curriculum vitae.
education
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Bachelor of Architecture
Dean’s List | Summa Cum Laude
3.9 GPA | 2020 - 2025
Aalto University, Helsinki International Study Program
4.0 GPA | May-August 2023
professional experience
Architectural Intern McCarty Holsaple McCarty Jan-Dec 2024
Research Assistant University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Professor Scott Wall
August 2023-Current
Research Assistant University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Professor Mark Stanley
December 2024-Current
Freelance Designer
Knoxville, TN
Dec 2023-Current
Sips + Bites
personal works
Bento House
Year: Summer 2024
Purpose: AIA ETN ADU Design Competition
Location: Knoxville, TN
Team: Anna Haynes + Jakob Mikres
Bento House tells the story of a home designed for adaptability, offering a flexible space that evolves alongside its occupants’ needs. More than just a dwelling, it’s a container for living and creating, balancing comfort, efficiency, and accessibility. The ADU complements the main residence while asserting its own unique identity, forming a harmonious yet independent addition to the Knoxville Traditional Neighborhood typology.
Clad in locally sourced, resilient materials, the exterior blends seamlessly with its surroundings, while the interior celebrates the everyday, using plywood and accessible finishes that feel warm and practical. Playful, operable windows punctuate the envelope, inviting daylight and fresh air while creating visual connections to the outdoors. Even the often-overlooked alley becomes part of the community fabric, fostering a sense of inclusion and openness.
The design thoughtfully reimagines the carport, transforming it into a multifunctional covered porch that expands gathering space. With its self-contained amenities, semi-private implied yard, and thoughtful layout, Bento House is perfectly suited for a variety of uses—from short-term rentals to long-term tenants, a young adult finding independence, or an aging family member seeking proximity.
As life evolves, so does Bento House. Its design allows for effortless transformations, accommodating multi-generational living, non-residential uses, or entirely new purposes without major renovations. It pushes the boundaries of traditional neighborhood living, offering a resilient, communal vision for Knoxville’s future.
personal works
A majority of materials used are intentionally conventional, reductive, and yet locally sourced and/or salvaged to reduce building and finish costs in addition to embodied and life-cycle carbon. Finished ceilings and floors are omitted when possible to reduce material impact. Bento House’s sustainable design elements include natural ventilation, a vegetative roof to offset site runoff, an edible garden, thermal mass floors, deep overhangs, high performance windows and insulation, and salvaged/local materials. These strategies reduce the project’s overall EUI and carbon footprint, as well as upfront material costs and postoccupancy energy costs. The use of FSC certified plywood and non-toxic finishes increases durability and flexibility of the interior spaces, while promoting health and wellness for the long term.
exterior east elevation perspective
exterior carport perspective
personal works
longitudinal section perspective
personal works
interior living space perspective
interior mudroom perspective
academic works
The Mill Exchange
Semester: Fall 2024
Purpose: Mixed-use Development
Location: Knoxville, TN
Professor: Tricia Stuth
This project began with a deep dive into the history of the abandoned Standard Knitting Mill and Knoxville’s broader industrial legacy. Recognized by Knox Heritage as “fragile and fading fast,” the Mill represents a significant cultural asset in urgent need of preservation. Its adaptive reuse framework emphasizes maintaining its historic identity while reinterpreting it in a modern context, positioning the Mill as a cornerstone of Knoxville’s future. Key insights into the surrounding context, such as the disconnected railroad and creek, informed a design strategy that integrates public and private spaces while encouraging equitable access to the site and beyond.
Masterplanning efforts integrate the site with nearby parks, greenways, and the proposed rail corridor to create a vibrant “green network.” This connectivity supports active circulation, fosters community interaction, and generates economic
opportunities, establishing the Mill as a beacon of equitable urban renewal and sustainable growth for Knoxville.
The design process drew on extensive site analysis, historic research, and community engagement to frame the Mill’s role as a social and economic anchor. A core goal of the project is sustainability through adaptation. The design balances historical preservation with contemporary needs by incorporating sustainable materials, strategies for adaptive reuse, and gentle interventions that maximize impact while respecting the building’s character.
academic works
The proposed program begins with public-facing spaces on the ground floor, including markets, retail, cafes, and an educational museum that celebrates the Mill’s history.
As levels rise, the program transitions into co-working spaces, wellness facilities, event venues, and ultimately residential units, reinforcing a clear gradient of privacy and public engagement.
A central pedestrian pathway enhances connectivity across the railway and into Knoxville’s green network, establishing the Mill as a hub linking urban, recreational, and natural environments.
academic works
exterior atrium perspective
interior railwalk perspective
interior terrace perspective
interior market perspective
interior corridor perspective
academic works
The Shift 03
Semester: Fall 2023
Purpose: Light Industrial Makerspace
Location: Knoxville, TN
Professor: James Rose
Partners: Julia Goodman + Joe Hanlon
This Integrations project reimagines W. Jackson Avenue as a place that celebrates Knoxville’s rich history while shaping a future rooted in connection and creativity. The design creates a permeable urban district with walkable routes, bike-friendly pathways, and a lush greenway that seamlessly links the site to surrounding neighborhoods. Preserving the historic character of the street edge through thoughtful material choices, the plan balances modern functionality with a respect for the site’s past. By introducing mixed-income housing, live-work units, increased parking capacity, and community-focused amenities, the vision fosters economic growth, inclusivity, and a renewed sense of belonging for residents.
At its core is an industrial makerspace that serves as the beating heart of the district, designed to
empower local artisans and small businesses. The building is intentionally raw and honest, peeling back layers of enclosure to reveal its structural framework and programmatic functions. This transparency highlights the materials and craftsmanship while reinforcing the values of authenticity and sustainability. Inside, rentable bays, exhibition areas, and production spaces create opportunities for makers and manufacturers to thrive.
