Selected projects from ASU and UF.

2. What is the problem? SCALE
Phoenix Metro Area Phoenix 2009 Buenos Aires 2009
what is my goal? the creation of interstitial spaces will allow the city to become denser in terms of people and scale, increasing
activity to enhance culture and identity for Downtown Phoenix
how did the topic originate? Living and studying in both Phoenix and Buenos Aires has influenced my understanding of public space
and human scale in cities. Working within a historical context enhanced the importance of specific periods
of time in the development of the overall urban fabric of a city.
methodology palimpsest pa·limp·sest (n.) figurative something reused or altered but still bearing visible
traces of its earlier form.
an object, place, or area that reflects its history
THESIS
Internal Networks water
Densifying the Urban Fabric through Palimpsest grid
Professor: Catherine Spellman, Zubin Shroff building typology
6th Year, Arizona State University
*Project Nominated for Design Excellence Award building style
landscape
Older cities expose a variety of styles and scales imposed by its past generations. Many times they are accidental,
meaning that as cities grow and older buildings are demolished traces are left behind to remind the public of what
existed. Few times, however, as the modern city grows, are traces of history intentionally left behind. Phoenix is a
prime example of this occurrence. When something new comes along, everything in its path is demolished, leaving
no visible trace of its existence. The real question is how in a city like Phoenix can traces of history be exposed when
120 years ago there was nothing here? The solution lies in dealing with current problems in existing conditions, and
changing the method that produced them.
2 3

3. Polk St.
1
2 3 4
ASU Downtown Campus 6 view from light rail station on Central Ave.
6
5
Central Ave.
Light Rail Station
Civic
Space
Park
Ground Floor Plan
1 Ramp to Cultural Center
2 Cafe
3 Information
4 Bookstore
Arizona 5 Restaurants
Center 6 Outdoor Seating
Site
Transit view from Polk St.
Hub
Van Buren St.
Central Ave.
1st Ave.
2nd St.
3rd St.
1st St.
Using the concept of water as movement, the ground floor
opens the street into the core of the block to internalize activity
with a variety of retail and seating.
4 5

4. retail
1
performance space 2 3
3
Second Floor Plan Public Corridor adjacent roof view
1 Lobby
2 Exhibition Space
Phoenix Cultural Center
exhibition space
3 Storage The new cultural center must be an expression of the flux and uncertanties of the world of contem-
4 Offices
4 porary art and must break away from tradition. With growing numbers of needs and spaces, the new
2 5 Workshops/Labs
6 Mechanical cultural center must be manipulable and flexible, almost acting as a factory.
2 7 Performance Space
8 Gathering Space
9 Restaurant/Bar
10 Kitchen
workshops/labs
5
2
6
lobby Third Floor Plan
9
offices
7 2 9
9 9
7 2
2 5
8 2
circulation 10
2 2 1 3
9
6 Fourth Floor Plan 7

5. La Manzana de Las Luces The Block of Lights (Knowledge)
Professor: Claudio Vekstein, Sergio Forster
6th Year, Universidad Torcuato di Tella
*Project Nominated and Won Design Excellence Award Plaza de Mayo
Avenida 9 de Julio
ur
lS
o na
ag
Di
Monserrat section of downtown Buenos Aires
f
SITE
Framing History
This exploration is based on the topic of history, and how to expose it to the public. As
part of a studio focusing on public demonstrative architecture (pda), this project aims to
involve the community and give the public rights to access their history. The block repre-
sents the transformation of the city of Buenos Aires, founded in the 17th Century by the
Jesuits, and developed as a center for religion, medicine, education, and government. The
actual site is a parking lot within the block and exists because of a political dictatorship
and thus represents an opportunity to expose the result of when people do not have equal
rights. Furthermore, this is a study to frame the social and cultural transformation of a
place in order to expose it to the public.
8 9

