MICHAIL ALFARO A
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WABI SABI COMPETITION. SOLO. 2020 IN THE DESIGNING OF A MEDITATION CENTRE IN JAPAN, TO CURE MENTAL ILLNESS, THIS PROJECT DOES NOT STOP AT THE SHALLOW ARGUMENT THAT MEDITATION REMEDIES STRESS, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION, THEREFORE AN ARCHITECTURE THAT SERVICES MEDITATION WILL SOLVE THE ILLNESSES ASSOCIATED WITH JAPAN’S HIGH PRODUCTIVITY STANDARDS, LONG HOURS, AND DIGITAL ADDICTION – ALL WITH GREATER INTENSITY IN FUKUOKA WHICH IS INVESTING TO BE JAPAN’S NEW SILICON VALLEY. RATHER, THIS PROJECT GOES FURTHER AND MAKES THE GREATEST CAUSE OF JAPAN’S MENTAL HEALTH CRISES, STIGMA, CENTRAL TO ITS DESIGN. DUE TO JAPAN’S HEAVY CULTURAL PRESSURES ASSOCIATING MENTAL ILLNESS WITH WEAKNESS, 80% OF THOSE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS CHOOSE NOT TO GET HELP. THUSLY TO DESIGN AN ARCHITECTURE THAT SERVES TO CURE MENTAL ILLNESS IN JAPAN, IN CONTENDING ITS GREAT DETERRENT OF CULTURAL STIGMA, I IN FORM, MATERIAL, AND PROGRAM, DESIGNED AN ARCHITECTURE ENTIRELY EMBODYING THE JAPANESE PHILOSOPHY OF WABI SABI.
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p l a n K A P U M E 3 B
M A - F U R O P A V I L I O N B L I C / I N D I V I D U A L D I T A T I O N - G F
C H A W A N P A V I L I O N G R O U P W O R K S H O P G F
M I Z U S A S H I P A V I L I O N O V E R N I G H T D O R M S G F - 6 F
ohori canal
ohori canal shiomi
S I T E B O U N D A R Y
castle
ohori POnd maizuru park
N O R T H - W I N G E L E V AT I O N
C H A W A N P A V I L I O N G R O U P W O R K S H O P G F
U S U K I P A V I L I O N E A T E R Y / C A F E T E R I A G F - 2 F
K E N S U I P A V I L I O N B A T H H O U S E G F
侘寂 S O U T H - W I N G E L E V AT I O N
THE CITY OF FUKUOKA WAS THE BIRTHPLACE OF ZEN BUDDHISM, JAPAN’S FORM OF MEDITATION. FROM ZEN BUDDHISM THERE DERIVES THE PHILOSOPHY OF WABI SABI: 侘寂 (N.) THE DISCOVERY OF BEAUTY IN IMPERFECTION. THROUGH THE AESTHETIC PHILOSOPHY OF WABI SABI BEING EMBEDDED IN THE ARCHITECTURE, THE JAPANESE CULTURAL STIGMA AGAINST MENTAL ILLNESS CAN BE REPOSSESSED BY A DEEPER-ROOTED CULTURAL BEHAVIOUR OF NOT ONLY ACCEPTING BUT OF FINDING BEAUTY IN THOSE WHO ARE SEEMINGLY IMPERFECT.
p r o c e s s PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
CONSCIOUS TO THE SITE BEING ALONG THE WATER CANAL, AMIDST THE TREES AND NEIGHBOURING A POND, I ASSERTED A CONVENTIONAL MONOLITHIC ORTHOGONAL ARCHITECTURE WOULD BLOCK OUT THE PEACEFUL NATURE THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE IN SERVICE TO A MEDITATION CENTRE. THEREFORE, I DIVIDED THE PROGRAM INTO PAVILIONS AND SPACE THEM OUT ON THE SITE, THEN LOOSELY TIED THEM TOGETHER WITH A LIGHT STRUCTURE THAT PERMEATES THE EXISTING NATURE WALK THROUGH AND ALONG THE ARCHITECTURE.
PUBLIC PRIVATE
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A T R I U M S A R E F E A T U R E D I N M A J O R I T Y O F T H E P A V I L I O N S , A L L O W I N G N A T U R E T O P O U R T H R O U G H I N T O I N T E R I O R I T Y , A N D A I D I N T H E H E A L I N G O F M E N T A L I L L N E S S .
