Noel Adechoubou | Architecture Portfolio 2020

P O R T F O L I O

N O E L A DE C H O U B O U

n oe l - a m yr a de cho ub o u

anoel@vt.edu +1 571 337 8207 4842 Kenmore Ave. Alexandria, VA noeladechoubou.cargo.site

education

Fall 2015 - Fall 2020

Virginia tech

Bachelor of architecture

College Aupiais

Scientific bacalaureate

Blacksburg - Virginia

August 2012 - May 2014

School of Architecure + Design

Cotonou - Benin

professional experience

July 2017June 2018

June 2017August 2017

Peia Associati

Architectural intern

Milan - Italy

3D modelling in Revit and Sketchup Designing and detailing of furniture Drawing details for multiple projects and participating in the production of construction documents.

Freshbella

Creative director/Designer

Milan - Italy

3D modelling different products in Rhino and overseing team collaboration.

Digital

Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign, Lightroom Sketchup, Autocad, Revit, Rhino, Grasshoper Enscape, Lumion

Manual

Model making, Sketching, Woodworking Laser cutting, CNC, Robotics

Language

French (native), English (fluent), Italian (amateur)

skills

CONTENTS

academic

built work

other work

03

Queensbridge Residence

13

Shelter + Play

19

Mzuzu Library

25

CAUS Studio Addition

31

Horticulture Club

41

Urban Sanctuary

51

Sculptural wooden bench

57

Green Sofa

64

Photography

Queensbridge Residence Fourth year studio Supervised by Prof. Dave Dugas Fall 2019

project description

The waterfront site in Queens, New-York right next to the Queensboro bridge affords amazing views of Roosevelt Island and Manhattan. On the other side of the bridge, Queensbridge park, one of the largest and most popular public park lies.

The design maximizes the public and private outdoor spaces, encouraging an abundance of events and social encounters. The central corridor is connected to the neighboring public park through the waterfront walk, thus inviting people to continue their promenade through the building.

Another important factor was maximizing outdoor living and a connection to nature through the introduction of balconies for each apartment as well as outdoor public patios.

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QU E

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OR O

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ID

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Queensbridge Residence

left page : site plan | right page : action diagrams

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The original massing is split in two parts connected by a central corridor linking the waterfront side of the building to its South-East side. That split also allows the cityscape views to remain relatively accessible to the neighboring buildings’ occupants.

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Queensbridge Residence

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left: exploded isonometric drawing | right: highlighted unit floor plan The building’s massing is pushed 10 feet in on each floor in order to create more outdoor living space and foster community life by maximizing possible interactions between habitants and passersby.

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Queensbridge Residence

conceptual model

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View of the shared outdoor space dividing units

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collage | exterior view from the central corridor

12

Shelter + Play Fourth year studio Supervised by Kevin Jones Spring 2019

project description

This project started by studying building elements and how they can create enclosure. Not full enclosures, but rather partially enclosed spaces that shelter, yet allow for a connection with nature; whether through sight, hearing or touch. I achieved that by introducing a wooden screen made of timber slats. That helped me create an outdoor shaded corridor as well as a partially enclosed garden at the lobby’s entrance. It creates a soft transition from the street to the building.

Another main design intention was creating unscripted public spaces. Spaces where one can spontaneously choose to take the role of an actor at times or of a spectator at others. it creates a possibility for direct or indirect interaction with people in different spaces.

The extension of the public space by adding outdoor terraces on the second and third floor helps with that.

13

Shelter + Play

LOBBY

A

A

BASKETBALL COURT

KITCHEN/ CAFE

DIGITAL LIBRARY

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

Ground floor

Second floor

section A-A

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Third floor

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Mzuzu Library Fourth year studio Supervised by Dave Dugas Fall 2019

project description

After the University of Mzuzu's library was lost in a fire, Virginia Tech proposed to help for the design of a new one. The site is right at the main entrance of the university. It is at the intersection between the city and the university.

Looking at pictures of the site, the texture of the ground reveals two intensely used paths of travel: one from the university's entrance to the classroom building and one from the previous library to the classroom building. A new parking space creates a third axis. The massing and shape of this building results from preserving and celebrating those 3 axises.

The site of the old library would be transformed into a public garden, thus inviting people to the site and maintaining the travel path.

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Mzuzu Library

ground floor plan

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Classrooms

Classrooms

Classrooms old library

old library

Administration

concept model

21

public park

Mzuzu Library

left page : second floor plan | right page : library light study

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Horticulture club Second year studio Supervised by Prof. Aki Ishida Spring 2017

project description

This building is dedicated to horticulture enthusiasts and their community in the Roanoke region. The spaces would not only house their meetings and gardens but also become a place for the local community to learn about and gather around plants.

The program includes an assembly space, a gallery for holding seasonal exhibits, work spaces, a cafe and a small library.

