Design Portfolio M a r y a m To o s s i
Maryam Toossi
Professional Experience
Featured
maryamtoossi@ucla.edu (213) 477 5720
Shop Assistant & Lab Assistant
A+D Museum, Los Angeles
5750 W Centinela Ave Apt 225 Los Angeles, CA 90045
University of California, Los Angeles August 2018-Present + + + +
Instructed and supervised students on using the available fabrication tools listed above Supervised and assisted students to achieve the best fabrication strategies for project development Assisted students in learning software such as Rhino, Grasshopper, and Adobe After Effects Resolved technical issues and explored internal and external fabrication options for UCLA M.Arch II projects
Junior Architect
Exhibited GRID(un)LOCK: Sunset 2050 by Hodgetts and Nowak Suprastudio 2017-18 June 2018- August 2018
Achievements and Honors UCLA invention project
Arxe Co.op
April 2016-June 2017
Prosthetics 3.0 course
+ + + +
Instructed by Marta Nowak, a group of seven worked on this project sponsored by RedBull.
March-July 2018
Participated in conceptual design and design development of various projects Collaborated in developing architectural drawings using Autodesk Revit Provided 3D-models of stage one design using Rhinoceros Consulted co-workers to find proper approaches for a green design
Autodesk Revit Instructor
4th place at NLAI Bridge
P.N. Consulting
October-December 2015 + Assisted design team members with learning Autodesk Revit + Introduced Autodesk Revit workflow collaboration and assisted the office to run a test project using it
Design Competition Held by Tehran Beautification Organization March 2015
Intern Architect
Naghsh-e-Jahan Architects June-September 2013
Educational Background
Educational Experiences
Software Skills
University of California, Los Angeles
Attending Nexorade Workshop
2017-2018
November 2016
University of Tehran, Iran
Attending Hinge Paneling Workshop
Rhino, Grasshopper, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk AutoCAD, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects
2011-2014
November 2015
Master of Architecture II
Master of Architecture in Architecture and Energy
University of Tehran, Iran
Bachelor of Architecture in Architectural Engineering 2006-2011
University of Tehran
University of Tehran
Fabrication Skills CNC milling machine, 3D printers, wood shop tools, etc.
The PROSTHETICS SEMINAR establishes prosthetics as devices that not only recover basic human functions, but transcend and go beyond basic human abilities. After engaging in expanding body functions such as vision and hearing, to establishing them as interfaces between the Body and the Architectural space, the third edition of the prosthetics seminar taverses into the territory of interfaces between the Body and the Virtual Space, namely the input device of the Game Controller. The game controller as a prosthetic requires developing through an interdisciplinary approach. The Prosthetics Seminar 3.0 collaborated with Red Bull E-sports to design a custom made controller for its athlete Darryl S. Lewis A.K.A Snake Eyez, a professional champion of the game Street Fighter.
A Whole New Ball Game UCLA M.ARCH SUPRASTUDIO PROSTHETICS SEMINAR | FALL 2017
Industry Partner | E-sports Performance Instructor | Marta Nowak Designers | Maryam Toossi Sweta Elizabeth Joseph 3
ANALYSIS | Zoning Of Active Areas Model Prototype
Analysis| Motion Mapping Areas Of Activity And Inactivity
A Whole New Ball Game 4
FORM GENERATION| New Activity Zones On The Sphere
PROCESS |3D-scan of simulated game play on a scaled-down clay sphere
FORM GENERATION | Creating the 3D mesh
Inspired by Snake Eyez' idea of a globe shaped controller, this prototype remaps areas of activity and inactivity ranging from a positive undulations for areas of grab to negative ones for areas of ventilation, all onto an ergonomic sphere that permits six degrees of freedom in movement that mitigates repetitive strain injury.
A Whole New Ball Game 5
FORM GENERATION | Forming the final Model
A Whole New Ball Game 6
An amalgamation of the students collective research and controller design ideas metamorphosized into one single Super Controller. It encompasses features from individual prototypes tested by Snake Eyez and incorporates his personal preferences.
