Francesca Tafi | Architect
Portfolio
Curriculum Vitae
Francesca Tafi
I am a fully qualified ARB registered Architect.
BA MArch RIBA
After completing my academic career at the University of Florence, I moved to England, hoping to find the right springboard to an international
17/12/1990 Italian nationality
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/francesca-tafi-ab076832
approach to life and Architecture, as I firmly believe that integration between different cultures
https://issuu.com/francescatafi
enhances mutual skills and opens people’s minds to new smarter ideas.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/126031509@N06
This attitude begun during my academic forma-
francesca.tafi90@gmail.com ftafi@ryderarchitecture.com
https://www.instagram.com/francescatafi/?hl=en
tion, when I took part in international competitions,
Experince at Ryder
part of various teams, engaging with people from different backgrounds in order to deliver each time
Education
Projects
School of Architecture | University of Florence,Italy Master in Architecture with honours
2009 - 2014
Thames Valley Science Park - Phase 2 Masterplan | Reading
ments.
Thames Valley Science Park - Gateway Building | Reading
I joined Ryder as a Designer and through passion
Second Level College of Science | Italy Diploma with honours
2004 - 2009 Work Experience
Ryder Architecture | Liverpool, UK Architect
Bollicini Restaurant | Chester, UK Waitress
scholarships and volunteer activities. I worked as
October 2015 - Present
2015
School of Architecture | University of Florence, Italy Volunteer tutor for a technology class
2014 - 2015
native language proficient basic
Angel Gardens | Manchester
the design process to gain an in-depth practical project experience. My first tasks involved assisting on conceptual stage designs, hence 3D Revit modelling (both urban and architectural ), cardboard modelling and creation of rendered aerial and eye level images for marketing purposes. I have assisted project architects in interior design, engaged with suppliers and provided concep-
Photograph Reportage/ Photoshootings
mood boards and 3D visualization. My interest in
Liverpool Science Park | Liverpool
and Finish group’, a group which, by discussion,
LIPA Sixth Form College | Liverpool
research, consultation and review tries to achieve
Professional Skills
St Margarets School | Liverpool
its history and develop an informed response.
IT other
Liverpool cityscape
My latest responsibilities concern technical design
Language skills
Interior Task and Finish Group
Italian English Spanish
Azuko
2014
Interests world culture through its people
Liverpool International College | Liverpool
and perseverance I am assisting in all aspects of
tual ideas through layout options, material palette,
photography, model making, hand drawing, painting
Halkyn House | Wrexham
Edinburgh Enterprise Hub, EIP | Edinburgh 2014 - 2016
Revit, Autocad, Rhinocheros, 3D Studio Max, Adobe Suite
Sir William Siemens House | Manchester
Liverpool Laboratories | Liverpool
Movimento Shalom (NGO) | Italy Volunteer designer
Bellucci Architect and Associates | Italy Apprentice
IESD Thornton Science Park | Chester
a design suitable for specific users and environ-
interior design led me to join Ryder’s ‘Interiors Task
an understanding of this specialism within Ryder,
stages. This is involving workshops with contracAddictional Research Activities
tors and suppliers, a better understanding of specific construction technologies and detailing and a development in Revit modelling skills. I am part of the research team of ‘Azuko’, an architecture charity whose principles of human-centred and participatory design represent to me a paramount aspect of my job. In my profession I strive to incorporate my passion for photography and the arts to provide a complex understanding and conception of architecture.
Building in African earth. Design of a multipurpose centre in Uganda Thesis Project Multipurpose Centre, Vernacular Architecture, Sustainable Tecnologies, Brickwork
This research is part of the collaboration with ‘Movimento Shalom’, an Italian laic-volunteer organization active in many developing countries. The Shalom-sponsored project consists of the realisation of a juvenile-formation centre, including a hostel, a school, local micro-credit offices and other trading activities in the small Ugandan town of Mityana. The collaboration with an Ugandan architect and the field-experience commenced the design process, aimed to achieve a smart and functional complex, based on the “less is more” ethos. I took inspiration from an architecture which can still show the simple and proper aspect of its being, in a different context from traditional architectural canons: a design respecting the local, cultural and structural properties, where initial constraints become strength and opportunities for the planning choices. The Ugandan cooked-brick was chosen as main building material. It is a cheap handcrafted product and icon of progress and development for the local community.
https://issuu.com/francescatafi/docs/stampa_618a0a9e474ade
Academic
Selected Projects
Academic
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The academic formation offered a wide and strong background that nourishes in me the sensibility for composition, functionality, identity and environment, the key principles in making architecture.
