I V E & W O R K
Artist Residency Fall 2021
P rofessor: Frank Flury
Project Descritpion:
Design an Artist in Residence complex in Benton Harbor, Michigan which provides accommodations for hosting groups of artists and fosters their creative process. The project should include a space for the display of their work and feel comfortable in both low and high capacity conditions.
Approach:
A dialogue is created between the project and site as an open field on a farm in Michigan rises to meet an artist’s escape which nestles into the site’s embrace. Staggered stones hold back the hill where a pathway cuts through to reveal the secluded Artist Residence complex. A gallery greets visitors as workspaces look out to the north and residental spaces peer out over the hill to the south with living spaces between. An interior courtyard with folding wall systems allow for flexible indoor/outdoor use of the main portions of the building. The hill which fully surrounds the project is carved into on the east side of the project and from this carving comes an outdoor amphitheater which provides a performance space for the client to host local, cultural dance groups.
New Skills Learned:
-Consideration of a large & rural site
-Blending archtiecture with nature
-Working with a client and taking thier desires into consideration
Skills Further Developed:
-Design for a variety of use conditons
-Knowledge of materials and assembly
-Developing indoor/outdoor flexible use space
-Stylistic Visualization techniques
Programs Used: AutoCAD, Rhino, Lumion, Adobe Photoshop
T R A N S I T
Damen & Lake
Green Line Station
Spring 2021
Partner: Cory Dinh
P rofessor: Catherine Wetzel
Project Descritpion:
Design a CTA Station which activates the surrounding area and benefits the affected community
Approach:
The station serves as a landmark destination as is facilitated by its incorporation of vibrant colors which will brighten the lives of its users through its focus on a fun and universally enjoyable experience. Being a major attraction itself as well as serving as a surge station for the nearby United Center, the station will bring increased traffic to the surrounding neighborhood which in unison with an added walkable greenway and the reclaiming of parking space as green space will revitalize the street and night life of this sector of the city. The dedication of the southern two thirds of the site to commercial development will help to further encourage new development and set the stage for the expansion of the building boom of West Loop into the surrounding neighborhoods.
New Skills Learned:
-Pattern use in renderings
-Design on a large urban scale
-Synergistic design with existing structure
-Factoring time and peak usage loads in design
Skills Further Developed:
-Urban planning
-Structural analysis and design
-Knowledge of materials and assembly
Programs Used:
Rhino & Rhino Render, AutoCAD, Lumion, Adobe Photoshop
The Belvedere
Torch Architecture Inc.
P roject Architect: Erik Witt
Project Descritpion:
New construction of a 300 unit multifamily residential development in Naperville, Illinois which includes ammenities such as a community center, pool, dog park, playground and hundreds of parking spaces.
Contribution:
As this project was large in scope, a team of more than 10 designers developed this project. My role was developing marketing materials used to advertize to potential tenants, attending site inspections, assisting in construction administration and making design changes to ensure code compliance.
New Skills Learned:
-Construction Administration
-Site Inspections
AutoCAD, SketchUp, Lumion, Adobe Photoshop, Procore M U L T IF A M I L Y
-Rendering specifically for marketing use
-Coordinating the construction process with collaborators across multi-disciplinary teams including architects, engineers, developers, landscape architects, interior designers, general contractors, fabricators, specialists & leasing agents
Skills Further Developed:
-Universal design for varied users
-Working for a client and taking thier desires into consideration
-Site master planning
-Compliance with Life, Safety & Building Codes
Programs Used:
U S E
Fall 2020
Photoshop M I X E D
Bronzeville 310 Community Center
Partner: Cory Dinh
P rofessors: Peter Landon & Bryant Pitak
Project Descritpion:
Design a 20,000 sf Cultural Hub (4-6 story Mixed Use Community Center) which: ties into the local art scene, includes 6 Appartments, a space for presentation/performance and study.
Approach:
Bronzeville 310 promotes the arts and nurtures a sense of community by creating spaces where views can be shared between community members engaged in a variety of creative endavors. The first level is dedicated to live performance with a flexible indoor/ outdoor performance space made possible by hinged wall mechanisms. This level also promotes sustainability through a living green wall in an atrium space as well as provides a display space for artists who have studios on the second floor. The building becomes increasingly private as one ascends with makers spaces and artist studios on the second level, a childrens library and outdoor reading area on the third level and appartments on the fourth and fifth floors.