+ A Super Controller UCLA M.ARCH SUPRASTUDIO INDEPENDENT STUDY | Spring 2018 Industry Partner | E-sports Performance Instructor | Marta Nowak Designers | Jiahe Chen Maryam Toossi Miao He Publication | Maryam Toossi Prajwal Prabhudeva Sweta Elizabeth Joseph 7
6.0 Silicon fill the D-pad button
6.0 Silicon fill the D-pad button
8.8 8.0
8.8 Back button 8.0 button Option Share button
Back button Option button Share button
30.0 23.8
30.0
23.8 Fake button
23.8
23.8
23.8
23.8
23.8
23.8
Triple punch
Triple kick Triple kick
8.4 8.4
40.0
8.4
8.4
Ø5.0
Fake button
DESIGN | Side Elevation
40.0
Triple punch
Heavy puch Medium punch Light punch
Heavy kick Medium kick Light kick
Ø5.0
Heavy kick Medium kick Light kick
Heavy puch Medium punch Light punch
Ø12.0
Ø12.0
For output wire For output wire
6.0 Silicon fill the D-pad button Back button
8.8 8.0
Option button Share button
6.0 Silicon fill the D-pad button Back button
8.8
DESIGN | Front Elevation
8.0
Option button Share button
23.8
23.8
Triple punch
Triple kick
8.4
8.4
DESIGN | Final Prototype
For output wire
DESIGN | Plan
DESIGN | Rear Elevation A Super Controller 8 23.8
FABRICATION | Final Prototype
Handing Snake Eyez a functional optimized game controller was the final step. For that, through communicating with a professional electronics company, we developed the proper detailing and embedded required details. 3D-printing the model with SLS technique, and adding the interior board of a Hori fighting stick mini, silicon and tactile buttons, screws and inserts, the controller was made.
DESIGN | Exploded Axonometric A Super Controller 9
A one-week-long workshop created and opportunity to get introduced and experiment with hinge paneling technique, using different patterns and materials. Each cut-pattern on a solid board turned it to a uniquely flexible surface. With every difference in shapes or sizes of cuts and materials, we could observe a new behavior. Putting aside the common pattern of parallel dash lines, my group members and I investigated for cut-patterns that would make bending possible in any direction. The first two-day-long exercise was focused on testing and developing hinge patterns on museum board to create a creative prototype.
Parallel Hinge Bends in one direction
Vs.
Hinge Paneling Workshop
1
CEAT | Center of Excellence in Architectural Technology University of Tehran Fabrication Workshop | October 2016
Spiral Hinge Bends in multiple directions
Group Members | Javad Alahgholi Fatemeh Karegar Maryam Toossi Industry Partner | FabLab.ir 10
Integrated spirals was an answer to the question of multi-directional flexibility. Rectangular or triangular mesh, spiral radios and turning rounds, etc. on a museum board created significantly different behaviors. Finding an outline for an sleeve (as a sample piece of a cloth), and an optimized cut-patterns gave us a fabric-like behavior. It could, at the same time, role and fit around the arm, and allow shoulder and elbow to bend. Imagine a cloth made out of museum boards and by a laser-cutter!
DESIGN | Pattern Execution
DESIGN | Final Pattern
DESIGN | Tested Patterns HingePanelingWorkshop 11
In the second part of this one-week-long workshop, we focused on prototype with architectural application out of plywood. Trial and error of different cut patterns on the new material guided us to create a prototype for building facade. By that, this design targeted not only, creating a double-curved surface; but also, a kinetic mechanism that can turn into an responsive facade.
Hinge Paneling Workshop
2
CEAT | Center of Excellence in Architectural Technology University of Tehran Fabrication Workshop | October 2016
How to create a curve folding surface from plywood?
