works michelle ashurov 292 gerrard street east suite 203 toronto, ontario, canada m5a 2g4 mi.ashurov@gmail.com +1 647 286 9690
curriculum vitae
education Ryerson University Architectural Science
09/2012 - 04/2016
experience 325 Magazine 04/2014 - present Head of Graphics, Creative Director, Photographer Member of student team in charge of the Department of Architectural Science’s annual publication. http://issuu.com/mag325/docs/325_2013-2014 https://www.behance.net/gallery/26029045/325-MagazineDesign-2013-14-issue
[R]ed[U]x Lab Designer for the Design Offsite Festival
12/2015
Member of team of students for the Department of Architectural Science at Ryerson University. The group investigates the use of digital fabrication and interactive technologies in designing projects of a variety of scales. http://ryearchdesignlab.blogspot.ca/ http://reduxlab.com/
Digital Fabrication Zone at Ryerson University 11/2014 - 05/2015 Designer for the Bata Shoe Museum Installation Member of interdisciplinary team consisting of four Interior Design students and four Architectural Science students from Ryerson University. The team designed and constructed a window installation running along Bloor Street West and St.George Street for the Museum’s 20th anniversary.
PLX599 Architecture and Urban Intervention Publisher
10/2014 - 12/2014
Member of group responsible for publishing the works that came from the PLX599 course in Fall 2014. http://issuu.com/sarahlipsit/docs/plx_book_2014_part_one http://issuu.com/sarahlipsit/docs/plx_book_2014_part_two
AIAS Peer Mentorship Program Mentor
09/2014 - 04/2015
The Peer Mentorship Program calls for third and fourth year students, and based on common interests, matches first and second year students.
ASC401 Studio Book Editor and Publisher
02/2014 - 04/2014
Member of group responsible for editing and publishing the works that came from the ASC401 studio in Winter 2014. http://issuu.com/asc401_2014/docs/booklet_w14_part01__1_ http://issuu.com/asc401_2014/docs/booklet_w14_part02
The Stop’s Night Market Design Competition Cart Designer
michelle ashurov
02/2013 - 06/2013
292 gerrard street east suite 203 toronto, ontario, canada m5a 2g4
Member of team chosen to design a food and drink vending cart for the 2013 Night Market event.
Women’s Art Association of Canada Art Installer
2009 - 2012
mi.ashurov@gmail.com
Art installer for several events throughout years associated with WAAC.
+1 647 286 9690
publications
skills
Canadian Architect, online
21/05/2015
Ryerson students create window display for the Bata Shoe Museum’s 20th anniversary
Azure Magazine, print
AutoCAD Adobe
11/2015 - 12/2015
Ryerson University, Toronto: Best Place to Get Your Hands Dirty
Illustrator InDesign Photoshop
travel
Microsoft
Frankfurt Studio / Studio Abroad Germany Frankfurt am Main, Munich, Berlin France Paris
06/2015
New York / Optional Studio Trip United States NY New York
10/2014
Germany Exchange Germany Berlin, Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen, Mainz, Stuttgart France Strasbourg
03/2010
Spain Exchange Spain
03/2009 Barcelona, Murcia, Madrid, Valencia
Excel PowerPoint Word Revit Rhinoceros SketchUp Other skills:
3D Printing
Hand Drafting Laser Cutting Model Making Sketching
content
academic personal
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scapes
blomĂŠ
gooddeck badlands foot[age] frame2 the honeycomb core
graphic design: architecture and urban intervention graphic design: 325 magazine, 2013 - 2014 graphic design: 325 magazine, 2014 - 2015 photography
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When considering what makes the Green Belt in Frankfurt am Main so remarkable, any blatant benefits can be identified through impersonal research. There is a crucial quality to the massive spread of land that can only be experienced through taking the opportunity to meander through the city and Belt. Though seemingly obvious if seen in plan, the Belt is a continuous semi-circular that runs through the city and stops at two distant points along the Main River. The path is bisected numerous times by streets of all sizes, yet an individual can easily way-find and continue their journey through contrasting visual cues – a cityscape broken through with a dense blanket of greenery. The wide expanses of green can be pointed out from quite a distance.
scapes duration supervision collaboration
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june - october 2015 yew-thong leong -
This area where the blue and green intersect must be activated and celebrated, and this can only be done through thoughtful design. As strong imagery evokes something within most people, the site redesign is derived from the grand blue and green geographical features found throughout all of Germany, and their geographical relationship to Frankfurt. These locations house hybrids of metaphoric design and exciting program that engages a variety of ages and interests. In attempts of elevating the quality of design, the architecture emulates the experience an individual could have at these German destinations, rather than simply capturing a similarity in form and materiality. The primary difficulty in connecting the Belt to the riverside is the drastic change in elevation -- from street to riverside -- breaking any sort of visual an individual could see from the street. To pull a large audience down to the marvelous riverside, the crosswalk that is directly in front of the Green Belt’s end leads to an expansive gentle hill that introduces them to the newly redesigned site.
