Portfolio

PORTFOLIO

Thomas Normant Boston Architectural College - B.Architectural Sciences - 2019 Pratt Institute - MFA Interior Design - 2024

Table of Contents

01 - A Red Ribbon Flying in the Wind - Airbnb Offices 02 - Site Model - Central Park, NYC 03 - Exploring Form - Hand Modeling 04 - Lanterns - High End Retail 05 - Product Design - Furniture - Fashion - Lighting 06 - Projection Mapping - Exploring Light as a Material 07 - Office Design - Combining Lighting and Interior Design

01

A Red Ribbon Flying In the Wind: Airbnb Offices - Buenos Aires, Argentina

For the city of fair winds, the concept started with a space that feels “moved and eroded by the wind”. It then evolved into “a red ribbon flying in the wind”, as the team found a way to carry Airbnb’s signature Red/Pink hue across the entire space using a concept grounded in its site context.

Designed By: Thomas Normant

Yoshiaki Kanasashi

Tianwen Guan

Hierarchy

Lounge

Concept Image

Office

Reception

Reception Sectio

Software: Rhino V-ray - 3DS Max Photoshop Illustrator Indesign

Inspiration Images Conceptual Collage

León Ferrari - Mod. 2b

The intensity of the curves on the ceiling tapers off throughout the space from the most intense curves in reception down to softer ripples in the office.

on - 3/16”=1’

Airbnb Logo

Parametric Wall

Materials and Furniture The furniture and lighting fixtures were selected to celebrate timeless designs by South American designers and architects. The palette is largely neutral, with a red accent throughout the space, and the walls are kept white to highlight the ceiling.

Materials

“Eroded” Blue Stone

Test Render

D S

Furniture Plan 3/32”=1’

Office Bulbo Chair Campana Brothers

ON Sofa Oscar Nyemeyer Kitchen W 47”X L 48” X H 59” Rasberry 30% Fabric, 70% Leather W 71”X D 33” X H 28” Stained Walnut, Wool Upholstry

Lámpara Bienvenida Federico Churba

Lounge

Diz Lounge Armchair Sergio Rogrigues

Pluvial Table Lamp Federico Churba

W 30”X D 35” X H 28” Cherry Wood - Dark

D 15 ¾ ”X H 17” Aluminum screen with resin body

90 ½”X H 86 ½” Fiberglass Structure, Metallic Base

Reception Exit Elevators/Entrance

LL-01 Ceiling Integration Detail LL-01 Ceiling Integration Detail Ceiling Integration Details

1 Ceiling Integration Detail Partitions the Space while retaining an Open Plan

Hides the Ceiling Systems - Lights, Ducts, Electrical, Plumbing Hides the Columns

Reception

Lighting Plan 3/32”=1’

Lighting Fixture Schedule Lighting fixture schedule Type

Image

Location

Manufacture

Name

Source

Notes

CL-02

Meeting Room

Federico Churba

PLUVIAL

LED 3000K, 90 CRI

Aluminium screen with energy saving light.

FL-01

Reception Desk

Federico Churba

PLUVIAL TABLE

FL-02

Reception

Federico Churba

PUNTO Y COMA

FL-03

Lounge

Federico Churba

BIENVENIDA

Lounge

LED 3500K, 90 CRI

LED 3000K, 90 CRI

LED 3500K, 90 CRI

Aluminum screen with resin body.

Aluminium rod with painted counterweight steel with incandescent light.

Fiberglass structure with metallic rotating base. Embossed and painted aluminium screen with energy.

Mitigating Circadian Rythms - Smart Lighting The assigned site has no windows, aside from the two at the end of the corridor in the offices. This means the space will be lit solely with electric light all day. To accommodate office workers and clients visiting the space, the smart lighting system will be set to change color temperature throughout the year based on the time of day. A colder light in the mornings, slightly warmer around noon, and a warm orange light around sunset.

6:30 P.M

9:30. AM

02

Central Park

Thesis site research In the mid-nineteenth century in NY, a sudden population growth led to the need for a massive park to be planned and built.

Landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won the competition for the park’s plan in 1857. The existing land was razed, and Central Park was built.

In the 1980’s, Central Park was refurbished by the newly established Central Park Conservancy.

Software: Blender Rhino Meta Spark Studio

Site Conditions

Circulation

Lakes/Ponds

Topographic map

Site Model

AR Site Model

Hybrid analogue and digital site model of Central Park, NYC Using 3D modeling software, augmented reality animation software, online resources, and a physical site model, I created an interactive site model of Central Park in NYC. The base model is a tectonic plywood model of Central Park at a scale of 1:4000 (laser cut). The surrounding model depicts the buildings lining Central Park on all sides. One small corner of the site is 3D-printed to physically infer the overall context, while the rest of the model exists in digital space. On one’s phone or tablet, the physical site model acts as a “trigger image” for the digital 3D model of Manhattan to wrap itself around the physical model and line up with the 3D print.

Central Park 3D Model

3D Print

Site Model

15”

44”

Topographic Model of Central Park, NYC - 1:4000 Sustainable: Less materials used on site model.

