Architecture Portfolio
Ximena Bobadilla Wellesley College
bobadilla.ximena@gmail.com 305/542-4842
Table of Contents
Procedural Foundation 9
Abstraction 27
Spatial Investigations 45
Experimentation 65
Extended
11
Self Portrait with Paint Thinner
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Self Portrait #15
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Working with Daniela Rivera
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Self Portrait #12
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Casa Planells
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Self Portrait: The Butcher’s Knife
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Self Portrait: The Visitors
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Working at Flores y Prats Architects
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Cooperative Community Kitchen
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Working at Grand Banks
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Lil’ Pho
67
Sketches
72
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Education: Wellesley College, Bachelor of Arts, Architecture Major, Cinema and Media Studies Minor, 2016.
Educational Supplements: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (Cross-Registration-Architecture Studio Program), 2013-2016. Universitat Internacional de Catalunya,(Study Abroad, Barcelona, Spain), 2015.
Professional Experience: Grand Banks Building Products Kitchen Designer
Boston, Massachusetts December 2016-Present
Daniela Rivera Boston, Massachusetts Studio Manager May 2015- August 2016 Ivan Sigal Boston, Massachusetts Photography Intern September 2015- May 2016 Flores Prats Architects Architectural Intern
Barcelona, Spain January 2015- July 2015
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Procedural Foundation Every architectural project is composed of a series of clear stages. It is the architect’s responsibility to provide consistency and foster dialogue between each stage, creating the flow of the project. Procedural foundation is therefore the ke
Extended Introduction to Architecture Design, 4.021 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Fall 2014. Instructor: Elle Gerdeman
In this project I focused on two-dimensional and three-dimensional designs that illustrate and describe my movements through three different stairways. Through multiple reiterations, only one of the three models was chosen as the basis for the final plywood wooden cube; it resembles the “extended� nature of the stairways leading up to the M.I.T. Student center.
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Extended
Extended
Constrained
Fragmented
Extended, constrained, fragmented foam models, closed phased Foam, adhesive (3x3 in.) 2014 12
Fragmente
Extended, constrained, fragmented foam models, open phase Foam, adhesive (3x3in.) 2014
Constrained
ed
With foam as my medium, I wanted to show the constrained nature of the first stairwell, the fragmented nature of the second, and the extended nature of the third. Each cube is unraveled through controlled movements that reflect the conceptual idea they represent.
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Using basswood, the “extended� cube was pushed to its limits through the simplification of some of the bigger pieces into smaller pieces, that would then interlock and allow the model to extend to its limits without losing structural integrity. 14
Final Basswood Model, Extended Basswood, Adhesive (6x6 in.) 2014 15
Utilizing line weight, these hand drawn elevations and axonometric views of the basswood cube accentuate the intricacy and extended projection of the design. They also directly speak to the space that the cube resembles – a staircase.
Final Plywood Model Axonometric, Extended Ink on Vellum (20x 36 in.) 2014 16
Final Plywood Model Elevations, Extended Ink on Vellum (30x24 in.) 2014
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Final Plywood Model Plywood, Adhesive, Nails (12x12 in.) 2014
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Scaling the refined basswood cube, the final plywood model is made to fit in a base designed specifically to accentuate the purpose of this model; to extend, to be stable, and to describe a man made space through intuitive design, and procedural thinking.
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My ritual as a painter consists of making my own stretchers in the wood shop and priming my own canvas to ensure quality in the foundation of my work. It also has allowed me to explore new ways of creating volume and form using different mediums. This artwork is made using a mix of paint thinner with oils to create a landscape; my technique explores the way that paint can describe three dimensional spaces while still rendering the space in a delicate way.
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Self Portrait with Pain Thinner, Boston, Massachusetts. Oil and Gamasol on Canvas (48x20 in.) 2014 21
This self portrait is my biggest confrontation with the painting process. Self Portrait #15 started off as the painting in the top left hand corner of the page. The disappointing start to this piece is what provoked the discovery of my own procedural foundation. Debunking my own ideas of how a painter should paint, this piece is an amalgamation ideas, restrictions, and techniques. Each time I tackled this artwork, I taped up and conserved the best part of that stage before starting to work on the next layer. Illustrated using oils, this work best represents my own understanding of my process with painting.
Self Portrait #15, Wellesley, Massachusetts. Oil and Spirits on Canvas (48x48 in.) 2016 22
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Professional Position: Studio Manager Artist: Daniela Rivera, Boston, MA. Working for Daniela Rivera showed me the day to day challenges that an artist constantly faces. Daniela Rivera similarly creates her own stretchers, creates her own structures, and paints on unconventional surfaces. During my time as her studio manager, she was selected for a solo exhibition in the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston); seeing that project grow from conception to completion really illustrated the realistic way that a two year project is executed. Clearly defining her thesis for the exhibition, “The Andes Inverted�, was crucial to the production of her final pieces. Her artwork manages to always connect back to the thesis, from the material that she uses (i.e. using copper to create a mural of a copper mine in Chile), to the format of her work (i.e. the large scale of her as a result of the massive scale of the mine). 24
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Abstraction Abstraction as a process of removal is utilized to understand the essential core of the made environment. Although many believe that abstraction wrongfully simplifies the complexities of true design, it actually manages to connect the created environment with our history and culture. For instance, the New York subway map is considered an abstraction from the geographical map of New York City; the simplicity of this abstraction is what eases the use of the New York public transportation system. This functional design is a result of understanding way-finding and the history of mapping. The following pages show abstraction through different painting, model making, drawing, and sculpture. My use of abstraction has given me a better sense of what type of work I want to continue making.
