Kyle Guenther / Architecture Portfolio / Spring 2024

// pg 1

KYLE GUENTHER

architecture portfolio 2 0 2 4 of selected works

E D U C AT I O N Iowa State University College of Design Bachelor of Architecture | Aug 2019 - May 2024 Preservation and Cultural Heritage Minor Iowa State College of Design Rome Program | Spring 2023 3.91 GPA - Deans List

KYLE GUENTHER issuu.com/kyleguenther kyleguenther01@gmail.com 563.213.2057

SKILLS

EXPERIENCE OPN Architects Architectural Intern | Cedar Rapids, IA | May 2023 - Aug 2023

FEH DESIGN Architecture | Engineering | Interiors Architectural Intern | Dubuque, IA | May 2022 - Jan 2023

DIGITAL Revit Adobe Creative Suite Rhinoceros 3D AutoCAD Enscape SketchUp Grasshopper

Iowa State University Office of Admissions Representative Student Representative | Ames, Iowa | Aug 2023 - Present

PHYSICAL Hand Drafting 3D Printing Laser Cutting Casting Model Fabrication

Led background analysis and schematic design process for a new elementary school in Bellevue, IA. Prepared graphics and design narratives for public outreach events and internal design excellence reviews. Worked with 3D printing to create physical models for various projects.

Assisted with all phases of projects including public libraries, K-12 schools, commercial spaces, and religious buildings. Built important visual representation and communication skills including community meeting administration, reality capture, and 3-D modeling of schematic designs using REVIT and hand drawing.

Provided tours and 1:1 discussions with prospective students and their families. Participated in student led panels, describing my experience in the College of Design at Iowa State.

ACHIEVEMENTS

ENGAGEMENT American Institute of Architects Students Iowa State University | 2022 - Present

Involved in chapter meetings and lectures to expand knowledge of professional practice and licensure processes.

Campus Service Council Iowa State University | 2019 - Present

Volunteer for campus cleanups, food drives, home improvements.

ISU Bicycle Advisory Group Iowa State University | 2022 - Present

Student representative, advocating and planning for cyclist based infrastructure, working with campus planners and student groups.

Bellevue Comprehensive Planning Committee City of Bellevue, Iowa | 2021 - Present

Working with urban planners and fellow citizens for long term community planning and goal setting in my hometown.

REFERENCES

Substance Design Forum Finalist | 2024 Kocimski Super Review Finalist | 2023 DLR Group Competition First Place | 2022 Richard F. Hansen Prize First Place | 2021 AIA Iowa Emerging Professional 3rd Place | 2022 Lightfoot Internship Scholarship Summer 2023 Eagle Scout 2019

Ayodele Iyanalu

David Sorg

Associate Professor | Iowa State University aiyanalu@iastate.edu

Principal | OPN Architects dsorg@opnarchitects.com

wick

5

data_fields

21

everyday monument

31

the arc

37

reawaken

43

digital fabrication

49

k guenther // 2024

WICK

water education center professor / ayodele iyanalu collaborator / timothy zhang first place / dlr group prize

Water is the impulse of every ecosystem and

In West Ames, at the intersection of Lincoln

essential to the flow of energy on the planet.

Way and Dakota Avenue, a remnant of the

Its importance is proven in places such as

natural landscape suffers from the negative

Iowa, where agriculture thrives. However, its

effects of humans’ poor water management.

destructive power can wreak havoc on both WICK represents the charge towards a future

natural and human rhythms.

where architecture responds more radically and

to the urgent water scarcity and flooding

ecosystems are suffering from the effects

crises that we as a society must confront

of water scarcity, and as populations grow

rapidly. Through the uncommon features of

in these areas, so does the need to shelter

our proposal, we hope that the community

them. In Iowa, waterways are heavily polluted

would look at their most precious resource

due to agricultural and urban runoff, and

in a new light.

Across

the

globe,

communities

inefficiently siphoned resulting in flooding.

wick // // pg pg 5

k guenther // 2024 To open the minds of the community to

drainage routes. nside, collected water is

protect and improve our waterscapes both

used in the toilets and conditioning system,

locally and globally, we are proposing WICK,

while some are purified for consumption

a center to showcase and develop strategies

and in-house hydrology research purposes.

to generate, conserve, and manage water in

Additional water is extracted from the air

new ways. On the site, over 23 million gallons

via exterior fog-collecting mesh baffles and

of water fall annually, draining from impervious

micro ridges on the surface of the ETFE

surfaces into the wooded site. Rather than

facade, capable of collecting additional

blocking this flow, WICK hovers above the

water in humidity and fog events.

landscape on dual cores, straddling natural

conceptual diagram

wick // pg 7

experiential concepts

site plan

k guenther // 2024

1 BIORETENTION CELL

3 WOODLAND PATHS

Runoff from surrounding impervious surfaces collects in a pond where aquatic species and understory plant life filter pollutants before returning to groundwater and streams

2 OBSERVABLE MEP SYSTEMS

hydronic heating and cooling equipment including chillers and boilers are viewable to the public for better understanding of water-based themal comfort systems

Permeable paver paths connect existing neighborhoods and cycle paths throughout the site, bringing visitors through existing woodlands towards the center

4 VERTICAL CIRCULATION

Egress stairwells and elevator shafts connect the forest floor to the upper level while also concealing structural supports, mechanical systems, and back of house areas

3

4 2 1

4

LOWER FLOOR PLAN 0’ 6’

12’

25’

50’

wick // pg 9

bio-conservatory

WICK

Irish Moss Sagina subulata Irish Moss features tiny white star-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from mid spring to mid summer. Its tiny needle-like leaves emerge light green in spring, turning emerald green in color the rest of the year.