Modular: Layered site information can be turned on and off with clicks and triggers.

Time : Information can be layered and animated to show data transitions over time I.E - traffic, weather, pedestrian circulation, sun path and shadows.

AR Model

03

Exploring Form

Handmade Sketch Models By cutting, folding, scoring, and binding the flat Bristol in various ways, each piece transforms into sculptural conceptual models.

Counter - Balanced

All Tied Up

04

Lanterns:

High-End Retail Store - Astoria, Queens, NY A minimalist luxury retail store to display Noguchi’s Akaris is conceived by synthesizing the Akaris’ forms with one of his sculptures and a modern fashion runway. A series of custom designs inspired by the Akaris will transform the space, featuring a bar, a checkout desk, and a retail showroom to display the iconic lighting fixtures from Noguchi’s old workshop across from his museum on 33rd Street in Astoria, NY.

Balenciaga Summer 2002

Noguchi - Another Land

Software: Autocad Rhino V-ray - 3DS Max Photoshop Indesign

Akaris

Program: Akari Retail Store, Cafe, Checkout The program for this space is a retail showroom where the Akaris are displayed, followed by a cafe/bar (with restrooms), followed by a gift store and checkout desk. Noguchi’s aesthetic and some of his furniture will complement the space to create a unique buying experience. The retail showroom floor is raised in order to hide all cables from view.

Entry

33d St

Floor Plan - 3/32”=1” Program: 1

Retail Showroom

2

Bar/Cafe

3

Noguchi’s Apartment

4

Checkout Counter/Gift Shop

5

Outdoor Tables

6

Restrooms

1 4

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2

6

5

Materials and Furniture Since this is a retail store for lights, the color palette will feature lighter hues to maximize light reflection. Noguchi’s sofa, the custom bar chairs, and Saarinen’s Tulip chair and table will add a bright accent to the space’s neutral palette.

Section Perspective

Custom Bar Stools - F3

Cloth

Walnut

Tulip Chair and Table- F5

Eero Saarinen

Bamboo

Washi Paper

Noguchi Sofa - F6 Isamu Noguchi

Lighting Plan and Layers There are several lighting layers to consider when designing a retail shop meant to showcase lighting fixtures. The ambient lighting is seamless, recessed behind the I-beams in the ceiling, reflected onto the ceiling plane, and back down. The architectural lighting follows the workshop’s existing architecture. Finally, the Akaris, Bar, and Checkout desk act as sculptural lighting.

Lighting Plan - 3/32” = 1’ Indirect Recessed Fixture LED:Wall Washer

L6 L7

L5 L4

L3

CMU Wall Wash Diagram

Section

L8

L2

L1

Rendered Floor Plan Entry/Exit

Checkout

Retail Showroom

Bar/Cafe

Noguchi’s Apartment

Custom Shelves/Luminaires Assembly Details (F7)

Inspired by Noguchi’s Sculptures, his Akaris, and James Turrell’s lighting methods, a series of shelves embedded inside one another provides a base display for the Akaris and emanates a warm glow. The semitransparent shelves are wrapped in washi paper cast with a thin layer of transparent resin, in order to provide structural integrity and durability. Much like Noguchi’s sculptures, the intent is to encourage circular movement around the shelves.

Concept Models

11’

Exploded Axonometric - ¾” = 1’

1’3”

1” Thick Washi and Resin

1” Bamboo Plywood CNC cut

Plan

Waterproof LED Strips 1/2” thick

The bottom oval is lined with LED strips and floods the structure with light, which is diffused through the resin cast washi paper. The resulting effect is a warm glow that complements the Akaris without distracting from their form.

Rendered Axonometric

Retail Showroom Sunset

On entry, visitors are flooded with cold light before stepping into the retail showroom.

This creates a procession through the space guided by light, and offers a strong contrast to the less illuminated showroom, where the Akaris take center stage.

Retail Showroom Late Afternoon

Concept Sketches

The original conceptual sketches come to life in the final design (left), where the negative space between each oval guides circulation throughout the space. The modules also complement one another visually, by having their contours “merge” in perspective.

Café

Sunset

+ Construction Diagram - 3/8” = 1”

Resin Cast Washi Paper - 1”

The client wanted a bar/cafe as part of the space and so a “Lantern Bar” merges Noguchi’s aesthetic with bar construction. The top portion is framed with curved bamboo rods, wrapped in washi paper, lit from the inside by lightweight LED strips, and suspended from the ceiling with transparent wires. The bar top is a curved bamboo frame anchored by front and back panels made of washi paper and bamboo strips cast in clear resin for durability.

Curved Bamboo Plywood Frame - 2”

Resin Cast Washi Paper - 1”

Checkout Sunset

Product Design

05

Experimental Furniture Design - Cantilever Bar Stool Inspired by Noguchi’s sculptural aesthetic and Knoll’s iconic gravity-defying furniture, the large “stem” is a single piece of CFRA, or carbon fiber reinforced aluminum with a heavy mass in the base for extra support. The stem comes up to meet a socket where it is fixed into place. A thin oval steel plate is screwed into the bottom of the plywood base of the cushion seat, which can now be bolted together with the socket and the stem.

