Colin Williams - Architecture Portfolio 2018.

PORTFOLIO. Colin Williams

About me.

Hello, My name is Colin Williams and I am entering my third year at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture.

I am a firm believer that I must constantly push myself beyond what is comfortable in order to grow as an artist, designer, creator and individual. I try to live with a concious disregard for failure, as I believe it is a part of growth which cannot be avoided.

This portfolio is a reflection of that philosophy. A majority of the work is done in media that I am far from mastering but have pushed myself beyond my comfort zone in order to improve. My hope is that my portfolio displays my proficiency in design and creation as a suitable platform for growth, and my fascination in questioning the norm.

Enjoy.

email: colin.michael.williams8@gmail.com phone: 506 292 5211

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Education.

09/2016 - present

Cambridge, ON

University of Waterloo School of Architecture.

Candidate for Bachelor of Architectural Studies Honours, Co-op

Experience.

01/2018-04/2018

Mckinley Burkart

05/2017-09/2017

[CATCH] Urban Grill

05/2017-09/2017

JDI Forestry

Production.

Digital Literacy:

Vancouver, BC

Fredericton, NB

Fredericton, NB

Architectural Intern.

Host/Server.

Tree Planter.

Rhinoceros 5 AutoCAD Sketchup SolidWorks Grasshopper

Manual Literacy: Maxwell Render Photoshop Illustrator Indesign Premier Pro

Model Making Laser Cutting CNC Milling 3D Printing Hand Drafting

Wood Working Construction Indutrial Sewing Shoe Making Photography

Achievements.

09/2017 - present 08/2016 06/2016 06/2016 06/2016

1B ‘Junk.’ on display at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture.

Presidents Scholarship Award, University of Waterloo.

Environmental Advocacy Award, Fredericton High School.

Academic Honours Award, Fredericton High School.

Colter Family Leadership Award, Fredericton High School.

Leadership.

09/2017 09/2016 - 05/2017 09/2015 - 06-2016 09/2015 - 06-2016

UWSA Orientation Leader - University of Waterloo.

Waterloo Architecture Student Association - Athletic Coordinator.

FHS Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center - President.

FHS Environmental Club - Co-President.

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Table of Contents.

Table of contents.

Wedge.

6-11

Flow.

12-15

Growth.

16-23

Ascension.

24-27

Senbazuru.

28-29

Crafted.

30-41

Unlaced.

42-47

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

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Wedge.

Wedge.

Research Station.

In collaboration with Callum Nolan.

Located on the eastern coast of Sicily, our building serves as a research station for the unique volcanic rock formations of Alcantara Geological Park. The design capitalizes on the shade provided by the trees and gorge walls on the north and south sides.

The operable windows along the facade optimize cross ventilation throughout the space. The passive design strategies aforementioned, combined with the photovoltaic panels on the roof, allow the building to achieve a net-zero sustainability status.

The building is divided into two distinct levels; on the top, the conditioned living quarters, on the bottom, a sheltered outdoor space. Perched 7m above the water level, the building allows people to comfortably pass underneath it, while providing the occupants with a distinctive vantage point.

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Wedge.

Greater site context.

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Sectional.

Site context.

Sectional through cliff.

Colin Williams - Portfolio.

9

Wedge.

Sectional.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Upper plan.

Lower plan.

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Flow.

Flow.

Grand River floodplain analysis.

In collaboration with Julie Niu, and Katty Cybulski.

The Grand River serves as a historic dadum for the social, cultural, and ecological aspects of Southern Ontario. As such, we carried out an indepth study on a portion of the Grand River, and the relationship between the land and the fluxuation of water level.

We focused on the carving of the landscape during high river flow and the impact that it had on the built, and natural environments.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

1:500 Abstract River Model.

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Flow.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

1:500 Hybrid Drawing.

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Growth.

Growth.

Technical reference library.

The library has evolved greatly over time, what once was a place focused on managing knowledge has now become a place of congregation for the surrounding community.

