By continuing to use the website, you consent to analytics tracking per NYIT's Privacy Statement
16 Photos That Explain NYIT's New Beach Pavilion
July 17, 2015
Thirteen NYIT architecture students teamed with nine students at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) to create a budget-friendly, versatile structure designed as a space for beachgoers to relax and socialize. Known as "Contorno," their beach pavilion is more than a modest project; it's an example of how young people can collaborate to make social impact and revitalize a beachfront community in Culebra, Puerto Rico. The structure is currently on display at UPR's campus. View photos:
1 of 16
NYIT architecture students strategize on designing a public space to make a big difference for members of a beachfront community with only $2,000.
2 of 16
Wooden beams are the building blocks of the beach pavilion designed for Flamenco Beach Camping Grounds in Culebra, Puerto Rico.
3 of 16
Gregory Preus sands wood. He is one of 13 NYIT architecture students who worked on Contorno as part of Assistant Professor Farzana Gandhi's fall 2014 Social Impact Design course.
4 of 16
NYIT architecture students Kevin Kaweicki and Chris Cetola drill holes into a wooden slat.
5 of 16
NYIT architecture students Jimmy Carbajal and Stephanie Ramanand stain wood.
6 of 16
As NYIT architecture students discuss design details and make progress, they regularly interact with graduate students at University of Puerto Rico via videoconference to share ideas and updates.
7 of 16
Slim metal rods are another component of the beach pavilion.
8 of 16
NYIT architecture student Jorge Villao hammers metal rods into a wooden beam.
9 of 16
Corntorno begins to take shape. The pavilion is a 7-foot, 6-inch cube sliced into five adjacent 1-foot, 6-inch modules.
10 of 16
NYIT architecture students layer wooden beams.
11 of 16
The frame of Contorno comes together. Two of the five modules will extend out of the cube to offer a changing room, viewing frame to the landscape beyond, and an information map and kiosk.
12 of 16
The design comprising wooden beams can be replicated along the entire length of Flamenco Beach's contour as a way to spur interest in larger tourism improvement projects.
13 of 16
Contorno was conceived as an alternative to a rundown existing facility that dates to 1983.
14 of 16
Team NYIT raised more than $1,200 to fund the project.
15 of 16
A rendering of Contorno shows hollow contours sized as benches, shade covers, and smooth ledges that double as tabletops for sharing a picnic.
16 of 16
This project gave us a chance to discover how ideas become physical reality and the challenges and limitations inherent in that translation, said NYIT architecture student Phoebe Steinhoff-Smith. I really enjoyed working with my hands and using my skills with tools to bring Contorno to life.
As an energy management graduate from New York Tech’s Vancouver campus, Jasdeep Gulati (M.S. ’22) is highly invested in educating people about environmental and climate sustainability.
The new Global Impact Research Grant (GIRG) program has been developed to keep Vancouver-based faculty connected to faculty and research projects being conducted on the university’s New York campuses.
Junhua Qu (M.S. ’24) began her collegiate journey in Beijing. But, her interest in climate change took her to New York Tech’s Vancouver campus to study energy management.