ARCHITECTURAL PORTFOLIO.
SELECTED WORKS
ENGLEWEAVE
“Engleweave” is an urban redevelopment in South side Chicago centered around Englewood’s elevated nature trail, intended to bring life and community engagement into a historically dis-invested area.
The 1.75-mile trail originated as an elevated rail line for a relatively industrial area, filling with trees and other vegetation once abandoned. The selected site on 58th and Elizabeth acts as a center point for the trail, comprising of the north lot’s Bontemps Elementary School, a community-praised elementary school that was shut down due to lack of funds, as well as the south lot’s abandoned concrete train loading dock. Despite recent closures and vacancies, Englewood’s rich culture extends beyond its industrial background, including neighborhood staples such as Georgia’s Food Depot and Soul Vegetarian East. Churches, parks, murals, schools, community orgs, public transit, and parking also act as walkable adjacencies to the site, particularly divided into residential zoning toward the north and commercial zoning toward the south.
Circulation is organized in an “X” shape to promote site accessibility, resulting in a slice intervention through the existing building to bring people in from the north. Wide paths accommodate high commercial/transit traffic from the south, while narrow paths accommodate low residential traffic from the north. Subtle vertical circulation, including an ADA ramp on the south, connects the site to the central trail. The Bontemps building becomes low-income housing to accommodate homeless camps on the side, supported by a health center and lounge, steel bracing reinforcing the path cuts. Community and rentable office pods are implemented in the north lot to support residents and the local public. Food pods are implemented in the south lot for local restaurants to occupy, as well as market pods which are integrated into the concrete spur using garage doors. The south lot also houses green space with seating for community events, as well as a playground that extends up to the trail. Concrete panels removed from the Bontemps building for lighting are reused and dispersed in the site as planters and paths. Additional planter boxes, green roofs, solar panels, and light wells/shelves are installed throughout the site as environmental design approaches.
SITE
EXISTING SITE ADJACENCIES
COMMERCIAL VS. RESIDENTIAL ACCESS
The site has 3 anchors: Bontemps Elementary, the Englewood Trail, and the Concrete spur. The map and supplemental research indicated a clear division of residential traffic (housing, parks, schools) at the north access and commercial traffic (public transit, restaurants, parking) at the south access. To accommodate, the south circulation should be wider and more public, while the north circulation should be narrower and more private.
BONTEMPSELEMENTARY SCHOOL
ENGLEWOODTRAILCONCRETE SPUR
SLICE BUILDING + PATH CREATION
To encourage access from the neighborhood traffic on the north, diagonal punctures through the building are made. The north circulation continues as stairs to the elevated trail, extending to the east and west. Wide entrances on both ends of the south lot extend to the trail through the concrete spur: one stair and one ADA ramp.
Steel bracing is installed to structurally support the openings on each side of the main building. It provides enclosure while providing light, opening out into the north lot..
3 STEEL BRACING
COMMERCIAL VS. RESIDENTIAL ACCESS
Program is informed by residential vs. commercial traffic and paths. The existing building becomes low income housing to support homelessness camps on the site, neighboring the northern housing district. A health center and lounge support both the housing block and local community. The south lot appeals to commercial traffic through a playground, event space, and flexible market space in the bays of the concrete spur.
Three sets of ‘pods’ are implemented through the site. Rentable office pods and restaurant pods support local businesses while community pods are available for coverage and charging.
5 REMOVED CONCRETE PANEL REUSE
To introduce light into the different blocks of the existing building, 50 concrete building panels are removed and reused throughout the site as circulation and planter beds.
EXISTING BUILDING PANELS
6 ADDITIONAL IMPLEMENTATIONS
Glass curtain walls and light shelves are installed to provide light. Seating is placed throughout the site, primarily in the more commercial south lot and trail.
Steel railings provide safety to the elevated circulation. Vines, planters and green roofs are also implemented to guide circulation and dissolve the trail’s organic nature.
