MARTINA SESSAREGO portfolio
SCOLARSHIPS 2013 - 2014 One year erasmus scolarship, Université d’Architecture de Liège (Belgium)
HELLO !
2016 Six months erasmus placement scolarship, stage at Mike Viktor Viktor Architects (Antwerp, Belgium) 2017 Six months post-graduate scolarship, stage at Studio Farris (Antwerp, Belgium)
PUBLICATIONS PERSONAL INFO date of birth 25 september 1991 nationality Italian email martina.sessarego@gmail.com phone +32 497155768 EDUCATION 2005 - 2010 Secondary school diploma in scientific studies 2010 - 2016 Master degree in Architecture, Scuola politecnica di Genova (Italy)
2016 ”Ukuta school of Art”, Master thesys research and project + Kenya workshop photography survey, UniGe 2016 photo shooting for an architectural firm website, private client (http://mikeviktorviktor.be/en/home) 2016 publisher at Divisare.com (http://divisare.com/authors/2144796850-martina-sessarego) COMPETITIONS 2016 2nd phase, Aalst Masterplan competition, internship at Mike Viktor Viktor Architects (Belgium)
2013 - 2014 Master 1, Faculté d’Architecture, UniverEXHIBITIONS / WORKSHOP /ACTIVITIES sitè de Liège (Belgium) WORK 2011 to present Airbnb free lance photographer (worldwide position) 2011 to present Free lance photographer specialized in interior & architecture photography (Italy and Belgium) april 2016 - september 2016 Intern and photographer at Mike Viktor Viktor Architects (Antwerp, Belgium) march 2017 to present Intern and photographer at Studio Farris Architects (Antwerp, Belgium)
2012, Genoa Photography exhibition “Cerco un affresco, un segno storico, se lo trovo.. lo conosco, lo amo, lo difendo e lo salvo”, Rotary International Club, Palazzo Ducale (Genoa) 2013, Genova Certificate of participation in "Course of photography and digital photo editing" GP Studio 2013, Montpellier one week workshop “GIClab III”, in collaboration with ”Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Montpellier “, Prof. Arch. M. Gausa Navarro (UniGe) 2014, Liège one week workshop "L'Eglise de Sainte-Croix", Projet de restauration M2, Prof. Arch. C. Houbart, F. Duperroy, G. Gantois, ULg (Liège)
2015, Matera workshop "Matera 2019/Capitale europea della cultura", Cultura del progetto contemporaneo, Prof. Arch. J. Grima, (UniGe) 2015, Kenya one month workshop "think global build social", Prof. Arch. C. Lepratti (UniGe), in collaboration with Prof. Arch. J. Joppien, TU Dresden (Germany)
LANGUAGES Italian English French Dutch
2015, Genova one week workshop "think global build social", Prof. Arch. C. Lepratti (UniGe), in collaboration with a group of students from FIU (Miami), Prof. Arch. E. J. Peterson
CERTIFICATIONS
2016, Genova / Miami collaboration with the Florida International University (Miami) for the construction of our Master thesis plywood dormitory prototype, with Francesca Po, Joshua Pagano and Prof. Arch. E. J. Peterson, FIU (Miami)
2014 DELF B2, Diplome de Langue Française ISLV, Université de Liège
COMPUTER SKILLS
PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT
AutoCAD 2D Google Sketchup Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop V-Ray Vectorworks Artlantis Revit Architecture Rhinoceros Cinema 4D
SLR camera Canon 60D, 18-135mm Canon telephoto lens, 10-20mm Sigma wide-angle lens, Manfrotto tripods, analog camera Olympus OM-1, Olympus 50mm objective, Olimpus 28mm objective, Olimpus 135mm objective, vintage polaroid
ARTISTIC SKILLS
analogic photography
Hand-drawing Graphic Design Illustrations Digital-drawing Model making Photography Photo Editing
2013 FCE B2, First Certificate of English Cambridge English Language Assessment
2014 Autodesk Corso Base Revit Architecture (certificate n. 1VKDVKDZH6)
INTERESTS
interior design
interior photography
movies
traveling
contents
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architecture
architecture
architecture
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UKUTA SCHOOL OF ART AALST MASTERPLAN Academic: 2016, Master Thesys Project, Scuola Politecnica di Genova (Italy) Location: Ukunda, Kenya Program: School Team: Francesca Po, Martina Sessarego Supervisors: C. Lepratti, M. Corradi (Unige) Eric J. Peterson (FIU Miami)
Competition: 2016, Open Call for Aalst masterplan (2nd phase) Location: Aalst, Belgium Program: Urban Team: Mike Viktor Viktor Architects (BE) Client: Aalst Municipality
CRECHE VAN EYCKLEI Project: 2016, Interior design project starting from an unused building Location: Antwerp, Belgium Program: Kindergarten Team: Mike Viktor Viktor Architects (BE) Client: Babilou
architecture
