COTRUTA CRISTINA|M.ARCH II
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001 | da Vinci high-school | BUILT PROJECT
The concept behind the architectural environment was to break outside the standard ideas associated with an educational space and to allow pupil to think outside their comfort zone, ‘outside the box’...
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The architecture had to offer the initial incentive to build up creativity, enthusiasm and self-expression not just regarding the study process itself, but also for the people working on this project, making them want to give their best and be their best. A huge emphasis was made upon a clean, minimalistic space, a blank page for each specialist to build ‘Da Vinci’ as a true school of the future. left perspective view
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The construction process took several months and required a lot of hard work and devotement from all people involved. Each formwork, concrete structure and metal element implemented was designed to take the already existing 3d idea from within the design software and spawn it in real life.
right construction site_swimming pool being built
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The construction of the building process, showcasing different stages of the build process. top construction site photos
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The school features a series of functional recreational areas, which include: a 25x11 m, 7.6 m high swimming-pool premise, intended for recreational and educational purposes. The construction space was functionally solved by using 1.0 m high metal T-profile beams, with an overall length of 15 m, which were brought to the construction site by specialized vehicle units. The other spaces: multifunctional sports hall with an area of 364.44 sq.m and a 7.2 m height, as well as a squash field.
left perspective view_BIM cross-section
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The school was designed as a thinking ‘outside of the box’ concept, which meant giving pupils and staff a space where creativity would thrive and evolve. The architectural space was intended to become the canvas for personal growth, a space which uses aesthetics and functionality to encourage expression of self, a new educational process and ideology.
right interior design cocncept_entrance lobby
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The classroom concept was born on the idea of minimalism and space continuity. It had to accomodate the functional workspace needed for each pupil and also give an aesthetics where each child could feel free to study, discover and explore. White and orange were dominant, with grey used to emphasize the HVAC ducts specifically designed for this space.
left interior design_classroom concept
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The construction plans were designed in accordance with the regulations and laws. Every corner was calculated, thought out and coordinated with each of the engineers involved in the design and construction process. The spaces include an entrance lobby, a 25x11 m swimming pool (with a 7.2 m height), and changing rooms, as well as staff spaces on the Ground Floor and a dance area, a recreational space and technical room for the HVAC system on the First Floor. The HVAC system spans on 2 levels
left ground floor+first floor plans
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The Second Floor features a multifunctional sports hall, placed on elevation mark +7.600 and has an overall area of 364.44 sq.m and a height of 7.2 m, intended for regular type sport activities as well as a squash field for more private gatherings and competitions. This level also features the library and administrative wing, along with changing rooms for both girls and boys. The Roof is flat, with specially designed areas for water and snow drainage. Access to it is conducted by the elevator and the main staircase. The technical room featured on this level is specifically designed to be blast proof.
left second floor+roof plan
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The facade of the building is intended to be a perforated rainscreen metal facade, that mimics within the perforations Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. It takes into account the interiro spaces needed to receive natural lighting and thus offers the option for specific panels to open up when needed and allow natural light flow.
left south elevation
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left west elevation
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left north elevation
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This space features a 25x11 swimming pool, designed to easily accomodate competitions when needed. What sets this area apart is the overwhelming space and height of the room. it is a 7.2 m heigh space, which was solved with the help of 1.0 m heigh metal T-profile beams, specifically designed and calculated for this project. The swimming pool has direct access towards the ground floor entrance lobby by use of a communication hall and also offers stunning views to the second floor recreational area. Floor to ceiling glass partitions allow for users on the second floor to view this gorgeous space and also take advantage of the natural light flooding in through the 5.6 m high glass windows.
left interior design_swimming pool
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Write over here Access to the dining area is conducted through
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the existing school space from block B and offers stunning views to the courtyard outside. The design was intended to be minimalistic with accents in materiality. White marble was used for the tiles on the floor, combined with wood plated accent walls and dining tables.
left interior design_dining area
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da Vinci
Seeing the building rise and come to life from what was only points and lines in my head, was one of the most amazing and humbling experiences I have ever had to witness. The amount of joy and pride was and still is...indescribable. For me, the ‘Da Vinci’ project is the turning point in my life, when I came to the realization of how much I love and breathe in architecture
left early stages of the construction site
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002|dear Peter Pan... The 3D shape is a result of a 3D scanning process of objects (buildings, streets, small architectural shapes, organic forms) within China Town District, LA . The scans were turned into 3D separate pieces with the help of Agisoft Metashape AI software and later on combined to obtain separate 3D models that became the base of the building massing. top elevation shape_01 right cross-sections and plan views shape_01
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The building provides multiple levels of interaction, varying in height andd degree of difficulty. The plasticity of the building furthermore enhances the melting effect of the structure. top cross-section
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The outside space and the ground elevation of the building, forms a plaza that allows for free movement within the site boundaries, thus connecting it to the existing environment. top axon in site
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The building is dynamic and perceived differently from any point in space. Not one is like the other. It becomes a maze of singularity in which one can observe the plurality and non-standard use of materials, textures. The massing interacts with the site in a morphological way and seamelessly converges with it. right perspective views
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003|the unknown Debussy The form language of the building is rigid, mechanical. The materiality emphasizes the idea of a highly intelligent, processing entity. A series of vertical, horizontal tectonic based extrusions form the outer shell of the blocks and also continue the same architectural expression within the inner spaces. The structure resembles a machine engineered out of millions of individual parts, each carrying a specific functional ideology. The result is a highly intelligent architectural apparatus, displaying aesthetical morphologies meant to reconceptualize the museum programatic. left top view iteration
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The materiality emphasizes the idea of a highly intelligent, processing entity. top perspective view
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The connection between the main building and the set curated art display geometries is conducted by means of scaffolding like structures, that challenge the standard vertical connection. Stairs, as perceived in a traditional understanding are replaced by forms that allow circulation in all axis.
