Joseph Tomshe Portfolio

Architecture Portfolio

Tulane University B.Arch 2020-24

Joseph Tomshe

Joseph Tomshe Phone (832) 326-2269 Email Jtomshe@icloud.com Website Jtomshe.com LinkedIn Graduating in May 2025 and seeking an entry-level architecture position, where I can apply my design skills and education to contribute to innovative and high quality architecture.

Education

Bachelor of Architecture Candidate Tulane University, 2020-25 - Cumulative GPA, 3.97 - Deans list, 9 semesters

Work History

Gensler, Architecture Intern; Chicago, IL. | June 2024 - August 2024 - Developed a detailed 3D roof model of the “Columbus International Airport Terminal” using Grasshopper, integrating complex geometries to 3d print a physical model.

- Produced visually compelling diagrams in Illustrator for a hospital competition, effectively communicating holistic design strategies to diverse stakeholders.

- Supported pre-design for a plastics manufacturing facility, performing feasibility research and producing initial spatial layouts reflective of user needs.

Hanbury, Architecture Intern; Norfolk, VA | May 2023 - August 2023 - Collaborated on a future development research project for Virginia Beach, focusing on urban growth and environmental resilience; presented findings to city council.

- Utilized Lumion to create realistic visualizations for a Tulane dormitory project, enhancing presentations for client and stakeholder review.

- Created detailed elevations for the renovation of a building facade using Rhino, capturing both existing conditions and proposed design updates.

Curious Form, Fabrication Intern; New Orleans, LA | May 2022 - August 2022 - Performed hands-on metalwork (riveting, grinding, welding) to assemble sculptural installations, reinforcing structural integrity through custom detailing.

- Utilized Grasshopper in real-world fabrication, combining parametric experimentation with artistic expression.

Tulane University; Research/Teaching Teaching Assistant, Architecture Studio 1012| December 2024 - Present - Mentoring first-year students in foundational architectural design, fostering creativity and technical growth.

Teaching Assistant, Advanced Digital Media | August 2023 - December 2023 - Assisted in a course led by Adam Marcus on Grasshopper for form finding, emphasizing parametric design in concept generation.

Research Assistant, Ruben Garcia; New Orleans, LA | May 2023 - December 2023 - Developed master plan drawings for the Addis Ababa River, creating sustainabile-oriented solutions in Illustrator.

Research Assistant, NO Office; New Orleans, LA | January 2023 - May 2023 - Made drawings and detailed digital models depicting research using Rhino 7.

- Modeled and 3D printed scale model houses and CNC milled exhibition shelves, exploring fabrication techniques.

Additional Experience

Software

Tulane Architecture Curriculum Committee | 2024 - Collaborated with faculty to evaluate and enhance curriculum and proposed new minors.

Tokyo, Japan, Study Abroad | Spring 2024 - Traveled around Japan visiting famous architecture sites and attending lectures from leading firms.

Tulane Cycling Club President | 2022-24 - Organized team events, managed budgets, and fostered community engagement in collegiate cycling.

Tulane Senior Fund | 2023 - Promoted philanthropy and alumni engagement, encouraging donations to support university initiatives.

Tulane Architecture Peer Mentor | 2021-22 - Guided underclassmen, providing academic support and fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Awards, Honors, and Publications

Richard Koch Arc. Scholarship | 2020-24 Tulane University Ten Student Research Projects, Dezeen | 2024 Tulane Architecture Travel Fellowship Grant | 2024 Study Architecture Student Showcase - Part XXXIII, Studyarchitecture | 2023

Rhino 7&8 Revit, User certified Adobe Photoshop Adobe Illustrator Adobe Indesign Grasshopper Cinema 4d Blender V-Ray Creality/Cura, ArcGis

CELT Research Grant | 2022 Tulane Design Competition, 2nd Place | 2022 NEF Design Drafting, 2nd in Nation | 2021 Eagle Scout with Bronze Palm Award | 2020

Foreward

At the core of my philosophy, I view architecture as a tangible reflection of our society and its values. It shapes our built environment and our relationship with the natural world, leaving a lasting impression on the planet. Through intentional design, architecture draws from diverse knowledge, creativity, and aspirations to unify the arts into a single, transformative expression. It serves as the backdrop to human life while holding the potential to address critical challenges, such as environmental sustainability, social equity, and the future of our shared habitats.

