Cristina Mena Arjona - Design Portfolio

Cristina mena arjona

PORTfolio

Design Projects 2012-2019

Architecture & Urban

Curriculum Vitae

Cristina mena arjona

Architect/ Urban Designer

30 May 1989 4 Palmer House, 76-84 Fortress Road NW52HH, London, UK +44 07.76.12.225.85 / arqcristinamena@gmail.com

Professional Experience 01.2018-04.2019 11.2014-08.2016

CRISTINA MENA ARCHITECTURE / Monterrey, Mx / Freelance Architect

01.2017-06.2017

UCL / London, UK / Consultant in Urban Development

Community Centre for a church, 650 m2, Monterrey, RIBA Stages 0-3

Columbarium Chapel, 100 m2, Monterrey, RIBA Stages 0-3

Interior Design for a flat of 130 m2, €56k, Monterrey, RIBA Stages 0-6

Private Chapel, 50 m2, Monterrey, RIBA Stages 0-3 Responsabilities : Projet Management, Conceptual Design, Architectural and Technical Development, Construction Detailing, 3D Visualisation, Graphic Info, Site Supervision, Surveys, Coordination with : Clients, Constructors, Developers and Engineers.

Yangon, Myanmar: City-wide Strategies for Slum Upgrading / http://bit.ly/YangonReport

Deptford, London: Managing the Moment of Change / http://bit.ly/DeptfordReport

Brescia, Italy: BUDD Camp on Refugees and Cities Responsabilities : Research, Interviews, Mapping, Participatory Design Activities, Strategic Business Development, Report Writing, Engagement with : Communities, Local Governments, Universities, and Civil Society Organisations.

11.2015-08.2016

OTRA ARQUITECTURA / Monterrey, Mx / Architect Projets : Housing, Commercial and Interior Design in Mexico, RIBA Stages 0-5 Responsabilities : Conceptual Design, Architectural and Technical Development, Construction Detailing, 3D Visualisation, Rendering.

05.2013-11.2015

LANDA ARQUITECTOS / Monterrey, Mx / Junior Architect Single Family Home, 650 m2, €550k, Monterrey, RIBA Stages 2-5

Pabellón M: Tower, Convention Centre and Auditorium, 19,485 m2, €98M, Monterrey, RIBA Stages 4-5

Parque Centro: Masterplan commercial/ housing/ offices, 209,000 m2, €45M, Saltillo (Mx), RIBA Stages 1-4

Il Mercato Gentiloni: Restaurants and Commerces, 6,700m2, Saltillo (Mx), €10M, RIBA Stages 0-5 Responsabilities : Conceptual Design, Architectural and Technical Development, Construction Detailing, 3D Visualisation, Rendering, Site Supervision, Surveys, Coordination with : Clients, Constructors, Contractors, Developers and Engineers.

09.2012-12.2012

DOMINIQUE PERRAULT ARCHITECTURE / Paris, Fr / Intern La Poste du Louvre, Restructuration, 35.000 m2, €80M, Paris, RIBA Stages 1-3 Responsabilities : Physical Models, Graphic Visualisation, Architectonic, Demolition and Fire and Security Plans.

Academic Formation 09.2016-09.2017

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (UCL) / London, UK MSc Building and Urban Design in Development (BUDD) / Distinction / DISSERTATION : Urban Sprawl as a Creator of Social Exclusion: The relationship between Housing and Mobility in Monterrey, Mexico (Marked A) / http://bit.ly/DissertationCMA

08.2008-12.2013

INSTITUTO TECNOLÓGICO Y DE ESTUDIOS SUPERIORES DE MONTERREY (ITESM) / Monterrey, Mx BA Architecture (5 year Bachelor Degree) / AVERAGE: 91.3/100 Escala Project Management Seminar / Legorreta-Tagliabue XI Urban Design Studio (Distrito Tec Publication) / Orange Investments Real-Estate Development Studio / CEMEX XIX Advanced Architecture Studio / International Internship Programme

2008-2012 2008-2010 08.2005-05.2008

Participation and Coordination of Student Group OHANA / Summer Camps for vulnerable children in foster homes Participation and Coordination of International Arquitecture Congresses ITESM