photography
artworks
04
05
06
PHOTOGRAPHER
ARTWORKS PROJECTS
A VILLA EXTENSION Project: 2016, Master bathroom space connected to the existing villa
Projects: 2011 to present, selected photo- shootings
Projects: 2013 to present, selected works
Location: Meise, Belgium
Location: Europe
Program: House extension
Program: Interior Photography and Architecture Photography
Program: Graphic design, Illustrations, Digital drawings, Business card, Brochures / flyers, Sketches, Free-hand drawings
Team: Mike Viktor Viktor Architects (BE) Client: Private
Clients: Airbnb, Mike Viktor Viktor Architects, Studio Farris Architects, Private clients
In October 2015 we had the chance to take part to a workshop in Kenya, where University of Genoa and TU Dresden collaborated for building a “school of art” in a field bought by the university itself. We crossed the country from Nairobi, passing through Mombasa and reaching Ukunda, small village where the field is located. Ukunda overlooks the Indian Ocean and is connected to the rest of the country thanks to a local airport and a state highway; besides being linked to Mombasa (nearest urban center) with a ferryboat line. We stayed in the country almost a month, during which we familiarize with local building techniques and architectural traditions. In addition, we visited several materials factories, understanding which are the best known and used, the prices and the accessibility. We got in touch with several communities and schools of different grades; we were thus able to build a solid research that became a good base for our thesis project. The aim of the project, dictated in general by the university, which owns the field, was to create a school of art, thus trying to bring back to life the old school system that changed due to the state of poverty of the country, that mainly cut on the education. In fact ,before, the schools provided a complete education to the children, teaching everything from mathematics to washing the clothes, from art to cooking. Nowadays the school system foresees just mathematics, English and the local language Swahili. Therefore, that’s where “Ukuta school of Art” born. The design of the school start respond to basic themes like necessity, security and protection, trying to integrate also what is missing in modern schools in Kenya today. So the wall become the best respond to our request: playing with full and empty spaces we found the perfect relation between necessity and art, simple construction and the art of architecture. That is where the concept of “habitability of the wall” born. We were inspired mostly by the studies of Louis Kahn on English castels and the importance of the wall on them. Second important reference is the historic village of Matera (Italy) where is still visible the “ipogea architecture”: again the wall defines the architecture itself. Knowing the urban context of the project area, we design the school aware of creating a neighborhood reference center. The system of create a solid wall made by raw land that enclosed the space, allowed us to create different layers of privacy and uses: on the higher levels we imagined the dormitory and conversely we kept the ground floor for the public functions (school but also theatre, art exposition space, dance ballet area etc). Another important element is the wood filter element that runs along the inner perimeter of the wall, giving in one hand structural support to the balconies and creating in the other hand folding furniture. Lastly we decided to go further in the design of the school itself, starting the research and the study of the CNC technique. This has been chosen to create a project where tradition and innovation coexist together. The school spaces inside and outside the wall are already complete, especially on the ground floor where the wood filter element creates furnitures and supports. Nonetheless, we decided to enrich the project creating a modular furniture for the dormitory with the CNC technique. With the collaboration of the Florida Internation University of Miami and in particular thanks to our colleague Joshua Pagano, we design and built a dormitory-type using plywood sheets. For us this represents an incredible enrichment for the project itself, becoming adaptable to a future change of the intended use of the space giving the opportunity to create constantly new supports that contribute to a continuous evolution (donations). In the end a book was published with the research, the project and the photography survey.