Sheet moss Hypnum One of the most common types of moss, thrives in deep shade and has a great transplant success rate. Its dense green mats can handle light foot traffic. Use it between stepping stones or, because of its low growth habit, as a ground cover to highlight other low-ranging plants.

bioswale + fog collection

k guenther // 2024

façade assembly

wick // pg 11

k guenther // 2024

// pg 13

hydrology exhibition

k guenther // 2024

wick ////pgpg15 15

0’ 6’

12’

25’

50’

k guenther // 2024

section detail + site model

wick // pg 17

k guenther // 2024

// pg 19

“Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.”

LAO TZU

k guenther // 2024

data_fields

visualizing digital extraction professor / mitchell squire collaborators / sophia allen + mircea nastase + connor shanahan finalist / kocimski super review 2023 finalist / substance design forum 2024

Katherine Yusoff references the geology of

for examining data mining practices and the

the undergrounds as elements of our stratified

invasion of personal data?

world that operate beneath activities of the above ground. As our existence becomes

Silicon Valley and tech giants of the

increasingly reliant on technology, these

San

largely invisible layers of our world are where

outsourcing of data storage, leaving smaller

data infrastructures exist that shape what we

communities, like the Des Moines metro

see, do, and feel. Yusoff raises questions

area, to bear the weight of these decisions.

about future world-making and its connection

These data centers employ architectural

to these racialized undergrounds. Rather

conventions to plan, extract, and build

than starting with the architect’s aspirations,

physical manifestations of the “cloud” on

if we begin by understanding the people and

the earth. As material mining continues to

infrastructures of the underground, can we

extract physical resources for the seemingly

decolonize the architectures above ground?

non-physical “cloud,” corporate interests

How can examining extractive mining, given

and big data continue to overpower the

that it has historically supplied the resources

interests, land, and resources of less dense

that fueled technological developments

communities and repress underground data

through labor exploitation, provide a basis

infrastructures.

Francisco

Bay

Area

require

the

data_fields // pg 21

k guenther // 2024

manifesto 1 / our current data-driven capitalcene, where human impact on the planet both digitally and physically is greatest for the most vulerable

data_fields // pg 23

manifesto 2 / a representation of exposed data ungrounds in a symbiotic relationship with humans, a possible route of futurity

k guenther // 2024

“black box”

data_fields // pg 25

Data infrastructures such as algorithms, the “cloud”, black boxes, and artificial intelligence, support extractive activities to obtain power and control within society, oftentimes under the guise of technological advancement and modern convenience.

k guenther // 2024

“data ”

“data storage”

data_fields // pg 27 Hybridization provides a new context of exploration to investigate how much of our world is dictated by our autonomous actions or instead prompted by the technological infrastructures that design both the digital and physical realms we live in.

k guenther // 2024

The screen continually acts as a site of contest in our technologically oriented world. On one side, there is the human brain, a biological computer with a series of beliefs and agendas that has evolved over thousands of years. On the other side is the data infrastructures with another series of logics that have rapidly developed at an alarming rate. As humans using technology on a daily basis, we negotiate these two often opposing computers on the screen. Performance is used as a means to explore the potentials of the human body in virtual landscapes.

“data application”

hybrid performance

data_fields // pg 29

our reliance on the virtual world

actions and thoughts are warped

we never truly escape our digital selves

k guenther // 2024

everyday monument roman community catalyst professor / consuelo nuñez cuiffa collaborators / connor shanahan + arden stapella iowa state rome program, italy / 2023

of

San

Lorenzo,

Everyday

beyond

the

limits

of

current context of San Lorenzo while

an

continually

The

neighborhood

which

lies

Rome’s

ancient

just

city

wall,

sits

at

Monument

encapsulates

referencing

the

the

historic

intersection of the past, the present, and

monuments that once served the contexts

an uncertain future. A quilt work collection

of their time. While these monuments today

of

impromptu

are addressed in new ways, their presence

community offices, and abandoned spaces

is reestablished by their visual relationship

currently inhabit the space – longing for

to the contemporary site that serves the

reconnection to the public realm again.

overall community.

