Robert Rivers | Architecture Portfolio

ROBERT RIVERS Architecture & Design

ROBERT RIVERS Architecture & Design

269.783.9106 robert.rivers@live.com

DESIGNER’S I see architecture as a gift. Through it, good spaces can be made great, and dead spaces can come to life. This gift is coupled with a great responsibility – because architecture is not so much about aesthetic buildings, but rather the people they serve. These places should be comfortable, safe, beautiful, and an enhancement to our everyday lives.

The creative side of me has always been obvious, and when I discovered my love for architecture, it became my favorite and main outlet of expression. Supplementing desire for creative expression, is the desire to learn how to advance my craft and ultimately create the best possible places for people to inhabit.

This portfolio shows some of my solutions to various challenges through architecture.

IN UMBUMBULU Andrews University Urban Design Studio, in partnership with Ubuntu Design Group was commissioned to create an urban design plan to improve the conditions in the Town of Umbumbulu, Durban, South Africa.

Instead of employing a tabula-rasa approach of starting over and designing something brand new, we took a different approach; an approach that values the input of those who live in the place.

EXISTING BUILDINGS PROPOSED BUILDINGS

GOVERNMENT STREET AREA MAP

GOVERNMENT STREET

A LACKING PUBLIC REALM

In Umbumbulu, what we called the “Government Street” was very important, due to the fact that it is the only place for government

It was very clear to see that this street was very important to the people of Umbumbulu. It was also very obvious that it

representation and services in the nearby region.

lacked a true Public Realm.

This is a place that people go to often - when they require government services, and to celebrate “pension day”, where they sell their

The safety of this street was also an issue - the pedestrian having to get out of the way as speeding vehicles drove

handcrafted goods and their produce - however, there are no comfortable places for them to enjoy their time there.

through this road.

The need for a safe and enjoyable public realm influenced our decision to create a design to enhance this space that the people loved so much.

FENCES THAT ONLY PROTECT Along Government Street, there are tall, sharp fences that serve to protect the buildings - thus creating a very uninviting space.

Pictured to the left are Durban University of Technology (DUT) Architecture students, engaged with the visiting Andrews University team in a discussion regarding the initial design proposal. One topic that the DUT students gave great input on was the use of garden walls.

Most students agreed that huge, uninviting fences and walls gave the impression that there was something to protect - something worth stealing - thus encouraging burglary.

UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNINVITING SPACE Pictured on the left is an example of an uninviting garden wall (in the KwaMashu township, Durban) that the DUT students mentioned. They are not human-scaled, far above eyelevel and visually impermeable - not allowing anyone to see in or out, and they create an uncomfortable space around them.

COMFORTABLE AND INVITING SPACE As we visited various townships throughout Cape Town and Durban, South Africa, we did see a number of well crafted and beautiful garden walls - letting us know that the locals do have the skillset and the desire to create beautiful garden walls.

We also saw examples of beautifully crafted and creative garden walls in KwaMashu, which were human scaled, visually permeable and created a more comfortable environment to be around, while increasing the diversity and aesthetic value of the urban fabric.

We envisioned and proposed (pictured on right) designs that would incorporate the skill of local garden wall-building, with the use of local materials (bricks and wattle - an abundant wood), in order to create more desirable spaces and neighborhoods.

Rendering done by Angie Figueroa, Andrews University Urban Design Studio 2016

FENCES THAT INVITE AND PROTECT One of the main design tactics to improving Government Street is providing opportunities for local entrepreneurs be able to sell their goods in a comfortable space - increasing cashflow throughout the town.

By softening the edges of the harsh fences, they not only still provide security for the government buildings, but they now provide places for economic activity and places for people to rest and pause.

SEATING WITH PLANTERS AND VENDOR’S STAND

LOCAL AND FAMILIAR The “Tuck Shop” is a popular corner store/vendor seen throughout Durban - often crafted out of scrap materials or an empty shipping container. Businesses in Tuck Shops vary from food vendors to barbershops.

Allowing for these type of options for vendors gives a sense of familiarity to the place, while still softening the edges of the fences.

“TUCK SHOP”

IMPROVING THE PUBLIC REALM Seeing that this area was very popular and highly used, it was a major focus point in Umbumbulu. While there are services people need located on this street, there were not many places in which they could enjoy themselves.

We presented the idea of adding a clear and safe public realm. By adding seating areas, shade trees, streetlights and mini public plazas, the public realm becomes a more defined space - one in which people can comfortably inhabit and take advantage of.

SEATING WITH PLANTERS

WICKER PARK In the midst of the urbanity of Wicker Park, Chicago, there is a site - located on the corner of North Leavitt Street and North Milwaukee Avenue - which is currently owned and occupied by ALDI Supermarket.

Plans to create a Mixed-Use building presents a great opportunity to provide an Oasis from the daily hustle of urban life.

The site’s connection to the Bloomingdale Trail Greenway also enhances this site as an Oasis bringing in the flow of people already traveling at a different pace throughout the area.

