Omar Sabri Arab is a post-baccalaureate student in the department of architecture at Kansas State University. He has a background in economics from UMKC, which he uses to calculate how much money he could have made if he had stuck to banking. He has almost 10 years of experience in retail management and institutional banking, which taught him how to deal with difficult customers and impossible deadlines, which prepared him for the stress and chaos of architecture.
Omar chose architecture because he enjoys fusing technical expertise with a creativity along with the thrill of collaborating with extraordinary individuals and communities. He is committed to creating a sustainable and inclusive future, which means he recycles his paper models and designs buildings for people of all backgrounds. He believes that his leadership and problem-solving abilities can make a difference in our fast-paced and ever-changing world.
When he is not busy with studio coursework, Omar enjoys watching and playing futbol, roots for the Gunners (even when they lose), bangs the drums, sketches his dreams, travels the world, hikes, and hangs with his friends and family. He is always up for a good joke and an even worse pun.
RÉSUMÉ 2024
THE BEACON SPRING 2023 04 07 10 14 36 02 32 18 20 26
ART PORTFOLIO 2017 - 2024
HANCOCK TOWER RENOVATION SPRING 2023
AMTRAK EAST STATION SUMMER 2023
HARMONIC HOUSING SPRING 2024
PANELIZED PREFABRICATION EXHIBIT SPRING 2024
THEATRE OBSCURA SPRING 2023
ECOWAS CONSULATE FALL 2022
CERAAS FALL 2022
OMAR SABRI ARAB
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
816.506.2887
OSA962@KSU.EDU ISSUU.COM/OMAR.SABRI.ARAB
EDUCATION
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
EXPECTED GRADUATION 2024
MANHATTAN, KANSAS
POST-BACCALAUREATE M.ARCH
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI - KANSAS CITY
GRADUATED 2011
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
B.A. ARTS AND SCIENCE; ECONOMICS
WORK EXPERIENCE
UBER APRIL 2020 - CURRENT
DRIVER
UMB BANK MARCH 2014 - APRIL 2020
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING ANALYST
CORPORATE TRUST RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
RADIOSHACK AUGUST 2009 - SEPTEMBER 2013
STORE MANAGER
SOFTWARE PROFICIENCY
RHINO PROCREATE
CLIMATE STUDIO
CLIMATE CONSULTANT
REVIT
3DS MAX
AUTOCAD
ADOBE SOFTWARE SUITE
TWIN MOTION
SKETCHUP
BLUEBEAM
ENSCAPE
V-RAY
MIRCROSOFT OFFICE SUITE
MISCELLANEOUS SKILLS
MANAGEMENT SCHEDULING
SALES
FISCAL/ECONOMIC LITERACY
PROCREATE DRAWING OF THE KAUFFMAN CENTER
PROCREATE DRAWING OF THE BLOCH BUILDING
PROCREATE DRAWING OF LOUVRE ABU DHABI
PROCREATE DRAWING OF FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
INK SKETCH OF KATZ HALL AT UMKC
INK + PENCIL SKETCH OF MAIN STREET MANHATTAN, KS
HANCOCK TOWER RENOVATION
INNOVATIVE DOUBLE-SKIN FACADE
When reconfiguring I. M. Pei’s original design, strived to embellish the design intent with a synonymous material selection, organization, and general aesthetic. Thus, my proposal does not have intrinsically more advantageous qualities via material characteristics and functions. In more ways than one, I aimed to express the curtain wall as minimally as possible. By relocating the main structural support condition into the ceiling – rather than the assembly resting on the floor plate, I have visually cleaned the internal condition of the façade Also due to the height of the glazing units and have disguised the horizontal support elements at the floor plane to prevent any obstructions in outward views.
The introduction of this exhaust-double-skin assembly extends the dimensions of the building outward ever so slightly to allow light to reach further inside. The supporting elements – the vertical members and the horizontal grate, act secondarily as light diffusers/reflectors creating a more diverse quality of light. The assembly spans from floor to floor allowing unimpeded views longitudinally with some buffer from the vertical support members. However, the supporting tension rods supporting the exterior glazing may help dampen any tangential glare.
From the exterior perspective, the building continues its mission of blending into the sky. The material palette further enhances the prismlike essence situated in the city. By applying the principles in single skin façade units for a double skin system, I was able to effectively hang the assembly from each floor plate, freeing up space at other connection points. rode the line between a true double skin cavity system and compressed the layers into a streamlined unit. The resulting redundancy from the double skin accommodates an air gap spanning the buildings entire height, acting as an insulative bubble allowing any permeating moisture to drain or evaporate appropriately. This air gap further conserves energy by cycling air through convectional means, venting out warm air in the summer and preserving interior heat in the winter.
