Abraham MelendezStudent Portfolio 2012

From the heart of an architecture student

My primary focus since arriving at Southern Illinois University was to finish my Architectural degree.

I have been set back for several years due to family obligations and limited finances which made it difficult for me to continue to achieve my goals towards my education. My interest in architecture was not from professional fame or childhood fantasy but from my siblings. It was their struggle and interest that inspired me to pursue a degree in the field of architecture. They never completed higher level education degrees for the same personal reasons that I was set back. My family is my inspiration to work hard and push myself to a higher standard that they expect from me. The educational goals that I have laid out for myself are to complete a Bachelor’s degree in architecture and to pursue a graduate degree in architecture as well.

My goal as a graduate student to gain the knowledge needed to practice architecture in a concious and responsible nature. These ideas are from my own childhood in which my parents financial standing gave me greater appreciation for fewer possessions. Thus launching my interest in archi-tecture by learning the building blocks of natural environment that has been neglected.

My graduate studies will not be about sustaining a balance with nature but rather the neuroscience that causes the need for such possessions. I strongly believe that by understanding the brains func-tions in architecture we can further understand the need for humans to destroy the only we all can collectively call home, Earth. My professional aspirations depend on my academic goals which are currently within reach. With persistence and my family inspiration I can complete what my sibling could not at this time, a master architecture degree. My degree would help develop my future by giving back to a commu-nity that is not lenient on those who struggle to create a better life for their families.

Abraham Melendez

Structural Building Information Modeler August 2008 -August 2010 Generate structural BIM drawings from 2D plans and 3D models Create new family components for details and sections Coordinate with architects on updated models and clash detection FGM Architects Sycamore Middle School 2010 PHN Architects Falcon Park Recreation Center 2009 Wheeler/Kearns Lake Shore Drive Residence 2009

Structural CAD Drafter May 2006-August 2008 Accurately draft details, sections and plan from rough sketches from Engineers Draft sections from paper and digital plans for Project Engineer to analyze Draft from existing structural plans to CAD files for project additions Coordinated projects files for x-referencing and layer management

Brininstol + Lynch R+D659 2008 RTKL Central DuPage Hospital Expansion 2006-2008 FARR Associates Charles H. Shaw Learning and Technology Center 2008

A. 2326 N. Monticello Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 M.773.738.5748 E. amelendez@siu.edu Abraham Melendez

Experience

Education

Volunteer

Affiliation

Related Skills

References

C.E. Anderson & Associates Structural Engineers, Chicago, IL

Goodfriend Magruder Structure LLC, Chicago, IL

Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL August 2010- PresentSchool Of Architecture Undergraduate - Currently Fourth Year StudentBachelor of Science in Architectural Studies, expected graduation May 2013Deans List 2010-2011

Wilbur Wright College, Chicago, IL August 2006-May 2008Associate of Arts, focused on architectural studies, with Honors 2008

Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter, Carbondale,IL August 2011-PresentConstruction and Landscaping Volunteer

Autodesk AutoCAD 2012 Revit Architecture 2012 Revit Structure 2012

References are available upon request

Adobe Acrobat 8 Photoshop Illustrator

Microsoft Office

Studio Magazine, SIU Carbondale School of ArchitectureCo-Editor / Interviewer / Layout Design, July 2012-PresentHabitat for Humanity Campus Chapter, Carbondale,IL August 2011-PresentVice President, August 2012-PresentAIAS The American Institute of Architecture Students, SIU Carbondale August 2011-PresentFreedom By Design Project Manager, August 2012-PresentUSGBC United States Green Building Council, SIU Carbondale August 2011-PresentCompetition Chairperson, August 2012-Present Abacus Architecture Club at Wilbur Wright College, August 2006-December 2008President, August 2007-December 2007

Structural Building Information Modeler `August 2010 -August 2012 Implemention of Revit Structure 2010-2012 Assist with coordination with architects project models Develop office standards and libraries

John Ronan Architects Gary Comer College Prep 2011

CAD Projects:

BIM Projects:

BIM Projects:

CONTENTS

PERSONAL STATEMENT

URBAN RESIDENCE, 2005

RESTAURANT AND NIGHT CLUB, 2006

CASE STUDY HOUSE, 2010

HAITI DESIGN COMPETITION, 2011

CORPORATE OFFICE, 2011

NEUROSCIENCE IN ARCHITECTURE, 2012

RESUME

22

ELS

TON

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E A

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CHESTNUT ST

WIL

LAR

D C

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AUGUSTA BLVD

SITE PLAN

5 15 350

URBAN RESIDENCE, 2005931 NORTH ELSTON AVECHICAGO, ILLINOIS

The City of Chicago has underdeveloped neighborhoods that were previously used for industrial purposes. This project consisted of locating a site and developing an urban residence. The site is located in the River West Neighborhood industrial district. The residence is less than 1/4 mile from public rail transit, daily vehicle rental, consumer services and night life entertainment.

