Architecture and Urban Design Portfolio (Alexandra B. Nae) - EN by alexandra.nae

ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN PORTFOLIO -ALEXANDRA B. NAE -

CONTACT Alexandra Beatrice Nae Data nașterii: 01.06.1993 Naționalitate: Română E-mail: alexandrab.nae@gmail.com Telefon: +4 0749 206 329 Adresă: Bd. Iuliu Maniu, nr. 55, bl. 17, sc. D, ap. 148, Bucurști, România, 061070

CUPRINS

1.1. KINETIC COMMUNITY

1.2. UNDER THE CANOPY

1.3. ‘ON THE GO’ LIBRARY

1.4. FACETED PLAYFULNESS

2. STATIC URBANISM

3. DEZVOLTARE URBANĂ

Kinetic Community Theme: micro-housing, high-rise, community building; Location: Brooklyn, New York Team:

Alexandra Nae si Yuqing Cheng

Kinetic community revolves around movement and space negotiation to defines collective space embedded within existing functional spaces. Moving walls divide clusters of 4 micro-units at 300 sqf. and by sliding the walls, the four units become one unit with a generous common area for activities that typically cannot be accommodated in such small units. The double façade plays multiple roles in the building: it has a performative role which connects units across floors visually and through a shared window. A second type of collective space is contained within the double façade, where circulation overlaps with balconies onto which the units can open up through pivoting windows. The center for fiction features a new method of defining collective space through the hydraulic lifting of stacks which provides opportunity to adjust the space from cozy individual studying to small group meetings to lectures.

01. ACADEMIC

Metal Panel Concrete Air Seal Insulation Finish

3-1/4’’ Concrete 2’’ Deck W 16 Steel Beam Gypsum Ceiling

01. ACADEMIC

Steel Frame

Glazing

d Finish

4’’ Concrete

eck Steel Beam

um Ceiling

Wood Finish

Connection

3-1/4’’ Concrete 2’’ Deck W 16 Steel Beam Gypsum Ceiling

Steel Frame

Steel Mullion

Glazing

Connection

Wood Finish 3-1/4’’ Concrete

Steel Frame

2’’ Deck W 16 Steel Beam Gypsum Ceiling

Steel Mullion

01. ACADEMIC

Under the Canopy Theme:

urban expression, activate public space, residential design;

Site:

Houston, Texas

Individual Project. On an urban scale, the project aims to establish its presence on the relatively homogeneous Houston skyline through a dynamic and strong building profile. On a social scale, the building itself frames urban spaces of different levels of privacy, balancing between the urban and community scales - an unusual thing in Houston, a city characterized by subtropical climate, car prioritization and a hostile pedestrian atmosphere. The form of the project is thus born from the negotiation of the two urban dimensions, the positioning of the apartments in relation to the view towards the city center, the solar orientation, the location of the project at the edge of downtown and the potential to reactivate the natural canal system. The combination of thin volumes, in the form of 'bars', allows each apartment to be exposed to natural light from at least two parts. They meander through three public courtyards where the activity of urban life will be concentrated by shaping a botanical garden, a playground and a food market. A series of semi-public spaces for the inhabitants of the ensemble, such as a basketball court, swimming pool, or cinema, are cantilevered above them. Each level has semi-private gardens that serve groups of eight or two apartments. The whole ensemble is united by a canopy that in time will be covered with vegetation, thus homogenizing the multiple functions of the project but also offering shade and privacy. 16

01. ACADEMIC

'On the Go' Library Theme: contemporary library, integrated design, public space Site: Austin, Texas Individual Project The research theme proposes a rethinking of the image and function of contemporary public libraries. The project wants the library to shape a public and easily accessible space through the architecture of the space. The library 'unfolds' along an architectural promenade, a symbol of the fast pace of life, which winds through the dense shelves of books - the area called 'the cloud of knowledge'. The exchange of information can therefore be done 'on the go' in informal spaces, concentrated along the promenade, in a modern and practical adaptation of the library. This space produces unexpected encounters and interactions both between people and between people and books. The promenade also opens up unexpected views of other key buildings of the city, becoming an integral part of the urban landscape. At the same time, the rest of the volume is populated with bookshelves that go beyond their strictly functional organizational role: they also have a structural role and at the same time create niches that house the few static furniture elements such as benches or desks. The density of this space brings people in direct contact with books and invites a self-directed discovery of information. This design brings into conversation the increasingly symbolic value of physical books, using them as a tool to build the library-specific atmosphere, but at the same time the project redefines the role of this urban typology as a creator of social interaction and creative inspiration.

