Ariel Zúñiga
PORTFOLIO Selected works 2020-2023 Academic | Professional | Competitions
SINGING BUILDINGS! Architecture & City | Vol. 1
Azceta Architectural portfolio
Il’y a des édifices qui chantent -Paul Valéry-
About me
Ariel
Name Ariel Zúñiga [Azceta] Education Bachelor in architecture University Autonomous University of Aguascalientes Orign Aguascalientes, Mexico M a i l ariel.ziga.gro@gmail.com I G ariel_ziga/ algoritmo.skull I S S U arielzuniga8
Azceta |About me
2020-2023
Works
Selected works 2020-2023
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TXC|Tianjin Xiandai City
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BCITY|Brain City
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LAGI|LAGI Mannheim 2022
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IMLB|IMLB Park
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IARTX|I need a reason to exist
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[Tianjin, China]
[Catalonia, Spain]
[Mannheim, Germany]
[Aguascalientes, Mexico] [Somewhere on earth]
Selected Works | Contents
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Azceta Architectural portfolio
TXC Architectural Design Description International project|Spring 2023 3D architect for RDS|Tanjin, China
Tianjin Xandai City (TXC) is an urban complex located in Tianjin, China. The project includes a luxury shopping center, hotels, corporate buildings, and apartments. As part of the team working for the international architecture firm Revilla Design Studio RDS (based in London and Shanghai), I collaborated on the design of the facade of the luxury shopping center, owned by the Chinese firm TMG. It’s worth mentioning that collaborative work was carried out with the french firm Malherbe (Paris), the original authors of the art concept. Currently, the intervention is still under construction (2023).
al documentation as well as structural models for subsequent analysis with international consultants. Specifically, a geometric rationalization of the access structures, called “jewels,” was developed. These elements consist of a steel structure (spaces truss) covered with glass panels. This structure is suspended from the floor slabs and emphasized by aluminum side canyons. The main jewel reaches a maximum height of 55 meters. Additionally, an organic membrane was generated using algorithms, and the rationalization and modulation of each aluminum panel with their reIn January 2023, my in- spective three-dimensionvolvement with RDS began al coordinates were also as a specialist in advanced meticulously developed. and parametric modeling. It is important to note that The collaboration lasted these activities were carfor a period of six months, ried out in a remote working during which various high- mode from Mexico. The colly complex digital models laboration concluded with were generated. These the delivery of the first demodels facilitated the de- sign phase by RDS to TMG. velopement of architectur-
Note: -The cover render is property of RDS/Malherbe/TMG and is used in this portfolio to show the initial design proposal from which the work of rationalization and parametric geometries was generated by Ariel Zúñiga. -Rationalizationofjewels,diagramsandphysicalmodelrendersbyArielZúñiga. -Architectural documentation in collaboration with RDS. -For academic purposes only.
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TXC |Tanjin Xandai City
Architectural portfolio Azceta
Tianjin Xandai City | TXC
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TXC Jewel
Structural concept
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Architectural portfolio Azceta
Rationalization
Jewel E1. Height of 54 m
Jewel E4. Height of 41 m
Jewel E6. Height of 44 m
Jewel E7. Height of 40 m
Tianjin Xandai City | TXC
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Azceta Architectural portfolio
Transition module
Modularity
= T1
M1
M2
M3
Super Module 1
T1
Super Module 1
T1
Regular
Regular
Mirror
Full weavy pattern
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TXC|Tianjin Xandai City
Super Module 1 180° rotated
TXC Panel
Facade design
Axonometric 1. Aluminium seal. Upper and lower seal for isolation 2. Structure. Metalic space truss follows weavy form 3. Panels. 3D panels according to specific modules
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Azceta Architectural portfolio
TXC ARCH DOC First floor plan
1. Main entrance Jewel E1 3. Entrance Jewel E6 5. Existing building
2. Entrance Jewel E4 4. Entrance Jewel E7
3 2 5
4
1
5
North East Isometric 3
1
2
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TXC|Tianjin Xandai City
Section Entrance 4
N/S. Dimensions in meters
+44.550 +42.450 +40.670 White glass +37.290 +35.100
+30.400 Metal substructure +26.000
+21.300
White glass +16.200
+11.100
+5.850
Metal veener
Canopy
+3.600 Glass rotating door ± 0.000
Architectural drawing process All the documentation was generated from 3D model information due to its geometrical complexity.
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Azceta Architectural portfolio
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TXC |Tianjin Xandai City
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Azceta Architectural portfolio
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Tianjin Xandai City | TXC
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Azceta|Architectural portfolio
BCITY Speculative architecture
Description Internation publication|Spring 2020 Co-author in Axioma|Catalonia, Spain.
