1. KARINE SARKISSIAN
d e s i g n e r t h i n k e r p l a n n e r
+1 857.445.5423
sarkissian.karine@gmail.com
www.karinesarkissian.com

2. URBAN DESIGN / ARCHITECTURE EXPERIENCE
Carlos Zapata Studio
New York, NY
Architectural Designer // Jul 2013- Present
Design for Change
Lille, France
Selected Design Correspondent // Aug-March 2013
Institutional representative of the competition submission from MICA
American University of Beirut, Neighborhood Initiative
Beirut, LB
Mapping Intern // Jul-Aug 2012
Investigated the neighborhood, created database maps with ArcGis
Zaha Hadid Architects
London, UK
Design Intern // Jun-July 2012
Built an installation for London Architecture week modeled on
Rhinoceros 3D
Ismael Leyva Architects
New York, NY
Architecture and Design Intern // Jun-Aug 2011
Architectural drawings, project books, assisted the principal
Baltimore: Open City
Baltimore, MD
Curatorial and Communications team // Sept-May 2011
Architectural design for the exhibition, collaborating curator
baltimoreopencity.com
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Selected Jury Member / Baltimore, MD
Student Space Gallery Jury // Sept-May 2012
Selected student artists for monthly exhibitions at MICA
Art Therapist and Program Leader / Baltimore, MD
Sister Together and Reaching (STAR) // Sept-Dec 2010
Created and ran a weekly art workshop for female
African American AIDS victims
Marketing and Communications Intern / Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut Art Center // Jun-Aug 2010
Assembled press releases, gallery catalogs, assisted and
communicated with artists
Art Therapist and Program Leader / Baltimore, MD
Women Healing Our Lives Entirely (WHOLE) // Jan-May 2010
Directed weekly art therapy workshops for National Women’s Prison
Project for trauma survivors
Art Teacher and Program Leader / Baltimore, MD
Mount Royal Elementary and Middle School // Sept-Dec 2009
Taught weekly art class to 3rd graders
Founder and Organizer / Beirut, Lebanon
“Grow Green Campaign” for Forests of Lebanon // Sept - June 2009
Created the program, raised funds to plant trees in the Red Cross
vicinity of Lebanon
EDUCATION
General Assembly, New York, NY
Product Management // April-June 2015
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Baltimore, MD
BFA in Environmental Design // Minors: Art History, Curatorial Studies
May 2013, GPA 3.98/4.0
MICA - Art in Berlin after 1989
Summer exchange - Art History in Berlin // Summer 2012
Danish Institute for Study Abroad, Copenhagen, Denmark
Semester Intensive in Urban Design // Spring 2012

3. HONORS
Mark Stempel Thesis Prize in Environmental Design // 2013
Art History and Criticism Departmental Recognition Award // 2011
France Merrick Special Project Fund // 2011
Student Affairs Community Service Fund // 2011
Foundation Recognition Award // 2010
Dean’s List // 2009 - 2013
Trustee Scholar, MICA // 2009 - 2013
SKILLS
Urban Design and Planning, Architecture, Architectural Drafting,
AutoCAD, Model Making, 3D Modeling and Printing (CNC), Sustain-
able Design, Graphics, Wood and Metal working
Mac and PC platforms, MS Office Suite, Adobe Suite, AutoCAD,
3dsMax, Rhino 5
English, French, Arabic, Armenian
EXHIBITIONS
American Institute of Architects (AIA), Baltimore, MD // 2010
Artists Ball, ICO Chelsea Gallery, NY, NY // 2010
Eco Friendly Expo, NY, NY // 2010
International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF),
Jacobs Javits Center, NY, NY // 2010
Intramuros International Design Magazine // September 2010 issue
Meet-up facilitator for OpenIDEO challenges in NYC.

