GABRIELA ALVERGUE DESIGN + GRAPHICS SELECTED WORKS 2020
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
GABRIELA ALVERGUE Gabriela is a french-canadian designer from Montreal, Canada. She received a Master of Architecture with Distinction at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College. Previously received her B.F.A in Architecture with minor in Interiors from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). Gabriela has a passion for digital design, graphics, and technology. She is interested in tall buildings, mixed-use, lifestyle designs, and visualization projects. She previously worked for Gensler, SCB, and Ghafari Associates. Selected Works 2014 - 2019 c 2
preface
PREFACE
Ever since i was young, my family and I took advantage of every opportunity to travel. From moving from Canada to the United States and traveling in between, I have visited several cities. What strikes me the most about traveling isn’t necessarily the destination, but the journey. A journey doesn’t begin when arriving at a specific location, but with the steps and events that occur while getting there. From wandering aimlessly through an airport to sightseeing from a boat, every expedition is different. This concept is the main reason I chose to study architecture. I don’t want to design for the sake of making another pretty building in a city; I want to design with the human experience and passage through the building itself in mind. I strive to focus on making landscapes, entry points, and circulation paths throughout my design, because I believe that these elements are the base to a greater architectural discourse.
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CONTENTS FLASH-POINT a 60s inspired firestation
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AUGMENTED COLLECTIVITY an AR collective mid-rise
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UNPRECEDENTED misuse of software and precedents
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SHIFT a look at merged living in Tianjin
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EAU VIVE a mixed-use rotating high-rise
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TETE A L’ENVERS a drug rehabilitation center
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COMME DES GARCONS a museum and boutique in Tokyo
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EXPLORATIONS digital + graphics + fabrication
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PROFESSIONAL WORK past work experiences
CONTENTS
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FLASH-POINT a firestation serving the suburbs of ann arbor
PROGRAM: Firestation And 60s Diner | SIZE: 24,000 SQ FT ADDRESS: 1881 Briarwood Circle | LOCATION: Ann Arbor, MI
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
FALL 2017
Due to this fire stations’ remote location within a freeway, the goal was to design a firehouse that not only stands out but brings the community together in a secluded area. The design explores the breaking point between calm and chaos firefighters have to go through on a daily basis. The form follows the idea to bring tension not only in the lanscape but in its location according to its surroundings. The station is nestled within the ground to bring the illusion of a floating building attached to a glass structure which hosts the apparatus bay. The idea is to make the apparatus bay a constant focus and watchpoint. At all times, the truck bay can be seen as it is nestled in the middle of everything. The program above the apparatus hosts a sixties inspired diner as a way to welcome guests into the firehouse and it was chosen for its american appeal because of its classic american suburban mall area.
The project was selected and exhbited at the Taubman College (University of Michigan) Graduate Student Show in March 2018
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FLASH-POINT
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LEVEL 03 STAFF TRAINING + DINER
CASERNE 06 TERRACE CASERNE 06 SODA BAR CASERNE 06 DINING STAFF LABS
STAFF TERRACE
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
STAFF GYM + TRAINING
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25 ft
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LEVEL 02 STAFF LIVING + DINER
CHIEF OFFICES CASERNE 06 KITCHEN CASERNE 06 DINING
STAFF KITCHEN STAFF DINING/ MEETING STAFF LIVING
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FLASH-POINT
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE
FLASH-POINT
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WELive (or not?) :
PROGRAM: A Collective Housing Midrise | YEAR: 2025 LOCATION: North of North Williamsburg, NY
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
THESIS | SPRING 2019
Augmented Collectivity investigates the parallel emergence of the contemporary co-living trend and advancements in digital technology and the use of social media, identifying and leveraging an unexamined relationship between the two. While the present discourse around collective housing is usually associated with discussions of housing shortages in dense cities, this project explores the ways in which the simultaneous emergence of new co-living trends and digital technologies that change the social dynamics of domestic space have been mutually formative and complexly interrelated. This proposal explores the merging of these two trends by creating a new building typology that merges digital spaces of interaction with physical ones. With the use of augmentation and adaptation, this project seeks to disrupt social boundaries with the inclusion of Augmented Reality (AR), kinetic spaces, and material manipulation. Set in 2025, when one can experience AR using data-sensing contact lenses, this thesis proposes a mid-rise residential building in North of North Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The project invokes new notions of interaction within a collaborative housing environment by incorporating physical and virtual ways to change the architecture in order to filter in and out other residents within the spaces. Motivated by edge detection and layering opportunities, the design of each unit allows individuals with diverse needs and, at times incompatible, data to cohabitate.This thesis breaks the cycle of separating rooms within the housing environment by using AR and physical manipulations to bring the user to a new space that isn’t exclusive to the digital. The project was selected and published in Dimensions 33, 2020.
