creativ[e]

work[s]

portfoli[o]

[exigence]

[systems]

[organization]

pg

Adolfo Del Valle[adv.] B.Arch fall ‘13 pratt

pg 1[e]_1[s]_3[o]_5

pg 13[e]_13[s]_15[o]_20

pg 25architecturepaintings/digitalsketches/observation

27

[course: architecture 21*]

*this course is now arch 102. however when I took it I did so following Design 101 course which is now defunct and re-placed with the more architec-turally focused arch 101.

Temple: Evoking Time, Memory, and The Sacred

The Temple was introduced at the beginning of the semester but was not assigned until the second half of the semester. The first half dealt with an exploration of paths, nodes, walls and floors. I devel-oped an open structure based on the skeletal forms of uncovered human remains. I wanted to work off of the existential crisis of death, as I felt it dealt with the topics of time, memory and the sacred, as the temple project would.

1st Structure: [skeleton]

Elevation of Circulation

Path and Node Diagram (nts)

To Temple

_First Architectural Studio course focusing on the ar-chetypes of architecture as well as tectonics and space/place making.[e]

1st

2nd

2nd

3rd

3rd

4th

1

[site]

I placed my temple on a hillside. The temple was supposed to overtake the natural structure. Heideggers Four-Fold also took part in informing my tectonics. Monumentality in scale became a key grammar to my temple’s architectonic language.

N

54ft

61ft

75ft

[2

1] chipboard/foam core2] gardener’s foam 3] foam core/chipboard/balsawood

[3

N

I saw that the hill side I had created resembled the great pyramids and step pyramids of ancient civilizations and could see in their construction this attempt to get closers to the sacred.

[e]

Conceptual Sketch of Temple

Through Martin Heidegger I found a foothold in creating a phenom-enological experience of light. I saw sunlight, which is perceived as working on a scheduled order, as evoking as well as marking time. Light also set an ethereal atmosphere within the temple, an effect I felt would evoke the sacred.

Conceptualization of skin and interior

[s]3

All these qualities I sought in the temple were the antithesis of my first structure. I wanted to combine the two structures tectonics and architectural experiences would create vitality; a feedback loop of the inhabitant’s feelings and thoughts.

[s]

Temple tectonics and [s]ystems_

Phenomenological [s]ystem_[s]kin[s]ystem_birdnest’like weave that ‘praticlised’ light

\Creates a responsive intimate and ethereal space that cradles the inhabitant

[s]tructural[s]ystem_consists of a bent frame enclosing the space

\Counter acting the openness of the first structure.

[s]tructural[s]ystem_ large col-umns emphasizing mass of the temples scale

\Creates the notion the temples may be meant for something larger than the hu[wo]mans.

1]

1] foam core/chipboard/balsawood 2] chipboard3] 4] 5] foam core/chipboard/balsawood/wood fiber6] chipboard/balsawood/wood fiber

1/16th “ = 1’

2]

24ft

6ft

3]

6]

4]

Meditation

Reflective

Sacred

1st Level

2nd Level

Meditation Level

Reflective Level

Coming from the perturbedness of the first structure the medita-tion level is:_enclosed_ethereal_open plan

With a single seat to allow for meditation

Coming from the enclosed openness of the Meditation level is the Reflective level has:_[o]rganized circulation_monumentally scaled circulation_partitioned plan

_Interior environment

_Interior environment

Progress of temple: 1st and 2nd levels.

Temple responding to the Skeletal Structure

two seats to allow the mind to fill the empty one with memories

[ ]

entrance to temple

[o]5

5]

[o]

Sacred Level

Dusk

Mid Day Dawn

Cantilever space reserved to capture the sunrise and view the Skeletal structure as well as the surrounding landscape. Large

sculptural masses instill a sense of presence on the exterior level

Third Level_Exterior [Level]

The path across the floor dug out allows the inhabitant walk on the light that is captured in the temples second floor aiding the notion of transcendence and sacredness.

The sunrise is a signal of rebirth. As the past_view of Skeletal structure, Present_sunrise, and Future_expanding hori-zontal vantage combine to emphasize the overall goal and phenomenology of the Temple.

