K A I L I E J G U T I E R R E Z
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN PORTFOLIO
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN PORTFOLIO
2026
KAILIE JOHNSON GUTIERREZ
2026
01 OCEAN BEACH PIER RENEWAL ............................................................................. 04 Public Ocean Fishing Pier and Associated Buildings
02 CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ......................................................................... 10 School Master Plan and New Campus
03 IT’S A WOONERFUL LIFE ....................................................................................... 18 Affordable Housing for Farmworker Families
ACADEMIC
04 THE URBAN WORM ............................................................................................... 24 Transitional Housing + Vermicompost Facility
05 REMEDY: FLORA AND FAUNA IN THE MACHINE ................................................. 30 Research Institute + Seed Bank
06 HUDSON YARDS 2 ................................................................................................. 38 Urban Plinth over a Historic Rail Yard
MISCELLANEOUS
07 EXTRA TOPPINGS, FREE OF CHARGE ................................................................... 50 Furniture, Fabrication, and Models
CONTENTS
PROFESSIONAL
PROFESSIONAL SELECTED WORKS
01 OCEAN BEACH PIER RENEWAL
A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED REBUILD FOR AN AGING AND DAMAGED PIER PROJECT TYPE Public ocean fishing pier and associated buildings LOCATION Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA PROJECT SIZE 2,000-foot-long pier, 4,800 GSF buildings SOFTWARE USED Revit, Lumion, Photoshop, Cove.Tool
WORK TYPE Design collaboration with Moffat & Nichol structural engineers (prime) and Civitas urban design + landscape architects DESIGNED AT RNT Architects ROLE Building integration with pier structure, design of shading elements, physical model, sustainability studies
Since its completion in 1966, the Ocean Beach Pier has stood as an iconic feature of San Diego’s coastline. However, its service life has ended due to its aging concrete structure and damage from recent storms. The Ocean Beach Pier Renewal multidisciplinary design team began working in April 2023 to chart a course for replacing the pier through a community-based design process. The new pier will be a state-ofthe-art structure that not only provides safe and equitable access to the ocean, but honors the original pier’s historic layout, enhances and diversifies the visitor experience, and reflects the unique identity of the Ocean Beach community. My team at RNT partnered with Civitas to propose several design options at community events. The public voted for the current design, which reinterprets the original T-shape of the pier arms. A secondary walking experience, called the Horizon walk, leads to a rooftop gathering deck above the pier building below, which houses a restaurant, a restroom breezeway, maintenance/storage space, and retail space. Increased placemaking and gathering spaces along the pier enable meet-ups and group learning activities without interfering with valuable fishing spots. Bird’s Eye View Looking East (rendering by Studio 7G)
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NEW PIER DECK ELEVATION EXISTING PIER DECK ELEVATION
Site Plan: Existing Pier with Community Feedback (top) Pier Deck Elevation Comparison (bottom)
View from Infinity Plaza Looking West (top rendering by Studio 7G) Aerial View of Infinity Plaza Looking East (bottom) 7
Model - The Island (opposite) (this page, top to bottom): Rendered Building Plan, Restroom Breezeway, Bleachers + Ramp Down (bottom rendering by Studio 7G)
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FLOOR PLAN
Bleacher Seating
Shop
Restroom Breezeway
Kitchen
Restaurant
Outdoor Dining
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PROFESSIONAL SELECTED WORKS
02 CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
SCHOOL MASTER PLAN AND NEW MULTI-BUILDING CAMPUS FOR SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PROJECT TYPE Elementary school campus
WORK TYPE Team of 5 with 2 principal architects
LOCATION City Heights, San Diego, CA
DESIGNED AT RNT Architects (prime), completed 2023
BUILDING SIZE 108,000 GSF SOFTWARE USED Revit, Photoshop, Illustrator
ROLE 3D Modeling (DD), detail drafting (CD’s), interior & exterior finish selections, construction admin.
