ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO

CARLOS MAURICIO GÓMEZ

WELDING PROCESS FOR URBANA- CONCEPT AND PROTOTYPE FOR CHAIR (2013) (PAGE 11)

FOREWORD

The following selection is a sample of my work while enrolled at “Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas” (UCA). Each project has a brief description of the assignment and design objectives and introduces the product as finally presented. Some of these projects belong to broader researches and have one or many documents associated with the design process, feel free to contact in case you require any further information or hold any inquiry about these or any other work not sampled in this document.

INDEX

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP 2011- SCIENCE PLAZACUBETECH- CONCEPT PROPOSAL FOR SHOP (2011)VAYU- REMODELED FOR DESIGN COMPETITION (2011)APANECA 2070- URBAN INTERVENTION PLAN (2012)INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP: CONCEPT PROPOSAL FOR SANTA ANA (2012)URBANA- CONCEPT AND PROTOTYPE FOR CHAIR (2013)URBAN POINT- HOUSING IN ST ESTEBAN NEIGHBORHOOD (2013)HOUSING COMPLEX FOR LOW INCOME COMMUNITY IN FLOOD RISK AREA IN EL SALVADOR (2013 - 2014)

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Since some years ago, UCA’s school of architecture has been holding workshops with guests from other universities from different countries from all over the world. In 2011 students were required to re-adequate Plaza Masferrer, which is an important landmark that due to the nature of sur-rounding development has become isolated.

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP 2011- SCIENCE PLAZA

DESIGN TEAM:Carlos HenríquezAmerica CavadaYolanda Kativo

POSITION:DESIGNER

PRESENTATION RENDER- MAIN PLAZA

Science plaza was a proposal intended transforming the underused current plaza into a subterranean aquari-um and planetarium, while keeping the street level as a park.

Being in the tropics it was important to provide shade and because of traffic around it there was the necessity of an element that could block sound. The combination of these factors gave birth to the shade dome placed all over the plaza, which incorporated solar cells in order to give further function to the element.

Every connection was laid as an underground tunnel linked to the underground part of the plaza in order to as-sure two things: 1) Surprise factor as a concept which contributed to the experience and 2) an accessible path that would allow all types of people to access the plaza (in contrast to elevated pedestrian sidewalks which might have offered difficulties for accessibility).

Finally it was intended that the whole complex gave an exterior feeling, even while being covered by the shade dome, thus assuring contact with nature and potenti-ating its effect as gathering place.-

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LVL 1 PLAN CUTS

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“Torre Futura” is one of the country’s most recent and exclusive shopping centers, the assignment consisted in proposing a new concept for a shop in this location. It was also up to the designer the type of product, theme and layout of the store; the only restriction was main structural elements.

CUBETECH- CONCEPT PROPOSAL FOR SHOP (2011)

PHOTOGRAPH OF PRESENTATION MODEL

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

The fictional client for the assignment was Cubetech a new shop that sold holographic technology and allowed users to insert themselves in self-chosen fictional realities. It was very important for company to promote a safer environment and thus it was decided that the best way to convey the message was to create an uncomfort-able but meaningful environment in which the user could reflect upon the value of green space.

Taking chaos as concept it was decided to propose a deserted lifeless environment which resembled a post-apocalyptic reality in which humanity had depletion of natural resources due to misusage.

The result was a local which evoked mainly 3 different experiences, strategically located throughout the store, curiosity on the entrance, impact through despair at the beginning and middle; and finally in the back side of the store a green spot with a tree, which symbolized hope and the importance of life.

In order to achieve this, form played a major role, the store was projected to simulate destruction by the usage of rusted steel and sand as main floor material, a huge opening was considered to emulate even further an exterior ambience, completing the experience.- 04

PHOTOGRAPHS OF CONCEPT MODELSITE PLAN

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The project began as part of a workshop assignment at UCA. Students were required to design 3 pieces of furniture; those who desired so could later take part on the TIFF (Thailand International Furniture Fair) design competition organized by website: designboom. Vayu (wind god), is the result of said process, this is the product as presented in competition.