Group Members | Javad Alahgholi Fatemeh Karegar Maryam Toossi Industry Partner | FabLab.ir HingePanelingWorkshop 12
FABRICATION | Final Detailing 5
A mix of diverse cuts in the pattern created a nonlinear motion, and a curved folding surface. Putting 4 of the same shape together and connecting them by a angulated scissors structure displayed a harmonized motion that would open and close from the center. 1 2
3
Toggle bolts connection to the plate
Final Cut Patterns 6
4
Custom-built wheel in the wooden rails
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Main frame Rails Angulated scissor Toggle bolts Wooden plate Custom-built wheels
Test Cut Patterns DESIGN | Exploded Axonometric HingePanelingWorkshop 13
Routing from the BMW I Inside Future Sculpture that was created at the BMW Designworks studios, where new interactions were created between the passenger and the vehicle, the Auto Environments technology seminar sought to envision a new dynamic to everyday transit. Set in a future where autonomous driving has become a reality, the car as we know it ceases to exist. Sans driver, sans seatbelt, sans the hours of wasted commute time, the cars of tomorrow can be completely reconfigured to accommodate additional programs that seamlessly transpire into your transit time.
SHOP.lyft UCLA M.ARCH SUPRASTUDIO TECH SEMINAR | WINTER 2018
Industry Partner | Instructor | Marta Nowak Group Members| Karan Pashine, Maryam Toossi, Nikita Kumar, Sweta Elizabeth Jpseph Yibing Wu 14
SEATING
Programming
MODULE
DOORWAY
CHANGING AREA
MIRROR
SEATING MODULE
X/2
MODULE
11 ft
SHOP.lyft is a concept vehicle that merges the infinite options and flexibility of e-commerce with the tangibility and integrity of brick and mortar stores, while on the go. Constructed around a systematic series of diagramming that builds on the act of ‘trial’ in the shopping experience and a subsequent generation of spatial program defines this car prototype. Engaging with the city landscape champions the asset of mobility that wheels could bring to the future of retail
X
MODULE
CHANGING AREA DOORWAY
MODULE
MIRROR
9 ft.
DESIGN | Sectional Programming
DESIGN | Plan Programming
SHOP.lyft 15
A Flexible surface was our answer to the need for different interior modes in one room, from an ordinary car to sit in and watch outside to a changing room with mirrors. The responsive triangulated surface changes the space shape and specifications.
The Story
Arrival in compact state. Storages
Expansion for trial, room for changing
Need a ride to the party tonight?
“ you’re on the go shopping service.”
“Sit back, relax, while we bring to your very own world of style.”
Nah, I already got mine. “Welcome aboard Shoplyft,”
Reflective Surface
Expansion during trial, mirror appears. Transparent Surface
Transparency post trial, for showcase.
DESIGN | Space Programming and Design Development
Responsive Surface
“Kindly stow your personal belongings away.”
“With real time projection display, for infinite options.”
“Obsolete gas stations become your new fulfillment centers”
“ Make shopping your cardio.”
“All in the comfort of you’re own vehicle.”
The responsive and flexible space allows a diverse user experience. An interactive surface enclosing the interior space creates an experience of fast and easy trying on clothes, comparing and choosing them, also communication with outside and opening up to the city. Other features like a treadmill with different surface qualities for trying on shoes empowers the experience.
“Not to mention the plethora of possibilities.”
“And arrive at your destination, dressed to kill.”
SHOP.lyft 16
Understanding, practicing and learning nexorade structure was the subject of this five-day-long workshop. Nexorade is a type of space frame structures in which component rely on one another, and therefore, eliminate the need for joint modules. Challenging the common use of these kind of structures, our group tried to generate and solve saddle-shaped surfaces.
Nexorade Workshop CEAT | Center of Excellence in Architectural Technology University of Tehran Fabrication Workshop | October 2016
DESIGN | Form-Finding Process From A 4-Meter-Diameter Base Mesh
Design Group| Javad Alahgholi Fatemeh Karegar Mahshid Moghadasi Maryam Toossi Saba Mirmohammadi Assembly Group | 30 Workshop Members Industry Partner | FabLab.ir 17
Fabricated Of The Saddle-Shaped Structure
A medium scale group project, ended up to the fabrication of a 4m model. This structure was coded, fabricated, crafted and assembled by 30 attendance of the workshop. Each module as an identical one was coded and generated in Rhinoceros and by grasshopper, and get cut and drilled by rottaryCNC. At the end all 30 people worked together to address the modules and assemble the structure.
