Alejandro Di Napoli
Architectural Portfolio
selected work. 2017-2020
Alejandro Di Napoli University of Virginia
MK3 | 2020
ALEJANDRO DI NAPOLI
EXPERIENCE
(703)-776-0016 | Washington, D.C | ajd7xc@virginia.edu
Perkins Eastman
B.S Architecture Student, Class of 2021
OBJECTIVE
PERSONAL PROFILE An aspiring architect with the lifelong dream of bringing people from all walks of life closer together through the universal language of design. Being the son of an Argentine-Italian father and a Spanish-Venezuelan mother, I have always been able to observe and analyse the world from multiple political, economic, and socio-cultural perspectives. My multicultural upbringing has without a doubt served as the foundation behind many of my designs, and I hope that my background along with my passion for macroeconomics and international relations will allow me to utilize architecture as a lingua franca between matters of conflict, as well as a means to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing the 21st century.
PROFESSIONAL
SKILLS
Arch Visualization
3 YEARS
CAD Drafting
2 YEARS
SHoP Architects
GPA: 3.760
Winter Extern
Bishop O’Connell
January 2020 Attended a site visit, worked on a conceptual massing model, and created a diagrammatic perspective section. Additionally, learned about the intersection between design and computational fabrication via AR/VR integration, and attended team meetings.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
President of the French National Honors Society, Vice President of Bipartisan Unity Organization, Men’s Varsity Rowing Captain (2015-2017), Member of the National Honors Society
October 2019 - May 2020
GPA: 4.30
Assisted in the production for ‘Collective Living and the Architectural Imaginary’, a catalogue of 60 seminal housing projects built and unbuilt and an upcoming publication from Somatic Collaborative.
AWARDS
University of Virginia
June 2019 - August 2019 Responsible for supporting design teams in the development of projects, as well as working on test fits, construction documents, and furniture specifications, primarily through the use of Rhino 6, Revit, Microsoft Office, and the Adobe Suite. Also attended client meetings and was responsible for putting design presentations together while working on a range of projects in from competition bids, to schematic design, to construction administration.
Semester’s work was chosen based on its strength to represent the work of the entire studio for publication, recruitment, and exhibition.
6 YEARS 3 YEARS 0.5 YEARS
Resin Casting
0.5 YEARS
Modelling
3 YEARS
Schematic Design
2 YEARS 0.5 YEARS
December 2018 | May 2019 | December 2019
U.S. Department of State
National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Member & Scholarship Recipient
SKILLS 8 YEARS
Windows
12 YEARS
Microsoft Office
12 YEARS
June 2017 - September 2017 Studied both Modern Standard and Colloquial Arabic at Qasid Arabic Institute through an immersion program equivalent to one year of Arabic instruction at a U.S. university. Also bridged cultural differences by exchanging experiences with host family and local community in Amman, Jordan.
Photoshop
5 YEARS
Illustrator
2 YEARS
InDesign
2 YEARS
Rhinoceros
3 YEARS
Youth Summer Intern
AutoCad
2 YEARS
June 2015 - July 2015
V-Ray
0.5 YEARS 3 YEARS 2 YEARS
Grasshopper
1.5 YEARS
Enscape
0.5 YEARS
REFERENCES Belen Gonzalez Aranguren bg4tz@virginia.edu Studio 2010 Professor, UVA
August 2013 - June 2017
10 YEARS
3D Printing
Lumion
High School
Summer Intern
Team Oriented
Revit
National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (N.O.M.A.S) - Member AIAS - Member
10 YEARS
Communication
Mac OS
March 2020 - Present
10 YEARS
Problem Solving
TECHNICAL
The Raven Society
SARC Studio Selection Finalist
10 YEARS
Construction Documentation
Worked on one mixed-use and two K-12 competition proposals respectively, engaged in international client meetings, attended multiple site visits in D.C. including phase II of the Wharf. Participated in an in-depth demo on sustainability and performative design, as well as a daily presentation series that focused on several key areas of focus within the AEC industry.
Urban + Environmental Planning Minor August 2017 - Present
HYL Architecture
Critical Thinking
Laser Cutting
University of Virginia
B.S. Architecture
Blair E. Phillips Scholar (Intern) July 2020
I strive to gain professional work experience within a dynamic architecture firm through a summer internship. Being a highly adaptive creative and analytical thinker with a desire to learn, and experience thriving in collaborative environments, I firmly believe that my enthusiasm, work ethic, previous academic, research, and professional experience will all become a welcomed addition to the team. Moreover, I hope to further develop my technical abilities working with schematic designs, design development, and construction documentation and administration.
