amy.pokora
SOFTWARE CAPABILITIES INDESIGN
ILLUSTRATOR
PHOTOSHOP
THERM
EQUEST
RHINO
3DS MAX
AUTOCAD
REVIT
amy.pokora LEED AP BD+C anpokora@gmail.com
edu c a t i o n
Master of Architecture
September 2011 - March 2013
University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
Bachelor of Environmental Design
August 2007 - May 2011
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
li cen s u re
Completed AREs:
Building Systems Site Planning & Development Construction Documents & Services
Intern Development Program Hours
expe r i e n c e
completion goal: December 2015
completion goal: Jaunary 2016
3,560 completed. 2,040 remaining.
May 2013 - Present
Project Coordinator
SLAY Architecture, San Antonio, Texas Manage projects from schematic design to construction Design new building site layouts, elevations, space planning and details Collaborate with engineers and consultants Present work and meet with Clients Complete Construction Documents in Revit and AutoCAD Render exterior and interior spaces Train new staff and coordinate work load with peers Oversee office BIM standards & operations
Employee Intern
June 2010 - March 2011 July 2009 - December 2009
TSG Architects AIA, Gonzales, TX Worked extensively on LEED credits for a new building project Reviewed and compile Request for Qualifications Organized bidding & Construction Administration documents Designed PowerPoint presentations for clients
Music Instructor
August 2005 - September 2011
Piano + Violin Teacher, College Station, Texas Established and advertised a new music studio Tutored ages grade school to adult in piano and violin
TRESHA MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING
site design options
BUILDING SITE LAYOUT EXERCISE
BUILDING ENVELOPE SHAPE EXERCISE
The TRESHA Medical Office Building is a 37,000 sf, two-story shell intended to serve as an upscale alternative to a typical institutional doctor’s office. Located in the medical district in San Antonio, the Owners were interested in providing an eye-catching facility with a curved entry piece.
SCHEME A
storefront window system behind sunshade louvers with offset porte cochere
ARCHITECT: SLAY Architecture Sr. Project Manager: Raul Hernandez Project Coordinator: Amy Pokora CIVIL: Slay Engineering STRUCTURAL: Lundy & Franke Eng. GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Metropolitan Contracting Company MEP: Design Build
SCHEME B
circular metal panel as building hinge with porte cochere suppored by end wall
I was privileged to play a large role in the design, coordination and detailing of this project from its early conceptual stages. With guidance from SLAY Architecture’s Sr. Project Manager, I was tasked with the following: - Developing schematic site options - Designing multiple elevation schemes - Presenting design to Owners - Conducting Preliminary Plan Review - Coordinating with Engineers - Selecting materials - Completing Construction Documents - Submitting drawings for permit - Rendering exterior and lobby - Managing Construction Administration
SCHEME C
cantilevered porte cochere fanned from storefront curve
The site plan layout was greatly influenced by existing site easements, including a large culvert running diagonally through the site. Due to the vehicle access to the site, the building wanted to be set back from the main Huebner Road traffic. To create a line of sight from Huebner Road to the building, the site parking layout has a central walking path spine to lead visitors to the building’s entrance. The porte cochere becomes a focal point for the entry of the majority of medical office buildings. We were determined to design a unique, integrated feature, rather than a typical afterthought drive-thru cover. After countless sketches and ideas, the final porte cochere became just that: a focal piece pulling visitors into the transition from the parking, to the covered entry, and into the lobby along a radius.
