Design Portfolio | Selected Works 2024 | Libby Couture

design portfolio libby couture

selected works 2024 | kansas state university

cover image | collage sketch of architectural details at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City | ink | june 25, 2022

Created in the context of people, place, and time, architecture plays an inextricable role in the human environment through facilitation of reciprocal interactions with the body. The evolving relationship between people and architecture is rooted in historic and cultural experiences and perceived through the bodily experience of the present day.

Today, architecture desires to respond to the intense political and social climates that pervade society. It desires to bridge divergent views and inspire collective and united action through spatial agency, community engagement, and beauty.

reclaiming community

Typology | Mixed-Use Tower

Location | Strawberry Hill, Kansas

Size | 325,000 sf

Date | August 2022 - December 2022

Hand sketching, Hand modeling, Revit, Photoshop, Illustrator

Located in a neighborhood with a diverse population and rich history, this tower acts as a vehicle to reconnect Strawberry Hill with the surrounding area, providing the opportunity to rebuild and revitalize the community. A series of interior and exterior porches provide places for the community to gather and share their culture and experiences, thus encouraging the reclaiming of community.

completed with Lily Murray

MANKO Design Competition Runner Up

embedded masses

carved light wells

tower extrusion

porch spaces

18” x 18” limestone veneer panel interlocking channel attachment

aluminum interlocking channel factory attachment plates with #10 TEK screws shim with #12 TEK screws

insulation board 25 psi minimum

waterproofing membrane plywood sheathing

2”x 6” light gauge steel framing batt insulation gypsum board

double pane picture window

aluminum window frame

2’ ø steel pile

2’ concrete raft foundation membrane

2” concrete topping

24” x 24” mass timber column

18” x 18” limestone veneer panel plywood sheathing insulation board

waterproofing membrane gypsum board

interlocking channel attachment

2” x6” light gauge steel framing batt insulation

detail | recessed window sill

central avenue and south 6th street entry porch

office interior

render completed by Lily Murray

wood blocking

coping louver header

operable spruce louver

custom built up blackened steel cap

wood decking

plywood sheathing

rigid insulation

7 layer CLT panel

soffit

pressure treated vertical cedar slat

pressure treated cedar cladding

battens

counterbattens

waterproofing membrane

plywood sheathing

2”x 8” light gauge steel framing

batt insulation

gypsum board

cant strip

roof membrane

coverboard

rigid insulation

air and vapor membrane

plywood sheathing

roof underlayment and temporary moisture protection

7-layer CLT panel

12-gauge hanger wire

polyester insulation

5/8” plasterboard

aluminum window frame

double pane casement window

2” x 1’ 6’ vertical spruce fin

finished hardwood flooring

polyester fiber mat

gypsum fiber board

stonewool

marble granulate

wood blocking

7-layer CLT panel

wall section | tower

operable spruce louver

custom built up blackened steel cap

custom steel t bar

wood blocking

8 gauge steel cleat

2” x 8” lgs u channel

2” x 6” lgs c channel

pressure treated vertical cedar slat

pressure treated cedar cladding

battens

counterbattens

waterproofing membrane

gypsum board sheathing

waterproofing membrane fiber glass batt insulation

2” x 8” lgs c stud

wood decking

waterproofing membrane

plywood sheathing

rigid insulation

plywood sheathing wood blocking

7-layer CLT panel

detail | residential porch

1/8” scale model

patchwork

Typology | Housing and Education Center

Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Size | 30,500 sf

Date | August 2023 - December 2023

Hand sketching, Revit, Lumion, Photoshop, Illustrator

Improving behavioral health and social well-being at the intersection of neighborhoods near Berks station provides the opportunity to create meaningful third-place to foster a more collective community. Multi-scale co-housing with shared space and resources encourages connection between diverse residents. Hobby focused education through intergenerational teaching creates a safe environment to support youth and retirees away from home or school.

completed with Catherine Steinacker, Will Reboulet, and Kyle Odgers (interdisciplinary team)

existing structure

old carpet mill comprised of five different buildings enclosing a courtyard

subtraction

major obstructions to be addressed in interventions

level 4

level 3

common kitchen two bedroom residential units common living studio residential units

level 2

rowhouse bedrooms + bath garden link

mezzanine

teaching kitchen common dining textiles

level 1

ceramics art workspace residential lobby

sublevel

rowhouse kitchen + living back porch courtyard education entry lounge library woodworking shop

open courtyard + shift stair

front building and link removed to open site and smoke stack adapted for stair tower

establish gateways

major access points defined with gateways to emphasize entrances

fenestration

expansive glazing applied to common spaces, skylight extended, existing window grid maintained with new windows and brick infill

