Gabriel Osmond | University of Waterloo Architecture Portfolio F24 by Gabriel Osmond

Hi, my name is Gabriel Osmond. I’m a third year Architectural Engineering student at the University of Waterloo, and I also studied at the school of architecture for one year. Over the past few years through my educational and work experiences, I have grown a love for parametric and scandinavian design, physical model building, and visually inspired architecture.

In my upcoming 4-month co-op, I hope to improve my understanding of structural compromise in the architectural design process, as well as exploring more abstract and innovative designs in both architecture and graphic roles.

In my spare time, I love to play guitar, race in triathlons, and watch movies (exclusively A24 though...)

Contact Information:

g2osmond@uwaterloo.ca

+1-(416)-858-1349

Gabriel Osmond (Linkedin)

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Tyler Hall, Associate Suite 1200, 351 King St. E. Toronto, Ontario. M5A 0L6

Re: Recommendation of Gabriel Osmond

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

My name is Tyler Hall, and it’s my pleasure to write this letter in support of Gabriel Osmond.

Tyler Hall, Associate Suite 1200, 351 King St. E. Toronto, Ontario. M5A 0L6

Re: Recommendation of Gabriel Osmond

Gabriel and I worked together last fall at KPMB for a period of four months. Over that time, Gabriel proved himself to be valuable member of our design team. He is honest, talented, dependable, and incredibly hard-working. Beyond that, he’s polite, he communicates clearly, is an independent learner, and was a great addition to the office.

My name is Tyler Hall, and it’s my pleasure to write this letter in support of Gabriel Osmond.

His knowledge of model fabrication, digital modeling, 3d printing, rigor and attention to detail is excellent. At the end of his term, he delivered beautiful a 1:50 sectional model for our Arts Commons Expansion project that has proved invaluable as a study and as a communication tool.

Talent aside, Gabriel was a joy to work with. He is a true team player, always managing to ask the right questions, quickly take and understand directions, and deliver on the tasks laid out for him. Without a doubt, I confidently recommend Gabriel to join your team as an intern. As a dedicated and knowledgeable student, I know that he will be a beneficial addition to your organization.

Please feel free to contact me at thall@kpmbarchitects.com should you like to discuss Gabriel’s experiences at KPMB further. I’d be happy to expand my recommendation.

Sincerely,

Tyler Hall

Please feel free to contact me at thall@kpmbarchitects.com should you like to discuss Gabriel’s experiences at KPMB further. I’d be happy to expand my recommendation.

Sincerely,

Tyler Hall

PROFESSIONAL

HALYCON

SACRED WHALE

DUNES An Exploration

Course: ARCH193

Date: April

Instructors: Isabel Ochoa,

Skills: Rhino, Enscape, AI, LR, Physical

Dunes, inspired by the f ilm of the same name, formations: rhythm. The def inition of rhythm

With a site based in the heart of Toronto, one pounding of the footsteps from countless pedestrians, eroding away dirt, or the sounds of vehicles encapsulate this rhythm, and use it to both connect anyone experience this rhythm in a physical building and the

DUNES

Exploration in Rhythm

ARCH193 Design Studio

April 2022

Ochoa, Rick Andrighetti

Twinmotion Excel, PS, Physical Modelling

name, strides to achieve beauty through natural rhythm simply is a strong, regular, repeated action. one can f ind rhythm everywhere - through the pedestrians, the movement of the groundwater vehicles whizzing by. This library’s goal is to connect and grow with the site, but also to let physical aspect through the architecture of the ceramics studio.

Erosion Analysis

As the site is situated on the Don Valley Parkway, natural erosion would be the most present sense of rhythm, thus the one analyzed f irst. This mapping both explores the landscaping rhythm creates, and also provides a sense of the safety and stability of the site.

Site

Lower Don Floor Plain Land Form

TRCA Regulated Area

Shoreline Hazard

Wetlands Area of Interference

Vibrations Analysis

This mapping represents the vibrations contributed by pedestrians, cyclists, and cars in the major intersections near the site. The edges of the curves represent the streets, while the ellipses represent the rhythmic sound and vibrational waves.

Vibrational Movement Study

In order to fully embrace rhythm into the design, I decided to create it from scratch. By gluing a paper drumskin to a basswood cube and using a sander held to the bottom of the drumkskin, vibrational patterns were able to be created with sand. With one cup of sand to start, the sander was held on for 35 seconds total with shots taken 5 second intervals. There are six rounds for six dif ferent vibrational patterns created using unique frequencies.

Selecting the f irst round then projected and traced building and f illed in to then swept to join together box edge, creating the

round of vibrational frequencies, the sand patterns were traced onto a 2D surface, cut into a section size of the form positive and negative space. The edges were together into a 3D object, and were finally capped by the shape of my building.

