1. B.S. Arch | University at Buffalo | 2013
M. Arch | Clemson University | 2015
Nicole
guyen
2. THE LIVING WALL (Spring 2010)
CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY (Spring 2011)
TESSELATION STUDY (Fall 2013)
WASTE WATER TREATMENT (Summer 2012)
EcoSLICES (Spring 2011)
UB MEDICAL LIBRARY (Fall 2010)
COMMUNAL KITCHEN (Fall 2012)
HAIKU HOUSE (Fall 2013)
4-7
8-9
10-13
14-19
20-23
24-29
30-35
3. HOVER:
DESIGN TEAM: Owen Correnti, Phil
Gusmano, Rachel Hefti, Nicole
Nguyen, Chris Osterhoudt, Ashley
Rubino
Design a basic minimal dwelling
unit with a sleeping area for three
people, entrance, and circulation.
The final design was fabricated and
transported to the Griffis Sculpture
Park in western NY and remained
there for 1 year.
I was part of the original three
person design team developing Chris
Osterhoudt's initial design. I helped to
develop the structure of the dwelling.
I drew the plans and sections located
on the opposite page and
transformation drawings located on
this page. I also worked on fabricating
study models to develop the design.
4.
5.
6.
7. CONSTRUCTION
TECHNOLOGY:
I looked at the construction drawings
for two buildings: the Croffead House by
Clark + Menefee, and Pierce County
Environmental Services Building by Miller
Hull.
From these drawings I constructed
a peeled back axonometric of a
section of the building.
The Croffead House is a concrete block
construction with wood joists to support
the floor.
1
6
7
8
9
10
5
4
3
2
0 1 2 3 4 5 10
1 Foundation for Perimeter Wall
3’ wide x 1‘ thick continuous site cast concrete
strip footing
2 Foundation at Column
6’ wide x 6’ long x 1’ thick site cast concrete pad
with #5 reinforcement bars @ 12” O.C. both
directions
3 Foundation at Room Divide
4’ wide x 8’ long x 1’ thick site cast concrete pad
with #5 reinforcement bars @ 12” O.C. both
directions
4 External Wall at Ground Level
East-West Walls:
8” x 8” x 16” CMU blocks (inner wythe)
2” rigid insulation
2” cavity
8” x 8” x 4” CMU blocks outer wythe) with
transparent waterproof coating
3 #5 reinforcement bar at corners and
openings
North-South Walls:
8” x 12” x 16” CMU blocks (inner wythe)
2” rigid insulation
2” cavity
8” x 8” x 4” CMU blocks outer wythe) with
transparent waterproof coating
3 #5 reinforcement bar at corners and
openings
5 External Wall at Upper Floors
8” x 8” x 16” CMU (inner wythe)
3 #5 vertical reinforcement at corners and
openings
horizontal joint reinforcement at 16” O.C.
vapor barrier
2” rigid insulation
2” cavity
8” x 8” x 4” CMU (outer wythe) with transpaent
waterproof coating
stucco finishing
6 Ground Floor
4” compacted gravel
vapor barrier
4” site cast concrete slab on grade with 6” x 6”
mesh reinforcement
7 Living Room Floor
2” x 10” joists at 16” O.C.
3/4” plywood subfloor
3/4” wood strip finish flooring
Ceiling
3/4” gypsum board
8 Concrete Beam
cast concrete beam with 3 #5 reinforcement bars
top and bottom
#3 stirrups at 16“ O.C.
1 1/2” clear all sides
width of masonry
9 Window at Ground Story
site cast concrete sill
steel sash windows with Insulated Glass, secured
to masonry seal joints
10 Large Window to Living Room
site cast concrete sill
12” bond beam with 2 #5 reinforcement bar, solid
grout
12” lintel and 8” lintel with 2 #5 reinforcement bar,
solid grout
Croffead House
Clark + Menefee Architects 1989
8. TESSELLATION
STUDY:
Design a tesselated module with a
form that could be cast and recast, simu-
lating precast concrete methods.
The piece is a faceted form that allows
for voids, overlap, and the creation
of curves and corners.
These images show a catalog of
connections between two units.
9. WASTE WATER:
DESIGN TEAM: Grant Black,
Brittany Cohen, Thomas
DeGraff, Jennifer Dow, Mira Lee,
Nicole Nguyen, Maya Shermer
During the summer of 2012 I studied
abroad in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
We worked work with the local
water source and the
municipality to develop a
system for the downtown region.
I helped with diagramming the current
situations, site seeking and
documentation, system research,
plans, sections, and perspectives.
