1. Courtyard Block
Rome, Italy
NYC, NY
Deconstructed Vault House1
6
Hello, my name is Rolando Lopez. I’m an
Architectural Designer & Graphics Enthusiast.
I’m an idea based, graphics loving, technology forward designer.
I’m passionate about Architecture’s ability to solve problems, and
specialize in communicating ideas effectively (and clearly) through
design.
The following some of my works. Feel free to visit my website, www.
lopez2.com for an extended, higher quality version of this document.
Thanks for browsing!
Sedona, AZ
Desert Breathing Machine A Hearth for Kamppi Square3 5
p (239)-247-1370
w www.lopez2.com
e rolando@wustl.edu
rolando
lopez2
Helsinki, Finland Unsited
Helsinki, Finland
Artek Design Center Two-Piece Chair2 3

2. 2
DECONSTRUCTED
VAULT HOUSE
Architectural ideas are often inherently tied to the program, of function, of the building. What is
an architectural idea when there is not strong programmatic requirements? The framework for
this project consists of constructing a pre-fabricated modular loft-house, to be lifted atop a New
York city building. The house is seen not as a series of programs, but as a vessel for life to happen.
The Vault House explores construction as a means of expression. The approach is
concerned with the analysis and modulation of two-directional vaults as a primary
means of structure and enclosure. Rib Vaults, two-directional vaults with a linear
structure, evolved during the middle ages as a superior alternative to groin vaults. The
interpretation of the vault as a domestic element provides a constructive architectural
module. The house is formed by four modules, one of which is stretched to establish a
center – a hearth – within the space. A layered roof spans the whole construction, visually
joining the four modules and allowing for improved passive cooling during warm months.
Shell
1. Thin Shell Concrete (Primary)
2. Glazing System (Tertiary)
3. Tensile Fabric on Metal Frame (Secondary)
Roof
4.Concrete Column
5.Breathable Membrane
A single-space living vessel, exploring construction as a
means of expression.
1.
5
4
3
1
2
4
3
5
2
1
The house is designed as a series of repeating
vaults, which explore interactions between
several construction systems.
Design 8, Spring 2013 New York, NY
13'-7"
14'-10"
13'-7"
14'-10"
13'-10"13'-9"20'-0"13'-10"
75'-7"
7'-2" 7'-2"
19'-2"
15'-2"
10’
Section N/S Half Module Elevation

3. 3
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
B
C
A
1
A1
1
B
1
A2
1
A3
105
C
106
C
107
B
104
A
103
A
102
A101
A
W.C. M
102
12 M²
W.C. F
102
12 M²
FIRE STAIRS
102
12 M²
VESTIBULE
102
15 M²
VESTIBULE
102
15 M²
CIRCULATION
102
100 M²
LOBBY
102
12 M²
INFORMATION
102
90 M²
ELEVATOR
102
10 M²
ARTEK STORE
102
90 M²
101
A
VESTIBULE
102
15 M²
ELEVATOR EQUIPMENT
102
9 M²
JANITOR/ STORAGE
102
10m
N ^
ARTEK DESIGN CENTER2.
Comprehensive Studio,
Spring 2014
Helsinki, Finland
The Floating Community
ArchiveMake
12
3 3
4 8
7
5
6
8
Collaborate
The building proposal involves a radical
division of program through section. The
program is divided into three main groups,
which relate to the core values of Artek:
collaborate, preserve, and make. The groups
are expressed architecturally as independent
“buildings within buildings” which float above
the street level.
1. Sauna
2.Patio
3.Artist Studio
4.Gallery
5. Archives
6. Library
7. Artek Offices
8. Classroom
Artek, a Finnish furniture company founded
by Alvar Aalto, is looking for a new home.
A site located in the Helsinki Design
District, located between the Architecture
and Design Museum, seems like an ideal
candidate. There’s only one problem: if
the builing were to be placed in the pre-
zoned location, in the center of the block,
no one would be able to get Sunlight.
The main decision is to squeeze the building
footprint to the north edge of the site,
allowing all buildings on the block to get
along. As an added bonus, a plaza space is
created to the South, providing a gathering
space for the visitors and neighborhood.
The project is made up of
three characters: the floating
community, the spine, and the deck.

