Professional Portfolio by Lisa Diaz-McPeek

LISA DIAZ-McPEEK

76 ELEVENTH AVE NEW YORK, NY FIRM: WOODS BAGOT

Working on conjunction with BIG, Woods Bagot serves as the Architect of Record for this project. Production of construction documents in Revit, coordination with MEPS/ Interior Designer and Design Architect. Solely responsible for issuance and coordination with expeditor for DOB permits submissions and approvals. Typology: Mixed-Use, high rise. Software utilized: Revit Firm: Woods Bagot

HOTEL PASEA HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA FIRM: WATG

INSPIRATION: AQUA TOWER CHICAGO, IL

Invited to participate in a design charrette for the facade design of the Hotel Pasea, in Huntington Beach, California. My facade design was selected, and although modified from the original design, construction has already been completed. Software utilized: Sketchup, CAD Firm: WATG

YUNNAN KUNMING 5-STAR KUNMING, CHINA FIRM: WATG

Produced architectural drawings through Design Development. Provided design solutions for portions of the project as deemed necessary throughout the documentation process. This includes facade studies, podium studies, redesign of porte cochere, and redesign of podium architectural features. Prepared files for rendering. Attended coordination meetings with MEP and with pertinent Chinese building codes. Software utilized: Rhino, Revit and CAD. Firm: WATG

GRADUATE THESIS “At the Junction of Music and Architecture” ADVISOR: JUAN AZULAY

Within the current discourse of technology and architecture, the notions of tangibility and intangibility of technology is able to be quantified through exploitations of light and sound. Present within the discourse of architecture, “Xenakis discusses the intersection of music, mathematics, architecture and science in his work, and gives many insights into both his practice and his creative philosophy.” (Xenakis article) Correlations between music and architecture have been commonly made throughout history due to their encompassing nature. The concept of space-time is present in both genres and the perceived linearity of each experience, which the whole of the experience can only be identified at the culmination of the experience. Le Corbusier and Xenakis explored these aspects of music and architecture within the Philips Pavilion/Poème Electronique. While Le Corbusier’s interest lied within the aspect of music influencing architecture, Xenakis’s interest lied in the composition of music and the aural experience of the inhabitants. “It becomes clear now that Xenakis used the distribution of sound sources as a means to augment spatial awareness and aural attention. Consequently, space no longer constitutes a passive link between music and architecture but becomes an active element that gives rise to new auditory experiences and enhances the musical expressiveness. The idea of surrounding the listener with music brings us to a fundamental element of Xenakis’ approach to sound, namely the concept of immersion. His desire to immerse the audience in sound should not be understood in terms of ‘domination’ however. It has rather to do with a situation of proximity that enables the listener to grasp the manifold details of the musical edifice and fully experience the sensuous impact of sound.” (Mikesch

W. Muecke, 2007, p. 40) Through the Philips Pavilion, literal scores of music were utilized in order to derive form. This form took the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid. In this context, ‘As a result of the impasse in serial music, as well as other causes, I originated in 1954 a music constructed from the principle of indeterminism; two years later I named it “Stochastic Music”. The laws of the calculus of probabilities entered composition through musical necessity.’ (Xenakis, 1971) Therefore, “… phenomenological and intellectual input [was] used as material for the composition.” (sxa, 11) Moving forward within the discourse of architecture toward more contemporary times, with the advent of computerized technologies within the field of architecture, a debate commenced regarding what role they should play within the field of architecture. “Christopher Alexander dismissed the use of computers as a design aid: ‘A digital computer is, essentially, the same as a huge army of clerks, equipped with rule books, pencil and paper, all stupid and entirely without initiative, but able to follow exactly millions of precisely defined operations... In asking how the computer might be applied to architectural design, we must, therefore, ask ourselves what problems we know of in design that could be solved by such an army of clerks ... At the moment, there are very few such problems.’ ” (Frazer, 17-18) Having criticized the utilization of computer aided design as a generator of form, Alexander purports that computer technology should only be used as a tool. Heavily involved in computer science and computer programming, he promotes design through programming methods. Simultaneously, commenced the investigation of neural networks within computing and programming.

