CARL VALDEZ landscape architecture portfolio
CONTENTS _0 1
Trail o f Memor y
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Co n v e rg enc e
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Yin Yan g Hou se
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Re b ir t h
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Pe r i-Pomona
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Term Winter 2017 | Project Haunted Houses : Healing Landscapes | Location Brandon, MB, Canada Course Studio 4 individual project | Instructor Dr. Karen Wilson Baptist
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Trail of Memory The project that I did under Dr. Karen Wilson Baptist’s studio dealed with working with a working group at the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation in transforming the former site of the Brandon Industrial Residential School into a healing lodge for is victims and their families. The now-defunct school left pain and scars, not only to its victims, but also to the landscape. . The Trail of Memory, a conceptual idea of an interpretive path that subtly represents the history of the site using landscape design and vegetation through a journey, aims to serve as part of the survivors’ healing process towards hope and release from all the scars left by the residential schools. A dome building with an open hole in the ceiling, will serve as the heart of the healing lodge. Along the walls of the building, names of the victims will be engraved and will serve as a memorial space for them. The space between the wall and the path will serve as a space for prayer and commemoration of the residential school victims. The design of the building aims to be a simple and subtle representation of hope and looking into the future by taking in the beauty of the surrounding landscape, looking away from the place where the school used to stand. Located inside the building is a museum where visitors can learn about the history of the Brandon Industrial Residential School, and a community centre for people, both survivors and visitors, can come together and help each other through the process of healing and reconciliation.
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INVESTIGATION site visit site analysis research reflection
Brandon Industrial Residential School
BRANDON, MB
school barns & sheds
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agricultural fields
river
The initial approach to this project was very research-based. Since our studio was dealing with a project with a very sensitive and traumatic history, we were required to do background research, analysis, and extensive investigation about the site, the events, and the victims through film, books, archival documents, interviews, and site visits. Our studio visited the site near the city of Brandon, Manitoba twice to personally experience the traumatic landscape. Visiting the place reveals its melancholic ambiance. Although visually picturesque with its dramatic topography change and beautiful, dense canopies, the site remains scarred by its harsh colonial history. The Brandon Industrial Residential School was one of the residential schools across Canada that were used to force-assimilate Aboriginal children into the Euro-Canadian culture and was done within harsh conditions. This assimilation created a disconnect between the children and their families, making them lose their identities. Unmarked anomalies are present all over the site where children who succumbed to these harsh conditions are buried . Although the BIRS has been discontinued in the 90’s, its effects still exist until today. Victims and their families have been traumatized, and those who have lost connections with their Aboriginal culture are now struggling to cope with a strange culture to which they have been alienated from.
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FREEDOM openness / prairie
CONTROL narrow / dark / rough
CONFUSION winding / dense / high canopy
entrance
library + rooms
event space
entra museum ramp ceremonial space memorial wall 8
TRAIL The interpretive path design consists of four stages with each reflecting or representing a specific episode in the history of the site by evoking feelings and emotions to its users through the use of vegetation: 1. Freedom = pre-colonialism 2. Control = assimilation era 3. Confusion = post-colonialism 4. Hope = healing and reconciliation
HOPE openness / high vantage point
For this project, I decided to focus on the final stage which represents hope, healing, and reconciliation. Through the form of a memorial and a community centre at the end of the interpretive path, visitors and victims have the opportunity to help each other in the process of reconciliation.
ceremonial space memorial wall interpretive path
ance
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MUSEUM + COMMUNITY CENTRE structure detail model perspective rendering
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Term Fall 2016 | Project Dwelling Precinct Life - Resilient City | Location Winnipeg, MB, Canada Course Studio 3 group + individual project | Instructors Dr. Richard Perron & Leanne Muir Group Wesley Kwong, Matthew Peters, Daniel Trojillo, Carl Valdez
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Convergence This project under Dr. Richard Perron and Leanne Muir dealt with revitalizing the Weston and Dufferin Industrial railyards. These industrial areas served as important economic nodes of the city of Winnipeg. Neighbourhoods grew around them to house workers and businesses. However, as the city’s economic focus shifted to other areas, the railyards have become a barrier that separates the north end to the rest of the city. .The concept of Convergence imagines the site on two fronts which aims to provide a cultural, social, and economic center for the city, specifically for the north end that has been separated from the rest of the city because of this ‘barrier;. This place will provide a place for Winnipeggers to come together, removing this divide that has been established by the industrial yards. The place will include sports and recreational facilities, food services, public markets, cultural spaces, and affordable residential and educational centres which will reconnect the north both to its surrounding neighbourhoods and to the rest of the city with the help of a new light rail system using the remnants of the old railyard that will connect to other important nodes in the city. Bike paths and a rapid transit system will also help improve the accessible of the other from different parts of the city. The convergence of different cultures within the site will reflect the unique diversity of culture that the city possesses.