4. CONTENT

5. recalling cultural identity 01
from the in-berween
urban dweller 08
block-works 02
baltimore open city 09
modern break-through 03
participluie 10
drip drop 11
spool seat 04
fedra sans type specimen 13
IDEO
community synthesizer 12
springth 05
artwork 14
bent-wood shelter 06
professional portfolioredesign connections 07

6. RECALLING CULTURAL IDENTITY FROM THE IN BETWEEN 01
Urban design
Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut is a city inherent with layers of meaning. A fifteen-year Civil War has lead to a life focused
indoors rather than one out in the streets. As a response, in-between public spaces have been often
entirely neglected and discarded as wasted terrain vague. The investigation of my own city manifested
itself in multiple perceptions re-scripting while understanding the over arching stages of its history.

7. Construction
Site
P
Old Khalidy hospital
Napoleon
Hotel Mayflower
Hotel
Marble
Tower Hotel
arguile man
shoeshine
La Cigale
Laundry
Bakery
smells
Old House
Serof New building
Construction
P
Church and School
Courtyard
Church bellsCooking
smells
School
Sound of
children
Vegetable
sellerBlue Note
Jazz Bar
Construction
site
P
P
Bullet holes
Construction
site
Graffiti
Manakeesh
smells
P
P
Bullet
holes
Soldiers
Soldiers
Posters on
facade
Old house
with shutters
Theology
school
Closed private
courtyard
Indian
embassy
Democratic
Republic of
Music
Abandoned
building
Kindergarten
Orange
tree
Children
screems
Medical clinics
Construction
site
Renewed
quiet alley
Syrian
embassy
Hotel
embassy
Street cafes
Bullet
holes
Old
buildings
Bullet holes
Political
party
Carte
d’Or
Hotel
Farah
building
Mosaic wall
Graffiti
Alleyway
with
bars
Cinema
Hamra
Horse Shoe
Strand Center
Pedestrian
alley
Old House
(1926)
Manakeesh
smells
Old
building
New
Building
Trash
cans
Bread smells
Cooking
smells
Shoe shine
Faisal’s
Blue
Building
Khoury
hospital
New
building
New
building
Agial
Gallery
Oven
smells
Old
cafe
Construction
site
Construction
red-tile
sidewalk
Golden
Tulip Hotel
Monte Carlo
CInema
Modka
Cafe
Cafe de ParisPicadilly
Cinema
Graffiti
Vegetable
seller
P
HSBC
Old House
Red door
Honking
Trash
Cans
Shoe
Shine
Traffic
P
Graffiti
Old house
Vegetable
seller
Citrus
trees
Graffiti
Trash cans
p
Construction
site
quiet alley
Most important elements of the culture are portrayed through the people and the street-scape.
This was further studied by extracting the various layers of the city: social, political, and strong
connections to memory in areas faced with constant conflict.
Recordings of the in-betweens and life on the streets.
The exploration includes a record of sensory elements
(sounds, smells, viewpoints, and interactions)
Influential parts of the design.
Find full thesis here:
http://issuu.com/ksarkissian/docs/karine_sarkissian_thesis_lulu/1

8. From a single neglected space... To an activated public space...
To a network of pufrom a single
neglected space
to an activated
public space.
to a network of p
The in-between spaces are designed
with local characteristics, responsive
to sensory recordings surrounding
each. They cater to the people in
creating pedestrian experiences for
the urban dweller.

9. ublic spaces... with infinite possibilities...
public spaces with infinite possibilities...

10. Sensory recordings I captured walking around the
streets. I compiled them in a model-this investigation
influenced the design of each one of my spaces.
The interactions with the people I met on the streets
really stood out to me. The Hayy spaces were rarely
occupied, sometimes by the people who live around
the area, otherwise, the dwellers and vendors were
mostly on the main streets.
The vendors are the ones who sustain us- they are
part of our daily routines and they all have a story
and have been around their particular street corner for
some time. In a way, their legacy and their presence
has a fundamental presence in the streets of Beirut.
They represent the culture that is worth sustaining
and keeping alive.
My Hayy interventions encourage the connections
between the regular urban dweller and the street
vendors and artisans.