The residence consist of 1400 square feet. The first floor has a 1/2 bath, living room, kitchen and eating space. The second floor has 1 full bath and 3 bedrooms with closest.

The challenging aspect of this site was that it had to stay within the Chicago Building Code, that includes setbacks and height restrictions. The site sits on a triangle area that has a rail line that is 20 feet above grade to the south and a multi-family residence to the north.

5

5

5

6

1

C

B

A

2

34

5

7

ROOF PLAN

1 3 70

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

1 3 70

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

1 3 70

1 LOUNGE2 KITCHEN3 POWDER ROOM4 FOYER5 BEDROOM6 BATHROOM7 PATIO

SECTION A

1 3 70

SECTION B

1 3 70

SECTION C

1 3 70

RIGID INSULATION

RIGID INSULATION

VERTICAL REINFORCEMENT BAR

DDOUBLE ANGLE STEEL LINTEL

REFLECTIVE SHEET COATINGASPHALTPLY-SHEET

3/4“ STRUCTURAL DECKING

2x12 WOOD JOIST

5/8” GYPSUM BOARD

VAPOR BARRIER

8” CONCRETE MODULAR UNI

CONCRETE WINDOW SILL

METAL JOINT TO BE RETURNED AROUND FRAMES

2x6 TIMBER STUDWORK LINED ON THE EXTERNAL WITH 1/2” OSB SHEATHING

8” BOND BEAM IN FULLY GOUTED

FLASHING

CONCRETE WINDOW SILL

FLASHING

FLASHING

THREAD WEEPS

FLASHING

GRADE

4” DRAIN PIPE

EARTH

GRAVEL

12” STRUCTURAL CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALL

12” STRUCTURAL CONCRETE FOOTING

VERTICAL REINFORCEMENT BAR

6 MIL POLYETHYLENE FILM

MILLWORK

BEDROOM

LIVING ROOM

PARTIAL FINISHED BASEMENT

BATT INSULATION WITHIN STUDWORK VOID

4” STRUCTURAL CONCRETE SLAB

GRAVEL

EARTH6 MIL POLYETHYLENE FILM

3/4” FINISH WOOD FLOORING

14” OPEN WEB WOOD JOIST

3/4“ WOOD SUBFLOOR

3/4” FINISH WOOD FLOORING

14” OPEN WEB WOOD JOIST

3/4“ WOOD SUBFLOOR

TYPICAL WALL SECTION

1 20

TOP OF FINISH FLOOREL 0’-6”

TOP OF FINISH FLOOREL 11’-10”

TOP OF ROOF EDGEEL 24’-10”

URBAN RESIDENCE, 2005

WASHINGTON ST

JACKSON ST

CLAY ST

FRAN

KLIN

ST

VAN

NES

S AV

E

POLK

ST

RESTAURANT AND NIGHT CLUB, 20061794 WEST WASHINGTON AVESAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

The project program was a new urban development for an up-and-coming area in San Francisco. This site is currently a used car dealership which no longer fits the needs of the area. The current district is demanding a new night life scene. The business in this location is set to be a restaurant and a night club mixture.

The design space consist of 14000 square feet. The first floor is has a lounge for live mild music and a restaurant. Both spaces are seperated by the kitchen centered ease of access for both spaces. This minimizes wait staff clashing between services. The second level has an open space plan with structure elements designed to create a seperation.

Since the site is located in a corner with commercial and residentials, the exterior building is minimal in its design. The main enterance to the restaurant is located in between the new and existing buildings. This was done to create a sense of membership and privacy.