VAYU- REMODELED FOR DESIGN COMPETITION (2011)

PRESENTATION BOARD FOR PRODUCT

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

TIFF Award 2012 international design competition, required participants to come up with a piece of furniture that resembled Thailand leisure and lifestyle. A brief inves-tigation on Thailand’s culture and habits reflected its many beliefs and traditions, which lead to taking spirituality as a core concept.

It was considered a hammock was best suited con convey said feeling since it’s deeply associated with leisure all over the world.

This lead to the question: “how would it be possible to improve the pre-existing design of this object?” design process conveyed that this type of products’ most remarkable flaw was the inability to use it when there was no supvporting structure nearby; therefore the solution was to create a structure that could sustain the hammock and be placed wher¬ever it was required.

Stainless steel was considered as a main material due to its capacity for supporting weight while keeping aes-thetics and adding little weight as well as carbon fiber for the hooks, highly resistant fabric was proposed to resist exposure to exteriors.- 06

PROPOSED COLOR PALETTE

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A70 was an urban intervention plan developed for the town of Apaneca; located in Ahuachapán, El Salvador. Currently the municipality has been suffering economic setbacks due to the lack of investment and aban-doned lots have appeared throughout the city, despite being once well known for its rich inhabitants and many hostels.

APANECA 2070- URBAN INTERVENTION PLAN (2012)

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

PRESENTATION RENDER- AXONOMETRIC OF THE CITY

Apaneca 2070 (known as A70), projected the city 50 years into the future, by proposing an increase in its ag-ricultural production, taking advantage of the local labor and targeting Juayua and Ataco (nearby towns known for their gastronomic fests) as clients.

A convenient scenario was settled in which the town ventured into GMO crops, not only increasing the produc-tion but eventually becoming a Latin American authority on the subject; during the execution of the plan, the city council would emit new regulation codes which would increase density in the outskirts of the city center while establishing new, wider block models and would prevent currently idle land from being used on anything besides agriculture.

Eventually with the increased production the town would welcome a research and distribution center for crops, giving its people the capacity to access higher technical education; and finally, by making use of the revenue it would be possible to re-model the city center by adding new commercial and cultural centers, thus complet-ing the intervention goals.- 08

PRESENTATION RENDER- PLAZA PRESENTATION RENDER- COMMERCE CENTER

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Since some years ago, UCA’s school of architecture has been holding workshops with guests from other universities from different countries from all over the world. For 2012’s workshop it was re-quired to develop a con-ceptual proposal for a specific part of Santa Ana city (2nd largest city in the country).

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP: CONCEPT PROPOSAL FOR SANTA ANA (2012)

DESIGN TEAM: Camila Alarcia Carlos HenríquezPamela Alcantara Sergio Guerra Vincent Van Impe

POSITION:DESIGNER

CONCEPT BRAINSTORM AND DRAFTS

El Salvador (as a product of its civil war) is currently faced with the social phenomenon known as gangs; basi-cally, they operate by gathering younglings who come from dissociated families by offering them a sense of belonging in exchange of committing crimes whenever required.

The intervention zone in Santa Ana had 3 sites for which proposals could be made 1) A bus terminal, 2) A market and 3) Barefoot angels” program HQ. Barefoot angel is a non-profit organization that provides educational sup-port for local community children in risk of becoming gang members or dropping school.

Once concluded the group stage of the workshop, participants were encouraged to choose one of the in-tervention spots and propose for a specific site; having chosen barefoot angels the proposal was to demolish scattered infrastructure in order to build in the back of the lot, while reforesting its front part, those trees would eventually grow allowing the placement of aerial platforms for children to use and with community support, it was even stated that the low circulation street in front of the facilities could be incorporated in order to establish a public soccer field and visually improve the surroundings.-

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SOCIAL ANALYSIS CONCEPT SOLUTIONCONCEPT SITE PLAN

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This was an assignment for the subject industrial design; the premise of this concept was an experimental low cost chair, achieved through us-age of a single bended steel tube, and as little welding as possible (and only to reinforce structural integrity of the piece, if required).

