“The strength of a good design lies in ourselves and in our ability to perceive the world with both emotion and reason”.
- Peter Zumthor
Intent
Hello, I’m Abigail Votava. This portfolio is a collection of selected works from 2018 to 2021 in which I aim to express my immense curiosity of both the built and unbuilt environments.
You will find a few key characteristics that are emphasized in each project; quantitative and qualitative in-depth research analyses, strong conceptual organization, simple, but innovative solutions that serve a broad variety of demographics. I strive to create a symphony of form and material
When I am not designing or making things, you can find me running, swimming, flying small planes, playing guitar, or skiing in the Rocky Mountains.
719-649-0789
abigail.votava@ucdenver.edu
Denver, CO.
linkedin.com/abigailvotava
Honors + Awards
Design Build Certificate, Colorado Building Workshop
Oz Scholarship Award Recipient
Robert K. Fuller Scholarship Award Recipient, AEF
Priscilla C. and William Muchow, FAIA Scholarship Recipient
Sigma Alpha Lambda Scholar
Volunteer Experience
United States Olympic Training Center, Coach
St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital Target House, Volunteer
Boy Scouts of America, Event Organizer
Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, Air-Marshaller
2021-Present
Professional Experience
MA+KE Architecture and Development, Denver, CO.
Architectural Design and Development Intern
2020-2021
HLB Lighting Design, Denver, CO.
Architectural Lighting Design Intern
2018, 2019
CJS Architects, Rochester, NY.
Architectural Design Intern
Education
2020-2022
University of Colorado Denver
Pursuing a Master of Architecture, 4.0 GPA
2018-2020
University of Colorado Denver
Bachelor of Science in Architecture, 4.0 GPA
2016-2018
University of Memphis
Pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
PASSAGE | Electromagnetic Train Research + Innovation Incubator
Passage is an electromagnetic train research and innovation incubator located in the RiNo arts district in Denver, Colorado. This area is very industrial and became so because of the access to the train, though the current RiNo area has become a hub of artists. This project aims to keep the history of transportation alive along with the art of manufacturing the most sustainable transit option to take us into the future.
Concept
Both the visitor as well as the innovator are incorporated into a manufacturing and research incubator with the use of slipping masses and overlapping transparency, providing connection to either of the experiences and also implying levitation and motion. The action of the architecture comes from the function of the electromagnetic train itself, levitating by means of a strong opposition of the two north and south magnetic poles being pressured onto one another, which also causes the propulsion of the train.
Graduate Studio V
Fall 2021
Critic: Stephen Dynia
The first level provides transparency to the interior corridor to focus attention on the rail and the manufacturing process. The spaces set back from the rail are for research and exhibition. The first level accommodates both the public and private space types.
The second level provides transparency both toward and away from the interior corridor to focus attention on the rail and the manufacturing process as well as the train operations that are passing by. The spaces closer to the interior corridor are focus spaces, a conference room and a classroom and the exterior spaces are public leisure spaces designed primarily with the visitor in mind.
East Longitudinal Section Scale: 1/16” = 1’ - 0”
North Elevation Scale: 1/16” = 1’ - 0”
South Elevation Scale: 1/16” = 1’ - 0”
West Elevation Scale: 1/16” = 1’ - 0”
East Elevation Scale: 1/16” = 1’ - 0”
West Elevation Scale: 1/16” = 1’ - 0”
SEVERANCE COMMUNITY PARK | Pedestrian Bridge
The Severance Community Park pedestrian bridge spans across a 75 foot irrigation ditch with a small stream of water, connecting the two sides of the town’s recreation park. The park is home to football fields, soccer fields, a baseball diamond, and a great lawn. The bridge also connects the park to the Great Western Trail, providing access to schools and neighborhoods.
Concept
The bridge symbolizes the preservation of the rich history of agriculture that lives in the town of Severance. The main shape of the bridge is provided by the truss. A series of Corten steel squares highlights the resemblance of repetition that is seen in hay bails, crop organization, train cars, the architecture of the irrigation sprinklers and the crops themselves. On a larger scale, the bridge reads as a long thin line that eloquently blends into the horizon line of the plains of Eastern Colorado. From the center of the bridge, the truss f rames Long’s Peak, the most prevalent shape among the landscape. The bridge serves as a transition space that keeps people safe f rom hazardous terrain and dissipates into the landscape on either side, becoming two moments of pause for the community to gather.
Graduate Studio IV Design-Build
Fall 2020/ Spring
2021Critic: Rick Sommerfeld
Collaboration with Colorado Building Workshop
irrigation ditch with eloped recreation
access to schools,
Undulation
that lives in the town of Corten steel rop organization, themselves. into the horizon truss frames Long’s a transition space landscape on either
Undulation
The railing system undulates outside of the structure over the water that flows beneath. The space that this creates allows for a seating opportunity on the main section of the bridge.
