MARIA LUISA STA. MARIA
Selected Works
University of Southern California 2024 & 2025
ARCHITECTURE
FURNITURE
02
03
The Final Act
Memento Mori Graduate Thesis
in collaboration with Aliza Rosenkranz
a design homage to chess
04 - 15
16 - 39
40 - 45
46 - 49
adaptive reuse for columbaria
Rib Chair
Pawn Chair
Vertical cemeteries can indicate a more modern, less traditional view of death. They may symbolize a shift toward celebrating life rather than
mourning, as seen
in some gathering, and remembrance, emphasizing a sense of
community on
the
funerary
grieving
process.
architecture
This
and
project
aims
to 05
04
focuses
in
conceptualize a cemetery through the lens of adaptive reuse. This exploration will propose possible spatial arrangements for funerary practices and establishing a procession between programs that can comfortably accommodate spaces for grief while providing a design that Interior Rendering
evokes a symbolic representation of life and death. Interior Rendering
The Final Act
adaptive reuse for columbaria ARCH705_Architecture Design - Topics Advised by Jose Herrasti Fall 2024
Exterior Rendering
The Final Act
E 6th St
06
t
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rso
07
nde
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Sixt
h St
reet
Brid
ge
Site Plan Arts District, Los Angeles, CA
Visual Research Collage
The Final Act
Section #!-%)( 03
Section #!-%)( 01
Section #!-%)( 02 08
08
02 05
07
11 09
01 Entrance / 1Lobby (-+ (!# ) 02 Restrooms #,-+))', 03 Columbarium )&.' +%.' 04 Crematorium +#' -)+%.' 05 Mortuary )+-. +1 06 Public Elevator . &%! &#/ -)+ 07 Private Elevator +%/ -# &#/ -)+ 08 Emergency Exit '#+$#(!1 0%09 Garage + $# 10 Ceremony Space #+#')(1 * !# 11 Lounge ).($# 12 Open Communal+# Area *#( )''.( & 2I¿FH 2I¿FH 14 Quiet+# Area .%#- 15 Outdoor Garden .-"))+ +"#(
03
15
Ground Floor Plan
03
14
11
09
06
13
12
01
04
08
06
03
03
Second Floor Plan
Plan Drawings
Third Floor Plan
The Final Act
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11
01 Section
02 Section
Section Drawings
03 Section
The Final Act
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13
(West) Front Elevation
(South) Right Elevation
Elevation Drawings
(East) Back Elevation
The Final Act
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15
Physical Model
This thesis research focuses on funerary architecture and aims to conceptualize the representation and
death
through
form,
of
still
life.
Funerary
a
profound
medium
materiality,
for
of life
and
architecture
articulating
the
lens
serves
as
the
intricate
relationship between life and death, often embodying the
duality
of
architectural
existence
genre
through
transforms
its
form.
spaces
into
This sacred
UHDOPV LQYLWLQJ FRQWHPSODWLRQ DQG UHÀHFWLRQ RQ
PԣޛPHQޞWǀ ޛP{UƝ A reminder of mortality.
mortality.
By
natural
and
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the
life’s The
Site Rendering
ARCH793A_Directed Design Research Advised by Professor Ryan Tyler Martinez Spring 2025
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evoke
vibrancy
careful
funerary have
man-made
arrangement
structures
Graduate Thesis
elements
traditionally
found in still life - such as the juxtaposition of
and
Memento Mori
incorporating
the
play
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of
a
symbolic
sense
and
but
of
the
orchestration
monuments
passed
materials,
objects
continuity
stillness of
-
space
not
only
honors
also
encourages
these between
of and
of
17
16
me·men·to mo·ri
death. form
those the
in who
living
WR UHÀHFW RQ WKHLU RZQ HSKHPHUDO MRXUQH\ XOWLPDWHO\ creating of
a
dialogue
life
and
between
the
permeance
transient
nature
of
memory.
