brian normile
fifth year architecture student thomas jefferson university college of architecture and the built environment
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table of contents sustainable design
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general design
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professional work
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personal work
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hurricane house log construction re-imagined rowhome regeneration art acclimation
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sustainable design The Architecture and Construction industries need to dramatically change their practices in the coming years to respond to climate change and to help reduce the environmental impact of our industry. New, innovate construction techniques are needed to minimize energy use both in finished buildings and in the embodied energy that goes into producing buildings. Innovation is key to saving the world as we know it, and the architect has the power and the responsibility to push innovation.
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hurricane house Designed for fishing communities on the Mississippi River Delta, the Hurricane House is designed to use passive cooling strategies in normal weather conditions, and to resist the force of wind and water during catastrophic weather events which plague these communities. Construction utilizes modules formed with molded Fiberglass sandwiched around Polyurethane insulation; this allows for optimal thermal insulation while preventing any of the water damage or impact damage that hurricanes typically cause. The deep shading panels which characterize the exterior, inspired by the deep, covered wrap-around porches typical of Southern Plantation homes, prevent solar gain, while large operable windows and cupolas allow for ventilation. The large shading panels can be closed in storms to protect the glass surfaces and prevent damage to the structure. As Climate change progresses, coastal communities world wide are threatened by rising sea levels and an increase in major weather events like hurricanes. This project, and the building system it uses, can be implemented in various coastal communities to help these communities survive into the future.
bathroom bedroom
kitchen
living & dining
hurricane house
normal weather-
ventilation and shading
catastrophic weather-
protection and force distribution
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hurricane house fiberglass sip- cupola module rubber gasket fiberglass sip- roof module rigid polyurethane insulation rubber gasket steel hinge fiberglass sip- wall module
rubber gasket fiberglass panel- shade module fiberglass sip- floor module 4 x 6 wood beam wood piling foundation
hurricane house Each of the two main pods consists of one floor module, 5 identical wall modules, 6 identical roof modules, 1 cupola module, and 2 types of shading panel modules. These elements, each consisting of two pieces of molded fiberglass sandwiching Polyurethane rigid foam insulation, assemble to create the living pod and the bedroom pod. The kitchen, which bridges between the two pods, is a single module which can attach directly to the hexagonal pods.
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10 log construction re-imagined This cabin takes a traditional building method and modernizes it to improve energy efficiency and thermal comfort of the interior spaces. Instead of using whole stacked logs with no insulation, it uses 2 stacks of dimensional lumber sandwiching spray-in polyurethane insulation. Wood is one of the most sustainable building materials because it is a renewable resource with low embodied energy. This construction method has advantages over standard studwall construction because the insulation within the wall system is continuous, and each piece of wood serves as both structure and finish material, saving time and resources. The wood is treated with a Japanese wood-burning technique called Shou Sugi Ban, which eliminates the need for paint or stain, and it prevents rot and water damage. Using spray-in insulation ensures that there are no gaps in the insulation across an entire wall plane, and it allows the foam to form a bond with the surface of the wood it is sandwiched between. This also helps to eliminate the need for moisture and vapor barriers in most regions, much like a SIP panel system. Conventional SIP panels would be used for the floor and roof structures. evening sun through clerestory
bedroom
kit.
living
n morning sun
mid-day sun
log construction re-imagined
standing seam metal roofing ice & water shield sip panel
flashing fascia soffit board
spray-foam insulation sealant between lumber 4 x 12 dimensional lumber sip panel flashing pressure-treated 2 x 10 standard cmu foundation
dimensional lumber with steel bolts
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12 rowhome regeneration n
Rowhome Regeneration aims to redefine new development in Philadelphia from a perspective of Sustainability and Urban Planning. Philadelphia’s electric, water, and stormwater infrastructures are strained and often malfunction, putting the local environment and resident’s health at risk. These homes produce their own energy through solar panels, reduce energy use through efficient systems like re-circulating showers, and utilize passive design strategies. They also use rainwater for all water needs and release no waste into the public sewer. Gentrification is a huge problem in Philadelphia as new residents enter disadvantaged neighborhoods, eliminating local character and pricing existing residents out. This development provides public spaces to help engage existing residents, and provides opportunities for income to existing residents by leasing the roof space on existing homes on the block for solar panels and food production. Instead of “invading” the block, this project would lift the entire block.
