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Architecture MA (Hons) | 2023

Architecture Portfolio

Jenna Anne Van Der Merwe (21)

The University of Edinburgh

- 2027

Contents Page:

Sketchbook Page 3

Architectural Design: In Place

The Reconfigurable Residential Block Page 4 and 5

Design Thinking and Digital Crafting An Introduction to Rhino and Grasshopper- Page 6

Exquisite Tower - Page 7

Architectural Design: Any Place Lower Gilmore Place Community Centre - Page 8 and 9

Contact details Page 10

With our Architectural Design project site in Venice, myself and my peers had the opportunity to visit the site in person.

have included some of my sketches from the trip, as they include some aspects that influenced the design of my final residential apartment, as well as observations from the sites’ surrounding squares and streets.

Architectural Design: Any Place January April 2025

Studio Tutors: Susanna Boreham and Yorgos Berdos

Academic Year 2

Credits: 40

Sketching Venice

The Reconfigurable Residential Block

Calle Zappo, Dorsoduro, Venice, Italy

The included sketches, plans, sections and models depict my 16 bedroom, multi-generational apartment block in the heart of the Dorsoduro, Venice. The two main concepts behind my design were adaptability and flexibility. These themes translated into two apartment blocks, where interior spaces which can be adjusted, or reconfigured, to accommodate the needs of the inhabitants.

Architectural Design: Any Place

January April 2025

Studio Tutors: Susanna Boreham and Yorgos Berdos

Academic Year 2

Credits: 40

The red lines in the alongside ground and first floor plans reflect imagined changes, or reconfigurations, made to the residential apartments by their inhabitants.

An Introduction to Rhino and Grasshopper

As an introduction to Rhino and Grasshopper, my first task was to create a folded polyhedron. This was to be done both digitally and physically using the laser cutter.

The next task was to design a basic tower. Following a demonstration of how to digitally craft a tower, was able to experiment and create a piece of my own. The Grasshopper script that was initially demonstrated to us was based off of an enclosed curve, therefore, through the alteration of this curve, one could create multiple tower iterations. Furthermore, using the number sliders, additional changes could be implemented, such as the rotation of the tower.

Exquisite Tower

This aim of this task was to explore the basics of advanced 3D modelling through the creation of an interconnected system of “tower” units.

A “tower” was divided up into individual 50 x 30 cm pieces, one per a person. The theme for the tower was nature. decided to design my individual piece (A) based on the theme of tree roots.

My idea was to take tree root-forms and essentially create the visual that they had been wrapped around my individual tower piece, as if the piece were the earth’s surface started to experiment with the Voronoi command on Grasshopper and Rhino, using various seeds and counts, which resulted in various web-like patterns. Using the pipe command, I was able to create the 3D effect of a tree root.

Following the successful tree root fabrication, I wrapped these roots around the piece, using Rhino, and created 6 molds to be 3D printed. Finally, I joined these moulds and lined them with clay to get the final tower piece shown below.

Design Thinking and Digital Crafting

January April 2025

Studio Tutor: Yorgos Berdos

Academic Year 2

Credits: 40

Community Centre

Lower Gilmore Place, Edinburgh

This semester’s brief was to design a community centre for the residents of Lower Gilmore Place. My proposal focuses on creating opportunities for connection through designated gathering spaces. At the heart of the scheme is a central courtyard, designed to bring people together and encourage interaction.