Portfolio
Mipo Okeowo
Contact: mipookeowo@gmail.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ mipo-okeowo
Education: University of Southern California (B. Arch with a minor in Business) 2022-present
Softwares used: Rhino, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Twinmotion
ADU: Treading Through Space
Highland Park, Los Angeles
Year 3
The overall design of the 800 squarefoot ADU and its surrounding context allows for its occupants to have their own space separate from the those living in the main house, while also allowing for there to be opportunities to interact with those living in the main house.
This ADU implements level changes as a means of transition from space to space. It denotes a separation between private and public spaces to introduce a sense of flow within in the ADU, despite everything being on a single floor. Along with the use of stairs, a reading nook is used as transition space to ease the gradation from private to public spaces.
The roof design of ADU takes inspiration from the hip and gable roof of the house already on the lot. Exposing the pitches of the roof in the interior of the ADU enlarges the small space as well as exposes the unique form to the interior of the ADU.
Massing Diagram: A separation of the public and private spaces as a basis for designing the overall form of the ADU.
Section Perspective: Highlighting the roof form and level changes in the ADU
A
Parti Diagram: The reading nook acts as a transition space between public and Private spaces of the ADU.
Section
Ground Floor Plan
Arts District Branch Library
Arts District, Los Angeles
Year 1
This project proposes to introduce a branch library with a butterfly garden to an empty lot in the Arts District of Los Angeles. The lack of green space in the surrounding area is a reason why I chose to include a butterfly garden with the branch library proposal.
The overall form of the library takes inspiration from items found in gardens, such as rocks and birds’ nests. The roundness of the birds’ nests juxtaposes with the sharp edges of the rock, introducing smoothness to the overall massing.
Having the butterfly garden take over the site helps further integrate the branch library into the site, making it seem as if the library is growing from the garden rather than just simply being placed on the site.
Figure Ground: Focusing on the lack of green space near the site
North Elevation: The branch library embeds itself into the butterfly garden to make it seem as if the library is growing from the site.
Section B-B’
Section A-A’: Skylights on the second floor help make the space feel expansive, as if someone reached the summit of a mountain.
Trifecta
The Superfuture of the Los Angeles Foothills
Encino, Los Angeles
Year 2
As the density of cities increases in the years to come, there is a need to consider how the foothills of Los Angeles will adapt to accommodate this change. Bringing a sense of organization to the foothills by introducing a system of three typologies helps the foothills to adapt. The three typologies are villages, ridges, and towers. All three of the typologies each follow their own sets of rules in relation to one another but are connected by the landscape of the foothills. The highlighted sector of the larger square mile has a focus on growing industries pertaining to cultural production.
There are three main villages/districts within the sector: Arts, Tech/Innovation, and Communications. Each village has land bridges that act as aerial and underground connectors between buildings. These connections allow for one to move easily between buildings without needing to face the hilly terrain and acts as a social connector between people of different industries and the general public. The sector also has ridge-like structures that are vertical neighborhoods to create multi-level communities. Lastly, the towers are the industrial supports of the sector that have a focus on mixed industrial programming by having warehouses, arts studios, and makerspaces.
Site Plan of a square mile of Encino made with two other classmates
System of Organization Diagram
Open Space Network Diagram
A gridded system is introduced to the foothills as a way to bring organization to the foothills. The ridges are the only structures not bound by the grid.
Circulation Diagram
Transportation System Diagram
Overall Axon of the Cultural Production Sector
Towers: These buildings are designated for mixed industrial usage. They are clusters of productivity that support activity in the villages. Light manufacturing occurs here, and there are small creative studios as well.
Ridges: They are the main residential zones for the sector. These vertical neighborhoods consist of different programs to cultivate a sense of community in a multi-story building.
Zoning Diagram
Section of the Towers
Section of the Ridges
Villages: They are centered around industries for cultural production. Aerial and underground connections through land bridges limit the need for people to walk on the hilly terrain. They act as spaces of gathering for the public and for people of different industries to exchange ideas.
Programmatic Section of the Communications Village
Programmatic Section of the Arts Village
Section of the Tech/Innovation Village
Boardwalks in each of the villages provide an even surface for people to walk on to protect from the steep changes of topography in the foothills.
