Nate Albers Architecture Portfolio

Nate Albers Architecture Portfolio

Nate Albers Master of Architecture ‘24 / University of Texas at Austin B.A. Architectural Studies ‘20 / Middlebury College Online Portfolio: issuu.com/natealbers/docs/portfolio albers.nate@gmail.com 541-602-6393

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Contents Forest Research Center Collaborative, focused study space in the Ecuadorian cloud forest

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Bats and Boats A bat roost and kayak rental facility on Austin’s Lady Bird Lake

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Infill Houses Four single family homes on a lot meant for one

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Urban Design Transforming downtown Menlo Park into a dense, green, pedestrian district through public space and housing

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Housing Aggregate Communal living with a gradient of “shared-ness” in one of Austin’s growing neighborhoods

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Resume

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Forest Research Center

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In the dense cloud forest of Ecuador, USFQ requires a new research station for ecological study, equipped with labs, classrooms, observation areas, and more. This project proposes a simple timber building that creates multiple scales of space relevant to scientific work. Shear walls of the structure rise from the ground, tied together with massive trusses and capped with gabled roof trusses. At the entry level, an open central hall allows for collaborative work and lectures. Smaller study spaces and offices sit between shear walls that flank the hall, reaching up and through the roof. Beyond these rooms, an exterior deck provides a platform for observation and experience of the forest. Labs sit on a concrete slab below the main level, with easy access to the environment.

Advanced Studio Instructor: David Heymann Design Excellence Award Nominee

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Site plan: science building center, dining hall to the South, observation tower and residence hall to the North

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10’-6”

17’

56’-6” 6’-6” 39’-4”

11’-4”

10’

15’

Short section shows four spatial conditions: large central hall, intimate classrooms/study rooms, open exterior deck, and sunken labs

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Exterior deck supported by steel cables

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Central hall with light from either end and skylight above

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Laboratory on lower level

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Physical model: site removed to show labs below

Campus model: housing and observation tower left, science building center, dining hall right

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Bats and Boats A bat roost and kayak rental facility on Austin’s Lady Bird Lake

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As a bat roosting site and kayak rental facility, this project puts non-human users first. Through flight and roosting, bats experience the world very three-dimensionally, while boats only experience the planar surface of the water. These experiences lead to a complex volumetric shape for hosting bats lifted above a simple, flat deck for launching kayaks. People circulate between volume and plane, with space to view the dam, the surrounding landscape, and the exit of the bats on their nightly flight. The intervention also serves as a landmark that signals the end of Lady Bird Lake and completes the riverside walking trail.

Vertical Studio “Leftovers” Instructor: Cisco Gomes Design Excellence Award Nominee

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Site plan: building located between dam and bridge, riverbank and isle

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volume for bats

plane for boats

3D printed building in wooden site model

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Water-level floor plan

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View looking South towards bat exit and river

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Transverse section: bats roosting inside fly out over viewing deck

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View from Red Bud Isle, approaching from the West

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Infill Houses Four single family homes on a lot meant for one

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In the extremely expensive housing scene of San Francisco, single family lots need rethinking to become affordable. In this project, a single family lot is reimagined to contain four individual homes with special attention to privacy within density. To provide access to units deep in a narrow lot, the ground level remains fairly open, with concrete masses arranged to define yards and living spaces. Above, small CLT towers enclose private spaces of the homes while allowing light down into the yards. Window placement helps to further negotiate between public and private viewing, while rooftop gardens provide even more outdoor space.