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plan; map of Germany, marked where these locations are, angles shown were extracted to create the axes pictured above diagram; the Black Forest translated onto landscape through practice of tree-forming, (guided growth) to achieve large flattened tree canopy underside amongst forest of planted trees in grid formation. This feature emulates the intensity of shade cast from growths in Black Forest diagram; Rügen Island translated onto landscape with design of generously sized docks, set distance away from riverside, allowing visitors to board ferry cruise ships and relax from median between land and deepest parts of Main River diagram; Lake Constance translated onto landscape as extensive wading pool with large water spouts and linear drainage elements to create a controlled geometric form and drastically contrast wet surface from dry diagram; the Zügspitze translated onto landscape with built forms, metaphorically speaking to human settlements at mountain bases due to richer nutrients in soils and milder climates. This feature translates into dynamic section with multitude of varying elevations to allow for range of views diagram; axes derived from Frankfurt’s geographic location in relation to chosen geographical features of Germany plan; Green Belt of Frankfurt pictured, site for Scapes located at bottom right where Green meets Blue
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section; through street leading to the ‘Black Forest’ scape to the river. 1:500 axonometric; site of Scapes, pictured from Southwest diagram; open grassy expanse at street level designated for public functions (i.e. festivals, marketplace, vendors) diagram; wading pool with three spouts of water and axis aligned linear drainage to rigidly cut body of water diagram; floating docks for passengers boarding and exiting the ferry cruise ships; wide to accommodate those with a desire to lounge above the water diagram; West side gallery entrance leading to tunnel extension; storage space embedded within separating facade to accommodate for events and buskers diagram; stage set up at undersides of the two existing historical bridges, encouraging buskers and actors to perform for the public diagram; man-made hill allowing entry from large portion of street level to riverside, with embedded seating emerging from the new topography diagram; East-side gallery entrance leading to train tunnel plan; site, 1:1500
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plan; restaurant and roof of train tunnel extension/gallery space on the south portion of plan, highlighted in site plan on previous page, 1:200
render; restaurant and open green space for markets at street level
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render; water feature and ferry terminal ticket and information kiosk at riverside render; art gallery in tunnel extension diagram: guided growth over time plan; ferry terminal management, ticket and information kiosk; 1;200
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Throughout the course of history, human activity has inflicted detrimental effects on the environment in a variety of ways and scales. In our recent years, these implications have been magnified and are constantly discussed globally, primarily as a criticism of our behavior and relationship to the sensitive earth on which we exist. We have exploited and savaged the environment for our own selfishness and ease of lifestyle. Blomé is an installation that speaks to the effects of our activity in a metaphoric way. To express the ways our movements as humans cause a reaction on landscapes and environments, a fragile white form hovers mere meters from the ground, with lengths undulating like waves. Strips of translucent, airy, white fabric and porous netting stand perfectly still and static, only fluttering from the movement of visitors who walk past ultrasonic sensors, activating a fan. The fan enhances the movement of strips, causing them to dance and move, just as every move we make on this planet causes a reaction – no matter how subtle. The sensors also activate lights, which brighten and pulsate, like stars moving across the sky. We believe that this, a brightening, a gentle breeze, and swaying in the move are all beautiful movements found naturally in the environment, and are encapsulated in Blomé as reminders to tread gently. Do you duck beneath the fabric and walk slowly or pace quickly through it? This is comment on how we perceive our environment; do we barrel through, or do we respect it? This design is a proposal for Toronto’s Nuit Blanche in 2016. Groups were to develop a module that could be applied to a variety of spaces.
blome` duration supervision collaboration
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december 2015 vincent hui catalina ardila-bernal sarah lipsit dana salama
This design is an installation for Toronto’s 2016 Design Offsite Festival, located at 325 Church Street, Toronto, ON Canada. Schematic design and design development was completed as a group. Initial arduino programming was completed as a group exercise. Plans, module diagram and photographs were all created by Michelle Ashurov. Construction was completed as a group.
