Practice Portfolio

PRACTICE PORTFOLIO

Christine Banister Boston Architectural College NOVEMBER 2018

Christine Banister

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Practice Portfolio

Table of Contents Student Information

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Professional Development Reflective Essays 08 Student Self Assessment 09 Resume 11

Professional Experience Project Management Teaching Design-Build Research Entrepreneurship

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14 24 30 32 34

Appendix 36

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Christine Banister

Student Information Student Name: Christine Banister Program at the BAC: M. Arch Student ID Number: 100093242 Current Skill Level: 0 Student Email: christine.e.banister@gmail.com Student Phone Number: 812-343-8842 Student Job Title: Project Manager Current Salary: $20 hourly Employer:YouthBuild Boston Name of Immediate Supervisor: Ken Smith Title of Immediate Supervisor: Executive Director

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Christine Banister

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REFLECTIVE ESSAYS STUDENT SELF ASSESSMENT RESUME

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Christine Banister

Professional Development Reflective Essay What has been one of your biggest accomplishments in terms of learning and growth as a designer since your last assessment? What has been one of your biggest challenges? What are your next steps?

My last practice assessment was in my first semester at the BAC. Since then, I have begun to define myself as a designer. I’ve always felt a strong pull towards meaningful work, and my experience in practice has led me to a professional track in public interest design, entrepreneurship, and design-build. This narrowing of focus has allowed me to seek out learning opportunities that energize and inspire me. I want to be the kind of designer that changes lives. The challenge is in the application of what I’m learning in school to the real world. Oftentimes school projects are very conceptual and theoretical with no concern for budget. However, in the real world (and especially in the non-profit world), it all comes down to money. How can the big ideas that I’m exploring in school be translated to the real world, so that good design can be accessible to the people who need it most? This is what I would like to further explore in practice- the intersection between good design (design that is social and ecologically responsible, healthy, beautiful, useful, and inspiring) and buildability (projects that are technically and economically efficient).

Summarize your responsibilities/duties you’ve had in your work since your last practice assessment.

Since my last assessment, I’ve jumped head first into the world of design here in Boston. I’ve held leadership and volunteer positions including Chapter President of the American Institute of Architecture Students, Ada Louise Huxtable Architectural Design Fellow, and have attended and volunteered at various conferences and events for Design Museum Boston, AIAS, and ABX. Teaching experience since my last assessment includes two semesters as Teaching Assistant for the BAC Gateway Initiative, a summer as Studio Instructor for the BAC Summer Academy, and Lead Designer at the Designery at YouthBuild Boston. Design-build experience since my last assessment includes participation in Studio North (an intensive design-build studio with Moscow Linn Architects), and jobsite experience through my primary employer, YouthBuild Boston. Business and Entrepreneurship experience includes participation in the inaugural HATCH program through the BAC practice department, and I have been deeply involved in business operations and administration at YouthBuild Boston. I’ve made an effort to gain broad experience in a variety of settings. This keeps me energized, and has allowed me to learn about myself as a designer- my interests, strengths, and weaknesses.

As you look ahead, what are your goals in practice and in academics?

What is your plan for achieving those goals?

My dream is to one day start a business or be the Director of a non-profit doing meaningful work through design. In the meantime, I plan to continue making an impact in under served communities while gaining the skills I will need to accomplish this goal. One next step is to begin finding projects of my own, perhaps outside of work, that allow me to explore my passions with a higher level of accountability. I plan to enter design competitions and seek out other interesting projects that challenge me as a designer. I’m hoping thesis will be a great opportunity for this first big step towards professional independence. Another next step may be to gain larger-scale architecture experience in a more traditional firm setting. I have considered options for work in healthcare or higher education, for example. When I have reached a point where I’m no longer learning, I’ll begin looking for a new job opportunity.

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Self Assessment Please give yourself a rating in the following areas: [4 = outstanding/exemplary; 3 = proficient; 2 = needs remediation; 1 = unsatisfactory; N/A = no opportunity to observe] 4 3 2 1 n/a DESIGN SKILLS - evaluates and solves problems effectively - accesses, learns, and applies theoretical and practical knowledge - brings skills and methodologies from academic work into practice work COLLABORATION 4 3 2 1 n/a - works effectively with others and manages conflict effectively - helps motivate others to succeed - understands and contributes to organization’s goals - respects diversity and diverse opinions COMMUNICATION SKILLS 4 3 2 1 n/a - speaks and writes with clarity, confidence, and concision - makes effective presentations - exhibits good listening and questioning skills TECHNICAL SKILLS 4 3 2 1 n/a - is showing positive development with software skills - understands the role different technologies play in design - understands technologies related to the execution of design projects PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 4 3 2 1 n/a - assumes responsibility, sets goals, can multitask - possesses honesty/integrity/personal ethics - shows initiative/self-motivation and good time management - is punctual, has good attitude - is engaged in design culture

