AIDEN HODGE
Contact
(309)531-8313
ahodge6@iastate.edu
Bloomington, Illinois
Education
Bloomington High School
Honors Graduate, 5.0/5.0 GPA
Iowa State University
Bachelors of Architecture
Minor in Urban Studies
Dean’s List (multiple)
3.89/4.0 GPA
Interests
Urban Design
Computational Design
Fitness Music
Aiden Hodge
Architecture + Design
About
I am a detail-oriented and hard-working architecture student enrolled at Iowa State University, who is passionate about urban design, sustainability, and modern architecture principles. I am a strong believer in the ability of architecture and research combined with design thinking to better our communities and lives through the effective use of space. I offer strong attention to detail and accuracy, with proficiency in multiple design software programs, and great teamwork abilities.
Work Experience
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Iowa State University
• Worked alongside Professor Chengde Wu to develop a physical model to simulate and predict the movement of wind in and around buildings.
• Developed a mechanism to control motorized shading devices inside of a home in Fort Dodge, IA.
May 2024 - August 2024
Architectural Designer Kris Spaulding Construction Inc.
• Prepared design drawings, renderings, and construction documents using Revit, AutoCAD, Chief Architect, Lumion, and Adobe Creative Suite.
• Participated in client meetings, design reviews, and site visits frequently.
• Created presentations for clients and conducted research regarding building codes, zoning laws, and materiality.
Plant Nursery Worker
May 2022 - August 2023
Penn Landscaping and Sunburst Nursery
• Worked alongside landscape designers to discuss plant selection for landscaping projects.
• Organized and coordinated plants for commercial landscaping projects.
Awards
• 1st Place - Hansen Prize Competition Spring 2024
• Jeffrey J. Pilling Architecture Scholarship Endowment Fall 2024
• Michael J. Greenlee Architecture Scholarship Endowment Fall 2024 Skills
Reach
A Bridge for Shared Living
Reach is located in Downtown Des Moines, just two blocks North of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park between Hoyt Sherman Place, Unity Point Medical Center, and Krause Gateway Center. Our proposal reimagines the existing parking lot and gas station through an urban revitalization that consists of community-living units, an urban food conservatory, and community center consisting of a food pantry and craft center.
The proposal includes a prairie ecosystem, rain gardens, and urban farming. Through our proposal we hope to engage with the community by extending the communal green space surrounding the site. On the ground floor, our community center will be activated through communal participation in craft events and the food pantry. The cantilevered hydroponics greenhouse reaches out to create habitable space beneath it, inviting members of the community inside through the ground floor entrance. The double volume units and shared communal spaces located throughout the upper floors create a unique living situation for residents. Reach is a bridge for art, community living, and urban farming.
Contributors: Luke Abram, Aiden Hodge
EXTRUDE
Isometric Program Diagram
A mixed-use program that consists of four essential program typologies; residential, public communal spaces, private communal spaces, and space for hydroponics growing.
Isometric Circulation Diagram
Highlights the extents of dedicated circulation throughout the building. Dark grey areas identify egress staircases, while light grey highlights hallways and elevators.
Isometric Site Diagram Showcases the extents of the site and the importance of adjacent infrastructure which make the site unique. The site is located directly between the urban green belt of Des Moines and the historic Hoyt Sherman Neighborhood. The DART Bus System is extremely active within the immediate vicinity of the site.
Perspective Section Highlights the combination of CrossLaminated Timber and Steel structural systems. The majority of the structure is concrete topped CLT, while the cantilevered urban hydroponics farm and resident gym are constructed using a Vierendeel steel truss system. There are multiple green roofs that produce electricity through solar panels. The unique double volume residential units intend to challenge the traditional way of creating communal living units. The exterior facade is thickened to animate the Shou Sugi Ban facade.
Isometric Living Unit
Units have four to five bedrooms including a shared kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, and living spaces. The double volume living space creates community between roommates. All units have a balcony on the second floor and residents have access to communal balconies located on the second and fourth floors.
