andrew beck
abeck2018@gmail.com
440-822-7005
Cleveland, OH
In high school I took an architectural CAD class which spurred my interest in architecture. While pursuing this interest at Kent State I discovered my equal love of the construction process and seeing buildings leave the drawing phase and go vertical. This combined interest, along with my background in construction, gives me an advantage in seeing projects through to the finish, compared to my peers. My desire to learn new programs, skill sets, and broaden my architectural horizons, I believe makes me an asset to firms looking for well rounded designers adept in many different project types.
Kent State May Fourth Memorial
Fall Semester 2020 University Design Competition
The events of May 4, 1970 will forever be ingrained in the legacy of Kent State, and most particularly tied to the area around Taylor Hall. My enclosed pavilion is sited on Blanket Hill and is aimed at peeling back the rich history of this area and unveiling the raw emotion tied to it. The interior has been left empty with the exception of a granite monument in the center of the space. This monument is made up of 13 monoliths, the center four dedicated to the four students shot and killed, and the other nine dedicated to the students injured. All the monoliths have plaques on the top with the name of the student to whom its been dedicated, and the lighter monoliths for those injured, have the height derived from the distance at which they were shot. The simplicity and silence of the space forces the occupants to reflect on the unfoldings of May 4th. Just as important as the monoliths themselves, are the shadows cast beyond them, as these shadows are representative of the lasting impressions these students have left on the university.
The Idora Line
Spring Semester 2021
Professor Danny Wills
The Idora Neighborhood is a storied and historic neighborhood, but is not without its blemishes. Upon analysis I determined the neighborhood was lacking a consistent and diverse transportation network. This is illustrated in a lack of nearby bus stops, no bike lanes, and large population of low income households making purchasing cars very difficult. Renovating a nearby abandoned building created the opportunity to address all of these issues in creating a transportation network. The first key is redesigning the streets to accommodate cars, buses, and bicycles. The heart of the network is the transportation hub itself which serves multiple purposes. It provides transportation for the community through the addition of a bus stop, as well as the opportunity to rent bikes, and utilize a ride share electric vehicle fleet. Additionally, by implementing a takeout cafe and an indoor market, the transportation hub now becomes a destination during a commute, and brings business and investment into the area.
Kent School of Architecture
Fall Semester 2021
Professor Nick Safley
The expansion of the Kent School of Architecture sits on the plot of land currently occupied by Terrace Hall, on the Kent State campus. The building sits postured above campus, dominating the view along Main Street, with a leg following the slope of the site, creating an entrance. Derived from an exercise of translating a two dimensional pattern into a three dimensional shape, the new school seeks to create and resolve the conflict between a very irregular form and multiple regular, conventional building methods, with a combination of mass timber structure and an ACM insulated metal panel system. The school consists of a wide range of program from large studio spaces, varying sizes of classrooms, faculty offices, as well as print labs and painting booths targeted at project production.
The Reservation at Avon Lake
Fall Semester 2022
Professor Jodi Van Der Wiel
In collaboration with Sarah Vala
The Reservation at Avon Lake is a project that looks to reclaim the site of the current Avon Lake power plant, which is being decommissioned and demolished. The reimagination of this site takes a focus on recreation, well being, and combating the previous ecological damage. The site consists of three main destinations, a recreation center and library, residential housing and commercial space, and an island amphitheater, with walking paths and natural areas in between. The recreation focus of the project is oriented around these walking paths, which connect to nearby Miller Road Park, as well as incorporating a disc golf course, and paddlecraft storage facility along with paddlecraft launches. On the ecological side of the project, the Reservation utilizes a large pond south of the site to collect the coal polluted rain run off and utilizes natural filtration before introducing the water back into the lake. Lastly, there are solar panels on the site along with passive design solutions to strive toward carbon neutrality.
