https://rahmatoulin.com Michael Rahmatoulin Thu, 28 Nov 2019 16:26:31 +0000 https://rahmatoulin.com en http://rahmatoulin.com/Reintegration-of-Lost-Spaces Thu, 28 Nov 2019 16:26:31 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 348801 ▦ Photography &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; About selected works/thesis project/the reintegration of lost spaces in the divided city of nicosia Readers - Benjamin Ibarra Sevilla, Georgios Artopoulos, Michael Holleran, Nikolas Bakirtzis&nbsp; Master’s Project 2018-2019 Abstract&nbsp;&nbsp; This proposal investigates how interventions in abandoned urban spaces within and without the buffer zone of Nicosia, Cyprus can be catalysts for urban regeneration. The project calls for the reactivation of key areas of the capital that would foster growth and gradual reintegration of the buffer zone into daily life. The work takes a critical look at the existing conditions of the de-facto border and suggests locations for street and architectural interventions that would revitalize cultural heritage sites and promote new uses in vital artery nodes. By strengthening the connection between the divide, the city center will once more be a vibrant social space, acting as a catalyst for community growth while also bringing much needed attention to urban fabric under threat of ruin. <img width="3400" height="2200" width_o="3400" height_o="2200" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/288e60f8e971e67a7cb0e7d6601e0d04fe56e94f843ee1679daaaa26a045ed4f/figure-1_Cyprus-in-Europe.png" data-mid="822713" border="0" data-scale="100"/> figure 1 - Cyprus in the context of Europe and the divided cities of Berlin, Belfast, and Jerusalem 1&nbsp; Good fences make good neighbors “The best solution to bringing down walls is to never build them in the first place.” Lebbeus Wood; Divided Cities &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Walls exist as both physical and psychological constructs, a tool for order and the establishment of a collective - often based on the principle of separating ‘us’ from ‘them’. One often hears the phrase “Good fences make good neighbors,” but out of context its meaning is often misunderstood to imply that walls are a natural and necessary measure. Originally taken from Robert Frost’s poem ‘Mending Wall’, Frost questions the necessity of such divisions - that without the ritualistic upkeep from both sides, walls would simply fall apart; naturally eroded by nature. A point often ignored is that borders are a point of interaction and gathering for communities through the act of maintenance, that borders are not always about the physical and can be a symbol of understanding rather than difference. With this principal in mind, the following work examines the city of Nicosia, Cyprus - the “Last Divided Capital in Europe” – and proposes a new approach to deal with the infamous division that cuts through the island. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <img width="3400" height="2200" width_o="3400" height_o="2200" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/aeb91501fcaa3defcad9acd9586083b1e8f39279ec037624d72349536a5f48f4/figure-2_Cyprus-Division.png" data-mid="822709" border="0" /> figure 1.1 - The infamous division and buffer zone of Cyprus 2&nbsp; The Stepping Stone to the Middle East&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Despite our “information enlightened age,” it is still easy for societies to hold on to ingrained convictions that are passed down through generations, resulting in fear, mistrust, and prejudice. With thirty years marking the fall of the Berlin Wall, Europe is still dealing with a divisive physical border in Cyprus, a Greek and Turkish speaking island situated just off the coast of Turkey. Cyprus is the 3rd largest island in the Mediterranean and is cut by a buffer zone that separates the Republic of Cyprus (ROC) and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), with the no-man’s land monitored by the United Nations Peace Keeping Force (UNFICYP) - the longest running operation by the UN. The ROC is a member of the European Union while the TRNC remains unrecognized by the international community with the exception of Turkey. As the “stepping stone” to the Middle East, Cyprus has traded hands on numerous occasions, seeing Byzantine, Lusignan, Turkish, and British rule, from which it eventually gained independence in 1960. Unfortunately, modern history saw an ethnic conflict break out between the native Turkish and Greek populations due to radical nationalist ideals that led to the partitioning of the island in 1974 after Turkey intervened and invaded the island. The resulting division has created a border that is 180 km long and is defined by two cease fire lines which vary in width from just a few meters to over 15 km wide, engulfing within it acres of farmland and villages.