please come in

Our living room...a place where everything has a meaning.

snow, dogs and boots

We had approximately 5 inches of snow today in Greensboro, and my Columbia boots came quite handy to chase the dogs outside.

out of shape

A few days ago I dared to draw people... not my favorite subject though... not because I don't enjoy it, but because I mess them up really bad. Michael Ananian, my life drawing professor at UNCG once said: "The human figure is nothing but a series of relationships among its parts. In order to attempt to draw an accurate human figure one must study and understand these relationships." I obviously need to study more.

seconds in life

My father, a talented photographer, dedicated much of his free time to photograph us. Throughout the years, my family accumulated one of the richest collections of family photos anyone can imagine. I still remember he used to say: "a photo is nothing but a second in life". He was right. Today, thanks to these 'seconds in life' I am capable of traveling through time and live once again my childhood's greatest moments. If you are a parent, please record a many seconds as possible. Your children will be as thankful as I am today.

My dad was rarely photographed. As I flipped our photos, I found this picture of him. I don't know who took it, but I remember he mentioned he was swimming. As I studied the photo, I read on his face a deep thought. I wonder what he was thinking.

"the real world"

As I went through college I constantly looked forward to "the real world" where I would be able to work all day, come back home to my wife, have a nice dinner or watch a movie on a Monday night or simply read a book. I could not wait to graduate and live in "the real world". Well this is it! I am living it and loving it! My new job involves constant traveling, in which I am sure I will have windows of time to capture my surroundings with sketches like this one.

two birds with one stone

Rachel, my sister-in-law, and her partner Shaaron caught me off guard this past December by giving me this wonderful ipod nano as a Christmas present and graduation present. They sure killed two birds with one stone and they did it very well. I can't live without it!

zooming in

As I mentioned on the previous post, this sculpture was a present from my dear professor and mentor Novem Mason. As I struggled to draw it, I asked Suzanne: What the hell was Novem thinking? Suzanne joked and responded: "He wanted you to have a hard time drawing it." I remembered I told Novem once that that the numerous planes in this sculpture made it very interesting. Novem simply replied: "When you design, you must think in 3D. Avoid designing in plan view; people don't experience objects and spaces in plan view, but in 3D." Cheers to that!

thank you Novem

It took me almost five years of begging in order to gain possession of this amazing and beautiful sculpture from my professor and design mentor Novem Mason. The first time I saw this sculpture in his office my jaw dropped. I could not believe the amount of planes and details, and neither could I imagine how he made it. It is truly something to see, but hard to draw as you can imagine. Today Suzanne and I decided to pay a tribute to Novem Mason with a couple of sketches. Thank you Novem!

Greensboro's sky

One of the worst feelings is when you've got a lot to do and no desire to do it. As an attempt to find inspiration and go back to study for my final exams, I looked out the window and encountered this peaceful Greensborian sky. It did not help.

flipping the page

12/12 @ 12, the deadline for the last school project, marked the end of a five year journey with Interior Architecture. I must admit that many times I would say: "can't wait for this to be over", but today I experienced something totally different and unexpected. While I observed the bus shelter I have worked on as a project manager along with other colleagues, I felt a piercing nostalgia. I realized this project was more than just a bus shelter. It represented the collaboration of numerous people that care about making a difference; it signified the end of a journey; it symbolized the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. Damn... I hate good-byes.

almost done!

It is just a matter of days...

a gift to my wife

I am not certain of my woodworking skills. But if there is anything I am certain of is of the deep love I feel for my wife. She lives to draw, and for this reason I decided to risk loosing a couple of my fingers in a wood shop trying to build these two pen holders for her office desk. She says she loves them; I hope you do as well.

dads

Being a dad is not easy business, yet it is one of the greatest satisfactions any living species can ever experience. Cheers! to all the dads in this world.

happy thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is the holiday that Suzanne and I enjoy the most for very simple reasons. We love the fact that we get to enjoy the day relaxing, eating, spending time with our lovely dogs as shown in this video and being thankful for the many blessing life has brought us. Here's wishing you the same blessings this Thanksgiving!

