UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Masters of Architecture
Certificate in Building Façade Art Science and Technology
Magna Cum Laude
NOMAS at USC President
SoCalNOMAS Member
SPACE Graphic Designer
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Keneekwueme@yahoo.com
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles, CA 2023 - 2025
TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Architecture
Minor in General Business
Magna Cum Laude
TTU Men’s Soccer Club 2024-2025 Since 2023
2023
TTU COA Student Union Rep.
AIAS Member
Study Abroad - Seville, Spain (TTU Sevilla Center)
Los Angeles, CA
Design Apprentice August 2024 - Present
• Collaborated with teammates to develop and implement design strategies, ensuring effective project outcomes.
• Illustrated detailed diagrams to visually communicate project design goals to enhance project approach.
• Built series of massing models for project meetings and presentations.
• Provided assistance in curating physical mood boards for middle school projects.
Architectural Intern
• Created schematic plans, sections and renders for community and wellness centers.
• Developed competition drawings for middle school and high school projects.
Summer 2024
Dezeen 10 Architecture projects by students at USC 2024 “Corita Kent Foundation” project selected and showcased alongside works from nine other USC students.
A + D Musuem Los Angeles: A Model City 2024
19.75” x 14.5” x 38” chunk model for the “Corita Kent Foundation”, hand-selected and showcased in the exhibition.
CROP Issue 10: YIELD 2024
Research study, “A House for the Tourist, the Traveler & the Gambler,” selected for inclusion in a student-led publication.
SocalNOMA Student Design Competition 2024
Awarded 3rd Place as part of a team in the Southern California Chapter Competition.
NOMA BGL Student Design Competition 2023
Achieved 3rd Place as part of a team in a national competition.
Los Angeles, CA
Architectural Externship March 2024
• Shadowed design professionals in the sports and aviation team, gaining insightful knowledge during a typical week.
SHIP & PRINT PLUS
Design Specialist
• Designed custom logos, branding, and clothing to meet client needs and enhance brand visibility.
Katy, TX
Summer 2022
Revit
Rhino
Enscape
Twinmotion
Grasshopper3D
Model Making
Microsoft Office
Kuka KPC robotics
Direct-To-Garment Printing
Direct-To-Film Printing
Screen Printing
800,000SF MIXED-USE COMPLEX
LOS ANGELES,CA
FALL 2024
The densely packed urban ground plane offers little room for new development, forcing us to look upward for solutions. To address these challenges, I propose a new typology that integrates layered spaces for sports and cultural activities within urban environments. By going vertical rather than expanding horizontally, we can alleviate stress on the ground plane reviving the lack of green space in the Los Angeles metropolis and create a new skyline that provides immediate impact for those below. This superimposition of sports onto existing structures becomes a template for designing infrastructure that accommodates cultural and recreational activities alongside residential and commercial spaces, a new ideal for all things linked rather than individual.
My vision is to design a series of cores, strategically elevated to create a sensation of floating within the urban landscape. These structures will serve as dynamic spaces that house a variety of sports and physical activities, offering a unique experience as you ascend through them. The overarching concept is to evoke a sense of independence and freedom, where individuals are empowered to choose their own path at every level, fostering an atmosphere of personal exploration and mobility.
PLAYGROUND DIAGRAM
CONCOURSE DIAGRAM
NOMAS STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION
MIXED-USE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PORTLAND, OREGON FALL 2023
Growing Forward: Planting Generational Roots is about connecting generations through the retelling of history as well as cultivating intergenerational interactions. The documentation of the historically black Eliot neighborhood is present not only through the library but through the murals of Daren Todd, whose artwork focuses on capturing the significance of the black community in Portland. Through its residential spaces, courtyard green spaces, urban forest and gardens, and retail programs, Growing Forward fortifies intergenerational links that ensure Eliot’s legacy remains resilient. Project done in collaboration with the Nomas at USC student chapter.
TOPIC STUDIO
MIXED-USE HOUSING
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA SPRING 2023
Sin City, a name so illustrious it gives a hectic deminer on a wandering traveler, a family of tourists, and an inspiring gambler. The strip of Las Vegas, now a mega center of ecstasy and grand resorts each with established themes and decades of events and parades, yet seems like one cohesive body. chose to explore what makes this street an attention grabber and how can create a structure to dilate the hecticness of the strip as it relates to the new explorers. The House of Cards is the name given to the illustrious tower of eye-cashing angles, thirteen floors stacked, and rotated with each level to illude to the chaos of the strip ahead.
Although it seems random, the movements are specific. To the virgin eye, it seems like nothing going on, with an alcove circulation with an illustrious pool in the center and a Mall to the right. When settled in, each floor of the tower has many different activities roaming from adults to children. You never know if the room behind a door is a yoga studio or a three-story casino.
