Current Portfolio

Megan Thomson Architecture Portfolio University of Houston Interior Architecture Selected Works 2014-2018

Contents Retreat Space

4

Studio II (2016) Instructor: Roya Plauche

Kinetic Forest

46

Studio IV (2017) Instructor: Ziad Qureshi 14

Studio VI (2018) Instructor: Salah Kalantari

Auto Isolation

58

Bat Colony Observation Center

74

Studio The car was a vital part of American sociInstructor: Ziad Qureshi

Apex

22

Billboard Residence

30

Alden B. Dow Museum

34

Studio V (2017) Instructor: Ziad Qureshi

Studio III (2016) Instructor: Michael Gonzales

Studio III (2016) Instructor: Michael Gonzales

Studio IV (2017) Instructor: Ziad Qureshi

Fine Arts College Installation

PENNY LOUVER PLACE

CONCEPT IDEAS

Cantilevering

84 in standard ceiling height 78 in height

10.65 in

Transparency

18 in knee/sitting 18 in standard chair and

30 in standard dinning

36 in countertop height

80 in standard door height

12 in footstep

32 in distance of window placement

87 in standard window height

Atrium

FIRST GENERATION CONCEPT MODELS

SECOND GENERATION CONCEPT MODELS

Mass & Site

Circulation

Skin

Program

Planes

Isometric View Structure

Section 01

Section 02

Section 04

Exploded Isometric View

Section 03

MN

MO

Floor Plan 3

MP

MQ

01

02

03

04

Floor Plan 1

^ í =í ÜÉ=ä Éî Éä =ç Ñ=~=ë á å Öä É=ã á åçÉí Çì ácäÅ= çê ÉIÉë =íí ÜÉ=h =ã á ã á Åë =í ÜÉ=ã ç í á ç å =ç Ñ=~=Ääf ç= í çí ãï ááåëÖ=ê í ë =á ç ëåÉK= í ç =~=í á ÖÜí =ë é á ê ~ä =~å Ç= í ÜÉå =ê Éä É~ë Éë I =ç é Éå á å Ö=Ä~Åâ =ì é =ä á â É=í ÜÉ=é Éí ~ä ë =ç å =~=ê ç ë É=ç é Éå =ìë é= K=ç å í ç =É~ÅÜ=ç í ÜÉê =~ë =á í =Ää ç ç ã q ÜÉ=î Éê í á Å~ä ä ó =ë í ê ì å Ö=Åç ê Ç=á å =í ÜÉ=ë ó ë í Éã =ä ÉÇ=ì ë =í ç =Åç å ë á ÇÉê =É~ÅÜ=ë ê í= á å Öä É=ã ç Çì ä É=~ë =~=é ~ í Ü~í =ã ~â Éë =ì é =í ÜÉ=ä ~ê ÖÉê =ï Üçí äÜÉ= É=ë c çêóÉë ë íKí=i Éã áI â=É=~= c çê Éë í =á ë =~=ä ÖI= á î á å Äê É~í Üá å Ö=ë ó ë í Éã =Åç ã é ê á ëåÉÇ=ç ó=ë ã Ñ=ã ~ä ä ~Éêê=é íë I ~=h á å Éí c çêá Éë Å=í =á ë = Åç ã é ê á ë ÉÇ=ç Ñ=ã å ó=ë~ á å Öì ä ~ê =ë ó ë í Éã ë =í Ü~í =ã ç î É=á å =í ÜÉã ë Éä î Éë =~å Ç= ~ë =~=ï Üç ÉKä

