Interior Design Portfolio

Masters Thesis

Fall/Spring 2023-2024

SECTOR: Cultural

SIZE: 10,700 sq ft

LOCATION: Gainesville, FL

PROGRAMS: Revit, Enscape, Photoshop, Illustrator

DURATION: Final Year, Individual

Project Description

Evidence-based design was used to envision a vibrant cultural center to serve north-central Florida’s growing Cuban American community while also inviting a larger local community to engage with and learn about the rich cultural heritage and traditions Cuban Americans enjoy.

Theories of placemaking, material culture, and participatory design were employed to create an overall regenerative design in a newly revitalized district within Gainesville. Additionally, end-user interviews and participatory design strategies were crucial to the development of strategic architectural programming requirements.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

• Interactive exhibits designed to enhance placemaking were distributed throughout the floor plan

• Authentic material culture was achieved through display of cultural artifacts and the furnishings + finish selections

• User equity was carefully considered by the inclusion of multi-modal access to exhibits, as well as ADA compliance throughout the facility

Architectural Interiors 2 Spring 2023

SECTOR: Social Justice/Service

SIZE: 12,560 sq ft

LOCATION: Gainesville, FL

PROGRAMS: Revit, Enscape, Photoshop, Illustrator

DURATION: 2 Week Charrette, Group Project (with A. Rinkus + B. Ross)

Project Description

Old Mt. Carmel is a historically significant social justice site for the local Gainesville community and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

This project involved the real client, Pastor Gerard Duncan, and was completed as a two week charrette. While my teammates focused on the community center portion of the project, I was tasked with designing the restoration of this historic sacred space.

The design implemented for this task included tailored lighting solutions to invoke a spiritual experience, and a complete restoration of the unique baptismal font surrounded by a full scale mural of the Jordan River that would employ local artists in order to increase community engagement.

OLD MT. CARMEL SACRED:

DESIGN + RENDER BY: Milena Rodrigez Mendez

Architectural Interiors 2 Spring 2023

SECTOR: Commercial

SIZE: 21,000 sq ft

LOCATION: Atlanta, GA

PROGRAMS: Revit, Enscape, Photoshop, Illustrator

DURATION: 5 Weeks, Group Project (with A. Rinkus + B. Ross)

Project Description

Our team focused on delivering a workplace design that would align with the client’s desire to “Shift” the corporate culture. Using concept drivers like tectonics, campus life, and the home living room, we designed a workplace where the interior architecture served as a parallel to the client’s values.

I lead the design of the office library, wellness rooms, and office living room (called The Dorm). All of these spaces were designed by first considering the needs of the client and then delivering solutions that were human centered and provided the users with engaging, comfortable spaces maximizing user choice

DESIGN + RENDER BY: Milena Rodrigez Mendez

FLOOR PLAN KEY 1 2 3 5 6

ELEVATOR WORK CAFE WORKSHOPS OPEN WORKSTATIONS PRIVATE OFFICES COPY/MAIL

7 8 9 10 11 4 1 2 6 8 8

10 10 10 10

4 9

8 7

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

• Privacy screen that allows light filtration

• Custom built-in shelving to maximize display + organization space

• Variety of lighting

• Flexible furniture arrangement

• Variety of posture

11 11 5 3

8 8

All group members contributed to material selections, rendered floor plan, and RCP.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

• Acoustical treatments in both the library + wellness rooms

• Biophilic design in wellness rooms

• Frosted glass with opacity tailored to maintain sightlines while respecting privacy

• Custom built-in booths within shelving

• Flexible furniture arrangement

• Variety of posture

Inclusive Design Fall 2022

SECTOR: Residential

SIZE: 1,090 sq ft

LOCATION: Jacksonville, FL

PROGRAMS: Revit, Enscape, Photoshop, Illustrator

DURATION: 3 Weeks, Individual

Project Description

With a design philosophy centered around empathy, I chose to take an elective graduate level course focused on evidence based inclusive design

This residential project was designed by researching evidence based design strategies for visually impaired users, and implementing them into the redesign of a home in Jacksonville, FL within an underserved community

The final deliverables were presented in poster format. My poster was selected to be included as part of an exhibition organized by the Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience (FIBER) in May 2023.

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Residential Design Spring 2024

SECTOR: Residential

SIZE: 257 sq ft

LOCATION: Gainesville, FL

PROGRAMS: Revit, Enscape, Photoshop, InDesign

DURATION: 1 Weeks, Individual

Project Description

Situated in the heart of a 1970s shed architecture home in Florida, this 257 sq.ft. kitchen remodel pays homage to past classics and celebrates the fun-loving artists that call it home. The renovation required careful space planning as the kitchen sat in the very center of the home, yet was closed off and created multiple dead-end circulation paths. The open galley design maximizes connections between users and spaces. the home’s bones became a featured design element through the partial exposure of the roofing beams above the kitchen area. This design solution brings in visual interest while also providing as much vertical height as possible.

36” Classic French Door Refrigerator/Freezer with Internal Dispenser

36” Contemporary Induction Cooktop

30” E Series Transitional Built-In Double Oven

24” Dishwasher - Panel Ready

Architectural Interiors 2

Spring 2023

SECTOR: Commercial

SIZE: 6,520 sq ft

LOCATION: Gainesville, FL

PROGRAMS: Revit, Enscape, Photoshop, Illustrator

DURATION: 5 Weeks, Individual

Project Description

This project presented the possibility to reimagine what a convenience store could be. Charge Hive became a source for environmental and community renewal. Designed to harness solar energy on a green roof, and power electric vehicles, this project considered the ways a community could look in the near future

The interior architecture was designed to engage a sense of community by providing a sit down coffee shop, as well as space for a candy shop business add-on. All the while, biophilic elements were deployed throughout the design, maximizing daylighting and sightlines to increase safety within the store.

MAIN ENTRY

HIVE COFFEE CO.

MAIN POINT OF SALE

SELF-SERVE BEVERAGES

ATM COOLERS

GONDOLA FIXTURES

SWEET LIKE HONEY CADY SHOP

SELF-CHECKOUT BATHROOMS

BACK OF HOUSE

Advanced Design Detailing Fall 2023

SECTOR: Commercial

SIZE: 250 sq ft

LOCATION: Gainesville, FL

PROGRAMS: Revit, Enscape, Photoshop

DURATION: 8 Weeks, Individual

Project Description

Focusing on client branding and commercial space functionality, this 250 sq.ft corner kiosk was designed and fully detailed as an individual project. The final deliverables included a complete set of construction documents (LINK BELOW).

two roads diverged in a wood, and I

I took the one less traveled by...

-Robert Frost

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