Micah Hook Architecture Portfolio

I am a third-year architecture student at the University of Arkansas; this portfolio serves as a collection of pieces from my journey and growth as a designer. Throughout my experiences, I’ve come to regard listening as the most valuable tool for any designer. The ability to absorb and sift through feedback, comprehending its origins, and angle. This process of discernment requires patience, something I find best cultivated through direct, handson creation. I’ve found that overcoming design blocks often occurs through unconventional means—like rock climbing, painting, and wood working. This portfolio seeks to articulate my process and mindset, unveiling how I approach design.

Micah Hook

CONTACT

CELL | 405-906-8410

EMAIL | Micahhook7@gmail.com

EXPERIENCE

ADG Blatt Architects | 920 W Main St, Oklahoma City, OK 73106 | May 23, 2023 - August 4, 2023

- Intern for OKC and Edmond offices

- Predominantly used Revit and AutoCad

- Main job was drafting plans, sections, and details

- Attended multiple client, and CA meetings on site

Fay Jones Fabrication Labs | 701 S Government Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701 | January 2023 - Present

- Job includes 3d printing, CNC milling, Laser cutting, wood working, and welding

- Teaching students equipment has taught me how to use it more efficiently

SKILLS

MODELING DRAWING

WOOD WORKING

AUTOCAD REVIT

RHINO SKETCH UP ILLUSTRATOR

PHOTOSHOP

02 | Triplex

Year | 2023

Type | House

Goal | Creativity

Location | Los Angeles, CA

This affordable housing project was a response to Californias recent zoning law change allowing an ADU (additional dwelling unit) on zoned single family lots. The guidelines were to create two additional units on a Mar Vista Tract home by Gregory Ain.

This project placed a strong emphasis on creativity. When faced with the need to integrate two more units into an existing site, the design approach revolved around creating balance through diagramming. The process involved an expansion of a central element while integrating additional components to preserve a whole.The transition from these design exercises to the site’s programming phase was interesting. I figured if I kept the drawings fun the finished product would feel fun as well.

House

The objective of the entry was to establish a pathway that held the same level of significance as the original home. A key priority was to ensure that the families residing in the backyard felt a sense of inclusion to the neighborhood community.

The primary goal for the backyard was to maintain a minimal footprint while maximizing outdoor space for the three home. Consideration of the angles in the design of the new homes was dedicated to enhancing privacy for both indoor and outdoor areas.

This architectural model was crafted as a comprehensive study aid. The sequential decisions concerning landscaping, windows, facade, and detailing were made subsequent to the completion of each preceding aspect. This approach granted the house an organic selfdesigning capability, offering a different design feeling than I was used to. Instead of overly controlling every design element, this methodology liberated the creative process, enabling a better concentration on each individual task. Modeling evolved into a pivotal intermediate stage throughout the project.

In my experience with designing process models, I’ve discovered that utilizing white and acrylic materials have boundless imagination. The white model serves as a canvas that can turn into any color while stuyding it. Meanwhile, the acrylic element establishes the setting but remains unobtrusive when examining other parts of the project. coloring the acrylic has the potential to drastically enhance or diminish the scene, even simulating the appearance of different materials.

Overhead

Front Exterior | Physical model

02 | Park Place

Year | 2023

Type | Housing

Goal | Affordability

Location | Los Angeles, CA

This partner project with William Langston was conceptualized for the Buildners Affordable Housing Contest in Los Angeles. The primary objective revolved around the reimagining of parking lots as potential sites for housing placement. Central to the design concept was the utilization of parking stall dimensions as a foundational element. By aligning with the dimensions of parking stalls, the design accommodated the construction of three homes within the confines of eight parking spaces. This innovative approach not only repurposed underutilized areas but also optimized the available space to create multiple residential units within a limited footprint.

In challenging the prevalent stigma surrounding ‘affordable housing,’ this project diverged from conventional approaches. Rather than adhering solely to traditional development strategies, the project embraced an artistic progression. Decision-making, particularly concerning site selection, affordability, sustainability, formal design, materials, and more, was guided by abstract art principles rather than normative architectural norms. The deliberate delay in construction allowed more thought to go into the composition as a whole. By prioritizing the influence of sketching throughout the design process, the resulting architectural solution surpassed expectations.

Expansion

The perspective below was created to study how a two story iteration of the design could fit into local neighborhoods. The two story design offered a less commercial looking approach to housing but had its downsides.This image was a stepping stone to creating the final design for the competition.

Both models were crafted at 1/8”=1’0” scale for immediate understanding, aiming to be as straightforward and clear communication tools.