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SITE ANALYSIS AND VISION Our group started the project through different site analysis methods such as site visits, research, and interviews. Because I live within the area, I also took some information from my personal experiences. Our analysis showed the social barrier that exists caused by the physical barrier that is the railyards. This divide between the north and the rest of the city is furthered by the growing minority population such as the large number of immigrant families coming to Winnipeg and Aboriginal communities. The group’s vision for the site is to transform it into an important node that will serve as a cultural and economic core, celebrating the diversity of Winnipeg
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ECOLOGICAL
RECREATIONAL
CULTURAL
CONCEPT The idea is to shift the core of the city northward from downtown to this area and this would be done by pulling people, not only from the surrounding areas, but also from all over the city. This pulling effect is achieved by providing facilities and services for people to come to such as recreational, educational, economic, and cultural facilities. An ecological area is also provided on the western edge of the site that would filter the water from a nearby retention pond. This water will travel through the site becoming an attraction which will eventually drain into the red river near the eastern edge of the site.
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functions
major connectio
ons
SOCIAL
green spaces
EDUCATIONAL
pedestrian + cycling
amenities
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indoor market outdoor flea market
event space
active trail
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SHOPPING PROMENADE + MARKET
community garden
For the individual part of this project, I chose to focus on the design detail of the plaza that my group proposed. This will serve as a cultural hub for the city where remnants of old the old railyard will be preserved throug the form of shipping containers that will house local businesses and parklets for shoppers. A water drainage feature with water flowing from the ecological area will serve as an attraction to the site. A public market which becomes indoor and outdoor depending on the season will be housed in an old railyard shop. Lastly, an ‘active trail’ will serve as a connecting / transitional space between the nearby industrial and forested areas. The site aims to have these spaces work together to encourage social cohesion and the celebration of Winnipeg’s diversity.
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CULTURAL ‘ART BOXES’ ‘Art boxes’ which are stacks of shipping containers containing art from different cultures within glass boxes. As shoppers walk along the promenade, these art pieces would be visible above them which would promote the diverse culture that the city has.
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Term Winter 2016 | Project Micro House | Location Winnipeg, MB, Canada Course Studio 2 individual project | Instructor Jae-Sung Chon
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Yin Yang House I did this project on the first year of my Environmental Design program which involved designign a micro home for a fictional client that we also have to create. The location of the project is on a median of a busy highway in Winnipeg.. The site of my design is specifically located on one of the busiest intersections of Pembina Highway. The client that I imagined is a Zen Buddhiest monk who travels the world in search of the real meaning of peace and tranquility. Ironically, he chooses to live at this location because of the opportunity it holds in showing people his own idea of peace and tranquility; his zen practices. He wants to encourage people to find their own zen ways in order to cope with the busy life of the city. The concept of the house is to embody the client’s peaceful lifestyle through materiality and form. The emphasis on natural light and shadow play, as well as the use of white concrete walls creates a feeling of void in the space. Juxtapositions in space are also used to emphasize the tranquil quality of the house. The space under the house serves as a public space for passersby to use, contrasting the ambience of the interior space. Also, the form of the house itself represents that of a yiin yang symbol and the contrast between light and dark. public and private.
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CONCEPT The concept of the Yin Yang house is to embody the client’s lifestyle, as well as reveal this tranquil way of living to the drivers passing through the busy highway who struggle to cope with the chaotic environment of the city. Ideally, the sight of the client’s zen rituals will relieve the stress of motorists. The form of the house is a representation of a yin yang symbol which is a representation of contrasting elements itself: the dark and the light. The juxstaposition of spaces such as the public and the private areas help reinforce this idea of revelation.
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DETAIL
PRIVATE
floor plan exterior and interior renderings process model living bath
kitchen
PUBLIC
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bed
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Term Winter 2017 | Project Dwelling and Garden Design | Location Taal Volcano, Philippines Course Site Planning group project | Instructor Dietmar Straub Group Matthew Peters & Carl Valdez
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Rebirth This project is a garden desingn project I did with Matthew Peters for our site planning class. The project involved designing a garden out of a basic garden plan that was provided . We were to make the design site specific to the location of our choice. We started with the initial concept of finding a location within a tundra landscape. However, we felt like we were not connecting well with the initial concept and so, we picked something that is more personal to one of us. Eventually, we ended up choosing a site in my home country, the Philippines. The garden is to be placed by Taal Volcano, the world’s smallest volcano yet one of the most active. The town where the volcano is located also boasts a unique cultural history wherein many Christian missionaries from all over the world travel to the towns near Taal Volcano to increase their religious influence. The concept of the garden involves the idea of revival or rebirth which is what happens to many of the plant species around the volcano; they get destroyed by the lava from the volcanic eruption but eventually grow back along with new species of plants. The idea of Rebirth is also an important concept in the Christian religion and thus, having a missionary as the client of the garden.
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08:00
CONCEPT
church DECEMBER
private garden
JUNE
The volcanic contemplation garden is a place of journey, contemplation and rebirth. The garden has a cycle of rebirth which happens every few years and is beneficial to the plants. Most of the garden is to be a terraced public space with a grotto set into the hillside. This space would be surrounded by a variety of plants which enhance the space. In the Private contemplation space for the resident, a small pond surrounded by planting beds for and is covered by a canopy from trees which make the place more private, safe and tranquil.
pond
grotto
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12:00
16:00
SHADOW STUDIES Due to the elevation changes and the terraced condition of the garden, shadow studies were required in order to figure out the placement of the different species of plants. These were based on height, canopy size, as well as their lifespan and functions.
