PORTFOLIO
2022 - 2024 ACADEMIC
PROJECTS
KYAW SWAR Curriculum Vitae
PERSONAL INFO
Originally from Myanmar, I moved to Belfast in 2018 to pursue architectural education.
Growing up in a developing Southeast Asian country with poorly designed infrastructure, it was always visbile to me from a young age that the role of architects in construction industry is very signi cant. This realisation, along with my interest in drawing and buildings motivated me to study architecture.
My primary interests are sustainability, building technologies and social justice in Architecture.
EDUCATION
EXTRACURRICULAR WORKS
2024 - BSc Architecture (RIBA Part 1) - Queen’s University Belfast Upper Second-Class Honours (2:1)
2018 - Foundation Degree in Architecture - INTO Queen’s University Belfast
Supplementary Courses
Revit Architecture and Structure Essential - Zeon light Training CentreAutodesk online certi cate course
Landscape Architecture - Sukhuma Institute Myanmar - brief online certi cate course
2023 - RSUA Professional Insight Programme
2024 - Belfast Cathedral Quarter Trust - Summer School
2024 - UN Habitat - My Neighbourhood - Summer School
SOFTWARES
SKILLS OUTSIDE ARCHITECTURE
VOLUNTARY WORK
CONTACT
Kyaw Swar (Jon) +447394093230 kyawswar999888@gmail.com
AutoCAD Revit
SketchUp
Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign
Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel
Music, along with drawing, has been my hobby for a long time, and through this hobby, I have gained audio and video editting experiences which can be utilised for architectural representaions as well. I have worked with softwares such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Logic Pro and Studio One
2017 - English teaching assistant - Sar Pann Aein Boarding Highschool, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar
2017 - English Tutor - Doe Kwin Monastic Vocational School, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyaw-swar-26a9372ba/
Staging Symbiosis
Seaweed for Well-being Visitor Centre
Venice, Italy
Re-Pubblica:
Rathlin, Northern Ireland
Ca’ Tron Visitor Centre
Casa Di Refugio
Refugee Accommodation for Adolescents
Hilden Mill Rehabitation
Modular living units within Repurposed Mill
Hilden, Northern Ireland
Genoa, Italy
Staging Symbiosis
Year 3, Semester 2
Seaweed for Well-being Visitor Centre
During rst three week, students had to research the use of seaweed for various practices. Each 3 person student group also produced a triptych portraying the use of seaweed in the past, present, and the future.
Using the gathered information, this project present proposal for a visitor centre that promotes the use of seaweed for health, wellness and nutrition.
This project envisions that seaweed production, which already is a budding business on Rathlin island, will become a bigger part of the island’s economy. As the seaweed production grows larger, there could also be opportunity to use seaweed as part of the tourism of Rathlin island, which this project is foucused on.
Being located right next to the Manor house, which is currently operated as a guest house, this project aims to help Rathlin Island’s tourism economy alongside other business on the island.
The visitor centre accommodates a multipurpose activity room, seaweed cafe, seaweed cooking class, seaweed spas, seaweed treatment lab and seaweed deliver area for the lab. The centre also features a number of smaller sourtyards and a central courtyards with outdoor footbaths and children play pond.
The Use of Seaweed for Health and Well-being Triptych
Maria Commons
Sophia Kloeckner
Kyaw Swar
RATHLIN EXPRESS
Material choice
Traditionally, most of the buildings surrounding the site, including Manor House, are masonry buildings, painted white, with black shingle roofs.
The material choice for this project is inspired by neighbouring buildings and objects around the Rathlin Island, which have white and red aesthetics.
Most of the existing buildings have white walls with little red accents such as brick door frame as in Manor House. However, red brick cladding and light grey zinc roof are used in the new building, re ecting the look of existing buildings in a new way.
1.Rathlin Island Ferry Port
2.Site - Seaweed Visitor Centre
3.Manor House
4.Rathlin Co-op shop
5.Cafe Lazy Bird
6. Rathlin Boat Trips
7.Children’s Public Playground
8. the Walled Garden
9.Arkel House Bed & Breakfast
10.McCuaig’s Bar
11.Island Treasures Souvenier shop
12.Rathlin Boathouse Visitor Centre
13.Rathlin Glamping Pods
14.Kelp House
15.Rathlin Rescue Satation
Activity/ Exhibition Room
Seaweed deliver area
Seaweed treatment lab
Seaweed cafe and cooking class
As close as possible to street thus allowing passersby to see events happening
Close to street for easy vehicle access
Direct access from deliver area so that delivered seaweed to be readily transported for treatment
At a distance where it is close enough to street to get a clear sea view but still keep pravicy from the street
Far from the strret for privacy and quietness
Acitivity room, in which reception is located, is placed in the middle of the site as a focal point. A portion of the site next to this block is excavated to create a staircase, serving as the main entrance to the centre.
