PORTFOLIO 2015

ANDY C OKONKWO

Email [ aokonkwo96@gmail.com]

Phone [ 214-773-1940]

My first career choice was to become an ASTRONAUT

Architecture is something that I gained an appreciation for when I was in high school. Its something that contributes to society and encourages the idea for future generations to innovate in the built environment. Architecture became my passion through the romanticism of what society can be. It is a fulfilling profession that demonstrates the subconscience of the client, architect, and all who experience the structure.

ILLUMINATING A TOPOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPE: HOUSTON TEXAS BUFFALO BAYOU

This project captures the relationship of refuge and open space at Eleanor Tinsley Park in Hous-ton Texas. The topographical representaion is essentially a light fixure made up of translucent and opaque straws that demonstrate the rela-tionship of tree and tree shade in the park. The translucent straws abstracts areas in the park that have tree shade and the fully opage black straws prevent llight to demon-strate topography.

Red Maple Mexican PlumBald CypressOak BurElm American

REDESIGNING MUSEUM STORAGE SPACE FOR THE MFAH

The museum storage space named SHIFT, is an addition to the art collection of the MFAH. The parti design is a block 100 x 50 that is sliced to a biased dimension to reveal served and servant spaces with in the structure. The servant spac-es house the staircases, elevators, bathrooms, and mechanical rooms, while the served spaces house the art in storage. Because the structure is a storage facility it was appropiate to designiate all the storage aspects, such as crate storage, climatization, and load-ing on the first floor. In section, there are views of holes in the structure to invite site and produce a promenade within in the struture. The facade acts as sun shading and responds the sun pat-tern during the day.

Elevator Circulation

Spatial Connectivity

Circulation Study

SOLAR ANALYSIS 8 AM

SOLAR ANALYSIS 12 PM

SOLAR ANALYSIS 5 PM

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REFRAME X FRAME

REFRAME X FRAME is a design build project that aims to provide transitional housing to dev-astated or impoverished areas gloabally. In col-laboration with AllSteel and Pioneer located in Houston, Texas, REFRAME X FRAME was devel-oped using recycled cubical parts in an effort to repurpose the steel. Celebrating the centennial celebration at Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, REFRAME X FRAME will exist as a pavilion in the park. At night, LED lights provided by US LED will illuminate the lantern wall inviting all to enjoy.

g r a d u a t e d e s i g n / b u i l d s t u d i o

u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s t o n

SOLAR PANEL LAYOUT PERSPECTIVE VIEW1 SCALE 1 = 1-0

Sheet Name:

Solar Panel Perspective

Sheet No.:

ED-1

ArchitectPatrick Peters, LEED AP, DirectorRegistration No. 19306Graduate Design/Build StudioGerald D. Hines College of Architecture122 College of Architecture BuildingUniversity of HoustonHouston, TX 77204-4000Telephone: 713.320.5185

EngineerChristof Spieler, P.E., LEED APMorris Architects1001 Fannin, Suite 300Houston, TX 77002Telephone: 713.622.1180Texas Registered Engineering Firm F-12597

Drawn by: Stephen GistDate: 07.09.2013Revision: 1

forHermannPark

6201 Hermann Park DriveHouston, TX 77030

g d b s

TemporaryArtInstallation

UNIVERSAL CONNECTOR

ALLSTEEL FRAMES FEET

CORRUGATED METAL ROOF

SECTION CUT OF

FROM ALLSTEEL

ALLSTEEL FRAMES

T.O. ALLSTEEL WALL FRAME

T.O. COKE GPS TRACKED PALLETS

9'2"

0'-0"

B.O. ALLSTEEL FRAMES

0'-5"

T.O. ALLSTEEL WALL FRAME14'10"

T.O. ALLSTEEL WALL FRAME

T.O. COKE GPS TRACKED PALLETS

9'2"

0'-0"

B.O. ALLSTEEL FRAMES

0'-5"

T.O. ALLSTEEL WALL FRAME11'3-3/4"

DECOMPOSED

1RWC1

GRANITE

7RWC1

UNIVERSAL CONNECTOR

16 GA. STEEL WATER GUTTERSLOPED AT 1/8" PER FOOT

FROM ALLSTEEL

2 scale: 1/2" = 1'-0"WEST SECTION 1 scale: 1/2" = 1'-0"NORTH SECTION

4 scale: 1/2" = 1'-0"EAST SECTION 3 scale: 1/2" = 1'-0"SOUTH SECTION

Sheet Name:

SECTIONS NORTH,SOUTH,EAST, AND WEST

Sheet No.:

S2.1

ArchitectPatrick Peters, LEED AP, DirectorRegistration No. 19306Graduate Design/Build StudioGerald D. Hines College of Architecture122 College of Architecture BuildingUniversity of HoustonHouston, TX 77204-4000Telephone: 713.320.5185

EngineerChristof Spieler, P.E., LEED APMorris Architects1001 Fannin, Suite 300Houston, TX 77002Telephone: 713.622.1180Texas Registered Engineering Firm F-12597

Drawn by: Andy Okonkwo

Date: 06.19.2013 Revision: 06.25.2013

6201 Hermann Park DriveHouston, TX 77030

forHermann Park

g r a d u a t e d e s i g n / b u i l d s t u d i o

u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s t o n

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ReFRAME transitional housing units can be readily shipped to recently distressed locations such as Haiti, Indonesia, Japan, Somalia or Uganada.

