[PORTFOLIO. ] Gregor Vincent Tillman _2023

[PORTFOLIO. GREGOR

VINCENT

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TILLMAN

[GREGOR VINCENT TILLMAN. ] DESIGNER

Hi, I am a determined graduate architecture student at the University of Southern California. Working to solve the complex relationship between people and the built environment, the ideas of my work show the manipulations I believe the architecture has the power to make in how we exist as a society.

EDUCATION

M. Arch. In progress. . . . . . . . . . . . .University of Southern California B. A. Architecture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Miami University B. A. Urban & Regional Planning . . . . . . . . . . . .Miami University

AWARDS

2nd Place . . . . .USC Architectural Guild Design Charrette 2024 Departmental Honors . . . .. . . Miami Department of Architecture

PROGRAMS

Autodesk Revit • Rhino 7 • Grasshopper • Adobe Photoshop • Adobe Illustrator • Adobe Indesign

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[THE NEW AMERICAN

“AMENDED” DREAM. ]

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[NORTHGATE TOMORROW .MALL REDEVELOPMENT. .

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[CO-DIVIDUAL URBANISM. ]

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[EXPORTING .OHIO RIVER

EDUCATION: VALLEY. ]

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[DESCRIPTIVE & COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL GEOMETRIES. ]

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[KIT OF NEGATIVE

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[EXPLORATIONS . FRACTALS 001.

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PARTS SPACE.

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[YOUNG ADULT LIBRARY & COMMUNITY CENTER. ]

[ E X P L O R A T I O N S F R A C T A L S

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Fractals appear in natural growths of plants, geography, cities, the human body, almost anywhere. But to connect fractals to the architectural design process, that is much more difficult.

While fractals do exist in architecture, such as temples in southeast Asia, the goal is not ornament or decoration, but of organization, form, and space. This first exploration does not accomplish those final goals but has taught the framework for continually development and exploration of fractal architecture.

Academic - Prof. Sanabria Fall 2021 Conceptual 01

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This project originally started with an assignment to develop a fractal design interpretation using layers of laser cuts of the short story The Library of Babel by Jorge Luis Borges. A fractal is a shape or form that repeats at a variety of scales. The process to developing a fractal involves creating an initiator, and repeating the pattern across multiple iterations.

From the development of a short hexagonal pattern, this advanced form is created. Large plateaus and Sharp cliffs come out, unpredictable from the initial generation sequence. The magic of infinites is the wild possibilities of the iterations from the simple start. Because of the manipulations on the infinite of the fractal, there is no longer the obvious repeating pattern of the generator.

This fractal form explores the infinite in a dynamic way, as one can fall so quickly deep into the form. What was once the tall points and first iterations of the original fractal become the bottom points and wide valleys on the form’s floor.

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[ T H E

N E W

A M E R I C A N

“ A M E N D E D ” D R E A M .

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The USC Architectural Guild hosts an annual week-long design charrette. This project was awarded second place.

The Competition brief asked for Adaptive Reuse of the abandoned Lincoln Heights Jail and a mixed-use development along the Metro line that re-imagines the American Dream. The site included an existing greenway and was against the Los Angeles River.

Competition Spring 2024 Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, California Collaboration - Charles Lafon, Ernest Tse 07

Metro Station Forum

Small Grocer on ground floor

Single Loaded Apartments Ed P. Reyes River Greenway

Courtyard Townhouses

Daycare Center

Bird Habitat

Co-Housing on Uppper Floors

Community Garden

Pier Over Tracks 08

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The American Dream has always been at its core a vision of equality, freedom, and individuality. However, as the traditional formulation of this ideal becomes increasingly impossible to achieve in modern America, it has become necessary to “amend” our manifestation of the American Dream. Equality must include spatial and financial accessibility and the individual must be recognized as part of a community – “We, the People” – who collectively wield agency over the form and function of their built environment.

The transformation of the jail from a prison to a place of liberation is represented through the breaking of physical barriers. Most interior walls are removed, and the back facade is replaced with a hangar door that opens during the daytime to reveal a large internal atrium.

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The Cul-De-Sac is a traditional suburban form that has been reimagined into the center of a retail square. The space remains a place of play and sociality – now for all ages and all types of people.

Also connected is the transit station, linking the broader city directly to the upper level of the jail / creativity hall.