CODE REVIEW NUMBER OF EXITS AND EXIT ACCESS GENERAL INFORMATION First Floor: (1015.1) 371 Occupants < 500 Occupants Project: TRESHA Medical Office Building - Shell 2 Exits Required < 3 Exits Provided Address: 9618 Huebner Road, San Antonio 78240 Second Floor: (1015.1) 184 Occupants > 49 Occupants Purpose: Office Building 2 Exits Required = 2 Exits Provided Occupancy: Group B Overall Diagonal: 208” 0” Construction Type: Type II-B Exit Separation: (1015.2.1) 208” - 0” / 3 = 69’ Minimum Sprinkler System: To Be Installed Throughout 106’ - 0” Min. Provided > 69’ - 0” Min. Rq’d Travel Distance: (1016.1) 131’ - 0” Max. Provided < 250’ - 0” Max. .Rq’d OCCUPANT LOAD (TABLE 1004.1.1) First Floor: 18,656 SF at 1:100 = 187 Occupants Second Floor: 18,387 SF at 1:100 = 184 Occupants MEANS OF EGRESS SIZING (1005) Second Floor: (1005.3.1) 18,387 SF / 100 = 184 Occupants Total: 371 Occupants 184 Occupants x 0.2 = 37” Required 37” Required < 48” Provided Egress Width: (1009.4) 44” Required < 48” Provided BUILDING AREA (TABLE 503) 2 Egress Stairs Required = 2 Egress Stairs Prv’d First Floor: 18,656 SF < 23,000 SF Allowed Per Floor Other Egress Components: 368 Occupants x 0.15 (Exception) Second Floor: 18,387 SF < 23,000 SF Allowed Per Floor (1005.3.2) = 55” / 2 Exits = 28” Total: 37,043 SF 28” Required < 55.7” Provided First Floor Hallway 5’ - 0” Wide PLUMBING FIXTURES Additional plumbing fixtures provided by future tenants.
LOBBY DESIGN EVOLUTION
The lobby design grew from the Owner’s request for a curved entry. Designing, tweaking, detailng and rendering the lobby became a labor of love. Since a single tenant will occupy the second floor, the lobby became a grand entry into the building’s largest suite.
SECOND FLOOR PLAN ENLARGED LOBBY
FIRST FLOOR PLAN ENLARGED LOBBY
To stray from the stereotypical cold and institutional feel of a doctor’s office, wood became an important material to soften every patient’s experience. The second floor tenant is a Bariatric Office; therefore, we wanted to create a staircase that would be an accomplishment to climb. Since many of the patients would be unable to climb the stairs in early visits, the stair becomes an achievement, not just a means of vertical circulation.
LOBBY STAIR SECTION DETAIL
LOBBY INTERIOR ELEVATION
PORTE COCHERE ELEVATIONS
ENTRY EXTERIOR ELEVATION
The TRESHA Medical Office Building broke ground in January of this year and is scheduled to be complete this October. I currently manage the Construction Administration on this project as the first point of contact and review all submittals, conduct site visits and attend weekly meetings. As construction is beginning, the Owners have made numerous requests for changes and additions to the building. One such case was a side porte cochere for access to an Ambulatory Surgical Center in the facility. A fast-paced design exercise resulted in two different design options presented to the Client. It has been a collaborative effort with the General Contractor to roll revisions into the project as seamlessly as possible .
PORTE COCHERE SECTION DETAIL
TRESHA has been an incredibly rewarding experience to see a project through from conception to I dunno construction.
NEW EXIT PORTE COCHERE
THE SHINER HOTEL
PRELIMINARY SITE LAYOUT
The Shiner Hotel & Conference Center was commissioned by a priate Client as a token to the small town of Shiner, Texas. The 80 room hotel was to reflect the charm and capture the history of Shiner.
DOWNTOWN SHINER, TEXAS
ARCHITECT: SLAY Architecture Sr. Project Manager: Raul Hernandez Project Coordinator: Amy Pokora CIVIL: Slay Engineering STRUCTURAL: Lundy & Franke Engineering MEP: Cleary Zimmermann LANDSCAPE: C2 Landgroup KITCHEN: Cosper & Associates ACOUSTIC: Dickensheets Design Assoc.
SCHEME D
SCHEME C
SCHEME B
SCHEME A
The Shiner Hotel & Conference Center holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first building project I took the lead on. Teaming with SLAY Architectureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sr. Project Manager, I was tasked with the following: - Designing multiple elevation schemes - Creating presentation boards - Developing space plan - Conducting Owner meetings - Coordinating with all consultants - Developing integral design details - Incorporating Owner additions - Selecting materials - Delegating tasks to in-house staff - Completing Construction Documents - Renderings - Submitting drawings for permit
OVERALL FLOOR PLAN
The Shiner Hotel & Conference Center greatly evolved over approximately twelve months of design and Construction Documents. Initially, the project was to be commissioned as a Best Western Plus Hotel with a 3,000 SF Conference Center. This included complying with Best Western standards and requirements, as well as the Clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specific needs. By the end of the design, The Shiner Hotel became a luxury boutique hotel with a fine dining kitchen and 10,000 sf Conference Center expanding into an expansive courtyard.
