Selected Works by Andrea D. Arias
“Pidgeons love to shit on de stijl” Play on colloquial expression of doing something “con estilo” or “with style”, represented on this altered image of my old architecture department back in University of Puerto Rico which was plagued by pidgeons. It is meant as a satirical rendition on the obsession of style that overwhelms architectural discourse around the world. The underlining point is that, Barroque. Modern, DeStijl - pidgeons will shit on it regardless of what you might call it.
It’s all part of the process. Proceso mueve la indigestión que es “the problem”. The prompt is presente, y entonces qué? How to understand, and captar la inmesidad del problema? Es difícil, quite difficult if you ask me, Justificar la intución. Si, the intuition of a project es Incredibly crucial to capture la esencia de tu solución... Soluciones son… a dime a dozen. Como fondillo, todos tenemos uno, Realizar… All have opinions. Eso no es malo! La pureza of your first thought es… immeasurably valuable. Es el epítome de quien has sido Up until that point Fue la esencia the quien eres The utmost expression of your growing soul Y after that particular moment, No serás quien fuistes again. You are neither better or worst You just are. Pero el mundo no es tan sencillo And instinct alone won’t do En un mundo empírico, Instinctual solutions cannot simply thrive Es aquí que investigación es requerida Research. Research. Research. Es un momento mágico! That moment en donde realizas Ha! I’ve been right! Y oops! Estoy mal! Begin to weave your solutions! Con intuición and knowledge Before you know it. La solución estuvo carved. Carved out of the beautiful metaphorical marble De tu mente y los layers que componen la esencia de su ser. He aqui en donde mind, heart, y soul Morph together And good design intention is made. Vive diseño!
It’s all part of the process. “the problem” The prompt How to understand and…?
Proceso mueve la indigestión que es presente, y entonces qué? captar la inmesidad del problema?
Quite difficult if you ask me, the intuition of a project Incredibly crucial to capture
Es difícil Justificar la intuición. Si es La esencia de tu solución
a dime a dozen. Therefore all held opinions of your first thought immeasurably valuable.
Soluciones son… Cómo fondillo, todos tenemos uno Realizar… , eso no es malo! La pureza es…
Up until that point The utmost expression of your growing soul after that particular moment Again, You are neither better or worst You just are
Es el epítome de quien has sido Es la esencia de quien eres Y no serás quien fuiste
And instinct alone won’t do Instinctual solutions cannot simply thrive Research. Research. Research That moment Ha! I’ve been right! oops! Begin to weave your solutions! knowledge Before you know it. Carved.
Pero el mundo no es tan sencillo En un mundo empírico Es aquí que investigación es requerida ... Es un momento mágico! En donde realizas Ha! Y Oops! Estoy mal. Con intución, la solución De tu mente y los que componen la esencia de tu ser, He aquí donde Vive Diseño!
Carved out of the beautiful marble Layers Mind, heart, soul Morph together And good design intention is made
From “Living Within Two Languages” Series
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Project List
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AN ODE TO EARTH Devil’s Slide Cove, Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada B.F.A Architecture Winter 2017 Prof. Scott Singeisen Savannah College of Art & Design
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An ode to Earth Because of the nature of the basins on the bottom of Bay of Fundy, the coasts of this area shift to up to 56’ difference twice a day. The assignment prompted us to engage site On, Above, Over & Below. The selected area was adequate because it was a straition rich area, where fossils could be seen by simply slicing the earth. Because the Bay of Fundy is such a beautiful manifestation of where Land and Water meets, I wanted to glorify and create an altar to appreciate this connection to the land. In the guise of being a hiking challenge for expert campers, the series of stills addressed in this page is a run through of specific and memorable experiences within the path that created the “An Ode to Earth”.
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1– After a 2 hour trek through the woods at the Devils Cove Park, you arrive to a set of monolithic walls that frame your end goal – the end of the experience, where the water and land meet. 2 – Monolithic Walls framing the ending, address the Above Condition
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This experience is meant to exemplify the passage of time through its layers. 7- Framed by the remaining two walls, there is a composite wall in the middle made of processed basalt and concrete, it bridges the connection between the natural wall, and the last wall – a monolithic retaining wall made out of concrete.
