portfolio
Oscar A Avila
Oscar Avila.
I am a fourth year architecture student at the University of NebraskaLincoln, pushing the boundaries of my technical and creative abilities through design while pursuing my bachelors degree. Throughout my development as a designer, I have cultivated a deeper understanding of personal relationship, environmental responsibility/impact, and community growth/vitality. My ability to turn ideas into captivating graphics and my acute attention to detail allow me to approach design with both accuracy and creative flair.
www.linkedin.com/in/oscaravilaaa
Lincoln, NE 68528
Education
Bachelors of Architecture
| 2021 - 2025
Minor in Construction
| 2021-2024
Honors
Featured in Affordable x Design Playbook Spring 2025
The Gallery Featured Designers Spring 2025
The Gallery Featured Designer Fall 2024
BVH Norman Ochsner Design Excellence Award Spring 2024
Wears the Most Black AIAS 2022 - 2024
Construction Quality Control Management for Contractors U.S. Army Corps of Engineers NWO-85-24-00128
Experience
Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture
Summer 2023
Micro-internship opportunity to collaborate with peers and industry leading professionals in developing design proposals for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) as a part of AARP Nebraska and Omaha by Design’s “An ADU for U” competition in Omaha, NE.
Anderson Ford Lincoln Sept 2022 - April 2024
Worked as a team, company wide, to provide the best car buying experience to guests all the way from customer service in public lobby areas to quality care of vehicles during maintenance and detail.
Selectel Wireless Aug 2019 - May 2021
Acting as the graphics designer for the company, I developed and designed in store advertising and online promotional graphics to be displayed nationwide.
Involvement
AIAS UNL | 2021-2025
American Institute of Architecture Students
NOMAS UNL | 2024-2025
National Organization of Minority Architecture Students
M.A.S.A. UNL | 2022-2024
Mexican American Student Association
Strengths
Strategic Thinking
I quickly weigh alternative paths and determine the best one.
Relater
I naturally form genuine and mutually rewarding one-on-one relationships.
Analytical Thinking
I search for reasons and causes. I have the ability to think about all of the factors that might affect a situation.
Adaptability
I am flexible and can quickly adjust to changing or unexpected circumstances that upset or intimidate others.
Achiever
I have a strong inner drive, an innate source of intensity, energy and power that motivates me to work hard to get things done.
Here is a curated selection of my most recent work...
Downtown Revitalization
Location: Kimball, NE
Collaborate Studio Arch 410 | Fall 2024
Collaborators: Anna Gideon, Monica Samaniego, Will Whited, Hayden Korn
Wayne Urban Living
Location: Wayne, NE
Arch 311 | Spring 2024
BVH Norman Ochsner Design Excellence Award Winner
Access Homes
Location: Omaha, NE
Omaha by Design Competition | Fall 2024
Winning Entry
Kimball’s Downtown Revitalization
Collaborate Studio | DSGN 410
Location: Kimball, NE
Professors: Steve Hardy & Nate Bicak
Collaborators: Anna Gideon, Monica Samaniego, Will Whited, Hayden Korn
With an $86 billion missile silo renovation project spanning over a decade, Kimball, Nebraska, is positioned for a unique opportunity few small towns experience. In approximately five years, the city anticipates a significant population influx, including military personnel and their families. Drawing from its history of navigating similar situations, the city of Kimball, in collaboration with our studio, has developed comprehensive strategies aimed at retaining a portion of this incoming population, fostering long-term community growth and vitality.
Our collaborative efforts focused on revitalization initiatives for downtown Kimball. With a diverse team spanning architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, we developed a wide range of innovative project proposals. These included alleyway interventions, green corridor initiatives, historic preservation, adaptive reuse, and new development strategies.
These efforts aim to inspire and ignite meaningful conversations about the future of downtown restoration and development, fostering a renewed sense of aspiration and vision for the community.
Phases Overview
As part of our revitalization strategy, we developed a three-phase system designed to be financially self-sustaining. This approach not only supports the implementation and upkeep of improvements to the downtown area but also generates funding for subsequent phases of development. Each phase is structured to provide the financial momentum for the next, creating a cycle of reinvestment and growth.
Phase one focuses on enhancing the downtown experience with improved benches, vibrant new murals, and costeffective façade restorations for buildings. Phase two introduces greening initiatives, including the addition of parklets, and comprehensive restoration of upperlevel apartment units in buildings where they previously existed. Finally, phase three envisions the full activation of alleyways, transforming them into dynamic interstitial spaces with more than just murals, alongside new adaptive reuse developments that breathe life into downtown, making it a vibrant and fully engaged community hub.
