ARCHITECTURAL PORTFOLIO
marianagfz@hotmail.com
Medellín, Colombia
SELECTED WORKS
2019 - 2023
MARIANA GIL FLOREZInterests and personal skills that have influenced my reflections as an architect.
Drawing and with Watercolors
Countryside: The Future by OMA
Guggenheim, NY
Design Workshop
is the of light; the play
Curious and innovative
Explorations with diff erents Materials
Work in team
Atmospheres: Light and Shadow as Space Composition
assistant,
Museums
"The icons of religion are replaced by those of construction. Architecture is the new religion of Manhattan."
Design Workshop
1.
NAVARRO VILLAGE
Model of rural collective habitat around water.
Public Competition for the preliminary design of urban design, landscaping, and sustainable rural social housing prototype for the resettlement of productive families.
Cali, Colombia
Project in team - DARP
Rural housing is a system of relationships involving various activities and scales, where living and working occur simultaneously in a place that blends the domestic and the productive. A home for living, working, seeking shelter, and engaging with the landscape.
Rural housing should construct a place rooted in territorial identity, based on an understanding of ways of dwelling and identifying local landscape values. The goal is to build a collective habitat: A VILLAGE.
A transition strategy is proposed, based on structuring the territory around water. Canals, wetlands, and a river determine a system of trails and routes that connect the urban and rural areas. To achieve this, uses are proposed with a focus on education, tourism, and production under agroecological criteria.
*Project selected at the 12th Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism XII BIAU CDMX / “Habitar al margen” (September 21-25, 2022).
*Selected in the urban and regional planning category at the 28th Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism by the Colombian Society of Architects.
Navarro Village is a group of individual and collective rural properties, structured by the SAMAN PROMENADE and local and rural integration roads that define the neighborhoods.
LANDSCAPE. ARTICULATION PROMENADE
COLLECTIVE. TRANSVERSE LINKS
NEIGHBORHOODS
BORDER STRATEGY + LONGITUDINAL AXIS
Embankment + Saman Promenade. Structuring from two elements that serve the purpose of connecting the various communal spaces while considering the site conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
BORDER STRATEGY + LONGITUDINAL AXIS
Connection of productive activity. Linking the central promenade to various neighborhoods by creating transverse connections that diversify the site’s activities.
MOBILITY STRUCTURING SYSTEM
The model for Aldea Navarro responds to two (2) concepts:
INDIVIDUAL LOTS + COLLECTIVE LOTS
Mixed lots. Nodes where residential and productive activities intersect with the collective of plots and various facilities between the pedestrian pathways and local roads.
ZONAL PLANNING SYSTEM
WAYS OF LIVING. Recognition of physical and social lifestyles (Actors). The proposal is based on the identification of elements specific to rural housing and ways of appropriating the territory.
WATERSCAPE. Adaptation strategy to a changing territory (Setting). The Navarro landscape is articulated around its water system, with the Cauca River as the main protagonist, along with wetland areas and associated channels that are part of its floodplain.
SAMANES PROMENADE. The main stage for community life.
The project has a dual focus: first, to protect resettled families from the increasing hydraulic dynamics due to climate change, and second, to foster cultural and productive activities related to water system preservation, especially the dwindling Navarro wetland system. These wetlands have shrunk due to agricultural and recent urban expansion, heightening pressure on the territory.
Rural housing is part of a collective, and as such, it should be understood on three scales: the unit, which is the property; the grouping, which includes neighboring blocks that share services like water or service roads; and finally, the village, which is the grouping of neighborhoods.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
Intersection typology. Circulation and compactness in Navarro Village
Access to Navarro Village. Connection between communal spaces
Shade-providing
Native palms
Multi-crop species
Connection to amenities. Mixed-use program
Perimeter embankment. Special treatment of the project’s edge
Circulation from the road to housing
Circulation from the road to the productive area
Relationship of housing with functional blocks
Relationship between the productive area and multi-crop species
Porch expansion / shade-providing species
An transition strategy is proposed to connect urban and rural areas by structuring the territory of Navarro through its water systems. Canals, wetlands, and the river define a system of paths and routes that link the urban and rural areas. The proposed uses focus on education, tourism, and production based on agroecological criteria.