SCHEMATIC COURTYARD SKETCH
ENLARGED EXTERIOR ELEVATION
The Shiner Hotel charm depended on the intricate brickwork, typical of small German towns in Texas. The facade was filled with rich brick details and patterns, creating a truly memorable experience for all guests. The City of Shiner was estatic to welcome this project to their city.
The lobby of a hotel sets the tone for the guestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience, and The Shiner Hotel lobby makes quite a statement. The intricate brickwork bleeds into the lobby from the exterior. A two story water wall cascading over brick welcomes each guest. This feature is surrounded by rich wood details, travertine floors, and copper ceiling. A hotel in Shiner, famous for its brewery, should have a bar to remember - and The Shiner Hotel delivers. This intimate bar and lounge encourages camaraderie and Southern hospitality with a modern twist on classic elements. The space is fillled with deep brown wood panels, copper accents, bronze light fixtures, and a bar top made of recycled amber beer bottles. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fitting in Shiner, that the lobby flows into a comfortable bar and lounge.
LOBBY & BAR FLOOR PLAN
BAR & LOUNGE ADJACENT TO LOBBY
LOBBY INTERIOR ELEVATIONS
BRICK WEAVE DETAILS
CASUAL DINING
PARTIAL REFLECTED CEILING PLAN Details were key throughout each space in this design. The ceiling became a unique feature in each space, speaking to the character of that particular space. The Client had exquisite culinary taste, and requested a large commercial kitchen with a casual dining and fine dining room each of which took on specific personalities. The casual dining encompases a great detail comprising of a complex brick pattern. This brick weave allows light in from the courtyard, while creating a separation leading to the fine dining.
FINE DINING
The most unique space in this building project also happens to be the smallest, and my favorite space in the project. The Owner requested an intimate chapel to be included in the program. While small, this chapel is filled with beautiful details and materials unique to only this space in the Hotel. Most notable is backlist honey onyx panels. Two portions of the wall are extruded in a different plane, creating an abstract Christian cross. This cross formed not by a hard material, but rather by the light emitted from the backlit honey onyx panels. The light reflects on the white marble, creating an incredibly peaceful and simple space.
CHAPEL
Deep into the design process and compiling Construction Documents, the Owner continued to expand the program and scope - including items such as a commercial kitchen, restaurant, more conference rooms, and restort pool area.
The original site layout and space planning seemed unable to adequately accommodate the necessary expansion and added spaces. While brainstorming and sketching ideas of how to accommodate the piling changes, we took one afternon to turn the plan inside out and searched for a more efficient layout.
The revised site plan seemed to fall into place as we looked at other options. A sketch and new concept was presented to the Owner in order to accommodate all of the added space that was requested. After considering the new layout, the Owner ultimately chose to stay with the original plan and continue on the same design path. Sometimes it takes an empty roll of sketch paper with a marker on a clean slate to put a design to the test.
ALTERNATE DESIGN LAYOUT
TYPICAL GUESTROOM ELECTRICAL PLAN
In line with the rest of the design, the guestrooms in The Shiner Hotel received enormous attention. Since the hotel began as a Best Western, the room ratios were determined by Best Western standards. However, when the Client realized he preferred a more luxurious boutique feel, the hotel became its own brand.
THIRD FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR
This boutique brand included a set of five room types. The room sizes and layouts create the variations in the elevations, providing depth on the exterior. A VRV system was used in each room in lieu of typically PTACs to remove the unattractive units below the windows. Particular attention was paid to the showers. The Client requested walk-in showers at all guestrooms. We honored this request with a shower to remember: a half wall of slate tile topped with a glass panel, wood plank tile in the shower for a spa-feel, and a rain showerhead with linear drain. Combined, attention to such details creates an incredible experience even past the hotel lobby.
EXHIBIT HALL INTERIOR ELEVATION DISPLAY SPACE
EXHIBIT HALL FLOOR PLAN
The Conference Center would be a great resource for the City of Shiner, as well as Hotel guests. On an oddly shaped site, connecting the two pieces was a challenge.
