Adaptive Reuse and Infill Design Portfolio

Adaptive Reuse and Infill Design

Brady Heath

Where it all began

Urban exploration has been a passion of mine since I was 14 years old. My dad and I would take summer trips to Detroit and I would photograph the abandoned buildings around the city. I have expanded my explorations in Baltimore, Saint Louis, Shreveport, and other cities. Adaptive reuse, historic preservation, and infill projects have become a passion of mine throughout my architectural and urban planning education.

in Detroit, Michigan. Demolished

2020 The abandoned Packard Plant in Detroit, Michigan. The bridge collapsed in 2019, and the building is currently being demolished.

Table of Contents

“At some point a city must stop consuming land and start renewing communities” - Ty Mcbride

Audubon Nature Center

Curtis Park Infill

Monticello Greeting Center

Urban Exploration

Audubon Nature Center

Location: Chatfield State Park in Littleton, Colorado

Project type: Adaptive reuse

Softwares used: Adobe suite, Revit, Rhino

Concept: A nature center that celebrates the history of the site and the new. The site used to be a homestead, and two vernacular buildings that were built in the 1940’s will be reused as classrooms and offices. The amphitheater will be renovated with an added shade structure. These original elements will be connected by a glass box and exhibit space, so the center can celebrate the history of the site, and invite a modern addition as well.

The amphitheater gets a cover

Building one gets a renovation to become classrooms and an addition

Building Two gets a renovation to become offices and an addition

Front Elevation

Identify the original elements of the site Cover and connect Expand Connect the paths

Section

Monticello Greeting Center

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

Project type: Infill

Softwares used: Adobe suite, Revit, Rhino

Concept: The Monticello Greeting Center was inspired by the original Monticello and the Maison Carree. Formed by a central courtyard, the public building houses the information for guests to learn about Thomas Jefferson and the Monticello before going to see it. The support buildings house the private spaces that include offices and bathrooms. The shed buildings outback pay omage to Mulberry Road, where the slave quarters were kept.

Front Elevation

Back Elevation

Portico

Roof

Birds mouth

Soffit trim

Gutter

Ceiling

Brick Veneer

Window

2X4

Brick Mortar

Air gap

Floor

Concrete footing

Curtis Park Infill

Location: Denver, Colorado

Project type: Infill

Softwares used: Adobe suite, Revit, Rhino

Concept: Curtis Park is a historic district, and while the older homes have been preserved, there are many vacant lots in the neighborhood. The house to your right will fill one of those vacant lots following the design guidelines for new builds. Taking inspiration from the Eastlake style home next door, a modern interpretation was designed. The two Denver four squares on the block, reflect each other, so the modern interpretation will reflect the Eastlake next door.

A closer look at Curtis Park and Champa streets character defining features

- Homes are generally 1-2 stories tall with pitched roofs

-Uniform Setbacks

- Brick Structures

- Block-rectangular forms

- Hipped and gabled roofs are common

-Partial or full width porches with wood or masonry foundations

- Detached garages, located in back alley

- 3-4 foot walkways to porch

- Denver 4-squares

- Eastlake influenced home next door

- Brick Italianate

- Victorian eclectic home with Italianate influences

- 20th century commercial style building two lots down

-Vacant lots (2642, 2636, 2630 Champa)

On the right is a site plan, and a street scape study to show how the infill is compatible with the historic district and surrounding homes

2642 - Infill

Front Elevation

Back Elevation

Urban Exploration

Location: Detroit, Shreveport, Denver

Project type: Urban exploration and renovation

Softwares used: Adobe suite, drawing, rhino, photography

Concept: Traveling to different cities to photograph and draw the abandoned buildings. Then going home and re imagining them as occupied structures through renovation, or set them as precedent for future developments.

Detroit.

A drawing of an abandoned mansion in Brush Park,

Photographing the exterior and interior of the abandoned Ardis Johnson building in Shreveport, Louisiana

An abandoned house in Detroit, Michigan re-imagined as an occupied structure. The renovation gives the house a modern feel while preserving it’s historical elements. The house is currently being auctioned for $1,000.

The interior of the house shown on the left. The home is only about 800 square feet, so by taking out the walls and vaulting the ceiling, it makes the space feel bigger than it actually is.

An abandoned building in Denver, Colorado that I drew for a sketching assignment. Research was conducted to find that this building has been under utilized since 1985, and sat vacant since 2013. There is a lot of redevelopment happening in the area, and bars and restaurants line the block across the street. It is unknown why this building is abandoned in a thriving area of the city.

The building is re-imagined with a new store front that can occupy bars, restaurants, or shops. The upstairs portion can be office space, or apartments. This building can be preserved and become apart of the thriving neighborhood once again.

Thank you