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AUGMENTED COLLECTIVITY
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE
AUGMENTED LIFESTYLE
When the users first move into this building, they are given an augmented information kit including a set of contacts that integrate data collection, and project augmented information of your surroundings and alters it to your needs. The kit gives the user information about the building logistics,their unit location, and you are paired with a group of users. This proposal explores the merging of incompatible users using AR to cohabitate within units.
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AUGMENTED COLLECTIVITY
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SELECTED PLANS
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
The blocks are designed via various common users interests and are formed by their use of data and media. The scenarios represent a wide range of users who cohabitate in strange overlaps. The goal is to move away from individual users and separate units and typical amenity levels to a proposal that forces the incompatible users to live with one another with the help of augmentation.
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NE SECTION
AUGMENTED COLLECTIVITY
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UNIT USERS + TYPES
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
1. The Multigenerational Crafters meets the DIYers and Newlyweds 2. The Social Millenials meets the Creative Family 3. The College Guys meets the Studying Lawyers. (Two Additional Units not shown: 4. The Family with varied interests meets the Fitness Influencers 5. The Sportwatchers meets the Gamer and Travelers).
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AUGMENTED COLLECTIVITY
THE COLLEGE GUYS MEETS THE STUDYING LAWYERS
THE MULTIGENERATIONAL CRAFTERS MEETS THE DIYERS + NEWLYWEDS
These scenes show split views on how different users view the space using their AR contacts.
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE
1-2. Physical Model 1/8� scale. Flatbed-printed PETG, 3D Prints, Colored Acrylic, Painted Basswood, Printed vinyl table
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AUGMENTED COLLECTIVITY
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UNPRECEDENTED remix of precedents to find new mediums
PROGRAM: Office + Mixed-Use
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
SPRING 2018 Unprecedented looks at the misuse of software and precedents in order to find new ways of designing. The process started by inputing imagery into a MATLAB image processing software, taking the images, and designing objects from those discoveries and then leading those designs into prototype architecture. The following is a siteless architecture that deals with the positives and negatives of imagery in order to understand fidelity and resolution in the automated process.
1. Precedent: Peter Jusdon
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2. MATLAB Processing
3. MATLAB Negative Processing
UNPRECEDENTED
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USED TO GENERATE: FORM-MAKING
CHOSEN MATLAB PROTOTYPES
REMOVING OF MATERIAL USING PIXELIZATION AS A DERIVATIVE
USED TO GENERATE: SKIN ARTICULATION
REMOVING OF MATERIAL USING PIXELIZATION AS A DERIVATIVE
USED TO GENERATE: RELATIONSHIP TO FORM/GROUND
1. MATLAB Processed Image 2. Negative of Imagery 3. Fidelity turns into graphic input 4.5. Looking at detailing in order to change objects to prototype architecture.
REMOVING OF MATERIAL USING PIXELIZATION AS A DERIVATIVE USED TO GENERATE:FORMAL CUTS AND NEGATIVE SPACE
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
USED TO GENERATE: FORM-MAKING
USED TO GENERATE: SKIN ARTICULATION
USED TO GENERATE:FORMAL CUTS AND NEGATIVE SPACE
USED TO GENERATE:FORMAL CUTS AND NEGATIVE SPACE
SUBSTRACTIVE JUDSON - CREATING OBJECTS USING A SUBSTRACTION METHOD USING PIXELIZATION AND PRIMITIVES AS A DERIVATIVE
CHOSEN OBJECT
SUBSTRACTIVE JUDSON - CREATING OB METHOD USING PIXELIZATION AN
CHOSEN OBJECT
USED TO GENERATE:FORMAL CUTS AND NEGATIVE SPACE
SUBSTRACTIVE JUDSON - CREATING OBJECTS USING A SUBSTRACTION METHOD USING PIXELIZATION AND PRIMITIVES AS A DERIVATIVE
Design as an iterative process
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SHIFT
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
a look at merged living in the midst of Tianjin
PROGRAM: Residential Tower + Urban Proposal | SIZE: 315,000 SQ FT SITE: Xiyingmen St, Hongqiao District | Tianjin, China TEAM: Gabriela Alvergue | Lori Gjoni | Michael Griffin FALL 2018 With Tianjin’s vivid streetscape and vibrant lifestyle, the focus of this project was to continue celebrating the residents and its users lifestyle within our urban typology as well as the tower we focused on. By bringing the live streetscape and its mixed-use programming within our site will help the community use our site rather than making it a private residential district. Our goal is to bring various scales of public space within our site by looking at shared spaces and at three scales of interaction (public, community, and individuality). In order to push the sectional relationship with stacking units, we are designing efficient density to promote interaction with its various generations. We challenged the limitations of current high rise typologies around the area by removing the gated and secluded aspect of their design and bringing the public throughout the site and tower. We are doing that by designing exterior to interior interaction with shared spaces like markets, vendor stalls, public kitchens, schools, artist studios, hostels, grocery stores, and much more. Overall, this project is trying to reconsider the tower within Tianjin and propose a new way to design sites that can potentially be built throughout the entire city with the rising housing demand in the future.
