JR McClelland Portfolio - 2023

“HELLO THERE”

CONTENTS

PERSONAL STATEMENT

When I discovered architecture as a profession, I realized it was the one field in which all my passions and interests could be combined into one focus. Since I was at an early age I was always fascinated by the built environment and how it came into being, but until the word architecture was entered into my vocabulary, I had no central focus to assert my attention to. Once that single word was entered into my memory that was all I wanted to be.

Architecture has allowed me to pursue my passions for drawing, building, benefiting humanity, design, research, and skill building. it was during school at Drury University I discovered how the designs we were challenged with could be expanded on to service the user groups it was meant for.

In the profession, I have learned how technical and managerial skills outside of design can make a project succeed or fail. how educating yourself along with your fellow professionals can improve knowledge building. and how the product of what we in the profession do has a life cycle all its own.

At the end of the working day, my goal is to have always gotten closer to the never-ending achievement of being a well-rounded architect. This lifetime endeavor requires learning, skill building, teamwork, and challenges. All these qualities are what drive my passion for architecture.

-JR McClelland

Monastery in Meteora, Greece

CURRICULAR

ZNC HOUSE

Location: Rockaway Beach, Mo

Year: 2016

Academic Year: 5th

The small scale studio project in the fall of 2016 was a Zero Net Carbon home (ZNC). It would aim at a home that produced the maximum amount of energy and used the least. The site chosen was in Rockaway Beach, Missouri. A lakeside town which is in economic decline.

As a tool for renew-ability this house was conceived as a home and hydroponic farm which could be repeated creating a co-op community of urban farmers.

The home is situated on a south facing hill next to a busy street and utilizes channel glass walls and large windows to invite a maximum amount of sunlight in while maintaining privacy. Solar Panels attached to the south side roof provide energy. While a large greenhouse for the production of plant based food is an extension of the house itself.

BUDDHIST TEMPLE

Location: Dallas, TX

Year: 2016

Academic Year: 4th

The Comprehensive studio project in the spring of 2016, located in Dallas Texas, aimed at creating a religious center in the downtown area of the city. Being a center of local revitalization the religious space selected was for a Buddhist Temple located in-between a residential area and a thriving commercial and cultural district. The temple is an expression of temple landscaping as the building is located on a raised greenspace, inviting

in public natural settings while becoming separate from the activity of the city outside. Providing peaceful spaces for meditation and study in the center of a bustling community. This opened up explorations in exploring what the pre-Dallas ecology was like and how it could be utilized for the benefit of the building. As well as how the direction of the buildings views could be utilize for the function of the temple.

SECTION PERSPECTIVE

DUCT SYSTEM

INSULATION

BEAM SYSTEM

GLAZING

MULLION

FRAMING

GYPSUM WALL

RETAINING WALL

CONCRETE

FLOORING

FOOTING

EXPLODED AXON

ROOF

DUCT SYSTEM

STEEL FRAMING

COLUMNS

VERTICAL LOUVERS

EXTERIOR GLAZING

WALLS

CONCRETE FLOORING

MEDITATION SPACE

THE USONO

Location: Seattle Washington

Year: 2016

Academic Year: 5th

The studio projects in the fall of 2016, focused on renew-ability in urban areas, exploring methods of urban farming and urban planning resulting in a small scale and large scale project. The large scale project is a vertical farming tower located in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue.

The the tower resulted from the interpretation of the assigned program of residency, farm, cultural, retail and commercial spaces. Resulting in the concept of a small rural community turned 90 degrees bringing the streetscape and community aspects of the rural community with it up-

ward. Downsizing the impact of a skyscraper in a suburban area.

The tower is made of two repeated units, a RETAIL/COMMERCIAL units and FARMING/RESIDENCY units. Assembled around an arrangement of circulation of open green spaces to create areas for inter-community interaction. Eventually capped off with a public cultural space.

Each home is designed around an idea of home and farm, with a 2,000 sqft hydroponic growing space. While each retail/commercial unit has interior and exterior circulation in order to create an upward streetscape.

BIRDS-EYE APPROACH

NOMINATED FOR PROJECT OF THE YEAR

THESIS

COLLECTIVE RESILIENCY

Location: Lower 9th Ward, New Orleans, Louisiana USA

Year: 2017

Academic Year: 5th

For the accelerated Master’s Program at Drury University we were required to create a project using the skills we had developed over the 5 years at the Hammons School of Architecture. For my Thesis I made a study of the residual impact of Hurricane Katrina’s 2004 destruction of the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans. While some residents had returned they accounted for less than 60% of the

pre-Katrina population. This being due to the largely lower income population being unable to build. My solution was to create a “life boat” for the neighborhood that would bring housing, retail, renewable aquaculture industry and education center which would float during rising sea levels and lower again when flooding was mitigated. By doing so this hub of resources would be a stepping stone for rebuilding after potential future disasters.

