portfolio

alexandra dobbs

Senior ThesisSpring 2013

CCA+D re-designSpring 2012

Urban MarketFall 2009

Documenting HaitiSpring 2010

Professional WorkAlliance Architecture

alexandra dobbs8003 Overhill Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20814e: dobbs.ar@gmail.com | t: +1.240.460.9680

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seniorthesisspring2013

“The dwelling is the theater of our lives, where the major dramas of birth and death, of procreation and recreation, of

labor and of being in labor play out. Yet in times of emergency, culture appears to be a luxury,

beyond the means and priorities of response”

Disaster relief is commonly thought to occur in three phases: emergency shelter, temporary housing, and permanent housing. Of these three phases, the design of temporary housing is problematic and requires special attention.

Temporary shelters are often occupied for much longer than intended, and conditions within these units are often inadequate in many ways; both in the physical make up of the interior environments, and in the psychological stress on the inhabitants that results from prolonged living in cramped and insufficient conditions.

The recovery process is also complex in that natural disasters occur in a wide range of locations, and the design of temporary housing should be specific to the climactic, cultural, and demographic needs of the afflicted community. My thesis highly emphasizes the importance of culture and community in the rebuilding process, and the role that designers can play in shaping our approach to disaster relief internationally.

The project aims to design a prototype for a transitional housing structure for displaced families in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The design is an adaptation of the Kay House: a familiar vernacular for both urban and rural Haitian communities. My design includes both interior and exterior spaces, as outdoor spaces are the true center of Haitian life, and the design of the exterior is extremely important in achieving the sense of “home”.

Concept

PASSIVE COOLING SYSTEMSECTION AA NTS

RAINWATER HARRVESTING SYSTEMNORTH FACADE NTS

Piti piti, wazo fe nich li . . .

LAKOU | COMMUNITYCONTINUED STUDIESThere is no end point, there are only deadlines. In further explorations my intent is to focus on the broader community. The goal of creating a “core” structure is that it is not just a foundation for a home with permanence, but it is the core of the communitcommunity, and it’s usefulness is voided without the greater context of the community.

Especially in Haiti, community is highly important. Neighborhoods are formed organically, and the principles of climate and privacy and culture are equally relevant at the community level. I briefly explored development of the community which this shelter would fit into: this is what I plan to focus on as I into: this is what I plan to focus on as I continue to refine my thesis.

Left: community development, conceptual sketches

CCA+Dredesign

junior studiospring2012

CCA+Dr e d e s i g n

junior studiospring2012

This project was fun and challenging in that the design was a proposal for the renovation of our current school building. The building was converted from an elementary school, and each floor consists of four large rooms with computers around the perimeter. The first phase of the project was to accurately document the current building, and ultimately the project proposed a solution which would efficiently utilize space and meet the programmatic requirements of the three design majors that occupied the building.

The main challenge was in creating a design that wasn’t disruptive to the structural core of the building, specifically the two stairwells which occupy an extremely large portion of each floor plate. Designing around the existing structure required innovation to achieve the end design.

My concept was driven by the desire to open up the space; to manipulate circulation and to encourage interaction between the Exhibition Design students, Interior Design students, and Graphic Design students. Visibility was key to creating this cross-pollenation and exchange of ideas. This project also analyzed how we work in different spaces, and how to create environments that foster creativity.

Concept

Second Floor Plan: Not to Scale

(above) library furniture plan: not to scale(below) views into material liabrary

visible circulation

when people are the first thing you see when you enter a space it creates an

energy and dynamic which emphasize the values of collaboration and

human interaction

why its so important

(above) lstudio furniture plan: not to scale(below) views showing studio spaces and glass elevator/stairwell

urbanmarket

architecture studiospring2009

urbanmarket

architecture s tud ios p r i n g 2 0 0 9

This project was a proposal for an urban marketplace and town meeting hall located in Kennedy Plaza of downtown Providence, Rhode Island. The building pays careful homage to its axial neighbors, connecting the Federal Reserve building to the historic Providence Courthouse. Width-wise, the building connects Kennedy Park with the block of skyscrapers that make up the edge of Providence’s financial district. By breaking the site down into its important axes, a logical parti began to take form.

Concept

The building is made up of two seperate “pieces”. The first piece is the double story building which houses the meeting hall on the second floor, with views to both the Federal Reserve and Courthouse, as well as an urban marketplace on the ground floor. The second piece is a classically inspired red brick loggia which wraps around the main building. The loggia holds some retail spaces and creates an aesthetic buffer between Kennedy park, the building site, and downtown Providence.

(above) floor plans; not to scale(below) rendering showing building within context

Analysis sketch of classical language

North Elevation; not to scale

East Elevation; not to scale

Section through building; not to scale

The building is a study in American neo-classicism. The

loggia is carefully proportioned after extensive analysis of many precedent buildings throughout New England. (below: sketch of final dimensions) The inspiration for the front facade

came from the work of Henry Hobson Richardson, whose deep round archways and stocky masculine

columns are reinterpreted here in the neoclassical style. The wings of

the loggia create a 5-part facade for the front elevation.

(far right, wall section through loggia)

documenting

HAITIhaitian commission for reconstructionhaiti charrettemarch 24 - 28, 2010

d o c u m e n t i n g

H A I T Ihaitian commission for reconstructionhaiti charrettemarch 24 - 28, 2010

In the aftermath of the 2010 Haitian earthquake, the Haitian government’s Commission for Reconstruction called for a 5-day collaborative workshop for Haitian architects, planners, and engineers to begin the long task of rebuilding their country. Haiti Charrette was hosted by the University of Miami School of Architecture less than two months after the earthquake. As the faculty prepared for the event, I joined a select group of architecture students to gather research and create maps assessing the damage. Collectively we created a research database to aid in the charrette.

During my own research I managed to find the original 1912 drawings by Haitian architect Georges Baussan, of the National Palace: an symbol of cultural pride and identity which now lay in ruins. From these drawings I was able to create a reconstructed plan and elevation to be featured in the charrette.

Palais National

professional workmay 2012 - january 2013

professional workmay 2012 - january 2013

Project: Citrix130,000 sq. ft office spaceRaleigh, North CarolinaRenderings for press release, January 2013

07.20.2012

Project: Detroit LionsProposal for renovations to Ford Field Stadium offices and Allen Park practice facilities

renderings produced during 3-day design charrette at Allen Park (practice facility)

Project: Under ArmourOngoing and completed workExample of rendering for client

Project: Rams Head Live!Proposal for new work (renderings)