ALEXIS HALCOMB PORTFOLIO University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The Illinois School of Architecture Selected Work
Flex - Sports & Entertainment Champaign, IL /// Fall 2019
Convergence - Boutique Hotel Champaign, IL /// Fall 2018
the Center - Arboretum Champaign, IL /// Fall 2017
Cascade - Bookshop & Coffee shop Champaign, IL /// Spring 2018
Expansive Marketplace Champaign, IL /// Spring 2017
Conceptual Design Projects Fall 2016 - Spring 2017
Ceramics & Pottery Fall 2011 - Spring 2015
Flex - Sports & Entertainment
Fall 2019 Graduate Design Studio: Detail & Architectonics Downtown // Champaign, IL This project was inspired with the challenge of redesigning Top Golf. The duration included working directly with the design build firm for Top Golf locations. The introduction of this studio was spent researching marketing strategies and how to best increase revenue of a project while decreasing the need of floor space. More specifically how to bring a the company's advertised culture of entertainment into less populated communities further from large city suburbs of places like Chicago. This design expands upon simulated golf with the addition of racquetball that incorporates target technology used at Top Golf locations into the equation. In this particular model, the facility is two stories and only two bays are allotted for racquetball out of the 14. The suggestion of adding more racquetball courts to the 12 simulated bays can be added upon and the form of the building can be expanded because of the linear floor plan allows for flexibility. The first and second floor reflect each other making the addition of a third floor also attainable. The concept centralizes the bar around the opening of each bay so users have more meaningful interactions. The calculated occupancy is 400 people and the flexibility of the floor is created by spanning of the joist girder structural system.
Conceptual Sketch
First Floor Plan
ection 3 8" = 1'-0"
1
1
S 4-4
S 1-1
BAY 12
BAY 07
BAY 02
0'
4'
8'
16'
32'
Second Floor Plan
Model Second Floor
Convergence - Boutique Hotel
Fall 2018 Architecture Design and Development Downtown // Champaign, IL This 42 room boutique hotel provides users with a space to gather and connect while visiting. This hotel would be directed towards groups that plan on visiting campus or simply getting a taste of what champaign has to offer. The downtown atmosphere is something sought after and this concept of converging came about when reviewing the plan for the parking lot just to the south of Washington Street. Each room has a view of the open garden and beyond to the main downtown space. This space’s intentions are to direct and connect users to towards the heart of downtown in Champaign. The guest rooms are the same dimensions to lower the overall cost and improving basic functionality that would encourage guests to spend more money downtown when they save on room cost. The garden boxes also help bring nature back into the city and their placement creates a maze-like plan that all lead one to the center of the site. The material palette consists of spandrels glass and a concrete two way column & beam system in addition to the concrete garden boxes. The HVAC distribution uses a four pipe water system that moves vertically to each floor in the structural system connected to the staircases on the east and west end. All rooms have a fire resistance rating of 1 hour and the stairs have a 2 hour rating. The occupancy classification is a residential hotel with a commercial restaurant on the first flloor.
Surrounding Building BUILDING USEUse RESIDENTIAL COMMERICAL RETAIL/ORGANIZATION
ENTERTAINMENT FOOD/DRINK
A115 1
1 A103
5
4.5 13' - 3"
3.5 13' - 3"
3 13' - 3"
2.5 13' - 3"
2 13' - 3"
1.5 13' - 3"
1 13' - 3"
Unloading dock for Restaurant
6 1
Unloading dock
UP
Bar Area
Dry Storage
Freezer
7 Kitchen/prep space
8
Elevator Lobby
Dining Space
Unloading dock for Hotel
Checkin Desk
Outdoor Dining Space
9
UP
10
1
Main Lobby
A116
Garden
11 Main Entrance
Room 504
12
A114
Floor Plan - Guest Room
Scale 1/4" = 1'-0"
A115
No.
Room 502
Description
Date
Room 503
Project Number Issue Date Author Checker
1 A104
Project number Date Drawn by Checked by
Ground Level
12/12/2018 7:18:46 AM
- 0" ø 5'
4' - 5 7/8"
3' - 0"
ø 5'
- 0"
1 A102
Capstone - ARCH 475
Alexis Halcomb 6
4' - 10 17/32"
3' - 0"
Room 501
1
4' - 0"
1' - 10"
1 A103
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
106' - 0"
26' - 6"
13' - 3"
26' - 6"
13' - 3"
13' - 3"
26' - 6"
13' - 3"
13' - 3"
13' - 3"
7
www.autodesk.com/revit
ø 5'
- 0"
Room 500
5' - 5 7/16"
8 Typical Room Plan with ADA dimensions
9
Elevator Lobby
Room 300
Room 301 Room 302
Typical Guest Room Level: 3rd - 9th 118' - 2 1/16"
4' - 11 3/8"
A102
4 13' - 3"
Room 303 Room 304
Room 305
Elevator Lobby
A115 1
1 A103
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
105' - 5 3/4"
26' - 6"
26' - 6"
6 DN
7
Conference Room
Printing
Gym
Pool
8 9 119' - 4 1/16"
10
DN
1
11
12
Second Level
1 A104
A116
1 A102
Eastern Elevation
N-S Section Cut
Cascade - Book & Coffee Shop FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 2.0
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 1.5
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 1.0 Spring 2018 Architecture Design and City Downtown // Champaign, IL The goal of this building’s design is to create a space for Readers that is user friendly and health beneficial to those looking to relax and read a good book while drinking a cup of coffee in downtown Champaign. When thinking of natural settings that assist in focus and relaxation, a water fall, is something that comes to mind. The water falls in Starved Rock National Park are a main conceptual inspiration. The space around these falls are mostly rock, yet still has ample light throughout the space that makes it very bright and the running water drowns out any outside noise. This natural setting was achieved in the building by placing a water fountain in a central location that divided private reading and public spaces, using lighting shelves to bounce off and deflect back into the space.