3 – Basalt Garden – Recycled Basalt Boulders placed along side the stipulat- 8 – The circulation weaves in and out ed path to address the On Condition of the central wall. 4 – Basalt Garden looking towards Monolithic Wall 5 – Entrance Threshold that shifts scale from the outside to inside condition. 6 – Along the path of the immediate wall to the right, is the first literal manifestation of an “Ode to Earth”, Earth as Wall, is an untouched wall with straitions in full glory.
9 – Conclusion to the bottom floor of the structure, exactly lined up with the maximum height of the water basin splash, so when tides shift, an inch to a foot of water can come in and out of the structure. The glass box enables you to become one with the Bay of Fundy. 10 – Perspective from the water at high tide.
The middle wall is the visual link between the two adjacent walls, one that is a retaining wall and completely made out of concrete, the other a naturally formed wall that exemplifies the fossil remnants & passage of time through straitions.
The floor plans emphasize the three walls that hold and organize the space. Below the cliff are two camping grounds that branch off from the path within the structure, these address the Earth as roof, and the Earth as aperture and the conditions of Below and Under.
Basalt tiles
Concrete
Natural carved Basalt
15ft 50ft
30ft
Campground #1
Campground #2
Circulation
Composite wall // Section
Concrete Retainin Wall
Composite Wall
Natural Wall
Site Specifically placed for is geological value, the site is also the first piece of land when you go straight through the center of the Bay of Fundy. It is for this reason that the glass box culminates the experience. Whether the high tide, low tide, or somewhere in between, the glass box aims to be the connecting point where Land and Water meet physically and visually– where you can become one with The Bay of Fundy and one with the Earth.
PROJECT ONTOLOGY Siteless B.F.A Architecture Fall 2014 Prof. Jean Jaminet Savannah College of Art & Design
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Referencing Tsuchimi’s work, we react to the shapes ontology, creating objects within objects, that start creating spaces in and between where those volumes meet.
The main idea is an object misfit within an object that is expanding vertically but is compressed by the ground.
This interaction within forms is meant to question whether architecture is part of the ground or a distinct object in itself.
An object within an object
Just like the base starts big and gets thinner towards the top, the circulation plays with the senses by creating a wide open space that leads to a small space that serves as transition for another wide open space. There is a dialogue
between the idea of expansion and compression and the actual morphology of the project. The duality of both the shape and human experience works harmoniously and becomes the communicating force between the
morphology, circulation and space, in other words, form, space and order.
The morphological evolution begins with a square figure that starts expanding laterally. A series of bends and cuts start editing the shape creating a lower and higher plane and defining more clear the positive and negative spaces. After this space has been clearly defined, another form starts enveloping the shape and reacting to the existing geometry. It starts bending inwards, adapting itself to the now inner form. As it contracts, it protracts: expanding just enough to create spaces in between the two structures that create an inner terrace.
The misfited forms rest on a flat plane. This ground plane creates a step as soon as it touches the edges and keeps expanding to the sides. This slight addition to the flat surface starts spatially separating the middle area where the forms stand from the lateral wide open space. As the form keeps expanding it decides to fold inwards and compresses the inner forms. There is a misfit yet the enveloping form reacts to the existing shapes. A transitory space is created as these three forms interact.
Morphologic Diagrams
Circulation
ANTHONY GORMLEY MUSEUM / TEMPORARY RESIDENCE / WORKSHOP Roundhouse Complex Savannah, Georgia B.F.A Architecture Spring 2015 Prof. Julie Rogers Varland Savannah College of Art & Design
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This project aims to synthetize the following programs: Exhibition Space, Workspace/ Artist Studio, Dwelling Spaces. The exhibition’s top priority was to provide shift of scales, qualities of space, and play with human perception.
