portfolio of professional architectural design

Ali Mahjouri:WORKS

“143,000 H” Exhibited 06/11 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ALI MAHJOURI [email protected]

size: 7 sf screen Cost: $200.00THE EXPANDED IMAGE Philadelphia, PA Installation 2010



the expanded image picture / motion

ALI MAHJOURI2601 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE #447 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19130 [email protected] MAHJOURI [email protected]

Tool: ProjectionWhy: See BelowMeans: 3D installation (special requirements: ceiling mounted to joists, projector that can take DVDs, sound system, empty wall on which to project in front of)Size: Projection screen: 4’ wide, 3’ tall, 12”-14” deep

I have selected Projection as my tool. Encompassing light, image, sound, space, and motion, the projection will be decon-structed. When we go to see a motion picture, we are often in a static relationship with the image and the screen. Although the movie may be dynamic, fast paced, 3D and even 4D, our relationship with content and image remains static. We sit in mostly a docile manner passively waiting to be entertained. We are unable to engage fully the screen. The expanded image denies the stability of this relationship. The motion picture will be redefined. Instead of a moving image being projected onto a static screen, the screen will be free to move, with a wealth of “invasive” environmental nuances. With a series of still images and static projections accompanied by sonic vibrations, the motion picture is redefined by its immediate environs. The expanded image challenges the relationship between the observed and the observer. The intention is to facilitate live action motion picture on the screen with the screen utilizing sound, image, and the live interaction of the spectator. A pro-jection screen will be constructed out of repetitive lengths of nylon fishing line hanging freely from a base beam attached to the existing ceiling joists. The fishing line will be hung freely with weights attached to it. There will be 3000+ linear feet of fishing line which, in aggregate, will produce a full screen of about 3’ high and 4’ wide. This screen will be accessible through and on both sides. The image will be projected on this hairy surface inviting inquiry into the nature of looking and projection. A soundtrack of experimental minimalist and heavy low end bass music will be mounted directly to the beam at some points, contact the fishing line to produce the motion picture.Projections govern our experience of life. From avatars in the digital realm of “second life” to the everyday emo kids playing music to project their total authenticity and earnestness for all the world to see, we are subject to a presenta-tion to ourselves and the world around us. That projection whether real or otherwise, is regardless a highly orchestrated series of memes created to show a controlled version of who we are. Surveillance is not quite as invisible as we think. The project of the Projection plays into a larger idea of awakening from static predetermined motions, not only literally, but metaphorically. Stability invites redundancy. This project challenges redundancy and control from the viewer and the

viewed.


the expanded image picture / motion

ALI MAHJOURI305 YORK STREET APT. #2 JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY 07302 [email protected]



Hanrahan Meyers Architects New York, NY

size: 2,000 sf Cost: $400,000DELMONICO LOFT New York, NY Residence 1998

HANRAHAN MEYERS ARCHITECTS New York City


This sparse loft shell was purchased by a young couple who were previousl familar with the work of HMA. She was the publica-tions director of the Whitney Museum of Art; he a doctor. They wanted to retain the rustic fl avor of the SoHo loft while bringing a new contemporary minimal openness into the space.We proposed a single bar of services: kitchen, master bedroom, master bath-room, and closet space. The remainder of the space was open for living/dining/ and a future child’s bedroom.The design was a healthy fusion of existing rehabilitaion and clean modern lines.




THE HEISERMAN GROUP Bethesda, Maryland

This is the fl agship location of a new bank franchise: Washington First Bank. Located on 15th & K streets in the central business district of Washington D.C., this was an interior renovation fully utiliz-ing the natural light available from the existing skylights. The client wanted several offi ces to be placed under three major skylights without losing the natural daylight. This presented a profound opportunity to keep offi ce walls open at the top. A careful symbiosis was developed between exist-ing and new structure which acted as a metaphorical parallel to the branding strategy of the bank. An artifi cial “white noise” speaker system was incorporated to provide audio privacy in the offi ces. All the offi ces were left with an open ceiling condition to maximize natural light.