a man of process

This semester I have had the privilege to be part of the Community by Design teaching team, a studio course for the second year students in the Department of Interior Architecture at UNCG. At this stage in their careers, second year students are challenged with large scale design-build projects. This semester's second year class has been assigned to design and build a bus shelter in Greensboro, NC. These sketches are some of my contributions in helping facilitate the design team's ideation process. If you are interested in more information, please refer to the Community by Design blog.

iarc logo

I have been lost lately, but I promise it has been for a good cause. One of the task that has kept me from updating my blog is that of designing a logo for the Department of Interior Architecture at UNCG. Each year, the UNCG's IIDA Campus Center encourages students to submit logos for their T-shirts and sweaters. I guess I got lucky this time!... they chose mine!

drowning beaver... i mean beagle

photography by Sarah Margaret Church

Our beagle Pokey has many skills. He can smell a piece of chicken bone 30' off a trail. He can hear you unwrapping anything or even opening the refrigerator and kitchen cabinets while he is deeply asleep. He can pee for 3 minutes straight... no kidding he really can. He can eat like no other specimen too. As you can see, our beagle has multiple skills, but swimming is not one of them. Sadly, his weight tends to sink him. On the other hand, Reilly, our Jack Russell loves to show off in the water while the beagle hangs out at the shore.

thoughts while i draw

What a gorgeous and peaceful day! Suzanne and I decided to spend some time drawing, so we visited Center City Park in Greensboro. The weather was perfect. As I drew, I thought of many things. I thought about the simple and great things that make up the city of Greensboro; I thought of the similarity of the water fountain at Center City Park with that of the Bellagio's in Las Vegas, NV; I thought of the design features that make a great park; I thought of how much one pays attention to the little things when one draws them. I also thought of Louie, my 10 year-old son, and wondered if he misses me as much as I missed him today.

section cuts

Section cuts are one of the many ways designers can show and study spatial relationships, details, connections and other important design features. The key to a successful and informative section cut relies on the designer's ability to cut through the spaces that reveal the most. moreover, a section cut must show your design concept in a clearly legible manner. These sections might help you understand how useful and informative a section can be.

paying what is owed

I would like to pay what is owed. Many of you might remember that this past summer, as part of my thesis, I was fully committed to the redesign of the Museum Store at the Weatherspoon Art Museum. I posted several drawings explaining the process and my thoughts, and I am sure some of you wanted to see where this project was heading. This model is part of the final outcome!

paper + pen + ink

This post intends to honor those artists that still believe in the power of paper, pen and ink as well as the beautiful outcome that results from applying them. On the right, you will find links to several gifted artists capable of bringing joy, fun and life out of a piece of paper. They are ready to share all of those emotions with you, so check them out! Salud!

Mon amie, ma vie... my beloved wife

Tú y Yo...Hoy, Mañana y Siempre

On August of 2008, I married beauty itself
Ohh...what a gorgeous and unforgettable day,
With my family and friends,
And food, beer and wine
But most importantly with her... beauty
Mon amie, ma vie... my beloved wife

photography by addie brown, oscar cabrera & edgar cabrera

contextual study

Finish architect Eliel Saarinen perceived space as a totality. He believed that an object should be designed within its next largest context, for example a brick within a wall, a chair within a room, a room within a house, a house within a street and so forth. This section cut studies how the Museum Store fits within the Museum and the University.

meet 'the sausage' and 'the mop'

Meet my dogs: Pokey 'the sausage' and Reilly 'the mop'. Why the sausage? It is obvious! And why 'the mop'? If you have ever touched a brillo pad, you have touched Reilly. Her fur is so rough that it reminds me of a white mop we had in our house when I was a child.

experiment

codes and ergonomics

Let's face it! It seems some designers despise dealing with building codes and ergonomics. I can understand that. Some designers perceive codes as bumps on the highway of creativity. However, what would be the point of designing a space if one does not consider the users. Is not a designer's purpose to satisfy the user(s) after all? I believe it is. So whether we like it or not, the study of codes and ergonomics in design can only assist designers to better suit their clients.

the gift box

As the project moves forward, Gwen and I have made some light studies for the gift shop. As you can see in these sketches, I ran into some problems in trying to communicate our lighting intentions. Oh well, after all we are always in a learning process!

meet gwen!

