Jessica Rossi-Mastracci j.rossi.mastracci@gmail.com
graduate work Master of Landscape Architecture | University of Pennsylvania | 2010-2012
philly pier potentials spring 2012 | landscape studio | professor Keith Kaseman
flooding working pier algae bloom + harvesting mussel “placing” oyster “placing” + harvesting city events event rentability
ecological events: cycle + schedule
corregation for mussel harvesting
water access
boat access
axon produced using Rhinoceros 4.0 and Adobe Illustrator Rethinking the role of the piers in the context of Philadelphia, the piers become the negotiation between the city and river, re-focusing the city back towards the river, and the armature to embrace fluctuations and seasonal change. As a way to do this, the piers broadcast through lighting, announcing ecological cycles and city activities, and blurring the sharp line of waterfront, merging the city and river through the piers. It also ties the piers back into the city, connecting to the urban grid, infrastructure, and public spaces. The piers become the framework to understand, enjoy, and profit from natural cycles of the river and turn these ecological events into a new type of program and public space for the city. The ecological events, oyster + mussel planting and harvesting, and algae bloom and harvesting for use in biodiesel and water filtration, return the piers and waterfront back into an economic engine for the city. As a large scale strategy, the piers embrace the fluctuations of the river, through wrapping human occupation with ecological events, as a generator/structure for new types of public space, programming, and engagement with the river centered around production, exchange, and gathering. The schedule of events, on the previous page, is used to combine and determine program on a pier-by-pier bases, where each has a combination of programs at different intensities, rather than all at once. The tendency diagrams, on the bottom of the following pages, speak to the distribution and tendencies of the specific programs, and start to influence the formal strategies of each pier. The renderings on the following pages start to speak to the seasonal use of the spaces, from recreational, to economic, to educational.
wood piles for oyster habitat
canoe launch
structure
barriers/ handrails
furniture
axon produced using Rhinoceros 4.0 and Adobe Illustrator
sections
ecological events: cycle + schedule
edge matrix
tendencies + projections produced using Rhinoceros 4.0, V-RAY, Adobe Illustrator + Photoshop
ecological events: cycle + schedule
edge matrix
tendencies + projections produced using Rhinoceros 4.0, V-RAY, Adobe Illustrator + Photoshop
activating industry fall 2011 | landscape studio | professor Christopher Marcinkoski
landform typology study using Rhinoceros 4.0 and V-RAY
system diagram
This proposal focuses on the integration of a public armature within an industrial landscape. A major component is thinking about infrastructure and industry as landform, for public space, highly active industrial space, productive ecologies, and infrastructure to exist simultaneously and adjacently. The landforms are used as a way to “design� the interface between public and infrastructure, RE-ENVISIONING what productive space means in an urban context. The main urban move connects the city to the river and organizes movement through a series of three distinct landings: city, infrastructural ridge, waterfront. Lights call out areas of public, industrial, and infrastructural intensity, playing off of the idea of the spectacle of infrastructure and industry. Through this, infrastructure becomes a way to provide access and guide public movement, rather than becoming a barrier. The massiveness of the move topographically is able stand up to highway and massiveness of the site.
schematic site plan
service infrastructure lighting
Schuylkill River
ecological river edge river walk
infrastructure
wastewater treatment seating
rail bypass
public realm
GATHER ridge: axon, section, plan, views using Rhinoceros 4.0, V-RAY, Adobe Illustrator + Photoshop
cranes
material storage
public armature
wastewater treatment
material sorting
industrial zone
water sports
the Boardwalk
interior road lighting
boating
river access
seating
infiltration
runoff collection + infiltration
river access
runoff collection + infiltration
material collection
water collection
water feature
plaza
plaza
lighting civic programming
recycling collection I-76
CONNECT platform + ridge: axon, section, plan using Rhinoceros 4.0, V-RAY, Adobe Illustrator + Photoshop
Snyder Docks
lighting
public armature
cranes
subsurface wetlands
eco-walk
Snyder Docks
constructed riparian habitat
eco-walk
lighting
public realm
ecological + industrial educational center
rail infrastructure
material collection + sorting
industrial zone
ecological
FILTER platform + ridge: axon, section, plan using Rhinoceros 4.0, V-RAY, Adobe Illustrator + Photoshop
edges + event spring 2011 | landscape studio | professor Karen M’Closkey
gradient study using Adobe Illustrator
inital pattern and 3D studies
This project creates edges or boundaries through a series of cuts and wedges as organizational strategies. Starting with the initial gradient pattern and model studies, I looked at possibilities within these overlapping lines and shapes as surface operations, and took ideas about when they cross, if they become cuts, folds, shifts, or are removed. The cuts, the main topographic move, serve as a water collection and filtration infrastructure, moving water from the urban fabric and park towards the Delaware River. They loosely define the site into many programmatic zones. The wedges begin to delineate multiple scaled spaces through vegetation (forest, gridded trees, meadow) and ground materials (lawn, gravel, concrete).
