Educational Portfolio from Bachelor of Architecture program at Philadelphia University

1. Alicia A Nardo
Philadelphia University
Bachelor of Architecture
Portfolio
selected educational work

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ALICIA A NARDO
7366 Valley Ave · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19128 · (610) 657-1066 · nardo6470@gmail.com
EDUCATION
Philadelphia University Graduation Year: 2011
Major: Bachelor of Architecture
Minor: Sustainable Design
American University of Rome Spring Semester: 2010
Study Abroad Program: Rome, Italy
SKILLS
Programs: AutoCAD: Revit, 3DMax, CAD Architecture
Adobe: Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator
3D Modeling: Rhinoceros, Sketch Up
Microsoft: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint
Abilities: 3D Modeling, drafting, basic sustainable design & technology, concept & design development, design
analysis, historical site reports, model building, project presentation, technical drawing, & site planning.
Language Knowledge: Italian, Spanish
ARCHITECTURE EXPERIENCE
Stokes Architecture, Philadelphia, PA
Architect Intern: April 2011 to Present
Office assistant, created construction schedules, drafted construction documents, mark-ups to CAD drafts
Spillman Farmer Architects, Bethlehem, PA
Student Intern: April 2006 to August 2006
Office assistant, updated materials library, rendered project sheets, corrected mark-ups to CAD drawings
Architerra Landscape Architect Firm, Coopersburg, PA
Summer Intern: June 2004 to August 2004
Rendered project sheets, created plant schedules and library, drafted project plans
WORK EXPERIENCE
Blackfish Restaurant BYOB, Conshohocken, PA
Hostess: September 2010 to July 2011
Managed reservation system of restaurant, seated incoming guests, receptionist, operated coat check
University Ambassador, Philadelphia University
Ambassador: August 2008 to May 2011
Hosted open houses, gave tours to perspective students & worked in Admissions office
Bourbon Blue Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA
Hostess: October 2007 to March 2009
Greeted and seated incoming guests, receptionist, operated coat check, over-saw servers
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Delta Phi Epsilon: Philadelphia University Chapter, Fall 2007 to Spring 2011
Intramural Chair 2008, Relay for Life Community Chair 2009
Student Organization of Sustainable Action: Fall 2008 to Spring 2010
American Institute of Architecture Students: Fall 2006 to Spring 2009
Philadelphia University Crew Team: Fall 2006 to Spring 2007
Portfolio Samples and References Available Upon Request

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Studio Work 1:
Studio Work 2:
Studio Work 3:
Studio Work 4:
Studio Work 5:
Studio Work 6:
Professional Work 1:
BioStudio
A Quilted Community
Opening the Closed Community
Reclaiming the Piazza
Fairmount Headquarters
Diving Energy
Fall 2010: Design IX
Spring 2011: Design X
Spring 2010: Design VI
Fall 2009: Design VII
Fall 2009: Viz II
Page 5
Contents
Spring 2011: Design X
Educational Work

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BioStudio
Term: Fall 2010
Course: Design IX
Philadelphia University
A biomass alternative station and adaptable studio.
As the world begins to turn “greener” in their outlook, the notion of sustainability be-
comes more important in the way we as designers develop projects. This semester working
in teams of three, we were prompted to develop a service station for alternative fuels in the
community of Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Furthermore, each team was to determine ad-
ditional program to create a hybrid, multi-use program unique to each group’s specific studies
of the site and neighborhood. The final goal was to produce a comprehensive building plan
that re-invented the service station for alternative fuels and provided program that reflected the
site’s demographic needs, desires, and potential.
The site for this project falls in the neighborhood of Northern Liberties in Philadelphia.
Bound by Girard Avenue, Second Street and Germantown Avenue, the plot is amidst a rap-
idly evolving, diverse community. Previously known as an industrial community that fell into
dereliction, Northern Liberties has underwent a total renovation of character in recent years in
response to the numerous construction projects that have engulfed the district and the immedi-
ate surrounding area. Now the community is home to some of the most expensive real estate
in Philadelphia and has become a leader in sustainability as it has seen immense change in a
short period of time and continues to be on the rise as development continues.
The Site
View into courtyard and biomass plant from 2nd Street.
Design IX BioStudio

