Professional Portfolio

architecture portfolio

cover page

elina dimova

Elina Dimova

me.

Hello, my name is Elina Dimova and I am an architecture graduate with a great amount of enthusiasm and passion in architecture.

Through my education in Central Saint Martins, I developed an understanding of approaching architecture with a critical mind, knowing that everything is tied in a loop of interconnectivity and interdependence. Relating materials to context, historical and cultural background and designing for and with a community is essential.

One aspect cannot exist by itself, because it is dependent on everything else and like a domino effect, when a small detail changes, it shifts everything around. And this is the beauty of spatial practices.

In my last year in university, I focused on designing with an understanding of materials, approach to local communities’ culture and traditions, and contributing towards harmony between humans and nature. I connected all these pieces within my proposal by working with mycelium. I conducted further research by developing a dissertation on the opportunities these underground networks have to offer to architecture.

content.

CV 4 MYCOmmunity (final year project )

6

The Gingerbread City Exhibition

14

BA Fashion x BA Architecture: A Festival of Fashion 15 Freelance projects: the AC installation Flat Interior Design Building my own house (in progress)

16 17

Elina Dimova

EDUCATION Bachelor of Architecture at University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins London, United Kingdom

September 2020 – July 2023 (Full Time)

International Baccalaureate at King William’s Collage Castletown, Isle of Man

September 2018 – June 2020 (Full Academic Scholarship)

Subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Visual Arts High School at Foreign Language High School Romain Rolland

Stara Zagora, Bulgaria English and German language

September 2018 – June 2020 (Full Academic Scholarship)

WORK EXPERIENCE

ELINA DIMOVA applicant for architecture assistant

contact details. +44 7748 976 084 elina.dimova@yahoo.com 3 Helena Square, SE16 5XP Linkedin

portfolio.

Part-time Architecture Assistant at Construction firm Habitan Group Ltd London, the United Kingdom

Helping with 2D drawings and 3D renders for interior design projects.

Event organiser and workshop assistant at The Gingerbread City Exhibition London, United Kingdom

October 2023 – January 2024

Persuading architects to participate in the exhibition and then I was working with the events managers to organise and run the exhibition.

Interior design intern at DESIGN ART Furniture design Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

elina

September 2023 - Present

July - September 2022

dissertation.

Practical experience as an interior design intern.

I had the opportunity to work with clients, work on concept design and develop a keen understanding of material compatibility and

digital skills.

qualities.

Adobe Package (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premium Rush), AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, advanced in Microsoft office package (Certified Expert in Microsoft Office 2016)

Leadership, organisational and teamwork skills; communicative, creative, open-minded, experienced in problem-solving and working under pressure.

International tournament coordinator and translator at International Tournament ‘Mathematics without boarders’

June 2018 – Present

Bulgaria

I am responsible for planning seasonal national and international tournaments, live translating conference meetings and being in charge of the youth organisational team.

Retail Assistant at Rent-a-car Company, VVC -Group Ltd

I worked as a retail assistant at a front desk giving offers to clients, signing contracts and I am able to do basic routine service of cars.

VOLUNTEERING Mentee at RIBA Future Architects Student Mentoring Programme November 2022 - ongoing

Allocated in small groups and mentored by practising architects, we, as architecture students, have the opportunity to experience a day in the life of an architect, a site visit of a completed building and career support.

Volunteer - Architecture Ambassador at RIBA Architecture Ambassadors London, United Kingdom

September 2022 - Present

I am partnering with teachers to design and deliver creative architectural workshops in schools, informing children for designing architecture. We just had a workshop with William Patten School in the begining of February Volunteer - Art teacher, Assistant at Montessori Centre ‘Az deteto’ Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

June 2017 – Present

I volunteer and help in adaptation groups, preschool and ‘Help me cope on my own’ (age 1.6 – 6 years). I also organised fundraising Christmas and Easter theatre plays with the kids.

Volunteer - Event Organiser and Assistant at BA Fashion x BA Architecture: A Festival of Fashion London, United Kingdom

May 2022

I was selected to participate in the collaboration that provided a design and built set-up for BA Fashion’s ‘Festival of Fashion’. A degree of flexibility, ingenuity, imagination and hard work were essential for the task.

languages.

Participant at The Gingerbread City Exhibition London, United Kingdom

November 2023 - January 2024

I had the honour of exhibiting my own Gingerbread structure together with some great London architecture firms such as Zaha Hadid Architects, Fosters + Partners, Hopkins Architects and more.