4. 4
The south-facing deck becomes
a central gathering point for
the three museums, as well as
the Helsinki Design District.
The deck is designed as a
clean slab to allow for gallery
openings, art installations,
and temporary pavilions
The Deck
In order for the volumes to
communicate, a thin “spine”
is introduced. The spine uses
a series of ramps to connect
the three boxes with elevators
and the necessary means of
egress. It is a thin bar located
in the south, which links
the building with the newly
created public space. While
the group-boxes are heavy
and opaque, the circulation
spine is light and translucent.
This allows a connection
between building and plaza
The Spine
Thesouth-facingdeckbecomes
a central gathering point for
the three museums, as well as
the Helsinki Design District.
The deck is designed as a
clean slab to allow for gallery
openings, art installations,
and temporary pavilions. The
south-facing deck becomes
a central gathering point for
the three museums, as well as
the Helsinki Design District.
The deck is designed as a
Tectonics

5. 5
TWO-PIECE CHAIR
Can a chair be efficient and expressive?
3.
Elective, Spring 2014
Prof. Julie Tolvanien
Helsinki, Finland
The Two-Piece Chair is a prototype for a bent plywood
arm chair. The parti comes from the possibility of
“folding” a .5m x 1m sheet - the standard size for
plywood veneer. The back and seat pieces are made
using two identical pieces, made from the same mold.
A simple plywood piece is introduced as a seat, which
appears floating above the frame. The result is a chair
which is both efficient (using material limitation as
design driver) and expressive (creating a chair that
envelops the body). The design and prototype were
constructed in a period of four months, where several
digital and physical iterations were explored.

6. 6
desert breathing machine
A proposed interfaith chapel lies somewhere within both the
definition of monument and monster.Unusual, it takes its main
cone-like forms from the hyper concentration of churches,
spires, and bell towers. It’s typology likewise mirrors the red
rock spires reaching endlessly towards the heavens. As an
iconographically charged project, both secular and spiritual, it
draws from the memories and dreams of Sedona and manifests
itself to serve as an interfaith chapel, way-finder and monument.
Sedona, Arizona is classified as a dry continental climate. The
area experiences high dirunal swings during 24 hour periods
and long sun exposure even during winter months. The
area also experiences moderate breezes from the northest.
In order to maintain a more constant temperature, and
to relate to a feeling of refuge, the building is entirely
underground. In our pursuit of optimizing architectural form
and passive climate control, we devised a comprehensive
environmental control strategy for the Sedona landscape
in Arizona. Our project employs a combination of
Solar Chimneys and Evaporative Cooling Waterfalls.
During the day, the glass towers act as solar chimneys,
heating up and creating a large difference in temperature
between the underground space and the tower, encouraging
upward flow. To further encourage solar gain, a black surface
which is also a photovoltaic panel, tracks the sun in order
to quickly encourage heat gain, but also to recover solar
energy. At night, these towers are opened at the top and as
the space within it heats up, the chimney encourages and
creates a strong convection cycle by means of the stack effect.
A sunken waterfall assembly is employed in four strategic
areas of building. Warm air is drawn through a waterfall and
surface pond by means of a fan, cooling the air and increasing
moisture in a dry area. Moreover, the warm air is drawn up
by means of the solar chimney, allowing for comfortable
temperatures year- round, even with an increased occupant load.
4.
Advanced Building Systems
Prof. Paul Donnely
Sedona, AZ
In Collaboration with Joshua Chen, Jing Bao, Garett House, Adolfo Maalindog
Air Intake Assembly
(Fan+ Grill) Water Pump
Water Intake
Evaporative Cooling Pool
Site Cast Concrete Slab
Insulation
Hardwood Flooring
Liner + Underlayment
LED Light Fixture
Site Cast Concrete Retaining Wall
Stainless Steel Grill W/Lid
Waterfall
Concrete Cladding
Water Supply Pipe
Moisture Break, Thermal Break, Insulation
Site Cast Concrete (Structural)
Site Cast Concrete
Insulation
Moisture/Thermal Break
Rotating Photovoltaic Panel on Tracks
Single Glazing
Operable Glazing for Night Flush
Environmental Systems Assembly
5'0' 10'
Anodized Aluminum Mullion
Primary Steel Structure
Standoff
Metal Rail for PV Assembly
Roof Cap/
Tower Base
Assembly
Soil
Landscaping
Electric Cavity
Thermal Break
A highly efficient underground
environmental control system

