ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO
JOSHUA DOUGLAS ARTHUR SMITH
NORTH YORK, ON, CANADA
Simplicity is compelling
BEATGRINDER
School Project: M.Arch. Year 1 | Independent
Duration: 1 month
If a form were to accommodate the sound of its environment, then said form might have to be flexible in its shape. To utilize this idea as a basis for this investigation, the concept of advection was explored.
Three proto-architectural artefacts were created to synergistically represent a design which might be cognizant of its environment.
- An advecting metaphysical model
- A collection of physical animate-inanimate objects
- A representational image still
“Advection is the process by which contaminants are transported by the flowing fluid or solvent in response to a hydraulic gradient.“
Science Direct https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/advection
In the context of this investigation, noise advection is defined as the fluid movement of form along the gradient of frequency and amplitude of a real-time audio source. This effect was achieved using geonodes in Blender, where a cube was split into hundreds of unique nodes that extended and retracted in response to the various frequencies of an audio source.
THE SHARD
School Project: M.Arch. Year 1 | Independent
Duration: 2 months
In an urban context known for its cold winters and quiet environment, the Shard defiantly presents the city of Ottawa with a shining oasis that encourages play, community, and life. Leveraging the weight of its glass centrepiece, the Shard provides its residents and their proximal community with a vibrant gathering space.
Placemaking and holistic design principles inform the primary programmatic decisions. The glass centrepeice is not only a space for gathering, but also a community garden, central circulation corridor, and atrium for interaction, dining, and religion.
4th Level
3rd/5th Level
2nd Level
Ground Level
NOLLI Professional Project | Independent
Duration: 2 weeks
By utilizing figure-ground drawings, or Nolli Maps, alternate density profiles were compared to the proposed layout of a future development located in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Based on the current aesthetic of the site plan, European cities were chosen for comparison to maintain certain physical appearances and to make comparison more relevant.
The technique of Nolli Mapping was chosen to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, to better understand how public space is created by the building fabric that defines it.
The Nolli Maps presented above and right are part of a research project that I was commissioned to undertake for DIALOG.
ANATOMY
Personal Project | Independent
Duration: On-going
As a seasoned powerlifter and lifelong health & fitness enthusiast, my understanding of human anatomy and how the body works is lacking.
In a pursuit to become more familiar with such mechanisms, I began studying human skeletal and muscular systems.
METHOD
My exploration of this topic began by repeatedly sketching the front, back, side, and 3/4 view of the skeleton until a level of familiarity was achieved.
PROCESS
This process involved adding two to three bones at a time, sketching what I had learned to that point five times over, and then moving on.
PROGRESS
As this study is on-going, muscles are slowly being added much in the same way as the bones.
MEANING OF DESIGN
Personal Project | Independent
Duration: 1 month
This project is an exploration of how I define the process of design.
The following four shapes are symbolic in different ways, each of them exhibiting various design principles.
Tower of Babylon
concept 概念 idée فكرة thought
主意 vue أفق prospect 天際線
horizon المستقبل future 未來 demain غدا
creation 創建 base أصل origin 來歷 histoire حكاية narrative 敘述 peinture
تصوير illustration 例證 modèle طراز collaborate 合作 combiner انسجم blend 合成 intégrer شمل embrace 摟 rassembler تحسن improvement 豐富 profusion فيض
society 合伙 corporation نقابة order 命令 promulguer أحدث engender 產 生 réaliser نجح succeed 繼承 hériter ميراث unite 團 liaison كفالة security 保
衛 protection مأوى sanctuary 避難所 entretenir غذى sustain 承受 tolérer أقر
concept 概念 idée فكرة thought 主意 vue أفق prospect 天際線 horizon المستقبل future 未來 demain غدا creation 創建 base أصل origin 來歷 histoire حكاية narrative 敘述 peinture تصوير illustration 例證 modèle طراز collaborate 合作 combiner انسجم blend 合成 難所 entretenir غذى sustain 承受 tolérer أقر plan 打算 évaluer قاس gauge 估計 estimer نظر consider 研究 examiner استكشف search 監工 surveiller أصغى unique 特制 spécial مميز characteristic 特性 identité هوية ذاتية personality 人 individu شخصي subjective 個人的 متطور developed 發達 prêt ملائم favourable 合適的 amusant ممتع interesting 有意思 significatif بارز ingenuity 創造力 créativité إبداع novelty 新奇 moderne بديع unprecedented 空前的 inouï مدهش surprising 意外 imprévu طارئ multifaceted 多方面的 multiforme ce معرفة learning 學問 sagesse فطنة acumen 敏銳度 acuité دهاء wit 智力 intelligence فهم sustainable 可持續的 durable متين robust 健全 sain صحي salutary 有益的 avantage قوم people 民眾 peuple جمعية pattern 格局 structure إطار setting 環境 milieu محيط perimeter brilliance 輝 splendeur عظمة useful 頂事 adéquat ملائم compatible 蒹容 conséquent جوهري fundamental 根本 essentiel أساسي primary 主要 important هام indigenous 妙 subtil معقد intricate 錯綜複雜 complexe متورط engaged 有事 animé حي vivid 活潑
The shapes are shaded in a paintby-numbers style using word chains that contain meaningful terms in the context of design.
