Design Portfolio by Amy Finnerty

AMY FINNERTY, amymfinn@ksu.edu | 913.226.7254

design portfolio

CONTENTS

kansas city design center 2010-2011

italian studies program 2010

Experiential Analysis Programming Research Studio Composite Urban Vision Preliminary Design Proposal

Freehand Drawing and Sketching Watercolors

kansas state projects 2006-2009

Buster Keaton Film Institute C^4 Boathouse Cambridge Bike and Shop Travis McGee House Photorealism A Stonecutterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Retreat

THE KANSAS CITY DESIGN CENTER, kansas city, mo

2010-2011

The Kansas City Design Center supports educational initiatives that help build public awareness of the factors that influence the character of the public realm. The KCDC also works to strengthen the educational experience of future design practitioners by engaging university faculty and students with real-world issues facing Kansas Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s built environment.

Our educational programs are built around our resident urban design studio, through which faculty and students form partnerships with local client groups to develop design concepts and implementation proposals addressing major architectural, urban design, and urban planning issues throughout metropolitan Kansas City. Copyright 2010 Kansas City Design Center Urban Design Studio. All rights reserved.

The Kansas City Design Center has enhanced my professional experience through the opportunity to collaborate within the various interdisciplinary fields from Kansas State University and The University of Kansas. Working in this teamatmosphere in the heart of an urban setting has provided such an opportunity to experience architecture and to feel the impact it can leave on the city fabric. Urban design and renewal is a growing interest of mine, and something I feel strongly

is vital to the diversity of cities. The KCDC has allowed me to work within the community and contribute back to Kansas City, improving and propelling both into the future. All work done at the Kansas City Design Center is done in group collaboration on behalf of the entire studio. This semester the intent of the studio is to complete one urban vision for the West Bottoms. This project is broken down into smaller parts that is collaborated on between small partnerships. For more information on The Kansas City Design Center please visit the website at //studio.kcdesigncenter.org

experiential analysis, elevated scans and cut-through movement Kansas City is a city of car culture; views of the city from the car influence our perception of the physical city. The West Bottoms is particularly affected by this characteristic phenomenon because major elevated arteries cut through East to West. This creates a stark difference between the perception of the city by those passing through and those at ground-level. This study manipulates mass, density, and time to achieve a perspective capturing the essence (what is essential) of this “other” city.

becomes embedded. It is embedded in both a frame and in your memory. This series of maps and diagrams illustrates the character of interaction between urban elements and the elevated viewer. The elements rise up in an effort to be visible, or compress themselves and become a new ground-plane; they spread out and change, or obscure themselves altogether. The changing wills of different textural areas creates a sequence of interactions with this city that is different than that of a ground-level tour. In a way, two different but parallel cities exist in the West In order to capture this “essence,” we scanned Bottoms: the one that is viewed from ground the city using video. We then selected stills level, and the one viewed from the elevated at even intervals and converted the images roads. to massed forms. The resultant images were compressed into both a single, comprehensive frame and a series that starts to move towards the form of a landscape. These landscapes are separated by texture, creating a smeared effect that shows both texture and smaller interventions on that texture, such as the silo moving through an otherwise low, spread-out texture of the surrounding industrial buildings. These composite images show the city as a function of time. When passing through an area, time does not appear linear but time

I-670

Above are two composite images of all the frames which are photographed perpendicular to I-670 looking north.

This series represents 1 of 6 alike studies to understand the patterns of the West Bottoms when scanning the city from the elevated roads of I-670, I-70, and 12st and Central Viaduct. For additional information on this study, please visit The Kansas City Design Center website at //studio.kcdesigncenter.org

programming the west bottoms, building use The building use study is done to understand the current use of individual buildings in the West Bottoms. In order to have an informed idea of what program needs to be added in the future, a study must be done in order to know what currently exists. By doing this, we can begin to recognize patterns of use in the area, and use it to supplement decisions. We have broken building use into six categories: artists/galleries, dining, retail, other commercial, residential, and industrial.

In addition to studying these six building uses, we also looked at buildings which could be placed in the categories of mixed use, seasonal use, and for sale or lease. Perhaps the most fascinating study was a vacancy factor study which showed whether buildings were occupied, partially occupied, or vacant.

vacant partial vacancy occupied

Shown here are four figure ground maps illustrating results of particular studies.

residential

retail industrial

other mixedcommercial used

seasonal use sale or lease

vacancy factor

program context, entertainment This map shows data-based patterns of different types of development relevant to our programming of the West Bottoms. Through the mapping of individual locations of program, we can see the form development takes throughout the metro region on a larger scale.