INSTITUTO TECNOLÓGICO Y DE ESTUDIOS SUPERIORES DE MONTERREY (ITESM) Highschool / Monterrey, Mx / IBO Certificate History, Superior Level - 6

Distinctions and Publications 2017

XX Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism of Chile : Diálogos Impostergables / Participant / UCL BUDD : Resisting Bordering Practices

2014

Revelations + Alternatives : An Encounter with the Zone of Tecnológico de Monterrey / Co-autor / ISBN : 978-607-501-294-0

Skills and Software IT Tools Languages Other

AutoCAD (X-Ref) / Revit / 3DS Max / Rhino / Sketchup + Vray / Adobe Creative Suite / MICROSOFT Office English & French - Fluent written and spoken / Italian - Intermediate / Spanish - Native / German - Basic Hand Sketching / Writing / Research / Photography / Graphic Design / Acrylic and Oil Painting

Table of Contents

Professional

Professional

Academic

Community

Experience - Freelancer

Experience - Studios

Work

Engagement

Interior

p.6

Highpark Flat 2016 /130m / Mty, Mx 2

p.22

Residential

Casa Herradura 2015 /-m / Mty, Mx 2

Collab. Landa Arquitectos/TAL

p.26

Commercial

Il Mercato gentiloni 2015 /-m / Saltillo, Mx 2

Collab. Landa Arquitectos

Religious

Regeneration

p.10

Jbp community centre 2015-18 / 600m / Mty, Mx

p.14

Jbp Columbarium chapel 2015 / 100m / Mty, Mx

p.18

Salinas chapel 2016 / 60m / Mty, Mx

2

2

2

p.30

La Poste du Louvre 2012 /35,000m / Paris, Fr 2

Collab. Dominique Perrault

Mixed Use

p.32

p.40

meeting point cuauhtémoc 2011 /-m / Mty, Mx

p.42

Distrito Tec 2013 /- m / Mty, Mx

2

Pabellón m 2012 /93,937 m / Mty, Mx 2

Collab. Landa Arquitectos

Masterplan/ Urban Design

p.36

Parque Centro 2013 /- m / Saltillo, Mx 2

p.46 Community/ Research

2

Collab. Landa Arquitectos

In Loving Memory 2016 /- m / Beirut, Leb 2

p.48

distrito Tec Fieldwork 2013 /- m / Mty, Mx

p.50

Ward 93 Fieldwork 2017 /- m / Yangon,

Medellín, Co

2

2

Myanmar

H ig h pa rk F lat 2016 Professional Experience - Freelancer

Professional Experience - Freelancer

Public Areas

2016

Private Areas Service Areas

Highpark flat Cristina Mena Arquitectura place year type sq. mts. cost RIBA work stages

This interior design project is located in a 130m2 space with dimensional constraints. The private areas are located strategically to take advantage of the views and ventilation and the service areas are concentrated on the back. The material palette used includes neutral tones and natural materials such as wood, carrara marble, and whitewood stone.

Cristina Mena Arquitectura

Monterrey, Mexico 2016 Interior Design 130 ÂŁ50,000 0-6 Built

As architect in charge of the project, the activities consisted in conceptual and architectural design, development and detailing, construction supervision, meetings with the client, and coordination with the constructor, technical subcontractors and material providers.

Highpark Flat

p. 7

2016

p. 8

Professional Experience - Freelancer

Highpark Flat

Cristina Mena Arquitectura

Professional Experience - Freelancer

12

6

9

9 10

10

5 11

4

3

1. Entrance 2. Living Room 3. Laundry 4. Pantry 5. Kitchen 6. Dinning Room 7. Bedroom 1 8. Bedroom 2 9. Walk-in closet 10. Bathroom 11. Guest Bathroom 12. Balcony

2

1

H ig h pa rk F lat 2016

7

8

Professional Experience - Freelancer

2015

jesĂşs el buen pastor community centre Cristina Mena Arquitectura place year type sq. mts. cost RIBA work stages

p. 10

Monterrey, Mexico 2015-2018 Religious / Community 600 ÂŁ241,000 0-5 - To be built

JBP Community Centre

Located in the grounds of a catholic church, the project consists of two new extensions: a space for the administrative, educational and leisure services of the parish and a new columbarium area.

