My undergraduate background has been in architecture, but the topic that has driven my curiosity is environmental sustainability. I am an environmental activist at heart, and I chose to study architecture as a medium to learn ways to work towards regenerative practices and the relationship of buildings and embodied carbon. As an architecture student I seek to understand spatial and formal relationships, question existing conditions, and work to communicate ideas through graphic representation.
SHIFT //
With this experience, I want to dive into the multi-scalar complexity of climate change and sustainability in the context of architecture. I hope to explore and investigate low carbon materials, embodied energy, and re-value waste to explore the intersection of human interaction with the environment and architecture.
ARCH 405, FALL 2024
ARCH 206, SPRING 2023
ARCH 305, SPRING 2024
+04 PARTI DRIVE
ARCH 206, SPRING 2023
+05 SPATIAL CONSTRUCTS
ENDS 108, SPRING 2023
SQUARE UP +06
WORKSHOP, SPRING 2024
ONE PIECE AT A TIME +07 GRAPHIC INVOVLEMENT +08 CAMP ARCH +09
WORKSHOP, FALL 2024
AIAS, YR II, III, IV
EXPERIENCE, SUMMER 2022,2023
EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
KAYLA IGNATIA SIDIK
Texas A&M University College of Architecture
Bachelors of Environmental Design | May 2025
Minor in Leadership in the Design & Construction Professions
Architectural Intern // PBK Architects
Houston, TX || June 2023 - January 2024, May 2024-July 2024
Collaborated with team on K-12 and civil projects that include programming client needs, schematic, design development, and construction documentation. Contribute to the production of plans, elevations, site plans, RCPs, finish floor plans. Collaborated in material selections and prepared materials for OAC meetings.
Camp ARCH Counselor // James Michael Tate, Jaechang Ko College Station, TX || July 2022, July 2023
Mentored high school students in architectural modeling and drawing workflows. Guided campers for design studio instruction: hand modeling & 3D modeling with Rhino
Marketing Communications Intern // Texas A&M College of Architecture College Station, TX || February 2023 - May 2023
Documented College of Architecture events through photography and co-managed social media platforms.
Sustainability Outreach Specialist // Texas A&M Office of Sustainability College Station, TX || January 2022 - May 2022
Led campus outreach activities on various sustainability topics.
Collaborated with team to create interactive workshops teaching students about various sustainability topics.
HONORS & AWARDS
Good Bull Fund Recipient, AIAS Forum Leadership Conference // 2025
Kenneth D. Williams Memorial Award // 2024
Craig A. Smith ‘85 Endowed Scholarship // 2024
Good Bull Fund Recipient, AIAS Grassroots Leadership Conference // 2024
Texas Architectural Foundation Scholarship, AIA Southeast Texas Chapter Douglas E. Steinman Scholarship // 2023
August A. Neuner 36’ Scholarship // 2023
Patti & Tom Owen’s ‘73 Family Leadership Scholarship // 2023
M.N. Davidson Foundation Scholarship // 2022
William Merriweather Pena Scholarship // 2022
Wildflower Center LBJ Seed Grant // 2020
INVOLVEMENT
College of Architecture Student Ambassador
College of Architecture Student Leaders Council
American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
August 2021-Present
TAMU Philsa Modern Dance Team
August 2022-December 2022
LEADERSHIP
Elected President // American Institute of Architecture Students
May 2024-Present
Oversee eight subcommittees to facilitate professional development activities including but not limited to software tutorials, workshops, student publication, & guest lectures. Coordinate student activities on the college of of architecture, department of architecture, and student body scale.
Represent the largest AIAS chapter at the 2024 AIAS Grassroots Conference in Washington D.C. Applied for grants to fund executive board travel for Grassroots leadership conference and organized team to bring chapter members to AIAS Forum 2025 in Austin, TX. Create roundtable discussions on architectural discourse and host panels with faculty with crowd-sourced questions.
Elected Vice President // American Institute of Architecture Students
May 2023-May 2024
Oversee subcommittees to facilitate professional development and mentorship events. Correspond with student leaders and study body, and co-manage social media presence
College of Architecture Student Ambassador Since January 2023
College of Architecture Student Leaders Council Since January 2023
Marketing Officer // American Institute of Architecture Students
May 2022-May 2023
Curated and produced graphics to promote AIAS professional development and mentorship events. Sharpened experience in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
Career Fair Member // American Institute of Architecture Students
August 2021-May 2022, August 2022-May 2023
Communicated with firms in preparation of the 2022 & 2023 Career Fair. Collaborated with committee members to create graphics and welcome representatives.
