my work
Courtyard Site Plan
As a part of my Children and Architecture class, I worked with two classmates to design a courtyard space for Lindblom Academy, a south side Chicago Public School. This project involved weekly volunteering at the school to teach the high schoolers different architectural drafting methods, and also involved consulting them regularly to determine their needs and desires for the project. Ultimately, based on this feedback we designed a mental health decompressing space, with a small area where student vendors could sell handmade trinkets. The space had organically shaped benches with in-built planters, a mini amphitheater area for a projector, covered areas for rainy weather, and a heated "bubble" to make the courtyard accessible during Chicago's infamous winters. Currently, I'm working with a few instructors at the school to modify the design to a more affordable scale, where we hope to develop it within the next year or so.
Accessible Bench
One of two parts in my Disability and Design final project, I used Blender to digitally model an accessible and homeless friendly bench. The bench features grab bars, an adjustable height, a storage area with a way to lock belongings, and a conveyor belt seat that can be revolved in case of rain. This works through a crank mechanism to ensure that the bench seat will always remain dry. The arm rails are designed to be both accessible and open as to not be restrictive of anyone's ability to sleep on the bench if need be, and it's long enough to fit the average human comfortably.
Device for Neural Activity Control
This device was a multi-year process in the making, but has culminated in an award-winning and patented design for a wearable device that regulates irregular neural activity associated with certain mental illnesses such as Parkinson's disease. This project stemmed from my passion for mental health awareness, a debilitating issue that often goes ignored just because it's unseen. Below are a few diagrams included in the patent, which link to the full patent when clicked.
Jersey Shore Reimagined (WIP)
For my City Imagined, City Observed architecture class, I reimagined the Jersey Shore if it were a city built on a terraformed mountain. This city plan involves a redesign of New Jersey's parkway and NJ Transit, as well as more extensive alternate forms of transit such as trams. I iterated on different terraformed mountain topography designs, building designs, and making the beach more accessible. The main goals of this project were to envision a Jersey Shore that's more accessible to the elderly, the disabled, and young children, as well as one where tourists and residents have a more friendly dynamic with one another.
Accessible Playground (WIP)
Modern day "accessible" playgrounds often function as ordinary, inaccessible playgrounds with nothing more than a single accessible swing/other piece of equipment, isolated from the rest of the playground. Here, I designed an accessible playground such that nearly every piece of equipment throughout it is fully wheelchair accessible. The key here is integration and normalization of access, which also helps provide exposure for children to all types of bodies and their various needs, instead of making it taboo. More than just making it wheelchair accessible, I wanted a playful element to each. Longer ramps feature marble runs, mazes, and other toys and games built into the walls. The playground features several ground level nooks and crannies to be explored, and basketball hoops that trap and return the basketball when it goes through them. Seating is built at an offset such that children in wheelchairs can comfortably partake in conversation, along with more common accessible variations of components such as swings and merry-go-rounds. I'm still in the process of developing this, so check back soon for final architectural diagrams!