RC ARQUITECTURA
CR ARUTCETIUQRA
RINAT COHEN MINIAN Universidad Iberoamericana de la Ciudad de Mexico Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo ADDRESS
Av. Jesus del monte, 52764, Estado de Mexico TEL
[521]-5551048118 MAIL
rin.cohen2@hotmail.com cohen.rin2@gmail.com WEBSITE
HISTORIC CENTER, MEXICO CITY
“When human creations remain alive after the death of their creator... ...death becomes life” -Luis Barragán-
OAXCA, MEXICO
CONTENTS 08
ECUMENICAL TEMPLE a hiddden meditational space
17
SPIRITUAL RETREAT finding tranquiility
29
HISTORICAL CENTER restoration of Mexico’s city center
43
SANTA FE MUSEUM predefined grid based design
55
LEGORRETA MONUMENT design competition
61
FIRE DEPARTMENT design competition
63
OTHER ARTS sketching,, painting & sculpture
76
CURRICULUM general summary
“the straight line belongs to man, the curved line belongs to God”
-Antonio Gaudí-
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ecumenical temple COLONIA ROMA, MEXICO CITY, SPRING 2012
a renovation of the existing plaza Luis Cabrera, without the interruption of current activities. A temple designed for equality, tranquility and peace
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speed PUBLIC SPACE AS HIERARCHY NOT THE BUILDING
precaution THE PLAZA
The brief for the plaza design was to include activities such as, jogging, dog walking, a place to study and a place to relax, and to integrate with the exisiting elements around it, such as, the trees, the plants and the fountain. The sidewalks are enhanced by creating a unique light curve display, which also alerts drivers of high car speeds and brings the plaza down to street level creating a shared and multifunctional space With respect to the current trees, the brief was to create a `wood` like appearence, to isolate trafďŹ c sounds and to create an urban sense inside the woods. The fountain remains located in the same place where it used to be, to avoid maintance , as well as to conceal the temple. A sustainable proposal for the plaza’s furniture, was to create terraces for sitting and give a use to recycled tires, using them as swings in dense areas of the trees.
rope
recycled tire wood
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SYMBOL OF EQUALITY, UNITY AND PEACE
equity
THE TEMPLE
unity
wholeness
hierarchy
The building is buried 1.5m underground, whilst the other 1.5m is surrounded by water and this is one of the main elements of the original Luis Cabrera Fountain. This concealed foundation provides privacy to visitorsto the temple, as well as providing isolation and silence.
scale
expensive no privacy acoustic
By creating an Ecumenical Temple; social hierarchy, gender and religious beliefs must be discarded during the design process thus creating an ambiance of equality and peace. With these principals this concept was inspired. The circle is a symbol of equity, wholeness, unity and infinity, such as with meditation. Hence it, the cirular point that allows anyone to join in the ‘prayer’ or meditation.
infinity
acoustic
non invasive
discrete private
poligon
basic concept
height
rotated to create a game of lights
access
ramp for accessibility
concrete wall conceals access
open plant for meditation mats
body of water hidding the temple
primary source of light
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spiritual retreat TEPOZTLAN, MORELOS, MEXICO FALL 2012
a hotel orientated to meditation and relaxation, intertwining with the spiritual context of self reconnection
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BREAKING THE STEREOTYPE OF A CONVENTIONAL BUILDING THE TERRAIN
main entrance
To understand the project it is important to understand the given terrain. The terrain is located in the main avenue of Tepoztlan, which challenges the privacy and isolation envisioned for the project. The given terrain was excavated for unknown reasons, which leaves us with a 2800m2 area which also ncludes a 12m wall in the NE-NW direction. Due to terrain conditions, we decided to open main access from the East corner street and service access from the main avenue, this way, we invert the circulation downwards instead of upwards, breaking the typical stereotype of a building. This solution also prevents the feeling of being enclosed, and centers the activities on the ground floor, isolating the project completely from its context.
