Mahlon Howard A r c h i t e c t u r e
P o r t f o l i o
Selected Excerpts | Fall 2016 - Spring 2020
> Statement “When traveling, I find myself stunned when I am standing in front of a building I have read about for hours. Nothing is more thrilling than to observe and appreciate the story behind the architecture. Architecture is simply a creative expression that manipulates the mind, and it inspires me to learn more and tell a story within my designs.” - Mahlon Howard
> Education Fall 2016 - Spring 2020
Mahlon Howard Location
Puškinovo Nám. 4, 160 00
Praha 6-Dejvice
Prague, Czech Republic
Spring 2019
Fall 2014 - Spring 2016
Arvada, CO, USA
Albuquerque, NM, USA
Nationality American
Revit + Enscape Illustrator + Lightroom + Laser Cutting
Latino/Hispanic Native American African American
Date of Birth
October 9th, 1997 (23)
English (Native) +++
Spanish (Intermediate) ++ Czech (Beginner) +
Rhino + InDesign + GISData SketchUp Sketching+
July 2017 - May 2020 (Part-Time)
Office of the Registrar Front Desk Student Manager: - Gained experience with customer service, engaged with students, and helped with enrollment and record services for the University.
Aug 2018 - Dec 2018 (Part-Time)
ENVD Technology Temporary Assistant Tech TA: - Assisted and advised ENVD underclassmen students with architecture porgrams: SketchUp, AutoCad, and Adobe.
Oct 2020 - Present
English Teacher Self-Employed: - Educate native Czech speakers on the English language and grammar.
Sept 2016 - Dec 2018 (Part-Time)
Museum of Natural History in Boulder Student Assistant - Accomplished great time management skills, and polished interaction skills with customers.
Languages
AutoCAD + Grasshopper Physical Modeling Photoshop + 3D Printing +
> Experience
Ethnicity
Architectural Institute in Prague: ARCHIP Global Architecture and Design Arvada West High School - 4 AP Courses and 3 Honor’s Courses - DECA - Student Senate - Student Athlete
> Technical Skills
From
University of Colorado at Boulder Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture - Architecture - Landscape Architecture - Urban Planning
> Volunteer Fall 2019
Spring 2019
Fall 2016 - Spring 2018
Green Home Tour Assisted and monitored the Green Home Building tour around Boulder. Learned and taught others on the benefits and advantages to being sustainable and switching to green infrastructure. Teaching English in Prague Given the opportunity to teach English as a second language to native Czech Elementary school students from February to May during my study abroad program in Prague. Family Fun Day at CU South Denver Student teacher at the CU South Denver campus with the CU Natural History Museum. Work and engage with families and kids 12 and younger with hands on informational themed activities.
> Awards
Contact Email
mahlonhoward09 @gmail.com
Phone
+1 (505) 814 9507
Website
mahlonhoward.wix
site.com/maho
Social Instagram
Dean’s List Recognized as the level of highest scholarship by the University of Colorado Boulder with a GPA of 3.750 or higher when taking 12 or more credits. ENVD Showcase Student Feature Rhino course project was recognized as an excellent example and was presented on display at the ENVD Open House for others to see, as well as used as an example for future references.
> Soft Skills
Optimistic Innovative Teamwork
Grounded Creative Leadership
Versatile Analytic Collaborative
> References
instagram.com/ mahlonhoward/
Linked In
linkedin.com/ 2
in/mahlonhoward/
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Hobbies 22
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Reading
52
Writing
62
Photography
72
Video Editing
Scholarship Advisor
Supervisor
Professor
Sue Lentz Email: sue.lentz@colorado.edu Phone: 303 492 1416 Denise Burklow Email: denise.burklow@colorado.edu Phone: 303 492 6970 Bridget Rice Email: ricebm@gmail.com Phone: per request
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Graphic Design 92
Traveling 102
112
Yoga/Meditation
122
(Trail) Running
132
Hiking
142
Table of Contents This portfolio is a collection of my selected excerpts from my undergraduate career. My architecture and designs are used to provide form and to purpose the future, and for future generations. I design for others, I design to influence, I design to spark thought and dialogue, and I design for the beauty of human interaction and connection. My goal is to design spaces that make a difference in the world. I will never be able to change the world, but I aspire to make the change that I want to see in the world. I am on a journey of self growth and improvement, and every day is a motivation to explore myself internally as well as the world around me. I want to leave a footprint on this earth. I aspire to purpose the future of individuals and cities. A strong architect will shape a better tomorrow. An architect is one who has the ability to manipulate the minds, patterns, and movements of people, and I aspire to be one that uses such power to improve the lives of others.