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Christine Banister

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Photos From Top Left: Super serious photo taken for AIAS’s feature student org. of the month blog post What are you thankful for at the BAC photo shoot by the BAC’s Communications Department Photo of me with a BAC Summer Academy student and her family at the final review

Practice Portfolio

christine banister 76 woodland road malden, ma 02148 | 812 343 8842 | christine.e.banister@gmail.com

employment 20152018

proficiencies

Project Manager | YouthBuild Boston | Boston, MA . Administered all aspects of preconstruction including RFP submissions, community meetings, funding and subsidies, site surveys and zoning, permit acquisition, design and construction contracts, etc.

project management

design + fabrication

software experience

client + vendor contracts project administration visioning scheduling communication time management

digital modeling graphic design 3d printing laser cutting OSHA certified

adobe suite autocad revit sketchup rhino 3d + diva plug-in ecotect GIS

. Coordinated and participated in predesign meetings and facilitated creation and submittal of construction documents and specs . Planned and executed 12 multi-project service events for 50-200 volunteers . Created new home improvement program for low-income seniors and people with mobility challenges by building relationships with city officials and other non-profits, creating a business plan and marketing materials, obtaining project funding and managing project construction and administration . Created a comprehensive branding strategy including coordinating info cards, posters, pamphlets, and website design 20152016

Teaching Assistant | BAC Gateway Initiative | Boston, MA . Led a group of 6 undergraduate students in 2 pro-bono design projects for Madison Park Development Corporation

2015

Studio Instructor | BAC Summer Academy | Boston, MA . Led a group of 11 high school students in a summer design exploration studio

2015

Lead Designer | The Designery | Boston, MA . Developed curriculum and taught design fundamentals to a group of 15 high school students and led the group in completing a project for a real client

2015

Architectural Design Fellow | Ada Louise Huxtable Fellowship | Boston, MA . Created the widely distributed gallery guide for the Boston Society of Architects ‘Living With Water’ design competition and participated in largescale planning efforts around rising sea levels

20122014

Design Assistant | Codor Design | Seatlle, WA . Assisted in the design and construction of interior installations and developed business plan and contracts for showroom space rental

20092012

activities HATCH | Boston Architectural College 2015 Design and Entrepreneurship Intensive Studio North | Moscow Linn Architects 2015 Intensive Design/Build Studio American Institute of Architecture Students Chapter President | 2015-2016 Board Member | 2014-2015 BAC Alumni/ae Association Scholarship 2015 Recipient | GPA + portfolio

Event Designer, Owner | Sugarleaf Events | Indianapolis, IN . Designed floral arrangements and graphics, created timelines and itineraries, coordinated vendors, directed event set-up and tear-down, and managed logistics for more than 50 events

education Boston Architectural College | Boston, MA Candidate for Master of Architecture | Current

dsg

Conferences and Design Events AIAS Forum 2014, 2015, 2016 2015 Grassroots Leadership Conference ArchitectureBoston Expo 2014, 15, 16, 17

interests teaching

design/ build

business ventures

climate responsive design

resilient design

public interest design

Indiana University Design Studies Group | Bloomington, IN Bachelor of Science, Interior Design | 2010 Harvard University Graduate School of Design | Cambridge, MA Career Discovery Program | 2008

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Christine Banister

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEACHING DESIGN-BUILD RESEARCH ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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Christine Banister

Project Management:

Sustainability Goals We have a high standard for developing universally-designed, sustainable projects with a long lifespan. We put a consideration for the environment and the health and SINGLE AND RESIDENTIAL well-being ofMULTI-FAMILY our community at the forefront of everything we do.

YOUTHBUILD BOSTON

YouthBuild Boston (YBB) provides hands-on vocational training to help under served youth find meaningful careers in the building trades. YBB functions as a non-profit design-build firm that transforms blighted properties and vacant lots into assets to the community. Our projects serve as training sites for the young people enrolled in our programs, and upon completion are sold under the city’s affordable homeownership program. My role as Project Manager keeps me involved in all aspects of development- from project proposal through occupancy. The majority of my tasks are Our Projects in the pre-development where Iand compile and submit RFPs, coordinateinto funding and subsidies withhomes Boston’sthat - Transformation ofphase, blighted abandoned properties energy-efficient Department of Neighborhood Development and our private lenders, create construction contracts and MOUs are sold underpartners, the city’s affordable homeownership program between our project help create and update project timelines and budgets, and facilitate project approvals -and Design and construction assistance toascommunity partners with similar goals permit acquisition by making design adjustments required by DND.

- Construction of universally designed public spaces that strengthen our community Our project at 16 North Ave under construction.

16 North Ave

YBB’s commitment to sustainability ensures that each of our projects is built at or above current Energy Star requirements, ultimately delivering an energy savings of up to 30% compared to typical new homes. Our property at 16 North Ave is LEED certifiable, and includes features like water saving devices and a rainwater collection system.