Unlike the Las Vegas Strip, this tower seeks to discreetly conceal the mischievous activities designed for adults. Departing from traditional floor plans, the design plays with shifting volumes, creating a dynamic experience of single, double, and triple-height spaces that intertwine seamlessly. Depending on the room you book, you’ll enjoy unparalleled views of Vegas, offering a fresh perspective every time you visit this iconic building.
COMPREHENSIVE STUDIO
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
LUBBOCK, TEXAS
FALL 2022
Oneview community college is a harbor for community learning with stunning floor-toceiling views throughout the south side of the building facade overlooking the canyon lakes. The building has an L-shaped linear organizatlon with slanted ceiling showcasing the different hierarchies of spaces within the building leading people to flow from the high point downward which all leads to the big community common space for the students. The building was intentionally put on this part of the site to allow for a multi-level grade entrance and an outdoor courtyard on the south facade. Most views out of the apertures throughout the buildmg overlook the same views entailing the same goals and ideas this community space provides, encouragmg interaction from anywhere in the building.
HOUSING STUDIO
CLT CO-DIVIDUAL HOUSING
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA FALL 2023
1X MINI SHARED QUARTERS
3X WASHER DRYER UNITS
2 PODS 4X BATHROOMS EACH
2 PODS 8X BEDROOMS EACH
1X FLEXIBLE SPACE
1X KITCHEN
2X OUTDOOR
1X SHARED LIVING
The Neyborhood is a reimagining of the balance between individual and shared, private and public. Drawing inspiration from co-dividual housing concepts, the design separates private and communal spaces by floor. Private bedrooms are placed on one level, while shared living and cooking spaces occupy another. This vertical separation elevates daily activities like cooking, eating, relaxing, and entertaining to a distinct plane, highlighting the value of shared experiences and fostering a sense of community. Project done in collaboration with Gregor Tillman
The modular typology is designed to adapt and expand, fitting seamlessly into the dense and irregular landscape of Los Angeles. At the heart of the structure is a circular core housing the elevator and egress stairs. This core can be tangentially attached to any building, creating a unique, meandering journey through the neighborhood.
Midtown Edmonson, a primarily African American community since the 1940s, was one of many neighborhoods bisected by the U.S. I-40 Highway, displacing thousands, creating food deserts, and reducing public green spaces. This project strengthens community identity by integrating green spaces, art studios, communal kitchens, and marketplaces. These elements enhance the city’s public areas and contribute to Baltimore’s arts and culinary scene, fostering a deeper connection to local creativity and heritage.
The site’s pattern creates a cross-site language that seamlessly blends greenscapes, hardscapes, and programs, in order to connect the surrounding neighborhood back to the site, while ground murals welcomes the neighborhood and creates a wayfinding affect. meanwhile,the form of the housing and transit hub are inspired by the surrounding row house architecture typology. Within the affordable housing complexes are integrated art labs to promote arts education and engagement with local artists. where The metro station includes local art exhibition spaces. Meanwhile the American Ice Co. transforms into a food hub with a farmers markets, a community kitchen, greenhouse and outdoor growing space for the cultivation of fresh produce. Project done in collaboration with the Nomas at USC student chapter.
The American Ice Co. Factory was designated as a historic building under Baltimore’s historic preservation guidelines. Through adaptive reuse, we transformed the building’s interior into a vibrant farmers market, incorporating a double-height atrium to bring in natural light and a communal kitchen at the far end. This design fosters a sense of togetherness, creating a space for community events and strengthening connections within the neighborhood.
Promoting Public Transportation + Pedestrian Friendly Movement
Public transit and pedestrian movement will be promoted and encouraged throughout the site by constructing the transit hub, safe and wide crosswalks, bus station shelters and bike racks and paths.
Growing Food as a Community
Growing food on site will confront the issue of the site being located in a food desert. Along with this, growing food together will foster a sense of community among the residents and surrounding areas. In addition, growing food will help in promoting good health and well-being within the community.
Creating Jobs for Site Residents+ Community
The City of Baltimore and the Transit Hub Council could create a job training program that would allow residents on site and surrounding community members to learn how to maintain the landscape which will lead to a land stewardship model.
Increasing Biodiversity + Polllinators
Using native plant species to the site will increase the amount of biodiversity and attract local fauna such as pollinators. Because of this, this will allow residents and community members to feel more connected to nature while providing aesthetic beauty.
Incorporating Rainwater in Design
To reduce the amount of water use on site, it is essential to capture and reuse rainwater for irrigation of the landscape. One method that could be potentially utilized are rain barrels next to the buildings. Another strategy that could be used is grading the topography to create bioswales and depressions in the landscape to collect rainwater to allow infiltration to take place.