EXHIBIT HALL PLAN DETAIL
EXHIBIT HALL CONNECTING HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER
The Owner envisioned a historic Exhibit Hall that guests would walk through to connect the Hotel and Conference Center. The space became an element of its own, showcasing a design different from the two pieces it connected - much like a modern style addition would be connected to an existing historic building.
CONFERENCE CENTER FLOOR PLAN
The Conference Center was to be utilized by the City of Shiner as much as visiting Hotel guests. The Client requested a flexible space that could accommodate functions from lectures and exhibitions to weddings and car shows.
ENLARGED PARTIAL ELEVATION
SOUTH ELEVATION
NORTH ELEVATION CONFERENCE CENTER
The Conference Rooms themselves required an elegance to transition between a large range of activities. The defining feature of the Conference Rooms is an individual wood panel vault in each zone. The space can be separated into four rooms, or utilized as one large area. The base of each vault houses cove lighting to soften each end, as well as a large, wood header track for the moveable partitions.
CONFERENCE ROOMS
CONFERENCE CENTER BUILDING SECTION
COVE LIGHTING SECTION AT CEILING
The Hotel and Conference Center comes together in a luscious courtyard, complete with a covered trellis as a beautiful backdrop for weddings or other ceremonies. The courtyard is surrounded by intricate brickwork, both on the two buildings and the perimeter brick wall. For guests, this area provides a comforting oasis to complete a luxurious and charming experience at The Shiner Hotel.
Unfortunately, due to complications and pricing, the project was suspended indefinitely just before construction was to begin. Losing the project was disappointing, since such a unique project becomes a very personal labor of love. However, the experience of being immersed in the design, detailing, coordination and planning of a project like this was beyond rewarding.
FIELD SCHOOL
Circulation
Program
Structure
The University of Oregonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Field School is a design project completed while studying at the University of Oregon under Dr. Virginia Cartwright. The University of Oregonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Field School design takes its cues from the beautiful site condition and the interactive community. Located in Depoe Bay, Oregon, the south facade gently cascades down into the intimate bay. The north facade interacts with the street, by including a large porch and entrance. Considering the surrounding city, a major design goal was to invite the community to interact with the students and the facility during their studies. The simple parti keeps the focus on the complex site topography. The horizontal bar holds the living and sleeping spaces, while the vertical bar holds the communal learning spaces. The ground floor gallery opens to a covered patio open to the street, inviting community members to events held in the field school. A double height living space connects the two sleeping floors together, providing a common area for students and faculty. The classroom pours out onto decks that walk down to the dock, which can serve as a secondary outdoor classroom or gathering space.
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BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN Floor -1
FloorFLOOR 1 FIRST PLAN
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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT PRODUCT
Floor 2 SECOND
FLOOR PLAN
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FloorTHIRD 3
FLOOR PLAN
STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT PRODUCT
EXTERIOR ELEVATION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT P
gypsum gypsum board board denim insulation denim insulation 2x8 wood2x8 stud wood stud sheathing
sheathing
rigid insulation rigid insulation weatherweather barrier barrier inswing casement
Northwest Door and Sash window Inswing Casement Window
air space batten
air space batten
tongue groovepanels tongue and&groove panels
wood trim wood
gypsum gypsum board
trim
woodenvertical verticalsupport wooden
board
attachment bolt bolt attachment
wood framing wood framing denim insulation denim insulation
WALL DETAIL AXONOMETRIC AXONOMETRIC WINDOW SHADE DETAIL 2” = 1’-0”
support horizontal sunshade horizontal sunshade
MODEL PHOTOS
Each interior space has a complementing exterior portion as well. Connecting all of the spaces to the exterior landscape was a priority. Additionally, the open ground floor plan provides a flexible space for various programs. In order to make the community feel connected to the remote campus, the ground floor kitchen, dining room and gallery could be rented out for various community events. This integration between the university and the Depoe Bay community benefits the citizens, while enhancing each studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience while at the field school.
RE-ENERGIZING small towns IN TEXAS: a place to live.
a place to work.
a place to prosper.