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16 North Ave - HERS rating of 65 (20 points better than typical Energy Star home) - Anticipated savings of over $93 per month for a 2400 square foot home - Locally sourced insulated concrete form foundation with under-slab insulation An upcoming renovation project at 556 Park Street Preconstruction view and proposed frontleakage elevation for a residential project at 556 Park Street - Innovative zip wall system forAbove: reduced air and moisture Below: Images from our construction site at 16 North Ave - Dense pack insulation made from locally sourced overprint newspapers

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Practice Portfolio

OPTION 1

BEDROOM 1

BEDROOM 2 LIVING

BATH

BEDROOM 3

KITCHEN

BATH

ENTRY

Above: Exterior massing view of 24 Trull Street project.

Right: Two options for interior spaceplan for 24 Trull Street.

Design Skills

Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.

OPTION 2

BATH BEDROOM 1

Our project at 24 Trull Street in Boston taught me some valuable time management lessons. For days our team was spinning it’s wheel trying to solve a very specific design problem: how to fit three bedrooms into too small a footprint. After the fact. I realized that our time would have been much better spent coming up with an outside-the-box solution like the one we ended up coming to. Sometimes as designers we need to step back from the problem in order to think more critically about the challenge and come up with creative solutions. That week I got a fortune cookie with my lunch that read, “before you ask ‘am I doing things right?’, ask yourself ‘am I doing the right things?’”. I pinned the fortune to my cork board so I can read it everyday!

KITCHEN BEDROOM 2 BEDROOM 3

BATH

LIVING

ENTRY

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Christine Banister

Collaboration

How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?

We had some challenges obtaining design approval for our project at 31 Woodville Street in Roxbury due to an issue with the abutting property owner’s fence being located on our lot.

The problem persisted all the way through closing, and delayed the start of construction by months. The experience proves how important communication and collaboration are in the design process. Some of the delay might have been avoided if we had identified and communicated the problem earlier, as we were only able to solve the issue by working with our project partners who are more familiar with zoning code, and we ended up needing special permission from the city to push the design through.

Below: Images showing our initial design proposal and resulting footprint after working through the issue with Jay Lee at the Department of Neighborhood Development.

Right: Emails between the Department of Neighborhood Development and our attorneys, fixing the zoning issue and finally being awarded the property at 31 Woodville Street!

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27 Centre St. Roxbury, MA 02119 (617) 445-8887

 

www.youthbuildboston.org Construction Supervisor: Joseph Diaz

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CS License Number: HIC License Number:

  

Office: (617) 445-8887 Cell: (617) 592-8259

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SUBMISSIONS:

No. 1 2

Description Proposal Submission Permit Submission

dd/mm/yy 4.03.2016 21.03.2016

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Practice Portfolio

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Christine Banister

Project Management: HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM YOUTHBUILD BOSTON YBB’s home improvement program provides service learning opportunities for our students in the form of home repair, falls prevention, weatherization, and universal design projects for seniors and people with mobility challenges.

As Project Manager, I built the new program from the ground up. I created a business plan, wrote an MOU with our program partner- the Ecumenical Social Action Committee, developed a falls risk assessment form and conducted assessments in client homes, coordinated the schedule of jobs, developed project budgets, and coordinated all the other details that go into starting a new program. I met with physical therapists and experts in Universal Design to ensure that our design interventions were safe and useful. I led the design team in creating construction documents and I oversaw the implementation of our interventions by our construction team in client’s homes. Together our team improved the lives of countless low-income homeowners.

Below: Construction documents for proposed ramp design under the Home Improvement Program.     

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www.youthbuildboston.org

Construction Supervisor:

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Joseph Diaz

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 

CS License Number: HIC License Number:

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PERMIT SUBMISSIONS:

No. Description 001 Existing and Proposed

Date 26/7/2016

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Office: (617) 445-8887 Cell: (617) 592-8259

     

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27 Centre St. Roxbury, MA 02119 (617) 445-8887

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Drawn by Checked by

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Scale

AS NOTED

Practice Portfolio

Above: Students installing grab bar and handrail under the Home Improvement Program.

Design Skills

Collaboration

One of our first projects was a for a gentleman who had had a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair.

His home was not accessible- he was not able to use his kitchen, or even go outside. Working with this client taught me how important it is to design spaces with all types of users in mind. The team did lots of research and worked with the Institute for Human Centered Design to design an accessible kitchen and backyard deck with a ramp so that Mr. Lynch was once again comfortable in his own home.

The personal relationship that I developed with Mr. Lynch was something that I could never replicate in a larger office setting. It was a wonderful learning experience, and since then I always think about how to make all of my designs as ‘universal’ as possible.

As project manager of the design team that worked on the home improvement projects under this program, it was challenging to manage the many small projects happening at the same time. Most designers are used to working on a few projects at once, but when this program was in full swing, we had 20 or more projects happening at the same time, in addition to our residential and service projects at YBB. It was quite difficult to keep track of all the projects, who was working on what, and make sure everything was done in a timely manner. However, it would have been impossible to do it all myself, so collaboration was absolutely necessary.

Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.

How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?