Hurricanes, tsunami and mudslides are among many natural disasters that create the need for transitional housing.

Tropical Rainforest: average precipitation of at least 2.4 inches

Tropical Monsoon: monsoon winds with a driest month occuring just after the winter solstice

Tropical Savanna: long dry period with less than 2.4 inches rainfall annually

In addition to weather related housing displacement, many cities

and settlements are subjected to forced migrations and sudden

housing loss due to civil unrest and changes of governing regimes

OPTIMAL CLIMATE

Tran

sitio

nal H

ous

ing

CentennialGardens

Sam HoustonMonument

Houston Zoo

Hermann ParkGolf Course

Greenway Trail

Marvin TaylorExercise Trail

Miller OutdoorTheatre

Japanese Garden

McGovern Lake

Houst on M useu mof Natural Science

Mary Gibbs &Jesse H. Jones

Buddy CarruthPlayground For

All Children

Trenton Doyle Hancock

Patrick Dougherty

FlorentijnHofman

Ugo Rondinone

Orly Genger

Louise Bourgeois

Yvonne Domenge

HERMANN PARK

SITE MAP

Major SiteMicroPavilion

Walking Trails

Art

MAP LEGEND

234

12

Hermann Park, presented to the City of

Houston by George Hermann in 1914, is

one of Houstons most popular and his-

Located in the heart of Houston, the 445

acre park has been an important resource

for Houstonians for generations, and is

celebrated as a place that has always

welcomed diversity and fostered a strong

sense of community among its patrons.

Truss Cord

Upper Frame

Roof Shell

Butterfly Frame

Horizontal Tie

Water Barrel

Frame Wall Structure

Pallets

Mic

roP

avili

on

Solar Panels

ROAD TO WELLNESS

The ROAD TO WELLNESS is the development of a bi-national clinic attached to the Del Ro-Ci-udad Acua International Bridge. The purpose of the building is to create an out-patient clinical center designated to provide affordable and accredited health care to individuals who other-wise would not have the opportunity. In addition, the Clinical Express hopes to provide care to people living in the colonias; extremely poor Mexican and American housing situations along the Rio Grande border. Within the clinic, patients will have access to standard check-ups and vaccination as needed. The clinic hopes to blur the lines between the Mexican-American border on the basis of health, a right that should be accessible to all despite financial situations.

PEOPLE LIVE IN COLONIAS ON THE BORDER

ARE CHILDREN

400,000

86,000

INSPIRATION

}= =

=

1 DOCTOR 100 PEOPLE

1 NURSE

GOAL

Lack of potable water influences public health

Extreme cases of low income that discourages healthcare coverage

Low availability for patientswithout Medicare or Medicad

Unreliable electircal power

Lack in vaccinationsand medication

No found data on existingpublic transit

Lack of sewage systems influences public health

Failing Infastructrue prohibits transportation

COLONIAS LOCATED ALONG THE BORDER

MASTER PLAN

COLONIAS (THE FORGOTTEN AMERICA)

ROUTES TO ACCESS THE WELLNESS CENTER

MAJOR CITIES IN THE AREA

PERIPHERAL CITIES IN THE AREA

JIMENEZ

QUEMADO

EL MORAL

LA PURISIMA

CIUDAD ACUNA

PIEDRAS NEGRAS

EAGLE PASS

DEL RIO

FLOOR I FLOOR IIA FLOOR IIB FLOOR III

1ft.

10

15

30

MUSICS MOTION

THE BROWNCAFE

NORTH SECTION

1FT 15FT 60FT

NORTH ELEVATION

1FT 15FT 60FT

EAST SECTION CUT

1FT 15FT 60FT

EAST ELEVATION

1FT 15FT 60FT

Located in downtown Houston, Touching music aims to create a vicarious link between music and the physical space. In order to achieve this value of design the parti of flow was explored. The theme of the project was to ask the question if music had a physical form what would it look like? To achieve this, the faade will be the pri-mary medium of representing this notion. The ki-netic faade is a series of square metallic panels that rotate autonomously on a center axis. This center axis allows for the creation of different pat-terns of flowing. The actual form of the building is inspired by blocks of program that was devel-oped by understanding adjacencies within this building typology.

