Zair Toloza Portfolio by zairtoloza

ARCHITECTURE

DESIGN

PORTFOLIO

ZAIRTOLOZA

My interest in design is as a scientific solution to human problems through our built environment. The interaction between design and people, I have learned, to be influential on our emotions, economy, politics, and culture. I intend to redefine what is the vernacular of our time. With modern technology, techniques, and understanding of design at an urban scale I would like to help developing countries to redefine themselves. Coming from a small and young nation of Belize, I know that these developing countries can learn from the mistakes of others and become precedents to positive change.

ZAIR TOLOZA ZAIRATOLOZA@GMAIL.COM [239] 205 0588

WORK EXPERIENCE: Sea Level Rise RESEARCH ASSISTANT Solution Center Heavily involved in experimental prototyping of wave attenuation models that could help visualize Miami, Florida

how mangrove forests play a crucial role in preventing soil erosion and storm damage mitigation.

Oct 2018 - Present

Worked with Dr. Tiffany Troxler (Director of Science for the Sea Level Solutions Center) in order to convert a data dense 3D scan of a living mangrove root into a computer model that could be 3D printed at varied scales for wave attenuation experiments. Programs: Cloud Compare, ParaView, Maya, Rhino, Makerbot

FIU by Design PROJECT DESIGNER Miami, Florida

Involved in research and conceptual proposals of two highly complex bridges for the City of North

Jan 2018 - Sept 2018

Miami Beach. Responsibilities within the design included overall design concept, time tested structural systems, vehicular circulation, pedestrian circulation, river side revitalization, digital model, physical model, graphic presentation, book design to publish, meetings with the city, and city council presentation. Programs: Rhino, Autocad, Lumion, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign

Fabrication: Lasercutting, CNC Milling, Wood Mitering and Assembly

Mayan King Plumbing PLUMBING TECHNICIAN Sanibel, Florida

Involved in every stage of construction from undergrounds, rough-in, and trim phase. Worked on

May 2013 - Aug 2013

multi-million dollar custom homes, restaurants, condos, and renovations. Working for high end

May 2014 - Aug 2014

clients, it was expected of me to be very well mannered and always remove my boots before

May 2015 - Aug 2015

entering a home. Responsibilities included: Underground: laying, cutting, and adjusting pitch of

May 2016 - Aug 2016

PVC pipe. Testing for leaks using stacks. Digging prior, and Burying the pipe after inspection.

May 2017 - Aug 2017

Rough-in: Boring holes in the frame work and floors in order to run hot + cold pex or cpvc lines as well as sewer pipes. Stubbing out for angle stops and hose bibs. Trim: installing angles stops, sink

faucests, shower faucets, sink p-trap, disposals. Connecting dishwasher, refrigerator, ice makers, and washing machine.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION Miami, Florida AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS

Aug 2014 - Aug 2017

Executive Board Member organizing the AIAS South Quad Conference in Miami for over 200 students across the nation. Responsibilities included attending planning meetings, organizing team members, task management, earning funding from the university, and creating marketing content. Personal contributions included the main logo, name tags, looped slideshow, and the marketing video sent across the nation.

EDUCATION: Miami, Florida FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Aug 2013 - May 2019