The core of the residential space is a series of twenty-eight townhouses in blocks of four. The traditional American Dream includes the ability to buy a home, however that is becoming further and further out of reach. These townhouses blend the independence of having your own home with the density of the city, a walkable urban fabric, and a community of all ages.

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[NORTHGATE MALL

TOMORROW

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REDEVELOPMENT.

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Colerain Township is one of Ohio’s largest townships in both land area and population, however, Northgate Mall, in the center of town since 1972, has become a struggling eyesore.

Following Colerain’s RFP, we reimagined the land from large parking lots and an empty building to a dense mixed-use urban core, also replacing the stroad containing the majority of Colerain’s commercial space.

At the end of the semester, after multiple meetings with the city, we handed them a 40 page plan to extend to developers.

Academic - Prof. Prytherch Spring 2023 Colerain, Cincinnati, Ohio Collaboration - ReDEV 13

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PUBLIC SPACE MODELS

Local Placemaking

Creating a place for residents and visitors to host events will draw people to Colerain.

Defining Colerain with landmarks will give the new development a sense of place.

INDOOR / OUTDOOR SPACE

Central Indoor / Outdoor Community Center

NORTHGATE SITE AS A LOCAL LANDMARK

Functional outdoor spaces are important to sustainable design. However, the weather in Ohio can be unpredictable and for almost half the year too cold for outdoor spaces. A space that can be both indoors and outdoors would solve these issues and create a multi-use public space for Colerain residents. Public areas are reserved predominantly in the summer months, and venues are often judged based on their outdoor accessibility. Garage doors, as shown in the image to the left, would be ideal, as you could adjust the setting for individual occasions. Open doors would also create overflow space, and increase overall occupancy.

Making efforts towards placemaking is the reason why patrons continuously come back to places. It makes the site a unique and vibrant place for people to dine, shop, live, work, and play. Adding creative placemaking will create a sense of place, attract visitors, enhance community engagement, and showcase diverse artistic perspectives. Northgate Mall has been a significant part of the community for over 50 years, so the redeveloped site must find ways to connect back to the local community.

Using the area for events such as concerts, community days, and food trucks will add economic development opportunities to the new Northgate site.

This space promotes a central area surrounded by seating. While grass is included, this has significantly less square footage.

In the middle of the development, Northgate Tomorrow plan includes a unique type of community center. This building could be three or more stories, with offices and residential units on the second and third floor. The first floor would include a large, open area with glass retractable walls. When the walls are open, the inside of the first floor connects seamlessly to the surrounding green space. This would provide a very large, partially covered courtyard for outdoor events, including farmer’s markets and outdoor concerts. When the weather is lessthan-ideal, the walls can be closed and indoor events can be held. This can provide economic development to the community and it can attract people from all over the region to the new development for business or lesiure purposes.

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Liberty Center Mall (Liberty, OH) has open green space for patrons to use throughout their development.

Murals and Local Art

Sculptures

Local Identifiers

Murals and local art can transform a mundane space into a vibrant one by adding color, beauty, and visual interest. These installations can often become wayfinding tools and help create designated photo spots, and encourage users to share their experiences at the Mall site on social media.

Sculptures can also enhance the Mall site by creating visual focal points. The threedimensional aspects of the sculptures can capture patron’s attention and draw them toward a section of the Mall. Sculptures can often be a landmark to a development, providing increased local identity.

Local identifiers can help patrons of the Mall site feel more connected to a physical space. These identifiers may include the architectural design, the branding of the site, or the historical significance. Having local identifiers in the new development will add to the sense of place.

Photo: Pheasant Lane Mall, Nashua, New Hampshire.

Photo: Great Lakes Mall, Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Photo: Burlington Mall, Burlington Massachusetts.

An example of a community space with large garage doors that can be opened in ideal weather to host outdoor events.

Ru Paré Community (Amsterdam, NL) has garage doors throughout the entire lower floor to allow for indoor/outdoor space.

The same community space as in the photo to the left but with the walls closed to illustrate how bright the community center can be, even in the winter.

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Case Studies

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The case studies below show success stories of redevelopment projects. This is included in an effort to show examples of best practices that can be replicated at the Northgate site.

Metro North Mall Kansas City, Missouri Metro North Mall had a very similar story to Northgate Mall. Both were built in the 1970’s and steadily declined in occupany. Metro North Mall was redeveloped into a mixed-use town center, and this type of redevelopment can be replicated at Northgate. Adding housing and community space to retail has been successful at Metro North Mall.

