(Archived) Thomas Coleman Portfolio 2024

Thomas Coleman | Selected Works 2024

Architectural Design Portfolio

Thomas Coleman

I’m extremely interested by buildings and their construction process. Growing up on a farm, I worked on projects with my dad, gaining hands-on experience. It taught me a simplified version of building for a purpose.

Through deeply exploring cities like Hamilton, Toronto, Vancouver, I’ve come to admire the urban layouts and architecture while also viewing many of these structures as extremely unsustainable in their material and build. The role of an architect is to design for the needs of the people who inhabit the space but to also design for the longevity and sustainability of it’s enhabited environment.

I aspire to join a firm where I can enhance my architectural skills, particularly in technical design and sustainability. I aim to broaden my knowledge of architecture by learning from collaboration and advice from those in the profession. T: 289-253-8366

Curriculum Vitae

Education

Ancaster High School

Technologies Design course Award for 100% Final Mark

University of Waterloo School of Architecture

Bachelor’s of Architectural Studies, Honours co-op Program

Work Experience

ZGF Vancouver – Student Intern Architect | 40 Hours/Week

- Worked on production of rezoning package as apart of a team.

- Designed and fabricated 1:50 physical process model for client engagement meetings.

- Produced quick drawings and sketch models for meetings with project team.

Student Works Painting – Project Manager | 45 Hours/Week

- Lead a crew of 3 painters in working on commercial and residential applications.

- Completed quotes and door to door sales in the Dundas area.

- Became familiar with working on a large construction site as a part of the work force.

Flamborough Hills Golf and Country Club – Groundskeeper | 42 Hours/Week

- Became familiar with early morning start times.

- Responsibility for individual tasks.

- Expected to produce high quality work to reflect pristine image of the organization.

- Improved landscape design knowledge and maintenance techniques.

Canadian Tire Ancaster – Automotive Parts Employee | 30 Hours/Week

- Developed knowledge and interest for the basic parts of a car.

- Quick problem solving and customer service experience.

The Poultry Hut – Order Picker/Freezer Organizer| 12 Hours/Week

- Worked in a warehouse environment. Completing orders for restaurants and grocery stores.

09/2018 - 05/2022

Achievements

President’s Scholarship (09/2022)

- Collaborating along side truck drivers and management. Skills Photoshop

Awarded for admissons average over 90%

Dean’s Honours List (2022 - Present)

Term average for all courses over 80%

Project from 1A currently posted in the School of Architecture hallway and on Universtiy of Waterloo Architecture instagram.

01/2024 - 04/2024

04/2023 - 09/2023

05/2022 - 09/2022

09/2022 - Present 05/2021 - 05/2022

04/2019 - 05/2021

Bass House

In Cambridge, Ontario

1A Studio, Fall 2022

The Bass House is a project located on the site of the River Bluffs park in Cambridge Ontario. It is both an education center and a living space. The purpose of the project is to bring awareness and specialty to the Cambridge community through the education of the public in regards to the fishing practices of the river.

Cambridge is a lively town that has a river running alongside the downtown strip of Water Street. The public commonly fish in the river, not limited to just Cambridge however. Many cities for which surround this river find success in the catches they can make as the waters contain multiple types of fish including smallmouth and large mouth bass, perch, carp, and steelhead trout. When brainstorming what type of education space would be most practical for the area, fishing was the closest topic to the community.

The building is divided into two key compartments to account for the fishing program and the living area for the fish educator. The education space is structured over the water’s edge surrounded by docs. The first floor of the house portion is public for practices and education and the second floor is completely private as the living quarters. The front building is angled outwards, opening towards the river’s edge and bringing in the capability for canoes and Kayaks to dock for boarding.

