Kelsey received her Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tennessee College of Architecture + Design in 2016. While in school, she spent a summer abroad in Helsinki, Finland where she found the quietness of place echoed in the architecture. This soft approach to design is something she strives to emulate within her own practice. Her Appalachian roots fed an appetite for craft that led her to poetry classes, pottery studios, and a biscuit recipe that is still being perfected. Kelsey is the co-founder (alongside partner Dillon Canfield) of See Saw Ceramics, a small batch ceramics studio specializing in slip cast wares.
*references available upon request
Education
KELSEY JULIAN
865.456.8922 | Denver, CO | kel.c.julian@gmail.com
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, Knoxville, TN | class of 2016
Bachelor of Architecture
Graduated magna cum laude with honors
AALTO UNIVERSITY, Helsinki, Finland | Summer 2014
Faculty-led semester abroad
Work Experience
BLD STUDIO (prev. Raw Creative), Denver, CO | July 2023 – present
Project Manager
Projects: custom residential, tenant finish, restaurant design, commercial public infrastructure
Additional Roles: coordination with fab team, interiors SOP
SEE SAW CERAMICS, CO | June 2021 – present
Owner + maker for a small batch ceramics studio specializing in slip cast wares
MOSAIC ARCHITECTS + INTERIORS, Boulder, CO | December 2016 – April 2021
Architectural Designer
Projects: custom residential, minor tenant finish, interior design
Additional Roles: rendering and graphic standards, revit template, marketing media
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Jason Young, Director of College of Architecture, UTK | Summer 2016
Publication design in printed media
Mark Stanley, College of Architecture faculty, UTK | Summer 2016
Fabrication and manuscript development
TEACHING ASSISTANT
Architecture 102, Visual Design Theory, UTK | Spring 2016
Architecture 121, Drawing and Representation, UTK | Fall 2015
Architecture 111, Intro to Architecture, UTK | Summer 2015
Whitewater Professional responsible for preparing guests and safely guiding raft down the class IV Pigeon River.
Awards + Honors
HNEDAK BOBO GROUP GLOBAL DESIGN AWARD | 2014
Third Place for Kaartin Maneesi project designed in Finland
AIA MIDDLE TENNESSEE STUDENT DESIGN AWARD | 2014
Third Place for LEAP Collaborative
BREWER INGRAM FULLER SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 2014
Nomination for LEAP Collaborative
CHANCELLOR’S HONORS SCHOLAR | UTK
TENNESSEE HOPE SCHOLARSHIP w ith merit
Certifications + Skills Adobe CC
S
CERAMICS
EE SAW
JUNE 2021 - PRESENT | OWNER + MAKER | COLORADO
see saw ceramics is Kelsey Julian + Dillon Canfield. We are both trained in architecture and design, a way of thinking that has cultivated an appetite for making. For us, there is a rich overlap between designing spaces for things, and designing things for spaces.
We explore shape-ness in many ways. Drawing inspiration from our wheel thrown work, we augment forms digitally and investigate the tactile qualities of what surrounds us. To make a shape (close to) permanent, it goes through a process of 3D printing, silicone molding, and finally plaster molding to be used as a slip cast form. For us, the act of taking forms through these steps is an opportunity to preserve precision, and transfer information into clay that would otherwise be impossible to translate.
DESIGN IN BLOOM see saw ceramics + bld studio
Unconventional vases we made in collaboration with bld studio for a Modern in Denver event. A study in color and viewing, our approach was to make objects that held flowers but also provided a colorful backdrop to view them against.
SEE SAW CERAMICS Owner + Maker
Our intent is to design functional ware that elevates the daily ritual. The geometry of our vessels are meant to be playful - using elementary shapes to create expressive proportions.
Process
1 POUR_ slip is poured into plaster molds
2 UNMOLD_ once slip has been poured out of the molds the leftover shell hardens
3
4
TRIM_ the piece is then trimmed to create a smooth rim
SPONGE_ before the piece is fired, all the rough edges are sponged
P
ROFESSIONAL WORK_
BLD STUDIO ( prev. Raw Creative)
JULY 2023 - PRESENT | PROJECT MANAGER | DENVER, COLORADO
I spent the past year working as an architectural designer II / project manager at bld studio. This firm primarily operates as an architect-led design-build practice. This approach afforded me the opportunity to interface with the on-site fabrication team frequently, and continue to collaborate on details throughout the design and construction process. While working here I led the design and coordination for multiple tenant finish projects, an interior renovation, and public bike shelter.
p.16 Viceroy
p.20 Elemental
p.24 Bike Shelter
Viceroy
TENANT FINISH, DD/ Permitting Snowmass, CO
Our team worked with the Viceroy Snowmass Hotel to develop a fondue restaurant concept. We prioritized the connection with the landscape and adjacent ski slope, allowing the exterior dining to feel like an extension of the restaurant. The space dictated an intimate dining experience that feels rooted in place.