landscape massing

landscape defined by interior program and streetscape developed to improve safety and connection to assets

housing exterior render completed with Kyle Odgers

shared living shared kitchen

1/2” air barrier wall tie

5/8” plywood sheathing

waterproofing membrane 2x4 wood framing batt insulation

5/8” gypsum wall board

library teaching kitchen

art workshop

wood workshop

garden link

individual space

social lounge space

shared workspace

entry lounge + resource desk

section perspective

north through housing, courtyard, and education

enliven

Typology | Community Center

Location | Wichita, Kansas

Size | 14,100 sf

Date | January 2022 - February 2022

Hand sketching, Hand modeling, Rhino, Enscape, Photoshop, Illustrator

This dynamic community center aids in revitalization of the static downtown Wichita area by promoting movement and interaction of users through music, program, and space. Such activity is encouraged through lively and energetic spaces, which are in turn balanced with numerous support spaces. This community center is designed with special consideration for the youth, their interaction with one another, and their engagement with space.

liveliness

concept models

dynamic and support spaces

Dynamic and support spaces on each floor appear in numerous forms, from most energetic to service spaces. The contrast in spatial design and use allows the building to be dynamic as a whole, and thus the user’s experience as well.

ground floor with playground and cafe invite community in to experience the space

dynamic and support spaces by floor

and

figure ground demonstrating site in relation to public parks

second floor with play, activity, and learning spaces support energy and movement of youth

third floor with music

multipurpose spaces allow community to explore and share

interactive nature of glass floor in light-well viewed from first floor

section a-a | looking west

community playground

section b-b | looking north through vertical light well

Engaging program on the ground floor encourages movement and interaction within the site. The entry portal becomes a dynamic experience where contrasting textures and volumes appeal to the seven senses and promote a human response.

resilient routines

Typology | Affordable Housing

Location | East Harlem, New York

Size | 55,000 sf

Date | March 2022 - May 2022

Hand sketching, Hand modeling, Revit, Photoshop, Illustrator

Designed for the underrepresented population of East Harlem, this complex creates flexible places that support the rituals of the larger community and individuals within. Integral growth spaces create a sense of safety and belonging while providing residents places to learn about themselves both as individuals and members of larger groups. Flexible spaces characterized by movable furniture and operable panels allow users the adaptability required to support their needs and routines.

figure ground | east harlem site conditions

conceptual studies | flexibility supporting routine

south corner from 103rd street and 1st avenue

103rd street elevation

place mass split program lift residential shift bars insert growth spaces

The implementation of integral program on the ground for welcomes the community into this building, encouraging interaction among users. Supporting the underrepresented individuals in the area, dedicated spaces for career services and counseling promote personal growth and reintegration into society. Such ideals are also reinforced through inclusion of a bike workshop, community kitchen, maker space, and piazza for hosting of various events.

section a-a | through courtyard looking southwest

Varied unit types supports numerous individuals, each with different routines and desires. Flexible furniture, independent control of daylighting, and ability to obtain varied levels of privacy provide additional layers of adaptability. As such, each unit is able to meet the individual where they are at and accommodate the growth and change that follows.

flexible units | typical studio

typical residential floor plan

[c2h4]ange for reuse

Typology | Suspended Wall Partition

Location | Weigel Library, Regnier Hall, Kansas State University

Size | 2’8” x 5’ panel, 5’4” x 5’ panel

Date | October 2022 - December 2022

Hand sketching, Rhino, Fabrication Lab, Construction

With an emphasis on sustainability and wall craft, [c 2 h 4 ]ange approaches the design of a partition system through the innovative reuse of plastics. The modular strategy employed is based off the individual unit of the milk jug and allows for implementation at various scales. Individual units are modified to enable for filtering of light, framing of views, and sculptural shaping of space. Taking advantage of the lightweight nature of this material, the system is suspended from a structure above using clamps, cable, and fishing line.

completed with Yvette Fabela and Amber Pryor

drill (top)

frame assembly

secure at corner secure on top drill (bottom)

creative work

Date | Spring 2021 - Summer 2023

Medium | Graphite, Ink, Watercolor

The creative representation of space is a practice in translating subjective interpretations of a place into a legible idea communicated on paper. Studies of built precedents provide the opportunity to explore architectural elements at all scales, understand how individuals engage with the built environment, and gain insight into the immaterial qualities of a place.

right | grundtvig’s kirke | watercolor | april 9, 2023

new york county supreme court

church of ognissanti | graphite | february 8, 2021 siena roof | ink | may 19, 2023

townhall threshold | watercolor | march 20, 2023

the passage | watercolor | april 24, 2023

aRos | watercolor | february 12, 2023

views from rundetaarn | watercolor | march 11, 2023