Meet Vincent J. Ramirez II ’13. The Texas Society of Architects (TSA) recently honored a project concept by the architecture alumnus as a shining example of innovation and excellence in design.
Ramirez currently is taking his Architecture Registration Exams. He works at the nationally recognized Vinci | Hamp Architects in Chicago. Earlier this month, he traveled to Houston to attend the TSA 75th annual convention, where he was awarded the prestigious Studio Award for his project concept, “The Middle Ground At-Risk Youth Boxing & Education Facility.”
“I’m truly honored to have my work recognized,” Ramirez said. “It’s a testament to the great architectural education that I received in the Master of Architecture III program in the UTSA College of Architecture, Construction and Planning.”
A New York-based jury selected “The Middle Ground At-Risk Youth Boxing & Education Facility” and five other concepts were selected from more than 50 entries from across Texas. The winning projects were featured in the November/December 2014 issue of Texas Architect.
Ramirez conceived and completed his project as part of his 2013 UTSA master’s thesis, which called for a concept that would address a known problem in the community. It received the UTSA College of Architecture, Construction and Planning Dean’s Merit Award and the UTSA Cultural Sustainability Award.
The Middle Ground concept calls for the transformation of several old industrial buildings in downtown San Antonio into a youth boxing training campus. The 40,000-square-foot facility would be easily accessible from all areas of San Antonio, hence its name. By setting the gym downtown, Ramirez said, he could meld a new building design with his passion for historic preservation.
Ramirez’s proposal features boxing and exercise training facilities, educational spaces, a green house, a fully stocked juice and snack bar, and a 500-seat boxing arena for competitions. The spaces would maintain the industrial aesthetics of the original buildings, which Ramirez recalled from the gritty boxing gyms that he grew up around. The New York-based jury remarked favorably on the cohesiveness and subtlety of Ramirez’s concept.
“With Middle Ground, I wanted to create a safe space where at-risk boys and girls could channel their energy and passion into something productive and fun,” said Ramirez. “I grew up around boxing. I knew from my own personal experiences how much of a positive impact sports can have on troubled youth.”
Ramirez said that he felt that the opportunities he received at UTSA allowed him to refine his talents in architecture and design and take his career to the next level.
“I chose to attend UTSA because of its strong historic preservation program,” said Ramirez. “The research opportunities presented to me while I was a student were great in preparing me to build upon my career and education. The professors were intelligent and hands-on in their teaching, and the networking opportunities afforded me have really helped me achieve professional success.”
Since receiving his M.Arch. 3 degree, Ramirez has been working on a variety of projects including historic preservation, government, educational and residential throughout Texas and the Chicago area. He also is assisting on the design of exhibition spaces for prominent museums. He hopes to continue refining his talents in design and historic preservation as he begins the next phase of his professional career.
This article was written by Jesus Chavez and sourced from http://www.utsa.edu/today/2014/12/vincentramirez.html