Leadership
EDUCATION
The World Bank
October 2019 Recognized for being in the top 20 percent of the Class of 2021 by the end of the fourth academic semester of college.
Dean’s List Fall ‘17, ‘18, ‘19 | Spring ‘19 Maintained a GPA of 3.7 or higher by the end of the semester.
Qasid Arabic Institute August 2017 Distinguished completion of 120 academic hours of Arabic while studying in Amman, Jordan.
Global Studies Certificate May 2017
Simulated work experience for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and Inter-American Development Bank. Developed respective short & longterm solutions for ongoing ‘Grexit’ with IMF Director Christine Lagarde. Analysed the accessibility of potable water sources in Lesotho. Collaborated with other interns and women and gender specialists to create a project that redefines the cultural perception of women in El Salvador.
LANGUAGES Peter Waldman pdw7e@virginia.edu Advisor & Professor, UVA
Intermediate Honors
Completion of a set of non-GPA credit units in global studies, the equivalent of a ninth semester of academic work.
INTERESTS Computational Fabrication
Energy Systems
AR/VR
Biomimicry
International Relations
Graphic Design
Macroeconomics
Foreign Languages
English
NATIVE
French
10 YEARS
Sustainability
Sociolinguistics
Spanish
NATIVE
Arabic
2 YEARS
Data Analytics
Photography
Studio Projects 01. Unity Park p.1-8
ReConnect 02. p.9-14
03. Fractal House p.15-16
Cloud IX 04. p.17-20
05. Adjacencies p.21-38
Contents
Additional Work
Grasshopper Spatial 06. Analysis p.39
07. Internship Work
p.40
Competition Work 08.
p.41-42
09. Process Modeling
p.43-44
Precedent Studies 10. & Parametric Models p.45-46
11. Photography
p.47-48
01. Unity Park ARCH STUDIO 2010: URBAN CATALYST Professor: Belen Gonzales Aranguren | Fall 2018 On August 12th of 2017, Charlottesville experienced its darkest moment with the violent protests of the white supremacists at Emancipation Park. Since then, this park has become an underutilized and abandoned space, despite residing next to Charlottesville's vibrant downtown mall. While the current park continues to glorify its past atrocities, it becomes increasingly apparent that the local community remains in need of a truly welcoming urban green space. Unity Park is a new mixed-use hybrid building in the heart of Charlottesville’s downtown mall which aims to revive and revitalize the former park by radically transforming the space into an urban garden and community center in the hopes of replacing the stigma that once stained the downtown mall. With a sloping green roof that serves as an extension of the park and leads to unique vistas from its peak towards main st. and the picturesque Appalachian backdrop, Unity Park stands as a hopeful symbol for the future of a diverse, Inclusive, interconnected, and united Charlottesville.
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Unity Park begins through a rigorous process of urban analysis at multiple scales to better understand and optimize the programmatic amenities of the project in order to best accommodate the diverse demographics of the city. The intention of the project was to create a new hub for the community, therefore, it was imperative to provide a series of adaptable spaces that could easily be reconfigured to suit the needs of the people of Charlottesville. The diagram on the left cross-references multiple demographics with a range of programs to determine peak activity times for Unity Park. The goal was to create a space that would be truly usable 24/7 by the city. Ultimately, an urban plaza, venue, and community center were selected to be the most beneficial. The diagram on the right compares the programmatic amenities of the project in relation to the city and its nearest alternatives.
S T E P
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Extend
Expansion of green space.
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S T E P
2
Extrude
Raising of terraced platforms.
Urban Axonometric
S T E P
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Connect
Integrated space for the city.
