gabriela chamu portfolio

DELUCCA RESIDENCEFLORENCE, ITALY

A dining room designed to fi t the needs and comforts of Mr. Alessandro and Mrs. Elisabetta DeLucca, a retired couple who takes pleasure and enjoys the luxury of Florence’s upscale living. Inspired by the regions innate design, this space is embodied with a deep burnt sienna on its walls, juxtaposed with light cypress furniture, resulting in a serene and pleasurable eating space. Predominantly illuminated by candle light to enhance its charm and energized with a glass chandelier, bursting spirit in a fanciful manner.

OFFICE

An offi ce framed for the use of one, Mr. Alessandro has the satisfaction of being able to sink in to his personal retreat, rich in gracefulness with a seat suited for a king implemented by its royal color palette of deep plum on the walls and velvet jade seating. Harmonized with cypress furniture and kindled by bronze fi xtures, there is no doubt Mr. Alessandro will take pleasure in his sanctuary.

BASEMENT

GROUND FLOOR

MEZZANINE

MCLENNON RESIDENCELAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA

In a city known for its pastoral rolling hills and upscale lifestyle, the new and redesigned home of Mr. John & Mrs. Casey McLennon will endorse these qualities throughout their residence. Mr. McLennon’s exquisite art collec-tion of artist such as Miro and Chagall, along with Mrs. McLennon’s sophisticated taste of rustic antiques very well defi nes the Palazzo Fortuny to what I have used as inspiration for their residential proposal. The combination of 21st century paintings and timeless furniture pieces is exactly what the Palazzo is mani-fests and what the McLennon’s will reminisce.Incorporating luxurious Fortuny textiles in to their Spanish Ranch style house is be ex-pected in to the home’s affl uent sensa-tion. Setting the color scheme to rustic tones and hues, combined with hints of pop color splashes to energize and motivate, especially the children. This house will avail the entire family’s desires of function and aesthetics.

kitchen elevation

The McLennon’s master bathroom is a large charming three space design. With immediate access from the main entrance of the master suite on the right hand side and a second entrance from the sleeping area. Entrance from the main bedroom walks you through a hallway made up from two walk in closets on both sides. As you walk in, one immediately encounters a counter with two basins, along with two mirrors and a surplus of storage space. Continuing to the right, one will fi nd themselves with a walk-in shower and a large and relaxing bath tub. To the left, a vanity is tucked in and additional storage too.

master bathroom

master bedroom

ECO RESORTNADI BAY, FIJI

Located in the Southwest Pacifi c Ocean, Fiji is an island nation in Melanesia about 1243 miles or 2000 kilometers Northeast of New Zealand’s North Island. The inland terrain is predominant-ly mountains of volcanic origin covered by tropical forests and exquisite beaches along its coasts. Its ubiquitous pleasurable tempera-tures vary from the high sixties to eighties with tropical storms from November to January. Fiji’s culture is a combination of Indian, European, Chinese and other nationalities. However, the fusion of all these background’s does not re-duce its native and indigenous Fijian culture, which continues to live and be active today.

Designing a space not only pleasurable to its guests, my approach to this design went be-yond interiors to the infrastructure of the build-ing. Developing a design infl uenced from indig-enous mechanisms such as the tall hatch roof system which properly functions with the tropi-cal and pluvial climates Fiji is common with and fostering its native architecture in to an innova-tive and more practical design that encom-passes the land, climate and existing nature. Embodied with operations of sustainability and perpetuity procedures to improve the qual-ity of life while supporting living ecosystems.

