Selim Helse Portfolio

PORTFOLIO

SELIM HELSE

SELIM HELSE

As a full-fledged architect, I am captivated by the complexities of the built environment and the impact of technology and design on shaping our world. I am eager to leverage computational tools & principles to make a meaningful contribution to the field of architecture.

References available upon request.

WORK EXPERIENCE

05/2021

09/2021

Company Monogram

Location Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Role Part-Time Designer

My role in monogram included projects ranging from site architect for a villa in Dubai, and jewellery & accessories design and fabrication for Dubai Expo 2020.

EDUCATION

09/2021

01/2023

Architectural Association

London, United Kingdom

MArch - Design Research Laboratory [AADRL]

Studio Spyropoulos

Thesis - Aeolian [Awarded Distinction]

08/2014

04/2019

American University in Dubai

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Bachelors of Architecture

Company City Space Architects

Location Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Role Architect

During my time at City Space Architects, I was tasked with designing luxury villas and retail centers, in various high-end developments throughout Dubai. Completing designs for over 15 projects, four of which are currently under construction.

Thesis - Hydrate

SKILLS

Modeling Rhinoceros, Grasshopper, Maya, Houdini FX, AutoCAD, Sketch-up

Code C#, C++, Unity, Unreal Engine

Languages

E-mail Contact

WhatsApp

salimhilles@gmail.com

+447760105034

+971501140200

English, Arabic Address

98 Grays Inn Road London, UK

11/2020 09/2021 10/2019 05/2020

Company Imkan

Location Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Role Intern Researcher at R&D Department

As a member of Imkan’s R&D department, my responsibilities included researching and exploring various company initiatives, such as place-making, integrating food into architectural design, experimenting with new materials, implementing art strategies, and investigating mixed-use typologies.

Rendering vRay, Lumion, Arnold, Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, Premiere, After Effect

Fabrication 3D Printing, Kuka Robot, CNC, Laser-Cutting

ACHIEVEMENTS

Graduated with distinction - AADRL 2023

2023

05/2019

08/2019

Company Middle East Architecture Network

Location Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Role Intern Architect

During my internship, I gained experience in a wide range of architectural project tasks, including developing design concepts, creating 3D models, creating drawings and diagrams, and producing visual renderings.

2022

Venice Virtual Biennial Competition - 2nd Place + Next Phase

Project Feature at Keynote Future Design Research Symposium, Towards the Certainty of Uncertainty by Dr. Theodore Spyropoulos

2018

Project Feature in COMPASSES Magazine

LinkedIn Selim Helse

AEOLIAN

“SHAPED BY THE WIND”

MArch - AADRL THESIS PROJECT

Architectural Association, London

STUDIO MASTER

Dr. Theodore Spyropoulos

STUDIO ASSISTANTS

Octavian Mihai Gheorghiu

Hanjun Kim

Apostolos Despotidis

David Greene

PROJECT TEAM

Selim Helse

Ilya Katliarski

Pawin W.

Yun Lu

PROJECT YEAR

2022-2023

The research undertaken by the year’s studio under the guidance of Dr. Theodore Spyropoulos emphasises aspects of the elemental and how natural phenomena can be utilised as a form of technology and to devise strategies of a performative architecture as a response to global challenges in a planetary scale. Students are to research, explore, and experiment with natural phenomena to develop techniques for generating materials and architecture depending on the on-site conditions and material contingencies. The elemental approach of this research challenges what architecture can be. How materials are devised? How energy can be harnessed? And How life can be sustained?

The research addresses the process of desertification by utilising the desert’s onsite materiality and investigating its material contingency. The elemental aspect of sand is explored as form of technology, by investigating the possibilities of material transformation of sand into glass under high temperature.

MATERIAL RESEARCH

SAND WELDING

The team experimented by creating different tools for sand welding and continously developed them over time, however, the main equipements used throughout this research is a 120 Ampere battery with crocodile clips attached to the positive and negative, and two carbon electrodes, touching each other create the electrical arch which reaches necessary temperatures. Reaching a temperature approximatley 1000 degrees Celsius, enough to melt the sand into a state of liquid, fusing the sand and transforming it into glass. And therefore the range of experiments was executed with carbon electrodes further. The welding process required skills and a level of craftsmanship, therefore some training process was necessary for the execution of the experiment.

COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOUR

CYBERNETIC AGENT BASED SYSTEM

The proposal examines a high population of agents that can be deployed on site. Whose agency is to self organize as a swarm based system with the intentionality of performing the sand-to-glass fusion. Utilizing the idea that a bottom up approach allows the system to be much more potent to scalability at a scale of an infrastructure, as proposed in the thesis. The system is cybernetic in its ability to communicate with the changing states of the dunescape.

PATHFINDING

Non-Fusion Mode

In non-fusion mode, the agents attempt to travel using the easiest path of traveling between the sloped terrain. In this case, they move on the lower parts of the landscape, between dunes.