11. recording life on the streets. Understanding
the surroundings and all the special elements
that make them unique.
PROCESS EXPLORATIONS

13. BLOCK-WORKS 02
Urban planning
Islands Brygge, Copenhagen, Denmark
FISKETORVET
Shopping Center
HOUSING
OFFICES
STREET ART
WATERFRONT
1995
ELLO SUPERMARCO
1920
ØRESTED POWER STATION
(largest power station in Denmark)
1941
ROWING CLUB
TRAIN TRACKS
BROWN FIELDS
known as LOW QUALITY OF LIFE -
SOCIAL WELFARE DEPENDANT
CITYWIDE EFFORT
better waterfront
in absence of
shipping industry
1932
Largest diesel engine
SITE CONTEXT
HISTORY + IDENTITY

14. From a car oriented site.. ...to a site that puts people first From a low bicycle priority... ...to a bicycle friendly site
From a deserted brownfield... ... to a dense mixed-use community From an industrial brownfield... ... to a giant green park From a forgotten waterfront... ...to an activated moving waterfront
From an isolated site... ...to a site linked to its surrounding
DESIGN GOALS
SECTION-ELEVATION AA’
Block Works is an urban planning project in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located next
to Enghave Brygge, by the Ørsted Power Plant (one of the largest Diesel plants in
Denmark). While trying to revive the area and salvaging an old brown field, I activate
the waterfront and create a set program with housing blocks and commercial spaces.

15. FUTURE
A A’
rail road tracks
car and bicycle access
connecting bridge
and bus stop
row club
market space
brewery and
bar area
water sports
center
central bicycle path
bicycle parking
wooden blocks added on the exist-
ing edge can change over time and
move on the existing train tracks
activate surfaces on water and
land
existing edge
mixed housing community
green roofs and courtyards
private and public spaces
vary
no car access
artificial canal connects
to the harbor on both
ends
power plant
4
5
6
commercial district
underground car park
2
1
3
harbor baths
ferry stop
TODAY
1 MONTH
3 MONTHS
PLAN DIAGRAM
publicprivate
PLAN

16. MODERN BREAK-THROUGH 03
Urban design
Israels Plads, Copenhagen, Denmark
CONCEPT COLLAGE

17. SITE CONTEXT FUNCTION - URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
3 mins
1
m
in
5mins
8
m
ins
1min
Botanical Gardens
Ørstedsparken
Nørreport
Station
Market
Lake
Israels Plads
Commercial 45%
Housing
Education 17%
Cultural 4%
Hotel 2%
32%
ACTIVITIES AND CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE
Central element to the founding of Copenhagen, Israels Plads draws a
connection to the three historical gates; Nørreport, Vesterport, and Østerport.
The site is defined by physical and historical landmarks: the Botanical
Gardens, the Lakes, and Ørstedsparken.
The design revolves around triangular shapes. Each incorporates different
types of activities relating to the context of the site. Graffiti walls, grass
areas, and skate parks are some of these many elements. Additionally, stairs
are utilized to create level change and impromptu seating. Different heights
and textures create various layers and focal points in the space.
This public space values the past of Israel Plads while encouraging a new
vision for its future. It considers all ages and activities as it becomes a
‘montage of possibilities.’

18. PLAYGROUND
(lower level)
Tartan turf
Tables and
CLIMBING AREA
(lower level)
Tartan Turf
GREEN AREA
Links to Ørstedsparken
SKATE PARK
Concrete floor ramps
SHAPE 2
-Situated by the skate
park, the graffiti wall
serves a younger croud,
allowing the space to
change and evolve over
time.
-The concrete stairs face
the playground and the
open space on the other
side.
SHAPE 1
-Facing the Market, this
wooden deck extends
past the lower sitting
area. It is conveniently
placed to relax, eat, and
enjoy the view.
-This space also encour-
ages parents to watch
over their children in the
spaces across.
A movab
placed for m
ØRSTEDSPARKEN
B
B’
A
A’