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SHIFT
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE
MAIN FACADE MODULE (with attached balcony) colored tempered glazed panels, painted metal panels, rusticated copper panels. The facade module is attached to a typical curtain wall systems with operable windows
PODIUM FACADE MODULE fritted louvers, painted metal panels, storefront glazing
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FIXED FACADE MODULE fritted glazed panels, windows, painted metal panels, rusticated copper
SHIFT
NW ELEVATION 0
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40 FT
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE
SELECTED TYPICAL UNITS
1. UNIT A: 2 Bed-2Bath Flex (1024 SF) 2. UNIT E: Studio (440 SF)
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3. UNIT C: 2 Bed-2Bath Loft (880 SF)
SHIFT
EXTERIOR. Courtyard in between daycare and market
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE
1 : 20 Physical Model: Museum Board, Printed Vellum, PETG, 3D Printed Surroundings
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SHIFT
1/4” = 1’ Unit and Facade Model: Museum Board, Acrylic
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EAU VIVE an innovative rotating tower
PROGRAM: Mixed-Use Tower | SIZE: 40,000 SQ FT
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
ADDRESS: 118 N Main St | LOCATION: Jacksonville. FL FALL 2016
EAU VIVE: living water Jacksonville’s current state desperately needs to change. From empty streets to inactive buildings, the city is needing an environment that brings the community back together all while bringing an innovative high rise to its horizon line. EAU VIVE is a destination for all. From tourists who wants to dine at one of the best facilities in town to students in a collaborative working environment. Overall, the building depicts Jacksonville’s eclective yet brutal architecture all while reminiscing on its main water feature, the ST. JOHN’S RIVER. The building gives a 360 view to Jacksonville itself, the river, its bridges and its developing neighborhoods with its use of wind powered rotation.
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EAU VIVE
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F LO O R P L AT E S + T U R N I N G P L AT F O R M S
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CORE AND WIND TURBINES
SUPPORTING COLUMNS
GLAZING
F R I T T E D C OAT E D GLASS LOUVERS
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230 140 210
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JACKSONVILLE ANNUAL WIND DIRECTION DISTRIBUTION (%)
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M I D D L E P O D R O TAT I O N C YC L E COMPLETES A FULL CYCLE WITHIN 48 HOURS
AV E R AG E W I N D S P E E D 9 M I / H R
R O TAT I O N C YC L E S
The building goes through two different rotation cycles. The pod at the top completes a full cycle in an hour while the middle pod completes a cycle in 48 hours. This permits the different programs to rotate at a convenient pace.
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T O P P O D R O TAT I O N C YC L E COMPLETES A FULL CYCLE WITHIN 1 HOUR.
EAU VIVE
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
1. PODIUM CAFE. Second Floor 2. 1:100 SITE PLAN. The Site is directly on Jacksonville’s busiest street.
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OPEN TO BELOW
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Ground Level Lobby, Multipurpose Room + Food Vendor
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Level 02 Coffee Bistro, Patio, Small Meeting Spaces
Level 08 Coworking spaces, Classrooms, Conference Rooms
EAU VIVE 39
TÊTE À L’ENVERS un centre de désintoxication dans les montagnes de marseille
PROGRAM: Drug Rehabilitation Center | SIZE: 22,000 SQ FT ADDRESS: 32 Rue de Mejean | LOCATION: Marseille, France SPRING 2017
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
TÊTE À LENVERS : upside down thoughts - confused state This project looks at revolutionizing the future of drug rehabilitation centers and how they will evolve with technology. The complex evokes the decay and destruction of the mind that an individual goes through while going through substance abuse. This project emulates the destruction of the human body on drugs and alcohol and what it skews during the process. Looking at the brain and how it is uncoordinated, I based my patterns from brain cells specifically while on drugs. In addition to that, I drew inspiration from the Beaux Arts Steel, Industrial French Revolution, and Structural Expressionism periods specifically looking at a mechanical and industrial aspect to architecture in the 1970s.
