CONCEPT: There are 3 things that I admire.
Japanese manga – I enjoy the aesthetic they provide-mostprovide a character with detail and depth—but are left with a black background, make me focus on the character and the dialogue being said. I don’t enjoy thelack of color though.
American cinematography – observing motion stills from movies…most take your breath away, makes one ponder; what’s happening? what’s being said? what’s the story that led to this moment?
Old Mexican paintings – the vast number of colors, thedetails, and how the strokes exploit the artist’s unique linguistics—as it’s their own way of communication with no words.
I wanted to confront these 3 characteristics to combine them into one unique identity. To convey my own linguistics of strokes and colors, getting the viewer to observe the strokes. Make the viewer to ponder what’s happening? What’s being said? What’s the story that led to this moment. Characters with detail and depth but with a blank background. To wonder what environment is taken place, focus on the character(s) but this time be moved by the dialogue…if you know what it says.
> NEW* COLLEGE of ARCHITECTURE and PLANNING <
(PLANS, SECTIONS, & ELEVATIONS)
TARGET: To synthesize a complete architectural proposition by grounding design in the real-world context of Colfax Avenue, the longest continuous street in America. Using this uniquely diverse and historically rich corridor as a lens, the structure emphasizes the development of architectural strategies rooted in typology and place. To engage with the vernacular, mundane, and overlooked urban forms along Colfax to reveal broader truths about American life. Through iterative design, critical analysis of precedent, and refined representational techniques, to produce responsive, conceptually rigorous work that connects materiality, tectonics, and context into a coherent architectural vision.
CONCEPT: Within Colfax the goal is to explore connections between built form and material environment, using the context and typology of Colfax to create a unique architectural proposition that reflects both its historical and contemporary conditions. so within the 26-mile road of Colfax the site is located between Lawrence and Larimer St. the concept of the project seeks to inspire the next generation of architects by designing a building that captures the awe-inspiring and enigmatic nature of the field. We aim to create a structure that transcends conventional human capabilities, serving as a testament to the evolution of architecture. Rather than demolishing the existing building, we choose to add to the School of Architecture, demonstrating that preservation can be as valuable as innovation. This approach underscores the importance of considering the past while embracing the future, showing students that architecture is as much about adaptation and evolution as it is about creation. The structure will also house a hub for student interaction and growth. The building will serve as a catalyst for community engagement, benefiting Denver through its thoughtful material choices and commitment to sustainability
> STEP UP* PERFORMANCE ARTS CENTER + <
(SECTIONS & ELEVATIONS)
TARGET: Exploring the overlooked and deteriorating built fabric of Denver to uncover architectural opportunities within vacancy and decay. The focus reframes building remnants—not as obsolete or ruined materials, but as active agents in a new architectural process where design begins with what is already there. Through research, large-scale modeling, and precise drawing, investigate how abandoned structures, with their lingering material and spatial histories, can be adapted, reworked, and reimagined to foster new forms of collectivity and environmental responsibility. Confronting both the crisis of vacancy and the environmental cost of new construction, the challenge is to rethink program, reuse, and permanence—offering a speculative yet grounded response to the realities of urban life.
CONCEPT: "Vacancy" as a structure that has lost its original purpose but awaits a new function within a program. The neighborhood where my building is located is Capitol Hill. Back in the 1870s, Capitol Hill was known as "millionaire's row" because it housed numerous mansions, but many were later demolished or repurposed for commercial use during the 1960s. By the 1980s, diversity flourished, and the community expressed its culture through performing arts, music, and cuisine. Consequently, the neighborhood was filled with performance art theaters and restaurants.The building I've chosen, located at 1470 N Grant St., was constructed in 1908 initially for lawmakers, who would stay for a maximum of two weeks. In 1910, it was opened to the public as the Hiesse Hotel, with the Colorado Music Co. occupying the bottom left portion. During World War I, the hotel changed its name to the New House Hotel due to the negative connotations associated with the term "Hiesse," which was German. In the prohibition era, a fake chimney was added at the back to conceal the entrance to a speakeasy.During the 1960s, the building continued to operate as a hotel, with a grocery store on the bottom left and a restaurant on the bottom right. Presently, the building still functions as a hotel, but the bottom left now houses a bookstore and a bar, while the right side is incorporated into the hotel. Given Capitol Hill's diversity, expressing various cultural backgrounds through arts and cuisine seems fitting. Therefore, the proposal is to revive the speakeasy in the basement, convert the left side of the building to accommodate performance arts spaces, and maintain a deli and restaurant on the right side alongside the hotel for visiting guests and performers.
In respect of the actual building's privacy, floor plans will not be available to purchase or view.