These word chains are made up of English, Chinese, French, and Arabic words that repeat in the same order.
Sarcostyle Tower
استدعى summon 召 tenir نفذ perform 施行 interpréter فسر expound 闡述 élaborer صمم
icon 畫像 silhouette خيال imagination 想像力 conception نية mind 精神 genie موهبة flair 埶 habilité براعة
engaging 參與 supérieure متطور developed 發達 prêt ملائم favourable 合 適的 amusant ممتع interesting 有 意思 significatif بارز
合成 intégrer شمل embrace 摟 rassembler تحسن improvement 豐富 profusion فيض society 合伙 corporation نقابة order 命令 promulguer أحدث engender 產生 réaliser نجح succeed 繼承 hériter ميراث unite 團 liaison كفالة security 保衛 protection مأوى sanctuary 避 個人的 corporel جسدي play 玩弄 susciter استدعى summon 召 tenir نفذ perform 施行 interpréter فسر expound 闡述 élaborer صمم icon 畫像 silhouette خيال imagination 想像力 conception نية mind 精神 genie موهبة flair 埶 habilité براعة engaging 參與 supérieure
الأوجه varied 多變 changeable قابل للتغيير adjustable 伸縮 élastique مرن elastic 靈活 intelligent بارع iteration 重 reprise الإنعاش welfare 禔 réussite نجاح prosperity 昌盛 progrès اختراق permeation 滲透 pénétration التقطير experience 見識 connaissanperimeter 埸 bord جانب portion 份 exemplaire نموذج efficient 高效的 élégant أنيق neat 整潔的 propre مناسب timely 適時的 opportun نفعي pragmatic 實用 efficace قوي organization 機構 mécanisme تقنية technique 技巧 métier براعة finesse 靈巧 adresse ذكاء 概念 idée فكرة thought 主意 vue أفق prospect 天際線 horizon المستقبل future 未來
Tesla Roadster
ingenuity 創造力 créativité إبداع novelty 新奇 moderne بديع unprecedented 空前的 inouï مدهش surprising 意外 imprévu طارئ multifaceted 多方面的 multiforme متعدد الأوجه varied 多變 changeable قابل للتغيير adjustable 伸縮 élastique مرن elastic 靈活 intelligent بارع iteration 重 reprise الإنعاش welfare 禔 réussite نجاح prosperity 昌盛 progrès اختراق permeation 滲透 pénétration التقطير
experience 見識 connaissance معرفة learning 學問 sagesse فطنة acumen 敏銳度 acuité دهاء wit 智力 intelligence فهم sustainable 可持續的 durable متين robust 健全 sain صحي salutary 有益的 avantage قوم people 民 眾 peuple جمعية
concept 概念 idée فكرة thought 主意 vue أفق prospect 天際線 horizon المستقبل future 未來 demain غدا creation 創建 base أصل origin 來歷 histoire حكاية narrative 敘述 peinture تصوير illustration 例證 modèle طراز collaborate 合作 combiner انسجم blend 合成 entretenir غذى sustain 承受 tolérer أقر plan 打算 évaluer قاس gauge 估計 estimer نظر consider 研究 examiner استكشف search 監工 surveiller أصغى unique 特制 spécial مميز characteristic 特性 identité هوية ذاتية personality 人 individu شخصي subjective 個人的 corporel جسدي prêt ملائم favourable 合適的 amusant ممتع interesting 有意思 significatif بارز ingenuity 創造力 créativité إبداع novelty 新奇 moderne بديع unprecedented 空前的 inouï مدهش surprising 意外 imprévu طارئ multifaceted 多方面的 multiforme متعدد الأوجه varied 多變 acumen 敏銳度 acuité دهاء wit 智力 intelligence فهم sustainable 可持續的 durable متين robust 健全 sain صحي salutary 有益的 avantage قوم people 民眾 peuple جمعية pattern 格局 structure إطار setting 環境 milieu محيط perimeter 埸 bord جانب portion 份 exemplaire ملائم compatible 蒹容 conséquent جوهري fundamental 根本 essentiel أساسي primary 主要 important هام indigenous 妙 subtil معقد intricate 錯綜複雜 complexe متورط engaged 有事 animé حي vivid 活潑 actif فعال concept 概念 idée فكرة thought 主意 vue أفق prospect 天際線 profusion 7 فيض society 合伙 corporation
Honeycomb Pattern