AWARD: SCAD Outstanding Architecture Capstone Project (2016 - 17) The project was exhbited at SCAD’s Eichberg Hall from 2017-18
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TÊTE À L’ ENVERS
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE
OPEN COURTYARD - Views of ocean bring calmness
VIEWSCAPE - Views of surrounsding Marseille Area 42
TÊTE À L’ ENVERS SECTION - Looking at louver attachments and wall details 43
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE
SELECTED PLANS
TÊTE À L’ ENVERS
West Building Mid level
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COMME DES GARCONS a museum and boutique in Tokyo
PROGRAM: Couture Flagship Store and Exhibition Center | SIZE: 15,000 SQ FT LOCATION: Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
SPRING 2015
This gallery and high end boutique explores the idea of object-oriented ontology towards architecture. This building was inspired by the Spring 2015 Ready To Wear Collection by COMME DES GARCONS. This high end boutique’ massing was inspired by the garments and consists of hard edges blending against curves in order to create a distinct profile and use of figuration. Massing proposes a threepart based composition in order to create a connected and unified design. There is dynamic interplay between the object and its ground with the use of bridging and underground movement. Overall, this project plays with the idea of being MASSING ANALYSISand | nestled in a small space to truly connect with the | garments and accessories,
connecting with individuals in large strange environments in an abrupt transition.
RT BASED COMPOSITION
OUTSIDE SHELL
ARTICULATION DETAILING
INTERIOR OBJECTS
MASSING OBJECT ONE MATERIALITY: BLACK (FRP)FIBERGLASS REINFORCED POLYMER PANELS
MASSING OBJECT TWO MATERIALITY:LIGHT STEEL BLUE (FRP) FIBERGLASS REINFORCED POLYMER PANELS
ARTICULATION
(RECESSED LIGHT BLUE ALUMINUM PIPING)
APERTURE
(RECESSED, LIGHT GLAZING)
ARTICULATION
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APERTURE(DARK
(BLACK HIRAGANA)
GLAZING)
COMME DES GARCONS
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE 48
STREET VIEW
WOMENS’ EXHIBITION ROOM - SECOND FLOOR
SECTION A 1. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
1. LOBBY 2. WOMEN’S SHOWROOM 3. CAFE & LOUNGE 4. ACCESORIES SHOWROOM 5. OFFICES & STAFF ROOM 6. EXHIBITION SPACE 7. EVENT SPACE 8. EXHIBITION SPACE 9. OUTSIDE EVENT SPACE 10. OUTSIDE TERRACE
| A/A' SECTION |
LOBBY WOMENS SHOWROOM CAFE & LOUNGE ACCESORIES SHOWROOM OFFICES / STAFF ROOM EXHIBITION SPACE EVENT SPACE EXHIBITION SPACE 2 OUTSIDE EVENT SPACE OUTSIDE TERRACE
COMME DES GARCONS
The hiragana-inspired tattoo is applied in two different ways (positives and negatives), then those two counterparts are joined by a linear applique to bring the tripartite composition together.
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LEVEL TWO PLAN
5. WOMENS SHOWROOM 5. WOMEN’S SHOWROOM 6. MENS SHOWROOM ACCESORIES SHOWROOM 6. MEN’S7. SHOWROOM 8. EXHIBITION SPACE 7. ACCESORIES SHOWROOM 8. EXHIBITION ROOM
| FLOOR PLAN LEVEL TWO | S
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SECTION B 1.
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| B/B' SECTION |
LOBBY
2. WOMENS SHOWROOM 1. LOBBY 3. RESTROOMS 4. MENS SHOWROOM 2. WOMEN’S SHOWROOM 5. MENS SHOWROOM 2 6. EXHIBITION SPACE 3. RESTROOMS 7. EVENT SPACE 8. ACCESORES SHOWROOM 4. MEN’S SHOWROOM 9. ACCESORIES SHOWROOM 2 10. EVENT SPACE 5. MEN’S SHOWROOM 11. EXHIBITION SPACE 2 12. STAFF BREAK ROOM 6. EXHIBITION SPACE 13. OFFICES 14. EVENT SPACE 2 7. EVENT SPACE 15. CAFE & LOUNGE 16. OUTSIDE EVENT SPACE 8. ACCESORIES 17. OUTSIDE TERRACE 9. ACCESORIES 10. EVENT SPACE 11. EXHIBITION SPACE 12. STAFF AND BREAK ROOM 13. OFFICES 14. EVENT SPACE 15. CAFE & LOUNGE 16. OUTSIDE EVENT SPACE 17. OUTSIDE TERRACE
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In order to represent Comme des Garçons’ distinct style, the articulation in the outer layer of the objects is represented using the idea of Japanese graphics and was based off Hiragana lettering (one of the three lettering types in Japanese).
