Diana's Travel Blog on Archinect:
Six Taubman College M.Arch students were selected to assist the curators of the U.S. Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale in installing The Architectural Imagination. The students will travel to Venice for one month as Exhibition Fellows. They will serve as docents for the opening days of the exhibition. This blog is about their experience working on the 2016 U.S. Pavilion and in Venice.
Students:
Kristen Gandy
Ramon Hernandez
Christopher Locke
Rubin Quarcoopome
Salam Rida
Diana Tsai
Convene, New York City, Associate
Develop program requirements with key stakeholders.
• Prepare and present testfits, project narrative and design to executive team.
• Manage cross-functional project teams with weekly design meetings to maintain schedule
and budget through project timeline. Consultants include architects, lighting design, MEP
engineers, and general contractors.
• Coordinate weekly with internal teams including, operations, marketing, food service and
product, to align with brand standards and typology.
• Collaborate with in house designers to develop brand narrative and client experience.
• Oversee weekly construction progress and verify design accuracy according to contract
documents and brand standards.
• Identify and execute value-engineering opportunities in order to maintain project budget.
• Coordinate with Food Service consultants for specialty event kitchens, bars and retail cafes.
• Develop signage and way-finding strategies to align with brand standards and comply with
code requirements.
• Coordinate with internal teams to develop new products for visitor experience.
The Architectural Imagination - 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale U.S. Pavilion Exhibition, Venice, IT, Fellow
One of six Master of Architecture Exhibition Fellows designated to assist the curators, Cynthia Davidson and Monica Ponce de Leon at the US Pavilion during the 2016 Venice Biennale. They traveled to Venice, Italy to install the twelve projects of The Architectural Imagination, organized by Taubman College, and also served as docents at the opening of the exhibition.
Convene, New York city, Designer
Provide site analysis during lease negotiations.
• Design high visibility elements throughout the space including, custom fabricated millwork
and details, with an emphasis on hospitality areas.
• Assist with permit and code consultants to facilitate permit approvals.
• Complete project entirely in-house through concept development, schematic design, design
development, and construction documentation with special emphasis on finish selection and
schedule and execution og construction administration.
• Prepare and produce full construction documents from schematic design, design
development through construction administration.
• Develop FF&E scope, select furniture, and provide full furniture package including furniture
plans and full specifications, to furniture dealer for bid and install.
• Responsible for addressing RFI’s, shop drawings, submittals with internal and external
teams.
• Coordinate and prepare punch-list with general contractor, consultants and external vendors.
• Liaise and commission local artists to curate custom art pieces for each project.
• Work with the artists from initial conception through development and installation.
• Design and oversee fabrication of art installations and specialty signage.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, US, Graduate Research Assistant
Graduate Research Assistant for Assistant Professor of Architecture Thomas Moran. Assisted in the research, prototyping, and fabrication of the Research Through Making project "Post Rock"; which studies the opportunities of a new geologic material, plastiglomerate; a material formed by combining polymer plastic pollution and post-consumer plastics with natural materials. Also assisted in the design and installation of the exhibition in March.
SPAN Architecture, Shanghai, CN, Architectural Intern
Produce construction drawings and renderings for SIVA remodeling project as well as build scale model for competition project.
Utilize Rhino to design and model parametric glass wall for Shanghai Insititute of Visual Art (SIVA) remodeling project.
Design and edit promotional publications for the firm as well as use InDesign to edit and layout contents of SPAN’s book for publication.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, US, Communications Assistant
Assisted the Communications Manager, Deniz McGee in all matters relating to Taubman College's social outlets and student relations as well as assist in various school wide events as well This includes managing Taubman College's social media accounts, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Website.
University Productions, University of Michigan School of Dance and Theater, Ann Arbor, MI, US, Production Assistant
Fabricate custom items for University Theater Productions using various materials and explorations from wooden cages to wax props. Create visual scenery to enhance theater productions and performances. Facilitated set up and take down of theater sets throughout duration of show.