Kimball Corner
2nd & Chestnut Kimball, NE
Phase 3
Collaborators: Oscar Avila, Anna Gideon, Monica Samaniego, Will Whited
The “Kimball Corner” is an adaptive reuse proposal designed to address Kimball’s housing crisis by transforming and integrating five existing buildings. This innovative approach aims to expand housing options while creating a vibrant, centralized hub featuring markets and co-living spaces. The project breathes new life into spaces like an existing bar and bakery, seamlessly incorporating them into the development. Housing options range from studio to two-bedroom apartments, complemented by thoughtful amenities such as indoor bike storage, co-working and co-living spaces, outdoor living areas, and convenient access to nearby green corridors.
Site Axonometric
Kimball Corner | Fall 2024
Exploded Axonometric
1 Bed 1 Bath 565 SF
Studio 1 Bath 761 SF
2 Bed 1 Bath 822 SF
In collaboration Monica Samaniego, interior design, we designed the layout for the first floor of Kimball Corner. Our approach focused on integrating co-work and colive spaces while seamlessly incorporating an existing bakery into the plan. The detailed section perspective highlights various seating areas and adjustable partition walls, allowing for flexible configurations such as gallery displays or pop-up shop layouts. Our goal was to create a dynamic, multifunctional space that serves diverse users and contributes to the activation and vitality of downtown.
Section/Elevation Perspective
Section Perspective
Portfolio | Oscar Avila
Kimball Corner | Fall 2024
Wayne Urban Living
Location: Wayne, NE
Professor: Steve Hardy
Duration: 6 weeks
Type: Mixed Use Development
BVH Norman Ochsner Design Excellence Award Winner*
Wayne, a resilient rural community in northern Nebraska, benefits greatly from diversity in terms of age, socioeconomic class, and history. Strong bonds create a profound sense of connection that goes beyond shared identities. Because individuality is valued, the town’s welcoming and tight-knit community is strengthened. Where Wayne struggles as a community is in the retention of its annual influx of college students.
Roughly ten acres of land on the south side of town were master planned over the course of six weeks, at the beginning of the studio semester, to be able to develop buildable plots of land. Such plots where the Wayne Urban Living community sits.
The community welcomes people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to live and thrive together in a walkable neighborhood. With direct access to a scenic walking and biking trail encircling a future recreational lake, currently under construction, residents can enjoy an active lifestyle. The neighborhood is also conveniently located near proposed shops, restaurants, community center, and the vibrant downtown core of Wayne.
Preliminary Masterplan
Duration: 6 weeks
Type: Masterplan
Collaborators: Anna Gideon, Mattie Purcell, Joshua Holstein, Brody Blome
Fairgrounds Ave.
FAIRGROUNDS AVE
Section Perspective
Access Homes
Omaha x Design’s Duplex x Design Competition
Location: Omaha, NE
Type: Duplex, Multifamily Housing
Duration: 8 Weeks
Award Winning Entry
As housing markets continue to evolve, the demand for age-friendly accessible and affordable homes has become increasingly urgent. Cities face challenges to accommodate shifting demographics, economic pressures, and changing lifestyles, underscoring the critical need for innovative, inclusive, and sustainable housing solutions.
To address this need, Omaha by Design, in partnership with AARP and the RL Mace Universal Design Institute, launched a design competition focused on creating affordable and age-accessible duplex homes for Omaha and its surrounding communities. The competition targets two adjacent lots, 2235 and 2237 N 20th St, owned by the Omaha Municipal Land Bank, as the canvas for these forward-thinking designs.
The duplex is designed with flexibility in mind, focusing on ease of movement, comfort, and adaptability. Each unit features wide hallways, zero-step entrances, and accessible bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms to accommodate residents with varying mobility needs. Spaces are organized to allow aging individuals to maintain independence while fostering interaction between neighbors.
The form of the duplex is simple and modern, with clean lines and a modest footprint. The massing ensures privacy between the two units while creating shared communal areas, reflecting the importance of community and connection. The duplex is designed to be adaptable, allowing for modifications as residents’ needs change over time. Materials are chosen for durability and sustainability, with low-maintenance finishes that reduce upkeep for aging residents.
