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portfolio ARCHITECTURE

Selected Works 2023-2024

M.Arch

Dustin Touchet

TCHOUPITOULAS SEAFOOD OUTLET

This multifaceted space offers the opportunity to experience the seafood culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. The Seafood Outlet includes a processing station for local fishermen to sell their goods directly to the consumer through a separate adjoining marketplace. A seafood eatery is also part of the space which allows the recent catch to be cooked and consumed at its peak freshness.

The structure is comprised of 36 crescent shaped trusses that provide over 24k sqft of shaded space while still allowing breeze from the Mississippi River to penetrate the space. A mechanical connection at the truss base transforms the structure allowing for multiple configurations and the ability to fold flat for the city’s unpredictable hurricane season.

Seafood Outlet | New Orleans, LA

THE POWER BANK

An Institute for Energy Funds

The Power Bank is a building that enables and captures Gravity Energy, a method of harnessing renewable energy for use in the surrounding city. The building not only serves as a utility, but is also a hub for free transferable energy used with electric transportation (e-bikes, vehicles, trams, and trains). The public areas of the building include e-bike charging stations, battery exchange store, and communal waiting docks for the local e- trams and trains.

Gravity Energy Storage System (GESS)

A system that uses excess renewable energy to lift massive composite blocks; then, when the energy is once again needed on the grid, the blocks are dropped and the kinetic energy from the dropping blocks spins generators that supply electricity to the grid.

In addition to the GESS, the Power Bank is cladded with solar panels to maximize passive energy collection. This power source doubles as energy for the city and the main power source needed to run the building’s battery lift system.

Backup Energy Supply

Not only can the Power Bank be used as a supplemental energy source for the city of Knoxville, the building has the capability to become the primary backup power supply for the local eight medical facilities within a 1.5 mile radius.

Solar Panel Facade

Energy Production

Gravity Energy Storage System (GESS)

40 ton bricks from 20 stories = 275 Megajoules

1 Megawatt = 3600 MJ per hour

Height 147m(4802ft)

Footprint 80/86m (262/282) (20MW/80MWh)

1Mw can power 260 homes for 1hrs

16 - 40 ton bricks dropping per hour can produce 1Mw

360 Bricks in current configuration

If each brick drops at a 4.3min the building can produce 1.5 Mw

Solar Panel Facade

150 W Solar Panel @ 8hrs sunlight = 1.25Kw per day

Avanncis Solar Panel 150 W (2’x5’) 10sqft

Power Bank Solar Panel (6’3”x11’) call it 70sqft

7x150= 1,050W @ 8hrs = 8.4Kw per day

162+162+96+96+80+80=676 Total Solar Panel

676x8.4Kw=5,678 = 5.6Mw | GESS Distribution Diagram

THE DOCKING STATION

The Docking Station is a hub for small business start-ups which gives an affordable alternative to traditional brick and mortar locations. This station has an integrated structure that provides the infrastructure and space for modular buildings units to be assembled, creating a temporary test bed for market sustainability. Not only does the Docking Station provide ease of access to varied city locations, but it also exposes the community to new businesses that might not otherwise have had the resources to open.

The importance of the Docking Station is to provide a base and infrastructure as a convenience for all docked businesses. Restroom facilities, docking platforms, utility hookups, and all ADA compliant paths of travel would be carefully designed in the strategic structure, so the modular business container could be as affordable as possible for the new business owner.

Affordability – Significantly cheaper than opening a brick-andmortar business in an untested market.

Speed – The units can be designed, modified, and installed with significantly less time and no red tape given that this is a process that has been honed-in and repeated with success.

Portability – The modular units are easily moved and placed. This provides the ability to test different locations and markets without breaking the bank. Having a portable building also allows the owner to keep their modular unit as an asset not a liability in case of failure (store or sell to minimize loss).

The Docking Station | Knoxville, TN

Spring 2024 | Architectural Design Studio II

Business of the future?

The norms, rules, and conventions were broken throughout this project to explore anticipatory institutionality. Small business failure due to the COVID-19 Pandemic was a driving factor in the vision of a new dynamic business type.

The Docking Station | Knoxville, TN Spring 2024

QUARRY BUNKER

The Quarry Bunker doubles as a bomb shelter and data collection facility. The proposed bunker site is located in an abandoned marble quarry on the outskirts of Knoxville, Tennessee. The kinetic ability of the bunker allows the building to pivot from external risk factors in order to maximize protection, while still allowing for data collection during optimal conditions.

The responsive design element of the Quarry Bunker allows the building to rotate into three separate positions for varying states of readiness. An underground basement joins to a natural underground spring adding a resource for sustainability and longevity. This bunker is designed to provide a shelter that can also be used as a data center during clandestine operations.

Quarry Bunker | Knoxville, TN

2023

Knoxville, TN Map | Taxonomy Diagram |

Defensive Condition

DEFCON is short for Defense Readiness Condition and is the U.S. military’s ranking system for military’s defensive readiness posture in response to a perceived threat to national security.

Section View

This image shows a cut view into the Bunker and Marble Quarry. The view provides a look into the relationship between the bunker, cave and underground water spring.

Quarry Bunker | Knoxville, TN

Fall 2023 | Architectural Design Studio I

METAMORPHOSIS | Poissy, France

VILLA SAVOYE METAMORPHOSIS

The main focus of this project was to re-purpose an existing work of architecture and it’s program into something that could transition the building preservation through an environmental or cultural initiative. Given the site proximity to the toxic Seine River, turning Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye into a water treatment facility seemed appropriate. It was important to manipulate the form without a complete change while also intertwining the architects design philosophy with the functionality of treating water.

Le Corbusier’s 5 Points on Architecture REimagined

The Pilotis Foundation raises the structure in order to mitigate damage from flood waters. It is also important for the structure to breech the river for water collection.

Roof Terrace

Allowing for a maintenance space, the Roof Terrace extends the workspace and provides an observation deck for access to the building’s systems.

Free Plan

Without the need for interior load bearing walls, the Free Plan extends the fluid capacity for the flocculant and sedimentation stations and maximizes the building’s small footprint.

Free Facade

The Free Facade is independent of the structure allowing the systems to become free of building constraints while still being able to penetrate the form.

Banded Windows

Expands natural environment views and provides extra light for the treatment facility employees, increasing productivity.

Above Right Below

Villa Savoye Existing Conditions | Exploded Axonometric Diagram | Perspective Line Drawing |

Pilotis Foundation

HRC TRUSS ASSEMBLY

This project was concerned with exploring new possibilities in design and technology by using Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC). The objective was to create a working script that transformed the robot to an assemblage partner in which a human could interact in a shared workspace. In this project, the KUKA robot retrieved the material for the HRC Truss and held it in a specific location in preparation for human assembly.

To keep the process relatively simple, the truss was designed around one unit that could be repeatable and stackable. The final design was comprised of six individual units that were split into two separate halves of three stacked units. Because the unit required 84 individual pieces to be assembled, a feeder system was also designed to help minimize human error.

All the robot movements were meticulously programmed to ease the build process. The HRC assembly involved one person controlling the scripted robot movements and an additional person nailing the material while the robot held it in place. The precision placement of the material made for consistent results in the construction process. This collaboration highlights the integration of human efforts in design and exemplifies the potential for advanced manufacturing in architecture.

3/4” x 3/4” x 6” 4hr34min