RECOGNITION
Axiom TAMU Student Publication // 2023, 2024
American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) Award // 2023
1st Place, School of Architecture DivHack Design Competition // 2023
This studio is centered on integrating design with functional structural and sustainable systems. In this project, the research is focused on the students and their needs, and in response our project creates spaces for community in the context of sports and recreation. The project is located on the RELLIS Campus which is part of the Texas A&M Campus, however physically distant. The project responds to the lack of spaces to gather, play, and linger through generating the form through the framing of our research. These spaces are framed as relaxation with company, form of play, promote holistic wellbeing, movement & competition, and refreshment of mind. Tied together, they connect with the overarching axis of community. The building utilizes metal tappered columns and beams to re-imagine designing with standarized materials
SHIFT //
The steel structural frame could be re-imagined with other low carbon materials to achive a building with a lower embodied energy.
01. FULL SITE PLAN // BUILDING TO SITE RELATIONSHIP
02. SITE PLAN // ROOF PLAN
01. FLOOR PLAN // GROUND LEVEL
03. CIRCULATION DIAGRAM
04. AXON // STRUCTURE
05. AXON // HVAC
06. AXON // POTABLE WATER PLUMBING
02. FULL BUILDING PERSPECTIVE SECTION // MAIN AXIS
03. REFRESHMENT OF MIND // EXTERIOR COURTS
01. MOVEMENT & COMPETITION // INTERIOR COURTS
04. PROMOTE HOLISTIC WELLBEING // ENTRY INTO WELLNESS BLOCK
07. COMMUNITY AXIS // MAIN AXIS
05. FORM OF PLAY // SPORTS COURTS
06. RELAXATION WITH COMPANY // RECREATION
01. STRUCTURE FLOORPLAN // GROUND LEVEL
03. STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
02. PHYSICAL MODEL // PHOTO BY: TAITE MCCRAY
01. ENTRY WALL SECTION & EXTERIOR
03. WALL SECTIONS & DETAILS // CURTAIN WALL
01. FULL BUILDING PERSPECTIVE SECTION // WELLNESS AXIS
02. SECTION // PICKLEBALL + TOWER
01. WALL SECTION & DETAILS // ROCK CLIMBING TOWER
Mass Timber Tectonics + Infill Housing
Austin North Loop
Year II // ARCH 206
Professor James Michael Tate
Collaboration with: Alison Frost
Contributions // research, form generation, 3D modeling, physical modeling, model photography
+ 02 | THE DOLL HAUS THINK TIMBER. TECTONICS. PARTS.
This series of design problems investigates the concept of architectural assemblies with mass timber tectonics. The design problems pushed us to think about formal and spatial tectonic composition and design decision making that has logic and expression. It explores the assembling of parts that crafts a relationship between the inside, outside, and inbetween. The project investigates the study of mass timber which is used in the construction framing of spatial form This study starts with the relationship of heavy timber as it celebrates its capacity of both structural strength and exposed natural material. We then explore the collaboration of heavy timber with light framing construction which plays with the relationship of large wooden beams and dimensional lumber. Through the 3d modeling and physical modeling process, we learned to explore how to put architectural elements together in a part to whole spatial construct on a building scale.
SHIFT //
Re-exploring the sourcing and distribution of timber on an urban scale to the building.
