MIRCEA NASTASE Selected Works 2024 Iowa State University
Mircea Nastase
he/him/his
Mircea is a fifth-year student at Iowa State University pursuing a Bachelors in Architecture. He is looking for fulltime opportunities to further develop skills in the workplace with interests in inclusive design, social/cultural justice, sustainability, and publication production. Creating designs that are unique, and being able to visually represent those designs in efficient ways, is valuable to Mircea. He enjoys continuously learning new programs and improving his skills while also helping others develop their understanding of software in collaborative settings. Mircea is detail oriented and works efficiently to accomplish his tasks. He is a self driven designer seeking a work environment that is diverse, energetic about design, and thoughtful. Mircea is optimistic about how architecture can continue to shape the future for all people.
01 | Retrospection
04
02 | Data_Fields
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03 | Bridging Boundary
24
Expressing the Immigrant Story
Deauthorizing Extraction
Blurring Private and Public Space
04 | Linearity
38
Rome as Found
05 | Publication Design StratAA + DATUM + Data_Fields_
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01
Mircea Nastase
DLR Group Prize Competition: Finalist
Retrospection Expressing the Immigrant Story
Retrospection is a social justice center in Portland, Oregon, designed in response to the needs and goals of the non-profit organization, The Immigrant Story. Portland has a rich and complex immigration history. For decades, Portland has provided a home and community for a diverse range of immigrant groups from Japan, China, Mexico, etc. This immigration fostered a place dense with culture; unfortunately, this contribution was not always valued or welcomed. The Immigrant Story seeks to rectify Portland’s historic disregard and underappreciation for the immigrant and refugee population by honoring their tremendous strength and persistence through storytelling. Storytelling has always been a way to nurture empathy and understanding. Retrospection provides a tangible place for this to occur. The large pillars erected in Tom McCall Waterfront Park are a visual reminder to the community
F’22_Arch 401 Integrated Studio Partner: Arden Stapella Professor: Nathan Griffith, Brian Warthen, Nick Lindsley, Khalid Khan
of the strong and permanent presence of immigrants in Portland, occupying their space beautifully and powerfully. As you proceed closer, you are gestured toward the structure framed by the city grid and invited by the stairs to explore below grade. There, you will find a celebration of differences and spaces designed to inspire compassion. It is a space to inform the public of the hardships that immigrants have endured, the violence and racism, to acknowledge that experience, and recognize them for their courage. Up the stairs and in the park, the ground has been sculpted to form small hills which emanate light from the program below. They give movement to the landscape, mimicking the rippling water of the river beside it, inviting onlookers to traverse the undulant terrain. Retrospection invites the community to embrace the city’s diverse heritage and provide recognition where it is deserved.
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Grade Plan
Showcasing monumental staircase connection of city to water, playful mounded light well interaction, and adjacencies to site
Main Level Plan
Program includes: Exhibition space, auditorium, community/volunteer rooms, and podcast rooms. The outside zone affords outdoor amphitheater space or extended exhibition space.
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INITIAL MASS
Massing Diagram (top) Analytical Site Section (bottom)
INSERTION
CONNECTION
EXTRUSION
LIGHT / PLAY
REFINEMENT
6-step process of achieving desired outcome. Emphasis on the tree’s root systems on-site to ensure no harm to existing conditions alongside an analysis of the flood levels and soil conditions due to the approximation to the Willamette River
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Illustrated detail drawings
Mounded light-well creates playful interaction on ground
Perspective Section (right):
Emphasis on perspective framed by the street, structure in relation to mounded light-wells, and monumental staircase. Auditorium and exhibition space visible in view.
level and provides light to spaces below. Structure innovates the slab for longer spans. Translucent stone used to appear monolithic during the day and maintain its presence through light during the night. Radiant floor heating and cooling alongside floor HVAC to de-clutter ceiling condition.
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02
Mircea Nastase
Kocimski Super Review: Honorable Mention Substance Prize Competition: Finalist
Data_Fields_ Deauthorizing Extraction Modern human civilization has continually operated under the belief that technology will save us from ourselves and our actions. Given that contemporary systems were created by individuals with their own biases and coupled with the anonymity of modern technology, it becomes difficult to ensure that these systems designed to improve our lives will not harm our futures. Infrastructures such as algorithms, the “cloud,” black boxes, and artificial intelligence support extractive activities to obtain power and control within society, oftentimes under the guise of technological advancement and modern convenience. Thus, contemporary technologies are not neutral; we must reconsider their implications in our lives and become aware of the predetermined logic of our machines and processes. These
Semester_Arch 403 Senior Research Studio Partner: Sophia Allen, Kyle Guenther, Connor Shanahan Professor: Mitchell Squire
technologies have fueled Silicon Valley’s tech giants, which require the outsourcing of data storage, leaving smaller communities, like the Des Moines metro area, to bear the weight of these decisions. These data centers engage architectural conventions to plan, extract, and build physical manifestations of the “cloud” on the earth. As material mining continues to extract physical resources to construct the seemingly non-physical “cloud,” corporate interests and big data continue to overpower the aspirations, land, and resources of less dense communities and repress underground data infrastructures that operate today. This investigation aims to reframe our relationship with data to embrace our virtual identities that are gaining more presence in our physical world.