Best Practices

CREATING A PARK-LIKE ATMOSPHERE Green spaces throughout the redevelopment will provide numerous benefits for the Colerain community. The current Northgate site is covered in fifty acres of concrete with a very minimal incorporation of nature. Adding green spaces have been proven to promote physical and mental health by offering opportunities for excercise and having a calming effect on people, which reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, making these changes can have environmental benefits by mitigating climate change, reducing pollution, improving air quality, providing habitats for wildlife, and supporting biodiversity. In addition to the environmental benefits, adding sustainable aspects to the development can yield economic benefits by enhancing property values. Green space is important for a community as it provides multiple benefits that contribute to the overall well-being and quality of life of Northgate residents and people living in Colerain Township.

SECTION

Community Spaces

Easton Town Center Columbus, Ohio Easton Town Center is a unique example because a mall was planned for the site but never developed. A mixed-use town center was developed instead and it implemented the appropriate best practices from the start. The development has had success and is a popular destination for residents and visitors to work, live, and play.

Researching models and strategies for mall redevelopment that can be applied in Colerain Township

A community center in the middle of the development, with retractable doors that offer indoor and outdoor events. rendering by Julia Nawa

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Tri-County Mall Springdale, Ohio A work in progress, TriCounty Mall in Springdale is being transformed into “Artisan Village.” Vacant former big box stores are being replaced by housing. A dog park, bike trails, and many outdoor spaces for community activities are being added to the development.

The long-term sustainability of the site has been greatly increased.

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SECTION

LAND USE MODELS

Site Background

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Northgate Mall is located in Colerain Township, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. Colerain Township is home to over 59,000 residents as of 2020 and has a median age of 39 years.

The total area of Colerain Township is 43.3 square miles. The site includes 915,000 square feet of rentable building area which is larger than average for a regional mall, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). The land area of the Northgate site is roughly 50 acres. Currently, the site has around a 60% retail and dining occupancy rate including national and regional brands. There are four shadow anchor stores that are attached to the Mall but have individual entrances facing Colerain Avenue.

Financial Tools

Financial Case Studies

There are many financial tools and strategies that can be used to finance the redevelopment of the Northgate site.

Examining success stories from other malls can help determine which financial strategies may be most helpful in the redevelopment of the Northgate site.

TIF

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is an economic development tool established by local jurisdictions to improve private property designated as blighted for public use. This is done using future increase in taxes on the improved property. Ohio law designates TIF when property improvements constitute a public purpose, as stated in Ohio Revised Code Section 5709.40.

TMUD

Transformational Mixed-Use Development (TMUD) is a program that provides a tax credit against development costs for projects that will provide major economic impacts. Colerain would fall in the general category of program funding, and the Northgate site must include at least two mixed uses to be eligible.

The tax credit can be claimed through Ohio Revised Code Section 5725.35 or 5729.18.

OTHER

Other tools, such as Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) can be used to help finance the redevelopment. A BID is made up of businesses and property owners in an area in which special taxes and fees are collected to improve the area. They can be used for economic development, maintenance, and other services. Additionally, bond financing and revolving loan funds can be used to borrow money to finance parts of the project.

HIGH VACANCY MALL Similar to other communities with regional malls built in the 1970’s, Colerain Township has a high vacancy mall that has a negative impact on adjacent retail corridors. The Mall is currently 40% vacant and is mostly occupied by locally owned retailers.

Reimagining

EXCESS OF PARKING Nearly 60% of the 50 acre site is currently used for parking. This type of automobile dependancy is outdated and non-sustainable. Parking lots of this size are designed to accommodate the busiest shopping day of the year, and most spaces are often empty.

Northgate

LACK OF COMMUNITY SPACE With a nearly exclusive focus on retail, the site lacks green space and places to hold indoor and outdoor community events. A site of this size along a busy corridor is ideal for community spaces ,and the lack of these spaces is a missed opportunity.

INTRODUCTION Northgate Mall is located in Colerain Township, Ohio. The Mall is at the center of the community, and for decades it was a hub for retail, community gatherings, and entertainment.

In recent years, however, indoor malls around the nation have been in decline. Northgate Mall is no exception. The site is currently facing increasing retail vacancies, an excess of empty parking spaces, and an aging aesthetic. This plan, drafted by the Miami ReDev student team, introduces strategies and a vision for the possible redevelopment of the Mall site. The Northgate site has an abundance of potential. This plan helps reimagine Northgate as a mixed-use town center for the Colerain Township of the future.