jamie tong
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photograph; close up of built module diagram; exploded axonometric of imagined room for Nuit Blanche event plywood boards, cut into where CPU fans are located LED strips placement, with point where LED pins hang vertically white organza lining strips with tulle in between dark fabric conealing rigid walls of room wood stud walls forming a room of a U layout
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plan; cut at 1500 mm from grade, 1:50 photograph: process of construction plan; cut at 2000 mm from grade, 1:50 section; 1:50
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photograph; built module diagram; exploded axonometric of module construction CPU fans, grouped in threes plywood board, cut where CPU fans are located LED strips staples attaching fabrics to plywood white organza lining strips white tulle stapled between every other line of organza strips a
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The site for this observation deck and educational pavilion is currently known as the Cheltenham Badlands, situated in Caledon, Ontario. Due to poor farming practices exercised in the 1930s, soil erosion revealed the underlying Queenston Shale, rich in iron oxide deposits. The bright red hues of the iron, overlapped with the river bed geography and history of land clearing and livestock grazing, resulted in the rugged train reminiscent of a landscape on Mars, attracting thousands of visitors every year. Due to the high volume of foot traffic and congestion of the adjacent highway from prohibited street parking, the environment was deemed unsafe and endangered by the Ontario Heritage Trust. In addition, due to the terrain, majority of the site is unaccessible. This led to a temporary five year closure of the site in early 2015, and an opportunity to devise a Master Plan in collaboration with the public. The design for the Badlands Gooddeck uses modernized vernacular farm building structure and materials of a similar nature to the site to passively explain the history and processes of the site. Pine dimensional lumber, along with lapped pine siding is used as the primary construction and cladding. Weathering steel elements are used as joint connections, footings, flowing guard rails, information plaques and seating. Corrosion of the metal leads to a visual transformation in the surface layer, symbolic of the red iron oxide deposits, which change into streaks of green iron oxide due to water percolation. The layering of man-made and natural elements speaks to the concept, as the section of the design inverts the layering of the previous agricultural network, Queenston Shale and earth core by imposing a man-made structure of organic wood lumber and oxidizing metal below an infinite sky. The
gooddeck badlands duration supervision collaboration
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december 2015 baruch zone -
element tying the relationship of layers is a foundation for the pavilion, composed of Hempcrete, a bio-composite of hemp hurds and lime that is interchangeably used with concrete due to its high structural strength and insulative qualities.
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render; from Northeast in background section; North-South, 1:200 plan; 1:200 Old Baseline Road parking lot recessed pathway educational deck observation deck
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elevation; South, 1:200 elevation; West, 1:200 render; taken from educational ‘pavilion’, looking South axonometric; detail, outlined in larger axonometric 4 x 8 side bracing 4 x 8 stilt 4 x 8 cross bracing 4 x 8 horizontal bracing weathering steel angle weathering steel pin foundations nut and bolt connection
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axonometric; structure below elevation observation deck weathering steel capped guardrail weathering steel guardrail partition punched weathering steel angle 4 x 8 wood planks, ends cut at angle to create C shape, 1� spacing timber framing 4 x 8 cross bracing 4 x 8 side bracing 4 x 8 stilts 4 x 8 horizontal bracing weathering steel pin foundations
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In commemoration of the Bata Shoe Museum’s 20th anniversary, the design team created an ethereal window installation reminiscent of shoes in motion. Located at the busy corner of St. George Street and Bloor Street West, it was crucial to the team that the installation could transform visually. The final product has a very different identity from day to night. Throughout the process, the team had a very close relationship with members of the Museum, ensuring all concerns and desires were addressed and fulfilled. Final shoe formations were derived from shoe typologies provided by the Museum’s historian. Abstracted shoe formations are composed of wooden rods of varying lengths and pierce a blank canvas of white acrylic, which works to conceal the structure and diffuse the lighting elements. The installation is back-lit with strips of colourful LED’s to add a gradual wash of colour. These LED strips are programmable to allow for a various combinations of colour. The interplay of depth, shadow, and the individual physical components symbolically represent the immense volume of priceless history contained within the Museum’s outstanding collection. Published online in May 2015 on Canadian Architect site, and in print in the November - December 2015 issue of Azure Magazine Schematic design and design development was completed as a group. Construction was completed as a group. Plan created by Filip Tisler.