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL -1.0
COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL SITE 23’ X 145’ MAIN ROADS SIDE ROADS
12 10
7
1
11
8 10
12 10
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 2.0 FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 2.0
10
10 7 10
8
12
10
1
12
11 4
N MARKET ST.N MARKET ST. N MARKET ST.
4
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 1.5
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 1.0 FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 1.0
11
4
1
4
4
8
12
9 2
12 1
12
11
8
12 1
3
5 6
9
S
BOOK STACK DISPLAY 3 X KEY:Key: 4 // 1500 lin.1ft. Book StackSPECIAL DisplayPROMO — 1500 lin. ft. DISPLAY BOOK STACK DISPLAY Special Promo Display — // 2525 sq.sq. ft.ft. // 1500 lin. ft. DISPLAY KEY: MAGAZINE Magazine Display 30 lin.DISPLAY ft. SPECIAL — PROMO lin. ft. 1 - Courtyard — 480 sq. ft.////30 25 sq. ft. 1 BOOK - COURTYARD STACKDISPLAY MAGAZINE 2 - Purchasing Counter —DISPLAY 75 sq. ft. 480 sq. ft. //// 1500 lin.ft. ft. 30 ft. lin. 3 - Small Workroom — 400//COUNTER sq. 2 SPECIAL - PURCHASING PROMO DISPLAY 1 - COURTYARD 4 - Public Restrooms — ////48 sq. ft.ft. 75 sq. ft. sq. //25 480 sq. ft. - SMALL WORKROOM DISPLAY 5 - Private3Restroom — 48COUNTER sq. ft. 2MAGAZINE - PURCHASING 400 sq. ft. lin.sq. 6 - Mechanical Room — ////80 sq. ft.ft.ft. //30 75 1 3- COURTYARD - SMALL 7 - Coffee Shop — 80WORKROOM sq. ft. // //480 400sq. sq.ft.ft. 8 - Water Fall 2 - PURCHASING COUNTER 9 - Main Entrance // 75 sq. ft. - SMALL WORKROOM 10 - Group3Discussion Space 11 - Quiet Reading Space // 400 sq. ft.
12
12
5
9
3
6
2 9
8
11
12
2
8
1 11
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 1.0
3
6
12 - Elevator — 35 sq. ft.
30 feet
A
VACANT HISTORIC GROCERY STORE SITE (23’ X 14 5’)
NM ARK ET S T.
VACANT BUILDING
C
B JON’S PIPE SHOP PARKING LOT
E UNIVERSITY AVE
N CH ESNU T ST.
t
9
4
KEY:
fee
2 9
8
11
5
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL -1.0 FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL -1.0 14 5 FLOOR fee PLAN // t LEVEL -1.0
2 2
8
1
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 1.5 FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 1.5
Site Analysis
7
8
1
11
FLOOR PLAN // LEVEL 2.0
23
8
1
11 12
10
7
1
12 11
4-
5 4
6
4 -7
58 9 10 6 11 12 71
1 81 9 10 11 12
EAS T SEC CROSS TION AL C UT
LON G SEC ITUDINA TION L CUT
SOU
THE RN E XTER IO
R EL EV
ATIO
N
WEST CROSS SECTIONAL CUT
the CENTER - Arboretum
Fall 2017 Architecture Design & the Landscape UIUC Arboretum // Urbana, IL This program is located in the Arboretum, which is a part of the University of Illinois campus. This site was selected to connect existing circulation, while keeping the area accessible so ‘the Center’ will be able to be reached and appreciated by all. This facility is meant to be a flexible place for interpretation, but focused on educating the public about plants locally in the Arboretum. The central hub is for students, faculty, and the local community to gain knowledge of nature and cultural heritage. This building also connects the Japan house and garden so users can make a visual connection of the locations and the importance of both. The structure and roof also has a unique curvature to mimic the pond and the organic shape created.