LACK OF HOTEL SPACE Colerain Township is currently suffering from a lack of hotel space. The site, being among busy corridors, provides an excellent opportunity for hotel space and possibly a convention center to bring medium sized events and guests to the community.

SECTION

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Cincinnati Business Courier

“TRI-COUNTY MALL REDEVELOPMENT: $200M IN TAX INCENTIVES...”

ABC WCPO

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Colerain Overview

Public Opinion

The Northgate site is at the center of Colerain Township and at a key regional crossroads, direclty adjacent to I-275. To provide context to this plan, it is important to understand the elements that currently make up the community. This will help to market the new project and create a successful and sustainable development at the Northgate site.

In efforts to gain public opinion information, ReDev developed a survey using Survey123 and distributed the survey through social media. As of the publication of this plan, the survey yielded over 300 results.

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A centralized green space surrounded by possible retail and residences. Bringing plenty of green spaces into the development will be of great benefit.

Legacy Village (Lyndhurst, OH) is a mixeduse development that gives patrons an opportunity to live, work and play in one area.

East 4th Street (Cleveland, OH) was closed for entertainment and outdoor dining to promote economic development after the pandemic.

A pedestrian friendly, mixed-use area with plenty of nightlife activities. These and similar activities, such as DORA can bring in economic development.

Using unique architecture in the development will help define the area and bring placemaking elements into the community.

This plan, based on public and stakeholder feedback, combines elements of Option One and Option Three and aims to shift the way that we think about the Northgate site. It is currently viewed as a mall site, but the future Northgate site should be viewed as a community n which people live, work, and play. Northgate Tomorrow would continue to include retail but also bring in new townhomes, senior housing, a hotel and convention center, and plenty of space for the community to enjoy events. Northgate Tomorrow is walkable and bikeable so that pedestrians feel more safe and welcome to spend their time at the site. The new development could have improved connectivity to major roads, as well as connectivity to the adjacent neighborhood of houses. The site use and functionality would then be shifted from retail and automobile to a mixed-use community in which all businesses, residents, and visitors can thrive.

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Option 2

The bike and walking trail can be found in bottom left corner of the site plan and it connects the adjacent neighborhood to the current development. Considering that senior citizens currently utilize Northgate Mall for walking and exercise, this plan recommends senior housing close to the trails so that senior citizens will have a place to exercise close to their homes.

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Option 3

PARK CENTERED

EVENT FOCUSED

* all quotes are included anonymously.

“Currently our community does not have a central community gathering spot. One that brings everyone together. We like the community feel.”

DEMOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW

“We want to attract people from outside of Colerain to live here and keep our kids here, as well as make it a destination for people who live outside the area.”

LOCAL HOUSING MARKET

“Upkeep and security are of the greatest importance in my opinion.

The optics need to change.”

Colerain offers 24,297 housing units. 74% are owned by residents, 82% are single-family, and the average value is $175,000

SENSE OF COMMUNITY

70% of residents say that Colerain has a good sense of community. Unemployment is low at 2.9%.

“Would really love a hotel in the area. There are no decent areas for visitors to stay.”

“I would just like to see something go in this spot. It is the center of Colerain and we need things to draw in interest and people. ”

Making the Pieces Fit Together Colerain has the potential to become the largest township in Ohio but needs more activity and entertainment within the Township to create a strong local identity. The true identity of Colerain is unclear, similar to many other townships in Ohio.

Currently, Colerain Avenue is dominated by retail, restaurants, and traffic. With the mall being in close proximity to Miami University and University of Cincinnat, there are plenty of potential population feeders within a few dozen miles. The statistics are promising, but a town center is needed to gain a greater sense of community and make Colerain a place to invest money and time.

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Surrounded by residences, these bars and restaurants have a solid, returning customer base and the opportunity to create a tight-knit community.

Analyzing and understanding this resident feedback will give Colerain Township insight into what may be the best plan moving forward.

This prompt was found at the beginning of the survey:

The average age of Colerain Township residents is 39 years old.

Roughly 60% of residents are between the ages of 18 and 64.

