Collins Portfolio 2025 online by dannycollins12

Drawing to Digital

Fall 2020- Winter 2023

Danny Collins

ARCHITECTURE

MITRE COLLABORATION SPACE

PROFESSIONAL

(p. 33)

CUCINARE E VEDERE

GRADUATE SCHOOL

(p. 35)

PASSIVE

JOYLAND STUDENT CENTER

GRADUATE SCHOOL

(p. 37)

I believe in the power of design to shape our environment and improve our quality of life. My approach combines creativity, functionality, and sustainability to create spaces that are not only visually appealing but also responsive to the needs of their users.

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working on a diverse range of projects, from residential homes to commercial buildings, each presenting unique challenges and opportunities. This portfolio showcases a selection of these projects, illustrating my design philosophy and technical expertise.

The built environment is a place that often goes unnoticed. However, when something is built beautifully, it does not ask for the attention of others, they just give it, because ultimately the project will speak for itself. Any site or building can be developed or redeveloped to cultivate a cultural relevance, making it a place people care and talk about with enthusiasm and pride.

LABORATORY - SOMERVILLE, MA

CLIENT: The Denunzio Group

TYPE: Professional

DURATION: 5 Months

The luxury lab design runs along Somerville’s McGrath Highway corridor. This design creates an iconic beacon leading into the city of Boston. The designs focus on angles and edges is unique to the skyline. The current zoning shape created a tremendous opportunity to differentiate the mass between buildings along the corridor.

SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES

02 557 HIGHLAND AVENUE

LABORATORY - NEEDHAM, MA

CLIENT: Bulfinch

YEAR: 2O22

TYPE: Professional

DURATION: 7 Months

This large scale project plans to redevelop the 10 acre site into a new state-of-the-art facility to support market demands for life science, research and development space. The site’s highly visible location on Rt 128/95 is an attractive opportunity for a headquarters location at the gateway to Needham. The site benefits from its close proximity to the MBTA Commuter Rail, under a mile away, as well as recent area infrastructure improvements including an additional RT 128/95 lane, new bike lanes and bridge widening, all of which support more commuting options and enhance the commuter experience for future tenants.

Fitness Loop Laboratory

03 WEST BALTIMORE CENTRAL PARK

THESIS - BALTIMORE, MD

CLIENT: None

YEAR: 2O22

TYPE: Graduate School

DURATION: 9 Months

Spaces that focus on health, inclusiveness, sustainability, and connection will break the socioeconomic cycle of urban blight and poverty. The highway to nowhere in Baltimore, MD presents a tremendous opportunity to reconnect impoverished West Baltimore to the rest of the city. By cultivating a central park with a community center at its core, the former highway divide now stitches together void spaces and neighborhoods. Current urban infrastructure creates a challenge for lower income classes to grow from the social economic background they are born into. Understanding the ways in which public policy crafts cities’ current landscape is the first step in assessing whether today’s planning processes are moving in a more equitable direction or whether they are perpetuating spatialized inequalities. These corrections will eliminate generational poverty and create generational health, wealth, and education. The response to Covid-19 has shown that governments can adapt quickly and successfully bring about dramatic changes that have lasting effects on society, it is just a matter of what is a priority.

EDUCATION PARKS SHOPPING AGEABLE MEDICAL WALKABLE RECREATION

Park/ Trolley Path

Trolley Stop/ Base

Mix-use Apartments

New Row Home Block

Hydroponic Farming

Recreational Facility

Boardwalk Park/ Trolley Path Memorial Pond

BLOCK PARK AND ROW HOMES

Existing inner block parks have designed programing that will connect the inhabitants.

Inner block park connections

Basketball Court Park Volleyball Court

04 ON THE DOT MASTER PLAN

MASTER

CLIENT: Core Investments

YEAR: 2O23

TYPE: Professional

DURATION: 7 Months

On the Dot is a vision. One consistent with residents’ 21st century needs and preferences. A Place with a Purpose. There is exciting promise and opportunity in this Dorchester Avenue corridor. The team at Core Investments is listening what the neighborhood wants. The On the Dot redevelopment of the 21-plus acres of Core Investment’s land, west of Dorchester Avenue between B Street and Southampton Street, constitutes the welcome revival of an area that more than a century ago was an innovation and manufacturing powerhouse in Boston and for the nation. The area evolved into a light industrial district in the mid-1900s and now is being transformed for today’s economy and residents.

05 BUENA VISTA COMMONS

CLIENT: None

YEAR: 2O21

CLASS: Graduate

DURATION: 3 Months

This maker-space inspires people to come together to cultivate and create through a non-traditional work environment through parametric design. The new master plan creates direct connections to major Baltimore attractions in the neighborhood of Hampden. The Buena Vista Commons is a pandemic friendly building due to the scale of the atrium and functionality of spaces. It offers indoor and outdoor play spaces that relate to the growing number of young families in the neighborhood.

East Elevation

Co-working

Courtyard/Ampitheatre Restaurant

Rooftop

06 HONEY BADGER PROMENADE

URBAN

CLIENT: None

YEAR: 2O2O

CLASS: Graduate

DURATION: 2 Months

The Honey Badger Promenade will support the Baltimore community of Harlem Park to develop a new pride in its understanding of food growth, distribution, and education. The hydroponic garden and educational facilities will be the new identity for Harlem Park. The feeling of upscale modern design mixed with historic structures will create a cultural buzz surrounding the promenade creating the opportunity for a new “landmark” in Baltimore.

Vehicular Circulation

Garden

Exterior Visibility

Hydroponic

07 CBEC KNAPP PAVILION

GATHERING SPACE - CHESAPEAKE BAY ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

CLIENT: Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

YEAR: 2O21

FIRM: SKA

DURATION: 5 Months

The KNAPP Pavilion is a multipurpose outdoor space funded by the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center. The arching roof directs the view toward the Chesapeake Bay, as well as provides optimal shade. The Pavilion is staged as the ideal gathering space for field-trips and weekend events. It includes numerous benches, new pathways, public restrooms, a fire pit, and a dry food storage facility which features a serving window.

08 CUCINARE E VEDERE

RESTAURANT - BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART

CLIENT: None

YEAR: 2O21

TYPE: Graduate School

DURATION: 2 Weeks

This re-brand of the Baltimore Museum of Arts existing restaurant creates a classic Italian mix with modern design. The dark and intimate mix of texture and tone provide a semi formal family friendly atmosphere that people expect from the Museum. The indoor seating now can seat up to 104 guest and the outdoor space provides and additional 28% seating. The design creates different “zones” or experiences for guest depending on where they sit.

09 COLLABORATION SPACE

HYBRID WORK SPACE - MITRE CO.

CLIENT: MITRE

YEAR: 2O21

FIRM: SKA

DURATION: 3 Months

The Collaboration Space is designed for the hybrid work environment. Creating a space where people can work comfortably in teams or in an individual area is the goal of the re-brand of MITRE’s commercial offices. This renovation optimizes open space as a three part phase to revamp the entire floor. The space features collaboration rooms, conference rooms, shared work desks, lounge space, and private work zones.

10 JOYLAND CAMPUS

SPECIAL SCHOOL CAMPUS - KISUMU, KENYA

CLIENT: None

YEAR: 2O21

TYPE: Graduate School

DURATION: 3 Months

The Joyland School in Kenya is a special K-12 school. The campus redesign focuses to cultivate an extracurricular activity hub that addresses student passions, aids in their education, and utilizes sustainable building techniques that cater to new healthy traditions and practices. Education is more than just schooling, it is about finding your passion and sharing it with others. The new Student Center gives students a chance to explore things outside of the classroom.