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TYPICAL HOUSING FLOOR PLAN

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SCALES OF THE OASIS

GROUND FLOOR AND SITE CONTEXT MAP

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One of the main design ideas of this project was to provide places for people to rest and pause. By providing public spaces in the building for people to venture into from their daily routine, provides such an Oasis. There are also spaces and functions - such as the outdoor patio overlooking N. Milwaukee Ave., and the club house above the building’s entrance court - provided for the private ARCH 442 use of Prof.

Solis, Ockerman theSeibold, residents of the

building. These spaces allow them a change of pace, and a chance to engage with other residence, while

they enjoy their own private Oases.

Urban Oasis

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N. MILWAUKEE AVE. ELEVATION

CONSTRUCTION DETAILING A major component to this project was providing details of how the structure and the materials would be assembled.

From the whole wall section, I produced callouts to provide clearer understanding on how the sub-structure, the building envelope and the building’s skin related to each other - including manufacturer’s specific details of the products chosen for the design.

SECTION THROUGH BASKETBALL COURT AND CARDIO MEZZANINE

SECTION THROUGH ENTRANCE

FLOORING SYSTEM DETAIL

PARAPET DETAIL

GROUND DETAIL

MECHANICAL INTEGRATION In order to create plans to control the air quality and comfort levels of the building, it was sectioned into various zones (by function) - supermarket, residential, gymnasium, and underground parking level.

Two complete systems were developed for the gymnasium. The basketball court, and the mezzanine cardio track are conditioned as one space; and the weightroom, locker room, and the spa are conditioned as another separate space - to insure better air quality and temperature control.

WEIGHTROOM & SPA HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM PLAN

BASKETBALL COURT & CARDIO MEZZANINE HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM PLAN

MECHANICAL SYSTEMS 3-D

STRUCTURAL SYSTEM 3-D

T.O. FOOTING STRUCTURAL PLAN

STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION Looking further than the building’s elevations, great spaces and the building’s aesthetics, the structure of the building was an important focus in the design of this project.

To insure that this project was designed in a manner that it could actually be constructed, the calculation for the buildings structural members had to be made.

With the different “oases” provided in the building, some special considerations had to be made - exploring different types of structural members that could accommodate large spans.

Decisions on the members used were influenced not only by the project’s parti and driving ideas, but also by the project’s budget.

TYPICAL HOUSING FLOOR STRUCTURAL PLAN

2ND FLOOR STRUCTURAL PLAN

SCHODACK, NY Dover Kohl & Partners - Town Planning, in collaboration with the community of Schodak, NY, came together for a design charrette to discuss the land usage of the area with the local planning department, to meet the town’s business stakeholders and to discuss with the community, things they wanted to see changed or improved upon, and things they wanted to remain the same.

FORM-BASED CODE REVIEW After public meetings to hear from the people of Schodack, NY, the team at Dover, Kohl & Partners, Coral Gables, FL (DKP) developed zoning plans and form-based codes for the purpose of the development of Schodack’s Town Center.

Some time later, the DKP team returned to Schodack for public review of these codes and plans. Stakeholders and residents came out to see the schematic design ideas and to voice their opinions - giving valuable feedback about the proposed aesthetic nuances and, the zones and their ordinances.

I was privileged to be able to make refinements to the design and produce final renderings to further portray the intentions of the Town Center’s design.

CULTURAL CENTER The Cayman Cultural Center was designed to be home to a Gallery - displaying local art work, a Bookstore - facilitating studies on Caymanian culture, an Auditorium - to host cultural events, Offices, and a Hotel, to house researchers who want to come to Cayman to study its culture and contribute to its historic database.

CONNECTIVITY DIAGRAM

SITE 19.30886° N -81.25681° E

SITE CONTEXT MAP

CAYMAN CULTURAL CENTER The site is within the context of the Camana Bay Town Center a very vibrant and well populated New Urbanist town, located in the center of Grand Cayman. Positioned on the most prominent axis - the Paseo - the site is in a very advantageous location to connect the Cultural Center to Camana Bay Town Center.

Developing a corner site presented the opportunity to create a termination of the Paseo’s vista, while also creating a welcoming street-front to other vantage points. The Gallery was used to create a transparent, welcoming “porch” into the site, leading straight into the main space - The Courtyard.

AERIAL MAP

“PORCH” OF THE COURTYARD

VISTA OF THE ‘PASEO’

The Courtyard, being the main “room” of the development, is surrounded by all the elements of the

The “Paseo” is the main stream of life throughout the Camana Bay development. Along the Paseo, there

project’s program. With the cultural context of Cayman in the forefront of the design, the “Porch” was

are signature restaurants, cafes, movie theaters, various retail outlets, offices, residences and a bookstore.

a very important feature. Taking precedence from traditional Caymanian architecture - often including

With all the life of this main passage, it is a very fitting axis, tying the Cayman Cultural Center to

sizable porches - it was very important to accentuate the entrance into the main courtyard space.