ASSOCIATED VEGETATION
VEGETATION
Transversal strip
Collective productive area. Multi-crop species
Housing socialization. Shade-providing species
Front yard. Ornamental species
Tree canopy. Tree-lined promenade.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
The community is structured around a shared activity, productivity. The placement of the houses follows specific guidelines related to their connection to the Village and their close neighbors. Each house has a space (porch) that facilitates intermediate interaction with the street, while the interior of the neighborhood is organized based on its productive areas. Circulation and systems, such as water management, are designed around these productive areas, allowing for their organization and providing various usage possibilities.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
FIRST-LEVEL GROWTH
The Ibis House is characterized by its corner porch as the primary place where part of the domestic and productive life of families unfolds, along with its double-height sloping roof that allows for future expansion while maintaining the identity of Aldea Navarro. The house proposes strategies for industrialized construction and proper passive integration within the property. Modular and Flexible
The Ibis House employs a wooden post andb eam system at 1.50-meter intervals, with enclosure panels measuring 1.35 x 2.30 of different types (solid panel, window panel, shutter panel, louvered panel) to ensure flexibility and habitability of the house and its production process.
COMPLETE HOUSING
PRODUCTIVE HOUSING
INDEPENDENT HOUSING
2.
SYMBIOTIC WEABE COMMUNITIES
Degree Workshop
Centro de intercambio cultural Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia
Professor: David Cuartas Project individual
The project is located in northern Colombia, in Santa Marta, a coastal city nestled alongside the ‘Sierra Nevada’ mountain range, home to the indigenous ‘Kogui’ culture. These indigenous people preserve their traditions and live in isolation from the city. The project’s task was to create a cultural exchange hotel in the city center, where people can learn about the Kogui community and understand their culture, while also facilitating the Kogui’s understanding of ours.
Recognizing that weaving is a fundamental aspect of Kogui culture, three “strips” were developed to shape different spaces. These strips intersect through bridges, forming three types of fabrics that structure the entire project: the urban fabric, the environmental fabric, and the cultural fabric.
“The fabric symbolizes the relationship between the environment and the physical and spiritual needs of human beings. The fabric allows us to tell and safeguard our history.” - Resident of the Kogui community.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024 Architecture portfolio
SYMBIOTIC FABRIC
Santa Marta is a territory where unique urban, environmental, and cultural dynamics converge. It seeks to preserve its heritage, highlighting its historical, natural, and cultural richness while connecting populations that have undergone transformation in recent decades.
The project focuses on the diversity of factors that have influenced the development of culture, identifying and enhancing dynamics of both the sector and the population inhabiting the Sierra Nevada (Kogui Community). It recognizes their customs and growth processes in the foothills, which have influenced their territory.
Spatial Organization of Settlements
The cultural exchange center creates an urban network, facilitating the connection of diverse social dynamics through a cultural passageway. It encourages individuals passing through ‘’Los Novios’’ Park (a tourist area) to explore the project, while also serving as a pathway for various open-air events, fairs, and exhibitions.
Conservation area
Territorial Organization
Each space is projected as an opportunity to establish a direct or indirect relationship with the culture of the elder (koguis) brothers, connecting spaces and circulations through voids to create visual connections. This enables the recognition of significant landmarks that contribute to Santa Marta’s memory.
Program-Crafted Voids
Historical Recognition
Creating Dynamic Circuits
ENVIROMENTAL FABRIC
The project’s courtyards showcase natural elements, including medicinal and ancestral plants used in rituals, providing cultural insights. It also adopts the Kogui-inspired spatial organization, allowing panoramic views of Sierra spaces across multiple levels.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
Weave in all directions
Urban - plan Program - section
Street ending
Connection to Bolivar Park axis
Following the concept, the superimposition of planes results in the formation of inhabitable spaces, which is essential for creating a fabric that connects not only spatial but also physical elements within the space.