view with the “wood element filter� open_school and dormitory atmosphere
base shape
division
exhibition
protection
school _ high density inside
central court
auditorium_lessons_projections
filter element
climatic adaptation
theater _ high density outside
performances
concept, flows generated by the possibility of different uses of the spaces and functional diagram
view with the “wood element filter� closed_theater and exhibition atmosphere
cutting the plywood sheet at the CNC Laboratory of the Miami University
detail of the support elements joined to the plywood wall
Joshua Pagano place the shelf at the bottom of the wall
binary created with the CNC for the insertion of shelves
detail of the hexagonal shelf
detail of the wall furnished with two different shelves
Joshua Pagano joins the support elements to the plywood wall
Joshua Pagano insert the rectangular shelf inside the binary on the wall
Joshua adds an hexagonal shelf to the wall and slide it along the binary
CNC construction process of the dormitory-type
detail of the binary
Joshua Pagano slide the rectangular shelf along the binary
an example of a furnished wall-type
landscape project masterplan
This volume presents the work of team “2904-A� for the Open Call for drawing up a master plan and accompanying financial and economic feasibility for Pupils Site Aalst. The command is issued by the city of Aalst in collaboration with the Autonomous Municipal Urban Development Company Aalst and Team Vlaams Bouwmeester. The bundle includes the impetus for the further development and planning of a final master plan, supported and verified with the necessary stakeholders. We hope that our contribution is the occasion to look at the project with a fresh perspective and enrich the client. Above all, we hope that you become fascinated and fun experience while reading through our project. The AGSA orders the preparation of a master plan for the Pupils site and its immediate surroundings. The site is almost completely vacant by the removal of municipal administrations to the new administrative center. Now the question arises what to do with the Pupils Site, the remaining assets and their significance in and for the city of Aalst. Because despite the reasons for the move, we just see qualities and opportunities in existing buildings and ensembles. Key Project renewal: most people know the municipal administration still in their old locations to the Grand Place, the Zwartezustersstraat, Keizersplein and Square Geerinckx. The familiar image of Pupils site as a public place homemade by workers and citizens can not simply be abandoned. Optimal use of investments: the financial and economic aspect is the proverbial elephant in the room. It is evident that this is an important and essential part of the feasibility and management of the project. On the other hand, it must not become an end in itself; the optimum use must be balanced with respect to multiple parameters. The result of our work in this moment is certainly not concreted vision but a story with an open end. Scale and support: the project has the necessary scale to have an impact for the city center. The convenient location can be used to provide an enlivening program and form a link with the existing pedestrian area. Passages: Throughout the masterplan area we want to expand the existing passages creating series of interconnected spaces. These pathways are today non-existent or have less logical route. Breaking the four sides of the pupils area and creating passages, the whole site is connected, and it becomes possible to run loops in the mall. Therefore this allows the discovery of the center of Aalst. Because not all squares, gardens and courtyards are visible to the street, we can speak about a parallel pedestrian structure. This shelter and concealment allows to design different landscapes with as many different characters. Green spaces: The proportion of green space, or green stepping stones, is currently limited in the street network within the wall ring. By making a second circuit which is publicly available, it becomes possible to move from field green to green region. The result is a rich experience of the city center where variation occurs between crowds and lull, between hard and soft mineral landscapes, between shelter and openness. By cooing and courtyards as to set up living quarters, the character is amplified and dramatized.