analysis of existing site lines, surfaces, and materials
phase one: establish community conenction and main path
site plan
market space
large gathering
open gathering
event space
small group gathering
large + small group gathering
performance space
large gathering
reclaiming infrastructure fall 2010 | landscape studio | professor Dilip da Cunha
plan (left) and sequential sections, graphite on Arches
This project reclaims unused/unusable spaces between lines of infrastructure: active catenary power lines, railroad tracks, a major elevated highway, and the Schuylkill River. These spaces have been dramatically altered during construction of these infrastructures, leading to an overgrowth of invasive plants and a large amount of remnant material debris, but inevitably discarded as unusable spaces. By engaging these lines through a series of constructed paths, walls, vegetative strips, and water collection channels, it creates physical connections to reclaim these spaces as usable and desirable to inhabit. ground + threshold: photography study
From both a logistical and environmental viewpoints, large amounts of material debris, such as concrete, railroad ties, and stone, are repurposed into the constructed elements through use of gabian structures. This method of repurposing materials, reclaiming spaces, and collecting runoff water can become a way to engage infrastructure on a larger regional scale.
material collection + infrastructure: photography study
dry studio | Aridlands Institute summer 2011 | teaching, research, and fieldwork | Hadley + Peter Arnold
Part teaching, part research + studio work, part travel. Teaching Assistant for Dry Studio, an upper level studio for undergraduate architecture students at Woodbury University in Burbank, California. As an individual project, I researched water management issues in the West and Southwest, including indigenous and contemporary water infrastructures, policy, and land management practices. Midway through the summer, we took a road trip from Burbank to study water scarcity + usage, landscape, and traditional dry farming methods, ending in Dixon, New Mexico. For two weeks, we worked with a farming community, who still uses a traditional acequia system of irrigation, to develop policy and management strategies, and to document two acequias using GPS, GIS, and photography. We returned at end of summer to present our work through a community meeting and drawing gallery.
studio (group) drawing, using data collected on two acequias
nested dig
unit network
capture slow
distribute spread network
slow
collects water for distribution
allows for groudwater recharge
collects water for distribution
allows for groudwater recharge
nested imprint
slow
capture capture capture capture filter distribute capture spread distribute filter capture spread filter filter filter filter filter capture
capture capture spread spread
distribute distribute
berms
slow
slows flow of water
slow
land tiles
slow
contour swales
distribute
encorages sediment deposition
slow
creates habitat for pioneer species
slow
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
slow
filtration
waste biomass return biomass
effluent waste biomass reverse osmosis or nanofiltration
concentrated brine effluent
waste biomass
revegetation
slow
slows flow of water
slow
dig
field network field unit network network
slow slow slow slow slow slow slow slow
spread capture filter filter filter filter
capture capture
nested
slows flow of water
slow
improves water retention and infiltration
non-porous
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
slow
drop structures
slow
slows flow of water
slow
reduces soil loss improves soil quality
slow
reduces soil loss due to erosion
slow
encorages sediment deposition
distribute
improves water retention and infiltration
capture
cut/pile
line imprint
Margolis, Liat. Living Systems: Innovative materials and Technologies for Landcape Architecture, Birkhäuser Architecture; 2007.
slow
improves soil porosity and water retention
filter
creates an ephemeral wetland, absorb phosphorus
river
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
capture
nested
Margolis, Liat. Living Systems: Innovative materials and Technologies for Landcape Architecture, Birkhäuser Architecture; 2007.
