Selected Works

BENJAMIN MATHER

BENJAMIN MATHER MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE APPLICANT 3520 NORTH LAKE SHORE DRIVE APARTMENT 5L CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60657 BENJAMINJMATHER@GMAIL.COM 414.721.8357

SELECTED WORKS

MANIPULATING FORM

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AMPLIFIED MOVEMENT

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FILTERING BOUNDARY

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SOCIAL INTERACTION

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PROFESSIONAL WORK

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SEDGWICK LOCUST

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MANIPULATING FORM

CUBE PROFESSOR MARC ROEHRLE ARCHITECTURE 320 SPRING 2009

RUDIMENTAL CUBE

PROJECT PROMPT: DESIGN A CUBE WITH SUCH A BROAD TASK, MY GOAL WAS TO INVESTIGATE HOW SIMPLE MASSING CAN BE REFLECTED IN A DYNAMIC MATTER, AND HOW THE MATERIAL SELECTION CAN ENHANCE THE CONCEPT.

90째 ROTATION

BY ROTATING THE TOP 90째, THE CUBE HAS RETAINED ITS GEOMETRIC PROFILE FROM THE TOP, WHILE MANIPULATING ITS PROFILE FROM THE SIDES. TO ENHANCE THE CONCEPT THAT THE OBJECT WAS ONCE A RUDIMENTAL CUBE, ALL 16 FACES WERE ARRANGED AND CUT FROM ONE WOOD PLANK, ALLOWING THE GRAIN TO FOLLOW EACH SIDE AS IT ROTATES.

GEODESIC MANIPULATION

CREATING PROFILES

COMPLETING EDGES

PLANAR CLADDING

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AMPLIFIED MOVEMENT

INSTALLATION PROJECT PROFESSOR MARC ROEHRLE ARCHITECTURE 320 SPRING 2009 IN COLLABORATION WITH ELIZABETH DILLER OF DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO, RECIPIENT OF THE 2009 URBAN EDGE AWARD, THIS PROJECT AIMED TO INTRODUCE A BROADER DEFINITION OF ARCHITECTURE THROUGH THE DESIGN AND IMPLENTATION OF TEMPORARY INSTALLATIONS THROUGHOUT MILWAUKEE.

SITE: LOCATED BETWEEN THE SUMMERFEST GROUNDS AND THE MILWAUKEE RIVER LIES AN UNDERUTALIZED PUBLIC SPACE.

COLLABORATORS: ALEX HARM, PAUL STEIDL, JOSEPH MILETTA, MARY BIWER, BRIAN HAGSTROM, NATHAN LOCHNER AND AARON VIERCK.

CONCEPT: INTRODUCE EXISTING RAILING STRUCTURE

ZERO WAVE AMPLITUDE

OAK SLATS ATTACHED TO RAILING STRUCTURE

LOW WAVE AMPLITUDE

CABLES STRUNG THROUGH INSTALLATION DOWN TO BUOY

HIGH WAVE AMPLITUDE

DYNAMIC ELEMENTS OF WATER FROM THE RIVER TO THE STATIC NATURE OF THE PUBLIC SPACE.

IMPLENTATION: USING THE PRE-EXISTING RAILING AS A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT, OUR GROUP DESIGN IS A MOVING INSTALLATION, BASED ON THE LEAF SPRING, TO ECHO THE WATER’S MOVEMENT. A CABLE EXTENDED FROM THE ENDS OF OAK SLATS DOWN TO A BUOY FLOATING IN THE WATER. WHEN A WAVE MOVES THE BUOY UP AND DOWN, THE OAK SLATS ARE PULLED UP AND DOWN, SHOWING THE PEDESTRIAN THE WATER’S MOVEMENT.

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DETAILS: TEMPORARY CONNECTIONS

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FILTERING BOUNDARY

UWM DORMATORY PROFESSOR GRACE LA STUDIO 410 FALL 2009 LOCATED ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MILWAUKEE

CAMPUS AND ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOL’S

SOCCER FIELD, THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES THE RESPONSE TO MULTIPLE SITE CONDITIONS.

THE

PROGRAM INVESTIGATES HOW THE DESIGN OF STUDENT HOUSING CAN IMPROVE SOCIAL INTERACTION BETWEEN STUDENTS, STUDENT

ATHLETICS, AND SURROUNDING PERMANENT RESIDENTS.

SITE CONDITIONS: WEST EDGE OF CAMPUS - FILTER FROM STUDENTS TO PERMANENT RESIDENTS

UWM ENGELMANN FIELD TO THE EAST HOME OF THE NO. 24 UWM PANTHERS WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM LARGE ELEVATION CHANGE FROM STREET TO CAMPUS

SCALE MODEL

MATERIALS: BASS WOOD, CHIP BOARD, MUSEUM BOARD, PLEXIGLASS

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CURRENT SITE:

BLEEDS INTO NEIGHBORHOOD ENGELMANN FIELD LACKS ENCLOSURE NO SENSE OF CAMPUS ENTRANCE

MASSING BOUNDARY: COMPLETES ENGELMANN FIELD ENCLOSURE BLOCKS STUDENT / NEIGHTBORHOOD INTERACTION

FILTERING MASSING BOUNDARY: COMPLETES ENGELMANN FIELD ENCLOSURE RESPECTFUL LEVEL OF STUDENT / NEIGHTBORHOOD INTERACTION

WELCOMING ENTRANCE TO CAMPUS 12

THE LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AT THE WEST

ELEVATION RESPONDS TO VARIABLES INCLUDING:

WELCOMING WEST ENTRY TO CAMPUS SOFT TRANSITION FROM PUBLIC STUDENT ACTIVITY TO PERMANENT NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS

HARDER TRANSITION FROM STUDENT RESIDENTS TO PERMANENT NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS

TRANSPARENT PUBLIC SPACES

UPPER FLOOR’S FILTERED TRANSPARENCY PROVIDES PRIVATIZED BOUNDARY BETWEEN STUDENT LIVING AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS ACROSS THE STREET.

GROUND FLOOR TRANSPARENCY ALLOWS INTERACTION BETWEEN PUBLIC STUDENT ACTIVIES AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS. PROGRAMMING INCLUDES LIBRARY, CAFE, STUDENT SHOP.

RECESSED MASSING PUNCTUATES WEST ENTRANCE TO CAMPUS

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CAMPUS

INTERACTING

LIVING

NEIGHBORHOOD

SOLID ENTRY FIRST FLOOR TRANSPARENCY PUBLIC SPACE TRANSPARENCY

CLADDING GLAZING FILTERING STRUCTURE FLOORS

THE INWARD FACING ELEVATIONS UTILIZE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF GLAZING, ALLOWING STUDENTS LIVING IN THE DORMITORY TO EXPERIENCE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SOCCER FIELD AS A CONSTANT AUDIENCE.

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SOCIAL INTERACTION

VOLUNTEER CENTER ER PROFESSOR NEIL FRANKEL ARCHITECTURE 633 3 SPRING 2011

38TH

RESEARCH COLLABORATORS BORATORS: SAMUEL BRANNON N, JACLYN RICHERT FOCUSING ON THE INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, THIS PROJECT AIMED TO IMPROVE VOLUNTEERISM IN CHICAGO. STEP 1: WHAT CAUSES A LOW RATE OF VOLUNTEERISM? LITTLE ATTACHMENT TO COMMUNITY LONG COMMUTES TO PLACES OF SERVICE LOW COMMUNITY OUTREACH HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HIGH POVERTY STEP 2: WHAT TO FOCUS ON IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ARCHITECTURE COULD IMPROVE COMMUNITY ATTACHMENT AND OUTREACH.

STEP 3: ANALISE PROJECT SITE UNDERUTILIZED DEARBORN STATION

DEMOGRAPHICS: DEARBORN STATION LIES AT THE SOUTH END OF DEARBORN STREET. THERE

OF

51 LARGEST

CITIES

ARE FOUR MAIN GROUPS OF RESIDENTS AROUND THE SITE. WITH THE UNIVERSITY HOUSING TO THE EAST AND THE BUSINESS DISTRICT TO THE NORTH, A MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS ARE TEMPORARY OR SPEND LITTLE TIME IN THE AREA.

CONCLUSION: NEED FOR PROGRAMMING THAT ESTABLISHES RECURRING VISITS

CONTROVERSIAL DECISION: REMOVE EXISTING CLOCK TOWER DURING INITIAL PLANNING STAGES OF THE PROJECT, WE WERE GIVEN THE CHOICE OF KEEPING THE CLOCK TOWER, RESTORING IT, OR REPLACING IT. TO ATTRACT MORE ACTIVITY FROM THE FAST MOVING BUSINESS DISTRICT TO THE NORTH AND INCREASE OUTREACH TO THOSE WHO WOULD NORMAL NOT BE AWARE OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES OR NEED, I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE TOWER WITH A STRUCTURE THAT ATTRACTS RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF ALL INTERESTS.

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SURROUNDING DEMOGRAPHICS SHARE INTEREST IN DAILY COFFEE. PROGRAMMING MIXES VOLUNTEER OUTREACH WITH A CAFE.

THE USE OF COLOR CAN DRAW THE ATTENTION OF USERS. WARM COLORS BEING PHYSICALLY STIMULATING WHILE COOL COLORS ARE RELAXING.

BOUTIQUE: TEMPORARY OUTREACH STATION FOR VARIOUS VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS.

EACH BOUTIQUE HAS A

CAFE

PRIVATE SPACE FOR FOCUSED CONVERSATION

VOLUNTEER OUTREACH

MATERIAL: TRANSLUCENT

FIRST FLOOR PLAN - CAFE AND BOUTIQUES

ACRYLIC TO ALLOW FOR CUSTOM LED COLORING, GIVING IDENTITY TO EACH ORGANIZATION.

ENTRY TO VOLUNTEER CENTER

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CAFE SITUATED BEYOND THE BOUTIQUES, WITH SEATING FOR BOTH ACTIVITIES MIXED TOGETHER.