The final level of the temple leaves one on top of the hill that the temple anchors into. From the vantage point of the sacred level one can look down at the Skeletal structure a view akin to that of the soul leaving the body. Capturing the sunset to the east the final stage was one of transcendence into the sacred.

Final Model: Views

South

7

West

East

9

North

A Sacred Tem

ple of Time and M

emory

[Architecture 103]_Shift to the Urban [Document] the conditions of a city’s edge.

11

[Architecture 103]_Shift to the Urban [Document] the conditions of a city’s edge.

the final studio class of the Architecture program. The focus of the course focused on architecture and the city. Urban analysis/context of place, space and experi-ence.

[course: architecture 103]

“Free China” Junk Pavilion

373’

66’

322’

186’41’

_gives the site a unique response to its region and how it creates circulation for the inhabitants.

_the triangular plot forms as the grid terminates at the edge of the Embarcadero. Though not unique to San Francisco the site happens to be the product of_

_ Following research on architecture and the city done earlier in the semester and a deconstruction of the program given to us, I saw an opportunity to explore an urban environment that ac-tively lends itself to the public sphere.

_coined by German philosopher Jurgen Habermas, the public sphere is a societal phenomenon that allows for the public to gather and cultivate similar opinions and dissent.

[Urbanactive]

[Grid]_termination

_program is the imposition of a will onto the city. It is then imperative that urban works of architecture direct their energies toward more positive contributions to the urban fabric experience and growth.

_program imposes actions, but this imposition has its benefits once the overall Program and the projects context is combined. The more dis-crepancies the richer and pluralistic space and the making of place.

[Counter]_program

Pro[blem]gramatic Currents

[e]13

north beach district, san francisco

pier 17

New Exploratorium

abc broadcasting

levi’s plaza

union st

green st

broadway st

fron

t st

bat

tery

st

the embarcadero

to ferry building

to pier 39 N [site]

The final studio project was the task of designing a pavil-ion that would house one Chinese Junk ship for 5 years, theatre, offices, exterior public space and two galleries.

John Mayer is a historic and one of the only pedestrian streets leftover from 19th century San francisco [e]

john maher

15

Design intentions:

_.Grid termination and Superimposition

_. Grand public space//sphere and [iso]gration of plot

_.Manifestation of programmatic oppositions

_. Reactivate John Maher St

[s]

_.Grid termination and Superimposition

The two grids, one being the city grid and the second being the grid derived from the axis of the piers, becomes a way to [iso]grate the site both physi-cally and conceptually

Gesture models Dealing with the grid

From the spaces in the grid I would extrude masses and scatter them at different axis depending on view or orientation to landmarks around the area

The negative spaces left over I envisioned filling with water, bring the site back to its original condition of being underwater, before the landfill and piers

2] 3]

_.Manifestation of programmatic oppositions_the program gave the pavilion the responsibility of belonging to the city and not the exhibition of the Junk boat nor the Americas Cup event that would happen not far from it.

1]

17

5]

[s]

_the potential to disperse the [one sided density] of the embarcedero

_. Grand public space//sphere and [iso]gration

In keeping parts of the program elevated the ground is open to the public who can be enticed into activating the space where locals and tourist alike can enjoy the Embarcerdero and perhaps have chance encounters with people half way across the world.

embarcedero

_. Reactivate John Maher St_the ‘grid’ would house a [bar restaurant] that could open and activate the space at the hours in which the surrounding small offices close down for the night. The Pa-risian alley quality of the small forgotten street could be harvested by the grid bring it to life as employees pour out into the evening

_the massive grid is a symbol of the city and a monument to the urban that would serve to hold up the theatre and a designated area for anything from food trucks to an Occupy protest.

_.’Grid’

4]

1] foam core/balsawood/paper2]4]5] foam core/balsawood/chipboard/rubber bands3] foamcore/balsawood

[s]

_.theatreThe theatre is placed inside the ‘Grid’ allowing for much more floor space as well as the complete independence and flexibility of program requirements.

_.[john maher st] restaurant

[john maher]

_upper level circulation

_ground level

_restaurant split to book end the street

_100+ year old cobblestone paves John Maher st.