slow
terracing
filter
imprinting
slow
water harvesting
slow
earthen dikes
slow
network
slows flow of water
field
nested
creates habitat for pioneer species
point
Out of Water Project, http://www.oowproject.com/mapping/land-imprinting
network
slows flow of water
network
slows flow of water
network
allows for upslope infiltration
network
directs arroyo runoff to be used downstream
unit
encourages sediment deposition, increases soil depths
porous
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
water harvesting
induced meandering
field
vane weir point bar baffle
network
encorages sediment deposition
dig
field
creates habitat for pioneer species
diversion canals
earth and rock dikes
dig
network
temporary rock + brush dams
cut/pile
field
slows flow of water
imprint
point
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
slows flow of water
nested
network
Leopold, Luna B. A View of the River. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1994
slows flow of water
collection and distribution of seasonal stream flow
collection and distribution of seasonal stream flow
nested
network
directs arroyo runoff to be distributed downstream
weir
revegetation
dig
point
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
reservoirs
check dam
gabian structure
induced meandering
distribute
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
slows flow of water
weir
dig
field
spread
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
vane
baffle
point bar
cut/pile
point
nested
collection of seasonal stream flow
reduces channel incision and erosion
creates a new ecological regime
slows flow of water
encourages sediment deposition
slows flow of water
encourages sediment deposition
slows flow of water
reduces runoff and bank erosion
slows flow of water
encorages sediment deposition
creates habitat for pioneer species
slows flow of water
non-porous
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
influent
qanat
effluent
distributes groundwater through a series of underground canals and wells
aeration
contour swales
berms
land tiles
revegetation
drop structures
imprinting
induced meandering
non-porous
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
Leopold, Luna B. A View of the River. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1994
vane baffle
water harvesting
porous
Ruggles, D. Fairchild. Islamic Gardens and Landscapes. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2008
slows flow of water
effluent
encorages sediment deposition
creates habitat for pioneer species
weir point bar
layer
point
spread
slows flow of water
improves water retention and infiltration
diversion canals
earth and rock dikes
temporary rock + brush dams
container
line
nested
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
improves water retention and infiltration
reduces soil loss due to erosion
improves soil quality
reduces soil loss
slows flow of water
encorages sediment deposition
creates an ephemeral wetland, absorb phosphorus
improves soil porosity and water retention
creates habitat for pioneer species
slows flow of water
encorages sediment deposition
creates habitat for pioneer species
slows flow of water
non-porous
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
Margolis, Liat. Living Systems: Innovative materials and Technologies for Landcape Architecture, Birkhäuser Architecture; 2007.
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
Margolis, Liat. Living Systems: Innovative materials and Technologies for Landcape Architecture, Birkhäuser Architecture; 2007.
slows flow of water
revegetation
weir
check dam
gabian structure
induced meandering
qanat
tanque
reservoir
porous
Out of Water Project, http://www.oowproject.com/mapping/land-imprinting
Leopold, Luna B. A View of the River. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1994
slows flow of water collection and distribution of seasonal stream flow
directs arroyo runoff to be distributed downstream
cistern
biotope
ridged field
dig
spread
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
swale
catchment trench
cut/pile
network
distribute
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
reservoirs
berms
earthen embankment
layer
point
nested
collection and distribution of seasonal stream flow
collection and distribution of seasonal stream flow slows flow of water
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
weir
vane
baffle
point bar
rain garden
french drain
non-porous
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
reduces channel incision and erosion
creates a new ecological regime
slows flow of water
encourages sediment deposition
slows flow of water
encourages sediment deposition
slows flow of water
reduces runoff and bank erosion
slows flow of water
encorages sediment deposition
creates habitat for pioneer species
distributes groundwater through a series of underground canals and wells
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
Leopold, Luna B. A View of the River. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1994
Ruggles, D. Fairchild. Islamic Gardens and Landscapes. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2008
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
reduced dependence on outside water sources
water retention and infiltration
collecting water for reuse
reduced dependence on outside water sources
collecting water for reuse
reduced dependence on outside water sources
water retention and infiltration
distribution
improves water retention and infiltration
creates habitat for pioneer species
retains wastewater on-site for filtration
increase soil depths
slows flow of water
reduces soil loss and erosion
catch and retain runoff water for agriculture use
slows flow of water
improves water retention and infiltration
spread
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
Margolis, Liat. Living Systems: Innovative materials and Technologies for Landcape Architecture, Birkhäuser Architecture; 2007.
