PORT FOLIO
University of Houston College of Architecture 2022-24
UNDERGRADUATE ARCHITECTURE
SHUMAIL ZAIDI
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN STUDENT
I am currently an undergraduate student of Architecture at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, at the University of Houston. To me, Architecture is more than creating structures, it is about shaping communities and responding to the environment through cultural narratives and sustainable solutions. Through my work, I seek to push boundaries and contribute to a built environment that is innovative, inclusive, and impactful.
B.
EDUCATION EXPERIENCE
Arch | The University of Houston
Bachelor of Architecture
Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design Graduation: May 2027
Graphic Designer Starbucks
Freelance
2022-Present
Shift Supervisor | Barista
2021-2024
SOFTWARE SKILLS
Rhino
SOFT SKILLS
Leadership AutoCAD Adaptation
Adobe Creative Suite Teamwork and Collaboration Revit Communication Creativity
01.
PERFORMANCE PANORAMA
Year : Spring 2024
02.
REGENESIS RECYLING CENTER
Year : Fall 2024
03.
ROOMS FOR LANDSCAPES
Year : Spring 2023
ESCAPISM- a sanctuary of the mind
Year : Fall 2023
HYBRID STAIR
Year : Spring 2023
01.
PERFORMANCE PANORAMA
Year : Spring 2024
Performance Panorama embodies a concept of a “dynamic spectacle,” where the public performance space is designed to revolve around the interplay of stability and instability. The structures, spaces, programs, and walkways jut into each other, more notably into the main theater. This is done to create a state of constant engagement. Simultaneously, there are some secluded spaces, such as the public lounges, and selected exterior moments, that offer an immersion of their own experience and personal narratives while still remaining in relation to the building’s overall theme.
Various sizes of columns their spacing, along with a mostly glass facade, allow not just for structural support, but for the unique interaction of natural light and even the change of weather, providing the Performance Panorama a new setting and scenery on the daily or even hourly. Larger columns punctuate certain areas, casting shadows and creating ambience, while thinner columns allow for filtered light and glimpses into adjacent spaces, blurring the lines between inside and outside. The building’s glass facade further extends this transparency by having selected facades curve in and visually connect visitors to the interior, therefore creating a panorama.
Visitors, actors, workers, students, all remain in a constant transition between performers and spectators. The audience becomes the actor, the actors become the audience. This is Performance Panorama.
Performance Panorama - Theater View
Performance Panorama - Music Room
Right Exterior Perspective
1- Public Performance Theater
2- Flexible Rental/Reheasal and Perfomance Stages
3- Public lounge/Cafe 4- Bathrooms 5- FIre Stair 6- Storage
1- Prop and Set Design Studio/ Perfomance Education 2- Public Music Room and Education
Public Lounge
Storage
02.
REGENESIS: An Interactive Battery Recycling and Education Center
Year : Fall 2024
REGENESIS stands a beacon of renewal, where battery recycling and the process oof urban mining, finds a new way to reach the community through interactive education. Elevated on a dynamic platform, the building is battery recycling and repurposing center that invites members of the community, students, and other visitors into a world of constant movement.
The translucent polycarbonate facade, made of recycled plastic, and the inner curved glass facade, create a play of transparency that dissolves boundaries between inside and outside, creating a constant seamless flow of circulation. Columns rise in a rhythmic motion, guiding pathways and shaping open, flexible spaces for learning and collaboration. These paths organically lead to spaces such as studios in which participants repurpose leftover plastics into new creations, while the upper levels of the building offer open classrooms, and simulation opportunities that allow for hands-on exploration, demystifying the complex processes of lithium-ion battery recycling.
While direct public interaction with these industrial processes remains limited, strategically designed viewing areas offer an immersive, panoramic experience, that bridge this divided. The open structure setting the stage for future growth and redefining the relationship between sustainability, industry, and the community.
03.
ROOMS FOR LANDSCAPES
Year : Spring 2023
Inspired by the “solarium” ” at Le Corbusier’s Beistegui Apartment, Rooms for Landscapes aims to reimagine the term “room” as not necessarily an interior condition, like a bedroom, but as an abstract sense in which elements and surfaces relate to each other. In this project, we create a series of outdoor rooms in relation to the natural world, and enhance the overall experience of being within the space.
1 foot = 1/16th inch
ESCAPISM- a sanctuary of the mind
Year : Fall 2023
Houston, a city where day-to-day activities revolve around work and stress, Escapism is a unique architectural endeavor that serves as a sanctuary of the mind, carefully designed to foster a sense of balance and tranquility. Along with the existing building on Milam and Franklin st, Escapism blends old and modern design principles to create a harmonious haven for all who seek solace. The design concept is deeply rooted in the duality of light and darkness, light and heavy, which is acheived by creating unique atmospheric conditions with the strategical use of the existing building, windows, and the added oversized, stained glass roof, that allow for the interplay of colors, shadows, and illumination, creating an ever-changing ambiance within the building.
Further reinforcing the theme of balance, Escapism is intentionally designed to give the illusion of the new (irregular glass and ceramic tile roof) balancing the old (existing building); the light fighting to balance the heavy. These are not just aesthetic marvels, but an intentional design strategy to create circulation that leads one throughout the entirety of the building, exposing various atmospeheres in an effort to offer a sanctuary for all kind. Additionally, a wide, ampitheater-like staircase aims to connect the bayou to the open groundfloor. Considering the hot summers, and unexpected rain showers in Houston, the groundfloor is intentionally left open all around to provide both shade and shelter, while also serving the purpose of the building being inviting to the public as it is made for the public. Escapism is not just a building, it is a commitment to creating spaces that elevate the human experience, leaving a lasting impact on those who enter through its doors.
1 Library/Archive
2 Study Cubicles
HYBRID STAIR
Year : Spring 2023
Stairs are human motion made physical. However, they can be more than just functional, stairs can be a shared experience where people can gather, perform, demonstrate; the possibilities could be limitless. That is goal of this project- design an advanced functional stair that goes beyond our conventional understanding of what a “stair” is.
HYBRID STAIR: Precedent Study/Analysis
Year : Spring 2023
Phase 1 of the Hybrid Stair is a study phase- where a design precedent serves as an example that will later leverage the design of future hybrid stairs. In this project, I studied the architectural elements of House 011 located in Sant Cugart del Valles, Spain, with special emphasis on the stair element within the house. Though the stairs are relatively simple in this project, it served as away to understand the vary basic elements of a stair. Especially since there were no images of the stairs themselves, it became an interesting learning curve trying to predict and replicate the nature of these stairs
Along with the physical stair, first understanding the relationship of the overall structure, and its circulation through the connection of rooms, becomes a critical component in the comprehension of the purpose of the type of stair.
developed rendered iterations of a minimalist stair design. These serve as a foundational exploration that will later aid in curation and development of the Hybrid Stair.
HYBRID STAIR: Reimagining the Atrium
Year : Spring 2023
Now, the curation phase. The atrium of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture allows a freedom of determination with its vast open spaces. This project aims to challenge and reimagine that space by creating the design of a stair that along with its functionality, hybridizes a series of activities.
MARBLE
STEEL
RIGHT SECTION