May 2020 – Present

Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

London, United Kingdom

AWARDS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Bulgarian native English fluent /2 English Diplomas/ German B1/B2

Awards for special contributions in BA Architecture Graduate Showcase 2023 June 2023

London, United Kingdom

Studio representative Helping building and constructing the structural base

Student representative at University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins London, United Kingdom

September 2020 – June 2023

Stage 1 and 2 Student representative of BA Architecture Stage 3 Studio representative of Decolonising Climate and Social Injustice studio Boarding house Prefect in Senior Year at Kings William’s College Castletown, Isle of Man

September 2019 – June 2020

Participant and Student Ambassador at Speech and Debate Team – Best Foundation Bulgaria

September 2017 – June 2019

Participant at Senior Mathematics Challenge, UKMT

United Kingdom

Bronze Award Edition 2018-2019 Silver Award Edition 2019-2020

Participant (part of Bulgarian National Team in World Mathematics Invitation Tokyo, Japan

Bronze award - July 2019

Participant (part of Bulgarian National Team in Thailand International Mathematics Olympiad Bangkok, Thailand

Bronze award - February 2019

Final year project

September 2022 - May 2023

During my final year in university I developped a project located in Watney Market in Shadwell as it is an integral place for the Bangladeshi community. It preserves cultures and traditions that are essential for a shared sense of belonging.

How can we better enable and cater for these cultures, as well as provide them with safe spaces, in the context of a busy, diverse and cosmopolitan London?

Just like mycelium networks distribute nutrients in ecosystems, connect and bind systems, MYCOmmunity is a project that brings diasporic communities together.

MYCOmmunity

Playing on the typology of the Market as an urban cultural hub, the scheme aims to improve the experience of the community by providing more accessible social spaces and dealing with food waste streams.

Beneath the market, there is a mycelium lab, which is a space for communal engagement with the production of mycelium-composite building elements. These are then applied and used for spatial arrangements within the market above. The lab is a place that educates, contributes towards the climate emergency and gives people another occasion to come together.

Final year project

September 2022 - May 2023

(above) pavilion used for collecting organic waste from ground level and moving to underground level through aluminium tubes.

(above) custom fit-in bricks between columns

MYCOmmunity.

The first mycelium pavilion is designed to look like a mushroom that erects from the underground through the ground and allows the community to recycle waste that could be used to grow mycelium products.

The second pavlion is construcuted from timber columns and custom designed bricks and functions as an entry for the laboratory and workshops.

(above) pavilion used for entrance to the underground laboratory

MYCOmmunity

Final year project

September 2022 - May 2023

( ;6<9 (96<5+ 4@*6TT\UP[` story boards telling the journey of each of the users ESTCODE

customers

sellers residents of Tower Hamlets

*\Z[VTLYZ NYVJLY` ZOVWWPUN SVVRPUN MVY JSV[OLZ VY ÅV^LYZ H[ Watney market. At noon many resients of Tower hamlets meet at >H[UL` THYRL[ I\` MVVK HU OH]L lunch. The benches produced at MYCOmmunity lab and located at both ends of the market is where they sit down to eat or to wait for friends.

ESTCODE

3. If any of the people are interestLK [V ]PZP[ [OL SHI JVTL [V SLJ[\YLZ or classes and even work in the ^VYRZOVW [OL` JHU LU[LY MYVT either Pavilion 1 or Pavilion 2 (on [OL SLM[ HUK NV HYV\UK [OL SHI Sellers can also use the toilets and bathrooms whihc are available right next to both staircases.

ESTCODE

ESTCODE

(M[LY WLVWSL OH]L ÄUPZOLK LH[ing they can throw their left overs Z\JO HZ MY\P[Z ^HZ[L HU` WSHZ[PJ bottles. These can be thrown in the MUSHcollect intot he desPNUH[LK [\IL ;OLYL HYL YLJ`JSPUN IPUZ HSS VM [OLT ZPNULK ^OH[ people can throw in.

Residents can even bring waste MYVT OVTL MVY L_HTWSL JVɈL grounds and rad boxes that can be used in the lab.

4. Anyone using a wheelchair or OHZ KPɉJ\S[PLZ \ZPUN [OL Z[HPYZ may use the lift. The lift is also used for bigger elements produced in the workshop to be brought up to the ground level to the market.

Elina Dimova, Stage 3, Studio 11

ESTCODE

ESTCODE

MYCOmmunity.

ESTCODE

37

=PZP[VY TPNO[ ]PZP[ [OL SHI HUK look at each of the laboratories Z\JO HZ Z[LYPSPZH[PVU YLZLHYJO WYVJLZZ HUK [LZ[PUN SHI I\[ [OL` cannot participate at any activities taking place in these places due to safety of the people and mycelium products.

VU [OL SLM[ ( [LJOUPJPHU HYL HSSVcating mycelium bricks and mycelium and substrate mixtures in the Storage area and another technician is collecting food waste from the MUSHcollect.

6. After technicians collect food waste they bring it to the SubZ[YH[L [YLH[TLU[ SHI ^OLYL HSS [OL food waste is checked if its useful.