The overall site was intriguingbut I felt this strong desire to not touch anything and destroy nothing... but rather find a way to coexist harmoniously with my surroundings.
Ideation
Concrete Study It was very interesting to work with this material. The way the surfaces reacted to one another and fluctuated in its sensorial value was very satisfying. Portland Cement hindered the best results because it dried relatively fast and the surface was dark and smooth. The goal of these explorations was to understand plasticity and haptic connections within small gestural manifestations.
Light Study Light studies were administered to undersntand the role of light and shadow from ambient light and direct light. Through the use of different materials the way the light bounced off played a big part in material consideration, and apperture placement within the proposed intervention.
Utilizing the pre-existing brick structure, once the paint shop of the Savannah Roundhouse Complex, provided the perfect frame for Gormley to explore with scale with his sculptural work. The entrance is quite dramatic, and ensues a series of steps that leads to an indoor garden. Throughout this area several of his work would be on display, engaging with the space and user as they pass through and take in the sites. A separate entrance and experience was produced for Artist Gormley and his assistants. There is also a private entrance for Mr. Gormley, directly to his residential area. In it’s entirety it is a functional, seperate building. It simply advantageously reappropriates unuesed spaces and provokes more relevancy within the context.
A building within a building
Street Entrance to Gallery Private Residence Entrance
Triple Height Gallery/ Indoor Courtyard
Dwelling Spaces / Temporary Residence
Workshop Area
Gallery Entrance from Roundhouse
Workshop Entrance from Roundhouse
The preservation of the present built environment was crucial for the success of this intervention. It was thus important to not only document the areas that were of interest, but provide a platform of comparison with renderings that show how scalar manipulation can shift a space’s perception and meaning - just like Gormely’s work.
Before & After
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS Central Park, N.Y.C Architectural History Minor Fall 2016 Prof. Celeste Guichard Savannah College of Art & Design
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Re-definition of “Virtual�
Virtual Environments, often considered solely digital, is more about achieving presence within a space. Immersion that achieves a sense of presence is the key link that enables users to transport themselves and respond to these environments. Virtual Environments range from a VR Game, an amusement park, a museum - any space (physical or virtual) that aims to recreate something. Disney is a prime example. Renaissance Fairs is another example of a virtual environment. And so when we re-define what virtual means, and focus on creating immersion within the spaces we create, our architecture becomes inevitably more powerful.
The concept & goal for the project was to produce a space that incites the wanderer to achieve self-awareness or presence. I was inspired by these three virtual environment denominations explored within the 0class: 1- Sensorama, because it is meant to create immersion through the senses. 2-Heterotopia, because it is a different space crafted for a certain purpose: to transcend into the recognition of one self in space. 3-Paradise Spaces, because it is designed to feel like a garden.
Reward through discovery: We are all completely immersed in technology - smartphones have enabled to provoke a virtual environment in our heads that prevents us from being in the physical moment. Through this project I meant to explore a space that can achieve physical presence. To this project there are two levels of immersion: The hypothetical experiencer - for whom this project was conceptually created for. The visual analyzer - the deliverables made are meant to have different colors and effects to incite emotion in the viewer - creating an imaginary presence through visual engagement.
Intentions
Environments Embracing the fact that this will never be built, the environments created are powerful only when observed. If the presentation is succesful, the viewer would place themselves within the space and start engaging it mentally.
The garden it depicts, is meant to be a place that incites exploration and mindfulnnes. To inspire you to forget about your virtual personna and its social agenda, and indulge the idea of experiencing these spaces.
Our world encompasses two different worlds right now - the physical and virtual.With time, the gap between those is closing, and now are re-merging as one - becoming one and the same. Capitalizing on that to create more meaningful experiences is key.
BRUTALIST HOUSE Sao Pablo, Brazil B.F.A Architecture Winter 2015 Prof. Mathew Dudzik Savannah College of Art & Design
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Factor’s Walk A set of historic walls embraced the path. It was the middle of the afternoon and yet the darkness seemed to linger in the distance... The words “DEAD END” were written in a sign just before the path began and I couldn’t help but to feel incredible excitement... an unforgettable experience was about to unfold.