east units
north facing units
public plaza
rowhome regeneration north-south facing units
summer
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east-west facing units
winter
summer
winter
internal operable wall along stairwell
Using Passive House design strategies is key to achieving netnegative energy use. Central to this design is a stair well which also acts as a solar chimney and light well. Each space has an operable wall system opening onto the stairwell which allows light to travel through the narrow homes and permits hot air to leave spaces in the summer or enter spaces in the winter.
closed
summer
winter
greenhouse
14 rowhome regeneration north-south facing units
east-west facing units
green house
green house
kit. living work mech
kit.
din.
living
bed bed
work mech
stor.
din. bed bed stor.
park.
south
north
west
Program is arranged based on light access. In the N/S units, spaces used during the day face South. In the E/W units, bedrooms face East for morning light while the living room and kitchen face West for afternoon and evening light. In both unit types, the greenhouse, kitchen, living, and dining are in the upper floors for maximal light entry.
east
rowhome regeneration
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8” sip panel 8” sip panel
1” air gap
1” air gap
4” brick
4” brick wide flange steel c-channel regenerative party wall
steel c-channel wide flange
assembly exploded detail
PLAN VIEW
SECTION VIEW
50’ 0”
typical party wall
These row homes utilize a polyurethane SIP construction, which allows them to achieve an R value of 50 without making the walls too thick on such a tight footprint. Polyurethane was chosen over other rigid insulation materials because it achieves a higher R value per inch, and it does not contain any toxic materials named in the Living Building Challenge Red List. The Party Wall condition is re-ivented in this design. Typically, adjoining row homes are separated by two independent structural walls. This means that the walls with the most thermal protection are the ones with the least thermal exposure, which is inefficient use of material. If one of two adjoining units is demolished, then the remaining unit is susceptible to heavy damage due to the fireproofing gypsum board then being exposed to the elements. This design divides units with one layer of SIP panels sandwiched between brick masonry. Interior walls and floor plates slot into a steel superstructure embedded in the party wall. Using brick provides the interiors with the desirable “exposed brick” look, and if a unit on either side gets demolished in the future, no waterproofing modifications to the wall will be needed.
1/2” plywood 7” polyurethane foam 1/2” plywood
sip detail
16 art acclimation Phase 5
Using art as a means of healing and building community is a central focus with this Austin, TX Refugee Center design, as the city has a significant artist scene and many refugees use art to help them cope with and express their experiences. This refugee center with a public plaza and market features a large rainscreen which functions as both a shading device for the communal spaces and as a place to display the work of residents and local artists. The facade elsewhere is operable and intended to keep the interior cool and comfortable in the hot Texas climate.
art acclimation
Entryway Plaza Plaza
Restaurant Interior
Entryway
Restaurant Interior
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18 art acclimation
Level 1
Level 2
Level 1
Level 2
ramming
art acclimation
Restaurant Cousneling Public Plaza Private Units Egress Towers Public Market Communal Spaces
The art covers the communal spaces while a system of shutters covers the apartments, generting the form that the art screen takes on.
Program is arranged to facilitate interaction between locals and residents, while maintaining privacy. The plaza is lifted up off the street to bring pedestrians up onto the site. The market is on this level to act as a buffer for the bar below, which is an existing establishment that has to remain on site. The counseling/resident services are located between the public and private zones, and the residential units are lifted three floors above the ground and are pushed back away from the street to reduce the noise from the many bars on street level that reaches the residents.