Green Promenade Accessible Roof Vistas to the Downtown Mall & Appalachian Mountains
F L O O R
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F L O O R
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F L O O R
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F L O O R
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F L O O R
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Technology Center Creator Space New Office Space for WXTJ & WTJU Local Radio Stations
Public Library Lounge Space
Mezzanine Reflection Gardens Meeting Rooms Study Rooms Collaborative Space
Urban Plaza Interior Park Recreational Court Theatre Venue Auditorium Scalable Meeting Space
Floor Plans
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Looking West: a radical vision for a united future
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Looking East: a typological homage to the past
Elevations
Vignettes
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Longitudinal Section Looking East
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Transverse Section Looking South
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02. ReCONNECT ARCH STUDIO 2020: ELEMENTS OF HOUSING Professor: Gonzalo Alonso | Spring 2019 A series of experimental approaches to housing and a shift in scale from the inside-out to the outside-in. This exploration ranges from a resilient prefabricated home for disaster relief to a modular system of reconfigurable units that aggregate to create varying levels of privacy and moments of dialogue. ReConnect is not a stand-alone project but rather a model for a sustainable system that could easily be implemented around the world. At its core, ReConnect explores the possibility of creating a vibrant and dynamic mixed-use residential community out of a simple prefabricated unit through the various assembly configurations that respond to respective local socio-cultural contexts.
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Catalogue of Modules | Structural Details | Assembly of Clusters | Unit Configurations
Configuration 3
Configuration 2
Configuration 1 Floor Plans
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Connectivity. Dedicated pedestrian circulation + common space
1 Context. Edge condition is flush with surrounding urban context to match design language
2 Courtyards. Creation of a new typology of urban courtyard inspired by Barcelona’s block system
3 Canopy. Elevated connections for residents while the ground floor is activated for retail and public amenities
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4 Urban Stratagies
Permeable Ground Floor Cores Vs. Interconnected Canopy
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03. Fractal House ARCH STUDIO 2020: ELEMENTS OF HOUSING Professor: Gonzalo Alonso | Spring 2019 This is a quick design excercise with the goal of creating a home for a couple that both happen to be proffessional artists. The spatial strategy for the house is informed by the client’s desire for a live + work space, serving as both a residence and a studio with the capability to put on art exhibitions. Fractal House explores the concept of adaptable spaces as it incorporates furniture that is able to be reconfigured to accomodate different programatic functions. Additionally, the project gets its name from its unique fractal windows and skylights that are strategically placed to interact with the sun in such a way that is indicative of a reinterpreted sun dial.
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Open Floor Plan Vs. Adaptive Living Space
Exploded Axon | Longitudinal Section | Plan
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04. Cloud IX ARCH STUDIO 3010: URBAN TRANSECTS Professor: Seth McDowell | Fall 2019 Cloud IX is a project that aims to revitalize the Bowery community of Lower East Manhattan by establishing a space dedicated to creating informal platforms for people to regain their voice. Informed by a lack of dedicated gathering spaces near the site, Cloud IX stands as a reinterpreted forum space, and a modern agora recontextualized for the delirium of Manhattan’s urban fabric. Given the growing epidemic of loneliness worldwide in part fueled by a widespread addiction to virtual realities, a space like Cloud IX serves as a vital pillar to the community that encourages people to once again reconnect with their surroundings and each other. Spatially, Cloud IX embraces a radical shift in the organization of floors by abandoning the idea of conventional floorplates – something synonymous with the architecture of Manhattan - and instead introducing large masses with programmatic cavities carved out from within. Ultimately, the project is divided into two main spatial typologies, the first being a series of large open decks that serve as large forum spaces that are adaptive and designed to be reconfigured based on the shifting needs of the community, and the second, a series of smaller scale, more intimate rooms - all varying slightly in form – that are submerged within these floor masses as a way to submerge the more defined programmatic spaces. The roof of each floor is composed from a series of parametric undulating waves that serve to contain and conceal the programmatic rooms within the masses above. However, more importantly, the geometry of these undulations indirectly results in the creation of beautiful moments of shifting between spaces of compression and openness throughout the open floors based on the changes in ceiling heights, ultimately acting as a form of wayfinding throughout the building. Cloud IX also features a prominent stair that wraps and weaves throughout the building, effectively celebrating the project’s circulation, and creating multiple moments of connectivity and dialogue between floor masses. At its core, Cloud IX is a space of wellness and healing, a space designed to be a catalyst for dialogue, cross-cultural experiences, and to bring people together through a dynamic architecture that breathes space into life.