Showcasing the landscape architecture of the project and immediate site adjacencies. The site is located at a unique point in the urban fabric of Des Moines, on the cusp of the historic Hoty Sherman Neighborhood and the contemporary green belt.
Highlights the varying programmatic spaces throughout the main level of the proposal. This public floor includes an arts and craft center and food bank intended to promote community engagement with the site. The first floor also contains various utilities and an entrance for residents.
Elevation
Section
Community
Reach is a bridge for art, community living, and urban farming. These renderings illustrate the emotions of residents and views cultivated via the architecture. The hydroponics growing station requires specifically lit LED lights, which utilize the solar energy produced on the roof. Pictured throughout these images are hints of how the structure works. The CLT and glulam showcase their beauty throughout the interior. The exterior shou sugi ban facade creates a contrast between the light interior wood, animating the facade. The hangar doors allow the communal art space to showcase public artists’ work to the public. Curating moments that highlight the potential of communal living allows us to continue to question the contemporary living environment.
Revival
A Prescribed Prairie Burn Program
Revival is a prairie program that highlights the connection between the architecture and the land in which it resides. This program aims to educate inhabitants via an implementation of a permanent prescribed prairie burn ritual program; the program comprises of three integrated proposals on site, the burn headquarters, river monitoring station, and burn observation platform. Throughout this project, we aimed to poetically express the relationship between fire and architecture through a carefully crafted series of moments and thresholds. In addition, we intended to call attention to the cyclical and rhythmic nature of the landscape by exploring how small gestures can transform perception within the land.
The Westbrook Artists Site in Winterset is home to one of the largest remaining privately owned plots of native prairie ecology in Iowa. This site is located directly adjacent to the historic Holliwell Covered Bridge over the Middle River. Tallgrass prairie ecosystems like that on the WAS rely upon human interaction in the form of seasonal burns, a practice which was deeply rooted in Native American culture and society. Our project highlights the importance of place and the relationship between land and architecture. This architecture is inseperable from the landscape and can be thought of as “infrastructure,” neither a destination nor focal point, but part of the animation of the landscape.
Contributors: Gracie Roberts, Aiden Hodge
Perspective
A prescribed prairie burn from the Burn Observation Platform on the Holliwell Covered Bridge. Preservation and restoration of the landmark bridge was crucial in maintaining its historical identity.
Transverse Section
Perspective Section
Highlights the River Monitoring Station, which allows for measurement of the varying water height of the Middle River throughout the year.
Perspective Section
Highlights the Burn Headquarters, which acts as a place for education, burn facilitation and viewing, and housing.
Perspective
Highlights the Burn Headquarters. The primary material is Eastern Red Cedar and locally sourced stone. The facility is crafted to facilitate the implementation of a prescribed prairie burn program.
Meditatus
A Meditative Retreat
Meditatus places a focus on ritual in architecture, and the relationship between ritual and detail. The ritual and detail are both means of raising awareness and connecting us to how we might create meaning through our experiences. The program of the ritual are the actions that take place while executing the ritual. It occurs in spaces and buildings designed to facilitate the ritual process, including aspects of utility and aesthetic. The ritual determines how we percieve architecture; combining this with the inherent poetic quality of natural lighting I aimed to elevate the experience of the inhabitants. Meditation in conjunction with carefully designed architecture can have profound effects on the mental state of the meditator.
Located in the historic district in Ames, Iowa this meditation pavilion is a place for momentary escape. This proposal resides in Old Town Park on the intersection of 9th Street and Douglas Avenue. Located one block north is Mary Greeley Medical Center and one block west is Unity Church of Ames.
Contributors: Aiden Hodge
Perspective
Highlights the site context of Old Town Park. This small installation brings the communtiy together in times of need.
Initial ideas showing what drove the philosophy of the design and how they connect with each other.
Parti Diagrams
Construction Diagrams
Plan
The unique form creates a winding entrance that is meant to uplift your spirit using vertical lighting techniques.
Shows construction details of the vertical glass panes and specified furnishings.
Section
Highlights the meditation space that is designed to maximize natural light throughout the day. The use of natural light helps uplift the spirit and relax.
Selected Works 2024
Iowa State University