01. ACADEMIC

Faceted Playfulness Theme: active space, urban void, sculptural massing Site: Place Pompidou, Paris Individual Project Faceted Playfulness explores the process of faceting or bending as a spatial technique to activate a public space dedicated to sports. Like a canvas, the ground surface can be manipulated to create faceted surfaces that invite to interaction with the built space, physical movement, playfulness and creative use of space. The project is part of a set of ten plots developed by my teammates, activated by five themed open spaces urban voids - and shares with another lot the "active" space for sports. Thus, the faceting process becomes the element that unites the two projects, both interior and exterior, through a surface that invites movement and guides users to the upper floors of the building, where it reveals new perspectives of the Pompidou square. The nature of the program - urban sports - and its vertical development creates a unique condition, especially when it is placed in the center of Paris, in a direct dialogue with the Pompidou Center. The concept of faceted public space - the faceted void – carves in the volume of the building, generating a variety of spatial conditions inside. The building allows a high permeability to the ensemble of ten projects, while defining the urban edge of the group and engaging in a visual and conceptual dialogue with the Pompidou Center and its sloping public square. 40

02. ACADEMIC

ROTATION

‘OPEN TO URBAN CONTETXT

EXTERNALIZE SERVICE SPACES

PERMEABILITY

02. ACADEMIC

Static Urbanism Theme:

urban regeneration, public space, community

Site:

Cartierul Militari, București

Master's Degree Thesis Project The project aims to investigate the urban dynamics of Bucharest after 1990 and to develop a framework for the regeneration of collective housing neighborhoods built during the socialist period. Although 73% of the urban population lives in these neighborhoods, they are affected by the aging building stock, the low quality of life, the loss of local identity and a low level of civic involvement of the community. The continuous process of unplanned expansion - sprawl, heavy traffic and poor management of parking lots, put additional pressure on the quality of life in neighborhoods, reducing their attractiveness. Static Urbanism proposes to focus on a compact growth strategy, by maintaining the attractiveness and regenerating existing resources. This change, which is needed to achieve national and European sustainability goals, requires a paradigm shift towards finding opportunities in what appears to be a challenge. The design concept is based on the creation of a static space - a “disturbance” of the urban grid and pedestrian movement patterns, meant to remove the passer-by from the state of distraction in which one usually navigates the urban environment. This architectural intervention is intended to have an impact on stimulating social interaction, reactivating the local community, public space and the identity of the place, thus unlocking the potential of these neighborhoods of collective housing.

02. THESIS

CARTIERE SOCIALITE

SUBURBANIZARE

Context: In the long transition period that followed the fall of the communist regime, the quality of the buildings and public realm in the residential neighborhoods decreased significantly. Development can be characterized as chaotic and heavily market driven and the data collected and mapped in this chapter reveal that investment (retail and business) deliberately skips the socialist era residential neighborhoods, being concentrated on the periphery or in the city center. There was little development of the cultural and leisure infrastructure, concentrated on improving the large parks and on the Old Town rehabilitation project – only pedestrian oriented leisure and entertainment district. The only sector that developed within the collective housing neighborhoods is a volatile retail and service market, along the main boulevards and in repurposed apartment spaces on the ground floor, especially. Despite an extensive transit system, there has been an overwhelming growth in the number of cars and since the administration had a passive attitude, this problem grew out of control, resulting in a city suffocated by cars. The parking and traffic issue put most pressure on the residential neighborhoods and has a significant impact on the quality of life. As both a cause and an effect, the city is facing uncontrolled sprawl, and the new developments often lack basic infrastructure and public services.