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Black Box (top)
In machine learning, the “black box” refers to a closed-off algorithm that outputs results without explaining its process
Extractive Lenses (bottom)
Rotating filters on gears that interact with the image. Filters include: 1: Manipulate data; 2: Alter data, 3: Scrape Data
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Deauthorize the Black Box
Peering inside the black box exposes its inner workings and deauthorizes its power
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Data Extraction Process
Collection (top left)
Companies, governments, and institutions have access to the data that permeates our lives through facial recognition, algorithmic profiling, social media mining, digital redlining, and other extractive threats.
Storage (top right)
As material mining continues to extract physical resources to construct the seemingly nonphysical “cloud,” corporate interests and big data continue to overpower the aspirations, land, and resources of less dense communities and repress underground data infrastructures that operate today.
Curation (bottom left)
Data curation involves the meticulous selection, organization, and presentation of information to conform to the agendas of its curators.
Application (bottom right)
Data has been used to manufacture physical and cognitive environments. Living within these environments, we become immune to the power of data in our society and play with its severity as it is continually consumed.
Often invisible, our data is continuously collected, stored, curated, and applied to our everyday lives. These models serve as abstract visualizations of these four identified steps.
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Current Condition Manifesto
As data is continuously collected and stored in the “invisible” cloud, data centers use architectural conventions to plan, extract, and build physical manifestations of the “cloud” on Earth.
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Future Condition Manifesto
Investigating the human experience and its relationship with technology if the invisible data undergrounds were exploded and exposed.
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Final Performance Stage
Data extraction working in the background of our everyday lives.
Performance Widgets
Projections used to create new hybrid environment. The digital and physical worlds intersect.
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Scene 1: Virtual Leg Rest
Hybrid condition between physical and virtual.
Scene 2: Hydration Widget
Actions dictated by virtual world.
Scene 3: Glitch Interaction
Physical body interacting with virtual interface.
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03
Mircea Nastase
AIA Emerging Professionals Competition: 3rd Place
Bridging Boundary Blurring Public and Private Space
For those visiting Chelsea, the Highline appears as a spectacle of urban renewal: a once deteriorating railroad that now enhances life for Chelsea residents. From the Highline, tourists gaze in awe at the wealthy lifestyle perpetuated through the area’s continuous development, shielded from what lies below–the local community. Despite the initial aim of the adaptive reuse project, many residents do not feel the elevated park was designed for them. Thus, a vertical boundary is created that distances tourists from local Chelsea communities. An architectural intervention can integrate Chelsea’s local culture into the Highline and
Spring 22_ARCH 302 Urban Housing Partner: Connor Shanahan Professor: Bosuk Hur
provide a new lens for tourism in the area that centers on the overlooked but vibrant and diverse local community. By integrating the local culture into the Highline, we blur the boundary between culture and tourism by connecting public and private spaces. This is accomplished by providing market space for artisans on the street and Highline levels. These artisans occupy artist residencies with studio spaces for residents needing a maker space lifestyle. By connecting and allowing these artisans and vendors to create and sell their work, tourists can interact with the culture of the Chelsea community.
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Current Condition
Highline currently acts as a boundary separating culture visible on ground level with tourist-aimed high rise construction.
Proposed Condition
An architectural intervention could promote interaction on highline level between locals and tourists.
Starting size: 100’x200’x140’
Studios acting as blurred space between public market and private residencies.
Removed space in center to allow for better circulation, outdoor space, and views.
Adjusted massing by extracting and extruding to create desired effect.
Large staircase in center and various openings to attract people to markets.
Refined form to finalized massing composition.
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Basement Level Plan (top) Courtyard Rendering (bottom)
Public market, courtyard space, supplemental. Rendering features monumental stair that connects the highline level and the street level. The courtyard space acts as an intersection between the two levels. The open air market encourages the interaction of tourists and local artists as they easily access to and from the highline.
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Highline Level Plan (top) Highline Approach Rendering (bottom)
Accessible entrance off highline, market space, cafe and food court, tourist residencies, seating. Accessible entrance off highline is highlighted alongside the studio cantilever bridge that acts as a banner to draw people into the space. Residencies have operable panels to respect privacy needs of residential units facing highline.