_view from...upper level, bay waters

_supported by the ‘Grid’ structure

jogged section cut

1]

2]

19

_theatre _lobby

[o]

_.junk [space] _.ac45 [space]

_both the “free china” junk and an ac45 America’s cup sailing ship are dis-played in an outdoor body of water allowing the contrasts of two pieces of San francisco History to engage and be engaged by the public sphere

_the junk is displayed at the edge of the embarcadero and the ac45 is hidden behind the first gallery to insight the curiosity of those coming east on the embarcedero

3] 4]

5]

1]2]3]4]5] foam core/chipboard/balsawood

_lobby

_City Grid

_Pier Grid

_Window Slices

[o]

_.gallery[form]_rather than make separate smaller exhibition rooms [o]rganize throughout the site; i followed the grid collisions and molded the extracted boxes to form a whole gallery

_the grid invades the interior as it slices windows on the galleries.

_the overlap is also expressed through the public space as strips of lighting and irrigation [s]ystems.

21

site site

Junk Space

Galleries

TheatreRestrooms

Offices

Public space

54,000’

6,000’

21,000’

3,600’

1,600’

16,100’

6,000’

_est

imat

ed p

rogr

am

‘Junk’ Hall Pavilion Program _being at the edge of the historic district adjacent to the constant change of local and tourist circulation and activities centered in and around new events like the America’s Cup and the New Exploratorium Science Museum, the context of the site held within it many contradictions and conflicts:

site_a

ctua

lized

pro

gram

33,100’

4,000’

Final Model

_Preserve the historic? Introduce the new? _.the ‘Grid’ and grid imposition _Public amenity? Celebration of histories? _. Maximalist public space//flexible program_Who owned the Pavilion? _.The city, because the Junk exhibit would leave in five years and the city would take charge of the pavilion. It was imperative then for the pavilion to assimilate into the city

The program I realized was one were the initial program requirements were met and challenged. Specifically the importance of the Junk hall and its place in the city.

_.DocumentationPlans

Site/Floor

Second Floor

6

6

5

4

4

2

2

35

5

1

13

1 Gallery2 Gallery3 Offices4 Junk/space5 Restrooms6 Restaurant

1 Theatre Lobby2 Theatre3 Elevated Green Space4 Junk viewing Platform5 Restaurant platform6 Ramp to Green Space7 Elevated Cafe

7

23

Elevation

Diagonal Section

Roof

2

1

1 Junk Viewing Platform2 Elevated Cafe

1 Junk/space2 Gallery

22 1

Exploring Architectural Methodology

25

I decided to redo the pavilion focusing on a another way of approach-ing the project while still exploring another side of the architectural practice, namely methodology. Analogy has served many architects well in creating buildings but none has been more fascinating in resent times than the screen play . Movies are highly architectural but on a transgressive level as the screenplay serves rather more for the purpose of how I rationalize a project through still drawings imagined experi-ences and paper and ink documentation.

“Free China” Junk Pavilion

floor space

circulation

massing

Working plan of Pavilion

1 gallery2 theatre3 office4 freight elevator

1

1

2

4

5

Site_Civic Center San Francisco

Applying Architecture Varied work outside of studio

AutoCAD Drawings

_the main galleries stick above the museum mass. The walls of the galleries will stick out of the sides of the galleries with each changing ex-hibition. Letting those outside of the museum circle that there is a change going on inside.

_Museum of African American Contemporary Art

As a final project for my African American Art History class we had the option of what we wanted to present to the class. I choose to design a museum and curate three exhibits.

Conceptual Sketch27

Applying ArchitectureVaried work outside of studio

AutoCad

Rhino 3D

One of my latest digital sketches. I’m looking to building a formal vocabulary of my own. I want a distinct method and aesthetic for the 21st century.

Since learning about cathedrals in my previ-ous art history courses, I’ve always liked the idea of very open interiors. Light and an abudance of space , are qualities i seek to instill in my projects

_no program

Applying Architecture Varied work outside of studio

Teaching myself Rhino 3d and Grasshopper has been a challenge but if I can envision a small project it helps me have a focus and direction in my learning, for this project I env-sioned approching a twisting high rise in the urban landscape.

Grasshopper node script.

“films/cities event/architecture “ ongoing series.

“M” Directed by Fritz Lang, 1931

end