GENEISO J. CATALANOStudent Intern

Internship with David Pelligra and Architects, inc.

Invent Now, Inc. Addition RenderingPrograms used: SketchUp and Photoshop

4th Year: FallBoth projects of this semester were set in downtown Sandusky, Ohio as part of a revitalization campaign. My approach with the first project, an adaptive reuse, was to restore the buildings to their former glory while creating great and usable spaces that the program required. By sourcing historical photos of the assigned block, the restored portions of the building were able to be authentic as possible.

4TH YEAR: FALL, ADAPTIVE REUSE

The biggest challenge was to make the primary program, a fish farm, both an accessible and beautiful space.This was achieved in two primary ways. One, by “threading” the first floor together with flowing forms meant to evoke the fluid nature of water; and two, by punching holes in the floor plates where possible to enhance the vertical feel of the spaces while allowing light into nearly every part of the building.

Programs used: AutoCAD, SketchUp, Maxwell, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Indesign.

FIRST FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR THIRD FLOOR

SECTION THROUGH MEETING SPACES SECTION THROUGH FISHERY

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STREET FRONT RENDERING

INTERIOR OF FISH FARM

4TH YEAR: FALL, NEW CONSTRUCTION

Both façades presented their own challenges. The south wall needed to both provide ventilation in the summer, but still retain as much heat as possible during the winter. The solution came in the form of thermo-bimetals. These open and close due to thermal expansion and therefore created a façade that could open and close without the use of electricity. The south wall then developed into a double-wall with the bimetal screen on the exterior and a glass curtain wall to seal the building.

The second project of the semester was to take the same program from the reuse and apply it to a new construction on a new site. This allowed several avenues that could not be fulyl examined due to lack of space and proximity to the water. This building was formed from the start to allow for maximum day lighting and natural ventilation. It was very long and very thin. The form was kept very minimal. In fact, this was my first foray into minimalism.

The building also became symmetrical in plan as another way of keeping the design clean and simple. I then worked ideas from the previous project into this one that I wanted to further explore. The threading idea was able to be applied to every floor. This central theme informed the rest of the design. It reflected first in the stretch and compression of sine waves used throughout the space. It then appeared in the form of a central mass that forces a visual reaction from the rest of the space.

The north wall needed to let in as much light as possible while insulating against winter winds coming off the lake. To solve this and also mirror the south wall a double-wall was used again, but this time with two curtain walls.

Figure 1:When heat is applied to metals with different rates of thermal expansion they simple lengthen.

Figure 2: When heat is applied to metals with different rates of thermal expansion that are bound to one another they bend.

Figure 3;Section showing day light and ventilation

Figure 1 Figure 2

Figure 3

Programs used: SketchUp, Flow Design, Illustrator, Photoshop, Maxwell, Indesign, AutoCAD, and Rhino.

1ST FLOOR

2ND FLOOR

3RD FLOOR

NORTH FACADE

LONGITUDINAL SECTION

SOUTH FACADE

EXTERIOR RENDERING

INTERIOR OF RESTAURANT

3RD YEAR: SPRING, GASTRONOMY CENTER

To connect these buildings, both stylistically and physically two self-supporting bridges, span the gap. One connects the occupiable roofs of the buildings while the other to connect the greenhouse with the restuarant while also providing additional dining space. The intent for the piazza was to bring greenery into Florence’s hard and paved center.

The assignment a gastronomy center to enliven an underutilized piazza in Florence, Italy. Inspiration came from the surrounding area, with a market just across the street and a university made from a converted monastary to the south my idea formed. The program was split into its core compenents. The university informed the educational section and the market and piazza inspired the leisure portion of the building.

The educational portion -consisting of classrooms, an auditorium, a book store, a greenhouse, and a culinary school- was formed along the school, springing from the school itself. The leisure portion -containing a restuarant, cafe/bar, and tasting areas- was placed further into the piazza. The educational building kept to a more traditional style while the leisure portion took on a modern look.

A grove of trees between the buildings provides a small green space. Providing comfort to the once barren piazza year round.Further into the project the realization came that the rooftop of the educational building could be used to grow food along side the greenhouse. This transformed the space into more than just a gastronomy center. It became a space for urban agriculture and community growth.

Programs used are: SketchUp, AutoCAD, Revit, Photoshop, and Indesign.

VIEW FROM DINING BRIDGE EXTERIOR OF LOBBY

SECTION THROUGH RESTAURANT SECTION THROUGH SCHOOL

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GROUND FLOOR PLAN

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SECOND FLOOR PLAN

Kigali Project: Master Plan

This space under the “green overpass” would become a market for all the produce grown in this district. Finally, the road grid was laid out. The site’s shape and hilly topography made this a bit of a challenge. This was solved by running roads parallel to the green overpass and then perpendicular to the three central roads we placed following the topog-raphy. Near the ends of the site the terrain also dips under the roads to extend the idea of a continuous green space.

For this project a group of myself and one other were tasked with developing a master for the Kininya district of Kigali, Rwanda. As one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, both urban sprawl and possible food shortages were major concerns to address. Our master plan worked to address both the issue of sprawl and of food security. Combining medium and high density housing with elements of urban agriculture integrated into the fabric of the city we worked

to address both the conccerns of food security and sprawl.The first drafts of the project show this, however we felt that there needed to be more interaction of the city with the green space. Several iterations of this idea were explored until a continuous green space was developed that split the city in two. To solve this part of the greenspace was lifted up and allowed the urban fabric to flow under it.

OVERPASS

GREEN SPACE

GREEN SPACE

UNDERPASS

UNDERPASS

AGROFORESTRY

AGROFORESTRY

AGROFORESTRY

SKY FARM

PUBLIC MARKET

PLAZA

MULTI-USE

APARTMENTS

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ROW HOUSES

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RESIDENTIAL

LOW DENSITY

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Programs used: AutoCAD, Illustrator, Rhino, Photoshop, and Indesign.

CONCEPT DIAGRAM

LOW-DENSITYHOUSING

HIGH-DENSITYHOUSING

MIXED USE COMMERCIAL MUNICIPAL

HARDSCAPEACTIVE GREEN SPACE

PASSIVEGREEN SPACE

SCALE 1:1500MASTERPLAN

GENO CATALANOALEXANDER SCOTT

FINAL MASTERPLAN

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SECTION THROUGH OVERPASS

Kigali Project: Mixed-Use Housing

The second part of the Kininya Project was an individual task. While my partner worked on a rowhouse I focused in on a mixed-use housing development with shops on the first floor, luxury apartments on the top floor, and market-rate housing between. Taking cues from the single family compounds in the area, creating a similar feeling of privacy while maintaining access to the outdoors was among the chief concerns.

However, in talking with locals, there seems to be a general unease with blaconies that appear to be unsupported. This led to the balconies becoming punched-hole terraces that provide private exterior space with the look of support underneath.

From the beginning, natural ventilation was also a major concern. In addition to making every apartment a corner apartment to utilize cross-ventilation, a trombe wall system combined with a solar chimney draws air up and through the building before finally expelling the now hot air from the roof.

SECTION THROUGH CHIMNEYSOUTH AND WEST FACADES

Programs used are: AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Photoshop, and Indesign.

TYPICAL ODD FLOOR TYPICAL EVEN FLOOR

ROOF PLANPENTHOUSE PLAN