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“a modern guildhouse for wellness”
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Floor 2
Interior Floor 3
Floor 1
Interior Floor 2
Ground Floor
Interior Floor 1
Basement
Interior Ground Floor
Urban Agora
Lodging, Clinic
Atrium
Auditorium, Clinic
Reception, Meeting Space
Library
Subway Amenities, Ticket Booths, TED Talk Space
Work space, Lounge
Longitudinal Section | Floor Plans | Transverse Section
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05. Adjacencies |
“reimagining the enfilade”
ARCH STUDIO 3020: Academic Residencies Professor: Devin Dobrowolski | Spring 2020 With the upcoming redevelopment proposal of the Emmet/Ivy corridor, Adjacencies is a project that aims to recontextualize Lambeth Commons as a point of centrality within the larger urban fabric of UVA. At its core, Adjacencies is a proposal that tackles the difficulties associated with implementing a multitude of programmatic requirements for a student center. Adjacencies takes the classic spatial strategy of the Enfilade as the founding driver for spatial organization. However, by rotating the arrayed load-bearing walls of the enfilade, unique wedges are formed to respond to the various spatial, lighting, & accessibility requirements of each major program. The result, is a proposal that as its name suggests, is not only about exploring each program, but rather exploring the respective overlaps of adjacent programming. Adjacencies is a project aimed at organically synthesizing hybridized spaces within the thresholds of distinct programmatic pockets. Taking advantage of its strategic location, the new student center divides the site in two, creating both a public front that welcomes new visitors from the Emmet/Ivy corridor, and a more private space for the residents of Lambeth Commons; all facilitated by placing the building in the center and creating an axial procession. Using retaining walls, the site’s topography is adjusted to optimize the nearby existing hydrology, as well as to create three distinct biomes: a wetland, a meadow, and a woodland. By strategically orienting each facade towards specific viewsheds, the student center will establish a direct relationship with its immediate context. Having been designed with the university’s future sustainability goals in mind, Adjacencies is a proposal that not only embraces, but rather celebrates the diversity of Charlottesville’s natural ecosystems. Ultimately, Adjacencies is a glimpse into the potential future of UVA.
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Challenge at the Urban Scale How does one implement a 25,000 sq ft student center, within a site that is too large for its intended program ?
Site Objectives at the Urban Scale
1. Optimize building orientation along a diagonal
axis to create a new corridor that connects Northern & Central Grounds respectively
2.
Divide site in half to create two new spatial typologies: a public frontage that welcomes new visitors from the Emmet/Ivy corridor, and a more privatized space for the residents of Lambeth Commons lam
bet
3. hc
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Craft a dynamic processional experience that incorporates a promenade & plays with the threshold between exterior & interior spaces
Urban Strategy 24
typical enfilade plan
divided programmatic pockets
allocate major programs
optimize pockets for spatial requirements & light
hybridize spaces in the thresholds between pockets
Conceptual Diagram
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*morphology
initial grid
rotate load-bearing walls
push & pull
create framing plan
exterior pockets become courtyards that define a public promenade
Tectonic Diagram
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Urban Context Plan 1/80” = 1’
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woodland meadow wetland * load-bearing walls are extended to serve as retaining walls for landscape
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Mezzanine Plan 1/32” = 1’
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9 12
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Ground Floor Plan 1/32” = 1’
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1. atrium / lecture venue 2. exhibition space 3. main entrance / north 4. main entrance / south 5. secondary entrances 6. offices 7. study rooms 8. library 9. dining space 10. kitchen 11. service corridor 12. collaborative hub 13. faculty engagement 14. private faculty housing 15. courtyard / outdoor seating 16. exterior promenade 17. social stair 18. mezzanine gallery 19. study area 20. social lounge 5
1 3
6 2 11
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experience of visitors
experience of lambeth residents
experience of services & staff
circulations
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(faculty housing)
(study rooms + library + collaborative spaces)
processional common space
(services + mezzanine)
(atrium / auditorium)
(exhibition gallery)
(offices + lobby)
(compression & expansion of roof indirectly informs activity levels, synthesizing hybridized spaces of overlaped program)
light study: northern vs. southern light
elevation facing west
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Axon 19 33
roof
mezzanine
clerestory windows
ground floor
load-bearing walls
Exploded Axon 34
Main Entrance via Emmet St.
