Alma Aguirre Architectural Portfolio A

A LMA AGUIRRE

A LMA AGUIRRE

EDUCATION

PRATT INSTITUTE

AUGUST 2021-MAY 2023

M.Arch First Professional (Advance Standing)

LANGUAGES

Fluent in English and Spanish

PERSONALITY TRA IT S

Friendly, Fast Learner, High Energy, Open Minded, Creative, Curious, Versatile, Team Player, Organizational Skills, Flexible, Attention to detail, Self-Accountable, and Problem-Solving.

REFERENCE

Armando Araiza, M.Arch Assistant Professor

Shool

of Arhiteture + Planning at UTSA

E armando.araiza@utsa.edu

SOF T SKILLS

Handrawing

Rhino3D

Revit

Sketchup

AutoCad

Illustrator

Photoshop

Premiere Pro

InDesign

Grasshopper

Microsoft Office

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO

AUGUST 2017-MAY 2021

Bachelor of Science in Architecture

Magna Cum Laude

EXPERIENC E

DICE TEACHER ASSISTANT AT PRATT INSTITUTE

JANUARY 2023-MAY 2023

Assist 12-K students with computer modeling inquiries, and other tasks as needed.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP AT PRATT INSTITUTE

JULY 2022- DECEMBER 2022

Admissions email management & tour correspondance; scheduling; General administrative Tasks.

JAY VENDING, SIX FLAGS

JANUARY 2016- DECEMBER 2017

FIESTA TEXAS

Customer service; Provided a friendly, fast, clean, and guest; General cashier operations. Served and monitored

RESEARH PR OJECTS

IMPACT OF VEGETATION TO THE GROUND STUDY COMPARISON AT UTSA CAMPUS

MARCH 15th, 2019 – JUNE 14 , 2021

A study that seeks to evaluate and compare the effect surface temperature between an urban and suburban collaboration with faculty member.

“OUR” SCHOLARSHIP RESEARCH PROJECT

JANUARY 14, 2019- MAY 3, 2019

Analysis of three different academic study models in approach to sustainable design based on the student’s tion with faculty member.

ALMA ELIZABETH AGUIRRE MOLINA Architectural Designer

Brooklyn, NY Standing)

ANTONIO San Antonio, TX

INSTITUTE

Brooklyn, NY

inquiries, laser cutting and 3D printing,

ABOUT I am very excited to begin my professional career in architecture after many years of preparation. I am looking for the opportunity to become part of an amazing team with whom I can contribute to the built environment while continue to learn and grow. I have an special interest for enhancing the human experience through design and having a positive impact in the community and natural world.

INSTITUTE

Brooklyn, NY correspondance; Counselor meeting

TEXAS San Antonio, TX

and safe quality service to the monitored food orders.

GROUND TEMPERATURE

AMPUS

effect of green areas on the suburban area using GIS Technology. In

PROJECT architecture and their student’s learning impact. In collabpra-

AWARDS

2021 Nomination to UTSA Department of Architecture Awards

2019 Nomination to UTSA Department of Architecture Awards

AIA San Antonio Latinos in Architecture Annual Scholarship. Oct 2019

TAF Wichita Falls Chapter AIA Scholarship. Oct 2019

AIA San Antonio Endowed Scholarship. Jul 2020

EVENT S

2019 AIAS FORUM AT TORONTO, CANADA

Attend conferences and discussions about issues relevant to architecture and design education as the AIAS Studio Culture Chair at UTSA.

2020 ANNUAL AIA HOUSTON SES CHARRETTE

Twelve-hour friendly competition that addresses the future of design in health architecture. Team awarded with “The most creative proposal”.

INFUSE is a translation of the watercolor wash effect to a physical experience. Infuse has no specific destination or program, the strategic interaction between all its moving and static pieces is what produces a sense of unclarity.

The simplicity of its looks hides numerous layers of interpretation of the watercolor effect. Rather than the architecture itself directly staging the blurry appearance, it is the reflections that create the desired duplicated and imperfect images. In the end, the building acts as the canvas while the context and the visitors bring color to the composition. Unusual materials such as liquid water and fog then become the medium for the wash effect to happen.

A place that fades away.

A place that vanishes into nothingness.

A place with no edges.

A place that starts but doesn’t end.

DESIGN V: ADV DSGN, RESEARCH I Location

Non-specific

Project Type

Undefined

Instructuor

Thomas Leeser

Glass | Transparent-Reflective

Mirror | Reflective

Structural Glass | Light distortion

Stone | Opaque-Reflective

Thin layer of water | Reflective

Stone | Opaque-Reflective

Vegetation | Semi-static

People | In motion

Sky | In motion

Landscape | Semi-static

Context | Semi-static

Fog | Fader

INFUSE , a journey into its own reflection. | Paths leading to spaces that

that appear infinite. | Surrounded by a thin layer of water; a natural mirror.

Partitions made of mirrors; “A two-dimensional projection of three-dimansional objects Colors borrowed from the surroundings

objects” J.L.Borges | Enclosed by a glazed facade; a surface that appears and disappears surroundings and transformed into fading reflections

V ERACITY CENTER

* Render by Jennifer Boswell edited by Alma Aguirre

VERACITY CENTER is a multi-purpose project that generated energy from waste, sorts recyclable materials, and grows food. The building’s immediate aesthetic is inspired by its industrial context and program.

