PORTFOLIO

Part 1Architectural Assistant

Nationality: British

Email: markaoun55@gmail.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markaoun Instagram: marchistudio_ Tel: 07919250560

EDUCATION

2021-24

University of Westminster, BA (Hons) Architecture, London (Grade 1:1)

Year 3: DS 3.7 John Zhang &David Porter

Project: Bridging Ages: The Multigenerational Future Living o Young Artists &Elderlies

Dissertation: Market Dynamics and Cultural Shifts:

Unraveling the Transformative Impact of Economic Interests on Spitalfields Market’s Cultural Value and on Neighbourhood Shifts.

Year 2: DS 2.4 Camila Wilkinson &Chris Bryant

Projects: Somers Clothes Repair Centre (Semester

Somers Eco Children Centre (Semester 2

Year 1: Studio A Richa Mukhia &Conor Sheehan

Project: Tiles of Memories (Semester 2

2019-21

The London Oratory School, London A-levels Art (A), Theology C), Economics (C)

2014-19

S Thomas More Language College, London 9 GCSE’S Grades 8-4 including Arabic

WORK EXPERIENCE

Sept. 2023 - Purcell, Bermondsey, London

Undertook a two-week placement contributing to RIBA Stage for parent and patient accommodations at Great Ormond Street Hospital and participating in the restoration of Sinai Park House, a Grade II listed house.

Redrew existing floor plans of townhouses on Autocad. Drew axonometrics of both project sites and concept design of the house, then edited them on Photoshop.

Nov. 2023 - Imperial College London Co-production Workshop

Participated in a workshop with medical students to redesign St. Mary’s Hospital emergency department to improve the experience for homeless individuals.

Oct. 2023 - AIA Student Charette

Undertook a full day group competition to design an urban garden in Floral Court, Covent Garden, London.

Sept. 2022 - Tiny House Competition

A competition, conducted in pairs, aimed to design a dwelling for two in a chosen location.

Oct. 2022 - Dec. 2022 - Site Diary, 25 Baker Street, London

Monitored the on-site construction of 25 Baker Street by Laing O’Rourke through four site visits and meetings with site engineers and architects at Hopkins.

May 2024 - Foster+Partners Insight Day

An evening session provided an overview of the practice and their goals in architecture, a tour of the practice, and introductions to some of their key projects.

Antony Sadler,

The third-year project is an accumulation of work from semesters one and two. The goal is to provide a multigenerational living scheme for both young aspiring artists and the elderly in Beijing, China. The first semester involved analyzing two case studies, one in London and another in Beijing. These studies were then augmented and amalgamated based on future

predictions for 2030, resulting in a prototype to be tested onsite. I have considered the rise in virtualized work and single-person dwellings. In semester two, the prototypical ideas from semester one were consolidated, tested, and developed into an urbanscale housing proposal, with an innovative program preparing Chinese inhabitants for 2030.

My case studies include the House for Artists (top) in London and the Baiziwan Social Housing in Beijing (top middle). I explored ideas broadly through coloured card modeling aiming to create an extended lightweight

structure that would serve as art studios, providing an efficient transition from residential to nonresidential space and facilitating a close work-from-home environment. Inspired by the BSH project with its suspended

communal walkways, the space becomes one for both artists and the elderly, serving as both work and communal art workshop spaces.

The prototype design drew inspiration from the Unité d’Habitation, incorporating small apartment sizes similar to the BSH project. The interlocked maisonettes create close bonds between two communities. The lightweight structure extends to accommodate work and social spaces.

Upper masionette (Artists)

Lower masionette (Elderlies)

Central corridor

Ground floor dance studio

Social & Art workshop spaces

Artists studio

Art exhibition space

Inspired by the Unite d’habitation, I wanted to take the prototype and play with the geometry to allow for more housing units. Rather than repeating and creating a dense block, I wanted to duplicate and mirror the prototype on-site, to form a reimagined inner sunken garden to provide a semi-

public social space where elderlies and artists can meet and interact.