Any residents that would like to IYPUN PU ^HZ[L MYVT OVTL [OL` will bring it into this lab. If needed substrate can be kept in refrigerators.

Elina Dimova, Stage 3, Studio 11

(M[LY [OL ^HZ[L PZ ZLSLJ[LK it being brought to the Material and Sterilisation lab. In this SHI L]LY`[OPUN PZ ILPUN W\[ PU[V Pastuerizers in order to kill any competitive bacteria or organisms that will otherwise prevent the mycelium from growing fully.

This lab is very strictly sterilised and this is why there are sanitation areas before both entrances.

(M[LY L]LY`[OPUN PZ Z[LYPSPZLK Z\Istrates are mixed with mushrooms spawns for brick production. Then mixtures are brought to the storage area.

8. After mycelium bricks or panLSZ HYL YLHK` [OL` HYL IYV\NO[ [V the Testing lab - each of mycelium products need to be baked ÄYZ[ ZV [OL` JHU Z[YLUN[OLU (M[LY that they go though several tests JVTWYLZZPVU ÄYL HUK Z\ITLYZPVU testing .

VU [OL SLM[ [LJOUPJPHUZ HYL [LZ[PUN the strength of the bricks on compression machine.

38

Final year project

MYCOmmunity.

The laboratory is located in an underground car park where the space is reused for the purpose.

The plan views show the arrangement and allocation of spaces.

September 2022 - May 2023

MYCOmmunity

Elina Dimova

November 2023

From concept idea to final design and the realisation of the Gingerbread Icy Molecule Structure.

Gingerbread City Exhibition is a whole city con-

structed entirely from gingerbread, candy, and frost-

ing. This magica metropolis shares a story on how

architects and designers can help solve some of the world’s most pressing problems like climate

change all through the medium of gingerbread.

Our structure was inspired by the molecules of ice and sugar. Their attributes of connectivity, symmetry, and

uniformity stand in nice contrast to the organic, uneven, harsh nature of an arctic climate. The unique and playful design intends to emphasis the floating character and lightness of ice and water.

The Gingerbread City exhibition.

BA Fashion x BA Architecture: ‘A Festival of Fashion’, CSM Elina Dimova

April - May 2022

I was selected to participate in the collaboration that provided a design and built set-up for BA Fashion’s ‘Festi]HS VM -HZOPVU» ( KLNYLL VM ÅL_PIPSP[` PUNLU\P[` PTHNPUH[PVU HUK OHYK ^VYR ^LYL LZZLU[PHS MVY [OL [HZR Designing the layout for the BA Fashion Final Exhibition show.

Constructing the modules for the exhibition Unit 11 Technical Studies

Part 1: Research and Experimentation 0UP[PHS [LZ[PUN HUK L_WLYPTLU[H[PVU >O` PZ [OL Z\IZ[YH[L VM IPN PTWVY[HUJL&

We were given very short time to design the concept and layout of the exhibition, including fire exhibit, dimenSubstrate is the material you are looking to fruit your mushsions and materials for the exhibition space. room from. It usually tends to be material that is dense in lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose ZV ^VVK` HUK ÄIYV\Z TH[LWorking for a real-life project was challenging, very fast-paced and the experience is very different from what rial that contain a lot of carbon, which is the main food source. we are asked to design as a portfolio as part of our architecture degree.

Substrate needs a small amount of nitrogen (1-2%) which you JHU \Z\HSS` ÄUK PU ZLLKZ 5P[YVNLU PUJYLHZLZ [OL JOHUJLZ VM organisms growing on that substrate before the mycelium and less does.

Building arranging the Small amount of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur are important for the production of enzymes within the fungi exhibition organism. The mycelium needs those enzymes to extract food space. from the substrate. pH SL]LSZ HYL HSZV PTWVY[HU[ W/ ZSPNO[S` HJPKPJ YHUNL

The whole structure of the substrate is important to have good air exchange for the fungi colonisation. There needs to be enough space for the oxygen intake and carbon dioxide expel.

Unit 11 Technical Studies

The moisture content is from big importance as well - be[^LLU HUK 4\ZOYVVTZ HYL ^H[LY HUK PM [OL LUPart 1: Research and Experimentation vironment is too wet, the mycelium will grow slowly and wet 0UP[PHS [LZ[PUN HUK L_WLYPTLU[H[PVU environment promotes competing organisms growth. If its too dry the mycelium will grow weak and thin. So, depending on the>O` PZ [OL Z\IZ[YH[L VM IPN PTWVY[HUJL& substrate, water must be regulated, added or reduced.

I learnt how to work in team, how to react and act quickly.

It was essential that we were not processionals ourselves and had to work time follow regulations and rules for designing set design.

