03 room in the woods
03 thesis beginnings + exporations transparent villa concept + polemical idea
grid pavilion aia weekend long competition
27 05 brick veil collaboration between construction + design
21 04 the music room site focus + design
forty five intergrative project + circulation
ocean race prototype connections + construction of prefabrication
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thesis progress | fall 2024
As a continuing study, the “Room in the Woods” explores how architecture can produce positive psychological experiences , particularly in the context of trauma recovery. This project strives to create a tranquil environment for the reduction of stress levels in cancer patients through carefully selected materials, thoughtful scale, and dynamic lighting conditions. Inspired by Maggie’s Foundation, an organization providing supportive spaces for cancer patients , this small building is a space for an individual to escape from the hospital, have a cup of tea, and relax.
Situated in Middletown, New Jersey, on the campus of Memorial Kettering Cancer Center, this scenic location offers a calming atmosphere and a sense of shelter as it blends in with the surrounding forest.
The path to the building is designed to curve gradually , hiding the building and creating a sense of curiosity. As the person walks along the path, it gently rises, allowing for a view of the grass below and moments of reflection
Upon arrival, the wooden facade and thick stone wall provides an organic pattern pleasing to the eye , harmonious with the surrounding environment. The vertical panels extend to the roof, drawing the eye upward, elevating the spirit of the viewer
At the top of the stairs, the room reveals itself, much lower than of the entrance, creating an intimate atmosphere . An embedded bay window at the back of the room invites the patient to experience the security of enclosure and the calming expanse of the surrounding forested site
The design of the bay window was inspired by Juhani Pallasmaa’s The Eyes of the Skin by utilizing a person’s senses within architectural design. Key materials and details were chosen to evoke tranquility : a mahogany interior create a comforting atmosphere, enhanced by the wood’s warm aroma, and an operable window to allow a gentle breeze when seated.
Designing a series of bay windows as a form of exploration, this study further investigates how carefully selected details can engage with a human’s sensorium to reduce stress levels. To enhance comfort and privacy, elements were designed with empathy for the patient’s vulnerability: an operable woven screen , allowing for a sense of security and shade from the sun, and a wooden panel separating the individual from the window , as they are elevated above ground level.
Within larger structures, these details can easily be overlooked. It is within these intimate spaces where the essence of these details is truly captured and can be used to provoke tranquility.
Situated in Staunton, Virginia, this public library creates an innovative way of learning and reading through the structure’s unique facade. Designed to accommodate every reader’s desired reading environment , Brick Veil is composed of a glass skin facade with an extruded perforated third year | spring 2023
parapet reveal
cantilever and curtain wall intersection
rainscreen drainage
study
Based on an algorithm, the perforated brick rainscreen is fabricated to allow various amounts of sunlight into the building. On a scale from one to five, 1 allotting the most and 5 the least, each space is designed to have a specific amount of light depending on the context of the room
fourth year | fall 2023
The Transparent Villa, reimagines collective housing. Through the integration of glass partitions , it challenges conventional ideas of privacy , encouraging residents to embrace and redefine the limits of exposure within its distinctive setting.
Located in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland, on a generally flat topography, the villa is situated along the lakefront, surrounded by residential complexes and local businesses.
The Transparent Villa is composed of a glass interior encapsulated by a wooden skin facade , roof, and operable exterior fins, creating a unification through materiality within this distinct grid plan. Its open-concept design blends with the surrounding environment, embracing the embedded interior courtyards, blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors upon entering the structure.
The villa is organized into four separate spatial entities : the kitchen, living, study, and bedroom & bathroom. Seemingly intimate spaces such as the bathroom are shared within a furniture unit . These units, positioned from floor to ceiling, house the service elements of the building. Each unit offers a sense of privacy without fully enclosing one area from another . Also, with the strategic use of curtains and interior fin panels provided, residents have the option of additional privacy as needed.
Placed on this flat topography, the structure moves across the plane in one level emphasizing its non-hierarchical nature as it cantilevers over the lake.
fourth year | spring 2024
aia virginia prize honorable mention
Awarded Honorable Mention in Virginia Tech’s AIA Prize Competition, this weekend-long challenge tasked participants with integrating a “bookless” library and community room for Hampton University. The Grid Pavilion displays a structure meticulously designed to disseminate knowledge in our technology driven society. The building integrates modern devices while establishing an environment that encourages outdoor engagement. That integration is accomplished by eliminating the traditional boundaries between interior and exterior spaces , creating areas where groups of individuals can interact and thrive collaboratively.
children’s learning center
third year | fall 2022
The Music Room creates an intimate space for students and musicians to enjoy beautiful melodies and to foster compositional and performance inspiration. The shelllike structure amplifies the notes , while the wooden interior panels control the acoustics, unifying aesthetics and function
The structure is secluded in a grassy meadow, away from the busy walk-ways on Virginia Tech’s campus. The placement allows for visitors to be surrounded by the sounds of the instruments and nature. To prevent the obstruction of the building, the service elements are embedded underground , emphasizing the organic nature of the space. Additionally, an amphitheater adjoins the outer perimeter of the structure, providing a scenic venue for outdoor performances and events.
forty five fourth year | spring 2024
integrative competition winner
Awarded Virginia Tech’s Integrative Competition Winner, this project is tasked to reconfigure Beligum’s 1939 World Fair structure into an primary school on the campus on Virginia Union University. Forty Five breathes new life into the historic building while simultaneously honoring its original design elements through the use of architectural additions. Reorienting the site towards the campus and main road, these additions provide a new sense of security from the main road and create a unique circulation path within this modular structure.
6” cmu block
gypsum
third year | fall 2022
Designed for adaptability , this prototype accommodates the needs of any team participating in the International Ocean Race Competition, as this structure can be effortlessly disassembled and reassembled anywhere across the globe. It provides each team with a public-friendly presentation room and trophy showcase, as well as, a separate private workshop and conference room.
Surrounding the envelope of the public segment of the structure, a perforated mesh facade creates a shaded walkway for users, while simultaneously, thermally controlling the transparent interior polycarbonate walls. level one level two
Developed within a 4 feet by 4 feet steel grid, the prototype is designed for easy disassembly , facilitated by its lightweight steel structure, insulative polycarbonate panels, and adjustable foundation piers. Each system is prefabricated , enhancing convenience for transportation and reconstruction . On the left, a 1:1 scale model presents a connection featuring pre-welded plates on a column, allowing for I-beams to be easily slid and securely bolted into place.
august 2023 - present
thank you. -
