Portfolio

Jeronimo Lopera Tobon / Northeastern University

I am Jeronimo Lopera Tobon, an aspiering architcture student pursuing my degree at Northeastern Univeristy. My design journey is fueled by my personal desire to create spaces that harmonize functionality and usage. Through coursework and handson projects, I am currently developing a foundation in architectural principles and exploring many innovative design concepts. As I continue my education, I am eager to delve into stadium design, interior design,Alongside residential Projects, and I look forward to contributing fresh perspectives to the field. Connect with me via email at Jeronimoloperat@gmail.com

BPL Chinatown, Pages 6-15, Site, Space & Program Arch 2130

Walk-Up Housing, Pages 16-24 , Urban Housing Arch 2140

Pavilion, Pages 25-32, Site Space & Program Arch 2130

Watchtower, Pages 33-36, Architectonic Systems Arch 2140

Boston Public Chinatown

52 Harvard Street, Boston,

Public Library, Branch

Boston,

MA 02111

Precedent Study , Biblioteca de España - Medellin, Colombia

The Biblioteca de España in Medellín, Colombia, serves as an inspiring precedent for your library design in Chinatown, Boston. Designed by architect Giancarlo Mazzanti, the Biblioteca de España is renowned for its innovative and community-centric approach. The building’s dynamic and contemporary design seamlessly integrates with the surrounding urban fabric, creating a welcoming and inclusive space for the community. The library’s emphasis on accessibility and public engagement is evident through its open design, multiple social spaces, and integration of technology.

By studying this precedent, you can gain insights into how to foster a sense of community and cultural connection within the library space. The incorporation of flexible and adaptable spaces in response to diverse community needs, as seen in the Biblioteca de España, can inform your design for Chinatown, where cultural diversity and community engagement are paramount. Additionally, the use of sustainable and locally sourced materials, as observed in the Colombian library, may inspire environmentally conscious design choices for your Boston project. Overall, the Biblioteca de España serves as a valuable precedent study to guide your design process, offering lessons in community integration, flexibility, and sustainability for an impactful library in Chinatown, Boston.

The Biblioteca de España in Medellín, Colombia, is situated in the Parque Biblioteca España, located in the Santo Domingo Savio neighborhood. The library stands prominently on a hillside overlooking the city, surrounded by lush greenery and offering breathtaking panoramic views of Medellín’s landscape. The site’s topography played a crucial role in the design, with the library strategically positioned to interact harmoniously with the natural surroundings. The park itself is part of a larger urban revitalization initiative, transforming a once marginalized area into a vibrant cultural hub. The surrounding site is characterized by its integration of recreational spaces, pedestrian pathways, and communal gathering areas, fostering a sense of community and connection. This thoughtful incorporation of the library into its context reflects a commitment to social transformation through architecture and urban planning in Medellín.

floor Massing

2nd floor Ground Floor Floor 2

1st floor

Brief:

The final semester project involves designing a new Boston Public Library (BPL) building for Chinatown, filling a historical gap in library services. The original 1912 Chinatown branch closed during the Great Depression, and for 60 years, the community relied on mobile libraries and temporary spaces. In 2018, a temporary branch was established in the China Trade Center.

Now, students are tasked with envisioning a permanent library for the rapidly changing Chinatown neighborhood. The project emphasizes a larger collection, reading spaces, and a community hub with free public services. The focus is on adaptable spaces, including a flexible “outdoor living room” to accommodate various activities. The site, a 25,000 sq ft lot, poses challenges and opportunities, situated near transportation nodes and amidst ongoing affordable housing development. The proposal encourages an alternative approach that prioritizes public space and integrates with the neighborhood’s context.

Surroundings

Yellow: Commercial Stores

Blue: Tufts University

Red: Residential

3rd

Massing:

Massing

Section AA

Section BB

Floor Plans Chinatown Public Library Floor Plans

Ground Floor Floor 2

Auditorium Entrance:

The lecture hall boasts a generous area at its entrance, illuminated by ample natural light from large windows. The open floor plan creates a welcoming ambiance for socializing. The firstfloor’s central circulation halls converge at the lobby, which offers a glimpse of the building’s liveliness.

Adult Study Area:

The third floor of the library showcases multiple book stacks, complemented by an array of open seating options. This view captures the peaceful and studious ambiance of the library, ideal for those seeking a quiet spot to read or study.

Floor 3

Ground Floor:

The first floor library has a welcoming lobby, a vast book collection, a lecture hall with modern equipment, a cafe for refreshments, a staff area for assistance, and computer bays with high-speed internet access. The first floor library caters to students, researchers, and those seeking a conducive environment to work in.

Second Floor:

The second floor of the library is divided into two areas by an outdoor atrium. One side is a private adult area, while the other side features a children/teen section. Additionally, there’s an outdoor area for community gardening, where patrons can plant flowers or grow food.

