Camila Varela Portfolio.

PORT FOL IO

MLA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

CAMILA VARELA ALENCAR PONTE

EDUCATION

Architecture and Urbanism. Bachelor’s Degree UNIFACS (University of Salvador)

2018 2022 Jefferson School Cali, Colombia 2003 2017

WORK EXPERIENCE

Studio 1212 | Salvador, Brazil April 2021 Present

Leading interior design and construction projects Leading and development of layout proposals, detailed engineering design, 3D models, renders, materials specification, surveying, floorplans Liaising with suppliers Management and support of new intern

Innova Corporate Solutions | Salvador, Brazil March 2020 April 2021

Leading interior design and construction projects for a corporate space. Produced the detailed engineering design for a medium office space produced floor plans and resolving ad hoc problems as they emerged with the suppliers and construction team.

Suzana Torres Architecture | Salvador, Brazil July 2019 February 2020

Led interior design and construction projects for various clients. Developed residential, commercial and healthcare spaces Learnt about and aided in material selection, woodwork selection and detailing

Innova Brand | Cali, Colombia

January 2016 July 2017

Community manager, led marketing campaigns, graphic design (web banners and adverts) and content creation. Led in client engagements, and developed brand identity on social media

COMPUTING SKILLS

•Advanced knowledge of AutoCad, Google Sketchup, Lumion, Vray, Adobe Photoshop, and Microsoft Office Suite

•Intermediate knowledge of Autodesk Revit

•Basic knowledge of Archicad and Layout Sketchup

LANGUAGES

•Native in Spanish and Portuguese

•Fluent in English

•B1 level French (Delf B1 Test)

HONOURS AND AWARDS

Architecture Hackathon | Catholic University of Salvador, Brazil | November 2019

•1st place winner

•Designed in teams of three emergency housing for refugees

•Created a bee hive style modular housing concept to promote a sense of community within the refugees

Regional representative for Valle Del Cauca, Colombia at swimming

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteer Work at University Hospital of Valle Del Cauca | Cali, Colombia |January 2014 August 2014

•Volunteering in the state hospital interacting with children that were hospitalised, creating fun activities to promote their motor and social skills

Volunteer Work at Terron Coloreado | Cali, Colombia | 2017

Volunteering with a group of young people to paint houses in developing neighbourhoods

OTHER ACTIVITIES

•Played violin for 10 years

•Played piano for 3 years

•Played for school basketball team

WHEN I REALISED THAT AS AN ARCHITECT I COULD HELP CHANGE PEOPLE’S LIVES, IT INVIGORATED ME TO FOLLOW A PATH THAT COULD ALLOW ME TO ACHIEVE THIS AS A LATIN AMERICAN HAVING LIVED IN COLOMBIA AND BRAZIL, I HAVE DEVELOPED AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CAN BRING VALUE TO A COMMUNITY. IN COLOMBIA I HAVE PERCEIVED A HUGE RISE IN THE INVESTMENT IN GREEN/PUBLIC SPACES IN COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS I HAVE SEEN AND EXPERIENCED THE IMPROVEMENT IN PEOPLE’S LIVES THAT THESE PUBLIC SPACES CAN PROVIDE I’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL AROUND LATIN AMERICA AND TO THE U.S., AND I SEE THIS IS A COMMON TREND, SINCE LANDSCAPING PROJECTS MAKE AREAS HAPPIER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE APPEALING

IT IS IN THIS AREA THAT MY SPECIALIST FIELD OF INTEREST LIES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CAN IMPROVE COMMUNITIES AND LIVES, I AM KEEN TO SPECIALISE IN URBAN PLANNING AND PARKS AND RECREATION, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN MORE DEVELOPING COMMUNITIES, TO HELP ACHIEVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIOECONOMIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CAN BE SO POWERFUL IN CREATING I WOULD LIKE TO DESIGN OPEN SPACES FOR PUBLIC USE, AS EVIDENCED BY MY FINAL YEAR UNDERGRADUATE PROJECT A BOTANICAL GARDEN.

THE MLA PROGRAMME AND UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH WILL PROVIDE ME WITH THE RIGHT SET OF TECHNICAL SKILLS TO ALLOW ME TO BE THE PROFESSIONAL THAT I ASPIRE TO BE, BY COMBINING THEORY, RESEARCH AND APPLICATION, WHERE WE CAN SEE IN PRACTICE WHAT WE LEARN ON THE COURSE I AM ALSO KEEN TO DEVELOP A FURTHER UNDERSTANDING OF SUBJECTS THAT I HAVE NOT YET STUDIED AS AN ARCHITECTSUCH AS ECOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY AND THE WAYS IN WHICH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CAN BE APPLIED, WHICH WILL ALL ENRICH MY PRACTISE OF THE DISCIPLINE.