“Borders are a point of interaction and gathering for communities through the act of maintenance... (they) can be a symbol of understanding”&nbsp; &nbsp; Unlike other wars and sites of trauma, where the affected areas could be tended to after the conflict was over, the buffer zone is frozen in time, an exact moment that preserves the chaos of that period. The buffer zone is no longer a threat to the people, but rather a symbol of stagnant political action. The barrier is certainly an open wound in the topography of the island, but it has also become numbing for the inhabitants who simply accept it for what it is. In the last decades, the tension between the two sides has subsided significantly and unification talks have been actively pursued. However, a solution is still elusive as there are many obstacles, political and otherwise, for a unified Cyprus. 3&nbsp; The Old City of Lefkosia/Lefkosa&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Throught history, Nicosia was the capital of Cyprus and continues to be so for both parts of the island. Locally known as Lefkosia in Greek and Lefkoşa in Turkish, the city seen today dates back to the Venetian Empire which left the strongest influence on the urban fabric. Built in the vision of the “Ideal City,” the fortress of Nicosia forms a perfect circle that consists of 11 heart-shaped bastions and 3 gates – arguably the most sophisticated defensive architecture of the time. Unlike its predecessors, the city conceals its gates from the outside and the street layout is inherited from the former medieval city, resulting in an organic plan rather than a geometrical one with streets converging on a central plaza. “Unlike Belfast and Berlin, there is no single wall dividing Nicosia. Instead it is a collection of barricades, concrete walls, and the city fabric itself” &nbsp; &nbsp; The original division that would define the buffer zone was known as the Mason-Dixon line, a barbed wire fence haphazardly erected by British troops that aimed to ease tensions at critical clashing points during the start of the troubles in the 1950’s. The division coincides with the old path of the Pedieos River that still floods the city during torrential rain and also marks the former market street that existed during Venetian and Ottoman rule. This line would eventually widen and turn into a permanent division after the Turkish invasion. While attempts at unification continue, the city is at a standstill with no solution in sight. In 2003, two checkpoints were opened in the western quadrant of the city, allowing people to see “the other side” for the first time in 30 years. Unlike Belfast and Berlin, there is no single wall dividing Nicosia. Instead it is a collection of temporary barricades made of sand barrels and barbed wire, dead-end streets with concrete walls, military outposts, and the city fabric itself.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Despite being my hometown, I wasn’t familiar with the old part of Nicosia, making it a pleasure to travel on two occasions to understand the topography and map the infamous division from both sides. This opportunity allowed me to walk the whole stretch of the buffer zone inside the city from either side, taking note to diagram the actual border and mapping the notable elements of the division. From first glance the city appears to be quite normal. As you enter the tight streets of the old city and meander further in through side alleys, you come upon the main market streets, encountering a variety of cafes and quiet moments - people shopping, children running and playing in the residential streets, friends eating and chatting away at restaurants. At certain points the streets open up and bring you to large gathering spaces – squares and plazas – until you eventually reach the edge of the walls again where moats are prominently used as parking, sports fields, and parks. However, despite the illusion of normality, Nicosia hides within it over four decades of division and as you walk away from the main streets you suddenly find yourself in a maze as you come upon a dead end. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In stark contrast to the vibrant life of the rest of the city, the spaces trapped in the buffer zone stand desolate and silent. Much of the urban fabric is experiencing severe decay, with numerous roofs caved in and many walls on the brink of collapse. In some areas the zone is only a stone’s throw wide while other segments block-off multiple streets. The on-setting dilapidation and the steady takeover of nature place the urban fabric at great risk and just walking along the edges of this divide reveals the terrible condition these buildings are in. Much of what was lost is deeply imbued within this spatial memory of the buffer zone. While various municipal schemes have been put in effect for the restoration of the city, much is left to be done in returning even the adjacent spaces to the people and preserving the cultural heritage. Despite the creation of a number of checkpoints in the early 2000s, including two within the city of Nicosia, accessing the buffer zone is still forbidden and one can only steal brief glimpses inside from abandoned outposts, fences, barricades, peep holes, and crossings.