ItsSubstrate very important the substrate is sterilised pasteuris the that material you are looking to fruitor your mushised to kill anyIt living organisms. room from. usually tends to be material that is dense in lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose ZV ^VVK` HUK ÄIYV\Z TH[LIt is surprise howa many to is bethe followed whensource. riala that contain lot of things carbon,need which main food growing mycelium or mushrooms and we may ask ‘How do T\ZOYVVTZ THUHNL [V NYV^ HU`^OLYL PU UH[\YL ^P[OV\[ OH]Substrate needs a small amount of nitrogen (1-2%) which you PUN ZVTLVUL KVPUN [OLZL MVY [OLT&» JHU \Z\HSS` ÄUK PU ZLLKZ 5P[YVNLU PUJYLHZLZ [OL JOHUJLZ VM In less nature, there are millionson ofthat spores released into the the mycelium environorganisms growing substrate before TLU[ HUK VUS` ML^ VM [OLT ÄUK [OL YPNO[ JVUKP[PVUZ PU ^OPJO does. they can thrive. When we are working in a lab environment, you needamount to guarantee that the cultivation technique is going Small of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur toare work on a consistent basis, so you create the perfect, as important for the production of enzymes within the or fungi as possible to the perfect environment and conditions withclose fashion but the same organism.

The student mycelium needs those at enzymes to extract food forfrom the mycelium to grow. the substrate. pH SL]LSZ HYL HSZV PTWVY[HU[ W/ ZSPNO[S` HJPKPJ YHUNL

Final ex- The whole structure of the substrate is important to have good -<9;/,9 9,:,(9*/! air exchange for the fungi colonisation. There needs to be hibition @6< *(5 -05+ (++0;065(3 9,:,(9*/ (5+ ,?7,904,5;(;065 05 4@ = enough space for the oxygen intake and carbon dioxide expel.

O[[WZ! `V\[\ IL ] OU< S9 J layout and The moisture content is from big importance as well - beindividual 7 [^LLU HUK 4\ZOYVVTZ HYL ^H[LY HUK PM [OL LUvironment is too wet, the mycelium will grow slowly and wet students environment promotes competing organisms growth. If its too the mycelium will grow weak and thin. So, depending on exhibiteddry the substrate, water must be regulated, added or reduced. work Its very important that the substrate is sterilised or pasteurised to kill any living organisms.

It is a surprise how many things need to be followed when growing mycelium or mushrooms and we may ask ‘How do T\ZOYVVTZ THUHNL [V NYV^ HU`^OLYL PU UH[\YL ^P[OV\[ OH]PUN ZVTLVUL KVPUN [OLZL MVY [OLT&» In nature, there are millions of spores released into the environTLU[ HUK VUS` ML^ VM [OLT ÄUK [OL YPNO[ JVUKP[PVUZ PU ^OPJO they can thrive. When we are working in a lab environment, you need to guarantee that the cultivation technique is going to work on a consistent basis, so you create the perfect, or as close as possible to the perfect environment and conditions for the mycelium to grow.

8

-<9;/,9 9,:,(9*/! @6< *(5 -05+ (++0;065(3 9,:,(9*/ (5+ ,?7,904,5;(;065 05 4@ O[[WZ! `V\[\ IL ] OU< S9 J

‘A Festival of Fashion’, CSM. 7

Elina Dimova

interior brick wall clear cavity

interior brick wall

extrior brick wall

clear cavity extrior brick wall

100 mm screw L shaped support bracket 300mm x 750 mm

100 mm screw

AC installation.

I am working for a construction firm Habitan Group Ltd where I am conducting drawings and 3D renders for the projects they are working on.

The projects focus on interior, exterior renovations of apartments in London.

L shaped support bracket 300mm x 750 mm

Freelance projects 2023

For this project I had to conduct plan drawings, 3D model of the rooftop with the outside AC body and perspective render view of the interior of the room with the AC.

The 3D renders served for showing the position of the outside AC body. I had to explain how it is attached to the wall and do 3D recreate the AC they were going to install

Elina Dimova

Drawings and images contained in this pack are computer representations indicating layout.

Check that all room dimensions detailed are correct. Consult the quotation for a list of items included. Ensure a Gas Safe registered engineer is engaged with regards to any gas appliances.

Plan: Depot: Tel

E5203084730 Battersea 0207 498 9023

Page 3/6

F

Project year 2023

KITCHEN

INHABITED LOOR PLAN

Flat renovation.

Floor plan

This project included surveying the flat and producing 2D drawings with design ideas for kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom. For better understanding by the client, materials were added to the plan and 3D view of the kitchen was produced with the help of Howdens.

There were additional design decisions - designing personalised wardrobes and bookshelf to fit the style and size of the apartment.