GLASS
BENCHES
TABLES
GREEN ROOFS
3RD FLOOR PLAN
2ND FLOOR PLAN
WALL SECTION
RESTAURANT PODS OFFICE PODS COMMUNITY PODS
CONCEPT SHOTS
This south-facing render captures the north lot courtyard, beginning in the steel-braced portion of the Bontemps building entrance. Stone paths lead to a central plaza and stairs that continue all the way to the Englewood Nature Trail.
The market is installed under the persevered, graffiticovered concrete spur. Red garage doors are built into the bays with a pulley system, allowing the space to open and close to the public. Flexible green space and seating spills in front of the spur, as well as a roof garden on top of the spur. Stair access to the top of the spur/trail is seen to the left, ramp access to the right.
NORTH ENTRANCE
This shot captures the west entrance into the north lot courtyard, one again depicting stairs to the central plaza. The Bontemps building is shown in the back left, as well as one of the community charging pods to the right. Planters guide the circulation, again leading all the way up to the Englewood trail on the right.
NORTH COURTYARD SOUTH COURTYARD
OFFICE PODS
COMMUNITY CHARGING
PODS
RESTAURANT PODS
FOOD TRUCK
FOOD TRUCK
BRIDGEPORT LIBRARY
This proposal seeks to re-purpose Bridgeport’s Central Manufacturing District Bank into a branch library with a 20% cultural production program towards audio and music. Key objectives include revitalizing the main entrance for accessibility, prioritizing pedestrian access, and promoting community engagement.
The interior design features a grand central stair and spaces for community reading and book collections, echoing the building’s preserved symmetrical facade. The first floor also re-purposes the bank vault as a headquarters for Chicago’s Lumpen Radio, providing exposure for the community-focused nonprofit. Basement areas serve as community recording and performance spaces, including the second bank vault. The second floor offers rented office and meeting spaces to support the project financially, as well extended reading space and a community study room. The third level houses a music library and a music school for volunteer lessons.
Parking is reduced to four staff spaces to create a green public area with an accessible amphitheater, promoting a variety of community cultural activities. The project aims to enhance walkability and foster cultural production, creating a welcoming hub for Bridgeport residents. Between accessible circulation, community-provided reading and production spaces, and walkability, the Bridgeport Branch Library truly welcomes all of Bridgeport.
DRIVE-THRU
TRANSFORMED INTO FLEXIBLE GATHERING
SPACE
REVITALIZED
ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE
EXISTING BANK DRIVE-THRU
EXISTING BANK LOBBY
CLOSED EXISTING INACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE ROOM
BANK VAULT
2ND FLOOR PLAN
HANDBALL COURT MUSIC
A - OFFICE SPACE
B - BANK VAULT
CHILDRENS AREA
RADIO STATION
SOUTH SITE ELEVATION
SOUTH
WALL SECTION AXON
ELEVATE AUSTIN
Elevate Austin pushes the ambitions of what a field house can be to a community. The majority of the building provides athletic facilities and offices to the Austin, Chicago Residents. That being said, Elevate Austin’s design is primarily forwardfocused, including a variety of flexible spaces, as well as a daycare and community college as the program-specific elements.
These were chosen through extensive site research, where I noted a significantly higher percentage of single parents in the Austin neighborhood, as well as residents with a high school diploma not being utilized. While the enclosing steel framing structure may be permanent, the spaces are designed to change and grow with the community, creating an “eternal” node for the future of Austin.
STREET NOISE
THE FIELD SCHOOL
AUSTIN TOWN HALL PARK & CULTURAL CENTER
COLUMBUS PARK
ELEMENTARY
HARAMBEE COMMUNITY GARDEN
FREDERICK DOUGLASS HIGH SCHOOL
DUKE ELLINGTON LAKE
WEST ELEVATION COLLAGE
SUNKEN GYM
RAILING WITH GLASS PANELS
WATERPROOF MEMBRANE
RIGID INSULATION
3/4” ROOF SLAB
STEEL TRUSSES
STEEL FRAMING
WINDOW FRAME
3/32” DOUBLE PANE GLASS
1/8” FLOORING
3/4” CONCRETE SLAB
1 1/4” CONCRETE SHEAR WALL
1 1/2” CONCRETE SLAB
CONCRETE FOOTING
4” DRAIN
LOBBY
SITE MAP - MURALS
MEWS STUDIOS
Bronzeville’s rich culture is well captured through its murals: music, art, writers, black heroes, and Bronzevilleraised icons. Mew Studios is a building designed for the people of Bronzeville with a focus on art and community.
