A Bit About Me
Crystal is an interdisciplinary designer passionate about finding environmental solutions through computational tools that prioritize wildlife and landscape regeneration. Currently, she is a graduate student at MIT in the Department of Architecture's Computation and Design program. Previously, she received her BArch at Pratt Institute and worked at several firms in San Francisco, CA and in New York, NY.
Education
August 2017 - May 2022
Pratt School of Architecture | Brooklyn, NY
Bachelor of Architecture, Minor in Sustainability
With Honors
Summer 2016
Columbia University, GSAPP | New York, NY
Introduction to Architecture, Summer Studio - High Pass
September 2022 - Present
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA
Master of Science in Architecture Studies
Computation + Design
Awards and Exhibits
Pratt Circle Award 2022
Outstanding Merit Award 2022
LOG 54 Cover Drawing 2021
CityX Venice Exhibition 2021
Pratt Institute Archive 2018 - 2022 [various academic work]
Nodo d’amore Wine Label Competition - Honorable Mention 2019
Representation Drawing Competition Finalist, Spring 2018
Pratt Institute Merit-Based Scholarship
Pratt Institute President’s List Recipient
EXPERIENCE
August 2021 - 2022
Project Assistant | Brooklyn, NY
Pratt Institute Office of the Dean, Collective Spatial Agencies
The project is a strategy for intersectional inclusivity. It looks at past and present
spatial collectives that have explored alternative paths for advocating, teaching,
theorizing and making architecture. The goal is to document, catalogue, archive and exhibit works to bring visibility to networks of support and collectivity. The goal of this collective is to publish a book and develop a virtual exhibit to display work and presentations.
January 2020 - Present
Research Assistant | Brooklyn, NY
Pratt Institute School of Architecture
Research assistant for Cathryn Dwyre and Chris Perry. Duties include data collection and research for Points + Landscape research topic started at Pratt as a collaborative effort that includes prior research done with point cloud research and representation. Research included time in France through a fellowship at Chateau de Monthelon to scan and document grottoes.
Fall 2021
Guest Lecturer | Cornell University AAP
Lecture for Machine Consequences class taught by Alicia Imperiale, presenting past and current ongoing research surrounding photogrammetry, cybernetics and point cloud data
January 2019 - March 2020
Architectural Intern | Brooklyn, NY
Overlay Office
Designed and established identity graphics for website, business cards and presentation layouts. Part of the competition team, in addition to working on several projects through various design phases. Other duties included helping to set up a new office space and general office management duties.
January 2019 - May 2019
Research Assistant | Brooklyn, NY
Pratt Institute Interdisciplinary Technology Lab
Computational research and 3D printing.
August 2018 - May 2021
Teaching Assistant | Brooklyn, NY
Pratt Institute School of Architecture
First year design teaching assistant for ARCH 101/102 taught by Lapshan Fong. This included weekly one on one meetings with students to discuss projects, materials, and techniques. Throughout the semester there were several software and model-buildings workshops personally designed and presented.
August 2018 - May 2018
Shop Monitor | Brooklyn, NY
Pratt Institute School of Architecture
Shop monitor for the School of Architecture’s fabrication shops. 3D powder preparation, printing and extraction. lasershop monitor included machine maintenance and troubleshooting. Other duties included analyzing files for proper printing and advising on software issues.
August 2015 - September 2017
Director of Fabrication
Business Development Coordinator
Junior Designer
Office Manager
Smith-Miller + Hawkinson Architects | New York, NY
Projects include:
The Freedom of Expression National Monument
NYPL Roosevelt Island Branch Library
Fort Totten Training Academies
DSNY Queens 7 Garage Renovation
Ebenezer Plaza Brownsville Housing
Office of Emergency Management
Shop foreman and lead fabricator working with both digital and analog fabrication. Worked on shop drawings and various phases of design from SD, DD, and CD drawing sets. Assisted in office finance and preparing fee proposals and requisitions to clients for timely payment on all projects. Responsible for managing payment to all subconsultants. Additionally, prepared and submitted requests for proposals as well as requests for qualifications with a high success rate. Produced various presentation materials including renderings, physical and digital models, historical site research and documentation, and site surveys. Office management duties included IT responsibilities such as software management and training, computer configuration, troubleshooting office network issues and diagnosing and solving hardware issues.
2013 - 2014
Associate Designer | Oakland, CA
EA Bonelli and Associates
Produced BIM models and workflows for various projects as well as integrating structural schemes for analysis.
2012 - 2013
Architectural Intern | San Francisco, CA
Robin Chiang and Co
Attended community meetings, created models, researched building codes, and researched project materials.
2009 - 2010
Architectural Intern | San Francisco, CA
Kwan Henmi Architecture and Planning
Initially began as a marketing intern working on marketing material, such as project booklets for clients and prospective clients. Migrated to architecture and worked on material research and renderings for various projects.
August 2023- 2024
Teaching Assistant | Cambridge, MA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Teaching assistant for Inquiry into Computation and Design taught by Terry Knight, a required course for students in their first year of the Computation and Design program. Topics included the history and theory of computation in architecture and design, current ongoing research at MIT, and developing thesis topics.
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