MTMICHAEL TUZZOArchitectural Designer
Selected projects / 2026
04 / 04 / Bachelor of Architecture Thesis · 2026

STRATA

Sports-Anchored Mixed-Use District · Doraville, Georgia · Auburn University

Aerial visualization of STRATA, showing residential buildings, athletic fields, retail buildings, and surrounding landscape

Project overview

STRATA is a proposal for a sports-anchored mixed-use district along Buford Highway in Doraville, Georgia. The design brings housing, retail, fitness, and recreation together around a pedestrian spine that connects the street to the athletic fields. Rather than flattening the site, the project uses its approximately 30-foot change in elevation to organize programs across multiple levels.

Street-facing retail and housing occupy the upper portions of the site, while indoor recreation, courts, and fields connect through intermediate terraces and accessible circulation. Structured parking reduces the amount of surface area dedicated to cars, creating more room for public activity.

Project details

Project
Bachelor of Architecture Thesis, 2026
University
Auburn University
Location
5597 Buford Highway, Doraville, Georgia
Site
Approximately 13 acres
Program
118 residential units; 17 retail shops; fitness and outdoor recreation
Parking
546 spaces across structured and surface parking
Focus
Topography, pedestrian circulation, program layering, and public space
13 acresApprox. site area
118Residential units
17Retail shops
30 ftSite elevation change
01 / Master plan

Site organization

The master plan arranges retail and residential buildings above a central recreation precinct, with paths and terraces connecting the development through the slope.

STRATA street-level site plan, showing the pedestrian route, building footprints, recreation spaces, and surrounding streets
0′ — Street-level master plan
02 / Topography

Four connected levels

The complete sequence of four site plans shows how the development steps from street level at 0′ down to the athletic fields at −30′. The street-level plan also appears enlarged above for closer review.

STRATA street-level site plan, showing the pedestrian route, building footprints, recreation spaces, and surrounding streets
0′ — Street level
STRATA plan at negative ten feet, with intermediate retail and circulation
−10′ — Intermediate retail
STRATA plan at negative twenty-two feet, with gym and retail
−22′ — Gym and retail
STRATA plan at negative thirty feet, showing athletic fields and parking
−30′ — Athletic fields and parking
03 / Project views

Buildings and public space

Views of the athletic fields, pedestrian connections, and residential edges show how recreation shapes everyday circulation through the district.

View from the outdoor soccer field toward retail and apartment buildings
Athletic field and mixed-use edge
Perspective showing terraced circulation and retaining walls across the site
Stepped pedestrian circulation
View from the residential walkway toward the recreational courts and opposite building
Residential edge and public realm
Perspective of the landscaped open space in front of the retail and residential buildings
Outdoor recreation and ground-level uses
04 / Section

Program across the grade

The long section shows how housing, recreation, and parking occupy different elevations while remaining part of one connected development.

Long architectural section through the STRATA residential blocks, recreation facilities, and parking
Longitudinal site section
Complete thesis

View the complete 2026 STRATA thesis book, including site research, precedents, drawings, and project conclusions.

View thesis book (PDF) ↗
Selected WorksBack to all projects ↗