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
improves water retention and infiltration reduced dependence on outside water sources
network
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
brush water spreaders
waffle garden
nested
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
slows flow of water
spread
reduced dependence on outside water sources
capture
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
spreads water across a field
slow
water retention and infiltration
slow
water retention and infiltration
slow
creates habitat for pioneer species
imprinting
revegetation
slow
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
reduces soil loss and erosion
improves water retention and infiltration field non-porous
groundwater
point field field
slow slow slow slow slow
capture spread capture
rain garden
dig improves water retention and infiltration improves soil quality
field
porous rain_runoff
waffle garden
distribute capture
slight [5-20%]
brush water spreaders
slow
point
non-porous river
revegetation
slow
porous groundwater
gravel mulching
slow nested Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
little/no [-5%]
imprinting
network
imprint rain_falling
check dam
field check dam
rain_runoff
gabian structure
point gravel mulching
non-porous
nduced meandering
network creates/improves conditions for vegetation
spread
slow
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
distribute
gabian structure
slow
slows flow of water
capture
slows flow of water
distribute capture
reduces runoff and bank erosion
slow
encourages sediment deposition
slow
creates habitat for pioneer species
slow
nested
improves water retention and infiltration
filter
network
Out of Water Project, http://www.oowproject.com/mapping/land-imprinting
filter
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
filter
small boulder bench terraces
distribute
induced meandering
network
weir
vane
unit
baffle
network
point bar
field
slows flow of water
point
slows flow of water
dig
network
spreads water across a field
nested
point
encorages sediment deposition
dig
line
creates habitat for pioneer species
nested
network
increases soil depth and sediment deposition
acequia
permeable paving
exposed collection gutter
concrete asphalt
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
collects runoff water
porous
Leopold, Luna B. A View of the River. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1994
reduces runoff and bank erosion improves water retention and infiltration
capture
improves water retention and infiltration
check dam
revegetation
layer
network
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
creates a new ecological regime distributes water through a series of open ditches
gabian structure
ground materials
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
Lancaster, Brad. Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Rainsource, 2008.
slows flow of water
creates a new ecological regime
non-porous
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
slows flow of water
encourages sediment deposition
reed bed
induced meandering
dig
structure nested
reduces channel incision and erosion
weir
vane
baffle
point bar
river
small boulder bench terraces
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
Doolittle, William E. Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
slows flow of water
encorages sediment deposition
reduces runoff and bank erosion
slope
exposed collection gutter
permeable paving
filters water for reuse
creates a new ecological regime
creates habitat for pioneer species
retains wastewater on-site for filtration
swale
canal restorer
method of intervention dig
Zeedyk, William D., and Van Clothier. Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels. Santa Fe, NM: Quivira Coalition, 2009.
Leopold, Luna B. A View of the River. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1994
Kadlec, Robert H., and Scott D. Wallace. Treatment Wetlands. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 2009.
filtration
captures stormwater
aeration
creates a new ecological regime
aeration
improves water retention and infiltration
non-porous
retains and filters waste and stormwater onsite
non-porous
Mau, Bruce. Massive Change, Phaidon Press, October 1, 2004.
advanced treatment
soil permeability
creates habitat for pioneer species
treatment wetlands
wastewater
retains wastewater on-site for filtration
return biomass
removal of total dissolved solids and/or trace consituents as required for water reuse applications
tertiary treatment
groundwater
acequia
nested secondary treatment
qanat
water type
Kadlec, Robert H., and Scott D. Wallace. Treatment Wetlands. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 2009.
influent
Kadlec, Robert H., and Scott D. Wallace. Treatment Wetlands. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 2009.
waste biomass
revegetation
return biomass
disinfection
slope water type soil permeability method structure function: slow function: capture function: filter function: spread function: distribute section diagrams
additional nutrient removal
influent
removal of residual suspended solids by filtration and membranes
influent
Kadlec, Robert H., and Scott D. Wallace. Treatment Wetlands. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 2009.
primary treatment
components
removal of biodegradable organic matter, suspended solids, nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus)
function
Kadlec, Robert H., and Scott D. Wallace. Treatment Wetlands. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 2009.
distributes groundwater through a series of underground canals and wells
references removal of wastewater constituents such as rags, sticks, floatables, grit and grease, and suspended solids and organic matter
potential benefits
Kadlec, Robert H., and Scott D. Wallace. Treatment Wetlands. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 2009.
