Portfolio of Gabriel Andrade
Selected Works: 2018-2019
Gabriel Ildefonso Castro-Andrade
Orange, NJ 07052 | H: 973-202-8353 | C: 862-438-1596 | gia2hc@virginia.edu
Professional Overview: My work lies in the intersection of architecture, urban design, and technology. I have strong intrest in the ability for deign to meld socio-cultural infuelnces, empathy, and digital envrioments. I believe my work will supporty the future of architecture through the service of innovation and ingenuity towards the digital city. Education: University of Virginia, Charlotesville, Virginia Bachelors of Science in Architecture, Expected May 2021
Current Major GPA: 3.71/4.00
Teaching Experience: Teaching Assistant/ Discussion Leader-Fall 2019 ARCH 1020 Lessons in Making by Sanda Illiescu Teaching Assistant-Spring 2020 ARCH 5424 Direct Cinema Media Fabrications by Earl Mark Course and Syllabus Developer Created the course ARCH 5550 100 Days in Making Involvements: Vice President of National Organization of Minority Architecture Students Chapter @UVA Undergraduare Research Network Officer of Outreach Co-Founder of The Barbell Club@UVA Peer Mentor for the Latinx Association Tutoring at Jack Jouette Middle School Mentoring at Computer 4 Kidz Proficiency: AutoDesk Microsoft Office AutoCad 4 years Microsoft Word Revit 1 years Microsoft PowerPoint Adobe Suite Microsoft Excel Adobe Photoshop Coding 3 years Adobe Illustrator 4 years Arduio Adobe InDesign 2 years Processing ArcGis Other ArcGIS Pro Rhino 5/6 2 years ArcMap 2 years Grasshopper Plugin ArcMap Online Model/Microserver Fabrication 3 years 2
10 years 7 years 6 years 2 years 1 year 3.5 years 2 years 3 years
Research Experience: School of Architecture @UVA September 2017-Current Research Assistant on Community Centered Urban Sensing (C.C.U.S.) Data collector and visualizer for the development of a spatial lighting tool that records public lighting standards. The data is for a tool of social equity for lesser served communities that also happen to be minority-based communities. School of Architecture @UVA May 2018-September 2018 Research Assistant on We Are Martinsville (W.A.M.) The development of the UX/UI and initial design for an app-based intervention in Martinsville Virginia. The app is a gaming app targeted towards the youth of Martinsville to facilitate connections with their space and community and fully establish the P.O.I (points of interest) that define the town. School of Architecture @UVA June 2018-December 2018 Research Assistant on Research Collegiate Network (R.C.N.) Postion of collecting, organizing, and procuring best practice case studies for technological interventions in everyday communities. The project is apart of a collegiate network to create a vast database of technologically-based approaches to societal issues. School of Architecture @UVA September 2018-Current Researcher and Designer on Ostenda Illuminata Role of prototyping, designing, coding, and fabricating the smart infrastructure lovingly called Ostenda Illuminata. The prototype serves as the first entry to a family development of infrastructural companions that will serve to help humans detect the things in their space invisible to their own eye. Professional Experience: Civic Community Innovation@ City of Chartlotesville October 2019-Current Ambassador and Programmer As apart of an initiative to create community-oriented space for innovation, I serve as the spacial programmer for events as well, the ambassador for the seed funding fellowship. My role at the CCI is to help people develop their ideas for technological interventions in their community. School of Architecture @UVA September 2019-December 2019 Renderer and Visualizer The renderer for a variety of publications authored and edited by professor Elgin Cleckley in his own publications and his features in articles/papers. Visualization and renderings ranging from proposals of new architecture installations and monument erection that revolve around socio-cultural influences. Overlay Office@ Brooklyn, NY December 2019-January 2019 Winter Extern Tasked with developing and fabricating 3D and physical models 1/4 scale for two residential projects, along with working on the construction documentation for said residential projects in the Upper East Side.
