Cara Welker Architecture Portfolio S25

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Cara Welker

Architecture Portfolio

Spring 2025

(704) 223-8588

cbwelker2002@gmail.com linkedin.com/in/carabwelker

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Community Unfolded

Fall 2024

Balance: The Effect of Weight

Fall 2020

River Arts Lantern

Spring 2023

Totally Tubular

Fall 2022

Elizabeth Park Health Center

Fall 2021

Galata Links

Spring 2024

Stewart Creek Village

Fall 2023

Community Unfolded

Semester: Fall 2024

Course: Design Studio III, Associate Professor Ulrike Heine

Teammate: Erin Allen, Zachary Wells

Contributions: Digital Models, Axons, Renderings

With sea level rise affecting islands along the coast of the Carolinas, this project aims to investigate a potential solution to the housing crisis that results from the destruction of hurricanes and flooding. The design consists of fold-able housing modules that can be arranged to form housing units that fit the needs of the occupant. These units are then arranged in clusters that are multiplied across the site. Saint Helena Island, SC was chosen as the site for this investigation due to the rich culture of the Gullah Geechee people that exists on the island. Integral parts of the culture such as storytelling, bold colors, and “shotgun” style housing were used to influence the design.

Unfolding Sequence

Exploded Axon

1. Aluminum Frame

2. Structural Insulated Panel Floor

3. Module Connection Plate

4. Semi-Opaque Corrugated Polycarbonate

5. Transparent Corrugated Polycarbonate

6. Siding Connections

7. Bamboo Storage Cabinets

8. End Cap Module Frame

9. Mullions

10. Transparent Polycarbonate

Section Perspective

OPERABLE WINDOWS FOR CROSS VENTILATIONS

The design for this site contains both permanent and temporary, fold-able structures to accommodate for different needs of the community throughout the year. When housing units are not deployed throughout the site, the “porch” and foundation blocks are designed to convert into a picnic shelter and tables to be used for outdoor gatherings and celebrations.

The housing modules are made primarily out of an aluminum frame and semi-opaque polycarbonate siding to make for lightweight transportation and unfolding. The modules are prefabricated to facilitate easy set up by the community. At night, the lights shining through the polycarbonate are designed to create a glow within the darkness that symbolizes hope after disaster.

Balance: The Effect of Weight

Semester: Fall 2020

Course: Comprehensive Studio, Associate Professor Greg Snyder

This project explores the effect of projecting regulating lines onto open space. These lines are used as an investigative tool into the creation of figure-ground relationships in a two-dimensional format. After deriving areas of space and void from those relationships, a series of extrusions were able to give way to an occupiable, three-dimensional space.

River Arts Lantern

Semester: Spring 2023

Course: Architecture Design Studio, Associate Professor Betsy West

To address the sensitive wetlands along the French Broad River of Asheville, North Carolina, this project acts as an ecological research and design center for the area. The site sits within the River Arts District of Asheville which spans along the French Broad. The design of the building aims to provoke productivity and collaboration while fitting in with the artistic language of the surrounding architecture. The vertical fins along the exterior of the building allow for passive lighting and cooling while adding visual interest to the facade. Two “lanterns” that experiment with materiality and light protrude from the building’s form to emphasize spaces of gathering and collaboration.

First Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

Fourth Floor

The images below are investigations into AI generated rendering. Each rendering resulted from inputting the same image of a preliminary building render and prompting the AI with key words surrounding facade and lighting conditions. Key words included “vertical shading,” “glass facade,” and “green roof.” Each image was generated with a different prompt to analyze the variations that could be made with small linguistic changes. The results express the iterative process of AI that can aid in the design of architecture.

Totally Tubular

Semester: Fall 2022

Course: Architecture Design Studio, Professor David Thaddeus

Teammates: Emily Guy, Malak Fahmy, Diego Milner

The design for this landscape originates from a team effort to create a structure with an intriguing profile. A single module made up of four different cylinder groupings was extracted from that design and multiplied across the site. A path of circulation was then removed to create variance amongst repetition. In the physical model, each grouping of cylinders is distinguished by materiality. All work shown was completed individually.

EXPLODED AXON

SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE

ELIZABETH PARK HEALTH CENTER

Semester: Fall 2021

Course: Comprehensive Studio, Lecturer Melanie Reddrick

As an introduction to managing program, this project allowed for a more serious exploration around the relationships between form and function. Along with this, a deeper dive was taken into ground conditions and site analysis in order to better understand architecture as a form of design subjected to the influences of its surroundings.

Northwest Axon
Southeast Axon

Galata Links

Semester: Spring 2024

Course: Istanbul Studio, Associate Professor Jeff Balmer

Teammates: Mari Vicente, Mert Ceylan, Al’mahn Wilson

Contributions: Site Regulation Diagram, Bridge Elevation, Bridge Rendering

Located along the Golden Horn, this pedestrian pathway is designed to engage the Galata neighborhood in Istanbul, Türkiye with the water’s edge and provide a connection to the ferry port. The pathway creates a bridge between the existing Galata Bridge and a boardwalk along the water, allowing the public to have easier access to this infrastructure. The form was derived from the surrounding geometries of the neighborhood. This design was produced during a seven day workshop at Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul, Türkiye.

Stewart Creek Village

Semester: Fall 2023

Course: Arch Studio VII, Associate Professor Ming-Chun Lee

Teammate: Olivia Meyer

Contributions: Site Perspective, Building Typologies, Open Space Assignment, Figure-Ground Diagrams, Site Plan, Renderings

This urban design project was assigned to groups with the task of investigating a site located in West Charlotte. The design aims to create a neighborhood focused on walkable streets, greenspaces, and community gathering. Streets and paths are positioned throughout the site to allow the Stewart Creek Greenway running through the eastern edge of the site to “seep” into the urban landscape. Greenspaces emerge amongst different sectors of the site to allow for different forms of gathering. Bridging occurs between buildings and spaces to promote walkability and connectivity. Multi-family housing is located at the edges of the site to connect to the surrounding single-family homes and provide more affordable housing options for the area.

Major Roads
Streetcar
Minor Roads
Walkable Streets
Pedestrian Pathways

OPEN SPACE TYPOLOGY

CENTRAL FOUNTAIN
COURTS
SPORTS COURTS
Plaza Concept
Greenspace Concept

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