I.M. PEI’S HANCOCK TOWER
AMTRAK EAST STATION
TRAIN STATION + AERIAL SCULPTURE GARDEN
The project is a train station and an aerial sculpture park that celebrates the vibrant culture and art of Lawrence, Kansas. It is located on the edge of the urban fabric, along the abandoned Kansas River Bend, which offers a scenic backdrop for our design. The project is inspired by the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle, Washington, which is a public park with modern and contemporary sculpture that transforms a former industrial site into a green space for the city.
We want to create a place that harnesses the upbeat college energy of Lawrence and provides a place of both respite and tangential movement for the community. We want to improve the pedestrian access to the train station, which is currently limited by the East 7th Street thoroughfare. We propose to introduce a new street that is purely for pedestrian movement, mirroring the existing street outward toward the water, with the rail line as the axis. This creates a dynamic and symmetrical composition that channels new views and experiences with the rich art history of Lawrence.
The project features a central junction where people can meet their friends and choose their paths, ascending or descending. Going down, one can enter a sunken courtyard that takes them into the carved valley with river views. Going up, one can ascend a large green roof that pulls them out of the city and towards the sky. Along the path, they can encounter various geometric sculptures from the world-renowned Tony Smith, whose works complement and entice people to engage with the architecture. His sculptures create a contrast between the static and the dynamic. The project aims to create a long path that unifies the river, ground, and sky, and offers a variety of perspectives and experiences for the visitors.
The project consists of a steel structure that supports the train station and the aerial sculpture park. The structure is composed of steel columns, custom joinery, roof and joist truss system. The columns pitch to mimic a large truss, which weaves through the floor decks, unifying all three layers into one moment. The train station is conveniently placed near the parking lot for easy access, and a cafe across the tracks for those who want to enjoy the scenery before embarking on their respective journeys. The project is designed to be a sustainable and inclusive project that respects the environment and the community of Lawrence.
LAWRENCE EAST AMTRAK
SECTION A-A
SECTION B-B
SECTION C-C
NEW JERSEY STREET ELEVATION
Struc, Steel Column
14” X 14”
Struc, Steel Column
14” X 14”
Welded Steel Plate
8” X 10” X 2”
Composite Floor Deck, 3” Corrugated Deck, 4” conc
4” Fasteners
U - Channel
8” x 8” x 16”
Struc, Steel Web Trusses 36”
Struc, Steel Web Trusses
Struc, Steel Web Trusses 36”
Concrete Pavers
8’ x 8’
Polycarbonate Sheet
6” x 8’ x 16’
ASTM S18-54.7
Wood Slats
2” x 6” x 8’
Perforated Aluminum UChannel 2” x 6”
HARMONIC HOUSING COURTYARD DUPLEX DEVELOPMENT
What if there was a way to provide affordable and comfortable housing for people of different ages, incomes, and backgrounds, while also reducing the environmental impact of urban development? This is the vision of Harmonic Housing, a concept that aims to create a harmonious and inclusive community within Bethany Park and the KCDCproposed Mosaic masterplan, where people of different generations, incomes, and backgrounds can live together and learn from each other. Harmonic Housing consists of three main components: prefabricated panelized housing units, central courtyards linked by a communal path, and bioclimatic design strategies. Bioclimatic strategies such as solar PVs water, cross-ventilation, thermal mass, deep roof overhangs, and site optimization ensures energy usage is reduced by nearly two-thirds! Residents can feel a sense of pride reducing their carbon footprint and dependence on external sources.
The facade treatments of the housing unit can be customized to fit the needs and preferences of the residents. Modest materials, such a wood planks can wrap the facades or can commission a mural by a local resident artist. The communal path is a reclamation ot the alley linking the courtyards, primary and accessory dwelling units, and serves as a social and cultural space for interaction and exchange with neigbors. This creates a dynamic and adaptable living environment, where residents can enjoy different views and the company of their neighbors, depending on their mood and preference. The ADUs are meant to be occupied by extended family or tenents, who are encouraged to share the courtyard with unobstructed views of Bethany Park.
