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RODNEYSHA RUFFIN Architectural Designer

C: 678.837.8014 |E: rodneyshalruffin@gmail.com I became a professional in the field of architecture because it would allow me to be present in the discussion with reference to today’s design challenges as it relates to occupants’ experience. I would be able to create spaces that help those around me whether they’re in hospitality, healthcare, education, or corporate work spaces.

EXPERIENCE

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 - Stonecrest 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 Marketing - Produced marketing materials for firm’s social media posts across various platforms (i.e.: Instagram, Facebook, etc.)

EDUCATION Hampton University

Master of Architecture (2023) Research Thesis: “Defining a Residential Architectural Language for Contemporary African Americans Living in Gainesville, AL” - Tau Sigma Delta - AIAS - NOMAS Norcross High School (2018) - International Baccalaureate Candidate - Senior Beta Club - Spanish National Honor Society - International Thespian Honor Society

CERTIFICATIONS - LEED Green Associate

SOFTWARE 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 architecture students

CONTENTS

03 |House on Freemason & Botetourt St. pg 21

01| Virginia Museum of Fine Arts pg 5

02| ViBe District Museum pg 13

05|Third Anchor pg 29

04| The Quarantine Home pg 25

06|Graduate Thesis pg 38

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

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Addition

Rodneysha Ruffin, Designer

ViBe District Museum

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 because 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

2D Spatial Study

Building Mass Study

East Elevation

North Elevation

West Elevation 7

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Cafe Sunroom Event Space

Kitchen/Catering Prep Area

Cafe

Cart Hold Space

Women's Restroom

Men's Restroom

General Storage

Visitor's Services Desk

Event Space Green Room

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AV Storage

VMFA Addition

Art Handling Station Event Space Furniture Storage

Atrium

Art Handling Station

Electrical

Elevator Room

AV Storage Cafe

Large Scale Print Room

Cafe Sunroom

Cart Hold Space Mechanical

Electrical

46 Janitor's Closet

Art Handling Station

Elevator Room

Event Space Event Space Furniture Storage Event Space Green Room General Storage Photography Gallery

Photography Gallery

Janitor's Closet

Kitchen/Catering Prep Area Large Scale Print Room Mechanical Men's Restroom Photography Gallery 0'

16'

32'

Visitor's Services Desk

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Women's Restroom

Ground Floor Plan -

African Art Gallery

22 Ancient Art Gallery

Restroom

Mechanical

Temporary Art Storage

VMFA Addition

UP DN

21st Century Gallery

Janitor's Closet

Restroom

Exhibit Prep Storage and Staging

Exhibit Shop Material Storage

African Art Gallery Ancient Art Gallery Electrical

Electrical DN

Exhibit Prep Storage and Staging Exhibit Shop Material Storage Janitor's Closet

Mechanical Restroom Temporary Art Storage 21st Century Gallery

16'

32'

African Art Gallery 22 Ancient Art Gallery

Temporary Art Storage

Mechanical 26

16'

32'

Restroom 28

Restroom 27

Second Floor Plan

Janitor's Closet Exhibit Prep Storage and Staging

Exhibit Shop Material Storage

Electrical DN

21st Century Gallery

Board Committee Room

Board Room 36

Staff Break Room 39

Board Room Coat Closet

Women's Restroom

Board Room Acquisitions Gallery

Special Exhibitions Gallery

Men's Restroom

Board Room AV Closet

Mechanical

Janitor's Closet 53 DN

Electrical 33

VMFA Addition Board Committee Room Exhibit Paint Spray Booth

Board Room

Board Room Acquisitions Gallery

Special Exhibition Exit Experience

Board Room AV Closet

Exhibition Production Wood Shop

Board Room Coat Closet Electrical

Special Exhibition Galleries

Special Exihibitions Crate Storage

Exhibit Paint Spray Booth Exhibition Production Wood Shop Janitor's Closet Mechanical Men's Restroom Special Exhibition Exit Experience Special Exhibition Galleries Special Exhibitions Gallery Special Exihibitions Crate Storage Staff Break Room

Third Floor Plan

16'

