UTSA Undergraduate Portfolio by Obiekwe Okolo

PORTFOLIO obiekwe matthew okolo

contents

2 Visual Communication

Light Box

9 Hardberger Park Visitors Center

Concrete History Museum

Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;hotel Remontant

27 Professional Work

Visual Communication

Jaqueline Alexis Drajiga 11/06/10 5 Hours

Mary Dresser 08/07/09 3 Hours

St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cathedral 20 minutes

San Fernando Cathedral 35 minutes

starbucks 11 minutes

starbucks 8 minutes

Student Lounge Light Box

to create a dynamic space that actively responds to the ever changing exterior environment by directing sunlight into the space at three different times of day causing the users of the space to respond accordingly

Exploration of various types of light refracting panels and forms to acheive the desired light condition within the space.

The light within the space is meant to respond to and accomodate the students usual pattern of use. Space is broken up into three primary elements. 1) lounge area: located under stairs 2) work space: table under the mezzanine 3) mezzanine: space to rest

9:00 am The space inside responds much like the the morning sky with the sun rising in what would be the east. 12:00 pm The space becomes brightest when most students would be active and moving through it. 6:00 pm Experience shows that architecture students tend to work most in the early and late evening so this is the time when the workspace becomes illuminated.

Hardberger Park Visitor Center

to control the mental state of park goers using sequence, pace, and rhythm in both form and material choice all the while approaching the visitors center as a community center

Existing site includes two long natural corridors that intersect at the center of the site. The lines of sight or sight lines became the vehicle by which this project found its way to being.

Unnatural park features and elemens were placed in a way that they would interfere with the natural landscape as little as possible. Simon Unwin’s “touch the ground lightly.”

Forced Prespective: Two sight lines are used to create the illusion of a prespective. What this effect does is create two different illusions of pace and rhythm in the mind of the user.

Approaching from the closed end creates the illusion of a shorter corridor where as approaching from the open end does the opposite.

Addressing the park/public dichotemy by creating a barrier dedicated to circulation alone.

The forced perspective effect is amplified by a field of sloped over-head wooden louvers that extend from the park side wall barrier to the visitors center. Louvers also create a definite rhythm along the path.

Program / Floorplan 1) reception / information 2) administrative offices 3) lobby / exhibition 4) gallery / lecture 5) restrooms 6) supply store 7) storage 8) infirmary 9) outdoor gathering 9 5

4 3

Section A

Section B

Interior Elevation

Exterior Elevation Park Side

approaching from parking lot

approaching from park side

Concrete Construction Museum

showcase the strength and elegance of reinforced concrete through the use of simple geometries, subtle light conditions, and dramatic changes in atmospheric scale and density.

Located in the parking lot of the Japanese Tea Gardens in downtown.

NORTH

Artifacts to be displayed in the museum: a. cement Kiln b. steam shovel c. roll crusher d. boom excavator a.

The reinforcing of ideas: Artifacts in the center gallery map out the process of creating cement from raw stone material. Knowledge of that process then becomes support for everything experienced in the surrounding auxiliary galleries.

Programatic elements are split between above ground and below ground space (lobby and entrance above, galleries and offices below) connected by a transparent elevator element to put emphasis on the monolithic scale of the concrete structure as well as the artifacts being displayed in the galleries.

Over head lighting elements needed to allow adequate natural light into central gallery spaces by refracting and redirecting sunlight from outside at all times of the day.

Auxillary galleries also lit by using sunlight from the exterior. Light from exterior reflects off concrete panels peeking above ground and washes earthen walls underground.

Program / Floorplan: 1) Main Gallery Space 2) Aux Gallery Space A 3) Aux Gallery Space B 4) Aux Gallery Space C 5) Aux Gallery Space D 6) Storage 7) Admin 8) Restrooms 9) Above ground entrance and lobby

2 3

5 a. Latitudinal Axis b. Longitudinal Axis c. Interior Prespective

a. b.

Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hotel Remontant Boutique Hotel

a bold attempt to project an emphasis on a vertical circulation pattern not yet found in our cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s urban-scape, while creating spaces that appeal to the visual and haptic senses through the use of varying materials and densities

Programatic circulation sprawling from a single point. horizontal planes designed in a manner that allows the user to become aware of their vertical progression.

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Programatic spaces and elements are arranged along a main vertical circulation element that houses both 1st Floorplan elevators and staircases. Wall planes on ground level are then stripped away to reveal a dense grid of vertical structural elements.

2nd Floorplan

3rd Floorplan

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MATERIAL PRODUCT TRADENAME MODELNUMBER

5th Floorplan MODELNUMBER TRADENAME PRODUCT MATERIAL

MODELNUMBER TRADENAME PRODUCT MATERIAL

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Professional Work

work done while interning at George Wilburn Project Management Company.

Emergency Service Disrict 8 Fire Station Locoted in Helotes. I was involved in every stage of this project from proposition to production. This building was completed in early February 2011.

Simeon at Olmos Park Condo Renovation This project was a renovation of an existing structure. The client wanted to put a pool and deck space atop the garage roof. This project is set to start production in the summer of 2011.

Existing Patio

Renovated Patio

To an architect the whole world exists in his realm of architecture when he passes a tree he does not see it as a botanist but relates it to his realm. He would draw the tree as he imagined it grew because he thinks of constructing. All the activities of man are in his realms, relating themselves to his own activity. Louis I. Kahn