Dreams Conceived in Twilight A Portfolio of Creative Work by
J a s o n P. I v a l i o t i s
twi-light (twi lit ) n. The twilight is an awakening into the realm of possibility, an evolutionary transition where fantasy meets reality and design finds substance. Within the twilight of the mind, form and concept are united within a flawless utopian construct where they embody the creativity of the imagination and the vitality of the spirit. Passion is conceived and architecture is born.
Miami University of Ohio
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
The portfolio you are about to view is a representation of four years of undergraduate study and three years of professional experience in the field of architectural design. The projects herein exemplify my understanding of architecture as an interdisciplinary art as well as an applied science that can be used to serve the ever changing needs of society. My design experience has constantly evolved from the merit of my own personal design work to the revolutionary forms and implications resulting from group collaboration. The diversity of eight design studios and three sculpture studios has yielded a theoretically grounded body of work that has been successfully developed from conception to construction. This is a testament to my previous education as well as my beliefs about the future of design.
ar ch i te c t u re
s cul p t ur e
Clifton Public Library
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Conspirion Commons
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Music & Dance Theater
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the Tower of Babel
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Sculpture Sequence
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JFK Memorial Library
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the Nexus
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ur b a n i n t ervention
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FLOOR PLAN LEGEND 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
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Circulation Desk Main Lobby Book Vault Patron Lounge Reading Room General Stacks Librarian Office Exterior Reading Area Media Room Periodical Stacks Audio Visual Stacks Circulatory Atrium Children's Reading Room
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Level Three Plan 9
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Level Two Plan
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Ground Level Plan
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Course: Level: Academic Year: Instructors: Location:
ARC 202 Sophomore Design Studio Spring 2001 J. E. Elliot III Dr. Sergio L. Sanabria Clifton Heights Cincinnati, Ohio
1 Located in the culturally diverse neighborhood of Clifton Heights, just five miles from the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio, the Clifton Public Library was designed as a welcoming icon of education for local residents and school children. As per the program requirements, I proposed the replacement of the existing 1,000 sq. ft. library at the corner of Ormond Street and Ludlow Avenue with a more generous 20,000 sq. ft. structure. The new library required additional space for periodical stacks, an audio/ visual collection, a children's reading room, and a multipurpose room for ceremonial use. In response to communal needs my design incorporated these spaces within a seven story structure (partially illustrated in the plans to the left) centered around a large circulatory atrium space to allow ambient light to impact all levels and create a vertically open plan. Furthermore, a roof garden serves as a private exterior reading space for those wishing to enjoy the site, sounds, and smells of the surrounding urban fabric. The photos of the site as well as the elevation below illustrate how this building maintains material contextuality and also begins to embody the form of the treasure it shelters: the book.
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CLIFTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
When contemplating the importance and structure of the library typology, I decided to make the contained books an active part of the visual form and translate their position into the exterior facade. As shown in the elevation below, the rear reading rooms and stack areas contain book shelving units that are encased within the facade to form horizontal projections. In addition, I designed a clerestory glazing system positioned between the top stack and the ceiling of each level to allow natural light into the space without damaging the books with the direct rays of the sun. The horizontal glazing system and banding sequence was inspired by the aesthetic quality of the masonry patterns (adjacent photo) in a nearby apartment building on Ludlow Ave.
In addition to the impact of the book shelving system within the facade, it was also necessary make a visual statement about the reading rooms which depend on such systems. The primary reading areas as shown in the plans are located adjacent to the book stacks along the facade. To accentuate these spaces and provide for a filtered natural light, I used tall areas of glass block as the primary facadal component. Furthermore, the stack projections along the exterior wall on each level build on top of the glazed block walls of these reading areas.
Ormond Street Elevation
1 The entry sequence of any successful public space should announce its purpose through the use of a monumental design statement. The perspective to the right illustrates the two story entry lobby with a glazed book vault as the monumental focal point which announces the purpose of the library and the importance of the volumes it contains. The circulation desk is located to the left with a lounge on the right where patrons can sit, read the morning newspaper and enjoy the activity on the street outside. The audio/ visual stack areas overlook this lobby on the upper level. The section below illustrates the seven level atrium and its relationship to the periodical and audio/ visual stack areas and reading rooms to the front (right in the section) of the library. Each tall space incorporates a mixture of scales and allows for a vertically open plan.