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Intertwining Blocks

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Inserted Void

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Jefferson Island Educational Center

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Materials of Abolition

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Research, Exhibition, and Internships

Urban Studio, Third Year Fall

Integrated Studio, Third Year Spring

Site Strategies Studio, Second Year Fall

Research Studio, Fourth Year Fall

Various Summers

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01 Intertwining Blocks Fall 2022, Studio Project Professor Ruben Garcia Los Angeles, California Tasked with creating an urban catalyst within a previously designed master plan, Intertwining Blocks draws its program from the historical and cultural significance of agriculture in Los Angeles. The project aims to celebrate this heritage while addressing contemporary urban challenges through accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability.

The design connects four rigid, monolithic blocks with an organic social condensing space formed by two circular bridge levels.

These dynamic spaces encourage interaction and movement, creating a fluid connection between the structures while promoting a sense of openness and community. The lighter, transparent elements in the connecting spaces provide a juxtaposition to the heavy masses of the blocks, embodying a balance between structure and flexibility. This interplay is further expressed as circular geometries subtly infiltrate the rigid blocks, softening their form and introducing moments of spatial relief and visual interest. Inspired by the plan view of trees, these circular motifs extend to the roof, creating harmony between the built environment and the natural world.

The roof contains integrated bioclimatic systems that protect the climate using automated louvres on the north faces that enable ventilation, water collection between valleys, and sun-reflecting louvres.

The roof produces a syncopated rhythm due to repetitive louvres, adding distinctive shadow conditions to the interior. However, the facade aims to break up the rhythm with varying-sized stone panels. Some panels were removed for windows, and others on the south facade were turned into farming panels interacting with the farm in front.

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Entry perspective.

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Isometric of intervention in master plan .

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1st Floor

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2nd Floor

Automated panels allow for wind flow while blocking direct sun light.

3rd Floor

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Social Condenser

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Indoor Roof Garden

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02 Inserted Void Spring 2023, Studio Project Professor Cynthia Dubberley New Orleans, Louisiana This proposal aims to maximize natural light by inserting a large funnel oriented toward the sun through the center. The idea comes from rarities in the New Orleans grid that create grids inside of grids, which are translated into the concept of a thing within a thing. Elements of the hostel also follow this same general concept, with each room having a disconnected lid that also assists with maximizing natural light.

Following through the center of the project is a monumental staircase that weaves through the funnel to the fourth floor. On the project’s North side is a second funnel that voids out a balcony and creates a spatial relationship between the two objects on the interior.

Beneath this balcony is a small courtyard with small rain gardens to utilize collected water, blending function with a serene outdoor experience.

The facade facing each street is made of channel glass and relates to the history of the creation of Jazz on the site. This connection is seen by allowing the facade to take on a “loud” ephemeral appearance at night, but quiet intake of light during the day. The VRF mechanical system tries to hide itself by resting on top of lids on each room, or hovering over the circulation path. Finally, circulation is either found by taking the vertical cores or a monumental staircase that goes through the center of the project and weaves through the funnel.

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Front facade/entry perspective.

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The funnel collects water uses it to reflects light.

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Level 2

Level 1

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The facade is made out of channel glass to allow light to flow in during the day and out during the night.

Window Frame Detail

Storefront Connection Detail

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1/4” Section Scale Model, 7.5”x7.5”x7” ~ Cement, Basswood, 3d print PLA, Chipboard, Cellophane, and Mylar.

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03 Jefferson Island Fall 2021, Studio Project Professor Nimet Anwar Jefferson Island, Louisiana The site is located above a historic, threelevel abandoned salt mine, a feature that once played a pivotal role in defining the region’s cultural and economic landscape.