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

5. Vapour Control Layer (VCL)

6. 20mm Oriented Strand Board (OSB)

7. 130mm Ventilating Cavity Gap

8. 130mm Timber Joist

9. 20mm Oriented Strand Board (OSB)

10. I-Beam Cross Section

11. Steel Counter Beam

12. 20mm Ceiling Plasterboard

Screw Pile 1. 22mm Timber Roof Panels 2. 40mm Timber Battens 3. 40mm Ventilating Cavity Gap 4. 130mm Rigid Rockwool Insulation Board

10mm Plywood

10mm Plasterboard

Window Trim

22mm Timber Floor Panels 20. 40mm Screed (with underfloor heating system)

21. 20mm Oriented Strand Board (OSB) 22. 130mm Rockwool Insulation 23. 20mm Ceiling Plasterboard

24. 10mm Fibre Cement Panels

The projects in the second year were based in Somers Town, North-West London. The first semester served as an introduction to sustainable architecture, emphasizing recycling and reuse. One task involved constructing a 1:1 “fragment” made of waste and found materials, designed to exhibit environmental behaviors and be easily disassembled. This fragment would eventually become a key

architectural element of a building on a designated “fragment” of land. Somers Town, known for its high deprivation rates in terms of basic needs and living standards, is the focus of my proposal. The program aims to address this issue by establishing a clothes recycling and repair center, providing affordable repairs and a shopping unit for donated clothing.

1. String is attached from roof to shutters through a pulley system.

2. Wind, strongest from SouthWest, reacts with roof thus moving it in vertical motion.

3. Shutters open and close depending on wind intensity.

4. Bottle filled with water acts as a contstant weight to control the movement.

CONCEPT SKETCHES & MODELS

I drew inspiration from Niall McLaughlin’s ‘The Fishing Hut’ project by integrating the pulley system from the fragment into a ventilating shutter system. I also drew inspiration from 6A Architects’ ‘Tree House’ project, working with curvature and preserving trees for sustainability, integrating them into the architecture. The

models provide seating and test materiality by using timber cladding to harmonize with the natural surroundings.

In the second semester of second year, there was a heightened focus on sustainability. The assignment was to design a ‘sustainable practice’ that takes a radical approach through regenerative architecture for Somers Town. This required showcasing innovation in both program and spatial design while adhering to the key principle of material and construction circularity.

The proposal is a childcare centre for children aged 3-10 years. Its purpose is to create a social niche that fosters better connections among different age groups, promoting health and well-being. Additionally, the centre aims to reduce costs associated with afterschool activities and hiring nannies.

CONCEPT

FINAL DRAWINGS & MODEL

In the second semester of first year, the project was situated in Deptford, South-East London. The objective was to create a microindustry for a worker, accompanied by an ancillary space and dwelling.

Given the area’s reputation for cultural diversity and the arts, the program focuses on a ceramic tile

making workshop that derives its designs from personal memories shared by the public. An open street gallery of tiles serves as the ancillary space, accessible to the public. Simultaneously, an extruded dwelling integrated with the workshop offers a close-to-home environment for the client.

EXPLODED

Handmade model: Balsa wood, White foamboard, Foam block & Aluminium strip, May 2022, Academic

Through modeling and painting, I was able to present the experience of my proposal. The exploded isometric shows the interior and the driving concept of a space within a space, inspired by Sou Fujimoto’s House N project.

‘Market Dynamics and Cultural Shifts’ aims to unravel the economic impact on the historical and cultural value of Spitalfields Market, exploring its effects on the neighborhood, such as Brick Lane. The essay acknowledges the significance of urban public spaces as a whole and emphasizes the role and responsibility of architects in ensuring the social sustainability of everyone. It specifically focuses on Spitalfields Market, a long-standing market that has experienced numerous changes over the years. The research not only relies on existing readings by accredited scholars but also includes multiple visits and interviews with locals, vendors, and residents.

Market Dynamics and Cultural Shifts

Unraveling the Transformative Impact of Economic Interests on Spitalfields Market’s Cultural Value and on Neighbourhood Shifts

OTHER SKILLS & HOBBIES

As part of my other interests and passions aside from architecture, I enjoy spending time drawing with mixed media and painting various forms and objects. The following to the right is a collection of works I produced during my GCSEs and A-levels. I have an artsy side where I enjoy exploring different shapes inspired by my surroundings and playing with various colours and tones. It’s something I like to incorporate into my architecture, adding an

interesting touch to my designs. Further to this, I have a keen interest in expressing the essence of architectural forms and geometries, as well as the expressive qualities of light and the rough materialities of buildings through photography. The images below showcase moments captured during an architecture trip to Rotterdam, Netherlands.