MASTERS THESIS PROJECT
NEGLECTED small towns OF TEXAS There are 116 small towns in Texas that do not feed off the prosperity of urban centers. These towns are characterized by:
low home value low income few job opportunities low population growth high poverty levels low eduction
rural town {3,000 < population < 10,000 ten largest population cities 50 mile metropolis radius
The University of Oregon’s Terminal Project under Professor Erin Moore challenged Masters candidates to seek a societal weakness and propose a designbased solution. To identify a social critique, I reflected on a year I spent working in Gonzales, Texas, a town of 7,000 people. As I was immersed in the city, I became aware that the citizens of Gonzales shared struggles that I too experienced while living there. This observation inspired my investigation and subsequent research into small towns in Texas. Delving into such an investigation required categorizing strengths and weaknesses of cities, as well as defining small towns outisde the influence of metropolises. Six characteristics were analyzed of each “small town””:
gonzales, TEXAS SOCIAL CRITIQUE
Median Home Value Median Income Professional Careers Population Growth Poverty Line Education Level
When graphically analyzed, the data illustrates that small towns have a lower bar than larger cities.
GRAPHIC RESEARCH ILLUSTRATION
The design response to address the issues of struggling small towns developed two distinct faces: a place to work and a place to live.
D ES I G N R ES PON S E :
Combine HOUSING and PRODUCTION to create opportunities for growth & prosperity
UNIT FLOOR PLAN
The two halves of the fold are contained under one roof, both figuratively and literally. This integrates the two most basic functions of the building. The central breezeway connects the two pieces, which are divided down the center of the layout. This breezeway provides not only an environmental benefit, but also a street connection to the living portion and the unfolding open space beyond.
AIR CIRCULATION
COVERED
ENCLOSED
WORKING
NATURAL LIGHT & RAIN COLLECTION
LIVING
The production face of the fold offers flexible spaces to accommodate a wide variety of work opportunities, from offering services to small-scale manufacturing. These spaces also have potential for providing for what Richard Florida calls the ‘creative class’ of people. These production possibilities could include the ‘Etsy’ business model, where unique items are made to order and be then mailed to consumers. Small towns often lack the variety of resources offered by large cities. However, this model brings these businesses to the scale appropriate for a small town to support.
The single family housing unit dominates small towns across Texas. Therefore, the building culture emphasizes this housing model as a symbol of happiness and prosperity. This design combines the privacy of the single family residence with the community of a multi-unit complex. The interior spaces unfold as one continuous volume. The cooking and living space can be expanded to the breezeway dining. A more private study area borders the bedrooms and expands to an upper loft. This sequence of unfolding spaces continues to the exterior as well. The entry of the home opens to a covered trellis patio. This space then rolls into a raised planter bed, which defines the open green space that creates the view from the picture window. This individual yard is flanked by a small grove of pecan trees and a parking canopy, defining each residentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s space. The amenities of a single family home end here; however, in this design, the site continues to unfold into a set of community amenities for all residents.
STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM
Southern hospitality ensures neighborly affection, and this site layout allows for that camaraderie to flourish.
MECHANICAL DIAGRAM
POSSIBLE SITE CONFIGURATIONS
PROPOSED GONZALES SITE PLAN
The site organization is based on a variety of factors. Located in an extremely hot and humid climate, environmental factors must be seriously considered. Therefore, the long, thin buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s east to west orientation is critical for catching the southern wind and avoiding direct east and west sunlight. When analyzing the figure ground of the city, it becomes clear that the centers of the blocks is void almost exclusively. A series of unfolding spaces that reaches from the street to the middle of the block activates this typically unused space. This model could become a prototype implemented throughout small towns in Texas that would re-energize these struggling cities. Variations could be made depending on the specific conditions. For instance, the housing side of the design could face the street instead, while the work face could face the interior of the block. The buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s layout would also respond to different site shapes according to the existing buildings.
gathering circulating playing living working SITE ACTIVITIES
UNFOLDING SPACES
A clear separation exists in the prosperity and growth of small towns versus urban areas. A radical critique reveals the need for a reinvigoration of these neglected cities. This design emphasizing two vital functions under one roof begins to invite growth toward future prosperity in small towns, like Gonzales.
INDIVIDUAL VS. COMMUNAL
UNLESS
someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.
itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not. dr. seuss.