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Rendering of Tri-County Mall’s redevelopment efforts, made possible by Tax Increment Financing

Resident Feedback

ECONOMICS OF COLERAIN

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“The city of Springdale has approved a tax increment financing incentive worth $200 million to the Texas companies pursuing a $1.1 billion redevelopment of Tri-County Mall. Those developers have accelerated the pace of their project to include a hotel and concert facility in its $431 million first phase. Springdale City Council approved an April 20 ordinance that allows the developer to use tax increment financing or TIF payments for municipal bonds. Springdale authorized an Urban Redevelopment TIF that allows the developer to create new real estate parcels for every phase of the Tri-County project. The debt will be paid back over 30 years with property tax revenue that would have gone to local governments from the incremental value of new construction.”

Below is a sample of quotes that were taken from comments left on the survey.

The median household income is $66,753, higher than the average in Hamilton County and 10% higher than the Ohio average.

Community Context

“Six Greater Cincinnati developers have applied for the state’s new transformational mixed-use development tax credits, seeking a combined $86.4 million. The program provides tax credits to help finance new construction or renovation of vacant buildings in mixed-use projects that are expected to catalyze development and the economies in their areas. The projects have to have a combination of retail, office, residential and other uses.

The credits will be awarded in early 2023, according to the Ohio Department of Development. The program’s first round of recipients was announced earlier this year, with only Hamilton’s Spooky Nook development landing funds locally.”

USING TIF TO FINANCE REDEVELOPMENT For TIF to be used at the Northgate site, it must be designated as a TIF district and property taxes would be frozen for a designated period. This would benefit the Northgate site and Colerain by directly increasing the Northgate property value and surrounding property values. Bonds may also be issued to fund initial and proceeding improvements.

Using TIF at the Northgate site would benefit the site owner by freezing their taxes during the development and would provide a considerable increase in revenue from the new development.TIF can be used in many ways, including funding of parks, bike trails, and community spaces.

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Colerain Township is one of twelve townships in Hamilton County, Ohio. It is also the second largest township in Ohio by area.

“CINCINNATI DEVELOPERS VYING FOR $86M IN STATE TAX CREDITS”

Site Plan Renderings:

Modernized Uses & Functionality

“A place for people to gather safely and enjoy a nice evening out.

A variety of shopping, housing and community gathering.”

“Would love to see something more like Findlay Market, the newly redone Court street with more pedestrian space, more connection to the outdoors, indoor/outdoor kids play space, more independent restaurants”

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ENHANCED GREEN SPACE

Option two emphasizes the importance of preserving natural resources, promoting healthy living, and creating vibrant communities. This option involves aesthetically pleasing green spaces throughout the development that serve multiple purposes. These green spaces may include parks, gardens and other innovative green space design elements.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FORWARD

In addition to providing recreational opportunities, green spaces can also serve as ecological and environmental buffers. They will reduce the impacts of pollution, mitigate storm water runoff, decrease urban heat and provide habitat for wildlife. This option aims to maximize these environmental benefits by selecting appropriate plant species and incorporating sustainable features such as rain gardens and permeable pavements.

COMMUNITY HUB

Option Three includes two purple squares that sit on either end of the green space represent an amphitheater or small stage to serve as the centerpiece for public events. This design is supposed to encourage events sponsored by Colerain Township to create a more tight knit community and attract more investment.

Option Two presents a redevelopment plan that prioritizes green space in the new development.

This plan would add many trees that would provide shade, parks, and other green spaces within the new development.

STRATEGIC SEPARATION

With events occurring in the large community area, it would be best to separate the residential areas from the retail and hotel to provide residents with an area somewhat disconnected from the public. In addition, there are two other green spaces next to the residences, so those who live on site do not need to solely rely on the community hub for green space.

A mixed-use overall with localized areas of the development being specialized is ideal for long-term sustainability.

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Option Three presents a redevelopement option that puts a hotel and convention center at the heart of the development. All retail and community activity would revolve around the hotel and convention center.

In alignment with the Colerain Comprehensive plan, the proposed mall redevelopment serves “community and regional-oriented business uses that tend to locate along streets with relatively high traffic volumes” as well as “mixed-use development that integrates retail commercial, service commercial uses, office space, with major box stores and chain restaurants.”

Work involved a pre-proposal meeting with township village officials, organizing and running a proposal delivery and stakeholder visioning meeting, presenting a draft plan for stakeholder feedback, and delivering the completed plan, all within three months. The scope of work included analysis of existing conditions, research on best practices and case studies in mall redevelopment, stakeholder engagement, primary and alternative plans base on input, and research and identification of implementation strategies, particularly financial possibilities and public and private partnerships.

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[ C O - D I V I D U A L U R B A N I S M .