FABRICATION | Assembly Process
FABRICATION | Producing, Coding And Preparing Of Modules
Nexorade Workshop 18
Main Structures: Deck and Arc
Tensile Elements: Main Cables
Supporting Elements: Secondary Cables
The Humane Bridge A Design Competition By Tehran Beautification Organization February 2014 - October 2015
Group Members | Fatemeh Karegar Mahnaz Hakami Maryam Toossi The Humane Bridge 19
Parametric Design
Main Arc Structure
Span Height Angle
Structure Parameters
Cables
Starting Spot Ending Spot Number of cables
Deck Parameters
Spiral Ramp Hand rails
Spiral equation Height Slope
The Humane Bridge 20
To connect two sides of Haghani highway for pedestrians; first, we had to figure out a way to make the slope of 25% more gentle. The idea was to create a twisted path supported by the main deck and tensile supports. With grasshopper, we executed this idea with pure parameters (from the base spiral to the primary and secondary tensile structures). So, the aesthetics and structural specifications could be polished by numbers and parameters. The Humane Bridge 21
Panorama view of Project Site | I chose a demolished spot in the historical site of Kashan, Iran to propose a new design that preserves the old values, satisfies the new ones, and brings back life to this site.
Courtyards in the center of the buildings to make a micro-climate and pushing them down to use [geothermal] energy used to be main strategies of the historical sustainable architecture of the central parts of Iran with a desert climate. However, the recent industrialized architecture which failed to adopt these valuable concepts started replacing the historical architectures as people’s habitat. This left those valuable architectures vacant and faced them with massive destruction.
A Courtyard for Today
Design of a climate-oriented complex in a Kashan historical site A Graduate Final Thesis Project Presented: August 2014
[Group Information]
Section from the Interior
22
Courtyard: Historical Micro-climate
Under-ground Plan
Ground Flour Plan Upper Level
Putting cross-shape buildings that divide into two L-shape houses in each level, together, create enclosed courtyards. These courtyards located in two different levels service houses in these two-story buildings. Each big courtyard divides into four and each part belongs to one house.
A Courtyard for Today 23
Patterns for a Two-leve
DESIGN | Arrangement
Vehicle Street Pedestrian Street Entrances
Masterplan
A Courtyard for Today 24
Section C-C Courtyard with Roofs
Adjustable roofs in every courtyard provide more climatic control these micro-climates. The design is included of two roofs in each corner that gave each household control over the two walls of their home that faced the yard and the yard itself. These roofs were made from two radial scissors structures covered with ... that allows airflow and casts a shadow. A Courtyard for Today 25
This ten-story is a luxury multifamily residential project wide variety of facilities. The is 40*42 meters, very sloped and located on a high point with open view to the city. The city rules and regulations allowed us to design within 60% north part of the site, 24*42 meters, and would limit the project into a cubic shape; However, the design team Tried to creatively break the solid shape and reached two parallel alternatives which I was participated in developing one of them.
Darband Multi-family Residential Complex Arxe co.op Position | Junior Architect April 2016 - July 2016
Design Team| Javad Alahgholi Maryam Toossi Saeid Hashemi Maryam Toossi Location | Darband District, Tehran, Iran 26
The both alternatives was based on keeping the cubic volume of the building that was limited to its boundaries, then creating an experience in by breaking the shape and subtracting from it in the middle. The idea of second alternative was based on opening the building up in the center by subtracting small cubic volumes from the massive building cube. In lower half, the subtraction extends to the southern facade, and in the upper half, to the northern one. The volume is finalized with carving indentations to gradually transit from southern lower parts of the void, and to the northern upper parts.