Hand Cut Physical Model

First Floor Plan

Hallway

Stairs

Washroom

Indoor Garden

Kitchen

Office

Demonstration

River Interaction

9. Water Gallery 10. Washroom 11. Bedroom

Balcony

Boating Docks on Water’s Edge

Interior Space of Boat House

With an intent to operate an indoor garden that incorporates a multifunctional use of the typical building elements. The roof and wall system come together to filter water towards the garden.

1: 75

Diagramatic Axonometric

Rain water roof runoff

Water runs between glass windows

Water collects above doorway of garden

Water drips onto garden beds from eaves trofts Water collects in containers

1: 200 Exploded Axonometric

Model Images

Latitudinal Section Perspective

Longitudinal Section Perspective

Oasis in Zorgho

In collaboration with Jacob Kleiman Burkina Faso, Zorgho 1B Environmental Studies

Situated in Zorgho, Burkina Faso, this off-grid residence offers a comfortable living space in the hot, arid climate of the region. Designed to accommodate writers and educators serving the local youth, the home features a central garden that stands in contrast to the building’s dry mud brick walls. The lightweight structure of the walls and ceiling facilitates ventilation, ensuring a constant flow of cool air. Additionally, a second skin shields the inhabitants from the sun during the summer and provides cover during the rainy season.

Utilizing mud bricks not only demonstrates a dedication to sustainable and eco-friendly building techniques but also honors the cultural heritage of Zorgho’s communities. These bricks, made from locally sourced materials like clay and sand, are affordable, easily accessible, and offer excellent thermal qualities. This makes them perfect for crafting comfortable living spaces in hot climates, highlighting the practicality and tradition rooted in the area’s construction practices.

Rendered Elevation

Solar panels placed on corgated metal roof

Operable horizontal folding window blinds

Grey water system

Garden watering system

House piping and electrical

Well for house water and community

Materiality Exploded Axonometric

Cane roof, traditional african building method

Steel truss: reused concrete rebar

Mud brick vaulted ceiling + ventilation holes

Earthen floor

Eucalyptus wood screen: Air circulation and shading Black water system

Latitudinal Section

Longitudinal Section

Program Diagram

Shell Informing Climate

The building, designed with awareness of climate challenges, features a distinctive shell that encapsulates its core elements. This structure is crafted to offer a respite from the intense heat by harnessing natural wind currents and strategically filtering them through its layers.

A key design principle involves maximizing shade through sheltered walkways and canopy-hinged windows. These elements not only mitigate direct sunlight but also enhance airflow, promoting natural ventilation and cooling within the building.

The design addresses environmental concerns by integrating them into a cohesive and functional whole; to create a comfortable and sustainable structure that harmonizes with its climatic context.

Rendered Model

The Glade Markham

Made in Collaboration with Andrada Stanomir

Markham Ontario

1B Building Construction

Submission for CISC 2023 Student Competition

Situated between a rapidly expanding downtown area and a vast plain along a river lies The Glade: an outdoor amphitheater in Markham, Ontario. In recent years, the once agricultural lands have experienced significant population growth and development. Designed to resemble blades of grass swaying in the wind, this performance center emphasizes the importance of green and communal spaces in neighborhoods.

Positioned near three key Markham hubs—the burgeoning downtown, York University campus, and the GO station. The Glade goes beyond its role as a performance venue. It is a communal space where people gather not just for events but for leisure, study, and relaxation. The very essence of The Glade echoes the importance of striking a balance between urban expansion and preserving the serenity of nature.

The Approach From the Path

The steel wire tensioners are placed opposite the HSS to secure tension in connection with the tie-down on the large concrete footing downstream. They clamp the wire with bolts at its center to minimize sway and maintain stability.

The HSS columns are anchored to a concrete footing using a central steel beam encased in an HSS pipe, with horizontal tensile wire clips welded to an outer layer. Each column section, 3m in length, is prefabricated on-site and assembled using welded and pre-drilled plates to connect multiple members.