SITE PLAN

5 15 350

RESTAURANT AND NIGHT CLUB, 2006

SOUTH ELEVATIONNORTH ELEVATION WEST ELEVATIONEAST ELEVATION

2

4

55

3

3

1

2

3

4

56

6

7

82

1

2

2

2 3 3 3

1

5

4

4

5

1 LOUNGE2 BAR3 RESTROOM4 STORAGE5 DANCE FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

2 6 120TN GN

1 ENTRY2 BAR3 LOUNGE4 KITCHEN5 ANNEX KITCHEN6 RESTROOM7 MAIN DINING ROOM8 PRIVATE DINING ROOM

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

2 6 120TN GN

1 LOADING ENTRY2 STORAGE3 FREEZER4 LOCKER ROOM5 RESTROOM

LOWER LEVEL FLOOR PLAN

2 6 120TN GN

2 6 120 2 6 120 2 6 120 2 6 120

1 2 3

4 5

6

A

B B

A

Lake Yamanaka, Yamanshi, Japan 1995

A. Melendez, J. Richards

SHIGERU BAN

Shigeru Ban first experimented with paper cardboard house in which the house is supported with cardboard tubes. After the earthquake in Kobe, Japan in 1995, it was found that his new design was cheaper and quicker to assemble. The furniture house was an idea from Shigeru Ban to use 33 prefabricated bookshelves as the primary element for structure. These bookshelves are also functional in the interior of the house. Ban describes this as invisible structure concept.

CASE STUDY HOUSE, 2010

SITE PLAN

10 25 500

FLOOR PLAN

4 10 200

AXONOMETRIC

6 15 300

STRUCTURAL CABINET / CUBBIES

1

2

3

5

1 INTERIOR PANEL 3/4”2 STRUCTURAL PLYWOOD PANEL3 2X4 STRUCTURAL FRAME 4 INTERIOR PANEL5 FINISH CUBBIE PANELS

STRUCTURAL CABINET

2

1

3

4

6

5

1 EXTERIOR CLADDING PANEL 3/4”2 STRUCTURAL PLYWOOD PANEL3 BAT INSULATION4 2X4 STRUCTURAL FRAME5 INTERIOR PANEL6 FINISH DOORS

4

SOLID / VOID

CIRCULATION

STRUCTURAL

PRIVATE / PUBLIC

COLOR AREA

CLEANSING

SLEEPING

FOOD PREPARATION

social / learngingSOCIAL/LEARI

08%

14%

14%

64%VERNAL EQUINOX AUTUMN EQUINOXSUMMER SOLSTICE WINTER SOLSTICE

DIAGRAMATIC PLANS

2 10 220

ASSEMBLY PROCESS

2 10 220

SECTION A

1 5 120

SECTION B

1 5 120

SOLAR STUDY

4 20 480

DIAGRAMATIC PLANS

4 16 380

ASSEMBLY

CASE STUDY HOUSE, 2010

HAITI DESIGN COMPETITION, 2011PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI

Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the home design competition was created to provide the best possible homes for rebuilding in Haiti.

Though our independent research we uncovered the Haitian culture, previously unknown to us, its history and the peoples lifestyle.

We had to create a living area suitable for the climate and culture. Unlike what we known as Americans living in the US, Haitians use very little area as living space. They have very different usage of space from preparing meals, bathing and sleeping.

So we were tasked to design a space for the 99% of Haitians. The shelter needed to perform for a certain type of natural occurance like rain, wind, and sunlight.

This design performs with the direction of the sun with movable telescoping window panels. Each panel moves to direct the sunlight at any given time for optimal usage.

SITE

4 12 240

SOLAR PENETRATION EXAMPLESTELESCOPING CONSTRUCTION

1 3 60

SOLAR STUDY

SOLAR STUDY IN SECTION

SOLAR STUDY IN 3D INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE

SOLAR STUDY IN 3D INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE

exis

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npa

ved r

oad

s. illinois

rt

51

rail

road

SIDEWALK

PARKING

CORPORATE OFFICE, 2011931 NORTH ELSTON AVECHICAGO, ILLINOIS

The advent of the social network, sustainable thinking and neuroscience occuring in society work places have begun to develop into a new generation of business practices and for employee retention.

This project is based on an E-Commerce business. The business that occupies this building is a digital file sharing for the purposes of releasing censored information in a safe and reliable environment.

The site is located about 1/8 mile southeast from Southern Illinois University. The site is currently undeveloped with trees and steep hill terrain. Farthest east of the site is a freight rail road.