S E L E C T E D R E F E R E N C E S
kama-furo
mizusashi kensui chawan usuki
TO COMMUNICATE WABI SABI THROUGH ARCHITECTURE, THE DESIGN OF THE PAVILIONS WERE INFORMED BY THE PHILOSOPHY’S GREATEST PHYSICAL EMBODIMENT: THE WEARS OF THE TRADITIONAL TEA CEREMONY. BY THE TEA SET ORIGINALLY BEING INSPIRED BY ARCHITECTURE (SPECIFICALLY THE ROOF TILES); BY THE PHILOSOPHY OF WABI SABI BEING INSPIRED BY THE TEA SET AS CODIFIED BY MURATA JUKO’S “LETTER OF THE HEART”; THE FULL CIRCLE TRANSLATION OF WABI SABI BACK INTO ARCHITECTURE, FORMED THE CONCEPT OF THIS DESIGN. THE FORM OF THE PAVILIONS WERE SCULPTED FROM THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE TEA SET; THE MATERIAL OF THE PAVILIONS WERE FURROWED FROM CONTEMPORARY AND ANTIQUE WABI SABI TEA WEARS.
1 6 m
9 . 5 m
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I N T H E T R A D I T I O N T E A C E R E M O N Y T H E W A T E R F L O W S T H R O U G H A L L T H E W E A R S , A S T H E C A N A L A D J A C E N T T O T H E S I T E C H A N N E L I N G T H E W A T E R I N T O T H E P O N D : T H E P A V I L I O N S A R E H A R M O N I Z E D B Y T H E F L O W I N G B U T T R E S S T H A T I S S T R E A M E D T H R O U G H T H E S I T E . E L E V A T I O N M A I N T A I N S A H E I G H T B E L T H E T R E E L I N E , W H I L E S O N E W T R E E S T H R O U G H O U T S I T E , T O F U R T H E R G R O W T H E N A T U R A L F A B R I C O F F O R E S T E D P A R K
O W W I N G T H E I N T O T H E
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chawan
chawan
chawan
K A P U M E 3 B
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M A - F U R O P A V I L I O N B L I C / I N D I V I D U A L D I T A T I O N - G F
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Z E N G A R D E N ( S E M I - E N C L O S E D ) P U B L I C M E D I T A T I O N
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K I P A V I L I O N E R Y / E T E R I A 2 F
C H A W A N P A V I L I O N G R O U P W O R K S H O P G F
M I Z U S A S H I P A V I L I O N O V E R N I G H T D O R M S G F - 6 F
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3b P R I V A T E
M E D I A T A T I O N
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W I T H F U K U O K A ’ S A I M T O B E C O M E T H E N E X T S I L I C O N E V A L L E Y I I N T R O D U C E D A T E C H N O L O G I C A L L Y I N N O V A T I V E W A Y O F M E D I T A T I N G T H R O U G H F L O A T A T I O N T A N K S
T H E D O R M S W E R E D E S I G N E D T O S T R E N G T H E N T H E B O N D O F C O M M U N I T Y , T O F U R T H E R C O M B A T T H E S T I G M A O F M E N T A L I L L N E S S . T H U S T H E D O R M S A R E S H A R E D W I T H T W O M E M B E R S , W I T H A L L R O O M S F A C I N G I N W A R D S , C I R C L I N G A R O U N D T H E A T R I U M .
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OCULI COMPETITION. SOLO. 2019 Oculi is a study, in the aim of addressing the need for flexible space brought forth through the continual contestation of space within the urban realm and the arising complexity and idiosyncrasies of contemporary life. The concept of creating the most flexible space is to strip it to its rawest form, where its identity is most mandible. Therefore, I reduced the idea of space to the two required principles: an envelope defining a distinction from the infinity of space and the light required for a subject to interpret this distinction. Reduced to these principles, space becomes most flexibile – in the Oculi, the bending of light sculps any program, articulate any atmosphere.
