Graphic Communications Final Portfolio

DES IGN

I am a passionately driven and highly motivated creator, eager to explore the profound impact of architecture on people’s lives. My journey is fueled by a desire to delve deeper into how innovative, computational, and sustainable design can transform communities and environments. I am committed to harnessing cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices to create spaces that not only meet functional needs but also inspire and uplift those who inhabit them. My goal is to bridge the gap between creative vision and practical application, ensuring that my designs contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable and equitable future.

EDUCATION

University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln, Nebraska | August 2020 - Present

Masters of Architecture - May 2026

Bachelors of Science in Design; Architectural Studies - 3.895 Cumulative GPA - May 2024

Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Cantabria | Stantander, Spain | June 2023

Model-making in The Digital Age; Atelier La Juntana - 10.0 Sobresaliente

Grand Island Senior High School | Grand Island, Nebraska | August 2016 - May 2020

High School Diploma; Architecture and Design Pathway - 3.533 Cumulative GPA

EXPERIENCE

Architectural Intern | CMBA Architects | May 2023 - Present

Work on various projects through different phases ranging from Pre-design to Post-Occupancy. I worked on construction documents, attend OAC meetings, and punch-lists.

UCARE Researcher | University of Nebraska - Lincoln | June 2022 - Present

Researched embodied energy and carbon emissions and produced related graphics and publications. Currently researching changes to Building Code concerning mass timber.

Undergraduate Architectural Intern | PLAIN Design + Build | May 2022 - August 2022

Spent time on site to locally harvest and process Eastern Red-cedar timber for the project. Led a team in constructing a curved Cross-laminated timber pavilion.

INVOLVEMENTS

American Institute of Architecture Emerging Professional’s Committee | 2024 - Present

AIAS Representative & Mentorship Program Organizer

College of Architecture, Student Advisory Board| February 2024 - May 2024

AIAS Representative

Building Integration Professor Search Committee | February 2024

4th Year Representative

Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society | April 2023 - Present

American Institute of Architecture Students Nebraska | August 2021 - Present Vice President

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy | May 2016 - May 2024

Mentor & Peer Leader

AWARDS

ACSA Design-Build Award | Mizers Ruin | 2024

Honors the best practices in school-based design-build projects. Group project; project lead and primary was Professor Jason Griffiths.

Sum Lieding Global Experiences Scholarship | University of Nebraska - Lincoln | 2023

Awarded to an exceptional academic student with an interest in studying abroad during their undergraduate studies.

Student Luminary Award Finalist | University of Nebraska - Lincoln | 2023

Awarded to exceptional students who make a difference through their leadership and commitment to improving the campus and community while excelling in academic pursuits.

Herold Seng Award | University of Nebraska - Lincoln | 2022 & 2023

Awarded to a outstanding student chosen by College of Architecture faculty.

HARD SKILLS

Rhino

Revit

InDesign

Illustrator

Photoshop

Lumion

CLIFTON STRENGTH

1. Deliberative

2. Belief

3. Connectedness

4. Developer

5. Input

INTERESTS

Artificial Intelligence

Computational Design

Cooking

Mentoring and Educating

Music

Traveling

Volunteering

Weight Lifting

ACADEMIC TRAVELS

Europe Study Abroad | Fall 2024

London, England

Rome, Italy

Prague, Czech Republic

Spain Study Abroad | Summer 2023

Madrid, Spain

Barcelona, Spain

Santander, Spain

REFUGE TERRACES

REFUGE TERRACES 01

Year: Type:

Team:

Mentors: Spring 2023

Mixed Use

Isaac Alvarado, Christopher Nguyen, Elizabeth Pernicek

Zeb Lund & Emelia Alvis

This architecture project aims to integrate therapy services with low-income, high-density housing to create a supportive and resilient community. The design features modern, multi-story buildings with dynamic facades and warm materials, providing a welcoming atmosphere. Open balconies and terraces encourage outdoor living and community interaction, while the surrounding lush landscaping enhances the sense of tranquility and wellbeing.

Therapeutic spaces are seamlessly incorporated within the residential units, ensuring that essential services are easily accessible to all residents. By fostering a holistic environment that promotes mental and physical health, this project ensures that low-income families can thrive in a vibrant, interconnected community. The combination of thoughtful design, inclusive services, and natural surroundings creates a nurturing atmosphere where residents can live, heal, and grow together.

COMMUNITY HEALING

PRECEDENT STUDY

Designing a building begins with studying precedent design fragments, such as drawings and photos, to gain insights into architectural styles and materials. This foundational research informs the creation of the building’s exterior, where architects translate these insights into a cohesive vision. The exterior design sets the tone and ensures harmony with the surroundings, focusing on aesthetics, functionality, and regulatory compliance.

