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Content

CV 2

Double hybrid 3

Hofbogen re-visited 9

Hostel Mazatlan 21

Architectural visualization 27

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SOFTWARE

Education

CV Alejandra Vazquez

Relevant work experience

Languages

INTERESTS

Birth: 16 May 1986 - MexicoAddress: Aannemersstraat 225 A. 9040 Sint- AmandsbergGSM: 0468 17 98 60E-mail alex@alejandravazquez.comWebsite: alejandravazquez.com

2012 - 2014 - INTERNATIONAL MASTER OF ARCHITECTUREKU Leuven / LUCA campus Ghent

2004 - 2009 - BACHELOR IN ARCHITECTUREUniversidad Autónoma de Durango. Campus Mazatlan, Mexico

2008-2011 -Architectural DrafterEl Cid Resorts. Mazatlan, Mexico.Description: Production of architectural drawings (floor-plans, sections, elevations) and 3d modeling and rendering of diverse projects including residential, commercial and urban.

2010-2011 -Freelance WorkDescription: Independent work producing floor-plans and 3d models for architects and engineers. Projects included new construction, renovation and interior design.

Autocad ++++Sketchup ++++Photoshop ++++Illustrator +++MS Office +++InDesign ++Revit ++

Spanish - NativeEnglish - Very GoodDutch - GoodFrench - Notions

Graphic & Web DesignDrawingPaintingBlogs

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DOUBLEHYBRID

School Project.

Location: Brussels, Belgium.

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The Wetstraat is one of Brussels’ most important streets, with several government buildings, and connecting to the Cinquantenaire. In 2008 the city of Brussels launched an urban competition to redevelop this street. The winner was architect Christian de Portzamparc.

His team developed a masterplan to give this street a “strong identity”, increasing the density but also including more public and recreational spaces. He proposed combining the use of the buildings with a mix of residential, commercial and office space, and opening the current closed building blocks with public spaces.

Based on de Portzamparc’s guidelines, we worked in the studio and each student was given a block to propose a building.

The proposed design is a hybrid building combining a public function: library, with public interior space, as well as open exterior space. This is combined with a private function: Housing.

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DESIGN PROCESS

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The project is a mixed-use building which integrates library, housing and public space distributed in a series of prismatic volumes arranged along the

perimeter of the plot, which creates a public courtyard in the center. The volumes vary in heights

allowing for the green terraces to get sun.

The public library it’s a hybrid on its own, consisting of two buildings, one for a traditional

library and another for digital media, connected by the circulation in the urban atrium as a transition

from tradition to modernity.

The urban atrium is a public space with an urban character, which not only connects the different

parts of the library, but also serves as a transition between inside and outside. It has an open program, so the activities would be in constant change. The transparency of its materials is a statement of its openness and an invitation to have a glimpse of the

activities going on inside.

Due to the mix of housing, library and public space functions, the use of the building is not restricted

to certain hours or days. The result is a hybrid building with a hybrid library which lives day and night, week and weekend, due to its broad type of

users and adaptability in spaces.

HYBRID BUILDING / HYBRID LIBRARY

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Section 2 Scale Model

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HOFBOGENRE-VISITED

School Project.

Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands.

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The Hofbogen station used to be a vibrant and prosperous place in the heart of the Rotterdam, it was one of the most lively places in the city. After the reconstruction of the city following the war the conditions changed, and the station became less visible and important. This brought as consequence a gradual deterioration of the zone and the Hofbogen viaduct, especially after the train operations stopped in 2006. The result is an unattractive and anonymous neighborhood with very low social interaction, and lack of facilities.

In the present a new initiative has started to re-use the bottom of the viaduct bringing new life to this under-used structure. To complete this transformation the deck of the Hofbogen also needs a new life which responds to the needs of the community and to the city.

This is a design proposal to complete the transformation of the area.

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VOCATIONAL SCHOOLSThere are many vocational schools in the area, attracting 10,000 students everyday. However, there are

few facilities for them for their hours out of school.

CREATIVE INDUSTRYThere is a presence of 250 creative businesses in the area. One of the city’s economic

strategies is to strengthen this sector and attract more creative entrepreneurs to the city.

SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISMHeer Bokel College helps the children integrate in society, and prepares them to continue in higher education. The current building gives the opposite feeling, by looking like a

fortress, isolated from its surroundings.

THE LUCHTSINGELThis new project will bring users to the Hofbogen. However, it’s not accessible by everyone.

DWELLERSThe neighbors live next to each other but they have little interaction. They do many of their

free time activities in other places, like the center.

PARK RAAMPOORTSTRAAT AND STROVEERThese parks are very mono-functional, which limits the kind of users and activities.