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Grass Cicadas
Themeda gigantea
Manila Tamarind Pithecellobium dulce
Cogon Grass
Imperata cylindric
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ca
Barbary Fig Ficus indica
Drumstick Tree Moringa oleifera
Wild Sugarcane Saccharum spontaneum
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Term Fall 2017 | Project Tree Sanctuaries in Perimetric Landscapes | Location Winnipeg, MB, Canada Course Studio 5 group project | Instructors Dietmar Straub & Anna Thurmayr Group Wesley Kwong, Matthew Peters, Calvin Tan, Carl Valdez
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Peri-Pomona The project that I did for this studio dealed with working with designing a ‘satellite’ or a landmark with programmatic features which is to be placed along Winnipeg’s Perimeter Highway, which many consider as the edge of the city. The project also involved the consideration of tree sanctuaries as a call for action against the growing threats to trees in the city such as Dutch Elm Disease and Emerald Ash Borer. Through analysis and research, we discovered that the rapid growth of suburban development in the city could affect many ecological corridors. The concept of PeriPomona is to connect the city back to nature by using nature itself (such as patches of tree cover and river bottom forests) to create a space where people can come to and escape the chaotic environment of the city, as well as reflecting cultural and historical context of the site (such as pomology and agricultural long lots) in order to counteract the urban development; the spilling of nature back into the city through the form of local food production, distribution, and knowledge.
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BACKGROUND The Perimeter already hosts many programatic activities offering more space and greater comfort than the city centre. Parks, sports centres, landfills, commercial recreation and fun facilities, commercial enterprises and unspecified areas are located around the perimeter. The beltway has become a refugium for a whole range of recreational activities and has become a place for Winnipegers to escape the chaotic environment of the urban life. In search of places for a non-conformist life, people have come here to spend some self-determined time. Our studio examined the rural / landscape along Winnipeg’s Petimeter Highway with particular focus on the city’s entrances and transitions and situate new landscapes on strategically favorable positions along the perimeter with emphasis on tree sanctuaries in addition to other programmatic ideas. It was necessary for us to consider aspects from other disciplines and integrate basic layers of the landscape.
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SITE ANALYSIS Along the perimeter, small groupings of industrial buildings and neighborhood developments mix with the edge of the agricultural land creating an in-between atmosphere where nothing is truly rural or urban. In some spots the city seems to be nowhere in sight yet the other elements infer that you are not too far. In others you do feel the direct cities presence. Once in the center of the south perimeter you are completely within the urban fabric. This part of the perimeter is unique in that the city has spilled over the perimeter highway creating a new area of the city which can be described as within and not.
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RESEARCH ecological connections shadow studies
growth nodes
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growth ‘spill’
tree cover
river / water
ecological connections
river bott forest
tom
before 1800
1800-1900
1800-1900
1920-1970
1070-current forested area
wetland
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ay
ighw er H
et
im Per
St. Norbert Farmers’ Market landfill chosen site Trappist Monastery ruins
CHOSEN SITE ANALYSIS Located between St. Norbert, Trappist Monastery, and the Brady Landfill, the site creates an opportunity to create a tree sanctuary that connects the existing and historical networks around it. Historically, the site served as an institutional agricultural field for the Trappists Monks. The monastery was a source of knowledge and learning that served as the foundation of the town. Thus, the site is envisioned to bring back the agricultural system that has once existed but connect it to the present networks. Focusing on the Monastery and the Farmers Market the tree sanctuary intends to connect and expand the existing programs by serving as an area for food production and is based on the idea of ‘despilling’ the urban growth by spilling nature back through pomology.
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highway
landfill
riparian forest
creek
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CONCEPT The site serves as a link between the highway and the monastery by providing paths, ways and reasons to traverse the orchards, meadows and forests. The orchards benefit from shelterbelt plantings which create micro-climates to ensure survivability of the orchard trees which are diverse in species and have
varying fruits and flowers which bloom and appear at different times in order to create constant interest. The site as a whole is meant to be explored and used as a destination in which people can plan to spend a part of their day taking in the sights and participating in the activities within the space.
event space
Southwood Golf Course
testing fields
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Trappist Monastery
forest + meadow
walkway + orchard
orchard + shelterbelt
distillery + event space
creek
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year 0
walkway + forest
year 10
orchard + lawn
year 20
spring
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summer
DETAIL tree growth pattern perspective collages seasonal colour changes
distillery + event space
main path + meadow
fall
winter
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meadow
barn & storage
creek
meadow
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seating area
distille
ery
DISTILLERY + EVENT SPACE Programming on site allows for visitors to venture through the orchards and pick fruits. A central drinking gardens, picnic area and distillery provide visitors with the ability to participate in the creation of beverages such as ciders and hard alcohols, the consumption of said beverages and general enjoyment of the space.
orchard plots
event space
distillery
lawn
cider makers + event space
meadow + orchards
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CARL VALDEZ landscape architecture portfolio