PLAN_ built-in banquettes allow for adaptable seating
GREETING_ wall treatments and furnishings showcase modern detailing, while utilizing materials with organic qualities in a weathered, neutral palette. The overall atmosphere is designed to be warm, inviting, and tactile.
GATHER_ the ceiling is composed of a highly patterned wood tile as a way to add interest and draw the eye up. The patinaed brass at the valance offers a warm glow, while breaking down the scale of the bar.
Elemental Bakery + Coffeehouse
TENANT FINISH, CA/C loseout
Denver, CO
Elemental Bakery + Coffeehouse is situated in the historic York Street Yards of Denver, focusing on espresso and handmade baked goods. The client wanted to preserve the industrial quality present in the space, so our approach was to design a ‘building within a building’ that houses the coffee bar and bakery programs.
ALCOVE_ thoughfully placed windows provide a view into the bakery
ORDER UP_ custom metal shelving screens the coffee station from view
BREAD PATH NARRATIVE_ the working area is organized to follow the stages of baking in a linear process. Apertures allow glimpses into this rhythm of mixing > shaping > proofing > baking
Bike Shelter
NEW CONSTRUCTION + FAB, DD Denver, CO
Our goal in this project is to contribute to the realization of Downtown Denver Partnership’s vision by facilitating easy access to biking as a means of transportation for the community. By drawing inspiration from the local context, culture, and history we can create something that is not only visually appealing but also blends in with the surrounding buildings and landscape. This approach can help to preserve the character and history of the Union Station area while also creating a sense of place and identity.
BIKE PARKING_ designing for safety, inclusion, way finding, and accessibility requires a thoughtful approach that considers the diverse needs of all potential users. By incorporating features like well-lit spaces, clearly marked paths, and easy-to-navigate layouts we aim to ensure safe and inclusive access.
COBOGO_ this is a contemporary façade element commonly cast with concrete or ceramic and assembled into a screen system that serves the purpose of ventilation, shading, and regulating visual access. The depth of this material acts to ground the pavilion, while introducing a play on shadow and light.
P
ROFESSIONAL WORK_
MOSAIC ARCHITECTS + INTERIORS
DEC
2016
-
APRIL 2021
| ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER | BOULDER, COLORADO
I spent 5 years working as an architectural designer at Mosaic Architects + Interiors. The firm’s focus was on high-end residential design, but we also took on smaller TI commercial work and interior renovations. My introduction to professional work was in small-scale renovations, putting me in direct contact with the client, contractor, and subs. I learned how to manage projects that demanded a short time line and exacting oversight. My final project with the company was an addition + alteration of an existing home in Boulder. I managed this project through final construction documentation as the sole drafter and primary coordinator. I also overhauled the company’s Revit template and helped onboard Enscape and point cloud practices.
p.28 Sweep Salons
p.32 Briarwood
p.36 Quartz Creek
p.38 Elk Ridge
p.40 6th St
p.41 18th St
p.42 A Little Extra
Sweep Salons
TENANT FINISH Boulder & Denver Locations
I worked directly with the client on space planning and furniture design for a series of hair salons. I coordinated permit issu ance and met with the fabricator on all custom built pieces (curved bar, walnut side tables, cabinetry, and wood screen elements).
CHECKOUT_ upholstered panels reinforce the arch motif throughout the space
WORKSTATION_ movable barriers are double-sided to increase flexibility as the client grows into the space
SIDE TABLE_ custom walnut swinging side tables
SALON_ wood slats serve as a privacy screen between the client chairs and shampoo room.
Briarwood
ALTERATION + ADDITION
Boulder, CO
This project involved a partial demo + addition and renovation to the entire home. I interfaced with the client during the initial interview and design concept through to the final construction drawings. I was responsible for all modeling and detailing as we ll as primary project management.
Quartz Creek
NEW CONSTRUCTION Colorado Springs, CO
This project included a ground-up single family home and field house. I was responsible for fireplace detailing, finish schedules, lighting plans, and finish selection.
Elk Ridge
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Boulder County
My role included rendering views to aid in Client meetings. I also assisted in producing the construction set, reviewing shop drawings, coordinating subs, and interior finish selection.
INTERIOR RENOVATION
Boulder, CO
I managed the renovation of this 4-bedroom home. My tasks included: finish selection/coordination, lighting, breakfast nook tab le design, custom fireplace surround, and custom drapery. This project was an education in traditional aesthetics and the language of custom upholstery and soft goods.