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Level 5 (studio) Plan (top) Public Studio Rendering (bottom)
Outdoor residential amenity space, private and public studios, exhibition space and lobby seating. Various floor elevations were used to create a more dynamic and interesting space. Space would act as an ongoing exhibition of volunteering local artisans currently working on projects that would be willing to interact with the public.
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Nick Cave Speak Louder Combining elements of performance, sculpture, fashion, and installation, Nick Cave makes exuberant artworks that address contemporary societal ills: Throughout his practice, he has addressed racism, gun violence, and climate change. Cave may be best known for his spectacular “Soundsuits”—sculptural costumes that the artist found from composes from ranging m aterials dyed twigs and blankets to thrift store tchotchkes. Inspired by Mardi Gras and Indian attire, Carnival
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Level 7 (private vs. public) Plan (top)
Residential units, flexible space: classroom, exhibition, etc.
Exhibition Space Rendering (bottom)
Operable exterior louvers would control the daylighting available depending on exhibition needs. Double height space also available for taller instillations. All work would be from local artists as a way for tourists to engage with the culture of Chelsea.
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Unit A
Studio unit provided with W/D and operable bedroom wall to expand space as needed.
Unit B
One bedroom unit with 1.5 baths. Retractable sliding wall to separate living room for privacy.
Unit C
Two bedroom unit featuring thickened bathroom, kitchen, W/D, and entertainment.
Unit D
One bedroom tourist unit aimed for temporary living conditions. Fully accessible kitchen and bathroom provided.
Unit B Rendering
Open concept artist residency for maximum flexibility. Operable panels allow for further control of light and privacy from highline and public program.
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Operable Panel Detail (top)
Detail drawing of wooden residential panels used for privacy and daylighting control
Panel Renders (bottom)
Day and night rendering depicting operable facade with majority open or closed panels
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Exploded Isometric
Vertical relationships between floors highlighted with significant spaces called out to showcase potential usage
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Auditorium (top left)
Connection (top right
Public auditorium for lectures, keynotes, and performances Accessible and grand entrance off of highline to connect the ground level with the highline level through the architecture
Gallery (middle left)
Studio and exhibition space for local artisans to work and display artwork
Rooftop (middle right)
Private rooftop access for residents to enjoy views of Chelsea, New York
Market (bottom left)
Marketspace for artisans to share work with tourists and locals
Residency (bottom right)
Accessible and grand entrance off of highline to connect the ground level with the highline level through the architecture
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0
8
16
32 FT
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Mircea Nastase
Linearity Rome as Found Linearity aims to provide as much open public space as possible to the neighborhood of San Lorenzo to give back the previously disregarded site to the city’s residents. By creating a mass that resides on one side of the site and allowing the rest of the site to be open air, the building becomes a background for urban activity in similar ways to ancient precedents like the Roman Tabularium. The community center is an extrusion extending from the site’s hillside, using the existing topography and creating a facade that acts as a mask to connect to the landscape. The park space is now an exchange instrument to build community and provide a new lens for the community. By allowing the users to program the outside spaces, the users are given the artistic freedom to create their environment. Thus, the campus becomes a space for adaptability and change, a space open to transformation and expression. In place of the solids currently inhabiting the site, the void of the urban fabric will be preserved and returned to the community.
Semester_Arch 402 San Lorenzo Redevelopment Partner: Emily Hatch, Timothy Zhang Professor: Lavinia Ann Minciacchi, Simone Capra, Consuelo Nuñez Ciuffa
The building is a long linear mass that shields the infrastructure and less desirable south side of the site and faces the rest of the San Lorenzo neighborhood. This accentuates the relationship of the building to the context and the concept of the building as a backdrop to the urban fabric. With this notion, the facade is intended to be simple, with few extrusions and contrasted elements to allow the building to fall back in perspective, putting the public space in the foreground. The main community space holds a library and exhibition space split by a carved opening in the mass. This sliver of space is a gesture reminiscent of Lucio Fontana’s artworks that would carefully cut a canvas, creating an opening. In this case, the canvas is the topography, and the architecture is the utensil used to develop such a gesture. Through this exploration, the role of the architect is rediscovered as being also a painter, sculptor, or artist, as they once were historically through masterminds such as Michelangelo or Bernini.
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Fontana Cut
Lucio Fontana was an influential Italian-Argentine artist known for pioneering spatialism, a movement that aimed to merge various artistic disciplines. His work featured canvases punctured or slashed to create new dimensions of space and experience.