Seaweed deliver area is located nect to the Southeastern area of the site where the site level is the lowest. It is also just next to the existing entrance to Manor house. This part of the site is futher excavated to make it the same as street level. Seaweed Lab is placed right behind the deliver area.
As reception area and deliver are placed at eastern part of the site, at the front end, Seaweed cafe is place on Western area of the site to get both clear seaview and multiple views of the existing trees.
Seaweed baths are located at the Northern area of the site where the site level is highest. By making the spa block two-storey high, this allow the spas to get seaview even though the spa areas is placed in the back for privacy. The spa area also get views to existing trees and the hill behind the site.
Seaweed Spas
1.Direct street entrance
2.Accessible ramp entrance
3.Reception/ ACtivity room
4. Cafe
5.Seaweed cooking class
6.Cafe kitchen
7.Lift
8.Changing rooms
9.Individual bathrooms
10.Footbaths
11.Courtyard
12.Children play pond
13. Seaweed Treatment Lab
14.Seaweed deliver area
15.Semi-outdoor coldwater pool
16.Communal seaweed thermal bath
1.Accessible route
2. Cafe
3.Informal seating area/ stage
4.Kitchen
5.Seaweed cooking class
6.Access to courtyard
7.Jack arch brick ceiling
8.Communal thermal Bath
9.Perforated metal roof overhang
1.Accessible ramp
2. Cafe
3.Seaweed cooking class
4.Kitchen
5.Foot baths
6.Children play pond
7.Seaweed lab
8.Open air cold water pool
9.Communal thermal bath
Central courtyard with a pond allow cross ventilition across surrounding room and the water cool down the atmospheric temperature. Parents can enjoy foothbaths while monitoring children. The pond can act as bird bathing pond during o -season.
The jack arch brick ceiling above the cooking class space not only carry the weight of the thermal bath above but also serves as a re ection water waves above.
At each corner of the corridor is a tall window letting dim atmospheric llightin, and framing di erent sceneries. In this render, the window is showcasing the existing rubble wall with climber plants. These windows also help in making the circulation route clear.
The oor level di erence between the cafe and the cooking classroom protrudes into the cafe providing a informal seating area.
1.Seaweed deliver area
2.Bridge connecting the Reception and Manor house
3.Seaweed treatment Lab
4.Pathway around the courtyard
5.Individual baths
6.Manor house
Level
1.Reception
2.Activity/ Exhibition room
3.Cafe entrance
4.Courtyard
5.Children play pond
6.Outdoor footbaths
7.Accessible ramped corridor
8.Open cold water pool
Due to receiving strong prevailing winds, existing buildings on the Rathlin are not equipped with roof overhang.
A perforated metal penal is installed in place of roof overhang. Using perforated panel limits excessive solar gain during summer, while still letting strong wind through panel holes.
Cafe space, like many other spaces of the building, is surrounded by courtyards formed by keeping the existing tress on the site. Those courtyards make it possible for every room to be cross ventilated during summer.
As the building features wide south facing pitched roofs, there is an opportunity to put solar panels to generate electricity needed for the facility.
As the building has several spaces with large open plan, under oor heating is used instead of heating radiators. Water for under oor heating is heated by air source heat pumps .
Central Seaview cafe seat
Direct saircase access
Direct to seaweed lab
Communal seaweed thermal bath
Central courtyard with children play pond
Access from Manor house
Key Sketches
Design development block models
1:100 Presentation model on site
1:50 Sectional model
Re-Pubblica: Ca’ Tron
Year 3, Semester 1
Visitor Centre
Concept Collages
Each student is assigned a user group for this project, such as children under 15, young professionals, or senior citizens, and my assigned group was visitors to Venice. The brief, then, asks student to create an adaptive reuse project for assigned user group, using the Ca’Tron, a 16th century palace building, on the Grand Canal.
My proposal is a visitor center featuring several activities and facilities, including a cafe, exhibition spaces, a library, a lecture theatre, a Murano glass workshop, a waste upcycling workshop, and a souvenir shop. The proposal also aims to serve as an institution that raise awareness of the problems caused by overtourism such as excessive waste production.
Numerous attractions and landmarks surround Ca’ Tron, which is located on the banks of the Grand Canal. A ferry terminal is also within walking distance. Naturally, the area is also occupied by numerous visitor accommodations, ranging from
Visitors to the Ca’ Tron can bring recyclable disposable waste they generated during their stay and drop them o for upcycling. Recycling locally reduces the energy needed for waste to be transported to the mainland to be recycled.
e pro t generated by selling upcycled souveniers could be used to operate the visitor center and to house various environmental awareness projects. A number of spaces intended to house such activities were added during design alterations.