The concept of the community center consists of a carved rectangular volume that adapts to

Cristina Mena Arquitectura

a slopedown terrain and the existing parrish building to take advantage of the views.

While the basement holds the administrative offices, the groundfloor consists of a multiple use room that can be subdivided with sliding panels according to use.

JB P C o m m un it y C e nt re

2015

Professional Experience - Freelancer

Professional Experience - Freelancer

2015

JB P C o m m un it y C e nt re

Transversal Section B-B’

General section: community centre and church

Longitudinal Section A-A’

Professional Experience - Freelancer

B

B

A’

A

A’

A

B’

Floor plan Level -1

2015

B’

Floorplan Level 0

Cristina Mena Arquitectura

JBP Community Centre

p. 13

Jb p c o lu mb a r iu m c h a p e l

2015 Professional Experience - Freelancer

Professional Experience - Freelancer

2015

jesĂşs el buen pastor coLUMBARIUM CHAPEL Cristina Mena Arquitectura place year type sq. mts. cost RIBA work stages

Monterrey, Mexico 2015 Religious / Funerary 100 0-1

Located in the grounds of a catholic church, the project consists of two new extensions: a space for the administrative, educational and leisure services of the parish and a new columbarium area. The columbarium creates an atmosphere of privacy, silence and respect that is connected to a garden. Activities included: conceptual, architectural design and development, and coordination with client.

Cristina Mena Arquitectura

JBP Columbarium Chapel

p. 15

Professional Experience - Freelancer

2015

B

E2

A’

A

Floorplan columbarium chapel

E1

B’

Elevation 1: Main Access

Elevation 2

Cross Section B-B’

Cross Section A-A’

p. 16

JBP columbarium Chapel

Cristina Mena Arquitectura

JB P C o l um b a ri u m C h a p el

2015

Professional Experience - Freelancer

Sa l in a s C h a pe l 2016 Professional Experience - Freelancer

ProfessionalExperience - Freelancer

2016

salinas chapel Cristina Mena Arquitectura place year type sq. mts. cost RIBA work stages

Monterrey, Mexico 2016 Religious 60 0-3

A small familiy chapel, the conceptual project consists of a rotated vaulted cube inside a rectangular volume. This is done to protect the chapel from the afternoon east sun and take advantage of it through small voids which create play of light and shadow. The seating is distributed embracing the altar and ambo.

Accomodating 21 people, the small chapel can be accesed in two ways, an ouverture on one

Cristina Mena Arquitectura

side for daily prayers and small services and the aperture of the northern facade to accomodate a larger number of people in the surrounding garden.

Materials include apparent cast concrete for the structure and brick for the facades and vault.

Activities included conceptual, architectural development and design; contact with client and structural engineer.

Salinas Chapel

p. 19

Professional Experience - Freelancer

2016

B

B

A

A’

Floor plan

A

A’

Ceiling plan

B’

Section A-A’

p. 20

Salinas Chapel

Section B-B’

Cristina Mena Arquitectura

B’

Sa l in a s c h a pe l 2016

Professional Experience - Freelancer

2015

Professional Experience - Studios

CASA HERRADURA 2 Landa Arquitectos / TAL Taller place year type sq. mts. cost RIBA work stages

Monterrey, Mexico 2015 Residential ÂŁ 500,000 2-5

Located in a downsloping terrain in a golf club, the house is composed of three volumes placed strategically to create terraces and take advantage of the views.

The program includes a game room in the basement, a garden terrace, pool and common and service areas in the middle section and private rooms in the top wagon-like volume.