Harmonic Housing offers affordable and flexible housing options, which can attract and retain young professionals, families, seniors, and immigrants, who often face challenges in finding suitable and stable accommodation in urban areas. Harmonic Housing also reduces the cost of living and improves the quality of life for the resident by enriching the collective experience and identity of the community, by fostering social and cultural diversity. Harmonic Housing is more than just a housing project. It is a new vision for urban living, that combines the principles of sustainability, diversity, and affordability.
RIVERVIEW
GROUND LEVEL
SECOND LEVEL
SHARED COURTYARD
LIVING SPACES
MASTER BEDROOM + BALCONY
COMMUNAL TRAIL + ADU
PANELIZED PREFABRICATION EXHBIT
The Kansas City Design Studio embarked on an innovative approach to revitalizing housing in Kansas City, Kansas. This scaled-down model functions as a versatile garden studio/shed that seamlessly transforms into this very exhibit space! This prefabricated structure combines functionality, sustainability, efficiency, and affordability. Here are the key highlights:
Innovation in Design:
By showcasing the versatility of prefabricated panelized structures, the studio is demonstrating how modern design can adapt to diverse needs, potentially inspiring new housing solutions that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Sustainability:
The use of sustainable materials and IRC-compliant construction methods aligns with a growing demand for eco-friendly housing amidst the housing shortage. This project serves as a model for reducing the environmental impact of residential buildings.
Affordability:
Prefabricated construction can be more cost-effective than traditional methods. By promoting this approach, the studio may influence the development of affordable housing options in the region.
Education and Awareness:
The exhibit space within the garden studio/shed provides an opportunity to educate the public about the benefits of prefabricated construction and sustainable living, potentially leading to more informed housing choices.
Scalability:
The project illustrates the scalability of prefabricated panelized construction, suggesting that similar methods could be applied to larger residential projects, thereby revitalizing broader areas of housing.
Economic Growth:
The construction process itself, as well as the potential for similar projects, can create jobs and stimulate the local economy, contributing to the overall revitalization of the housing sector.
Assembly:
The Kansas City Design Studio collaborated with Habitat KC for three weeks to construct the shed off-site in a controlled environment. The modular panels were then transported and assembled on-site, fitting together seamlessly, creating a fully-insulated structure.
GARDEN STUDIO/SHED
THEATRE OBSCURA
NYC WHITEBOX THEATER
This is a design for a theater and a sculpture park that plays with light and space in the Chelsea district in New York City. The West facade opens directly onto the High Line, a 2.5 mile long, public walking trail on a retrofitted freight rail line running along . The building has a glass brick facade that shines with light. The theater is a white box in the round that can accommodate various performances. The theater has a camera obscura that projects the sky or shadows onto the stage, creating amazing effects. The theater is inspired by the light artist James Turrell, who makes immersive environments that challenge sensation.
The design has two different experiences for the visitors, depending on how they enter. From the street, they can go to a skyspace, a room with a circular opening that reveals the sky. The skyspace is powered by the camera obscura above. A translucent theater floor allows visitors to see the performances and the sky light. From there, they can go to the sky garden, a rooftop terrace with a living wall, a floating garden cafe, and a spiral stair hanging from the ceiling. The sky garden has panoramic views of the city and the river, and a close-up view of the theater roof with light refracted through glass bricks. From the High Line, they can access the sky garden directly and then go to the skyspace lounge, a relaxing space that connects to the theater lobby. The design contrasts the cylindrical forms of the theater and the hanging garden with the angular and filigree forms of the building and the High Line.
The theather embodies a design that integrates form, function, and optic technology to create a unique and memorable experience. The design engages the visitors with the experiential procession and vibrant atmosphere of these spaces, and inspires them with the beauty and mystery of light and space.
HIGH LINE CONNECTION EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC
DAWN
ECOWAS CONSULATE
TOPEKA CULTURAL CENTER
This project is a proposal for a consulate building and a cultural center that celebrates the economic and cultural integration of West Africa in downtown Topeka, Kansas. It is located on the street corner directly northeast from the state capitol building, in an urban context comprised of bars, lofts, offices, and a catholic parish. The project is commissioned by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional organization of fifteen countries that aims to promote economic trade, cooperation, and self-reliance across the region. ECOWAS is also a trading union that seeks to create a single, large trading bloc through economic cooperation, involving various sectors such as industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, finance, and social and cultural matters.