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Dear Viewer, In the three years of my design education, I have developed a voice and set of design values that are driven by my background and insights. I am a Latino from the Valley in Orange, New Jersey, a place defined by its crime density and urban environment that is indifferent towards its inhabitants. Growing up in that envrioment has shown me the significance of the built environment in how it communicates attitude and impacts stakeholders that are always beyond the scope of the project. These circumstances weigh on my conscious especially as a first-generation student and American. Therefore this experience manifests within my work through the acclaim for spatial justice. This notion of spatial justice is exhibited in three main themes throughout my work: Social EquityThe proactive, mode of economic, spatial, environmental, and developmental rights of access to the collective support of society with an all-encompassing effort. This either results in equal access to beautiful space, good personal space, information, resources, and a right to an identity not to be intervened with. These sentiments are found throughout my work and serve as the main driver for the subsequent themes. The CyberneticThe science of information plus automatic control systems in both machines and living things presents itself in metaphorical and physical quality within my work. This notion ties into the physical use of Smart/Digital Environments to communicate data and promote access to space through technological medians. In the metaphrical, it deals with autonomy and who has access plus control of space, especially within urban/public environments. Phenomenal QualitiesThe access to the phenomenal and its effects on the human mind is overlooked especially in lower-income and minority-based communities. The space makers that control the urbanscape often utilize the cheapest materials in the cheapest methods allowing for monotony within a scape that promotes no sense of awe or place-making. This practice often allows for negligence to manifest to the point of psychological detriment in the community I was raised in and others like it. That is why when it comes to the public/ urban project the aesthetic and sublime are taken with care and promoted within my work. Sincerely,
Gabriel I. Andrade 4
House for the Spiritual and Convicted Studio Project Pages: 6-17
Ostenda Iluminata Research Pages: 18-27
We Are Martinsville Research Pages: 28-35
Urban Babylon
Studio Project Pages: 36-45
Conexiones Hill Studio Project Pages: 46-55
Contour Lines Art Work Pages: 56-59
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House for the Spiritual and Convicted Status: Complete Location: Lower East SIde, New York, New York Work Type: School Studio #: 4 Instructor: Jeana Ripple Design Type: Interfaith Center
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Fall 2019 The cultural networks of the Lower East Side have maintained over decades of shifting communities. With such a strong cultural and social network established throughout the Metro area, the opportunity among these systems to centralize them to a singular point and catalyse the strength of said networks is present. Not only can their communities’ common goals be fulfilled, but there can be a space based on commonality and progress among the various faiths in the Metro. These commonalities are the service of their respective communities and those services are of Charity, Guidance, and Education. The space is for salvation through personal faith where the design is driven by the commonality of faith and the space it inhabits.
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Top left: The networks established through the Metro area due to the prevalence of religious culture Bottom Left: The density of religious institutions in the Lower East Side established over the decades Top Right: Commonality of practice within faith-based communities Bottom Right: Commonality of materiality and form found within houses of spirituality and faith
Synagogue
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Buddhist Temple
Mosque
Churches
Detention Centers
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25’
Education
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Guidance
Charity
Service for Building
50’
Elevation From Bowery St.
Eastward
Elevation From Elizabeth St. 13
Top Floor South East Bound
Base Floor Subway Exit 14
Exterior from Elizabeth St.
Exterior from Elizabeth St. 15
Materiality
Site Context 16
Casting Section 17
Ostenda Iluminata Status: On-Going Location: Greater Virginia Work Type: Professional Research Primary Investigator: Mona El Khafif and Andrew Mondshien Collaborators: ZiHao Zhang, Eric Fields, and Davis Edgy Design Type: Cyberphysical Infrastructure Funding: $120,000
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Summer 2018 A critical, unresolved problem for Smart Cities is bridging data and analytics with human creative action in the constructed environment. We investigate how data-responsive urban architectures can function as tools of communicative action, increasing urban imageability and socio-political (not only techno-infrastructural) responses to urban environmental challenges. We propose a replicable, networkable streetscape system - Ostenda [revealing] illuminata [illuminating], - that re-centers control over the urban environment toward the community, rather than as part of an externalized, invading system. Ostenda is equipped with sensors that help communities understand environmental conditions that we can’t see or sense with our own five senses.