LIGHT REFRACTOR
CONTROLS
OCULUS TO SCULPT SPACE
REFLEXIVE FLOORPLATE BASED ON LIGHT PATTERN
LENS TO CONTROL LIGHT INTENSITY
PRECEDENCE
ORRERY
MOHOLY-NAGY APERTURE TO DEFINE ROOMS
LIVING ROOM & OFFICE
RAVE
THE OCULI REVOLVES ALONG THE ARCHITECTURE TO ADJUST FOR THE CELESTIAL PATH INSURING THE DISTINCT SPACE REQUIRED, CAN ALWAYS DEFINED
THE FLOORPLATE IS DESIGNED TO REACTIVELY EXTRUDE THE FURNITURE TO ARTICULATE THE SPACE, IN PARAMETRIC REACTION TO THE DIAMETER OF THE SUNLIGHT THAT IS PROJECTED ONTO ITS SURFACE
CENTERGROSS - FASHION HUB COMPETITION. SOLO. 2018 In Bologna, the heart of the old continent, lays the utopian project of 180 business men in the 1970s whom aspired to create a spatially grand commercial district. Now with a need to restore the site to its former ambition, Centergross aims to adapt this now aged architecture to the glory of what has become of the site: a fast fashion capital of the world. Uniquely, as a long-standing capital of the fast-changing industry of fashion, Centergross’s the threads of its design have come apart. In the renovation project of Centergross I intended to weave back together not only the material fabric of the architecture but also the immaterial aspect, the design intent. WEAVING THREADS OF: FUNCTION IDENTITY SCALE
Area C Historical Park
Area A
Area A
major reconstruction & programming.
Area B
minor reconstruction, programming & facade design.
Area C
facade design.
Area C
100m
Area B
Area C
Area C
EXISTING PHOTOS
Ground Floor Area F & B.......................................1,000mq
By being a long narrow design, with many new programs including Spas, Offices, and Conference Halls – the layout best performs as threads of program.
Design School.......................1,000mq Commercial.........................15,800mq Gallery Space......................10,160mq Outdoor Polyvalent Space....1000mq
Parking
Parking
Parking
Parking
Outdoor Polyvalent Space
Bike Lane Parking
Parking
F&B
Parking
Design School
Bike Lane
Bike Lane
Parking
Commercial
Parking
Gallery Space
WEAVING THREADS OF FUNCTION
Bike Lane Parking
Presserved Commercial
Parking
Bike Lane Parking
Parking
Bike Lane Parking
Parking
Bike Lane Parking
The outside channel will provide users with a retail experience, the interior channel will walk users through a gallery, all culminating to a polyvalent centre at its end. Each channel offers intermittent opportunities to move upwards to access channels of green space and leisure.
WEAVING THREADS OF FUNCTION
Parking
CONSTRUCTION
In the redesign of Centergoss all the existing structure was kept, and the bulk of the budget was allocated to the redressing of the faรงade.
The architecture predominantly services the world, with people across the globe regularly flying to the nearby airport to purchase the latest clothing from Centergross. Therefore the design must signify a globally iconic destination, not only from the ground, but from the flight above as well.
WEAVING THREA
ADS OF IDENTITY
Looking forward to being the Future of Fashion
Looking back to the rich history of Italy A banner of what is to come A foundation of what has past
Weaving the threads of identity requires a refitting of a façade that sews both Bologna’s rich and long history with the architecture’s equal vision for the future. This was done through stratifying the façade design with historical architecture motifs and the advanced architecture tectonics abstracted from the folding of fabric.
GREEN ROOF
45% 25%
designated roof top green space
designated mezzanine green space
Weaving the threads of Scale is the weaving together the threads of local and international. The Architecture’s scale of design must sew both the local context of being set in rural pastures and servicing people predominantly out of the country. The green space is therefore maximized and further isolated as you move upwards on the roof top terraces. This creates a buffer from the hyper active street level which services a large population of pedestrian shoppers, bikers, drivers and loading trucks.
GREEN ROOF
HISTORICAL PARK
WEAVING THRE
The rooftop presents a different channel of experience than the mezzanine. It is more insular, flowing upwards into the channel the peaceful calm and museum of trees that the historical park offers. Here people can meditate, play sports, or continue their walk with the architecture in a refreshing way.
EADS OF SCALE
The mezzanine pulls over the fabric faรงade panels to create unique pockets of leisure. It allows the workers of the second floor offices a place for seating and informal dialogue.
As an international Fashion Hub the ground floor is hyper active largely due to the threads of circulation that service those out of the country. The busy pedestrian retail circulation is buffered from the supply trucks and bikers by the level change and canopy.
