Architecture Portfolio Ash Decker

PORTFOLIO ASH DECKER

PORTFOLIO

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Resume

4-5

Riverbed Apartments

6 - 21

Prairie Park Pavilion

22 - 29

Americana Circus Museum

30 - 39

Molecular Market

40 - 45

Internship Renderings

46 - 47

Hobby Projects

48 - 49

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ASH DECKER Education

Activities

The University of Kansas | 2021 - Present

KU Fencing Club | Fall 2021 - Fall 2023

• Pursuing Masters in Architecture

• Repaired gear as the armorer

• 3.81 cumulative GPA • Graduating in May 2026

Powercat Motorsports Formula SAE | 2019 - 2020 • Assisted upperclassmen with shop tasks

Kansas State University | 2019 - 2020 • Mechanical Engineering classes

FIRST Robotics Team 1939 | 2015 - 2019 • Mechanical Captain, Lead, Drive Team

Johnson County Community College • Summer 2018 & 2020 The Barstow School graduated in May 2019

Employment Sapp Design Architects | Summer 2024 • Rendering with Enscape and Photoshop • Assisted with Revit finish plans, general

Volunteering Midwest Burners | 2024 - Present • Designed and built a 30ft interactive lighthouse • Provided psychological support for event attendees Best Friends Society | 2022 - Present • Assisting with monthly preparations to transport dogs from kill to no-kill shelters

modeling, detailing, and walk-throughs • Sorted survey data and created marketing presentations with Excel and Indesign

American Rally Association | June 2021, July 2023 • FM Radio Communications

• Pitched a design for an interior lobby seating feature

GoBabyGo! | 2017 - 2019 • Fabricated enhancements to toy cars for

KU Shop Assistant | Fall 2022 - Present

children in wheelchairs

• Assisting Students with Laser Cutting and 3D Printing Services • Machine Maintenance Charlie’s Carwash | August 2018 - 2019 • Ambassador, Premium Interior Service • Employee of the Month

Scraps KC | 2018 • Plasma cut parts for a Precious Plastics Grinder

Organizations • NCARB Record Holder | Fall 2024 - Present • US Green Building Committee | Fall 2023 - Present • AIA Students | Fall 2022 - Present • NSLS | 2020 - Present

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Skills 3D Modeling Revit, Rhino, Grasshopper, Fusion 360, Inventor, AutoCAD, Sketchup, Solidworks, Blender Rendering Enscape, Lumion, Photoshop 3D Printing Cura, Creality, Makerbot, Prusia Design Layout Illustrator, InDesign, Lightburn, Inkscape, Midjourney Ai, Excel Shop Work Power Tools, Steelwork, Forging, Woodworking, Laser Cutting, Hand-Modeling Welding MIG, Oxy-Fuel, TIG, SMAW, Plasma Cutting Drawing and Painting Freehand Sketching, Drafting, Prisma Color, Watercolor Programming Python and C++, VS Code

Awards KU Architecture Student Portfolio Award | Spring 2025 KU Honor Roll Fall 2021 - Present Undergrad Research Symposium | Spring 2024 Outstanding Presentation Award Midwest Burners Art Grant | May 2023, May 2025 • Designed and built a large wooden sculpture • Laser-cut infinity dodecahedron parts Sprecklemeyer Scholarship Award | June 2022 • Kansas City Architectural Foundation FIRST Robotics Team 1939 | 2015 - 2019 • 3rd at World Championships, Huston • 1st at Central Missouri Regional 2019 • Engineering Inspiration 2016 - 2018 Senior Art Show | 2019 • Displayed and sold film photography

References Brad Mckenzie Director of Business Operations at Sapp Design Architects Phone: (417) 838-3362 Email: mckenzie@sdaarchitects.com

Film Photography Manual dark room printing

Ben Brown Student Shop Manager Phone: (913) 991-5596 Email: b_brown@ku.edu

Mandarin Chinese Seven years of classes

Kapila Silva Studio Professor at KU Email: t273a306@ku.edu

Email: amdecker01@ku.edu Cell: 913-626-2429 Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ashesarch

Instagram @ashesarch

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w

Riverbed apartments Transforming the flow of downtown Lawrence

ARCH 608 Studio Steve Padget Fall 2024 The goal of the project was to redirect the Granada Theatre crowd through the building, providing privacy for units on the Massachusetts Street side and creating a car free zone.

The walkway addresses crowds from both directions, creating a welcoming seating area for all types of people from families getting ice cream to nighttime concert-goers.