]

Los Angeles is experiencing a severe housing crisis. To explore new was to add housing to the Los Angeles region, this project is asked to explore co-housing as a method for exploring a potential new typology of housing.

This means that the more that two thirds of the building becomes shared space among all the residents, and it is not site specific, instead the form is adaptable to a variety of site in the greater Los Angeles area, increasing density and restoring community.

Academic - Prof. Predock Fall 2023 Los Angeles, California Collaboration - Kenechukwu Ekwueme 17

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The design concept started with two different ideas coming together. The first is a split of the private and shared spaces between different floors. This split is to distinguish the difference between individual and communal life.

The second idea is to make this an adaptable typology. To do this, the towers of private-shared-private-shared are separated by a hinge tower that includes the elevator as well as a bigger staircase. The buildings can be rotated significantly around this hinge to become adaptable to a variety of different sites.

As each tower contains rooms for 32 residents, three towers are selected that are most import on the site to displaying the typology and work best as a single look into the typology.

The first floor of the typology is a public shared space that can vary among the differing building blocks. These three buildings have a market, leasing and cafe, and a small restaurant, although this floor can adapt to a variety of uses.

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Floor 4

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Floor 3

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The section is an important representation of the project. The previous spread shows an unrolled section. The cut line is marked on the plans previously.

The private stories are colored red and the shared stories are blue. The unrolled section also makes visible much more of the vertical circulation. Minor spiral stairs exist to connect a private space down to a shared space.

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A focus of this project is on the design and as a representation of a typology. Because of this, the representation of the project is not using realistic renders but instead using different methods architectural representation.

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[ E X P O R T I N G

E D U C A T I O N -

O H I O

V A L L E Y .

R I V E R

]

Traditionally, the Ohio River was the centerpiece of the surrounding region and its industrial economy. However, the region is now in turmoil. It struggles struggles with purpose, as much of the identity and culture has been exported to other countries. This project takes the past identities and skills and uses them to create an educational institution that spreads itself across the region. The industries of chemistry & energy, botany & sustainablity, metalworking, and woodworking all come together in educational facilities on site.

Academic - Prof. Kruth Spring 2023 Parkersburg, West Virginia Collaboration - Simon Peschong, Jason Loeb 25

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Decline of manufacturing in small cities along the Ohio River, 1980 - 2019 27

The history of the region provides an important backdrop for what is needed in the region and why this educational institution is important. The river had evolved since the early 1800’s to become an industry hub, as the resource rich region shipped coal, steel, and other goods down towards the Mississippi, and rail could haul the goods elsewhere. Times changed however, starting in the second half of the twentieth century, and as industry slowly crawled to a stall, so did the economy of the region. big steel facility shutting down in a town could just about destroy the towns prosperity, and soon many communities along the Ohio River started to struggle behind the industrial remains. However, people are still fighting with their skills, values, beliefs, and communities to bring back the region to what it once was.

Our regional intervention is an education facility that is situated in Parkersburg, West Virginia, central to the Ohio River Valley. The site itself places itself towards the industrial side of town, between a rail line going through and the Ohio River. The core concept is that part of the facility is the development of exhibits, educational pop-ups, and resources. These can be shipped along either the railroad or along the river all across the region.

More locally, The school is ready to engage directly with the neighboring towns, working with already set up cultural institutions to create an immediate impact to the area around Parkersburg.

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The building is split into two floors. The First floor includes a variety of lab spaces on the south side, circulation reaching though the building on the north side, and the port on the west side. The side also includes a rail connection for two boxcars to fit in to load and unload exhibits. The First floor is also inturrupted by outdoor courtyards halfway through and immediately preceding the court. The second floor mostly smaller offices and labs, as well as upstairs viewing to the port. Notably the roof sweeps low and so the middle portion has hgiher ceilings but no space for a second floor.

The long section shows off the roof for we came up

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with, as well as some vision as to the its structure.

The roof is primary curved corten steel, giving it the orange rust color. The structure holding it up is an array of I beam steel columns creating a V shape.

The procession from entering on the east side and going past all the departments, labs and workspaces to the port is a metaphorical transformation of taking the older talents, capabilities, and skills, evolving them through the instititution and finally releasing them as modernized tools to create a better future for the region.

Second Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

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[ D E S C R I P T I V E A R C H I T E C T U R A L

&

C O M P U T A T I O N A L G E O M E T R Y .