BOTANIC GARDEN

5th year university project

Year: 2022

Project type: Botanic Garden

Location: Santiago de Cali, Colombia

Universidade de Salvador UNIFACS

My final year project has the objective to develop a botanic garden in Santiago de Cali, Colombia It is an area that intends to promote leisure, culture, education and preservation of nature. The hope of the project is to have a positive impact on the quality of life of the local community, educate and spread awareness of the importance of nature and green space to the population, and to recuperate and maintain the diverse local ecosystem.

The garden has several features to help maintain the local ecosystem. In addition to reconnecting the ripirian forest, a large area of the garden is dedicated to a more secluded forest with a diverse range of endemic vegetation An education centre is included at the heart of the park and a pavilion allows for events to be held

The p nk shaded area s set to be a park that s integrated w th the pavement for the general pub ic The car park is on the eft hand side of the draw ng, which s the facade that w receive the most sun ght during the day ensuring that the ma n areas where v sitors will spend the majority of their time are cooler and more shaded The serv ce bu dings are far from the ma n entrance to sh e d them from pu

The path design is mproved to create a fee ng of cohes on The car park forms a more f u d shape, in keeping with the style of the garden and ts d mens ons are ad usted to allow for a larger forest n the top eft of the p an This forest is ntended to have a natural endem c feel with trees native to the reg on The service buildings are moved to reduce their distance from the car park and a secondary car park allows entrance from both s des of the garden

The public park s deve oped further to nclude a ch dren’s play park shaded seating/re axat on areas, picnic areas and an amphitheatre The car parks now have add tional spaces and the endem c forest has an adventure park amongst the trees The mov

FIRST ITERATION

1 2

3 4 5

6

1 2. 3 4 5 6

Savana

Dry broad eaf forest Rainforest (Amazon) Páramo Rainforest (Choco) Andean C oud Forest

Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, and the six biospheres allow for a variety of ecosystems from across the country to be represented in one botanical garden They also serve to educate the community about these ecosystems, and preserve them Another key intention of the biospheres is to pay homage to the range of cultures across Colombia that pertain in these various environments.

CAMBA KÛARA RESORT

4th year university project

Year: 2021

Project type: 5 Star Resort

Location: Linha Verde, Salvador, Brazil

Universidade de Salvador UNIFACS

The beach villages that run up the coast just to the north of Salvador, Brazil, make a perfect stretch to design a 5 star resort The finished resort aims to draw elements from the rich culture, history and diversity of the city, and show these off whilst creating a luxury escape from the hectic city life, using the local flora and nature to help achieve a feeling of tranquillity

The realisation of the resort uses bamboo and other architectural materials/styles from the historical indigenous tribes that form a strong part of the region’s history and culture The use of the local flora creates a blur between the resort and the surrounding region, and encourages peace and equilibrium through proximity to nature. The embodiment of the buildings in the resort represent the regional scenery, with waves from the ocean and features from the surrounding environment included in many of the designs.

The convention centre is inspired by the local landscape and materials used in indigenous architecture The roof represents a wave pattern from the nearby ocean, and is made of bamboo, which is commonly found used by the historical Brazilian indigenous tribes as a building material

The pillars were a design challenge, structurally Constructed from bamboo with a reinforced concrete base, the pillars come in two styles in the design. In the auditorium they must be further apart, and therefore stronger, whereas the foyer pillars have a reduced concrete base and a more attention grabbing shape to help them act as decoration in the space

LIBRARY PARK

3rd year university project

Year: 2020

Project type: Library Park

Location: Ribeira, Salvador, Brazil

Universidade de Salvador UNIFACS

The library park is designed to promote education, leisure and a strengthening of the local community along with its cultural spirit It is intended to be part of the urban environment and meet its demands, function as a distinct ambient space and create an area that can serve the community in their everyday lives Literature is not the only focus of this project, it also aims to create dance, cinema, music, architecture, painting and sculpting spaces.

The library park is devised in a way that highlights the openings and transparent facades of the space, making use of glass and marquees to blur the lines between the indoors and the outside The paths are integrated with the open areas of the park to promote contact with nature during recreational activities. Given that the library park is a government project, one of the key challenges and considerations was ensuring using affordable materials and building techniques, whilst designing for longevity and public use

Aiming to stimulate culture, each building block is assigned activities linked with two or more classical arts, both on the ground floor and the terrace There are many places conducive to relaxation, and the spaces, furniture and facilities encourage creativity and play through the use of various colours and textures

The building terraces also have a diverse function and are connected with walkways for both pedestrians and cyclists, which facilitate the circulation of people and the enjoyment of the space.