1.Main Entrance
2.to Primary staircase and Lift
3.Planter with seatings
4. Cafe
5.Viewing deck overlooking the canal
6.Multipurpose Exhibition Hall
7.to Staircase and Lift
8.Library
9.Skylight
10. Lecture Theatre
11.Rooftop Garden
3rd oor/ Rooftop garden
2nd oor plan
from exhibition hall to viewing deck on ground oor mezzanine level
View
View across the exhibition hall
1.Staircase with seatings
2.Viewind deck overlecking the canal
3.Cafe kitchen
4.Multipurpose Exhibition Hall
5.Murano Glass workshop
6.Skylight
7.Semi-outdoor waiting area
8.Rooftop garden
1.Main Enrance
2.Planter with seatingsRooftop garden
3.Cafe/ Bar
4.Multipurpose Exhibition Hall
5.Murano Glass workshop
6.Library
7.Skylight
8.Rooftop garden
The building provides an additional entrance from the side for visitors where they can immediately to drop of they waste they bring for the purpose of upcycling. As visitors enter the central hall central atrium, which enable solar gain as well as, passive ventilition, let them see what acticities are taking place on each oor.
They will also be greeted by a grand staircase at the other end, which leads to the viewing deck overlooking the canal.
The cafe is located near the facade on the canal side, letting visitors to enjoy their drinks while enjoying the view of the canal as well.
The section of the building is designed in a way so that visitors could either naturally move along the hallways and enjoy the facilities provied, or just directly go to desired place via primary vertical circulation which located just right to the entrance.
Alterations made to achieve the desired spaces can be seen in these diagrams.
Demolished Addition Light
Casa di Refugio
Year 2, Semester 2
Refugee Accommodation for Adolescents
The brief of this project was to design a refugee accommodation in Genoa, Italy.
As part of the research, each student had to study refugee accomodation projects across the world as precedent. My precedent was temporary dormitories for burmese children in Thailand that features a timber structure frame which can be easily assembled or dismantled.
For the project design, a structural pattern with crossing bracings was chosen as a focus point and the design progressed centered around the cross bracing.
The timber frame structure then sits on top of the existing building, and could also be assembled and dismantled easily.
Each apartment features a living room, bathroom and two beds located on two mezzanines at di erent levels, hence, giving the impressions of two bedrooms while using less oor area.
1. Main entrance and reception
2. Landing with seating area
3. Dining area
4. Outdoor staircase to residential units
5. Open corridor
6. Living room
7. Bathroom
8. Lower mezzanine bed
9. Upper mezzanine bed
10. Private Balcony
11. Skylight
12. Extensive green roof
1. Main Entrance
Reception
Cafeteria
Kitchen
Laundry room
6. Storage
7. Open corridor 8. Living Room
Bathroom 10. Skylight
4. Partition wall, Soundbloc plasterboard 12.5mm x 2
Glulam cross bracing, Insulation 240mm
Soundbloc plasterboard 12.5mm x 2
5. Exterior wall, plasterboard 15mm, OSB panel 15mm, Insulation 200mm, OSB panel 20mm, Breathable membrane, 25x50 treated battens vertical, 25x50 treated battens horizontal, vertical open joint timber cladding
6. Double glazed window, wooden frame
7. Folding window shutters, wooden
8. Mezzanine oor, three-layered CLT panel, 80mm 170 x 140mm timber joists at both end
9. Floor Linoleum 4mm, Chipbard 16mm, Impact-sound insulation, 34mm, Thermal insulation 100mm, 80 x 100mm timber joists, Timber battens, Ceiling plasterboard
1. Glulam Column, 250 x 250 x 4400mm
2. Metal glulam connector
3. Glulam beam, 250 x 300mm
Glulam post and beam structure with cross bracings over existing concrete structure. Cross bracings limit lateral movement and help withstand the prevailing wind.
Hilden Mill Rehabitation
Year 2, Semester 2
Modular living units within Repurposed Mill
Precedent study on Tricycle House and Tricycle Garden units by People's Architecture O ce (PAO) + People’s Industrial Design O ce (PIDO)
Hilden Mill is a former mill located by the River Lagan in Northern Ireland. Once the biggest linen-thread making business in the world, the whole site and mill buildings have now been abondoned since 2006. The brief of the project was for four students, as a group, to design a housing scheme utilizing the site.
For the precedent research, each student individually explored various unconventional living styles that maximised small, compact spaces.
The drawings demonstrates how prefabricated, modular units are installed inside the Hilden Mill, restored and altered for adaptive reuse. Di erent units con gurations are installed according to the type of user.
For example, units on 1st oor are intended for single individual, units on 2nd oor are for families, while units on 3rd oor are meant to be shared.
Sleeping Unit example
Prefabricated units placed inside the mill building
Detail section of units inside the building