Alex Pokas | Interior Architecture Portfolio by Alex Pokas

ALEX POKAS INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO

ALEX POKAS

LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE B.F.A. INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT GREENSBORO ALEXANDRA.POKAS@GMAIL.COM | 740.391.4097

2013 SOLAR DECATHLON CANOPY HOUSE

BARTLETT YANCEY 400 WOODEN BLOCKS REVERBERATING SOUND TO FORM HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE WING RENOVATION

GREENSBORO HISTORICAL MUSEUM

MOUNTAIN REFUGE

PHOTOGRAPHY

RESIDENTIAL

SPATIAL CONTEXT

01 2013 SOLAR DECATHLON

CANOPY HOUSE ORANGE COUNTY GREAT PARK, IRVINE, CA INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE I | 3ND YEAR DESIGNERS: ALEX P, AYTEN N, KRISTY S, SARAH M, KATIE M

THE 2013 SOLAR DECATHLON, A BIENNIAL COMPETITION THAT CHALLENGES COLLEGIATE TEAMS TO DESIGN, BUILD, AND OPERATE SOLAR-POWERED HOUSES THAT ARE ENERGY EFFICIENT, COST-EFFECTIVE, AND RELATE TO CURRENT DESIGN, WAS HELD IN ORANGE COUNTY, CA AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER. BY WORKING WITH A TEAM FROM HAMPTON, VIRGINIA, WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE INTERIORS OF THE “CANOPY HOUSE” BASED ON THIS CONCEPT WITH A FOCUS ON UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND AGING IN PLACE. WITH EMPHASIS PLACED ON THE DIEM WALL, THE CENTRAL WALL FOR BOTH ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING PURPOSES, THE CANOPY HOUSE HAS BEEN MADE EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND FUNCTIONAL FOR USERS OF ALL AGES, IN ALL STAGES OF LIFE. IN KEEPING WITH THE CONCEPT OF A CANOPY, WE ADAPTED THE INTERIORS TO BE FUNCTIONAL FOR A USER OF ANY AGE. CERTAIN ASPECTS CAN BE ALTERED AS THE USER AGES TO MAKE IT MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE, WHILE OTHER FEATURES HAVE BEEN CREATED TO BE MORE PERMANENT.

FLOOR PLAN

FURNITURE PLAN

MULTIPLE DIEM WALL FORMS WERE EXPERIMENTED WITH AND TESTED TO FIND THE MOST FUNCTIONAL AND COHESIVE OVERALL FORM THAT BREAKS UP THE TWO SPACES.

05|06

07|08

SECTION

ELEVATION

01 09|10

BEDROOM

KITCHEN

STUDY

KITCHEN + LIVING

11|12

02 BARTLETT YANCEY HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE WING RENOVATION YANCEYVILLE, NC INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE III | 4TH YEAR DESIGNERS: ALEX POKAS

THE BARTLETT YANCEY HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE WING RENOVATION WAS INTENSELY BASED ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON INSTITUTIONAL SAFETY PROTOCOL. BY WORKING PRIMAIRLY WITH THE SCIENCE FACULTY AND HEARING DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM THE STUDENTS, I WAS ABLE TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF WHAT WAS NEEDED IN THE SCHOOL, AS WELL AS THE WAY LEARNING TOOK PLACE. PHYSICAL LOUNGE

CHEM. BIOLOGY

STORAGE

LABS

ISS COMPUTER

W.W.

