Santana Aguirre, Genesis Aleisha
Project: The Cube Institution: School of Architecture, UPR Rio Piedras Campus
Year: 2020 First Year, Fall Semester Work: Individual Project
Category: Light Object Mentor: Prof. Maria Campos Urrutia
This project explores gestalt principles through a lighting object, originating from an exercise of two-dimensional drawings. The work incorporates principles of simplicity, figure-ground, and proximity on a 9x9 cube developed with arranged threads. When illuminated, the design creates intricate light and shadow patterns. This geometric structure transformed into a sophisticated visual experience reveals how fundamental design concepts can generate compelling spatial and perceptual interactions.
PHYSICAL MODEL
Side View
Top View
Simplicity Principle Figure and Ground Principle
Angled Frontal View
TWO DIMENSIONAL DRAWINGS
Proximity Principle
Project: The Palmetum Institution: School of Architecture, UPR Rio Piedras Campus
Year: 2021 First Year, Spring Semester Location: UPR Botanical Garden, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Work: Individual Project Category: Pavilion Project Mentor: Prof. Fred Diaz
This pavilion features a circulation defined by an analysis of circles. The walls rise and fall with the terrain, while the circular paths and rooms create a fluid, dynamic space. It counts on areas that showcase interactions with natural light, including skylights that bathe the interior with a soft glow. This creates a harmonious environment that encourages exploration and engagement with the beauty of the botanical garden.
Right Side View
Side View
Angled Frontal View
Project: Serenity Institution: School of Architecture, UPR Rio Piedras Campus
Year: 2021 Second Year, Fall Semester Location: Central Aguirre Historic Distric, Salinas, Puerto Rico
Work: Individual Project Category: Portal Project Mentors: Prof. Blanquita Calzada & Prof. Claudia Cintrón
The project works on a portal to welcome visitors to the Aguirre district. Incorporating elements of the train station tracks, the design features perforations in its walls and ceilings. These openings form a luminous framework that guides
visitors through a vibrant and ever-changing journey. One can find a series of courtyards that connect with the surrounding exterior, generating an experience where visitors can feel connected to the environment.
IV
Project: Translucent Corridors Institution: School of Architecture, UPR Rio Piedras Campus
Year: 2021 Second Year, Fall Semester Location: Central Aguirre Historic Distric, Salinas, Puerto Rico
Work: Individual Project Category: Market Project Mentors: Prof. Blanquita Calzada & Prof. Claudia Cintrón
The project involves creating a market to welcome visitors to the Aguirre district. The design creates a journey for visitors with designated spaces for working, shopping, learning, relaxing, and contemplating the environment. Through its translucent walls and a roof filled with perforations, a luminous lattice
is generated, guiding visitors through a warm and vibrant path. At the end of the journey, visitors encounter a series of gardens that establish connections between the interior and exterior, creating spaces that open up to the views and provide an experience where visitors can feel connected to the environment.
VProject: The Wave Institution: School of Architecture, UPR Rio Piedras Campus
Year: 2023 Third Year, Spring Semester Location: Lajas, Puerto Rico
Work: Group Project Concept, Physical Model, Sections, and Floor Plan
Category: Contemplative Learning Space Mentor: Prof. Elio Joffre
This project is inspired by the fluid motion of a wave, the design symbolizes the endless flow of imagination. Gardens strategically define the background and figure, creating diverse environments that allow students to choose spaces that resonate with their comfort and learning style. The architectural design emphasizes transparency through an innovative ceiling structure that generates a delicate lattice effect, ensuring optimal airflow and a sense of warmth. By integrating materials like wood, concrete, and metal, the space achieves a tranquil and inviting atmosphere that encourages exploration, contemplation, and interconnectedness with the built and natural environment.
Project: Luminous Station Institution: School of Architecture, UPR Rio Piedras Campus
Year: 2023 Fourth Year, Fall Semester Location: Tren Urbano, Miramar, Puerto Rico
Work: Individual Project Category: Train Station Project Mentor: Prof. Shellar García
An extension of Puerto Rico's Urban Train to Miramar, was created serving as transportation and an entertainment hub. The design focuses on a roof that embraces the entire project. The train operates underground to minimize noise pollution. The design functions as both an interior and exterior space, with courtyards centered around columns that serve not only as structural elements but also provide seating areas for people to enjoy the environment.
Partition screen walls guide visitors through the project, while the large roof creates an interplay of light. Finally, visitors ascend to a second level located in the heart of the large courtyard, which connects people through a bridge that unites the citizens of Miramar.
Project: The Mangrove: National Library of Puerto Rico Institution: School of Architecture, UPR Rio Piedras Campus
Year: 2024 Fourth Year, Spring Semester Location: Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Work: Individual Project Category: National Library Project Mentors: Prof. Hector Montalvo & Prof. Julieta Guillermet
This project reflects the history and transformation of Puerta de Tierra in San Juan, where the library's four-level structure embodies the site's evolution from a large mangrove island to an industrial area. Levels 1 and 4 feature curved, almost convex forms that symbolize the area's original mangrove landscape, strategically designed to dissolve noise. In contrast, levels 2 and 3 emerge as a cube projecting outward, representing the industrial era with angular shapes that cause sound to bounce back. The floor plan is consistently divided into three sections: main library programs in the front, service
areas in the middle, and private administrative functions in the rear. A node-like main staircase at the front connects all levels and provides views of the redesigned plaza, which features reforested areas for enhanced environment, ventilation, and shade. The facade's screen evokes the memory of the original mangrove ecosystem, serving as a metaphorical bridge between past and present. This design creates a modern and inviting space for learning and community engagement while paying homage to the area's rich and complex historical landscape.
Project: Miranda Garage Firm: EMarquitectos
Year: 2024, Fall Semester Location: Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Category: Office Space Project Mentor: Arch. Emilio Martínez
This project transforms three wagons into a functional and versatile workspace, strategically integrating areas to optimize workshop operations. The ground floor design incorporates a dynamic reception, three assessment areas, four employee workspaces, a functional bathroom, and a terrace that expands the work experience, while two specific exterior spaces are designated for vehicle verification. The private second level houses the manager's office and a conference room, enabling a clear separation between operational and administrative areas, facilitating both management and internal communication of the business.
Project: Bolt-Evans Residence Firm: EMarquitectos
Year: 2024 Location: Miramar, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Category: Residence Terrace Renovation Project Mentor: Arch. Emilio Martínez
This project has been designed to transform a home's terrace into a multifunctional space that connects intimately with nature. The design introduces a dry bar, expansive areas for vegetation, and strategic doors that blur the boundaries between interior and exterior, allowing natural light and landscape views to permeate the space.
A dedicated laundry area and pantry enhance the zone's functionality, while the master bathroom was completely reimagined as an open, spacious sanctuary that feels directly connected to the surrounding natural environment. By prioritizing views, vegetation, and a seamless indoor-outdoor experience, the project creates a dynamic and inviting area that extends the living space beyond traditional architectural boundaries.
CONCEPT SKETCHES