foot[age] duration supervision 1-9
collaboration
january - may 2015 vincent hui ala roushan lois wenthal naveed khan sarah lipsit victoria mininni shane morris sally pollock katelyn runnalls filip tisler
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photograph; process of construction diagram; plan of row demonstrating variety of lengths of wooden rods at any given elevation screenshot; collection of photographs taken by viewers of Foot[age], found on Instagram under the #batashoemusuem hash tag; created by Instagram accounts -- names displayed at top left of each screenshot
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photograph; full window display, seen along St. George Street and Bloor Street West; taken by RĂŠmi Carriero
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FRAME2 is a glasses case that blurs the lines between a rigid case and a flat-pack case. It offers the rigidity of a hard case and the flexibility of a soft case in a pocket-sized product. Available in several colours, FRAME2 is a glasses case consumers will not want to miss. Using 3D printing technology, this product is cheap and light, with little assembly required. It also caters to online retailers who can provide additional aesthetically pleasing, durable, and portable glasses cases at a fraction of the space and cost. The fabric encasement can also be 3D printed with elastic fabrics in a variety of colours. Follow the QR code to see the short commercial for the product. This project was an entry for the 2016 Extreme Redesign competition. All images on page created by Michelle Ashurov. ‘Advertisement’ was filmed by Michelle Ashurov and edited by Dana Salama. 3D printed prototype digital model created in collaboration. Sketch models, fabric encasement, and photographs created by Michelle Ashurov.
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october 2015 vincent hui dana salama
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screenshot; taken from advertisement filmed for FRAME2 diagram; case in collapsed position diagram; case in open position diagram; exploded perspective of case in open position; all parts shown are 3D printed in interlocked position not pictured in diagrams is flexible fabric encasement
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The Stop Community Centre, a Toronto organization aiming to eliminate food deserts within downtown Toronto, hosts a Night Market benefit, and invites designers to imagine and build food carts for food and drink vendors. The cart is inspired of a bee’s honeycomb collective - working as a community to provide food for all. With a limited budget, the cart was constructed mainly from salvaged materials, while the remainder was laser cut MDF and plexi-glass. The cart was constructed on four caster wheels, allowing for ease of delivery, removal, and fixed positioning for use during the two night event. People’s Choice Award: Cart Design The Honeycomb stood fourth out of 33 carts designed for the Night Market 2013 Schematic design and design development was completed as a group. Construction was completed in a group. Photographs taken by Michelle Ashurov. CAD cut drawing created by Jonathan Day.
the honeycomb duration supervision collaboration
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march - june 2013 jonathan day dana gurevich sara duffin
sarah lipsit emily mutch marcus parisi
adam rosenberg dana salama
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photograph: process of facade construction photograph: process of base construction CAD cut drawing pictured in background
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photograph: the Honeycomb at night during night one of the 2013 Night Market
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The modern library is a shift from the tradition, where the book was the reason behind the building. In the modern age, the general population still inherently desires information, but prefers to acquire it through a variety of mediums. This is the motivation behind designing a library that directs the focus away from the books in a respectful manner. The design seeks to mimic the relationship between the commotion of the city and the traditional quiet library. The building programs revolve around a serene layered core. On the bottom level, the centre of the core is a meditative reading room, enveloped by an internal corridor and a series of book stacks on every level of the library. In order to not disturb this space, the void is slashed by a series of stairs to allow for internal circulation. A concrete wall envelopes the book core and acts as the central structure where everything is tied back to. The configuration also acts a simple means of way-finding. A primary corridor wraps around the book core and allows visitors to enter, exit and explore the building as they wish. The areas programmed for more public activity, such as study and meeting rooms, are located to the perimeters of the building that face Sheridan Avenue and Dundas Street (to the West and South). Meanwhile, other programs, such as private offices and the integrated CSI office model are located along the other two perimeters that face neighboring properties. Finally, the two exterior public spaces, the outdoor reading room and the formal building entrance, are highlighted as they are carved out of the overall form. This decision was made to signify the importance of spending time outside under an unfiltered sky.
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february - april 2015 jeff geldart vis sankrithi sara duffin
This design was initially started as an individual project to establish a strong parti and design, and later on worked on in a pairing to establish a thorough envelope and structural system. The original design (Integration Studio I under supervision from Jeff Geldart), as well as all work and photographs displayed, except for the building sections, were created by Michelle Ashurov. Final physical model was created in collaboration.