Patterns of economic centers in The Greater Kansas City Area start to appear as more clustered and condensed development in the city centers and as linear development in the less urban areas. These maps show the precedent of program for the site and surrounding area, they also provide useful data to see what is not present programmatically. For example,the entire floodway of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers is currently railroad, manufacturing, distribution, civic, infrastructure, or industrial storage; any effort to connect with a riparian environment would be beyond a unique opportunity for Kansas City.

Entertainment Programming

ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMING restaurants RESTAURANTS theaters THEATERS arenas ARENAS museums/attractions MUSEUMS/ATTRACTIONS hotels HOTELS

For additional information on the programming courseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work at The Kansas City Design Center visit the website at //studio.kcdesigncenter.org

urban vision, composite analysis The composite study is a culmination of the collective semesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work by and for studio as a whole. The plan as it stands is a compilation of all previous analyses, studies, and independent proposals.The studio established a base layer of elements and systems that make up the unique character and complexity of the West Bottoms that will directly affect any future development. These include but are not limited to floodplains, brownfields, historic context, the trail system, and elevated roadways. These elements are not a cohesive strategy in and of themselves, but must be understood in order to make an intelligent and responsible proposal for the area.

Our intent is to reclaim the riverfront and residual urban fabric to create a recreational and urban destination in the heart of the Kansas City metro area. This has been developed from a series of interventions. The first is an urban intervention which identifies critical corridors through the dense urban fabric, and the second is a riverfront intervention which places critical developments including housing and recreation along the two rivers which would result in a continuous riverfront. These two interventions will connect by a series of green and public spaces weaving itself through the entire West Bottoms, and by developing corridors which connect the two. Our proposals exist in order to reclaim a city that remains true to the character of the West Bottoms.

REGIONS TITLE, PLEASE

HISTORIC CONTEXT

JAMES & CENTRAL EXAMPLE

CURRENT RIVERS

WOODSWETHER EXAMPLE

HISTORIC CORE

HICKORY EXAMPLE

HISTORIC CONTEXT

BROWNFIELDS

12th ST & I-670 EXAMPLE SOUTH OF I-670 EXAMPLE EXAMPLE EXAMPLE EXAMPLE EXAMPLE EXAMPLE EXAMPLE

regions

EXAMPLE

historic context

brownfields

STREET NETWORK + CRITICAL INFILL

ANCHORS+ CONNECTIONS

AFFECTED AREA

PARTI

HICKORY CORRIDOR

URBAN

PEDESTRIAN

ANCHORS

WOODSWETHER

RIVERFRONT

INFILL

SECONDARY

CENTRAL & JAMES

CONNECTION

AUTOMOBILE

12th ST & I-670 SOUTH OF I-670 UNAFFECTED AREA AFFECTED AREA

street network + critical infill

anchors + connections

affected area

parti

EXAMPLE

These diagrams are on behalf of the studio as a whole. For additional maps to understand the vision of the studio please visit The Kansas City Design Center website at //studio.kcdesigncenter.org

stockyards district development, the southern region south of I-670 When creating an inital concept for the stockyards region of the West Bottoms, there are two aspects that stand out the most: the history of the structures that once stood there, and the vast open space that remains in their wake. From studio analysis, we learned that in the late 1800s two elements, the railroad and stockyards, formed the economic foundations of what would become Kansas City. Even though their function does not exist today, there is an order to be found in their old forms that should not be forgotten. The understanding of the various grid systems established over time aided in finding order amongst the disorder of this site. The stockyards and rail yards were huge systems which spread across much of the West Bottoms. Even in their absence, their scale can be understood by the sprawling areas of vacant land where they once stood. The West Bottoms has a prominent location at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers, but because of its location in the floodplain and its perpetual industrial function, it has resulted in a riverfront absent of development or amenities for the greater community of Kansas City. However, the opportunity remains viable.

There is ample amount of open space which provides an opportunity for reclamation and the chance to give this space back to the city. The changing use of the area and the large concentration of open space can begin to redefine use, buildings can house new functions, and program usually found in the outskirts can return. This idea of a city can be marked by the idyllic landscape and functions of the countryside.