Morphology

Section Morphology

By converting each tracing into an equidistant section cut, the flowing and rhythmic beauty of the patterns can be directly transferred to the library and are experienced physically as one walks through the library.

Site Plan

The plan is dictated by the formations of the sand. The negative space (from the morphology) is converted into the open air rooms, with shelves and seating directly formed by the curved walls. The positive space is then used to carve out private rooms, all wheelchair accessible. The f low of the sand is continued outside through mounding dunes that interact with the outward juts of the building, blending indoor and outdoor living.

A ceramics studio housed above the library provides an art form available to the public that complements and reinforces the experience of rhythm. With extra tall ceilings for ventilation and a separate kiln room, housed by the gaping curved ceilings, the studio provides a therapeutic escape from the rigidity of Toronto.

Entrance

Exterior Axonometric Render

In the axonometric view, the interaction with the site, landscaping, and materiality can be observed.

Interior Render

shot of the ceramics studio on the second level viewing out onto the Don Valley and King East.

Interior

UPSIDE An Exploration

Course: ARCH110

Date: November

Upside Down is a workshop and housing for the Marxist themes of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. people experiencing homelessness call wearing on the housing and job market, reintegration. This project aims to combat youth experiencing homelessness as well as as cooking, finance, and high school education pedagogy of the nine-square grid and the space can transform people both through

Instructor: Fiona Skills: Rhino, Enscape,

UPSIDE DOWN

Exploration in Division

for youth in transition and was inspired by Metropolis. Situated in Cambridge, ON, a city many call home. Due to repercussions of COVID market, there are not many options for combat this issue by providing housing for two as serving as a space to teach life skills such education to the public. By exploring the design socioeconomical struggle in the region, the through it’s offerings and its architecture.

By plotting the price per square foot of housing in relation to homeless shelters, one can observe the natural geographic divide created through discrimination by developers.

Transit Mapping

In a 2017 study, transporation was revealed to be one of the biggest issues for those utilizing community centers. Therefore, the site chosen is on a major bus line and a 5 minute walk from downtown Cambridge.

Morphology

The imagery of two economically inverse, yet geographically integrated communities in Cambridge sculpted this design. By splitting a cube into thirds then ninths (similar to a Rubik’s Cube) with two alternating meshes inserted, due to the 9-square grid pedagogy, a completely proportionally symmetrical form was created.

Inserting the cube into the site and using the topography and it’s inverse as the opening, a symmetrical opening is created in the mesh. 15 blocks out of 27 are chosen to be used to carve out living spaces from the remaining non-cut mesh, thus deciding the formation of the spaces due to the integration in the mesh. The cut lines of the original 9-square are used to divide the 15 living spaces from each other.

Exploded Axonometric

Exterior 9x9 Aligned Grid

Interior 3D 9x9 Mesh Upper Grid Aligned to Exterior

Interior 9x9 Lower Grid Mesh Aligned to Inverse of Upper

Interior Dividing Walls Aligned to 3x3

Interior Seating Resting on Lower 3D 9x9 Mesh

First-Floor Plan Second-Floor Plan

9 of these carved out spaces can be seen on the f irst f loor plan, 6 on the second f loor plan. Each of these spaces is divided by a partial sliding wall aligned with the exterior grid that can be pulled out and in at will. While the spaces are originally intended so that two spaces are dedicated to work and knowledge, two to teaching, and two to community, 8 of the 9 spaces, excluding the washroom, can be rearranged to adhere to any needs the space desires.

Mesh-Grid Alignment

Every interior furnishing and moment was built specif ically for this space to align with the 9x9 grid. The alignment can be observed in the mesh-grid alignment diagram, which depicts the alignment of the seating and doorways to both the 9-square and offset grids.

PROFESSIONAL WORK

Model Building

During my work term at KPMB Architects in the Fall of 2023, I was grateful to be tasked with building a 1:50 physical study and presentation model to help accelerate design development for one of our projects. As I was responsible for the design, construction, and fabrication of the model, I learned a lot of skills through this.

Learning how to SLA 3D print with resin, spray paint parts, and model in softwares such as Sketchup and Rhino to make pieces clean enough to 3D print were all parts of the process. I also improved my physical model-making skills to the professional level using museum board, foam core, and wood to complement the 3D printed parts.

In the process, I also paved a pathway and created a more productive system to produce in-house physical models, as post-Covid model building had mostly been sent out to external builders. As I encountered a lot of problem solving in terms of printing tolerance and failures, by documenting my issues, solutions, and leaving a precedent, my work will help others create physical models faster and to a higher level of detail than before going forward.