19. THE PATH
-Meetings and encounters.
-The path comes off every
main shape. It connects the
site together, allowing access
from one space to the other,
as well as across in various
directions.
-The path also connects to the
context beyond the plads.
Simple zone extensions are
painted on the streets and
sidewalks.
SITTING AREA
d chairs on wooden platform
JUNGLE GYM
Sand and gravel
SAND BOX
Sand
SHAPE 3
-The grass slope links to the
green area, where the park over-
takes and connects to the plads.
-The other side consists of a
climbing wall to serve the chil-
dren and schools.
-The grass concrete stairs con-
nect to the park and the space
across as a sitting spot.
PATH
White concrete
ble screen can be
movie screenings

20. “Spool Swing” and “Spool Seat” are made
out of Jute, an organic material; and fish
glue used as a natural bonding agent. After
many tests and studies, I created a giant
wool-winding mechanism (using a lamp
shade, a turn table, and a trash can). In
turn, I was able to spin the thread into
giant spools by the simple turn of a handle.
The Maryland Institute College of Art was
invited to participate at the International
Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) at
the Jacob Javits Center in NYC, May 2010.
We presented our work as part of MICA,
“Material Inspired Concepts and Artifacts”.
MICA was awarded “Best Design School”
for the strong concept and products. The
materials used for this exhibit were all
natural, including bonding agents, glues,
and other used elements
SPOOL SEAT 04
published in Intramuros Design Magazine
September 2010 issue, n. 150

22. SPRINGTH 05
The weakness of the ankle joints causes ankle impingement, an
injury particularly common with ballet Dancers.
This ankle strengthener, “SPRINGTH” works with the design of
springs. By interchanging springs, different people can attach this
product to their ankle to strengthen their joints with the desired,
customized tension needed.
wearable product: ankle strengthener

23. explorations and prototypes

25. The Bent-Wood Shelter was a two person collaboration created
using Grasshopper scripting and digitally fabricated with a CNC
mill. Through multiple experiments, we managed to find the
correct way to make wood bend and warp without breaking. The
entire structure is collapsible and does not use any hardware to
stay up- various types of joints keep the structure sturdy and
assembled. In effect, the inner skeleton also serves as shelves,
adding more function to the cozy cave-like form.
BENT WOOD SHELTER 06
Digital fabrication/ CNC milled shelter
explorations

27. Redesign Connections is a design created for the Maryland Institute College of
Art Brown Center, a glass modern building designed by Ziger/Snead Architects.
The structure was designed on AutoCAD, 3D printed (for prototyping), and
animated using Rhino 3D and 3ds Max.
REDESIGN CONNECTIONS 07
installation design for the Brown Center, MICA, Baltimore, Maryland

28. URBAN DWELLER 08
design interventions throughout baltimore
This project consists of creating a series
of markers around Baltimore City. These
interventions cater to the ‘Urban Dweller’
to create a network in adopting various
areas within the city.
They allow the dweller to embrace, escape,
find shelter, rejoice, and explore.
The following interventions serve as a
model to create more spaces around the
city (conceived by various designers).
Three different sites were undertaken to
represent the model in mind.
Studies about the neighborhood including
transportation, building use, and edges
were conducted.
site explorations

31. explorations

32. The exhibition was created by 29 students.
From curation to exhibition design and promotion,
we took on: architecture of the gallery space, graphic
design and language, call for entry, series of lectures
and events, workshops, student projects, and press
releases.
Opening of 500 people and more.
Click here for more information.
eds.mica.edu
BALTIMORE OPEN CITY 09
curated exhibition in baltimore

33. I scheduled and organized workshops with students from
various schools around the city. They got to experience
the space and take part of some of the activities to better
understand Baltimore City.

34. PARTICIPLUIE 10
Design competition - Lille for Change, Lille, France.

35. Participluie is a system that was created as part of a competition to
better the city of Lille, France. Our team who consisted of Jackie Litt-
man, Jaime Carusi, Michael Chiarella, and myself, proposed an umbrella
share system for the constant weather changes known throughout Lille.
It functions through a phone app and various umbrella kiosks placed
throughout transit points and important squares within the city.
This system was designed to encourage sharing within the city of Lille,
while keeping it’s citizens and visitors comfortable, dry, and shaded.
This program also eliminates the hassle of carrying around umbrellas
while in and outdoors.
Watch video at:
karinesarkissian.com/participluie