Experimental Weaving from Blueprints
Section plans
Spatial Relationships
Visual relationship Extension
Vertical Plans
Intentions with the Journey
Setting for Interaction Capture the Attention
Connection agora
The center as a distributor
Program
The voids are a fundamental aspect of the project, allowing for the creation of spaces with sacred significance where thematic gardens are cultivated. These gardens are introduced by the Kogui community due to their expertise in medicinal plants, contributing to the shaping of the urban and cultural fabric.
Succession of planes that allow for a transversal connection between spaces.
Horizontal Plans
Intentions with the Journey
Given that the Kogui community is reserved, the program is organized from the most public to the most private spaces. This allows both communities to share museums, galleries, and learning spaces on the lower levels, fostering a connection between the two cultures. On the upper levels, specifically on the fourth and fifth floors, you will find spaces for the rest and sacred rituals of both cultures, maintaining a connection with the sky.
Program Arrangement
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
For tourists, two typologies are developed – one for hostels and the other for rooms where they are challenged to inhabit a space that is unconventional, promoting interaction with the cultural passage.
The intention with the Kogui rooms is to establish a connection with the sky, which is why they are located on the top level of the project, where the community sleeps in shared modules.
3.
WELLNESS-GUIDED CONNECTION SCENARIOS
Design Workshop
Social Infrastructure
Medellín, Colombia
Professor: Federico Mesa
Project individual
The development of urban infrastructure in the center of Medellin, known as “Avenida la Playa,” is proposed. It is located in an area of high functional diversity with a historic character and significant need for revitalization. The primary objective is to establish effective connectivity and make the most of the public space near the intervention area.
This project aims to promote community development by providing spaces that encourage learning and a wide range of cultural, sports, and wellness activities. Through the creation of different spaces and routes with diverse characteristics, interconnection of areas is facilitated, allowing for various activities and adapting the space for use by anyone interested in enriching their culture. The concept is based on the need to establish a shared space where culture, recreation, and sports become a source of energy for daily life.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024 Architecture portfolio
The project aims to connect with the plazas, creating a series of terraced areas for direct expression and interaction. It invites people to explore the building through the interplay of terraces and dynamic circulation, enabling a connection with the outside, transforming it into a stage for cultural, sports, and social expression.
Expression Scenarios
Adaptable Event Spaces
Circulation that Promotes Well-being
Visual Relationship
FUSION OF WELLBEING
MIX OF USES
These elements, when merged, create well-being. Each of the spaces that make up these elements is interconnected to relate them and understand them as a whole.
Connect the spaces through actions that facilitate the relationship between uses, people, and circulation, creating conducive environments to promote the development of activities aimed at mental and physical well-being.
DYNAMIC CIRCULATION
Dynamic circulation generated from various routes, connecting uses and collective spaces, allowing the user to navigate through different purposes.
VOIDS AS SCENARIOS
Connecting spaces and circulations through voids to create visual connections, pathways, and ensure ventilation and lighting for all areas.
SCENIC LINK
Facilitating the connection and integration of the project with public spaces to engage the Playa area residents through their presence, journeys, or the expansion of public squares. This encourages new activities centered around well-being, including health, culture, and sports.
EXTENDING PUBLIC SPACE
Staircase that invites one to traverse the building, directing towards the plazas and becoming an extension of these settings for the benefit of the population.
Uses distributed on the first level conditioning circulation and projection spaces.
Uses towards one side, freeing the first level of physical and visual obstacles to generate a free and flexible space for different events.
Trusses that obstruct the main views of Playa Avenue.
Porch system that gives modulation to the program and does not interrupt the view to the outside.
Layered program, there is no relationship between the different spaces, neither physical nor visual.