To create a destination which keeps the theorhetical concept of a pastoral city viable, a recreational city can be developed marked by open green space in the heart of Kansas City. Functions that have been reassigned for the outskirts or countryside due to spatial considerations can now be relocated here. This action can be permanent, reclaiming the open space in a way that maintains the maximum open space possible. Also, there must be support functions that will provide additional amenities to the population and will facilitate and maintain the open green space. This overall concept and development will take advantage of an existing condition that is an accidental circumstance. It will create a deliberate intervention that will be an asset for the greater Kansas City area, and will make the West Bottoms a worthwhile destination.

site photos

section of renovated Kemper Arena, train bridge, and topography

developed corridor near Kemper Arena

abandoned train bridge

train bridge restored and used as a boardwalk

stockyards district development, continued 1

3 2

We identified three areas south of I-670 which represent the vast amounts of vacancy the wake of the stockyards and railyards created. These spaces are potential assets to the city, and rather than tryng to infill them in a traditional way, we have chosen to infill around them, and in turn define them.

1 excessive parking along the riverfront, where the stockyards once stood

2 vast parking lot in front of Kemper Arena

3 overflow parking along the bluff adjacent to the current rail yards

We chose to identify programs that could benefit the city, and require large amounts of land. For the riverfront, we propose a recreation zone, with pedestrian river access including well defined trails, boardwalks, and parks. The centerpiece for this development will be a soccer/football facility with eight outdoor fields, as well as indoor recreational support space. The form of this facility was informed by the gridded system of the stockyards as shown in the historic figure ground overlay. This riverfront developed riverfront zone will connect via pedestrian bridge to the new Kemper outdoor amphitheater. By removing the walls, and retaining the iconic trusses, Kemper could provide a unique venue from Sprint Arena. The parking in front of Kemper would be consolidated in a parking structure, while defining a space that can become an urban plaza served by new shops and restaurants.

The Liberty Lot, along the railroad tracks would serve as an urban farming and agricultural zone for the city. This space would provide agricultural, community, and educational opportunities for people throughout Kansas City.

historic figure ground overlay

recognition of two different orders

SANTA CHIARA STUDY CENTER, castiglion fiorentino, italy

2010

As a part of the Kansas State College of Architecture cirriculum, during the fourth year of studies in the spring semester we are given the option to either study abroad or to find an intership. Without a doubt in my mind I chose to study abroad knowing it would be a life changing experience, and one that I would never be given at any other point in my life.

Studying abroad has given me the opportunity to see, experience, feel, and sense what I consider the origin of the true foundations of architecture. I strongly feel that the opportunity to study abroad is a once in a lifetime experience that was a very enriching and defining moment in my career as an architect. From the very beginning I wanted to travel to and spend my time in Italy. It always seemed like the most responsible choice for an architect due to the fact that the historical buildings and monuments are a part of the built world from which all else was developed. The architecture across Italy, is some of the most pronounced, and fascinating work from which I sought to learn and strengthen myself as an architect.

my sketch of michelangeloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s david

In Italy, all work for the semester was done by hand. There was a concentration and emphasis on freehand sketching, teaching your hand to see what your eye can, and developing your own style of drawing.

venetian canal

journal sketches from italy, spring 2010

piazza signoria

villa dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;este

colosseum

villa lante

watercolors from italy, spring 2010

scarecrow among the tuscan countryside

stacked houses in riomaggiore

the duomo skyline in florence

tuscan countryside

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY,

manhattan, kansas

2006-2009

The Master of Architecture program is based firmly upon the complementary foundations of general and architectural education. We emphasize mastery of the knowledge, skills and understandings essential to the artful creation of buildings, spaces and places. The faculty seeks to assure our studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; extensive exposure to social, political, economic and technological perspectives that will aid them in functioning as effective leaders in a rapidly changing global context. ÂŠCopyright 2001-2011 College of Architecture, Planning & Design @ K-State. All Rights Reserved.

The first two years in the College of Architecture, Planning, and Design were spent hand drawing learning basic hand drafting techniques, and understanding and communicating abstract yet fundamental ordering patterns, formal studies, and spatial hiearchy and organization. The next 1.5 years were spent learning the basics of computer programs and computer drafting. These years were meant to be spent developing individual conceptual ideas and translating them into your individual work. This structure set up the firm foundation for which I was able to move forward through design, apply, and channel my individual knowledge and conceptual capacity into historical studies and observations abroad and collaborative organizations at the Kansas City Design Center.