Entry Lobby Perspective
Section @ Entry & Atrium
1 While engaged within the design process my exploration of overall formal articulation resulted in the construction of the basswood model shown on the left. Within this model glazing is represented by indentations and the rectilinear shapes are accentuated through a material layering technique employed on the facade. The observer is not only able to visualize the modulation of the building in three dimensions, but is also able to feel how these distinct forms fit together.
CLIFTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
The section to the right illustrates the core atrium space and the primary communicating stair within the library. All levels overlook the atrium and provide for the penetration of natural light with a clear view of all the subsidiary areas while allowing each space to remain distinct and private. The book stack projections and clerestory glazing on each level within the Ormond Street facade (left in section) are noted on the upper floors. Within this section, the viewer can observe the vertical datum, a system of dividing the building into thirds, which connects the exterior modulation of the front and rear sections of the library.
Section @ Atrium Circulation
1 The mechanisms of circulation are vital to the functionality of a library and the accessibility of the reading material therein. The adjacent axonometric drawing illustrates the main stair within the atrium. To further emphasize the transparency of the open plan I designed the stair to incorporate a glazed balustrade and a system of open risers. The floor of the atrium is also glazed to allow light to penetrate into the staff support spaces below. The photograph to the right represents the intimate scale of the urban fabric throughout Clifton Heights. This firmly established scalar relationship was incorporated within the interior of the library to ultimately break down the 20,000 square feet into a series of smaller more intimate spaces for reading and human interaction. These spaces all revolve around the larger open core: the atrium.
Formulating an appropriate design strategy must begin with a synthesis of the existing aesthetic context with a form that expresses the building's purpose. As a result of this consideration, the library retained much of the brick and material quality, as well as the rectilinear form of the adjacent buildings. Furthermore, the window openings on the Ludlow Avenue elevation, shown in the perspective, are also inspired by the fenestration of the surrounding structures. While using this contextuality the elevation begins to delineate function and is articulated in the form of books stacked side by side on a library shelf. The verticality of the facade and modulation of the rectilinear forms is directly inspired by this stacking system. In addition, the arrangement, size, tangible material quality, and complexity of the forms separates the building into distinct parts, perceptible from the exterior as being functionally different while injecting a human scale into that which would seem otherwise monumental.
2 SECOND LEVEL LEGEND 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Main Lobby Elevator Grand Stair Restaurant Dining Restaurant Bar Level Two Catwalk Exterior Stair Office Suite Apartment Unit Kitchen Apartment Unit Bedroom Main Access Stair Apartment Balcony
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Course: Level: Academic Year: Instructors: Location: Project Duration:
ARC 401 Senior Design Studio Fall 2002 J. E. Elliot III 8 & 9 High Street Oxford, Ohio 16 weeks
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High Street Elevation
Main Street Elevation
"Within the American city, sidewalk width is invariably sacrificed for vehicular width partly because city sidewalks are conventionally considered to be purely space for pedestrian travel and access to buildings, and go unrecognized and are not respected as the uniquely vital and irreplaceable organs of city safety, public life and child rearing that they are." Jane Jacobs The Death and Life of Great American Cities
The program for Conspirion Commons represented a unique opportunity to synthesize the traditional architectural style imposed by the Oxford Preservation Society with the technical advancement of modern aesthetics. The site for this urban intervention is located at the intersection of Main Street and High Street, at the heart of the "small town" urban district within Oxford, Ohio. When approaching the project and taking into account its prominent location, it became clear that a mixed use urban structure was necessary. As partially illustrated within the plan, I incorporated a restaurant, night club, three office suites, four commercial retail spaces, and three apartment units into the design of this four level structure. The images of the site featured throughout this section convey the traditional style of uptown Oxford and the code keys from which I derived the design. On an aesthetic level, I have taken the verticality and repetition inherent within the masonry patterns and window openings of these existing buildings and used them as guidelines to create a system of piers and glazed interior projections. New forms are constructed with the modern aesthetics of glass, steel, concrete, and brick. The design embodies the principles of its predecessors while embracing visitors with a structural honesty and contemporary feel.
