch up, Vray, Lumion and Photoshop of design proposals for clients
Above
Second Floor
Third Floor SixthFloor
“Interlace” Co-Housing Apartment
Course: Greduate Architecture Design Studio II
Instructor: Gesa
Buttner-Dias
Teammate: Zenayah Cortez
Location: Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California
This project was designed in response to the challenges of gentrification, actively fostering community engagement while supporting local business and residents. The housing promotes economic inclusivity and helps to sustain the unique character of the neighborhood. By blending residential and business opportunities with international community engagement, the design resists gentrification and nurutres the local culture, ensuring that the neighborhood remains a vibrant and inclusive space of everyone. This co-housing apartment is designed to prioritize community engagement by intentionally blurring the boundaries between private and public spaces. Located in a neighborhood with existing low-income housing, the project aims to serve as a bridge between residents and the surrounding community. Its design creates a vibrant hub of shared spaces and dynamic programming, fostering inclusivity, adaptability, and sustainability. With a focus on communal living, the project features spaces that encourage social interaction while also meeting the functional needs of its users.
At the heart of the development is a courtyard surrounded by a unique “band of kitchens,” where sliding windows allow for seamless indoor-outdoor interactions. These kitchens are designed to create activity zones right outside, where casual gatherings or organized events can take place. Other shared amenities include a recreation and wellness center, a library with conference rooms, and a daycare that supports families both within and outside the apartment community. A street-facing café further invites interaction, serving as a welcoming space for both residents and visitors.
Public integration is a key element of the design. A flexible tailgating area doubles as a market space for community events, while bleacher seating on the second floor provides a gathering spot overlooking the high school football fields to the south. This feature strengthens the connection between the development and local activities, making the project an integral part of the neighborhood. Daily programming, such as cooking classes, wellness workshops, and cultural events, encourages residents and community members to come together, fostering a sense of belonging.
Above: concept design exploded iso diagram
Above: concept design first and second floor plan
Above: concept design section Below: concept design study room
Above: Pin-up curation
Below: 1’=1/4” super chunks model
Whispers of Time
Competition: Archisource “Drawing of the Year 2024”
Shortlisted
Port Revival: Reimagining Community Spaces
Course:
AA Autumn Semester Program
Instructor: Naiara Vegara, Marie Monesignant
Location: Malaga, Spain
For Brief 01, I was tasked with exploring Seven Dails Maket, London as a precendent study. I was intrigued by several abnormalities happeing near the site meaning a jump in scale between elevation and building footprint where the elevation is relatively small compared to the building footprint that are happening within seven dials. I learned how patterns and rhythm is used to create order and disorder within the facade. In the context of a market that was once a warehouse, it use patterns and rhythms to transform the utilitarian space into an aesthetically pleasing and efficient market environment. I also learned how the facade pattern influence the exterior circulation that surrounds the site.
For Brief 02, I was tasked with explored Malaga through abnormalities continuing my studies and findings from brief 01 by mapping out the urban fabric within Malaga City focusing on the building footprints. I started mapping out the city into different categories considering building footprints and building heights.
For Brief 03, The design strategy proposes an innovative solution by envisioning a market and park that utilize the grid lines from alleys and buildings within the Soho District. By integrating the rhythmic patterns of facade aper tures from elevation drawings into the roof design, the project aims to create interconnected zones for markets, dining areas, terraces, and parks. This design envisions fostering connectivity between previously disconnected parts of the port and the surrounding urban landscape. Additionally, the proposal advocates for reconfiguring the commercial port, allowing access to fishing boats and cargo ships, and integrating water elements into the market and park spaces, creating a more engaging and accessible urban environment.
Above: 7 dials market jump in scale between exterior and interior
Above: 7 Dials deconstruction Below: process markup
Sel Crater Retreat
Iceland Design Competition Teammates:
Owen Lin, Sang Woo Kim
Location: Lake Myvatn, Iceland
Lake Mývatn in northern Iceland is known for its scenic beauty. Pseudocraters, a natural phenomenon formed by steam explosions during lava interaction with water, dot the landscape around the lake. The most famous cluster is at Skútustaðir, offering visitors a unique blend of geological wonders and natural charm, attracting tourists and nature enthusiasts alike. The Site is located next to the Sel hotel providing a unique zone for intersting architectural interventions. Public parking reserves are available all throughout the nearby site, accomodating for high volume tourists.
The curved design of the Sel Crater Retreat serves as a connecting element between the Sel Hotel and the natural attractions, seamlessly linking visitors to these scenic wonders. Visitors are drawn to the craters as the main attraction point, however after our design intervention, the building iteself becomes an additional attraction. Now people can experience the services provided by the Retreat, adding a new dimension to the overall visitor experience. Together with the Sel Hotel, the visitor experience is perfected, providing a place to unwind and relax after a day of touring the craters.