19

Christine Banister

Project Management: UBUILD SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS YOUTHBUILD BOSTON Through this volunteer and corporate engagement initiative, our one day service events allow employees of socially responsible corporations to make a difference in Boston’s under-served communities. YBB’s service partners are non-profit friends and neighbors who are in need of improvements such as building repairs, painting, new outdoor furniture, landscaping, or general cleanup. Beneficiaries of these service projects included Paige Academy, the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, Children’s Services of Roxbury, As Project Manager for the uBuild program, I was responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with these service partners as well as the corporate partners who funded the project and provided volunteers for the one-day service events. These corporate partners included the Starbucks Foundation, United Healthcare, the New England Patriots, I also wrote press releases, conducted site walkthroughs and interviews to establish scope of work, created a ‘run of show’ schedule for the day, assigned team leaders to projects based on skill level, and oversaw project execution. My favorite service projects were in sustainability, such as winterization efforts and blower door tests for low-income homeowners.

Below: Volunteers and YBB students working on uBuild projects

g pping

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Practice Portfolio

Design Skills

Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.

One of our service partners, Hawthorne Youth and Community Center, requested a greenhouse for their ‘Grow it. Cook it. Share it.’ program to teach young people about growing and cooking healthy foods, but YBB’s Construction Manager vetoed the idea because he said it could not be done in a single day by volunteers. Together with the client, we came up with an alternative plan to build removable greenhouse ‘hats’ for the new garden beds that we were building for them. The experience taught me that even if someone tells you no, theres usually another solution.

Above: Our volunteers building the greenhouse garden bed toppers during the day of service at HYCC

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Christine Banister

Collaboration

How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?

The service events were probably the most challenging type of project for me at YBB simply because I needed to collaborate with people across all of YBB’s departments, and outside partners as well. Coordinating with the design team to design the projects, the construction team to lead the building of the projects, the administrative team and YBB students to volunteer as team leads, the corporate sponsor and volunteers, and the project beneficiary to get everyone on the same page was extremely challenging. It’s one thing to work with a bunch of other designers, but something completely different to collaborate with people outside of our field. I learned how to communicate effectively with the various groups since each group required a different approach. I now use the communication skills that I picked up through these service events on an almost daily basis.

Above: Students and volunteers constructing the tool storage structure on build day.

Below: Plans for a tool storage structure for one of our service partners.

Right: Sample scope of work document

27 Centre St. Roxbury, MA 02119 (617) 445-8887



www.youthbuildboston.org

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Construction Supervisor:

Joseph Diaz CS License Number: HIC License Number: Office: (617) 445-8887 Cell: (617) 592-8259

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No. Description 001 Project Proposal

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Haley House Farms 95 Thornton Street Boston, Ma 02119

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Proposed Wheel Barrow Corral

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Project number

22

Date Drawn by Checked by

19/10/2016 AH AH

A4.2

projectors, Jesse to obtain all painting supplies.

Supplies: 2 gallons primer, off‐white paint for background, hunter green paint for mural designs, 6 pencils, 3 projectors, 3 rollers, 3 knaps, 3 trays, 3 trim brushes, 3 small buckets for trim paint, 1 paint can opener, 1 paint can mixer, 2 blowdryers Workout Room Painting Blue Team

Equipment will be moved out ahead of time by USA staff.

Walls will be painted with two coats of paint and primer in one, light grey color. Once painting is finished, the group of volunteers will move workout mats from the auditorium and arrange on the floor of the workout room.

Saturday, January 14th 2017 | 31205 VFW Pkwy, West Roxbury Supplies: light grey paint, dollies, 6 rollers, 6 knaps, 6

Practice Portfolio

12

Alison Jamar

MLK Day of Service at Urban Science Academy Scope of Work: PROJECT Student and Staff Logistics Greenhouse Raised Beds Red Team

GH Classroom Painting + Hydro Beds Dark Green Team

Volunteer Logistics

Auditorium Painting Black Team Picnic Tables Light Green Team

Trash Recepticals Pink Team

Music Room Painting Purple Team

trays, 4 rolls of painters tape, 1 roll of rosin paper, 6 brushes, 6 small buckets for trim paint , 1 large bucket for clean‐up, 2 paint can openers, 2 paint can mixers, 2 putty knifes/scrapers, 2 blowdryers, a can spackle/putty, 2 rolls of thick masking tape, 1 box of large trash bags, 1 box of paper DETAILS rags Help coodinate transportation of staff and students from Build three raised15 garden beds vans. with liner to beand filled YBB to USAnew in rented passanger Students staff with Design forat thee 2x4orbeds, 8" at deep. for can soil. either meet calls at USA 8 AM, at YBB 7:00Design AM if they drainage TBD.First group will leave YBB at 7:15 AM (all staff to need a ride. ride in first group), second group (stragglers) will leave at Supplies: supplies andevent, obtained Team Lead 7:30 AM.all During the TBD service helpby make sure staff and students have everything they need to ensure a great 1) 2 small rooms to be painted off‐white. Floors to be experience for the volunteers. At end of day help transport painted grey. Paint will include paint and primer in one‐ the staff and students back to 27 Centre Street. walls and floors will likely need two coats each.