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Urban intervention is only successful when the architecture of a given place exhibits a seamless transition between the surrounding context and the structure itself. The site of Conspirion Commons is flanked by the circulatory spaces of urbanism on three sides (public sidewalks and an alleyway) and is juxtaposed to a public park across High Street. Through the creation of the "inhabitable facade" I have articulated the seamless transition between the public space of the exterior and the private interior spaces. As illustrated in the perspective above, the street facade contains two layers. The outboard layer features an open system of piers and an upper level catwalk which creates both a covered promenade along the storefronts of the ground level and a circulation artery on the second level for public access to the restaurant. In addition this catwalk provides for elevated views of the surrounding context from a building which not only acts as a shelter but incorporates human interaction within the facade itself.
This approach to urban design attempts to replace the sharp barrier between public and private/ interior and exterior, with a socially sustainable space which blurs the boundaries of modern conventions. In addition, the verticality of this outer layer is further broken down through the structural piers working in conjunction with the attached rocker arms (pictured to the right). The piers consist of a cast in place reinforced concrete core flanked by two space frames, each clad in a perforated steel facade simulating the contextual brick of Oxford. During the evening hours, light from within each space frame projects through the open perforations (mortar joints) and accentuates the bonding pattern. The rocker arms are anchored to the piers as shown and support the interior mezzanine level of the restaurant via a system of steel cables. In effect this detail incorporates the support of an interior element with the social space, structural complexity and celebrated contextuality of the iconographic piers within the inhabitable facade.
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Section @ Restaurant and Apartment Units
The sections to the left illustrate the different vertical levels of the facade as well as the rocker arm and cable system that supports the restaurant mezzanine. Within this mezzanine the seated patrons are situated inside the cantilevered, glazed projections thus placing them within the facade and achieving a feeling of floatation. In this manner those individuals inside the building and those located within the horizontal layers of the exterior are experiencing the same exterior space and view while existing in different states of being. Furthermore, each apartment unit is equipped with a balcony level inspired by the existing fire escape of the adjacent building pictured above. These balconies allow observation and access to the urban realm and emphasize the interaction between interior, exterior and building form within the private spaces. Finally, the sections also reveal the main circulation core within the rear lobby. This unique sliding spiral stair and elevator combination celebrates the beauty of human movement through the constantly changing perspective and encourages public exploration of all building levels with a childlike curiosity.
Section @ Restaurant and Lobby Stair
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The detailed basswood model above illustrates the prominence of Conspirion Commons both in the chosen location as well as the technically advanced aesthetic. The large corner site and lack of building adjacency on three sides allowed a certain degree of freedom within the form of the facade while also commanding the maximum allowed height of 45 feet and maximum site occupation thus achieving the necessary urban infill. The buildings within the site model show the context of verticality and material quality from which the building form was derived. As shown in the photo to the upper left, the facade along Main Street required a setback of sixteen feet to provide for a public right of way. In addition, the grade along the Street slowly descends away from the intersection. Therefore the
storefront promenade adjacent to the building along Main Street is raised with two primary access points occurring from the corner of the intersection and steps near the entrance to the lobby. Between the raised storefront promenade and the pitched sidewalk along the street I created a small urban buffer zone with seating and landscaping embedded within the slope. This type of layering further supports the seamless transition between built form and infrastructure to create a successful urban intervention. The perspective to the right illustrates the social impact of the inhabitable facade within the urban district of High Street. This humanist approach allows interaction between individuals actively engaged within the building and those on the street below thus achieving a new type of public architecture.
