Alexa J. Iverson Architecture Portfolio
Alexa J. Iverson Education University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Masters of Architecture, College of Design May 2016, GPA: 3.57 1 month study abroad in China B.S. in Architecture, College of Design May 2014, GPA 3.84 Minor in Sustainable Studies Graduated Summa cum laude 5 month study abroad in Rome, Italy
745 Laurel Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104 651.261.2448 ivers432@umn.edu
Experience Teaching Assistant - Architectural History
School of Architecture, University of Minnesota Sept 2015 - Present -Formulated questions and presented supplemental material for recitation classes -Led student discussions about developments in style and meaning
Architecture Intern
June 2015 - Sept 2015 Rehkamp Larson Architects, Minneapolis, MN -Measured and drafted as-built drawings for schematic design meetings -Researched materials and finishes for renovation projects -Created digital and physical models for client meetings
Architecture Intern
Chowa Studio Architects, Saint Paul, MN July 2014 - Sept 2014 -Created construction documents in collaboration with project architect -Researched and compiled zoning ordinances in schematic design process -Participated in client and community meetings
Skills Computer Modeling
SketchUp Pro, AutoCAD, Revit, Rhino
Adobe (CS4-CS6)
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
Hand Drawing
free hand, value, constructed perspective, scale drawings
Awards & Activities Thomas F. Ellerbe Scholarship Finalist
Recieved for graduate portfolio and written statement
Saul Parness Fellowship
Fellowship awarded based on portfolio and scholarship
Spring 2016 Fall 2015
Student Design & Scholarship Excellence Undergraduate Individual Award recieved for overall undergraduate body of work
Spring 2014
Leadership Team Member
Lutheran Campus Ministry, Twin Cities Aug 2013 - May 2014 -Developed, coordinated, and led monthly small and large group activies -Revamped branding logo and designed marketing materials used from 2013 - 2014
Teen Mentor
Weisman Art Museum Teen Architecture Workshop Aug 2012 & Aug 2013 -Introduced students to site analysis, evaluating the relationship between site components -Established strategy based on students strengths to build a scale model of proposed design
CONTENTS WAREHOUSE REVIVAL
Fall 2014
China Lab 2015
May 2015
LEARNED HUMAN SCALE Spring 2015
CONCRETE RAINSCREEN Spring 2015
Westdultuh Trailstitch
Ely’s Peak Hike
Spirit Mountain Hike
Fall 2015
Ely’s Peak Hike
Nordic Center
Tallis Island Bardon’s Peak Hike
LARGE BIKE LOOP
PADDLE LOOP
PHASE 1 SMALL BIKE LOOP
WAREHOUSE REVIVAL Minneapolis, Minnesota Fall 2014
Historic facade
Continuation of the street
Existing warehouse
Highlighting the path and wall
Creating separation between masses
New fitting into existing
N The Aria building occupies a between space mediating between the river and downtown, residential and commercial. Through the study of the history and existing spatial logics of the warehouse along with neighborhood demographics, a program centered around food was developed. The study revealed a subset of three buildings within the Aria that when cut apart, allowed for a ramped continuation of the street through the buildings gaps, connecting food production to retail to consumption along an experiential path.
Production Mechanical Administration Retail & Education Market Spatial organization with production following the bays’ orientation and the supporting mechanical cutting across to establish a secondary logic
GREENHOUSE
RETAIL
EDUCATION
EDUCATION
PRODUCTION
BAR
RESTAURANT KITCHEN
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION
MARKET
CAFE
MAINT
STORAGE
MECH
OFFICE
OFFICE
OFFICE
STORAGE
MECH
MECH
CAFE
LOADING
Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
BAKERY
EDUCATION
N
China Lab 2015
Shanghai, Nanjing/Ningbo/Suzhou, China May 2015
The focus of this two week study abroad was to explore and analyze traditional and contemporary Chinese architecture, with particular interests in material, form, and space. Through experiencing a multitude of buildings across 8 cities, these questions developed into a series of comparisons. The material exploration centered on the reimagined use of traditional materials, specifically looking at roofing tiles from its reuse in masonry walls in the Ningbo Historic Museum to a faรงade screen in the new Folk Museum at the China Academy of Arts. The second comparison was a study of the hierarchy of spaces in the massing of forms, highlighting the gable, comparing a traditional house to the Suzhou Museum. Lastly, the same traditional house is placed in juxtaposition with the contemporary Light Box house, which the continued role of light as a gathering and organizing spatial method became apparent.