THROUGH EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND WORKING WITH OSHA AS WELL AS LEED FOR SCHOOLS, I WAS ABLE TO DEVELOP AN ARCHITECTURE THAT SPOKE DIRECTLY TO PEDAGOGY, THUS MAKING THE SPACE BOTH FUNCTIONAL AND ONE THAT ACTS AS A TEACHING TOOL. THE DESIGN OF THE SCIENCE WING INTEGRATED TWO FUNDAMENTAL IDEAS: STUDENT/TEACHER CONNECTION AND FLEXIBILITY, WHICH CREATED AN IDEAL LEARNING COMMUNITY THAT REMAINS FAMILIAR THROUGHOUT, YET STILL ADAPTABLE FOR FUTURE USES. THE DESIGN UTILIZES EVERY SURFACE FOR LEARNING, INTERACTION, AND ADAPTATION TO CREATE AN EVER-CHANGING AND GROWING ATMOSPHERE. BY PROVIDING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT UNITES TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE WAY, THE SCIENCE WING BECOMES A PLACE OF SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRESSION.

CLASSROOM TYPE 1

FACULTY LOUNGE

15|16

CLASSROOM TYPE 1

CLASSROOM TYPE 2

FACULTY LOUNGE

EARTH/ENV. LAB

PHYS./AP ENV. LAB

EARTH/ENV.

PHYS./AP ENV.

PHYS./EARTH ISS

CHEMISTRY COMPUTER LAB

BIOLOGY

BIOLOGY STORAGE

W.W.

OVERALL FLOOR PLAN CLASSROOM TYPE 3

TWO MAIN FEATURES OF THE CLASSROOMS ARE THE LAB TABLES AND THE WINDOWS. THE FOCUS OF THE LAB TABLES IS TO MAKE IT AN ERGONOMIC, INTERACTIVE AREA FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN, EXPERIMENT, AND INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER AS WELL AS THE TEACHER. UNIFORM COLOR CODING OF THE STATIONS IN EACH CLASSROOM WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS EASY WAYFINDING, AND MAKE CLASSES SIMPLER AND MORE EFFICIENT. UTILIZATION OF GARAGE DOORS WILL ALLOW EASY ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS FROM WITHIN THE CLASSROOM, AND PROVIDE STUDENTS A WORK SURFACE FOR OUTDOOR TASKS AND CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES, WHILE STILL BEING ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THE INDOORS.

C-03 ITEM: MANUFACTURER: MODEL NAME/NUMBER: ITEM DESCRIPTION: OVERALL DIMENSIONS: OTHER DIMENSIONS: FINISH:

UPHOLSTERY: SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA:

ROOM: NUMBER OF USES:

F-01A TASK CHAIR HAWORTH VERY CONFERENCE/SCC-44-11 INTUITIVE RECLINE, FIXED ARMS, PERFORATED BACK. W: 21.8” D: 26.7” H: 36.9” SEAT H: 15.5-20.5” BACK: HIGH-STRENGHT POLYMER SEAT: HIGH -STRENGTH POLYMER BASE: PLASTIC OR POLISHED ALUMINUM U-02 MBDC GOLD CERTIFIED. UP TO 71% RECYCLED CONTENT AND UP TO 98% RECYCLABLE. GREENGUARD GOLD CERTIFIED. CONTRIBUTE TOWARD LEED CREDITS. CLASSROOM 1, CLASSROOM 2, ISS, COMPUTER ROOM 33

C-02 ITEM: MANUFACTURER: MODEL NAME/NUMBER: ITEM DESCRIPTION: OVERALL DIMENSIONS: OTHER DIMENSIONS: FINISH:

UPHOLSTERY: SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA:

ROOM: NUMBER OF USES:

ST-05

TEACHER CHAIR HAWORTH VERY TASK/SCT-20-1011 FIXED ARMS, ASYMMETRICAL LUMBAR ADJUSTMENT, ADJUSTABLE. SEAT HEIGHT W: 27” D: 26” H: 39-44” SEAT H: 16-21” BACK: MESH WITH UPHOLSTERED BACK JACKET SEAT: STANDARD UPHOLSTERED FOAM BASE: PLASTIC OR POLISHED ALUMINUM U-01 BIFMA LEVEL 3 CERTIFIED. UP TO 65% RECYCLED CONTENT AND UP TO 98% RECYCLABLE. GREENGUARD GOLD CERTIFIED. CONTRIBUTE TOWARD LEED CREDITS. 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, CLASSROOM 1, CLASSROOM 2, ISS, COMPUTER ROOM 10

