Stefana Kuzmova - Work Sample

SELECTED WORK

STEFANA KUZMOVA fany.kuzmova@gmail.com 475 434 1236

GOWANUS ON WATER Our project proposes an alternative means of living on the Gowanus Canal – one that is counter to the current dominant mode of real estate development.

Rather than maximize housing units in generic multistory condo buildings (the kind that have caused some people to dub fourth avenue the ‘Canyon of Mediocrity’), we propose a community in which housing is designed to be integrated symbiotically with the ecological constraints of the Gowanus basin as well as the existing assets of the city-at-large.

NEW HOUSING AND AMENITIES

Core 4 group project with Edgar Alvarado, Core 4, Yale University

NEW BOARDWALKS

conceptual model

NEW PERVIOUS ROADS (FLOOD MITIGATION)

NEW HABITAT (GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE)

present

future

water NEW NEIGHBORHOODS (PHASING)

NEW CANAL

HISTORIC WETLANDS AND PROJECTED SEA LEVEL RISE

grid map

water map

GOWANUS ON WATER

long section

large model

site plan

DELIGHT IN DEGROWTH Embracing Bedford as part of a cyclical hydrological process, this project seeks to redefine the conventional rehabilitation experience, fostering a profound connection with nature throughout the recovery journey.

The varied ground conditions, a patchwork of weed, grass, and trees, set the stage. Dynamic walls and planes, arranged in a pinwheel, create seamless flows. The landscape repurposes gas holder foundations, introducing ponds, an orchard, and evergreen woodland. Highlighted by single-story walls, corridors link each quadrant to specific gardens.

3rd year studio project, Cambridge University

courtyard view

river infrastructure

site map

stefana.kuzmova@gmail.com 475 434 1236

DELIGHT IN DEGROWTH

landscape proposal

DELIGHT IN DEGROWTH

interior model bedroom

interior model therapy room

BUILDING PROJECT For the first-year building project, we created an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) for a previously homeless individual. The ADU is adaptable and strategically placed to encourage a shared garden and complement the existing house. The project emphasizes sound insulation with a reinforced rear wall, while an implied corridor and skylight enhance space flexibility. The ‘pinwheel’ layout maximizes space usage with customizable storage options. The design aims to provide a warm, flexible, and inviting home that allows the resident to personalize and make it their own, facilitating a transition from solitude to social integration.

Group Poject, Spring 2022, Yale University

section - collage

RHODE ISLAND ECOTOPIA A lot is staked on the idea that water, along with the rest of nature, must be tamed. But the sea is never not moving and changing. It is powerful, unpredictable, and free.

Rhode Island has a history shaped by its dynamic relationship with water, notably during 20th-century hurricanes. Inspired by historical walled cities, the project imagines a XXII century hurricane barrier that goes beyond its conventional role, acting as a dynamic and adaptable infrastructure integrating essential services and public spaces to enhance resilience against the challenges posed by nature.

Advanced Studio Fall 2023, Yale University

1700

1850

1957

RHODE ISLAND ECOTOPIA

proposal collage on historic postcard

BRIDGEPORT CLIMATE LIBRARY Bridgeport’s coastal changes, influenced by natural forces and human activities like landfilling, have disrupted rainwater flow, causing chronic flooding.

The Bridgeport Climate Library, a resilient space, integrates flexible architecture aligning with water flow. Serving as a community hub in normal times with reading areas and digital resources, it transforms into a temporary shelter during emergencies. The library’s bookshelves convert into partitioned rooms, providing refuge with off-grid water and electricity for basic necessities, addressing challenges in the absence of regular infrastructure.

Core 3, Fall 2022, Yale University

systems axonometric

mapping flood levels

mapping sewage

site plan

BRIDGEPORT CLIMATE LIBRARY

environmental section

interior courtyard section

section model

first floor plan

YALE-MYERS FOREST MAPLE SYRUP CENTER Designing a maple syrup production facility involves creating an architecturally innovative structure that integrates seamlessly with the forest environment.

The building features a distinctive skin-like roof design, blending with the surrounding trees. This seasonal communal workspace prioritizes sustainability, respecting the forest’s past, present, and future.

The structure houses specific interior programs, including sleeping, living, bathing, dining, workroom, storage, and classroom spaces, fostering interactions between humans, birds, and the forest ecosystem. The project emphasizes material considerations, spatial experiences, duration, and maintenance, ensuring a holistic approach.

Core 2, Spring 2022, Yale University

interior model

YALE-MYERS FOREST MAPLE SYRUP CENTER

concept model

GREEN GABLES The redevelopment of 730 George Street in New Haven aims to create a welcoming and sustainable community. The design features a circular layout with a central courtyard connecting two buildings through gallery walkways. Public spaces like Corner Park, Community Library, and Courtyard encourage community interaction. The unit mix prioritizes larger 3- and 4-bedroom units near the courtyard to meet the needs of families and address the demand for affordable housing. Sustainability is a key focus, with the use of Cross Laminated Timber, adherence to Passive House standards, and renewable energy sources. The project aims to create a vibrant and ecofriendly community that blends with its surroundings.

Group Poject, Fall 2023, Yale University

view from the street

community courtyard

GREEN GABLES

public entrances

community library

TEACHING EXPERIENCE During my time as a Teaching Fellow, I had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of undergraduate students, including many who were not majoring in architecture or urban studies. This page showcases the diverse and innovative projects created by these talented students, which showcase their individual perspectives on understanding and transforming the world around us.

2022-2024 Yale University

Unité d’Habitation, Revisited by my section (10 students), Scales of Design, Yale, Spring 2023.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Lettes to the future by Anna McKeeand and Adam Nussbaum Scales of Design, Spring 2023

Arrangements by Jesica Springer, Urban Lab, Fall 2022

A Letter to the Future: Digital Memory Archive by Lucy, Du, Xinran, Scales of Design, Yale, Spring 2023.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

The Highway by student Nick Mcgowan, Scales of Design, Yale, Spring 2023.

Movement of Goods and Fei Long Market Collage by student Joyce Wu, Urban Lab: Stories and Counterstories, Yale, Fall 2022.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Opening Architecture Dissertation Abstract My work interrogates the motives, methods and outcomes of communicating architecture to young children in Bulgaria in order to increase their appreciation for the built environment and to develop their understanding of the different social tendencies which affect it. Arguably the global climate crisis has given the introduction of such an agenda added urgency.

The aim of the Built Environment Education (BEE) is to build young people`s personal interest in the city as a human habitat. The most powerful rationale for BEE is that the creation of a positive attitude towards cultural heritage and an awareness of the relationship between human activity and the evolution of urban areas can be prompted through active design exercises that help children understand their role in determining the appearance of cities and the right to an empowering environment.

Crucially, it assumes that active citizenship is educated gradually. The dissertation examines how BEE has been theorized and practiced in a full review of initiatives carried out both in Europe and the US. Against this background, it explores the issues raised in carrying out BEE by reviewing the strength and weaknesses of several case-studies: short courses for Bulgarian junior school children. The paper concludes with a review of the critical parameters for the successful implementation of BEE by exploring the degree to which the proposals/insights/ methods derived from the full literary review were useful in practice.

FORMAL ANALYSIS

Pavillion Suisse Le Corbusier

Barcelona Pavilion Mies van der Rohe

History Building James Stirling

The Guild House Venturi