ANU ATOYEBI

Welcome to My Design Portfolio!I'm a passionate, emerging planner and designer with a keen eye for detail and a drive for creating meaningful spaces. My experience spans crafting innovative design solutions, conducting in-depth research, and mastering tools of the AEC industry. My work focuses on sustainable urban planning and fostering vibrant, inclusive communities.Through my work, I aim to contribute to urban revitalization and foster social well-being. I thrive in collaborative environments and enjoy working with diverse teams to tackle complex challenges.Thank you for visiting—feel free to explore my projects and get in touch!

BayXcapes - South Bronx Waterfront

Cocoa Infusion - Port of Rio

Safe House Lighthouse - Boston Fi.Di.

Material Marina - Charlestown Navy Yard

Evolving Culture - Segovia Aqueduct

Harmony Homes - Multi Generational Housing

Elevations @ Lessard

Amenity Study @ Massport

Reclaiming Place - Lower Roxbury

BayXcapes

PROMPT:
This studio explored New York City as a dynamic laboratory for investigating future urban possibilities through rigorous analysis and innovative design. The five boroughs serve as prototypical macroareas to examine global challenges of 21st-century urbanization. We analyzed NYC through scalar conditions, from local to metropolitan scales, exploring interdependencies of systems. Emphasizing the evolving nature of urban sites, groups constructed narratives and hypotheses to define project sites, while viewing programmatic development as emergent from analytical conditions rather than predetermined.

PROPOSAL:The transformation of the South Bronx waterfront into a network of self-sustaining islands will result in a model of urban development that not only revitalizes the area but also serves as a hub for generating and distributing essential resources for the broader New York City, thereby significantly improving the city’s sustainability and resource management.

PHASING
By 2030, the initial stages of self-sustaining islands will demonstrate localized resource generation and distribution, focusing on developing renewable energy production, waste management, and localized agriculture.By 2050, advanced infrastructure and technology integration will enable these islands to efficiently supply renewable energy, freshwater, and locally grown produce to New York City while reducing overall strain on the city’s resources.By 2100, the fully developed network of self-sustaining islands will have established a comprehensive, interlinked
system capable of providing a significant portion of essential resources to a more sustainable and resilient NYC.

Cocoa Infusion

PROMPT:
The focus of the project was to address Rio de Janeiro’s urgent challenges related to greenhouse gas mitigation and climate adaptation. Emphasizing equitable architecture and public spaces for social inclusion, the studio aims to foster civic engagement and healthy urban ecosystems.Through interdisciplinary research in architecture, landscape, and urbanism, design proposals integrating existing infrastructure and responding to 21st-century challenges such as population growth, demographic shifts, resource limitations, inequality, etc. were developed.THESIS:
In light of global challenges, particularly the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, Porto Maravilha must respond to the shifting landscape of Brazil’s economy.With the Port of Rio predominantly exporting crude oil, the decline in demand for such products will impact the district’s economic vitality. Therefore, we must pivot towards sustainable alternatives that mitigate environmental impact and foster economic growth. Recognizing the imperative to adapt and evolve, we envision a vibrant waterfront hub, where sustainability, economic viability, and community well-being converge.

PROPOSAL:
At the heart of our proposal lies the transformation of this district into an intermodal transit center and urban agricultural hub. With a focus on leveraging existing agricultural infrastructure, we aim to cultivate a sustainable cocoa processing industry, aligning with Brazil’s rich agricultural heritage while promoting clean, eco-friendly practices.Furthermore, we propose the implementation of a comprehensive drainage system, integrating artificial wetlands and active filtration mechanisms to enhance biodiversity and mitigate water pollution entering the bay. By prioritizing environmental stewardship, we not only safeguard precious ecosystems but also ensure the long-term health and vitality of our community.Moreover, our proposal advocates for the development of an efficient transit linkage system, embracing a diverse range of micro-mobility options to enhance neighborhood connectivity and accessibility. By prioritizing pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and alternative modes of transportation, we foster a dynamic urban environment that promotes active lifestyles and reduces reliance on the fossil fuel economy.

Safe House Lighthouse

PROMPT
Unlike traditional studios, this course emphasized the materials and making of architecture, focusing on connections at all scales, from details to global urban contexts. Proposals were focused on tectonic strategies and the adaptive reuse of the Chadwick Lead Works buildings in Boston’s financial district. The task was to analyze the climatological, ecological, and cultural contexts, resulting in future scenarios and proto-building designs with the final synthesis aimed to produce comprehensive designs responding to external site conditions and internal use, emphasizing human comfort and well-being and exhibiting sustainability.