合成 intégrer شمل embrace 摟 rassembler تحسن improvement 豐富 profusion فيض society 合伙 corporation نقابة order 命令 promulguer أحدث engender 產生 réaliser نجح succeed 繼承 hériter ميراث unite 團 liaison كفالة security 保衛 protection مأوى sanctuary 避難所 جسدي play 玩弄 susciter استدعى summon 召 tenir نفذ perform 施行 interpréter فسر expound 闡述 élaborer صمم icon 畫像 silhouette خيال imagination 想像力 conception نية mind 精神 genie موهبة flair 埶 habilité براعة engaging 參與 supérieure متطور developed 發達 changeable قابل للتغيير adjustable 伸縮 élastique مرن elastic 靈活 intelligent بارع iteration 重 reprise الإنعاش welfare 禔 réussite نجاح prosperity 昌盛 progrès اختراق permeation 滲透 pénétration التقطير experience 見識 connaissance معرفة learning 學問 sagesse فطنة exemplaire نموذج efficient 高效的 élégant أنيق neat 整潔的 propre مناسب timely 適時的 opportun نفعي pragmatic 實用 efficace قوي organization 機構 mécanisme تقنية technique 技巧 métier براعة finesse 靈巧 adresse ذكاء brilliance 輝 splendeur عظمة useful 頂事 adéquat 天際線 horizon المستقبل future 未來 demain غدا creation 創建 base أصل origin 來歷 histoire حكاية narrative 敘述 peinture تصوير illustration 例證 modèle طراز collaborate 合作 combiner انسجم blend 合成 intégrer شمل embrace 摟 rassembler تحسن improvement 豐富 gauge
estimer نظر consider 研究 examiner
PLACEMAKING
Personal Project | Independent
Duration: 8 months
During an independent study in 2019, I discovered the concept of placemaking through The Experience of Place by Tony Hiss.
This study seeks to understand how great placemaking spaces are designed, where they are, and how they affect us.
The assessments of spaces in this study are based on the metrics defined in the wheel on the right.
There are two parts to this study.
1. Public placemaking spaces in Toronto
2. Cherished spaces at McMaster University
Wheel graph courtesy of Project for Public Spaces
Toronto Downtown Core Placemaking Projects King Street Pilot Project
Spirit Garden 20 Victoria (CafeTO) Sugar Beach
SUGAR BEACH
One of Toronto’s most popular summer locales, Sugar Beach leverages the concept of triangulation to improve comfort and accessibility.
The city’s patio restaurants involved in the CafeTO project demonstrate how thoughtful design is instrumental to social engagement.
SPIRIT GARDEN
The future Nathan Philips Square design embraces the history of the land to inform its features and to blend into its environment.
CAFETO
Original image by Nicola Betts
Original image courtesy of Silver Burtnick & Associates
My independent study of placemaking lead me to discover what makes some of the spaces at McMaster University special to the student body and staff.
Using survey respondents‘ placemaking ratings of McMaster spaces, I was able to identify which spaces were most cherished and why.
DEMOLITION
Personal Project | Independent
Duration: 2 months
This project explores the ever-shortening useful lifecycles of buildings through time.
As one of the largest factors in human-produced GHG‘s, the demolition of buildings for the sake of replacing them with newer works is problematic.
1000 CE - 1440 CE
High density of buildings
Demolition frequency begins to increase
100 BCE - 306 CE
Buildings become more populous Technologies improve, buildings are robust
750 BCE - 300 BCE
Low density of buildings per year
Limited building technologies
STATISTICS
Construction and demolition are large contributors to our overall Greenhouse Gas emissions. Sources vary, but some numbers are as follows below.
QUESTIONS
It is clear that the construction industry needs to be improved, and the ever-shortening useful lifecycles of our buildings is a problem.
What is there to be done?
I want to find out.
This is the basis for future research.
Date sourced from Sourceable and the US Environmental Protection Agency
Simplicity is compelling