0 FT
50 FT
100 FT
200 FT
400 FT
ADDITION TO PATHWAY = EXISTING PATHWAY = BUILDING ROOF = ADDITIONAL PARKING = EXISTING VEGETATION = EXISTING POND = EXISTING PARKING/ = STREETS
SECTION 1
0 FT 5 FT 10 FT
N ELEVATIO S. FACING
5
ROOF EXHIBIT WALLS/DISPLAYS
8
5 6 4 7 11
1
9 4
4
12
2
13
14
SECTION 1
ELEVATION N. FACING
40 FT
80 FT
1 - MAIN ENTRANCE 2 - SECONDARY ENTRANCE 3 - STAFF ENTRANCE & CONNECTION TO 4 - MULTI-PURPOSE GALLERY // 1,200 SQ. FT. 5 - STAFF OFFICE // 150 SQ. FT. 6 - WOMENS RESTROOM // 160 SQ. FT. 7 - MENS RESTROOM // 160 SQ. FT. 8 - GENDER NEUTRAL RESTROOM // 30 SQ. FT. 9 - CUSTODIAN’S CLOSET // 25 SQ. FT. 10 - GALLERY STORAGE // 100 SQ. FT. 11 - GENERAL FACILITY STORAGE // 100 SQ. FT. 12 - MECHANICAL ROOM // 100 SQ. FT. 13 - OUTDOOR COVERED SEATING 14 - LANDSCULPTED EXTERIOR BENCH
3
10
20 FT
Expansive Market Place
Spring 2017 Strategies of Architecture Design Downtown // Champaign, IL This project investigates the design concept of movement and how the compression and expansion effects the structure. As one enters into different spaces, the ceiling heights fluctuates based on the connected function. The main goal of this project is to educate the general public about health and wellness while supporting the local market. This support would benefit the well-being of the community’s economy in a longer duration. This building allows individual to explore the space when the user explores the different floor textures that align and collaborate with the varying heights of the ceiling. These textures are meant to remind using of different patterns revealed in nature within various environments. While taking the design into consideration, users learn about local produce as they stroll through the market or take a cooking class. The objective of the market and this program is to investigate how the right food and amount can supply the body with important nutrients for survival and replenishment. This space targets the community as a whole because physical health has a influential impact on our mental health and how we as people see ourselves externally. Overall, the intention is to get city dwellers interested in what lies beyond paved streets and high risers and become more curious how nature and food impact our everyday lives.
Dwelling - Fortress
Spring 2017 Strategies of Architecture Design Conceptual - No Set Location This conceptual dwelling symbolizes a forest of trees and the height variations resemble that of a fortress. Starting out with a model made of only square shaped rods, each rod varies in thickness, but are all the same distance apart from one another. When placing the building part of the fortress I removed or cut sticks that also acted as structural support. The different building spaces were made out of all glass because in a forest the density of the trees creates walls, yet still allows light from above.
Vineyard - Design Project
Fall 2016 Graphics for Architects Conceptual - No Set Location This design was more exploratory and focused on expanding upon concepts. I chose leaf veins and wanted to convey how the structure supports the leaf. Using many leaves vertically adds more dimension and the veins create different shadows that express each unique piece of the vein.
Section A-A
Section B-B
Floor Plan
Ceramics & Pottery
Fall 2011 - Spring 2015 Ceramics 1 - 4 Function and Sculptural Throughout my four years of high school I was enrolled in 4 levels of ceramics and created over 50 projects. Included is a brief collage of a hand-full of the projects I designed and created. These assignments narrowed my path toward design and architecture. Before completing any assignment, sketching and incorporating conceptual goals taught me a lot about design schematics and understanding how to plan for how an object is built.
Architectural Manifesto In the course of architectural history many types of forms have been erected. Sustainable design moving forward is the most important concept we think about when creating these architectural forms. Thoughtful and meaningful design is important because we spend a majority of our lives indoors. The built world should create an environment that is comforting to us as users and has a minimal impact on the habitat around that surrounds us. A building has the potential to last through multiple generations. Design decisions impact not just the current generation but all of the future ones. We need to take responsibility in shaping the built world mindfully. We need to come to conclusions through research and learning from past design to better shape our future but more importantly the future of the next generations. Sustainable design is beneficial not only to us as human occupants but the environment it is built upon. Thinking critically and intentionally about the site a form is built up on. We as designers need to consider the impact on the natural environment by incorporating plants native to the built site when developing the natural landscape. Adding more intentional site composition and purposeful natural landscapes that will improve air and soil quality. This will result in a more healthy ecosystem that will cohesively rebuild any previously neglected sites. Natural landscape should be represented in built space from the existing natural plants or the addition of green space or gardens that move vertically in the built spaces we design. We need to think of the landscape not as a blank canvas, but as an important composition that improves our daily lives and activities and further unifies the built world in a more positive way. - ALH
Alexis L Halcomb Master of Architecture Candidate '21 Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies '19 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The Illinois School of Architecture ahalcom2@illinois.edu www.linkedin.com/in/ahalcom2