Central Platte Valley
Fall 2018
Spring 2018
Spring 2019
K it of
CU South
Stromovka Bridge
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
Community Cultural Center | Architecture Capstone
6
Memory Archive | Architecture Studio
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Stromovka Bridge | GAD Studio
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Kit of Parts | Rhino Course
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Central Platte Valley | Urban Planning Studio
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CU Boulder South | Landscape Architecture Studio
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Memory Box | Modeling
52 * All work done individually on the academic level
Spring 2020
Memor y Archive
Fall 2019
Fall 2019
Fall 2019
Par ts
Memor y Box
Communit y Cultural Center
01
Rock Garden • • • •
Course: Professor: Year: School:
Architecture Capstone | ENVD 4100 Dr. Ping Xu Spring 2020 University of Colorado at Boulder
Integrated Cultural Center An integrated cultural center is desired to bring the Boulder community together along with others around the metro area. In Boulder the Rocky Mountains and Flatirons play a crucial role in the development of Boulder and, overall, in Colorado’s history. As a Colorado resident and a user of the Rockies, it is important to understand the creation and attributes to these glorious mountains, and the rocks and minerals that are within them. The Rocky Mountains host a numerous amount of activities for locals, therefore, these clientele’s wants, needs, and values are prominent in deciding what shall be represented as a cultural center in Boulder for the community. Rock Garden is a cultural center dedicated for the study of geological sciences in the Rocky Mountain Front Range. The design of Rock Garden pays respect to the culture of the Rocky Mountains, the passionate devotees of natural forms, and the communities inspired by the outdoors. Rock Garden will be a hub for the study and celebration of rocks, minerals, crystals and others of Earth’s physical structures and substances, along with their history, and the processes that act on it. At Rock Garden, researchers are able to strengthen and share their knowledge with each other to discover and learn more about what makes the Rockies extraordinary, and communities are able to gather, interact, and learn about the Rockies in the Front Range.
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The program of Rock Garden was carefully chosen based on the needs of researchers and the community users. The program of this cultural center is primarily public with a few private entities. The public program consists of gallery spaces dedicated to rocks, crystals, minerals, and the history, a library, a computer lab, an auditorium, a classroom, and a cafe. The private program consists of a research lab where researchers are able to exam, study, and share their ideas with other professionals, office spaces, a conference room, storage spaces, and an archive. Furthermore, the secondary program holds two atrium spaces, a lobby, a small cafe, front and back plazas, and outdoor picnic areas and trails. The interior program was planned and laid out in a way that directs users to particular locations of the building that play as places of pause and reflection such as the lobby, atrium, gallery spaces, cafe, and the library. It was important as the designer to create an experience for users on their visits. Overall, Rock Garden is a place to learn and celebrate the various phenomenons that happen on the Earth.
parti
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1. Lobby
9. Research Lab
2. Atrium
10. WC
3. Rock Collections
11. Library
4. Crystal Collections
12. Computer Lab
5. Mineral Collections
13. Classroom
6. History of the Front Range
14. Auditorium
7. Conference Room
15. Cafe
8. Offices
16. Archive/Storage
2. 14. 15.
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plan level 2
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plan level 1
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Scale: 3/32” = 1’-0” 9
roof plan
Scale: 3/32” = 1’-0”
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master plan
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north elevation
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02
Sixth Sense • • • •
Course: Professor: Year: School:
Architecture Studio | ENVD 3100 Rachel Lavine Fall 2019 University of Colorado at Boulder
Community Memory Archive Memory is the faculty of the brain by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. A memory is the gateway to a recognizable moment as being there once again. The most prominent way to trigger a memory is to recall the six senses felt at any specific moment. Being able to recognize the six senses can bring someone back to any moment remembered most; through sight, taste, touch, smell, sound, and perspective. A memory archive provides an opportunity to store memories, upload memories, and share memories with one another. Sixth Sense is a multipurpose memory archive at the Mesa Reservoir in North Boulder that will hold the memories of individuals for others to come experience them first hand as if they were the ones who have had those memories. Memories are fond and held closely to people, and Sixth Sense is a place in North Boulder to bring the community together and share their cherished memories with one another.
