2021- 2024 selected works
cal poly, san luis obispo | b. arch ‘26
MOMENT IN TIME 01.
CLIMATE
CENTER | LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA | WINTER-SPRING 2024
year 2024 | proposed + exisitng site conditions | view from golden shore st.
We reside in an ever changing environment. Whether shaped by natural events or human activities, our surrounding ecology is constantly revealing moments of displacement and adaptation.
In Long Beach, being historically known for its waterfront attractions has been a substantial trigger for environmental displacements, such as the diminishing of biological reserves, port pollution, and sea level rise. Thus, this climate center seeks to acknowledge the story of displacement affecting the site's ever-evolving surroundings. The form disrupts and responds to the landscape, bringing awareness to the visitors' preconceived notions and inviting them to engage with their environment in new, profound ways.
recognition: third-year launchpad | third-year best of show - 3rd place
of
the artifact disrupts and responds to the landscape
CUT
GROUNDED
EXPLORATION
CUT
GROUNDED
emphasize connection to outdoors + deprioritize particular views/arrival
of program expansion + displacement from the ground plane
the artifact disrupts and responds to the landscape
CIRCULATE
PROGRAM
emphasize connection to outdoors + deprioritize particular views/arrival 1. EXPLORATION
the artifact disrupts and responds to the landscape
EXPLORATION of program expansion + displacement from the ground plane
CIRCULATE
PROGRAM
let’s lif t ever yone of f the ground!
let’s lif t ever yone of f the ground!
3. THE CUT emphasizes connections to outdoors + de-prioritize particular views
CUT
emphasize connection to outdoors + deprioritize particular views/arrival
GROUNDED
the artifact disrupts and responds to the landscape
CIRCULATE
CIRCULATION
5. CIRCULATION
PROGRAM
fire safety is important!
experiential stairs encourage visitors to use the stairs; cores provide a means of egress
let’s lif t ever yone of f the ground!
CUT
emphasize connection to outdoors + deprioritize particular views/arrival
see taste explore
Through manipulating elevation and adopting a non-hierarchical orientation, the center allows visitors to occupy the boundary conditions firsthand. This experiential approach highlights the complexity of climate change, portraying it not as a simple choice between black and white or options A and B, but as a fluid,
EXPERIENCE
the surroundings shape the visitor experience feel hear move smell
CIRCULATION
fire safety is important!
CUT
GROUNDED
2. GROUNDED
4. PROGRAM of program expansion + displacement from the ground plane
the artifact disrupts and responds to the landscape
the artifact disrupts and responds to the landscape
emphasize connection to outdoors + deprioritize particular views/arrival
CIRCULATE
CIRCULATION
fire safety is important!
lift everyone off the ground as a response to displacement + resiliency
PROGRAM let’s lif t ever yone of f the ground!
CUT
emphasize connection to outdoors + deprioritize particular views/arrival
see taste explore
the surroundings shape the visitor experience feel hear move smell
CIRCULATE
EXPERIENCE
6. EXPERIENCE
CIRCULATION
the surrounding experiences promote curiosity + tangible connections to nature
PROGRAM
fire safety is important!
let’s lif t ever yone of f the ground!
see taste explore
ever-evolving nature of our planet as elements adapt to change. Through this dialogue between the form and its surroundings, the climate center fosters new relationships between the local environment and human communities, serving as a catalyst for reflection as individuals coexist in the interconnected web of living things.
EXPERIENCE
the surroundings shape the visitor experience feel hear move smell
view from lobby
view of 3rd floor
DESIGN FOR ECOSYSTEM
The mouth of LA River historically contained substantial amounts of wetlands, sustaining the local ecosystem in a year round habitat for wildlife. However, nearly all of them are destroyed
In response, the project site is manipulated to expand the existing marshlands, enhancing the bio-diverse, resilient, and self-sustaining ecosystem. This creates more unique opportunities for the visitors and climate center to connect and interact with the environment
DESIGN FOR CHANGE
Sea level rise, storm events, and flooding are the predominant climate threats at this location.