ARCHITECT:

AMY FINN

Kansas State U

concept model The concept for this design is the use of multiple floors to move a visitor through a chronological order of events and unexpected juxtapositions. Each move illustrates use of surprise through the difference of each floor or transition. The power of movies is that they have the ability to transport you to a different place, to make you feel and experience a different condition. In a similar way, the ceremonial walk up the ramp and stairs, or the elevator hold the same power to transport a visitor from one place to another using the same concept and applying it in a physically experiential way. The ramp and walkway through the drive-in plaza creates a spine in the design where people walking up and down it activate the space as a whole and the people themselves become a show or event with the site and the building as its backdrop.

SITE PLAN 1/32” = 1’0”

Kansas Museum of History

buster keaton film institute, fall 2009

THE BUSTER KEATON FILM INSTITUTE

913.226.7254 amymfinn@ksu

ISSUE DATE

07 DEC DRAWING TITLE

SITE DRAWING NUMBER

A401

SOUTH ELEVATION 1/8” = 1’0”

A302 A403

A401

Concession Storage

Women’s Restroom

Men’s Restroom

Custodial

ARCHITECT:

AMY FINNE

Kansas State Un

precedent images

Screening Room

Screening Room Waiting

A401

The MUMUTH Music Center by UNStudio in Graz, Austria was the precedent I used when designing the Buster Keaton Film Institute. In this project metal screens are used as a facade building material which allows visible changes depending on time of day, light, and whether the building is in use or not.

Concessions

913.226.7254 amymfinn@ksu.e

A401

1 A402

A602

A401

Elevator

Mechanical Shaft

The transparency will also embrace the nature and Kansas wildlife with the site being in such close proximity to the Kansas Nature and History museum. The visibility and exposure to the elements will directly connect the site to the building. 1

A302

THIRD FLOOR PLAN 1/8” = 1’0”

A301

HE BUSTER KEATON FILM INSTITUTE

This same concept is implemented in the Buster Keaton Film Center by using copper mesh panels as the main exterior building material. By choosing this material, the building itself acts as a billboard or its own movie screen. This plays off of the actual drive in movie screen at the opposite side of the site, so that the two elements can begin to have a conversation with each other. At different times throughout the day (mainly the contrast between night and day) the building, much like the movie screen, will appear more opaque or more transparent.

nsas Museum of History

Storage/ Maintenance

A301

ARCHITECT:

AMY FINNERT

ROUND ALUMINUM VENTILATION DUCTS

Kansas State Univers 913.226.7254 amymfinn@ksu.edu

Kansas Museum of History Kansas State Historical Society

buster keaton film institute, continued

THE BUSTER KEATON FILM INSTITUTE

ROUND ALUMINUM VENTILATION DUCTS

FIRST FLOOR MECHANICAL PLAN 1/8” = 1’0”

SUPPY

RETURN

ISSUE DATE

07 DEC 20 street DRAWING TITLE

stud

FIRST FLO MECHANICAL P DRAWING NUMBER

ARCHITECT:

AMY FINNERTY Kansas State University

FRAMING PLAN 1/8” = 1’0”

Kansas State Historical Society

structure and mechanical systems study model

I sized my structural system using “The Architect’s Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design” by Allen Iano and performed calculations to find the volume of each room and space in cubic feet in order to estimate and size the mechanical system and equipment needed.

TOPEKA, KANSAS Corporate View Road

This model and these diagrams were exercises in understanding the structural and mechanical systems used in buildings, and to gain a basic knowledge of how to initiate preliminary design. For my design, my inspiration was the idea that the walls don’t have to follow frame, that the structural frame can exist independently of the interior walls.

TKansas HE BUSTER KEATON FILM INSTITUTE Museum of History

913.226.7254 amymfinn@ksu.edu

ISSUE DATE

07 DEC 2009

VERTICAL STRUCTURAL MULLION

STEEL FASTENER VERTICAL STRUCTURAL MULLION

STEEL CABLE

STEEL FASTENER

STEEL CABLE

STEEL ANGLE

COPPER MESH PANEL

STEEL ANGLE

COPPER MESH PANEL

26” STEEL REINFOR

26” STEEL REINFORCE

DETAIL OF COPPER MESH CONNECTION 9” = 1’0”

LOW-E DOUBLE VERTICAL INSULATED GLAZING STRUCTURAL MULLION

GYPSUM BO

STRUCTURAL GASKET STEEL CHANNEL

LOW-E DOUBLE DESICCANT INSULATED GLAZING

section model at 1/2” = 1’0”

GYPSUM

STRUCTURAL GASKET

VERTICAL STRUCTURAL MULLION

During the design development stage of this project, a section model was built in order to understand structural as well as detail, and material selections. Not only was it to show and understand how our building could be put together, but it was a tool to teach and help identify the most realistic and responsible structural system to choose. It helped to determine if design solutions previously found must be changed and refined before the project continued.