As architect in charge of the project activities included: architectural design development; technical development and detailing; coordination with structural design, technical subcontractors, project managers and client; construction supervision; and the design and technical detailing of the main staircase.

p. 22

Casa herradura 2

Landa Arquitectos/ TAL Taller

casa herradura 2 2015

Professional Experience - Studios

Professional Experience - Studios

c a sa h er r a dur a 2

2015

Isometrical detail of staircase

Š Landa Arquitectos

Detailing of steps & structure

Professional Experience - Studios

Access floorplan

2015

Roof floorplan

Longitudinal Section

Landa Arquitectos/ TAL Taller

casa herradura 2

p. 25

© Landa Arquitectos

Pa b e lló n m 2015 Professional Experience - Studios

Professional Experience - Studios

2015

il mercato gentiloni Landa Arquitectos place year type sq. mts. cost RIBA work stages

Located at the heart of Parque Centro, Il Mercato is a gastronomic centre which innovatively explores the fusion of two cultures with a strong culinary history: Italian and Mexican. It includes a food market, cafĂŠ, butchery, bakery, wine shop, three restaurants, a bar and a cooking school.

The 6,700 m2 complex is organized in mezzanine levels around a central open courtyard and is covered by a sloped surface.

Landa Arquitectos

Saltillo, Mexico 2015 Commercial 6,700 0-5

As architect in charge of the project, activities included: conceptual, architectural, and technical development drawing and detailing; 3D Modeling and rendering; meetings and coordination with client, constuctors, structural engineers, project managers, and interior designers; and site supervision.

Il mercato gentiloni

p. 27

2015

Professional Experience - Studios

Cooking School Event Venue Pizzeria

Wine Shop

Restaurant Ice Cream

Bar

Charcuterie Bakery Market & Café

© Landa Arquitectos

p. 28

il mercato gentiloni

Isometrical View

Landa Arqquitectos

© Landa Arquitectos © Landa Arquitectos

Il mercato gentiloni 2015

Longitudinal Section

Professional Experience - Studios

LA POSTE DU LOUVRE 2012 Professional Professional Experience Experience- -Studios Studios

© DPA

La Poste du Louvre Dominique Perrault Architecture place year type sq. mts. cost RIBA work stages

Paris, France 2012 Regen./ Mixed Use 35,000 € 80 million 1-3

The project consists of the redevelopment of the post office main headquarters in the heart of Paris. The original building was designed in 1888 by the architect Julien Guadet in the context of Haussman’s great avenue transformations and represents the largest distribution centre of the

Courier of France.

The 35,000 m2 project is currently under construction and aims to modernise the post activities. It will include offices, commerces, social housing and a hotel.

As ‘stagiare’ or intern, responsibilities included creating physical models, graphics, demolition and security plans and assisting in the architectural design and technical development.

Professional Experience - Studios

2012

Model of proposed facade

Physical model of existing structure with proposed circulation nuclei

Dominique Perrault Architecture

La Poste du Louvre

p. 31

Pa b e llรณ n m 2015 Professional Experience - Studios

Professional Experience - Studios

2015

pabellรณn m Landa Arquitectos place year type sq. mts. cost RIBA work stages

Monterrey, Mexico 2015 Auditorium / Mixed Use 193,937 ยฃ 41 million 4-5

Located in the historical center of the city, the project consists of an egg-shaped auditorium surrounded by an embracing volume of commerces and convention center and a 48-level tower containing office spaces and a hotel. The auditorium has a capacity for 4,500 people.

The total area of the building is of 193,937 m2 Activities included assisting in the architectural and technical development and detailing of the auditorium including: stairs, bathrooms, finishes, ceiling fixtures, and foodcourt.

Landa Arquitectos

Pabellรณn m

p. 33

2015

Professional Experience - Studios

Auditorium Structure Detail

Auditorium and Business Centre section

p. 34

Pabellรณn m

Auditorium section

Landa Arquitectos

Pa b e llรณ n m 2015

Professional Experience - Studios

Parque Ce nt ro Master p lan 2013 Professional Experience - Studios

Professional Experience - Studios

2013

Parque Centro masterplan Landa Arquitectos place year type sq. mts. cost RIBA work stages

Saltillo, Mexico 2013 Masterplan / Urban Design 1-4

Designed to be developed in two phases, the masterplan includes open space commercial and buisiness premises, big-boxes, hotels, residential and office areas as well as underground parking. The masterplan is designed in a way that every building is in contact with open and recreational green areas, thus giving the sensation of living and working inside a park. Special focus is placed on the human scale and attention to accesible pedestrian walkways and crossings.