New Skills Learned:
-Designing for multiple simultanious use cases
-Creating a flexible indoor/outdoor space
-Heavily considering acoustics in the design process
-Management of multiple entry and exit sequences for different users
Skills Developed:
-3D environment creation, staging & rendering
Programs Used: Rhino, Grasshopper, AutoCAD, Lumion,
A V I L I O N
Northerly Island Pavilion
Spring 2020
Partner: Jayden Nettesheim
P rofessor: Mason Pritchett
Project Descritpion:
Design a pavilion on Northerly Island which provides shelter and focuses users to a specific natural phenomenon present on the island
Approach:
Our pavilion centers the experience of users around the shimmering of sunlight reflect ing off of water. The project consists of a cut made through a present hill in which a short cut is introduced to the surrounding foot path. This cut is demarcated by galvanized steel which wraps to form a partially covered nook in the midst of the shifting topography. The overhang, seating area and reflection pool are all positioned to maximize solar interaction with the water.
New Skills Learned:
-Design focused on one specific experience -Studies of solar angles and azimuths
Skills Further Developed:
-Large scale model making
-Laser cutting
-3D Printing -Woodworking
Programs Used:
Rhino, AutoCAD, Adobe Photoshop, Ultimaker Cura
I B R A R Y
Fulton Branch Public Library
Fall 2019
P rofessor: Andy Tinucci
Project Descritpion:
Design a public branch library structurally supported by Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), located on a triangular site in West Chicago that encourages community interaction and is welcoming to users of all backgrounds and means
Approach:
A logical and rigid organization system was used to plan out spaces with decisions of layout informed by natural conditions of the site. Views of downtown and natural daylight are taken advantage of. The entire project consists of wood and metal which each perform multiple functions. Metallic bookshelves extend to serve as exterior fins as well as the main means of circulation as a central staircase. Wood serves as column as well as subdivider of space. Flexible community spaces, a cafe, dedicated childrens, teen & adult reading areas and meeting rooms allow for the library to stay competitive as a welcoming hub for community interaction
New Skills Learned:
-Digital Rendering
-Community scale design
-Year-round design
Skills Further Developed:
-Design decisions informed by site conditions
-Equitable and sustainable design
Programs Used:
Rhino, AutoCAD, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Studio Max, Corona Renderer
A R A M E T R I C
Acoustic Wall Panels Fall 2020
P rofessor: Alphonso Peluso
Project Descritpion:
Using parametric modeling, design an architectural element which is in some way parametrically optimized
Approach:
Acoustic wall panels are a staple of recording studios and serve important roles in spaces where sound quality is paramount such as theaters and cafes. For this project, a shape was parametrically form found through physics simulations of varying internal pressure and was used to fill a wall panel. These shapes were then optimized in orientation and shape to respond to attractor points and maximize front facing surface area.
New Skills Learned:
-Grasshopper for Rhino Plugins: Kangaroo, Galapagos
-Parametric optimization
Skills Further Developed:
-Parametric form finding, tessellation and attractor point response
Programs Used:
Rhino & Rhino Render, Grasshopper, Adobe Photoshop
Programs Used: Rhino, Grasshopper, Lumion, Adobe Photoshop P A R A M E T R I C
Bio-Domes for Harsh Environments
Fall 2020
P rofessor: Alphonso Peluso
Project Descritpion:
Utilize parametric design tools to create and subdivide forms for use in theoretical architectural projects
Approach:
This exploration focused on the parametric generation of futuristic Bio-Domes which would be able to facilitate organic life in environments that would otherwise be too harsh for habitation. The concept of Bio-Domes can be traced from universes imagined for tales of science fiction as an envisioned soultion to human life extending to planets which are not naturally suited to us. They often take the form of large domes made of glass or forcefields which thermally seperate the climate of the space enclosed from the surrounding harsh enviroment.
Grasshopper was utilized to generate forms which were pressurized and subdivided to create unique solutions to a dome-like structure of the future. Genetic evolution was used to produce a wide variety of options.
New Skills Learned:
-Grasshopper for Rhino Plugins: Weaverbird, Kangaroo, BioMorpher, Karamba
Skills Further Developed:
-Parametric form finding & optimization through evolutionary genetic algorithms
-Shape subdivision and skeletal substructure generation
-Selective gradient shading
-3D environment generation & scene staging
Thank You for Your Consideration -Nick