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The Site Notable Buildings

Occupancy Classification: 310.4 Residential Group R-2 Zoning Group: CD-UC The Site

Retail

Notable Buildings

Public Park

Retail

Parking

The Site

Public Park

Main Roads

Notable Buildings

Parking

Secondary Roads

Retail

Main Roads

Sidewalks

Public Park

Secondary Roads

Bus Stop

The split design creates a windSidewalks tunnel, Parking catchingMain breezes and harnessing the Bus Stop Roads eastern sunlight otherwise blocked by Secondary Roads alleyway buildings.

Sidewalks Bus Stop

N N

GRANA

GRAN

DA

ADA

Original Site

Riverbank Apartments

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Topography

N

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The change in height across the site to results in a .38 degree slope. The ADA requirement is a slope less than 6 degrees, allowing a wheelchair to safely pass through the site. After new trees and curbside planters, 30% of the site is left open for walk-ability.

Stormwater Control Stormwater flows south to north along the site, watering the curbside planters. Stormwater drains through the permeable paving and is caught in pipes that store the water in underground cisterns, providing rainwater throughout the building. The building’s gray and black water systems carry the water on either side of the building, away from the central walkway. This keeps the walkway from smelling and prevents mixing water types.

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Ground Floor

+0 UP

1

1 +0

+0

4

UP

UP +1 +1

3 UP

6

+1.5’

+5.5’

DN

1 7

+1.5’

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Small businesses can rent a section of the retail spaces on the ground floor, creating an open shopping experience. The two retail spaces on the south side are standalone buildings that a single company can buy. All retail spaces and the parking garage exit towards the central walkway.

1

Retail Space

2

Residential Units

3

Lobby

4

Riverbed Walkway

5

Rooftop Seating

6

Mail Room

7

Garage Entry

8

HVAC

+1.5’

1

N

Upper Floors 2

N

The four rooms in the center have windows into the glass corridor, while the four rooms on each corner feature a glass curtain wall.

The bridges span 28 - 30ft depending on the lean of the glass. The bridges stagger each other for visual consistency.

Each floor has four units on each half. The circulation hallway, highlighted in blue, is partially open-air. Each side of the building can function without the bridge. Each side can have one egress exit for type R-2 if there are only four dwelling units and a maximum of 125ft from the exit (table 1006.3.4(1)).

UP

UP +26’

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Roof Plan

N

The roof can be rented out for events. It features shallow green roof modules, plant boxes, 50 PV panels, and four packaged rooftop HVAC units.

5

8

UP

UP +50’

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Public Retail Space (Open Rental) Public Riverbed Walkway Garage Circulation

Public Retail Space (Private Rental)

Public Retail Space (Open Rentai)

Private Apartment Lobby

Garage Entry

Public Retail Space (Private Rental)

Private Unit (Corner)

Private Unit (Central)

Hallway Circulation (Open Air)

ADA Accommodations • All units have ADA accessible bathrooms with grab bars and wheelchair turn clearance • All hallways vary between 6 and 8ft depending on the angle of the curtain wall • Kitchen counter-to-island spacing is always at least 4ft for wheelchair clearance

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Construction Type: Type IV Mass Timber Structure

A

10” Timber Column

B

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

10” Timber Column

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

Coping

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling 12” Depth Mass Timber Beam

12” Depth Mass Timber Beam Stone Paving Roofing Membrane Insulation Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

Cantilever distance: 4’ - 8’ 12” Depth Mass Timber Beam

12” Depth Mass Timber Beam

"Rooftop Lawn” Vegetation Module

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

14” Widt Mass Timber

Stone Paving Roofing Membrane Insulation Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling Cantilever distance: 4’ - 8’

14” Width Mass Timber Beam

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation 5.5” CLT Panels OSB+ Insulation Sheathing Stud Wall OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

10” Timber Column

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling 14” Width Mass Timber Beam

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

B

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap Cantilever distance: 4’ - 8’

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat Concrete Floor Slab

14” Width Mass Timber Beam

A

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat Concrete Floor Slab

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

12” Depth Mass Timber Beam

Paving Gravel Fill

12” Depth Mass Timber Beam

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

Stone Paving Roofing Membrane Insulation Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

Cantilever distance: 4’ - 8’

Cantilever distance: 4’ - 8’

14” Width Mass Timber Beam

Paving Gravel Fill

C C

Concrete Foundation Moisture Barrier Insulation Gravel Fill 5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

Concrete Foundation Moisture Barrier Insulation Gravel Fill

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

Concrete Footing Drainage Pipe

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat Concrete Floor Slab

14” Width Mass Timber Beam

Paving Gravel Fill

Cantilever distance: 4’ - 8’

Concrete Footing Drainage Pipe

Cement-Fiber Board Concrete Foundation 2” x 1.5” x 7”Barrier Brick Soaps Moisture