The climate center embraces the reality of climate change by allowing its visitors to experience these changes firsthand, captured through the changing landforms as sea level rises. As the environmental conditions evolve, so will the way the users interact, navigate, and use these spaces.
year 2024 year 2100
year 2024 | proposed + exisitng site conditions
ACSA 2024 AIA COTE SUBMISSION POSTER
DESIGN FOR COMMUNITY
Local communities in Long Beach strongly desire:
• high-quality and comfortable recreation and open spaces
• functional landscaping
• a cultural hub for Downtown Long Beach, etc.
The project develops as an essential terminus of the proposed LA River plans with a focus on restoring native ecology and facilitate an equitable, resilient, and healthy built environment.
source: lowerlariver.org
DESIGN THROUGH ITERATIONS
early form/concept exploration sketches
numerous digital iterations
long beach waterfront
SPATIAL MANIPULATION
XERISCAPING drought tolerant plants to converse water during dry seasons
LED ELECTRICAL LIGHTING energy efficient, occupancy sensor electrical lighting incorporated on ceilings.
CONNECTION TO SURROUNDINGS
outdoor balcony framed around the ribbon, taking advantage of natural winds, shaded sunlight, and views of the ocean
OPERABLE WINDOWS for outside airflow and reduced heat loss at office levels; allows for indirect southern light
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM utilize the neighboring LA River for river water exchange, allowing cooling water to used in heating and cooling systems
The project prioritizes natural lighting and performance to enhance the comfort, mood, and productivity of its users, creating a captivating and healthy indoor environment. The facade is meticulously manipulated into elevated slits, capturing light that is evenly illuminated into the spaces via a polycarbonate film.
DAYLIGHTING COMFORT + PERFORMANCE - ADMIN
project average (through light diffusing ceiling panels): 20-65 fc
June 21 @ 12PM section through gallery space
GOLDEN SHORE MARINE BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
Dec 21 @ 12PM
SITE MANIPULATION
creates engaging ways for visitors to connect with the surroundings; provides home to various native plants and animals
SOLAR ENERGY
electrical power generated from white photovoltaics offsets city grid
NATURAL DAYLIGHT
facade ribbons create opportunities for diffused, daylit exhibit spaces
RADIANT FLOOR SYSTEM
displacement ventilation of heating and cooling supply and exhaust air through the geothermal system with a radiant floor system
A: WALL SECTION @ UPPER FLOORS
SCALE: 1/4” = 1’-0”
section model @ 1/8”=1’-0” scale
SOUTH WALL ELEVATION SCALE: 1/4” = 1’-0”
20’-0”
20’-0”
376 CASTRO STREET 02.
YOUTH ARTS + ACTIVISM CENTER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | FALL 2023
Located amidst Castro District, San Francisco, the CYAAC emerged as a beacon of inspiration and connectivity through spaces designed to inspire social awareness and meaningful engagement. By providing spaces to gather, to produce, and to showcase, the environment creates opportunities to foster a sense of community, dialogue, and consciousness beyond the avid users of the center to the broader neighborhood. This becomes a space that embraces the vibrant exchanges of ideas and creative expressions, utilizing transparencies to emphasize connectivity between users, visitors, and the Castro.
As time passes, the lights within the center never cease to shine brightly, illuminating past not only the exhibitions and studios but the aspirations of a community interconnected within this intersection’s rich history.
view from Market St. amidst a rally
sketches of design process (program/plan, section, skin)
“The atmosphere grew electric. Tears mixed with determination, a community formed on the basis of violence, intoxicated by euphoria. The night casted with eerie shadows and voices echoed in a song — no justice no peace — defiant and harmonious.
Violent, yet love was the foundation for the fight of their rights and their voices.”
preliminary work: narrative exploration through collages
“The atmosphere bathed in a warm glow. Faces painted with smiles, tears, and determination mingled as one, a testament to the power of community. Voices rose in unison, echoing songs of love, acceptance and defiance — hope will never be silent.