6. + + + =
STEP 1: STEP 2: STEP 3: STEP 4:
Conceptual Framework Encased Program Embedded Circulation Primary Structure
The conceptual framework was Programs are embedded inside the Vertical circulation follows the same Primary structure was carefully
developed through careful analy- conceptual framework, representing access points as one of the origianl inserted, only replacing certain
sis of historical plans of the block the idea of using past generation building plans: two side stairs and a conceptual members to support
over time from first construction to ordering systems to encase newly central elevator core. The concept program and circulation as to not
present. Four different plans were developed programs while the new of moving vertically and horizontally disrupt the original framework and
abstracted, stacked, and extruded program never interrupts the histori- through the building in respects to also to consider the buried founda-
according to the numbers of years cal framework. time of construction is enhanced by tions and tunnels needing to be
each plan existed before renovation. this orientation. excavated. Conceptual and primary
structure would then cohesively
blend to create one. Block Plan
Public Realm
1 Events office
2 Outdoor amphitheatre The project was developed through diagramming and considering each layer of
3 Cafe/Study space history that was important to the block. A number of existing conditions were
4 National Commission of History preserved, including a series of tunnels underground dug by the Jesuits when
5 School of Museum Science
founding the city.
6 Excavations
7 Tunnel chamber
7
3
2
5
4
6
1
Four different plans overlayed from
1600- present of Manzana de Las Luces Excavation and Tunnel Plan Ground Floor Plan Second Floor Plan Thrid Floor Plan
10 11

7. Cross Section
Market on ground floor 2nd floor terrace view from Calle Peru
12 Elevation on Calle Peru 13

8. Phoenix Actor’s Theatre
Professor: John Meunier
5th Year, Arizona State University
*Project Nominated for Design Excellence Award
ACTORS
STAGE
PUBLIC MULTI-
Raising the theatre:
STAGE USE
The theatre has long been considered a very private event. The challenge
has always been how to attract not only a younger, but more diverse crowd. By
raising the theatre and opening the activity to the general public, a spectacle is cre-
ated. The building has an inherent distinction between public and private. Street
performances, a gallery, and bar, are all open to the public and also entice them
to possibly return for a show. The first step is to interest the majority, not only the
minority.
14 15

9. 1 11
2 12
13
3 11
9
8 14
4 4 10
6 7 6
5
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Program Key
1 Public Stage
2 Cafe/Bar
3 Rehearsal/Gallery
A 4 Restrooms
5 Storage
6 Mechanical
Metal Mesh 7 Loading Dock
8 Offices
Detail A Steel Tubing 9 Conference Room
10 Kitchen
11 Lobby
Waterproofing 12 House
13 Dressing Rooms
14 Wardrobe
Foam Insulation
Concrete over Metal Decking
Tie Rods
Suspended Mico-perforated
Aluminum Panels
Glazing
16 Section 1 17

10. Global Meteor Exploration Center Existing as the best preserved meteor crater in the world, this
Professor: Donna Barry museum is the premiere place to study and discover meteors.
5th Year, Arizona State University In a constant cycle, geologists and digital artists work together
and live on-site to produce exhibitions for the museum. Con-
cepts include digging and retaining the original slope of the
crater, generated by existing site features and by Daniel Bar-
ringer, the man who discovered and had such an impact on the
crater.
Site Location
at original crater entry point
Museum entry
seemless transition from desert into exhibits and crater views
Lobby
18 ticket counter with preserved remains of Daniel Barringer house19

11. 1 1
5
9
2 6
7 1 Entry
2 Workshops
3 8 3 Living Units
4 Lecture Hall
5 Mueseum Lobby
6 Historical Gallery
4
7 Scientific Gallery
8 Current Gallery
Underground Level Level 1 9 Exit/Gathering Space
Gallery Circulation Diagram
y g
Section through Lobby and Underground
20 21

12. The focus of this project was the design of a hostel. The hostel shall be placed onto an existing
camping ground, a site with Scarpa influence in the form of a restaurant and bathing station. It
must accomodate a constant influx of student travelers in different sized groups. Designing a hos-
tel allowed me to work in a familiar territory after staying in them throughout Europe. This particular
design can be easily prefabricated. A number of these hostels will be scattered around the site,
and each one will be differently sized for groups of four, five, six, etc. The example above is a four
Venice person room hostel. There are two rooms per floor, each with a bathroom in the center, and a light
well core. “Scarpa-esc” elements were added to the site such as carving channels to embed the
hostel into the ground and also adding fine detail to everything including the handrails. The site is
accessible to Venice through an existing Vaporetto stop.
Fusina Camping Grounds
Venezia-Fusina Hostel
Professor: Charles Hailey and Diana Bitz
4th Year, Vicenza Institute of Architecture
22 Vicenza, Italy Railing detail to correspond with Scarpa design 23