cadets court
court of Aalst
the convex warehouse
convent garden
pupils square
total overview + possible enlargements
the Kadettenplein view
Passage Langenhoven night view
existing plan
The task consists in the redevelopment and the renovation of an existing office building into a new nursery. The property is located at the Van Eycklei Antwerp in a prominent and visible place. It consists of a spacious ground floor and a smaller basement. The project occupies the ground floor of two buildings, parent, there are two separate apartment buildings with their own building manager and owner association. The task consists in the organization: • at least three living groups of 18 children, if possible, all on the ground • a child less than 5 m2; by leefrgoep least 3m2 per child; by sleeping at least 2m2 per child • the oldest living group may be met with field beds and no separate sleeping area • room without natural light is allowed but not ideal • space for buggies and carrying baskets • a separate circulation without having to go through the communities. The property lends itself to this destination, but by the lack of accessibility of the left and right part will have to be creative with the program. The draft proposal - and the different variations and research - try to find the balance between using the existing building as much as possible and recycle, and secondly try to make the clearest possible organization and optimization for the operation of the nursery. There are here and there still larger adjustment work must be done and also some concessions in terms of functionality. The result is a special day care center, with a focus on the formation of a good quality care facilities for children place. To this end, we work from the strengths of the existing buildings and we try weaknesses to bend strengths. With a few simple steps, it is possible to quickly add a lot of atmosphere and character to an otherwise banal office. We propose to paint everywhere (living rooms, bedrooms, staff etc) the ceiling for an uniform look (spray paint). This provides on one hand extra height and space, but also the possibility to play with this. We can perfectly imagine the ceilings get a color that varies depending on which enclosure or function. This colour can be used repeatedly in the decking, well then we get for example a soft pink room, a pastel blue space, mint green is also possible, and sunflower yellow seems for us great. The shown examples are mostly from the hospitality industry. The existing patios aren’t that particulary attractive, nor spacious. To use these as outside space seems for us more sad then an added value. On the other hand, Let us try to make a strength out of this weakness! The pations are large glazed and we think that you can approach them conceptualy like ‘vitrines’. If we should manipulate or change the joinery, and decorated the patio like a rich courtyard, with exotic plants and maybe some finches.. seems like a special gestures to us. Added examples show you how these etalage-designs technics are used to have full maximum effect. We can also thematise the three middle patios differently. We hope you are fascinated by our proposals.
studio concept 1
studio concept 2
studio concept 3
20 parking N.V.T.
+0,00
56 sq m
21 administratie
22 berging N.V.T.
+0,00 N.V.T. 15 sq m
+0,00
26 sq m
23 personeel kleedkamers +0,00 N.V.T. 20 0 sq sqmm
25 +0,00
N.V.T.
39 sq m
24 koffiehoek N.V.T.
+0,00
14 sq m
keuken (opwarm)
26 stockage +0,00 N.V.T. 43 sq m
koele berging
project - basement plan
BUITENSPEELRUIMTE
13 speelruimte N.V.T.
+0,00
22 sq m
VERZORGINGSHOEK
LEEFRUIMTE LEEFRUIMTE ( OM TE VORMEN TOT SLAAPRUIMTE)
12 leefruimte 2 +0,00 N.V.T. 85 sq m
14 rustruimte 1
FRIGO +MICRO
+0,00 N.V.T. 64 sq m
AFWAS
KITCHENETTE 9 rustruimte 2b N.V.T.
+0,00
15 sq m
RUSTRUIMTE BIJ LEEFRUIMTE 02
RUSTRUIMTE BIJ LEEFRUIMTE 02 15 patio +0,00 N.V.T.
16 'extra' ruimte
12 sq m
+0,00 N.V.T. 19 sq m
PATIO
PATIO 11 patio +0,00 N.V.T. 12 sq m
32 sq m
PATIO
10 patio N.V.T.
+0,00
8 sq m
LEEFRUIMTE
17 leefruimte 1 N.V.T.
+0,00
79 sq m
5a rustruimte 3b
KITCHENETTE
28 sq m
RUSTRUIMTE BIJ LEEFRUIMTE 03
RUSTRUIMTE BIJ LEEFRUIMTE 03 6 rustruimte 3b +0,00 N.V.T. 9 sq m
5b rustruimte 3a 24 sq m
3b borstvoeding 2 sq m
3a toiletten N.V.T.