EXTERIOR TO INTERIOR

Bringing the exterior’s warmth and welcoming feel into the interior involves thoughtful design integration. Natural light, large windows, and open floor plans create inviting spaces, while materials from the exterior, like wood or stone, are echoed inside for continuity. Interior design elements, such as color palettes and textures, further enhance the welcoming ambiance.

END GOAL

The ultimate goal is to achieve a seamless transition between the exterior and interior, creating a harmonious and inviting experience for all who interact with the building.

COGNITIVE CENTER 02

Year: Type: Team: Mentors: Spring 2024

Innovation Center

Christopher Nguyen, Elizabeth Pernicek

David Newton

The Cognitive Center aims to put research on display to both students on campus and the public from downtown. The site can be seen from the Lied Center’s entrance, creating the possibility to draw in visitors. Upon arriving at the site, research is displayed through permanent and temporary exhibitions and backed by active research labs. This critical adjacency gives visitors the opportunity to witness multiple stages of the research and problem solving process.

Visibility is also crucial between users inside the building, which features open views and communication between labs and classrooms, allowing for transdiciplinary interactions and learning. The goal of initiating transdiciplinary collaboration through creating both planned and organic interactions within the building is a central focus for The Cognitive Center.

RESPONSIVE FORMATION

The massing of the Cognitive Center began with orienting the footprint in line with Burnett Hall to the north. This was done per the suggestion of the University building standards. The footprint was then extruded vertically to accommodate the required program. Though no official height limitation was set by the University, the Mind Center’s height was altered to respond to the neighboring context. With Love Library, Burnett Hall, and Andrews Hall within immediate proximity and to the east, that facade remained at 3 stories. Hamilton Hall, Oldfather Hall, and Memorial Stadium to the west and north created a taller response on the west facade, bridging the gap between the two sides of Cather Garden. Additionally, this taller facade was a reaction to the site’s alignment with the 12th Street arts corridor.

From there, the south facade’s corners peeled from the building to create framed moments of research and innovation that face Love Library and the University’s academic core. These frames, along with the ribbon of storefront glass that cuts through the building’s primary channel glass, creates display cases for research, classrooms, and exhibition space. This display wraps to the north facade, where the promenade extrudes from the building’s face, this time framing moments of campus from the interior, and putting the 5-story egress on display.

The Cognitive Center is a research institute focused on the perceptive and cognitive activity relating to research and creativity. In presenting research as theater, the researchers, artists, engineers, and designers using the Cognitive Center are put on display to the public and students on campus through framed moments in time. Putting their research, processes, and results on display in varying levels of privacy allows for research to be seen as more than the finished product.

Creating transdiciplinary research opportunities, both researcher-to-researcher and researcher-to-student, allows for increased organic collaboration and transdiciplinary problem solving. This is accomplished through the layering of classrooms and research labs that come together in collaborative study spaces meant to induce informal exchanges. With open classrooms and labs, students and researchers go about their work in silent connection with each other, creating opportunities for questions and communication in the communal areas.

AQUASCAPE HAVEN

Year:

Type:

Team:

Mentors: Spring 2024

MATT Building

Christopher Nguyen David Newton

As climate change drives migration and the population of hyper-dense cities is projected to double by 2050, we envision pioneering new approaches to high-density architecture for a future marked by mega-density. This era will strain infrastructural capacities and challenge living conditions, necessitating innovative and adaptable solutions. Drawing inspiration from post-war avantgrade architecture groups and their rule-based generative methods, we aim to develop flexible mat buildings that seamlessly integrate architecture and infrastructure. By leveraging agent-based procedural algorithms and deep generative AI, we will create high-density structures that can adapt to extreme environmental conditions and maintain humane and sustainable living standards. Our goal is to design resilient urban environments for the year 2100, bridging the gap between architecture and city-scale systems.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

OCTOPUS MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION & SEARCH

PROJECT LOCATION:

“Aqua-scape Haven” is located in the heart of Amsterdam, along the city’s iconic canals. This innovative building combines historic charm with modern vibrancy, standing resilient against rising sea levels and urban density.

MAT BUILDING DESIGN:

The building features adaptive and sustainable design principles. Its deep foundation ensures stability against water threats, and its modular structure allows for flexibility and reconfiguration to meet changing needs.

ENVIRONMENTAL ADAPTATIONS:

To tackle Amsterdam’s environmental challenges, “Aqua-scape Haven” includes advanced flood prevention systems like retractable barriers and water-resistant materials. Vertical gardens and rooftop farms provide sustainable food sources and green spaces, enhancing biodiversity and resource efficiency.

COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT:

“Aqua-scape Haven” fosters a dynamic and inclusive community. Recreational and communal spaces promote social interaction, while smart technology enhances convenience. The focus on sustainability encourages a shared sense of responsibility and pride among residents, inspiring collective efforts towards a resilient future.