36. “I want to be more aware of my consumption- see how much I am using and saving. I
definitely would love to see that information. I can’t think of anything that does that
now.”
ELDA, designer, NYC, 22 yrsE H J
“If I payed for water, then I’d use the device that helps me save. But I live in a
tenement building so my landlord should pay for it because it’ll help him save for sure.
It would benefit him.”
JOSE, building concierge, NYC, 46 yrs
E H J
“I love sensor sinks! It’s less, germs, less effort, it’s perfect. I don’t understand why
people don’t have them in their homes.
HADI, banker, NYC, 27 yrs
E H J
“I want to be more aware of my consumption- see how much I am using and saving. I
definitely would love to see that information. I can’t think of anything that does that
now.”
ELDA, designer, NYC, 22 yrsE H J
“If I payed for water, then I’d use the device that helps me save. But I live in a
tenement building so my landlord should pay for it because it’ll help him save for sure.
It would benefit him.”
JOSE, building concierge, NYC, 46 yrs
E H J
“I love sensor sinks! It’s less, germs, less effort, it’s perfect. I don’t understand why
people don’t have them in their homes.
HADI, banker, NYC, 27 yrs
E H J
Sensor
Digital display tablet
“About 95 percent of the
water entering our homes
goes down the drain”
Water: Use Less-Save More by jon clift and Amanda Cuthbert
“About 95 percent of the
water entering our homes
goes down the drain”
Water: Use Less-Save More by jon clift and Amanda Cuthbert
DripDrop is an app designed the help control water consumption
in an average household.
It consists of two parts. The first is a measuring tool, it indicates
the amount of water used by tap and warns the user if the set
limit is approaching. It comes in the form of a phone app as well
as its own tablet that can be kept in the home. The second is a
sensor tool that can be attached to any faucet, it is activated by
hand motion, while still allowing the user to turn it off and on on
command, as well as adjusting temperature and pressure.

37. drip drop
drip drop
drip drop
drip drop
drip drop
4 quarts
8 pints
16 cups
128 ounces
3.8 liters
DRIP DROP 11
Controlling over consumption of water
SKETCHES

39. COMMUNITY SYNTHESIZER 12
OpenIdeo refugee education challenge
This document is intended to inform the community and
our partners, UNHCR and UNICEF, what the community has
provided the platform during the research phase.
Joe Silva and I have coded and themed all of the data. We
categorized OpenIDEO members’ posts into 6 “buckets”- so
that the user of this document can easily interpret what this
community has produced.
Many research posts can fall into one or more buckets. We took
a step back from each post and determined which theme was
most prevalent to the central ideas in the research post.
Learn more at
https://openideo.com/blog/refugee-education-challenge-what-
we-learned-in-the-research-phase

41. FEDRA SANS TYPE SPECIMEN 13
Graphic and book design
This book was created to showcase Fedra Sans typeface.
It features the regular font and its Arabic versions as well.
The book can be read from its two ends: left to right in English
and right to left in Arabic.

42. CLAIR-OBSCUR SELF-PORTRAIT COLLAGE
Created using hole-punched magazine cutouts.
MEMORIES OF A PEOPLE
Represents the struggles of the Armenian Genocide- loss of a people
ARTWORK 14

43. RIYAL SOLES
Riyal Soles incorporates my perception of the Saudi Arabian
society, after having lived there for thirteen years. The
restrictions set on women are voiced through resolutions of
consumerism and the addiction to trends. This piece explores
the views of an insider to comprehend and give voice to the
hidden reality faced by local women.
While all the women are dressed to look identical, they are
distinguished by their choice of shoes. Made of molded copies
of Saudi Arabian Riyals (local currency).
HELMET DESIGN
Helmet design for Formula Renault Racer, Shahan Sarkissian

45. KARINE SARKISSIAN
d e s i g n e r t h i n k e r p l a n n e r
+1 857.445.5423
sarkissian.karine@gmail.com
www.karinesarkissian.com MORE WORK AND PROJECTS @ karinesarkissian.com