water infrastructure
Ruggles, D. Fairchild. Islamic Gardens and Landscapes. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2008
intervention
check dam
intervention conditions
gabian structure
nduced meandering
ground conditions ground conditions
steep [20%+]
rain_runoff
compacted soil clay porous
existing conditions
research work on water infrastructures nested
network
undergraduate work Bachelor of Arts in Architecture | Washington University in St. Louis | 2001-2005
creating urban landscapes fall 2008 | urban design studio | DIS Copenhagen | professor Dominic Balmforth This urban strategy connects a mixed use residential area to central København and existing infrastructure, and integrates landscape within urban environment. The landscape network serves as the main organizational spine, where waste and water runoff is collected through central greenspaces and reused, creating a closed-loop system. The public spaces shift in scale and levels of openness, from private to public. Pockets, such as the common courtyard shared by four residences, or public squares, are large enough to invite activity, yet intimate enough to fit the human scale.
spreadable
hand tools how to manipulate
power tools
LASER
digital fabrication
outside fabrication
liquid
unit of material
module
sheet/roll
slab
interior
application
exterior
rooÂżng
material resource center
structural
summer + fall 2009 | material research, label design + library development sustainably certiÂżed
non-toxic
recyclable and/or contains recycled materials
sustainability CO2
BIODEGRADABLE
The College of Architecture’s Materials Resource Center at Washington University in St. Louis is developing a database of sustainable materials. The digital database and physical resource center emphasize qualitative material characteristics and provide evaluation of materials for sustainability, allowing users to compare materials based on transparent and nonproprietary information. For the physical resource center, I designed display labels for specific material samples, including developing graphical icons that describe sustainable and quantitative information, environmental certifications, recycled and recyclable content, and carbon footprint. This categorizes materials in a general way, where more specific information regarding performance is available on the digital database.
zero carbon footprint
biodegradable
reclaimed
metal
This project was selected for the ASCA Call For Action: Innovation in Design and Research.
ceramic or glass
category
cementious, masonry or stone
organic (carbon based)
plastics or resins
hybrid (combination of 2 or more)
structural spine, concrete skin spring 2008 | material studies in concrete | group project | professor Liane Hancock Through an elective class on materials, we focused on using concrete in a small-scale application. We looked at different precedent studies to see how concrete could be used in innovative ways, and took these ideas into our bench design project. My study of Felix Candela influenced the use of cantilevering and folding planes. We developed a modular system, using the same triangular slab to make up each folded component and complementary angles to simplify the manufacturing process.
24.0 “
27.5 “
120º
27.7 “ 29.0 “
24.0 “
60º
24.0 “ 33.9 “
2.0 “
2.0 “
24.0 “ 25.0 “
24.0 “ 27.5 “
The two parts, the structural steel spine and the concrete skin, utilize the inherent structural qualities of each in an innovative way. While the concrete form is complex, it is held together simply through the steel frame, creating a design that can be both simple and complex at the same time. This duality is juxtaposed in its materiality and how each is used, fluid and fixed, compression and tension, skin and spine.
blurring boundaries fall 2007 | architecture studio | professor Gia Daskalakis The project folds the landscape and building together, blurring the line between the built and natural. A continuous folding plane creates the floor, wall, and roof, ending into the landscape, creating a new topography for the park. Pathways cut into the hillside, sinking the visitor below ground and engaging them with the landscape. Along a path, there are certain key moments where the visitor emerges from the ground and has a framed view of the park. These pathways connect two distinct areas in the park, one with recreational activities and another with a naturally hilly landscape, and encourage interaction between them.
unfolding space fall 2006 | architecture studio | professor Liane Hancock
Unfolding Space incorporates the idea of unfolding, distorting, and reflecting the space surrounding Dan Graham’s “Triangular Bridge Over Water.” Walking around the site, the reflection of the sculpture on its glass panel changes, distorting the inhabitable space inside. It is not a static work; you have a new understanding of the sculpture and consequently, space, as you experience it. This analysis began an investigation into incorporating the ideas of viewing, reflecting, and distorting in the viewing space and small gallery.
The small gallery space is a formal gesture further developing ideas about reflection and distortion. Inspired by the undulating hills and the natural setting, the architecture frames the visitor’s view of nature. It is a small-scale intervention, similar to the sculptures that reside in the park, encouraging the interaction between art, architecture, and landscape on a pedestrian scale.
j.rossi.mastracci@gmail.com | (+1) 281.733.9104