Traditional House , Xixi Wetlands, Nanjing
Traditional use of roof tiles
Ningbo Historic Museum, Wang Shu, Ningbo
Re-use of tiles in masonry wall
Folk Museum, Kengo Kuma, Nanjing
New use of tiles in building screen
Comparison of massing strategies
Use of light to organize space
Suzhou Museum, I.M. Pei, Suzhou
Light Box, David Adjaye, Sifang Art Museum
LEARNED HUMAN SCALE Minneapolis, Minnesota Spring 2015
Role of school in bridging class and community
N Through an exploration of the needs of autistic learners, a dialogue of shifting scales emerged; namely between the feelings of refuge, prospect, and exposure. These spatial typologies provided a variety of settings for students, including safe environments that facilitate learning and more challenging environments for the application of that learning. By studying the existing site conditions, including topography and vegetation, a framework for spatial qualities and relational scales was developed. This resulted in the structure itself becoming a gradient between public and private communal spaces.
Gradients of refuge to prospect
Concept of refuge - prospect - exposure
N
Gradient of paths from comfortable to challenging
Challenge of path in relation to lenth and change in height
Energy of the site
Gradient from refuge to exposure
Borders created by gradients, suggesting program
Massing of program
CONCRETE RAINSCREEN Partner: Kathleen Bond Spring 2015
Through the perceived austere medium of concrete, we sought to create both a visually interesting and functional rainscreen. Moving away from the industrial feeling of the material, my partner and I experimented with formwork that animates and highlights concrete’s inherent tactile quality. From this exploration, we developed a formwork of balloons filled with varying amounts of air and water, and began to play with the depth of the indent. This variation in this depth controls how the façade channels water and dries as well as how the screen is projected to age, with softening of edges and development of a patina.
Process of formwork and pour
Wall detail
Westduluth trailstitch
Duluth, Minnesota Fall 2015 Partners: Sarah Sularz + Chris Hutton
Snowmobile Trail Restoration
Spirit Mountain Hike
RIVERSIDE OUTLOOK
Peak Hike
ke
Nordic Center
Tallis Island Bardon’s Peak Hike
LARGE BIKE LOOP
Indian Point/ Kingsbury Bay Four Bike Rental Stations in Canal Park / Downtown East
PADDLE LOOP
RIVERSIDE ENTRY
PHASE 1 SMALL BIKE LOOP
dr ed
ge
hwy 23
ed
ge
PADDLE LOOP
m
an
ike
wa y
ito
court.
Existing Trailhead
su
SLRC Proposed Amenity
an
st .
en
sid
ea ve .
Proposed Bike Infrastructure Proposed Water Trail
e
gl
e.Proposed Amenity - Phase 1 ustrial av
ind
nn ys id
d
st .
SLRC Proposed Trail Connection
av e.
riv er
Proposed Trail Phase 1
ca to
Proposed Trail Phase 2 Proposed Trail Garden
en
gl
an
d
st .
Proposed Amenity - Phase 2
spring st.
Our proposed system includes an outlook on the ridge as a base for hikers, bikers, skiers, and snowmobilers; a new entry and transit hub in Hwy 23; and an estuary landing as the ecological learning and equipment rental hub. Through this proposal we seek to strengthen Duluth’s goal of making the St. Louis River Estuary a national water trail by addressing gaps in public water access and education with a design proposal that can be replicated across the estuary.
st. louis
st.
riv er
spring st.
Existing Amenity
The WestDuluth TrailStitch focuses on the town of Riverside in Duluth and the recreational networks that currently flow past it. When imagining a future for this historic company town, we focused on a new recreational corridor that links ridge to river and trails to town to strengthen the existing recreation economy and allow for a re-emergence of community space on the river.
u
sid
eb
PHASE 2
RIVERSIDE LANDING
ton pen
blvd
Overlook of St. Louis River Estuary
Riverside Outlook
Program intersections
Path typologies
Trail convergence
riverside
Riverside Entry
Transit hub at hwy 23
riverside
KITCHEN
N Plan of Riverside Landing
Riverside Landing
Program intersections
standing seam metal roof hvac for ventilation air and condensation control glulam girder 24” depth
curtain wall glulam column 10-1/2” sqaure light shelf steel horizontal shading
runnel
reinf. concrete footing 4” rigid insulation
Wall section
FIN