craftsmen’s

workshops,

// pg 31

k guenther // 2024

COMMUNITY AUDITORIUM RECREATION CENTER FAMILY & YOUNG PROFESSIONAL RESIDENCES STUDENT LOUNGES STUDENT RESIDENCES

COWORKING LEVEL

above / program axonometric diagram below / longitudinal section

everyday monument // pg 33

ground floor + site plan

k guenther // 2024

above / view from Viale dello Scalo San Lorenzo below / perspective section of central courtyard

everyday monument // pg 35

view of piazza near the Aurelian Wall

k guenther // 2024

the arc

urban artist’s residency professor / bosuk hur collaborator/ aidan andrews

New York City is heralded as the center of

community that no longer focuses on the

the modern universe, but to whom does that

wealthy’s desires to distance themselves

statement really apply? In a city built on im-

from the public. Gardening, playing, skate-

migration, industry, and culture, this daunt-

boarding, climbing, are all things that re-

ing task begins with the roots of the problem,

quire understanding that our environments,

the fight between public and private space

natural or human, are rhythmic yet chaotic

in a city where every square foot comes with

in nature. How long will we let a price tag be

a price tag.

placed upon the essence of community?

To decentralize public space is to blur the boundaries between class. When the binary between those who gawk and those who flaunt is broken, public and private space can be intertwined and everyone can benefit from the city they reside in. Providing more accessible and usable public space in the culture and art-centric neighborhood that is Chelsea could be the seed of a solution.

This solution includes creating better connections to spaces residents value such as playgrounds, community gardens, walking space, and places for spontaneous activity and art and would create a more equitable

conceptual diagram

// pg 37

manifesto imaginary

k guenther // 2024

above / view from 10th ave below / view from ramp + activities atrium

the arc // pg 39

artist’s unit

family unit

k guenther // 2024

nighttime along the high line

the arc // pg 41

perspective section

k guenther // 2024

reawaken

woodland restoration retreat professor / kevin lair collaborators / armin hasancevic + mckenna vandentop first place / hansen prize 2021 reAWAKEN is an initiative that sheds light

dramatic topography of the land, serves

on the need for preserving woodland space

as a symbolic break in the landscape, rep-

and ensuring native species prevail. Today

resents the epicenter of invasive expansion,

land is sought after for development. This

and acts as an ecologically responsible site

engagement is usually destructive, but

for human interruption.

after enveloping ourselves in this project we discovered a need to establish a mutual

Co-inhabitation with the land requires a light

relationship between architecture and the

hand, reAWAKEN seeks to gently restore

landscape. If we can embrace the landscape

unused barn and corn crib materials and

for what it is, then the embrace can be

local ecology simultaneously. Restoration is

returned. Located on Westbrook Artists Site

a process which involves the intersections

in Winterset, Iowa, reAWAKEN reflects the

of a multitude of lifespans whether those

wisdom of this place through materiality,

be biological or physical. The integration of

addresses ecological degradation through

materials, people, and plants elevates ar-

architectural functions, and emphasizes land

chitecture’s relationship with its environment

ethic through the intentional site selection.

and enables the seamless transition from sky, to architecture, to earth. In the process

The space serves as a facility which

of reusing materials, our project moves to

supports the education and removal of

reawaken the land and restore the wood-

invasive species. It also features a water

land space. A harmonious landscape is a

channel which flows through the landscape

powerful force which carries fuel for growth

to the main building and subsequently to an

as it does not commit energy to parasitic

outstretching rain garden below. Facilitation

flora. This process of cleansing gives new

of these programs is ideally located in

life to this scarred plot and allows for it to

a transmission line slot as it reveals the

awaken again.

// pg 43

k guenther // 2024

reawaken

// pg 45

GROWING WITH THE SEASONS Managing the harsh and unpredictable weather of Iowa’s distict seasons required considering how rainwater, drought, intense sun, and wind would affect the intervention. A semi-subterranean stucuture helps regulate temperatures without need for active systems, and nat ural ventilation draws cool air from the valley below through the building and out exhaust chutes.

k guenther // 2024

Hay Trolly 2

- Tying agricultural history to the present

wood & stone detail

- Pulleys and ropes vertically transport a hook, carrying woody invasives below 1

reclaimed 2 x 6 corn crib timber mortar to seal material boundary local limestone

3 5

4

6

7 8

RESIDENTIAL PLAN & DISPOSAL, EVENT, & HEARTH SPACE PLAN

9

1

Gathering Space

2

Garlic Mustard Chute

3

Scupper & Gutter

4

Hearth

5

Trolly Cavity

6

Bathroom

7

Bedroom

8

Living Space

9

Raised Garden & Trellis

N W

E S

invasives storage

reawaken // pg 47

k guenther // 2024

digital fabrication casting 3d printed modules professor / shelby doyle spring 2024 / arch 433

To gain experience with parametric design and a 3D printed mold workflow, this project seeks to experiment with the capibilities of fast drying concrete and the process of creating digitally modeled forms. This design interlocks in multiple axes with two distinct modules. When stacked they have the capibility to create intersting ellipsoid voids, align in rows, or create arching forms, with 10 units creating a full dodecadonal cone.

digital fabrication // pg 49