Bryan's 2023 Portfolio

Undergrad Work

Bryan Torres Portfolio

Contents

Introspective Center

Modular Wall

Type Problem

Identity Design

Page 1-8

Page 9-16

Page 17-24

Page 25-32

Page 33-34

Page 35-36

Page 37-38

Page 39-40

Page 41-42

Page 43-44

Page 45-46

Introspective Center

State: Tennessee

City: Memphis

Location: University of Memphis

The introspective center is a place where one can go and clear their mind from school. There are many qualitative and quantitative elements that were added to make the people who use this building have an experience, such as shade, nature, privacy, peace, and renewal. The form of the building follows a U shape to it because the shape allows for privacy on one side and openness on the other for views of nature.

1. Site Location

The location of the site was chosen based off the qualitative experience of it being surrounded by nature, which in turn brings peace and beauty.

3. Cutting of Outdoor Space

To complement the surrounding nature of the area, most of the area of the building is replaced with more nature. It wraps around the outside of the mass and the center of it too, making spaces for tree groves, entry plaza, and courtyards.

2. Initial Mass

The mass determines the area that the introspective center will take. Since it is near an intersection of the school, it should attract the attention of students.

4. Nature and Building

The nature helps bring peace into peoples mind. As people enter to the building they are greeted with the surrounding nature which helps put them at ease, and their minds can be ready to meditate.

Site Plan

5’ 0

Floor Plan

Legend:

1. Vestibule

2. Corridor

3. Bath Room

4. Storage Room

5. Meditation Rooms

6. Hallway

7. Gallery

8. Tree Groves

9. Courtyard

10. Entry Garden

South Elevation

Longitudinal Section

West

George Hunt Gallery

State: Tennessee

City: Memphis

Location: 294 Hernando St

The George Hunt Gallery is a place that has his most famous paintings, a place where the community can show their art, a place where one can also learn how to do art. The design of the project was inspired by cubism, the art style he loved to use. When looking at the diagrams and floor plan one will notice the shapes and lines in it. To make the design feel connected the flat roof is placed above the shapes.

1. Initial Mass

The massing is near the intersection, so it can invite the community to look at art and participate in the community art events.

2. Lines

Lines are cut through the initial mass to create smaller masses that are separated from one another. The separation is ideal so public spaces like the event/ workshop room is not bringing too much noise.

The roof makes the massing of the building seem like a giant rectangle again. To give the ideal experience to the community, one must be close and inside the building to experience the different shaped rooms.

3. Triangles

Triangle cuts were made to make spaces that start small at a point then get big at the end. At the end of the triangle there are points of interest that brings the attention of the community such as fountains, seating areas, and a sculpture.

A circular cut is made on the roof near the outdoor gathering space. The circle can now bring in natural light and can house vegetation, which creates a beautiful moment of nature.

4. Roof

5. Circle

0

North Section

West Section

North Elevation

West Elevation

Perforated Shed

State: Tennessee

City: Memphis

Location: 6903 Great View Dr N

The perforated shed is a cabin in Shelby farms that is 8ft by 16ft. First thing we needed to do was to find a spot to put the cabin, in this case it was located by a trail near mullion station road. The spot for the site is peaceful quiet and has trees surrounding it with animals like deers roaming around. One way to describe it is like a “rift between nature.

The cabin is supposed to be a place where one can meditate and rest, so bringing the idea of rift inspired the design. The rifts on the cabin are the windows so people can look out and observe and meditate if they are inside.

1. Loft Height

The height of the cabins are raised to make room for a loft area. The loft saves space by moving the meditation/bed area upstairs.

2. Gable Roof

As stated in the big idea, rift inspired the project. Having a gabled roof enforces the idea of rift because the slope of the roof splits in the middle.

3. Rift

The main way rift is translated is by having a void space in the center on all the sides of the cabin. The same way the site is exposed in the middle of nature.

4. Material Split

Splitting materials is the third way that the rift idea is inforced. The point where the material is split is in the center and it divides between the first floor and loft

5. Outdoor Room

The slope of the roof and base is extended so an outdoor space can be created. It blocks out sun reflection, and it creates an extra place for meditation

West Elevation

South Elevation

Section A

Section B

0’ 5’ 20’

Splinter Creek Lake House

State: Mississippi

City: Oxford

Location: 484 Co Rd 343,

For this project, we were assigned to design a Lake House in Splinter Creek Mississippi. The first thing that we needed to do was come up with a big idea using what we observed from the site and the client. Some things that stood out in the research were that the client wanted views of the lake and privacy. Another observation that stood out, was that the trees shift all over the site. The trees do not block any direct views of the lake, they give off unique moments where a different pattern of trees is in the foreground while the lake is in the back. Privacy, views of the lake, and shifting inspired the form of the building as seen in the fourth diagram.

The shifting of the house has different views of the lake, giving a different experience for each view. To avoid any of the snakes from being hidden in the grass, most of the outdoor flooring is hardscape. Lastly, the entrance is located near the most public and private parts of the house, so guests can go straight to the public part, and the owners can go straight to the private part.

1. Initial Mass

The mass shows off the area that the house will take. The base under it is concrete that the house shall sit on.