Gwen is my dear colleague, a hard worker and driven woman! It takes me forever to do anything, but with Gwen on board I stay on task! We will work together in the remodeling of the Weatherspoon Art Museum store located in Greensboro, NC. We will post our progress on this project as we go along, so check out her blog and please provide us with feedback! Thanks!

productive day @ studio

Today was a hell of a day! I accomplished lots of work towards my studio project. I am still in the process of ideation and trying to convey the concept of 'wrapping', which Gwen and I believe is appropriate for the museum's store.

the store: let it begin!

My summer will be devoted to the re-redesign of the store at the Weatherspoon Art Museum. This project will move quite quickly, or at least I hope so. I will be working with my colleague Gwen. These are some rough ideas about the new shelving system.

the mini

I just wish I could capture the elegance of the most beautiful car in the world... the mini-cooper.

people

bibliofuture: interior

Once again, it is hard to predict how a library would look like within 10,000 years. This is my thought.

bibliofuture: this is it!

Here it is!... the final model of a library of the future. Hard to predict I guess, but this was my shot. Every single one of those layers represents a building floor.

bibliofuture: process

bibliofuture

Now working on a library that will house numerology; will be sited in Asia and will last 10,000 years. Yeah, I know.... blame it on Patrick (my professor).

the weatherspoon art museum

This summer will be a busy one. I will take summer studio so I can graduate next December. Can't wait! I will be redesigning the Weatherspoon Art Museum gift shop along with my colleague Gwen.

a wall?

The library I have been working for the past few weeks presents limitations relative to square footage; therefore, its design demands studies like this one...in which a wall becomes more than a wall.

sing me to sleep

Asleep by The Smiths! I can't explain why this song touches me so deeply. Besides the fact that I am addicted to it, I enjoy the sadness it causes me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

more library: approaching the end

Can't wait to complete this project. I would love to sit on a couch and do nothing for an entire week!

still alive

I feel I have abandoned my blog lately. Nowadays, 200% of my time goes to studio work. This is what I have been working lately: The Benjamin Branch Library in Greensboro, NC.

two birds, one shot

Through this study, I explored the possibilities of creating a green roof for birds and squirrels to hang out and a system to bring diffused daylight into the new addition of the library I am currently renovating and expanding.

our cities

Every single object, whether it be a piece of furniture, a car, a fabric, a space, a house, an office building, a sculpture, a piece or art or an installation we design contributes to the formation of a larger scheme: the city. Together these elements shape our streets and our environment, and they have the potential to better or worsen our lives. Is your contribution as an artist or designer one that celebrates human life and community? This imaginary city attempts to convey the excitement of living in a city where every single element comes together to provoke a sense of wonder and happiness.

what a blue!

As Suzanne and I left studio today, we encountered one of the most beautiful skies we've seen. Luckily..... we had a camera to capture it forever. Cheers!

experience 2: more process

Schematic and conceptual development are indeed two facets of the design process I quite enjoy. Here, you have the opportunity to generate ideas and have fun as they come along. This study explores a possible addition to the Benjamin Branch Library in Greensboro.

experience 2: bubble diagrams

These bubble diagrams allow me to easily visualize the spatial relationships and circulation patterns of the Benjamin Branch Library of Greensboro. I am a very visual person, so these bubbles come quite handy.

experience 1: sketch model

This sketch model allowed me to visualize some of the difficulties I might face in the making of this piece.

moments

Schematics have begun for the design of the Benjamin Branch Library in Greensboro, so this is some brainstorming of moments that could occur in this space.

i love you this much award

I really don't know what she was thinking, but Suzanne forwarded this undeserved award to me and now I would like to pass it along to Ivo's Sketch Blog. His sketches must be seen by anyone who draws! It is an honor to forward this award to you! Good job!

why?