School of Architecture

M.Arch Master of Architecture Degree GPA: 3.59

Miami, Florida ARTS DIGITAL INSTITUTE

Feb 2016 - Apr 2016

Arts Digital Institute Revit Certification

PROFICIENCY: SOFTWARE

Fabrication

Laser Cutting | 3D Printing | CNC Milling | Model Making | Wood Fabrication

Language

English | Spanish

T A B L E OF CONTENTS

BRISE SOLEIL Mixed Use Complex

THE ISLANDS South East Environmental Research Center

UNDER ONE ROOF Artist Studio

THE CLOUD Personal Library

BRIDGING NMB Schematic Bridge Proposal

MIAMI BEACH 2100 Resilience Study

BRISE SOLEIL Mixed Use Complex

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SECTION PERSPECTIVE

3D View 21

BRISE SOLEIL MIXED USE COMPLEX Miami, Florida is one of the nations most expensive cities to live in. There is a lack of affordable housing and affordable retail spaces. In contrast, more inexpensive areas of Miami suffer from a lack of safety and community. This project aims to create workforce housing and give the neighborhood and anchor for community. Composed of two buildings separated by a busy road, The floors vary in height in accordance to the program with volumes shifting within to create public and private spaces. The Ground Floor dissolves into the city, inviting the sidewalks to cut through it revealing shops and vendors owned and operated by the local community. The shops include a bakery, a produce market, and corner store, to name a few. The well curated ground floor retail community would directly challenge supermarkets by making fresh and healthy alternatives within a short walking distance. In turn, the increase in pedestrian traffic encourages a safe community by increasing eyes surveilling the public spaces. On the Fourth Floor, above parking, is a concert garden. Hosting exhibitions and performances by local artists, the space has orthogonal platforms, seating, and planters meticulously placed throughout the garden. As a result the dynamic landscape with shifting volumes becomes the cultural center of the community. Looking down onto the concert garden are the catwalks of the apartments above. The circulation in open air reinforces the idea of community, allowing neighbors to meet as well as adding eyes into public areas to discourage crime. Inside the apartments shift with brise soleil screens creating public and private areas within the apartment. In the private areas, such as the bedroom, the brise soleil screens provide privacy as well as mitigate sun light. The public areas project outwards into a balcony, shading the apartment below and expanding the public space outwards to view the street. As a result, adopting brise soleil techniques found in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as providing a space for a diverse and entrepreneurial community, the mixed use complex becomes a helpful and essential aspect of the community.

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

TYPICAL PARKING PLAN

4TH FLOOR CONCERT GARDEN

SOUTH ELEVATION

STRUCTURAL AXONOMETRIC

ILLUMINANCE STUDY

THE ISLANDS South East Environmental Research Center

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THE ISLANDS SE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CENTER The Everglades’ slough is composed of thousands of tree islands. They are formed by the accumulation of sediment and are shaped in accordance with the natural flow of the water. This natural form finding process is adopted in the design for the Field Operation Center (FOC). The site is located at an underutilized area of the Florida International University campus. Therefore, the FOC not only had to work efficiently but also activate that area of the campus. Site analysis was crucial in order to produce a design that not only activates but is highly efficient. The analysis focused heavily on the study of human circulation as well as environmental factors such as the direction of the wind throughout the year. Whereas, tree islands are shaped by the forces in the flow of water, these “spatial islands” are formed with respect to the movement of people and wind direction. Not only does this make the building inviting for pedestrians in a largely walkable campus, but it also makes the “islands” aerodynamic. Both people and the Wind come from the East, therefore , the “spacial islands” are oriented longitudinally, East to West. Each island houses a different program, resulting in outdoor circulation as well as a reduced electric cost from not having to mechanically cool hallways. The largest of the detached buildings is the garage which houses boats, trucks, laboratories, storage, and a mechanic shop. Due to the size of the garage the entire roof could be equipped with photovoltaic cells with the potential to provide four times more energy than the demand of the compound. Louvers located on the facade of the buildings also serve as gutters that help sequester rain water. Once the rain water falls from the roof on the louvers it is directed to a 30,000 gallon cistern. On the highest monthly average precipitation a 5,000 s.f. roof such as this one could easily collect 30,000 gallons of water. The collected rain water is used as grey water for toilets as well as for landscape maintenance. Finally, The language of the tree island concept can also be seen in the landscape strategy. The land is raised in teardrop formations and are home to salt tolerant vegetation which could handle sea level rise in the future. The “tree islands” create a nature trail and are home to native flora and fauna. Should sea level rise impact the site in the future, the elevated “tree islands” are designed to be resilient and be surrounded by water like the tree islands in the Everglades slough, allowing the vegetation to continue to thrive.