2 To further elaborate on my exploration of dynamic circulation systems, I have provided an axonometric drawing of the sliding stair and elevator combination. The sliding effect is achieved by moving each successive floor plate eight feet inward thus creating a connecting elevator which descends at a twenty degree angle. This stairway is designed to give the observer a constantly changing perspective of both the interior structure of the building and the urban landscape to the exterior just beyond the conical glazed enclosure. The elevator slides through the center of the spiral and because of the angular descent and relationship to the glazing system; it gives the inhabitant a sense of being lowered into the landscape rather than just decending to a desired floor.
3 The success of any large scale architectural endeavor is reliant upon intense collaboration and the virtues of an interdisciplinary approach to design. The Music and Dance Theater of Chicago was a collaborative endeavor which I completed along with one additional architecture student, one interior designer and a team of three graphic design students. As part of Miami University's Interdisciplinary Studio the project required the development of a coherent dialogue between architecture and the two dimensional arts. As illustrated within the plan, our team was required to design a 1,500 seat theater, 2,000 sq. ft. restaurant, a thoroughly developed graphic marketing campaign including playbills, a website, restaurant place settings, souvenirs, and various forms of media and signage. As a result this 250,000 sq. ft. theater and graphics package forced the team to consider how the graphic arts could enhance the architectural quality of the space both in conception and execution. Since the project was so large in scale I have primarily included only my own personal contribution to this studio. Therefore, with the exception of the model constructed by my colleague, I personally completed all presentation material shown here including sketches, renderings and technical drawings. The Music and Dance Theater was conceived by the design team as an opportunity to celebrate the beauty of human movement and interaction. After much contemplation a central concept emerged which encompassed the idea of balance as frozen motion. As a result much of the formal design and architecture was based on the delicacy and suspense of balance as well as a study of other anthropomorphic qualities. Shown to the right, the concept sketches that I have completed, indicate early studies of balance as well as the qualities and form of the human lungs and chest cavity which inspired my design for the theater. Virtually all the space planning throughout this five story structure and the theater itself is my own work.
Course: Level: Academic Year:
ARC 302 Junior Design Studio/ Interdisciplinary Studio Spring 2002
Instructors: Location: Project Duration:
LEVEL SIX 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
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Upper Entry Upper Lobby Concessions Restaurant Restaurant Bar Flytower Mech. Space Upper Theater Kitchen Elevators Office Suite Randolph Street
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LEVEL THREE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Lower Street Lower Entry Lower Lobby Box Office Circulation Ramp Control Room Upper Seating Lower Seating Balcony Above Stage Orchestra Pit Elevators
Ben M. Jacks - Architecture Diana Seah - Interior Design Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois 16 weeks
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Upper Randolph Street Elevation
Located at the heart of Chicago's Grant Park the M.A.D theater incorporates the various programmatic requirements within a site that is largely subterranean. Rising from over forty feet below sea level and connecting upper and lower Randolph Street, the structure had to become a new type of urban intervention, one that celebrates the connection between the natural life of Grant Park and the urban infrastructure below. While becoming a unique beacon to its purpose, a magnet for the arts, the structure incorporates a sliding spiral decent encased within a glazing system that dynamically rises from below the city of Chicago. The above elevation, completed by myself, illustrates the upper Randolph Street facade which provides for a gestural entrance without imposing upon the surrounding natural context. In addition, the structure's recession away from the upper street, exposes both the pedestrian sidewalk below grade as well as the entire four story lobby within the building, an effect that generates suspense by providing an allusion of that which is to come.