Color influences our emotions, behavior, and perception. We are constantly surrounded by persuasive images that function as signifiers, which aim to influence our desires. Corporations are the most common perpetrators, leveraging different colors to subtly guide our consumption habits. Self Portrait #12 is the second part of a dyptic, which is abstracted from the monochromatic collage pictured above, in the far right. Physically cutting into the piece fractured the narrative, adulterating its figurative meaning. Instead, this self portrait focuses on color relationships that one may not have initially noticed in the original collage.
Self Portrait #12, Wellesley Massachusetts. Oil on Canvas (4x4 ft.) 2015
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Casa Planells Composicion 4 ,Architecture Studio Escuela Superior de Architectura Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona. Spring 2015. Instructor: Jaime Batlle CaĂąellas Collaborator: Marta Delgado
Finished in 1924, Josep Maria Jujol designed Casa Planells (House of the Planells Family), the small building is the archetype of what Jujol considered essential to his architecture. The economic and spacial constraints that cut the initial ideas for the house forced Jujol to adopt creative strategies, not only to save space, but also to make the building appear larger than life. The use of “Jujolian Dynamism� in this work represents the perfect tool to achieve optimization of space and scenic results.
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The history of Casa Planells and how Jujol drew influence from natural forms was important to my project’s development. This classic ´dynamic´ Jujol design consists of an uninterrupted facade, voluptuous curves, and structural center points. From the outside we can see the rounding of almost all surfaces around certain focal points, more specifically the ventilation holes, windows, and doors. Its curves blur the line between function and art, building and sculpture, and shows the architect’s imagination at work. Jujol had a lot of limitations to work with on this project; he was able to break through these barriers and use an organic floor plan design with blocked out structures to create an unusual living space. 33
Jujol played with standard dimensions and used forced perspective to comedic effect. From the outside, the house appears to have only four floors. Each floor seems to have almost double the standard ceiling height, however within each of the externally apparent floors there exists a duplex. Jujol creates an illusion of grandeur, when the truth is that each duplex is smaller than standard. Although this strategy is rare within the realm of architecture, it is commonplace in the realm of cinema. When building sets, almost all facade street scenes use forced perspective to create the illusion of taller buildings. Jujol utilizes the same forced perspective to magnify the dimensions of this building.
White Model- Casa Planells, Eixample, Barcelona. (6x18x6 in.) 2015
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My partner and I built a scaled white model using the original plan that Jujol had for Casa Planells. In this model, we tested the material to ensure it was malleable enough to create the curves of the building.
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Jujol´s use of protruding curves on the outside, actually are essential to the interior development of the space. Due to spacial limitations, Jujol’s curves are for more than aesthetic pleasure; they allow him to push the property lines and maximize the small space available. He thus redesigns Casa Planells’ living space, allowing him to grow his floor plan increasing the available space by more than a third.
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Principal Floor Drawing –early stage. Josep Maria Jujol. Font: COAC Archive.
Dynamism Model- Casa Planells, Eixample, Barcelona. Wood, String, Adhesive (6x18x6 in.) 2015
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Using tension as a functional dynamic strategy, the building´s main points act as an anchor around which a seashell spirals out. The spiral creates a complementary tension within the house that is evident from the outside in the extruding curves and protruding window elements. The linear elements are pushing from the staircase to the curves of the seashell, redefining the functionality of the house.
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My attraction to collaging derives primarily from its use as a storytelling tool. These pieces extract imagery from various persuasive images to create a visual poem. For instance, Self Portrait: The Butcher’s Knife, connects masculinity with destruction. Using various patterns from other artist’s previous designs, these collages are a tribute to art history with the purpose of connecting to the storytelling tradition.
Self Portrait: The Butcher’s Knife. Ink on Paper (22x30 in.) 2015 42
Self Portrait: the Visitors Ink on Paper (22x30 in.) 2015
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Spatial Investigation The spatial structures that we inhabit are organized and ultimately influence the way we perceive our environment. Understanding the relationships that objects and structures have in a space can provide insight into the way people interact with the area. The project focuses on the way design interacts with an urban setting. Understanding the history of a site is crucial; environments influence the way social interactions occur and give clarity on how the public must use the space. From my professional role as a kitchen designer, to my internship at Flores y Prats Architects, understanding the project site has guided the development of my designs.
Position: Architectural Intern Firm: Flores Prats Architects, Barcelona, Spain. My time at Flores y Prats Architects gave me insight into the degree of research and consideration necessary to appropriately scope out geographical sites of proposed projects. My goal was to design a wooden crate that could hold the full-sized model using similarly detailed project plans. The crate unfolding should evoke the themes of its contents, to aid it the suspension of disbelief.