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The program of Sixth Sense is based off of the six senses: sight, taste, touch, smell, sound, and perspective. Each sense will be dedicated to an aspect of the archive for users to experience. The six senses will be personified into gallery spaces, a dining hall, classrooms, an indoor and outdoor garden, an auditorium, and a meandering path that circulates throughout the entire building. The program is available for users to experience and interact with the memories of others.
Scale: 1/16” = 1’-
Taste
Sight
Touch
Hear
Smell
Perception
-0”
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process
parti
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1. Lobby
7. WC
2. Atrium
8. Gallery
3. Indoor Garden
9. Outdoor Garden
4. Classroom
10. Library
5. Cafe
11. Balcony
6. Auditorium
12. Offices
12.
7.
2.
11.
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plan level 2
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plan level 1
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2. 5.
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roof plan
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Scale: 1/16” = 1’-0”
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03
Processional Parameters • • • •
Course: Professor: Year: School:
GAD Studio | ARCH 3001 Shota Tsikoliya Spring 2019 Architectural Institute of Prague
STUDY MODELS
Stromovka Bridge Stromovka Park and Troja are two parts of Prague, CZ , that have a constant flow circulation from an outskirt into the main city center. Stromovka park is a popular lawn in Prague where residents gravitate towards to enjoy the greenery, and the neighborhood just north, Troja, holds housing and the city Zoo and is populated with many tourists and locals. In 2017 the Stromovka bridge that connected these two neighborhoods collapsed due to inefficient structuring. Now a new, improved, and sustainable bridge is needed to unite these two neighborhoods back together. A bridge that is capable to withstand heavy loads of people and that is sturdy in order to prevent any potential collapses in the future. Processional Parameters serves as a joint between the two neighborhoods as well as a destination point for tourists and locals to experience, entertain, and observe. The design behind Processional Parameters models a biomimetic entity and a process that occurs within nature. Processional Parameters is based on the biomimetic entitiy of the formation of a wasp nest and will mimic the process in which wasps design and construct their elaborate nests.
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A complex system was created in Rhino and the Grasshopper plugin that connects one side of the shore where the bridge will begin to the other side. Using a designed, arbitrary ‘shape’, the ‘shape’ was placed at one side of the shore, and after utilizing the grasshopper script, the ‘shape’ would multiply its way by connecting itself to one another until it reaches the other point at the other end of the shore. The ‘shape’ and points were manipulated a number of times until it was able to construct a feasible route that is able to form a safe and usable footbridge for pedestrians. After, the multiplied ‘shapes’ were then replaced with the bone structure of that ‘shape’. Later the bone structures of the ‘shapes’ created a sophisticated beam arrangement all around the path for users of the bridge to venture through.
WASP NEST
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script process
closest side
random side
final kangaroo
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form study
bridge script
site plan
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plan
section
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int. perspective
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north elevation
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04
Fragmented Fabrication • • • •
Course: Professor: Year: School:
Rhino Course | ENVD 2352 Bridget Rice Fall 2019 University of Colorado at Boulder
Kit of Par ts The Pantheon is a former Roman temple that became a symbol in the history of Architecture and has been admired by many for many years. The structure itself is a complex system that was carefully designed as the single largest, unreinforced concrete dome in the entire world. The Pantheon consists of three sections: a portico with granite columns, a massive domed rotunda and a rectangular area connecting the other two sections. Starting from pure ambition, modeling the Pantheon in Rhino became a challenging task. It was a challenge to model aspects as big as the dome and all the entablatures within it, and aspects as small as the detailed Corinthian column base. Eventually, The Pantheon was modeled in its entirety in a 3D perspective view in order to study, break apart, and analyze the different components that make up this structure. After it was complete it became easy to break the system down into three simpler kit of part pieces to study further: columns, entablatures, and a dome. Furthermore, based on four key words (fragment, fluid, aperture, and linear) I designed four abstract diagrams based on the three kit of part pieces that I manipulated to form a diagramatic representation of the key words.
