Architecture P o r t f o l i o by Magdalena Kurdzialek
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email: magda99.mk@gmail.com
Magdalena Kurdzialek My life’s philosophy centers around the core value of connection. I believe in fostering it intentionally with myself, the environment and people around me. I view challenges as seeds, growing beyond the comfort zone. I feel myself to be an explorer who’s most life has been spent moving across various countries in Europe as well as Iran and a long travel in Central America. These experiences shaped my sensitivity and view of the world. I’m interested in exploring the use of bio-materials in architecture, how spaces can bring us closer together and uplift our wellbeing both physically and psychologicially. I quickly find myself in new environments bringing a positive perspective. Connecting to a driving force in my life through self exploration in movement, art, and the sharing of stories.
Education Oxford Brookes University BA Architecture 2018-2021 Monnet International School in Warsaw Interantional Baccalaurante 2016-2018
Languages English C2 Polish C2 German C1 Spanish B1
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WORK EXPERIENCE April - October 2023
INTERN
Office for the New Earth (ONE -Design and Construct NGO) , Kofinou Asylum Centre, • Contributed to the construction process of a therapeutic play space for children • Engaged in precise carpentry work with wood using professional tools • Participated in the design process of creating child- friendly spaces and play elements • Organized and executed workshops with children in the refugee camp promoting creativity and connection to the space • Created graphic content to promote the organization’s vision
RIBA Mentoring Scheme
Noc 2021 - Feb 2022
Purcel, Oxford, UK
• Insight into company’s running live/completed projects • Experiencing design in practice: design stages, cashflow, staffing, job planning
STUDENT AMBASSADOR Oxford Brookes University
Sep 2019-April 2021
• Offering insightful guidance to prospective students / engaging with enquiries
VOLONTEER Strawclay (Construction of three houses with bio-materials) Kefalonia, Greece Sol y Verde (Education Centre) Paxcaman, Guatemala Finca el Arbol (Coffee plantation) Ocotal, Nicaragua Talamanca Chocolate (Education Centre), Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica Re-Green (Permaculture farm and Education Centre) Seliana, Greece
3 weeks (July 2023) 2 weeks (Dec 2022) 3 weeks (Oct 2022) 3 weeks (Oct 2022) 4 weeks (Sep 2022)
• Learned about and maintained permaculture systems • Involved in organizing creative community events with children • Introduced to natural building methods, including wattle and daub, cob, strawclay, limeplasters • Conducted experiments with various natural materials,ex, banana fiber in cob mixture • Created a mural
COURSES Natural Building Course (COB, Nessonas, Greece) 10 days (June 2023) • Building a small house from start to finish. (sourcing materials, wattle and daub, earth bags, straw clay, lime plasters, reciprocal timber roof)
SKILLS: Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign) SketchUp
Rhino 3D AutoCAD
• Technical drawings • Physical model making • Graphic Design • Drawing • Painting •Sculpting
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Table of Contents
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HANDS-ON I.Intern at Office for the New Earth II.Natural Buildng Course III. Strawclay house, Kefalonia IV Volonteering, Central America
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ACADEMIC 1. Cowley Stories 2. Carnival Lock-up 3.Gym Be-que 4. Creative Collectives 5. Grandad, Mum, Him
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ARTISTIC 1. Watercolour Paintings
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Temple of the Golden Trees
I.
Intern at at Office for the New Earth (One)
ONE‘s mission is to build healing spaces for children in which they can play, feel protected and reconnect with themselves. An NGO that designs and constructs structures in refugee communities ephesizing on biophilic design, environmental psychology and empowerement of the local community. They focus on creating therepeutic multifunctional spaces from wood with internal play elements. The structure consists of laminated coloumns on site in a organic tree-like shape, timber flooring and outdoor canvas attached at the roof for shading and light patterns. Role: Intern I joined ONE during the construction stage of the Temple of the Golden Trees in Kofinou Asylum and Accomodation Centre in Cyprus. - Carpentry, Construction of the Structure, Design and Creation of internal play elements - Development & Execution of creative workshops with children - Graphic content/social media. (Team consisted of 4-6 people on site) Location: Kofinou Asylum and Accomodation Centre Time spent: 4months (summer-autumn 2023)
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Photos from construction stage and during the creative workshops 7
Completion of Temple of the Golden Trees October 2023 8
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1 Tarzan rope
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Spider nets 2.640
1.250
0.625
1.250
1.25
Water play with fallign water and dikes
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Monkey bars
Football field (or other sport) painted on ground
Rolling slide
Parcour path with several options
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Ladder to sl and climbing
F hopskotch or other activities painted on ground
Rope com swing Swing
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Monkey bars
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Play elements within the Space 10
Community swing
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3 10.780 1.250
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Aerial silk hammacks 1.250
1.250
1.250
Sensory Garden
0.625 0.300
Sensory path with seats along the way
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Enclosure gar
arden tion g ra plo
Ex
Wooden sculpture to sit on or play with
1.500
view to garden and mountains
3 1.500
Aerial silks Ladder to relaxing observation space
1.500
lide nets
9.000
Chalk board on platform
1.500
Free space for activities
mmunitary
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Entrance - No shoes