CAFE

VISITORS OF OBSERVATION TOWER MUST TRAVEL THROUGH BOUTIQUES, ALLOWING FOR OUTREACH TO THOSE NOT NORMALLY AWARE OF OPPORTUNITIES.

PRIVATE MEETING ROOMS IN TOWER FOR VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS

CAFE MIXED WITH VOLUNTEER BOUTIQUES

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ALL UPPER FLOOR ASSEMBLY SPACES HAVE DIRECT VIEWS OF THE VOLUNTEER BOUTIQUES AS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF THE PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT.

SECOND FLOOR PLAN - ASSEMBLY SPACE

ASSEMBLY SPACE WITH VIEW TO VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION BOUTIQUES

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P R O F E S S I O N A L WOR K

THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF PROFESSIONAL WORK COMPLETED WITH MADISEN MAHER ARCHITECTS (20122013) IN MILWAUKEE, WI AND SULLIVAN GOULETTE & WILSON (2013-CURRENT) IN CHICAGO, IL. LEADERSHIP ROLES: SITE DOCUMENTATION, ZONING AND BUILDING CODE ANALYSIS, PRELIMINARY DESIGN, 3D MODELING AND RENDERINGS, SCHEMATIC DESIGN, DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS, PERMIT SUBMITTALS AND CORRECTIONS, MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS, CONSULTANT RFP’S, CONSULTANT COORDINATION, CLIENT COMMUNICATION, MUNICIPAL MEETINGS, NEIGHBORHOOD PRESENTATIONS, CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION, AND PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY.

RIVER PLACE LOFTS ADAPTIVE REUSE DEVELOPER PETER MOEDE MILWAUKEE, WI 2012-2013 MADISEN MAHER ARCHITECTS LEADERSHIP ROLE: SITE DOCUMENTATION FOR HISTORICAL REVIEW, SITE DESIGN, CANOPY DESIGN, UNIT DESIGN

JOEY GERARD’S SUPPER CLUB ADAPTIVE REUSE BARTOLOTTA RESTAURANT GROUP GREENDALE, WI 2012-2013 MADISEN MAHER ARCHITECTS LEADERSHIP ROLE: SITE DOCUMENTATION, PROGRAMMING, INTERIOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION 26

SEDGWICK LOCUST

SULLIVAN GOULETTE & WILSON CLIENT: BELGRAVIA REALTY GROUP PRINCIPAL: JEFF GOULETTE COLLABORATORS: CHRIS MICHALEK, KEVIN WECKMAN, MARTIN SNOW, ERIN SANCHEZ LEADERSHIP ROLE: PRELIMINARY DESIGN THROUGH CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION WWW.SEDGWICKATLOCUST.COM

VERTICAL WEAVER LAYER

HORIZONTAL WEAVE LAYER

DEVELOPERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD’S URBAN CENTERS ARE INCREASINGLY SEEKING DESIGNS THAT SPAN PROPERTY LINE TO PROPERTY LINE. THE SUBJECT OF THIS MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT WAS TO CREATE DEPTH IN AN OTHERWISE FLAT MASSING. WE ACCOMPLISHED THAT THROUGH THE LAYERING OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS TO CREATE A WEAVE PATTERN. WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF NEIGHBORHOOD APPROVAL, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO RECESS THE BALCONIES FROM THE SIDEWALK, INCREASING THE MASSING DEPTH, BUT THE WEAVE REMAINED.

FOCAL MASSING LAYER

BASE MASSING LAYER

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SITE DESIGN: THIS PROJECT HAD MANY VARIABLES TO COORDINATE INCLUDING WORKING WITHIN A TYPE 1 REZONING, NEIGHBORHOOD APPROVAL PROCESS OF SITE AND MASSING DESIGN, AND ZONING VARIANCES TO ALLOW FOR A LARGER BUILDING FOOTPRINT. DURING THIS PROCESS WE DETERMINED DUE TO THE LACK OF EXISTING AND FUTURE CONTEXT MASSING THAT THE PROJECT WOULD HAVE FOUR FRONT ELEVATIONS.

UNIT DESIGN: EACH RESIDENTIAL FLOOR HAS NINE UNIQUE UNIT PLANS. DURING THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE BELGRAVIA REALTY GROUP TO PRODUCE EACH LAYOUT TO THEIR COMPANY STANDARDS WHILE IMPROVING DOWNFALLS OF PAST PROJECTS DETERMINED THROUGH OWNERSHIP RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE DEVELOPER.

NORTH ELEVATION

EAST ELEVATION

DETAILING: DUE TO THE WEAVING OF

MATERIALS THROUGHOUT EACH ELEVATION, DETAILING BECAME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT. WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR, WE ESTABLISHED THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THE DESIGN INTENT. EVERYTHING FROM MATERIAL TRANSITIONS TO OPENING DETAILS AT EACH MATERIAL WERE CLOSELY DEVELOPED AND REVIEWED FOR CONSTRUCTIBILITY.

ELEVATIONS: BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF EXISTING AND FUTURE CONTEXT MASSING, EACH ELEVATION WAS CAREFULLY DEVELOPED TO CREATE INVITING EXTERIOR VIEWS.

WEST ELEVATION

SOUTH ELEVATION

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