P o r t f o l i o Nashira Covarrubia Compilation July 2015
INDEX 01_CV
02_Taken by the hand: from the recognition of the differences, to the construction of linking spaces. Territorial Project for the Fluvial Valley of the Cardener River, CataluĂąa.
03_Integrating Cities. From segregated city to an articulated one: towards an inclusive Caracas. Strategic Urban Plan for the Socio - Territorial integration of Petare
04_Proposal for the planning and Urban Design of the Public Spaces associated to the Oncologic and Cardiologic Hospital of MontalbĂĄn, Caracas, Venezuela
05_Urban Articulations Through Hybrid Buildings
06_ Architecture from the urban. Exploration from a city place. Urban planning and design of a architectonic piece. Chuao, Caracas.
07_ Living URBS. Medellin Experimental Social Housing in the historical center. International student competition
01_CURRICULUM VITAL Address: Netherlands Mobile: +31627107676 Birth: October 29th, 1988 Nationality: Spanish / Venezuelan Email: nashiracovarrubia@gmail.com Language: Spanish: mother tong English: Professional Interest: Traveling, movies cooking and discover the cities SUMMARY I am an architect and urbanist who like to work in highly dynamic environments, with strong capacity for leadership and teamwork, high level of organization, responsibility, ability to work under pressure and with interdisciplinary teams. I like to create innovative, coherent and contextualized solutions, taking in consideration sustainable, economical, social and aesthetic variables, generating balanced and realists proposals. In addition, I like to work in different project types and scales, from complex architectural pieces, to urban solutions, and territorial proposals, linking physical space to social integration. I am eager to learn more from different cities, cultures and people, specially I want to keep gaining knowledge in the professional world, contributing to look for new and always better solutions.
EDUCATION European Post-Master in Urbanism (EMU) TU Delft - UPC Barcelona (one year in each) Netherlands - Spain http://www.emurbanism.eu/
Sep 2013 - Jun 2015
Degree Architecture (5 years program) Universidad Simon Bolivar (USB) Sartenejas, Venezuela
Sep 2006- Nov 2011
Thesis: Integrating Cities. From a segregated city to an articulated one, towards an inclusive Caracas. Strategic Urban Plan for the Socio - Territorial Integration of Petare
Thesis: Urban Articulations through Hybrid Buildings
EXPERIENCE LAB.PRO.FAB Architect
Sep 2012 - Sep 2013 (1 year)
Design and management of architectural and urbanism projects: from conceptual ideas and design, to elaboration of the proposals and executive projects. Coordination of architecture with other disciplines: engineering, graphic design, construction, etc. Supporting and adapting the changes of the projects to the constructions of them.
VeroFer Studio Jan - Sep 2012 (8 months) Architect Design architectural projects and management, with the materialization of the idea and elaboration of the executive project for construction. Giving support to different projects with modeling, rendering and design.
Arq. Fernando Micale Intern
Oct 2010 - Jan 2012 (1 year/3 months)
Assistant of design of architectural project: 3D models, rendering, photo montage, constructive detail, and architecture plans for construction.
Collaborations AGUA C.A, and AREPA C.A
Conceptualization and elaboration of executive project of the public spaces and landscape of the Oncological and Cardiological Hospital, Montalban, Caracas. Sep 2012 - March 2013.
ALCALDIA SUCRE, CARACAS
Collaboration with the Municipality for conceptualization and proposals of Plaza Los Chorros, Caracas, and Plaza Paul Harris, Caracas. Jan - Sep, 2011.
SKILLS Softwares
Autodesk Autocad 2015 Advanced Autodesk Revit 2015 Medium Sketch-up Pro 2015 Advanced V-Ray rendering engine for Sketch-up Advanced Adobe CC Photoshop, Illustrator and In-design Advanced GIS ArcMap 10.2 Medium Space Syntex (Depth MapX) Medium Microsoft Office Package Advanced
OTHERS International Forum of Urbanism (IFoU) Winter School 2015 in Singapore. National University of Singapore. Food City Team Publication of book - winter semester in UPC, “Proyectar el territorio Expectante” (Projecting the territory expectant), Sep Dec 2013.
4th place. Pedaleando Caracas competition. ‘’Caracas a Pedal’’, Alcaldía Metropolitana de Caracas, August 2012. Publication in architecture magazine ‘’Entre Rayas’’, January 2012. Num 92, graduation project “Urban Articulations through
Hybrid Buildings”
02_Taken by the hand: from the
recognition of the differences, to the construction of linking spaces.