SITE OCCUPATION

RESILIENT PLAN

In response to future flooding the market and residential components of the ward are intended to float by rising out of their individual foundations and settle back when water has receded.

“DRYDOCK”

LOWER 9TH WARD LIFEBOAT

GROUND FLOOR

FLOATING STRUCTURE

Channels allow water to flow during floods with less intensity. Resulting in less destruction to homes in the ward. While generating healthy ecosystems as an extension of the marsh.

BRIDGES

COLUMN

STATIONARY

CONCRETE HULL

FLOATING FOUNDATION AT REST FOUNDATION

NEIGHBORHOOD

INNER CHANNEL TRADE

STATIONARY FOUNDATION AT REST

DESIGN COMPETITION

IMMERSIVE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

Location: Conceptually Anywhere

Year: 2018

Post Academic

Immersive Travel Experience was an in-house design competition in which we were challenged to think about what the future of hospitality may look like.

In this approach, the concept was of a traveling hotel room which could be placed in any location.

This would allow guests to select their travel experience in any location of their

choosing and in doing so become totally immersed in the experience of location.

While each journey would be an individual experience individual travelers or groups in a “flock” could coordinate fully guided or unguided adventures.

ROOM WITH A VIEW

COMING AND GOING

CASA WATKINS

CASA WATKINS

Location: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Year: 2023 (Construction to begin 2024) Post Academic

On request of the Watkins family in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I created schematic plans and models for the family to share with their architect, who applied them to the design requirements of the local AHJ.

The house occupies a long narrow lot in a neighborhood of predominantly ex-pats from the US, Canada, UK and Australia. While there are regulations that stipulate the form of the building so that it is

harmonious with the surrounding community, those forms provided a framework from which the rest of the house took off.

As much of the social life of residence occurs outside a partially covered roof top as well as a covered backyard with pool is planned out.

The interior of the home is largely open on the ground floor while 3 bedrooms, 2 bath and an office are located on the second.

SCHEMATIC PLANS

SECOND FLOOR

ROOF TOP

URBAN LAB

URBAN LAB KC

Location: Kansas City, Mo.

Year: 2022-Present Post Academic

In 2022 I began working with Urban Lab KC. We are an urban activist organization that aims to use the power of images to communicate with the public the importance to positive urbanism.

We also do pro-bono work with communities looking to improve the urban fabric that affects their everyday lives.

Instagram: @Urban Lab_KC.

THROWBACK

MISCELLANEOUS

RHINO-GRASSHOPPER

Location: Drury University

Year: 2016-2017

Academic Year: 4th & 5th

In Spring semester 2016 a series of sculptural projects were created while utilizing Rhino-Grasshopper software. This software is able to use parametric tools to create complex geometry and varied forms. The program can be designed in the software to be able to create the desired geometry in such a way that it can assembled with structural stability. The first project, Voronoi Box and Fluid Sculpture concerned a form which could

be collapsed and reassembled to fit around a flowing sculpture. The larger project Base and Sculpture concerned a dome structure with the rigid form necessary to maintain its shape on a flowing wooden base. Following these projects, I have experimented with furniture design using the program to make interesting forms with common materials.

SCULPTURE

BASE AND SCULPTURE

RHINO MODEL

BASE AND

SCULPTURE

Base relief model for CNC machine cutting

Structural framing for laser cut

Enclosure for laser cut assembly pieces

VORONOI FURNITURE

Pattern cut out of a 16”x16” Plywood. Allowing for the pattern to be used to create a table top that can be infilled with Epoxy Resin or be left open with a glass top.

APPLICATION OF RHINO-GRASSHOPPER IN FABRICATION: VORONOI TABLE TOP

CREATION OF VOIDED FORMS IN RHINOGRASSHOPPER

END TABLE CREATED BY USE OF CNC MACHINE AND PATTERN

VORONOI BOX SCULPTURE

3D PRINTED SCULPTURE

VORONOI BOX INSET SCULPTURE

SKETCHES

Location: Everywhere

Year: 2012+

Academic Year: 1st+

Drawing by hand has always been an immense passion of mine. It opened my introduction to the world and possibilities of architecture and has been with me ever sense.

While studying abroad in Greece we were required to document our surroundings during travel weeks that took us to Croatia, Sparta, Athens, The Peloponnese, Thessaloniki, and Mycenae. As well as our own personal trips in Europe. Resulting a

travel journal. I have selected some favorite pieces from studying abroad as well as my post academic life.

The Remains of Venetian Architecture in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

The fortifications of Nafplion, Greece.

Method of keeping apartment cool during hot August days in Aegina, Greece.

“The Mushroom” ZJJZ Architects

Missing Middle House in Roanoke Park Kansas City

“THANK YOU”