02. PHYSICAL MODEL // HEAVY TIMBER INVESTIGATION
03. PHYSICAL MODEL // HEAVY TIMBER + LIGHT FRAME HYBRID
01. PLAN OBLIQUE // BUILDING WITH CONTEXT
02. EMBODIED ENERGY NARRATIVE // LOCAL
01. PERSPECTIVE // INTERIOR
01. SECTION CHUNK PHYSICAL MODEL // INTERIOR 02. AUSTIN CAPITOL FORESTRY INSTALLATION, PHOTO BY: LEONID FURMANSKY
01. PERSPECTIVE // EXTERIOR
02. FORESTRY INSTALLATION, AUSTIN CAPITOL, PHOTO BY: LEONID FURMANSKY
02. OBLIQUE// NINTH STREET (COMMUNITY LOT, STREET, RESIDENTIAL RETROFIT)
01. RESEARCH // SITE ANALYSIS: PARCEL ZONING, TOPOGRAPHY, VACANCIES, OVERLAP
+03 | ADDRESSING ACCESSIBILITY
COMMUNITY / TRANSITION / HOUSING
Urban Scale project
Tenth Street Historic District
Freedman’s Town, Dallas, TX
Year III // ARCH 305
Professor Tyrene Calvesbert
Collaboration with:
Megan Chovanetz, Jade Radford
Contributions // concept, research, drawings, 3D modeling, ArcGIS, graphic representation
The East Tenth Street Historic District embodies a rich historical legacy, yet grapples with enduring challenges related to accessibility and community amenities. This project aims to re-evaluate existing housing typologies within the district through a comprehensive multi-scalar framework, focusing on inclusion of community, accessibility of transition spaces, and universal design of housing typologies. Our intervention aims to bridge both the historical city-level exclusion and present-day neighborhoodlevel challenges. Our site visit, mapping analysis, and historical analysis allowed us to identify the district’s elevation changes that were typical throughout the neighborhood, a deficiency in commercial services stemming from zoning restrictions, and numerous vacancies that diminish community cohesion and street life. With this combined information, we looked for where these elements overlapped on the map, and chose our intervention location on Ninth Street, which consists of three focus areas: a residential lot, a commercial area, and the street itself. This project seeks to address accessibility challenges and revitalize community spaces.
SHIFT //
Re-exploring the growing climate change impacts as this neighborhood is located near a flood plain, and extreme weather events become more common.
01. RADIAL MAPPING ANALYSIS // COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
*Site analysis derives the spaces included in this community lot
*Access to diverse programming for community needs reduces carbon emissions in transportation
01. AXON // COMMUNITY AS INCLUSION OF AGE-FRIENDLY ACTIVITES
*public restroom, vaccine clinic, lawyers office, tutoring center
*community gathering flex space
01. FLOORPLAN // COMMUNITY AS INCLUSION GATHERING SPACES
TRANSITION SPACES: TO EXIST IN THE TRANSITION ITSELF
01. COMMUNITY AS INCLUSION OF PLACES TO GROW FOOD
02. COMMUNITY AS INCLUSION OF PLACES TO PLAY
03. TRANSITION SPACES: ACCESS TO CROSS STREET & PLAY
01. FLOOR PLAN // RETROFITTED HOUSING AS INCLUSION OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN
01. PERSPECTIVE SECTION // RETROFITTED HOUSING AS INCLUSION OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN
02. PERSPECTIVE SECTION // RETROFITTED HOUSING AS INCLUSION OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN
How can we promote circulation and accessibility within a site that has similar- ity drastic elevation changes to encourage connectivity between houses, street, and community?
MIDTERM // RIBBON CUT
This midterm project “ribbon cut” analyzed the Tenth Street neighborhood and historical housing typologies to retrofit housing in vacant lots.
VACANCY RESEARCH // FEB. 21
CRAFTSMAN ITERATIONS // APRIL 7TH
OUR DESIGN PROCESS //
This Miro board representation highlights the progression and development of the semester long project through the research, brainstorming, documentation, and conceptual development. FINAL // ADDRESSING ACCESSIBILITY
The proposal was an accumluation of research, conceptual development, and representation phases.
01. OBLIQUE // CO-AUTHORED DUPLEX
+04 | PARTI DRIVE
COHESION + ARCHITECTURAL LANGUAGE + PARAMETERS
Upzoning Multi-Family Infill Housing North Loop, Austin, TX
Year II // ARCH 206
Professor James Micheal Tate Collaboration with: Alison Frost, Yash Kakkad, Chris McBride
Contributions // concept, form generation, research, 3D modeling, graphic representation
This project extends the mass timber narrative into architectural problem of a prototypical set of small multi-family structures that hypothetically infill into lots in Austin, Texas. This project looks at investigating and negotiating the housing program with material constraints and establish parameters with an architectural language The duplex is co-authored and will provide the framework for the collective project, and sets the coherent architectural language for each variation. The site for the duplex is 50’ wide by 100’ deep, and is a mid-block infill lot.
SHIFT //
Re-explore different housing typologies to explore large multi-family complexes that responds to dense urban settings.