Brain City is a conceptual proposal for the biennial competition hosted by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia in 2020. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis in Spain, IAAC issued a global call for designers to reimagine human lifestyle, from the individual body to the entire city. The presented project suggests a network of buildings capable of gathering user data and optimizing habitable space, interconnected within an urban network for real-time information exchange through the use of cloud technology and the Internet of Things (IoT). This work was published in the book Design for Living by Actar Publishers in 2021 and co-authored with Axioma (architecture firm start up).
gadget for living. Habitable space consists of user preferences that can be stored in the cloud, allowing these data to be downloaded into a new container (Gadget House) that adjusts spatially to the user. The combination of these modules forms a high-density vertical cluster that rises above the existing cities. Furthermore, each building (Brain Tower) can store all data from its residents and connect to a network of buildings (Brain City). Each building is equipped with a glass membrane featuring LED screens that provide real-time information to citizens regarding the environment, public health, politics, and more. Some ideas from Yona Friedman’s “Ville spatiale” were also incorporated into the design.
The design concept revolves around the idea of the building as a gadget. The home is not only a machine for living; rather, it is a
Note: all the images in this chapter was created by Ariel Zúñiga. Design concept in collaboration with Santos Martínez from Axioma.
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BCITY |Brain City IAAC Contest
Architectural portfolio Azceta
IAAC International publication
for living.Actar publishers.17 Name2021.Design proyect name | PROYECT *Image generated with AI + Human edition
Azceta|Architectural portfolio
BCITY TOWER Schematic diagrams
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2
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BCITY |Brain City IAAC Contest
Tower prototype
1 2
3 4
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Schematic diagrams 3
Core composition
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Historical context
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1.Historical Buildings 2.Historical Downtown 3.Public space 4.Restoration of urban voids 5.Underground access 6.Groundwater recharge
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Architectural portfolio Azceta
GADGET HOUSE
Functional diagram
Brain City IAAC Contest | BCITY
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Azceta|Architectural portfolio
LAGI Urban design Description International publication|Summer 2022 Co-author in FDE|Mannheim, Germany
The hive, or Der Bienenstock in German, is an urban intervention project in the city of Mannheim, Germany. The work was developed in collaboration with the architectural firm Fábrica de Espacios (Mexico) for the biennial architecture competition Land Art Generator Initiative LAGI 2022. The goal was to create a modular proposal that incorporates green technologies and reduces the urban heat island effect in the city mentioned.The project was a finalist and exhibited at the federal horticultural fair BUGA 23 in April 2023. Additionally, the work was featured in the book Land Art as Climate Action by Hirmer Publishers (2023). The project’s concept is an analogy to the typical modular structures of bee honeycombs, inspired by the space optimization that hexagons allow and the importance of pollinator in-
sects in plant cultivation. Also, it is inspired by the tradition of German community gardens, known as “schrebergarten.” The result was a hexagonal module (CanopyMod) capable of capturing solar energy through photovoltaic panels and rainwater due to its funnel-like shape. Community gardens and ponds are created under these modules. This hexagonal module, in conjunction with a kinetic module (GrassMod), which is activated by wind or human movement to generate electrical energy, works within a larger bioclimatic strategy. The prevailing wind current activates the kinetic modules, and the air is cooled through evaporative cooling when it comes into contact with the ponds before reaching the residential area, effectively reducing the urban heat island effect.
Note: all the diagrams in this chapter was created by Ariel Zúñiga. Concept and cover image in collaboration with Fábrica de Espacios. Cover credits: render by Ariel Zúñiga | Postproduction and collage by Héctor Paredes (FDE).
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LAGI |LAGI Mannheim 2022
Architectural portfolio Azceta
LAGI International publication
Art as climate action.Hirmer23 publishers. Name2023.Land proyect name | PROYECT *Image in collaboration with Fábrica de Espacios
Azceta Architectural portfolio
LAGI Details Canopy module Solar/rainfall
1. Parabolic sun concetrated system 2. Eliostat CPV system (solar path) 3. Structural frame/LED lights 4. ETFE greenhouse/rainfall harvesting 5. Concrete core/small animal shelter
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LAGI |LAGI Mannheim 2022
6. Schrebergarten. Community gardens 7. Groundwater recharge (from rainfall harvesting)
Grass module Eolic/kinetic
1. Kintetic module (direction of the wind) 2. Foam cover (flaxible grass) 3. Carbon fiber (flexible structure) 4. Piezoelectric system
5. Flexible leaf (eolic-kinetic), people can interact with it 6. Funnel for rainfall harvesting 7. Groundwater recharge
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Architectural portfolio Azceta
LAGI Urban Master plan
1. Housing zone (Spinelli’s Master plan) 2. Funnels for groundwater recharge 3. Solar panels/rainfall harvesting 4. U-Hall (Spinelli’s Barack) 5. Kinetic/eolic zone (grass mod) *The wind flow activates the kinetic modules and is cooled by evaporative cooling before reaching the housing zone.