Central Elementary School and its sister campus, Wilson Middle School, were updated and renovated throughout the years. However, both campuses were in dire need of HVAC, daylighting, and seismic upgrades. The school district, alongside the community, favored consolidating the two schools in new rebuilds. The design team reimagined Wilson Middle School’s original 14-acre campus through strong community collaboration to include a new middle school, an elementary school, a Joint-Use play field, and a shared parking structure. Both schools were designed around the idea of flexible, adaptive teaching spaces, with an emphasis on project-based learning and collaboration. I joined this project at 50% Design Development and stayed on the team until the end of construction. My responsibilities included selecting the majority of interior and exterior material finishes, coordinating the FF&E package, and all major tasks of construction administration. The design inspires young children through the playfulness of materials and colors. Classroom spaces are bright and engaging, with improved daylighting, views, and natural ventilation. Exterior Circulation and Covered Walkway at Classrooms (Professional Photos by Jeff Durkin)
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Campus Site Diagram Aerial View Looking Northeast at the Joint-use Field (above); Campus Courtyard (below)
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BUILDING 200 - TILE MURAL
BUILDING 500 - TILE MURAL
The two mural designs are based on the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, also known as the Big Bear and the Little Bear—a nod to the school mascot. Ursa Major sits on the Orange Avenue elevation, which is shared with Wilson MS—the elementary school’s figurative “big brother.” The mural at Building 500 is next to the Kindergarten entry, so the ‘Little Bear’ welcomes the younger students to campus. Each mural’s background is a nebula, reminding viewers of greatness beyond. Our project team held an open competition for the mural design. The winner, my entry, was chosen by popular vote. Building 500 Mural, Final Installation (bottom) 14
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Radiused Ceiling: Installation (opposite), Detail (this page)
Corridor with Clerestory: Installation (opposite), Detail (this page)
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PROFESSIONAL SELECTED WORKS
03 IT’S A WOONERFUL LIFE
2021-2022 ARCHITECTURE AT ZERO DESIGN COMPETITION, AFFORDABLE FARMWORKER HOUSING IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT TYPE Affordable housing for farmworker families and community space LOCATION Visalia, CA PROJECT SIZE 105 new units on 3 acres SOFTWARE USED Rhino, AutoCAD, Lumion, Illustrator
WORK TYPE Team of 7 with 1 principal architect; Extracurricular competition for the Sustainability Focus Group DESIGNED AT RNT Architects ROLE Affordable unit concept design, 3D modeling, floor plans
Instead of designing to address scarcity, what happens if we design to create abundance? Our team applied a similar philosophy to the spatial design and amenities of this project, creating a living environment centered around the ideas of pride, independence, and dignity. To incorporate welcoming gathering areas on a high-density site, our project team drew inspiration from Dutch city planning, featuring a Woonerf, or living street. This axis, cutting through the middle of the site, prioritizes pedestrians first and auto traffic second, forcing cars to slow down. The Architecture at Zero competition began 13 years ago in response to the zero-net-energy targets set by the California Public Utility Commission. Sustainability, especially with respect to carbon emissions, has been woven into every aspect of our project’s design, from the orientation of the woonerf and individual building blocks to the careful selection of building materials. The project performs both immediately and in the future as a net carbon-positive development through low-embodiedcarbon materials and sequestration. Bird’s Eye View of Neighborhood Plaza
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
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shade louvers daylight / ventilation woonerf defensible space private outdoor space pv panels pv shading bamcore structure natural land cover for water infill fiber cement siding shade trees carbon sequestering permeable paver
Top to bottom: Section Perspective; Global Warm Potential vs. Biogenic Carbon Storage; Site plan
Perspective Views at The Woonerf
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UNIT 1A - ONE BED
UNIT 2A - TWO BED
UNIT 3A - THREE BED
UNIT 1B - ONE BED
UNIT 2B - TWO BED
UNIT 3B - THREE BED
Apartment Floor Plans View From Private Balcony
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04 THE URBAN WORM
WORKFORCE TRAINING GIVES NEW MEANING TO FOOD SCRAPS
ACADEMIC SELECTED WORKS
PROJECT TYPE Transitional housing + vermicompost facility
WORK TYPE Individual + early design collaboration with Kay Bromley
LOCATION Arts District, Los Angeles, CA
DESIGNED AT Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
BUILDING SIZE 62,000 GSF.