MANUFACTURER: MATERIAL NAME/NUBER: COLOR NAME/NUMBER: DESCRIPTION: WIDTH: CONTENTS: SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA:

3FORM CHROMA COBALT DIFFUSTION: GHOST:22% TRANSLUCENT CUSTOM 38% RECYCLED CONTENT (9% POST-CONSUMER, 29% PRE-CONSUMER) MEMBER OF USGBC AND MATERIALS IDEAL FOR LEED CERTIFIED USE. MEMBER OF EPA’S GREEN POWER LEADERSHIP CLUB.

3FORM CHROMA MAI TAI DIFFUSTION: GHOST:22% TRANSLUCENT CUSTOM 38% RECYCLED CONTENT (9% POST-CONSUMER, 29% PRE-CONSUMER) MEMBER OF USGBC AND MATERIALS IDEAL FOR LEED CERTIFIED USE. MEMBER OF EPA’S GREEN POWER LEADERSHIP CLUB.

F-01C MANUFACTURER: MATERIAL NAME/NUBER: COLOR NAME/NUMBER: DESCRIPTION: WIDTH: CONTENTS: SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA:

OVERALL DIMENSIONS: OTHER DIMENSIONS: FINISH:

SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA: ROOM: NUMBER OF USES:

F-01B MANUFACTURER: MATERIAL NAME/NUBER: COLOR NAME/NUMBER: DESCRIPTION: WIDTH: CONTENTS: SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA:

ITEM: MANUFACTURER: MODEL NAME/NUMBER: ITEM DESCRIPTION:

3FORM CHROMA CRANBERRY DIFFUSTION: GHOST:22% TRANSLUCENT CUSTOM 38% RECYCLED CONTENT (9% POST-CONSUMER, 29% PRE-CONSUMER) MEMBER OF USGBC AND MATERIALS IDEAL FOR LEED CERTIFIED USE. MEMBER OF EPA’S GREEN POWER LEADERSHIP CLUB.

WALL CABINET IKEA BESTA/798.859.69 4 ADJUSTABLE SHELVES, BACK PANEL IS INSERTED IN GROOVES; EASY TO MOUNT W: 53” D: 8” H: 48” -FRAME: ALUMIUM PANELS: TEMPERED GLASS DOOR PANEL: GREY FIBERBOARD, FOIL -FACULTY LOUNGE 4

THOROUGH SPECIFICATIONS WERE DONE ON THE CHAIRS, TABLES, FINISHES, UPHOLSTERIES, LIGHTING, AND EQUIPMENT THAT WERE PROPOSED FOR THE DESIGNED SCIENCE WING. SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDED: ITEM NAME, MANUFACTURER, MODEL NAME/NUMBER, ITEM DESCRIPTION, DIMENSIONS, FINISH, SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA, ROOM USED, AND THE NUMBER OF USES.

ST-06 ITEM: MANUFACTURER: MODEL NAME/NUMBER: ITEM DESCRIPTION: OVERALL DIMENSIONS: OTHER DIMENSIONS: FINISH: SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA:

ROOM: NUMBER OF USES:

STORAGE CABINETS STEELCASE UNIVERSAL STORAGE LATERAL FILES 3 DRAWER HIGHT WITH WOOD TOP W: 43” D: 24” H: 28” 1” TOP WHITE STEEL SCS INDOOR ADVANTAGE GOLD CERTIFIED FOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY, COMPLIANT WITH USGBC LEED EQ4.5, LEVEL 1 CERTIFIED TO THE BIFMA E3 SUSTAINABILITY STANDARD, MBDC SILVER CRADLE TO CRADLE CERTIFIED. FACULTY LOUNGE 2

IN ALL SPECIFICATIONS, CONSIDERATIONS WERE PROMINENTLY PLACED ON THE USER AND HOW THAT ITEM WOULD IMPACT THE USER. SUSTAINABLE CRITERIA WAS ALSO A CRITICAL ELEMENT THAT IMPACTED THE POSSIBILITY OF A LEED CERTIFICATION.