LIBRARY PARK GROUND FLOOR

LIBRARY PARK - FIRST FLOOR

was proposed o mp ement arge p an a ound the a ea to enco ge the oca m croc mate

M xed Use t was enco aged o deve op m xed use paces/b d ngs as the create more v ng space o the nhab ants and d vers fy the econom of the area

P o y Streets for Ped ans G ve the sma d m ns on of the st e t w propo ed o edef ne them as pede r an p o st eets

B e Park ng t w proposed o mp ement p enty b cyc e p k ng a ound the a a n e pocket pa ks nea he sq a es and m n pa ks a d next to por ac t es and estab hmen and omme c n u ons

4th year unniversity project

Cyc e Paths t was propo ed o mp emen cy e a es on the oads w h a u tab e s u u e and c eate c e pa hs around areas of ma o pub c n uen e as we as crea ng cy e p hs to por fac t e and e ab shment and commerc a ns u ons

Pede r an ed St eets G ven the r ma d mens ons ome ee s were m de p destr an on y ass st ng n he c cu a on of foo a f c

Year: 2020

Project type: Urban Planning Location: Linha Verde, Salvador, Brazil Universidade de Salvador UNIFACS

The project proposed for the Itapagipe Peninsula intends to elevate the quality of life for the resident population and frequenters of the region, as well as increase the relevancy of the area, promoting its rich culture, history and importance within the city of Salvador

The realisation of these proposals is based on the following objectives: improving the living conditions, enhancing and creating public space destined for pedestrians and cyclists, improving the public transport, and diversifying and energising the usage, all whilst considering the existing spatial organisation The adoption of sustainable urban concepts serve as the fundamental basis for the redefinition of this area, with the possibility created for subsequent incorporation into the full dynamics of the city.

Pedestrian Pr or ty Street

Pedestrian On y Street

Flow Improvement

L brary Park

To prioritise pedestrian flow and accesibility, several strategies are utilised These are: the creation of shared spaces where cars and pedestrians coexist; pedestrian crossings with speed bumps, especially in areas of high flow, such as the area around schools, parks and squares; the removal of parking availability along the street and changes of lane width of the roads to allow for expansion of public space

OPEN AREAS AND LEISURE

Shared Space Interna Block Circulation No Change

For squares and demarcated open areas, the intention is to promote spaces that contribute to a comfortable ambiance and sustainability in the urban environment, favouring the encouragement of a cooling breeze and creating masses of vegetation

In the empty spaces, in conjunction with the suggestion outlined above, pocket parks are proposed, which will function as small spaces for leisure and social interaction, reducing the building density in the area and making the city more pleasant and favourable for active transport (pedestrians and cyclists)

Considering the problems of micro and macro drainage present in the area, it is proposed the implementation of rain gardens which have the function of retaining part of the rainwater (approximately 50%) through passive infiltration into the soil

0 Plot

Le sure Areas

Ex sting Free Space

Proposed Pocket Park

Ra n Graden

COWORKING AND SHOW ROOM

Internship

Year: 2020

Project type: Comercial Project

Location: Tancredo Neves, Salvador, Brazil

Employer: Innova Soluções Corporativas

The Innova Corporate Solutions space was originally a small shop, selling ergonomic office furniture and acoustic products I was employed to aid in the development of a project to design a new space that became a coworking office with an integrated showroom The coworking office now is implemented as the primary use, with the space being split into several zones to reflect different office environments, each zone with its own feel and furniture. The zones act as a functional office, whilst also showing a variety of different products As the secondary use of the space, all products that are demonstrated on site are available to be purchased, doubling the office to also be a showroom

The new space sits in a corporate building, where five separate offices on the same floor were purchased to be converted into the new coworking and showroom The basis of the solution sees the walls separating the offices removed, opening up the space and allowing it to be developed in a way which provides different environments and show off a range of products in an open plan arrangement.

FLOOR PLAN ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS

Many corporate spaces can be ‘siloed’ in their design We wanted to design a human centred office environment that was open and promoted creativity and collaboration We created two spaces intended for work use, and others for relaxation. The INNOVA staff required a private office to conduct their day to day work In order to not disrupt the flow of the whole environment, the area was partitioned off with acoustic glass, to keep in with the open feel.

Owing to the open plan design of the hub, the acoustics needed to be properly considered and noise levels minimised We conducted an analysis of the space and the way that it was intended to be used and produced an acoustic solution that consisted of the implementation of acoustic clouds, acoustic cabins and decoupled drywall insulated with mineral wool