It is an interesting sensation to be the meat of a sandwich made up of historic brick walls. The circulation is intriguing...even though it is seemingly linear.
The circulation is steep. You can either go straight, back, down to the river or up to the street. It is not subtle in anyway. It is rough - like the material that surrounds me - sudden, dramatic... like the play between darkness and light.
The concept of bridges at such small scale is so interesting to me. Factor’s Walk is full of these little bridges that connect to the streets at different heights. These floating structures that enable circulation are quite fantastic. Imagine a world without bridges...
It is exciting to go through a sequence of open and closed spaces. There is an inherent void / mass relationship that is incredibly exciting because it visually transforms the surfaces depending on the time of the day and the levels of shades the bridges and tunnels are creating.
The combination of organic material and man made material aids in creating an atmosphere. Juxtaposing conceptually, the contrast between new architecture, old architecture, and plant matter enhances the immersion of this experience, and implores you to achieve presence within space.
Bridges and terraces , created to provide light, circulation, and higher vistas, have the incredible result of creating tunnels, dark spaces, and lots of shade.
It’s interesting how Factor’s Walk is overshadowed by the mainstream toruism that happens a couple of feet over in River St. , which is parallel to Factor’s Walk. For some reason Savannah, being a historic city, doesn’t wish to celebrate the true colours of port life. Yes the path looks dirty and grungy, but that accumalative dirt is an instrinsic part of the history of Savannah.
Brutalism & Spaceships Brutalism as a style is a very ambigupous yet obvious declaration of design intent. In this project I had to create a multi-family home for a CEO of a technology company that had an obsession with astronomy and a lot of Sci-Fi paraphernalia. With this in mind, I took the general composition of a spaceship, and concentrated on studying their specific function and relevancy within its parts and applied it to the house model.
It provided an interesting basis into which to start understanding not only the spaces themselves, but the relationship with each other. Utilizing the experience of Factor’s Walk as an example on how to create immersive, powerful spaces, the Spaceship House began to manifest in Sao Paulo, Brazil with a brutalist identity.
A concrete garden - no vegetation. The illusion that a space ship crashed and landed and its inhabitants just made a home of it. The living room (above), provides a platform for observation without being hit by the hot Brazilian sun for most of the day.
The entrance is big enough for a series of cars to come in and park in the garage. It is divided in three facades: Garage, Exhibition Space / Top Floor, and Garage. Between these spaces a hallway emerges, and the weight of architectural objects sink in.
Finally the massiveness of the brutalist architecture pushes you towards a cliffface where downtown Sao Paulo can be appreciated with all its glory.
Massing model without materiality.
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Site model created by the class. Sclae 1/64� = 1’
Inbetween spaces that creates an interesting circulatory imperative through Mass/Void.
Apertures play an important role within the massivity of these spaces. The rigidness holds you in, but the apertures let you burst out. The mass is emphasized through apertures and thus proliferation of light.
TESLA LEARNING CENTER Detroit, Michigan, USA B.F.A Architecture Summer 2017 Prof. Mathew Dudzik Savannah College of Art & Design
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What Does Detroit Need? In a desolate environment, in the heart of a dying city, a small site exists next to the Michigan Grand Central Station, a building that lives because the people remember the idea of what it could be - never truly enjoyed what it was meant to be. And so with the constant reminder of failure, and the ever present effect of corporate greed forgetting its forementioned promises - the 700k inhabitants that remain struggle to survive in a decaying city with no industry but tourism and the ocassional sport event.
Through the research done, the numbers showed a wide gap in population, a lot of young artists feeding the artistic life of Detroit, a lot of older people that refuse to leave, and a lot of abandonded property in between the two. Detroit, whose identity was so clear during its Motown days, and the big Three (GM, Chrysler, Ford) is now presented to us as a remnant decays of a past that seemed all to far away. It was then that the arrival of Tesla materialized as a poetic gateway to re-activate the Urban Landscape.