The railing system undulates outside of the truss structure over the water that spaces that this creates allows for a seating opportunity on the main section of the bridge.
Material Palette
corten steel
Material Palette
Material Palette
board-formed concrete
The material palette of the bridge is quite simple, consisting of only Corten steel, board-formed concrete, and rough-sawn locally sourced beetle-kill pine timber. Each of these materials were carefully selected because of their obvious texture that denotes age and character
corten steel
The material pale e of the bridge is qui simple, consisting of only en steel d-formed conc , and rough-sawn beetle-kill pine timber. Each of these materials were carefully selected because of their obvious that denotes age and
Bridge Organization
The material palette of the bridge is quite simple, consisting of only Corten steel, board-formed concrete, and rough-sawn locally sourced beetle-kill pine timber. Each of these materials were carefully selected because of their obvious texture that denotes age and character
overhead shading
corten steel
super structure: corten steel
These qualities speak the same language as the old barns, horse stables, and railroad tracks that are found in the town of Severance, therefore emphasizing a rich agricultural heritage.
timber
These qualities speak the same language as the old barns, horse stables, and s that a found in the erance, the fore emphasizing a rich heritage.
These qualities speak the same language as the old barns, horse stables, and railroad tracks that are found in the town of Severance, therefore emphasizing a rich agricultural heritage.
north elevation
scale: 1/16” = 1’ -0”
board-formed concrete
board-formed concrete benches
timber
foundation + abutments
nor
scale: 1/16” = 1’ -0”
north elevation
scale: 1/16” = 1’ -0”
south elevation
scale: 1/16” = 1’ -0”
south elevation
scale: 1/16” = 1’ -0”
south elevation
scale: 1/16” = 1’ -0”
Bridge Organization
wood slat overhead shading system
Material Palette
WO OD SLAT OV E RHEAD SYSTE M
Bridge Organization
rial Palette
super structure: corten steel box truss
SUPER STRUCTURE: CORTEN BO X TRUS S
wood slat overhead shading system
wood modular railing system
board-formed concrete
The material palette of the bridge is qui simple, consisting of only board-formed concrete, and rough-sawn locally sourced beetle-kill pine Each of these materials were carefully selected because of their obvious that denotes age and charac
These qualities speak the same language as the old barns, horse stables, and railroad tracks that are found in the of Severance, therefore emphasizing a rich agricultural heritage.
board-formed concrete benches
timber
foundation + abutments
north elevation
The material palette of the bridge is quite simple, consisting of only Corten steel, d-formed concrete, and rough-sawn locally sou ed beetle-kill pine timber. Each of these materials were carefully selected because of their obvious texture that denotes age and character
undulating railing/ bench over water
super structure: corten steel box truss
wood decking
wood modular railing system
custom seating
walkway structure
board-formed concrete benches
These qualities speak the same language as the old barns, horse stables, and oad tracks that are found in the town erance, therefore emphasizing a rich heritage.
foundation + abutments
FOUN
north elevation
scale: 1/16” = 1’ -0”
8"x8"x1/4" HSS COLUMN
1" DIA. STEEL ROD VERTICAL CROSS BRACING, THREADED
8"x4"x1/4" HSS BOTTOM CHORD BEAM
HSS TOP CHORD BEAM
8"x4"x1/4"
1" DIA.
8"x4"x1/4" HSS TRANSVERSE BEAM
WELDED L-PLATE
8"x8"x1/4" HSS COLUMN
4 1/2"
STEEL
HSS BEAM 6" 7"x7"x1/4" STEEL PLATE 3"x7"x1/4"
8"x4"x1/4" HSS TRANSVERSE BEAM
T.O. BEAM 100'-0"
1" DIA. STEEL ROD HORIZONTAL CROSS BRACING, THREADED
GALV. HILLSIDE WASHER, BOTH SIDES TYP. WASHER AND BOLT
TEAM: -NEED HELP WITH WELDED CONNECTION SYMBOLS
8"x8"x1/4" HSS BEAM
8"x4"x1/4" HSS BOTTOM CHORD BEAM ABOVE
NOTE: THE CUT HOLE FOR THE SIDE THAT THE LOCKING TAB IS LOCATED ON NEEDS TO A PRECISE HOLE MADE WITH A MAGDRILL
GALV. HILLSIDE WASHER, BOTH SIDES TYP.
