2025 COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO
ETHAN THOMAS
ASCENT AT HAVEN
THIS STUDIO PROJECT PROPOSES A TRAUMA-INFORMED RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY FOR AT-RISK YOUNG ADULTS (AGES 18–24) AT HAVEN FOR HOPE IN SAN ANTONIO, TX. THIS PROJECT WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH THREE PHASES: EXPLORATION, INNOVATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION. THE WORK TRANSLATES RESEARCH ON TRAUMA-INFORMED DESIGN (TID), SENSORY TRIGGERS, AND SUPPORTIVE SPATIAL QUALITIES INTO AN INTEGRATED ARCHITECTURAL PROPOSAL THAT COUPLES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY WITH HIGH-PERFORMANCE, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN.
THE BUILDING IS ORGANIZED AS THREE INTERCONNECTED RESIDENTIAL WINGS ABOVE A SHARED COMMUNAL PODIUM. GROUND-LEVEL PROGRAMS (INCLUDING CLASSROOMS, LIBRARY, STUDY AREAS, LAUNDRY, STORAGE, AND GATHERING SPACES) PROMOTE ACCESS TO SHARED RESOURCES AND FOSTER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. RESIDENTIAL UNITS OCCUPY LEVELS 2–5 IN A DORMITORY STYLE CONFIGURATION, WITH DEDICATED WINGS FOR WOMEN (NORTH), LGBTQ+ RESIDENTS (CENTER), AND MEN (SOUTH). BRIDGES AT LEVELS 2 AND 3 CONNECT THE WINGS, ENABLING VISIBLE CIRCULATION WHILE MAINTAINING DISTINCT IDENTITIES FOR EACH COMMUNITY. COURTYARDS INSERTED BETWEEN THE WINGS PROVIDE RESTORATIVE OUTDOOR RETREATS, INCLUDING AN ELEVATED COURTYARD THAT PRESERVES THE CENTRAL GROUND FLOOR FOR COMMUNAL USE.
TRAUMA-INFORMED PRINCIPLES GUIDE BOTH SPATIAL ORGANIZATION AND LIVED EXPERIENCE. GLAZED RECEPTION AREAS AT EACH RESIDENTIAL ENTRY CREATE CLEAR, SUPPORTIVE THRESHOLDS THAT BALANCE TRANSPARENCY AND SECURITY. THE PLAN ELIMINATES BLIND CORNERS AND DEAD ENDS, SUPPORTS INTUITIVE WAYFINDING, AND MAINTAINS CLEAR LINES OF SIGHT. EVEN LIGHTING, LEGIBLE OPEN SPACES, AND A CALIBRATED GRADIENT FROM PUBLIC TO PRIVATE ENVIRONMENTS EMPOWER RESIDENTS TO CHOOSE THEIR LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND RETREAT. MULTIPLE UNIT TYPOLOGIES FURTHER REINFORCE AUTONOMY, DIGNITY, AND LONG-TERM HEALING.
- INSTRUCTORS: OVERLAND PARTNERS
- FALL 2025
- COLLABORATION WITH: KAVI PATEL
encouraging residents to access shared resources in a women in the north wing, LGBTQ+ residents in creating visible circulation while maintaining a courtyards provides outdoor retreat: ground level supports the LGBTQ+ wing and preserves the Entry into each residential wing occurs through security and transparency at thresholds. Plan lines of sight. Even lighting, legible open select their level of engagement and retreat. and reinforcing autonomy, dignity, and long
private environments allow residents to select their level of engagement and retreat. residents control over living arrangements and reinforcing autonomy, dignity, and long
MAIN ENTRY VIEW across (TID) to trauma, into a classrooms, in a residents in a level the through long
ENTRY
TEXAS A&M VISITORS CENTER
THIS PROJECT PROPOSES A NEW VISITORS CENTER THAT ANCHORS TEXAS A&M’S HISTORIC TRADITIONS WHILE PROJECTING AN OPTIMISTIC VISION FOR THE UNIVERSITY’S FUTURE. DESIGNED AS A PRIMARY GATEWAY TO CAMPUS, THE BUILDING SUPPORTS RECRUITMENT, ORIENTATION, AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT BY CREATING A CLEAR AND WELCOMING FIRST IMPRESSION. THE DESIGN EMPHASIZES INTUITIVE WAYFINDING, VISIBLE POINTS OF ARRIVAL, AND LEGIBLE CIRCULATION TO REDUCE VISITOR CONFUSION AND ENHANCE THE OVERALL CAMPUS EXPERIENCE.