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20 art acclimation Vertical Truss Structures Spaced 40’
Chevron Cross-bracing Between Vertical Trusses
Member connection detail Connection of Rainscreen Frame to Steel Structure
Art Screen Connection to Main Structure
Member connection detail
STRUCTURE
Connection of Rainscreen Frame to Steel Structure
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Art Screen Connection to Main Structure
Light Frame Support For Art Screen
Concrete Caissons
Member connection detail Connection of Rainscreen Frame to Steel Structure
Level 3-4, Roof
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Chevron Cross-Bracing
Art Screen Connection to Main Structure
Chevron Cross-Bracing
Level 6-10
Chevron Cross-Bracing Market Level and Concrete Caissons
Member connection detail Connection of Rainscreen Frame to Steel Structure
Art Screen Connection to Main Structure Structural Elev- North
Structural Elev- West
NG
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art acclimation West Facade apartment in winter- active heating
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West Facade
East Facade
Rain Screen Cooling Effect CAV SYSTEM
UNITIZED HVAC
Austin Tx. is a Subtropical Humid climate, meaning that cooling is a key concern East Facade for building performance. The facade and HVAC systems are designed to work East Facade together to create the optimal interior environment.
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VAV SYSTEM
Rain Screen Cooling Effect Rain Screen Cooling Effect
Using a Rain Screen facade system allows for ventilation behind the finish layer, thus keeping direct heat off of the enclosure and enhancing the thermal performance of the wall system. Different Glazing and Shading systems on each face of the building allow for natural light while also preventing excessive heat gain.
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South Facade
Art rainscreen- closed
FACADE DETAILS Art Screen Operation FACADE DETAILS FACADE DETAILS FACADE DETAILS art acclimation FACADE DETAILS
Art rainscreen- open
Art Screen Exploded
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gyp. wall board metal c-stud wall gyp gyp. wall glass-infused board metal c-stud wall insulation 2” rigid gyp gyp. wall glass-infused board steel connectors 2” rigid insulation panels metal c-stud wall Fibercement gyp gyp. wall glass-infused board steel connectors 2” rigid insulation panels metal c-stud wall Fibercement steel connectors glass-infused gyp 2” rigid Fibercement insulation panels steel connectors Fibercement panels
ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP SLOPED RIGID FOAM INSULATION
ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP
ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP SLOPED RIGID FOAM INSULATION LIGHTFRAME STEEL CAGE SUPPORTING ALUMINUM PARAPET SLOPED RIGID FOAM CAP RAINSCREEN INSULATION LIGHTFRAME STEEL
SLOPED RIGID FOAM INSULATION
WHITE FIBERCEMENT CAGE SUPPORTING RAINSCREEN SLOPED RIGIDSYSTEM FOAM INSULATION LIGHTFRAME STEEL WHITESUPPORTING FIBERCEMENT CAGE RAINSCREEN SYSTEM RAINSCREEN LIGHTFRAME STEEL WHITE FIBERCEMENT CAGE SUPPORTING RAINSCREEN SYSTEM RAINSCREEN
LIGHTFRAME STEEL CAGE SUPPORTING RAINSCREEN
gyp. wall board metal c-stud wall glass-infused gyp 2” rigid insulation steel connectors Fibercement panels
Grey Brick Grey Brick Grey Brick Grey Brick
WHITE FIBERCEMENT RAINSCREEN SYSTEM
Horizontal Wood Paneling Horizontal Wood Paneling
WHITE FIBERCEMENT RAINSCREEN SYSTEM
Horizontal Wood Paneling Horizontal Wood Paneling White Fibercement Panels White Fibercement Panels White Fibercement Panels White Fibercement Panels GREY FIBERCEMENT RAINSCREEN SYSTEM
Dark Grey Fibercement Panels
Fully closed shades
Partially open shades
Fully open shades
Dark Grey Fibercement Panels