‘Grow’ incorporates these two aspects of a library in to one.

On the lower level, a techincal research library, on the upper a hackers lab, childrens section and elevated amphitheatre.

The building is located on bustling St. Clair street, Toronto, surrounded by a concrete jungle which is deprived of mature trees.

‘Grow’ is inspired by the process of entering a forest. The facade and structure mimic woodland. The structure creates a grand canopy above the space and the facade grows thicker as you progress through the building, increasing privacy the further you journey in to the space.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Elevation collage.

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Growth.

CONSTRUC

Diagram.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Sectional.

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Growth.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Experiential renders.

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Growth.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

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Ascension.

Ascension.

Study of cinematic effect.

In collaboration with Callum Nolan, Patrick Stephen, Vince Chuang and James Kwon.

Ascension is part of the city we present, a journey through a conglomeration of three distinct environments. In this world, light, contained within columns, is depicted as a rare commodity; as an inequality that forces the architecture to capitalize on the characteristics of light as much as possible. The articulation of the space, and the subsequent movement it dictates, is guided by the presence and parallax between layers of light.

An immense sense of gravity shapes the movement of an inhabitant, moving them down to the lower limits of the structure, where a certain brand of repetition and ubiquity forms an architecture of nondescript moments. Here, we envision the buildings constantly converting and adjusting to remain relevant or useful, with little attention given to its compatibility with neighbors, let alone within the entirety of the city. The volumes create connections between distant neighbors where necessary, weaving an endless circuit for listless wandering throughout the area.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Experiential render.

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Ascension.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

1:50 Suspended Model.

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Senbazuru.

Senbazuru.

Powell Street Design Competition.

Vancouver, BC. In collaboration with Julie Niu, and Salman Rauf.

The proposed Powell Street Festival installation is reminiscent of Senbazuru, a Japanese tradition in which the process of folding a thousand paper cranes, leads to a wish granted by the deities. In Japan, this has become popular as acts of service and awareness. Cranes are laid at the sites of temples, celebrations, monuments, and graves - becoming a universal symbol of peace, love and concern.

The installation is composed of three distinct features, a Shoji inspired screen box, a garden of pebbles carved by wooden steps, and lastly, a choreographed dance of iontricate paper cranes.

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Crafted.

Crafted.

Digital and Analog Model Building.

I believe that the use of model exploration during the design process is crutial to developing a strong understanding of the potential structure, building process, and materiality of a project.

Due to this belief, I have made a concerted effort to develop a proficiency in both digital and analog model building methods.

These skills include CNC, 3D printing, laser cutting and casting.

In my recent co-op placement I was tasked with designing, building, and operating the Mckinley Burkart ‘SuperStudio’ - a full scale model building and material prototyping division of the west coast firm.

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Crafted.

6 Nations Gridshell Pavillion.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Calgary Contemporary Arts Centre.

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Crafted.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

1:100 Sketch Model - Work in Progress.

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Crafted.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Whistler Residence - Mckinley Burkart.

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Crafted.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

1:50 Model - Urban Retreat.

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Unlaced.

Unlaced.

Personal Endeavour.

Two years ago my passion for footwear and my endless curiosity of how things are made collided.

The journey began with a brand new pair of Nikes and an exacto-knife.

Through a detailed study of how the shoes were dismantled, I was able to generate an understanding of how they could be reassmbled. Countless hours of research, as well as trial and error were endured until I reached the point of being able to create unique one-off shoes using traditional shoe making techniques.

From here, I plan to continue my investigation of footwear.

To question the conecpt of what a shoe is, and what it can become.

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Unlaced.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Re-crafting Process.

Nike air force one.

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Unlaced.

Re-crafted lunar force one.

Shark, Lamb.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

Re-crafted seamless air force one.

Vegetable tanned.

Re-crafted air force one.

Vintage Versace material.

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Contact Information.

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Colin Williams - Portfolio.

email: phone:

colin.michael.williams8@gmail.com 506 292 5211

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Thank you.