INSTRUCTOR Dale Clifford
SOFTWARE USED Rhino, Photoshop, and Illustrator
This project addresses the relationship between people experiencing homelessness and the broader Downtown Los Angeles community through shared outdoor spaces and on-site vermicomposting. This workforce-training program benefits the entire neighborhood. Empowering the often-forgotten pedestrian in DTLA, the building’s circulation gradually rises from street level and connects to outdoor green spaces (fed by vermicompost soil). In contrast to the harsh conditions of living on the streets, the ‘soft spaces’ of landscaping and green roofs inspire healing. Building residents are also invited to donate their daily food scraps to the compost carousel/vertical garden, which faces south toward the elevated vehicular road and serves as an educational element for the neighborhood. Parti Diagram
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Section Model (wood, acrylic, museum board)
GROUND LEVEL
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LEVEL ONE
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LEVEL TWO
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lobby/ education center vermicompost center/ compost storage gallery I gallery II artist in residence preschool workshop/classroom cafe 2-room Apt. 1-room Apt. double-story loft compost carousel/ vertical garden
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Kay Bromley Kailie Johnson
clink clink an exploration of how the material properties of wood respond to wind conditions to create varying light and acoustical phenomena
8930 MU & 109.5 dB
amplitude & Loudness
redwood poplar mohogany red oak birch maple red balau
acoustic response diagram
mph 1515 77mph
diffused light diagram
direct light & view diagram
acoustic activity diagram
elevation pattern
Early Facade Exploration with Chopsticks + Wind (top) Section Perspective (bottom) West Wall Section
3580 MU
hardness & density hardness & density
15mph mph 15
mph 55mph
10mph mph 10
450 45 0 15mph mph 15
mph 33mph
30 10mph mph30 10
Large LargeDeformation Deformation small smallDeformation Deformation
wind response diagram
section acoustic activity diagram
& 87.0 dB wood poplar mohogany red oak birch maple red balau
e Unit
elevation pattern
05 REMEDY: FLORA AND FAUNA IN THE MACHINE FIFTH-YEAR THESIS PROJECT FOR THE DECOMMISSIONED DIABLO CANYON NUCLEAR PLANT
ACADEMIC SELECTED WORKS
PROJECT TYPE Research Institute + Seed Bank
WORK TYPE Individual
LOCATION Avila, San Luis Obispo County, CA
DESIGNED AT Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
PROJECT SIZE 750 acres
THESIS ADVISOR Dale Clifford
SOFTWARE USED ArcGIS, Rhino, Grasshopper, Photoshop, and Illustrator
Retrofitting and adaptive reuse are common strategies to extend the life cycles of buildings with undesired or expired programs. Nuclear facilities, however, are a special breed. As more nuclear projects go offline, their costly infrastructure is left as empty shells or dismantled— creating a severity of waste in our landfills. During my 4th year of undergraduate studies, the decision to shut down Diablo Canyon, the last operating nuclear reactor in California, was announced. Today, the site’s future possibilities remain open. Through ecologically responsible alternatives to physical demolition (bioremediation), Diablo Canyon can become a habitable, adapted facility to house biodiversity research on the Pecho coast and preserve gene banks within its impenetrable structure. The impact of a repurposed Diablo Canyon can mitigate consequences in the local economy and serve as a model for reuse in the global nuclear market. Site Model (wood, acrylic, museum board, 3D-print)
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WASTE STORAGE REACTOR ONE TURBINE BLDG. KELP FARM
DISCHARGE COVE
INTAKE TUNNELS SOLAR FARM
INTAKE COVE
PUBLIC TRAM
HOW TO REUSE A NUCLEAR PLANT The Plan 32
Site Plan (top), Study Model (bottom) Section Perspective
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REACTOR ONE Mushroom Lab
+252’
+262’
+270’
+240’
TURBINE BUILDING Research Institute & Conservatory
350 ft.
300 ft.
200 ft.
150 ft.
100 ft.
50 ft.
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Floor Plan
REACTOR TWO Seed Bank
750 ft.
700 ft.
650 ft.
600 ft.
550 ft.