Toilets Sinks, Showers Washing machines Watering
plants/lawns
Manufacturing
Septic Street Wastewater Treatment
Watertable Streams Products
Storm Water
13%13%%
3% 5.25% 6 % 13%
18%
21m 50m50m 50m 50m 50m 50m
SITE
CURRENT WATER FLOW
TOWN
10. Common minimum capacity for compliance
m2
m2
m2
m2
m2
m2
m2
m2
m2
m2
m2
Characteristics Technology
activated sludge
vertical loopreactor
biologic rotarydisc
constructed wetlands
hydroponic cultivation
living machine
Laminas Filtrantes
facultative lagoon
aerated lagoons
oxidation ditch
tricklingfilters
0 5 15 25 50
Activated Sludge System
Clarifiers/Aeration Tanks
Pumps/Pipes
Filter
Sludge Treatment
Natural Wetland
Parking 20 Spaces
Building
1,200 m
2
600 m
2
1,000 m1
2
3
4
5
2
1,300 m2
352 m2
Private Area Public Area
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3
5
4
2
Legend
Sitio apropiado
Monteverde
¯0 5,0002,500 Meters
Áreas sin zonas
de amortiguamiento
Terreno plano
Zonas sin cobertura
boscosa
+
+
=
0 5 25 50
Santa Elena
Reforested Areas
Roadside
Wetland
Rain Garden
12. 0 5
Floor Plan
Public Space Lecture Hall
Kitchen
Bath.
Bath.
Bath.
Sto.
Office
Office
Conference
Control Room
Util.
3.5m
8m
6m10m
16m
Constructed Wetland
Bridge
Sidewalk
Patio
1
2
3
4
Rainwater Collectoin
Constructed Wetland
13. EcoSLICES:
This project was to design an addition to the historic
Lord and Burnham tri-dome greenhouse, which would
enhance the current buffalo meridian theme of the
Botanical Gardens.
This project is an investigation with an extreme
emphasis on the visitor's sectional journey.
Through research, I discovered that the elevation
of an ecosystem has a direct influence on the types
of plants which can grow within it. I believe that by
moving through sectional height differences, visitors
would be able to get a better understanding of the
multiple layers of the habitats on display.
Panama Cloud Forest 180’
Prioria Copaifera 164’
4000’abovesealevel
PrioriaCopaifera150’
18. I researched the elevation extremes across the world, and took slices of ecosystems that
represented some of these areas. Within these slices, there are paths weave through the
ecosystems. Upper and lower paths allow multiple perspectives of the plants to be seen.
These slices are emphasized with the large truss structure.
Fresh Air
Moveable
Shading
Device
Louvres
Beyond
Water Pipes
for Misting
Radiant Heat
Air Condition
Humidity
19. CAFE
VOLUMES AND QUIET STUDY SPACE
INFORMAL READING ROOM
CYBRARY
GROUP STUDY AND JOURNALS
AUDITORIUM, EXHIBITION, MULTIPURPOSEGROUND LEVEL
36’
18’
12’
6’
24’
PUBLIC
USE
STUDENT
USE CLOSED STACKS AND VOLUMES
30’
UB MEDICAL
LIBRARY:
This project was to design a library to house a
collection of books from the university.
Because of the location in the downtown medical
district, I determined that a medical library
would be best suited in this region. I used
the grid of the area to create platforms of varied
sizes elevating different zones to control access to
the collection.
23. A B C D E
F
G
H
0 2 6 10
COMMUNAL KITCHEN:
In this undergraduate comprehensive studio, I was asked to design a mixed use building
with housing and a public program. I choose a culinary center as the public program.
The driving concept of the project is a series of angled construction planes which invert from
floor to floor.
26. Egress Stairs
5’ Turning Radius
Accessible Elevator
Areas of Refuge
Egress Route
2 h Fire Rating
Because of the alternating angles and the desire for an open floor plan devoid of columns, the
structure became a series of alternating concrete planes. These transfer the loads to the
ground floor through point loads that essentially form 16 large columns. These with the egress stairs
form the support for the upper three floors.
27. 1
2
Light frame steel frame roof
3
4 Exterior walls:
12” Concrete walls
5
6
Concrete Beam
Vertical Chase
7
10” Concrete Slab
Radiant Floor Heating in topping
8
Cooking Area
commercial exhaust hood
9
10
Chiller and Boiler Room
AHU for residential units beyond
Public AHU
Meters
1
2
4
3
5
6
7
98 10
mains
water
cooling
tower
chiller
+
boiler
AHU
AHU
hp
hp
hp
1. concrete slabs
2” concrete topping w/ radiant heating
subflooring
4” wood flooring
2. beam beyond
3. suspended ceiling
4. floor to ceiling glazing
5. structural wall
6. caisson
1.
2.
4.
6.
meter
roompublic
AHU
elevator
maintainence
chiller
+
boiler
28.
29. folding up the ground
enclosing home and people
outside is inside
HAIKU HOUSE:
circulation
The design process started with kirigami, the cut and folding of a single sheet of paper, which
reflected my thoughts of what a home means. From there we were asked to take this kirigami
and design a 1,000 sqft 3 bedroom single family home. My initial concept of a
blurred inside/outside condition was achieved through a large glass facade. This area became
the circulation space of the home and is located on one central axis.