DEZVOLTARE URBANĂ

PROIECȚII DEMOGRAFICE

Corroborating the indicators above shows that the lack of coordinated planning has shaped this form of destination urbanism and a miss-match between the location of housing and that of jobs, cultural and leisure facilities. These dynamics fuel the ‘pit-stop neighborhood effect,’ diving the city into destinations people commute to and ‘dormitory’ neighborhoods. Beyond the challenges, socialist-era housing estates are an urban model full of opportunities but need to be readjusted to new housing standards. The need to direct our efforts towards these areas should come not only from the overwhelming percentage of the population living in seismic risk, their low quality of life and their low attractiveness on the real estate market, but also from their many strengths.

02. THESIS

PUNCTE DE INTERES

PARCARE Strategy: Static Urbanism aims to combine access to green spaces, sport facilities and community spaces - specific for suburban living, with the resources, diversity and social dynamics organically emerging in an urban setting. Therefore Static Urbanism is seeking to (re)engage the always on the go residents with their immediate surrounding and local community, in order to provide faster and more equitable access to culture, leisure and community facilities and consequently reduce dependency on cars. These qualities were to some extent embedded in the original socialist residential model, therefore these sites have intrinsic strengths that should be better emphasized. Therefore the life and quality of public space is the primary asset, which would organically attract demand and thus the refurbishment of the built environment.

TRANSPORT PUBLIC

The paper investigates urban planning solutions at the neighborhood level but also design solutions at the building level, to address the following challenges in an integrated way , while concentrating on several critical spots - "static points", from where life will radiate into the community: • At the moment, the uncontrolled use of cars is a major threat that suffocates the public space so we must first address the issue of parking and give priority to the pedestrian experience. This will free up space for the organic development of public life.

ZONE SUBDEZVOLTATE

• Next, the lack of a clear definition of public, private space and the spectrum between the two needs to be addressed. Instead of treating all open space in a uniform way, the strategy proposes defining a public-private hierarchy. Hierarchy is a tool for breaking down the macro scale at which buildings and the space between them were originally designed. • The quality of the built environment is also a major component of maintaining the attractiveness of a place. The age of the buildings and the need for thermal and seismic rehabilitation can be an opportunity for architectural interventions designed to vary the appearance of buildings to introduce new functions in the structure of neighborhoods and to reorganize housing units.

02. THESIS

PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE COMMERCIAL / SERVICES

Strategy: The urban regeneration strategy is developed by applying it to a case study - the Militari neighborhood. An analysis of land use confirms the hypothesis made at the city level, because this area has a small functional diversity. Although the area is well connected to the transit system, with several bus and subway options, almost 40% of the open area is suffocated by parking. There are few leisure options in the area - no cultural institutions, accessible and active green areas or spaces for community interaction. The main resources of this neighborhood are generous pedestrian traffic, despite the lack of incentives to spend time outside and interact and the high percentage of open space. However, the open space is currently appropriated as a surface car park or is treated as a residual space in the form of fenced gardens.

1. ZONFICIARE FUNCȚIONALĂ

2. CONEXIUNI PIETONALE

1. The application of a public-private hierarchy on the open and built space, thus defining a public facade, active at the neighborhood level and a private one, oriented towards the neighboring community, will guide the delimitation and diversification of functional areas in the following directions: • sets of 4-6 buildings grouped around semi-private courtyards, defined in collaboration with the community • public facade along the boulevard and the main streets with commercial, service and leisure functions; • green axis, with pedestrian priority • public axis, along which cultural activities, public and leisure spaces are concentrated 2 . CONEXIUNI AUTO • neighborhood edge, defining boundary of the neighborhood that guides the activity inland 2. Traffic and parking management, prioritizing pedestrian activity in areas of residence. The hierarchy and definition of the above areas will benefit from: • closing traffic inside groups of blocks around a semi-private yard • redirection of traffic and residential parking lots on the main streets • creating neighborhood parking lots in certain underdeveloped areas • reducing the number of parking spaces along the boulevard, in order to intensify pedestrian activity and define public spaces 3. The last step of the strategy is the architectural transformation of the building stock, in 3. PUNCTE STATICE key points, meant to attract and concentrate the public life, defining a 'static' point. Aesthetically, the intervention wants to bring variation to the rigid volumes of the monolithic-looking blocks and the linearity of the street front. The concept of 'static' is manifested by stimulating people to gravitate around these points, generating social interaction. The architectural technique applied to the existing buildings is that of the 'surface delamination of the façade', thus creating a new spatial, pedestrian dimension, dedicated to social interactions. At the same time, it creates spaces for new public functions and sculpts private terraces to expand the apartments. 54