The program’s hierarchy is organized based on functional importance. The brewery which acts as the core is centrally positioned in sightlines. The Beer Spa’s privacy is maintained on the lower level, offering both communal and private spaces to cater to diverse visitor needs. The souvenir shop and the beer tasting bar blend into the public lobby areas, fostering an open and interconnected atmosphere. Additionally, the cafe on the second floor is strategically positioned adjacent to the rooftop terrace, encouraging a dynamic interaction with the surrounding elements.
The roof’s unique curvature is achieved with timber, and laminated wood forms the building’s primary structure, harmonizing with natural elements. In contrast, concrete and steel is employed within the brewery, purposefully presenting a juxtaposition with the natural elements in its design and natural surroundings. This blend of conflicting materials within the same building establishes a cohesive connection between the pristine environments of Iceland and the Mývatn area, with the industrial facets inherent in the design of both the hotel and the brewery.
Location: St Anthony Falls, Minneapolis, Minnesota
This project, titled “Re(Sawn): Specifying and Sectioning the Production of Lumber,” delves into the historical and contemporary facets of lumber production in Minnesota, particularly at St. Anthony Falls. It critically examines how architectural and regulatory documents—such as specifications, policies, patents, and treaties—have transformed indigenous lands into material territories, influencing both site and territory over time.
Central to this exploration is the design of a lumber academy situated near the 1822 sawmill site at St. Anthony Falls. The academy’s design features a roof installation that overtakes the public realm, symbolically referencing the biases and power dynamics embedded in Native American treaties and government acts. The courtyard, surrounded by large dimensional logs assembled using traditional post-and-beam methods, showcases a unique roof system that emphasizes hierarchy among the building’s programs. This space reflects the construction methods and material dimensions of the historic sawmill, creating a tangible link to the site’s industrial heritage, while other areas employ platform framing for a contemporary contrast.
The project also incorporates hanging railway tracks that connect an archive room to the site’s entrance, symbolizing the flow of historical knowledge and echoing the site’s demolished railway infrastructure. Outdoor decking is strategically placed to highlight views of the Mississippi River and the decomposed logs surrounding the site, reframing the historical and ecological significance of the area.
Through this comprehensive approach, the project seeks to make visible the power structures and institutions that have historically impacted material assemblies and sites, prompting critical reflection on the role of architects within these frameworks and the extent of their agency.
Above: Important process sections markup drawings
Above & below: 1848 Franklin Steel’s sawmill
Above: diagram that shows white pine treaties, land cession treaties, and railroad routes
Above: section physical model
Below: section oblique created from section A
Above & below: section cut of contemporary sawmill transformation that shows platform framing timber construction
Above & Below: first & second floor of “echoes” lumber academy
Above: section oblique created from section C
Below: section A
Local Vs. Non-Local
Course: Studio IV: Urban Design
Instructor: Gabriel Cuellar
Teammate: Martin Swanson
Location: Snake River Watershed, Minnesota
Located in Eastern Minnesota, halfway between Duluth and the Twin Cities, the Snake River Watershed faces significant environmental challenges due to agricultural activities and chemical runoff. These pollutants severely affect the lake ecosystems, leading to the degradation of aquatic habitats, biodiversity loss, and potential health risks for nearby communities. This project focuses on Lake Pokegama, as a site for innovative strategies to assess and improve water quality while fostering ecological balance and public engagement.
Our research identifies agricultural runoff as a critical contributor to the declining health of the watershed. Studies on buffer zones reveal their effectiveness in mitigating contamination by intercepting runoff before it enters water bodies. To address this, we propose implementing a network of buffer zones along the shores of Lake Pokegama and surrounding rivers and wetlands. These zones will incorporate specific vegetation types, including deep-rooted trees, nutrient-absorbing bushes, and soil-permeable crops, chosen based on their proven ability to filter pollutants and enhance soil permeability. By reducing chemical infiltration, these buffers create a protective barrier that promotes cleaner water and healthier ecosystems.
Further research highlights the detrimental role of impermeable surfaces, such as lawns adjacent to water bodies, in exacerbating runoff pollution. Our strategy discourages such practices by incorporating vegetative buffers to replace lawns, ensuring that soil near lakes and rivers can absorb and filter pollutants more effectively. Additionally, wetlands, often overlooked, are included in our plans due to their ecological significance and direct connection to lakes.
To enhance public engagement and awareness, we propose the development of accessible public infrastructure. Each major lake within the watershed will feature a boathouse offering boat rentals, creating opportunities for recreational activities while fostering a connection between people and the water. Learning centers near these boathouses will serve as educational hubs, offering information about the fragile nature of aquatic ecosystems, the importance of sustainable practices, and actionable steps for community involvement.
Above: Actor network diagram of Snake River watershed
Above: Actor network diagram of our design interaction
Above: Change in property ownership & Shore land properties management
