Conceived for the 2015 AIA-sponsored Storybook Competition at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, Larva was designed to captivate both children and adults through vibrant, emotive use of color in physical form. Developed by Gabriel while at Overland Partners in San Antonio, Larva emerged from rigorous internal design reviews as one of three selected entries. The project aimed to evoke imagination and emotional engagement, embodying the transformative journey of a butterfly through a translucent, cocoon-like structure.

• Innovative Submission: Larva was presented as a hand-bound children’s book printed on soft cardstock, featuring interactive page cutouts for an engaging, tactile experience, accompanied by a physical model to showcase its sculptural form.
• Emotional Design: The project leveraged color to create an immersive, transformative experience, drawing visitors into a narrative of metamorphosis.
• Excerpt from Larva Storybook:
  Unlock your imagination
  In a space of color
  Through metamorphosis of a translucent cocoon
  A moment of conception within the inner structure
  A beautiful butterfly nears its first engagement of a new world

Though shortlisted but not built, Larva represented a compelling exploration of color and form as emotional catalysts in architectural design. The project’s innovative storybook and model submission demonstrated a creative fusion of narrative and physicality, leaving a lasting impression as a meaningful design exercise for engaging diverse audiences.