Flour 2 Plan
Luxury Apartments Duplex Apartments Labby Parking Swimming Pool Conference Hall Darband Multi-family 27
Suprastudio Hodgetts and Nowak has been working on a masterplan for the Sunset Strip, circa 2050. From tackling the nuances of autonomous technology, courtesy of a ten-week collaboration with Art Center College of Design's graduate students in Transportation Design, to spearheading a new wave of visual billboarding that will propel it to prosperity, the studio speculates on a mobility enhanced urban future, seen here as exhibited at the A+D museum in Los Angeles
Sunset 2050
A Hodgetts studio 2017-18 project UCLA M.ARCH SUPRASTUDIO STUDIO | FALL 2017 - Summer 2018
28
Merchant Values at Westwood Mall
As a practice for developing a creative language to present data about a kind of flow, I focused on money flow and the value per square-foot of main merchants at Westwood Century City mall. The Video showed the additive values of these merchants and how they form their surrounding businesses. In this parametrically growing video diagram generated by Grasshoper software, he volumes of different columns, their total values for one merchant and their color intensity is a representative of dollar value of each business and area as a result.
2017 US Most Profitable Retailers
Larger-scale Retailers
Competing Retailers Sunset 2050 29
Analysis Pedestrian Flow
This diagram made based on parking areas, attractions, and pedestrian visually presents the pedestrian flow within the selected boundary for our urban studio project in Hodgetts and Nowak studio. The number and location of parking spaces and the pattern of behavior around the businesses and within the boundary of our project created the turbulent in different areas.
355,200 FT2 Building Footprint 3512 Parking Spots 1:1 Ratio Requires 1065 Parking Spots Current Ratio is Approx 1:3 Sunset 2050 30
The Icon Park Design partner: Abdullah Alqabandi Maryam Toossi
“There are two types of people in this world, the ones that entertain and the ones that observe.� Britney Spears
The sunset strip historically was a place that propelled that relationship between observer and entertainer; However, in recent years, that relationship has diminished. We believed that is the soul of sunset strip, so proposed to create a new infrastructure on the subset strip that would adopt post-net era culture in which there exists a new type of synchrony between entertainer and observer by utilizing new and future modes of communication.
Sunset 2050 31
Programming and Urban Changes IAC BUILDING
Design partner: Abdullah Alqabandi
MEDIA COMPANY
ANALYSIS | Site Topography
MEL'S DRIVE-IN HISTORIC DINER
HISTORIC
HISTORIC IAC BUILDING FAÇADE BOTANICAL FAÇADE
ROXY THEATER
HISTORIC
NIGHTCLUB
CULTURAL
WHISKEY A A GO GO GO GO WHISKEY
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BAR ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BAR
OFFICE CLUSTER
MIXED-USE OFFICE TOWERS
CULTURAL CULTURAL
ECONOMIC DESIGN | Topography Manipulation
AKA WEST HOLLYWOOD
LUXURY APARTMENT/HOTEL COMPLEX
MUTATO MUZIKA
ECONOMIC
PRODUCTION COMPANY
THE VIPER ROOM
HISTORIC
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL NIGHTCLUB
CULTURAL
ANALYSIS | Land Evaluation
ANALYSIS| Spotting the significant buildings
Imaging Sunset Strip in 2050, we looked at the current sunset strip and picked the potential architecture that introduces cultural, historic and or architectural values, then removed all non-significant architecture to provide space for series of platforms. We looked at the current steep topography of the hill, and manipulated it by amplifying the steepness of the hill on the east side and flattening and grading it on the west-side. We then split the street into an express route that hugs the north edge of the site, allowing for passing traffic to pass without congestion, and introduced two cruising routes that cut through the park traveling to allow for constant observing, dropping off, and loading.