size: 2,000 sf Cost: $300,000WASHINGTON FIRST BANK Washington, D.C. Bank 2004



size: 6,000 sf Cost: $1,400,000MARITIME AUTOWASH Anapolis, MD carwash 2004



size: 6,000 sf Cost: $1,400,000MARITIME AUTOWASH Anapolis, MD carwash 2004

This high end car wash is located on Old Solomon’s Island Road in Edgewater, Maryland. Located directly off a highway out of Anapolis, this car wash remains prolifi c. The client, a diamond exporter with a liberal budget, wanted a basic single tunnel auotmated drive wash with the following additional program : a soda fountain drink bar, a gift shop, an internet cafe,a waiting area, and views directly through the tunnel. The plan responds literally to the formal extents of the site. We used every inch of the property line to contextual seam-lessness and maximum square footage.


size: 2,000 sf Cost: $6,000,000BUDDAKAN Atlantic City, NJ theme restaurant 2007


STOKES ARCHITECTURE Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

size: 2,000 sf Cost: $6,000,000BUDDAKAN Atlantic City, NJ theme restaurant 2007


size: 2,000 sf Cost: $6,000,000BUDDAKAN Atlantic City, NJ theme restaurant 2007theme restauaaauuaaua rant 20000070000

STOKES ARCHITECTURE Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Based on the original Buddakan restaurant in Philadelphia, this is situated adjacent to a sister restarant, The Continental. Commissioned by local restauranteur celebrity Stephen Starr, we were the execu-tive architect working closely with the Shawn Hausman Design from Los Angeles. They share a common kitchen with two very diff erent themes. The Buddakan retains it’s Philadelphia fl avor in the heart of Ceasar’s shops at The Piers. On a particularly inspired weekend, I took the initiative to design this entry way out of the following materials: 2X6 treated wood posts, Simpson Anchor Ties, Frontier Technolo-gies FT-400 Clevis Jaw Rod Termination brushed stainless steel rods.


United States Postal Service

Design Process

United States Postal Service


A new post offi ce serving Philadelphia zones 19101, 19102, 19103, and 19104. Situated within the existing Postal Vehicle Maintenance Facility, this 4 story build-ing is a renovation upgrade project. With the demolition of a few ramps, and the creation of two interior heated main spaces providing postal services, this promises to be a healthy addition to the extensive development known as the Cultural Corridor” subsidized by the University of Pennsylvania and a joint entity formed between Brandywine and Keating. This was the fi nal iteration of about 20 different schemes scheduled to complete construction by October 2008.

size: 200,000 sf Cost: $19,000,000

KLINGSTUBBINS Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

yUniversitiiiiiiii y of Pennsylvania and a joint entity fooormed between Brandywine and Keating. ggggg This wasaa the fi nal iteration of about 20 2222 different schemes scheduled to compleeeeeeeeeeeeete construction by October 2008.

UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE Philadelphia, PA post offi ce 2008



size: 200,000 sf Cost: $19,000,000UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE Philadelphia, PA



size: 200,000 sf Cost: $19,000,000UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE Philadelphia, PA post offi ce 2008


This was a speculative competition for a single family home designed on the principles of “Universal Design”. The basic premise of universal design endeavors to set a standard of design wherein the space is both accessible and convenient to both handicapped and non-handi-capped users. The design strategy was based a main volume split in two by a ramp providing gentle access to the three bedrooms serving the space. The central ramp spine bisects the single space to engender an open circulation pattern, whether in a wheelchair or not. A secondary design strategy utilized radii to mitigate wall surface with counter surface with handrail sur-face. What was formerly a required accessory servicing the needs of the physcially challenged becomes a viable organizing strategy yielding an aesthetically interesting space.

size: 1,300 sf Platform: Rhinoceros 4.0JANET BECKER UNIVERSAL DESIGN COMPETITION St. Louis, MO single family housing 2008


Right Side Elevation PlanFront Elevation

size: 10’ Wide X 2’ Deep X 3’ High Platform: Rhinoceros 4.0 + Maxwell Render 2.0RIBBON COFFEE TABLE Philadelphia, PA furniture 2009


size: 5’ Wide X 2’ Deep X 42” High Platform: Rhinoceros 4.0 + Maxwell Render 2.0ORGAN COFFEE TABLE Philadelphia, PA