This GMC ad was released for the Super Bowl 2008. To me, this was the best ad. It was touching, moving and straight to the point. I shiver every time I see it. The animation is based on an illustration called Sisyphus created by the Hungarian graphic artist Marcell Jankovics in 1974 . Enjoy!

experience 1: installation

This installation could have not been possible without the assistance and skills of a wonderful friend and colleague: designer Adrian Boggs. He was able to help me understand how the heck I was going to build and install this structure. It is quite clear that design is a collaborative process that unites people and strengthens the sense of community. Thanks A! you are indeed a friend!

experience 1: schematics

Here I experimented more with some digital rendering.

experience 1: concept

This semester, my studio focuses on the design of libraries from the past, present and future. We began the semester with the precedent studies of libraries constructed between 10,000 BC-1400 AD, from 1400-1800 AD and 1800-2000 AD. I was attracted to the Seattle Central Library for its form, which intends to bring natural light into the space and connect the interior with the exterior. I tried to materialize this concept through an abstract installation utilizing metal, fabric and light. I went through a series of sketch models and sketches to help me understand the form, its construction and future experience.

wonder

What causes us to experience such extraordinary emotion? I recently visited the High Museum of Art Atlanta, and there I was able to experience wonder. Looking at the amazing details of Egyptian, Greek and Roman sculptures was wonderful. Joy must have been felt in the creation of these sculptures, which I believe it to be the force that drove these artists to turn solid marble into figures capable of causing mesmerization and wonder on whoever sees them. How can an object or a building evoke a sense of wonder across time? According to Lobell, they were born out of the unmeasurable... out of that essence that can never disappear.

touch & sight

Lobell sustains that our sense of procreation has to do with our desire to touch, and from this came eyesight. I recently visited the Geogia Aquarium, and here I could witness how my need to touch and see what I touched was satisfied. The designers obviously intended to create a sense of an under water experience. A diverse variety of materials throughout the space invited me to touch and feel the texture of things. Certain walls had such a strong visual texture that being in contact with them was unavoidable. I felt like a fish, freely swimming and touching everything at my reach. Why create spaces that paralyze our impulse to touch and see?

joy

According to John Lobell, joy was in every ingredient of our making. Wow! I truly identify with this simple yet deep statement. What is the point of designing something if I won't feel joy while doing it? I firmly believe a true designer should feel joy on every stroke of a line. From now on, I will let that force lead me through my career... my passion. (source: veer catalog)

a book of words

The following posts will consist of a series of thoughts and reflections on the book "Between Silence and Light" by John Lobell. I will also record process work from my studio work as well as observations and life experiences. Enjoy it! (source: picasaweb.google.com)

innovation

Innovation is one of the core values that drive the Department of Interior Architecture at UNCG. I am glad to be part of this school. Here, I was just playing with the idea of different building forms.

charrette

This charrette encouraged us to observe, feel and analyze the experience of visiting and using the Jackson Library at UNCG. I certainly learned a lot. I learned about the circulation, organization, the tools needed to find what you are looking for, the movement of people and the library's relationship with the entire campus.

check it out charette

close to home exhibit

The Close To Home Exhibit took place last November at the lobby of the Maud Gatewood Studio Arts building at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as well as several other locations across the city of Greensboro. The city celebrated many things: modernism in Greensboro, the life and work of the Chicago native architect Edward Loewenstein and the rich history of the ever growing city of Greensboro, NC. This is a schematic floor plan I proposed for the exhibit, which was in fact the chosen one for further development.

lead pencil studio

Few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go and see a lead pencil studio installation at the Weatherspoon Art Museum. Their work is a must see. I thought their work consist of a series of explorations on art and architecture. This is a sketch I captured during their presentation! You got to check this out!

new toy

Suzanne just bought a new toy!... Sweet!... a wacom tablet! I am just starting to have fun here! It is unbelievable the things you can do with this!!!

rock and roll!

