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