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Atrium
Gallery / Reception
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Elevation // Night
translucent concrete allows envelope to glow softley while hinting at activity occuring within
Elevation // Day
clerestories allow for ambient light to pour in from above while curtain walls frame specific views to a newly designed landscape, encouraging visitors to connect with nature
32” = 1’
1/32” = 1’
A
B
C
A. Translucent Concrete Panel B. Rigid Insulation C. Stud Cavity D. Drywall
Anchor Plate
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D
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Anchor Plate Floor Slab 10
Optical Fiber
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Translucent Concrete Panel Detail
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30’ 2
1
Wall Type 1: Load-Bearing Concrete
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Wall Type 2: Truss System w/ Translucent Concrete Cladding
3/4” = 1’
3/4” = 1’
1. Concrete Slab 2. Foundation Footing 3. Precast Concrete 4. Rigid Insulation 5. Bracket 6. Gypsum Board 7. Floor Finishing
8. Glass Curtain Wall 9. Mulliun 10. Plate Girders (in suspension) 11. Translucent Concrete Panel Cladding 12. Drain Tile 13. Vapor Barrier 14. I-Beam
Wall Type 1 Wall Type 2
20’
Framing Plan
BEACON // DESIGNING FOR THE LUNATIC At night, the student center continues to provide a sense of community for the students, by staying open and glowing bright as a beacon. This proposal utilizes TRANSLUCENT CONCRETE throughout its facade to create this effect.
clerestory
deep plate girders
optical fiber
insulation
truss
deep concrete foundations translucent concrete cladding
Building Envelope Cut-Away Axon 1/16” = 1’
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(additional work).
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06. Arch 5423: Grasshopper Analysis Professor: Lucia Phinney | Fall 2019
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A dive into parametric design and the multiple plugins of grasshopper such as Elk, Bowerbird, Lunchbox, Weaverbird, and Karamba, resulting in an accumulated experience of topographical site analysis, structural systems, and facade typology. Below is a precedent study of Absolute Towers by MAD Architects.
07. Internship Work
HYL Architecture | Summer 2019
A selection of renders, schematic designs, and floor plan test fits that I worked on over the summer for various projects. As an intern, I primarily worked with Revit, enscape, and the Adobe Suite to create and develop deliverables for design presentations, client meetings, construction documents, and furniture specifications. Note: the plans and test fits were done in collaboration with various members of the HYL team.
Stacking Study Reception & Conference on Levels 12 & 13 Amenities on Level 18
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08. Competition Proposal // (Internship Work) Perkins Eastman | Summer 2020
A competition submittal of a new primary school in Lima, Peru, for a confidential client. While interning at Perkins Eastman, I worked alongside Omar Calderon & the K-12 team to complete the deliverables for the competition. I personally worked on creating a series of compelling diagrams and visualizations to articulate the unique elements of the proposal & bring the identity of the scheme to life. I personally created the section perspective, process diagram, and “super classroom� configuration diagram from scratch. The rendered vignettes & elevation are shown for reference.
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the
“Super Classroom”
1. Initial Proposal (Phase I)
movable wall partitions & curtain walls encourage a dynamic classroom experience while promoting passive learning
2. Optimize Orientation
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Individual Classroom Configuration
3. Central Corridor
4. Connect
5. Expand Amenities
2
Hybridized Configuration
6. Continued Play
7. Recreational Amenities` (Phase 2)
8. Expand Field
3
“Super” Configuration
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09. Process Modeling
Professor: Peter Waldman | 2019
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An insight into my design process and how I approach contextualizing abstract ideas into physical manifestations of space. A series of iterative sections exploring the relationship between solid and void at various scales that catalog a rich variation of spatial conditions. Ultimately, a process of spatial refinement culminating in the generating idea behind Cloud IX.
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10. Precedent Studies and Parametric Models Professor: Seth McDowell | Fall 2019
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A field condition of analytical context, circulation, and structural models for Hunters Point Library by Steven Holl and the Diana Center by Weiss Manfredi respectively, accompanied by 3D printed models of parametric structures created in Grasshopper throughout the semester.
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11. Personal
Photography a story from dark to light...
from monochromatic to technicolor
“Photography is more than just an outlet for self-expression. To me, it
is a way to catalogue and collect visual references of spatial volumes and establish conceptual relationships that often go unnoticed to the naked eye. Through photography I aim to better understand the harmony of elements that blend together to create atmosphere.
Lessons Learned from BARCELONA activation of the urban fabric through a dynamic streetscape focused on walkability and pedestrians at the core.
�
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Through photography I am able to document an experiential discovery of the city. by capturing unique moments in their singularity and placing them into a visual timeline, I am able to better understand the city as a whole on an urban scale.
A City that Champions Density circulation, and public infrastructure the figure-ground reversal of the built environment ultimately establishes a framework for the people to breathe life into its streets.
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fin.
Thank You...
for more:
ajd7xc@virginia.edu alejandro.dinapoli.com