Third Floor:

The floor is divided into sections, with spaces for conferences and events, quiet working, and book stacks. This floor offers the most peaceful and serene atmosphere in the library, providing patrons with a conducive environment for research, writing, and studying.

Open Terrace Playground:

The library’s second-floor atrium features an open space with play structures for children, dividing the teen and adult sections. The atrium’s design creates a visually stunning and functional space for library patrons of all ages.

Chinatown Public Library

Ground Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

Walk-Up Housding

Jarvis Street, Boston, MA

Housding MA

02115

Brief:

In this Boston-based urban analysis project, will use fieldwork, remote research, and mapping to study the urban form and systems of the Fenway neighborhood. The focus initially is on identifying and categorizing urban blocks and residential building types. Subsequently, teams will analyze broader urban preconditions such as circulation, green space, program, zoning, and demographics. The goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the formal, spatial, and social aspects of the urban site context, turning the neighborhood into a practical laboratory for research and design speculations.

ROWHOUSES

POIN

HYBRID

TLO ADED CORRIDOR

BAR

I -SHAPED

BLOCK

T-SHAPED

L-SHAPED

O-SHAPED

C-SHAPED

E-SHAPED

H-SHAPED

SQUARE

BAR

Pinch Point:

Through analyzing various pinch point locations, we identified six different areas around the site that served as unique entrances. Within these spaces, we observed the growth of green vegetation alongside the walls. These areas would be a crucial integration into the fabric of our site, facilitating a connection between the green life from the Fens and Northeastern University’s green spaces.

MAIN SITE PARCEL

4th Floor

3rd Floor

2nd Floor Ground Floor

Parcel Area: 38,000ft^2. Open Space: 50.5%. Total # of Units: 42. Unit Styles; 2Br(24), 3Br(12), 4Br(5), 5Br(1). Units Per Acre: 42. Avarage Floor Area: 3200ft^2. Avarage Area of Unit: 750ft^2.

Building Modules

Furthest left is the first Module, This four level budiling serves as the main housing for Families.

The middle unit is built up for two larger building modules that are connected through a pWarty wall. Moving up the building this shared wall allows for unique shared spaces to be created.

The three floor module is designed around student hosuing. Units are built around care fore shared spaced and individual rooms for ststudents.

Section AA

Student Housing Module Student Housing Module

Throughout the comprehensive neighborhood analysis, it was concluded that there was a demand for student housing in the area, primarily due to Northeastern University being a prominent presence. Recognizing this need, it became necessary to allocate designated student housing on the site. As illustrated, the student housing modules have been positioned both north and south of the proposed Jarvis Street, resulting in a total of 52 new student living spaces being proposed.

Chinatown

8 Hudson Street, Boston, MA

Pavilion MA 02111

Chinatown Site

This three-week project in Boston’s Chinatown focuses on reimagining public restrooms as a crucial measure of urban accessibility. Acknowledging the scarcity of such facilities in the civic landscape, the initiative challenges participants to design a small pavilion serving as a Neighborhood Rest Stop. This structure, an extension of the Boston Public Library’s services, aims to address concerns related to hygiene and safety while offering gender-neutral restroom stalls. The project emphasizes both the interior and exterior design elements at the human scale, building on tectonic systems explored in a previous assignment. The goal is to create an inviting, inclusive space that meets the specific needs of the Chinatown community, considering the spatial and material constraints of the site.

Layout Iterations Layout Iterations

I. II.

-6 Market Stalls - 6 Bathrooms, 2(ADA)

-Central Seating Area

Initiating the conceptual phase, the imperative consideration was the integration of ADA-compliant bathrooms, underscoring the commitment to inclusivity. The strategic inclusion of shared sink spaces and floor-standing wall separators not only addressed design requirements but also set the tone for the spatial configuration. In terms of amenity spaces, the decision to align market stalls alongside the windows was deliberate, optimizing natural light and external engagement to enhance community interaction within the architectural context.

- 6 Bathrooms, 2(ADA)

-1200ft2 Open Community Space

In my second iteration of the project concept, the design process started again by prioritizing the inclusion of ADA-compliant bathrooms, ensuring a foundation of accessibility. The integration of shared sink spaces and thoughtful placement of floor-standing wall separators continued to guide the spatial configuration. Unlike the initial idea, this revised approach steers away from market stalls and instead focuses on creating designated spaces specifically tailored for community gatherings and addressing their distinct needs and desires. This shift aims to foster a more purposeful architectural design that aligns closely with the identified priorities of the local community.

Basic Massing II: Basic Massing II:

Hudston Street View Hudston Street View

Watchtower

Archtectonic Systems

Watchtower Arch2240

Front Side Back Side Right

Southeast View

Roof View

Northwest View Northwest View