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Interior view of Double height space in studios out to Germantown Ave.
View from 2nd street.
Design IXBioStudio
Analyzing the differing zones of Northern Liberties and looking at the intentional
and unintentional spaces of a changing community led us to further observations that
looked at the aspects of an evolving neighborhood. The biggest change was in the
layout of development. All areas in the the zones with new construction fell onto the
traditional city grid which contrasted severely with the random grid created by the existing
neighborhood fabric of Zone Five.
Overlapping the grid and spatial information helped to inform us of the spatial layering and over-
lapping grids occuring at our site.
Traditional grid vs. Existing Fabric Hybrid fabric of spatial layering and over-
lapping grids
Existing zones surrounding the site
The Analysis
Design IX BioStudio

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Northern Liberties is home to two opposing urban fabrics in result of the expansive,
rapid construction that has engulfed and utterly revamped the community. Looking at the
effect that already took place and at the number of new projects planned for the area and
already in progress, there is more change ahead making it clear that any project planned for
Northern Liberties must be able to provide space flexible enough for an ever-evolving com-
munity.
The Design
Corner of Germantown Ave and and Street.
View from corner of Girard and and 2nd Street, looking into fueling station and green terracing above.
Design IX BioStudioDesign IXBioStudio

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Night View from 2nd Street.
Design IXBioStudio
Bird’s eye view of exterior courtyard.
In the analysis we noticed with all the new development a lot of waste was being left
behind. A bimass plant was to be the solutuon for all the leftover materials.. The trash and
leftover contruction waste would be taken from the neighborhood, incinerated and converted
into electrical energy which would be used to fuel the energy fueling station on the site.
However, not all the waste would be used to fuel the staion, some of it would be re-
cycled and used as materials by studio artist. In return, the studio artists would creat works
to be displayed for the community within the gallery space or in the exterior community space
which would serve as extended outdoor display.
The System
biomass heat diagram
trash to energy
Design IX BioStudio

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ARCH DRAWINGS
Design IXBioStudio Design IX BioStudio

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“More Than A Soup Kitchen”
To build a soup kitchen, it is for the community, so the building that holds it should en-
compass more meaning than just that. The intertwining and overlapping of a patchwork quilt
shows the love and effort of the volunteers of the community, just as a church or community
center that reaches out to the home-less and less fortunate.
Term: Spring 2011
Course: Design X
Philadelphia University
The 110th John Stewardson Memorial Fellowship in Architecture
A Quilted Community
View from Street Intersection
The site selected was on an empty lot on the University of Pennsylvania Campus in the
University City neighborhood of Philadelphia. Surrounded by Walnut Street to the North, and
South 40th Street to the West, the plot has a constantly active pedestrian community, includ-
ing a exclusively pedestrian path to the south. The assignment was to design a soup kitchen
that also held temporary housing for homeless people and homeless families. The facility was
to act as short term rehabilitation for the homeless in the nearby neighborhoods, and act as a
community bonding agent for the University City population by having spaces for a community
garden and meeting rooms. An additional component of the competition was to include multiple
sustainable aspects, including uses for recycled wood.
The System
A Quilted CommunityDesign X

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View from Liberty Walk
East Wall along Foot Path
Design XA Quilted Community
The overlays in a quilt was brought to building form through the use of recycled
wood pallets. By using vertical wood siding on the exterior of the building and adding
wood pallets for shading of the doors and windows, the overlapping of the two directions
showing the efforts of the community in a visual aspect.
The Analysis
Aerial View
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4
A Quilted CommunityDesign X

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The form of the building emerged from the seperation of the
public and residential areas of the building. With-in the two boxes
of space, smaller program boxes evolved. The Public portion of the
building started to embrance the street, while the residential portion
took to the foot path by Liberty Walk. Finally, the individual program
boxes of the building warped towards the south, allowing the inner
courtyard to gather as much sunlight as possible.
The Design
View from Residents Balcony
into Interior Courtyard
Water Flow Air Flow Summer Lighting Winter LightingWater Flow Air Flow Summer Lighting Winter Lighting
Design XA Quilted Community
Lobby for Residents
Water Flow Air Flow Summer LightingWater Flow Air Flow Summer Lighting Winter Lighting
A Quilted CommunityDesign X