1 | Museum of Amazon Culture, Ecuador
Multipurpose Centre, Bamboo, Bioclimatic Solutions 2 | Houses for Change, Brazil Finalist at “Houses for change” Competition, Scholarship to Brazil
Favelas, Housing, Urgency, Infrastructure, Sustainable Tecnologies, Recycled building materials 1
3 | Double-Faced Partecipating at “Dencity” competition hosted by Shelter Global
Unplanned cities, Housing, Dencity, Shipping Containers 4 | Chianti Rùfina brand Finalist at “Rimarchiamolo” Competition
Wine, Re-branding, Identity
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5 | Medieval tower | Florence
Historical Analysis, Metric survey, Conservation, Refurbishment, Housing 6 | Church in the countriside | Florence
Wall, Cross, Memory, Countryside https://issuu.com/francescatafi/docs/portfolio_issu 4
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Thames Valley Science Park Masterplan and Gateway Building Design Stage | Concept & Design Development Client | University of Reading Completion | August 2017 Value | £250m-Masterplan; £20m-Gateway Area | 75.000 sqm-Masterplan; 6.950 sqm-Gateway
Project The Masterplan vision is to create a commercial campus development with international appeal to knowledge intensive companies and commercially focused research organisations. The buildings are flexible and adaptable multi occupancy facilities of serviced offices, laboratories and amenity spaces. The Gateway building’s interior design reflects the clarity and simplicity of the internal space planning with a limited but high quality material palette and carefully designed interface detailing. Role I assisted the project architect throughout the concept and design development stages. With regards to the masterplan, my main responsibility was the coordination between the architect’s building proposals and the landscape architect’s design. This was achieved through Revit modelling and realisation of a flexible cardboard model for studies and comments. I also produced aerial and eye level perspective images for marketing. The main focus with the Gateway was the design of the primary spaces and communal areas of the building, including different layout options, material finishes, selection of furniture and the creation of high quality renders.
Professional
Liverpool International College Design Stage | Bid Competition Client | Kaplan City | Liverpool Value | ÂŁ25m Area | 10,500 sqm
Project Kaplan required a residential college which would compete with the best in the UK and overseas and attract international students to the city of Liverpool. Seen as a gateway to both the city and the university campus, the positioning and building design is both symbolic and practical and allows for a dramatic expression of the building form and a positive relationship with the university and city beyond. Role I assisted the project architect in the design and output of the competition deliverables. Beyond the realisation of a cardboard model for concept studies, my tasks mainly concerned envelope studies and the design of the lanscape layout and external treatment.
Professional
Angel Gardens Design Stage | Design Development & Technical Client | Moda Living Contractor | Carillion Construction City | Manchester Value | ÂŁ90m Area | 51.500 sqm
Project Angel Gardens is a PRS residential-led mixed-use development, the largest of its type in the UK. It comprises 466 residential apartments and associated resident amenity space. The development consists of 4 distinct volumes arranged in a pinwheel plan: a 35-storey tower and three 7-storey urban blocks. Role My first task was to rationalize the accommodation plan and minimize the flat types handed over to our office at Stage 4 design. I was also responsible for redesigning some of the flat types to achieve better design standards. This was followed by some interior design studies, including 3D visualisation and rendering for different internal flat’s finishes options. My main responsibility was to coordinate the unitised envelope for the tower block. I produced the technical outputs required for Stage 4 tender through to fabrication. That implied the modelling of parametric families, schedules, bay studies and material palette specifications. Workshops with contractors and suppliers were fundamental for coordination and a good understanding of the facade technology.
Professional
Miscellaneous Works
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Professional 3
1 | Halkyn House, Wrexham Project Redesign of an existing urban block for PRS, hotel, offices and retail units, as part of the city regeneration plan. Role I was given the responsibility of producing conceptual planning and architectural massing solutions for the dialogue with Wrexham Council regarding the future development potential of the site. 2 | IESD - Thornton Science Park, Chester Project
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Refurbishment and fit out of an existing building of the Science Park. The new Intelligent Energy System Demonstrator facility is designed to accomodate various forms of equipment in order to test new energy sources. Role I was given the responsibility to create the Revit model from scratch and produce stage 3 design deliverables, including interior design studies of communal facilities/ breackout spaces and the output of 3D visualisations. 3 | Enterprise Hub - Edinburgh Innovation Park, Edinburgh Project The enterprise Hub, part of the proposed Innovation Park, would be the first UK’s National Food and Drink Enterprise Centre, providing specialist facilities and services required to support R&D and food science.
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Role I produced typical floor plans and high quality renders for client discussion and marketing. 4 | Research works I carry out additional research through the creation of sketch-collage maps, a useful tool for “brain-dumps” and conveying conceptual solutions. 4
Photography | A mindful composition of light and lines A conscious photograph can be a powerful tool for understanding architecture and express the main concepts within it. My natural instinct is to abstract architecture from its context. Lines and proportion obsess and then lead me to the right spot from which I take the shot. This photograph takes the architecture back to its first sketches. For this reason, I have been responsible for photographing a variety of completed Ryder projects. Painting | An act of creation beyond any rule
https://www.flickr.com/photos/126031509@N06
Photography & Arts