Sara Al-Otaibi Architecture Portfolio
“An architect is the drawer of dreams” - Grace McGarvie
Contents
PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL CAMBRIDGE LIBRARY CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CENTER CAFE TECTONICS PROJECTS VOLUNTEERISM ART & DESIGN
South Boston
PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL
Objective: To design a performing arts school with a comprehensive program, a student friendly environment, that is filled with natural light and open undefined space.
The highlight of my building’s design is the concept of having the main common space on the interior surrounded by bars of academic program. This idea manifests as an interior of fluid flexible space, with rooms that are always connected to the exterior facade, making sure each room gets adequate natural light. I wanted to create a space in which academic program was separated by areas of study. Therefore, Visual Arts, Dance, Music, and Performing arts are positioned in their own separate bars of program that attach to the main public space. This physical division encourages a mental division between class time, and free time. Another idea I incorporated was designing the outdoor performance area to be on top of the indoor performance area. This not only decreases the amount of space taken up by occasional performances, it creates the main component of the public central staircase. The staircase is an enigma in itself, as it does not only act as the main circulation space, but its brings together all the students from the college into one main area that looks out over the exterior performance space.
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Cambridge LIBRARY
Objective: To design a public library, with a creative environment for quiet reading and groups of students to study. I designed this library to mimic the circulatory system of a tree. This idea is incorporated into the program by having the bathrooms, elevators, and the staircase enclosed in a thick, central “trunk” that connects all floors together. The closed, artifically lit, main circulation creates an extreme contradiction that enhances the experience of entering the open, naturally lit, reading rooms. Moreover, by separating the building’s outer shell from the inner floor plates, different height reading rooms are created. Inspired by Boulee’s Library Design, the platforms step up in height to divide the building in two main atrium spaces; the main entrance, and the main reading room. When designing the seating areas I asked asked myself, “what would be the ideal environment I would want to read in?” I could imagine someone enjoying reading under a tree with diffused natural light. The random cut-outs of the facade and ceiling, draw in natural diffused light in different organic forms. Moreover, the reading stacks are the main vertical structural supports for the floor plates and act as a partially permeable barrier between open, busy studying spaces, and darker, hidden, quieter reading spaces.
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SECTION A 1/16”=1’
Entry Lighting Condition Study Summer Solstice
Main Reading Room Lighting Condition Study Summer Solstice
Christian Science Center
CAFE
Objective: Design a cafe by the Christian Science Center that does not overpower the already dominant surrounding structures. Discover and use the plaza’s grid system created and maintained by architects over its development. I used this project as a great oportunity to experiment with seating arrangements. I created a series of different seating booths that would enhance views within the site, and a visitor’s experience throughout the site. When approached with this project I not only wanted to design a cafe, but I wanted to design a sculptural space that visitors would want to take pictures on, in, or beside. My main discovery was using plexiglass columns with different colored lighting to densify, and slow down pedestrian traffic. I created a clear void through the field of columns that follow I.M. PEI’s tree grid, to announce the entry to the cafe.
Tectonics Projects CAFE
Wood Blocking Metal Cap Flashing Vapor Barrier Membrane
6’-0”
Flashing Membrane Wood Cant Strip Gravel
Single Ply Roof Membrane 91/4”
Air Space Cavity Brick Veneer
Drain Aluminium Angle Edging Sedum Roof Soil Water Proof Membrane Insulation Sheathing Drain Pipe Roof Rafter
CMU Blocks
Fixed Window Brick Veneer
Wood Panel Infill Small Angle Connectors Aluminium Square Tube Perimeter Frame Fixed Window
8’-0”
3’-11”
Light Shelf
Fixed Window
5’-4”
Gypsum Wallboard Insulation Strapping
Solid Wood Decking 1’-2”
Fire Cut Joist
Deep Heavy Timber Beam
Lintels Window Encasement Stool and Apron
8’-2”
Fixed Window
3’-4”
Light Shelf
Wooden Window Stool and Apron
Rowlock Sill Rigid Insulation 4’-0”
‘H’ Wire Ties (Joint Reinforcement)
Bond Beam Metal Tie Strap
Flashing
91/4”
Weep Holes
CMU Block Vertical Reinforcing Bars
Finished Flooring Subflooring Floor Joist
Protection Board
8’-6”
8’-0” Vertical Reinforcing Bar
Perforated Drain Pipe Drainage Mat Crushed Stone
1’-0”
Suspension Joint
Vertical Reinforcing Dowel Rigid Insulation Poured in Place Concrete Foundation Wall Wire Fabric Insulation Flashing Membrane Gravel Horizontal Reinforcing Bars
Saudi Aramco
Garden Oasis Sculpture 1
DESIGN ASSISTANT
KING ABDULAZIZ CENTER FOR KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURE Garden Oasis Sculptures:
During my first Internship at Aramco I was in charge of designing multiple sculptures for the outdoor Garden Oasis and Children’s Oasis.
Documented and Analyzed site. Designed interactive sculptures with two alternative site strategies. Incorporated seating, Garden Oasis Sculpture 2 artificial lighting, and a water feature.
Landmark stone sculpture with cut-outs of the major provinces within Saudi Arabia. Thirteen Province sculptures positioned around the site to create interesting framed views of the Knowledge Center.
Interactive Sculptural cafe. Multiple intersecting color panels teach children about mixing colors. Inspired by tent designs; the cafe has adaptable thick plastic screens that can be folded up on days with good weather to make one large exterior eating space.
Piano walkway that cuts through the childrens playground. The walkway is bound by soundless walkways on either side, so people can choose to make music or not. This was designed to expose children the playful side of making music. This also creates another path through the site connecting the Center and the parking lot.
Art & Design SARA AL-OTAIBI