Year OutPractice Portfolio

Atanas Kunev2015

The Begininng

I started my year out practice in the beginning of September right after my graduation from the University of Huddersfield. The practice is located in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria and is one of the many operating in the area. I am an assistant to the chief architect Vasilka Abadzhieva and her partners. Right on the first day I was sent home with volumes of building regulations and specifications and the building law in Bulgaria since there are significant differences from the UK building regulations.

Throughout the year I worked on different projects and most importantly my feedback had real impact on the design and construction process. Almost every day I went to the different sites. The most important thing I got to do was communicate with all the clients and while being on site with all the workers and building supervisors. I got a better understanding of the construction process from laying the foundation to the final touches and detailing. I worked with many specialists in all the different fields of Architectural Engineering, Plumbing, Electrics, Finishing and more.

I will provide details on most of the major projects that I have worked on while in practice. I am allowed to show renderings but the official plans I am not disclosed to share. My input on the designs differs with the projects, but I will note each of my inputs that has made an appearance on the real building.

Apartment Complex with shops, offices, restaurant and an underground garage.

This building was nearing completion when I joined but the design process was still going strong since the different clients of shops and apartments wanted personal touches added to their property. The building resides right in the middle of an apartment complex area surrounded by 80's soviet concrete panel apartment blocks. The final design was completed before I joined but I still got to put in some effort in designing and drawing up the plans and renders of the terrace covering for the Restaurant. That was the first thing I was tasked to do in regard of designing something on my own. The client wanted a simple, cost efficient roof cover above the restaurant's terrace, with railing for collapsible transparent nylon covers for summer ventilation and winter heat preservation. The construction is Steel beams and bitumen roof plates with external timber covers to hide the beams.

Refurbishment, reconstruction and redevelopment of a family house.

We got the plans from the archives the house was build in the 80's by the clients family but since he wanted bigger spaces and additional rooms and was critical on the part that he did not want to build a new house but redeveloped the current one. On this project I was just along for the ride being on site everyday and taking notes and drawings. The work was hard trying to knock down parts of the house while building new additions to it like a sunroom and a garage. The most difficult task for the construction team was to elevate the roof significantly to get larger top level rooms. I got to know many details of construction and how to avoid mistakes when developing a building and how to design easier for the construction crew to understand and build.

Reinforced Concrete and BrickApartment Complex with Gym, Shops, Restaurants and underground garage.

This is the biggest building I got to work on, and I did most work on. The building is still in construction mainly finishing touches and details. The building consists of two parts which are two separate apartment blocks with shop fronts on the lower levels and a shared underground garage. As I joined the practice the building was nearing completion but since this one is constructed by my family's company I had the opportunity to put in a little extra for myself. The studio apartment on the top floor on the roof is entirely planned and designed by me with electrical plumbing and construction all taken care of. The whole roof serves as a terrace and is soon to be made green with rainwater storage and vegetation. The other input I managed to enforce on this project were the railings on all the terraces are not brick but brushed steel frames with dark glazing which opens up the facade quite a bit. Since I went into practice I've been spending everyday on the site observing and helping with suitable tasks, thus I managed to observe the process firsthand and get insights into the complicated construction and development of a building as large as this. Also as assistant I got a couple of bathroom interior designs for several clients that requested them in the said building and worked tightly with them and the builders to ensure maximum communication and correct completion of the design.

Shop with Apartments

This is one of our newest project and the model was recently completed and we are awaiting the permit for construction. The client wanted something simple and functional. The price was also a big impact on the design as we tried to minimize costs as much as possible since the business nature of our client. For this project I designed the model and my mentor Architect Vasilka did the final edit and detailed plans. The client agreed to the design and all the paperwork was submitted. I am proud of this building since it is the first major thing I designed that is going to get build by the end of the year.

Serviced ApartmentsHo Chi Mihn City Vietnam

Site map and location

The site is located down the street in western direction from Ben Than Market and was previously occupied by two classical layout five by twenty meter housing blocks which were decaying and derelict. I am designing a serviced apartments complex that responds to the context of the busy city and also introduces relevant technologies that will ultimately increase the confort of the inhabitants but will also reduce the carbon footprint and stand as an example for contemporary architecture in Ho Chi Mihn City.

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Ground Floor

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4 7

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1- Reception 2-Toilet3- Storage

7- Water Tank4- Plant5- Storage6- Garage

Floor Plans

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First 1- Gym and Fitness 2-Toilet

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Second1- Terrace2- Kitchen and Living room 3- Bedroom

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4- Toilet and Bathroom5- Toilet

4

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Third

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1- Bedroom2- Kitchen and Living room 3- Toilet

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3

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4- Toilet and Bathroom

Fourth, Fifth and Sixth

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1- Bedroom2- Bedroom3- Kitchen and Living Room

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4- Toilet and Bathroom5- Toilet

Roof

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1- Roof Garden2- Pool deck

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The design for the building was derived from the chaotic nature of the city. I have used precedents from local contemporary architecture and current developments near the site. The most prominent feature of the building is its façade representing the nature of Vietnam, chaotic but still under control. The building holds double facades on both sides and green areas and shafts are present from the ground floor to the roof . I have designed it with consideration to the climate and seasons. The natural air ventilation system is the main design engine and the building follows the function of providing the best comfort for its residents. I have tried to represent the chaotic nature of Ho Chi Mihn with the front façade and the reality of its habitants the mundane everyday grind with the back façade.

For isn't Chaos just order un deciphered.

Design Direction

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Exterior Renders

Interior Renders

Serviced ApartmentsHo Chi Mihn City VietnamTechnology

Sandwich panel/Double skinned Thermal InsulatedReinforced Concrete

Double skin curtain wall creates thermal barrier and air return

CombinedPile and Raft foundation

High Performance, low-e, low-iron glass reduces solar gain by 62% while allowing 73% light transmission

Ceiling/ Perforated Gypsum/Acoustic Insulation

Insulation/In-situ reinforced concrete/Decorative wall finish

Automatically regulated airflow vents allowing for the natural ventilation system to operate

Thermal Insulation/Ceiling/Screed/Finish

Insulation/DPM/Decorative floor cover and sealant

Composite Decking/Steel Trough + Reinforced Concrete Frame/ Waterproof Screed/ Finishing

Combined Pile and Raft foundation

High technology load bearing thermally coupled window frame

Double skin curtain wall

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I have decided to use a local way of construction with the reinforced concrete frame. The foundations are the new combined pile and raft to withstand the building’s load and transfer it properly. The floor and ceilings both hold insulation screeds and noise reduction membranes. A damp proof membrane is separating the foundation from the rest of the building. The aluminum window frame has been designed in a way to take a secondary load from the building and increase the stress efficiency of the building. The glazing and automatic ventilation system are all set with consideration to the local climate and best environmental footprint

1) High Performance, low-e, low-iron glass reduces solar gain by 62% while allowing 73% light transmission

2) The scattered façade and vegetative screens reduce glare and heat gain

3) Low-velocity displacement ventilation system tempers occupied areas only

4) Double skin curtain wall creates a thermal barrier and air return

5) Automatic heat evacuation aided by natural stack effect and controlled by heat sensors

Environmental Strategy and technology

As it is seen from this drawing the load bearing of the building is rationally distributed with the external, internal and the circulation module that is the main load bearing element of the structure.

Structural explosion

The explosion sequence clearly depicts the main and secondary load bearing and construction elements with the last showing the structural grid and all the main elements disassembled.

Atanas Kunev U1166403