1.500
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1.500
Swings at an angle for view and interaction
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Sensory Swings
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The Blue House
II. Natural Building Course COB is a community farm teaching workshops on sustainability techniques - a field for research and application of natural farming and building practices. It counts more than 500 trees raised by seed and seven natural buildings. Electricity is supplied by a wind generator, solar panels and biogas while the control of the building’s temperature is achieved through solar passive systems. Rain water and “grey” water is collected by three lakes and tanks. Role: Participant During the 10 days, with 20 participants we build a 14m2 house from locally and on site supplied materials: ex.soil. The techniques were covered both theoretically and in practice. The course was part of a Erasmus + programme. The techniques used include: Wattle and Daub: Woven Lattice from bamboo strips, Coated by hand with Cob (sand, stra, clay, water mixture mixed with the feet) Earth Bags: Bags filled with earth and compressed Lime Plaster: Lime, sand, water mixure x2 layers Green Roof: organic mater, self sufficient plants Strawclay: Straw dipped in clay solution Adobe bricks: Sun dried bricks from straw, clay, sand Encouraged to creativiely expermient with ornamenting the house I have created a wall scultpture from earth, straw and clay (sun/moon) painted with natural dyes. Location: COB, Nessonas, Greece
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The Blue House Julne 2023 14
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Agrotourism Project
III. Straw Clay Houses
Three structures desined by a Greek Architect: Aithrio Architecture in Kefalonia, Greece. A team of volonteers orgenized through COB organisation took part in the construction process of the spaces, only bio-materials were used. Role: Volonteer Strawclay - The process of stuffing straw dipped in a clay solution in the walls (width: 40cm) acts a natural insulator. The structure is later coatted with cob (straw, clay, sand) and finished with a lime plaster. During this process I have gained a better understanding of executing bigger scale project with organic materials. I had the chance to discuss the ideas with the architect and acknowledged that it takes a whole community of people to build these structures by hand. It’s a process of working together and accomodating to people’s needs as necessary. Morover, building a closer connection to the materials themselves and seeing how the space comes to live each day. Location: Kefalonia, Greece Time spent: 3.5 weeks, August 2023
Final Render by Aithrio Architecture
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Volonteering projects in Central America Descovering the everyday life of local communities and ecological innitatives.
Sol y Verde (Education Centre) Paxcaman, Guatemala I joined the group for 10 days at their initial stages of constructing an ecological community school for the village all build from local, natural resources.
Mexico
Guatemala
Finca el Arbol (Coffee plantation) Ocotal, Nicaragua A cultural 3 week exchange at a coffee plantation. I was introduced to building with adobe bricks and the process of coffee cultivation.
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Bali Rica, Rica Ojochal, Costa Rica Creation of a mural inspired by tropical plants in the area.
Talamanca Chocolate (Education Centre), Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica During 3 weeks on the farm I got insights into the cacao plant, the process of chocolate making, from plant to bar, as well as experimented with 2 different fibers (substitudes to straw) in the cob mixture.
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Utila, Honduras Livingstron, Guatemala
Belize
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Honduras
Nicaragua
Ometepe, Nicaragua San Ignacio, Belize
Costa Rica
Montenegro, Costa Rica
Live sketches around Central America. Capturing the moment.
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Academic Work: Yr 3. Semester 1 20
1. Cowley Stories Following the footsteps of Cowley Road. Mapping study, Exploring the cultural phenomena, that is The Everyday Life A study of people, single moments and interactions with others and the surroundings during the day. Depicting the subtle differences, opportunities and conflicts in the ever changing Cowley road. a place of cultural celebration, individual oddities, public activism. Collective Community Memory - Crafted into comic boards. Location: Cowley road, Oxford Observatory point: The Big Society
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2. Carnival Lock-up "Carnival Lock-up" is an initiative to keep the vibrant Cowley Carnival spirit alive all year round. The design circles around the idea of float making. A programme allowing kids and youth to take part in creative workshops and competitions that are exhibited during the carnival celebrations. Each structure distinguished with different colours is designed for various age groups ranging from 7-22 years old. The green structure is a space for Cowley Works Charity, one that runs the Carnival each year. Each structure has access to a rotating float storage space. The space is lit up at night to showcase the creations and see how they evolve over time. The proposal is tied together with a rollercoaster powered by solar energy, allowing for a public tour around the structures. The space in between gives local musicians and artists the chance to host live performances and create murals. All activities promote and support Cowley works Charity. Mostly locally sourced timber is used as the building material. Location: Manzil Way, Cowley Road, Oxford, UK
Academic Work: Yr 3. Semester 2 22
A. Section
Cowley Works Charity
18-22yrs
13-17yrs
7-12yrs
Each structure is tied to different age groups
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A
SCALE BAR 1:100 0
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PERFORM PERFORM
This is my favourite band!
I wonder who is going to perform this year...
I already have some ideas how to upcycle these to fit the new theme
We have a big chance in winning this year’s competition! Look at this one!