WEST STRUCTURAL SECTION

1FT 15FT 60FTSOUTH STRUCTURAL SECTION

1FT 15FT

UP

SHOP STORAGE8

SETS STORAGE16

LIGHTING ANDINSTRUMENTS

17

PROPS18

COSTUMES19

SOUND20

MECHANICAL21

BELOW GRADE_CONNECTED TO UNDERGROUND TUNNEL

1FT 15FT 60FT

DN

DN

UP

UP

DNUP

UP

TECH ROOM2TECH ROOM

3

MECHANICAL5

MENS SOLOIST9

MENS CHOIR10

MENS MUSCIANS11

LADIES SOLOIST12

LADIESMUSICANS

13

LADIES CHOIR14

LOUNGE AREA15

1' -

0"

DN

DN

DN

MECHANICAL6

WOMENSRESTOOM

25

MENS RESTROOM26

OFFICE27

OFFICE28

OFFICE29

OFFICE30SOUND ROOM

31

SOUND ROOM32

SECOND FLOOR_DRESSING ROOMS

1FT 15FT 60FT

THIRD FLOOR_PRACTICE SPACES

1FT 15FT 60FT

LOBBY AREA

UP

UP

UP

UP

UP

MECHANICAL4

COAT CHECK7

WOOD AND STEELSHOP

22

MENS BATHROOM23

WOMENSBATHROOM

24

FIRST FLOOR_MAIN SPACE

1FT 15FT 60FT

2% INCLINE

WATER PROOFED MECHANICAL BOX

DETAILED WALL SECTION

1FT 15FT 60FT

INSULATION

PANELED CONCRETE FINISH

FLOOR

HINGE POINT

HVAC

PARAPET

DOUBLE GLAZING

METAL PANEL

PUBLIC AREAS AND WORKSHOP ADJACENT TO THEATER

PRIMARIY CHANGING AREAS

PRACTICE FLOOR

LIGHT RAIL AND POINTS OF INTERESTIMPORTANT LOCATIONS ALONG THE NORTH RAIL LINE

NRG PARK

RICE UNIVERSITY

HOUSTON ZOO

MUSEUM DISTRICT

BRAYS BAYOU

HERMANN PARK

NORTH LINE RAIL

FORM EXPLORATION DIAGRAMS

ENTIRE SITE USED TO MAXIMIZE POTENTIAL PROGRAM RESIZED BUIDLING FOR PARKING BUILDING SET BACK

FLOORS TWIST TO PROVIDE PANORAMIC VIEW

My project Community Towers is a luxury apartment on the corner of Main Street and Berry Street in midtown Houston Texas. The building is a 15 story apartment that twist vertically providing a sculptural building in an otherwise orthogonal urban context. The eccentric building will provide luxury living spaces for high income young pro-fessionals looking to live in an advantageous area that serves as a midpoint connecting both the downtown area and the medical center. Within the 15 story tower there are 20 rooms in total of each unit size and a ground floor restaurant called LoCal, which serves local low calorie foods. There are two unit sizes; the first size is a one bedroom unit at 900 sqft and the second unit size is a two bedroom unit at 1800 sqft.

COMMUNITY TOWER

Standard high rise structure. Resturant at the base including a 3 level garage. 20 rooms for each unit. The total amount of units are 40. Glass and concrete construction.

Personal and communal balconey spaces. The idea of communal balconey spaces was derived from Herzog and De Meurons high rise tower.

Complete structure without the base

TWISTTYP. FLOOR PLAN

TYPICAL WALL SECTION CORRESPONDING ELEVATION

Hidden A/C units

NEW HARMONYS GROTTO ON THE UH CAMPUS

The goal of the master planning project was to transform the Kiesler inspired New Harmony Grotto site on the UH campus. In collaboration with external landscape architectural firm and UH Facilities, we began to reshape the Grotto experience. The design proposed the inclusion of the Kielser designed gate to create a formal entrance into the space. Enclosing the space are four grassy burms to create both a psychological guidance to and through the gate. In addition, it created tension using opposite forces produced by the design of the burms. Using a voronoi in-spired pattern, stone pavers will be included in the site to promote walking within the site. The stone pavers will have water rushing through them providing an elegant design element. A sluice bridge is also included to provide variety of circulation in the space. Conclusively, the pond will be reshaped to accomodate the new bridge design that will provide an elegant transition from either end of the site.GULF COAST MUHLY

YELLOW IRIS

LIZARDS TAIL

MEXICAN FEATHER

MEXICAN BUTTERFLY

BLUE PRINCESS

Study Model of Sluice Study Model of Sluice

Kieslers Sketch of Gate Kielsers Gate in Model

Early Sluice & Footbridge Sketch 1 Kieslers Grotto Sketch

Early Site Plan Kieslers Grotto Sketch

site cast paver

1" sand bed

brick

bolts

lights

st. stl. angle

5" mud slab

concrete slab

vegetationt.b.d.

st.stl. ledge beyond

5" mud slab

site cast pavers

1" sand bed

site cast concrete

st.stl. bridge formwork

2" sq. st.stl. tube

vegetationt.b.d.

st.stl. edge angle

5" mud slab

1" sand bed

site cast paver

site cast paver

5" mud slab

1" sand bed

bolt

st.stl. angle

vegetationt.b.d.pond

st.stl. ledge beyond

conc. sidewalk

no. 4 rebar

control joint

expansion joint

st.stl. ledge beyond

st.stl. bridge formwork

st.stl. angle

2" sq. st. stl. tube

site cast concrete

bolt

site cast paver

1" sand bed

5" mud slab