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

10” Timber Column

Insulation Gravel Fill

Coping Concrete Footing Drainage Pipe

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

D

12” Depth Mass Timber Beam

12” Depth Mass Timber Beam Stone Paving Roofing Membrane Insulation Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

E

Cantilever distance: 4’ - 8’

"Rooftop Lawn” Vegetation Module

14” Width Mass Timber Beam

D

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

10” Timber Column

E

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

Coping

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat Vinyl Tile Flooring 5.5” CLT Paneling

14” Width Mass Timber Beam

Acoustic Mat

Concrete Floor Slab 12” Depth Mass Timber Beam

Paving Gravel Fill

12” Depth Mass Timber Beam

"Rooftop Lawn” Vegetation Module

Stone Paving Roofing Membrane Insulation Acoustic Mat 5.5” CLT Paneling

Cantilever distance: 4’ - 8’ Cantilever distance: 4’ - 8’

14” Width Mass Timber Beam

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

Concrete Foundation Moisture Barrier Insulation Gravel Fill

Page 14 Vinyl Tile Flooring Acoustic Mat

5.5” CLT Panels Stud Wall + Insulation OSB Sheathing Moisture Barrier + Air Gap

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

Cement-Fiber Board 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick Soaps

Cement-Fiber Bo 2” x 1.5” x 7” Brick

West Elevation

South Elevation

Brick Veneer Facade • Blends in with the urban edge of downtown Lawrence • Bricks reused from demolished building on site • Rigid perimeter structure

Mass Timber Structure • Visible mass timber structural beams and columns • Wood walls and ceilings contrast with the brick exterior • Wooden louvers and paneling accents

Vinyl Floor Tiles • The appearance of polished concrete without the weight or construction footprint

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Wind Turbine Wall Between each split glass panel are “wind walls”. Each wall consists of 6 wind turbines and wooden paneling, designed to utilize the wind tunnel created by the central walkway. The wall is slanted 5 degrees to align with the curve of the glass, held by steel cables.

One backyard-friendly vertical axis helix wind turbine can generate 2000W of power. The building has 36 of these, generating up to 72,000W of wind power.

Wind Research: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/8/10/11846

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Mass Timber Structure

Split Glass Paneling

Mass timber columns are aligned in a grid from east to west. Vertically, the first two rows align, while the innermost columns follow the curve of the glass.

The split glass panels are not structural. The panels can freely shift without pulling at the rest of the building, reducing shear stress during storms. Workers can remove a panel without affecting the rest of the building to allow for easy maintenance.

The central hallway creates a cantilever that spans from 4 to 8ft depending on the lean of the glass.

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There are 24 reserved spaces as well as public parking underneath the building. The 11th street entry is wide enough to support two cars. The ground floor is cut to provide space for the entry ramp, creating informal seating above.

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Wind walls allow natural breezes to flow through the circulation hallways, providing cross-ventilation for every unit.

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Occupant controlled wooden louvers provide privacy for residents and act as sun shelves, pulling light further into the space.

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The central walkway also provides a natural acoustical barrier from the sounds of downtown Massachusetts Street.

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prairie Park pavilion KU Design Build Studio Group Project

ARCH 509 Design-Build Studio Keith Van de Riet Spring 2023

The Prairie Pavilion provides an outdoor classroom and event space for the Prairie Park Nature Center in Lawrence, Kansas. This studio design-build project uses recycled materials to create a sustainable, educational pavilion with a limited budget.

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Photography by Keith Van de Riet

Prairie Park Nature Center The pavilion is located at Prairie Park Nature Center in Lawrence, KS. Our studio began by researching native plants and local animals. We took initial measurements and made note of any surrounding trees. I created a site model for initial ideas and seating layout.

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Hand-Model Shown are images of my final individual model. Ultimately my model became inspiration for the final group design. In my model, the pavilion acts as a transition, pulling people from the surrounding trails and pushing their viewpoint out towards the prairie.

The “Y” structures resemble trees branching out of the forest from the north and a field of prairie grass from the south. My model includes new paving and ADA accessible seating, as well as a raised stage platform.

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Top Connection Process I designed the knife plate top connection, which held the two halves of the pavilion together at the top. My design went through several iterations of 3D Models, drawings, and physical mock-ups. I spoke directly with engineers to finalize dimensions of each steel piece.

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Compound Angle Jig I designed a jig to hold the top connection in place so I could tack-weld the steel at the correct compound angle. I 3D printed a custom piece to hold the steel, built a wooden base to support the plastic, and cut the steel to the correct angle. I used a MIG welder to tack the steel in place.

Shading For the pavilion’s shading elements, we used recycled street signs. I scraped vinyl to prepare the signs for sand blasting, bent, and cut them into shape.