Women's Restroom

32'

10 0'

16'

32'

North Elevation

East Elevation

West Elevation

South Elevation

Interiors: Event Space

Time: 6 AM

Time: 8 PM

View from Main Museum

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 13

Building Concept Diagrams

Material Board Exterior White Brick

Concrete Walkway

Exterior Metal Panels

Site Plan

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Museum Filing Room

Learning Center

Art Office Cafe Electrical

Filing Room -

Cafe

Lobby

---

Learning Center Lobby Pantry

Pantry

Electrical

Storage Room

Art Office

Storage Room

Ground Floor Plan

Lobby

16'

32'

Cafe

---

Mech./Elect.

---

Mech./Elect.

Conference Room

11 UP

Large Gallery

---

Medium Gallery

Director's Assistant Office

---

Small Gallery

12 Museum Director Office

16'

32'

Second Floor Plan Museum Conference Room Director's Assistant Office Large Gallery

Third Floor Plan Museum

16'

32'

16'

32'

Fourth Floor Plan Museum

Mech./Elect.

Medium Gallery

Small Gallery

Mech./Elect. Museum Director Office

Large Gallery

Medium Gallery

Small Gallery 17

16'

32'

East Elevation

16'

Section I

32'

16'

32'

West Elevation 18

16'

32'

16'

32'

South Elevation

North Elevation

Section II

16'

32'

RESIDENTIAL “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

The Quarantine Home

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

Site Plan

Private Living Space

Bedroom #2

Bedroom #4

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Formal Living Room Bedroom #5 Bedroom #3

Bonus Room

Second Floor Plan 0'

16'

32'

---

Formal Living Room 1

Dining Room

3 Car Garage

Kitchen + Great Space

Open Kitchen + Great Room

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Laundry/Mudroom

Primary Suite 2

First Floor Plan

Private Living Space 23

16'

32'

North Elevation

16'

32'

South Elevation

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Section A

16'

32'

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 25

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W/D

16'

32'

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Floor Plan

Range

REF

Wine Stg.

Transverse Section Through Kitchen

16'

32'

Longitudinal Section 26

North Elevation

South Elevation

East Elevation

West Elevation

Bedroom

Living Room

Kitchen

M I X E D-U S E

“Beauty is the harmony of function and form.” - Alvar Aalto

Third Anchor

Rodneysha Ruffin, Designer

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

Site Model

Aerial View

Roof Terrace 30

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Room Legend

Pharmacy

Apartment Entry

Entertainment Center

Grocery Store

Game Room

Mechanical/Electrical

Gym

Pharmacy

Lounge

Restaurant

Mechanical/Electrical Sauna Yoga Room Yoga Room

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Gym

Sauna

Restaurant

Game Room

2 Grocery Store

Entertainment Center

Apartment Entry

Lounge

Mechanical/Electrical

28 DN

0' 0'

Apartments’ Ground Floor Plan

16'

32'

Apartments’ Second Floor Plan 31

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W/D

Room Legend

W/D W/D

W/D

Foyer Mail Room Mechanical/Electrical

W/D

Storage

W/D

---

W/D

Mail Room 31

Mail Room

W/D

UP W

Study W/D

Leasing Office 34

Mechanical/Electrical

Mechanical/Electrical 43

16'

32'

Typical Floor Plan for Floors 3-7

16'

32'

Typical Floor Plan for Floors 8-9

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16'

32'

Longitudinal Section Through Apartments

North Elevation

16'

32'

East Elevation

Mail Room W/D

W/D

Studio Apartment Plan

Storage W/D

Two Bedroom Apartment Plan Version 1

One Bedroom Apartment Plan

W/D

Storage

One Bedroom Living Space

Studio Apartment 34

Storage

Walk In Closet W/D

Three Bedroom Apartment Plan

W/D W/D

Penthouse Plan (Eighth Floor)

W/D

Mailroom

Two Bedroom Apartment Plan Version 2

W/D

Study

W/D

W/D W

16'

32'

Entertainment Room

Walk In Closet

Two Bedroom Living Space

Storage

Home Office

16'