&nbsp; &nbsp; What I’m not able to touch on in such a short article is all the points of contention that the ethnic conflict brought on. Needless to say, the Cyprus division is a wicked problem that for many people remains a non-compromise issue. The conflict has led to the displacement of people, loss of land, missing persons, and generational hatred to name just a few. <img width="2552" height="1652" width_o="2552" height_o="1652" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/d37adbebaf0ecd916447de067002962726ee87d4b0ee3124244fa85ff998d9cd/nicosia_aerial_small.jpg" data-mid="864227" border="0" /> The walled city of Nicosia&nbsp; <img width="2161" height="1443" width_o="2161" height_o="1443" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/1289f70581479a5cb4610d8426726f891c91337c251f3e2132f0c5b8f09b86ec/street-view_3.jpg" data-mid="864223" border="0" />Ledra Street <img width="4500" height="3234" width_o="4500" height_o="3234" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/41cd8e97490b52288d27ca65f41e9d0c5ba8414f2ce0679e5825b583b97b47cc/nicosia-map_intervention-location_3_Artboard-1_small.jpg" data-mid="864225" border="0" /> <img width="4982" height="3224" width_o="4982" height_o="3224" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/c37d3cacc793399f5d32c850d980e1567320b307ddd709878fab7d8887d747a5/Pecha-Kucha-Presentation_final_Page_08.jpg" data-mid="864222" border="0" /> 4&nbsp; A Sense of Belonging&nbsp; Despite everything, the current atmosphere is one of peace, making the division appear arbitrary and no longer relevant. A number of coffee shops and restaurants emerged over the years along the edges of the division, seeing the greatest mixing of the two peoples as both cross from either side for work and leisure. With goodwill very much present in the city, there are a number of initiatives present such as the Nicosia Master Plan (a bi-communal effort of both municipalities to work in unison on restoring the city) and the United Nations Development Program that continues to play a crucial role in restoring major cultural landmarks throughout the island. Examples of this include the restoration of facades in neighborhoods close to the border, restoration/conservation work for religious site, the creation of shared sewage and telephone grids rather than each municipality maintaining its own system, and support of bi-communal cultural events through the Home of Cooperation (a rehabilitated building within the buffer zone that offers a neutral zone for people to meet). “The project focuses on reinforcing similarities and helping create ‘new memories’ in the lost spaces of the Buffer Zone” &nbsp; &nbsp; In this spirit of reconciliation, the intent of the project is to provide a vision of peaceful cohabitation that focuses on the things that unite the communities – reinforcing similarities and helping create “new memories”. The approach draws on the period of the 1930’s when the center of the old city was a vibrant market, allowing for the greatest mixing of communities. The heart of the city was full of people from all walks of life, with shop vendors, craftsmen, and food stalls filling the streets. The people of Cyprus share a deep kindness, close connection to family, and shared intangible heritage such as food, coffee, crafts, and language. By creating opportunities for people to interact in the lost spaces of the buffer zone I believe that these shared qualities can help ignite a renewed sense of trust and remove the fear of the unknown. As a start, the greatest potential for this would be within the crossings themselves, creating interventions in the streetscapes where there is a lack of interaction between people despite seeing the highest volume of people move through it. This first level of interventions would provide informal opportunities for people to interact and in order for it to be successful the city would need new crossings to help reconnect the city’s arteries and remove any feelings of entrapment. A secondary level of interventions would be more permanent, with the proposal identifying multiple buildings within the buffer zone or immediately adjacent to, for the creation of new cultural centers that would be structured around the various intangible cultural heritage items identified. <img width="10800" height="7200" width_o="10800" height_o="7200" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/db1ce8b8de16b4d73d77bacd679f107f9651b9d270af510aa8b87419428f792f/nicosia-buffer-zone_detailed-border-map_3-01_small.jpg" data-mid="864226" border="0" /><img width="10800" height="7200" width_o="10800" height_o="7200" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/321296b9c1eb7040ac9dad31b781e9d5e6da3ed4157eb2cf90cc629e25aeebab/nicosia-buffer-zone_detailed-border-map_3-02_small.jpg" data-mid="864224" border="0" /> ▦ © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 ▦ Photography &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;... http://rahmatoulin.com/3D-Scanning Tue, 16 Jul 2019 23:57:48 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 331084 ▦ Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; About selected works/research/laser scanning &amp; photogrammetry research Seminar Instructors - Robert Stepnoski &amp; Larry Kleinkemper | Summer 2019Research Supervisor - Robert Stepnoski | Fall 2019&nbsp; <img width="2667" height="1500" width_o="2667" height_o="1500" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/832739300d29e0a776a5c18a731aef9792f1e9e18f765d199a4dfbe96ce9e0e0/Fall-Photogrammetry-Presentation_Page_44.jpg" data-mid="864200" border="0" /><img width="2667" height="1500" width_o="2667" height_o="1500" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/dc7c98b1afdac3ff23e0dc1ed99c438866c5d825ce115d27dd6eea71a3391fc6/Fall-Photogrammetry-Presentation_Page_45.jpg" data-mid="864199" border="0" />Littlefield Carriage House,&nbsp; The University of Texas at Austin Summer seminar and semester-long investigation into the digital documentation tools available to architects and their application to the design and historic preservation fields.&nbsp; Data acquisition performed through LiDAR using a Z&amp;F scanner and a combination of terrestrial and aerial Photogrammetry using a DSLR and UAV. Generated results provided accurate point cloud models for further use in site analysis and design/visualization. Processed in Autodesk ReCAP, Reality Capture, and 3DS Max. The independent research looked at three distinct buildings with very different sites and scales: the British Club in Nicosia (Cyprus), the Littlefield Carriage House on the University of Texas Campus, and the Seaholm Intake Plant, located on Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin. The goal was to further explore the application (and limitations) of terrestrial photogrammetry in design as laser scanners are still extremely cost prohibitive.&nbsp; Work was built on techniques and software skills developed during the summer seminar which focused on aerial photogrammetry and LiDAR. <img width="1500" height="1175" width_o="1500" height_o="1175" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/048187d299fa5b4cf92ff18ff67d600ccabc5ae1c008d4a21c99b4c19b3e963f/1969-photo-east-facade_small.jpg" data-mid="864211" border="0" />Littlefield Carriage House, 1969 | East Facade <img width="1387" height="780" width_o="1387" height_o="780" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/8abf211a1bbb1ae9b69d178d3ae1073b403c222c043a6711c6e28b2205483e56/Fall-Photogrammetry-Presentation_Page_13.jpg" data-mid="864208" border="0" /><img width="1547" height="870" width_o="1547" height_o="870" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/b4ecba3664e666ce9025a1e88b5705c4821651d48d22b5181094f21fcd7ff86e/Fall-Photogrammetry-Presentation_Page_04.jpg" data-mid="864207" border="0" />&nbsp;Combined Photogrammetry scan and LiDAR internal scan |&nbsp; Rendered mesh of Photogrammetry scan&nbsp; As the first such course at the School of Architecture, the summer seminar taught students through a hands-on approach, emphasizing demonstrations, site-visits and a final project on futher processing one of the three sites documented. Unlike the traditional HABS surveying method for buildings, using digital tools provides accurate and infinitely accessible data that offers a digital snapshot in time of the object/site. This can be especially vital for sites that cannot be frequently accessed due to distance, dangerous conditions, or inaccessibility. Generally speaking, LiDAR scans offer a precision of&nbsp; ± 3mm while Photogrammetry is approximately&nbsp; ± 5cm. Additionally, the pointcloud can be used for visualization needs in both renderings and line drawings - providing captivating visuals and an assurance that the designer/architect has performed due diligence on working with (and understanding) the existing conditions. <img width="2934" height="1650" width_o="2934" height_o="1650" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/de848e7828764ecc58bf84a2826f63149e23bf06c86d278d56a3d2b112521e32/Fall-Photogrammetry-Presentation_Page_19.jpg" data-mid="864205" border="0" /><img width="1386" height="868" width_o="1386" height_o="868" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/2b5d93e139da9dd294148493b9537652320e05973024dac8bc271ba4b6325991/wildflower-center-animation-2.gif" data-mid="745444" border="0" />Interior LiDAR Scan of Water TowerLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center <img width="2934" height="1650" width_o="2934" height_o="1650" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/0ef6f9d63efba6982f018c2ea90f98daddcc565b559661ee1cc701389099414b/Fall-Photogrammetry-Presentation_Page_15_small.jpg" data-mid="864210" border="0" /><img