ABIGAIL ROLETTER
WORK SAMPLE 2024
COTTAGE 5 • SAINT JOSEPH’S VILLA | 2024
SAINT JOSEPH’S VILLA WAS FOUNDED IN 1834 AND HAS BECOME THE LONGEST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING CHILDREN’S NON-PROFIT IN THE UNITED STATES. ORIGINALLY AN ACADEMY AND ORPHAN ASYLUM, TODAY THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITIES TO CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. THEIR CURRENT CAMPUS, DESIGNED BY RICHMOND ARCHITECTURE FIRM CARNEAL & JOHNSTON, WAS BUILT IN 1931 AND HOSTS AN ARRAY OF 8 COTTAGES THAT SERVED AS DORMITORIES FOR THE CHILDREN UNDER ST. JOSEPH’S VILLA’S CARE. THE FOCUS OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO CONVERT COTTAGE 5 FOR USE AS OFFICE AND PROGRAM SPACE FOR HOMELESS SERVICES AND COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. REHABILITATION OF THE SPACE TO SUIT MODERN NEEDS WAS BALANCED BY THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THE COTTAGE.
SPORTSBACKERS ACTIVE LIVING HUB | 2024
THE SPORTSBACKERS ACTIVE LIVING HUB AROSE FROM THE ORGANIZATION’S NEED FOR A SPACE THAT FACILITATES ACTIVE LIVING FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. SPORTSBACKERS IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT STRIVES TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO LIVE ACTIVELY THROUGH ENABLEMENT PROGRAMS AND LOCAL EVENTS SUCH AS THE RICHMOND MARATHON. THE ORGANIZATION’S MISSION TO UNITE COMMUNITY THROUGH FITNESS LED THEM TO ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY, FORMERLY A BANK BRANCH BUILDING, ALONG THE PLANNED ROUTE OF A 43 MILE LONG SHARED-USE PATH KNOWN AS THE FALL LINE TRAIL. FOR THIS NEW LOCATION, THE DESIGN TEAM AIMED TO PROVIDE A WORKSPACE THAT ENABLES COLLABORATION BETWEEN TEAM MEMBERS WHILE ALLOCATING BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL SPACE THAT FOSTERS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HELPS SERVE AS A TRAILHEAD FOR THE FALL LINE TRAIL. THE SCOPE OF WORK TO THE EXISTING BUILDING CONSISTED OF A COMBINATION OF INFILL WORK WITHIN AND AN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING TELLER DRIVE-THROUGH AREA.
4000 GOVERNMENT ROAD | 2024
4000 GOVERNMENT ROAD IS A MIXED-USE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. LOCATED NEAR CHIMBORAZO PARK, THE PROJECT AIMS TO BRING DENSIFIED HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL SPACE TO AN AREA OF UNDEVELOPED LAND TO THE EAST OF CHURCH HILL.
WALL SECTION AT NORTHEAST BALCONY OVER PARKING 3/32”=1’-0”
WALL SECTION AT SOUTH WALL 3/32”=1’-0”
WALL SECTION AT SOUTHWEST CORNER BALCONY 3/32”=1’-0”
SECTION AT SOUTH BALCONY 3/32”=1’-0”
HOTEL CAPE CHARLES | 2024
HOTEL CAPE CHARLES OFFERS A UNIQUE LODGING EXPERIENCE IN THE HEART OF THE EASTERN SHORE. THIS PROJECT OUTLINES AN AUXILIARY BUILDING TO THE MAIN HOTEL WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN 2012. THE BUILDING IS HOST TO A CONFERENCE CENTER AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL GUEST ROOMS AND AN EXPANSION OF THE HOTEL’S EXISTING COURTYARD. AT THE GROUND LEVEL, AN EXISTING ONE STORY COMMERCIAL BUILDING MAINTAINS THE STREET-LEVEL EXPERIENCE OF THE HISTORIC SMALL TOWN. INSIDE, IT HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A MODERNIZED CONFERENCE CENTER, BORDERED AT THE REAR BY TWO GROUND-LEVEL GUEST ROOMS THAT OPEN INTO A PICTURESQUE COURTYARD. PERCHED ATOP THE EXISTING BUILDING IS A NEW MASONRY STRUCTURE, SUPPORTED BY CONTEMPORARY STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS BELOW, WHICH HOSTS EIGHT ADDITIONAL GUEST ROOMS. PATTERNINGS OF BACK-PAINTED SPANDREL AND ANODIZED ALUMINUM MULLIONS EMPHASIZE THE BUILDING’S VERTICALITY, PUNCTUATING THE GLOW OF THE GLAZED EXPANSE OF THE STREET-FACING CURTAIN WALL IN THE EVENING WHILE GUEST BALCONIES OFFER ELEVATED VIEWS OF THE TOWN. WITH THE GUEST EXPERIENCE IN MIND, THE DESIGN TEAM SOUGHT TO EMPLOY MODERN AMENITIES WITHOUT DISRUPTION TO THE HISTORIC FABRIC OF CAPE CHARLES.