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From these four diagrams, the goal was to manipulate these diagrams even further and express my own abstract interpretation of The Pantheon. The idea was to design a model that was of my own, but still exemplified and expressed The Pantheon. The kit of part pieces of the Pantheon are still visible in the model but they are abstracted in a way that gives the Pantheon’s structure new purpose. The stomach of my abstract model is linked together by the different rectangular shapes of the entablatures and enlarged to become an obscure piece that is usually smaller in reality. The columns and their bases were then skewed and placed between these entablatures to create a multi leveled structure. For the arms and legs, the rotunda of the original Pantheon is outlining a curved perimeter of the model that contrasts the hard edges of the entablatures. As a roof, domes were chosen to be placed on top of the columns at the highest points in order to reach to the gods similarly to the original Pantheon. Lastly, the entablature tops and parts of the columns are spread out in distinct places that give depth from elevation and perspective views.
pantheon
Dome
Entabaltures
Columns
Dome Section
diagrams
Fragment
Fluid
Aperature
Linear
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plan
elevation
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perspective
int. perspective
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persp. diagram
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05
Elitch Riverfront • • • •
Course: Professor: Year: School:
")
")
Urban Planning Studio | ENVD 3100 Scott VanGenderen Fall 2018 University of Colorado at Boulder
Central Platte Valley Denver, Colorado, has recently within the past few years become a hot spot for people to relocate to because of the great quality of living the city has to offer. The population is increasing and the city will need to further develop and provide housing and ammenities for all the new residents. Right now, Elitch Gardens amusement park is located on the site at I-25 and Speer Blvd, and it will eventually need to be relocated so that the Central Platte Valley can be redeveloped to utilize the land more efficiently. Rather, the land can be used as a mixed-use neighborhood for future residents. After research and analysis on the Central Platte Valley using GIS Data, discoveries showed that the Central Platte Valley is an excellent location within Downtown Denver. It is located between the Auraria neighborhood, Jefferson Park neighborhood, and LoDo neighborhood. The space is perfectly located off of the interstate, just on the immediate outskirts of downtown, and along the South Platte river. For the master plan, the most important decisions were to include residential buildings and commercial buildings to support the residents, along with a grocery store and small school.
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The Elitch Riverfront Neighborhood’s program plan will primarily consist of single family homes, a commercial district, multi-use buildings, a grocery store, and a school. The neighborhood’s additional program will consist of open green spaces, plazas, river access, and a roundabout in the center of the site to smoothly direct traffic in and out of the site. Additionally, the primary streets of circulation throughout the site are designed to be complete streets that have a sidewalk , buffer, street parking, bike lane, and two car lanes going in either direction for maximum efficency. Elitch Riverfront is a neighboorhood of easy access with all of the immediate ammenities within a small radius.
Legend: ")
Food Stores
GIS site analy Sidewalks Park Bathrooms Playgrounds Dog Park Sidewalks Green Spaces Road Centerlines Parking Lots Child Care School Fire Department
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Food Stores Sidewalks Park Bathrooms Playgrounds Dog Park Sidewalks Green Spaces Road Centerlines
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Parking Lots Child Care School Fire Department
Building Types: Commercial Foundation/Ruin Garage/Shed Industrial Miscellaneous Parking Structure Public Residential Tank
ysisBuilding Types: Commercial Foundation/Ruin Garage/Shed Industrial Miscellaneous Parking Structure Public Residential Tank
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")
Building Types: Commercial Foundation/Ruin Garage/Shed Industrial Miscellaneous Parking Structure
")
")
")
Public Residential Tank
")
built env.
")
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Food Stores Sidewalks Food Buffer (.25)
food stores
Park Bathrooms Playgrounds Dog Park Sidewalks Green Spaces Fire Department
natural env.
Child Care School Sidewalks School Buffer (.5)
schools
Road Centerlines Parking Lots
roads & lots
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")
") ") ")
")
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stakeholders
street section
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elevation
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int. perspective
master plan
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master plan
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2
CU South • • • •
Course: Professor: Year: School:
OPEN FIEL
S
Landscape Architecture Studio | ENVD 2130 Danielle Bilot Spring 2018 University of Colorado at Boulder
DOWNHILL SLOPE
O
W
LARGE SLOPE
CU Boulder South Campus 2 The University of Colorado Boulder includes a main campus, east campus, Williams Village, and a south campus. 1 The south campus is currently reserved for future expansion and development within the University. The south campus is located on Foothills Pkwy and US-36 and at the moment it is used as open space for Boulder locals to use for outdoor activities. The site in the future will eventually need to be developed into a cohesive space for the University and fit the needs of staff, students, the adjacent residents of the site, and other potential users of the site.