2)Supplies: Hydroponic beds polystyrene rented 15need passanger van cover cut with circle holes for plant pots. USA staff will be present to help direct Thisprocess. team will helptogreet volunteers by distributing this Jesse obtain foam sheets, drill bit for cutting registration letting volunteers know where the holes, and allforms, painting supplies. restrooms are located, where we will be meeting for Supplies: breakfast, and distributing YBB t‐shirts. You will also greet 1)Subway off white rollers,and 6 knaps, 6 trays, rollsclean‐up of for paint, lunch 6delivery help to set‐up4 and painters tape, 1 and roll of rosinAtpaper, brushes, 6 small from breakfast lunch. end of6 day please distribute buckets for trimtopaint , 1 large bucket for clean‐up, 2 paint event surveys be completed by volunteers. can openers, 2 paint can mixers, 2 putty knifes/scrapers, 2 Supplies: Registration forms, YBB2 t‐shirts, eventmasking surveys, blowdryers, a can spackle/putty, rolls of thick pens,1first kit, food and supplies breakfast tape, boxaid of large trash bags, 1 boxfor of paper ragsand lunch, water foam sheet, box cutter for cutting foam, circle 2)bottled polystyrene drill bit This team will mark a new pattern about 8' up, and paint two coats6ofnew paint andtables primerfor in outdoor one overuse. existing purple Assemble picnic Restain 5 color. New color is to be hunter green. Area is 1,008 sqft. existing picnic tables.

Double this number for two coats of paint. Jesse to obtain all supplies. all supplies TBD and obtained by Team Lead Supplies: Supplies: hunter green paint, 16 rollers, 16 knaps, 16 trays, 8 Nooks in cafeteria will be finished with built‐in trash and rolls of painters tape, 1 roll of rosin paper, 8 brushes, 8 small recycling receptacles. Design calls for three‐bin enclosure buckets for trim paint , 2 large buckets for clean‐up, 2 paint with two doors. can openers, 2 paint can mixers, 2 putty knifes/scrapers, 2 blowdryers, a can spackle/putty, 2 rolls of thick masking Supplies: all supplies TBD and obtained by Team Lead tape, 1 box of large trash bags, 1 box of paper rags

Acoustical wall panels need paper removed. Panels will be painted to look like piano keys.

#

TEAM LEADS

6

Joe and Greg Frank Tyrone

10

Allie and Wes Monique

Monica Mary Shola

16

12

Mark PA Students TBD Danny

Donte

9

Jesse Sediq, Kayla, Dennis

6

Melvin Dion

12

Lucas Jordan

89

Total Volunteers

Supplies: rulers, white paint, black paint, 6 rollers, 6 knaps for high texture, 6 trays, 2 rolls of painters tape, 1 roll of rosin paper, 6 brushes, 6 small buckets for trim paint , 1 large bucket for clean‐up, 2 paint can openers, 2 paint can mixers, 2 blowdryers, 2 rolls of thick masking tape, 1 box of large trash bags, 1 box of paper rags Hallway Benches White Team

6 new 6 foot benches to be assembled and placed strategically in entry hallway.

Supplies: bench kits (pre‐cut and ready to be assembled), 6 drills, 3 boxes of deck screws, 6 carpenter squares, 6 carpenter pencils, 12 dust masks, 12 pairs of safety glasses, 6 measuring tapes

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Christine Banister

Teaching: LEAD DESIGNER THE DESIGNERY AT YOUTHBUILD BOSTON The Designery at YouthBuild Boston is an afterschool design and architecture program for high school students.

The students are paid a stipend while they hone fundamental graphic, modeling, and design-thinking skills through real design projects for non-profit clients across the city. The Designery also offers pro-bono student design services, as well as subsidized professional design services for other non-profits. As Lead Designer, I was responsible for developing the curriculum by creating new activities to help teach design fundamentals. My group of students developed a design for a greenhouse classroom for the Learning Prep School in Newton, MA.

Below: Final presentation boards for the greenhouse classroom space at the Learning Prep School

GROW

Classroom

A Transformable Space For Learning

Design Proposal by The Designery at YouthBuild Boston SCALE: 20' - 0"

DESIGN CONCEPT

mini greenhouse plant area in loft

LOFT PLAN

Research points to a healthy learning environment as one of the leading contributors to student success.

