James Dzwil
I’m a third year student enrolled in Florida State University’s Interior Architecture & Design program. I’m excited to share my portfolio with you and hope that it gives you a sense of my abilities as a design student. Thank you for visiting and please feel free to contact me with any inquiries.
401 935 8243
jamesdzwil@gmail.com
Education
Florida State University
Interior Architecture & Design
BS in Interior Design
2020 - May 2024
3.99 GPA
Experience
Interior Decorator
Havenly
since July 2020
Community College of RI
Associates of Fine Arts
2018 - 2020
3.98 GPA
�� Maintaining collaboration and communication between coworkers and supervisors.
�� Scheduling and attending phone and zoom calls with 2-6 clients and supervisors weekly.
�� Creating scaled floor plans, renderings, and other visual aids to present to clients.
�� Conceptualizing custom cabinetry and fireplaces for clients.
�� Organization of tasks and deliverables of 12-18 clients at a time.
Skills
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Premier Pro
Autodesk AutoCAD
Autodesk Revit
SketchUp
Time Management Leadership Communication Multitasking
Collaboration
Attention to Detail Creative Thinking
Involvements & Awards
College of Fine Arts
Leadership Council
Florida State University
August 2022-current
CIDA Accreditation
Interview
Florida State University IA&D
November 2021
Kravet Fabric Design Competition Winner
Fall 2022
Outstanding Studio Performance
Florida State University IA&D
Fall 2021-Spring 2022
Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award
Boy Scouts of America
June 2018
Eagle Scout
Boy Scout Troop 15
February 2017
2022 Design Charrette
1st Place Winner
Florida State University IA&D
January 2022
Sons of American Legion Member
Post 34 Downey-Weaver
2017-current
2
Fall 2022 • Pages 7-14
Lighting Maquette
Spring 2022 • Pages 23-26
Parisian Apartment
Aging in Place Residence Westcott Door
Spring 2022 • Pages 27-28
Spring 2023 • Pages 5-6
Fall 2022 • Pages 15-20
Argonaut Office Building
Fall 2022 • Pages 21-22
Textile Design
Fall 2021 • Pages 29-32
Sikhi Worship Hall
Fall 2021 • Pages 33-35
SRO Model
Lighting Maquette
Award for Best Craft of Construction
This maquette was created to test various lighting techniques to observe their effects on multiple design choices. The conference room model serves as a representation of a space in our upcoming workplace project. Differing materials were utilized to accurately absorb and reflect light throughout the model to test specific lighting effects. The
local vernacular of Germantown, Nashville, TN is represented through the exposed brick and dark wood furniture. During presentations, much of the overhead lighting can be turned off or dimmed to reduce glare on presentation screens or pinup boards, while under-table lighting and indirect lighting stay on for safety purposes.
Indirect lighting integrated into gypsum board drop ceiling
Wall grazing effect on threedimensional wall
Ceiling grid diffused lighting
Decorative chandelier lighting creates shimmer effect on mirrored cubes around light sources
Under-table lighting to prevent stumbling when overhead lights are off
6
Aging in Place Residential Design
123 Park Overlook
This project involved the interior design of a home for Mr. and Mrs. Williams, a couple in their mid-60s who live in Atlanta, GA. The home encompasses the principles of aging in place and accessible design while feeling homey and welcoming to multiple generations of visitors. Providing a mix of multi-purpose spaces will allow the home to grow with Mr. and Mrs. Williams as they age. The concept of Atlanta’s urbanism and city planning guided the design of the Williamses’ residence. Similar to downtown Atlanta, the main living space is open to receive guests and host gatherings. Each of the bedrooms has a distinct purpose and mood, similar to different suburbs of Atlanta.
An adjacency matrix, bubble diagram, and blocking diagram show efficiencies in the home’s layout and allowed me to create a home that was easy and safe to navigate.
Since the kitchen and primary bathroom are the most vital spaces in the home for the Williamses, it was critical that both areas could still be functional if one of the homeowners had future mobility issues.
8
The primary bathroom uses light materials to maintain an airy and open feel. Accessible grab bars and slip-resistant flooring help them stay safe in the room.
The living room features a mix of neutrals and pops of color to provide the Williamses with their desired ‘suburban chic’ style. Fieldstone local to Atlanta was used as the fireplace veneer.
The final floor plan of the home shows a broad overview of room adjacencies and broad material selection. Although materials vary by space, unity is achieved through the flooring choices and custom cabinetry
10
The primary bedroom features sheer and room darkening drapery, allowing the Williamses to control the amount of light entering their bedroom.
The third bedroom features a subtle workspace for Mrs. Williams and a twin-over-queen bunk bed for their grandchildren to utilize when they visit.
The materials board provides a glimpse of the materials sourced for the main living space of the Williamses’ residence.
The Williamses’ residence features an open-concept living space to entertain large groups. Detailed wood accents call to Atlanta’s rich history of custom millwork. Brushed brass and oil-rubbed bronze accents provide a timeless look to the home, allowing the Williams family to enjoy the home for years to come.
12
A water feature and gas lamps provide visual and auditory biophilic elements to the green space.
The living space features a retractable metal awning for flexibility.
The Williamses asked for the design of an outdoor living space with modern amenities. Wellness and biophilic elements, like the green space and the fossilized counter top and ramps were also included in the rear patio’s design.
The exterior design features a covered rear kitchen with full amenities. A large grill, smoker, side burner, ice maker, and refrigerator drawers provide practicality.