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plan; site, not to scale diagram; parti diagram; permissible building footprint diagram; extrusion of footprint to maximum of four storeys diagram; application of parti diagram; zoning setback from north lot line diagram; sculpting of form where outdoor public program is located
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plan, ground level, 1:200 cafe loading/storage daycare information library core study nooks retail space CSI office lobby public park
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plan; third level, 1:200 CSI office space meeting room
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section; north to south, 1:200 plan, fourth level, 1:200 outdoor reading room study room community centre
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plan; composite wood fin to vertical mullion, 1:20 composite wood fin double pane glazing with butyl edge seal steel clamp with T insert in vertical frame extended aluminum frame steel channel curtain wall vent insertions operable window
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section; curtain wall to slab, 1:20 double pane glazing with butyl edge seal aluminum frame steel angle white ash hardwood flooring polyethylene film sleepers polyethylene film concrete slab 2 snap cap pressure plate curtain wall spandrel panel double glazed with reflective coating on int. pane semi-rigid insulation metal spandrel panel hidden track lighting fixture concrete beam
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section; parapet and green roof, 1:20 composite wood fin capping integrated in curtain wall rough carpentry steel clamp connection to curtain wall boomerang tie vapour barrier parapet (C.I.P concrete) rigid board insulation (60 mm) moisture resistant plasterboard bituminous membrane flashing pea gravel (12.7 mm) steel curb root barrier vegetation growing medium drainage mat with membrane rigid insulation roofing membrane concrete slab section; West wall show in plan on previous page. 1:75
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photographs on left page: sketch model, testing facade elements and connection to curtain wall, constructed to 1:20 scale photographs on right page; final model, constructed to 1:50 scale
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Architecture & Urban Intervention is a compilation of the student work from the PLX599 course, titled The Human World. Each student wrote a report on a building of his or her own choice, analyzing and acknowledging principles outlined by the Congrès International d’Architecture Moderne (CIAM) in relation to the architecture. Four students were chosen to compile the essays in a final book for print and online publishing. Available at: http://issuu.com/sarahlipsit/docs/plx_book_2014_part_one http://issuu.com/sarahlipsit/docs/plx_book_2014_part_two
architecture & urban duration supervision collaboration
october - december 2014 ian macburnie naveed khan sarah lipsit ishan patel
intervention
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325 Magazine is a publication curated by students, to showcase the excellent and innovative ideas stemming out of Ryerson University’s Department of Architectural Science. This issue features a collection of works and development from the 2013-2014 year. The feature of wood is identified for this issue of the magazine, as wood is a prominent material for the process of creation for all projects featured. Whether it be through the utilization of a pencil when sketching a massing, the creation of a physical model with laser cut MDF, or the existing project constructed with raw lumber, wood is an essential material. Available at: http://issuu.com/mag325/docs/325_2013-2014 https://www.behance.net/gallery/26029045/325-Magazine-Design2013-14-issue Magazine concept and layout completed as a group. Photographs taken by Michelle Ashurov. Magazine cover image shown photographed by Michelle Ashurov. For a full list of team members, please visit page 5 on the Issuu publication link.
325 magazine duration supervision collaboration
may 2014 - january 2015 sarah lipsit stefan miller *
2013 -2014
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325 Magazine is a publication curated by students, to showcase the excellent and innovative ideas stemming out of Ryerson University’s Department of Architectural Science. This issue features a collection of works and development from the 2014-2015 year. This year’s issue focuses on two subjects dear to the team’s hearts. The organization of projects is based on the types of responses student projects made to a set of design parameters and issues. Responses range from site conditions to social and cultural sensitivity to massing constraints, and this work is a celebration of design methodologies. The main feature is Architectural Heritage Conservation, which may be the bigggest design challange this generation of architects will face. How does one intervene in an already ednsely populated urban fabric or landscape? The fundamental approach is that if it is broken, fix it. If it is not broken, improve it. Magazine concept and layout completed as a group. Images are taken from final version of magazine. which is currently in printing. A full list of contributors will be available by February 25, 2016, on Issuu at http://issuu.com/mag325/
325 magazine duration supervision collaboration
may 2015 - present sarah lipsit *
2014 - 2015
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A collection of moments I have been lucky enough to capture.
photography
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GSW; Berlin, Germany, June 2015 M-ELS, Berlin, Germany, June 2015
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Pops 1; Paris, France, June 2015 Pops 2; Paris, France, June 2015 Pops 3, Vienna, Austria, August 2013 Pops 4, Zurich, Switzerland, Juy 2015
thank you michelle ashurov 292 gerrard street east suite 203 toronto, ontario, canada m5a 2g4 mi.ashurov@gmail.com