Natural light, fresh air, and plenty of space are a few of the factors in consideration. When a student is presented such an environment, the student is able to blossom into his or her full potential. The GROW classroom provides a healthy learning environment for students to grow personally and educationally.

e

10' - 0"

5' - 0"

accordian doors to blend indoors and outdoors

‘private lounge’ loft space with spiral staircase

SECTION A

in-ground storage bin for soil

FLOOR PLAN

SECTION B

nesting work tables and stacking stools

BUILDING USE DIAGRAMS Like a blossoming flower, the GROW classroom transforms from a tightly closed and compact box into a vibrant, lively workspace through transformable architecture and furniture design.

new accessible bathroom

mini greenhouse plant area in loft

roof vents for passive cooling

Moveable Wall System

solar panels

In-Ground Soil Bin

roof vents for passive cooling

SOUTH WEST ELEVATION

Maximum Circulation Mode

- expanded footprint for more space - new accessible bathroom - accordian doors to blend indoors and outdoors - deck area for outdoor learning - ‘private lounge’ loft space with spiral staircase - mini greenhouse plant area in loft - in-ground storage bin for soil - moveable multi-purpose wall system/education module - nesting work tables and stacking stools - sustainable design features: - large windows for natural daylighting - solar panels - rainwater catchment - roof vents for passive cooling

large windows for natural daylighting deck area for outdoor learning

rainwater catchment

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Work Mode

DESIGN FEATURES:

Presentation Mode

moveable multi-purpose wall system / education module

SOUTH EAST ELEVATION

NORTH EAST ELEVATION

NORTH WEST ELEVATION

Practice Portfolio

Design Skills

Collaboration

The greenhouse classroom project was a challenge because it was such a small space that needed to serve many purposes. Not only was it a challenging project in itself, but along the way I was teaching my group of budding designers how to draw floorplans, sections, and elevations, use AutoCAD, and develop a solid design concept. In the end we came up with a great design, and the client was thrilled. I enjoyed working on this project because it was a low-pressure, light and fun experience, which I think was a huge reason why we came up with such a great result. Keeping this in mind, I try to channel this kind of energy when working on more serious projects too.

It was quite a learning experience to work with a team of high school students, but I will always be working with different kinds of people in my professional career.

Different generations have different views of the world, and working with people many years younger than me helps me to see things through the eyes of the older generation of architects- the people that are principles at the firms where I might work one day. They might see my ideas as naive or impractical, but it is often the younger designers that come up with the most innovative designs simply because they don’t yet know what can’t be done.

Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.

How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?

25

Christine Banister

Teaching: TEACHING ASSISTANT BAC GATEWAY INITIATIVE The goal of the Developing Dudley Gateway project with Madison Park Development Corporation (MPDC) was to propose design ideas for a small retail/restaurant space owned by MPDC on Dudley Street in the heart of Roxbury.

We became familiar with the neighborhood by walking the area and interviewing Roxbury residents about what was missing from the neighborhood. It was clear from our research that a community gathering space was what the client and nearby residents desired in the space. It could take-on one of many forms, but our research led us to present three design ideas: a restaurant, coffee house, and test kitchen.

Below: Resulting graphics from a neighborhood study

1. A NEIGHBORHOOD STUDY . . .

Existin

Map showing ongoing residential and commercial projects

Existin

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Site location plan

Existin

Practice Portfolio

Existing interior wall.

commercial

Existing interior wall.

Existing floor plan created from site survey

Design Skills

Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.

One of our design proposals was for a test kitchen.

I had never been exposed to this business model, or seen a space used for this purpose, so we needed to do lots of research before we could come up with a design proposal. MPDC was hesitant about this business model, but the team was inspired by the potential to engage and give back to the community.

We met with the owner of a test kitchen in Union Square to see a successful test kitchen in action, and we also met with the owner of Haley House for an example of a socially responsible business model that produces fresh, healthy food in the Dudley area.

The design of the kitchen itself was one thing, but convincing MPDC that this was a viable option was another. The idea was undeniably cool, but MPDC wanted to know if it would actually work. Working on this part of the project helped me grow as a designer because it forced me to see through the eyes of a real client facing real obstacles like funding and community input.

Above: Renderings of the three potential design options

27

Christine Banister

Collaboration

How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?

Collaboration is always both a challenge and enhancement to my growth and learning as a designer, and this project was no exception. While I was a key member of the group and was very involved in the planning and design of our proposals, I tried to take a backseat- more of a helpful and supportive role when it came to graphic representation because of my role as Teaching Assistant. This was challenging for me as someone with a ‘Type-A’ personality. I often have an idea in my head for how I want something to look, but when working with a team it usually doesn’t come out the way I plan. This enhances my learning because it helps me learn to better communicate my design intent through speaking, writing, and sketching. It is crucial for designers to have these skills, but we don’t often get a chance to practice them.

Below, Right: Images of process work from our mid-review

Possible Restaurant option

Possible Test Kitchen option

For our first iterations, we explored the possibility of having a cafe, restaurant, and a test kitchen. We felt that each option, in its individual way could benefit the community from a economic, social and opportunistic way.

Possible Test Kitchen option

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Practice Portfolio

2. A Diagramatic Approach with initial layouts

Diagrams showing the relationship of front of house and back of house operations in a restaurant.

existing site location, floor plan interior elevations and photographs

Pos

2. A Diagramatic Approach . . .

Diagrams showing existing healthy food options and the web that would be created with our space.

