TABLE OF CONTENTS
“Art itself cannot be taught, but craftsmanship can. Architects, painters, sculptors are all craftsmen in the original sense of the word.”
-Walter GropiusThe inspiration behind this portfolio comes directly from the Bauhaus. Many of the drawings displayed have been modified to enhance this concept. To me, Walter Gropius’ quote about craftsmanship encapsulates what I strive to be as an architect. A craftsman is an individual who is constantly learning, understanding, and improving their craft. My craft is architecture, my tools vary from computer programs, chip board, books, and hot glue. These projects display my craft while also paying homage to the movement that integrated as part of architecture. thomas worstell
ACSA STEEL COMPETITION: AN EVENT IN STEEL (MAN
WICHITA WELLNESS CENTER
CHELSEA PUBLIC ARTS THEATER
EXPLORATION OF CRAFT
INTERNSHIPS
Rhino 8, Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign, Fabrication Lab
Revit 2023, Rhino 7, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign Enscape
Revit 2024, Rhino 7, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign Enscape
Rhino 8, Grasshopper, 3D Printing, Model Craft, InDesign, Photoshop
Revit 2024, Revit 2023, Adobe Suite, Bluebeam, Lumion, Enscape
AN EVENT IN STEEL
(Manko Design Comp Nomination) Partner: Logan McIntosh
Spring 2025 Prof Baudoin: London, England
This project is a culmination of a semester long, team based, design competition studio. Logan and I were challenged to explore the boundaries of steel, graphically communicate our designs in a competition-based setting, and to develop our design further than any prior studio project. Our project explores the use of monocoque structures (typically used in aircraft) attached to a long-span steel truss system. The complexity of this system and its components was always a part of our daily studio conversations. Working as a team we focused on maximizing our output based on our individual strengths and how they could benefit the team. I placed a great focus on developing the relationship of the site with the Greenwich Axis, designing many of the programmatic spaces, diagraming the construction process, detailing several of the major design components, and visualizing the building through renderings. A process that developed over the course of the semester was our graphic design and communication. Being a competition studio, a heavy emphasis was placed on the boards we would be presenting what drawings to include, text size, graphic standards, and organizational hierarchy were all components that repeatedly evolved throughout the course of the semester.
FACADE DESIGN
CRAFTING SPACES
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
WICHITA WELLNESS CENTER
Spring 2024 Prof. Coleman: Wichita, KS
BASE FORM
CARVE
Creating a connection between the street and the building
FORM MANIPULATION
Manipulation of the building Mass in relationships to the sun path
URBAN CONTEXT
Highlight the building’s urban presence through the facade
SITE CONTEXT
Skylights and glazing allow natural light to always have a presence within the building
BIOMEDICAL CENTER CONNECTION
BIOMEDICAL FACILITY
The Wichita Wellness Center acts as a communal node for the nearby Kansas University/Wichita State Biomedical Center. The Wellness Center provides elements like a retail health store and consultation/ therapy spaces which are operated by students from the Biomedical Center. This provides benefits for the local and academic communities of Wichita.
MAP OF DOWNTOWN WICHITA RETAIL
FILTERING THROUGH SPACE
To achieve a sense of wellness on both the vertical and horizontal planes I had to design in section again. The sectional profile of the building slowly recedes upon its self indicating the level of noise and privacy related to each floor. Each level remains spatially connected to the last via the rock wall, but how you interact with that vertical element changes from floor to floor.
SCHEMATIC DESIGN
PROGRAMMATIC RELATIONSHIPS
This building is personified by its sectional experience, and each floor has been designed to connect with that concept. Throughout the design process I re-arranged how the programmatic elements connected within one another ensure a meticulous cohesion between spaces. The results are a program that directly correlates with the sectional design of the building while also creating qualitative spaces for the local community.
WHITE BOX THEATER
Spring 2024 Prof. Coleman: Chelsea District, NY
CREATING A POINT OF UNION
The Chelsea Public Arts Theater is a point of union between the varying demographics of Chelsea district. It is a space of community, refuge, and performance in an area that is severely underrepresented in these functions. The building operates as place of conversation where residents, highline users, and tourists can communicate with one another, therefore creating a shared connection in a place where there was only separation.
The rendering displays the theater’s
to visually broadcast itself to the
CONNECTING SPACES
FACADE DESIGN
PLAN DETAIL: CHANNEL GLASS
EXPLORATION OF CRAFT
MODEL CRAFT
My approach to model making has been an ongoing evolutionary process, with appreciation and love for the craft developing over the course of my education. The models displayed are a testament to that growth, showcasing the use of multiple materials, understanding of scale, and the dedication to construction quality. To me, models are the tangible representations of my projects personifying design elements like scale, light, and color.
SPATIAL TRANSLATIONS
During the spring semester of my fourth year, I had the opportunity to take a seminar taught by Professor Grant Alford. The course revolved around the use of Rhino 8, Grasshopper, and model craft to explore form and design. One of the final assignments was to utilize everything we had learned and create our own exploration. I chose to explore space and what are the parameters we use to define it. Through a series of tests, I discovered a spatial gradient and, inspired by precedents like Toyo Ito’s Opera House, developed a unique spatial language composed of specific lines, shapes, and spaces. This language was used to create different spatial experiences, which were first sketched and then translated into digital SubD elements. The final diagrams and images document the journey from a simple line to a complex, three-dimensional form.
GRID
LANGUAGE
FORM
BURNS & MCDONNELL
May- August 2025: Kansas City, MO
Project Phases
• Site Analysis
• Project Management
• Design Development
• Construction Documents types
• Federal
• DoD
• DoE skills
• Detail Drawings
• Renderings
• Project Coordination
• Site Analysis
At Burns & McDonnell, I participated in a variety of projects, with several significant highlights. Our department’s week-long design charrette was a fantastic learning experience that honed my ability to collaborate with other disciplines, like structural and mechanical engineering, and hone my skills on presenting our design to potential clients. Additionally, I had the opportunity to lead a project from its initial design stages, where I created the Revit file, constructed the building model, and coordinated with structural engineers on key elements like beam placements. This project specifically allowed me to develop my skills in creating detailed drawings through referencing existing design details, project based constraints, and feedback from my supervisor.
HTK ARCHITECTS
May- August 2024: Topeka, KS
Project Phases
• Site Analysis
• Schematic Design
• Design Development
• Construction Documents types
• K-12
• Civic
• Corporate skills
• Detail Drawings
• Renderings
• Graphic Design
• Site Analysis
At HTK, I worked on a variety of projects, primarily in the K-12 sector. The work you see here comes from some of my favorite projects. I designed several facades for Silver Lake’s robotics center, and I also had the opportunity to design a wall graphic from start to finish for the Shawnee Heights athletics room. Throughout the summer I was able to pick up skills in Revit, Lumion, and learned some new Illustrator tips to help with projects like the wall graphic.
SILVER LAKE ROBOTICS
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS WALL CONCEPT 1
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS WALL CONCEPT 2
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS WALL CONCEPT 3