M a r i a L u i s aM e l e n d e z

Portfolio

Five projects that express my architectural perspective

R e s u m eTexas A&M University, College Station, TXMaster of Architecture August 2012La Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, VenezuelaBachelor in Architecture April 2009La Universidad de los Andes, Cartagena, Colombia XXI Taller Internacional de Cartagena July 2006

Education

Professional ExperienceInstituto de la Construccion Eduardo Torroja, Madrid, Spain 2011Research Intern, Summer 2011 - Member of a research team in charge of developing guidelines and standards to determine an eco-label for window systems in Spain. - Developed an database for eco-labels for windows currently used in Europe. - Defined the criteria to measure window performance in terms of heat gain and loss. - Compared energy efficient building rating systems LEED (USA) and VERDE (Spain), to evaluate strengths and flaws of each system.

CPJLUZ, Maracaibo, Venezuela 2010Architectural Intern, January - July 2010 - Collaborated from the conceptual scheme to the design development of a nursing home project, using Autocad and Adobe Suite. - Prepared marketing material for a nursing home project: renders, flyers and presentations.

Dual Studio, Maracaibo, Venezuela 2009Architectural Intern, November 2008 - January 2009 - Assisted on various remodeling projects by producing and editing construction documents. - Selected interior finishes and produced material boards for spaces to be remodeled.

Arquiluz, Maracaibo, Venezuela 2008Architectural Intern, January - June 2008 - Supported the construction manager by compiling information on the progress of projects, to allow measuring actual performance against planned budget and schedule. - Participated in producing construction documents and presentations on various projects using Autocad, Sketchup and Microsoft Office. - Cooperated in preparing cost estimation and scheduling plans for various bidding offers.

Student OrganizationsStudent Advisory Committee for the Department of Architecture, Texas A&M University 2011-2012 - Chosen to assist and advise on the management of a differential tuition fund for the Department of Architecture at Texas A&M University. Emerging Green Builders (EGB). Texas A&M University, College Station, USA 2011-2012American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). Texas A&M University, College Station, USA 2011-2012Laboratorio de Taller Verbo-Arquitectura (Lab-ller_va), La Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela 2006-2009

Technical SkillsMS Office Autocad 2D & 3DAdobe Suite (Illustrator/InDesign/Photoshop) Archicad, RhinoScketchUp Revit

Languages

EnglishSpanish

The Academy for Visual and Performing Arts N O O K A S t o r e Brazos Val

G r a d u a t

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ley Museum G a m e M a n t l e C o m m u n i t y H i n g e

Under GraduateG r a d u a t e

project 1

and Pe r fo rm ing A r t s

Location: College Station, TX

Typology: Institutional

Year: spring 2011

This project is a building for The Academy of Visual and Performing Arts of Texas A&M University, located in downtown Bryan, a town adjacent to College Station. The program of the building is mixed with private and public activities.

The project is made up of three elements a plinth, a box and the core

The plinth comes from the ground and its materiality is rough and heavy. It contains most of thepublic activities:small auditorium, gallery and retail storesThe box is suspended in the air with a permeable tectonic, and contains the more private activities, classrooms, offices and short term apartments for artists in residence

The cores are two elements that connect the plinth with the box, and they transform their materiality from the box to the plinth.

The middle space between the plinth and the box serves as an outdoor theater, park and exhibit space

The Academy for Visual

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Perforated aluminum sheetSupports for the mesh

Aluminum Curtain WallSuper Truss

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Structure Diagram

Enclosure Diagram

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Components Diagram

Circulation Diagram

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Office Level in Box +12m1 Offices2 Elevator Hall3 Classrooms4 Restrooms5 Exhibit Space

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Rooftop Garden +6m

Office Mezzanine +12m1 Offices2 Elevator Hall3 Conference Room4 Multi-Use Space

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Artists’ Apartments +18.5m1 Apartments2 Elevator Hall

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project 2

s t o r e

Location: UnspecifiedTypology: CommercialYear: Fall 2011

This project is the design of a retail store in a very difficult and narrow site w_17ft, l_100ft, h_35ft located hypothetically somewhere in south Texas

The strategy is to make this urban in f i l l and accentuate its narrow condition by using the least number of elements inspired by Richard Serra’s art pieces. The normalcy of space is altered; transformed and questioned… much in the way NOOKA questions our ‘normal’ methods of reading time.

N O O K A

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Secuence of Moments Diagram

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project 3

Museum of Natural History

Location: College Station, TXTypology: InstitutionalYear: spring 2011

This project is the new building of the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History when it was being considered to get the retired NASA space shuttle Endeavor.

In order to arrange the program there are a series of ‘bars’ that vary in scale and materiality, the north-south bars are the exhibit or permanent spaces and the east-west bars provide services for those spaces.

The existing parking is relocated in the basement, making so various outdoor spaces that would connect the new Museum with the George Bush Library.

B r a z o s V a l l e y

M a s t e r P l a n

Structure Diagram

Shuttle Exhibit Diagram

Circulation Diagram

Shutt le & IMAX Accumulat ion Exhibi t L ight Wel ls Museum Services

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project 4

M a n t l e

Location: Maracaibo, VenezuelaTypology: EducationalYear: spring 2009

This project is located in Maracaibo suburban area recently urbanized, the site is an empty lot surrounded by some buildings.

Inspired by a modular system of shipping containers the site plan becomes a series of multiple pieces 3x3x6 meters that fill up the space, each one with a specific function and aesthetic to make them recognizable by children.

The different ‘pieces’ become playground, gardens, pathways, classrooms, services, teachers’ building and an auditorium. The way the pieces are positioned leave two central spaces; a covered plaza that also serves as seating space for the auditorium and the main playground of the school .

G a m e

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canal de desagüe acero galvanizado calibre 180

ramplugØ3/8''X3''

perfil cuadrado estructural conduven 120x120mm

lamina steelox calibe 20

lamina de poliestireno densidad construccion espesor 4cm

concreto fc=210kg/cm²

mortero para pendiente de aguas de lluvia

manto asfaltico de espesor 3mm

lamina de poliestireno densidad construccion espesor 10cm

friso base espesor variable

malla exagonal Ø3/8''

pintura clase A satinada para interiores (color segun salon)

pintura clase A cubremax caucho para exteriores (color segun salon)

perfil de aluminio de 4x2cm

perfil de aluminio de 4x2cm

tornillo de sujecion de grating

lamina de grating perforado espesor 1.5mm

friso base espesor variable

pintura clase A satinada para interiores (color segun salon)

perfil de aluminio de 4x2cm

lamina de grating perforado espesor 1.5mm

columna tubo cuadrado metalico conduven 120x120mm

pletina metalica (15x15x 12 "espesor) anclada al muro de concreto

muro de concreto armado espesor 15cm

capa vegetal espesor 8cm

area de proteccion

arena compactada

losa de fundacion espesor 15cm

pintura clase A cubremax caucho para exteriores (color segun salon)

tubo rectangular conduven para carpinteria metalica de 22x9cm

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project 5

H i n g e

Location: Maracaibo, VenezuelaTypology: InstitutionalYear: spring 2008

The rural community ‘Barrio Calendario” approached our class to request the design of a community center; with a program composed of computer labs, classrooms, office space and restrooms.

This site is perceived as a ‘hinge’, because of its nature as a collective environment that articulates and connects actions; and as a construction setting it articulates two environments; natural and urban.

This concept resulted in a building placed diagonally on the site. The double habited wall is permeable and operable; the zinc mantle separated from the walls maintains a slight inclination towards the south to improve its shadowing effect.

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Cross Sec t ion

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