02. THESIS

FRONTUL STRADAL

CURȚI SEMI-PRIVATE

SCENARIUL 1: PUNCT STATIC LA MARGINEA CARTIERULUI REORGANIZAREA REȚELEI STRADALE ȘI PIETONALE

DEFINIREA SUPRAFEȚELOR ȘI A FUNCȚIUNILOR

DELAMINAREA FAȚADEI ȘI SCULPTAREA VOLUMETRICĂ

02. THESIS

SCENARIUL 2: PUNCT STATIC DE-A LUNGUL UNEI STRĂZI PRINCIPALE REORGANIZAREA REȚELEI STRADALE ȘI PIETONALE

DEFINIREA SUPRAFEȚELOR ȘI A FUNCȚIUNILOR

DELAMINAREA FAȚADEI ȘI SCULPTAREA VOLUMETRICĂ

02. THESIS

SCENARIUL 3: PUNCT STATIC DE-A LUNGUL BULEVARDULUI (AXEI PUBLICE) REORGANIZAREA REȚELEI STRADALE ȘI PIETONALE

sURFACE TREATMENT

FACADE DELAMINATION - CARVING SPACE

02.. THESIS

02. THESIS

Urban Regeneration World Bank Romania Team: Alexandra Nae și Adina Vințan Coordinator: Marcel Ionescu Heroiu During an internship held at the World Bank in Bucharest, in the urban development department, the idea of compiling a catalog of public spaces and blocks of flats from the socialist period, from the county residences in the country, except for the Bucharest - Ilfov area. This project has evolved towards the elaboration of good practice guides for the rehabilitation of public spaces, respectively for the urban regeneration of the communist era neighborhoods. We identified the main weaknesses of the neighborhoods and in response, we developed a range of key interventions to reactivate the public space. These principles were applied punctually in each city the county seat, for which we chose an example of underused space and came up with illustrated proposals for transformations. Each example responds directly to the specifics of the place, but can be applied in any of the other cities. The guide was designed to serve primarily the urban administrations of Romania and starts from the premise that Romanian cities have some fundamental characteristics for a city friendly to people: the density of buildings and people, the proximity between living, work and service spaces and, consequently, an alert pace of life. However, studies draw attention to the low quality of life, due to the suffocation of cities with cars, the lack of green spaces and socialization but also a local identity. The guide aims to discuss practical and inexpensive strategies as a solution to the problems mentioned above.

03. URBAN

Alexandra Nae şi Adina Vinţan

Ghid de regenerare urbană a cartierelor comuniste

03. URBAN

PLOIEȘTI: STRATEGY TO MAXIMIZE GREEN RESOURCES

03. URBAN

Most of the green areas and public spaces in Ploiești are concentrated along the Republicii Blvd. - Independence Blvd. Studying the western part of the city, a very small number of green spaces are observed. At the same time, there is a lot of passive space at street level, with the potential to make up for the lack of parks and playgrounds in the city.

1. This street profile benefits from a large green space and protection from traffic (hedge), but these gardens are not accessible to people. It is recommended to remove or open the hedge near the blocks, move street furniture near the building, care for vegetation and populate these areas with creative elements of urban design. 2. A common situation on the West Road involves the suffocation of the green area between the sidewalk and buildings with parking spaces, often undeveloped. It is recommended that this practice be eliminated and that green space be used to its full potential. To activate public space, it can be arranged with benches, trees, permanent chessboards, tables etc. 3. The wide distance between the block and the road allows the arrangement of linear parks along the main streets. The sidewalk must not faithfully follow the line of the street, but it can meander between the boundary of the blocks and that of the street. Thus, the area near the road can be dedicated to practical activities (ex. bus stops) and the green area can be dedicated to walking.