Activities included 3D modeling, rendering, technical drawing and detailing, assisting in the planning regulation of the development, coordinating with landscape architect, planning consultants and client and assisting the architectural development of individual projects such as a hotel, restaurants and a financial centre.

Landa Arquitectos

Parque Centro Masterplan

p. 37

2013

Professional Experience - Studios A

Commerce Big Boxes Commerce & Services Mixed Use Hotel Offices Green Area B

B’

A’

Section A-A’

Masterplan Plot division and streets

Section B-B’

p. 38

Parque Centro Masterplan

Landa Arquitectos

Parque Ce nt ro Master p lan 2013

Professional Experience - Studios

2011

Academic Work

Meeting Point Cuauhtémoc ITESM- Intermediate Design Studio place year type

Monterrey, Mexico 2011 Regeneration/ Public Space

The aim of the project was to regenerate an abandoned 15 story steel structure in Monterrey. The building is located in a high-activity comercial zone, where public space and walkways are practically nonexistent. “Meeting Point” tower acts as an atrium for Cuauhtémoc street as a vertical public space, where any citizen can take part of cultural, educative and sport activities.

The intervention consits in creating two voids through the structure, one horizontal, and one vertical to organize the program and generate open spaces.

The four boxes resulting are suspended by the existing structure and connected by circulations which consolidate the main characteristic of the building: the architectural circuit.

p. 40

Meeting Point Cuauhtémoc

ITESM - Intermediate Design Studio

Pre-existing structure

M ee ti n g P o i nt C u a u h tĂŠ mo c 2011

Ac a d emic Work

2013

Academic Work

Distrito Tec

Site Analysis

Principles

1. Security

A) Integrate district by reconfiguring campus borders

ITESM- Advanced Design Studio place year type sq. mts.

Monterrey, Mexico 2013 Urban Design 616 hectares

Delicuency 2005-2013 VS Insecurity Perception

Community IN - University OUT

2. Fragmentation

B) Street as a means of Social Integration

3. Mobility

C) Change of Mobility Priorities

Existing Situation

Distrito Tec is an urban regeneration proposal for the 616-hectare district around TecnolĂłgico de Monterrey University. The aim of this masterplan intervention is to integrate the main campus with its surrounding neighbourhoods by disrupting existing borders (bringing the campus outside its physical limits and the communities inside), and by transforming the district into a hub of innovation and exchange of knowledge.

The project contemplates three ruling principles to regenerate the area: First, to integrate district’s diverse communities by reconfiguring campus borders offering once private areas to the city as new public metropolitan parks and squares; and allowing access to outsiders into private campus. Second, to transform streets from barriers to generators of social interaction and integration. And third, to reorder mobility priorities in which pedestrians and cyclists are at the top of the scale; this includes a new multimodal transport system. Guidelines included the redesign of a huge parking lot area into a public park connecting to neighbourhoods; and underground concealment of highspeed avenue to connect zones.

Done in order to provide solutions to experts commisioned by university including Sasaki Architects and Parsons Consulting. p. 42

Distrito Tec

46% 37%

7%

2%

Guidelines 1 Market as conversion point

ITESM-Advanced Design Studio

2 Underground Highspeed Avenue to interweave communities

3 New Metropolitan Park

2

1

Urban Intervention University Transport Circuit Metropolitan Transport Routes Cyclepaths Multimodal nodes Parking lots

Di st ri to T e c 2013 Ac a d emic Work

3

2013

Academic Work

Strategy: Metropolitan Park

Site of Intervention

Circulation and Direction Axis

Public square in previous parking lot area

p. 44

Distrito Tec

Types of vegetation and connection to district’s parks

Aereal Overview

ITESM - Advanced Design Studio

Gallery Forest

Aromatic Garden

Orchard

2013 Ac a d emic Work

Grassland and desert

Oak tree forest

Di st ri to T e c

Pine tree forest

I n Lovi n g M e mo ry 2016 A c a d emic Work

In Loving Memory UCL- Urban Intervention Studio place year type

Beirut, Lebanon/ Medellín, Colombia 2016 Urban Design Intervention

Border making practices in Beirut and Medellín come from either economic or violence origins, and are manifested as ethnic segregation and socioeconomic inequality. These borders are continuously present as the wounds of armed conflict, reflected upon the cultural psyche of the people that have not yet healed. Can the remembrance of conflict can be used as a tool to heal the wounds of the city and bring a fragmented society together?