Camana Bay - acting as the direct termination of the vista from the Paseo.

This porch nuance found its way into the design of the Gallery. Light and airy, it would serve as a visual connection in to the space, while displaying local Caymanian art pieces.

COURTYARD ENTRANCE The Courtyard is very open and welcoming to anyone wishing to come in and enjoy any of the functions around it, or just be within the courtyard itself. The entrance to the Courtyard is located on the pedestrian-friendly boulevard - Camana Way. It is composed in such a way that all elements of the Cultural Center are visible from the first glance. It employs the natural shading of palms, and immediately presents seating options to be utilized.

BENTON HARBOR Historically, Benton Harbor, Michigan was quite successful in the food industry. Unfortunately, these successes have not continued with the city over the past few decades. With an increase of unemployment and a decrease of flow of income, Benton Harbor is in need of some restoration.

Benton Harbor is one of the cities positioned on the Great Fruit Belt in the Midwest. The developer desired to have this project bring people together, draw revenue and create social and business opportunities - through food. Prairie Development Group (the developer) had a passion to implement locally grown food, harvested and sold in a local market. This project provides a main quad-like area in which multiple types of community gatherings can occur - centered around food, drink, and the local market.

OUTDOOR FUNCTIONAL-SPACIAL DIAGRAM

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While developing this project, it was important to the developer that there be multiple buildings with mixed uses, providing a variety of tenants, and increasing the usage during all times of the day. In the buildings with mixed uses, there are housing opportunities, retail opportunities, learning opportunities, and businesses – hence more jobs, more income and more richness of community and culture.

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Since Benton Harbor is the world headquarters for the Whirlpool corporation, this project would create an opportunity for the company to display appliances and contribute to the local food market - specifically through food preparation.

EXISTING BUILDINGS SITE CONTEXT MAP

PROPOSED BUILDINGS

MAKING A PLACE The main building in the development is on the corner of W. Main St. and Twelfth St. Within this three story building, there is a sports bar in one wing and a restaurant in the other. Both the restaurant and the bar have their own 2 floors, available for separate tenants or a single owner.

The third story is high scale residential.

The restaurant will feature fresh food, grown by local farmers, as a way to tie into and promote local farmers market. This will be a place for fine dining, or quick lunch hour stops. It will provide upstairs and downstairs outdoor seating area, with excellent views into the quad.

Aside from the restaurant’s ability to draw a crowd, the sports bar will be a main driving character in this development. Sports bring people together, and so do drinks – a winning combination. The sports bar will also be there to help add to the night life of the place, creating more jobs, and bringing in more revenue.

1ST FLOOR PLAN

CORNER PERSPECTIVE

SMALL COMPELLING SPACES Throughout the development, there are spaces that provide more intimate environments. When making a Place, the experience is heightened and improved when we have little nooks that we can retreat to.

Cafe Del Sol is an example of a small cafe, which is expected to improve the life and vitality of the place by providing an all-day service and “buzz� of business. This livens up the development, in turn, contributing to the rejuvenation of Benton Harbor.

CAFE STREET PERSPECTIVE

SEATING AREA/STREET MARKET PLAN

SMALL SPACE AERIAL PERSPECTIVE

TWO-WAY TRAFFIC AND DEDICATED BIKE LANES

ACTIVE SIDEWALKS - WITH PLANTERS, SEATING AND AMENITIES

KALAMAZOO, MI 2025 “Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 is about creating a shared vision to enhance quality of life for all... Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 is about valuing and respecting contributions made by all people who live, work, and play here and believing that this diversity strengthens Kalamazoo as a whole.�

Being a designer on the Streetscape section of the charrette gave me the opportunity to discuss with the public what they wanted the streetscape experience of the Downtown area of Kalamazoo to be like. This section shows some sketches used to illustrate what the public asked for.

SIDEWALK SECTION - PLANTER SEATING, BIKE LANE, PARALLEL PARKING

STREET SECTION - NARROWER DRIVE AISLES WITH ON-STREET PARKING AND BIKE LANES

STREET SECTION - PLANTER BOULEVARD ON WIDE STREET

TRAJAN’S MARKET, ROME

PASSAGE PANARAMAS, PARIS

During my studies, I got the opportunity to do an Analytical Study Tour throughout Europe. We visited Italy, France, England, and Sweden.

The sketches in this section are some of those done while I was there. These sketches analyze and note various conditions, conventions, architectural elements and details I saw while on the tour.

AVENUE DES CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES, PARIS

TIVOLI, ITALY

VAXHOLM, SWEDEN

PIENZA, ITALY

Throughout my study of architecture, I explored the use of watercolor paint to represent my ideas more clearly and use it as a tool to create compelling renderings. The use of watercolor is also used analytically, to study shadows, profiles and tonal values.

ROBERT RIVERS Architecture & Design

269.783.9106 robert.rivers@live.com