INTERIOR DESIGN
Boulder, CO
The contractor approached our firm for an assist with space planning and finish selection throughout this spec home. I coordina ted the fireplace detailing, lighting, bathroom design, and all finishes and fixtures.
RENDERINGS
A few selections of renderings using Enscape, showcasing the entry sequence during design development.
HAND SKETCH
Site plan sketch to emphasizing mature plantings intended to emphasize how the family would grow into the outdoor space.
PHOTO MONTAGE
An elevation to workshop exterior material palette, used in HOA docs
U NDERGRAD_
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
AUG 2011 - MAY 2016 | BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE | KNOXVILLE, TN
I completed a 5 year program at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville College of Architecture + Design. My education evolved from handdrafting to 3D modeling and montage. Much of my process in school was rooted in constructing narrative. Storytelling was critical to the experiential nature of my designs as is evident in the following projects:
p.46 Dorm
p.48 Leap Collaborative
p.52 Bizarre Bazaar
p.56 Aquafillia
Dorm_on Prospect St
This student dormitory functions as an independent constellation. Words such as orbiting and cellular accompany references to the night sky and isolated observation. Star charts and the constellation Libra, in particular, were used as a means of arranging the dorm units. The student rooms and amenities have been lifted a level above the ground plane. This buffers private moments of reflection from the public realm below. These towers rest on stilts above a community dining facility as an offering to the Georgetown student body.
The dorm is designed to be self-sufficient. The roof is used as a garden space to grow food for the kitchen below. Rainwater is collected on the roof of each tower and stored in an underground cistern for use in irrigation as well as bathroom, laundry, etc. A greenhouse occupies the space below the south-east tower to allow for ample food production annually.
Floors are organized such that students become more isolated as they travel farther up the towersapertures decrease alongside occupancy. The top-most floors are dedicated to individual suitestyle rooms. The balconies look out over the river and away from campus in order to heighten this sense of independence from campus.
ROOFTOP GARDEN_ below each tower is a carved space for study and interaction. The pavers haphazardly connect each of these secluded bodies. Paths meander lazily through the green space to allow a degree of slowness within the hectic schedule of learning.
CELLULAR_ individual suite
CONSTELLATION_ group study area
COMMUNITY_ two-person suite
Leap Collaborative
with DILLON CANFIELD
This office/commercial space is home to a collaborative Landscape, Engineering, Architecture, and Planning Firm. On the ground level exists a cafe and bike shop open to the public. The LEAP building is situated within an urban in-fill downtown. The ground plane is floored with porous concrete pavers to allow water filtration down into the soil. Gaps between pavers are populated by grass, permitting the space to read as a more green/park zone. All of the program surrounding the courtyard can begin to spill out into this courtyard space, such as cafe seating and model construction. The courtyard can also be used on weekends or off hours for markets and local events.
The green roof is situated above the prototype lab to allow the firm to research various filtration techniques that would be occurring directly above. This green barrier will also allow southern light to diffuse into the courtyard and reduce the heat island effect. The planted wall of ginkgo trees forms the fourth wall of enclosure for the courtyard. The intensive assembly allows for a greater level of filtration and increases quality of storm water run-off.
A wooden louver/balcony system will be grafted on to the exterior walls facing the courtyard. These slatted panels will have varying degrees of spacing depending on the adjacent program. On the lower levels the spacing will be more sparse, allowing views down into the courtyard node. The top level, which houses the conference rooms and more inwardly focused spaces, will have more densely spaced louvers. These cedar panels will be operable, opening in a bi-fold manner to allow unobstructed views when preferable. The spacing of the louvers will also be adjusted to control daylighting into the building.
SATURDAY MARKET_ the courtyard serves as a new public node downtown. Local vendors sell crafts and wares during market days as an axial extension to the thriving farmer’s market that resides along Market Square.
URBAN NODE
The central court of this building serves as a common work plane for occupants and those who visit the site. This shared space hosts an observable system of urban connections. The underfoot surface of the courtyard is formed by a fabric of pavers, bleeding into the surrounding program of the cafe, bike shop, and prototype lab.
moment frame bi-fold operable frames cedar louvers
BREATHING SPACE_ cedar slats line the balconies. This serves as an instrument for office workers to control the interior environment, while also manipulating views between the office and courtyard.
Bizarre Bazaar
home for a pattern vendor
Before the invention of the cotton gin, these things were done by hand. Cotton fibers were stretched and spun using a distaff and spindle, transforming staples to workable yarn. You can’t have the word spindle without the sound of creaking, the image of a wooden rocker resting on a screen porch, and rusted nails struggling to fight the humidity.