Pos

Concept sketches of elements and feelings we wanted the space to have.

3. Explore layout Options . . .

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Christine Banister

Design/Build: STUDIO NORTH MOSCOW LINN ARCHITECTS Studio North is a week-long intensive design/build studio in rural Vermont. Our project was to design and build a ‘woodland retreat’ with space for a variety of uses. We came up with a design that includes space for sleeping, writing, and gathering. After coming up with a preliminary design, we spent to rest of the week physically building the structures. This was an incredible learning experience, as it made it very clear why we as designers need to think through even the smallest detail if we want to have any say whatsoever in how the project comes together.

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Practice Portfolio

Design Skills

Collaboration

While we were building the structures, we encountered so many unforeseen challenges that should have been addressed in the design phase.

Working these design problems out on site was incredibly inefficient, and in some cases actually harmed the overall design of the structure. One example is the stairs. We didn’t have them fully worked out in the design and figured we would just work it out on site. This was a terrible decision, as it ended up taking way to much time and pulled several people away from building the rest of the structure, so we ended up not being able to clad the roof as planned because we ran out of time. After this experience I try to remember that if something is a pain to work out in the design phase, it would be an even bigger pain to work out later!

This collaborative project helped me grow as a designer because I had an opportunity to work with students from other design schools in other parts of the country.

Different schools teach things differently, so it was interesting to see the working methodologies of group members from more artsy schools vs. more technically focused schools. We came together with different perspectives to create a design that was aesthetically and technically interesting. I think a group of BAC students would have come up with something entirely different.

This makes me want to seek out people who are different from me when pulling together a design team, since the results seem to be much more interesting.

Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.

How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?

31

Christine Banister

Research: LIVING WITH WATER GALLERY GUIDE ADA LOUISE HUXTABLE FELLOWSHIP Our focus under the Huxtable Fellowship was on rising sea levels in Boston, and our first project was to design a gallery guide for the Living With Water Competition for the Boston Society of Architects. The competition entries were extremely complex, and non-designers would absolutely find it difficult to understand the projects without assistance. Our primary goal in developing the gallery guide was to ensure that everyone who visited the exhibit was able to come away with new knowledge about how to address the issue of rising sea levels. To do this, we created a ‘design strategies matrix’ highlighting key features that the various design projects held in common.

Above: The Huxtable Fellows in a working session at the BSA Below: The gallery guide front cover, unfolded

SITE 1 | The Prince Building

LIVING WITH WATER PRINCIPLES

This building represents existing and historic, urban, waterfront buildings and properties that are common in Boston and similar vulnerable coastal cities.

DESIGN FOR RESILIENCE

Resilience implies adapting to or bouncing back from a disturbance quickly. Resilient planning and design incorporates redundancy and anticipates change over time.

SITE 2 | The 100 Acres This neighborhood site represents urban waterfront mixed-use districts with a mix of existing, historic and new developments set in green and blue public spaces.

SITE 3 | Morrissey Boulevard This road represents vulnerable coastal infrastructure that is routed through historic, mixed-use, and new development districts and remains critical to growth and functionality of cities.

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INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION

CREATE DOUBLE-DUTY SOLUTIONS

Boston Living with Water is an international call for design solutions that evision new concepts and strategies to deal with regular coastal flooding by the year 2100. Over 340 leading planners, designers, and thinkers submitted proposals for three sites in Boston in response to the challenge of sea level rise and climate change.

STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

Double-duty solutions afford protection in times of need and provide for other uses when idle realizing multiple benefits and maximizing economic, ecologic, and cultural gain.

Community resilience maintains and enhances the cultural identity that defines a city through resiliency networks and social support systems. Strategies that strengthen social resilience can both cost less and

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2009

2015

The Deer Island Sewage Treatment plant is constructed two feet higher than originally designed in anticipation of sea-level rise.

The City of Boston takes first climate actions with direction to reduce municipal greenhouse gas emissions.

Tufts and Boston Universities publish the Climate’s Long-Term Impacts on Metro Boston (CLIMB) with EPA funding.

Boston adopts the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve

The Union of Concerned Scientists publishes

Mayor Menino leads the City of Boston to prepare action plans for reduction of

The Climate Action Leadership Committee is appointed and prepares comprehensive recommendations for the Boston community on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Boston’s municipal agencies are preparing for climate changes with evolving mitigation plans in place and commencing calls for bold Living With Water ideas and grassroots

change in the Northeast, projecting an increase of sea-level, average temperatures, heat waves and and safety, natural systems infrastructure, and economy on regional scale.

and incorporates these into the City's plans for emergency responses and development.