Just trying to communicate light quality here.

things can't live without

There are two things I can't live without: my watch and chapstick.

trains

Strangely, I am really fascinated by the way train systems work. Here are some doodles!

homesick

I don't usually get homesick, but when I do I miss my country, my food, my beaches, my sun, my heat, my rum, my beer, my places, my ciguas, my people, my palm trees, my sugar cane, my chichiguas, my mangos , the old times and everything contained within that magnificent piece of land located on the center of the world.

coffee table

This is a sketch of a coffee table I would like to build as soon as school starts in January. I am not much of a builder, but I truly enjoy working in a wood shop! Hopefully one day I will have my own shop.

doodles

I haven't drawn in ages; it's obvious. School has just taken over my life. Oh well, today I had some time to just play around and doodle freely. I feel really inspired after having seeing so many interesting blogs lately. I wish I can could make drawing a habit.

the bedroom

The bedroom is one of the spaces in the house I spend the least amount of time, but the quality of light this lamp irradiates makes me want to be around more often.

sticky note

This is Pokey, my beagle who is always hungry, and this is a reminder to myself when he is eating.

a clue

As I was sketching this church over my lunch break, I thought about Louie, my 10 year-old son. I wondered if many years from now my son would ever go through my sketchbook to find out or get to know more about his dad. Would he scrutinize this sketch and be able to decipher at what time and where I was sitting while I drew this? Would he ever visit this peaceful place in which I enjoyed so many lunch-breaks and thought of him?

lighting project

just another conceptual sketch for a the lighting project.

social spectrum

this is a conceptual sketch I did for a lighting project for the week. The space would function as a V.I.P. lounge. Obviously, it would not be an expensive one!

time for a break!

this is the condition on which we left the house on dec. 17. It is finished with the exception of some minor details and touches here and there. We are just ready for a break!

good night while i work overtime!

as the deadline approached we had to make changes relative to the schedule. The changes were simple. Let's work days and nights and forget about our lives.

scaffold

this was one of those assignments that would keep me busy all day on site. the simple task of building a scaffold can be quite challenging for someone like me who weeks ago couldn't even hammer a nail into a piece of wood. I felt good and accomplished!

basement floor

it is simply amazing to take note of the amount of materials and the work involved in a simple concrete floor. Wow!!!!!

the mailbox

as designers we are always encouraged to create new forms for daily objects such mailboxes. This are some iterations of the mailbox we were trying to design for the house.

entry wall

here are just some conceptual sketches of the entry wall of the house. We (the students), were intending to design some sort of multi-purpose wall that would serve as a storage and room divider.

the house

this is a rough sketch of the front of the house I did for the groundbreaking ceremony. It looks way different than what the house looks like!!! Patience! You will see the final house soon!

conceptual sketch of kitchen

This is a conceptual sketch of the kitchen I drew a couple months ago. The kitchen is finished!! I can't wait to take a picture of it and compare the accuracy of the sketch!

floor plan

I hope this is clear enough. This is a sketch of the final floor plan for the house. A 1000 sq.ft.

urban studio

This semester has indeed been tough at school. I was part of a group of students who built a house for an elderly couple in Greensboro, NC. Here are some of the process sketches of this odyssey.

nut and bolt

In this sketch I was simply trying to focus on details and light and shadow. I need advice relative to hatching! I love this technique; however, I don't feel I can do it successfully.

a beautiful transit

As an interior architecture student, I, along with my classmates, am building a house this semester. Our professor, a Canadian architect, brought to the site a very nice, precise and sensitive transit. It was nice to use it but not as delightful as drawing it.

a greensboro home

the love of a mother

To my eyes, this child was strangling his mom, but to her it felt like a sweet caress. Wow! This made me miss my mom Chichi. She has been a wonderful mother.

peaceful pianist

It was just nice to observe the deep state of peace and relaxation of this pianist. He seemed very disconnected from everything else while establishing a strong connection with his inner self.

revisiting the past

While taking a look at my sketchbook, which is full of spider webs, I found this sketch I did in San Francisco. It is even hard to tell what it is. It is a desk. And yeap, that is a person in the middle. I just think it is crucial for anyone to always look back at the past and learn from it and appreciate it for what it was.

my watch

I simply can't live without my watch. It was a present from Donta, a co-worker who collects watches.

first post, finally!

I created my blog almost two months ago and yet I haven't posted anything. What a shame! I guess this is it! My first post, a quick sketch of Pokey while he was staring at me. Cheers!