CHRISTOPHERMOJO
Architecture
Eastern State Cultural Center
Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia houses more iconic and historic pieces of American architecture than arguably anywhere else in the nation, including one of the most prominent symbols of incarceration, isolation, and reformation in American history. This project deals with how to rightfully and respectfully reuse an existing site, in this case Eastern State Penitentiary, with a stigmatized and specifically negative historic past life. The abandoned 18th century penitentiary was reconsituted into a place of learning, experience, and reflection with the inclusion of new programmatic elements such as: a performing arts center, museum, and learning center. Using the existing building as an anchor, new architecture and circulation patterns were introduced onto the site and with them a new positive identity that still respects the history the site has established.
Sunset Gower Film Studios
Hollywood, CA
Situated on Sunset Blvd. the new Sunset Gower Film Studios is a completely digitized filming facility. Instead of traditionally large analog sound stages that can require up to 40,000sf devoted to a single stage, the new Sunset Gower studios cater to the growing trend of utilizing green screen technology, allowing for an 80% reduction in space. The forms of the soundstage pods are derived from the curvilinear nature of green screens and the process of rotating and transforming those shapes into inhabitable spaces in which every interior surface acts as a filmable screen. The filming "field" is composed of green screen pods connected linearly for the option to link and expand the size of the stages depending on filming needs. Private office pods are raised vertically over access alleys and correspond to their soundstage counterparts. Public amenities in the main building include a digital performance theater, restaurants, shops and digital media experience pods.
The Split Hotel
Irvine, CA
The Split Hotel is located in Irvine, CA near the crux where the Interstates 5 and 405 diverge. The concept of this split in circulation transferred into the design of the hotel where both vehicular and pedestrian circulation generate the form and programmatic separations of the hotel. Activity, movement and sustainability are the bases of the design which include the incorporation of extendable "sky box" rooms, a multi story rock wall, as well as a building skin composed of photovoltaic panels. This project was completed as part of a work/study program with the architecture firm Wimberely Allison Tong and Goo (WATG) in Irvine, CA.
Agricultural Education Center
San Luis Obispo, CA
Designed as an educational facility in which to teach the local community about organic farming and food processing, this new structure also incoporates spaces for weekly farmer's markets and a demo kitchen for food preparation presentations. Combining traditional farm vernacular with contemporary green building concepts, such as the incoporation of rain water catchment systems, this structure introduces patrons to modern agrarian processes as well as the sustainable practices used to support them.
Pan American Games Pavilion
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Designed for the AIAS/Vinyl Institute Architectural Competition, this 2016 Pan American Games Awards Ceremony Pavilion in Toronto, Ontario utilizes vinyl as its main cladding element along the emerging white structure. As a pavilion to cater to the thousands of visitors traveling to Toronto for the games, this site allows for both recreational and ceremonial uses with the capacity to hold up to 30k guests. The emerging structure houses public cafes, ticketing booths, and other programmatic elements that not only allow the pavilion to act as a one time ceremonial awards stage, but also as a legacy for after the games have left; able to host concerts and other live performances. The pavilion incoporates a large outdoor stage with ample seating protected from the elements by a large green roof that extends over the cantilevering main structure.
Community Theater
San Luis Obispo, CA
This new community theater replaces the existing, outdated local theater in San Luis Obispo, providing space for growing audience occupancies as well as bringing to the site a structure that engages its surroundings. The new theater incorporates a full sized theater, back of house facilities, rehearsal spaces, ample prefunction areas for patrons, and a large cantilevered exterior balcony overlooking downtown San Luis Obispo, providing unobstructed views of nearby Bishops Peak.