CONTEXT
After some research into the site’s past, current and most probably conditions, this proposal came to be from our acceptance of one of the city’s most pressing issues - sea level rise. While it may seem somewhat existential, this proposal is not meant to mitigate the change, but in fact to celebrate nature’s reclaimation of its space.

BACK TO DUST
Leaning more into our manifesto of destruction, we chose “the safe-house” scenario. In its future of population growth, migration and a hyper-digitized society, we propose our mass timber tower of hope. In 2022, its program brings a sense of humanity to the capitalist financial district.
In our semi-dystopian future, it develops the “Ellis Island” effect, serving as a transitional home for climate refugees.

Material Marina

PROMPT
This project was an exploration of maintenance and reuse strategies - embracing the concept of buildings as perpetual works in progress. Redefining long-term reuse projects, a revisionist master plan for Boston’s Charlestown Navy Yard was developed through speculative reuse scenarios addressing the site’s history and planned developments.

VISION
As Boston invests in its waterfront, the Charlestown Navy Yard is poised to become a vibrant community hub.
Currently densely populated with housing but lacking communal spaces, the Navy Yard can begin an annual festival
centered around the vast waters of its dry dock, transforming it into a beacon of community engagement and creativity.

ANNUAL FESTIVAL AND FLOATING ART
The festival will convert the decommissioned yard into an active dock of creativity, where resident artists and local students collaborate using recyclable materials from Boston’s harbor. Their creations will be displayed in the proposed galleria and on “lilypads”—floating pontoons that travel through the harbor, inviting Boston residents to the Navy Yard. Outside of festival times, these lilypads will serve as playful waterfront spaces, with attachable structures for movie screenings, markets, and other events.

SUSTAINABLE CELEBRATION OF ADAPTIVE REUSE
The Material Marina project emphasizes sustainability by utilizing recycled materials for artistic creations and promoting environmental stewardship. The annual festival highlights the adaptive reuse of both items and structures, repurposing materials from Boston’s harbor and breathing new life into the historic Dry Dock 2 and the decommissioned Charlestown Navy Yard. This approach not only reduces waste but also celebrates the potential of existing resources, fostering a culture of creativity and sustainability in the community.

YEAR-ROUND COMMUNITY SPACES
Permanent structures like the “Hive” lounge, galleria, and makerspace will offer the community a vibrant space to plan the festival and enjoy the waterfront year-round, despite the winter’s cold winds. The Material Marina will bring the dynamic, creative energy back to the Navy Yard, fostering a lively and inclusive community space.

Evolving Culture

The aqueduct in old town Segovia, Spain happens to be one of the only Ancient Roman water infrastructural projects still in it full form. Its beauty and history mark Segovia on tourist maps as a lovely one-day trip from Madrid - to see the aqueduct, cathedral, the alcazar and the monastery; All such crucial structures in the history of Spain.However as tourists stop by for the day and international students for only a while longer, the city is in slow decline. There is a lack of connection between the locals and these visitors who shuffle their capital not into the local shops and restaurants, but to the large franchises and corporate chains that strategically place themselves around these attractions. Moreover, the relationships between local residents of Segovia, students of the universities, and tourists has become quite strained as a general disregard for contemporary cultural boundaries and expectations arises.In this one week intensive integration workshop, my group and I proposed and developed a temporary intervention by the residents of Segovia. For them, the aqueduct - while it brings in some revenue - is just another beautiful folly in their view of the city. In order to better engage and connect the history sought out by tourists and students with the present-day culture of the locals, we propose an annual festival similar to the current festivals put on in the city. The intervention makes use of scaffolding to muffle views of the aqueduct and bring attention to the activities offered in the town by it current residents - including music shops, cinema, traditional dance lessons and food stalls.

Harmony Homes

The challenge was to explore the distinctions between private and public through spatial design. Given a specific site and program, I was tasked with developing a housing solution that catered to various user groups in a singular plot. In response, this proposal developed into a harmonious residential community with a small river and layers of vegetation, providing the collection with natural privacy from adjacent properties.

The activation of porches at the ground level encourages open accessibility and interaction, while allowing shared views of the surrounding landscape, thus integrating the private and public realms seamlessly. The design also incorporated elements from traditional Japanese and English architecture and garden planning principles, creating a tranquil and functional living environment.

The Elder House:
Located deepest within the site, ensuring maximum privacy and peace for its residents.

Main Family House:
Situated further in, offering a balanced blend
of public and private spaces.

The Co-Living House:
Positioned closest to the main road, this unit fosters
communal living and interaction to a young professional audience.

Elevations

Below are a few drawings worked on as a full-time co-op at Lessard Design Inc.
Each schematic, hand drawn elevation was scanned and digitzed using Photoshop
whilst others were drawn in AutoCAD before being rendered using Photoshop.

