Federico Varela Portfolio

LIO

Working Experience

1:1 ARCHITECTUUR

ARCHITECT

Residences renovation, Urban design, Project Management and Mentoring

CICOP ARGENTINA

LECTURER AND COURSES COORDINATOR

Organization, control and programming of Heritage Architecture

PIERANDREIASSOCIATI

DESIGNERS & ARCHITECTS

ARCHITECT DESIGNER AND RESEARCHER

Workspace planning projects for international companies such as Sedus and Carlsberg

Adriana Nicolau

PROJECT MANAGER AND DESIGNER

Interior design renovations and project management in Italy

MANAGER

Attention to Intern Client / Suppliers Follow Up / Optimization of Processes / C orporate I mage / M aintenance, Cleaning a nd Security Vendors Management / Space Planning Management/ Preventive a nd C orrective Maintenance / Budgeting / E vents planning support / Project Manager support / Moving Projects

of Buenos Aires

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND PROFESSOR

Introduction to Design I/II.

y of Architecture 5 Years. (Assistant before graduation).

department Designer.

Centers design.

My name is Federico Varela, and I am an architect who graduated first from the University of Buenos Aires in 2014. Later, I specialized in designing in historical context, restoration and conservation of architectural and environmental heritage at Politecnico di Milano in October 2019. Throughout my education, my most reliable tool was passion; it is the foremost common aspect across my projects. This passion has been instilled further by engagements with leading architects and academics, including workshops with Arch. João Luís Carrilho da Graça, Arch. Andrew Berman, Landscape Arch. Catherine Mosbach and with Pritzker Prize-winning Architect Eduard Souto da Moura.

I started working in 2012 as a designer and project assistant for consultancies and design studios. My goal was to learn as much as I could in my first years of studying architecture. I was interested in understanding how projects become feasible. Also, I worked as a Designer and Project Manager for real estate companies and governmental entities. During this time, I learned how to work with budgets, develop construction documentation, site supervision and construction management.

In addition, my experience and education allowed me to become experienced in programs such as Adobe Suite, SketchUp, AutoCAD and Archicad. Recently I started to learn Blender since I believe it is necessary to keep me updated with the new technologies and programmes. At the same time, I keep training my hand-sketching and illustration skills since I think it is an added value not so common these days.

Therefore, I am confident in my ability to integrate with your firm’s workflow and provide added value to the company.

Thank you for taking the time to review my application. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any further questions.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Federico Varela.

Fractal Housing

Nagele is an experimental city where buildings connect with greenery and public spaces.

A central meadow surrounded by several residential neighbour hoods is the heart of Nagele. At the same time, each area pos sesses a small courtyard that fills with life the residences. The courtyard residences consist of an L-shaped whole (the hook), a threshold and an intermediate zone (transition). Nagele, like fractals, repeats the same pattern of large public and green areas surrounded by buildings on every scale, from city to neighbour hood.

Fractals are infinitely complex patterns found in nature that are similar at di erent scales. Like snowflakes, fractals are generated by the same geometry that contains them. Therefore, the most accurate design decision would be to follow the same pattern and apply it on a smaller scale.

Patios will provide privacy and enhance the green living spaces of the plot, allowing each owner to appropriate their gardens and incorporate them into their daily lives. De Hook, De Transition and De Drempel are valuable elements necessary to apply to the residential scale.

Fractal Concept

Common slabs for all the

Green roofs satisfied the demands of the competiiton to include the local fauna.

The patio shape helps to provide natural light to every part of the houses .

Kintsugi

showing the beautyness of decay

St. Luca and St. Giuliano’s church’s construction during the 15th century supposed t o host c lergymen’s l ocal community a nd b ecome the most i mportant bishopric establishment. H owever, after several earthquakes, i n the n ineteenth century, this c om pany was abandoned. From that m oment, the r emainings o f t he collapsed construction m arked the landscape of G rottole, beco ming Chiesa Diruta, or the Fallen Church, a touristic attraction.

Completing this s pace to host a n ew c oncert hall sounds like an exciting a pproach t o revitalize a neglected space such a s Chiesa Diruta. However, i t is critical t o understand that t he m ain tou ristic attraction of Grottole is a half-demolished church, and this essence should be preserve.

Like the japanese technique, K intsugi, the i nterventions on t his site tries to enhace the beauty of the decay but at the same time to revitalize it.

In line with the intention mentioned above, the decision to place the most crucial space, the concert hall, elevated in the crossing between the transept and the nave allows the user to identify the liturgy of the original construction still and, at the same time to open the ground floor level to the touristic visiting. Besides, de signing an open-air stage in the base ground level becomes Chie sa Diruta a reference and meeting point for all the inhabitants and tourists due to its communal use.