The key art-influenced features are the grand mews, art gallery, classroom, and art lounges. As additional community space, I implemented a flipped courtyard mews to bring residents together. There are four 4-bedroom units, one 2-bedroom, and six 1-bedrooms, mainly on the top floor, which also has skylight installations (2-3 light wells per unit, shown in plan). Lastly, I implemented grayscale fiber cement panels for the facade, contrasting the colorful mural while maintaining artistic elements, as art is the inevitable focus.
Located on 40th King, this mural depicts examples of black heroes such as text from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, passages associated with Nelson Mandela, and portraits of President Barack Obama and Jackie Robinson.
This mural is just past the 35-Bronzeville-IIT station Green Line, underneath the "L" train tracks. It captures a variety of famous African-Americans: Mahalia Jackson, Etta Moten Barnett, Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, R Kelly, Chante Savage, and Duke Ellington.
These two 12-foot tall murals on 43rd and King Drive recognize the influential Nat King Cole and Gwendolyn Brooks who grew up in Bronzeville. Devins was a singer, Jazz pianist, and actor, acting as a symbol of Bronzeville; a center for African American arts, culture, and entertainment. Brooks was one of the most highly regarded and influential poets of the 20th century in America. Mural “A Street in Bronzeville,” captures her first book of poetry.
Dorian Sylvain’s 2020 "Color me South Side" mural on 38th and King is inspired by the artists, performers, and musicians that he grew up with. It depicts iconic figures from the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, such as pianist Ann Ward, composer Phil Cochran, and jazz bassist Malachi Favors.
This mural, located just a block west from the site, depicts civil rights and spiritual leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln alongside some of history's notorious villains. It not only pays respect to these heroes, but is a reflection to the community about what they should be thinking about, hence it became the "Wall of Daydreaming".
colors, and symbols to represent the community of Bronzeville.
4-BEDROOM
4-BEDROOM
3RD
1-BEDROOM
2-BEDROOM
COMMUNITY USE DIAGRAM
PARAPAT CAP
WATERPROOF MEMBRANE
1/2" EXTERIOR SHEATHING
1/2" INTERIOR DRY WALL
3/4" HARDWOOD FLOORING 3/4" SLAB FLOOR
2 X 6 BOTTOM PLATE
2 X 10 RIM JOIST @ 16" O.C.
WINDOW HEADER WINDOW FRAME
3/32" DOUBLE PANE GLASS WINDOW DRIP EDGE
1 1/2" PAVED CONCRETE PATH 18" SOIL
WATERPROOF MEMBRANE 12" GRAVEL FILTER FABRIC
HIGH DENSITY FIBER CEMENT CLADDING
LIGHT GAGE METAL FRAMING
THERMALLY BROKEN CLADDING (S-RAIL) 4" DRAIN
5-1/2" BATT INSULATION
5/8" GYPSON BOARD MASONRY FLASHING
6" CONCRETE CAST FOUNDATION
CONCRETE FOOTING 4" DRAIN AIR GAP VAPOR BARRIER
ELEVATION N 16 IN 8 4
AIR STREAM COACH HOUSE
The focus of this airstream house is creating an ideal creative space for an artist. The windows of the second-floor studio space are north-facing with a slight overhead curve to provide optimal natural lighting. The deck, supply closet, and bed are also closely accessible for efficient access to fresh air, materials, and rest while working. While this house may seem like a standout amongst the simple brick buildings of Bridgeport, it acts as a beacon of creativity, perfectly suited for an artist.