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Design XA Quilted Community A Quilted CommunityDesign X

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Urban Design Studio;
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Term: Spring 2011
Course: Design X
Philadelphia University
Opening the Closed Community
Opening the Closed CommunityDesign X
The Project
The site selected was a combination of empty lots and existing park areas in a
residential and industrial area of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The assignment was to create
multiple types of housing and public spaces that flow continuously from one to the other
without the use of enclosed communities.
To design a multi-use urban space and allow foot traffic to be fully interactive with
the space, I broke the site up into three different zones. Throughout the entire site, all
areas were fully accessible by pedestrians, while vehicular traffic was forced to end on
all edges of the site. From each zone, broken up into the North Piazza, Alley and South
Piazza; there is a clear distinction of change as the forms and usages of buildings develop
into unique distinctions.

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Opening the Closed Community Design X Opening the Closed CommunityDesign X

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Opening the Closed Community Design X Opening the Closed CommunityDesign X

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Reformating the transit hub of Piazza Venezia
Term: Spring 2010
Course: Design VII
American University of Rome
Reclaiming the Piazza
The Site
The site selected was Piazza Venezia in the center of Historic Rome. The City of
Rome is expanding its transit systems by adding two more subway lines, and expanding the
tram lines. The Piazza Venezia is one of the main bus stops of the City and one of the larg-
est tourist locations because of the Ancient Forums lining the street to the Coloseum and the
Victorio Emmanuel Monument building. The Piazza is designed mainly for vechicular traffic,
but pedestrian traffic is also forced through the space with no safe routes.
The project was to redesign the urban layout of the Piazza Venezia so it incorporated
a new transportation hub holding: a new subway line and subway stop, a bus terminal, exten-
sion of the tram line, vechicular roads, and pedestrian attractions and paths while holding the
historical value of the site.
View from Victorio Monument
Reclaiming the PiazzaDesign VII

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Starting three stories underneath Piazza Venezia lay ancient forums that still had
remained untouched for hundreds of years as the traffic of modern Rome ran around above.
Following the lines of the ancient forums, the form and directions of the new urban space
was developed. The vehicular traffic was previously circling the Piazza and the Victorio Em-
manuel Monument and encompassing the majority of the area.
Existing Roadways:
A. Bus Transit Stop
B. Vehicular Transit
C. Future Metro Location
A
B
C
Layout Of Forums: underground
and exposed
The Analysis
Approach to Small Station
The form of the building emerged from the basic geometric form of the ancient forums,
both the large and small transit portals being rectangular in shape, and all walls being made
of glass to give the illusion of a simple post and lintel system. The majority of all activity
of both entrance hubs happened below the surface, therefore the under ground areas and
hallways are lined with light wells and get sunlight from above during the day, and light the
ground pathways after dusk as the artificial light illuminated upwards.
View to Outdoor Cafe
The Design
View from Via Del Corso
Design VII Reclaiming the PiazzaReclaiming the Piazza Design VII

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To build a modern day transit hub encompassing all forms of mass transit, forced
the uses to be layered. As a result, pedestrian traffic remained on ground level, the tram
line sunk one story under ground to the North of the Piazza, while the vehicular traffic sunk
one story to the South. As entrances to the tram and subway stops, two low hubs rose
out of the landscaped pedestrian area and served as a visual arcade to allow continuous
views to the surrounding buildings.
Planned Pedestrian AreasPlanned Landscaping AreasImplied Axis Lines
The System
View from Station Level View from Large Station into Lightwell
Site Plan:
1. Large Station Hub
2. Small Station Hub
3. Tram Stop
4. Bus Stop
5. Forum Metro Stop
Metro Plan:
1. Information
2. Elevator
3. Newspaper/Vending
Detail of Lightwell Hallway
and column connections
Design VII Reclaiming the PiazzaReclaiming the Piazza Design VII

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Section A
View to both transit hubs
Reclaiming the Piazza Design VII
Section B Section C
Ground Plan:
1. Entry
2. Elevator
3. Newspaper/Vending
4. Information Stand
5. Store
6. Cafe
7. Outdoor Seating
8. Storage/Mechanical
9. Tram Tickets
10. Bus Tickets
Design VII Reclaiming the Piazza