This universal design duplex serves as a prototype for Omaha’s future housing, reflecting shifts in demographics and the housing market. It aims to create an inclusive, sustainable, and adaptable living environment that sets a new standard for residential architecture in the region. Its design supports long-term independence, encouraging residents to remain in their homes while promoting social interaction and community resilience.
Floor Plans
This duplex is designed with a slabon-grade foundation but can easily accommodate a basement for added versatility. The northern unit includes 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, offering approximately 1,812 square feet of singlestory living space. For a more open and expansive feel, the living room can be upgraded with a vaulted ceiling.
The southern unit provides a larger layout with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, spanning approximately 2,615 square feet across two stories. This unit also supports the option of a basement and features a striking double-height living room. Both units offer the flexibility of a single or double car garage, allowing for customized layouts to suit varying needs and preferences.
This duplex showcases a versatile and adaptable design, prioritizing comfort and accessibility for individuals of all ages, incomes, and abilities. Built with resilience in mind, it is designed to withstand fluctuations in the housing market, ensuring long-term value and usability These are just a few examples of its flexible appeal.
The units are thoughtfully crafted to meet diverse needs, whether for downsizing and aging in place, providing off-campus housing, or supporting multigenerational living—allowing families to raise children while keeping elderly parents nearby with a sense of independence. These features highlight the duplex’s flexible appeal, making it an ideal choice for a variety of lifestyles and circumstances.
Exterior Finishes
The sleek, simple exterior of the duplex features finishes that, while understated, exude a sense of elegance and familiarity. This creates a familiar and welcoming appearance, allowing the building to blend seamlessly into the fabric of any neighborhood. Notably, the design includes white board-and-batten siding paired with matching white window trim, complemented by a light asphalt shingle roof.
I selected warm sconce lighting fixtures for the exterior, strategically placed to offer the most benefit to users. The garage features a simple white paneled door, providing access to the 1.5-car space.
A standout feature is the set of four solar panels installed on each garage roof (four per unit), positioned for optimal sunlight exposure throughout the day, ensuring maximum efficiency.
The kitchen is thoughtfully designed for universal accessibility, featuring appliances and cabinetry that prioritize safety and ease of use. Overhead cabinets are minimized to reduce injury risks, while lower cabinets are equipped with drawers for convenient storage. The electric cooktop has front-facing controls to prevent reaching over hot surfaces, and the microwave is placed above the oven at an accessible height. A 30-inch workspace and a wheelchair-accessible sink are positioned diagonally for optimal convenience.
The laundry room is spacious and user-friendly, featuring a front-loading washer and dryer for easy access. An ADA-compliant, wheelchair-accessible sink is conveniently placed beside the appliances. Ample storage lines both sides of the room, doubling as a mudroom, with additional storage above the appliances and sink. Bifold doors on the right conceal a mechanical closet.
This bathroom, while not part of the primary suite, includes several ADA features also found in the kitchen and laundry room, such as an accessible sink at a userfriendly height. The water closet offers ample side clearance for easy maneuvering, and the shower includes a 2-inch threshold with conveniently placed controls.
Laundry Room
Kitchen
Interior Finishes
Interior Elevations
Laundry Room South Elevation
Kitchen South Elevation
6’ Shelf Height
5’ Shelf Height
5’ Hood Height
3’ Cook Top Height
3’ Window Sill Height
Overhead
Mechanical Room
Overhead Storage Vanity Height
Accessible Bathroom South Elevation
7’ Optional Overhead Mount
6’ Wall Mounted Head
3’ Valve Height
2’ 9” Vanity Height
17” Seat Height 1 3/4” Threshold Height
Kitchen West Elevation
5’ Overhead Storage
Stainless Steel Refrigerator
36” Height Microwave
36” Height Counter Top
1’ Front Loading Oven
Adaptation
This duplex exemplifies versatility at every level of its design. From the outset, flexibility was a central goal, resulting in a layout that can be reconfigured in various ways to suit diverse needs and contexts. Whether adapting to different lot sizes, surrounding features, or specific preferences, the duplex offers options for single story or two story units, as well as configurations for single car or two car garages.
Despite these customizable elements, the design remains rooted in universal design principles, ensuring accessibility and functionality for all residents. This adaptability is particularly valuable for builders seeking to modify the design without a clear starting point. Acting as a flexible template, the duplex provides both inspiration and practical solutions, enabling the creation of housing options tailored to a wide range of circumstances.
By offering this level of customizability, the design ensures it can meet current needs while remaining future-proof, all while prioritizing ease of use and accessibility for residents across all stages of life.