(4) PASS-THRU HOLES CUT IN HSS TRANSVERSE BEAM, TYP. BOTH SIDES
1" DIA. STEEL ROD HORIZONTAL CROSS BRACING, THREADED
8"x4"x1/4" HSS TRANSVERSE BEAM
NOTE: THE CUT HOLE FOR THE SIDE THAT THE LOCKING TAB IS LOCATED ON NEEDS TO A PRECISE HOLE MADE WITH A MAGDRILL TEAM: NEED HELP WITH WELDED CONNECTION SYMBOLS
TRUSS TEAM: NEED HELP WITH WELDED CONNECTION SYMBOLS
WASHER AND BOLT
TRUSS
NEED HELP
5129° 2" 4 3/8" 2" 6 3/8" 5/8" 1 3/8"
WELDED L-PLATE
8"x4"x1/4" HSS TOP CHORD BEAM
WP
(1) PASS-THRU HOLE CUT IN T.O. TOP CHORD BEAM
6 3/8"
2" 4 3/8"
WP 2"
1 3/8" 5/8" 2"
2 3/4"
NOTE: THE CUT HOLE FOR THE SIDE THAT THE LOCKING TAB IS LOCATED ON NEEDS TO A PRECISE HOLE MADE WITH A MAGDRILL
2" 5129°
GALV. HILLSIDE WASHER, BOTH SIDES TYP.
T.O. STRUCT. 111'-4"
8"x4"x1/4" HSS TOP CHORD BEAM
B.O. STRUCT. 110'-0"
(2) HILLSIDE HOLES CUT IN T.O. TOP CHORD BEAM. CUT TO MACH RAIDUS OF WASHER
(2) PASS-THRU HOLES CUT IN B.O. TOP CHORD BEAM
1" DIA. STEEL ROD VERTICAL CROSS BRACING, THREADED
8"x4"x1/4" HSS COLUMN
8"x4"x1/4" HSS COLUMN
10 9.9
WITH WELDED CONNECTION
1" DIA. STEEL ROD VERTICAL CROSS BRACING, THREADED
(1) PASS-THRU HOLES CUT IN T.O. BOTTOM CHORD BEAM
8"x4"x1/4" HSS BOTTOM CHORD BEAM
1" DIA. STEEL ROD VERTICAL CROSS BRACING, THREADED
(2) PASS-THRU HOLES CUT IN T.O. BOTTOM CHORD BEAM
HSS BOTTOM CHORD BEAM
(2) HILLSIDE HOLES CUT IN B.O. BOTTOM CHORD BEAM. CUT TO MATCH RAIDUS OF WASHER
2 3/4"
BRACING, THREADED 4" WP
TRUSS TEAM: -NEED HELP WITH WELDED CONNECTION SYMBOLS WELDED STEEL L-PLATE, BOTH SIDES, TYP.
NOTE: THE CUT HOLE FOR THE SIDE THAT THE LOCKING TAB IS LOCATED ON NEEDS TO A PRECISE HOLE MADE WITH A MAGDRILL
WP
WELDED L-PLATE
1" DIA. STEEL ROD HORIZONTAL CROSS BRACING, THREADED
(1) PASS-THRU HOLE CUT IN B.O. BOTTOM CHORD BEAM
GALV. HILLSIDE WASHER, BOTH SIDES TYP.
8"x4"x1/4" HSS TRANSVERSE BEAM
NOTE: THE CUT HOLE FOR THE SIDE THAT THE LOCKING TAB IS LOCATED ON NEEDS TO A PRECISE HOLE MADE WITH A MAGDRILL
T.O. BEAM 100'-0"
1" DIA. STEEL ROD HORIZONTAL CROSS BRACING, THREADED
WASHER AND BOLT WELDED L-PLATE, BOTH SIDES TYP.
GALV. HILLSIDE WASHER, BOTH SIDES TYP.
8"x4"x1/4" HSS TRANSVERSE BEAM
AT THE INTERSECTION | Campus Art + History Museum
“At the Intersection” is a campus art museum located on the Auraria Campus in Denver, Colorado. It’s main collection is the Victoria De Almeida’s collection of paintings that emphasize the nature of Hispanic culture. The museum also displays work that is created during community events and workshops.Before the establishment of the University, there were three other societies that resided here. In 1863, the miners and Native Americans were wiped out by a centennial flood. After some time, a new group of people became established here and about one hundred years later, a Hispanic neighborhood was forced to leave their homes.
Concept
To create an intersection of realization and remembrance and the community. This intersection is created with an evolution of change in enclosure with the use of transparency and differentiating between public and private spaces. This evolution consists of fully enclosed space, transparent glass space, and unenclosed exterior space.
