Portfolio
Nancy Gandarilla Valenzuela
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Hello My name is Nancy, and I am a current senior at Texas A&M University. I grew up spending summers and breaks traveling across Mexico visiting relatives and learning about the land. Through these experiences, I developed a deep passion for history, culture, and how each one ties into landscapes. Ultimately, the reason I joined landscape architecture is to one day help restore and manage these landscapes.
806.440.1105 nancygpvalens@tamu.edu http://bit.ly/nancygpvalens Philadelphia ASLA Photograph by Alexandra Juarez
All images by author unless noted otherwise.
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projects Nature Preserve
Campus Plaza
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Downtown Streetscape
opportunities & interests Research
Houston Project
Hand Rendering
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Untamed Nature Preserve SketchUp Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop
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Love Creek, Texas
Date: Spring 2018 Type: Group Project Roles: Graphic Leader, Master Plan Design Leader
The design of Untamed balanced the implementation of an educational site on disturbed land and the preservation of the environment throughout the rest of the nature preserve. Through research and collaboration with the site managers, the design was able to meet both human and wildlife needs and conservation goals. By implementing a variety of learning activities and reintroducing nature throughout a razed portion of the site, the nature preserve could open their doors to a wide range of users.
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CREEK FIREFLY LOOKOUT
EXISTING TREES
MANICURED GARDEN STARGAZING PAD
PERGOLA
BIRD WATCH DECOMPOSED GRANITE PATH POLLINATOR GARDEN
ARBOR WINDMILL PICNIC TABLES
AMPHITHEATER
LAWN FIRE PLACE
DONOR STONE PATH ROCK PLAZA RESTROOM & STORAGE
GATHERING PLACE A
WELCOME SUNFLOWER GARDEN
ROAD HEADQUARTERS Auto CAD Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Group Design, Individual Renderings
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suggested murals
biking paths
pedestrian crossings decentralized parking
bioswales
extended sidewalks
Downtown Streetscape
SketchUp Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop
La Grange, Texas
Date: Spring 2018 Type: Group Project Roles: Team Leader, Graphic Leader, Master Plan Design Leader
La Grange Downtown Master Plan was largely inspired by the historic significance of the town. Through site visits and meetings with business owners and city council, my team was able to ensure the design of a streetscape that was contextually sensitive and addressed the community and safety needs of the downtown area. In addition, by linking all the historic buildings, adding wayfinding devices, and suggesting the addition of murals and gardens visitor attraction was also prioritized in the city center.
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The concept diagrams to the left illustrate the original ideas that my team modified and developed throughout the project.
Sharpie Sketch Adobe Photoshop Wacom Intuos Pro Tablet Group Design, Individual Renderings
Parking Lot Bike Lane Bioswale Existing Tree Median Proposed Tree Pedestrian Walkway
Historic Marker
Murals
Wayfinding Devices
Gardens
SITE PLAN
Adobe Photoshop Group Design, Individual Rendering
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Design Concept Graphite Sketch
Diversity Plaza College Station, Texas
Date: Spring 2018 Type: Individual Project Diversity Plaza was an exploration into the realm of campus design. Specifically, the aim of the project was to convert a paved underused space within the heart of Texas A&M’s campus into a green multiuse plaza that reflected the future of the campus.
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To the left is the bubble diagram in which I identified four key needs of the Texas A&M community. The plaza would meet these needs and replace a shadeless paved area that was only used for circulation.
As I began to develop ways in which the four needs could be met, I settled on three key experiences: the central plaza, pocket atmospheres, and entry experiences.
Bubble Diagram Adobe Illustrator
Schematic Design Adobe Illustrator AutoCAD Adobe Photoshop
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Charrette Photo
Research
NSF Water Research
In the summer of 2018, I was participated in fully funded research through the National Science Foundation. During the Coastal Flood Reduction Program I was introduced to the various ways the Netherlands has adapted their land to be resilient throughout time. The opportunities afforded to me included learning from professionals, touring structures, such as the Maeslant Barrier, and being mentored as I synthesized my research. The topic I researched centered around the effects of dike strengthening on the urban fabric. In short, I studied how different barrier and flooding mitigation structures changed the environment in which they were placed. Alongside undergraduate and graduate students I was able to collaborate and ultimately present my research.
Deliverables; Final Research Report - Word Final Research Poster - InDesign* *images included in poster are not all mine or rendered by me
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In the fall of 2018, I was able to use my summer research for the semester long project in my Geodesign Studio. The goal of the semester long project was to make Houston resilient in a worse case scenario. The team I led focused on one specific strategy: to protect the city from refinery explosions. By focusing on both downstream and upstream mitigation strategies Houston’s population could be protected from toxic pollutants and site specific floods. Apart from helping direct the team, I was also able to help design the upstream mitigation. The site we chose was the Greater Fifth Ward. Historically the site has not only faced continuous flooding but also been surrounded by sites emitting toxic fumes.
Team Design; Individual Rendering
Houston
Coastal Resilience Project
Team Design; Individual Working Concept Rendering
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Hand Renderings I enjoy starting all designs by hand. Here I have included a variety of pieces that are representative of how I use this skill throughout the design process.
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connect with me on LinkedIn
Nancy Gandarilla Valenzuela nancygpvalens@tamu.edu 806 440 1105