Selected works portfolio

Margaret Okonkwo Portfolio

Experience 

Mass. College of Art & Design, Boston

Experience, cont’d Jan 2011-May 2011

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Teaching Assistant for architectural studio courses 

Mass. College of Art & Design, Boston

Studio G architects, Inc. Jamaica Plain

May 1999-August 1999

Intern: Duties included drafting; Field measuring for drawing accuracy; Answering phones and other office related duties.

Sept 2010-May 2011

Graphics Illustrator for Structures Courses, using AutoCAD 

Flavin Architects, Boston

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Sept 1998-August 2001

Workstudy: Duties included assisting admin counselors with data entry; Typing; Xeroxing and Distribution of admission’s information to prospective students.

June 2001-Dec 2010

Job Captain/Designer: Duties included general coordination and maintenance of project through all phases; Work with Project Architect to initiate/develop designs; Participate in architectural programming/prepare written architectural program; Code/other relevant project research; Ensure team members follow office standards/maintain drawing sets; Initiate/ coordinate client and project meetings; Prepare meeting notes; Oversee coordination of project consultants; Construction observation/construction administration. Coordinating and organizing project bid process.

Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston

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Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston

May 1998-Sept 1998

Office Assistant: Duties included assisting financial aid counselors with data entry; Distributing financial aid information to students and other office related duties.

Education 

New England School of Art & Design @ Suffolk University, Boston

Sept 2006-Dec 2006

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Studio G architects, Inc. Jamaica Plain

Sept 2000-Dec 2000, Jan 2000-May 2000

Intern: Duties included computer drafting; Assisting Project Captain with different projects; Maintaining office materials library; Answering phones and other office related duties.

Resume

Aug. 2009-May 2012

Masters of Architecture Degree

Adjunct Instructor: Fall semester instructor for Construction docs/CAD 

Mass. College of Art & Design, Boston

Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston

Sept 1997-Aug. 2001

Bachelors of Science in Architectural Engineering

Skills Ms-Word, MS-Excel, Ms-PowerPoint, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, AutoCAD 2007-2011, Revit Architecture 2011.

References are available upon request.

Office Positions held at Studio G Architects 

Job Captain

2007-2010

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Designer

2003-2007

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Architect-Intern

2001-2003

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Drafts Person/Intern

2000, 2001

Educational Projects 

Boston Latin School Sustainable Roof Project, Roxbury MA

2002

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Beacon High School/Walker Home & School, Boston MA

2003

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Paige Academy, Roxbury MA

2002

Institutional and Community Facilities

Experience

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Greenwood memorial United Methodist Church, Dorchester MA

2010

Child Care Projects

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Ebenezer Baptist Church, Boston MA

2010

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Communities United Inc Head Start Program, Woburn MA

2008

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Cooper Community Center, Boston MA

2003

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Skribbles Learning Center, Northborough MA

2007

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Moody Street Center for Coalition for a Better Acre, Lowell MA

2002

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Melrose Day Care Center playground, Melrose MA

2006

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Crystal Gardens Children’s Center, Hyannis MA

2004

Commercial, Office and Mixed Use Projects

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St Francis De sales, St Philip Parish Afterschool program

2004

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Copper Beech Day Care, Jamaica Plain MA

2001

270 Centre Project, Jamaica Plain MA

2011

Urban Design and Planning 

Housing & Residential Projects 

270 Centre Project , Jamaica Plain MA

2011

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White Elephant Hotel Residences (Studio G as Assoc. Architects)

2007

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Highland Park Phase II Home owner’s Initiative

2004

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Brookview House, Dorchester MA

2004

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Garrett residence, Roxbury MA

2004

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Kittredge residences, Roxbury MA

2003

St. Marks Area Main Streets – Planning Process for Peabody Square Dorchester MA

2004

Historic Preservation Projects 

Roxbury Presbyterian Church, Roxbury MA

2006

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Fourth Presbyterian Church, Boston MA

2003

Studio G Architects, Inc. – Project History

Studio G Architects, Inc. 2001-2010 Selected Projects

The Ebenezer Baptist Church (EBC) Renovation project involved interior renovations with minor site work, to the basement of a brick church with steel and wood framing and a stone foundation. The work consisted of selective demolition and new construction and was planned to be phased as follows: Phase 1:– Renovations to approximately 1600SF including the Commercial Kitchen, Meeting/Activities room, Trustees, Pastor and Secretary’s Offices, miscellaneous Storage closets and Hallways and a new Bathroom in the Pastor’s Office. Demo of bricked in window openings, and replacement with new double glazed wood hopper windows with tempered glass, and new HD steel wire security grilles. Two new exterior doors. Possibly new gas service from street.