This was not just a celebration; it was a reaffirmation of Harvey’s legacy.“
maximum site + extrusion carve + frame views extend below ground
staircourt/exhibit
community
rentable offices/studios
installation
printmaking studio
sketching
digital
view from ground floor
Public spaces are designated on the stair court level, situated below grade, as a contextual and experiential response. These spaces are accessible only through the front entries, but visible on the street level at a low, human scale to provide visibility into the spaces within. On the ground level, the privacy of public yet intimate program spaces is recognized through the angled skin, limiting complete visibility from the outside but providing visual connections from the interior to the stair court level and the views beyond.
view of staircourt + exhibition spaces
The iterative modeling approach communicates the primary formal language through each iteration, inspired by the programs and surrounding context of the neighborhood. cumulative total of 21 different process models
THE ADJACENCY ABODE 03.
SOCIAL MULTI-UNIT HOUSING | LOS ANGELES, CA | SPRING 2023
In response to the Los Angeles housing crisis, this project explores new models of residential architecture — implementing low-rise multifamily housing across three adjacent single-family lots. Investing in unit-to-whole relationships, we considered the formal and spatial patterning for affordable housing in a rapidly gentrifying area.
Recognizing the vital role of community building within a shared living environment, the design particularly emphasizes the activation of public spaces between the single-family homes and the Adjacency Abode, and the outdoor spaces spanning all floors. This aspires to cultivate a relationship among all residents, utilizing physical and visual experiential elements to foster a sense of community.
1: F3 - conjoined outdoor patio + cylindrical garden meshes
2: F2 - adjacent 2 bedroom and 1 bedroom apartments
3: F1 - market/cafe + outdoor seating + outdoor garden beds
phase 1: unity
a place where diversity thrives, yet shared similarities bind every element together. each piece belongs, despite their differences, creating a greater, unified whole.
phase 2: balance
a place where balance thrives through the interplay of elements. each finding its role in contributing to the shared harmony. no element is overpowering, rather complementing the whole.
phase 3: contrast
a place where differences are celebrated. harmony emerges through the interaction of opposites. each element expresses its vividness, where strength is found within the diversity.
Preliminary work: process of experimenting with unit-to-whole still-life compositions and rendered into stop motion animation.
This inspires the form of the project through the translation of the rectilinear blocks as the underlaying structure of the units, and the circular elements that symbolize experiential moments of interests and community engagement.
stop motion video
TAXONOMY OF PARTS 04.
RESEARCH + TREATMENT FACILITY | CASMALIA, CA | WINTER 2023
Following the scavenge for a used automotive part, this project assesses the beauty, spatial brilliance, and value of the part in relation to the whole vehicle. By utilizing the geometric and theoretical reality of a brake fluid reservoir, a multi-dimensional spatial machine model was created, combining the conceptual narrative of the part with the realities of a super fund site.
Casmalia, previously home to a commercial hazardous waste treatment facility, is heavily polluted with contaminated groundwater. As such, the part breaks from its original purpose to usable architectural space as it recesses into the site topography, grounding it in a new contextual relationship as a groundwater treatment facility.
3 intakes the contaminated groundwater into individual holding
compartments located in the submerged lower half of the machine. The hazardous liquids are then pumped through these compartments, where they are tested, researched, and decontaminated. After passing through the central filtration pump, which removes the toxic chemicals, the purified liquid is re-injected into the ground. This continuous cycle, slowly but gradually, works to extract the chemical contaminants from the groundwater entirely.
The upper portion of the machine is a living and working space with ample daylighting and outdoors access for the researchers.
Materials: 2006 Chevy Colorado Brake Fluid Reservoir, 1957 Chevy Bel Air Model Kit, Ikea Frother
Dot
treatment and holding compartments
slice + reconfigure
kit bash + site
research facility
paint + showcase
as built brake fluid reservoir
CONTENT CAPTIVE
DESIGN VILLAGE | POLY CANYON, SAN LUIS OBISPO | SPRING 2022
In a group of 11, the objective of this project was to design, construct, and transport a full-scale temporary structure onto Poly Canyon, inhabiting the group for the weekend.