service entrance
circulation
radial
proposal
public private
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RADIAL SCHEME + INTERTWINED VOLUMES VOLUME A
THE VOLUMES
administration, lobby, services
bathrooms
VOLUME B
event room
The project consists of two intertwined volumes, one for public use, and one for private use, creating thresholds, rhythm and functional space, as well as dividing spaces for additional use. In order to mantain a certain rhytym and unity to the project, we created a skin “ribbon” which starts from the main entrance, which is the highest point, to the service entrance, being the lowest point.
rooms
kitchen & dinning room
lounge
terraces/gazer
fireplace
meditation room
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FACADE GENTLY REVEALS THE BUILDING INTERIOR FACADE
THE FACADE The extended facade was designed to create a certain unity to Volume A, as well as being positioned as a ribbon almost unwrapping the building, starting from the main entrance to the service entrance.
private area rooms private area services
public area
LIGHT Set an appropiate rythim of light entrance to determain the inside space
The distance between columns in the facade are designed based on the needs on each area: public space, high light, private space, low light The facade also creates a threshold to the meditation area, changing the ambiance making it more private, and suitable to its use.
TRESHOLD
UNFOLD The slite rotation creates a sense of unfolding
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acces plan administration viewpoint to tepozteco mountain acces
seccion a-a
seccion b-b’
first story
down plan restrooms shared rooms terrace
second story down plan restrooms shared rooms terrace lounge
B
stone adjacent to the terrain
meditation
fireplace
A
A’
event hall
service hall
event room fireplace meditacion room service entrance kitchen dinning shared rooms restrooms lounge A lounge B hard floor garden
B’
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"...A historical center is not deďŹ ned as one by the architectural monuments, but by its cultural memories and traditions absorbed by it. Without its inhabitants, a historical center wouldn’t be an historical centerâ€? -Margarita Garcia-
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plaza vizcainas CENTRO HISTORICO, MEXICO CITY, SUMMER 2013
a project to revitalize mexico city’s historical center in urban scale, square scale and dwelling scale in collaboration with: Patricio Galindo Ana Paulina Faes
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TENOCHTITLAN Tenochtitlan was the capital city of the Aztec civilization, founded in 1325 until the Spanish conquest in 1521. The Mexica civilization awaited the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy: that the wandering tribes would find the destined site for a great city whose location would be signaled by an Eagle eating a snake while perched on top of a cactus. The Aztecs saw this vision on what was then a small swampy island in Lake Texcoco, in the Valley of Mexico. Not deterred by the unfavourable terrain, they set about building their city.... What they built was the seed of the center of today’s Mexico City
TENCOCHTITLAN
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A CITY OF LAYERS
Mexico City’s center, is the cultural and historical wealth of our country. It is a mixture of Spanish culture and the Aztec culture, combined in construction. Mexico City is a city of layers, where spanish layout interposed the older layout, leaving hints of Aztec contruction as well as materials to build the new cathedrals. The city center is filled with clues that lead us back 500 years ago. From the terrain type, to the big spanish monuments. As Tenochtitlan was an island, the aztecs manufactured fake terrain, made by tree roots and filled with organic waste. This system was called “chinampas”. The chinampa purpose was mainly for agriculture, thus when the spanish came they took over the system, they extended the island with chinampas all the way to land, and were surprised by how the chinampas endured the heavy weight that the cathedrals where built on. The interesting thing about these interposing layers in an urban environment, is that someone can recognize the aztec layout in Mexico City’s current layout just by plan. The Zocalo, the main plaza of the city, is located where the highest and most sacred pyramids where standing. Today it is the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Municipal Palace. Around the Zocalo, one can see, what we call “cinturon de plazas” (plaza belt), which consists of a circle of plazas, surrounding the main one, Zocalo. This circle also highlights the original border trace of what used to be the island of Tenochtitlan. This historical value is the main concept of this proposal which is to revitalize the historical center with its original roots.
