Vanessa Mendoza's 2025 Architecture Portfolio

Vanessa Mendoza

Selected Works

B.A. Architecture and Sustainable Development Columbia University 2019-2023 vanessa.mendoza@columbia.edu (954) 380 1110

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MULTIMEDIA MUSEUM Children’s Art Museum located in Harlem

COURSE ADVANCED DESIGN 2 DIANA CRISTOBAL OLAVE SPRING 2022

The use of stoops and streets in Harlem has changed drastically throughout the years. Street corners were often used as speaker platforms for protests and speeches. Stoops which were initially used as a tool for segregation and hygiene solution, stoops have recently been adapted to serve as an area for socialization in the community. Knowing that stoop have been adapted for congregation and that Harlem lacks large public areas for gatherings, this multimedia center, a Nexus of the Apollo Theater, aims to change that. This Children’s Art Museum will function as a large public area for events and assemblies while also serving as a core of art and film knowledge for Harlem’s Youth.

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This museum is meant to display art and multimedia works from Harlem as well as work that children and teenagers create in the workshops and classes offered in the building.

This building will also a space for students to gather after school since there is an elementary across the street and potentially provide an after school program or child care when while the parents go to the shows at the Apollo Theater.

Having a central atrium allows for the classrooms and archival areas in the museum to be located on the margins of the building with the access circulation between buildings being a connection of stairs and hallways that face the atrium. This allows people in various levels to engage with the events or films happening on the other levels.

This Museum will have an open area as you walk in with a staircase that people can occupy and congregate on.

This creates a versatile sitting space that people can use to sit comfortably and observe the film projected or up to the activities and movement happening in the floors above.

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Urban Prototype: To further integrate the Children’s Museum and its goal of creating public gathering space and uplift Harlem’s youth, a series of Playful Steps will be installed throughout Harlem.

These Playful Steps are meant to resemble the function of the main stair on the ground floor of the museum along with a more playful design that can allow children to play and climb on them. This can serve not only as a way to sit and gather but also a way to replace the hostile wire fences that divide playful spaces and streets.

One of these modular and unique structures will be located across the street from the Children’s Museum in the playground of the Harriet Tubman Elementary School and will replace the fences of various other elementary schools and parks around Harlem.

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CLIMATE OBSERVATORY Little Haiti in Miami, Florida

COURSE: ADVANCED DESIGN 1 IGNACIO G. GALAN FALL 2020

Through the following cartographies, we were able to visualize the effect and impact of sea level rise from the displacement of natural habitats and species to several communities along the water including our focus: Little Haiti, Miami.

Climate change and the increase in anthropogenic CO2 emissions has led to glacier melting and water thermal expansion which both contribute to increased sea level rise.

Sea level rise not only affects the coastal communities directly but also higher elevation inland communities as developers aim to unjustly drive residents out pf their homes in order to gentrify the area for tourism and profit. This project focuses on highlighting the effects of global climate change on small communities at a local level.

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CartographyGroup Collaboration with Joong Yoo and Ana Gutierrez

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This structure captures rainwater and uses natural filtration systems to filter water down into a pool and tanks where people can come and collect water for daily use. This observatory will not only be a gathering place for the community but will show the residents of Little Haiti the importance of community cohesion when it comes to standing up against developers who promote their displacement.

RESIDENTIAL DESIGN Project in Los Angeles, California

INTERNSHIP AT CLOCKY FALL 2023

During my internship, I collaborated closely with the project lead to enhance the overall design process.

My responsibilities included meticulously editing plans and translating modifications into Rhino models. I played a pivotal role in crafting a clean mid-century modern ambiance by skillfully editing materials.

To align with the project’s envisioned atmosphere, I sourced and implemented textures, ensuring a seamless integration with the design mood boards.

Contributing to the creative ideation process, I provided numerous design iterations and innovative ideas to the project. With my proficiency in Rhino, I rendered these designs and enhanced their visual representation through Enscape renders and animations. This comprehensive approach not only refined the aesthetic appeal of the project but also brought the envisioned concept to life in a dynamic and engaging manner.

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PRECEDENT STUDY Saw Hock Student Centre of LSE

COURSE: ADVANCED DESIGN 2 DIANA CRISTOBAL OLAVE SPRING 2022

O’Donnell and Tumoey’s 2013 Saw Hock Student Centre of the London School of Economics brings a new perspective to traditional brick buildings. The facade of this building is made up of a variety of triangular and rectangular shapes skewed at several angles to create the appearance of a folded puzzle.

The facade itself is mainly constructed out of bricks which are meant to honor London’s notable brick architecture. The angled brick walls and unions it forces an immense amount of attention to each brick and its position allowing this familiar material to be seen in a new way.

This building is designed to resemble the adaptability and versatility of a lived-in-warehouse as seen by the various lightweight partitions for flexible use of the space.

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vanessa.mendoza@columbia.edu (954) 380 1110