Over time, the site has been reclaimed by nature, becoming overgrown with vegetation. To restore the ecological balance, the owner removed invasive plant species, preserving only the native flora characteristic of the surrounding marshlands.

These efforts created a biodiverse habitat, emphasizing the site’s potential as a sustainable environment not only for humans but for non-human species, including the resilient trees that anchor the landscape.

The proposal draws inspiration from the salt mine’s stratified orientations, using them as a framework to shape the museum’s form and spatial organization. This strategy ensures the design carefully avoids disturbing the preexisting trees, prioritizing the preservation of the site’s delicate vegetation and fostering a harmonious relationship between architecture and ecology. By embedding the museum into the ground, the design evokes the immersive experience of descending into the historic mine, while simultaneously leveraging the subtle elevation changes— rare features in the otherwise flat topography of south Louisiana. This integration of architecture and site respects the natural rhythms of the landscape and creates a narrative that connects visitors to the region’s geological and ecological heritage.

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Perspective redone in Blender after the studio was complete.

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Museum situated between native trees.

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Museum board, bass wood, dowels, and foam core. Total size 24” x 28”

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04 Materials of Abolition Fall 2023, Studio Project Professor Emilie Taylor Welty Partner, Jackie Sumell - Solitary Gardens Team: Tracy Jones, Malia Bavuso, Allison Slomski This project, located at the original Solitary Garden site—a space empowering incarcerated individuals to cultivate plants— aims to blend sustainable materials with modern fabrication techniques. The pavilion explores material innovation, utilizing natural and locally sourced elements to minimize its environmental footprint. The roof, or “hat” as termed in natural building, is crafted from homegrown mycelium tiles, showcasing renewable and biodegradable possibilities.

Locally sourced marine-grade plywood forms the structure, while cob, made with regional materials, adds an earthy texture.

The base, or “boots,” is constructed with oystercrete, repurposing local oyster shells to create a durable and sustainable foundation.

This project was deeply collaborative, bringing together a team of designers and community members. My contributions included developing the concept of uniting traditional and contemporary construction methods, shaping the initial form of the pavilion, and selecting materials with an emphasis on environmental responsibility. I also played a hands-on role in cultivating the mycelium, ensuring its growth aligned with the project’s needs, and leading the final assembly. This project demonstrates how thoughtful material choices and collaborative efforts can result in architecture that respects both the environment and the communities it serves.

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Built pavilion in the original Solitary Garden .

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Construction of the wooden frame using model

Mycelium shingle prototype

Installation of mycelium shingles, I am in the pink hoodie .

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Completion of wooden frame and footings.

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Completion of entire structure with the team who constructed it.

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05 Phenomenology in Contemporary Practices Summer 2024, Grant Funded Research Tulane Architecture Travel Fellowship Pages: 44, Word Count: 3,900 This booklet investigates Northern European phenomenological architecture, focusing on the sensory and experiential connection between humans and their built environment. Through a travel fellowship, the study examines works by architects like Peter Zumthor and Steven Holl, offering insights into how architectural spaces evoke emotions, embody cultural narratives, and resonate with their contexts. It highlights phenomenology’s role in shaping meaningful, embodied interactions with architecture, proposing it as a foundation for future design practices.

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Example spreads of final booklet.

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06 Dissecting the Present “Missing Middle Housing” Summer 2022, Grant Funded Research Tulane Celt Grant, guided by Nimet Anwar Pages: 106, Word Count: 5,350 For nearly a century, the typical American urban sprawl has become the standard for housing in the United States. However, this form of housing has been criticized in architectural discourse since its first implementation.

Presently, concerns about negative impacts on inequality and climate change plague its existence and arise as the catalysts of most arguments against single-family houses. The existing built environment of residential housing has slowly begun to see new, denser proposals take its place. This research aims to study and dissect the new built environment to comprehend contemporary housing standards in cities.