03. ELEVATION // CO-AUTHORED DUPLEX
02. ELEVATION // CO-AUTHORED DUPLEX
01. ROOF PLAN // CO-AUTHORED DUPLEX
01. FLOOR PLAN - GROUND LEVEL // CO-AUTHORED DUPLEX
02. FLOOR PLAN - SECOND LEVEL // CO-AUTHORED DUPLEX
01. ROOF PLAN // VARIATION DUPLEX
02. OBLIQUE // VARIATION DUPLEX
01. FLOOR PLAN - GROUND LEVEL // VARIATION DUPLEX
02. FLOOR PLAN - SECOND LEVEL // VARIATION DUPLEX
PHYSICAL MODEL
Spatial Generation
Year I // ENDS 108
Professor Livia Loureiro
Individual
Tools // 3D modeling, SketchUp, AutoCAD, Laser Cutting
+05 | SPATIAL CONSTRUCTS SOLIDS. VOIDS. GRIDS
This project explores the spatial considerations of overlaps and intersections through grid foundations that serve as the basis for voids, avenues, and solids. This project utilizes the golden ratio and fibonacci sequence for the grid lines and axis. The foundation of linework serve as a canvas to explore the hierarchy of spaces through intersections.
SHIFT //
Re-construct the postive and negtives of the voids and solids.
01. PHYSICAL DRAWING
01. PLAN OBLIQUE // PLANTER BOX & BENCH
Texas Target Communities
Schematic Design with NOMAS City of Caldwell
Year III // NOMAS X TXTC Design Week
Collaboration with: Alina Torres, Maya Rubio, Ekaansh Kalra, Daniel Velaquez
This project’s objective was to provide NOMAS and architecture students an opportunity to engage with smaller cities in Texas. In this case, the focus is on the city of Caldwell, and the goal is to redesign smaller elements in downtown square and explore new ways to revamp the design of the overall downtown. This collaboration will serve as a schematic design that can be shared with the larger community. The City of Caldwell wants to improve walk-ability and accessibility from the on-street parking to the businesses, and do so by removing existing planter boxes and re-making new ones, having benches for seating, and improved street lights.
SHIFT //
Re-exploring the material compostition of the elements made of biogenic materials (sunflower stems, un-usable branches, agricultural byproduct)
01. STREET ELEVATION // CALDWELL PLANTER BOXERS
POINT COLUMN
POINT
02. The initial step in the process invovled cutting the wood planks in various lenths in order to play with the rhythm of the grain. The first phase of cutting concentrated on the foundational pieces, which will extend fully from beam to the ground.
03. Cutting the wood invovled pressing and matching up pieces together before drilling the holes for the dowels.
05. After the pieces go through the drilling process, they are kept clamped so that the holes in the
01. TEXAS A&M WORKSHOP OUTPUTS
BEAM PLANE
04. In this process we used a 5/16th drill bit to make holes for the dowels to connect the pressed wood pieces together.
pieces align before the dowels are driven through the planks with a mallet.
+07 | ONE PIECE AT A TIME
MASS TIMBER + BIOGENIC MATERIAL + PROCESS OF MAKING
Contributions // concept, 3D modeling, fabrication, assembly
This workshop is part of a co-creational speculation on mass timber in North America. This AIAS workshop with PLAIN D*B explores the process of working with mass timber, and investigates that the process of working with the material itself is just as important as the design. The broader aim of this project is to provide a synopsis of the technological advancement in mass timber, and re-imagine architecture as a form of biomass closely determined by organic production
SHIFT //
Develope a workshop to grow an appreciation for constructing with biogenic materials.
06. After the dowel is hammered through the wood pieces, we saw off the dowel, and leave a few inches sticking out to connect with the next pieces.
07. A few inches of the dowel are left sticking out in order for the next pieces to connect.
08. Drilling through the planks to create connection points.
09. During this semester, our team designed the plane, which is a collection of planks of various lengths utilizing DLT (dowel laminated timber) method. The variation in lengths creat gaps, allowing air and light to seep through, and the connection between the beam and the plane is revealed, highlighting the lengths of the planks along the beam’s profile.
01. GRAPHIC // 2023
American Institute of Architecture (AIAS)
Year II,III, IV // AIAS Marketing Committee
In Collaboration with: Marketing Committees led by Sam Garza, Samantha Guzman, & Jade Radford
Contributions // concept, graphic representation
As an AIAS officer, I have had the privilege to collaborate with peers, design graphic outputs, and give input for marketing graphics for the digital engagement of the student organization.
SHIFT //
Through graphic language, illustrate environmental & biogenic explorations.
Camp ARCH is a week long camp dedicated to introducing high school students the basics of the design process and architectural thought. As a counselor, I helped instruct students to configured geometries and learn boolean operations, set up the learning objectives with peer counselors and faculty, and mentored students on the various modules including rhino workflow, physical modeling, and 3D modeling.
Exploring biogenic material prototypes with a team.