Integrative Studio Instructor: Martin Haettasch Partner project with Dylan Rosato Design Excellence Award Nominee

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UP UP

UP

Ground floor plan

Second floor plan

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Long, narrow empty lot

Open ground level for access and shared space

Closed boxes above offer privacy

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Section shows openness between concrete blocks of the ground

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d floor, contrasted with warm privacy of wooden boxes above

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Bedroom nook interior view

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Urban Design Transforming downtown Menlo Park into a dense, green, pedestrian district through public space and housing

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Like many Silicon Valley towns, Menlo Park suffers from a lack of housing and density. This project looked to combat this issue with new public spaces, housing infill, and a connective loop. The public space phase increased the walkability of Main Street by eliminating a car lane, increasing green space, and adding seating areas to enlarged sidewalks. The street connects three new nodes: an amphitheater, a market and play area, and community art spaces. Next, courtyard blocks with mixed-use functions provide dense housing with private exterior space in former strip parking lots. Lastly, new retail fronts and planting create a lively alley loop connecting new housing to plazas and the existing main street.

Advanced Studio “Adaptive Place-Making in the Silicon Valley” Instructors: Gehl Architects and Prof. Dean Almy Partner Project with Mary-Margaret Stokes

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1. Existing Main St. surrounded by empty parking lots

2. Activate neighborhood with new public spaces

3. Infill lots with high density housing and mixed use

4. New active alley connects public space, housing, retail

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Interior courtyard of a large block, featuring apartments, a daycare, and rec center

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Housing and retail in main alley loop

Back alley offers more privacy, faces office space

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Townhomes added on top of main street retail buildings to increase diversity of housing types

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Housing Aggregate Communal living with a gradient of “shared-ness” in one of Austin’s growing neighborhoods

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This project focused on unit aggregation strategies for a housing block in southeast Austin. At the unit scale, public rooms (living, kitchen, garden) expand as the units approach the river and park to the North, taking over space previously allotted for private spaces. This strategy offers residents a range of shared-ness to choose from while making communal living and shared amenities more desirable. All units are tied together by a large central courtyard as well as a roof path that creates a street-like condition (left). Four small courtyards offer a scale between unit and block, forming local enclaves.

Horizontal Studio “Junction Disjuntion” Instructor: Kory Bieg Design Excellence Award

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Ground floor plan: color indicates expansion of public space (kitchens, gardens, living rooms)

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Courtyard

Lightwells

Access

Insert Program

Swell Towards River

Mesh & Roof Path

10 cells public 1 cell private

5 cells public 2 cells private

2 cells public 3 cells private

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Axonometric view: swelling public spaces push through mesh wrapper

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Interior garden connecting to living space and kitchen

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Section perspecti

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ive, facing North

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Nate Albers Portfolio: issuu.com/natealbers/docs/portfolio nalbers@utexas.edu (541) 602 6393

Education University of Texas at Austin Master of Architecture, 2024 Middlebury College BA, Architectural Studies, Computer Science minor, 2020

Work Experience Intern, Jan - July 2024 - New York City Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) • Built various physical models for client meetings, internal study, competitions, and material studies.

• Created diagrams, plan studies, and renderings for a competition team.

Intern, Summer 2023 - Austin, TX Mark Odom Studio • Completed construction documentation sets, responded to RFIs, and conducted site documentation.

• Worked on feasability studies, furniture packages, and schematic presentations.

Teaching Assistant, 2022-2024 - Austin, TX UTSOA • Technology Lab Technician: helped students with plotting, laser cutting, 3D printing, and software.

• Structures I TA: led lab sessions in which I taught students to solve basic structural problems.

• Visual Communications TA: assisted students with graphic fundamentals, oversaw lab time, and graded work.

Architecture Intern, Summer 2022 - Austin, TX Trebbo Workshop • Intern responsible for digital modelling, rendering, and schematic documentation.

• Involved in site analysis, conceptual design, and competition submission.

Skills Rhino, AutoCAD, Revit (basic), Adobe Suite, Enscape, V-Ray, D5 Render, SketchUp, Grasshopper (basic), ArchiCAD

Honors & Awards UTSOA Design Excellence Award Winner, 2021-2022 UTSOA Design Excellence Award Nominee, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024 Runner-Up, AIA Vermont EPN Design Competition, 2019