14
Argonaut Office Building
Tallahassee, FL
The Argonaut building is a commercial building being planned on an empty site. The office features a mix of brick, concrete masonry units, slat paneling, and curtain walls. The interior of the building features a two-story lobby and reception space, a first-floor office suite for a lobbyist in Tallahassee, and a monumental stair leading to a second-floor office suite.
The structure follows a column grid layout and utilizes fire-rated walls and staircases to adhere to local codes. It was our responsibility to draw the entirety of the building as well as specify the interior layout, finishes, and furnishings.
16
18
20
Textile Design 2022 Textile Design
1st Place Winner
This project aimed to design a repeatable textile pattern based on a song. The song that influenced the design of this pattern was “I Can’t Go For That” by Daryl Hall and John Oates. The music combines several repeatable instrumentals and vocals into a harmonious piece. Similarly to how the song relies on the layering of multiple similarly-pitched vocals, the pattern utilizes a series of interconnected organic lines to create a unified visual composition. The restrained use of instrumentals in the song is represented through limited design elements in the pattern. The variations of the vocals within the piece are represented through variations in size of the lines and space between line groupings.
The design was first sketched by hand, then transferred to a rubber block and hand-carved. The pattern was stamped on linen at a small-scale, then digitally repeated in Photoshop to create a larger textile.
22
Parisian Apartment
Paris, France
An accomplished writer purchased an apartment in Paris, France, and requested an airy and classic design of the main living spaces within their new residence. Throughout the apartment, a neutral color scheme with pops of red is featured in the furnishings. Classic millwork was retained throughout the home, including the windows, interior and exterior doors, and crown molding. Traditional chevron flooring was highlighted as one of the defining elements throughout the space, only obstructed by a travertine tile in the kitchen. Custom cabinetry and classic furniture styles accentuate the historical elements of the apartment.
The apartment’s owner required an office space with plenty of storage for books. The selection of King Louis-styled furnishings ties the office in with the rest of the home.
24
Since the kitchen is limited in size, it was essential to maximize storage within the space. Cabinetry is taken from the floor to the ceiling, and high-end appliances were specified to match the cabinetry.
The entryway of the apartment features a classic, original fireplace and panel molding along all walls.
The King Louis-style furnishings are carried through to the dining room. A more formal feeling is created in the space through the floor-to-ceiling curtains, large-scale wall art, and crystal chandelier.
26
Westcott Door
Tallahassee, FL
The James D. Westcott Building is one of the most iconic buildings at Florida State University, as it welcomes visitors, students, and faculty alike to Florida State by standing at the end of College Ave, in Tallahassee, FL. Westcott houses the university’s administration offices, the office of the President, and the Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. Built in 1910, the Westcott Building is constructed on the principles of the Jacobean Revival style and serves as the centerpiece of Florida State University.
Varying line weights and splines are used to depict many of the intricate stone carving motifs on Westcott.
The recessed window is surrounded by carved stone blocking and carvings of figures above each awning.
28
Sikhi Worship Center
New York, NY
The design of the Sikhi worship center is based on the concept of unity. As a religion, Sikhism’s core value is based upon collective unity and a sense of community. It was crucial to develop a place of worship that corresponded with not only the religious requirements of Sikhism but also the feeling of community represented through community service, public gatherings to pray, and a kitchen responsible for producing large quantities of meals for the needy. Changes in floor planes and ceiling types were crucial throughout the design of the worship center, as manipulating those elements throughout the entryway and main path of circulation provided a way to make the main worship room feel grand and elegant, a challenge with short ceiling heights.
The parti diagrams demonstrate the desired goals of movement and gathering throughout the space.
When a visitor enters the worship center, the floor height is at its highest point, and the ceiling is at its lowest. Once the visitor has reached the worship space, the flooring steps down, the ceilings get higher, and a glass dome provides the illusion of a larger space.
The circulation of the Sikhi worship hall stems from the ideas of honesty and clarity. One main hallway directs visitors of the space through the center, allowing for visibility into the kitchen, Durbar hall, and Langar hall.
30
The front facade of the worship hall is located within a courtyard. A large patio invites guests into the worship hall and creates a large zone for communal activities.
The entryway to the Sikhi worship hall invites visitors to explore the building, with the communal kitchen, library, Langar hall, and Durbar hall. The Islamic design elements prominent within the archways to rooms are also repeated in the base of the reception desk.
The main worship space in the center features an elevated platform for the Guru Granth Sahib. A stained glass domed ceiling gives visitors a divine feeling in the space.
32
SRO Hobby Loft Short Term Housing
The goal of this project was to design a single residency dormitory for the Hobby Lofts. The project addresses a solution to create a short-term apartment style residence for primarily young adults focused on pursuing their hobby of whittling. The client desired a layout which provides multifunctional spaces, as well as bedroom privacy from the window. Efficient and deliberate use of the limited space was a priority for the client.
Anthropometrics were considered in the design of the main desk in the loft to provide comfort when working at the desk for extended periods of time.
The Hobby Camp SRO’s design was be based off of a wooden stool – an object that combines both function and decoration, by not only serving as a space for a whittler to work, but also as an artistic representation of the creator. The stool itself can be seen as a functional piece of furniture while also showcasing unique design.
The upstairs wardrobe converts into a temporary wall that can extend to prevent natural light from entering the bedroom.
34
An open balcony allows natural light to fill the entire space when desired. Due to the temporary nature of the housing, providing a picture frame ledge and open shelving allows residents to customize their space quickly and without leaving any permanent damage when they move out.
