Architecture Portfolio | Rodneysha Ruffin

Rodneysha Ruffin

Architectural Designer

Atlanta, Georgia

CONTACT

C: 678.837.8014

E: rodneyshalruffin@gmail.com

PORTFOLIO: https://issuu.com/neelachelle/ docs/rodneysharu nportfolio

SPECIALTIES

EDUCATION

Hampton University

- Master of Architecture (2023)

- Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society

- AIAS

- NOMAS

CERTIFICATION(S)

- LEED Green Associate

EXPERIENCE

Norcross High School (2018)

- International Baccalaureate Candidate

- Senior Beta Club

- Spanish National Honor Society

- International Thespian Honor Society

Syntony Design Collaborative |Architectural Design Intern (July 2022 - March 2023)

Health Care Center - Autism Complete, Atlanta, GA Design Development to Construction Phases

- Assisted with the coordination efforts following meetings with MEP Engineers, clients, and the contractors

- Produced floor plans, interior/exterior elevations, sections, and reflected ceiling plans in Revit Commercial Center - Stoncrest Mall, Stonecrest, GA

- Site surveys to confirm existing conditions such as structural column locations, interior walls, doors, finishes, etc. to assist design team with critical decisions

- Produced floor plans and reflected ceiling plans in Revit

Produced marketing materials for firm’s social media

Kroger | E-Commerce Lead (May 2017 - Present)

Personal in-store shopper for customers

- Shopping, staging, destaging, and delivering grocery orders curbside

- Writing schedules for employees

- Assisting E-Commerce clerks with their daily tasks

SKILLS ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP

- Hampton University Grad Assistant (2022-2023)

Responsible for overseeing the daily activities for over 60 undergraduate students’ living within the residence halls.

- Hampton AIAS Chapter President (2022-2023)

Responsible for planning all student activities within the Architecture Department including fundraising and community outreach efforts

- Hampton NOMA Chapter President (2022 - 2023)

The student liason between faculty/staff and the student body, providing student support services (tutoring, workshops, firm visits)

- Hampton Teaching Assistant (2021 - 2022)

Helped teach Environmental Systems and Integrated Building Systems to 3rd and 4th year students

01| Virginia Museum of Fine Arts pg 5

02| ViBe District Museum pg 15

03 |House on Freemason & Botetourt St. pg 23

04| The Quarantine Home pg 27

05|Third Anchor pg 31

06|Graduate Thesis pg 41

U L T U R A L

“Art isn’t in the tools, material, equipment you use. It’s in the way you see the world.”

Rick Rubin

Museum of Fine Arts Addition

Rodneysha Ruffin, Designer

Virginia

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Addition

• Located in Richmond, Virginia

• VMFA Addition Brief was provided by SmithGroup

• Addition to include galleries, an event space, and support spaces for both the public and the museum’s employees

Main Museum Buildings Surrounding Buildings Museum Addition

Big Idea: Ascending

• Ascending: increasing in size or importance

• The importance of art increases over time due to the fact that sometimes it’s the only evidence of past civilizations, events, landmarks, cities, etc. Art can also serve as the connection between the past and the present. How?

• “Set back” portions of building in order for it to appear that it’s ascending

• Terraces that expand beyond the interior

Initial Building Concept

2D Spatial Study

Building Mass Study

East Elevation

North Elevation

West Elevation

21st Century Gallery

African Art Gallery

Ancient Art Gallery

Electrical

Exhibit Prep Storage and Staging

Exhibit Shop Material Storage

Janitor's Closet

Mechanical

Restroom

Temporary Art Storage

Section A

1. Large public spaces (i.e: galleries) have an overhead HVAC system implemented.

2. Underfloor HVAC systems were implented for the private adminitstrative spaces

North Elevation

East Elevation

West Elevation

South Elevation

Interiors: Event Space

Time: 6 AM

Time: 8 PM

Interiors: Ancient Art Gallery

Time: 6 AM

Time: 8 PM

View from Main Museum

Balcony View

View of the Sculpture Garden

View of the Skybridge from the Sculpture Garden

ViBe District Museum

• Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia

• Task: Art museum that could support the local artists’ within the Vibe District

• Must include 3 galleries - each with a different lighting requirements

Exterior White Brick

Material Board

Concrete Walkway

Exterior Metal Panels

Site Plan

Art Office

Cafe Electrical

Filing Room

Learning Center Lobby

Pantry

Storage Room

Ground Floor Plan

Lobby

Cafe

Museum

Mech./Elect.

Medium Gallery

Museum

Mech./Elect.

Small Gallery

Second

Large Gallery

Third

Medium Gallery

Fourth

Small Gallery

East Elevation

West Elevation

Section

North Elevation

South Elevation

R E S I D E N T I A L

“The ache for home lives in us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

Maya Angelou

House on Freemason & Botetourt St.

Rodneysha Ruffin, Designer

House on Freemason & Boutetourt St

• Located at the intersection of Freemason & Botetourt St in Norfolk, VA

• Currently an empty lot that was once occupied by a single family home and is surrounded by both traditional single family and townhomes

• The task was to create a residential dwelling that would best fit the context of the neighborhood

North Elevation

South Elevation

Section A

Section B

The Quarantine Home

• Location: Livingston, Alabama

• The task was to create a space specifically for myself where I could quarantine during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Transverse Section Through Kitchen

Longitudinal Section

North Elevation

South Elevation

East Elevation

West Elevation

Ensuite Bathroom

Bedroom

Living Room Kitchen

D-U S E

M I X E

is the harmony of function and form.”

“Beauty

Alvar Aalto

Third Anchor

• Located in Norfolk, Virginia

• At the intersection of E. Freemason St. and Monticello is a vacant lot that once house MacArthur Center Park

• City of Norfolk proposed an idea of a mixed use development

• This proposal includes a 9-story apartment building, with ground floor retail and food + beverage services, and a 9-story hotel

Third Anchor

Third Anchor Concept Diagrams

Site Model

Roof Terrace

Aerial View

Longitudinal Section Through Apartments

North Elevation

East Elevation

One Bedroom Living Space

Two Bedroom Living Space

Two

Standard Double Queen Size Room

Standard King Size Room

Queen Room Interior

King Room Interior

T H E S I S

“Your home should tell the story of who you are, and be a collection of what you love.”

Nate Berkus

Defining a Residential Architectural Language for Contemporary African Americans Living in Gainesville, Alabama

Rodneysha Ruffin, Designer

The Larger Context

Where?

Architecture Found in African American Neighborhoods in Sumter County

Uniontown, AL Uniontown, AL Lowndes County, AL

Image Source: https://www.theguardian.com/usnews/2019/apr/15/were-not-a-dump-poor-alabama-townsstruggle-under-the-stench-of-toxic-landfills

Image Source: https://www.planetizen.com/news/2020/11/11127 4-legacy-structural-poverty-alabama

Image Source :https://www.theguardian.com/usnews/2019/apr/15/were-not-a-dump-poor-alabamatowns-struggle-under-the-stench-of-toxic- landfills

Architecture Found in Gainesville, AL

Image Source: https://www.ruralswalabama.org/attraction/themagnolia-home-1845/

Image Source: https://www.ruralswalabama.org/attraction/gainesville-bankgainesville-al/

Image Source: https://www.ruralswalabama.org/attraction/clark-chapelunited-methodist-church-gainesville- al/

The Magnolia Home (built circa 1845)

Old Gainesville Bank (built circa 1845)

Clark Chapel United Methodist Church

Small window = not a lot of natural light

Current design doesn’t allow for cook + entertain combo

The Architectural Design Problem

Small porch; doesn’t feel like an extension of home

Kitchen insufficient accommodate multiple people cooking

Living & entertaining space not sufficient for large gatherings

Private sleeping areas are often designed small

Trailer Home Model

Not a lot of open space to host gatherings

Small window = not a lot of natural light

Lack of space/area that serve as exterior/interior extension

There is no formal architectural language due to erasure that addresses African American’s contribution living in Gainesville, Alabama.

No use of local materials.

Shotgun House Model

Case Study 1: Alabama Rib Shack

Location: Gainesville, AL

Owner: Jamie Lee Mitchell

Architect: Jamie Lee Mitchell

Year of Construction: 2021

Case Studies That Influenced Design

Case Study 2: Center for Civil and Human Rights

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Client: City of Atlanta

Architect: Perkins&Will

Year of Construction: 2011

Form of the building

What Needs to Change?

Colors used on exterior

Textures & materials used on exterior

Textures, Color Palette, and Furnishings for the interior

Addition or manipulation of interior spaces that correspond to human activity

Architectural Claim: An architectural language can be formed by creating homes that are culturally specific to how African Americans live in Gainesville, Alabama.

The evidence behind why I find this to be true:

1. The home can be described as the center of Gainesville culture – it’s the pilar of the community and where fellowship takes place

2. Designing the interior spaces of the home allows for needs to be met based on specific human activity

3. An emphasis must be placed on the exterior spaces because the human activity that takes place within the home often overflows into the yard or action starting in the yard will flow into the kitchen, living room, or dining room.

Phase I: Symbolism

Phase II: Interior Spaces + Human Activity

Research Plan

Research Plan

Phase III: Gardens + Yards

Phase IV: Interior Quality & Exterior Materiality

Total: 8 weeks

Umoja (Unity)

Kujichagulia (Self Determination)

Phase I: Symbolism + Form

Phase 1: Symbolism + Form

Ujima (Collective Responsibility)

Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)

Nia (Purpose)

Kuumba (Creativity)

Imani (Faith)

Phase I: Symbolism + Form

Phase 1: Symbolism + Form

Phase II: Interior Spaces + Human Activity

Phase 2: Interior Spaces + Human Activity: Theme I

Theme I

Phase 2: Interior Spaces + Human Activity: Theme I

Transverse Section

A. Covered Porch Iteration

B. Open Terrace Iteration

C. Sunroom Iteration

Phase III: Gardens + Yards

Phase 3: Gardens + Yards

Context: 300’ x 400’ block located in Gainesville Historic District

Shared Land for Future Construction

Phase III: Gardens + Yards

Phase 3: Gardens + Yards

Public Yard

Public Yard

Private Yard

Garden

Roses

Petunias

Four O’Clock’s

Phase

Phase IV: Interior Quality and Exterior Materiality Theme I

Spring