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The framework of the Ostenda Illuminata is based on the Networked public spaces idea as depicted above. Ostenda is to act as the companion of the urban citizen whether they are directly collecting data for internet dispersion with a process that is facilitated through a LoRAWAN network. Data inputs are to be used with one another; the new data set can begin to emerge new insights where the citizen scientist can infer trends that may lead to new interventions that the site needs. The tool depicted to the right (my design and fabrication) is the main generator of the data depicted in the top right map This is the main technology and microserver used in Ostenda currently. 20
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WIFI 2
LUX
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LUX
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LUX
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LUX
Open Private Land Open Public Land 500 FT.
1000 FT.
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Sites in Need of Intervention
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The current prototype features a CO2, Proximity, Light, and Sound Sensor that when compiled together accumulated into a performance as depicted at the bottom right corner. The process photos depict material and sensor performance studies. The complete prototype as shown on the next page is set to launch in Waynesboro Virginia as a part of their Planning Department plans to test out new means of developing smart infrastructure within their semi-rural city.
Ostenda Perfromance 23
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Iterations Based on Same Section 25
Along with actual infrastructural implementation, Ostend also serves as installation piece for the power of the cybernetic environment and the potential future of urban design. There will be a Smart Environments exhibition at Wilson Hall this coming February. This new entry to the Ostenda catalog is a species based on the section to the right and one the incorporated other public infrastructure/ furniture found within Urban environments.
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Public Sphere Iteraction
Public Seating Iteraction 27
We Are Martinsville (W.A.M.) Status: Beta-Testing Location: Martinsville, Virginia Work Type: Professional Research Primary Investigator: Mona El Khafif, Elgin Cleckley, Jenny Roe Collaborators: Marcus Drivers and Shuri Zhang Design Type: Gaming App Funding: $300,000 via E-Back Pack
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Summer 2018 The game is developed based on the community’s interest driving a broader agenda for transformation via the identity and beautiful qualities of their town. Like other shrinking communities in Virginia Martinsville has a wide range of community assets including, local art, entertainment, architecture, and history, landscapes and public infrastructure. These assets can be integrated as game elements through photography, destination check-ins, activity logging, information questioning and/or social media. The game aims to encourage kids to visit activity sites like parks and trails multiple times to promote outdoor adventures and physical activity. The overall goal of the design is placemaking through play and exploration
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Community Workshop Output 30
The game is developed based on the input and collaboration of the interest’s groups and different fields depicted to the left. My primary role on the project was the U.I.(User Interface) and U.X. (User Experience) design of the app itself. This was driven by my secondary, but just as important role, as design researcher and community workshopper. This required interaction and dialogue among a variety of community members within Martinsville from all age ranges and professions. Their input on the development of the app and the programs around the initiative were a must. They served as an amazing resource of information and the best collaborators for a community focused project.
Community Workshop 31
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U.I. Design 33
U.X. Design 34
Points of Intrest in Martinsville 35
Urban Babylon Status: Complete Location: North Downtown, Charlotesville, Virginia Work Type: Studio Studio #: 3 Instructor: Jorge Pizzaro Design Type: Public Housing
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Spring 2019 The house, as defined for this project, is a space of intimacy and personal space. The house is space where the inhabitants have deep intimacy facilitated over time. A space that truly speaks to this impression is that of the Chinese Urban Village, Brazillian Favela, and Constant’s New Babylon. These spaces are ones designed and developed by time, as peoples want and needs change, they simply design and create the spaces they need. This creating different spaces at different scales that engage with one another via their different levels of intimacy. In order, to design the essence these spaces evoke outside the bounds of time, a process of intuition based on precedence and a system post logic processing was developed.