Territorial Project for the Fluvial Valley of the Cardener River, Catalu単a.
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3
1. Recognition of the territory The river has modeled the landscape, creating different perspectives and sections. This alternation of compression and decompression has play an important role in the establishment of settlements, creating scenarios of several activities.
UPC Winter Trimester - Projecting the Territory Team: Nashira Covarrubia, Bettisabel Lamelo, Daniel Zelayaran, Militza Carrillo, Geraldine De Neuville, Fotaini Michailidou, Lorenzo Ciccu, Beatriz Guedes, Gilberto Millan. Tutors: Prof. Joaquin Sabate, Prof. Julian Galindo, Prof. Alvaro Cuellar Sep - Dec 2013
From this logic it is evident that it is a unit composed of multiplicities, with the recognition of 6 sub units, that by complementarity constitute one, with strong potentialities to interact and complement a balanced and sustainable territory.
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2
3
4
5
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2. Recognition of the problem
Where did we come from? Historically the occupation was balanced, with continuous and strong linkage of settlements, connected by paths that wove the territory.
What are we now? From the industrial revolution, the biggest settlements developed as strong cores, promoting unbalanced growth.
Where do we want to go? Growth should be in several chained units, powering their individual identities, but forming a unit, and providing balance again.
3. Proposal. The strategy is based in recognition of diversity; generating flexible spaces; implementing new transportation lines; valorizing natural spaces; and enhancing relation of urban cores. From this, the proposal is the composition of a unit of chained units, by the recognition of similarities of: landscape, topography, activities, relation of settlements and river, etc. Each unit is defined with their characteristics and potentialities to be designed. After recognizing the units, it is possible to identify common DNA or elements of them: POINTS of encounter as meeting spaces with different identities; and LINES that strung, different roads and paths that intertwine the unit.
A pause in the landscape Unit
River Ride Unit
Points
Lines
erative
The coop
The garden
of diversity
e
River Rid
n Park
Peri Urba
A pause
The cooperative Unit
scape
in the land
A unit of chained units
Example of the development of one unit. The cooperative Unit
1 2 Example of a itinerary
1
2
LINES. The braid weaving the territory Network system that intertwines the unit as a integrated system. It binds and connects the units internally, translated into different lines of movements, categorized by: lines of mobility and accessibility by car; lines and stops of train; and pedestrian and bicycle paths translated in 6 different itineraries running next to the river.
Nodes
Doors
POINTS. Conflicted confluences Conflictive confluences between encounter spaces and intersection of lines. They represent flexible spaces of multiple activities, characterized by inter modal points, relating activities and elements. They have been categorized according to their function: 1. NODES: pauses and references in the itineraries, that refers to the distance that has been traveled, destination, and activities. 2. DOORS: intersections between routes, paths and itineraries, being the entrances of units and beginning of itinerary. Within this category, there are 3 subcategories: Territorial doors; Units doors; Local Doors. These doors are translated into strategic projects, where each member of the team developed one of them.
04. Strategic Project . Territorial Door. The multi-directional encounter is at the contact of two municipalities, under the spatial limit of a highway. It is a confluence from where several mobility systems start, but due to the highway, connections and continuity are disjoin, creating a urban void. The project aims to create an entry space to the unit, and to give continuity to routes, intercepted by a pause that reorganizes and distributed different forms of mobility. This is materialized with a public spaces under the highway, supported by commercial places, amenities and facilities, and a intersection with signalization .
The Possible by the strategic, according to current dynamics and from minimal intervention that will trigger processes of transformation, and assuming that this is a project of opportunities and not a finalist one. A territory built from the recognition of diversity, valuing the uniqueness in the transversal sections. From the recognition of differences to the creation of linking space, as a complete and complex organism, within which the valley of the river Cardener is the common element in all municipalities.
03_Integrating Cities
From segregated city to an articulated one: towards an inclusive Caracas. Strategic Urban Plan for the Socio - Territorial integration of Petare
01. Caracas and the Socio - Territorial Segregation
Graduation Project of the European Post - Graduated Master in Urbanism (EMU) TU Delft - UPC Barcelona Presented on June 27th, KU Leuven, Belgium.