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Offices of Outward Bound & the Audubon Society
Term: Fall 2009
Course: Design VIII
Philadelphia University
Fairmount Headquarters
The site selected was located along the southern edge of the West Basin of the
man-made East Park Reservoir in Fairmount Park. Students were to design a building
using sustainable practices that would hold offices for both the Outward Bound program;
an after school program for under privilaged innercity children, and the National Audubon
Society; non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the conservancy of the environ-
ment and animal life.
Through investigation the clients for the project, the Audubon society and Outward
Bound, were found to have separate plans for constant use, even though both planned
to involve high school students into their program. With this, the two departments were
separated throughout the building, but bounded by one common point.
The Project
East Wall along Foot Path
East Wall along Foot Path
Fairmount HeadquartersDesign VIII

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East Wall along Foot Path
East Wall along Foot Path
From analysis site, there were two different uses of land space on opposite sides of
the planned building area. One side was to be for the ropes course while the other was a
continuously forested space.
The building was built around the common space of the multi-purpose room. All
traffic is then directed from the lobby directly into the multi-purpose room, and continues
up a circular ramp to the roof level that hugs the exterior of the multi-purpose room. As
the ramp increases, so does each level of the building, changing from the Outward Board
Department, to a common floor, to the Audubon Society.
The Analysis
Each floor that emerges off of the ramp, then fans out towards different dimensions of
the reservoir site. Each take separate angles and directions to emphasis the activities in the
space by framing views of what is studied or watched in each space. With the gradual in-
crease in floors, and the separation, the departments work independently, and also combined
when needed. But both receive the solitude needed for the societies.
The System
East Wall along Foot Path
East Wall along Foot Path
Fairmount HeadquartersDesign VIIIFairmount Headquarters Design VII

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East Wall along Foot Path
East Wall along Foot Path
Fairmount Headquarters Design VII
The stepping of the floors always for limited interference with the site’s existing land-
scape and the possibility to build with exclusively timber construction. Since the building is
visually and physically separated by two portions, the exterior cladding and the direction of
glazing changes from the circular, vertical portion to the horizontal, office areas. These new
forms of glazing create different breaks in the envelope and frame views both looking into the
multi-purpose room and towards the exterior.
The Design
Structure of Cylinder
Structure of Horizontal Walls
Structure of Cylinder
Structure of Horizontal Walls
Fairmount HeadquartersDesign VIII

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Fairmount Headquarters Design VII Fairmount HeadquartersDesign VIII

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A Competition Diving Pool
Manayunk, Philadelphia
Term: Fall 2009
Course: Viz II
Philadelphia University
Diving Energy
While examining the movement of a diver as they fall from the platform into the water,
the Energy of the dive became apparent. The development of the parti for the Competition
Diving Pool started to show the build-up of emotion and excitement in the free fall, and how
it creates a direct line downwards into the surface of the water. Once the diver hits the water
there is little disturbance to the water on the surface, but under the surface there is a mass of
activity happening. The water that surrounds the then submerged diver, is pushed and pulled
drastically, showing the release of the Energy that had built up in the dive. The Energy is
created by the break the diver made when they broke from one material to another, their body
expanded, and then released the structured form that they held in the dive.
The Project
Facade along River edge
Diving EnergyViz II

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The Analysis
Underwater disturbance of a Dive over the site
The plan layout uses the build up of energy on one side of the building, then dras-
tically changes as the center walkway is reached, and the building almost appears to be
being pinched.
The breaks of the exterior pushs and pulls toward the river and road, creating geo-
metric forms and new spaces for lights into the competition space of the diving well. The
horizontal cuts in the exterior façade follow the lines that run down Main Street, and not
destroying the visual lines of the area from street level.
Interior view from
second floor to Pool
The Design
Interior view to Pool
Interior view from Front facade
The building form evolves from one side to another. Along the property by the
empty lot, the building shape is more compact and solid forming a straight line, simi-
lar to the constant form the diver holds in freefall. Once the center of the building is
reached, there is a break to allow for entrance to the river through the entire structure.
After this physical and visual break, the building develops new forms and breaks con-
tinuously in constant motions.
Exterior view from West
Diving EnergyViz IIViz IIDiving Energy

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Viz IIDiving Energy Diving EnergyViz II