17|18

SECTION

CLASSROOM TYPE 1

19|20

SECTION

FACULTY LOUNGE

21|22

03 400 WOODEN BLOCKS REVERBERATING SOUND TO FORM UNIVERSAL ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN IV | 2ND YEAR DESIGNER: ALEX POKAS

y 5

x 20

RIPPLING EFFECT 35

Am | 10

C | 20

F | 15

G | 15

THE 400 WOODEN BLOCK PROJECT STEMMED FROM THE IDEA AROUND TRANSLATING SOUND INTO ARCHITECTURE THROUGH MATHEMATICAL PATTERNS AND SYSTEMS. BY SYNTHESIZING SPATIAL PROPORTIONS AND FORM, I GENERATED A PIECE THAT REPRESENTS MUSIC AS FROZEN ARCHITECTURE. IN THIS REINTERPRETATION AND EXAMINATION, A FLUID, UNDULATING FORM WAS DEVELOPED BY USING 400 WOODEN BLOCKS WITH A UNIFORM 1/2”H X 1/2”W AND VARYING BETWEET [3] DEPTHS.

THE NUMERIC SYSTEM OF PATTERNS DEVELOPED INTO [3] FOUNDATIONS OF [3] IN COUNTS OF 4. THIS TRANSLATED INTO [3] MAIN PIECES THAT CAME TOGETHER TO FORM ONE UNIT THAT DEMONSTRATES THE IDEA OF A CENTRAL FORCE RIPPLING IN FROM OTHER AREAS AND LEADING INTO ONE PATH, THUS CREATING A CONTINUITY OF SOUND THROUGH FORM.

PROCESS IDEATION

“ARCHITECTURE IS FROZEN MUSIC; MUSIC IS THE FLOWING ARCHITECTURE...” - GOETHE

FINAL FORM

25|26

04 GREENSBORO HISTORICAL MUSEUM

SPATIAL CONTEXT GREENSBORO, NC ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN III | 2ND YEAR DESIGNERS: ALEX P, PAIGE H, KATIE M, ANNA H, JOHN J, LINDSEY G, ELIEEN C

places |

museums

train station

libraries

FOR PROJECT GHM, I WORKED WITH SIX OTHER STUDENTS TO BETTER ARTICULATE THE GREENSBORO HISTORICAL MUSEUM’S PROJECTED IDENTITY IN CONTEXT TO THE CITY IT REPRESENTS. BY CRITICALLY EVALUATING FOCAL DESIGN ELEMENTS AND EXPERIENCES IN THE SPACE, WE WORKED TO CREATE A STRONGER SENSE OF PLACE BY MEANS OF THE ENTRY SEQUENCE AS WELL AS THE RECEPTION SPACE. KEY ELEMENTAL FOCAL POINTS WERE IDENTITY, CIRCULATION, SEQUENCE, AND LEGIBILITY. IN THE EXPLORATIOIN, WE LOOKED AT FUNCTION, HIERARCHY, DESIGNING AROUND HUMAN NEEDS, AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS AS WAYS TO MAKE THE ENTRY SPACE AND SEQUENCE MORE COHESIVE. OUR DESIGN AND CONCEPT FOR THE MUSEUM SPEAKS MORE TOWARD THE IDENTITY OF THE MUSEUM, AS WELL AS GREENSBORO AS A CITY.