URBANA- CONCEPT AND PROTOTYPE FOR CHAIR (2013)

DESIGN TEAM:Carlos HenríquezJulio RivasJessica RuizAlberto Segovia

POSITION:DESIGNER

PHOTOGRAPH OF EXPOSITION AT NATIONAL THEATHER

-Pictures by Lizeth Rodriguez-

As part of the assignment “industrial design” students were tasked to experiment with different materials in order to get a better approach to the pros and cons of their different applications in a particular design. Third assign-ment was the creation of a steel tube chair using a single bended tube or as little as welding points as possible (to assure structural stability).

Making use of the aforementioned material and discarded wood planks it was possible to create this sturdy design perfect for exterior environment in an ecologically responsible manner within the framework of the initial proposal.

The final proposal (as exposed in pictures) was presented at the national theatre as part of an exposition in recycled art which consisted not only in industrial design pieces but also a play which reflected upon environ-mental needs and necessities.-

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CLASS PRESENTATION MANUFACTURING PROCESS

-Pictures by Lizeth Rodriguez-

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St Esteban is a neighborhood, in downtown San Salvador, capitol city of El Salvador. In 2013, one of its most historical landmarks, the St Esteban Church was destroyed during a fire. The assignment was a new building on its lot; based on an urban study it was determined the best option was housing to attract new dwellers and re-define low cost apartment.

URBAN POINT- HOUSING IN ST ESTEBAN NEIGHBORHOOD (2013)

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

PRESENTATION RENDER- INNER YARD

El Salvador’s city centre is well known for its historical landmarks, fine examples of master craftsmanship that have survived the trial of time; however it has become increasingly difficult to attract new population and in-vestment, causing urban decay and transforming some clusters into very dangerous crime spots.

An analysis was conducted to determine if a religious structure was required once more on site, it was deter-mined that there was already a major presence of religious infrastructure in the surroundings; therefore what the neighbourhood required the most wasn’t a new church, but rather a new land use that could benefit local commerce and incite re-development.

The conclusion was urban point, named that way since it was considered a simple point in the overall fabric of the city. Its intention was to offer a new concept of living for the mid-class dwellers, the project consisted in 32 minimal housing units (45sq.m) with an inner garden for internal coexistence and night activities (at the time the space outside might not be fitted for it). It was intended as a rather small intervention that would allow us to reflect upon the many opportunities for reconstruction being lost in our historic center.- 14

TYPE SECTIONS A AND B LVL1 PLAN

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Developed for a community in San Luis La Herradura, deparment of La Paz, El Salvador. This project required for a housing unit resilient to flood-ing, a shelter and the housing complex itself; what was particular about it was that community through integrated design and voting had decided spatial program and needs.

HOUSING COMPLEX FOR LOW INCOME COMMUNITY IN FLOOD RISK AREA IN EL SALVADOR (2013 - 2014)

DESIGN TEAM:Carlos HenríquezSergio GuerraGuillermo Magaña

POSITION:DESIGNER

PRESENTATION RENDER- SHELTER/ MULTIPLE USE HALL

Housing cooperatives are a new model being implemented in El Salvador by FUNDASAL, a local NGO; it organ-izes low income community members in private societies in which all members are owners of infrastructure in equal parts, being the main benefit preventing members from losing their homes as part of pawns or interest from loans for example.

The design was asked to our university (Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas) which assigned it as bachelor’s thesis for us, the design required a housing complex to be placed upon an already owned plot of land for a community in process of becoming a housing cooperative; this meant design had to be developed with the community in integrated design workshops (decisions to be taken by voting). The site, located near the coastline was prone to flooding, so housing had to be resilient.

Furthermore, project had to be developed with low budget, so they were thought to allow community mem-bers to take part in elaboration and reduce production costs. Wood was used as material since they were al-ready familiar with similar techniques and due to easiness of component production. 16

PRESENTATION RENDER- HOUSE UNITS PRESENTATION RENDER- COMPLEX PRESENTATION RENDER- COMPLEX

ACADEMIC PORTFOLIOCARLOS GÓMEZ

Contact me: archcm.xiii@gmail.comLinked in profile: http://goo.gl/7Dwu97