= mÜ~ëÉ==f W f å á í óá = I~ïä É= ä Åê É~ í ÉÇ= ~ = ë ó ë í Éã = ï Üá ÅÜ= ì í á ä á ò Éë = í ÜÉ= ë é á ê ~ ä á å Ö= Ää ç ç ã = é ê Éë Éå í = á å = í ÜÉ= ê ç ë É= î ~á ë = á ~ç = å ï= ~ ó=== ë íé ç~ = ÅÉ Éå í Ü~ í = ÅÜ~ å ÖÉë = á í ë = î ç ä ì ãí Éí á Éë ê á=Å= ~ ëé=ê~ç==éï Éê ~ó =í ç é ç í Éå í á ~ ä ä ó = ÅÜ~ å ÖÉ= í ÜÉ= ï ê~îÉÇ= ó = ~é=Éç ë é é~äÅÉ= =É= ~ë íÉ Ñç ê = q Üá ë = ä ÉÇ= í ç = í ÜÉ= Åê É~ í á ç å = ç Ñ= ~ = ë é á ê ~ ä á å Ö= ~ å Ç= Åç å í êí~áÅå Ö= ë ó ë í Éã = í Ü~ í = Åç ì ä Ç= ÄÉ= ê Éé É~ í ÉÇ= ~ ë = ~ = ã ç Çì ä ~ ê = ë ó ë í Éã = í Ü~ í = Åê É~ íç ÉÇ= ê Éë ~í =Kï Üç ä É= q ÜÉ= ì ë É= ç Ñ= Åç ê Ç= Ö~ î É= í ÜÉ= ë óJë í Éã = ~ = í ê ~ å ë é ~ ê ÉåÅó= ~ å Ç= í ~ å Öá Äá ä á í ó = í Ü~ í = Åç ì ä Ç= ÄÉ= ~ ä í Éê ÉÇ= í Üê ç ì ÖÜ= ã ç î Éã qÉå Üáí ëK= = ~ Ç~ é í ~óÖá Äá = îäÉë á = í ÜÉ= ë ó ë í Éã = í ÜÉ= ~ Äá ä á í ó = í ç ==Åç å í ê ç ä = á í ë = é ì Ää á Å ~ å Ç= é ê á î ~ í É=íéáêÉë ç é=Éê ~ë =~ ÉK =ë é ~Å

Çï Éä ä = á å = í = ÜÉ= Åá í ó ~ å Ç= í ÜÉ= Åá í ó = Çï Éä K ä ë =á å =ã É

t É= Éñ é ä ç ê ÉÇ= Üç ï = ç ìêêó==ï ëçÉå ê äëÇë ç = Éñ á ë í = ï á í Üá å = ì ë = ~ ë = ~ = ï ~ ó = í ç = ì å ÇÉê ë í ~ å Ç= í ÜÉ= Éñí Éê å ~ ä = á å é ì í ë = ~ êq çÜçì åë Ç= É= ìë ëÉåK= =ë Éë ~ ê É=í~áÅî É= ç å ä ó = ï ÜÉå = ï É= ~ ê É= é ê Éë Éå í = á å = ~ = ë á í ì ~ í á ç å = ~ å Ç= Çç = å ç íê = ï áÉñ É ë I=á ë í = ç í ÜÉ ~ å ÇI = á å = ~ = ë á óã = Iá íä ÜÉ= ~ ê =hï á~åcÉí çê Éë á Å= =í ï ç ì ä Ç= ÄÉ= í á~îÅ~ í ÉÇ= Äó = í ÜÉ= é ê=Éë Éå ÅÉ= ç Ñ í ÜÉ= ì êëKÉ =

Inner Gear Motion Rotates 30 Degrees 1/2 scale

The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is a nonprofit arts organization devoted to advancing the education about the process , product and history of craft. Currently, the museum is in need of a system to display their exhibitions that not only emphasizes their desire to highlight the means of making within contemporary craft but also considers the need for adaptibility to accomodate impermanent connections, is durable in times of high traffic, and can be both accessible and interactive with the audience without detracting attention from the art. Our goal is to provide a customizable, resistant modular system that can adapt to HCCC’s needs and reflect the aesthetics of the site, all with a uniqueness of its own.

Safe Interactio n

Highlight Means o f Making

Defin e Space

Portability

Storage

Neutrality: Unique yet Understated

Expressed Connection Details

Modularity : Function as a System

Display Configuration

Materials China Birch Wood : Brazos Forest Products QuantityM

odel No. Grade C2

Finish

Cost

Dimensions

Unfinished

$42.00 / Sheet

48” Width x 96” Length x 3/4” Thickness

China Birch Wood : Brazos Forest Products QuantityM

odel No.