right cross-section_01
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Exhibition spaces vary in format and thus allow for different curatorial practices to shape, allowing for art display to happen in a very organic way. top interior exhibition space
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004|encoded existence The project explores the convergence of AI agents and an artificially construed natural environment. top perspective view
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In order to produce and design the simulations, a series of code based iterations were developed within Unreal Engine, that allowed to bring to life the AI Agents. NPC brains within Behaviour Trees were created, that were responsible for the way the agents would act within the game. Rotation, movement, frequency and circulation axis were obtained within the world settings of the program and later on, coupled up with particle systems responsibe for varied behaviours within the simulation itself. right work within Unreal Engine
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The AI agents starting to engage in the artificially created environment and populate it according to own movements. top perspective view
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Images showcasing AI agents’ behaviour within the software. The scene started to be populated by them in a linear increment, within varied behaviour trees. top perspective views showcasing AI agents behaviour
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005|senegal school The Senegal School Competition was aimed at building a school in the remote area of Marsassoum, Senegal, Africa. The project posed a difficult task of building an educational environment with locally sourced sustainable materials, which would apply construction techniques that do not requier any prior skills in construction, so that the local community may be able to replicate the process and help further develop the village long after the competition is over and the NGO sponsoring it, is gone.
left perspective view
10/2020
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The main construction technique is based on using rammed earth. Rammed earth provides superior thermal mass, temperature and noise control, strength, durability, low
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maintenance, fire proofing, load bearing and moisture resistance. top perspective view right exploded axon|construction
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The site is divided into 3 main buildings, A1, A2 and A3, giving the possibility of constructing the project in two phases if needed. Each corner reveals a continuity of linear elements that are distinguishable not as form but as materiality. Horizontality becomes an aesthetic tool. left ground floor plan_0.000
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The common area is encompassing the existing tree on the property, access being granted by a 4x2 m gate. top perspective view
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006 | cambodia remote hideout huts The Cambodia Remote Hideout Huts competition is a collaboration with The Vine Retreat, a health and wellness retreat, located in the idyllic rural countryside between Phnom Vour Mountain and the south coast of Cambodia. For this competition, the design asks for a series of self-sustained hideout huts to be located in The Vine Retreat. The hut’s main purpose is to give guests a chance to live completely isolated within a community-based concept. left exploded axon
11/2020
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This project uses two different types of spaces to create an environment that aims to transport the cambodian yoga hut user towards a transcendent state enhacing the experience of meditation. top perspective view
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Two linear pathways create entries that form light filled paths that blur and reflect the environment in a kaleidoscopic manner. top interior view_volume 01
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007 | composite image Using the Syntax Automation Processing Script, the composite image is the result of a series of images/layers obtained earlier on with different techniques mentioned above. The composite image is a new way of creating imagery in a 3D environment from an initial 2D, flat view. The result is an encoding of several layers of information into a single image, formatted for use in Phase 3’s collaborative compositing process. left compsite image iteration_phase 02
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Phase 02 uses encoding of the previously obtained images to create a single image, multichannel formatted. top iterations obtained by applying modifications to the Processing Script
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The interest was to obtain a z-depth pass able to transform the initial 2d image into a multilevel 3d environment, allowing for space formation. top composite image iteration
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008 | silverwood residence the following project is an interior design project left master bedroom
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The living room is designed to accomodate a passive recreational space that offers views onto the remodeled patio outside. Themateriality of the space is the one setting up an architectural dialogue and bring in together colors and furniture items. left living room
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The project follows a minimalist approach in some aspects but breaks it with the use of complicated furniture items and materiality. left master bathroom
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Cristina Cotruta cristinacotruta090@yahoo.com Los Angeles, CA (+1) 213 256 7472
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristina-cotruta-1b9b151a5/ Issuu: https://issuu.com/home/published/portfolio_final_2021-compressed__1_ Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/407517448 https://vimeo.com/415309263