K. NICHOLAS N i c k y HOLNESS MArch URBAN DESIGN
President of the students division of the Architects Association (COARQ) for USMA Panama City, Panama
Latin Chair Contest MOLHA Universidad de Palermo, Argentina 2013
VII Encounter of Latinamerican Design Universidad de Palermo, Argentina 2013
CONVIVE VIII
Escala Magazine Colombia 2012
On the trail of a painter, young talents 2012 Preselected Luz Botero Fine Art Gallery Panama 2012
AutoCad 2D AutoCad3D 3dsMax Rhino Grasshopper Houdini
Adobe Suite Revit Flow design GIS KeyShot SketchUp
SKILLS
B-Pro Introductory Workshop group leader Bartlett School of Architecture - UCL London, England Oct 2018
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Teaching assistant
CURRICULUM VITAE
BArch Structural Architecture Thesis: Master Plan for Vocational Institute in the East side of the city
ACADEMICS
B-Pro MArch Urban Design Thesis: Borders, agricultural technology and the redefinition of the Metropolitan Greenbelt Bartlett School of Architecture – UCL London, England. 2018
Chevening scholar 2017-2018 MArch Urban Design at Bartlett School of Architecture with profound passion for urban sociology, photography and the development of scale models. Wide command of english as a second language and a basic working proficiency in french and italian.
Teco+ Partners
November to December 2019 Intern Bologna, Italy Architectural design proposals; competitions booklets and elaboration of 3D models, as well as videos and animations for office presentations.
Instituto Episcopal San Cristóbal Panama, Panama. 2009
TaoMA Studio
Architecture for Landscape Young Architects Academy Bologna, Italy 2019
Identity - Diversity - Design BCN. Re.Set. Enric Miralles Foundation Barcelona, Spain 2013
WORKSHOPS
Diploma in Science and Letters
December 2014 to September 2017 Admin. Architect Panama City, Panama Architecture and interior design proposals; development and review of construction plans; editing of virtual views; elaboration of 3D; and several administrative tasks
Dekel Development
February to June 2014 Design and architecture assistant (Dekel Casco) Responsible for styling the new headquarters of the company, conducting Real Estate market research in the Old Quarter of Panama City, and monitoring the project’s final plans.
Tapia + Watson Architects
2012 Intern Designed projects, reviewed special systems blueprints, designed the new offices of the firm, and manufactured of-scale models of various projects.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Universidad Católica Santa María la Antigua Panama, Panama. 2014
_ PROJECTS This section displays different design projects as an undergrad and master student through 7 projects, for extended versions visit https://issuu.com/nickyholness
01_BCN. Re.Set
BCN ReSet was a workshop commemorating Barcelona’s Tricentenary of its city wall, celebrating the long struggle of the Spanish people for their freedom. BCN ReSet is a circuit of ephemeral architecture developed between June and September 2014 in six enclaves of downtown. The Architect Benedetta Tagliabue (Enric Miralles Foundation) and the Stage Manager Alex Olle (La Fura de Baus) were the curators of this project that transformed the appearance of specific public spaces of the city, linked to 1714, with a series of art and architectural installations that reflect concepts such as identity, memory, diversity, freedom and democracy. The proposal of the workshop consisted of an intervention in the Ciutadella Park, where the perimeter wall of the city in 1714 passed through. The proposal was developed by a three-person team, concluding that the new wall should give life. Therefore, we proposed an urban garden that would allow the community to harvest the fruits and vegetables of that struggle and resistance. The pictures on the top illustrate this concept, which responds to a living wall.
02_PANAMA TRANSPORT MUSEUM Panama is a pretty young country that started its fully independent history in 1903 but it has a long path in transportation because of its strategic location. Due to this intrincated and fascinating history, we were requested to develop a propossal for a transport museum in the old quarters of the city. The task started with an inventory of the area to recognize the urban posibilities and choose the best location or it. Then we made an analysis of the historical value in the buildings located within the chosen blocks. Resulting in an interventing that mixed the old historical buildings and the new intervention, unifying that history with urban connections to produce new plazas in order to revitalize a socialy depressed area.
_ LOCATION
_ SELECTED BLOCKS
_ BUILDINGS TO PRESERVE
_ BUILDINGS TO DEMOLISH
_ PUBLIC SPACE
_ AREAS DISTRIBUTION
main connecting axis new access proposal
03_ODE TO WATER: CONCERT HALL programme 16700 m² public activities
main hall
second hall
main connecting axis
existing building footprint
new access proposal active experience axis
_ Existing condition The site has an existing builging, Trade Union Palace which sits on top of the hill. At the same time, there is also a structure at the base of the hill, the bank Medicinos. public activities
main hall
second hall
_ Footprint The Trade Union Palace footprint fits inside the site proposed for the new concert hall active experience axis
_ Program proportions The competion site has a restriction of 16,700 m2 of total ground area.
evoke traditional timber wood architecture
_ Urban response As shown in previous maps, there is a north axis made from the connection between Tauras Hill, LukiĹĄkÄ—s Square, the church of the Apostles Philip and Jacob, all the way up to the municipality, passing by the river. This analysis guided us to propose the demolition of the bank in order to enhance the connection, not only visual but also functional. The gesture was translated to an incision in the shape of the ground floor and even the complete facade.
_ Heart of the past As a gesture of memory and not erasing history, we decided to reinterpret the core of the existing building into the position of the main hall. As our main volume, our goal is to orient it facing north towards the river, main axis of development of the city.