Tutors: Prof. Daan Zandbelt (TU Delft); Prof. Miquel Corominas (UPC). Readers: Prof. Viviana d’Auria (KU Leuven); Prof. Paola Pellegrini (IUAV) March - June, 2015 Full Version: http://issuu.com/nashiracovarrubia/docs/nashira_c_emu_thesis_report_imprimi
During 20th century Caracas went through an enormous growth with strong signs of segregation. Nowadays more than 50% of population life in slums, characterized by a high rate of poverty. Caracas is a superposition of typologies and social groups, creating a dual city. The result has been the strong differentiation of opportunities across territories, bringing inequality between people and space. After an analysis of the whole city comparing the formal and informal city, it was concluded that the main problems in the process of inclusion are: the SCARCITY of public goods, reducing the chances to move socially; and the INACCESSIBILITY to slums, increasing time and cost. The aim is to improve the existing conditions to move towards an inclusive city that promotes social inclusion.
Example of study of inequalities from formal to informal commerce
Food Commerces
Land Uses
Shopping Centers
Unifamiliar
Mini market
Multifamiliar
Super Market
Unifamiliar Slum
Barery Restaurants and others
Commerce Industrial Education Militar Uses
In order to discuss possible solutions, Public Spaces it was done a critical review of similar experiences in this field: Barcelona, London Plan, Rio de Janeiro, Bogota and Medellin. These examples combat the problem of social and spatial inequalities through urban projects; and are considered successful reducing poverty rates. From these examples it was possible to conclude:
1_Strategic project, with several interventions
3_Improve accessibility/mobility in several scales
2_Eradicate the sense of “informality�
4_Street as structuring element, component of connection and relation of dynamics.
02. Example of investigation. Recognizing the problem In order to develop the plan, it has been taken a example of study, the slum of Petare. Consequently, an analysis was done in terms of scarcity and inaccessibility, finding the main problems: Connectivity to Perate is deficient, just one clear entrance door; other potential points not defined; absence of internal exchange spaces. Internal mobility is tedious, main corridors are poor in spatiality, not conforming a hierarchical system, lack of urban continuity. Vast zones with lack of social infrastructure, the only public spaces and residuals are few paths and streets. Shifting from these problems into opportunities we can transform the region, and make it execute more efficiently.
3. Strategies
DIVERSIFYING connectivity DOORS, entrances nodes, reorganizing, consolidating and formalizing existing potential points, and incorporating inter-modal and distribution spaces.
INCREASING accessibility. CORRIDORS, accessibility lines, prioritizing a road structure, and increasing the network in disadvantaged directions.
ADDING elements. ROOMS, as the elements of social infrastructure in the most deprived areas.
0 km 1 km 2 km 3 km
HIERARCHICAL structure, 3 types of points articulating different structures, directly related to a hierarchy of corridors, linking points and assuring accessibility. Rooms are supporting doors as mix places, along corridors and in intersections. 4 km
04. Proposal The strategy is translated into a Strategic Urban Plan for the socio - territorial integration of Petare, where it does not define precisely what and how is each space, but strategies on how the system should work, understanding that the main work have to be done in these points, lines, and elements. The relation between these three elements conform a system, that can be explained as the superposition of 3 layers, working integrally and complementing each other:
1. Doors: places connectivity and major attractors. Supported by mobility infrastructure; organization of spaces and mix uses spaces for meeting and social exchange. There are 3 types of points according to their function.
2. Corridors: lines of accessibility through which the entire system is related. The organization of the system is supported by three types of lines according to their role. Supported by amenities and public transportation system.
3. Rooms: Incorporation of social infrastructure located in the doors and in the intersection of the different corridors, assuring their accessibility.
0 km 1 km 2 km 3 km 4 km
Strategic Urban Plan for the Socio - Territorial Integration of Petare
05. Strategic projects Understanding the complexity of the project, it is understandable that not everything can be executed at the same time, where there are project that are more strategic than other, due to their relation and influence in the context can trigger others consequently. In this sense, there can be found 3 strategic project, one door and two corridors.
The transversal corridor of Petare North
Petare Front Door, main entrance of the system
Longitudinal corridor of Petare South
Petare Front Door
The transversal corridor of Petare North
The transversal corridor of Petare North: constitution of the most important transversal corridor, through stairs, ramps, and elevators, intersected by social and mobility infrastructure, generating points of attraction in the main line. The importance of this line not only relies in the ability to cross transversally, but also in the constitution of the points of intersection, being the major attractors and points of social relation.