Finish

Cost

Dimensions

1G

rade C2

Unfinished

$26.00 / Sheet

24” Width x 48” Length x 1/2” Thickness

Metal Lift-off Surface Mount Hinges with Holes QuantityM 4

odel No. 1151A95

Finish Zinc Plated

Cost $7.00 / Hinge5

Dimensions 3/8” total width x 1 1/4” height

Rubber Sheet, Heavy Duty QuantityM

odel No.

Finish

Cost

Dimensions

2G

rade 60A

Black

$15.00 / Sheet

12” Width x 12” Length x 1/8” Thickness

QuantityM

odel No.

Finish

Cost

Dimensions

18

00957

Unfinished

$18.00 / Piece

1 1/2” Depth x 72” Length x 1/8” Thickness

QuantityM

odel No.

Finish

Cost

Dimensions

14

81630

Unfinished

$13.00 / Piece

1 1/2” Width x 48” Length x 3/16” Thickness

Finish

Cost

Dimensions

$6.00 / Piece

3/4” Depth x 36” Length x 1/16” Thickness

Angled Steel

Flat Plain Steel

Angled Aluminum QuantityM

odel No.

18

01387U

nfinished

Price per Unit Estimate: $163-$200

MUNECAS ISLA RESIDENCE Built for a professional artisan doll house crafter, this loft serves as a workshop as well as a retreat space for the client. The space incorporates the client’s personal inspirations of desert environments and animal bones via an overarching concept of the volume’s connection to nature and the outside area. Both the mediums in which the client works (straw) and the existing site’s grid frame influenced the development of this space’s layout and skin system. The wood skin system that, along with glass, forms the envelope of the structure is modeled on the combined ideas of woven straw material, the modular aspect of bones, and the pre-existing grid of the site.

B

KEY

Private

Public

A

C

ROOF FLOOR PLAN 3/32”: 1’0”

B

PROGRAM

A

CIRCULATION C

FIRST FLOOR PLAN 3/32”: 1’0”

B

THRESHOLD

SKIN

A

C

SECOND FLOOR PLAN 3/32”: 1’0”

SECTION C

3/32”: 1’0”

SECTION B 3/16”: 1’0”

SECTION A 3/16”: 1’0”

RETENTION

An Interactive Experience of Antiquity

SITE Building Site Plan NEIGHBORING BANK

Located in the southern Texas Bay region, the city of Lake Jackson bears a rich history as one of the few master planned cities in the United States. Once the heart of the town, the master architect’s office is now re purposed as the Alden B. Dow Office Museum. By further developing the historic institution via the creation of new interactive programming (casual during the day, adult based during the night) and exhibits, the building would gain new life and dexterity of use. It would satisfy an unfulfilled niche within the community as a relaxing art and event space as well as a venue for young, non-parenting adults and new residents to interface with each other and the city’s history. Guest artists, using donated artifacts contributed by residents, would produce innovative, site specific installations that reflect the unique community of Lake Jackson.

The staff would be more directly involved with its patrons, and visitors would encounter more engaging content that has a stronger connection their personal lives in modern times.

70’

ALDEN B. DOW OFFICE MUSEUM N

L OG

25’

35’

G IA

PARKING LOT 1” : 16’

Demographics of Lake Jackson

Females 52.3% Median Resident Age:

Males 47.7%

36.7 Years Old

MUSEUM THEORY

Pros

is to ry

HISTORY

Cons

Community Dialogue Feedback Participatory Activities - (crowdsourcing, story sharing)

Multiple Perspectives - Negative Views - Chaotic Storytelling

A

rt

H

Research Projects

ie nc e

Art Based Participatory Projects Multiple Viewpoints Welcomed

Sc

ART

Education and Curatorial Departments Divided - Participation rarely interacts with actual art