After developing a master plan for the site it was important to look at the site on a smaller scale and begin to develop certain aspects of the site that can attract potential users. An overlook tower is designed to be located at the top of the existing berm that is overlooking CU South along with the Flatirons, and a dock that crosses one of the ponds that is situated on the site. These two implications will be main attractions for site users and will create community areas for users to experience and interact with each other and their surroundings.
1
LOOKOUT PO
NEIGHBORH
The south campus has many factors to consider in developing the site. It was important to consider and acknowledge the existing wildlife, vegetation and paths, and also respect the areas of floodplains to prevent a potential deluge in the future. CU South was designed as an expansion of the University and provides entities that are appropriate for the south campus needs and potential users. The program consists of academic buildings, faculty housing, student housing, parking, green space, and recreation facilities. As being a part of a University, CU South must provide the appropriate amenities a University is equipped with.
HYDROLOGY 46
VEGETATION
wildlife WILDLIFE
LD
CONTEXT MAP
GRAND VIEW LOOKOU
WATER RUNOFFWATER RUNOFF
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S
DOWNHILL
OVERALL FLAT SITE
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SOUTH CAMPUS
LARGE SLOPE
MAIN CAMPUS SOUTH CAMPUS EAST CAMPUS
BERM
BERM
PRIMARY PATH
PRIMARY PATH
DITCH
DITCH
2 1
SECONDARY PATHSECONDARY PATHsite
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1
1
PAGE 1 O
context
FLATIRON MTNS FLATIRON MTNS
OINT
WIND DIRECTIONSWIND DIRECTIONS VIEWS
HOOD ENTRANCE CE
N
VIEWS
N site analysis
HYDROLOGY circulation hydrology HYDROLOGY CIRCULATION CIRCULATION
VEGETATION vegetation VEGETATION PAGE 2 OF 12
PAGE 2 OF 12
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GRAND VIEW LOOKOUT
GRAND VIEW LOOKOUT
1:10
SITE SECTION (A) 0
section AA
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PAGE 7 OF 12
PAGE 7 OF 12 KEY:
SITE S
section key
SITE SECT
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master plan
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SILHOUETTE SECTION
PAGE 5
silhouette section
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07
Perception • • • •
Course: Professor: Year: School:
Architecture Studio | ENVD 3100 Rachel Lavine Fall 2019 University of Colorado at Boulder
Memory Box Every human has a front, a back , two sides, a bottom, and a top. A human is generally the center of their own universe of six directions. These help condition our relationship with the world in which we live where we are our own center. Theoretically, at all times we are in a six-sided box where we are the very center. The six directions of our box tell us how we occupy a space and how we relate ourselves to other spaces. This universe of six directions are important in distilling a memory and determining how each of the directions speaks to oneself. The idea of these six directions of your own universe helps identify a memory, and a memory solidifies based on the interaction with you and all your six directions. Memories are held by people for years, if not a lifetime. They have the ability to take someone back to a moment that had an impact on themeself and their personal development. Creating a memory box is the consideration of creating something that is intangible and embodying it in a single 12” by 12” box. Memories are inherently held inside your mind, and the goal was to represent a memory in physical form.
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A fond memory of mine was stepping into Wenceslas Square in Prague, CZ , and the amount of stimulation I felt. My memory was overwhelming in a positive way. I was greeted with a long, endless cobblestone road that seemed endless due to the perspective of the massive city square. There were foreign words on the buildings to the sides of me. The weather around me was cold, grey, and dark. In the center of the square was a monsterous statue of a man riding a horse and behind him was a beautiful Baroque museum that faced down the city square. It was an infinite memory that made me feel so powerful, yet so little at the same time. The haiku poem I wrote attempts to express the sincere emotions I felt while being within the timeline of histor, but in the present moment.
“ L an e o f h i sto r y. A n ov e r w he lmi ng ch aos , O bse r v e d t hr o ug h be au t y.“ haiku poem
photos by me
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plan diagram
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front elevation
side elevation
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model
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Mahlon Howard mahlonhoward09@gmail.com +1 (505) 814 9507