FOUR YEARS LATER

05

01

02

04

03

06

2012

2013

2014

2015

2011

HI I’M ALEXThis is not a picture book. This work is a

testament of the four years that I have

spent at the University of San Francisco. It is

about me, it is about how I see design, and

it is about how I have grown throughout my

studies in architecture. The works displayed

are not all my best works. Rather, they are

pieces that helped me to learn the most.

STUDIO 3

STUDIO 4

STUDIO 5

STUDIO 7

STUDIO 2

STUDIO 1

STUDIO 2

SPACIAL GENERATOR

STUDIO 4

BICYCLEWORKSHOP

COMPETITION

VISITOR CENTER

STUDIO 3

WRITER’S RETREAT

STUDIO 5

ARTS EDUCATIONCENTER

STUDIO 7

TENDERLOIN CLINICREDESIGN

I’m from a small suburban

city called Newark. It is

located in the bay area.

When I was in highschool

I had the idea of studying

architecture because it

seemed to be a happy

medium between art

and science. If I didn’t

study architecture, I

probably would have

chosen to study computer

science. I honestly had no

idea what encapsulated the

fi eld of architecture, but the

thought of getting to draw

and make things instead

of sitting and listening to

lectures was intriguing.

These pages will hopefully

give a little overview about

me as well as my experience

in architecture school over

the past four years.

HOW I SPEND MY FREE TIME

THOUGHTS DURING ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL[AN AFFINITY-BASED TIMELINE]

THINGS THAT INTEREST ME

FREE TIME

READING

CALLIGRAPHY

DRAWING

NETFLIX

DRINKING

COFFEE

CYCLING

May be an inaccurate depiction since this action is

often done simultaneously with all other things.

*

*

YE

AR

2

YE

AR

3

YE

AR

4

STUDIO 1 STUDIO 2 STUDIO 3 STUDIO 4 STUDIO 5 STUDIO 7

Which grad school should I go

to after this?

Architecture school is

getting diffi cult.

I think I want to design

small-scale housing.

Should I even be in

architecture school?

I think I want to design

for communities.

I still have a lot to learn. I

want to use design to help

communities in need.

I need a break.

Dane Howard | Global Design Leader/Entrepeneur, eBay

“THE STORY OF HOW YOU DID IT

IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT YOU MAKE.”

01 | SPACIAL GENERATOR

SPACE AS ANABSTRACT EXPRESSION

In this project, I began to explore space as an abstract idea. I

chose the word “folding” and tried to create spaces that “folded.”

The requirements was that the spaces I came up with had to fi t

within a 1’ x 1’ x 1’ cube and the section drawings had to be done

on a single piece of vellum without using an eraser.

F O L D I N G

C H A L L E N G E S

When I think of folding, I think of origami. Origami takes

something fl at and two dimensional and turns it into

something that has three dimensions by contorting

the original shape into diff erent forms. To create spaces

that fold, I started drawing a section with solids that

intersected at a perpendicular angle. I then built

my physical model based on the drawings and then

added diagonal pieces to intersect the perpendicular

spaces. The intersections by the diagonal lines futher

contorted the spaces from cubes into other forms.

This project was a unique challenge for me as a young

designer. As a perfecitonist, not erasing my work and

learning to build on to it was one of the hardest things

for me to do. This project helped me to realize one of

my design weakneses and allowed me to recognize

design as a process of trail, error, and happy accidents.

The process also challenged me to think of space as

something metaphysical and not something always

defi ned by physical characteristics.

02 | WRITER’S RETREAT

A RETREAT FOR CONTEMPLATION

The concept for my writer’s retreat is to create a space for

contemplation that acts as a balance between the steep

cliff side and the open ocean. The journey away from the hillside

through the retreat gives the user a chance to experience

diff erent areas of contemplation. The various spaces lead the

user to a 180 degree view of the surrounding ocean and aims

to evoke a feeling of awe. Within the fi nal contemplation area

rests a piece of the cliff side for the user to sit on and stare out

into the endless ocean.

C O N C E P T R E V I S I O N

The following year, I decided to revisit the studio project in a revit class. I took some of the

structural diffi culties that I had with my original concept and simplifi ed my design decisions to

achieve the same spacial qualities using an approach that simplifi ed my design choices.

A

A B1 B2 C

B1

B2CE

NT

ER

GATHER REST THINK DREAM

2

2

1

2

3

4

5

6

ENTRY/GATHERING

RESTING SPACE

BALCONY

PRIVATE REFLECTION AREA

AUDIAL REFLECTION

VISUAL REFLECTION

3

3

1

1

4

4

4

6 5

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ENTRY/GATHERING

SIT/READ/WRITE

BATHROOM

BEDROOM/STUDY

CONTEMPLATION

13

2

4

5

03 | BICYCLE WORKSHOP

BICYCLE WORKSHOP

For the bike workshop, I started by analyzing the physical

characteristics of a piece of machinery. I studied a small cog and

was inspired by the idea of “clockwork” - multiple small pieces

that interweave together to create one cohesive functioning

machine. For my building, I developed this concept along with

rotational motion as the driving design factors.