Memento Mori
18
19
REFLECTION OF TIME
RECONSTRUCTION OF MEMORY
REVELATION OF RESISTANCE
M.C. Escher Still Life with Mirror 1934 Lithograph National Gallery of Art
Salvador Dali Living Still Life 1956 Oil on Canvas The Dali Museum
Georges Braque Still Life with Banderillas 1911 Oil and charcoal with sand on canvas The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Rijnboutt + Studio Libeskind Public Space at Dutch Holocaust Memorial of Names 2021 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Morphosis World Trade Center Proposal 2002 New York City, New York
Gehry Partners LUMA Arles 2021 Arles, France
Visual Research Collages
Memento Mori
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21
LINCOLN PARK GOLF COURSE (formerly City Cemetery) San Francisco, CA
City Cemetery burial sections for fraternal, religious, and ethnic communities
LEGION OF HONOR (located on grounds) during excavation in 1994 Photography by Richard Barnes
SITE Lincoln Park Golf Course (Formerly City Cemetery)
KONG CHOW SOJOURNER TOMBS
In 2022, San Francisco designated Kong Chow Sojourner Tombs as a landmark. On October 4, 2022, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association held a ceremony at the King Chow funerary structure to commemorate the designation. They plan to hold annual ceremonies each fall.
Memento Mori
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23
LEGION OF HONOR
CITY CEMETERY MONUMENTS
SITE LOCATION
SITE DIAGRAM
Memento Mori
24
25
CHAPEL Exterior and Interior Renderings
Memento Mori
chapel entrance
outdoor space
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26
27
GROUND FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
CHAPEL Axonometric Drawings
Memento Mori
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29
MEMORIAL Exterior and Interior Renderings
Memento Mori
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31
GROUND FLOOR
MEMORIAL Axonometric Drawing
Memento Mori
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33
GLASS STUDIO & GALLERIES Exterior and Interior Renderings
Memento Mori
outdoor lounge
glass studio outdoor studio space
rooftop garden
glass studio staff area gender neutral restrooms
indoor lounge
RI¿FH lobby
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34
glass studio entrance
glass gallery entrance
glass gallery
glass gallery
glass gallery
outdoor space
GROUND FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
GLASS STUDIO & GALLERIES Axonometric Drawings
THIRD FLOOR
Memento Mori
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37
Section Drawings
Memento Mori
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39
Physical Models
DESIGN
1'-10 21"
2'-3"
1'-0 43 "
in collaboration with Aliza Rosenkranz
2'-9 41"
41
ARCH609_Advanced Fabrication Advised by Professor Rob Ley Spring 2024
1"
2"
2'-9 41"
40
Rib Chair
1 2"
3 21"
1'-8"
MATERIALS: 14 Plywood Rib Pieces 66 3D Printed Joint Pieces
Rib Chair
3'-9"
4'-0"
42
43
inserting one 3D printed joint to support two ribs
nesting to maximize space
METHOD
CNC rib tests
FABRICATION
Rib Chair
44
45
glue top rib to bottom rib connection
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ASSEMBLY
disassembly is possible depending on need
indoor and outdoor use
PART 02
PART 01
PART 03
1'-8"
9 41"
3'-0"
1 21"
1 21"
2'-5 21"
1 21"
1'-8"
STEP 01: GLUE MATCHING PIECES TOGETHER
MAKE SURE CARVED GROOVE FACES OUTWARD
a design homage to chess
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46
9 41"
1'-9 43 "
1 21"
3'-0"
1'-6"
Pawn Chair
9 41"
1 21"
ARCH481_Furniture Design Advised by Professor R. Scott Mitchell Fall 2024
STEP 02: ASSEMBLE AND INTERLOCK PARTS ALIGN AND INSERT
*easy disassembly of the 3 parts depending on need
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Pawn Chair
Thank you Maria Luisa Sta. Maria mnstamar@usc.edu https://issuu.com/luisastamaria/docs/usc_architecture_portfolio