This business type is ideal for the area since the structure will be perched up high in the slope and surrounded by trees for a privacy. The structure is lifted an extra 10 feet above the grade level, at the lowest point, for added protection against vehicular attack.

TN GN

SITE PLAN

10 30 650

NORTH ELEVATION

3 15 300

EAST ELEVATION

3 15 300

SOUTH ELEVATION

3 15 300

WEST ELEVATION

3 15 300

SECTION B-B

3 12 300

SECTION A-A

3 12 300

CONFERENCE ROOM

RECEPTION

OFFICE SPACE

HIGHEST RECORD TEMP : 97 FLOWEST RECORD TEMP : -7 F

PREVAILING WINDS DIRECTION:SOUTH/SOUTH EASTYEARLY AVERAGE OF 9 MPH

B

B

A A

1 ENTRY2 SECURITY CHECKPOINT3 RECEPTIONIST4 WAITING AREA5 MENS RESTROOM

6 WOMENS RESTROOM7 LOADING DOCK VIEWER8 LOADING DOCK BAY9 STORAGE10 GENERATOR ROOM

11 CONFERENCE ROOM12 SERVER ROOM13 BREAKROOM/KITCHEN14 ENCLOSED MEETING ROOM15 OPEN WORK SPACES

TN GN

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

3 9 210

1

2

4

5 6

7

89 9

10

12

15

14

13

Guests entering the space have to walk through a long aisle that allow security to prepare for friendly or hostile person. The office space sits lower 15 feet lower from the receptionist space. This is designed as such so guest can view the entire space from above once they enter. Also the purpose is so that hostile persons in the exterior can not see the interior space or who occupies it. The large windows represent the openess of the business and how it relates to releasing information but in a secure location.

NEUROSCIENCE IN ARCHITECTURE, 2011A STUDY OF THE BRAIN IN ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH VISION

Using the brain as the context and the sense of sight as a tool for recognition, memory and the consciousness, it was assigned to develop a model for the representation of the brain.

My observations from studying the brain with focus on sight.

Manipulation of Vision

Prediction Experience

Memory Recognition

Digital Model Development

Our brains are tricked by manipulations of images. We develop a ingular method of processing the images we are given. So we take these images and don’t process another reasoning because it is not in the brains interest to make such adjustments. Adjustments are for survival.

The brain makes predictions to make decisions to help it survive. We develop the knowledge to avoid certain animals, avoid certain plants and avoid certain people. Since we learned these from past experiences the brain puts together patterns and removes other unnecessary information from these components.

Man in the worm hole. We have seen this image usually in times of confusion in films such as Twilight Zone and Vertigo. We see a person falling but who is to say that is person falling. What we see is not what actually is happening. There is nothing to tell you that is correct. Since this image has been seen before we remember it as it was shown to us the first time, take it as so. Our memory is bringing back the past experiences from this image so we don’t question the action.

Using the previously mentioned elements of the brain synthesis I developed a model to present vision.

ar es

s

Weden

of n at e s st

The brain makes predictions from past experiences and uses patterns to learn. The yellow lines represent the path the brain makes for future predictions in the consciousness. The black square represent the patterns the brain learns from past experiences. The red and blue ribbons represent the rods and cones in the eye that through visual learning we create memories to recall at a later time. The extrusions of the ribbons represent the complexity of the brains neurons.The yellow oculus represent the eye in which we input informa-tion visually to learn.

Final board on opposite page.

LEARNING

BRAIN- VISUAL PERCEPTION

MEMORY

CONSCIOUSNESS

PASTEXPERIENCES

SURVIVAL

PATTERNS

FUTURE PREDICTIONS

MAGAZINESTUDIO

ISSUE # 1.0 | SEPTEMBER 2012 | WWW.ARCHITECTURE.SIUC.EDU

STUDIO MAGAZINE, 2012

Co-Editor/Interview/Layout

Studio Magazine was created to inform architecture students at Southern Illinois University about the profession outside of studio. Myself and another student developed the magazine to gear it to students. With the help of the campus communica-tions staff and the School of Architecture it was made possible to use campus logos. This publication is not in print format due to funding so it is distributed by e-mail to students.

The publication will continue to be developed and grow as the interest and value is appreciated.

ISSUE # 1.0 | SEPTEMBER 2012 | WWW.ARCHITECTURE.SIUC.EDU

STUDIOMAGAZINE

ISSUE # 2.0 | WWW.ARCHITECTURE.SIUC.EDU