MINIMALL In the first arches of the Hofbogen a small shopping center has opened. This has had good success

especially for events. But the building is very closed. Even though it has a public area in the center, it is dark and the entrance is not very clear.

CURRENT SITUATION RAILWAY TRACKSThe railway tracks are a visual and physical barrier that separates the site from the city’s center.

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The mini-mall is now almost a closed

block. Even though it has a passage, it’s very dark and it is not possible to see

the other side.

To integrate the school building, the current closed gym,

building would be elevated, so there

is a view of the whole site.

New openings would let people see and pass from one side to another. A passage would be made in the middle to connect all parts together, and elevation points added.

The school’s new volume would be extended into the Hofbogen, even though they would be separate volumes, they’d have the same material, and be connected by a bridge.

DESIGN PROCESS

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The grid from the arches is taken as a base for a new grid that follows

the same pattern and direction. This makes the arches pattern present in

the whole building.

The luchtsingel would bring people to the roof

and then they would be able to connect to

different places through bridges like the school

for autistic children and the vocational school.

The building would have then, faces aligned to the hofbogen and faces aligned to the street.

The building would have two fronts, one to the busy street behind it, and another one to the open space and views of the Hofbogen platform.

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FACILITY BUILDINGA new building on top of the roof of Hofbogen is proposed. This would consist mainly of facilities for

students and rental space for the creative industry and public events. Multi-purpose rooms, and a panoramic restaurant.

This building would be a reference point that would overlook the whole area, creating visual connection with its surroundings and with the city at the other side of the tracks.

PARKThe street previously dividing the park disappears.

School still accessible by street that opens only at school peak times.The park is transformed into a multi-functional park.

With playground for children, and resting spaces for adults

SCHOOLThe school for autistic children gets a new multi-functional building that integrates in the site. This building can be used for other purposes out

of school hours.

THE LUCHTSINGELThe entrance to the Hofbogen roof is widened and changed to transparent

materials. This way people can have visibility of what is going on in the bridge.

CULTURAL ROOFThe roof becomes a green area , which catches rainwater. This would be a

place for different events through the year.

FAMILY AND SPORTS PARKSmaller sports activities are added to the already existing sports field.

More seating and picnic space for families.

PROPOSED DESIGN

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LEVEL 1

SECTION A

Mezzanine

B

A

THE BUILDING

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SECTION B

Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

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SUMMER

Winter

The building opens up towards the roof of the Hofbogen through it’s sliding glass, blurring the threshold between interior

and exterior space. The activities in the building can extend towards the rest of the roof and vice-versa. Diverse summer

activities can take place.

The building remains physically closed to the roof of the Hofbogen but visually

open. The glass allows a visual connection between interior and exterior, and serves as a shelter that people can use from the cold weather. Activities

like a winter market can take place on the roof.

THE ROOF

20A summer day at the Hofbogen. View from the park towards Hofbogen.

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HOSTELMAZATLAN

Personal Project.

Location: Mazatlan, Mexico.

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The city of Mazatlan is a popular touristic beach destination in the Mexican west coast. Its beaches and its year-long warm weather attracts thousands of tourists every year.

With the opening of the new highway that connects the city of Mazatlan with the city of Durango, the flow of tourists to Mazatlan has increased. However, tourist lodging options have not increased at the same pace. This project proposes the conversion of a house into a small hostel.

While hostels have been very popular in Europe and other parts of the world for several years, in Mexico it is a new trend. It is only in recent years that this kind of lodging has became popular for the Mexicans.

The hostel would be located in front of the city’s bus station. Since there is no passenger train in most of the country, bus travel is the most popular way to travel between cities. This means that hundreds (of thousands in high season) of people arrive to this station everyday.

This makes the location of the hostel ideal by those traveling by bus. In addition, the hostel is located only three blocks away from the beach.

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The facade of the current building would be modernized by adding a second facade made of vertical elements that would protect the building from the

sun in the afternoon. The result is a minimal style which accentuates the terrace on the second level. Where the guests can enjoy the sunset and have a

connection with the street.

Current Situation.

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LEVEL 0 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2

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View of the common area next to reception on ground level.

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View of common kitchen, connected to exterior terrace on first floor.

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Here is a selection of my work made between 2008-2011 when I worked for El Cid Resorts as architectural drafter as well as freelance work in architectural visualization.

Sales office & Hotel Rooms by El Cid Resorts.

Architectural Visualization

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Masterplan presenting lot divisions at El Cid, Mazatlan.

Cordoba condos at El Cid, Mazatlan.

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Exterior RendersRight - Project by Arq. PaezLeft - Project by Arq. Larreta

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Interior RendersRight - Project by Arq. PaezLeft - Project by Arq. Zamora