O B J E C T

S K E T C H E S

This project was the most diffi cult one for me because my end results were not

equal to the many things that I had learned and my designs did not develop

as I hoped. In this project, I challenged myself to get away from using model

making as a crutch and instead focused on learning to see three dimensional

designs through drawing. My professor told me that if it isn’t drawn on paper

or made in a model, then you aren’t thinking about it. Ever since that point, I’ve

drawn, jotted down, or built every thought that I’ve had on design.

T H O U G H T S

04 | ARTS EDUCATION CENTER

A SAN FRANCISCO CENTERFOR THE ARTS AND EDUCATION

The arts education center acts as an anchor at the intersection

of a main thoroughfare and the waterfront edge. The building

stands larger than the surrounding buildings, allowing its scale

and visual access to the program within to draw people in from

the park and shopping areas. The arts education center acts

as a connection between the larger industrial scaled historical

buildings and the waterfront.

SOUTH ELEVATION

SECTION

S K E T C H E S

C O N C E P T P R O G R A M

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

ENTRY

EXHIBIT SPACE

RESOURCE CENTER

LOADING DOCK

AUDITORIUM

WORKSHOP

CAFE

ARTIST STUDIO

PRODUCTION OFFICE

ADMINISTRATION

RESTROOM

EXTERIOR TERRACE

STORAGE

GROUND FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

THIRD FLOOR

CIRCULATION ENTRANCES ANDVISUAL PERMEABILITY

SITE MAP

20TH ST

1

1

1

5

11

1

1

11

1

1

8

88

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8 8

9

10 10 1010

6

12

7

2

213

5

2

6 6 3

64

05 | VISITOR CENTER CHARRETTE

UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCOVISITOR CENTER DESIGN COMPETITION

The University of San Francisco hosted a 36 hr design charrette

competition to create a concept for an upcoming visitor’s center on

the university campus. The concept for our project was to create

an intersection between USF’s history and the future growth of

the university. The building’s “past” section features elements of

spanish-infl uenced architecture such as the courtyard and re-uses

the original guard rail. The “present” section intersects the “past”

at a perpendicular angle and orients itself towards a view of the

lower campus. The inside of this section acts as a gathering space

for cold days and also an informational space for prospective

students, USF guests, and alumni. Our design concept won fi rst

place in the competition.

Our group began the design process by visiting the site and

breaking down the programmatic needs of a visitor’s center.

We decided on that the history of USF was a signifi cant

element and that we wanted to make the visitor’s center

attractive to prospective students and also able to relate

back to USF’s spanish infl uenced architecture.`

Our team consisted of

four people from three

diff erent majors.

I DEAS C O N C E P T

The building itself is a representation of USF’s rich history and propsective future. The intersection

between the past combines historic elements with new growth on campus. The walls are made of a

polished concrete and utilizes fl oor to ceiling window panels like that of the newest building on USF.

The design for the visitor’s center celebrates the recent development on campus and aims to rest in

context with the university’s historic design.

3

4

2

5

61

1

2

3

4

5

6

EXTERIOR GATHERING

ENTRY/RECEPTION

INFORMATION CENTER

LOOK OUT

RESTROOM

FACILITY/STORAGE CLOSET

06 | TENDERLOIN CLINIC

A REDESIGN FOR A CLINIC IN NEED

Located in the heart of the Tenderloin district of San Francisco,

the health and wellness center provides free treatment to those

in need. The center was in need of a renovation, so our team went

in to evaluate the needs of the workers and created a proprosal

for a new design that would address issues of circulation, privacy,

storage space, and ventilation.

01

02

02 02

0304

05 06

07

09

01 - Nurse Workstation

02 - Workstations

03 - Specialist Offi ce

04 - Dental Offi ce

05 - Storage and Sink

06 - Psychologist Offi ce

07 - Offi ce

08 - Consultation

09 - Reception/ Waiting

P R O P O S A L

P R O C E S S

For this project, we visited the clinic and

discussed the various changes. Privacy,

storage, and air circulation were the three

biggest challenges. We took original plan and

came up with a new design that would allow

for better air fl ow, better access to supplies,

and increased privacy. During the process our

team worked to make as minimal changes as

possible since the clinic ran on a very tight

budget and received most things through

various donations.

ORIGINAL PLAN

NEW PLAN