04_Proposal for Urban Design
and Public Spaces associated to the Oncologic and Cardiologic Hospital of Montalbรกn, Caracas, Venezuela
Executive project Design team: Arq. Nashira Covarrubia, Arq, Rodrigo Guerra, and Arq. Bettisabel Lamelo Coordination and collaboration with: AGUA C.A, Arq. Francisco Paul and AREPA C.A, Arq. Ignacio Cardona September 2012 - March 2013
Source: Arepa C.A
Metropolitan Scale. Uses analysis
Insolation Analysis
Visuals Analysis
Metropolitan Scale. Mobility analysis
01. Recognition of the context The project defines the urban design, external areas, plazas, patios and green spaces of the new Hospital of Montalban. First, it was done a diagnosis and analysis of the context in 3 areas (Public Spaces, Mobility and Uses) in 3 different scales (Metropolitan Scale, Urban Scale and Building Scale) From this, it was possible to define a proposal scheme for each scale, where the aim was to articulate the hospital and external areas, to the mobility systems and public space of its context. In this was it is possible to fight against its isolated condition, seeking integration with immediate context. Also It was important to define the relation of the new public areas to the collective spaces of the surrounding neighborhood.
Urban Scale Proposal Scheme
03. Landscape Proposal The concept for consist in “lines of actions�, translated in several landscapes stripes in east-west direction, intersected and articulated by lines of movements in north-south direction. These stripes are materialized in places to stay, patios, walkways, and sidewalks. Their function and characteristics will be conditioned to the levels of privacy and relation with immediate context, in order to define their public status as elements of intervention.
Conceptual plan
Strip A - public boulevard plazas
Strip B - under patios
Strip C - elevated terraces
Strip D - central patios
Movement lines
Complementary uses
The stripes are complemented with a system of layers, as a criteria to characterized the spaces of the stripes. Each layer, through formal elements, have a functional and dynamic responsibility, in relation to the urban context. When layers are superimposed, the total and complex urban interchange with their surroundings is achieved. These layers are scenarios, articulators and barriers, that generate particular accents in each place, but interwoven with a comprehensive notion of stripes.
Articulators Big Trees Bollards Pole lights Palm tree
Barriers Barriers with furniture and vegetation Visual semi-barrier
Scenarios Celebration, for cured. Relaxation and recognition Meditation
Landscape and public spaces Plan
04. Example of Constructive Details Barrier Elevated Terrace Barrier with furniture and vegetation
Constructive Isometric
Constructive Plan of a layer.
Detail of internal drainage
05_Urban Articulations Through Hybrid Buildings
Graduation Project, Honorable Mention Universidad Sim贸n Bol铆var. Degree of Architect Tutor: Prof. Maricarmen Sanchez Readers: Prof. Franco Micucci (Coordinator of Architecture USB); Prof. Alfredo Sanabria; Prof. Carlos Ferrer May - October 2011
The project consist in the articulation of the encounter of two urban structures through a hybrid building that mediates between urban tissues and typologies. The urban hybridization allows the coexistence of both realities in the meeting and inflexion point, assembling, connecting and keeping both scenarios to produce new situations. It functions as a complement to the urban fabric mediating between urban reality, and it having the responsibility to articulates different of uses, tissues, typologies, dynamics, and scales, working has the transition between parts.
The proposal is located in the limit between Chacao and La Castellana neighborhoods, an important urban void in the absence of proposal to consolidate this sector. From analysis, differences between the parts were established, in order to develop a piece that would provide an opportunity to combine, connect and create ways to merge the city. This articulation is achieved by extending and intersecting both urban fabric, so as to combine the two languages and forms. The proposal not only mix the different directions, rhythms and scales to achieve urban cohesion, but also dynamics, activities and uses, articulating in all levels.
Chacao Urban Structure
La Castellana Urban Structure
Intersection of Urban Structure
Impact spaces of public spaces
Key points of entrance and encounter
Final Plan structure
In this way, by intercepting the urban structures and dynamics, the most valuable of each is extracted. From this, it is established three action levels: pedestrian street-level, linking the two sides in relation to what people perceive in a short field; long pedestrian perspective level, of what people perceive, directions and shapes on long distance; and the city level, that integrates the set with macro-level city, urban perception level. Simultaneously, the complex integrates different uses and dynamics from the context, with a service - commercial (base volume), apartments with workshop (middle volume), apart-hotel (northeast corner), housing apartments and a office tower.
Transversal Section
South entrance Main Plaza and Commercial Level
South Facade
North Entrance and second Commercial Level
Third Commercial Level
3 - 6 Levels. Housing - Workshops and Hotel
3 - 6 Levels. Housing - Workshops and Hotel
Third Commercial Level North Entrance / Commercial Level South entrance/Main Plaza/Commercial Level
06_Architecture from the urban.
