Malcolm Neel Portfolio

Malcolm Neel

Portfolio

Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts

Washington University in St. Louis

Acrylic painting investigating the interaction of six colors

Artist Residence and Gallery

Studio: Arch 311 Semester: Fall 2021 Professor: Dusica Stankovic

This project was to design a space for an artist’s residence and gallery on a site located in St. Louis. The project consists of two masses; one is vertical and the other horizontal. The program was configured so there was a physical distance between the public and private spaces. The angular design of the two buildings was influenced by a family of concrete casts created at the beginning of the studio.

Section B

Section Along Grandel Square

Conversation Space in Forest Park

Studio: Arch 111 Semester: Fall 2019 Professor: Alexandra Mei

This project was to design a space to sit down and have a conversation with an inspirational individual. It is inspired by the American writer Edgar Allen Poe whose works were mostly dark and mysterious. This space reflects these moods as well as involves the silent art of writing. Sets of mirrors are placed strategically on the site in a way for the two participants to see and write about each other. The conversation space sits on the top of Art Hill in Forest Park. A broken mirror sits beside each participant to remind them that they are only to focus on the other individual.

Physical model of the conversation space sitting upon the site

Courtroom

Studio: Arch 212 Semester: Spring 2021 Professor: Wyly Brown

Work shown completed in cooporation with Eric Kim and Federico Bonora

For this group project, we were tasked with designing a courtroom. Our concept was to bring participating parties together and create a courtroom environment under the hypothesis that comfort, not intimidation, leads to better performance and fairer trials. We focused on reducing hierarchy, division, and formality. In addition to collaborating on the design of the courtroom, I 3D printed and rendered the rhino model. To create a more unified space, there is one table for the judge, clerks, plaintiff, and defendant to sit at.

Explodedaxon drawing of the courtroom

Rendering of courtroom from gallery and witness perspective

Plan

Courthouse

Studio: Arch 212 Semester: Spring 2021 Professor: Wyly Brown

The final project for this studio was to turn an existing St. Louis building into a courthouse. The rules allowed only 50 percent of the existing building to contain programming. Great attention was made to the site. The courthouse was designed with the historical facade, the circulation of visitors, and the connection with the surrounding site in mind.

Physical model made of foamcore and bristol

Florence Montessori School

Studio: Arch 411A Semester: Fall 2022 Professor: Robert McCarter

This six-week-long project was completed while studying abroad in Florence, Italy. The Montessori school was designed to be on the Ponte Amerigo Vespucci bridge which spans the Arno River. Research into the philosophy of Maria Montessori influenced the design of the individual classrooms and the piazza spaces.

Physical model of the montessori school and the Ponte Amerigo Vespucci bridge

1/4” physical model of one of the classrooms

Case that contains the drawings

Florence Subterranean Link

Studio: Arch 411B Semester: Fall 2022 Professor: Zueler Lima

This six-week-long project was completed while studying abroad in Florence, Italy. The site was located on the outskirts of the city near the Maggio Theatre.

Piazzas serve as public galleries, performance spaces, reference points, and urban living rooms. They are centers of energy, where people from all walks of life interact with each other. Most piazzas in Florence are located near religious centers such as the Santa Maria del Fiore or political centers such as Piazza della Signoria. The surrounding architecture not only influences the shape but also the foot traffic of the piazzas.

The intensity of the sound that emulates in each of the piazzas correlates to their importance in Florentine history. Florence is a unique piece of music performed by an orchestra comprised of various instruments (piazzas) played by a multitude of musicians (us). This mural reflects the unique sounds generated in the piazzas which together form a cacophonous melody. Throughout the history of Florence, the noises of the city changed, however, the level of sound that emanates in and around the piazzas remains consistent.

Accordion book showcasing the mural

University Campus

Studio: Arch 312 Semester: Spring 2022 Professor: Hans Tursack

The university campus is not only the setting for academic achievement and research but is also a living playground that fosters creativity. This campus is designed with the mental health of the students in mind. Large open-air spaces sculpted by the placement of objects on the site force the students to take in the fresh air between classes and activities.

The campus is about movement; not only in the literal movement of students but also in the suggested movement of objects (buildings) on a plane.

The beginning of the project was to develop a minute-long Maya animation featuring a variety of shapes that each had a specific function and placement. Form families were then generated from the animation. These architectural objects would be scattered across the site. While the forms were scattered across the site, they heavily influenced the design of the rest of the campus.

To create a sense of implied movement, multiple methods of connection were developed. The runway provided the spine of the campus with it connecting all of the individual structures. Snaking along the site is a long path that connects the green spaces between the forms. A second story open-air walkway system connecting academic buildings transformed them into a system of vertices in a network of movement.

Ephemeral Announcement

Studio: Arch 412 Semester: Spring 2023 Professor: Gia Daskalakis

Elephant Rocks State Park in Iron County Missouri is a geological reserve that features two quarries and large granite boulders. The site provides and excellent opportunity to observe astronomical events due to its rural location.

The following project is an ephemeral installation introducing the Geminid Meteor Shower which occurs in December annually. Taking inspiration from the shower, segments of a quarry surface is illuminated at a similar frequency as the event using projection mapping.

Quarry Observation

Studio: Arch 412 Semester: Spring 2023 Professor: Gia Daskalakis

The North Quarry is unique due to its shape, viewing opportunities, and unobstructed views of the sky. Despite this, only around a quarter of the quarry is easily accessible. The solution was to design a structure that provides new views of the quarry.

The building features a subterranean auditorium, exhibition space, cafe, lounge space, and accessible roof. A green roof, solar panels, and recycled construction materials make the building sustainable.

Bradford County School

Architecture Student Internship

Summer 2022 Paul Stressing Associates Inc.

For this project, I made edits to the contruction drawings, made labels, and developed the exterior color and material.

Sketches

When I visit a new city I find that taking the time to sketch allows me to admire the beauty of the place. Through sketching, I can capture not just the physical landmarks but also the essence and character of the city, creating a lasting memory that goes beyond photographs and souvenirs.