Composting+ Recycling Programs
Having composting and recycling bins on site, especially along walking paths will reduce the amount of waste generated.
COMPREHENSIVE STUDIO
CLT MIXED-USE COMMUNITY ART CENTER
LOS ANGELES,CA SPRING 2024
The Corita Kent Foundation represents the selfless artist and her advocacy against poverty, racism, and war. Her messages of peace and social justice permeate this building and extend to the surrounding neighborhood. The seven-story split tower, constructed with a mix of CLT blanks and mass timber columns, features a cantilevered ground level, transforming the site into a community park for safe gatherings and activism. Additionally, the stacked CLT walls serve as a billboard, urging the city to wake up and recognize societal trends. With the tower oriented toward the city, guests get a chance to look back at the world and see different issues Sister Corta Kent has been fighting for.
Through a series of study models, I explored the situational and environmental dynamics of the site, striving to maximize the potential of an efficient mixed-use gallery space. Environmental factors became the driving force behind my design, shaping a vision that reflects the elegance of Sister Corita Kent and her capacity to inspire and energize the surrounding neighborhood
My chunk model portrayes a cantilevered moment in which the site is reclaimed to be a neighborhood park while the natural essence of Sister Corita flows throughout the tower with monumental views to soften the presence of this mass-timber momument.
Everything is about framing activities based on the individual inhabiting the space. There is an L - shaped core of essentials like sleeping, working, and storing objects. Leaving plenty of space for activitves at the opposite end of the space. This unique shape allows for a vast variety of activites vertically and horizontally.
The importance of having two distinct areas in which to socialize and isolate is crucial. My proposal is the use of two rectanglar massings each tailored to such events and one is rotated to merge in such away to hide the sleeping space when engaging in other activites. Helping create a cozy feeling after a long day of work.
CO-DIVIDUAL HOUSING FOR 10 PEOPLE
The use of three rectangular blocks is used to create modular circulation throughout my building, the angles it’s placed at are based on the 3 angles created from my minimal dwelling house. When each block intersects each other, it shifts up to the next floor leaving behind intricate spaces for the inhabitants to have privacy and unique views throughout the building.
C# IN GRASSHOPPER MUDULAR SCRIPT
FALL 2024
Advanced computation script that allows me to create a modular window mullions by inserting any single or double-curve surfaces. This script gives me the ability to streamline my design process giving me the freedom the explore unique apertures that enhances the urban facade.
The sole requirement for the digital tool is that it involves C# components—no native Grasshopper Components permitted. The component can replicate an existing Grasshopper plugin component, as long as that component is not open-source.
Extracting surface edge dimensions from the given surface inputs
Creating the sizing of the mullions to be from the mullion width and length input parameter
Creating a grid pattern based on the panel width and length given along the surface dimensions
Creating the rectangular mullions to follow the path of the UV lines extracted from the grid no matter the direction
Extracting the U V lines from the grid to separate layers for ease of control in the mullion making processes
The ubiquity of digital modeling software has enabled the generation of complex forms without requiring explicit knowledge of the underlying mathematical and geometric principles governing those digital forms. While this has led to profound innovations in form creation, there has been a lack of reciprocity in translating these abstract geometric concepts into principles for building construction.
It is necessary to develop a geometric lexicon that navigates between curved forms and the industrial constraints of building assemblies. This vocabulary, derived from projective and topological geometry, establishes a reciprocal system of structure that can be used to discretize curved forms into flat panels, thus enabling the translation of complex forms into constructible surfaces at an architectural scale.
KUKA KR6 ROBOTIC PROGRAMMING FALL 2024
Using KUKA 6-axis robotic arms. With the reliability, accuracy and flexibility afforded by these machine, we hope to change the way we understand and engage digitally driven tools for fabrication. With the use of the KR6 Agilus industrial robot, was able to translate rhino massing and surfaces with the newly developed parametric plugins such as KukaPRC, allowing direct interface between Rhino/Grasshopper and the robot arms. the translate strucutre into a layers path tracers in wihc the robot can accuratly and consistantly replicate. Increasing my skills in becoming well versed in the language of robotics and kinematics, becoming the de facto programers and operators.
Inputing Rhino geometry and diconstructiong the surfaces Creating Layers and tangent lines in a linear motion to create a linear path of travel from start to finish
Implementing the path of travel into the Kuka prc plugin to set in space, configure and analyse the robot to follow my path
With AI integrated into today’s society, I aim to create a new possibility in which AI can be integrated into design strategies. envisioned a new skyline —on top of density-packed existing urban cities— that supplements what is lacking underneath. This includes a new second horizon that encourages communal engagement through recreational activities and public open spaces, which are deprived in such a dense urban fabric. By extracting ideas from a series of AI-generated images, I created a collage that supplements this concept through a new medium.