VASLUI: STRATEGIE DE ACTIVARE A MALURILOR RÂULUI

03. URBAN

Although currently an inaccessible area, with an industrial flavor, the banks of the Delea River in Vaslui can be activated and transformed into a promenade and play area, serving the two neighborhoods in the south of the city. The width of the banks and the small depth of the river at this point allow the safe conduct of leisure activities. Recommendations: 1. Establishing one-way streets on adjacent streets and regulating parking in the area. Car access must be restricted on the banks of the river, currently used as illegal parking, by introducing vegetation and level differences. 2. Landscape intervention to highlight the vegetation specific to the area near the river. 3. Build a promenade along the river, using natural materials such as wood. 4. Installation of benches, picnic areas, creative and multifunctional street furniture and human-scale street lighting.

Strategy: Constanța World Bank Romania Coordinator Marcel Ionescu Heroiu This consulting project for the city of Constanța aims to analyze the public space of the city and formulate a development and regeneration strategy to make the city more friendly to people. In response to the main problems of the city - traffic and suffocation of the public domain with illegally parked cars, the low number of quality public spaces especially in residential areas, lack of alternatives to cars, failure to maximize the potential of the seafront and the beach, etc. - we have developed a series of interventions that includes the introduction of urban furniture, creative lighting and landscaping elements, the activation of the facades of blocks of flats built during the socialist period as well as a set of principles of urban mobility. They propose the improvement of the pedestrian infrastructure, the extension of the network of bicycle tracks and the introduction of car parks arranged through the smart parking system. The second part of the guide studies the neighborhoods of Constanța and comes with a series of illustrated proposals for improving the quality of life in residential areas. in each neighborhood we studied and mapped the existing public spaces, the areas of blocks of flats and houses, the disused garages and illegal parking lots, as well as all the streets without trees / greenery. We then identified areas with potential, often either neglected and inaccessible green spaces or suffocated by cars and we came up with proposals to activate social life and increase the quality of life.

03. URBAN

MAP OF SOCIALIST ERA NEIGHBORHOODS

MAP OF REPRESENTATIVE PUBLIC SPACES

MAP OF AREAS SUFFOCATED BY PARKING

MAP OF STREETS WITH NO GREEN SPACE

CONSTANȚA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

- The seafront and the beach are difficult to reach due to the steep terrain.

- Lack of efficient connections between areas of interest (i.e. socio-cultural).

+ Integration of access ramps and resting places along the stairs leading to the beach.

+ The traffic and the lack of planned parking spaces suffocate pedestrian life. 72

03. URBAN

- lack of public space in residential areas

+ Capitalizing on the space between building and activating them with creative urban furniture.

- Extending the bike lanes and arranging pedestrian lanes between the main points of interest.

+ The use of streets in residential areas as shared spaces and repaving with restrictive materials. 73

ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACE THROUGH CREATIVE PUBLCI LIGHTING

03. URBAN

REACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACE THROUGH COLOR AND LANDSCAPING

URBAN REGENERATION OF SOCIALIST-ERA NEIGHBORHOODS - SAMPLE PROJECTS

03. URBAN

ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACE IN HENRI COANDĂ SOCIAL HOUSING NEIGHBORHOOD

03. URBAN

EXPAND PEDESTRIAN AREA IN OLD TOWN

03. URBAN

URBAN REGENERATION OF BADEA CÂRȚAN SQUARE

03. URBAN

CONTACT Alexandra Beatrice Nae E-mail: alexandrab.nae@gmail.com Mobile: +4 0749 206 329 Address: Bd. Iuliu Maniu, nr. 55, bl. 17, sc. D, ap. 148, București, România, 061070 84