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cuahutemoc delegation
historic center
vizcainas
RESTORE REVITALIZE RESCUE
proposed pedestrian flow
proposed trafďŹ c flow
linking points
URBAN SCALE The project consists of revitalizing the historical center based on its historic roots, by connecting the two old plazas, with a pedestrian walk way, (considering that most of the interior streets are used as parking and for service use only), unifying the open space and giving a speciďŹ c purpose to the streets, such as restaurants, bars, galleries, workshops and basic commerce, that will surround this new circuit. Also by applying mixed use for the buildings, this being commerce and dwelling, this brings the people back to the streets again and makes it a more sustainable project.
landmarks : vizcainas school -theater-regina plaza
restaurant/bar area
art galleries and worksops
With this, we enhanced the pedestrian streets with a specially designed pavement that allows you to get lost with it, but at the same time notify you when you left the area. This also links it with the Vizcainas plaza, the new pedestrian streets, the theater and the neighboring Regina plaza.
restaurant decck
walking area acceses contiuity
rythm
integrate
mexican stone
wood sitting area
green area
REGINA
PLAZA VIZCAINAS
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deviation
LINKING SPACES
topped circulation SQUARE SCALE
unused terrain
? additional space
hints
The square given, is the one that stands between the Regina plaza and the Vizcainas Plaza. The intervention consisted of having a bigger focus in the connection between two plazas, as well as the reinforcement of the “cinturon de plazas”. By analyzing the area, we noticed there was an unused terrain, currently occupied by an illegal parking lot. Having this terrain between these two plazas, and having the historical roots as concept, what better than to create a mini plaza or a pocket park to link these two points? The idea was to continue to squeeze the potential of this historical center, focusing on pedestrian activities, and presuming the plaza’s circuit represents the city’s past. Also by creating a relationship between the proposed buildings, it allows better appreciation to its space and motivation to continue and discover the plazas behind it.
discovery spaces
lot given unused
lot
?
regina
as
vizcain linking points
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original lot form
40% of open space natural light and ventilation
relationship with boundary
relationship with plaza
B’
central patio
A’
THE PATIO OUTLINE B ventilation & iluminacion
central circulation
second patio to ventilate north apartments
BUILDING SCALE The given lot, is the corner between Vizcainas and the new proposed plaza. The building is orientated to young couples, artists and students, with a 70m2 apartment. The building’s outline, starts with a central patio scheme, where the circulation will surround the patio using minimal space and be naturally ventilated and illuminated. With this being the primary requirment, it was difficult to ventilate and illuminate the north apartments because of boundary and circulation issues. Due to this, I created a new scheme with a second, north oriented patio in order to increase ventilation and circulation and open access to the apartments with ventilation and illumination from the central patio. The second patio is used for services as a result of not having enough light, which could make it inhabitable. Other services are based in the east facade due to it not being well ventilated. This concept allows natural illumination and ventilation to the rest of the apartments.
circulation due to second patio
no ventilation area service area proposed
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" Fractal geometry, will make you see everything differently�
-Michael F. Bransley-
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santa fe museum SANTA FE,
MEXICO CITY, SUMMER 2013
a geometrical design, in which all lines should be utilized
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SUBARMONIC GRID
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ORDER & PROPORTION
USE ALL LINES The project’s requirements consisted of using the subarmonic grid as a design base. With this, all lines have to have some purpose in the project, such as a small step or a change of material. The idea is to manipulate the grid to one’s design, to create a small cultural museum, with only three exhibition rooms, as well as a cafeteria, a small library and a gift shop. The design starts with the concept of open and enclosed spaces. Being a cultural museum, the idea of a public space, it is important to consider, not only the exhibits, but to offer an open space to the city. Also taking into consideration that Santa Fe has very few open and pedestrian spaces. This being so, the key concept of the project is to intertwine grids and lines, being the open space and the built-up space in this cultural enviroment
given terrain
placement in terrain
preview in terrain
mirrored grid vertical
mirrored grid horizontal
intertwined grids
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SALA 3
ENTRADA ESTACIONAMIENTO
LIBRERIA ENTRADA DE SERVICIOS
TIENDA
CAFETERIA
BAÑO
SALA 4
TERRAZAS
ALMACEN
SALA 2
SALA 1
VESTIBULO / RECEPCION
SALIDA ESTACIONAMIENTO
As a result, the grid helped to generate a ribbon like structure, where every line seperates from the ground to wrap the building and intertwine with the open and built-up space. To promote open space, an amphitheater is proposed for open air activities such as plays, movies and concerts. On the west side of the grid, a park of woods is proposed to enclose the terrain from traffic sounds and also to provide a calm, green and comfortable space..