The building acts as a visual medium of communication between the outside and inside. The composition of the rectilinear sectors reflects the project’s functionality; while the organic design directly relates to the existing geometry of the site’s topography and street boundaries.

This was a collaborative project, where design decisions were made as a team, however, my focus was on the Waste to Energy Plant and Recycling Center’s interior and exterior accommodations. My main design contributions to this project consisted of the building’s structure, facade material composition, mechanical systems, circulation paths, section drawings, section details, elevations, and others.

DESIGN IV: INTEGRATED CONTEXTS

Location

Project Type

Waste to Energy Plant, Recycling Center, and Vertical Farming

Collaboration

Jennifer Boswell Instructor

Justine Shapiro-Kline

This project emphasizes the aesthetic contrast between the rigidity and verticality of the industrial program with the organic freeform over the vertical farming to underline the importance of such coexistence to create a stronger, more resilient community.

In the end, the building stays true to itself and creates a safe space for people to gather, breathe, learn, and reconnect with reality.

The accommodation of the geometric volumes follows the processes of the machinery. At the same time, the translucent skin of such gives the viewer an impression of the equipment in the interior.

* Mass model team effort * Site model studio effort

Long Island City

Channel glass

Channel glass translucent insulation

Parapeth flashing

Aluminum panel

Rigid insulation

Gravel and drainage tube

1.

2.

3.

4.

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1. 2.

3.

4.

7. 8. 9.

10.

11. 12.

Extensive Soil Filter fabric 1/8” Drainage Retention Board 3/4” Storage mat Root barrier Waterproof membrane

* Physical model team effort

5. 6.

1. 2.

3. 4. 5.

13. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Soil Mixsoil Mix 1/8”

Retention 1/4” membrane

2” Concrete slab over 4” metal deck

Channel glass Air gap

Translucent Insulation Aluminum Panel Coated aluminum Panel

Floor Finish Cast Concrete slab

Rigid insulation

Waterproff Membrane

2” concrete Over 4” metal deck Sprayed insulation

E W ING MUSEUM

EWING MUSEUM holds a vast collection of Mediterranean Art, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman. The buildings are meant to portray allusions to the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman civilizations’ architecture, beliefs, and customs in a contemporary representation.

The building’s form starts by following the site’s shape and size; then it uses a mathematical system of proportions baseheight; third, the building gets divided by a partial aperture that gets narrower as it goes up; one side of the building also tilts towards itself following golden ratio parameters; next, the river level and street level get unified with a double height section used as community space; finally the full left side of the building gets covered in a triangulated fabric.

The design process was strongly informed by a series of historical buildings, mainly The Karnak Temple, which inspired the journey experience; the Parthenon, which motivated a mathematical design approach; and the Pantheon, which encouraged the use of light and innovative elements.

The facade is composed of a translucent fabric held by a steel structure and slightly separated from a curtain of operable windows. All together it serves for optimal natural ventilation, controlled natural lighting, and direct sun rays protection.

RE-CONNECT is an apartment building proposed as an addition to an existing Historic Housing Complex. The core idea of the design revolves around reimagining the changes in life due to the post-pandemic scenarios at many levels in our daily lives. Our design is a step toward exploring architecture in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We expect that in this era, there will be a gradual “re-connection” of communities with a tinge of cautious optimism. This new idea of architecture that we want to portray in our design is not just about a monumental structure but more about celebrating life and developing connections more healthily and safely.

At the end of this journey of exploring architecture in response to the pandemic experience, we created a monument to remember this crucial moment of history that we lived through together.

DESIGN III: URBAN QUALITIES & MATERIAL Location

FARRAGUT HOUSES, BROOKLYN, NY 11201, USA

Project Type

Residential building

Collaboration

Ayesha Nathani Instructor

Carlos Arnaiz

The SHAPE of the building was informed by the existing boundaries of the surrounding edifices and the opportunity for views and natural lighting.

The building is composed of three towers connected by large bridges that at the same time act as a symbolic gate to the Farragut complex.

Side Windows

Corner Windows

Windows Diagram

Transluscent Glass Plane

Outdoor Space Diagram

Community Terrace

Private Balconies

Outdoor Atrium

Structure Diagram

Circular Collumns

Facade Supporty System

Timber Weaving Members

The PIXEL EFFECT comes from a serie of experiments with accomodating tetrix pieces and converting it into a study model. The physical piece allowed us to question the inside -outside connection of the facade.

The glass selection and position was based on views, natural lighting, and privacy. The facade material was to reseamble with the preexisting surrounding buildings. Lastly, cork, known sustainable material, is used as exterior finish in areas dedicated for social interaction.

Windows

Corner Windows

Side Windows

Translucent Glass Panels

Granite Panels on the Facade of the Building

Corkboard Panels for Community Areas and Core Areas

Structural Support System of the Building

Southeste Corner View | Balcony View

COLD ROOM 2022 |

READING ROOM 2022 | WATERCOLOR