COASTAL THRESHOLDS | 2020
THE OUTER BANKS, LOW-LYING BARRIER ISLANDS CRADLING THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA, FACE AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE AT THE MERCY OF RISING SEA LEVELS AND WORSENING STORM EVENTS. THE NEED FOR A SOLUTION TO NOT ONLY PRESERVE THE ECOSYSTEMS AND COMMUNITIES OF THE ISLANDS BUT ALSO THE LARGER BUFFERING EFFECTS THAT PROTECT NORTH CAROLINA’S MAINLAND COAST GROWS MORE URGENT WITH EACH DAY. THIS PROJECT, CREATED AS A FOURTH-YEAR THESIS PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY OG VIRGINIA, PROPOSES THE EXTENSION OF PIERS OF VARIED PROGRAMS FROM EXISTING OBLONG PARCELS ON THE SOUND SIDE OF CAPE HATTERAS, BRIDGING THE THRESHOLD BETWEEN LAND AND LAGOON. HEAVY DEVELOPMENT OF THE OCEANFRONT INTERRUPTS IMPORTANT SEDIMENTATION PROCESSES, HINDERING THE DEPOSITION AND ACCUMULATION OF SEDIMENT TO THE SOUND SIDE AND FACILITATING THE EROSION OF BEACHES. ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION AND HABITATION COULD MITIGATE FURTHER HARM TO THE ISLANDS AND LAGOON. THE FIELD OF PILES SUPPORTING THE PIERS AND OTHER EROSION CONTROL TECHNIQUES SUCH AS ENCOURAGING THE GROWTH OF UNDERWATER OYSTER AND EELGRASS FIELDS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAPTURE AND HOLD SEDIMENT IN PLACE, COUNTERING UNNATURAL NARROWING OF THE LAND. THE TASK OF PREPARING OUR COASTAL COMMUNITIES FOR A DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE FUTURE IS A CHALLENGING ONE. THIS PROJECT SERVES TO PROPOSE A SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TO PRESENT PRACTICES OF COASTAL DEVELOPMENT, ONE THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT NOT ONLY THE NEEDS OF HUMANS BUT THAT OF LOCAL ECOLOGIES AS WELL.
HOUSING
BARRIER ISLAND SECTION DIAGRAM
VENICE AND THE VENETO | 2018
THIS WORK WAS CREATED DURING A SUMMER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM DIRECTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE. BASED IN THE CITY OF VICENZA, IN THE VENETO REGION OF ITALY, THIS PROGRAM FOCUSED ON THE ART OF SKETCHING AS A WAY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND BOTH THE BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS. VICENZA IS HOME TO THE VILLA LA ROTUNDA AND OTHER BUILDINGS BY ANDREA PALLADIO, THIS PROXIMITY TO INFLUENTIAL WORKS OF ARCHITECTURE ALLOWED STUDENTS TO PHYSICALLY EXPERIENCE BUILDINGS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY ONLY KNOWN FROM TEXTBOOKS AND LECTURES. STUDENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO USE SKETCHING AS A TOOL TO OBSERVE OVERALL SCHEMES AND MINUTE DETAILS WHILE DOCUMENTING, QUESTIONING, AND DRAWING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OBSERVED QUALITIES. WITH VICENZA AS A HOME BASE ALREADY RICH WITH HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, PROFESSORS ALSO LED STUDENTS ON DAY TRIPS TO MANY NEIGHBORING LOCATIONS SUCH AS VENICE, MILAN, VERONA, AND MANY OTHERS TO EXPLORE WORKS BY OTHER NOTABLE ARCHITECTS SUCH AS CARLO SCARPA. ASIDE FROM FAMED LOCATIONS, STUDENTS FOUND INSPIRATION IN VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE AS WELL AS BUSY MARKET SQUARES, GARDENS, AND RIVERS.
VIALE ERETENIO BRIDGE - VICENZA, ITALY
APARTMENT BUILDING - VENICE, ITALY
GIARDINO GIUSTI - VERONA, ITALY
ATOP THE BASILICA - VICENZA, ITALY
CASTELVECCHIO - VERONA, ITALY