width="2933" height="1650" width_o="2933" height_o="1650" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/2aba824e1ce5e5bf570df0613e6c100f3ee255216371f20a65f97166a9f1c5ac/Fall-Photogrammetry-Presentation_Page_16.jpg" data-mid="864209" border="0" /> Hybrid site sections through the LBJ Wildflower Center tower ▦ © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 ▦ Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;... http://rahmatoulin.com/Index-Grid Wed, 16 Jan 2019 06:47:56 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 306977 Michael RahmatoulinSelected Works - 2025 Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; About &nbsp;&nbsp; ▦ <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/ed800c9a626e54932b9279eef968810a30421a1b3507cbc22dcb4f65ebfeda8d/nicosia_icon.png" data-mid="822506" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Reintegration of Lost Spaces in the Divided City of Nicosia Can the notion of a border be transformed to be a symbol of unity rather than division? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/98f43ab49cbef3fbe26dbc16998d56f00be6850f0b703bc070cb8defd6991360/cemetery_icon-01.png" data-mid="622424" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Death and the City How do we design for the dead in a dense, urban environment like Tokyo? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/6266a429ca990df499db356462853415a6615c4f404797c6676e3a7b0c7dcaa7/fribourg-museum_icon-01-01.png" data-mid="625063" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Fribourg Natural History Museum Can an existing warehouse be used as an asset in the design of a new Natural History Museum for the city of Fribourg? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/b761686c280a675a2cfd902fa160fd6d50488ed4b7fa8a89bd880e96b7f28a76/caret6_icon-01.png" data-mid="622423" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Caret^6 How do you design a parametric installation that is both object and exhibit? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/8d861d17f86ab6ac3ce9daffeef21f580934ac555f4af542c1a4f6787a435385/BZ-pavilions_icon.png" data-mid="822511" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Lost Spaces: Intangible Heritage Pavilions Coming Soon <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/80d2f3f30879d87a2d12174c22cd740cb36938ad4cc631bab71237aa4232b8b0/cinema_icon-01.png" data-mid="622426" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Sensory Cinema The cinema typology has always been horizontal, but how could it work as vertical infill? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/4c9b4e42f741e220505e27d332578b51251c17b636628d7562b9229c92c77ab4/nexushaus_icon-01.png" data-mid="622428" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Nexushaus The city of Austin, TX is rapidly growing. What housing alternatives are possible beyond high rises and bungalows? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/a2c8c10de6b4c4d4ce18d2db5ef39fdaa3da1d8e97801543aad0c838b4c67107/crystal_icon.png" data-mid="622425" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Crystalize Coming Soon <img width="2500" height="2500" width_o="2500" height_o="2500" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/6cff0b26197a8b571caedc704fe6445d5eaf479f0ec135dc1a62612f74854a6e/3D-Scanning_icon-01-01.png" data-mid="851686" border="0" data-scale="80"/>Digital Documentation How can we utilize cutting edge tools in order to understand our built heritage and be better designers?&nbsp; <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/2c770066bd623599bf69bc8e189765ce758f2fdec93f3c2ac63cf854bb09a78d/brackenridge_icon-01.png" data-mid="622422" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Brackenridge Masterplan Austin is the quintissential landscape city in the US, but as it expands can it take lessons from the compact city model of Madrid? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/a66380aa660947f1e13eeb9da86014d041f2fea6b54fa70f3712e2019f9f4666/fractured_icon-01.png" data-mid="622427" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Fractured Can an installation bring wonder AND provide a warning about climate change? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/b21c65dd26e87be9aefdc34905ac17b57e16c834811bd6bec5f08e755a6aef5b/wobble_icon-01.png" data-mid="622429" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Wobble Bench Coming Soon © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 Michael RahmatoulinSelected Works - 2025 Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;... http://rahmatoulin.com/Thesis-Project Wed, 16 Jan 2019 01:07:01 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 306939 ▦  ▲ selected works/thesis/reintegration of lost spaces in divided communities Fall 2018 - Spring 2019 Readers - Michael Holleran, Benjamin Ibarra, Nikoals Bakirtzis, Georgios Artopoulos ONGOING &nbsp; index © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 ▦  ▲ selected works/thesis/reintegration of lost spaces in divided communities Fall 2018 - Spring 2019 Readers -... http://rahmatoulin.com/Littlefield-Museum