KJ Ammon 2022

In collaboration with Mady Bellanca and Rustin Seyle. A design thinking collaboration space embedded in the South Carolina Botanical Garden. Rooted in collaboration brings together liberal arts collaboration and study spaces with hands-on makers and science spaces under one canopy. In reaction to the site location and topography, the first floor is embedded into the earth. The second level rises above with large terrace spaces that guide users into the gardens. Covering all is a large-span steel canopy. The main programmatic uses include study space, wet and dry labs, maker’s space, and event space.

Flexible lecture hall

Through the use of a NanaWall system, the lecture space opens to the outdoor terrace to allow for multiple uses for the room.

The floating effect

Glazing is used for the exterior envelope to emphasis the lightness of the canopy The material also allows users to see inside building to identify how the different interior spaces are used to help with way finding

Collaboration driven by materiality

The collaboration labs are interconnected and used through different material choices. The storefront panels in these rooms can be switched out depending on the use of the room Glass, whiteboard, cork, and noise absorbing fabric can be interchanged in this system.

Program WhiteCollarWorkspace

Library Lecture Hall Administration Office Classroom

Innovation Lab Woodshop

Classroom

Roof Structure Canopy

Blue Collar Workspace Outdoor Lab Garden 1. 2. 3.

In collaboration with EK Carter. 51% of people in Los Angeles county don’t have access to affordable housing. 01 LONG BEACH is the first of several housing projects designed to increase the amount of quality affordable units. To reduce cost, plots of land are subdivided into three units that utilize shared wall construction. Additionally, cost savings are obtained through the building methods, 3D printing with a concrete and bamboo mixture reduces the cost of materials by 50%. As a result of these cheaper construction methods, unique and quality spaces are archived. 01 LONG BEACH is designed within the standard parcel size in Long Beach CA. (50’x130’) Within a 5-minute walk of the chosen first site, there are 4 additional sites where the design process can be adapted. Long Beach is an ideal location for these projects dues to its walkability and access to public transportation.

bedroom bedroom

bedroom bedroom

street living + kitchen

living + kitchen

living + kitchen bedroom bedroom

unit 02 unit 03 level one

unit 01

print contours

3D print structure foundation gantry print

print infill wall details kitchen detail

In collaboration with Alex Poston. “Reclaim, Glasgow ‘’ is a transformative housing community that rehabilitates the land and citizens of Glasgow WV, through the powers of recycling, water, and people. In 2006 the Kanawha River coal plant produced 2,182,018 tons of CO2 emissions per year. Regenerative landscaping will transform the post-industrialsite into a healthy ecosystem. Reclaim will rejuvenate the former coal plant site by recycling the on site coal ash, introducing wetlands systems, and planting a variety of trees and edible crops. Reclaim creates a healthy community by utilizing natural resources, promoting interaction with nature and space for interaction.

Utilizing what was left behind the project excavates and recycles the on site coal-ash as a building material. The coal ash becomes a rhythm of concrete walls that run through the site creating space for restoration through water, production, and people.

ashcrete walls

The upcycled ashcrete walls create a ribbon grain that flows from the current city into the site. These walls act as the main structural system, circulation, and houses the sustainable and mechanical systems.

coal ash recycling

Large landfills of coal ash, bottom ash and fly ash, consume the site through pollution to the land and water supply. The ash on site will be excavated for recycling. Coal ash can be recycled and reused as the aggregate in concrete. This is done on site, and used for the poured concrete ribbon walls

spring

The raised buildings and rainwater systems protect the units from potential floods. The angled roofs allow for rainwater collection. Glasgow receives 48” of rain annually.

summer

100% of needed fruits and vegetables can be grown on site. Plants such as corn, apples, peaches, and tomatoes thrive in West Virginia’s climate.

fall

Pedestrian paths create equitable access through nature by meeting ADA standards. Unpaved paths also circulate through the site to promote wellbeing with exercise and nature.

winter

Community gathering building promote interaction and a sense of place through shared kitchen, dining and lounge spaces.

2021 Faculty Design Award with Alexis Pagano, Zara Silva-Landry

The loop is a series of nature trails, pavilions and buildings meant to educate and display the natural beauty of the land. This project embodies three main concepts to emphasize the existing site. The series of buildings are used to frame views, highlight and create connections to the various site textures, and immerse the user within the site. Learning is not limited to the indoor facilities, but rather distributed throughout the site, creating well-rounded user experiences. By placing the buildings within various zones of the site, the buildings are able to frame a variety of views to further highlight the ecology of the site. The Loop breaks down the barriers between the buildings and nature through louvers, overhangs, and recessed openings. Ultimately, the Loop facilitates a unique experience for each individual user.

marsh field pine forest live oaks

live oaks

pine forest

AIA Columbia 2020 student design award. In collaboration with Emma Hanson. Our project brief challenged us to design a waterfront, architectural space in Genoa, Italy that would provide a culinary center, market hall, and a new piazza space to connect with the medieval city with the new modern advances. Inspired by the scale and rhythm of the adjacent historical city and using the existing circulation patterns as a grid. The project is broken up into four unique buildings connected by five public piazza spaces. The main structural system consists largely of glass and steel to create permeability and visibility through the site, constantly affording users with views of the adjacent habor.

In collaboration with Zain Surka. Our project’s foundation stems from detailed research on topics including mass timber products, elementary education environments, and the health benefits of timber construction. Our design goals were threefold. First, we set out to create flexible learning environments - research shows the importance of accommodating different learning styles within elementary education. As the building is located within a small suburb of Columbia, maintaining the scale of the area was a crucial second goal. Our final stated goal was to create connection to the on-site forest through envelope, program, and form. The site functions as a school playground as well as a public park. The division of programming within the building allows for parts of the building to open after regular school hours.

traditional classroom

active learning classroom

flexible classroom

+BONUS bar table