After years of violent conflict, two things are common for the citizens of both cities: the loss of someone dear and the unavoidability of death.

The aim is to reflect upon this, using cemeteries as an entry point, to shift the way in which the collective memory of war is conceived: from a negative, segregating, and sorrowful perspective, to one that is playful, irreverent, and joyous; in which anyone, regardless of socio-ethno-economic background, can identify. The purpose is also to resist the erasure of memory and achieve its continuity, making evident the shared history of war, but not in a contested way. This can be a way to channel dissent into dialogue by integrating different

groups of people in these places and to start building trust between them. In Beirut, the fragmentation of society is also reflected on the fragmentation of cemeteries the city according to religion: Jewish, Christian, Muslim. In Medellín, though less in number, but larger in size, the cemeteries reflect the socio economic inequality that exists in the city.

The intervention consists of symbolically spreading the cemeteries around the cities. These will take the form of pocket public spaces located in spare bits of the city with specific leisure and public uses. They will be connected to create a network of small public areas that can be used by anyone regardless of their ethnic or economic background.

Through this network, not only the segregated cemeteries will be linked, but also neighborhoods from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds will be connected. Each pocket space will have different forms of tombstones and mausoleums that will take different functions: a bench, a playground, a platform to climb, a swing, a table, etc.

Cemeteries in Beirut

Cemeteries in Medellín

Academic Work

2016

Intervention in Nasrah, Beirut

Intervention in Innovation District, MedellĂ­n

UCL - Urban Intervention Studio

In Loving Memory

p. 47

2013

Community Engagement

Publication showing research and results

Distrito Tec Fieldwork ITESM - Advanced Design Studio place year type

Monterrey, Mexico 2013 Urban Design Fieldwork

The project consisted of small events to raise awareness that the priority in the city must start by pedestrians. These were: the painting of creative pedestrian crossings located right next to the exits of the university, the temporal transformation of parking space into a park which included a movie theatre, the reclaiming of street parking areas and repurpose into p. 48

Distrito Tec Fieldwork

pocket gardens and lunch areas, and the intervention of a mime to stop vehicular traffic and let pedestrians cross. These activities have continued to be replicated throughout the district and university compus. The results of this project were published in the book called “Revelations + Alternatives: An encounter with the Tec Zone�.

ITESM - Advanced Design Studio

Hopscotch pedestrian crossing

com m u nity Engagement

Pedestrian crossing painting

Park in the parking lot - movie theatre

2013

Mime stopping car traffic to let pedestrians cross

Di st ri to T e c F i el d w ork

Park in the parking lot - public spaces

2017

Community Engagement

ward 93 Fieldwork UCL City-wide Strategies for Slum Upgrading place year type

Yangon, Myanmar 2017 Urban Design Fieldwork/ Research

Site of intervention Co-production of ward map

The fieldwork consisted of two weeks working alongside the communtity of the informal settlement Ward 93 in Yangon.

The activities held during those days were: mapping with the community, interviews, dream neighbourhood drawing, and area recognition.

Relevant to mention is the co-creation of a map of the community which included main and secondary roads, water pumps, electric generators, education spaces such as schools and libraries, and the political jurisdiction of the community leaders. This map will be very useful in the future to develop self ennumeration activities.

These participation-oriented design activities were useful to the development of strategies at ward and city level which were later presented to the community leaders and municipal authorities. p. 50

Ward 93

Site recognition and mapping

UCL - City-wide Strategies for Slum Upgrading

Workshop with community

Wa rd 9 3 2017 Ac a d emic Work

Co-produced map and governance structure of ward

arqcristinamena@gmail.com

Cristina mena arjona Architecture & Urban Design Projects 2012-2019