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MASS in CONTEXT
TOPOGRAPHIC LIFT
GROUND POROSITY
Aligned massing to face the neighborhood and the angle of facade to street
Embedded community center within topography and maintained green scape
Increased circulation and passways within the public groundscape
MINERAL GATHERING SPACE
GREENSCAPE
LANDSCAPE INTERVENTIONS
Creation of piazza within the site context for public gatherings and social activism
Park space to provide recreational and environmental benefits to the community
Activation of the public gathering spaces through various playful gestures
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Level 1
The program is split in the middle of the linear mass with public amenities near the main street and residencies near the surrounding apartments and Aurelian Wall.
Level 0
The ground floor comprises of public amenities for the San Lorenzo community featuring a library, shops, and marketspace.
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Exploded Isometric
A sectional and programmatic analysis of the building showcasing the monolithic linear bar and single story community center.
05
Mircea Nastase
Publication Design StratAA + DATUM + Data_Fields_
Publication design plays a crucial role in conveying information effectively and engagingly to a target audience. Beyond simply arranging text and images on a page, thoughtful design enhances the overall reading experience, making content more accessible and visually appealing. A well-designed publication not only captures attention but also communicates the intended message with clarity, coherence, and impact. Design elements such as layout, typography, color schemes, and imagery contribute to the overall aesthetic and readability of a publication. They help establish a visual hierarchy, guiding readers through the content and emphasizing key points. Investing in
2020-2021: StratAA L1 + DATUM Collective 2021-2022: StratAA Layer 2 2023-2024: StratAA Layer 3 StratAA: Publication Team DATUM: Publication Team Data_Fields_: Sophia, Kyle, Connor
thoughtful design ensures that information is presented in a way that resonates with the audience, fostering a deeper connection and understanding. A compelling project is less successful if not presented in an orderly fashion that enhances the projects goals. Publications also serve as a means of self-expression, allowing individuals to articulate concepts and ideas that challenge conventional thinking. Platforms like DATUM provide students an avenue for further inquiry and critique on topics spanning architecture, design, and politics, enabling them to voice opinions and contribute to discourse within our discipline.
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STRATAA
3
Layer
Iowa State University Dept. of Architecture 2022
StratAA
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2023
A student founded and led organization that aims to create a platform for the Iowa State architecture program to showcase and archive student work.
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DATUM (top)
Student led publication that focuses on creating dialogue surrounding specific themes within architecture and design.
Data_Fields_ (bottom)
Book encompassing the entirety of the 403 semester for the project Data_Fields_
Mircea Nastase linkedin.com/in/mircea-nastase https://mirceanastase.cargo.site
he/him/his
linkedin.com/in/mircea-nastase
Mircea Nastase
Contact
Experience
mirceanastase11@gmail.com (515) 350-5760
Neumann Monson Architects: Architectural Intern
05.2023
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08.2023
12.2023
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01.2024
05.2022
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08.2022
12.2022
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01.2023
09.2022
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Current
09.2022
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Current
09.2022
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Current
Iowa State Dean’s List
Fall 2019 09.2022
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Current
Kocimski Super Review: Honorable Mention
Fall 2023
Education
Produced drawings for various projects including awards drawings and LBC signage documentation. Worked on various studies and project competitions, producing maps and analytical diagrams to understand site conditions and feasibility of project.
Iowa State University:
ASK Studio: Architectural Intern
Bachelors of Architecture GPA: 3.86/4.0 Graduation: May 2024
Worked alongside founding principal on design development for varying scale projects, including schematic design for a homeless shelter and marketing for an office building alongside full schematic and construction documentation for a Home Inc. affordable house. Design development for an IFA apartment building.
Skills Graphic
Modeling
Photoshop Illustrator InDesign Premeire Pro After Effects PowerPoint Bluebeam
Rhino Revit AutoCad Enscape 3Ds Max 3D Printing
References
Engagement StratAA: Student Work Archive/Publication Officer assisting with design production and quality ensurance. Participating in group collaboration and marketting. DATUM: Student Architecture Journal Current Secretary assisting in organizing and executing team meetings and participating in group discourse exploring concepts within architectue and design. BUILD: Multicultural Mentor
Anna M. Aversing Assoc. AIA
Mentoring first year multicultural students and helping them explore and navigate various art disciplines.
Associate Professor of Practice Iowa State University Email: aversing@iastate.edu
Recognitions
Brent Schipper AIA, LEED AP, IIDA Principal | ASK Studio, Des Moines Email: bschipper@askstudio.com Bosuk Hur Design Principal | folio, South Korea Associate Professor of Practice Iowa State University Email: bhur@iastate.edu
he/him/his
Substance Prize Competition: Finalist DLR Group Competition Finalist
Fall 2022
AIA Iowa Emerging Professionals Competition 3rd Place
Fall 2021
Wells Concrete Competition Finalist
Fall 2021