LAGI Mannheim 2022 | LAGI
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Azceta|Architectural portfolio
IMLB Urban design Description Academic project|Fall 2021 Co-author in Axioma|Aguascalientes, Mexico
IMLB Park is a comprehensive urban intervention developed in the Urban Design workshop of the Bachelor’s program in Architecture at the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes in 2021. This proposal aims to solve urban issues, drive economic and cultural development, and promote sustainable mobility in the city of Aguascalientes. It was presented to the municipal authorities of the Municipal Institute of Planning and Evaluation of Aguascalientes (IMPLAN) and was co-authored with Axioma (an architectural firm startup). The project seeks to resolve the shortage of public space in the northern part of the city while taking advantage of the high property value to develop a high-end financial center. The master plan covers 75,000 square meters, allocating 70% to outdoor areas and the remaining 30% for the construction of towers up to 90 meters in height, designated for mixed-use purposes
such as commerce, offices, and residences. Additionally, a strategy was explored to attract companies from Southeast Asia and facilitate commercial operations with the United States, capitalizing on Aguascalientes’ central location in Mexico. The design takes inspiration from Asian culture and features a central spine that serves as a unifying element of the project, composed of urban furniture generated through algorithms to represent a dragon. This furniture, created through serial planes, varies in scale and functions as bench, wall, or stage. The intervention is complemented by sports areas such as skateparks and bike circuits. Vehicular circulation is restricted to the perimeter, promoting pedestrian and alternative transportation, such as bicycles and electric scooters. Finally, the project includes the environmental revitalization of a small river to the north of the complex.
Note:all thediagramsand3Dmodelsin this chapterwascreatedbyArielZúñiga. Designconceptandrendersin collaborationwithSantosMartínezfromAxioma.
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IMLB |IMLB Park intervention
Architectural portfolio Azceta
Name proyect name | PROYECT
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*Render in collaboration with Axioma
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B
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Architectural portfolio Azceta
IMLB Urban
Master plan intervention Description of components 1
Start/end of pedestrian roads
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Pedestrian roads
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Bus arrivals and public mobility
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Outdoor lounge.
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Mall and shopping. First floor in each tower
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Vertical housing. Each tower
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Playground zone
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Bicycle roads
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Skateparks. Three zones
10 Outdoor teather & cinema 11 Urban forest B Parametric bench 12 Shellter for small animals 13 Ecological restoration
IMLB Park intervention | IMLB
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Azceta Architectural portfolio
IMLB Urban Functional diagram
Bicycle roads
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2
1
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IMLB |IMLB Park Intervention
Parametric Furniture details
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Weavy clouds. Organic roof that works like main entrance
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Bicephalus theater. Outdoor theater that represents a two headed dragon
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Dragon bench. Multiporpuse bench with dragon spike form
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3
IMLB Urban Digital maquette
Param bench
2
B. Teather
Weavy Clouds
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*Render in collaboration with Axioma
Azceta Architectural portfolio
IARTX Speculative architecture
Description Academic project|Summer 2020 Located somewhere on earth in the future
IARTX is a conceptual project developed in the Project Fundamentals workshop of the of the Bachelor’s program in Architecture at the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes in 2020. The assignment was to create a personal narrative about death and subsequently design a mausoleum. The project consisted of a conceptual and speculative narrative. I need a reason to exist (IARTX) explores a building with artificial life capable of manufacturing robotic bodies for humans who choose not to die and transfer their consciousness. Narrative: In the year 2170, the development of artificial intelligence and robotics has reached unprecedented levels. Humans have succeeded in merging their bodies with robotic parts. Likewise, consciousness, understood as a computer-based structure, can be transferred from one body to another (Cyber-case). However, this technology is only accessible to the elite, while 90% of the world’s
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population can barely access reused robotic parts. In the midst of this dystopia, the privileged class of humanity employs artificial organisms capable of manufacturing robots and cutting-edge technology. This is the case with Cyborgfab. This design was created using advanced algorithmic techniques and underwent dozens of iterations. Notable techniques include pseudo-growth and pseudo-randomness. In terms of construction, Cyborgfab takes inspiration from the biology of a jellyfish combined with aerodynamic components. This achieves the appearance of a biological machine, specifically an organic spacecraft. The main components consist of an organic membrane held by tension cables to a central body surrounded by rotating plates. Beneath these, there is a base with turbines, each one equipped with a dozen probes, each one distinct from the others.
IARTX |I need a reason to exist
Architectural portfolio Azceta
I need a reason to exist | IARTX
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IARTX CYBORG
Axonometric Organic skin
Tension cables
Compression
Fabrication
Rotating plates
Compression
Fabrication
Base navy
Turbines
Energy pipes
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Architectural portfolio Azceta
Cyborgfab anatomy
Organic skin. Self-generative system
Probes. Artificial growth trough algorithms
Tension cables. Structure to support the upper membrane
Rotating slabs. Rotating plate system for spacecraft protection
Cyborgfab. Exterior view of the production system.
Spacecraft. Exterior appearance resembling a jellyfish
I need a reason to exist | IARTX
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Azceta Architectural portfolio
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IARTX |I need a reason to exist
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Azceta Architectural portfolio
IARTX
Grasshopper script
Parametric process of form generation 42
PROYECT |Name proyect name
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Azceta Architectural portfolio
Ariel Zúñiga
SINGING BUILDINGS! Portfolio 2020-2023
This portfolio compiles the best academic, professional projects and competitions carried out during 2020-2023 in my practice as a young architect, both individually and in collaboration with other professionals. Likewise, this work represents a personal expression of my way of understanding architecture and design. I think buildings should sing.
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PROYECT |Name proyect name