32'

Penthouse Living Space

Penthouse Plan (Ninth Floor)

Gym 7

Hotel Lobby 48

Sauna

Yoga Room

Gym Interior DN

Office

Women's Bathroom 17

Room Legend Conference Room

Men's Bathroom 18

Employee Lounge

Conference Room

Gym

Hotel Lobby

Employee Lounge 14

Men's Bathroom Office Sauna

Women's Bathroom Yoga Room 0'

Hotel Ground Floor Plan

16'

32'

Hotel Entrance 36

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Housekeeping 29

Housekeeping

Vending Machine Room

Room Legend 30

Vending Machine Room

Storage

Housekeeping Vending Machine Room

Typical Floor Plan Floors 3,5,7, and 9

Typical Floor Plan Floors 2,4,6, and 8

16'

32'

Standard Double Queen Size Room

Queen Room Interior

16'

Standard King Size Room

32'

King Room Interior 37

THESIS “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

Initial Line of Inquiry

The Larger Context Where?

Architecture Found in African American Neighborhoods in Sumter County

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

Uniontown, AL 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

The Magnolia Home (built circa 1845) Image Source: https://www.ruralswalabama.org/attraction/themagnolia-home-1845/

Old Gainesville Bank (built circa 1845) Image Source: https://www.ruralswalabama.org/attraction/gainesville-bankgainesville-al/

Clark Chapel United Methodist Church Image Source: https://www.ruralswalabama.org/attraction/clark-chapelunited-methodist-church-gainesville-al/

The Architectural Design Problem

What does it look like?

Private sleeping areas are often designed small

Current design doesn’t allow for cook + entertain combo

Kitchen insufficient accommodate multiple people cooking

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

Not a lot of open space to host gatherings

Living & entertaining space not sufficient for large gatherings

Trailer Home Model

Shotgun House Model

Small window = not a lot of natural light

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

Small window = not a lot of natural light

No use of local materials.

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

Case Studies That Influenced Design Case Study 1: Ola Mae’s Porch Location: Greensboro, AL Owner: Ola Mae Architect: Rural Studio Year of Construction: 2003

- Extension and modification of current infrastructure to address today’s needs - Emphasis on “in between” space, both porch and sunroom - Use of local timber for construction

Case Study 2: Alabama’s Rib Shack Location: Gainesville, AL Owner: Jamie Lee Mitchell Architect: Jamie Lee Mitchell Year of Construction: 2021

- Use of Dove Wood native to Gainesville used in construction - Emphasis on outdoor and indoor spaces feeling like one space to gather and fellowship

Architectural Claim: An architectural language can be formed by creating homes that are culturally specific to how African Americans live in Gainesville, Alabama. What Needs to Change? What needs to change? Textures & materials used on exterior Form and/or of the home

Textures, Color Palette, and Furnishings for the interior

Addition or manipulation of interior spaces that correspond to human activity

Colors used on the exterior

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. Research Plan

Phase I: Symbolism + Form

Umoja

Kujichagulia

Ujima

Ujamaa

Nia

Kuumba

Imani

2+5

2 6 1 10 5

9 4

7+8

Phase II: Interior Spaces and Human Activity

Phase III: Gardens + Yards Context: 300’ x 400’ block within Gainesville Historic District. All three design iterations could realistically fit on one blockand still have one quadrant open for future construction.

Phase III: Gardens + Yards Private Yard

Garden Public Yard

Public Yard

Roses

Petunias Four O’Clock’s

Garden Design for Theme I

Phase IV: Interior Quality & Exterior Materiality

A. Covered Porch Iteration

B. Sunroom Iteration

C. Open Terrace Iteration

Whether expanding upon current research or going beyond the initial scope of the architectural claim, what further design research could be done that would contribute to creating an architectural language for Gainesville?

At the time of the initial design research, the interior’s color palette was based on the exterior garden and landscape. Additionally, splitting the interior color palette and the exterior materiality into two different phases might prove to be more beneficial.

Contact: E: rodneyshalruffin@gmail.com C: +1 (678)-837-8014