Construction Model, Comic Representation 24
Axonometric site model (Rhino 3D) 25
Academic Work: Yr 3. Semester 2. Sectional Perspective
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B
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B
3. Gym be-que Exploring architecture as a form of a spectacle, of leisure and amusement. Fostering a special interaction between ‘entertainment’ and and ‘everyday’ convenience. Combination of active lifestyle and social barbeque session. Introducing GYM BE QUE - pavillion at the ‘Buissness not as Usual 2022 festival held throughout the year of 2022 in South Park, Oxford. The structure invites the whole family and friends to spend a day enjoying the space through exercising, climbing and food. A multi-functional space, circles the kinetic energy throughout the design in ex. waterfilter, charging stations. Location:
South Park, Oxford, UK
Academic Work: Yr 3. Semester 1 28
Exploded Axonometric - Materials 29
Academic Work, Yr 3. Semester 1 Construction Axo Section 1:20 30
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25 mm marine plywood steel connection plate DBL 50x150mm WD LEDGER 150x200 cross laminated timber beam
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cross laminated timber floor timber joists
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25 mm marine plywood DBL 50x150mm WD LEDGER DIA pole breather membrane 200mm insullation plaster board
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insulation between joists cross laminated timber flooring tiles
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rubber flooring cross laminated timber
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SCREW PILE saddle bracket - height adjustment contracter - adaptable
Academic Work: Yr 3. Semester 1. Perspective Section A 32
A
Ground floor plan A
First floor plan
A
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4. Collective Creatives Timber co-living housing project for a chosen collective group - The Creative Workers. New Cross is a vibrant district in central London, a home to Goldsmith Centre for Contemporary art, its median age is 30 and it calls for more housing innovations. Collevtive Creatives is a place for people to live, interact, create and exhibit. The design explores the relationship between private, semi-private and public spaces, creating a sense of community. The design consits of an internal couryard to stop for a minute to chat, mayve even dine together, as well as a studio for collaborative or individual work. The exhibition space on the ground floor connects with the main street allowing the public to interact and support the collectives through open events and exhibitions. It gives its inhabitant an extra opportunity of income and a way to build new connections. Location: Newcross, London
Academic Work, Yr 2. Semester 2. (Unit E- Collective Living) 34
Academic Work: Yr 2. Semester 2. 1;20 Room Model 35
Drawings of building typology surrounding the site plot from North Side (A)
A
Public square/busy/noisy Tight street/mysterious Pocket park/quiet/ feeling of privacy
Proposal for public space use. Study - each pattern associated with different feeling
Sketch of design proposal front facade - public engagement
Academic Work, Yr 2. Semester 2 36
Sketch model of design proposal 1:200
Front facade light test Model 1:50
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Exhibition space
Art & Bike Storage
Studio
Internal Courtyard
Connects with the main street allowing the public to interact and support the collectives through open events and exhibitions. It gives its inhabitant an extra opportunity of income and a way to build new connections
We all need extra storage space, especially with all our art supplies. Collectives Creatives got you covered!
Interact, Share, Stay Inspired. Together or individually, the studio is for all the collectives to have space to experment and create.
To stop for a moment. Chat to your neighbour. Appreciate the silence from within, the light coming from above. Take a breath. Why notdine all together?
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Private Livingroom
Just me and my bedroom
This is a place for the chosen interaction. Inviting your friends over, sharing stories, cooking together. Connecting closer.
A place just for you. The space where you feel safe and nurtured. Ready for a good rest.
Open to public Shared by collectives Shared within private apartments Private space
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Academic Work, Yr 2. Semester 2. Main Street Elevation 40
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Academic Work, Yr 2. Semester 1. Axonometric view of Heartslane street. (Unit E - Collective Living) 42
5. Grandad, Mom and Him A multi genarational family house at Hearts Lane street, responds to the needs, unique interests and daily rituals of all members. Combining five clusters into one house in celebration of the diversity of interests. It symbolises how to live in symbiosis with one another. The design is filled with various nooks leaving its inhabitants the choise of finding their place within the space. Grandad in interesting in gardening and likes to people watching too. Mom spends little time at home but she enjoys to share quality time with her family and practice yoga. The Son, loves airplanes and he tests their abbilities from various heights. Raised ground levels of the plot were used to carve in sitting spaces for passers-by. Heartlane Street in an example of a mini-community with various collectives on each plot. The street comes alive with Sundays Farmers Market and areas to host BBQ and come together. Location: Hearts Lane street, Newcross, London
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Front Elevation in Perspective 44
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Inside Gutter
Breather membrane -prevents moisture penetrating through the insulation and cladding
Timber cladding -Natural ventilation layer (less heat loss)
Double glanced windows -they reduce the hear loss and therefore require less energy to heat up the house
Heated floor -allows to keep the house warm Steel reinforcement bars -separate timber studs from concrete
Detail Drawing, Section A 45
Sectional Perspective (B)
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B
B
Ground floor plan
B
B
First floor plan
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Watercolour paintings My watercolour paintings from a series of documenting Polish landscapes, from cities to unusual, vibrant nature spots (A5). The prints were given as gifts during a Polish Embassy event to Attaches’ around the world.
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Don’t hesitate, reach out! email: magda99.mk@gmail.com in: Magdalena Kurdzialek
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