Graduate Studio III
Fall 2020
Critic: Dorothy Ma
transparency
transparency
transparency occurs in the public spaces. this provides an opportunity to experience the realistic characteristics of this historic neighborhood from the interior of the museum.
transparency occurs in the public spaces. this provides an opportunity to experience the realistic characteristics of this historic neighborhood from the interior of the museum.
viewing conditions
viewing conditions
the viewing platform on the upper level of the museum is a private reflection space that overlooks the historic ninth street park neighborhood.
the viewing platform on the upper level of the museum is a private reflection space that overlooks the historic ninth street park neighborhood.
intersecting grids public vs. private space
intersecting grids public vs. private space
the form of the building is based upon the geographic representation of the intersection of two old city grids.
the form of the building is based upon the geographic representation of the intersection of two old city grids.
the first level of both the interior and the exterior of the museum are designated to be public spaces. as the sequence continues, the spaces become more private to where the path ends at a reflection space/ viewing platform.
the first level of both the interior and the exterior of the museum are designated to be public spaces. as the sequence continues, the spaces become more private to where the path ends at a reflection space/ viewing platform.
longitudinal section scale: 1/8” = 1’ -0”
transverse section scale: 1/8” = 1’ -0”
THE NESTS AT BARBERRY PLACE | Townhome Cohabitation
The Nests at Barberry Place are located in the Sun Valley Neighborhood of Denver, Colorado alongside the North Platte River. A series of six one-bedroom townhomes invite hummingbirds to cohabitate with humans. Both species are equally as welcome. As the home of both sepcies, this proejct aspires to give each the opportunity to learn f rom the lifestyles of one another. The human learns about the vertical life and what it is like to have quick, interchangable spaces to live in. The humingbird is welcomed to understand the life of the human through the comfort of having a designed space for food and water. Gabion walls are designed close to the townhomes that grow trumpet vines as a source of nectar and the homes are designed to capture water f rom the drainage of snow melt. These two sources meet at the same place, giving the human the chance to see the f ragile birds without f reightening them.
Concept:
The Nests at Barberry Place work to enhance the co-existance of the two species through a variety of relationships between static and dynamic movement through the use of separation of public and private space, material properties, and change in verticality.
Undergraduate Studio IV
Fall 2019
Critic: Anca Matyiku
Collaboration with Carson McKee
scale: 1/8” = 1’ -0” level II plan
level I plan
scale: 1/8” = 1’ -0”
A townhome designed for the human experience of a vertical lifestyle.
A townhome designed for the human experience of a vertical lifestyle.
Gabion wall that serves as a temporary home for hummingbirds
Gabion wall that serves as a temporary home for hummingbirds
Angled drainage system that collects snowmelt in the winter, capturing the dynamic essence of water when the hummingbirds are not migrating through.
Angled drainage system that collects snowmelt in the winter, capturing the dynamic essence of water when the hummingbirds are not migrating through.
BLURRED LINES | Gallery of Works by Olafur Eliasson
“Blurred Lines” is an art space, housing the work of Olafur Eliasson specifically. The project is located in Cranmer Park in Cherry Creek, Colorado, in between two of the neighborhoods original homes. The architecture houses the pieces “River Bed”, “Moving Together”, and “Self Reflection”. These are each interactive pieces that require a motivated architecture in order to display them properly. The art and the architecture work together to challenge the understanding and re-interpretation of edge condition of spaces.
Concept
To challenge the definition of interior and exterior through the use of blurring spatial qualities. The overlap of transparency, solid and void space, the building envelope, and material properties belie the users understanding of the space.
Undergraduate Studio III
Spring 2019
Critic: Rachel Brown
transverse section
scale: 1/8” = 1’ -0”
longitudinal section
scale: 1/8” = 1’ -0”
maker space
gallery space
maker space
gallery space restroom
Organizational System
The houses of the neighborhood create a grided pattern which become interrupted by the curvilinear organization of the park on the opposite side of the site.
The contrast between the built figure of the neighborhood and the void ground of the park creates a strong edge condition.
The edge condition on the west is blurred by continuous grass into the park and on the east side of the site the grass turns into asphalt and the site is closed off from the neighborhood.
Voids
view to the mountains from the second level light that enters the top surface of the restrooms light that enters the transition space on the second level
opening that allows exterior re ection onto the “self loop” gap between the walls that create solid enclosure on the rst level void space that houses the interiormaker space second level surface
west
scale: 1/8” = 1’ -0”
The Riverbed
A large pile of Icelandic rock with a small river of water flowing through it. This is placed inside and outside, continuing through a glass wall, giving a blurring quality.
Moving Together
A series of glass spheres that reflect everything that enters it, allowing viewers to determine what is interior and what is exterior of the reflections.
level II plan
scale: 1/8” = 1’ -0”
Self Loop
A collection of three mirrors, placed by a small window, bringing the reflection of the exterior vegetation to enter into the built space.
level I plan
scale: 1/8” = 1’ -0”