DIEGO ARISTOFANESArchitectural Portfolio

Diego Aristofanes | an architecture Brazilian student seeking for internship opportunities to utilize his work experience and interdisciplinary

skills to develop quality projects.

Architecture

TOURIST CENTER

This is the first project designed by the author of this portfolio in his academic career, a tourist center in Costinha beach, Northeastern Brazil, to attend the Building Design I course. It’s based on the principle of the large canopy that extends all over the complex.

With a simple program, the emphasis of the project consists in exploring the formal possibilities of the structural system of the metallic latticework, shaping it into a curve. The wave that floats over the blocks of restaurants and craft fairs is supported by tensioned cables.

The challenge of manufacturing the latticework gave a better understanding of how this structure can overcome big distances even though made from slim components.

LAUNDRY

Also developed in the Building Design I Course, this comercial laundry continues the study of metalic structures, this time, on the scale of a 300-square-meter building.

Confined on a small terrain facing the west - critical area by excessive insolation - the building should be designed taking advantage of the predominant wind directions and protecting it with long roofing projections.

The structure is formed by inclined pillars converging to an articulated joint, connected in the top by cables in 'X'. The physical model provides evidences of how resistant the traction can be to prevent the structure from buckling.

The challenge of the project is intensified by the requirement of designing a layout with an industrial logic.

HOUSE|STRUCTURE

The academic formation of the author continued combining the notions of structures to more complex design programs, such as a house.

This project brings the challenge of pre-measuring and locating structural elements made of reinforced concrete, such as beams, columns and foundation. The exercise also extends itself to the detailing of the elements composing the roof.

COMMERCIAL GALLERY

Designed for the Building Design II course, this commercial gallery was developed with an emphasis on the environmental comfort, aiming to overcome the obstacles of designing for hot and humid sites in the Northeastern Brazil.

Situated in a prime area of the city, the terrain presents the challenge of having the main facade turned to the West, understood as the one that should receive greater protection.

The large panel of Brise Soleils in front of the building protects it from the sunlight without creating an obstacle to the ventilation.

CONDOMINIUM

This group of 6 attached houses and open living space form a condominium with 2400 square meters, also designed for the Building Design II Course.

The challenge of the project consists in solving the program in a reduced built area and promote ventilation to the houses even though attached one to another.

IMPLANTATION IN HISTORICAL SITE

The academic formation of the author also contemplates courses focused on interventions in buildings or areas of historical interest.

The theme of the restoration of old buildings and implantation of new ones in historical sites is fairly frequent in the city of João Pessoa, whose 427 years led to the challenge of revitalizing the old neighborhoods. This project is designed to receive cafeterias and a restaurant intending to attract more people to downtown. It's based on concepts of respect for the surrounding buildings - facades height, rhythm of doors and windows - and reversibility of structures.

FORMAL EXERCISE

The images show the first concepts of a building of mixed uses, involving markets, offices and residency. It's an exercise of graphic representation and exploration of formal possibilities.

The building is designed to connect the terrain from one side to the other, create a central living area, allow the circulation flow between the floors making use of the topography, and optimize ventilation and shading.

Through Vasari (Autodesk) ventilation conditions were analyzed in order to create a volume that allows the flow of the wind without creating high pressure corridors.

Landscaping Design

SQUARES IN DOWNTOWN

This intervention in two squares of the historic center of Joao Pessoa deals with the challenge of making a design that connects them. In the present a parking place is situated between them and their designs don’t give any sense of unity.

In the project, forms based on triangulations were generated to create perspectives and adapt the drawing to the irregular topography. Walking paths and tree beds were originated from them.

Cross Walks and traffic calming elements are used to connect the squares to the other side of avenue, area frequently crowded due to the very intense commerce.

ENCLOSED SQUARE

This project consists in the revitlization of an area enclosed by buildings using the landscape design.

The place has being used as a parking lot during the day and, at night, it turns into an abandoned place where people sell and use drugs. However, it was possible to see that it had the potential to create a quality open space that also needed to be noticed by other people.

The drawings on the ground define walking paths and permanence areas. Elements such as vegetation and street furniture - from the principle of the serial view - show that there is a point to reach if you follow them.

Building Analysis

ESPAÇO CULTURAL JOSE LINS DO REGO | Sergio Bernardes

The collection of works that follows from this point are the result of careful studies about some existing buildings.

The first is the digital modeling of the Espaço Cultural Jose Lins do Rego (a cultural center) that was part of a PhD research about important buildings of the Brazilian Modernist Architecture in the state of Paraíba.

From original plans and sections, each structural element and interior wall were modeled. That yielded findings quite important for the understanding of the project in terms of structure, environmental comfort, sectorization and articulation between spaces.

HOUSE FOR PEDRO PAULO PAES DE CARVALHO | Lúcio Costa

The second is a house from the Brazilian Modernism designed by Lúcio Costa – the same author of Brazília’s master plan - in the beginning of his professional career.

It reveals the influence of the Brazilian colonial architecture in the development of a Regionalist Modern Architecture in our country, which would become famous by Nyemeyer’s works some years later.

SERT HOUSE |

Finaly, this house, designed by Josep Lluís Sert, was executed in 1958 and is located in Cambridge.

The simplicity of the materials used in the model reflects a fine honest and functionalist modern architecture inspired in the Mediterranean houses.

Josep Lluís Sert