GREY FIBERCEMENT STEEL CONNECTOR RAINSCREEN SYSTEM WIDE FLANGE BEAM GREY STEELFIBERCEMENT CONNECTOR RAINSCREEN SYSTEM WIDE FLANGE BEAM METAL C-STUD WALL W/ STEELFIBERCEMENT CONNECTOR GREY BATT INSULATION RAINSCREEN SYSTEM WIDE FLANGE BEAM METAL C-STUD WALL W/ STEEL CONNECTOR BATT INSULATION
Dark Grey Fibercement Panels GREY FIBERCEMENT RAINSCREEN SYSTEM
Mechanically Operated West Facade
Dark Grey Fibercement Panels
STEEL CONNECTOR WIDE FLANGE BEAM
WIDE METALFLANGE C-STUDBEAM WALL W/ STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURE BATT INSULATION
WIDE FLANGE BEAM METAL C-STUD WALL W/ STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURE BATT INSULATION WIDE FLANGE BEAM STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURE METAL C-STUD WALL W/ WIDE FLANGE BEAM BATT INSULATION STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURE ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP METAL C-STUD WALL W/ BATT INSULATION GLASS-INFUSED GWB WIDE FLANGE BEAM
METAL C-STUD WALL W/ BATT INSULATION
rainscreen with operable shutters
STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURE
rainscreen with operable shutters Balconies and external steel structure rainscreen with operable shutters
Balconies and external steel structure rainscr rainscreen with operable shutters Balconiesframework and external steel structure supporting art rainscreen
WIDE FLANGE BEAM
ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP 2" AIR SPACE METAL C-STUD WALL W/ GLASS-INFUSED BRICKINSULATION VENEER GWB BATT 2" AIR SPACE ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP METAL C-STUD WALL W/ BRICK VENEER GWB GLASS-INFUSED BATT METALINSULATION C-STUD WALL PARAPET CAP ALUMINUM 2" AIR SPACE W/ BATT INSULATION ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP BRICK VENEER GWB GLASS-INFUSED METAL C-STUD WALL PARAPET CAP ALUMINUM W/ BATT INSULATION 2" AIR SPACE
4 Z 105
4 Z 105
4 Z 105
4 Z 105
2 Z 105
2 Z 105
2 Z 105
2 Z 105
ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP GLASS-INFUSED GWB 2" AIR SPACE
BRICK VENEER METAL C-STUD WALL W/ BATT INSULATION PARAPET CAP ALUMINUM 2" RIGID FOAM INSULATION
ALUMINUM PARAPET CAP
METAL C-STUD WALL GLASS-INFUSED GYP. W/ BATT INSULATION 2" RIGIDVENEER FOAM INSULATION WOOD
METAL C-STUD WALL W/ BATT INSULATION
GLASS-INFUSED STEEL KICKER GYP. 4 Z 105 WOOD 2" RIGIDVENEER FOAM INSULATION CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM GLASS-INFUSED STEEL KICKER GYP. TILE FINISH WOOD 2" TAPERED RIGIDVENEER FOAM INSULATION CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM 6" SLAB STEEL KICKER GYP. GLASS-INFUSED TILE FINISH 5" BATT INSULATION WOOD VENEER CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM 6" TAPERED SLAB WIDE FLANGE BEAM TILE FINISH STEEL KICKER 5" BATT INSULATION GYP. CEILING ON MTL STUDS 6" TAPERED SLAB CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM WIDE FLANGE 8" CMU WALL BEAM TILE FINISH 5" BATT INSULATION GYP. CEILING ON MTL STUDS 6" TAPERED SLAB MOISTURE BARRIER WIDE FLANGE BEAM 8" CMU WALL 5" BATT INSULATION GYP. CEILING ON MTL STUDS MOISTURE BARRIER 2" RIGID FOAM INSULATION 8" CMU WALL WIDE FLANGE BEAM 2 GYP.GYPSUM CEILINGWALL ON MTL STUDS Z 105 1/2" BOARD MOISTURE BARRIER 2" RIGID FOAM INSULATION 8" CMU WALL
1/2" GYPSUM WALL BOARD 2" RIGID FOAM INSULATION MOISTURE BARRIER
supporting art rainscreen Balconiesframework and external steel structure rainscreen closed stat framework art supporting art in rainscreen art rainscreen in closed stat framework supporting art rainscreen art rainscreen in closed stat
METAL C-STUD WALL W/ BATT INSULATION
BRICK VENEER
art rainscreen in closed stat
2" RIGID FOAM INSULATION GLASS-INFUSED GYP. WOOD VENEER STEEL KICKER CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM TILE FINISH 6" TAPERED SLAB 5" BATT INSULATION
WIDE FLANGE BEAM GYP. CEILING ON MTL STUDS 8" CMU WALL
6" CONCRETE SLABBOARD 1/2" GYPSUM WALL 2" RIGID FOAM INSULATION