MATRyOShKA HOUSING

Searching privacy in a Public context

This project led by João Luís Carrilho da Graça and Eduardo Souto de Moura requested a student residence and a multipurpose public space connected to an existing historical building renovated into a commercial galleria.

The main problem to tackle was to articulate every public space necessary for each building. At the same time, to create dierent layers of privacy that each building demand.

As a matryoshka, this project creates a sequence of public spaces that enclose dierent privacy scales, just like one doll into another

The site of this project belongs to the an tique lands of the Convent do Desterro at Lisbon. More precisely, the new expansion takes place where the antique church was constructed and later-on destroyed by the earthquake of 1755.

The consciousness of this historical bac kground helped to understand the main morphology of this new project. As a re sult, the main courtyard recreates the idea of a principal nave, with the black box as the altar. The lateral naves become the student residences, a place much more private but in direct contact with the movement of the main courtyard.

Plan

Anagnorisis

LEarning from disaster

The request of this project was to boost Artesella Asociation by constructing spaces that encourage art as well as a museum that reminds the storm of 2018 that almost destroyed half of the ex hibition.

Anagnorisis is a moment in a plot or story, specifically a tragedy, wherein the main character either recognizes or identifies his/her true nature leading to the resolution of the story.

The idea of the project lies in o ering a di erent, positive pers pective on the natural destruction that has occurred on site. We suggest demystifying the tragedy of this catastrophe and accep ting it as a natural part of events while paying tribute and res pect to the material - which once formed a forest, now forms the man-made environment.

Arte Sella calls for a minimal yet bold spatial presence. Translating destruction into a tectonic morphology seemed logical to inspire and remind the history of the place.

The shape visually suggests hidden underground presence, creating a strong percep tive connection between architecture and nature at ground level.

The ateliers intend to give the artist an inspirational open space in connection with the history of the area of Artesella.

The museum layout is designed in kee ping with the deconstructive conceptual approach. Spatially it is made up of layers, creating a directional maze-like exhibition pathway. Spaces alternate between enclo sed and open-air conditions, allowing the museum to function on two levels.

Respecting Arte Sella’s philosophy, the ‘di sappeared’ works are positioned outdoors to allow further interaction with the ele ments. Artworks are distributed in various spaces along the ‘maze’, o ering unexpec ted views from di erent points of the pa thway through visual and physical openings.

ghost town bringing life back

MENTION

Perched on stone pinnacles and clay ridges, Craco is the arche type of the ghost town.

It is a city burned up by the sun and severe winters. It is an as semblage of houses with unsteady bricks clinging to each other. Their arrangement is so expressive and fascinating that it looks artificial. It is a sculpture of houses with torn-o roofs, interrup ted vaults and ruined bell towers.

It is a place that does not belong to the present. This space is trapped among the depths of the past. Here, time and abandon ment made one of their most indescribable miracles.

How to recover such a site and bring it back to life was the purpo se of this project. To create architecture that does not interrupt in the landscape was the main goal.

Like a coin, the project seeks to allow people to see the other side of Craco - behind the majestic rock cli , there is a landscape that can be enjoyed either on foot or staying inside the luxury suites.

suites

visitor center

The suites were attached to the backside of the city to keep privacy and enjoy the views as much as possible.

The service center is organized in a linear spatial layout, with strategic service blocks hiding the loadbearing structure that su pports the ceiling grid.

Visitors can access the service center from the historic side (north entrance) or throu gh the open landscape area (west entrance; wheelchair accessible).

SALON BERLIN

Barber shop and bar

SAN ISIDRO, ARGENTINA / 2017

Role

Client: Project type Year Completed

ARCHITECT Salon Berlin Hospitality, Service 2017

Since 1999 Salon Berlin is one of the most popular barbershops of Buenos Aires, where famous personalities go to treat them selves.

L. N. Alem 587 was chosen as the site for the second branch of Salon Berlin.

Being in a historical district, restricted the design desitions on the building. Hence, I opted for temporal interventions that will allow using the site for commercial purposes but respecting the historical site.

The exterior garden was completely renovated to work as an open bar where you can sit, relax and enjoy the views.

The inner dimensions of the building were according to a historical house and not to a bar and barbershop. That is why the proposal was to use the ground floor as the main bar area, with just one barber station where the clients could see which were the servi ces o ered. Also, it solved the accessibility problems for costumers.

The client’s premise was to create an ambiance that recalls old far west bars mixed with industrial concepts. As a result, wood, metal, and marble were the main materials used for this renovation.

Herencia Brand Photo Shooting

casa rossi

Apartamento

The client requested the renovation of its entire apartment. The idea was to create a warmer area for the reception of guests through the staircase entrance. The client’s premise was to include a tree in the dou ble-height area.

The color palette of the living room area in tended to recreate nature in an inner situa tion since there are no windows.