These bolts of cloth belong to the South. Cotton requires the sandy loam and full sun of hardiness zones 9a through 11. They need cicadas at dusk and the piety of clasped hands, heads bowed. They need a congregation of pickers, balers, and gins.
Swaths of cotton stitch together space under a permeable canopy. This fabric infects the interstitial zones left by necessary infrastructure, creating space that wants to be occupied - that you want to exist within. Spreading sails between clarification tanks, these mechanized bolts diffuse light onto the stalls below. Vendors advertise cargo with loud voices and intricate patterns. Smells of drying herbs and ground spices orbit concrete retaining basins, tracing the path of the buyer. Sifting through fabric displays is the sound of metal bearings sliding against aluminum tracks. The bazaar marks views of dye fields, the chatter of transactions, smells of cooking sausage, sticky-sweet taffy, dappled yellow stained-glass reflections, indigo, crimson, and ochre stitched flower bouquets.
ARTIFACTS_ Jacquard Loom + punch card
MAPPING TRAILS OF DISORIENT_ a sea of blurred landmarks
PATTERN FOR STALL GROWTH_ tracks grow and arc onto the embedded grid - where pipes are extruded to form the frame.
STALL DETAIL_
Market stalls are dictated by a series of tracks. The fabric is stretched on a metal frame and hung upon these curved tracks. Buyers are able to sift through patterns by pulling the frames from their allotted slot and out into the market space.
Market stalls are dictated by a series of tracks. The fabric is stretched on a metal frame and hung upon these curved tracks. Buyers are able to sift through patterns by pulling the frames from their allotted slot and out into the market space.
The surgeon table rests beneath. An aluminum slot directs shears by the yard.
The surgeon table rests beneath. An aluminum slot directs shears by the yard.
WOVEN CANOPY
sassafras_orange
elderberry_brown
milkweed_green
mulberry_purple
Aquafillia_colonizing the gyre
selected for UTK DESIGN EXCELLENCE REVIEW
There is something about the weightlessness of the ocean. Where the buoyant self drifts in equilibrium. The rhythm of this salt body turns us all into dancers. This graceful nature in being –
There is a place called the ‘Away’ where all of the litter lining storm drains and coast lines ends up –trapped in the centrifugal current of the gyre. This culture of convenience in single use plastics has infiltrated our water bodies with a strata of drifting debris – forming constellations of manufactured residue.
Aquafillia has attempted to engage this floating garbage patch in the North Pacific Ocean, initially as a way of acknowledging the impact we have had on our seascapes, and since then colonizing the patch and giving this subsurface lamina a geographical/political identity. This site exists within the realm of fiction, and as such, six characters have been embedded in the narrative:
+The Scientist will want a research and development station in order to study and better understand ocean currents and marine debris.
+The Captain will oversee the colony and have an interest in conservation/remediation
+The Mechanic/Pilot will be involved in utilitarian requirements such as maintenance and supply drop-off
+The Eco-tourist will dream of inhabiting an isolated spectacle that requires a wait-list and bonus package for VIP guests.
+The Albatross will serve as the narrator
Device
::n/a
Personality
::extrovert
Duty
::narrator
Documentation
::non physical
Water-line
::above
Spacial Implications
::n/a
gender: female age: n/a
marital status: n/a
Circle floating below. dip. dive. one stroke - back up. She loved the orange of sunset - the slow drift - speckles of light - particles of plastic - decorate her nest - with blues - with yellowsthis home is not bpa free
DEBRIS DRIFT
Microplastic conglomerations float below the surface, a soup of tangled particles in infinite constellation.
When the albatross flew out of sight, It marked the edge Of one of many circles.
IIIIIIIII
&
OTHER
STORIES
CERAMICS | MEASURED DRAWING
[S]he had never dwelled on memory’s delights. Impressions slid over [her], vivid but ephemeral. A potter’s vermillion; the heavens laden with stars that were also gods; the moon, from which a lion had fallen; the slick feel of marble beneath slow sensitive fingertips; the taste of wild boar meat, eagerly torn by his white teeth; a Phoenician word; the black shadow a lance casts on yellow sand; the nearness of the sea or of a [wo]man; a heavy wine, its roughness cut by honey - these could fill [her] soul completely
_Jorge Luis Borges, Dreamtigers transl. Mildred Boyer & Harold Morland
OOLOGY_ 100 specimens crafted to depict a vast spectrum of the avian species.
#SELFIE_ a new perspective
RAJAM Ä EN KIRKKO_ Erkki Huttunen
While studying abroad in Helsinki, Finland - the studio was tasked with creating a full set of measured drawings and scale model based upon the existing Rajamaki Church. A week was spent surveying the site as underlays were fleshed out and drafted by hand.