Theater Location
3 While existing as distinctly separate but situated in juxtaposition to the extreme verticality of the Chicago skyline, the Music and Dance Theater is able to impose its own order upon the site. The form exists as a dynamic piece of art anchored by the foundations of nature within Grant Park thus allowing this interdisciplinary solution to exemplify architecture as inhabited sculpture. The photo of the site clearly illustrates the large degree of subterranean impact and the various levels of urban infrastructure to which the form and function
The section and sketch perspective below, also completed by myself, show the interaction between the different levels of the theater itself and the spiraling ramp in the multilevel lobby space. Within the theater I reinforced the essence of motion by designing a system of connected seating that features undulating back rests. In this manner the eye is drawn across the space in a wave-like motion. Finally, the descending spiral ramp and angled elevator combination, also one of my design contributions, reflects an attention to theatrical motion, the delicacy of balance and their
Upper Randolph
Lower Randolph
Section @ Theater and Lobby
Sketch of Procenium Opening
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The multi-layered infrastructure of Chicago was of particular interest to our design team when considering such things as concept, form, and circulation within the building. The articulation of the open levels within the entry lobby (pictured above) and the spiraling ramp which served as the primary connection was an attempt to capture some of the complexity and connectivity of the subterranean vehicular transportation system in conjunction with the highways, roads, and elevated trains, collectively exclusive to Chicago. Within the sketch to the left, I have illustrated how the shape of the building was modeled after the concept of emerging from within these various layers through a contrasting organic form.
The perspective to the right, which I have completed, illustrates the dynamic character of the sculptural form at night. Furthermore, within the section to the left as well as the perspective, it is clear how the exterior form of the four story lobby and red conical entry structure embodies the spirit of the M. A. D. logo while also establishing a distinct architectural and sculptural character. This dynamic form overlooks the multi-level public park collaboratively designed in the rear, above the theater. In addition, my sketch for the procenium opening shows how the graphic strategy translates into the interior articulation to become a focal point inside the theater. The red triangle exists as a recurrent theme throughout the project.
3 My contributions to this collaborative studio also included the synthesis of a multi-faceted conceptual approach with an intense physical reality. The sketches to the right illustrate my study of the intersection between the aforementioned concepts of balance and the human form as they apply to the theater. The angular orientation of the performer served as inspiration for my design of the sliding circulation ramp and skewed decent of the core elevator located within the lobby. The study of the human foot when in the upright position suggests a delicacy and precision inherent within our concept of balance as frozen motion. As shown in my section below, this celebration of movement yielded a circulatory structure that combined the aesthetically angled appearance of the performer with the physics of static forces, balance and loading. In this manner the patrons became actively engaged with the delicate orientation and implied motion of the structure while using this device to emerge into the light or descend into the theater levels below.
Section @ Entry Lobby
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In addition to the many anthropomorphic considerations, the design team desired an approach that would exploit the subterranean nature of the site and expose its relationship to both the upper and lower street levels. The above basswood model (scale 1/16" = 1'-0") constructed by my colleague, Scott Melching, represents a three dimensional articulation of my design for the entry lobby. This sliding spiral is accomplished though the interconnection of successively receding floor plates. The angle of recession and plate orientation is inspired by the curvature of the human spine. As shown in my sketch to the left, the vertebra have been abstracted into flat disks which dictate the arrangement of the floors. This system provides for the formation of terraced floor levels that appear to grow from the site and expose its interior topography. The glazed enclosure allows for visibility of this configuration from both above and below thus providing for a unique entry
perspective from each location. In effect, the patron encounters a four story lobby where human interaction is visibly impacting all levels as well as the central ramp structure. Illustrated in my sketch of the lobby to the upper right, the receding floor plates also gave birth to the core elevators which feature an angled decent. To elaborate further, I designed these elevators as a ceremonial means of circulation where the inhabitant would feel as if he or she is being dynamically lowered into the theater or emerging from within the site. In addition, the sense of flight or floatation is achieved through this type of circulation which is appropriate within a structure that is meant to celebrate the beauty of movement. The design process for the Music and Dance Theater was an intense course of self discovery combined with an introduction to the merits of collaboration and an interdisciplinary approach to architecture.