The truss intersects the HSS column at a 90-degree angle. The column has a welded and bolted brace with four steel prongs that slide into the truss’s hollow rods, securing tension with a steel wire

Contextual Symbiosis

The form of a structure can complement its surroundings. The volume of space occupied by this amphitheater reflects the voids between blades of grass, light, and airy in its intertwinement. The structure’s elements create spaces flooded with dappled light, echoing the relief found in a sunlit field. Architecture embodies site-specific design, harmonizing with surroundings through form and spatial volume. An amphitheater’s structure mirrors natural voids, embracing light and air. Its design floods spaces with light akin to sunlight filtering through grass blades, creating a symbiotic relationship between built environment and natural landscape.

Longitudinal Section

Under the Wires, Beside the Blades

Walking the Path Towards the Stage

AESS Categories

AESS 1

Wires that run horizontally across the hss members

Welded plate from top of HSS column to wire.

Circular HSS bracing between shading sheet metal.

HSS column tension wire ties back with pin connection using two plates attaching to a single plate bolted to a concrete block.

I-Beam support welded to tensioners.

AESS 2

Steel wire tensioners

Circular HSS columns 3m segments

AESS 3

Box trusses

AESS 4

Perforated sheet and their connection to the trusses

Box truss to HSS column connection

Interior perforated sidings

Steel Types

The truss meets the circular HSS column at 90 degrees. The column has a welded and bolted wrapping brace with 4 steel prongs which slide into the four hollow rods of the truss. The HSS is pulled upwards to avoid collapse through the tensile steel wire wrapped in HSS and slotted onto a clevis attached to a pre-welded plate by a cotter pin.

The cables going down from the HSS serve both a structural purpose and to grant an experience. They form a path leading into the interior of The Glade as well as an enjoyable space where people can wait before a show.

Intumescent Finish

White intumescent finish: used for the majority of the structure.

Lime intumescent finish: used for the large hss members.

Dark green intumescent finish: used for the tensioners and I beams.

Structural Wood Joinery Archive

In Toronto, Ontario 2A Studio, Fall 2023

The art of wood joinery is something that elevates the intentions and excitiment that architecture provides. The versitility and manipulative qualities of wood provide an elegant yet structural building material which has been shifting away from the typical catalogue of construction practices. With its sustainable approach to avoiding other structural materials such as concrete and steel, it’s became nessasary to re-introduce the public eye to the possibilities structural wood joinery provided through the demonstration in the structure of the Archive.

The concept began from explorating the nature of how stairs can be designed with many smaller members to transfer loads to larger suspending ones. Through a parti of manipulating a single block through three integrale moves within joinery, the building presents a form taking shape as a single modified block, shown at a large scale.

Spadina

View from Spadina Sidewalk

horizontal beams columns / 191x191mm across

Pour concrete foundation / insert columns at 445x191mm

Concrete cores poured through wood plank form work

installed ontop joists including (Soprema)

Install plywood 200mm onto joists / Trusses installed onto beams

Enclosing the elements with corgated roof and gutters / Instal saw tooth over attrium

Pour concrete foundation / insert columns at 445x191mm

installed under covered roof

Polycarbonate walls (movable) and permanent walls installed

Furnished and completed

Furnished and completed

Construction Sequence

Concrete cores wood plank

Stairs

Steel mullions, polycarbonate, HVAC installed

Physical Model 1:50 Staircase

Facade

Exploded Facade Axonometric

Diagramatic Stair Axonometric

The purpose of this diagram is to reveal the floor components in their relation to the spaces formed through the column grid. Their makeup is an integrale part of the structure alongside the parti for this project. Fragmentation of this structural system provides clarity on it’s assembly in combination with the surrounding building elements.

Main Staircase Landing

Wood Joinery Shop in Progress

Wood Joinery Archieve Massing Model1:200

Wood Joinery Archieve 1:50 Sectional Model

Falmouth National Maritime Museum Study Model 1:200

Study Model 1.2m x 1.5m (4ft x 5ft) Hospital Entrance