TREE ISLAND PARTI

FORM FINDING USING GRASSHOPPER

UNDER ONE ROOF Artist Studio

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UNDER ONE ROOF ARTIST STUDIO This new studio is located next to a pavilion highly esteemed by the architecture community. As a result, it was imperative that this studio differentiates itself within its site context while still actively communicating with the existing pavilion. This was accomplished by introducing a new entrance strictly for the engagement of the new studio. Two volumes were carved out through the pathway that cut through the space that originated through the use of regulating lines extruded from the existing building and site analysis. One volume housed a private studio while the other housed a conference space. These two volumes were then merged in an interlocking fashion to enforce the idea of housing two different programs. The studio intercepts the Carlos Ramos Pavilion without blocking the view by cantilevering to the furthest extent without interrupting the view. The roofs project forward to further intercept the pavilion while also creating a courtyard space below, which begins to argue with the enclosed pavilion courtyard. The faรงade of the studio also argues with the pavilion by having glass on the walls that face the exterior while concrete surrounds the courtyard in an effort to make the courtyard more hospitable.

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC

2ND FLOOR PLAN

1ST FLOOR PLAN

THE CLOUD Personal Library

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THE CLOUD PERSONAL LIBRARY Located in a lake in the North East, a volume hovers over the water. The space within is not about the view but rather the experience. A veil surrounds the volume composed of bricks that rotate at 120 degrees, the angle of a hexagon. The brick walls play with light and shadow as it floods in from the gap between floor and the brick wall. The entrance cuts through the water and you enter the library submerged. Above is the study where you can contemplate and read. Collaboration w/ Denis Ibarra

SECTION + UNDERGROUND FLOOR PLAN

BRIDGING NMB Schematic Bridge Proposal

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BRIDGING NORTH MIAMI BEACH SCHEMATIC BRIDGE PROPOSAL Using a system of commonly used building elements, this bridge takes advantage of the simplicity of a wide flange beam to produce a dynamic structural system. Branching structures were used to hold up a canopy while simultaneously freeing the deck of excessive columns. The canopies embrace life below while filtering the sun for a green house below. The spaces create opportunities for vendors and pedestrian life thereby, branching and connecting North Miami Beach as one community.

SITE PLAN

LONGITUDINAL + CROSS SECTION

MIAMI BEACH 2100 Resilience Study

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MIAMI BEACH 2100 RESILIENCE STUDY By 2100 Miami Beach is projected to experience a 6 feet rise in sea level. The economic impact is very clear with 3.5 trillion dollars at risk. Property value is expected to decrease as the sea rises and historical districts are in danger of abandonment. Looking specifically at one building in the Flamingo Park Historic District, 600 Michigan Ave., Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roots go back to 1950 when it was designed as a rambler style apartment. Each apartment had its own entrance without sharing a common corridor. The user would step out their home and into the city. At the time it was an innovative approach that explained the increase of catwalk buildings that followed the same parti. Approaching the building as a preservation perspective, many codes were broken for the building to survive 6 feet of sea level rise. Primarily, the building is elevated on piles to create a park with composed of wave breakers on a grid system. The modular terrain varies in height, creating pathways, seating, and pedestals. Designed to flood, the parks terrain changes with the water level allowing for different experiences and engagement. Above the house studios are added made of lightweight structures clad in corten steal. The studios produce the revenue to pay for the house being elevated while leaving the historical building intact. If every building in the Flamingo Park Historic District designs innovative techniques to preserve history while creating something new, Miami Beach could become a city where people come to see examples of how we adapted to our changing environment.

Michigan Ave. 6th St.

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

NAVD 27’-10”

17’ 13’-4” 10’-10” 2’-6” 0

8’-1” Projected high tide 4’-11” Projected low tide 2’ Current high tide Current low tide -1’

SOUTH ELEVATION

ZAIRTOLOZA zairatoloza@gmail.com [239] 205 0588