500 ft.
450 ft.
400 ft.
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Site Section, Plan Snapshots (above) 37
06 HUDSON YARDS 2
URBAN PLINTH OVER THE WESTERN RAIL YARD
ACADEMIC SELECTED WORKS
PROJECT TYPE Urban Plinth and Landscape
WORK TYPE Individual
LOCATION Manhattan, New York
DESIGNED AT Pratt Institute, GA/LA/UD
PROJECT SIZE 18 Acres
INSTRUCTOR Hans Tursack
SOFTWARE USED Rhino, Photoshop, Illustrator, Gemini Nano Banana
Hudson Yards is a large-scale redevelopment site on Manhattan’s West Side, positioned at a critical infrastructure point connecting MTA, New Jersey, and Amtrak transit lines. The site borders the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway, West Side Highway, ferry terminal, private heliport, and The High Line. Hudson Yards 1 is a forest of glass towers on a massive plinth set atop trusses and caissons spanning one of New York City’s busiest rail yards—an engineering marvel nearly invisible to visitors. This project proposes a new vision for Hudson Yards that emerges from conversations of landscape urbanism and the 1999 IFCCA design competition. The proposed urban plinth strengthens connections between Hudson Yards 1 and the Javits Center while extending pedestrian and cyclist routes to Hudson River Park. Hudson Yards 2 peels back its infrastructure to reveal the transportation layers below. Above, multi-speed circulation paths and constructed landscapes step gradually upward from the waterfront, allowing vehicular traffic on 11th Avenue and the West Side Highway to flow uninterrupted. Architectural elements include a central pavilion, two flexible programming spaces that delaminate from the plinth, and three ‘placeholder’ towers that anchor the site. Chunk Model (plywood base, acrylic, paint, printed Bristol board, 3D prints)
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HUDSON YARDS - THEN 1929 (NYPL Digital Collection)
HUDSON YARDS - NOW 2026
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Site Plan, Existing Conditions
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SITE
EXISTING SITE
RECREATION GREEN CORRIDOR PARK
CONNECTION TO GREENWAYS & RECREATION
JAVITS CENTER
HUDSON YARDS 1
CULTURE / EVENTS
CONNECTION TO CULTURE / EVENTS
RIPRAP SALT MARSH GRASSES PIER 72 PILES
TIDAL STEPS
MARITIME SHRUB
LANDSCAPE ZONES
WETLAND
GRASSLAND
WOODLAND
Hudson Yards 2 - Plan
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Entrance near 11th Ave & W 30th St (above, left) View from center of HY2, looking west (above, right) Site section (bottom)
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Physical chunk model Where Plinth meets the High Line (this page); Model top view (opposite)
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07 EXTRA TOPPINGS, FREE OF CHARGE FURNITURE, FABRICATION, AND MODELS
A B C D E
MISC. SELECTED WORKS 50
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RESPONSIVE ARCHITECTURE & ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS One-to-one facade study with fresnel lenses, Mylar, 3D prints, and lens. Collaborators: Nick Dennis, Waylon Ng, and Alex Siegel SEEDS TABLE Coffee table with laminated oak wood, collected seeds, and epoxy resin TOPO TABLE Side table with CNC-routed cherry wood, glass, and copper piping DESIGN VILLAGE PAVILION For shade and sleeping. With Galvanized steel pipes, carabiners, paracord, and a recycled parachute. Team competition. DEEP DRAWING Case study drawdel of the Little Island by Heatherwick Studio and MNLA. Part of a triptych of case study drawings. With Bristol board, basswood, pins, paint, and halftone prints on acetate A STOOL Made of found materials, with water bottles, bubble wrap, E-waste cables, plywood scraps, and hardware DATA VISUALIZATION MODEL Demonstrating water usage in five counties of the Colorado River Watershed, Lower Basin. With reinforced concrete, plywood, acrylic, 3D-prints, and a water pump. Collaborator: Lindsey Dannenberg URBAN DESIGN CHUNK MODEL For the project “Tidal Tapestries”. With plywood, 3D prints, Bristol board, paint, acrylic. Collaborator: Arthur Furniss
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