CENTER FOR ART AND NATURE - PORCELAIN & DECORATIVE ARTS MUSEUM

The new 750-room hotel located within an extensive existing amusement resort draws its inspiration from the spirit of exploration. Combining whimsical ideas with real life explorer discoveries the immersive landscape and amenities include distinct cultural typologies from the four corners of the world. Ancient culture’s utilization of water technologies became a strong design component in the courtyards, entry, and pool decks which creates unique educational aspects to the resort. Construction completed April 2017.

Project Role:

• Assistant Design Lead: In depth themeing and concept development. Concept design through Design Development

Explorer Themed Resort Lodge

Studios Orlando, Florida LOWES

A 21 acre resort hotel located within the existing amusement campus. Throughout the site, inspiring Caribbean landscapes merge with the functional building spaces creating an extensive locale including a river style swimming pool, cliff theme water slide and a cascading centerpiece that is the impetus for the hotels theme.

Project Role:

• Assistant designer through proposal, concept design development, and CD level documents

• Development of graphics and documents from Blue Sky to construction level CAD drawings including: grading and elevations, planting concepts

Lowes Sapphire Falls Resort

Developing concepts and ideas that stem from a strong storyline or impetus are one of the things I enjoy most about the design process. Unifying spaces with a common direction gives projects a cohesive and intriguing layer of detail that can inspire curiosity for users of all demographics. Many of my projects have been in the resort and themed environments realm which is one area that I thoroughly enjoy. Exploring the possibilities of these unique projects allows me to push my imagination while simultaneously grounding myself in the feasibility of construction.

Following a design concept from inception to construction is an amazing experience. The initial concept for the “Bones of The Giant Chestnut” came while I was brainstorming for the forest play area. Researching these amazing trees inspired me more to explore how we could celebrate them and tell their story in the garden...

American Chestnut

- History

American Chestnut

- Geography

- Botany: form, size

- Social impact

- History - Geography

- Current status

- Botany: form, size - Social impact

- Current status

ANALYSIS | SYNTHESIS: translation of relevant info to project

ANALYSIS | SYNTHESIS:

ANALYSIS | SYNTHESIS:

Early design sketches studied how the “fallen giant” could take form in a series of rib-like arches that speak to the majesty of the tree’s scale in both diameter and distance. (Mature Chestnuts could reach over one hundred feet long with a diameter or fourteen feet!) The idea was to create an entry portal through which you entered the forest play area below the main garden.

Our team at Koons Environmental Design pulled these ideas into constructible elements and we developed a series of modular arches to make installation possible.

The amazing contractors at TreeHouse Experts were able to fashion the “bones” using a series of custom glue-lame beams, cedar planking and real poplar bark.