7. 7
The goal for the pavilion is to create a space for warmth. The
pavilion provides literal warmth for travelers; both through its
architecture and actual physical heat. A bed of conditioned
rocks are arrayed underneath the pavilion and project heat
upwards into the interior pavilion space. As the heat rises up, it
helps warm travelers. As an additional conveyance of “warmth,
” the pavilion relates to the human scale, and is meant to be
warm in terms of its materiality; bent wood cladding at two
different scales are fastened to a primary structural wooden
frame, creating a textured facade.
Narinkkatori is a highly trafficked square in
downtown Helsinki. The square is multi-faceted
and serves a variety of roles in numerous capacities.
Narinkkatori flanks the main bus station (Kamppi)
and serves as a hinge between shopping, living,
and recreational Helsinki. In essence Narinkkatori
is the eclectic center of Helsinki. However, due
to the scale and materiality of the buildings
around it, the square can feel cold and detached.
Glass and metal are not the most welcoming
materials, a problem compounded by the fact that
Helsinki is a cold and frigid place in and of itself.
The form of the pavilion is derived from
the three primary circulation arteries,
ensuring that pedestrians can follow their
pre-existing routes of travel unhindered
while experiencing “the hearth.”
Arched entryways become bent walls,
enveloping and welcoming visitors
– inviting an everyday passersby to
enter and help conserve heat in the
space.
The pavilion warps between the
entrances in order to become a
staircase which allows visitors to
cross above the pavilion.
A set of heated landscape pads flank
the corners of the pavilion, allowing for
occupants to rest in an external space
and observe the busy plaza.
Can Architecture bring
warmth into a cold place?
1. 2. 3. 4.
!
in Collaboration with Jonathan Bryer
2 Week Study, Spring 2014
Helsinki, Finland
XX s.f.
a hearth for
kamppi square
5.

8. 8
There seems to be a lack of Modern Buildings in the historic
roman core. In fact, nothing modern had been built inside
the old roman walls until Richard Meier’s Ara Pacis museum
in 2006. This project poses the following challenge: can we
seamlessly insert a large-scale project into the fabric of
an old city? The process began by studying the Roman
city, and finding relationships and common threads. The
courtyard, which can be seen throughout the city, became a
clear common thread.
in Collaboration with Jenny Park
Fall 2012, Prof. Alfonso Perez Mendez
Rome, Italy
500,000 s.f.
courtyard block6.
Enclosed Permeable Open Implied
After studying different types of courtyards, we chose to
apply the “Implied Courtyard” typology to the site: a series
of streets and pathways which lead to a “hidden” courtyard,
acting as a public space. The courtyard becomes the hearth
of the large-scale block, creating a frame of reference and
active public space in an under-used part of the city.
Can the DNA of a city help generate
fitting new Architecture?

9. 9
Translucent Diaphragm System
Corrugated Glass
Steel Mullion
Concrete Column
Opaque Curtain Wall System
Glazing + MullionPre-cast Concrete Cladding
Concrete Column
Wood Balcony System
glazing
concrete slab
Programatically, the block contains
a cultural center, retail spaces,
residential towers, and resident
ammenities. The program is tightly
linked with a construction system,
which allows for wayfinding and clear
understanding of a complex whole.
The residential towers are expressed
as spaces under a folded plane, which
shields from the sun and orients the
towers.
Cultural Center
Horizontal Housing
Public Plaza
Shopping
Amenities
Vertical Housing
100100100 29+I11+I 60+I11+29+60
32+68 21+7+19+11+7+35 15+35+50
11%
58,000 f2
58,000 f2
4 (museum, theater, supermarket,
department store)
88 dwellings per acre
5 (where 10 is Fontana di
Trevi, 0 is private garden)
114,400 f2
165,100 f2
Intensity 6
Intensity 2
Supermarket
Cafe/Restaurant
Department Store
Retail Stores
20%
11%
7%
35%
20%
6%
Museum
Theater
58,000 f2
43,000 f2
51,100 f2
116,600 f2
Plaza
Number of Attractors
Intensity of Public
Housing Density
Shopping
Streets
Cultural Center
Amenities
Horizontal Housing
Vertical Housing
548,100 f2
157,400 f2
332,700 f2
29% 60%
Public Shared PrivateTotal
2-layer wood louver