New gas fired boiler to provide heating for basement spaces, and hot water for kitchen and baptismal pool.

New heating distribution at phase 1 spaces only; new ventilation system with heat recovery, sized for entire basement, but distributed only to the Phase 1 spaces.

New sanitary line from street and all new hot and cold water piping to serve new fixtures and equipment indicated in Phase 1 and the existing baptismal pool at the sanctuary level. New booster for fire alarm system, and all new/relocated F.A. devices at Phase 1 spaces.

New lighting and power, exit signs, emergency lighting, etc at Phase 1 spaces.

Phase 2:– Renovations to the 3350SF remaining basement space as shown, and including demo of existing stair to sanctuary and existing landing and stair at basement entry; completion of the new heating and ventilation systems so that all spaces have mechanical fresh air, new plumbing piping and fixtures as indicated, new/relocated fire alarm devices and other relevant systems upgrades for Basement.

Project Role: Job Captain Duties included coordination with HVAC engineer for feasibility report, Site visits, field verification of existing conditions, coordinating and meeting with consultants and client, design layout and generating CAD drawings, assisting project architect with client presentation, writing project specs, client meetings and developing finishes schedule.

Restoration – EBC Renovation Project

Communities United Inc. (CUI) is a private non-profit organization that provides quality and affordable childcare programs for families. This project involved interior renovations of 8,320 SF of space at an existing office/light industrial building, which was to become CUI’s new Woburn site.

The scope of work included providing new partitions and finishes for (3) Toddler classrooms, (3) Preschool classrooms, an indoor Play space, a large training/ meeting room, a small conference room, miscellaneous offices, children and adult restrooms, a kitchen and storage closets. Interior windows were added at classrooms to provide views in as well as allow daylight to pass through into the hallway and building systems were upgraded.

CUI’s Childcare Fitout project was completed in August of 2008 and implemented sustainable design elements such as low VOC paint, linoleum flooring (a renewable material), Mapei rubber adhesive and the use of operable windows in the classrooms for natural ventilation.

Project Role:Job Captain/Project Manager

Duties included coordination with HVAC engineer for feasibility report, Site visits, field verification of existing conditions, coordinating and meeting with consultants and client, design layout and generating CAD drawings, assisting project architect with client presentation, writing project specs, and developing finishes schedule.

Child Care – CUI Childcare Fitout Project

SKRIBBLES LEARNING CENTER PROJECT This project located in Northboro, Mass, involved interior renovations of an existing building initially intended for retail use. The scope of work included providing new partitions and finishes for (1) Infant classroom, (3) Toddler classrooms, (2) Preschool classrooms, (1) Pre-K classroom a Multipurpose room for indoor Play, a Reception/Waiting Area, a Staff Lounge, miscellaneous offices, children and adult restrooms, a kitchenette and storage closets.

Interior windows were added at classrooms to provide views in as well as allow daylight to pass through into the hallway. A new outdoor playground area was created and segmented to accommodate the different age groups. The existing building systems such as electrical, fire alarm and sprinkler systems were also upgraded to accommodate the new building use. The Skribble’s project was completed in the Fall of 2007 and implemented sustainable design elements such as low VOC paint and linoleum flooring (a renewable material).

Child Care – Skribbles Childcare Fitout Project

Roxbury Presbyterian Church (RPC) PROJECT Interior renovations and historic restoration - 2006 The church completed interior renovations such as structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire alarm system upgrades, and ADA requirements were satisfied with the installation of new wheelchair lifts. At the Basement level, renovation work included new wall, floor and ceiling finishes, multipurpose spaces for afterschool and other general use, new restrooms, new offices, a computer technology room and a new commercial kitchen. At the sanctuary level, renovations included new ceiling, wall and floor finishes at sanctuary, ladies parlor, offices, vestibule and prayer room. A new meeting space and offices were added, with new restrooms. At this level, the historic fabric of the church was reinforced through the reconstruction of the existing main entry stairway and existing entry doors, as well as the refinished altar and pulpit. Water infiltration and remediation – The building suffered from constant water in-take at the basement level due to disconnected exterior rain leaders. The rain and street water would leak /seep into the building through the foundation walls.