bus routes

universities

parks

29|30

LOBBY

5 6

4 7

7 7 2 8 8

1 9 9

PLAN

| RECEPTION DESK + FLOATING WALL

PLAN

| SPACE ALLOCATION

PAVILLION

2 3 4

TEMPORARY EXHIBIT

5 6 7

CONFERENCE ROOM

8 9

LOBBY

SEATING THEATRE OFFICES RESTROOMS STORAGE

GLASS OPACITIES

smoked milky

milky

frosted

combo

clear

smoked clear

smoked frosted

black

A MAIN FEATURE OF THE GREENSBORO HISTORICAL MUSEUM IS THE CURVED WALLS THAT ARE INCORPORATED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUILDING, BOTH EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR. THIS PROVIDED A UNIQUE CHALLENGE THAT WE EMBRACED BY MAKING THIS CURVILINEAR FEATURE APPARENT IN MULTIPLE ASPECTS IN THE LOBBY. TO CREATE MORE OF A WELCOMING FACTOR AND TO PROVIDE EASIER WAYFINDING, WE CREATED A FLOATING WALL THAT INCORPORATES MULTIPLE GLASS OPACITIES AS WELL AS TECHNOLOGY AND A SERVICE DESK THAT THE MUSEUM WAS IN NEED OF. THIS WALL IS SUSPENDED FROM BOTH THE CEILING AND THE FLOOR AND UTILIZES TEXTURED GLASS THAT VARIES IN OPACITIES AS WELL AS SIZE. THE RECEPTION DESK IS THE FIRST THING THAT VISITORS WILL BE SEAMLESSLY DIRECTED TO AS THEY ENTER THE MUSEUM. A CURVE IS ALSO REPRESENTED IN THE PIECE, AS WELL AS VARYING HEIGHTS FOR THE DIFFERENT AGES OF USERS. THE DESK ALSO ACTS AS A TECHNOLOGY HUB FOR THE STAFF AS WELL AS THE VISITORS.

LOBBY

33|34

05 MOUNTAIN REFUGE RESIDENTIAL ANDES MOUNTAINS, CHILE VISUAL COMMUNICATION II | 2ND YEAR DESIGNER: ALEX POKAS

MAIN FORMS CREATED

DIVISION OF SPACE

THE MOUNTAIN REFUGE IS LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE ANDES MOUNTAINS NEXT TO A LAKE. THE INTENTION OF THE SPACE IS TO CREATE A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT BY INCORPORATING FULL STORY WINDOWS WHILE UTILIZING REGIONAL MATERIALS. THE REFUGE IS MEANT FOR TWO PEOPLE, AND INCLUDES A LIVING ROOM/KITCHEN SPACE, BATHROOM, BEDROOM, AND CLOSET. THE ANGLE OF THE ROOF HARMONIOUSLY REFLECTS THE SURROUNDING ANGLES OF THE MOUNTAINS WHILE THE BASE CREATES A STRONG FOUNDATION THAT FLOWS INTO THE LAKE. THE SPACE IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAIN SECTIONS, STARTING WITH THE LIVING SPACE [PUBLIC] THAT LEADS TO THE KITCHEN [SEMI-PRIVATE]. TO ENTER THE [PRIVATE] SPACES, YOU HAVE TO PASS THROUGH THE WALL THAT FORMS AN AXIS IN THE SPACE.

living + kitchen

37|38

7 5

3 4

EXTERIOR/DECK

LIVING ROOM

DINING SPACE

KITCHEN

BATHROOM

BEDROOM

CLOSET

PLAN

| SPACE ALLOCATION

PLAN

| FLOOR LEVELS

PLAN

| EXTERIOR WINDOWS

PLAN

| FURNITURE

GROUND LEVEL STAIRS/TRANSITION RAISED LEVEL

39|40

ELEVATION

SECTION

ELEVATION

SECTION

02 41|42

LIVING + KITCHEN

BATHROOM

BEDROOM

43|44

06 ST. PAUL DE VENCE, FRANCE

PHOTOGRAPHY

FLORENCE, ITALY

NICE, FRANCE

LONDON, ENGLAND

BARCELONA, SPAIN

LONDON, ENGLAND

GALWAY, IRELAND

MONACO

47|48