PROGRAMMING | Express vs Cruising Route
DESIGN | Creation of Plazas
Sunset 2050 32
We took precedence from world expos where the architecture is configured spatially to provide a series of platforms to exhibit and showcase what is hosted in them. Elevated streets by weaving into one another to create a series of islands where architecture takes center-stage. And, A hypertextual layer of video projections streams street activity onto massive inhabited projection surfaces, allowing for observers to become a part of the spectacle. We, then, integrated the streets into the topography, creating the foundation for the new set of platforms to rise. Each of us decided to tackle a separate part of the park and develop it individually.
Master Plan Design partner: Abdullah Alqabandi Maryam Toossi
Nudist Beach
Eccentricity Factory
Roxy theater re-imagines
The Persian Garden
The Forum Wisky a Go Go
The Red Carpet
The Observetory Ferris Wheel
Sunset 2050 33
Traffic Programming
These second to none platforms with urban scale required Traffic programming with multifactorial calculations such as the nature of each program and the form of future transportation. First, by comparing each program with known programs similar activities, we had an estimate of visitors numbers and peak hours. Then, using the available estimates for a traffic system based on autonomous cars, the required time and space for drop-off and pick-up, number of parkings were achieved. These numbers were used to continue the programming and design with a cleared idea of the location and required space for drop-off zones and parkings.
Analyzer: Maryam Toossi
Sunset 2050 34
I targeted the west end of our site which connects our site to Beverly Hills area. The design includes two integrated parts that work together, and prepare the visitors to enter the site and begin their adventure. The adventure starts from the Persian garden as a quiet zone which includes different eccentricity memorials components. The central path leads people to the Lotus which prepares the visitors for the exhibition-based Sunset. The multi-functional hub At its heart ties the Persian garden to the underground drop-off, and the eccentricity factory. Eccentricity Factory
Eccentricity Factory and Cemetery Designer: Maryam Toossi
Billboard Cemetery
Express Route
Sunset in the east
The Tulips
Sunset Strip
Old-self Cemetery
Eccentricity Factory Observetory
The Tulips
Persian Garden Old-Self Memorial Self-Reflection Point Drop-off To the Red Carpet
Cruising Route
Explore Your New Self
The Wall
Eccentricity Cemetery
DESIGN | The Lotus, Cross Section
Sunset 2050 35
Experience of Sunset 2050
The projects of five groups were presented as a whole project in a UV-lit tunnel. It opened a new angle of representation to us vs the common ways of architectural presentation, and challenged us to enter a broad and detailed conversation over UV light, fluorescent paints, materials, print, etc.. Introducing and explaining the ways that fluorescent materials show under UV light to classmates was one of my tasks.
Sunset 2050 36
Publication | The UVrepresentation of the primary drawings Publication | The final UV-print files
Publication | The primary drawings
DESIGN | The Lotus, Cross Section DESIGN | The Factory
DESIGN | The Lotus, Cross Section
In addition to the use of UV spray paints, 3D print filaments, inks, markers, etc., Printing some of the documents with printers having UV-active inks challenged us to change and adjust renders, drawings, plans, and sections considering their representation in UV light.
Sunset 2050 37
Sunset 2050 38
FABRICATION | Test Of The Fixture Type I
FABRICATION | Evolution And Test Of The Fixture Type II
FABRICATION | Crafting and Finishing Of The Model
FABRICATION | Milling Process of The Physical Model
Sunset in the tunnel
The graphics on the tunnel wall were planned to be drawn by a CNCmilling machine to eliminate the costs. Using fluorescent markers, I created a special fixture that got attached next to the spindle and plotted the G-Code made from the Sunset drawing on 18 sheets of black styrene.
DESIGN | The Lotus, Cross Section
Sunset 2050 39
[Page Title] Beads | Summer 2012
Earing of truncated icosahedron weaved with beads May 2017 Basic Weaved Platonic solids
Cube
After several years of using the basics that I was thought, I wanted to make some changes and put in my taste. Few years ago, I started making changes in their volumes and colors. I made combined and more complicated volumes, used mixed bead-colors, and designed some jewelries.
Dodecahedron Icosahedron
Sunset 2050 41
Dyeing / Batik on Cotton Fabric September 2014
Thank you for your attention! Maryam Toossi