Gabriela Robles-Muñoz
Iowa State University
Department of Architecture
“DIA: Beacon Artist Residency,” gallery. Art and architecture are mediums that, through their creation and expression, are a reflection of their makers and the circumstances they endure. The creation of and final forms of each are laden with circumstance. The product cannot exist without the process. Together, art and architecture become the physical artifacts that document the metaphysical aspects of contemporary reality, particularly in regard to how said reality interacts with the human condition. Within the scope of this architecture, we are concerned with the delicate relationship between the part and the whole. This architecture is meant for those whose lived experiences inform the things they create, whether these creations are tangible artifacts, writings, spaces, or reflections. © Gabriela Robles-Muñoz and Aaron Koopal.
Jury
Paola Aguirre
Ojay Obinani
Robert L. Wesley (Chair)
Jia Yi Gu
When I envision my path after undergraduate school, I feel a drive to find who I am as a designer outside of academia and aim to explore and create as much as possible. The generosity of the SOM Foundation, by granting me the Robert L. Wesley Award, will allow me to experiment with new methods of practice, and will provide me with the tools I need to become a voice among young women within the field of architecture.
“DIA: Beacon Artist Residency,” map of Beacon, NY. DIA: Beacon, nestled on the East bank of the Hudson River in Beacon, NY, is one of the largest modern and contemporary art museums in the United States. Its location, just shy of a two-hour metro ride from Midtown Manhattan, is far enough away from the bustle of New York City to remain serene and isolated, but close enough to engage in the rich culture of art and architecture that is so abundant in the metropolis. © Gabriela Robles-Muñoz.
Gabriela Robles-Muñoz is an absolutely exceptional student, and it is my belief that she is an individual who truly holds the promise of the future of the discipline of architecture.
Deborah Hauptmann, Professor and Chair of Architecture, Iowa State University
“If Found, Please Destroy,” hidden corridor. The architects of this election center, unbeknownst to the officials that commissioned them, are revolutionaries. The architecture they have proposed is intentionally riddled with crevices and disguised corridors, gaps through which the revolution can infiltrate and undermine the administration’s monument to power and control. Narrow passageways hide within the perceived thickness of the wall, creating a series of platforms, accessible by ladder, that lead up and around the perimeter of each volume. These corridors will provide spaces for the rebels to peer in on the administration, and hopefully uncover the truth of what happens in this fortress of “democracy.” It’s just as the community whispers to one another in line on voting day: the walls are watching. © Gabriela Robles-Muñoz.
Gabriela’s work is characterized by an insightful blend of architectural, art, and theoretical knowledge through sophisticated visual storytelling.
Ojay Obinani, Juror
“If Found, Please Destroy,” level 2 plan, redacted and revealed. As presented to the administration, the walls and floors of this structure appear solid. This act of redaction conceals the reality of the structure. The architect’s private plans reveal hidden passages and corridors, used by the resistance to peer in on the administration. You see what they want you to see. © Gabriela Robles-Muñoz.
Gabriela Robles-Muñoz
Iowa State University
Department of Architecture
Gabriela Robles-Muñoz
is a fifth-year Bachelor of Architecture student at Iowa State University, pursuing minors in both Sustainability and Critical Studies. At Iowa State, she has been awarded for exceptional project development, most notably with respect to how her designs aim to reconcile pragmatic concerns within critical conceptual frameworks. Outside of her schoolwork, she is a research assistant under the 3DAIT Housing Project, works with the Department of Architecture as an undergraduate assistant, and is the coleader of DATUM Student Journal of a/Architecture, a student-run publication focused on critical academic discourse surrounding architecture and related topics. Robles-Muñoz approaches architecture with a strong focus on design theory, philosophy, and history; leading to an accentuated interest in architectural research, critique, and analysis. She is particularly curious about the role architecture plays within various sociopolitical contexts, specifically with regard to how formal expressions and ideological agendas have a lasting impact on architecture, culture, society, and place. In the future, she intends to cultivate a personal practice consisting of architecture, art, writing, and outreach. Above all, she hopes to eventually inspire other young women of color to advocate for themselves, remain curious, and believe in their own capabilities.