Drone Photography by Nick Licausi 32 | Joseph Tomshe

Example spreads of final booklet.

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07 Evolutive Housing Spring 2023, Research Assistant NO Office, Nimet Anwar & Omar Ali Exhibited at Tulane’s Small Center “Evolutive Housing,” curated by Omar Ali and Nimet Anwar, is a designresearch project initiated by New Orleans-based practice, NO OFFICE. The project considers the effects of gentrification and displacement through the lens of housing in the city of Houston. Housing availability in the city is not unlike the typical offerings of a suburb: single-family homes and multi-family apartment complexes of various sizes and scales, but as housing needs grow Houston is increasingly looking to middle-scale housing types.

After conducting research with Nimet, I was invited to become a research assistant for their exhibition. My main role was as a fabricator, which entailed 3d modeling all the neighbourhoods we were studying, 3d printing them, and designing/constructing the shelves for the gallery.

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Student Collaborators: Olivia Vercruysse & Jose Varela Castillo Exhibit Photography: Jose Cotto

All 3d prints and both wooden shelves were constructed by me.

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08 Gensler Internship Summer 2024, Architecture Internship Chicago Office Cities Team As part of the Cities team at Gensler, I worked on various projects in critical facilities, aviation, industrial & logistics, and mobility & transportation. My work included creating a detailed 3D roof model for the “John Glenn Columbus International Airport Terminal” using Grasshopper and a 3D-printed physical model. I also helped out on a hospital design competition, creating clear, engaging diagrams to communicate ideas effectively. Another project I contributed to was the early planning stages of a plastics manufacturing facility by developing layouts and exploring project feasibility. These experiences allowed me to improve my design and problem-solving skills while contributing to projects that support better infrastructure and urban systems.

John Glenn Columbus International Airport Terminal | Columbus, OH | Aviation This project began with receiving base geometry from Revit and rebuilding it in Rhino. From there, I developed a grasshopper script for the baffles lining the interior ceiling. The next step was to scale and ensure the model was clean enough to 3d print and construct the final model. Due to the model being larger than the actual print bed, it had to be split into three total pieces, which were seamlessly put together in the final model.

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Top of model with complex oculus structure.

Bottom of model with lines of baffles lining ceiling.

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Hospital Competition Proposal | Chicago, IL | Critical Facilities My role in this competition was initially to create diagrams to convey our design strategy if we were to win the project. Our idea was to utilize a master planning program that could create a balance between experience and efficiency in the final design. Once making it to the second round of the competition, I was tasked with retrofitting a 5’x3’ physical model which we could use to display the proposed architecture.

Two axonometric diagrams.

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Phyusical site model approx. 5’x3’, made of acrylic and 3d prints. Existing model that was updated with new buildings.

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09 Curious Form Internship Summer 2022, Fabrication Internship New Orleans, LA Artwork designed by Will Nemitoff During my time at Curious Form, I honed my parametric modeling and hands-on fabrication skills by working closely with metal, experimenting with digital-tophysical workflows, and collaborating on sculptural installations. This experience allowed me to bridge design concepts with real-world construction, reinforcing my belief in the power of innovative, detail-oriented craftsmanship.

Stainless Steel Sea Turtle Light Garden | South Carolina After finishing the design, this project began by welding together the internal structure of the turtle, which connects to the ground in three places. My main role during this phase was to grind down the edges of the steel plates and pipes to prep welding and then polish off welds. Following this process was the task of folding together the stainless steel pieces of the turtle, which was first tested with a laser-cut model. Finally, we riveted the pieces in place and drove them to South Carolina, where we installed the artwork overnight.

Turtle during the day.

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Process of folding the pieces over the supporting structure.

Welding the frame together to support the folding stainless steel plates.

Turtle at night with lights on.

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Joseph Tomshe Bachelor of Architecture Candidate May 2025 Graduation Tulane University School of Architecture Jtomshe@icloud.com +1 832 326 2269

Jtomshe.com

Thank you for your consideration!