2. Private & Public

The house is divided into four parts that have spaces that are more public in the middle, while the private ones are on the sides.

3. Articulation

The line connects the four masses so one can move through them without having to go outside and then back inside again and again.

4. Shift

The shift creates L shapes which block off, for privacy, on one side and opens the views to the lake on the other side.

5. Roof Form

The roof follows a datum line which helps make the four masses feel like they are connected, instead of separate.

Transverse Section B

West Elevation

Longitudinal Section A

North Elevation

Associated Geometry

State: Tennessee

City: Memphis

Location: University of Memphis

For this project for computer applications 1, we were assigned to make a geometric form that consisted of a line, plane, and mass. The first steps of it was making five mini iterations out of foam core. The idea was not to interpret the forms as buildings so the one I moved forward with ended being one of the ones that was abstract. Ideas of movement were important, so showing that all the pieces were separate was important because it makes it seem like someone can come and move the pieces around. On the final model one can see that the line, plane, and mass are separate to look like one can move them.

Modular Wall

State: Tennessee

City: Memphis

Location: University of Memphis

For this project, we were assigned to design a modular wall that plays with light, brings in heat for the winter and keeps heat away in the summer. The orientation of the wall faces the south, so it shall get most of the heat and light throughout the day. The design that I chose is a triangular one since the city of Memphis Tennessee is named after the Memphis in Egypt I payed homage by using a triangular design. The top of the modules block offs light which is good for the summer heat and light. Its open more on the bottom which brings in more light.

Paper Folding

State: Tennessee

City: Memphis

Location: University of Memphis

For this project we started off with many paper foldings, but had to choose one at the end. For the one that I chose, it was circular and had a spinning motion to it which might remind someone of movement. When making the sections of it, we had to start off with a gesture drawing of the paper folding and then we would follow the lines of those gestures and create sections out of them. Next step was doing miniature models of the sections which help us visualize how the space would feel. Next step was doing the axons which caused the exterior of the building to form. At the end we made the model which gave the final touch of the design. Ultimately from the beginning to the end it was an interesting experience to see the design transform from where it started and from where it ended.

Writers Retreat

State: Tennessee

City: Memphis

Location: University of Memphis

For this project for design visualization, we were assigned to make a cabin for a writer. There was no set program, so we could have anything we wanted to add. For the most part I did not stray away from traditional things a writer would need like book cases and desk. It was our first time ever figuring out spacing for a building. The art style consist of one point and two point perspective drawing.

A Place in the Middle of Nowhere

State: No where

City: Someplace

Location: Far Away

For this computer apps project, we had to make a place that was located nowhere. The parameters for the project was the same for all students such us all having the same form, but the parts where we were free to design was the materials used in the place, and the furniture.

Type Problem

State: Tennessee

City: Memphis

Location: University of Memphis

For this computer apps 2 project we had to play with letters and design something out of them. The prompts that were used were scale, negative/ positive, pattern, congestion, tension, and playful. Those prompts played a role in the design of the type problems.

Identity Design

State: Tennessee

City: Memphis

Location: University of Memphis

For this computer apps project we had to design our own brand logo for our fantasy business. For the fantasy business that I designed it was about selling juice that brings joy to people who drink it. It is called Joy-Joy Juice, and the name took inspiration from “Yum-Yum sauce”. Using the letter J, I was able to make eyes off of it. The graphic consist of a cup with juice in it and J’s for the eyes and a D for the mouth. For bus stops and tote bags, one it abandons its original cup and uses the borders of the squares for its cup design.

Joy-Joy Juice

To, Archie Davis Jones Architect

William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” is a story that depicts a boy who is internally struggling with loyalty to his father, and morality. Sarty Snopes is loyal to his father Abner Snopes, a barn burner. Sarty Snopes is a ten-year-old boy, he and his family have moved twelve times as a result of Abner Snope burning down barns. The story points to Faulkner’s Nobel prize speech where he states that “The human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing”, because the story shows how Sarty is in conflict with himself, wanting to be loyal to his father but also wanting to do the right thing, in the end, he has to choose one. Through many situations that caused grief, despair, joy, and peace, Sarty finally makes a moral choice.

In Barn Burning the first few pages show how Sarty struggles with loyalty and how he feels about it. The first instance that is shown in the story is when Sarty, must choose at the first trial. The trial takes place in a general store where Sarty can smell the food from the cans nearby. When Sarty smells the food from the cans, it reminds him of “The smell and sense just a little of fear because mostly of despair and grief, the old fierce pull of blood”, this lets the reader know that he is feeling fear from his despair (206). Whenever Mr. Harris is giving his alibi to the Justice, Sarty refers to them as “Our enemy” because they are against his father (206). The only reason why Sarty views Mr. Harris and the Justice as his enemies is because his father Abner does not like them, and since Sarty is loyal to his father he views them as enemies. Mr. Harris had Sarty taken out of the court so he can save him from all the pressure and guilt he would have felt if he lied. Although Sarty is willing to lie for Abner, he felt fear, despair, and grief, because he knows that lying is not the right thing to

Portfolio Bryan Torres 2023