View of the Tech/Innovation Village
The Missing Middle
Live/Work Units & Medium Density Housing
Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles
Year 3
This project looks to solve the lack of medium density housing and live/work units in Los Angeles, as well as in the U.S. as a whole. The live/work units of this project would have the garage function as flea markets and pop-up shops for people in the nearby community. It would activate foot traffic on to the site in order to make it appear inviting to those passing by.
The overall concept of this project involves the staggering of volumes in order for each apartment unit to retain its own identity, while also adhering to formal rules that dictate the overall design. The staggering of volumes also allows for terraces to be given to each unit in order to promote indoor-outdoor living in the temperate climate of Los Angeles.
Massing Diagram
Ground Floor Plan of a Live/Work Unit
Second Floor Plan of a Live/Work Unit
Third Floor Plan of a Live/Work Unit
Section B-B
Section C-C: A Live/Work Unit
South Elevation
North Elevation
Section A-A
Reflecting the Wetlands: Part 1
Wall Panel
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach
Year 2
A precast concrete base for the panel inhabits flora and fauna found in wetlands, specifically birds, lichen, and moss. The precast base is then cladded with an iridescent porcelain tile that changes color when interacting light. The tile is also treated with Titanium Dioxide which breaks down toxins in the air via a chemical reaction with sunlight, referencing the wetlands’ rolw as a natural toxin filter.
This performative wall panel takes on attributes of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, a wetland in southern California, in order to reflect and function in the context it would be used in.
Exploded Axon of the Panel
Tiles are coated with Titanium Dioxide, which reacts with sunlight to break down air toxins.
The pattern on an individual panel allows for a seamless pattern to form when panel is repeated to create a wall.
Section of Panel
Plan of Panel
Porcelain
Reflecting the Wetlands: Part 2
A Sculptor’s Retreat
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Hungtington Beach
Year 2
The panel developed in Part 1 of the project is then used to create the facade of a sculptor’s retreat in the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Eventually, twelve identical sculptor retreats would be developed on the reserve. The retreat has a large, communal space that would be the working space for sculptors to develop new project ideas. A small, private space is designated for a bedroom and a bathroom.
The panel for the sculptor’s retreat is adjusted in order for natural light to enter the structure through the panel. Some of the birds’ nests are turned into small windows to let in pockets of light. Futhermore, the interior side of the panel is developed in order to have the scalloped pattern on the concrete base occur on both sides of the panel.
Overall Axon of a Sculptor’s Retreat
Perspective
Reflecting the Wetlands: Part 3
The Community Center
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach
Year 2
The final part of the project is a community center that would be the communal base for the twelve sculptors on a retreat in Bolsa Chica. The sculptors would come to the community center for breakfast and dinner as well as to hang out with other sculptors on a retreat. A caretaker, who would live in the community center, would handle meals for the sculptors.
The panel developed in Part 1 of the project is further developed to create three different types of panels to create the facade of the comunity: a flora, fauna, and window panel.
Massing Diagram
Section Perspective
Sun Path Diagram
Co-Living & Lightwells
Olympic Village
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
Year 3
Influenced by the Summer Olympics and Paralympics Games arriving in Los Angeles in 2028, this project looks to design an Olympic Village near SoFi Stadium as the home base for athletes during the Games. When the Games are finished, the Village would then transition to be co-living, rental units to help solve the housing crisis in Los Angeles.
Each of the co-living units are oriented around lightwells that are used to bring light and air into living spaces of each of unit and also act as a space of connectivity by extending balconies into the lightwells. The units around a lightwell create a neighborhood within the larger context of the project, especially when all the living spaces face one another.
Overall Isometric of the Olympic Village
Massing Diagram
Program Diagram
Circulation Diagram
Typical Floor Plan
Sixth Floor Plan
Isometric Chunk: Exploring the lightwell’s relationship with the units surrounding it
Section B-B
Wood screens on the corridors act as privacy screens for the bedrooms facing into the courtyard but also create an enclosed environment for residents to feel less exposed when walking along the corridor.
North Elevation
South Elevation
West Elevation
Interior View of a Unit
An open ground floor allows for a direct view through the entire site.
Section A-A