The interior plaster walls at the perimeter were demolished and new GWB partitions were constructed with a 4-6” gap between partitions and the foundation walls. Within these gaps, moisture barrier membranes were installed and concrete trenches filled with gravel were built to carry any water to sump pits (also lined with membrane and gravel), where once the water rises to a high level, will be pumped out of the Basement with a sump pump.

This has proved to be a successful solution for the church till date.

Exterior masonry, stucco and wood repair - 2006 At the exterior, masonry at Woodbine Street façade of the building was a 100% repointed, and at Warren Street a 100% masonry repointing was also accomplished with the exception of the main entry which was intact. The masonry at these two façades also received low pressure cleaning and mortar repair/replacement, thereby restoring the natural beauty of the pink granite stone. Decorative wood was repaired/consolidated in selected areas, new wood work was paint, and the granite stairs at both Warren and Woodbine were reset.

Slate roof replacement and Cupola repair - 2003 The church’s slate roof was replaced in it’s entirety, snow guards were added at the front entries, lightening protection was installed, rain leaders, cupola was rebuilt. This phase of work has kept the building weathertight and eradicated roof leakage, also providing a much needed aesthetic upgrade. The replication and replacement of the existing cupola and ornamental finials helped restore the site’s historic character.

Project Role:Designer/Drafter, Job Captain

Duties included coordination with HVAC engineer for feasibility report, Site visits, field verification of existing conditions, coordinating and meeting with consultants and client, design layout and generating CAD drawings, assisting project architect with client presentation, writing project specs, finishes schedule, coordinating and organizing bid process.

Restoration & Preservation – RPC Project

Garrett Residence Project This was a Two-Family, two and a half-storey detached house. The Main house was designed for the property owners while the detached unit was to be rented out to tenants. The interior layout of both houses is an open floor plan at the First floor, consisting of living room, dining room, family room, half bath, guest room and bathroom (at the main house), kitchen and misc. storage. Building materials included wood clapboard, wood windows, wood finishes.

Project Role: Designer/ Drafter

Duties included creating and maintaining CAD files, updating design revisions, material specifications, assisting project Architect and Job Captain, meeting with client to ensure their vision was maintained throughout the project.

Residential – Garrett Residential Project

270 Center Street Project New construction project in Jamaica Plain, Mass. for multi-use building with Retail at the first floor and affordable housing apartments (one to three bedroom units) on floors two through four. The client was JPNDC and the project was completed in 2011.

Project Role: Job Captain Duties included coordination with HVAC engineer for feasibility report, Site visits, field verification of existing conditions, coordinating and meeting with consultants and client, design layout and generating CAD drawings, assisting project architect with client presentation, finishes schedule, coordinating and organizing bid process, reviewing and processing project submittals, writing meeting notes, and reviewing/processing RFIs, ASIs and Change Orders.

Residential – 270 Centre Street Project

Brookview House Project The Brookview House is a transitional house for battered women and their children in Dorchester, MA. The Project here was a renovation and addition of the existing one and half storey clapboard building. This now three-storey house consists of one, two and three bedroom apartments at the top floors, while the first floor houses Admin Offices, Restrooms, Storage areas, a Kitchenette, a Community gathering space and Play areas for the residents’ children.

Project Role: Designer/Drafter Duties included creating and maintaining CAD files, updating design revisions, material specifications, assisting project Architect and Job Captain, meeting with client to ensure their vision was maintained throughout the project, site visits/field observations, processing RFIs and project submittals, and finishes selection.

Residential – Brookview House Project

Boston Latin School (BLS) Sustainable Roof Project A group of students at Boston Latin School in Boston started a green initiative project for their school and contracted Studio G Architects, Inc. to design a green roof. The preliminary design included plans for a rooftop garden, vegetative plant trays at selective existing lightwells, rooftop classrooms, a weather station, PV panels and storage facilities. The first phase on the project involving 40 plant trays was completed in the Fall of 2009.