PROFESSIONAL WORK

Johnson Chou Inc

KILLING OF A SACRED WHALE

An Exploration into Thule Culture and Community Dependency

CISC Steel Bridge Competition

Date: May 2022

Instructors: Terri Boake

Skills: Rhino, Enscape, PS, LR, AI

Longitudinal Elevation

In 2003, the planned construction of a bridge over the Sylvia Grinnell River was cancelled due to lack of funding and poor design. Due to the last bridge’s pedestrian exclusivity, the community was not inclined to support this as it did not allow hunting access across the river, the primary desire for crossing. This new bridge is placed in order to make the other side of the river accessible for both pedestrians and hunters due to its cladding and width.

In the rib structure of whale skeletons and huts of Thule Cultures, they both structurally rely on a spine to hold up the leaning ribs. This inspired the structural system, and subsequently the design of the bridge. It also creates an analogy for the hunter’s relaince on the whale bones and the bridge.

Structural Exploded Axonometric

As the bridge is being built near Iqaluit, the resources to weld a structure of this scale are not available, thus leading to bolting methods. Each part is cut to keep the size managable for transportation and construction while balancing the aesthetic compromise of bolted attachments, such as hiding the fin connection in a steel facade to give the illusion of leaning. The bridge will be f inished to AESS 3.

22 mm BOLTED RING-FLANGES AROUND HSS

S275 PLT 22 mm

SHEAR CONNECTION USING WELDED FIN PLATE

250 x 200 mm HIDDEN BOLTED HSS SPLICES

732

mm (DIAMETER) LARGE CIRCULAR HOLLOW CORE SECTION (LCHS)’

732 mm (DIAMETER) LARGE CIRCULAR HOLLOW CORE SECTION (LCHS)

100 mm DIAMETER BOLTED OVERLAPPING SPLICE

22 mm BOLTED RING-FLANGES AROUND HSS

300 mm DIAMETER LARGE CIRCULAR HOLLOW CORE SECTION (LCHS) SEAMED AT 9 m INTERVALS

250 x 200 mm HIDDEN BOLTED HSS SPLICES (FLOOR BEAMS) WELDED TO TOE TUBE (AT 3 m INTERVALS)

HALYCON Combatting Malnutrition

Date: May

In a world tarnished by both environmental the existing building stock that will exist in adjust our ideologies and architecture to what we set out to do. When addressing and came to light: missed WHO target goals, obesity, wasting, stunting, and lack of educational contribute to the fight against these, we goals for our project: To increase the quality opportunities for children, create a free, recreational, women and children, and to establish an

Kaira Looro

In Collaboration With:

Samira El Badaui, Skills: Rhino, Enscape,

HALYCON HAVEN

Malnutrition in Senegal

Competition

May 2022

environmental and social tragedy, and with only 50% of 2050 already built, it is important that we fit our ever-changing world. This is exactly and scanning this location, many problems goals, anemia and lack of breastfeeding, child educational opportunities. Wanting to help were able to narrow down to three main quality and availability of educational recreational, and safe space for developing an inviting space for activity and exercise.

With: Alex Li, Dua Junaid, Badaui, Arkin Kathuria

Enscape, Excel, PS, AI, LR

Site Plan

Floor Plan

East Elevation

South Elevation

Interior Render

Our materials were chosen to satisfy three agendas: A total building cost of under 35,000 Euros, a completely sustainable framework, and create an organic and natural atmosphere. In order to achieve all three of these goals, we decided to use as many local materials as we could. After a study on the clay deposits in the area, it was determined that given the pseudo-hexagonal structure composed of quartz and kaolinite, the clay would be strong enough to be used as bricks. An 8-15% cement additive is also mixed into the clay to achieve better weathering against the elements and to withstand higher compression forces for the higher load-bearing sections. Our roof consists of a bamboo framework, as it is a common building material in Senegal, which then has Typha weed lain across it. Typha, a disastrous invasive species in Senegal, has been growing rapidly in the Senegal River, causing public health, water supply security, and biodiversity issues. Given its excess of availability and its excellent thermal insulative properties, this was the perfect roofing element. Local beechwood slats are used for the structural framing and siding, and a concrete slab is poured for both the clean, interior space as well as the at-grade-level foundation.

Exterior Render

In terms of educational opportunities, we wanted this to naturally tie in with learning styles that Senegalese children were familiar with. This is demonstrated in our organic and circular floor plan, which reflects the genius loci, or the spirit of a place in Senegal’s primarily clay and cylindrical vernacular architecture. We were able to harness these classic theories and utilize their circular shape to naturally encourage interaction and communication in both their child and adult classes. While offering a range of courses from providing information on malnutrition and pregnancy to general education for children, the main goal is to reach self-sufficiency. This extends our outreach, as skills do not have to be exclusively learned here, but rather can be applied, shared, and built upon in the future.