Portfolio of Graduate and Undergraduate Design

PORTFOLIO

CONNOR VARGO

GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE DESIGN

2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Museum of Etruscan & Roman Culture & Artifacts 1

3

Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital Revitalization

7

Gateway Ce for Sustainab Innovation

enter ble Steel

11

Albany Park Instrument Library

15

Photography

19 2

MUSEUM of ETRUSCAN & ROMAN CULTURE & ARTIFACTS Volterra, Italy

This project seeks to unify Volterra’s Etruscan acropolis, Roman Cistern, and medieval typologies into one contemporary project while providing physical stability to the site. The poor soil conditions beneath and surrounding the acropolis demand both the continuation of a new site wall and the total excavation and restabilization of the soil beneath the acropolis to prevent further site collapse.

The decision to locate museum support spaces underneath the restabilized acropolis foundation stones provides further site stability.

The medieval tower typology is repeated here, occupying the turnaround of the city’s main vehicular access. At night, this contemporary tower acts as a beacon over the 3,000 year old city, making the city visible over the entire valley 1,500 feet below. The observation deck at its top provides views over the site, the city of Volterra, and the valley beyond.

The Roman Cistern was excavated to be included in the total museum complex, allowing direct access from the plaza and providing a unique urban experience.

3

Fall 2024 ISoA Graduate Design Award Nominee

image courtesy of Travelling Contessa

View over Valley

Level 3

image courtesy of Consorzio Turistico Volterra Valdicecina

Etruscan Acropolis

Level 2 image courtesy of Elias Rovielo

Etruscan Wall

image courtesy of Google Street View

Ground Floor: Plaza/Museum Entry Level

Collapsing Site

4

Plaza

Roman Cistern Sculpture Garden

Cathedral Tower

Etruscan Wall

Baptistery

Galleries

Etruscan Gate

Viale dei Ponti main vehicular access into city

Plaza

Sculpture Garden

Galleries

Section

6

ROOSEVELT ISLAND SMALLPOX HOSPITAL REVITALIZATION New York, NY

The Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital was founded in 1856, with its two wings being added in 1903 and 1905 before it was abandoned in the 1950s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, making it the only landmarked ruin in New York City. Today, the building is dilapidated; overgrown, collapsing, and inaccessible to the public.

This project’s primary purpose is to stabilize the Smallpox Hospital ruins to both preserve them and allow for public access. The relandscaping of the site is critical, with the non-historic fence and weeds being replaced by walkways and benches. The path of the walkways were determined through the digital analysis of over 200 lightning conditions of different times of day throughout the year. These paths carry the visitors along a showcase of specific moments of drama within the site and provide them the opportunity to discover these moments for themselves. Two walkways inhabit the project: the permeable pavers mark the building’s historic pathways along its axes, while a winding concrete path guides visitors to discover new and exciting moments throughout the site.

7

0’ 100’

200’

Bench Detail

Orthographic View

500’

0’

1000’

Plantation-grown teak provides a similar aesthetic to Ipe while being more sustainable.

Within 5-12 months, the bench takes on a gray patina that blends with the pavers.

10’

20’

50’

100’

Permeable pavers mark the original building access. The new concrete pathway intersects at nodes marking axial points of view.

Paver Detail

Axonometric View

Solar Studies

Equinox at Sunset

9

Equinox at Solar Noon

Front Elevation

Southwest Wing

Summer Solstice at Sunrise

Winter Solstice at Sunset

10

GATEWAY CENTER for SUSTAINABLE STEEL INNOVATION St. Louis, MO

This building follows Category 1 of the ACSA 2024 Steel Design Student Competition: a Steel Innovation Construction Center in downtown St. Louis, MO. The site is part of the Construction Innovation District & Master Development just south of the Gateway Arch. Steel is the primary material, and the project includes program areas for exhibition, fabrication, training, and community outreach.

The Gateway Center for Sustainable Steel was designed with ecologically sustainable practices in mind. The roof structure features photovoltaic panels on its southern surfaces and clerestories on its northern surfaces. The roof angles were chosen so that maximum solar energy and daylight may be collected without letting in uncomfortable glare, while simultaneously opening views toward the Mississippi River on the cantilevered observation deck on the East side. The entire roof structure also acts as a rainwater collection surface. This would provide over 3,000,000kWh of energy to this site and the surrounding buildings and collect almost 430,000 gallons of water per year.

11

Concept Development I-64

Gatew ay Develo South pment

Mississippi River

Retaining Wall MacArthur Bridge

Mural Mile

Southwest View from MacArthur Bridge

Site Plan

Northeast View from I-64

Section

12

Plans Program

A. Lobby B. Daycare C. Training Room D. Laboratories E. Lunchroom F. Fabrication Bays G. Loading Dock H. Exterior Fabrication Yard I. Exhibition Space J. Offices K. Classrooms L. Observation Deck M. Cafe N. Parking O. Rainwater Cisterns

H

G F K

E O

J

D

C

A

N

13 Lower Level

B B

First Level

Secon

nd Level

Solar Energy Collection • Roof-Mounted Solar Panels angled 38.62 degrees (the same as the site’s latitude) total 91,993.5 sq.ft.

• Assuming 5 hours direct sunlight and 320 watts per panel • Output: 3,069,955kWh per year Rainwater Collection • The roof acts as a rainwater collector, totaling 201,917.786 sq.ft. in area • The annual rainfall in St. Louis is 34” • Assume .62 gallons collected per sq.ft. of impermeable surface • Yearly Collection: 427,702.5 gallons

L I M

10 30

50

100

150

Observation Deck

14

ALBANY PARK INSTRUMENT LIBRARY Chicago, IL

Located on W. Lawrence Ave. in Chicago’s Kimball neighborhood, the Albany Park Instrument library was designed as a space for experienced and budding musicians alike to borrow musical instruments and experience live music. The program includes open inventory stacks, high-end restricted inventory stacks, a repair shop, practice rooms, a recording studio, offices, a cafe, and an amphitheater.

The building occupies what is currently a parking lot for Kimball’s train station, which acts as an end point for the Brown Line. Although this library primarily services Kimball and Albany Park, this allows anyone in the city easy access to the site.

This project was completed with a partner. Although the work was largely collaborative, I was responsible for the physical model, sections, and interior renders.

15

Physical Model

Level 3

Level 2

Ground Level

A

B

B

A

0’

15’

30’

60’

120’

16

Lobby

Section A

17

Section B

Amphitheater

0’

15’

30’

60’

120’

PHOTOGRAPHY

Heian-jingu Shrine 19

Kyoto, Japan 2025

Kyoto National Museum

Kyoto, Japan 2025

20

Garden of Fine Arts

Kyoto, Japan 2025

Pontocho Alley

Kyoto, Japan 2025

Empire State Building

New York, NY 2024

National Museum of Immigration

Ellis Island, NY 2024

One New York Plaza

New York, NY 2024

Temple Hoyne Buell Hall

Urbana, IL 2024

GET IN TOUCH Student Email cvargo2@illinois.edu Personal Email cpvargo13@gmail.com

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/ connor-vargo-934205201