Elevations - 1”= 1’ 17 ¾”

42 ½”

Software Rhino V-ray 3ds MAX Illustrator

19 ¼”

Shades of Black

Plan - 1 ½” =1’

21 ½”

Materials:

Black Chenille Upholstry

Anodized Aluminum - Black

While the banana we know is yellow, bananas also come in blue, red, and purple. At about a foot in total width, this suede mini shoulder purse has two compartments, one large and one for smaller accessories. The flaps peel open at the top and close back down into place with a magnetic strip lining the seams.

Stingers

Product Design The Marbled Lamps

The Marbled Lamp is a concept born out of material research and inspired by designs that use nature’s forms to create an object or a sculpture that echoes natural arrangements.

The end result is an optical illusion: A piece of burnt wood cut using the lines of the grain of an existing piece of marble stone. The negative spaces imply the “grain” of marble, and are emphasized by a rectangular LED backlight that shines through the cracks.

Original Marble Block

Material Options: Burnt Wood

Rendered into CAD Lines

Laser Cut Onto Wood

Table Lamp Axonometric Backlit with LED Panel 1/4” Burnt Cedar - Front Panel

3/8” Frosted Glass Diffuser

1/4” Burnt Cedar Back Cover/Light Panel

Table Lamp and Large Wall Panel The final design comes together at two different scales: a small table lamp and a large wall panel. The rectangular LED panels shine light through the negative space, rendering the “grain of marble” with light. The color temperature and color of light may be adjusted with a phone or remote.

Marbled Table Lamp

Further Exlporation - Expoxy + Wood Prototypes

Digital Sculpture

06

Projection Mapping

Experiments using light as a material As a lighting designer, I pushed the limits of combining interior design and lighting with Mad Mapper, the dedicated software for projection mapping. While the most common application is on exterior facades, I found several ways to apply “light masking” to interiors to embellish a space, highlight an architectural element, or drive a concept using light. My time in the lighting industry has also led me to find out that many manufacturers are making compact projectors the size of a spotlight, enabling discreet implementation of the technology in any space.

Software Rhino V-ray 3ds MAX Grasshopper

LightScene EV-110 Accent Lighting 3LCD Laser Projector

Bookmatching Light Once the “block” of marble has been defined and projected, it can be copied, mirrored, and bookmatched in the same way we would with physical marble tiles. The following are pictures of live projections - They can be animated, programmed to respond to sound, and rendered with both static and dynamic materials.

Masking out interior elements

07

Office Design

Cannon Offices in Houston, Texas.

This is my latest professional work as a lighting designer. Coming from interior design and architecture, I have been working on merging lighting and interior design to realize a concept - in this case, the company wanted an industrial concept that ties in the city of Houston to Cannon Design. The following is an exercise in branding, using interior architecture and lighting design to evoke the city of Houston, whose role as a major port during the industrial revolution has led to its modern success.

Topographic Map to 3D Model HOUSTON HEIGHTS QUADRANGLE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

TEXAS - HARRIS 7.5-MINUTE TOPO

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Putting myself in the shoes of a client visiting the architectural offices, I wanted them to see a company that understands how to use interior design as branding, and also understands their city’s history.

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ROAD CLASSIFICATION North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83) World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84). Projection and 1 000-meter grid: UNIVERSAL TRANSVERSE MERCATOR, ZONE 15R Data is provided by The National Map (TNM), is the best available at the time of map generation, and includes data content from supporting themes of Elevation, Hydrography, Geographic Names, Boundaries, Transportation, Structures, Land Cover, and Orthoimagery. Refer to associated Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Metadata for additional source data information.

This map is not a legal document. Boundaries may be generalized for this map scale.

Private lands within government reservations may not be shown. Obtain permission before entering private lands. Temporal changes may have occurred since these data were collected and some data may no longer represent actual surface conditions.

Learn About The National Map: https://nationalmap.gov

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The following image is a section of the “Buffalo Bayou”, a river that runs from the coast, through the city, and 50 miles inland. This river is one of the reasons Houston became such an important industrial port in the early 19th century. Given the lack of roads at the time, they could carry goods and materials from deep inside Texas to the coast by steamboat.

Previous Itterations

Lobby

Materials

White Wood

Weathered Steel

Red Suede

Perforated Steel

Soft Lighting Using custom lighting controls, the communal office space dims during after-hours special events, such as office drinks or client meetings. This creates a unique mood intended to transition office workers from the slightly brighter, colder lights of the main office to a warmer, calmer environment.

Grasshopper Script Using an “image to perf” Grasshopper script, I wanted to highlight Texas’s various landscapes. While its eastern coastline is relatively flat, its western landscapes are home to beautiful mountains. The brushed steel carries the industrial concept forward, and the backlighting provides a soft, warm light that enhances the cafe area’s lighting.