SPATIAL ORGANIZATION IS GUIDED BY THE GOAL OF MINIMIZING STRESS FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS, MANY OF WHOM ARRIVE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE SCALE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE CAMPUS. TRANSITIONAL SEQUENCES FROM PARKING TO ENTRY, AND FROM EXTERIOR DAYLIGHT TO INTERIOR GATHERING SPACES; ARE CAREFULLY CALIBRATED TO PROVIDE MOMENTS OF PAUSE, ORIENTATION, AND VISUAL CLARITY. DURABLE, HIGH TRAFFIC PUBLIC ZONES ARE PAIRED WITH COMFORTABLE WAITING AND INFORMATION AREAS, ENSURING BOTH EFFICIENCY AND HOSPITALITY.
ULTIMATELY, THE PROPOSAL INTEGRATES ARCHITECTURE, STRUCTURE, AND BUILDING SYSTEMS INTO A COHESIVE FACILITY THAT FUNCTIONS AS BOTH A SYMBOLIC AND PRACTICAL FRONT DOOR TO THE UNIVERSITY, SUPPORTING LONG TERM GROWTH WHILE REMAINING ADAPTABLE TO FUTURE CAMPUS NEEDS.
- INSTRUCTOR: ANDREW HAWKINS
- FALL 2023
- COLLABORATION WITH: ERICK SOLIS
1 - Auditorium
2 - Mechanical Room
3 - Storage
4 - Prep Room
5 - Restrooms
6 - Corp Dorm
7 - Standard Dorm
8 - Cafe
9 - Interactive Screens
10 - Audio Visual Room (AV)
THE SALVATION ARMY COMPLEX
THIS PROJECT PROPOSES A NEW SALVATION ARMY COMPLEX IN BRYAN–COLLEGE STATION DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION’S MISSION OF PROVIDING SHELTER, FOOD, CLOTHING, AND PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE FOR INDIVIDUALS IN NEED. THE DESIGN RESPONDS TO THE REGIONAL CONTEXT AND THE ORGANIZATION’S OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS BY BALANCING FUNCTIONALITY, COST EFFICIENCY, AND A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY. RATHER THAN OVERWHELMING THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, THE PROPOSAL MAINTAINS A HUMAN SCALED PRESENCE THAT INTEGRATES RESPECTFULLY WITH ADJACENT HOUSING WHILE STILL ESTABLISHING A CLEAR INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY.
THE SITE IS ORGANIZED THROUGH A SERIES OF LINEAR BUILDING ADDITIONS THAT ALIGN WITH THE SALVATION ARMY’S PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS AND ALLOW FOR PHASED GROWTH OVER TIME. COURTYARDS, SEATING AREAS, AND OUTDOOR GATHERING SPACES ARE INTERWOVEN THROUGHOUT THE COMPLEX TO FOSTER A SENSE OF INTERNAL COMMUNITY WHILE PROVIDING MOMENTS OF RESPITE AND REFLECTION. A CONTINUOUS BAND OF GLASS AND METAL WRAPS THE PRIMARY CIRCULATION SPINE, GUIDING VISITORS FROM THE SITE ENTRY TO THE RECEPTION AREA AND DEEPER INTO THE INSTITUTIONAL SPACES, REINFORCING CLEAR WAYFINDING AND ACCESSIBILITY.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION STRATEGIES WERE DEVELOPED WITH COST CONTROL AND DURABILITY IN MIND. THE PROJECT INCORPORATES SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS, METAL FRAMING, AND CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS TO CREATE A PRACTICAL AND MAINTAINABLE FACILITY WITHIN BUDGET CONSTRAINTS. EXISTING BRICK ELEMENTS FROM THE CHAPEL ARE REINTERPRETED THROUGH NEW GLASS AND METAL ADDITIONS, ALLOWING THE OLD AND NEW TO MERGE INTO A COHESIVE ARCHITECTURAL EXPRESSION. ULTIMATELY, THE PROPOSAL DELIVERS A FUNCTIONAL, ADAPTABLE COMPLEX THAT SUPPORTS THE SALVATION ARMY’S EVOLVING SERVICES WHILE CREATING A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES.
- INSTRUCTOR: TYRENE CALVSBERT
- FALL 2022
- COLLABORATION WITH: MARTIN CHO
