Collegiate Work Archives - ShaRena Steeple Studio

Seoul Architecture : Moments of Occulance

ShaRena Steeple — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 18:14:58 +0000

Occulance (noun): The phenomenon of experiencing an oculus moment in architecture, characterized by a profound emotional or sensory connection evoked through a structural opening or design feature, often symbolic or functional, that directs light, vision, or focus. It embodies the awe and reflection inspired by architectural elements that transcend utility.

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While in Seoul, South Korea, I had the pleasure of visiting and experiencing moments of occulance at the National Museum of Korea, SONGEUN, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), the LG Arts Center, the Lotte World Mall, and the Leeum Museum of Art.

These experiences gave me a taste of transcendence, and although these architectural spaces are not considered sacred or religious, the moments of occulance within them transports the occupant beyond the architecture itself and into a phenomenal place of intuitive feeling and sensory elevation.

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3 Models In : Interval

ShaRena Steeple — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 07:30:21 +0000

Since It is the anniversary of my completion of the plaster project and being on the other side of it witnessing the new class cross the threshold of completion, I thought I’d reminisce a bit.

In the second year of architecture at California Baptist University (CBU), Interval aka the plaster project arrives like a quiet storm, unassuming at first, then all-consuming. It’s a rite of passage, a test of patience, time management and the ability to find the message in the mess. We were led with an essay “Transparency: Literal and Phenomenal,” by architectural theorists Colin Rowe and Robert Slutzky expressing the nuance of phenomenal transparencies.

For my cube study, I chose the words rhythm & repition. I found my muse in the tortoise, a creature whose movement is deliberate, and it’s shell is both armor and architecture.

The turtle doesn’t rush because it can’t: its form demands intention. Every step is calculated and every pause is deliberate. That slow, steady rhythm became my design ethos; I consider it the pulse of my project. I studied the geometric patterns on its shell, which were interlocking and calmly complex. I saw in them a spatial logic, a natural tessellation that poises strength and phenomenology.

When I began the plaster cube project, I knew I wanted my exploration to go a little deeper than form, I wanted it to be ethnic. I turned to the textiles and patterns of my Indigenous heritage. The geometry found in fabric and bead work, in my own way, was me addressing my very own transparency. They became my visual language.

The tortoise remained my anchor. Its shell, a resilient architecture of interlocking forms, reminded me of the patience required in design and life. It moves with intention, armored yet vulnerable and that guided my iterations.

In cardboard, I explored rhythm through voids and patterning; cutting, folding, and layering to test how space could pulse and breathe. Each model was a study in rhythm. And then, somewhere between the third and fourth iteration, something clicked. I had sculpted an abstract tortoise emerging from the shell (literally and figuratively)!! Not planned, but emergent. It felt like a convergence of everything: the tortoise’s steady geometry, the rhythm of repetition, and the cultural memory embedded in fabric motifs.

check this out... In the image above, the top row is the same cube in two angles can you see the tortoise head emerging?! And the cube in the bottom left is as if he's in the shell. If you don't see it it's okay, keep reading

The second phase of the plaster cube project introduced a larger scale of the cube. This time I used foam core. We were tasked with translating our chosen iteration into a moldable form, one that could eventually be inverted to hold plaster and preserve the design. Time was tight, the process was unforgiving and yet, it was in this constraint that my concept began to become transparently clear.

I started thinking about rhythm, and more proactively about time itself…how it moves, how it’s marked, how it’s remembered. In my culture, the tortoise is a creature of patience and a keeper of time. Ancient stories speak of its shell as a divine calendar, mapping cosmological cycles across its back. Each patch holds a rhythm and means something beyond the tangible and that is the essence of phenomenology.

As I refined my foam core models, I searched for a form that could carry that symbolism. The final design emerged as an abstract tortoise, it wasn’t in a literal sense but more so evocative. The abstraction left an element to be seen without being seen – I believe that is what Rowe and Slutzky expressed in the essay. To come to this revelation through a form, felt like a monument to time, and ancestral wisdom.

Getting the plaster to the right consistency was pure chaos. There’s no sugarcoating it. My first pour was a surprise, not a failure, but definitely not what I had envisioned. I hadn’t fully transliterated my voids into solids or my solids into voids. The spatial logic was off, but the result had a raw beauty to it. It looked cool, although unintended, it was compelling.

By the second pour, I had cracked a crucial hack: lining the entire interior of my foam core mold with thick, clear duct tape. Without it, the plaster seeps into the paper lining and bonds like concrete to foam core. With it, the mold releases cleanly. Hack mastered. The second pour came out beautifully.

But then came the waiting. Forty-eight hours passed, and the plaster still hadn’t fully cured. It was dense, but damp. And in that liminal space between wet, dry, frustration and possibility…I began to work with the substance itself.