Wed, 16 Jan 2019 01:06:20 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 306938 ▦  ▲ selected works/design/littlefield museumCritic - Benjamin Ibarra ▦ © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 ▦  ▲ selected works/design/littlefield museumCritic - Benjamin Ibarra ... http://rahmatoulin.com/Hillock-Microbrewery Wed, 16 Jan 2019 01:02:43 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 306937 ▦ About selected works/design/ hillock microbreweryCritic - Benjamin Ibarra | Spring 2018 <img width="3468" height="2249" width_o="3468" height_o="2249" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/b3ebe105b7bc0c4821f0a0cd3d3512f094bb2a82be0e617c73d358c77671432c/street-elevation_small.jpg" data-mid="625065" border="0" /> Lometa | Texas One of the most resilient programs in underdeveloped and declining communities has been craft breweries. Historically, Lometa was a hospitality town that relied on its tourists, coming alive at every arriving train and the doors of its shops, hotel and salloon eagerly welcoming in weary travelers. Over time, Lometa was no longer a stop along the Santa Fe rail line and fast forwarding to present day, the Amtrak Passenger trains no longer run at all through this sleepy town. With the loss of the train came the loss of the businesses and the saloon was no exception. Introducing a microbrewery into the historic core of Lometa is an attempt to bring together the community and encourage use of the historic district, helping the town repurpose it’s existing building stock and land to create a multipurpose plaza that will attract both local and visitors alike. <img width="4800" height="6320" width_o="4800" height_o="6320" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/a2f610f491240f3e36402ceff2bfef1811de0364d0e548d54713a3daea4f4915/mrahmatoulin_final-review-boards_Page_1.jpg" data-mid="625084" border="0" /> <img width="4668" height="1136" width_o="4668" height_o="1136" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/c8b3cd2fc12f47cdaa8c1e7c63469376745eafae9e5c44eeb5db5626c2c40d8b/section-1.jpg" data-mid="625086" border="0" /><img width="4528" height="6544" width_o="4528" height_o="6544" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/8947184d31b067f87c7ac1ee30d6b6b26b8beadf49984428d928e2627b3f38d6/plan-and-section_small.jpg" data-mid="625143" border="0" /><img width="3700" height="2160" width_o="3700" height_o="2160" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/bf47371b0ade03eb9ade06d4ebcb10ce83dbf20a9f863a0955a708625e8eef1e/pub-view_udated.jpg" data-mid="625076" border="0" /><img width="3558" height="2160" width_o="3558" height_o="2160" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/1e80673de9d936ec312db884746a04c6203dd39ac3e52dbe6b2d9cf24d5b4ef8/courtyard_final_updated.jpg" data-mid="625075" border="0" /><img width="3586" height="2160" width_o="3586" height_o="2160" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/f3291ffcf56907cbcdcee5db642da313e435fae4f13f4111933071cc45f7e92e/brewery-view_udpated.jpg" data-mid="625077" border="0" /><img width="3493" height="2121" width_o="3493" height_o="2121" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/bfa6c22ef3ac7ea9a375aa0c5f805aa57422368f1db4036ebaeaabfc95dcb5bf/beergarden_updated.jpg" data-mid="625074" border="0" /> ▦ © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 ▦ About selected works/design/ hillock microbreweryCritic - Benjamin Ibarra | Spring 2018 Lometa | Texas One... http://rahmatoulin.com/Fribourg-Natural-History-Museum Wed, 16 Jan 2019 01:01:27 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 306936 ▦ Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; About selected works/design/ fribourg natural history museumCritic - Monica Juvera, Boris Bezan | Fall 2018 Team - Danielle Ndubisi <img width="4096" height="2160" width_o="4096" height_o="2160" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/3ad96c0095f537c4ce7419ef6ce65ce1497549be3ae974b62e866797d03a40b8/exterior-rendering_final_final_small.jpg" data-mid="624909" border="0" /> Fribourg, Switzerland The new extension for the Natural History Museum of Fribourg is situated in the Perolles district where the location allows it to be an extension of the surrounding urban context. As a continuation of the existing language set by the adjacent buildings, the project suggests a division of space through fragmentation of the building on the site. The museum then starts to act as a central hub for the community as it pulls in the existing and projected axes through the site. It directly engages with the proposed pedestrian pathway and new development route as well as maintain visual sight lines through the site. Formally, the museum further brings in these existing axes through the plinth that starts as the base of the existing warehouse and extends into the rest of the site. From this plinth grows the two pavilions that manifest the original division of space. The extension also brings out the gridded layout of the warehouse