Fusion and mixture of uses, jointly highlighting all the activities that make up well-being.
Fixed points and monotonous circulation that does not encourage you to explore the project and connect different spaces.
Fixed points and stairs that invite you to explore the project, relating to different spaces and encouraging activities.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
This workshop emphasized the understanding of well-being principles and how spaces can convey a sense of fulfillment to users, aligning cultural, sports, and health aspects. It sought to integrate architecture to respond to social and urban constraints and focused on achieving the right mix of uses within a building, including health, sports, and culture. Additionally, it explored how a project can directly relate to a building or heritage site.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
4.
ADAPTABLE HOUSING FRAMING THE LANDSCAPE
Design Workshop
Sustainable Social Housing Medellín, Colombia
Professor: Javier Vera, Hernan Muñoz Project individual
Located in the center of Medellin, surrounded by a cultural axis and the presence of a stream, this sustainable social housing project stands as a reflection on its context, its future residents, and its intricate relationship with the environment. From an urban perspective, the project focuses on creating a cleft in the building, which becomes the epicenter of collective spaces. This architectural feature not only adds a unique aesthetic dimension to the project but also serves as a meeting point and connection for the community that inhabits it. It is a space where relationships flourish, interaction is fostered, and the social fabric of the place is woven.
At the housing level, the focus is on providing spaces that adapt to the changing needs of the residents. This versatility not only promotes the comfort of the inhabitants but also contributes to the sustainability of the project by accommodating the dynamics of daily life. Integration into the social and environmental context is essential for the success of this project, and it is reflected in its design and planning.
CONTEXT
Facing the Hillside
Considering two significant focal points near the project, it aims to establish a connection with the neighborhood’s views and the stream. Based on this, the first design premise is established.
Expanding to significant locations
CONTEXTUAL CONNECTION, CULTURAL AXIS
Connecting to the ravine
Several patterns and guidelines are suggested to add dynamism to the project, in both its layout and section. These explorations offer increased design versatility, promoting adaptability and creativity in space and form conception.
Unchanging Continuity
Uncontrolled flow
Movement patterns
Succession with regularity
TERRACING - GREEN ROOFS
NEIGHBORHOOD
COLLECTIVE
SPACES
AND HILLSIDE
COURTYARDS
SITE INTENTIONS
Facing the Hillside
Expanding to significant locations
To shape the housing module, various breakdowns and explorations are carried out based on the plans, with the aim of fostering the creation of meaningful spatial relationships that enhance the overall design.
Connecting to the ravine
EXPLORATIONS
TYPICAL FLOOR PLAN
Courtyards
The typical floor plan is arranged to create two courtyards that, with their configuration, open up to two specific destinations: first, towards the ravine, encouraging a connection with the natural surroundings; and second, towards the neighborhood, promoting social interactions within the community. This spatial distribution aims to enhance both the relationship with nature and community life.
“Architecture is the least biased witness of history; social housing is the most faithful narrator of history.” - Walter Gropius
The rift that ascends and generates voids within the project provides an opportunity to create collective spaces that enrich social life, encouraging the hosting of attractive activities for the residents and promoting environmentally friendly practices that contribute to its preservation.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
MODULE CONFIGURATION
MODULE INTENTIONS
It consists of an open space that provides a visual connection from any point, making the most of the privileged views the project offers. Initially conceived as a duplex, it has ultimately been designed as a single level that can be extended as needed
The module is conceived with two design principles: adaptability and flexibility. This way, users can adjust it according to their needs, especially considering it’s intended for students. The space can be personalized as much as the inhabitant requires.
The module creates an open floor plan by folding its components, such as beds and desks, which can be ‘archived.’ This feature is designed with students in mind, allowing them to adapt the space to their needs. Additionally, its shape is oriented towards two prominent landscape points, adding a visual and functional element to the living space.
Mariana Gil Florez 2024 Architecture portfolio
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
Mariana Gil Florez 2024