During desk crit, Professor Youseff encouraged me to carve. To treat the plaster not just as a cast, but as a medium. The moment I scraped away that first slice, something shifted. I felt ancient and connected. My hands were shaping the material, they had become the hands of a maker. It was meditative, almost sacred. A classmate stopped by my desk and was like, “Whoa, that kind of looks like a temple… and my only thought was, “Perfect!”

I fell in love with that second model. It held the story of sacred discovery. But the assignment required three final pieces, so I had to keep going. This time, I secretly hoped the plaster wouldn’t cure all the way. I wanted to carve again and return to that ancestral joy.

Success. The third model demolded cleanly, and the plaster consistency was perfect, soft enough to carve, strong enough to hold form. Plaster had gone from mystery to muse, and I had learned to listen to it.Three models in, and I had made an underrated discovery about myself…I’m indeed a phenomenologist.

Reusing the mold from my second pour (thanks to the duct tape lining and careful unboxing) saved me precious time. I was down to my final night before presentations, and still had to complete an orthographic graphite wash of my final model on vellum. Truth be told, my second model was my final model. It held the soul of the project, the rhythm, and the story.

I carved the third using the same meditative technique, letting my hands move with memory. Then came the graphite wash, which was my first ever. Equipped with nothing but painters’ tape, graphite, and a few cotton pads, I made it happen. The process was intuitive, and surprisingly satisfying.

At critique, I received generous feedback on the model and the narrative of my process. The carving, cultural symbolism, the graphite wash and rhythm all came together.

Through this project, I found artistry in iteration and, most importantly, comradeship. We were all in it together, carving, casting, and surviving. The plaster project was grueling, no doubt but it was also transformative.

I survived with three models, and a profound understanding of phenomenal transparency. My surprise takeaway was the reunion with the maker within.

do you see it now!? third picture bottom left, the shell can be seen in the void and the tortoise head and neck protrudes from it at the very bottom of the model. second picture middle left, is the front view. I truly hope you see it

it was all meant... It was two days before critique, I was at club rush, and I stopped at the NOMAS table to greet some of the upperclassmen in architecture. I played a matching game and won a 3D print! Top right, I picked...the only one that made sense!

I even designed a graphic tee in commemoration of the project.

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Seoul-ful

ShaRena Steeple — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 15:21:57 +0000

Reverence

While in Seoul, South Korea, I experienced a remarkable cultural harmony that seamlessly blended self-expression through craft and art, childlike joy through entertainment, and a deep reverence for tradition through architecture, social customs, and food. The Korean salutation of bowing, used to greet, thank, and bid farewell, left a resounding impression on my soul while in Seoul. This simple yet profound gesture exemplifies the respect ingrained within the culture, extending into every aspect of daily life.

The reverence for tradition was evident in the interactions, in the way food was served, in the meticulous execution of the royal guard ceremony at the palace, and even in how people patiently waited for over thirty minutes outside a small shop for BAO. This act demonstrated both an appreciation for craftsmanship and a celebration of cultural heritage through food.

Self Expression and Childlike Joy

In addition to tradition, Seoul’s built environment embraced self-expression and creativity through art and entertainment. Many spaces served as canvases for art installations and technological displays, encouraging interactive and immersive experiences. Pop culture flourished with adorable cartoon-like characters featured on themed buildings, shops, and even transportation. A visit to a whimsical cat café encapsulated the city’s playful charm, adding to the childlike joy embedded in its social and cultural landscape.

Harmony

Throughout the city, I observed two worlds existing in harmony, the preservation of the old world, with its traditional architecture and historical significance, alongside the cutting-edge innovation of modernity. Iconic landmarks such as the royal palaces stood as testaments to history, evoking a sense of awe and grounding the city’s identity in its past. Simultaneously, soaring skyscrapers and avant-garde designs reflected Seoul’s embrace of technological advancement and architectural evolution.

The harmonious duality had a profound impact on Seoul’s inhabitants. Traditional spaces, with their quiet elegance, inspired moments of reflection and respect. Modern spaces, on the other hand, buzzed with energy and creativity. Together, these environments shaped a unique cultural rhythm that resonated deeply with me.

In my photographic essay, I captured this coalescence of tradition, creativity and innovation, illustrating how Seoul’s built environment preserves its history while propelling its people forward in unique and inspiring ways. Through images of ceremonial spaces, bustling markets, themed shops, art exhibits and modern architecture juxtaposed against historical landmarks, I document the ways in which Seoul’s inhabitants engage with these contrasting worlds, finding harmony in their coexistence.

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“Punchline” A Design Concept for the Poetry Foundation

ShaRena Steeple — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 13:22:05 +0000

Due to the expansion of the Poetry Foundation, a new appetite for poetry is sweeping the nation. There has been a massive increase in demand for Poetry magazine, which has prompted the Foundation to consider expanding its operations. This idea is now becoming a reality as the Foundation has, only months ago, attracted another benefactor whose love of poetry compelled them to donate a massive sum. The funds came with the following requirements: they are to be used to build a cultural center for the Poetry Foundation in the donor’s hometown of Riverside, CA, and the design is to be generated by the current second-year architectural studio at California Baptist University! (Everything in this paragraph may or may not be true.)