SCIENCE

Able To Easily Adapt to Contemporary Issues

Family Oriented - Controversal issues are avoided

n re ld hi C

Youth Oriented - Adult activities are usually overlooked

Interactive and Visitor Oriented

CHILDREN Types of Museums and Similarities

Interactive Activities

Innovative Ways of Narration Able to Introduce Sensitive Topics

Issue of Children’s Privacy

MUSEUM DEVELOPMENT

Phy sic al &

rs isito Other V

Fo

y et ci o S

Currently Developing Museum Structure

MUSEUM

MUSEUM info

Museum

info

USER in int

era c

tio

n int er ac tio

USER

ge

USER

han

USER

exc

to r

fo

fo

USER

info

isi

in

ca

lV

Cu ltu ra lF ac to rs

Previous Museum Structure

n

USER

Museum Interactive Experience

Methods of Interactive Design

APPLIED INTERACTIVE METHODS

ALDEN B. DOW MUSEUM PROPOSED PLAN

CREATIO

N

ND

U SO

To ch Activated So nd i tes

Take Home Art

Displayed User Art

User ene rated Playlist

Chalk Wall 70’

E GA M

Post-It Wall

Card ame

/ NSE ON PO I RES RIBUT NT CO

ill in the lank

Sharpie Wall

4’

Matching ame

14’ 5”

15’

9’

A

INTERACTIVE METHODS

c 13’

Collected Narratives

24’ 25’

18’9”

Maps (ploting an experience or memory)

Lo nge

8’ 5”

c

c

b

d

d cA bdAeb

b e e de e A e d

c

c

d eA ee

A

c

e

AL DU IVI ITY IND CTIV A

IN

e

L

d

A ST

e

N

A

O

c b eb e A d e eAAd eb A d bA d

e

TI LA

d

d c Aee Aeb b A

c

b

c

dd b e d AA

c

A

c

Meditation Spaces

b d e d e eA

c

Personality Test

ebd AA A bd b AA d b

c

D xperien ce

A

c

Typewritten Love Letters

c

Light ased Installation

b

b

GROUP ACTIVITY

13’

35’

ALLIANCE OF JUXTAPOSITION Meaning Found Through Opposition

Given the goal of translating a cinematic experience into a spacial; one, this project consisted of designing a temporary art installation in a solitary breezeway located in the Fine Arts College at the University of Houston. Initially inspired by Ridley Scott’s Bladerunner, six film sequences were chosen and expressed via visual diagrams. Focusing on interaction between sound and light, overlapping eras and styles, and opposing environments occurring in one space, the main theme of contrasting elements needing each other to exist was developed. Through juxtaposition, elements can both contrast and compliment one another, adding strength and harmony through tension. The diagrams created were transformed into physical models, adding complexity and idea development with every iteration. A collage served as the final abstracted step of the design process and solidified multiple themes into a singular central intention. The cumulation of the work resulted in the application of the concepts with the objectives of both creating an experience and responding to an existing space.

Centered around the concept of juxtaposition and the interplay of elements, the instillation design heavily employs light to create contrasting experience in a 24 hour cycle of the building. Metal panels create patterned shade and seclusion during the day. The space induces slow movement with cooler temperatures through darkness. It exists as a negative-light space, with the light source traveling from outside the space in. The conditions are inverted in the nighttime as neon lights the pulsate invoke movement through and attention to the space. The space radiates light instead of sucking it in, illuminating the darkness of night in the courtyard found below. While light is heavily emphasized and utilized, rhythm also is present in both day and night (rhythm of the panels in the day and rhythm of the strobing lights at night), binding the two conditions and contributing to the theme of contrast via multiple applications of a single element. The juxtaposition elements create meaning in the space through the comparison of one to another.

FINE ARTS Inhabitants edit space as they use it, creating a unique and personalized community space

WOOD WORKING

TEXTILES Maintains the concrete interior and structure of original structure

BAT COLONY STATION Canopy

Open Floor

Enclosed Courtyard

15’

-15’ A

10’

Clear Floor

A -10’

-5’

Courtyard

1” : 64’

Primary Architecture Elements

Located along the extensive Bayou system of the Houston area, the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony Viewing Station integrates nature and education into one building. The station stands as a modern interpretation of a traditional courtyard styled house in order to allow a merging of exterior and interior spaces, as well as to permit visitors to view bats more intimately. The building reflects the landscape as it slopes down, eventually serving as bridging the street to the bayou.

Seconday Architecture Elements

Open Roof

-5’ -24’

Open Courtyard

-12’

-0’

Cut Through

C

C

Division

Elevated Courtyard

FLOOR LO 1

FLOOR 2

SECTION A 1” : 16’

SECTION C

SECTION B

EAST ELEVATION