Amenity Study

Below are excepts from the presentation made to provide the Real Estate and Asset Management office of Massport with the context of the proposed workforce housing on a specific parcel in the South Boston waterfront. While the neighborhood is developing, this research displays the lack of support structure required for the intended residents of Massport’s proposal. I went on to recommend various services that could be integrated into all of the parcels in the waterfront neighborhood to develop a more accessible, inclusive community balanced with the luxury housing and tech sector development.

DCB Future Home

Approached by my local church's building committee, I was asked to develop a full program list with area requirements, as well as a series of graphics to be utilized for congregational encouragement and fundraising in one week.

Reclaiming Place

CARTER PLAYGROUND - LOWER ROXBURY MEMORY LANE
Power is represented in Carter Playground by presence and capital and in an interview for the Lower Roxbury Black History Project, Gloria Fox states, “...one of the jobs of an organizer is to remind people about how valuable they were and how valuable the land is.”

“Place” is nothing if the space lacks any emotional or personal attachment. In Carter Playground, the emotional attachment of long-time residents has been reduced to the sporting facilities occasionally made available to residents only with permission and surveillance from Northeastern University. None of the true communal history can be seen or felt, as the presence of the university has increasingly become more of an overbearing black hole swallowing the erasing culture and history of Roxbury Crossing.Carter Playground holds much meaning to many who come across the land in the past and present. The land has been stolen and traded off by many hands. Originally land of the Massachusett people stolen by colonial settlers now inhabited the largely black community of Roxbury. Long-time residents have seen and are still seeing themselves and their places being over-policed again, slowly stolen, and their histories erased. What is to come of it in the future is unsure, but with our proposal, we hope to honor the memories of residents and reinvigorate Carter Playground as a place for the communities it belongs to.The history of rough policing in the area and the very barriers that have restricted the local people have never been set up by the community themselves. There has always been an outside entity - be it the University, the Parks and Recreation Department, or the Boston Police Department - maintaining strict rules on the space that belongs to the Roxbury community.

Oral history is an integral component in the passing on of a lot of black history. People from all across the African diaspora have rooted themselves based on oral histories. This form of passing on knowledge from generations within a community has kept history - which is so often white-washed or undocumented - alive.The Lower Roxbury Black History Project has digitized tens of oral histories from long-time Roxbury residents. It’s an amazing resource and source of insight into the history of Roxbury from personal accounts. Ironically, this project was the undertaking of Northeastern University so our intervention aims to give power back to the community by providing a space they can populate with their culture and stories. We also hoped that by displaying pieces of the collection, we can alert other community members to contribute their memories and artifacts to the archives, making the university’s role in the effort more of a library and less of a supervisor.My project partner and I proposed a series of interactive pop-ups inspired by the Cultural Expressions exhibit and Question Bridge at Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. We encourage current members of the community to add their own pieces of history adding an element of placemaking, by allowing community members the pride in telling their own stories and becoming part of the ongoing narrative. Our proposal aimed to inform the community of the historic relevance and culture of the community and bring the histories of Lower Roxbury back to the forefront of Carter Playground without censorship or policing from any entity other than the community itself.

NSF City-as-Lab

As a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Assistant, I contributed to the City-as-Lab Research Coordination Network (RCN) by developing visualizations for a comprehensive manual on urban sustainable development, focusing on climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. This work supported a groundbreaking initiative and series of workshops addressing the interconnections of food, energy, and water (FEW) systems within urban environments.My work supported a multidisciplinary approach to advancing integrated urban planning solutions, stakeholder engagement, and innovative educational frameworks, contributing to a resilient and equitable urban future. My involvement reflects a commitment to integrating design, research, and stakeholder collaboration to advance equitable and sustainable urban futures.

RESUME

SUMMARY

As a recent graduate in Urban Design, I am passionate about creating spaces that foster belonging and improve social well-being. My academic journey, enriched by research experiences and internships, has equipped me with a deep understanding of architectural and urban design principles. My work showcases my dedication to economic and social revitalization through thoughtful design interventions, readying me to embark on meaningful projects that redefine urban landscapes and uplift communities. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to sustainable, community-centric design, I am eager to work with dynamic design teams in the field.