I. Volume A - exibition, administration 2. Volume B- cafeteria, gift shop, library 3. proposed anphitheater 4. main esplanade 5. terraces
I
5 4 2 3
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competition RICARDO LEGORRETA MONUMENT
spring 2013 fuga arquitectura competition colaboration with: Jaime Bucay Ricardo del Concha SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT
summer 2013 arch medium competition
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" To me, every space has to have an emotional reason for existence�
-Ricardo Legorreta-
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FINALIST
LIFE & WORK The competition basis was to design a pedestrian walkway in a prestigious street in front of Ricardo Legorreta’s office, which is now run by his son, the street design was to honour the life and work of the great Mexican architect, Ricardo Legorreta. The main concept of our design, was to create rythmns with cubist structures, that is one of the main characteristics of the legendary architect`s work, we also saw importance in maintaining the traditional Mexican colors. With this we created an optical illusion, in which walking toward the central feature, a perfect square can be seen, yet when walking to or from that central point, the square disassembles into perfectly symetrical fragments. This square optical illusion structure represents the complete work of Legorreta`s architecture and maintains his basic principles, shapes, colours and inspirations. While when entering the walkway, each individual fragment of the structure can be appreciated for its beauty, geometry and simplicity, together the fragments imply completeness and a sense of feeling whole. Each layer of the sculptures can be used for various urban uses, such as benches, garbage cans, fountains, and planters, as well as light and shadow rythmns, that will represent his life trajectory. The color scheme of the structure was designed specifically with a gradient of the main colors Legorreta used like ‘yellow, and mexican pink’, and these were stretched from one end to the other. The gradient colors meet in orange in the center (outside he orange building of Ricardo Legorreta’s active office).
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other arts sketching painting scultpure music - bass player
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PAINTING
woman water color on paper UIA exihibit 65 | 66
long board design acrilic on wood 67 | 68
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cheryy blosom mural acrilic on wall
lillie oil on canvas 69 | 70
SCULPTURE
woman 1
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woman 2 unďŹ nished
woman 3 unďŹ nished
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EDUCATION Universidad Iberamericana de la Ciudad de Mexico Architecture and Urbanism Faculty Mexico City January 2011- Current student 8° semester
Universidad Internacional de Catalunya Superior School of Architecture ESARQ Barcelona, Spain January 2014 - June 2014
Colegio Hebreo Tarbut High School Area I : Fisics, Mathematics & Drawing Mexico City Fall 2007 - Fall 2010
PUBLICATIONS “Architecture or Sculpture?” Architecure as Performance, the Predominance of the Star-System critica esarq wordpress February 2014
“All Included” The Social Building in the Peromance Age critica esarq wordpress March 2014
“Architecture of power or Power of Architecture” Artifical Ideals: Architecture, Economy & Power critica esarq wordpress April 2014
Photography: Igualada Cementery Arq. Enric Miralles, Barcelona Spain (http://issuu.com/rincohen/docs/cementerio_igualada) in Reviewing Buildings. Chicago, Buenos Aires Barcelona, analysis workshop May 2014
COMPETITIONS Ricardo Legorreta’s Monument Presented by Fuga Arquitectura Spring 2013 FINALIST / Top 5 San Francisco Fire Department Presented by Arch Medium Summer 2013 Participant
Fuga + Techo Presented by Fuga Arquitectura & Techo Mexico Summer 2014 Currently Participating
ACTIVITIES & SOCIETY In Situ Collective Festival Us Participant Buiding Structures with Recylced Materials Barcelona Spain Spring 2014
Col-lec Workshop Rythm-Type Paint, Type, Architecrue & Music Barcelona Spain Spring 2014
ACOMPLISHMENTS Model Exhinition of Best Projects of The Year UIA January 2011, January 2012, Summer 2012 Water Color Painting Exhibition, Best Projects od the Year UIA ... to be continued
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