through which the boundaries of the low lying pavilions are set. Essentially, the internal structure of the warehouse starts to inform the primary mass of the pavilions with the ribboning plinth as the center of this dialogue. A strong, striking path is made from the street up to the pedestrianpathway splits the warehouse from the pavilions creatinga visual divide between the old and the new. In contrast, a lessdirect path weaves through and around the site that generates agarden-like plaza that ties the two forms together. This weaving is transferred internally, in which the layout of the exhibit spacescreate a snaking yet seamless transition from the new form to thewarehouse and back to the new.The exhibition spaces strengthen the concept of the originalgrid extending into the new form through the highly expressedstructure created in the buildings and the showcase of the original structure in the warehouse. As a natural history museum, treesin the exhibition spaces, the garden-like plaza, and the brick’s strong rough expression and reference to the Swiss mountainsstart to bring the nature in and around the museum. The plinth finally acts as a ribboning element around the site which imitatesthe weaving circulation as well as acting as the first to allude toSwiss’ nature. <img width="4207" height="3890" width_o="4207" height_o="3890" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/a5372a838f7d4b1a0c0d1dd8e3b71464f9286ecd938cedf83e78dfc5fc686e70/siteplan.jpg" data-mid="624977" border="0" /> <img width="3954" height="4209" width_o="3954" height_o="4209" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/0075068be4c80ecd89463e602e054a1ac1b7d2f2b363f95100e8ba672672c793/level-2.jpg" data-mid="625034" border="0" /><img width="3954" height="4209" width_o="3954" height_o="4209" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/8f20e377bbad081e81ca6d0bcbb89a4926fad8d96bf24a1bc8da947ca09942f2/level-1.jpg" data-mid="625036" border="0" /><img width="3954" height="4209" width_o="3954" height_o="4209" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/ef4a901f4128e2ea880038a9305fcf62506b1937dee3013b9c43e2700b1e02a3/level-0.jpg" data-mid="625035" border="0" /><img width="3954" height="4209" width_o="3954" height_o="4209" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/2107859487762bf6a5e1f77ac710f89064566f7e8830152d7b57293169b4808d/level--1.jpg" data-mid="625033" border="0" /> Plans | Scale 1:250 <img width="2753" height="1733" width_o="2753" height_o="1733" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/7e52fd1da00b2e655c4fd529f8c57a596847fa448d7c7e048efc5652c7b42eec/details.jpg" data-mid="624995" border="0" /> <img width="1920" height="1017" width_o="1920" height_o="1017" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/bf741e7cacd2be57963d424459ee02f3a928fbd057f2dea37c5b9ef0fbc1cc3a/old-gallery-rendering_final_small.jpg" data-mid="624910" border="0" /><img width="3871" height="2160" width_o="3871" height_o="2160" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/f15108e9c5615e52141ef24a6d12a70dcad600fccb5709a4b36f15c114678739/courtyard-rendering_final_small.jpg" data-mid="624911" border="0" /><img width="4353" height="1138" width_o="4353" height_o="1138" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/9ed578db5a106839ed563dc0a216154448f58d74f962adbcbf2978100c9e2eb6/front-elevation.jpg" data-mid="624996" border="0" /><img width="4353" height="1363" width_o="4353" height_o="1363" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/bc19e301fb383b978d5acb69a5c12a60ddf388398158a76550240a964a7330a5/short-section.jpg" data-mid="624992" border="0" /><img width="4351" height="1430" width_o="4351" height_o="1430" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/4b987c28e19ce420129542d8c0b0832567f1d58f8a3649ef909c52b553b137ef/lobby-section.jpg" data-mid="624994" border="0" /><img width="4352" height="1476" width_o="4352" height_o="1476" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/02702fe9d5cb2b28b8b20f2775553788025911b54fccbaa7afc8e88d916e9f07/new-gallery-section2.jpg" data-mid="624993" border="0" /><img width="4096" height="2160" width_o="4096" height_o="2160" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/ee41092294f3eba65e58005b7ca0172aca6c74be46ec19228ce1d19dbc145153/new-gallery_final_small.jpg" data-mid="624912" border="0" /> ▦ © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 ▦ Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;... http://rahmatoulin.com/Wobble-Bench Wed, 16 Jan 2019 00:59:44 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 306935 ▦ Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; About selected works/design/ wobble bench Critic - Monica Juvera, Boris Bezan | Fall 2018 <img width="3648" height="2048" width_o="3648" height_o="2048" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/81c25698190d2e85a2a86b4490b02a3d07b9b4af6bb198c9f4722984c6386c09/night-rendering_small.jpg" data-mid="624868" border="0" /> Congress Square | Ljubljana, Slovenia The wobble bench