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Cooperative Community Kitchen Architecture Design Studio Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. Spring 2014. Instructor: Professor Jaime
This project aimed to create a community kitchen, classroom, dining room, and productive garden in the interior of an Eixample block (Barcelona, Spain). In 1997 the Barcelona Department of Parks and Gardens formally established a network of urban agricultural plots in the Eixample; these plots aimed at integrating people 65 years of age or older with younger generations. Exploring new initiatives that contemplate cooking classes and urban agriculture, this project was meant to facilitate social inclusion for different groups including immigrants and the elderly.
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Sketches illustrating development of Community Kitchen, Eixample, Barcelona. Ink on Paper (6x4 in, each sketch) 2015
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My community Kitchen has five major architectural and programmatic elements that complement a productive garden. There exists a kitchen classroom, a demountable greenhouse, a living wall, an outdoor cooking area, and a community seating area, which encourage learning and collective food preparation.
Community Kitchen, Plan, Eixample, Barcelona. Ink on Paper (36x24 in.) 2015
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Final Plan for Community Kitchen, Eixample, Barcelona. Ink on Paper (36x36 in.) 2015
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Final Site Model for Community Kitchen, Eixample, Barcelona. Foam, construction board (36x36 in.) 2015
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Kitchen Designs Grand Banks Building Products Gloucester, Massachusetts. Role: Kitchen Designer
Designing kitchens in Gloucester, Massachusetts means they are often inspired by the close proximity of the ocean. Although many clients have very specific ideas of their ideal kitchen, there is a responsibility to inform the client about the site and environmental limitations that they need to consider. For example, a downside to wooden cabinetry in Gloucester is that the humidity will make them expand or contract, often resulting in cracking on a painted finish. The knowledge of building materials is invaluable to the making of quality work. Working at Grand Banks allowed me to be within close proximity to project sites, so that I could familiarize myself with the space, make my own measurements, and communicate with contractors during installation to ensure accuracy.
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Erica Keyes Kitchen Renovation, Gloucester, MA. Renders, Plans, and Elevations 2017
163 12 " 25 12 "
12"
72 161 "
39 18 " 50 15 16"
24"
35 34 "
35 43 "
49 58 "
13 38 16 "
FLTS39
24W3612B 3DB12 REP3084W KRFC300ESS REP3084W
88161 "
1 12 " 36" 11" 12" 2
24"
16"
146 34 " 30"
5811 16"
111"
27"
24"
12"
94 34 "
13 38 16 "
1 1 6480 2 "4 "
54 165 "
49 58 " 77 13 16"
30"
24"
48"
15 29 16 "
14167 "
3DB30
18"
5 14 "
BFHBCPO48-BLR
68 15 16"
44 34 "
26 78 "
SSCB36-L
27"
KDTM384ESS4DB15
36"
58 14 "
W1230-R W2730B
B15WB KTTS505ESS SB30B
2DB2434
82 38 "
36"
W2430B
146 34 "
15"
15 216 "
W2430B W1230-L BF3302DB2734
63" 24"
W3012B
36"
26 15 16" 30"
KMHS120ESS
1 12 "
15"
IR304TE-S-TH
39"
22169 " 15"
14 15 16"
3DB18
37 12 "
27"
27" 55 169 "
WBC2730-BLL W2430B
12"
1167 "
12"
68 13 16"
50" 50"
151 12 " 163 12 "
All dimensions size designations given are subject to verification on job site and adjustment to fit job conditions.
erica_keyes_medallion _5.30.17_XB
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This is an original design and must not be released or copied unless applicable fee has been paid or job order placed.
All
Designed: 5/30/2017 Printed: 7/14/2017
Drawing #: 1 No Scale.
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Sara and Vito Colasurdo Kitchen Renovation, New Jersey. Renders, Plans, and Elevations 2017
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Experimentation The visual world often values artists that have exhaustively investigated one medium to its core, often regarding those who constantly change medium as less capable or skilled. Converse to that sentiment, my creativity stems from exploration and experimentation within many different mediums and technology.
Lil’ Pho Interplanetary Exploration Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts. Spring 2016. Instructor: Professor Wesley Watters
Combining my knowledge of photography and design, I used 3-D printing, laser cutting, and programing to create a land probe. This probe was composed of a 3-D printed dome, a plywood base, three raspberry Pis with three fisheye cameras, a microphone, and an energy source (high capacity battery). The result was a 360 degree camera that was programmed to take one picture every 60 seconds to monitor the environment through time lapses.
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Lil Pho’ working models, designs, and concepts: Pencil on Paper, wood, Cardboard. 2016
Lil’ Pho. Wood, Plastic, Raspberry Microphone, Battery (3x4x3 ft.) 2016 68
Pi,
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These images demonstrate the landscape and are examples of the different data that can be extracted from stills.
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Untitled Images, Lil’ Pho. Digital Images 2016
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Musings on volume, form, line,, and structure.
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Untitled Sketches, Boston, Massachusetts Graphite on Paper (8x10 in.) 2015
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bobadilla.ximena@gmail.com 305/542-4842