MOISTURE BARRIER
6" CONCRETE SLAB 1/2" GYPSUM WALL BOARD
2" RIGID FOAM INSULATION 6" CONCRETE SLAB
1/2" GYPSUM WALL BOARD 6" CONCRETE SLAB
CONCRETE CAISSON DEPTH TO BE DETERMINED BY ENGINEER CONCRETE CAISSON DEPTH TO BE DETERMINED BY ENGINEER CONCRETE CAISSON DEPTH TO BE DETERMINED BY ENGINEER
6" CONCRETE SLAB
CONCRETE CAISSON DEPTH TO BE DETERMINED BY ENGINEER
CONCRETE CAISSON DEPTH TO BE DETERMINED BY ENGINEER
Rain Screen Operation Rain Screen Operation Rain Screen Operation Rain Screen Operation
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art acclimation
apartment in summer- active or passive cooling
The Mechanical systems and the glazing/shading systems work together to ensure thermal comfort for the residents in their apartments. In the Summer, high ceilings coupled with operable windows allow for heat to rise up and out of the space and for new cooler air to come in. Operable fiber-cement shades mounted to the facade can be moved to block direct sun while still allowing ambient light in. On extremely hot days, high vents release chilled air which will settle down in to the space, forcing warm air up to the return air vent for cooling. Hallways feature an operable clerestory which allows for hot air to vent out of the space, and the HVAC operates in the same way as in the Apartments. In the Winter, the fiber-cement facade shades can be opened for increased Heat Gain, and the HVAC apartment in winter- active heating systems blow warm air down to the occupied space. The Residential Units all have unitized HVAC Systems. The public spaces on the first 3 levels share a VAV system for maximum efficiency and individual control of different spaces. The communal spaces of the Residential Tower all use a CAV System.
HEATING AND COOLING
cav
CAV SYSTEM
unit hvac UNITIZED HVAC
apartment in in summersummer- active active or or passive passive cooling cooling apartment
vav
VAV SYSTEM
apartment apartment in in winterwinter- active active heating heating
Restaurant
Plaza & Market
Residential n
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connectivity redirect vermont ski chalet vermont ski chalet revised blend bushwick inlet live-work flow
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general design But if bodies violate the purity of architectural spaces, one might rightly wonder about the reverse... the symbolic or physical violence of buildings on users... The architect will always dream of purifying this uncontrolled violence, channeling obedient bodies along predictable paths and occasionally along ramps that provide striking vistas, ritualizing the transgression of bodies in space. -Bernard Tschumi, Space Violating Bodies
Most of our daily lives take place in buildings, and the architecture of those buildings can shape how we live our lives. Designs that consider the users and how their interactions with architecture can be improved have a major impact on individual lives and on society.
26 connectivity Connectivity is a Police Athletic League Center in Center City Philadelphia. The site, on the corner of 20th and Arch, lies in a dead zone, a gap between the world of commerce around Market Street and of culture around Logan Square. The site needs to connect these two parts of the city, much like a PAL Center connects different segments of the Philadelphia population. This spirit of connection is what inspired the design for Connectivity. The building aims to connect spaces that cater to different interests, mainly the athletic and creative spaces; this is accomplished through both visual and physical connections which are facilitated by the interlocking ribbon language expressed on the building facade. Spaces for group activities are housed in the ribbons clad in grey concrete panels, while spaces for individual activities are housed in the woodclad ribbons.