This was a speculative competition piece of furniture. I wanted simply to make a coff ee table out of repetitive unitized elements that could behave performatively. I deployed a strategy of 5 diff erent radii of pipes with a variety of 8 diff erent lengths. The larger holes act as cup holders, plate holders, and a main large bowl holder. I was interested in the suggested topography of the underside of the table. Each pipe has a thickness of 1/8”. In order to mitigate the heavy weight of this construction, I intend to make the pipes out of lightweight aluminum. This proposal was an attempt at continuing my self-guided lessons utilizing Rhino and Maxwell.


size: 5’ Wide X 2’ Deep X 42” High Platform: Rhinoceros 4.0 + Maxwell Render 2.0ORGAN COFFEE TABLE Philadelphia, PA

Plan Right Side ElevationFront Elevation

furniture 2009


size: 11,925 Sq. Meters Platform: Rhinoceros 4.0 + Maxwell Render 2.0DESIGNING IN TEHERAN COMPETITION Tehran, Iran


Media: Rhinoceros 4.0, Brazil 2.0, VRay MODELS Digital Visualization2010-2011

FLOAT Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





CHARCOAL SPACE STUDIES

ALI MAHJOURI1708 RACE STREET, APT. C-2, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19103 [email protected]

Media: Compressed dharcoal, drawing pad, vinyl erasers, graphiteSPATIAL STUDIES 1996-2003


The fundamental purpose of this material exploration is, through progressive experimentation capitalizing on the most up to date technologies while maintaining a visceral tangibility of building practice, to

reach a balance between digital and analog methodologies while sustaining the human connection to architecture.

In this light it is our objective to generate a new composite sheet material by combining the strengths inherent in existing readily available materials: the tensile strength of carbon fi ber, the adhesive

strength of polymer resin, and the rigidity of plywood. We expect the resultant composite material to allow for fl exibility of form, economy of production, and reduction of the environmental

footprint while challenging the conventional understanding of the amount of material and labor believed essential to generate structurally sound and compelling architecture.

We propose to generate this material by laminating layers of plywood and sheets of carbon fi ber using high strength adhesive polymer resins. These composite sheets

will be shaped and laminated into precise forms using complex molds derived from digital models.

Our intent with regard to the Input_Output Symposium is to produce an installation testing this new material. We have to date generated a

digital model representative of our envisioned installation – a 5/8” thick 20’long ribbon of material composing a ramp, a landing, and

a stair. We have used this model to extrapolate experimental molds in a digitization of the “lost wax” process. This

document outlines the process we have undertaken up till now; integrating digital modeling and sophisticated

fabrication methods we have used rapid prototyping, laser cutting mold components, to generate studies

of our proposed installation. We have used these components to laminate sheets of chip board,

successfully testing the theorized method of generating the assembled form of the

installation - the study represents an exact translation from digital model

to physical construct.

MATTER: SURFACE


In preparation for the symposium, should we be chosen to participate, we intend to conduct further explorations on the mold design using both CNC Milling machine and laser cutter technology with the intent of increasing effi ciency - reducing the amount of material necessary to construct the mold and further shrinking the environmental footprint of the material and the manufacturing process. Additionally we plan to extrapolate on the materials potential future uses and impacts in the hopes of generating future discussion – for example - how could the material challenge our notions of what constitutes wall, fl oor, roof, etc…, can this material be incorporated into economies of agglomeration and thus become something that can be produced locally across economic strata, can systems be developed using this material to tie into architectures of mobility such as disaster relief, refugee situations, etc..?

X 6 +X 10 +X 26 +X 27 =

1/8” Plywood +1/16” Carbon Fiber Fabric +1/8” Plywood +1/8” Plywood +1/16” Carbon Fiber Fabric +1/8” Plywood

size: 4’-0”W x 21’-0”L x 4’-0”H Platform: Rhinoceros 4.0 + RhinoRenderMatter:Surface Philadelphia, PA proposal 2010


T3

T1+T2+T3+T4+C3

T2T1

C3T4

B1 B2 B3

B7B6

B4 C2

B5

B8 C1

B1+B2+B3+B4+B5+B6+B7+B8+C1+C2

T=TOP OF FORMWORK B=BOTTOM OF FORMWORK C= CROSS PIECES OF FORMWORK


portfolio of professional architectural design

Documents

projection screen

static screen

expanded image philadelphia

sf screen cost

moving image

projection screen

pa installation

static relationship