13. Old Con-Edison Site
Located adjacent to the United Nations Building on the East River, the site had to integrate
the pedestrian. The site is surrounded by condominiums and apartments and its somewhat
distant from New York’s commercial center. A revitalization process had to occur. I connected
the city to the waterfront through public functions and the creation of an esplanade. A marine
center, restaurants, and retail were placed on the site as well as apartments and a hotel. The Pedestrian Routes
site had to interest the common pedestrian, which includes tourists, locals, shoppers, and
busnessmen.
Tudor City
United Nations
Building
Beginning Platform
FDR Highway
Revitalizing Esplanade
New York’s Implemented
Green Zones
Waterfront
Professor: Pablo Herenu
East River
4th Year, University of Florida
Partner: Ruben Ramos
24 25

14. The Esplanade
The esplanade is envisioned to reunite the city of New York to the wa-
ter. Despite being surrounded by water, the island of Manhattan is mostly
disconnceted from views or experiences with water. Some linear infra-
structure is already in production such as the High Line project along the
Hudson to create a park on the old elevated railway. This esplanade is an
initial move to attract residents in the surrounding neighborhood such as
Tudor City to exercise and experience this highly trafficed waterway. At the
beginning platform exists public functions to attraction outsiders as well.
1 Residential Towers
2 Elevated Retail
3 Hotel
4 Parking Garage/Entrance
5 Outdoor Recreation
6 Marine Center
7 Esplanade
8 East River
26 27

15. NYC Mega-Bookstore Hotel
Professor: Pablo Herenu
4th Year, University of Florida
New York is a very hustling and bustling city. The skyline illumi-
nates the intriguing experience of the city life.
What characterizes New York? Sky-scrapers. Buildings are not
the main facet of the city but rather secondary. The people, the
diversification, and the plethera of cultures truly characterize the
atmosphere of New York City.
Program: Hotel + Bookstore + Book fair arena
Location: 6th Avenue, between 29th and 30th
Influences: Rem Koolhaas Seattle Public Library
Coop Himmelbau Frankfurt ECB 2nd Floor 3rd Floor 4th Floor
Ground Floor
28 29

16. 6th Avenue
6th Avenue
30 31

17. Charleston Maritime Museum Offices
Classroom
Professor: Peter Prugh
3rd Year, University of Florida
This museum was designed for the common pedestrian.
Lo y
Lobby
o
The building is situated between two high-volume traf-
fic areas, one being the automobile and the other being
the pedestrian. Both routes stem from the main market
in Charleston. There is a dual-entrence lobby containing
Library
a visiting exhibtion space. This leads to the main gallery Outdoor
space on the second floor as well as a media center that is Exhibition
centered around the atrium. The atrium houses the main Space
Cafe
spectacle: the old Hunley submarine from the civil war.
G lery
Gallery
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
H.L. Hunley:
Confederate submarine that was sunk and recovered is
the main spectacle in the Maritime Museum of Charleston
32 33

18. The issue at hand involves creating an educational facility for mari-
time research with the ability to house ten students and a faculty
member. Placed on a remote edge of the St. John’s River in Welaka,
FL, the project was forced to fit into a landscape and adhere to a
specific form relevant to the production and repair of mid-sized
boats. Entry to this very linear site occurs through a dense, wooded
area off a county road. Upon approach, visitors may enter the main
boathouse consisting of a large repair/production space, classroom,
storage, and an office, all which are located on the dock edge. Ad-
jacent to the dock and connected by stairs and an overhead bridge
lies the living facilities for both the students and professor.
Welaka School for Boat
Repair and Construction
Professor: William Tilson
3rd Year, University of Florida
34 35