EDUCATION

M.S. Architecture and Urban Design · New York Institute of Technology · May 2024
• GPA: 3.9
• Faculty Award for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Research
•Positions: National Science Foundation Research Assistant, Graduate Teaching Assistant

B.S. Architecture · Northeastern University · May 2022
• Minor in Urban Studies - Relevant coursework in Urban Policies, Global Markets & Community Development
• Study Abroad at IE University - Spain
• Organisations: American Institute of Architecture Students, National Organisation of Minority Architects [NOMA], BosNOMA, Black Students Association, African Students Organisation, Council of University Programs
• Positions: Resident Assistant, Orientation Leader

SKILLS

3D Modeling & Simulation: AutoCAD | ClimateStudio | GIS | Grasshopper | Lumion | Rhino 3D | Revit | Twinmotion | V-Ray
Multimedia & Productivity: Adobe CC - Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere | Bluebeam Revu | Canva | Google Workplace | Microsoft 365
Interpersonal/Soft: Adaptability | Creative Problem Solving | Critical Thinking | Effective Communication | Time Management

EXPERIENCE

Graduate Research Assistant · New York Institute of Technology · Jan 2024 - May 2024 · 5 mos
• Developed precise and impactful visualizations for the NSF RCN Supplement Award 1856032-03, translating complex climate data and urban design concepts to support sustainable and resilient urban systems, published under the City-as-Lab: A Research Coordination Network for the Study of the Food, Energy, and Water Nexus for Sustainable and Resilient Urban Development.
• Led cross-cultural collaboration with international students and climate science experts, driving the development of climate-responsive urban design solutions in alignment with goals of capacity-building and prototyping district-scale systems solutions.

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Graduate Teaching Assistant · New York Institute of Technology · Jan 2024 - May 2024 · 5 mos
• Supported the facilitation of coursework and discussions on the interplay between large-scale urban systems and local neighborhood contexts, enhancing student understanding through targeted project critiques and feedback.
• Delivered software tutorials and technical assistance to third-year undergraduate students, improving their proficiency in industry-standard design tools and techniques.
• Provided individualized guidance and mentorship to students, addressing challenges in design thinking.

Real Estate & Asset Management Intern· Massachusetts Port Authority · Nov 2021 - Apr 2022 · 6 mos
• Conducted independent research to identify and analyze key community needs, applying principles of psychology for a deeper understanding of local demographics, preferences, and social dynamics.
• Utilized GIS data to map and visualize community trends, presenting complex information clearly for stakeholders and enhancing the decision-making process.
• Developed a comprehensive presentation and provided actionable recommendations to address identified community needs.

Architectural Intern · RODE Architects Inc. · Sep 2021 - Oct 2021 · 2 mos
• Supported team by contributing to schematic site development, assisting with physical modeling experimenting design solutions, and developing individual knowledge on mixed-use project dynamics.

Single Family Residences Architecture Co-op· Lessard Design Inc. · Jul 2019 - Dec 2019 · 6 mos
• Collaborated with senior architects and design team to develop innovative and functional design solutions for single-family residential projects.
• Utilized Auto-CAD and Photoshop to create detailed architectural drawings, including floor plans and elevations.
• Reviewed and revised construction documents, contributing to accurate and error-free project deliverables.
• Organized and maintained project files, materials, and documentation, ensuring efficient project workflow.
• Prepared client presentations by effectively communicating design concepts and proposed spatial arrangements.

LEADERSHIP

President · National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) at Northeastern University · Jun 2020 - May 2022 · 2 yrs
• Led the revitalization of the organization through a time of difficulty by implementing strategic initiatives that aligned with the vision, leading to a 30% increase in membership growth and engagement within one year.
• Spearheaded the development of multiple lecture and movie series on spatial inclusivity and health in architecture, collaborating with university faculty and other student organizations.
• Advocated for the hiring of more diverse faculty and the revamping of existing curricula to address ethical issues within architectural pedagogy and practice.

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Resident Assistant · Northeastern University · Aug 2021 - May 2022 · 10 mos
• Fostered a supportive and inclusive living environment within the residence hall.
• Organized and led programming initiatives, enhancing residents' personal and academic growth.

Upperclassman Representative & Senior Advisor · National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) at Northeastern University · May 2019 - Jun 2020 · 1 yr 2 mos
• Developed and assisted coordination of a diverse range of chapter activities, including workshops, networking events, and community outreach, in collaboration with the executive board, to strengthen unity.

Secretary · National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) at Northeastern University · Oct 2018 - May 2019 · 8 mos
• Acted as the primary liaison between the board, chapter members, university advisors, and external organizations, effectively communicating key initiatives and fostering strong, collaborative relationships.
• Expertly organized and facilitated general body and executive board meetings, including the development of detailed agendas and management of meeting schedules to ensure productive and goal-oriented discussions.

Orientation Leader · Northeastern University · May 2018 - Jan 2019 · 9 mos
• Guided and assisted incoming students through campus orientation programs, ensuring a smooth transition.
• Collaborated with a team to organize and execute orientation events, fostering a welcoming atmosphere.