Project Role: Job Captain Duties included coordination with Structural Engineer for structural report, Site visits, field verification of existing conditions, coordinating consultant and client meetings, assisting project architect with design and generating CAD drawings.

Green Roof – BLS Sustainable Roof Project

Mass College of Art & Design 2009 - 2012 Selected Studio Projects

My thesis project titled Home and Family Preserving the Residential Fabric of the Nigerian Igbo Village, focuses on the architectural vernacular of the residential setting within a typical Igbo village of today.

Here, I make a case for the Igbo residence and its relevance to the overall village fabric. With the research and analysis of its past and present, I am proposing a design solution that combines elements from both eras for the future.

The end goal of my Thesis research and study was to derive design guidelines for a modern residential architectural vernacular within the Igbo village that: • Expresses the concept of CONTENT + CONTEXT. The overall mass of the house(s) should not exceed 65% of the lot size within a compound.

The natural landscape will constantly grow and continue to beautify the environment.

• Is modest in style and size, with building heights and widths prescribed in the adjacent drawings. Massive building structures are typical of city settings and historically atypical in the village.

• Maintains an overall uniformity in the houses along the same street edge in terms of design and style. Design elements can be repeated along a streetscape and the houses appear to be similar but different if the style and dimensions are modular. This creates a sense of individuality (the house and compound) within the communal setting(overall village).

• Maintains a sense of place unchanged even when the time does.

Technological advancements may occur, but the historical essence and physical fabric of the village such as traditional building practices, food and material resources, and the natural landscape can remain intact.

For more info visit: http://www.issuu.com/mify78/docs/7-2612_thesis_book/1

MassArt – Thesis Project

The task in this studio was for students to design a new building for Cambridge Community Television (CCTV) using an in-house Architectural Program developed by CCTV for their expansion into a new space. This program consists of the following:Flexible Performance Space; Production Studio; Control Room; (2) Live Studios; Broadcasting Room; (4) Editing Suites; Experimental Exhibition Space; (2) Small Conference Rooms; (2) Computer Labs; Community Social gathering; Lobby, Concessions for events, Mailbox Area, Box Office/ Security/Reception Counter; (6) small CCTV Offices; Kitchenette; Tenant Offices; Public/Staff Restrooms; Mailroom; Circulation, Mechanical/other Building systems; Loading Dock/Storage; Shared Lounge (for CCTV and their Tenant); Shared Work area (for CCTV and their Tenant); Shared Kitchenette (for CCTV and their Tenant); Childcare Room; Kitchen (for community use); Teen Lounge; Waiting Area; Tenant space (To be either small Local Newsprint; Company or a small Public Relations firm) TOTAL NET BUILDING SF 18,485 SF TOTAL GROSS BUILDING SF20, 985 SF Original Concept: We began this project by creating individual abstract concepts that would/could be interpreted in our design. My concept was the Media as a medium for connecting as well as isolating people. For instance, we can stay connected to one another through the internet, while also being isolated from human contact as the act of using the computer is an ‘individual action’. In my design I used the program (and in some cases, building structure) to create physical spaces that reinforce my concept.

An example of this idea is seen within the main Lobby at the First floor, where the structural grid layout allows for size variations in the space so that people gather in a large group in the middle of the Lobby, while individuals can remain on the outskirts of it.

MassArt – Studio Project (CCTV)

This Architectural studio project was for a proposed Adult Educational Center in Cambridge Mass. The program for this mixed use building consists of Restaurant, Retail stores, Registration and Admin offices, Classrooms, Performance Auditorium, Instructional Cooking Kitchens, Wood shop, Dance/Exercise studio, General Art rooms, Music room, Library, Student lounge, Restrooms and Roof-top green spaces.

The proposed building is five-stories high, with concrete, brick and curtain wall system, and underground parking. The interior layout is arranged according to public, semi-public and semiprivate uses, with the most public ones at the first floor and progressing upwards to the top floors with the most private areas such as offices. The noisiest spaces such as the woodshop, cooking kitchens and performance auditorium are placed on the first floor towards the rear of the building (a cemetery is adjacent to the building rear). The retail spaces are also located on the first floor towards the front of the building in order to attract potential customers/users. Classrooms are located at the perimeter of the building to allow the maximum use of daylight.

MassArt – Studio Project (CAEC)

Misc. Sketches