NADI BAY, FIJI

Southwest Pacifi c Ocean

3

2

1

4

5

1 entrance2 health & recreation3 suites4 kitchen & dining5 exterior ceremonial dining eco resort site plan

health & recreation fl oor plan

main entrance fl oor plan

The main entrance is situated right off of Queen’s Road, a large intersection interconnected to Fiji’s International airport for the convenience to its guests. The entire resort consist of one main entrance building, a health and recreation area, a solar insulated kitchen, versatile use dining space for breakfast and/or interior dining area, an exterior dining experience and

eight highly environmental conscious suites. The health and recreation buildings contain two hot tubs and four sauna rooms. There are eight massage rooms, coordinated with a soothing, verdant color palette to implement the calming attributes of nature. Additionally, all paint fi nishes are natural made from plant oils water and essential oils, containing no VOC’s. All wood use is registered FSC wood and the exotic emerald fl ooring is made from recycled glass.

ceremonial dining

kitchen & interior dining fl oor plan

Oriented in the Southeast portion of the resort where surfaces receive sun all year round, the dining area is a cozy space where one can start their morning just right. The kitchen contains an underground cooling pantry and sunfrost refrigerators that reduce the use of electrical cooling. Also, a vegetable garden is to the East of the kitchen where organic and vernacular vegetables can be picked out fresh daily.

suites circulation system DAY

Due to its location in the Southwest Pacifi c Ocean, the appropriate sustainable architec-ture for this Fijian resort suite stands tall and upright in order to produce a successful lami-nar fl ow ventilation, allowing warm air to rise and keeping the ground fl oor staying cool. In accordance to keeping the space cool, the structure is built using rammed earth because of its high thermal insulation of R-30 and ther-mal mass productivity. Aesthetically, the fi nish product of a raw wall system heightens the environmental consciousness on the visitor and is not only functional but also admirable.< Image from http://engeyedesignteam.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/rammedearth

RAMMED EARTH WALL SYSTEM

suites ventilation system NIGHT

The usage of water has been designed in such a way to have a very minimal to almost no water waste. The pluvial weather of Fiji makes it an exemplar location to take the out-most advantage of this tropical weather. The exterior roof material is white galvanized metal which is the fastest and cleanest way to harvest rain water. Storm drainage is col-lected with gutters and cisterns which is then pumped and fi ltered to be used as grey water for water fi xtures such as toilets, radiant heat fl ooring systems and hydraulic solar pan-els. After this use, it is then discharged and becomes black water. However, a living machine system allows this water to be treated and reused through the use of plants and wetlands prior to being able to be reused as grey water.< Image from http://www.heatingoil.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/gray-water-irrigation-system-diagram.jpg

LIVING MACHINE

SEA PLANTSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

furniture specifi cationsfurniture specifi cations

SKETCHES & HAND RENDERINGS

ink sketches while in Italy

ink & color pencil watercolor

watercolor: fl oorplan concept design, infl uenced by Wassily Kandinsky’s painting Swinging. 1925

watercolor rendering by gabriela chamu

perspective drawings by instructor stephan hoffpauir

Sonoma CountyOliver Ranch 2003

OwnerSteven and Nancy Oliver

ArchitectJim Jennings

CASE STUDY: VISITING ARTISTS HOUSEGEYSERVILLE, CALIFORNIA

A r c h i t e c t u r e

Two concrete walls, cast in site create a strong form establishing a close relationship with the landscape.

A perceptual telescope and visual link between a small lake to the West and a major sculpture by

Robert Stockhouse to the East where the sculpture appears larger, while the apparent distance to the

lake is decreased. Designed for two artist to share the house at any one time. A residence where

parallel emphasis between privacy and communal living is enforced. Mechanical shades and pocket

doors from the core structure are used to enclose and setoff pavilions. Conceived as a found element

and David Rabinowitch inscription reinforces this with the fl ow and rhythm of his nature inspired design.

S c u l p t u r e

David Rabinowitch

Medium: Concrete- Fine aggregate; 10” Walls + 4” Canvas

without encountering reinforcement. Non-ornamental on

the exterior, nor to defi ne spaces in the interior but to involve

the architecture in a relationship of rhythm and shape.

L a n d s c a p e

An intervention in the land rather than

as an object on top of it by cutting

through a hill and occupying a void in

the site. Openings at both ends connect

side and out, interiors and exteriors.