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Above is a study of the aspects that define that range of intimacy which is defined by visibility and proximity. These spatial situations are how the precedence is analysed which is then what drove the intuition process for the base of the design. 38
3’x3’ 5%
45%
30%
20%
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To the right explains the means of developing the spatial situations the project hopes to achieve regardless of the site it sits in. The process rests on breaking a site by a 3x3 grid, then through situation populating the grid with spatial situations that achieve 5% super intimate spaces(monologue), 45% medium intimacy spaces(dialogue), 30% medium open spaces(group), and the 20% super open spaces(theatre). This arrangement is then post-rationalized based on vertical and horizontal circulation, the placement of the housing units below within the dialogue spaces, and the need for ventilation and optimal solar orientation. 39
50’ 40
100’
1st Floor and Units
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2nd and 3rd Floor 50’ 100’ Many of the spaces formulated are unorthodox, reject site cultural alignments, and reject optimization and efficiency. The structure promotes play and fluidity, by rejecting the typical and rigidity of the American landscapes, it creates a place for play and fuller engagement that has to be utilized to traverse this structure. Instead of aligning the structure with a typical typology that can be found in Charlottesville, the structure sets a new precedence for new permutations within the scape that may result in more interesting and play like projects within the area. 42
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Section and Sectional Model 45
Conexiones Hill: The Wi-Fi Forest Status:Complete Location: Downtown Mall, Charlottesville, Virginia Work Type: Studio Studio #: 2 Instructor: Ines Martin-Robles Design Type: Open Wifi Grounds
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Fall 2018 The Downtown Mall negates all concepts of public space. It is a space that sets financial barriers as one must buy a product to truly access the space as promoted by the no loitering laws enforced to remove the homeless population that floats in the area. The only reason to visit the mall is for its shops and its expensive commodities not made equitable. It is a space that only invites the privledged and neglects the lower economic classes of Charlottesville. This is further promoted by the lack of resources Charlottesville a lot for the impoverished, such as Wi-Fi, an important contemporary resource for self advancment. Therefore this space will serve as an experiment to a welcoming space that provides a necessary resource to those who cannot access it.
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The development of the project first began with the analysis of the systems at play that defines the greater Charltoeviille city. The greatest three relations found were, the varying typography of, the dispersion of all the green spaces, and their relationship to the downtown mall, and the concentration of population tensity by the 5,000 and how it intensifies towards the heart of the city: The Downtown Mall. With these three relationships understood, these would be the driving forces that would lead to the development of the actual form for the building and how it responds to the site of the downtown mall. The following Noli map is depicting the location of “public� wifi signals and extent in which they reach out in the downtown mall. For the heart of the city, there is only one spot for free public wifi and that is the top center which is the public library (the rest being pay to enter wifi spots). This is very problematic for a space that is considered the heart of the city as it set the attitude for Charlottesville towards the underprivledged.
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Site Studies
Stake Holders 50
Pre-Condition Site
Vision Drawing 51
Colomn and Bay Catalog
Colomn Rotation
SE Elevation
SW Elevation 25’
13’
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50’
26’
50’
100’
Exploded Structure Axon 53
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SE Section
Interior 55
Contour Lines Status: On-going Location: East Corridor United States Work Type: Client Based Type: Pen Work Commissions
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Fall 2018
In the journey of life, one must reflect and recollect where one’s paths and decisions have taken them. This is the role of art, to allow for self-reflection and realize moments of continuity and discontinuity. These moments are reflected in work below, pieces made up of a singular line and color, all revolving around the human experience but through different form. The singular line is the continuity of life as it goes from experience to experience, all a part of the same journey, all molding the same person. The homogeny of the pieces is developed to show how very unlikely connected experiences in their own right are connected and are based on the same thread and composition.
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