connectivity view from entry to basketball court
view from basketball court to entry
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28 connectivity Section North to South
Section East to West
connectivity M
M
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F
F
Flexible Athletic
Interior renderings, models, and selected plan views
M
M
F
F
Flexible Athletic
Music
M
F
Entry
30 redirect Blue Bell Park in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia features a crumbling pavilion that needs to be replaced. The park is used for sporting events, hiking, and as a dog park; it is important for the new pavilion to provide views of all of these uses, which the current structure does not. This design redirects the entry sequence from the parking lot, the views from the structure, and the structure orientation so that patrons have views of the playing area, hiking area, and sunset while the view and sounds of the parking lot are blocked. The green roof slopes down and integrates into the surrounding lawn so that the structure does not take away from the play area, and having soil built up around the North walls helps to moderate temperature in the enclosed spaces while glazing on the Southern wall permits the entry of light and passive heating in the winter.
redirect
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32 vermont ski chalet
Plan 1 Drawing inspiration from the Gothic Revival farmhouses dotting the local landscape, this Vermont Ski Chalet is based on the idea that the vernacular styles of the region take the form of an extruded pentagon with filled ends. Creating a glazed reveal between the extrusion and the filled ends, as well as omitting knee walls on the second level, allows more light to enter the space and for better views of the landscape outside. The second level floor plates are supported on one end by the exterior walls of the filled ends and on the other end by cables hanging from the roof structure. These cables also support the two staircases.
Plan 2
vermont ski chalet
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34 vermont ski chalet revised
Plan 1
This revised version of the Vermont Ski Chalet takes the ideas set forth by the original design and develops them further. While there are still visible references to the vernacular Gothic Revival style, the form is less bound by traditional precedents. The idea of filling the ends of an extrusion with a glazed reveal takes center stage, and the reveals becomes the main source of light and views instead of the punched openings of the original version. The second floor structure no longer relies on tension cables, but instead rests on bearing walls, a cheaper and more practical solution which maintains a sectional connection between levels.
Plan 2
vermont ski chalet revised
The use of stained plywood panels on the walls instead of oak planks, as in the original design, provides a cleaner look and lower cost while maintaining the warm feel needed in a winter vacation home.
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36 blend Blend is a Syrian Cultural Center with refugee housing on Vine Street in Philadelphia. Crucial to this design is ensuring that residents feel safe and at home, while also making them feel like a part of the Philadelphia Community where they will find work and establish their families for the foreseeable future. MiddleEastern culture values privacy, and quick access to public amenities is essential. This building, which aims to create a vertical village, blends the private and public worlds through key spaces so that residents have a sense of privacy as well as a sense of community; strategic sight lines from the upper residential floors to the lower public floors facilitate the sense of privacy while preventing the feeling of isolation.
blend
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38 blend
Maint. Town hall Breakout class
Lounge
raised Open Court
Lobby / Cafe Conf.
Food Prep
class Prayer space
Admin.
Plan 1
Plan 2
Plan 3
Plan 4
Plan 5
Plan 8
blend
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40 bushwick inlet live-work Bushwick Inlet Live-Work is a live-work facility on the waterfront in Brooklyn, NY. This facility needed to accommodate a diverse set of residents and job types, and the spaces needed to accommodate a variety of tasks. Creative work benefits from indirect light, cool colors, and organic, softer forms, while analytical work benefits from brighter, more direct light, warm colors, and rectilinear, orderly forms. The work levels were divided into a creative and an analytical zone, both of which are designed to create the optimal work setting for all residents’ jobs.
creative Work Space
Analytical Work Space
singles & Couples
Families
gym & games
Cafe & Lounge
creative
analytical
dynamic
Static
Private live Transition recreation
bushwick inlet live-work
singles & Couples
Families
gym & games
Cafe & Lounge
live Public work
singles & Couples
Families
recreation dynamic Static work
gym & games
Cafe & Lounge
creative
analytical
Private
dynamic
Static
creative
analytical
Transition live
Families
Private
gym & games
Cafe & Lounge
Transition
creative
analytical
Public
singles & Couples
Public recreation circulation work
dynamiccirculation Static
Private Transition Public circulation
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42 flow Flow is an Environmental Education Center in Philadelphia’s Blue Bell Park with regular educational programming as well as space for classes from the surrounding schools to use. Because the entire park drains via a swale running through the site, it was important to maintain the swale; the building is built around it and generates its form from the swale shape. The divide this creates allows for the classroom spaces to be seperate from the central space, but glass walls maintain an open, connected feel. Flow departs from the typical classroom environment of rectangular rooms defined by walls; instead it draws inspiration from how nature suggests space with elements like trees, streams, and changes in elevation. The central flex-use space is divided by columns, different floor heights, and a meandering walkway which imitates the forest floor. Small openings in the ceiling allow dappled light into the space which mimics how the forest floor is lit.