HERITAGE SKYSCRAPER COMPETITION. SOLO. 2017 There is an old adage, to see what civilization values most look at its tallest buildings. Adapting this logic to the contemporary city, we find that society has prized development and affluence as their new god. We now live and walk among titans; skyscrapers performing as modern monuments. With these edifices towering over us as signs of development and affluence, what effect does that have on those who it surrounds, what behaviour and attitude do these skyscraper signify to us unconsciously? Skyscrapers have become the only way to build within the urban stage, the only vernacular in which architecture can communicate. In the case of Toronto they are built ontop of heritage and historical architecture, a sprawl of beacons in tune with the same song. But this project comes to combat the homogeneity of skyscraper symbolism, branding the values of heritage and culture starting at Toronto’s earliest point: the first nations. If architecture can only be communicated through skyscrapers, with its continual replacement of the pre-existing urban fabric, history and culture, then the Heritage Skyscraper will insure Toronto’s history and culture will not be forgotten in the future of Architecture design. Look now to Toronto’s tallest buildings, see what civilization values, see what signifiers the people want reflecting back at them.
The Architecture operates similar to Toronto’s CN Tower, the building is a symbol, only to be occupied as a vantage point. The Heritage Skyscraper is to be placed across the Toronto Skyline.
The form and Tattooing is based on contemporary Canadian First Nations’ sculpture, art and architecture.
Toronto, in recent years has, by a large margin, had the highest amount of highrises under construction. Toronto has the second highest number of highrises and skyscrapers in North America. Construction continues at a rapid rate beyond demand.
CURRENT SKYLINE OF TORONTO
SKYLINE OF TORONTO IN 4 YEARS
A bull symbolising insight
A deer symbolising peace
A blue jay symbolising curiosity
A bear symbolising sovereignty
A swan symbolising grace
A frog symbolising cleansing
FLOATING CEMETERY COMPETITION. SOLO. 2016 In an approach to designing architecture for the dead; there requires an equal attention to the living. The simple solution of designing vertical cemeteries, as an adaptive measure to urban density, will produce towers of death – a further polarizing of the relationship between the life and death within the city. Instead, I chose to reshape the understanding of cemeteries by investigating this relationship. Cemeteries are in essence more about life than death; the immortalization of those who have gone - they represent the living memory of people, but function as a resting place. To create an architecture about life, I mirrored the elements that give life to the neighbourhood of Shinjuku: 1) connectivity 2) lights 3) disorder and 4) circulation
1
A fabricator to the life of th the complete relinquishing designed in a way that ever you will find a surrounding
he neighborhood is the sense of connectivity, g of solitude. Therefore the cemetery is ry reflection space in front of a lantern and urn, g view of the city.
2
Much of what makes Shinjuku charged with life is the lights; the illuminate signs that engrosses the architecture exclaims the presence of people. Therefore, every urn attached to the architecture has above it a lantern, to declare its presence in the harmony of lights that orchestrate the life of Shinjuku.
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The imbued life of Shinjuku is greatly attributed by the climate of disorder, the constant visual and audible stimulation brought forth by an ensemble of many little tremors that convey life. To continue this, the design leaves itself very open to this echoing relationship, while contributing with its own disordered array of tethers and lights.
4
A great contributor to the life of the area is the constant flow of people. The busy sidewalks create a constant stream of people, which in turn can be channeled upwards through the cemetery by maintaining the form of the sidewalks.
The model was displayed at the 2016 Venice Biennale in the Danish Pavillion, the model shows how the architecture adapts its use as a harbor in response to climate change’s rising water levels.
Hydra was designed from wind rose of Nuuk. Havin the wind from any directi
With the possibility of clo Hydra to amplify the wind
The science behind the des the design and models of th Funnel. With the ability to t multiply them by 400%.
Wind Rose
This design will respond to Nuuk’s lacking wind speeds.
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E 5%
10%
15%
20%
S
WATERSHORE HABITAT PROFESSIONAL - MAP ARCHITECTS: DESIGN. MODELING. FABRICATING. 2015
HYDRA
PROFESSIONAL - MAP ARCHITECTS: DESIGN. MODELING. VISU
m a plan inspired by the ng the ability to channel ion.
Sound Scaper is an architectural artifact that was set in the Brazilian amazon, that tethers different nodes of sound to a centralized point - creating a concentration of an environmental soundscape to be experienced and accentuated through form. Through this synthesis of technology and nature we can be better attuned with our understanding of our relation with where we occupy and its environment.
osing the mouths of the d of a favoured direction.
sign of Hydra, is based on he Wind Cloud or Wind take weak winds and
By amplifying the wind speeds, there will now be enough wind power to influence the heavy amount of snow fall.
UALIZATION. 2015
SOUNDSCAPER PROFESSIONAL - MAP ARCHITECTS: DESIGN. MODELING. VISUALIZATION. FABRICATION. 2015
The microphones extending from the architecture creates nodes that map the surrounding audio. The architecture then becomes a concentration of the surrounding soundscapes that is being mapped. The relation of the collecting and relaying of the audio is in harmony with the structure and form of the architecture.