“Neural network computers simulate the learning and pattern-recognition capabilities of the human brain. Again they can be thought of as large numbers of serial computers, but in this case linked in a hierarchical pattern of communication modeled on the connection patterns of the synapses of the brain. ” (Frazer, 26) “...Igor Aleksander, is also very conscious of the unique capabilities of the human brain. He reminds us that it is extraordinarily good at making guesses based on experience, at retrieving knowledge from memory without the need for exhaustive searches, at perceiving analogies and forming associations between seemingly unrelated items. These aspects of intuition, perception and imagination are the traditional creative engines for architectural ideas.” (Frazer, 19) Simultaneously these “aspects of intuition, perception and imagination” tie in seamlessly to Xenakis’ search “...for a totality wherein everything contributes to a total experience of the listener. Space, architecture, texture, light, sound, time, everything is contributing to the realization of a mentally and corporally immersive experience. A context must be provided wherein listeners can ‘become only ears’.” (sxa, page 34) This thesis is seeking to find the balance where the phenomenological and intellectual input meets data input. Subsequently bringing the discourse of Xenakis to the forefront of technology. Utilizing his research and findings, alongside others within the discourse of music and architecture, creating a space and envelop that is derived by means of musical performance, music theory, and technology. Utilization of light and sound allow for the “use of musical structures in visual imagery.” Creating an aural

space, utilizing the notion of architecture and music becoming all consuming and creating a space-time experience for the inhabitant of the space is where this thesis will begin its exploration. These tools coupled with the tangible tools of computer networking and the intangible results of feedback systems, creates a system creating intelligence within architecture. By means of this thesis, I wish to challenge the notion of the necessity of the presence of physical enclosure. Prove the intangible qualities of technology able to provide tangible architecture. Utilize visual music, data networks and structures as generative tools for creation of tangibility within an architectural space, providing a physical environment within the unphysical world. Music within this project will serve as the symbolic and generative act, which will create a dialogue between the performance (interior) and the architecture (exterior), whereby both the music and the architecture have both active and reactive qualities towards each other. Visual music is in essence one of the means by which the intangible is perceived as tangible. The dialogue which will ensue will create the desired feedback loop and therefore allow the architecture to achieve intelligence. Simultaneously, through the experiential qualities of these effects, the viewer or inhabitant is deceived by the perception of enclosure. This stage (interior) provides the means for a pseudo sense of shelter.

South End, Boston:

Works Cited Frazer, J. (1995). An Evolutionary Architecture. London: John Frazer and the Architectural Association. Mikesch W. Muecke, M. S. (2007). Resonance: Essays on the Intersection of Music and Architecture, Volume 1. Ames, Iowa: Calicidae Architectural Press. Wikipedia. (2011, April 2). Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 10, 2011, from Visual Music: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_music

1. home of Boston Center for the Arts 2. artistic community: warehouses transformed into galleries and artist studios 3. most innovative dining options 4. known for activism & diversity 5. equivalent to castro in San Francisco & dupont circle in Washington D.C. 6. contains large quantity of victorian row houses

town of brookline

city of chelsea

SITE: E. Berkeley St. / Washington St. Boston, MA

boston harbor

LEGEND: south end, boston site location art lofts / galleries art schools museums theaters

BOSTON CITY MAP

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LEGEND: New Subway Line Art Lofts / Galleries Art Schools Museums Theaters Subway “T” Stations Existing “T” Stations Boston Center for the Arts New Building Breezeway Green Space

V ICINITY / TRAIN LINE MAP N.T.S.

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CIRCULATION DIAGRAM

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PROGRAM DIAGRAM

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PROGRAM DIAGRAM

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LISA DIAZ-McPEEK M.Arch1, SCI-Arc l.diazroman@gmail.com