Hiragana Lettering
Artwork by COMME DES GARCONS
Deformation
COMME DES GARCONS
WEST ELEVATION | ELEVATION | | NORTH
North
| EAST ELEVATION | ELEVATION | | SOUTH
| NORTH ELEVATION |
West
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South 20 ft
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East Elevation 51
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
explorations
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representation and fabrication techniques 1. GRID UNLOCKED. a look at graphical overlays to generate a fabricated layered column 2. DE-CODED TILES. Exploration of robotics and coding 3. VIRTUAL ESCAPE. Exploration of virtual reality (VR) and its impact on space-making 4. VOIDED ILLUSION. Exploration of representation and form 5. SERIAL OBJECTS. An Independent Research looking at graphic and fabrication processes
EXPLORATIONS
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GRID UNLOCKED
a look at graphical overlays to generate a fabricated layered column
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
SIZE: 9ft x 10in TEAM: Gabriela Alvergue, Kevin Raley MATERIALS: 5ply Plywood, Paint (Black,Turquoise)
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From the starting point, our group wanted to focus on creating a column that not only disrupts repetition but also the use of simple form to create depth. While getting inspired by Laura Owens’ layered systems and use of erasure as a way to create form, we designed a column that uses that earsure to its advantage. We explored different cutouts and grid patterns to create a three dimensional layering effect using offsetted elements such as the grid amd our articulation system. The articulation was based off hand graffiti techniques by juxtaposing different lettering and forms. We then stretched that sketch in order to give space to our gridded layers below. Overall, the goal was to generate a column that helps frame its environment and question the idea of repetition and authenticity.
EXPLORATIONS
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DE-CODED TILES an exploration of robotics
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
SIZE: three - 12in x 12in tiles TEAM: Gabriela Alvergue, Brian Baksa, Madison Strakele MATERIALS: PETG - Plastic Filament
This exercise was part of a learning environment of the Kuka Robot. The goal was to create PETG tiles with three different colors to explore variety as well as getting familiar with the tools at hand. The tile pattern was generated using an algorithm in grasshopper.
PETG Robot-printed tiles
Layered grasshopper algorithms generated as a way to create a multifaceted tile with depth.
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Brian Baksa + Gabriela Alvergue
EXPLORATIONS
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VIRTUAL ESCAPE
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
exploring virtual reality and its impact on space-making
The project explores virtual reality (VR) and its design capabilities within Unreal Engine (UE4). The project partially used Rhinoceros for simple modeling and Unreal Engine was used for added details, vegetation, effects, animations, and fully realized to function with Oculust Rift and HTC Vive.
VR model walkthrough session
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Unreal Engine Interface meets Real-time modeling
Real-Time Modeling + Rendering. Using gaming software for animated environments help the user interact with the space in an immersive world.
EXPLORATIONS
Unreal Engine is used for modeling and animating parts like moving trees,birds,boats,water. This helps simulate an environment in VR.
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VOIDED ILLUSION
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
exploring representation of form and graphics
Creation of abstracted forms using plans of the Leicester Engineering Building by James Stirling. In addition to exploring form, graphical techniques were used to accentuate the plan and bring three-dimensionaluty to the objects. Abstracted lettering was used as a way to define form. Lettering and modern facades were used in conjunction to layering of colors and patterns. The tattoo was applied and used as a way to define form as a way of extrusion.
Relief model using acrylic, printed Bristol prints,and foam core
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EXPLORATIONS Creating three distinct objects and applying the same graphic to create a unified triptych .
Photographed by JWCOFER
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SERIAL OBJECTS
a look at graphics and fabrication
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
TEAM: Gabriela Alvergue + Liz Feltz ADVISOR: Jeff Halsted MATERIALS: Zbrush, 3+5 Axis CNC Milling, flatbed printing, vacuum forming This project aims to use aspects of the “American Dream� style singlefamily home to inform new ways of interpreting domestic form and generic materiality. Through a series of 3D digital curation and projection, we explored how machinery (CNC) and tool like zbrush interact. This phase of the project opens up opportunity to expose the discrepancies in translation between the digital and the physical. This project was curated into an exhibit incorporating fabricated objects, models, and catalog the processes.
Samples and imagery gathered from the home supply store 62
FLASHPOINT
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GABRIELA ALVERGUE
FLASHPOINT
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FLASHPOINT
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CONTACT gcalvergue.com gcalvergue@gmail.com + 1 901.581.9173
GABRIELA ALVERGUE
ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN + GRAPHICS SELECTED WORKS 2019