INTERIORS
OR
DREXCIYA COMPETITION. SOLO. 2015 Form follows function, the modernist ideology that holds sacred the values of efficiency and productivity has homogenized the global urban fabric within an age of Fordism. The bureaucratic strata of space, the clean cut division of residential/commercial, public/private, and interior/exterior, the linear grid of circulation paths – creates for an isolated world, when Toronto with having many different people, backgrounds, and cultures should be mixing together instead of sectioning place and people by categories. Therefore, envision an organic architectural form that grows piece by piece, panel by panel, with no bias to tiers, types or classes; meshing all categories, all compartments, with new relations, with new matrices. An architecture that grows where ever a connection is needed, where ever space is needed. An architecture that forms an entire city. Its profile shaped not by plan nor calculation but by a continual chain of demands coming from a free and immediate call for space and connectivity from people.
RGANIC GROWTH OF ARCHITECTURE
ORGANIC GROWTH OF ARCHITECTURE
ROOF PLAN
SECTIONS
ANATOMY
RESONANT
MAINTAIN GREENSPACE
ACADEMIC. SOLO. ARC 313. 2014
BUILDING D
BUILDING C
BUILDING B
BUILDING A
ANCHOR CORNERS
N O RT H E L E VAT I O N
BUILDING A
BUILDING B
BUILDING C
BUILDING D
SOLAR ORIENTATION
S O U T H E L E VAT I O N
BUILDING E
UNCLOSE SPACE
PERMEATE LIGHT
BUILDING D
BUILDING A-B-C
BUILDING E
P R O G R A M FLOOR
R E TA I L
RESIDENCE
G R E E N S PA C E
1
3,000m2
x
x
2
515m2
9,600m2
15,800m2
3
x
8,780m2
1,330m2
4
x
7,980m2
800m2
5
x
7,200m2
780m2
6
x
6,440m2
760m2
7
x
5,700m2
740m2
ROOF
x
x
2,500m2
RETAIL
RESIDENCE
30% OF PROGRAM D E D I C AT E D T O G R E E N S PA C E
GREENSPACE
A C T I V A T E T H E D E S I G N A C T I VAT E S A P E D E S T R I A N E X P E R I E N C E ALONG THE SITE WITH THE CHARM OF BOUTIQUE STORE FRONTS AND THE DRAW OF A FEATURE STAIR ALLURING PEOPLE TO THE 2F GREENSCAPE
RUE HOTEL DE VILLE
M A I N T A I N
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F L O W I N G G R E E N S PA C E R
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M A I N TA I N G R E E N B A R R I E R
PEDESTRIAN WA L K WAY
LIGHTWELL TO GROUNDFLOOR PA R K I N G PROPOSED ROAD
RUE HOTEL DE VILLE
THE DESIGN AIMS TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE EXISTING ECOLOGY OF THE SITE BY MAINTAINING THE GREENSCAPE AND EXTENDING IT VERTICALLY
H-BLOCK
Sanderson Library, located on the South-East corner of Dundas & Bathurst, comprises of a non-euclidean shape. This eccentric layout results in the creation of unprogrammed spaces.
ACADEMIC. SOLO. ARC 335. 2014
Through the rapid growth of the urban fabric we have created a rebound effect of junkspaces. Here we find a junkspace produced by the Sanderson Library and an opportunity to express the library’s value of community within the exterior space of the Library. I set out to create a micro architecture design that is interactive and playful, allowing for the community building exercise of working together to create a space that works for all of its users as if it were a puzzle.
With the absence of program or utilities, this space has turned into a junk space, it has created a muted moment within the heavily exposed pedestrial circulation. A space with so much potential has become a place for illegal car parking.
Hooks are attached in the centre of each block, protruding on both sides, connecting all the blocks in a chain.
The boxes are connected together by elastic wire that is attached to each block’s hook, allowing for a guided movement of the blocks from the cross shaped path.
MOUND ART INSTALLATION (HONOURABLE MENTION). 2015 TEAM: JULIE BOGDANOWICZ & DIANA FRANCO. CONTRIBUTION: FABRICATION. Septic mounds, visually expresses the causal relationship of our living with the environment. The larger the home, the larger the waste we expel into the environment and thus the larger the stoic mound that characterizes the shameful waste we exhaust.
SKETCHBOOK