10. 10
p (239)-247-1370
w www.lopez2.com
e rolando@wustl.edu
Education
Technical Skills
Professional Experience
Teaching
Modeling
McNeil Rhinoceros • • •
Grasshopper+Plugins • •
Google Sketchup 2014 • • •
Autodesk Revit 2015 • •
Autodesk Autocad • • •
Coding
HTML 5 • • •
CSS 3 • • •
Wordpress CMS • • •
PHP •
Javascript •
Arduino •
Graphics
Adobe Photoshop • • •
Adobe InDesign • • •
Adobe Illustrator • • •
Adobe Premiere Pro •
Corel Draw Suite • •
Windows and Mac friendly.
• Basic •• Proficient ••• Expert
Recognition
Intern Designer
nbbj, Seattle, WA
Summer 2014
Intern Designer
Hunton Brady Architects, Orlando, FL
Summer 2012 + Summer 2013
Webmaster
UF School of Architecture, Gainesville, FL
December 2011-2013
Freelance Web Designer
Elliptical Studios, Ft. Myers, FL
2006-2011
Student Involvement
Editorial Team
Approach Magazine, 2014-2015
Lecture Series Designer
Sam Fox School, Spring 2015
Student Representative
Sam Fox National Council, Spring 2015
Member
WUSTL NOMA, 2014-2015
Editor in Chief
Architrave Magazine #20, 2012-2013
Creative Director
Architrave Magazine #19, 2011-2012
Vice President
UF Architecture College Council, 2011-2012
Senior Representative
UF Student Advisory Council, 2013
Public Relations Director
UF Cuban American Student Association, 2011
Masters of Architecture (Projected)
Washington University, St. Louis MO
2013-2015 (Current GPA 3.9)
Aalto University
Helsinki, Finland (Study Abroad)
Spring 2014
Bachelors of Design in Architecture
(Summa Cum Laude)
University of Florida, Gainesville FL
2009-2013 (GPA: 3.83)
Vicenza Institute of Architecture
Vicenza, Italy (Study Abroad)
Fall 2012
McNeil Digital Fabrication Workshop
March 2011
WUSTL 311 Teaching Assistant (Third Year)
Fall 2013, Professor Jonathan Stitelman
Rendering Workshop
Spring 2013
UF Design I Teaching Assistant (First Year)
Summer 2011, Professor Alfonzo Perez-Mendez
Fall 2011, Professor Mark McGlothlin
UF Design IV Teaching Assistant (Second Year)
Spring 2011, Professor Rebecca Walker
Heartland Prize 2014-2015
AIACS Competition, 1st Place
NOMA Design Competition
2014
2nd Place
MESH Competition
Honorable Mention
Dean’s Scholar
WUSTL, 2013-2015
Architecture Design Award
UF SoA, Spring 2013
President’s Honor Roll
Fall 2012
Top 10
UF SoA Selective Admissions
Top 20
UFarm Competition
Vitra Museum Aalto Monograph
Plans+Sections, 2014
Approach 2014-2015
The Heliophile, Helsinki Infill
Architrave Magazine #20
Courtyard Block
Re-Configured Assemblage
Archdaily,Suckerpunch,B1 Magazine
(Print)
eVolo Skyscaper Poster,
Silvarium
http://www.evolo.us/magazine/evo-
lo-2012-skyscraper-competition-post-
er-limited-edition/
Architrave Magazine #19
Junction, UFarm, Silvarium, Sinkhole
Pavilion
Published Work
rolando
lopez2
Architrave #20, Editor in ChiefFly The Mall, Design Thinking BookSAM FOX lecture series posters, Designer Architrave #19. Creative Director
check out my
website for more
works!