4 circulatie
+0,00
6 sq m
+0,00 N.V.T. 24 sq m
VERZORGINGSHOEK
KINDER 'LOCKERS'
19 inkom 8 sq m
1 inkom 18 buggy ruimte N.V.T.
+0,00
14 sq m
BUGGYRUIMTE
+0,00 N.V.T. 9 sq m
VERZORGINGSHOEK
INKOM
KITCHENETTE
LEEFRUIMTE
AFWAS 2 leefruimte 3 +0,00 N.V.T. 69 sq m
project - ground floor plan
FRIGO +MICRO
existing plan + project area
The task consists in an extension of an existing villa, with the aim of create a master bathroom next to the main bedroom. The property is located in Brusselsesteenweg in Meise and part of the house is directly visible from the street itself. It consists of a spacious ground floor, with the living area, a parking spot and a garden and an upper floor, with the sleeping areas. The entire property is composed by different blocks (for time of construction and style). The extension has to born on one of the two terraces to which the main bedroom is connected. To favor the natural lighting the south-facing terrace has been chosen, aware of the privacy problem, as this terrace is more visible from the street also. The project occupies so the surface of the terrace (marked in blue on the existing plan), with preferably extensions on it. The client requests were: • master bathroom (for 2 persons) • two showers • double sink • special corner for changing a baby • light colors palette (materials, finishes, furnitures) • huge windows, glass and wood. The project process began questioning about how satisfy the client requests and in the mean time be able to face issues like privacy, light and available space. The options were basically two: following the style of the existing or create something completely different. According also to the client idea we chose to give life to a modern shape and after several concepts, sketches, model studios and meeting with the clients, the preliminary phase of the project leds to the creation of a layer system, which means creating zones at different heights. The groundfloor is not exteriorly affected, but we played changing the heights from the inside, finally connecting the bathroom to the bedroom with two existing steps. This, for us, allows the creation of different areas inside the bathroom and face the privacy problem linked to the positioning of the openings. We hope you are fascinated by our proposals.
preliminary form study on the model to solve privacy and light issues _ privacy is solved not only with the combination of different materials and the roof extension, but mostly playing with heights. some cornes are lower indeed, emphasizing the “parasite” character of the expansion
concept 3 _ from the form to the plan _ sketches
from the concept to the project: the evolution of the layer system _ during the design process it became clear how playing with different floor heights was functional for solving privacy issues and at the same time, what we started calling “layer system”, was meeting the client requests. That’s from here that we started drawing preliminary project plans.
15 20 20 215,1 80 14 45
324
288
265
section A-A’
19,4
108,6
52,2
Section AA' - 1:50
207
80
30
288
265
360
80
30
section B-B’
260,2
Section BB' - 1:50
50 310
288
265
306
360
50
45
50
35 15
200
section C-C’
275
342
47
20 18
270,1
Section CC' - 1:50
section D-D’
40 10 25
+3.24
145
A'
50
+3.60
185
B'
95
310
30
325
200
30
+3.10
C'
150
195
150
+3.42
180
project plan
D'
2016, Client: Airbnb, selection of the shooting of a design new-furnished house, Antwerp (Belgium)
2016, Client: Private, selection of the shooting of a summer rented house at the beach, Oostende (Belgium)
2016, Client: Mike Viktor Viktor, selection of the shooting of the realized cafeteria renovation project (Belgium)
2017, Client: Studio Farris Architects, selection of the shooting for the project Antwerp Zoo, Belgium
2017, illustrations for “Stable” project by Studio Farris Architects
2016, digital drawing made with graphic tablet
2016, digital drawing inspired by J. Mirò “Woman and Bird in the Night” on a photo-portrait
2016, abstract sketch with promarker
2015, brochure for the Master thesis jury presentation
MARTINA SESSAREGO contacts
email: martina.sessarego@gmail.com telephone number: +32 497155768