Practice Portfolio

Finalist Honorable Mention People’s Choice

ABSORB

CHANNEL

ELEVATE

MOVE

BLOCK

CONNECT

EMPLOY

The Omega Chain The Hydrokinetic Canal as an Urban Generator Bountiful Delta: It’s not just resilient No building is an island The Water Fun(d) The Prince Building Piers Water District Resilient Linkages Total Resilience Approach High Street City Prince Place a Community Center / Surge Shelter Contributive Infrastructure Fort Point's: Living Basin Living Shorelines for a Resilient Urban Cove Living Threshold Open Circuit: Traveling Water Reconnect-Resist-Slow-Collect Atlantic Boardwalk - Northern Bridge Fort Point Power Morrissey Boulevard: The High Road East of the sun, west of the moon 100 Acres: 100 Years Water District Re/Creation District The Past Informs the Future Strategy for a Resilient Neighbothood Transforming Morrissey: Arterial to Amenity BostonGenic Evoluted DNA Urban System Archimedes Negotination Ecologically Connected Channel Green Living Threshold 100 Acres: 100 Years Fort Point: An Emerging Synthesis Sky City Contribute Infrstructure On Boston Shores Emerald Necklace Extended MorriSEA PARKWAY An Archaeological Tour of Boston Inverted Pier Why not flooding?

MORRISSEY 2100: The Road to Resilience Bridging Culture Living with WWH (love thy neighbor) Thriving With Water SEE-Levels: A Glimpse into the North End’s Shell The 100 Acres: Urban Resiliency Test Lab The Boston's Mangrove Rising Tides Lift All Boats A Futuristic and Resilient View for Fort Point A Life Aquatic: A celebration of living with water

This competition is looking the “how” and “what” would it take to create a solution that captures the image of Boston through Resilience.

ABSORB

Expanding permeability and holding capacity to mitigate increased water volume The Water Fun(d)

CONNECT

CHANNEL

Augmenting to control the course and direction of water movment

Networking between water and social elements to improve recovery efforts

ELEVATE

Lifting of elements and structures to accommodate increased water levels

On Boston Shores

BOSTONGENIC Evoluted DNA Urban

MOVE

Relocating elements and structure to harbor increased water levels Thriving With Water

#Rising Tides Lift All Boats

HUXTABLE FELLOWSHIP

In weighing the proposals, the jury looked for bold and innovative approaches but, at the same time, for effective scales of engagement and replicability.

Resilient Linkages

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS:

The Omega Chain

KEY STRATEGIES

COMPETITION ENTRIES

#LivingWithWater @BostonLwW Take another look at the competition boards online and share the ideas with your colleagues, friends and family!

BLOCK

Shielding of the built environment by man-made landforms, structures and devices

EMPLOY

Utilizing the rising water as an energy resource in combination with renewable sources.

Above: Other side of the gallery guide, unfolded

Design Skills

Collaboration

While the execution of the pamphlet itself was the most time consuming piece, coming up with an initial idea for this project was the hardest part. Our team had several brainstorming session before we were able to come to a consensus about how to approach the task. I came up with an idea to create a matrix, but the spreadsheet-style graphic that I had in mind was too technical and boring. Together, the group turned this original idea into a graphic that was engaging and useful.

There were several challenging moments in this project, I think due to the level of passion held by everyone in the group. I have a strong leader personality, and am usually the most passionate person in the group. That was not the case in this project. Each one of the Fellows was highly engaged, had strong design skills, and cared about what we were working on. This made it more difficult than usual to get things done, because everyone had a say in the way the guide should look and function.

I think this led to an exceptional final product, but was certainly a challenge along the way! It was a great exercise in practicing patience and listening skills.

Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.

How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?

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Christine Banister

Entrepreneurship: WETROFIT BAC HATCH BAC’s HATCH workshop introduces students to systems thinking, marketing and branding, prototyping and business models to help them develop a specific business idea into a viable plan of action. Our proposed business idea was to make complex information accessible by way of a digital/web tool that synthesizes data into a resulting set of action items specifically tailored to the client. These action items would be in the form of an annotated info graphic as a way to make the information more understandable, with supporting text and supplemental instructions as needed.

Design Skills

Describe a scenario on this project where you worked on a specific design problem, and how you believe it helped you grow as a designer.

Design is about more than inhabitable spaces, and this was one project where my transferable design skills were put to the test. Between the logo, web user interface, and sample resulting infographic, I had to develop a cohesive branding strategy that tied everything together. While this exercise was super fun, it also helped me grow as a designer by learning more about the complexities and intricacies involved in starting your own business. Since I would like to own a business one day, this new knowledge was invaluable.

Above: Found map showing potential homes affected by flooding Below: Maps generated to show potential market for services

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Practice Portfolio

Above: Presentation map and coordinating business logo Right: Final website design template

Collaboration

How has working on this collaborative project enhanced or challenged your growth and learning as a designer?

Our team consulted several experts in order to glean the information we needed to create a viable business plan. Working with people in other disciplines is always a great learning experience. As designers we have such a broad skill set, but there’s always room for further learning. I really enjoyed this project because I was able to use my design skills in a new way, and by collaborating with a software engineer, attorney, entrepreneurs and business experts, we were able to pull together a very cohesive business strategy.

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