Ele Portfolio 2023

Hello! My name is Ele and I am an Architectural Designer with 2+ years of experience. I received my MArch degree at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute of Design & Arts in addition to a Bachelor’s in Urban Planning investigating design solutions to solve wicked problems, exploring mediums to design for the human scale and human experience.

OLYMPIA, WA EVAL CENTER

Comprising a team of dedicated healthcare professionals, and behavioral health technicians, this center is committed to providing individuals with the necessary tools and resources to facilitate their recovery during times of crisis. The facility is a tenant improvement project that transforms an existing building into a 16-bed evaluation and treatment center with supportive administrative spaces. The renovation scope involves minor structural changes, replacement of existing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing fixtures, reconfiguration of walls, doors, and bathrooms, and the installation of a new fire suppression system. Additionally, the project includes exterior modifications, such as the construction of an outdoor patio area.

Professional | Behavioral Health | 2018 - 2022

FEDERAL WAY, WA EVAL CENTER

Federal Way - Phase I is an ambitious project that aims to transform an existing structure constructed in 1987 into a state-of-the-art Evaluation and Treatment Center that caters to the psychiatric treatment needs of individuals. This extensive renovation project encompasses various aspects of the building, including structural changes, installation of new mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire suppression systems, as well as the relocation of walls and doors. The exterior of the building has also been upgraded with the addition of a new patio enclosure and ramps to facilitate easy access. It was taken from the initial schematic design phase through to Construction Administration.

Professional | Behavioral Health | 2020 - Dec 2023

MARYVALE PARKWAY

Maryvale is a senior public housing apartment complex consisting of 108 one-bedroom units. Built in the 1970s, this historic property is primed for a much-needed revitalization, encompassing all 108 units, common areas, and vital building systems. Our project focuses on the remodel of 48 one-bedroom units in Building A, 60 one-bedroom units in B, alongside the Community Center in Building C, within the housing facility currently owned by the City of Phoenix.

Professional | Architectural On-Call | 2022 - Present

CIUDAD NEZA

Instructor: Ian Dickenson

Issue:

Rural to urban migration has had a significant impact on housing trends in Mexico. Mexico City has experienced massive population growth, pushing affordable housing development for the working class into the city’s periphery.

Premise:

This thesis proposes the re-examination of zoning policies in housing today. It recognizes homeownership’s financial implications and offers zoning as a tool to legitimize homeownership for upward mobility. The social and cultural fabric determines the existing forms of living. Zoning is realized as a symbolic representation of residence, whereas the proposed architectural design adheres to the use patterns. The onus on self-management is reduced by introducing solutions that address dysfunctional services and infrastructure

How the home is designed VS. How he home is used

The onus on self management is reduced by introducing solutions that address dysfunctional services and infrastructure.

SOCIAL & CULTURAL FABRIC FINANCIAL MODEL

OF HOUSING

Street Layout

Housing

E-Commerce

Housing

Void Space

Green Space

Community Workshop Communal

TIMBER IN THE CITY

Located on an unoccupied waterfront in Queens, New York. This project re-evaluates social interactions and re-imagines the creation of neighborhood and community integration in a mixed-use, high-rise complex.

Set in a prime location, the project maximizes the urban framework of the site with the integration of new forms of dwelling, leisure, learning, and social consciousness. With strong relation to the street and waterfront, this project provides various means of retail, parking, walkability, education, and outdoor recreation with the incorporation of a roof garden.

Instructor: Scott Murf

The main premise of this project is to expand the opportunities of social interaction. The building is designed with a series of varying stacked CLT balcony types, providing residents with the opportunity to socialize and create connections which will lead to a stronger sense of community. The architecture encourages the opportunity for life to truly exist between walls and buildings.

Type 1 Type 2

Type 3

Floor Type I

Floor Types

Floor Type II

Floor Type III

DOWN SOUTH

Instructor: Sara Yehia

Jackson Street Garage and Phoenix Union Station is a very dynamic site. It consists of a garage, bridge and underutilized railway tracks which creates a wicked problem known as “border vacuum”. The term “border vacuum” is used to describe factors that inhibit people from occupying a space, thus creating a barrier that divides neighborhoods in a city.

The site consists of three major border vacuums; the bridge, the parking structure and the rail tracks. The design approach to this site is to reconcile the effects of the border vacuums on the site in order to bring people into a once alienated place. The proposed plan is to incorporate a triple layered facade system, utilizing varying opacities of fritted glass and iridescent aluminum that refracts sunlight, offering an array of distinct colors that draws people in.

Iridescent

Facade Layers

Fritted Glass

HAND SKETCHES

Individual Exploration

Drawing is used a form of exploration of the spatial relationship, scale, and proportion of James Turrell’s ASU Skyspace: Air Apparent and The Roden Crater.