Exploration from a city place. Urban planning and design of a architectonic piece. Chuao, Caracas.
01. Chuao and its change The analysis of the place show a failure in the current urban structure of Chuao Neighborhood in Caracas, due to its important location, low density, and residential use only with single-family units. This place is suffering a great pressure from the context and a enormous demand to evolve. In parallel, from research it was understood the city as a place that helps shape the behavior of people, where the correct formal and spatial processing of public and private places becomes an important factor when talking about welfare, identity and rooting citizens who share the place.
Architectural DesignVIII. USB Team of urban proposal: Nashira Covarrubia, Clement Levy, Victoria Chaibud, Santiago Rizo. Tutors: Prof. Victor Sanchez and Arq. Eric Brewer (ODA Studio)
In this way, the proposal seeks the densification of the territory, in order to take more advantage of the land and to generate a dynamic urban life of a contemporary city with the continuous borders of facades as urban answers to the street. In addition, it promotes the mix uses (housing, commerce, offices and recreation), internal patios, vegetation, pedestrianization, and public spaces to the social meeting, maintaining the original parcel structure and reconfiguring inside
Chuao now
Chuao new urban composition
Section now
New Section
01. Testing Place From the new structure, the plots were distributed to make an architectural testing of the different types of buildings. In this sense, it was tested a plot with two blind sides, a facade facing a main avenue and the other to the internal patio. From the characteristics of the plot, the building seeks to maximize the contact surfaces with the outside, reaching 85% of contact between dwelling units and exterior. In addition, different types of apartments are designed, most with double height spaces to generate an internal spatiality, with more light and visual to enjoy even more of the urban dynamics from the inside. In this way, the different housing units are assembled in a “lego� style, generating unique plants, with entrances that vary. From this internal distribution, it is generated an internal service space (patio), which is designed as a unique place, which despite being introverted, is rich in design. In this way, and from the game layout of the apartments, there are created unique bridges for each level, that connects the service module to the entrances of the apartments, hanging and support on the edges of the patio.
Configuration of apartments
Ground Floor
Floor 1
Floor 2
Floor 3
Floor 4
Floor 5
Floor 7
Terrace
Apartment type 1
Example of Floor plan Apartment type 3 Apartment type 2
Front Facade
Section
07_Living URBS. Medellin
Experimental Social Housing in the historical center. International student
competition
The way the informal city has constructed itself has determined how elements and individuals relate to each other. These elements have constructed a unique way of living, where streets work as social exchange spaces; and where housing units are mix uses and can grow according to family’s needs, maintain a neighborhood alive during day and night. The project combines these elements into a housing building, to win the spatial, social and economic benefits of this model of informality.
Team: Arq. Nashira Covarrubia and Arq. Bettisabel Lamelo Promotor: Arch Medium - Student Competition August 2014
After a critical review of the surroundings, it is decided to preserve only significant buildings. Then, a reticular steel structure is placed, as a canvas to fill in with the functions of the city. Different typologies of housing units are introduced, mixed with tertiary uses and facilities to maintain the 24/7 criteria. Circulation between these functions becomes an important part of the proposal as it relates them within each other and also with new public spaces that relate the community with the urban life.
Elements of the proposal
Preserved Buildings Commercial building and Church Re-location of existent uses
Structure 8,1mx8,1m Metal frame - Concrete basement
Circulation Corridors and stairs for connection and social exchange
Public space Public Courtyard / Kid’s playground / Youngster’s space / Small squares
Tertiary uses and facilities Public library / Communal laundry room / Kindergarten
Housing units 3 typologies
Sustainable Mobility To be inserted to the network of public transportation and bike-paths.
Water Management Collecting rain water on surfaces
Housing Units: 3 basic options, with possible expansion with minor changes and redistribution for a better use of the space. Units are delivered with the panels of the facade, and owners can expand without compromising the aspect in the historical center.
Ground floor Commercial uses and corridor / Storages / Religious use / Offices
1st floor Commercial use/Kindergarten/Offices/ Public courtyard/ Housing units
Program Distribution Mixed uses combined with a decreasing gradient of urban activity, from the bottom (the street) to the top.
2nd floor Communal Laundry room/Office Youngster’s space / Housing uni
es/ Kid’s playground its
3rd floor Public Library / Neighbors meeting area / Housing units
4th floor Public Library / Housing units
P o r t f o l i o Nashira Covarrubia nashiracovarrubia@gmail.com +31 627107676