The structural model displayed our framing technique along with the shared plumbing lines and walls among all three units.

03 |

Box Theatre

Year | 2023

Type | Theatre

goal | Section

Location | St. Louis, MO

The Theatre project began with the fabrication of 1/8”=1’0” scaled wooden blocks, tailored to accommodate specific program requirements. The concept was to ensure that, regardless of arrangement, the building had all essential elements for the project. These blocks were configured to optimize circulation flow and evoke captivating sectional features. I felt that the journey leading to the theatre held equal significance to the theatre space itself. Abstract drawings were crafted with the deliberate purpose of enhancing sectional characteristics and establishing connections with St. Louis, contributing to the overall design narrative.

As the concept materialized, diving deeper into the functionality of the section became crucial. It evolved into a process of shaping the spaces between spaces.The transitional spaces held a lot importance in the design. Rather than focusing solely on efficiency from point A to point B, the emphasis was on creating a journey to the theatre, setting the stage for attendees to enjoy the performance. This involved a separation between practice and performance spaces, offering viewers a glimpse into the processes that contribute to each night’s performance, making a better experience.

The section perspective drawing was made as a tool to study spacial qualities and light. It was also a way to visualize how spaces compress and open depending on desired feeling for the user.

Section perspective

04 | Modeling & Drawing

Years | 2021-2024

Architects often design with a focus on impressing fellow architects rather than engaging the general public, particularly in educational settings. The conventional methods of architectural drawing, while quickly understood within the architectural community, may not always resonate with those outside the field. There’s been a shift toward hyperrealistic renderings that leave little room for interpretation, altering the architect-client dynamic from one of trust to a performance-based interaction. This approach confines architects, pressuring them to meticulously detail designs for renderings to captivate clients. If the client approves the rendering, the architect is then bound to replicate it precisely in the real building, risking client dissatisfaction otherwise. Drawing and modeling offer an alternative to this constraining method, encouraging a healthier and more flexible design process.

Modeling serves as a valuable tool for exploring elements like material, light, space, form, and color. More importantly, they’re enjoyable, not just in their creation but in their interactive nature. Models transcend professional boundaries; one doesn’t need to be an architect to grasp a well-made model. When a client holds a model, they can freely examine it from various angles, engaging their imagination to fill in the blanks. It grants clients a sense of involvement, stepping away from being solely dictated to by the architect. Involving the client in the design process through models can shift their expectations, relieving some pressure from architects and allowing them to work at their own pace.

This drawing and model are part of a project for an outdoor market. The focus was to create a structural bay system that could be connected and adapted to any site. The triangular grid became the primary system and was carried through to the secondary and tertiary systems. Beyond structural functionality, this system served as a tool to study light to enhance the overall experience.

This architectural model was crafted as an exploration of light dynamics. Inspired by the El Batel auditorium in Cartagena, Spain, the model retains the original building’s form while integrating acrylic components to separate the individual structures. The model’s construction relied solely on connective mechanisms—tracks and simple joinery—avoiding any adhesive or glue. This approach allowed for each building to be studied independantly.

The dynamic components of this models transcended their role as mere study aids; they double as powerful communication tools. When viewers can actively engage with a model, interacting with it almost like a toy, their interest and engagement amplify. As if they become part of the model’s creation process. This experience fundamentally shifted my perspective on the purpose of models. It highlighted the idea that study models and final presentation models can be the same model when done intentionally.

These three pieces were created as an exercise to analyze and compare two buildings.The primary aim was to get to the essence of each project, focusing on two specific developments: the Mauritania Apartments and Canyon 5 Apartments in Los Angeles.

The model was made so they each side showed a different view of proportions and colors. The acrylyc allows you to see through and compare the other side to see new relations.

Shapes and Colors | Ink and colored pencil on paper

The reuleaux stool stemmed from a practical need. Within my architecture building, the existing metal stools are uncomfortable, cold, and disruptive due to their distinct noise that drives me crazy. With the construction of the Anthony Timberland Center—a mass timber building—at the Fay Jones School, I recognized the necessity for a stool that fit with the ambiance of this new project. I started on this personal project during my free time, envisioning a stool that could be mass produced.

With the intent to craft a design possible for mass production, I approached the initial stages envisioning myself as a CNC mill. Using a laser cutter, I fabricated study models mirroring the process I would employ at full scale with the CNC machine. The stool design comprises four parts: three legs and a seat. Leveraging the precision of the CNC, it helped minimizing postprocessing to sanding and glue up. I aim to further dive into joinery techniques, simplifying and optimizing the stool’s construction, with hopes of presenting this design proposal for the new Timberland Center.