Content Captive mainly played with the relationship between fabric and gravity to illustrate the flowing nature of fabric as it drapes from its framework, regardless of how the support is constructed. Thus, we integrated wires into the fabric to artificially create a sense of support, sustaining the effects of gravity. The simple frame contrasts the nature of the fabric as it is composed of a rectangular prism set on a thirtyinch grid. The grid provided the basis for the structural framing of the sleep-able areas. Thus formed the image of a strong, complete, and unbroken cage with flowing, yet rigid fabric suspended within it.
As part of the design team, I was responsible for the fabrication of the canvas and seatbelts. We measured, cut, and lined up the seatbelts into a grid pattern before pinning them together using safety pins prior to being sewn.
To fabricate the canvas, we laid out five full sheets of canvas, totaling sixty feet, before measuring and marking the lines for the wires to be sewn.
Leo Abelson, Aarnav Bahl, Abby Casady, Nicole Cheng, Ritika Chobe, Yo-Jin Dittrich-Tilton, Joaquin Donez, Dominique Giang, Bennett Herbolsheimer, Ariel Hurwitz, Cole Korte
Drawing by Leo Abelson
Photos by Samuel Sundstrom
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF MINORITY ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS NOMAS
| WORK SAMPLES IN COLLABORATION WITH DESIGN TEAM
HAND SKETCHES
PENCIL AND PEN
INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE: DESIGN + DRAFTING
WORK SAMPLES USING REVIT, ILLUSTRATOR, PHOTOSHOP, INDESIGN
FIXED ACCESS LADDER
TYP. BASE @ CEMENT PLASTER
EXT CORNER - MTL PANEL
CEILING AT RATED WALL
REFLECTED CEILING PLAN
ENLARGED STAIR FLOOR PLAN
PROPOSED SITE PLAN
WALLS SECTIONS
BUILDING PERFORMANCE STUDY
PROCESS REFERENCE TO PROJECT 01: MOMENT IN TIME (P. 1-10) | ARCH 307/342: ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMS INTEGRATION
Through ARCH 307 and ARCH 342, we explored factors influencing project EUI, including program/use, site orientation, surface/ volume ratios, floor to floor heights, window to wall ratios, solar shading, thermal envelopes, and passive/active system selections. Specifically, these experiments directly informed design decisions to optimize EUI performance.
Program/Use: As a museum, the project has an EUI target of 8 at an 80% reduction. However, its need for large open spaces, long operational hours, and lighting and temperature/humidity controls may result in a higher EUI compared to commercial buildings.
Site Orientation: With high temperatures and strong westward prevailing winds, the site requires shading and natural ventilation in the east-west axis to prevent overheating. Optimizing site orientation reduces the need for artificial systems, reducing the project EUI. Solar Shading: In Long Beach’s climate, the overhangs created from the shell form provides solar shading, minimizing overheating and the need for cooling, which helps reduce EUI.
Surface/Volume Ratios: A low surface area-to-volume ratio (SA:V) helps reduce EUI. Thus, since a sphere has the most efficient SA:V ratio, the design incorporates spherical geometries to optimize this efficiency.
Floor-to-Floor Heights: Museums typically have higher ceilings, which increases the volume of conditioned space and can contribute to a higher EUI compared to commercial or residential buildings.
Window-to-Wall Ratios: Having a relatively lower WWR (but balanced with the sDA and ASE) was beneficial in lowering the EUI. At a WWR of 0.25, the project is well day lit with minimal amounts of glare at window edges (will be outdoors). The project EUI is lower than the 2030 target and can be further offset through the envelope and PV arrays.
Thermal Envelope: Through testing on Cove Tool's envelope settings, optimizing R-values, U-values, and glazing properties effectively lowered the EUI. Specifically, increasing the roof and wall R-values, along with heat capacity and emissivity, decreased the EUI.
13,375 SF
Passive/Active System: Through class discussion, we identified a DOAS system as the most efficient air system, paired with radiant heating/cooling using geothermal energy from the nearby lake/ocean, and PV panels for on-site energy production. These strategies significantly offset operational energy, bringing the EUI close to 0. For additional needs, renewable energy can be sourced off-site.
EUI with PV array:
EUI w/o PV
nicolec.ycc@gmail.com (916) 633-8258
linkedin.com/in/nicolecycc