Portfolio Example 12 — Visualization to Design-Build

ALL IMAGES: Courtesy of Filipe Costa

Filipe Costa

Filipe Costa completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies at the University of Toronto in 2020, with a specialization in technology and a minor in Visual Studies. He has also worked as a design intern, printmaker, and art handler.

In September 2023, he started the three-year Master of Architecture program at Carleton University, having also received offers from the University of British Columbia and the University of Calgary.

Costa’s portfolio showcases various projects he worked on during his undergraduate studies and past work experience.

“They each cover a different aspect of what I believe is vital to leading a successful career in architecture, namely research visualization, experimentation, exploration, design-build, and creative projects outside of the field of architecture,” he says. 

LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY: Alice Springs (4 images)

“This project provided me with an opportunity to do in-depth research about a town and its past, present, and future risks and vulnerabilities and present that research in visual form.”

LAZY COMPUTING: Camera House (3 images)

“During my final undergrad year, I took a course that focused on animations. Our projects had to be uploaded to Instagram, and so I wanted to explore the relationship the camera has with architecture. It resulted in a so-called Camera House.”

GEOMETRY KIT: Archimedean Solids (4 images)

“This geometry kit was a project I designed under architect and artist Philip Beesley for children to explore more complex geometrical forms.”

ZAZEN: Meditation Pavilion (3 images)

“During my undergraduate degree, I participated in a two-week design-build workshop to design a meditation pod for lululemon. Although it was a group project, the drawings, rendering, and diagrams in my portfolio were done entirely by me.”

EXTRUSIONS: Acoustical Amphitheatre (4 images)

“My final studio project dealt with exploring combining plywood with acoustical properties, while at the same time integrating structural performance to the overall form.”

LIVING ARCHITECTURE: Living Sculptures

“This last segment of my portfolio served to highlight my time as production manager for architect and artist Philip Beesley, where I played a significant role in production, fabrication, and installation.”