More than just a district, W. Jackson Avenue becomes a story of transformation—a place where Knoxville’s creative community can connect, create, and grow. It’s a neighborhood that nurtures local talent, enhances livability, and honors the city’s spirit, offering a forwardthinking model for urban reuse.
academic works
interior corridor perspective
interior lobby perspective
interior gallery perspective
JACKSON AVE
JACKSON AVE VINE AVE VINE AVE JACKSON AVE
STREET TREES + STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
CONNECTION FROM JACKSON TO GREENWAY THRU STAIR/ELEVATOR CORES AND CIRCULATION
CONNECTION FROM JACKSON TO GREENWAY THRU STAIR/ELEVATOR CORES AND CIRCULATION
CONNECTION FROM JACKSON TO GREENWAY THRU STAIR/ELEVATOR CORES AND CIRCULATION
MAINTAINED ALLEYWAY/ CIRCULATION
STOREFRONT
CONDOS
STRUCTURE
wall section wall section axonometric
personal works
KOKO Sips + Bites
Year: Winter 2024
Purpose: Interior Renovation Visualization Project
Location: Knoxville, TN
Team: Anna Haynes + Jakob Mikres
This project began with a visit to a small restaurant, collaborating closely with the client to uncover their vision for the space. The process started with a hand-drawn survey to create detailed as-built drawings. These initial drawings captured the existing conditions with precision, forming the foundation for a design that balanced the restaurant’s functional needs with its brand identity.
Listening to the client’s aspirations, we explored how to elevate both the efficiency and the ambiance of the space. By carefully analyzing circulation patterns, we identified opportunities to improve flow, maximize seating capacity, and enhance the dining experience. Warm, sustainable materials were selected to reflect the client’s values, while textured surfaces and layered lighting created an inviting atmosphere that transitioned seamlessly from casual daytime dining to a refined evening ambiance.
Special attention was given to accessibility, acoustics, and spatial efficiency, ensuring the final design was as practical as it was beautiful.
Throughout the project, iterative hand sketches, technical drawings, and 3D renderings allowed for clear communication with the client, offering a visual narrative of the evolving design. This process ensured the final result not only met but exceeded expectations, delivering a cohesive and thoughtful interior that enhanced the restaurant’s unique character and branding.
Ultimately, this redesign transformed the restaurant into a space that invites diners to linger, creating a memorable experience that aligned with the client’s vision to grow their connection with the community.
personal works
interior lunch nook perspective
interior dining area perspective
interior corridor perspective
transverse section perspective
longitudinal section perspective
academic works
Timber Ridge Apartments
Semester: Spring 2023
Purpose: Multifamily Housing
Location: Knoxville, TN
Professor: Maged Guerguis
Affordable housing is a significant issue in many areas of the United States, including Knoxville, TN. It is difficult for groups of people such as college students, grad students just starting families, and single parents to find an affordable place to live in Knoxville. These groups are hit hard by high rent costs and low availability of apartment units. This proposal, Timber Ridge, a high-density apartment complex at a lower cost, utilizes and revitalizes an abandoned area of Knoxville on Concord Street. It tackles common issues in building affordable housing, such as expensive labor, materials, and building codes. Timber Ridge is established not only to provide a place to live for those who need it but as a place to thrive and grow.
Timber Ridge consists of three levels of prefabricated apartment units that sit atop a mixed-use ground floor. Prefabrication allows for tighter budgeting and high-quality units
while keeping prices affordable. Prefabricated construction can cost 20-30% less in building costs, and takes almost 50% less time to build total. The project was designed with crosslaminated timber as the primary material as a durable, renewable, and low-carbon option that can easily be integrated into prefab design. Because the facade and envelope are a large portion of total building costs, CLT simplifies the total wall components and can be used as a nice interior finish, which cuts the costs of extra materials needed such as drywall.
The facade itself is made of a prefabricated clip-on facade consisting of recycled wood strips, making it environmentally conscious as well. This allows for the project to be both visually appealing and low cost, with simple finishes that still draw the eye with wood tones complimented by the greenery in the surrounding courtyard spaces.
academic works
The facilities of the ground floor are specifically selected to provide ways for residents to improve their quality of life. They provide spaces for residents to exercise, study, and learn new skills, and things such as maker spaces and offices allow them to run small businesses or work from home.
The site itself is also bordered by three separate parks, with amenities such as walking trails, tennis courts, and a skate park. This allows for a great surrounding environment with walkable activities for families and couples.
academic works
academic works
section perspective
academic works
TVA Floodplain Masterplan
Semester: Fall 2022
Purpose: Rural Development and Research
Location: Newport, TN
Professor: Scott Wall
Reimmersive Cultivation is the reclaiming of a stretch of land that was once the livelihood of an entire community. The site is located on Douglas Lake in Tennessee, where the Tennessee Valley Authority once flooded communities to build a series of hydropower plants, causing the displacement of thousands of families. The project is a cycling of history and returns to the original purpose of the land the project is embedded into. It is a haven for nomads and migrants seeking refuge from an impending climate emergency. The reclamation of this land is a powerful symbol to new inhabitants that community and stability can be rebuilt and remain steadfast through the use of thoughtful and sustainable design.
The project begins with a water research laboratory, and over time begins to populate with refugee cabins along the riverbed. The planned community spans across the length of
the three-mile site, and through time, over the course of 150 years. The farming and housing infrastructure is designed to take into account the course of time and slowly unfolds in the form of agrivoltaics, combining farming and a grid of solar panels which provides clean energy and self-sufficiency for the entire stretch of the community.
interior water laboratory perspective
academic works
modular cabin axonometric