Design and geometry shares a fundamental interest in form and shape. Descriptive and computational architectural geometry aims to address the various natures of the relationship between mathematics, geometry, computation, and architecture.

The investigation is in incorporating developable surfaces, quad panelization, and complex panelization. These are methods in which advanced curved surfaces can be converted from a computational ideal into a physical manifestation.

Academic - Prof. Conway Fall 2023 Conceptual 33

Collaboration - Anna Simpson, Lauren Brown, Jackson Hamilton

]

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This series of investigations into modeling transform the curved forms of the parametric computer into physical manifestations. This is done through a series of deductions, topological classifications, surface analyses, and material deformation.

The model itself serves as a tactile environment of learning the physical assembly of the complex form, allowing for studies of light and space.

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[KIT

OF

PARTS

NEGATIVE

SPACE.

: ]

The weight of the concrete massing evokes the ideas of rock dwellings, ancient monoliths, and remains of a history no longer alive.

Equally, it reads as an intersection between a Parenessi interior and a brutalist Escher.

A balance between sculpture and architectural form, this study of volume explores design and form through the process of a kit of parts.

And while this model is a form based on a kit of parts, these parts are not as obvious as the final product suggests. This project explores a kit of parts method, using the kit to create a negative space, and being a mold for concrete to create the true final form.

Independent Fall 2022 Conceptual Collaboration - Keenan Bellasari 37

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Most architecture reveals itself to be two dimensional or even one dimensional. A simple floor plan with a simple extrusion reads as a two dimensional design, with limited care if any for the section. A simple double loaded corridor could be seen as one dimensional architecture. A single line could be representative of the whole building: room - hall - room all represented with a single line, strung back in space to define a floor, then up in space to define a multiplicity of floors.

different. This is due to the concrete block being so different as one goes back in space through the form. The form can also be rotated on the X, Y, or Z axis to create different sections and meanings running through the form. This means that this concrete becomes truly a three dimensional object. The variety of sections is shown here, being unrecognizable for where these are cut in the form.

With this architectural form, each section is significantly

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[YOUNG &

ADULT

COMMUNITY

LIBRARY CENTER.

]

Libraries can play an influential role in the development of young adults. However, they have become much less popular for the younger generation. This project includes programmatic elements more akin to a community center, in an effort to entice the younger generation to return to a physical public shared learning space.

The site contained a plaza on the south side and the whole site slopes from the south plaza down to the street on north side.

Academic - Prof. Blake Spring 2021 Clifton, Cincinnati, Ohio 41

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When it came to the design, this project had two important challenges to the space. First, the program requirements was significantly long for the space of the site. Secondly, two program elements took up much of the space and therefore commanded the rest of the program around it. These elements are the theater and the thoroughfare from the plaza in the north to the street on the south. Shown on the right is the short section of the building that is cut through the theater, and the thoroughfare is visible coming forward through the left.

The goal of the thoroughfare was to provide a zig-zag from the plaza to the street below, cutting through the library so that passerbys engage with the library when they are looking for a shortcut, seeing all the books. The thoroughfare also includes steel I beams visible on the outside, giving structure above and framing the path. The theater exits to the plaza side of the building, providing direct access out of the building for late night performances after the library may be closed.

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2 6

4

1

3 7

1. Auditorium 2. Cafe 3. Exhibition Space 4. Clean Maker Space 5. Messy Maker Space 6. Fiction Stacks 7. Private Reading Spaces

5

4

2

3 1

1. Auditorium Entrance 2. Steps to upper floor 3. Thoroughfare 4. Nonfiction stacks 5. Backstage

5

2

3

1

32’

16’

8’

4’

1. Staff Offices 2. Bookstore 3. Street Entrance

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The design process started by thinking about what spaces might young people be more inclined to engage with. The circulation then becomes a procession of going past the other spaces of the library to their final destination, the more “fun” rooms of the music production space and gaming lab.

With continued travel to the these spaces, they will repeatedly go by the maker spaces, book stacks, and other spaces. By being continually exposed to these other engagements, they will be inspired to participate in these groups , read books, and join programs advancing themselves into the productive fabric of society.

An important concept learned in this project was the idea of a space having an entry, transition spaces, and an arrival.

This is shown through this series of four snapshots of space.

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Thank you for your time I hope I have inspired Gregor Vincent Tillman 2021-2024 gregor@till.com linkedin.com/in/gregor-v-tillman (650) 450-3802