A triagular, sloping site surrounded by historic buildings falling apart provided an intial conceptual challenge. After all they have been through, how could a car company initiate a domino effect of prosperity and urban change? One word came to mind: Education.
Because it seemed like the people of Detroit were still stuck in the past, utilizing Tesla as an introduction to new information and technology would seem like a destined interaction. This HQ will serve more as a recruiting center, a last stop before
the Canadian border for deliveries, and an education center where free and paid workshops and courses for all ages in the community would be funded by Tesla and the residential tower adjacent to the main building and auditorium.
In order to encourage a young audience, the Loft Style Tower is designed to provide unique views of Detroit, and a compact yet stylish design.
Residential Loft Style Tower
The design is meant to look institutional, calculated but enable constant movement throughout the site with the use of curves, shaded spaces, and 3ft progressive elevations.
Maximizing views, creating adaptable habitable spaces, and promoting community interaction were key components that shaped the architecture.
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During my first year of architecture I was a student in the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. Our first semester concluded with a product design project that was automatically entered in a Toy Design Competition held by an organization called Design For Change. Their competitions were product design centered to aid cancer patients all around the island. The Design for Change competition of 2012 was for a new wing that was opening in St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Condado, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The winning projects would be chosen for production after being user tested in their new play area within the new wing. TARUg, the name comes from the colloquial term “tarruguito” meaning a small piece of wood. These little pieces of wood can be inserted in the perforated acrylic film, and stopped by a solid acrylic film that also serves as the top part of the little drawers that hold all the components of the game. The way it works is by putting the “taruguitos” inside the different slots, and then weaving the string through them. Different colours are offered, and their is enormous replay value. It is almost meant to stimulate the creative part of the brain and parent-child interactions. The compact design and convenient assembly/dissasembly aims to fascilitate the use in a hospital environment, be it in a specialized play area or in the confines of a bed.
TARUg
Savannah Photography has been a constant in my life, but upon arrival to Savannah it started evolving from something my mother did, and I assisted her with to a tool for communication. Through photography I was able to capture the essence of emotion and experience. Emphasizing textures and morphology with contrast and purposefully dramatic angles enables me to capture architecture from a series of spontaneously perceived moments. The perfect image for me is one that speaks aesthetically about the architecture, but insinuates a rhetoric. Whatever that rhetoric may be is 100% property of the observer.
Exuberantly rich in texture from every angle, Savannah makes a wonderful subject when it comes to creating drama within an image. Structural systems, so rigid and predictable, often clash positively within the aged surfaces Savannah mostly sports. To the right is an image taken in the Round House Complex in Savannah, beneath the old train Paint Shop. This image got all the way to the Louvre in Paris, France, for a single day in See. Me Competition Reception on July 2015. It was also featured in the Black & White Collection Book (pg. 25), of the 2015 See.Me Competiion.
Savannah Textures
Savannah Roundhouse Complex
Abandoned yet still working elevator shaft in Savannah Roundhous Complex
Factor’s Walk Residential Decking, Savannah, GA
N.Y.C
There is beauty in abandoned spaces, that only hold the remnants of memories of what one was. Somehow the desolation that accumalates through the passage of time seeps into the core of spaces - almost like a palpable force.
An ongoing collection, Desolate Spaces aims to capture the raw, powerful essense of the previous spaces. Architecture is about the user, but Desolate Spaces show the side of architecture when it looses its purpose.
Through acknowledging these moments and places that lack human interaction, there is a brief connection. Every time someone looks at one of these pictures the space is activated its purpose redefined once more.
Desolate Spaces
Harris St.
As a new Freelance Architectural Photographer, an incredible opportunity emerged when Interior Designer Stephen Dooley contacted me to photograph a project he did in Harris St., Savannah, GA. This lovely residential is an absolute gorgeous expression of his work.
Floor/ Lamp Details
Kitchinette in Living Room
Work Station at Living Room
© Andrea D. Arias