STEEL CHANNEL

STEEL CABLE

DESICCANT

STEEL CABLE STRUCTURAL MULLION HORIZONTAL HORIZONTAL STRUCTURAL MULLION

DETAIL OF GLAZING AND CABLE CONNECTION 9” = 1’0”

buster keaton film institute, continued

This semester was a comprehensive studio where I individually saw a project through schematic design, design development, and construction documentation. The project was developed through a code report, site plan and site survey, floor plans, building sections, wall sections, building elevations, interior elevations, details, fire and life safety plans, mechanical plans, structural and foundation plans, and 3d models.

c^4 boathouse, spring 2009

The concept for this design is that the building creates a datam that is a structured and straightforward bay system, much like the nature of the sport of rowing. The datam, however, is interupted in one bay system to provide hiearchy. This hierarchy creates the public space and is given back to the community. This public bay creates a connection directly from the city street to the water side. An ampitheater creates a large area to view regattas, house receptions, teach class, and enjoy the views of the Boston skyline.

main floor plan_1/8”=1’0” a

bike and skate cambridge, spring 2009 Amy Finnerty_ Spring 2009_ ADS IV

ecomes the building. The skate park is designed to fold ween the orthognol nature of an urban building which ark which is sketch true to the nature of the free form sport. concept sketch developed parti

section aa_1/8”=1’0”

The concept for this design is that the skate park in essence becomes the building. The skate park is designed to fold into and on top of the building so as to create a contrast between the orthognol nature of the urban fabric of Cambridge, and the curvalinear park which is true to the nature of the free form sport.

inside the bike bridge

exterior perspective

inside the front door

inside the main showroom

a house for travis mcgee, fall 2008 The concept of this design is to create one interior room that is made up of implied but not dictated zones of living. One wall is the only interior partition that acts as a spine for the design. With Travis McGee as my client, an introverted man who likes to live a â&#x20AC;&#x153;no frillsâ&#x20AC;? life and wishes to spend time in solitude, it is important to create a clean simple space that allows him to live simply. This single room that is established can be freely used and lends itself to flexibility and his ever changing uses. The floor to ceiling glass wall highlights his connection to nature and invites him to embrace his new home, the quiet, enchanting swamp. This project was completed in order to gain knowledge and develop mediary skills in computer drafting and rendering. The project was first developed conceptually based on a fictional character from John D. MacDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s novels, then modeled in SketchUp, Revit, AutoCAD, 3ds Max, and was enhanced using Photoshop.

e1. SketchUp

Room Legend Bathroom Bedroom Kitchen Living Room

6 24x36

Family

PLAN SCALE: 1/8" = 1' 0"

Furniture Schedule Type Count

Bed-Standa rd Table-Rect angular Chair-Corb u Chair-Corb u Chair-Breue r Chair-Breue r

Queen 60" 1 x 79" 36" x 36" 1 Chair-Corb u Chair-Corb u Chair-Breue r Chair-Breue r

1 1 1 1

CALLOUT DETAIL SCALE: 1/2" = 1' 0"

e2. Revit

e2. AutoCAD

e3. 3ds Max + Photoshop

photorealism, spring 2008 The objective of this exercise was to improve our drawing and graphite rendering skills. Provided was a 8 1/2” x 11” predetermined photograph, and the requirement was to enlarge the image to a 30” x 40” illustration board. Each photograph was meant to have numerous textures, light sources, and range of values considered challenging in different ways.

a stonecutterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retreat, spring 2008

The intent of this project was to learn an exercise in subtractive design. Due to this, we were encouraged to focus on quality of light in our space, and wall thicknesses. In addition to creating a physical model, we created graphite renderings so we could learn how shadows were cast in sections and plan.

The concept of my design was to heal the landscape that had been destroyed in order to quarry the stone. In this way the stone dwelling appears to emerge out of the contrasting natural prairie grass that surrounds the site.