The project reflects the ECOWAS mission and values through its architectural design and program. The project consists of a monolithic, concrete mass that is carved by a ribbon-like element that wraps around the building and exposes the structure. The ribbon is made of over 10,000 individual stained glass components that shimmer with light and color. The ribbon is influenced by the textiles from West Africa, which are one of the leading exports of the region and a symbol of its cultural diversity and creativity. The ribbon represents the unification of the West African nations under the ECOWAS vision, while also integrating with the local context of Topeka.
The project has two main functions: a consulate and a cultural center. The consulate provides services to West African citizens in need of assistance, such as passport replacement, entry visas, or refugee assistance. The consulate also hosts the ambassador and the resident artist, who have their own private living quarters on the upper floors, with generous amenities and a communal outdoor courtyard on the roof. The cultural center offers a variety of spaces for the public to learn about and appreciate the West African culture, such as a theater, a gallery, a library, and classrooms. The cultural center also promotes cultural exchange and dialogue with the local community of Topeka. The grand stair ascends from the consulate lobby to the cultural center creating a visual and spatial continuity. The stair also draws the visitors towards the cultural spaces, inviting them to explore and discover the rich and diverse heritage of West Africa and showcases its potential and contribution to the global community.
AERIAL SITE RENDER
CORRIDOR RENDER
RIBBON MOTIF
CONSULATE LOBBY
CULTURAL ART GALLERY
AUDITORIUM
GRAND STAIR
CONSULATE CONVERSATION PIT
CONSULATE DINING
CONSULATE KITCHEN
EXTERIOR COURTYARD
CERAAS
SENEGAL RESEARCH FACILITY
Ceraas works with researchers in 22 sub-saharan countries to help dry cereal farmers overcome challenges like drought and climate change. This work is enhanced by partnerships with major agricultural centers for study in the us and europe. KSU’s department of agriculture has long been a collaborator, exchanging strategies and technologies with this organization. The research centers around sorghum, a grain that originated in ethiopia. Sorghum farming has since spread across central africa. The grain is hardy and needs much less water than corn or other staples. The collaboration between ceraas and ksu advantages both african and kansan farmers. Western kansas is becoming much drier than it used to be, thanks again to global warming, and there is now some sorghum planting at ksu’s experimental fields near fort scott. Ceraas’s primary motivation is to bring together researchers from around the globe to address current and future concerns for agriculture. Its mission has outgrown its current facility, however, as they are looking to expand.
Ceraas is dedicated to increasing agricultural yield in this era of climate change. Global warming has rendered the sub-saharan belt of africa drier and hotter. Increasingly, climate science is undertaken by widely interdisciplinary teams cultivated from different universities and think tanks from around the world. The current facility hosts up to 70 employees, guest scientists, and other visitors at any one time. Ceraas intends to double its research capacity. It wants to be able to host up to four additional interdisciplinary teams at any one time (roughly 12 people per team), each in one of four innovation hubs.
Omar Arab | Prof. Grant Alford
pg. 1
THE BEACON
NoHo MICRO TRANSITIONARY HOUSING
The Beacon is a proposed transitionary housing project for the wrongfully convicted in New York City. It aims to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for those who have suffered from injustice and lost years of their lives behind bars. The project is inspired by the work of the Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization that restores freedom for the wrongfully convicted and advances the innocence movement.
The Innocence Project has helped over 300,000 people exonerate themselves through DNA testing and reformed the criminal legal system. However, exoneration is not the end of the journey for the wrongfully convicted. They often face challenges in reintegrating into society, such as finding employment, housing, health care, education, and social support. The Beacon aims to address these needs by offering a range of amenities and services that can help the wrongfully convicted rebuild their lives and regain their dignity.
The Beacon is designed to be a place of solace and healing for the wrongfully convicted. Drawing inspiration from LeCorbusier’s Unite d’Habitation, the Beacon offers spacious and comfortable micro units (<450 sf)that feature lofted living spaces, winter balconies on both facades that open to a shared balcony with personal gardens, and large, operable windows that allow natural light and ventilation. The units are arranged around a central sky garden that serves as a communal space for socializing, relaxing, and enjoying nature. The project also includes a basketball and futsal court, a fitness center, a job placement program within the four-story library that cater to the physical, mental, and intellectual well-being of the residents. The project is located in a convenient and accessible area of the city on the corner of Great Jones and Lafayette, close to public transportation, shops, and services.
The Beacon is more than just a housing project. It is a symbol of hope and resilience for the wrongfully convicted and a testament to the power of the innocence movement. It is a place where the wrongfully convicted can find a second chance at a normal life and a community that supports them. It is a place where they can shine their light and inspire others to fight for justice.