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flow
cafe exhibition & play
Analytical Work Space
class
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professional work My first summer at Designblendz I worked on construction documents and schematic design for the firm’s Design Team. After that first summer I joined the firm’s Visualization Team full time over the next summer and part time for two semesters. I produce Revit models and renderings using 3DS Max and Lumion. This office provides rendering services to firms and developers across the country, and I have made and contributed to work that can be seen in various Philadelphia developer marketing packages.
46 visualization
visualization
My first rendering for Designblendz was for a new sushi restaurant, Jason’s Toridasu, seen on the facing page. Most projects I have done since are rendering packages for new-construction row homes, like the ones seen above and below. I have also worked with luxury mansions, condominium complexes, and educational facilities.
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48 visualization
visualization
Photorealism is the usual style that I worked with most at Designblendz, but I also have experience with more stylized, artistic renderings, such as the sketchy images to the left and the moody, de-saturated image on the facing page.
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personal work Art is a means of expression, of stress relief, and of preserving memories. I grew up drawing in every minute of my spare time, and I was enrolled in private art lessons with a professional book illustrator for many years where I learned the basics of composition and various artistic methods. As an adult I prefer painting and photography, but still draw on the skills learned from those lessons coupled with what I’ve learned in college.
52 paintings
paintings I enjoy creating realistic representations of environments, as seen on the facing page, but I also love to make more abstract versions of scenes, as seen below, to imply an attitude or idea about the subject depicted.
resilience
bethlehem steel works
lavallette harbor
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54 photography
boston in autumn
maxxi museum photography
photography impressions abroad
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This series includes a photo that summarizes each place Ii visited while studying abroad. Color is used to help tell the story of the place. Ascent to Arthur’s Seat is a metaphor for the historic urban planning which characterized Edinburgh’s historic center, which lies at the bottom of this hill. The main road, called the Royal Mile, featured beautiful architecture for the wealthy, while what lied lies behind was meant to be hidden homes of the poor. The city’s true beauty is seen when taken as a whole, though, and not just when seeing what is on the path. Color in the Venetian Alley highlights my observation that what made the city most unique was not the canals, but the boldly colored transitory elements which adorn streetscapes, be it clothes, vendors, boats, or the people wearing elaborate masks and hats. Nero’s Caves highlights the extravagance that took place in the ruins of Nero’s summer villa when in use, and how the festivities and the villa itself surrendered to time.
ascent to king arthur’s seat
venetian alley
nero’s caves
56 personal work
“Perso, Come un Sogno� I lived in Italy for 4 months. Rome was like a dream, with all its splendor at my fingertips yet always behind some sort of veil of foreignness which I could never fully pierce. Now that I am back stateside, it feels as though a dream is all it was, as though it never happened. Layers of my memories blend together, just as the layers of Roman history covered by generations of graffiti blend into one surreal, collective memory that is Rome; a beautiful, shared narrative to be told and added to forever. The above passage is written on the back of the painting, and summarizes what struck me most about the city. Every era in its history is clearly evident at every turn. While most of the historuc cities I’ve visited have different buildings and districts from different eras, Rome is unique in that it most every building was modified with each passing period, so that the signatures of all periods blend together into one beautiful, unique urban landscape.
personal work
“Teatro Marcello” One of my final exams while studying in Rome was to pick a monument and draft a series of analytical drawings which demonstrated an understanding of geometric order, evolution through history, and decay over time. The Teatro Marcello, predecessor to the Colosseum, is a typical example of Roman architectural history, as it shifted from use as a theater, to a palazzo, to a marketplace, and to an apartment building and archaeological site today. This drawing depicts it in its current form, with all phases of it’s existence visible in the interruptions to the classical language of consistent arches and columns.
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