Part 1 Empirical Analysis

Site Analysis [Researched, observed, and documented the project site conditions.. The analysis includes a set of images and diagrams which describe my understanding of the project site and its context.

Precedent Analysis [Gathered images of my precedents and created an original digital diagram which illustrates the aspect of the work that I identified as relevant.]

Program Analysis [Scale Study: Organized the shapes according to my understanding of the program. Programmatic Relationship Study: Produced a diagram showing the relationships between all programmatic elements. Programmatic Experience Study: Sourced Images of the experience(s) I envision for the primary spaces in the program.]

Part 2 Sensory Representation

Part 3 Workflows

For each of the three workflows, I produced a physical model at a scale of
1” = 30’, a collage or series of images, a diagrammatic plan, and a diagrammatic section.]

Final Design

ShaRena-Steeple_Punchline-Design-Proj-5-final-1c

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Generative Workflow: Using Operative Design

ShaRena Steeple — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 22:07:36 +0000

Generative Workflow

I read Operative Design: A Catalogue of Spatial Verbs by Anthony Di Mari and Nora Yoo and now see it as a valuable generative tool. Inspired by the book’s logic, I developed a series of spatial transformations using SketchUp, translating abstract verbs into tangible architectural expressions.

Spatial Verbs in Practice

Each panel began with a base structure, then evolved through a sequence of operations, verbs like inflate, notch, fracture, and twist to explore how form responds to context, intention, and material logic. Once I arrived at a form I would take that form and create an aggregate, putting the unit together making a larger form from the individual units.

These digital studies were then brought into physical form: two were 3D printed, and one was modeled by folding museum board. Each was rendered into a landscape that echoed its architectural character, beachside, cliffside, and mountainous terrain, reinforcing the dialogue between form and site.

This workflow helped me reflect on how spatial verbs as design prompts could offer a language for transformation, a framework for iteration, and a bridge between digital and physical making.

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Schindler-Chace Fireplace: A Study and Design Addition to the Schindler-Chace House

ShaRena Steeple — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 13:32:54 +0000

"Schindler-Chace Fireplace"

The Schindler-Chace House has many reflective motifs that connect us with nature, from the concrete, wood, and stone exemplified in a raw form to the studio spaces that open up to become a part of the outdoors. My design hones in on the hearths of the home. Schindler used the hearth as a bridge and cardinal guiding people to embrace the outdoors as home just as much as interior spaces. It points to camping as an everyday ritual that you don’t necessarily need to go into the wild for. The hearth in the space is placed carefully on three occasions in the home and reflected in the outdoor space at each interval of the pinwheel axis. This fact sparked the design for the “Schindler-Chace Fireplace” addition. The edition pays homage to the intuitive workings of the hearth or “fireplace.” The hearth is where people gather, share stories, and find warmth. this building addition embodies the original profile of the fireplace in the structure on three instances to stay true to the trinity of the originals. My intention is that the procession through the exhibition space, where people will experience and share stories, ultimately becoming the spark seen through a hearth’s window of the Schindler-Chace fireplace.

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Drawing, Diagraming, and Modeling Architecture by a Famous Architect

ShaRena Steeple — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 20:27:19 +0000

featured image above courtesy of Fran Silvestre Architects

Fran Silvestre's House on The Air

The House on the Air by Fran Silvestre is located in Tarifa, Spain. Spanning a 400-square-meter area, the house is nestled on the side of a mountainous terrain. The construction features locally sourced stone, and the house boasts a modern style with clean lines and floor-to-ceiling windows on both the front and back of the horizontally expanded structure. The architectural concept frames the horizon, with the home’s large view ports facing the ocean. The architect intended to draw in the sunrise and sunset, creating a space that perfectly frames these moments, allowing the colors of the sky and light to become art themselves, contrasting with the stark, modern, colorless home. The main feature and namesake of this structure is its floating appearance. The main long (top) floor is situated on top of the ground floor in a cross orientation. Due to the bottom floor supporting the center of the elongated top floor, a cantilever effect is created, making the house look as if it is floating.

Drawings

Pull-Apart Model

In the scale model of the house I was responsible for the assembly of the main floor’s framing and windows, all interior walls, furniture and the pool structure with water.

Diagrams

My 3D diagram showcases levitation and framing. Inspired by Frans Silvstre’s “House on the Air,” which uses longitudinal planes and portals to frame its surroundings, I incorporated these concepts into my design. I created a volumetric space with a wooden base frame holding an acrylic casing. The transparent acrylic gives the appearance of floating and enhances the framing effect. Inside the casing, a smaller volumetric space is framed by two longitudinal portals, offering multiple perspectives. The movable acrylic casing can be oriented on its base in various ways to further illustrate levitation and framing.

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