Fusion Mode

During fusion mode, the agents spread out and attempt to travel on the slopes of the dune in order to fuse a larger area of the slope together. Their path of travel is generated by vector-fields that flow along the back faces of the dunes.

SWARM BEHAVIOR W/ HIGH POPULATION OF AGENTS

The terrain is analysed to gather key data points that will enable the agent-based system to make autonomous, real-time decisions. These values are translated into a colour map to provide a visualization of how the agents will perform in different areas. Orange areas have lower values and are characterized by stronger agent cohesion behaviour while blue areas have higher values and are characterized by stronger separation behaviour. This helps to optimize and improve the performance of the generated structure. For example, orange areas are denser than blue areas, providing a thicker, more rigid foundation to support the structure.

TIME ASPECT

CYBERNETIC RELATION BETWEEN AGENTS & TERRAIN

As time passes, it becomes clear how the particle behaviour begins to change. However, over time the sand will slowly begin to cover the structure, therefore, as part of its cybernetic conversation with the landscape, the agents see the newly formed terrain and begin fusing that part of it. Resulting in a multi-layered structure which is generated over a period of time.

Layer - 1

Layers - 2

Layers - 3

Layers - 4

AGENT

DIGITAL PROTOTYPE

The goal of the agent is to fuse sand into glass, fabricating the structure in the desert. The agent itself employs a range of behaviours, it needs to analyse locally the landscape, communicate with other agents, move on top of sand, fuse the sand and harness energy.

SAND

A.D.A

“2000 LINES OF CODE”

MArch - AADRL WORKSHOP

Architectural Association, London

COURSE TUTOR

Dr. Shajay Bhooshan

COURSE ASSISTANT

Cesar Fragachan

PROJECT TEAM

Selim Helse

Sahar Gohari

Zeinab Muneam

Swati Singh

Luisa Pires

Harunn Gokul

The objective of this project is to use code as a computational tool to have more control over design and to use that framework to generate a variety of specified forms. This first scope was to use particle systems to map out a distribution of points which will then be substituted with voxels, creating a box distribution network. The second scope is to design geometries that will be placed inside each voxel. These geometries must be placed and vary parametrically within the network to compliment the stability, connectivity, and the density of the global form.

BOULEVARD EXPO PAVILION

COMPANY

Middle East Architecture Network

PROGRAM

Pavillion proposal

PROJECT SITE

Expo 2020, Dubai, UAE

PROJECT TEAM

Selim Helse

Wael Nasrallah

Rashid Al-Suwaidi

Ahmad Yakout

LEAD ARCHITECT

Riyad Jouka

The ‘Expo 2020 Landmark’ proposal combines technology, innovation and sustainability into an iconic structure that serves as a welcoming icon to the event. Drawing inspiration from the story of the Expo 2020 Logo and the palms of the UAE, we designed an interactive installation that symbolizes the ethos of Sustainability and Innovation.

Section - AA

MEANDERING ARCADES

COMPANY

Middle East Architecture Network

PROGRAM

Museum Competition

PROJECT SITE

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

PROJECT TEAM

Selim Helse

Wael Nasrallah

Rashid Al-Suwaidi

Ahmad Yakout

Amro Mansi

LEAD ARCHITECT

Riyad Jouka

Barjeel Art Foundation Museum is an exploration in rethinking the timeless architectural typologies in the region with a contemporary mindset. Drawing on fractal tessellations, the team designed a modular building that provides spaces for meeting, dwelling and enjoying art. Taking notes from the tools of regional space-making with a contemporary design mindset; the building is a seamless integration of exterior to interior. The project utilizes triangular modules of limestone columns that are paired to compose an arcade of arches of varying heights to indicate the various functions.

F1 A F1 B F1 C F1 D F2

VENICE VIRTUAL BIENNALE

PROGRAM

Virtual Pavillion - to display NFT’s Status

2nd

- Place + Implementation

PROJECT TEAM

Selim Helse

Cemre

Sera

Shreshtha

The design reflected a sense of dynamism and heightened the interior experience by incorporating two loops that moved according to the exhibition content. Instead of merely serving as a navigation tool, the loops were designed to be a part of the curation. Defying the conventional relationship between static content and the moving spectator, creating a dual spectacle experience with constantly changing paths of circulation and offering a unique visual experience for visitors.

Interactive Envelope

Rotating Platform

Floor & Art Panels

Demirci

Su Abac

Mathur

FABRICATION

“DIGITAL MANUFACTURING”

Digital fabrication marks a significant change in the production of products. The combination of computer-aided design software, 3D printing, and other digital fabrication methods, has made it possible to create high-quality, customizable, and scalable products quickly and efficiently. These advancements offer several advantages, such as affordability, sustainability, and increased accessibility. Therefore, studying digital fabrication was a crucial aspect of my education at AADRL as it equipped me with cutting-edge skills in architectural and construction technology.

CNC - Machine

Laser-Cutting

KUKA Robot Arm