In such a busy area, the need for an outdoor space where people could take a break from their day to day and relax felt necessary. The central courtyard would provide the community with a place to come together, interact with each other and with the Horticulture community. The design prioritizes the spaces that could further those interactions: the meeting space and the gallery. The floor plan is set up so that one can circumnavigate the gallery and easily enter into one of the side rooms, the courtyard or descend in the meeting space.

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Horticulture club

A

underground floor plan

Model | Small wooden boxes extend around the windows and serve as Spaces for the Horticulture Club members to exhibit their plants.

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A

first floor plan

section A-A

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Horticulture club

exploded isonometric

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models | top to bottom: bird's eye view | light going through the courtyard's pool atrium | detail model of interior wall

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model | view of the courtyard from the corridor

Urban Sanctuary Fifth year studio Supervised by Prof. Heinrich Schnoedt

thesis abstract

O ur

definition of sacredness and sacred architecture has long been tied to religion and worship. This definition essentially creates a hard line between sacred spaces and non-religious, mundane spaces. As a result, religious architecture has been the only typology to fully engage with the realm of the sacred; offering spaces that move us tremendously, evoke intense emotions and provide momentary refuge from our everyday lives At a time when our lives are pressurized by extreme amounts of noise and stimuli from both the physical and digital world, the need for such spaces is paramount.

When discussing sacredness, Abraham Maslow writes “The lesson of mystics, Zen monks and psychologists is that the sacred is in the ordinary.. �. This thesis aims to imbue sacred experiences into mundane life.

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Urban sanctuary

study of hidden appertures

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study of hidden appertures

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Urban sanctuary

collage | study of in-between spaces

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collage | study of in-between spaces

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Urban sanctuary

close-up section perspective collage

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view of the barrista stand from the main door

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Sculptural wooden bench DMCO design build Supervised by Prof. Edward Becker Spring 2018

project description

This project was prompted by a lecture given on computational design and digital fabrication. After the lecture, 40 students were challenged to come up with a design for a sculptural bench during a charette. After agreeing on a final scheme, the design was further developed by a group of thesis students and later on passed on to a group of 8 students to build. The pieces were individually cut in the school's woodshop using a CNC router and later on assembled on site. We collectively decided to place it in the middle of the cowgill plazza in an effort to activate this major pedestrian intersection on campus. I participated in the initial design exercise and in the construction.

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Sculptural wooden bench

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Green Sofa Fourth year studio | Spring 2019 Supervised by Prof. Kevin Jones Collaborators: Pauline Cadoret, Riley Studedbaker, Stephanie Renard

project description

Our design was prompted by the realization of a lack of seating opportunities at the lakefront of Riva San Vitale. Two seating options are available for people: benches made out of metal which seat a maximum of three people, and a concrete ledge next to the water.

Analyzing those two conditions brought up a couple of design focuses: neither of those options are very comfortable, neither can accommodate a family or a large group of people and neither creates a setting that fosters gatherings or relaxation Those observations led us to ask ourselves one question: how do we encourage a fun gathering of people with seating?

49

Green Sofa

50

initial conceptual sketch

51

Green Sofa

concept to construct

52

53

Lawnge Chair

8

Green Sofa II 7

6 The Lawnge Chair is the profile

1. #3 rebar

of the LC4 Chaise poured into

2. 1/2” milled Sande plywood

a shallow bowl & covered in live

3. (2) 1/2” milled plywood spacers

Zoysia grass. Designed as a kit of parts with a digitally fabricated parametric frame. Built of naturally

4. Parametric plywood frame

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5. PVC canvas waterproofing, w/ drainage holes

water- resistant wood and locally

6. 1/4” drainage mat

sourced grass. Massive-deposition

7. Zoysia grass sod

3D printed version in the works.

8. Erosion control netting

4 3

2 1

After the success of the project in Riva San Vitale, my team members and I were awarded an Enrichment grant from the Virginia Tech Honor's College to build the project once again on the Virginia Tech campus.

The updated version leverages construction facilities available on campus such as the CNC machine for the parametrically designed plywood frame.

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1

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3

4

5

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7

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1. Erosion control netting 2. Zoysia grass sod 3. 1/4" drainage mat 4. PVC canvas waterproofing w/ drainage holes 5. Parametric plywood frame 6. 1/2" milled plywood spacers 7. 1/2" milled sanded plywood 8. #3 rebar

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Photography 2015 - 2020 Germany - Italy - Switzerland - India

A passionate photographer for many years, I find photography a great way to express myself.

Taking up photography as a hobby has made me more observant in analyzing what I see. It's a way to stop time play with light and capture moments, atmospheres and ambiances.

As an enthusiastic traveler, I consider my camera as a third hand. I compose pictures with a similar approach when I design architectural space.

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Photography | Europe

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Photography | Jodhpur | India

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