is an informal seating installation designed to encourage both interaction and play. Based on traditional spinning tops, the colorful benches are weighted in the center but start to tip when you sit. This leads to some coordination between the people that use it - thus offering both a humourous experience and a chance to talk to your neighbor that you may have just catapulted into the air as you sat down. <img width="490" height="427" width_o="490" height_o="427" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/fa2b77ee869191e301f047adb4aba7661583c97b5edadab4338383a9d16bad56/wobble_iso_diagram-01.png" data-mid="624884" border="0" data-scale="80"/> The installationprovides some much needed illumination at night in the square, collecting all the kinetic energy throughout the day from the movement generated and lighting up the spires.&nbsp;In order to be adaptable, the components are lightweight, easy to transport in a freight truck and can be stored or moved for the numerous events held yearly in Congress Square. <img width="925" height="1788" width_o="925" height_o="1788" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/f1d47600170975a3ef2303dd2078931574afda59b2c3d284fea8bfa4fab2b02b/wobble_siteplan_diagrams-02.jpg" data-mid="624901" border="0" data-scale="100"/>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Site Plan 1:200 Scale | Plaza with alternative layouts ▦ © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 ▦ Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;... http://rahmatoulin.com/Crystal-Fabric Sat, 05 Jan 2019 20:51:02 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 305365 ▦ &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; About selected works/research/crystal fabric Critic - Clay Odom | Fall 2018 <img width="4000" height="4000" width_o="4000" height_o="4000" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/749065f3bd4a2dbbabb6deb4120ca84992e73e5a47545fa1bf68820d0d600754/mrahmatoulin_crystals_1.jpg" data-mid="614426" border="0" /> ▦ © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 ▦ &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Photography&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;... http://rahmatoulin.com/Index-Expanded Sat, 17 Mar 2018 16:22:30 +0000 Michael Rahmatoulin 259596 Michael Rahmatoulin | Architectural DesignSelect Works - 2025  ▲ &nbsp; ▦ ▤ <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/b55777eb587514250575a8465230c9e156bb066e47a4cef66bb46daf3ed606a0/fractured_icon-01.png" data-mid="622290" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Death and the City How do we design for the dead in a dense, urban environment like Tokyo? Wobble Bench How can we activate an empty plaza in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/2f6cf565756ac16701be8ba73308ba756a60b9a0c7af9e43fd338f9b5bdc1a86/wobble_icon-01.png" data-mid="622293" border="0" data-scale="80"/> <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/16612519f27dea0cc6da916c2ad4b6fb1debbba3f5248ac3279504b383130a07/nexushaus_icon-01.png" data-mid="622402" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Nexushaus The city of Austin, TX is rapidly growing. What housing alternatives are possible beyond high rises and bungalows? Sensory Cinema The cinema typology has always been horizontal, but what if we flip this on its head? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/fcabd207612ddba19819c25644bb2265f6ef03890bb87c2bd0ad0fb1f1b4fe5a/cinema_icon-01.png" data-mid="622298" border="0" data-scale="80"/> <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/33c66458fd8aa5d35be7ee4fa383229ac164b96da0a88c9f7989bdff622b1c45/fractured_icon-01.png" data-mid="622296" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Fractured Can an installation bring wonder AND provide a warning about climate change? Brackenridge Masterplan Austin is the quintissential landscape city in the US, but as it expands can it take lessons from the compact city model of Madrid? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/86e31446b0798e4eb31d22abeeaeb928f79df6f6ae6d7fe30ac65dbd4deda4df/brackenridge_icon-01.png" data-mid="622297" border="0" data-scale="80"/> <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/a17414690d880f2314cf9cbba27b63febf716fde71772b70717a7555064956ec/fribourg-museum_icon-01.png" data-mid="625048" border="0" data-scale="80"/> Fribourg Natural History Museum Can an existing warehouse be used as an asset in the design of a new Natural History Museum for the city of Fribourg, Switzerland? Caret^6 How do you design a parametric installation that is both object and exhibit? <img width="600" height="600" width_o="600" height_o="600" src_o="https://cortex.persona.co/t/original/i/b02ab251d2b711d8415bb4d184c34fd75b0210896e67cc8fa061a9592316c6ec/caret6_icon-01.png" data-mid="622295" border="0" data-scale="80"/> ▦ © michaelrahmatoulin 2026 Michael Rahmatoulin | Architectural DesignSelect Works - 2025  ▲ &nbsp; ▦ ▤ Death and the City How do we design for the dead...