The model was created in Rhino, sliced by floor, and 3D printed. It was then assembled and coated in a metallic spray paint to mimic the aluminum plating.
NEIGHBORHOOD ARCH SHAPE
SOUTH SITE SECTION
1ST FLOOR PLAN
SOUTH BUILDING SECTION
SOUTH ELEVATION
BUILDING RENDER
AXONOMETRIC DIAGRAM
ART STUDIO RENDER
2ND FLOOR PLAN
ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS
As project architect for Illinois Tech’s Engineers without Borders, I’ve been producing Revit drawings for the current project in Kavule, Uganda: a 1,500-student school complex. During the assessment trip to the Dezi Community School, we evaluated existing facilities, conducted soil tests, and engaged with students and community members. Using these insights, we collaborated with licensed architects and engineers to develop design alternatives. After thoughtful consideration and community feedback, we selected a phased, one-story design for its flexibility, cost efficiency, and future scalability.
Phase 1 includes two buildings with four classrooms total, creating a courtyard that integrates with the existing school. The design incorporates concrete columns, wood trusses, mud brick facades, and corrugated metal roofing with water collection systems. I will continue to develop these drawings as we move into the structural calculations phase to accommodate.
PHASE 1 AERIAL
EXISTING MUD BRICK SCHOOL
KUVALE COMMUNITY
WORKSHOP WITH LICENSED ARCHITECTS
SITE PLAN
RAMOVA THEATER
For this adaptive reuse Revit project, we were asked to revitalize Bridgeport’s Ramova Theater, reimagining the space as a banquet hall and restaurant. I highlighted a few of the primary drawings.
Originally constructed in 1929, the theater’s facade, existing theater space, and ‘Ramova’ Sign have become iconic features that entail preservation. The proposed banquet hall on the ground floor retains the theater’s historic charm and unique ornamentation, while accommodating new programmatic needs. The restaurant and Kitchen occupy the remaining square footage on the Northwest footprint, strategically located along a series of existing curtain walls to draw community attention. The north department of the second floor, originally a Newspaper company, is dedicated to offices space, mimicking its existing typology. The south area of the second floor houses a gathering area, promoting community engagement, as well as existing balcony areas for banquet overflow and lounging.
I implemented nearly 30 custom Revit families for this design, utilizing parameters for materials and dimensions. Through thoughtful design and execution, this adaptive reuse project aims to honor the theater’s heritage while creating a dynamic cultural venue that meets contemporary demands.
SLOPE GLAZING FAMILY CUSTOM PROFILE
NORTH STAIRS ENTRANCE
LEVEL 2 GATHERING SPACE
OIL PASTEL RENDER
POPSICLE STICK RENDER
SOFT TAPE MEASURE RENDER
GOOSE ISLAND PARK SITE PLAN
PAVILION AERIAL
SITE AERIAL
TWISTED BALLROOM AERIAL
TWISTED BALLROOM SECTION
CAMP MAPLEWOOD SITE PLAN
MODELS
HOUSE IN GOSHIKIYAMA (2020)
The focus of this case study was to explore the layout and design of the “tiny home” (40 m² lot). Every level of the house is intertwined, centered with a spiraling staircase. Architect Tomohiro Hata wanted the building to “fold in” on itself, connecting spaces and highlighting geometry and a modern palette. The model consists of mitered 1/4” MDF, as well as 1/16” basswood for the stairs, furniture, and railings.
This 14 unit wood, post and beam apartment Building was designed by MARS Architects in Paris, France. I used MDF for the roofs, floors, and walls, as well as basswood for the stairs, railings, and posts. I also used engraved acrylic on top of an MDF base which can slide in and out to demonstrate the building’s access from an underground parking garage (the building is fully surrounded by other buildings, so this is the only way to access the building).
HOUSE OF GOSHIKIYAMA CASE STUDY
PARIS XII CASE STUDY
MEWS STUDIOS GALLERY
PARIS XII APARTMENTS (2020)