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Knee-Brace Connection I tack-welded all the steel in place for the knee braces using a custom wooden jig. I cut the steel tubing to the correct angle, plasma cut holes to allow air to escape, then cleaned the steel with an angle grinder.

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Construction During construction, I built wooden jigs for hole placement, measured and drilled steel brackets, and placed wooden rafters. Additionally, this project taught me to operate a scissor lift.

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Re-purposed Materials All the wood in the project came from recycled utility poles. The limestone seating came from donated parking barricades.

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AMERICANA CIRCUS MUSEUM A New Perspective on Circus Culture

ARCH 508 Studio Kapila Silva Fall 2023

The Americana Circus museum tells an untold story about the history of Traveling Circus culture including banned sideshow acts. The goal of the museum is to provide guests with a new perspective of the Circus.

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Darnell St, Fort Worth TX

Grid Alignment The building follows a grid that connects the Modern and Kimbell Art Museums with the central Heritage Tree.

Proximity The main entrance is located on the North side to support foot traffic from the two neighboring museums.

Pop-up Architecture By designing a detached hypar tensile roof, the building alludes to the temporary nature of 1800s traveling Circus groups.

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Three Ring Pattern The museum has three rings that surround a central activity, mimicking a traditional Three-Ring Circus layout. The rings create a figure-eight circulation pattern, allowing guests to chose their own path similar to how guests may move between shows at a Circus.

Heritage Tree The Heritage Tree’s roots shape a fourth ring outside of the building, creating an inviting outdoor courtyard space.

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Concrete Columns Steel Cables

Steel Truss

PTFE Tensile Roof

Concrete Base

The building features a PTFE tensile roof visible from atrium spaces inside the building, mimicking the feeling of the underside of a classic Circus tent.

Nonstructural Aluminum Supports

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Rigid Perimeter Due to the atrium lobby spaces, the museum uses a rigid perimeter structural layout and an underfloor air distribution system.

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Circus Aesthetic The color palette, window shape, and frequent use of circular patterns allude to a late 1800s Pierrot Clown. The purple Drummond’s Phlox flowers are native to Texas and are able to survive in the partial shade from the tensile roof.

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Outdoor Culture The museum promotes outdoor shopping and dining by allowing space for food trucks, flexible kiosks, an informal outdoor theatre, and a third floor shaded terrace.

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Open Stage The informal outdoor stage and seating style creates a comfortable environment inviting anyone to create and preform for others.

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Perspective Shift The first gallery introduces familiar topics, such as acts and props. As the guest progresses, the exhibits address lesser known historical facts. The color choice, interior decor, and lighting reflects this change. By ending with a dead-end darker gallery, the museum forces guests to re-visit the original lighter gallery with a new altered perspective.

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Noisy Atmosphere By opening the gallery level to the stage below, not only can guests watch the performance, but the upbeat music floods the galleries. This creates a noisy atmosphere reminiscent of a traditional Circus.

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MOLECULAR MARKET Food Enjoyment and Youth Education

ARCH 209 Studio Todd Achelpohl Spring 2023

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7th and Kentucky St, Lawrence KS

Food Science The Market provides a place where kids can learn about the chemistry of healthy food in an engaging way. I took inspiration from gastronomy cooking and interactive learning centers such as Science City in Kansas City, MO.

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Green Grocer

The building provides open space for food companies to rent, as well as open kitchens for educational use.

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Post Office

Culinary Education

Food Hall

Event Balcony

Farmers Market Page 43

Ground Floor

N

Floor 2

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Basement

Limit Landscaping The site consists of a nine-foot topography change from East to West. My building aims to limit artificial landscaping by following the natural slope as much as possible. The courtyard consists of native plants terraced for efficient rainwater usage.

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internship Experience Sapp Design Architects, Kansas City MO

Rendering Style Variety At Sapp Design Architects, I created realistic renderings in Enscape for the Springfield Library Center, and artistic renderings with Photoshop for the Moniteau Library.

Casework Modeling In Revit, I modeled additional furniture, worked on casework detail drawings, and created new materials. I also cleaned up a Sketchup model.

Interactive Elements I designed different options for an interactive indoor tree feature at the Moniteau Library.

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Hobby Projects

Lighthouse Art Structure For a festival in the Ozarks, MO, I am currently designing and building an interactive wooden light house. At the end of the festival, the entire structure will be burned.

The lighthouse is designed to collapse in a specific way, creating a safe fire show.

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Playful Pavilions In the future, I hope to build small artistic pavilions to enhance our urban environment. I’ve modeled these pavilions off of patterns found in nature.

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thank you

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