_ Water developed The programme was divided into three main volumes, being the two halls and the public activities. This three volumes had different heights, being the main concert hall the most prominent. The three of them have been oriented to the river. The axis drawn from the river to the site, was translated into a fissure between volumes
_ Urban call The concert hall is not meant to be an exclusive building that can just work for the shows, but that it can enhance the activities people already enjoy in the hill. Reason why there are two main activator points, one in the east (facing the old town) and one on west (responding to the dropoff point for private cars)
evoke traditional timber wood architecture
_ Vernacular architecture Traditional houses in Lithuania have very stepped roofs, which we considere should be part of what is meant to be an iconic building of the city. This angulations not only vertically but also horizontally, lead us to reshape and complete the volumes.
_ Proportions The propossed building is meant to be low, having as highest point 24.34 m above ground. It covers more surface on ground but this allows it to fit into the general landscape and not interrupt the historical views of the town.
_ MAIN HALL
_ SECONDARY HALL
The project asked for an urban and architectural solution, as this is an historical hill situated in a very relevant position within the city. The program was very detailed, asking for a main hall with +1500 seats and a secodary one with 500 seats. Additional to this, all the ancillary functions should be included, as well as restaurants, exhibition and rehearsal areas, and administration. We analyzed the urban history and the vernacular architecture, in order to propose an intervention that an reinterpret the way citizens enjoy the hill and the city life itself. The gestures respond to the urban axis, while the materiality and the overall shape, follows the principles of the vernacular architecture.
04_Masterplan for Vocational Institute
_ CONNECTIVITY - ROADS
_ BICYCLE PATHS
_ ACTIVITIES
_ OPEN GREENSPACE
_ LANDUSE
_ ZONES CLASSIFICATION
05_Topographical Microclimates
We found a design opportunity in the urban heat island effect in order to reinterpret the Metropolitan Greenbet from an urban system into a generative landscape. Our design project engages both, the waste industry and the agricultural identity of the greenbelt, proposing the strategic construction of landforms from waste material to potentiate existing hotspots that can enhance the agricultural activities. The urban heat island effect is an urban problem that we shifted to an opportunity due to its spread to areas that should prevent the urban sprawl. Our design proposal aims to potentiate those existing hotspots in order to enhance the agricultural character of the Metropolitan Greenbelt with the intention of decomposing its borders into a resilient ever changing girdle.
06_BIVOUAC AT THE ALPS
The Bredy family requested a bivouac in Aosta Valley, Italy, to honor their son who had an accident in the mountains. We designed a bivouac trying to maintain a strong relationship with the lake that was near the site. As the hiking season is more towards summer, we proposed a natural rock deck for people to enjoy while drying their clothes or having lunch. At the same time, the bivouac offers views to both, the lake and the stars. We had as a priority to make this bivouac as outdoor and open as possible, while still offering protection to the hikers when they needed to rest. The design strategy was set around the three main activities that wiould be held in the bivouac: eat, sleep and socialize. S
E
W
N
S E
W N
1. COMPOSITION
We divided the bivouac into 3 essential parts, being the kitchen, dinning and bedroom. At the same time, we recognized the importance of a connector to bond all the areas
2. GROUP
By joining all our areas, we got a rectangle which is connected by the hallway or corridor that bonds the three main uses on the bivouac.
3. MOVE
We pushed each volume on opposite directions, to create dynamism on the plan but keeping as a center our corridor.
5. PUSH THE AXIS
After exploring the plan, we shifted to the elevation having the same principles. We pushed the first axis, where the division between the dinning and the kitchen occurs.
5. PULL AS A REACTION
As every action takes a reaction, we pull down the volume of the dinning to make it closer to the lake and then pull the axis of the kitchen-bedroom to allow an angled window.
1. COMPOSITION
We divided the bivouac into 3 essential parts, being the kitchen, dinning and bedroom. At the same time, we recognized the importance of a connector to bond all the areas
6. OUT TOWARDS
As mentioned before, our main inspiration is the nature and the relation we can have with it, so we tried to imitate the lines of the rocks and mountains found on the site.
2. GROUP
By joining all our areas, we got a rectangle which is connected by the hallway or corridor that bonds the three main uses on the bivouac.
7. IN
This roof inclinations is inspired on the rocks found on the site, as well as the mountains. They allow us to give a better orientation to our solar panels and protect the plants from wind
3. MOVE
We pushed each volume on opposite directions, to create dynamism on the plan but keeping as a center our corridor.
8. ENTER BY THE HEART
The entrance of the bivouac is set on the middle of it, arriving directly to the library where the books of Claudio will be. This is the core of the bivouac.
5. PUSH THE AXIS
After exploring the plan, we shifted to the elevation having the same principles. We pushed the first axis, where the division between the dinning and the kitchen occurs.
5. PULL AS A REACTION
As every action takes a reaction, we pull down the volume of the dinning to make it closer to the lake and then pull the axis of the kitchen-bedroom to allow an angled window.
9. INCLINE
We set a protection to the entrance, to prevent snow and rain to enter directly into it. This generates an area for indirect rest and to leave backpacks or shoes if dirty.
10. GO OUT
This bivouac is designed around the relation with the nature and landscape, this is why there is a deck where visitors can enjoy good weather while looking at the lake and reading a book.
07_Office Building Renovation
Panama City is under a transofrmation process that includes the contruction of Metro lines. This methamorphosis in the city, leads to the renovation of vast areas as the one where this project was asigned. This is an existing office building near one of the biggest metro stations in the City. We designed a skin to reuse energy as well as produce new spaces inside the building for the comfort of its users.
K. NICHOLAS N i c k y HOLNESS
MArch URBAN DESIGN +507 6949 7459
knicholasholness@gmail.com