4 The Tower of Babel Studio, subsidized by a $25,000.00 grant from the Havighurst Center for Russian and Post Soviet Studies at Miami University, focused on a collective investigation of the iconographic model of Russian Constructivism, The Monument to the Third International completed by Vladimir Tatlin in 1920. The photograph to the right illustrates Tatlin's original wooden model which stood 15 feet high and illustrated his vision of a new gubernatorial seat for the socialist regime. Dismissed by Soviet leaders as a utopian impossibility, the tower was to reach a maximum height of 130 stories, span over 600 feet at the base, and straddle the River Neva in St. Petersburg. The primary structure was aligned with the earth's axis of rotation, wrapped with two open-ended twin helixes alluding to both the unfolding of the human spirit and Lenin's comparison of the Soviet Revolution to a spiral, and was to contain four suspended buildings of contrasting geometries which rotated at different speeds about a common axis. Finally, the tower was braced by an inclined space truss at the rear, recalling one of the four legs of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. During this studio I engaged in a collaborative design process with eleven other students to formulate a scheme for an urban high rise inspired by Tatlin's symbolism and aesthetic representation. In addition, our team was required to respond to the collapse of the World Trade Center by focusing this project toward creating a skyscraper that would withstand the impact of a commercial airliner and sustain a minimal casualty rate through a provision for new forms of circulation. Tatlin's Tower Completed by Vladimir Tatlin, 1918-1920
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Course: Level: Academic Year: Instructors: Location: Project Duration:
ARC 301 Junior Design Studio Fall 2001 Dr. Sergio L. Sanabria Upper Bay of Manhattan New York, NY 18 week studio
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Tatlin's Tower Completed by Jason Ivaliotis and Malika Kirkling, 2001
While engaged within this studio sequence I was given an opportunity to participate in a collaborative design process, determine the parameters for the studio, and experiment with many different methods of presentation. Phase One entailed an investigation of both Tatlin's design for the Monument to the Third International and the political and social climate from which it was born. In addition, it was vital to obtain a clear understanding of the tower's physical composition in order to incorporate the merits of its structural system into the design for the new Tower of Babel. Therefore, along with my colleague Malika Kirkling, I constructed the wooden model of Tatlin's tower pictured to the upper left.
During the construction process we were informed only by two conceptual elevations and the photographs of the original model completed by Tatlin in 1920, in effect making the tower a structural code waiting to be deciphered. The above model, composed of maple trusses and struts which were milled and assembled by myself and my colleague, reaches a maximum height of five feet and enabled the studio to understand the intricate parts of Tatlin's design. Finally, the sketch below, completed by Naosuke Nemoto, illustrates our initial efforts to understand the manner in which the structure was intended to interact with the urban fabric and how we as designers could adapt this intention to a modern environment.
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The intense political symbolism and metaphorical representation within the form of Tatlin's design presented an appropriate target for conceptual extraction. The tower has distinct anthropomorphic references with the inclined space truss acting as a spinal column, the helixes as the ribs, the interior suspended building masses as the organs and the arches representing legs striding toward the future. Furthermore, the overall form is likened to that of a screw or telescope twisting skyward with the "spirals of agreement" representing a difficult compromise that is yet to be reached. The sketches to the right illustrate my abstract representation of the formal massing established by the structure of Tatlin's design and reflect the development of the dynamic helecoidal mass within our proposed high rise. In addition, my welded stainless steel model shows how the form of the monument was gradually transformed into the structural and functional components of the Tower of Babel.
above: Massing Studies right: Structural Model Completed by Jason Ivaliotis Using Tatlin's model as a formal parti diagram, the design team extracted the vital components and reassembled them into the scheme for the new Tower of Babel, assigning new functions for each part. The schematic to the left illustrates each functional component of the new tower. Within the core, we have taken Tatlin's central cone and allowed each inclined member to act as both a structural pier and a means of vertical circulation. Furthermore, the outer helixes which had once existed as structural components were now combined into one spiraling walkway that encircles the tower and provides for a stairless method of egress. In addition, the inclined space truss was utilized for primary entry at the base as well as vertical circulation. These aesthetic and functional aspects were designed collaboratively and then assigned to individual members of the design team for detailing.
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Typical Floor Plate
The Tower of Babel was designed to identify and respond to the structural and functional inadequacies of conventional skyscrapers as defined by the fallen World Trade Center Towers. As a result, the design team sited the tower within the upper bay of Manhattan where it would serve as the new headquarters for the United Nations and a climactic intermediate between the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and the profile of Lower Manhattan. We incorporated over 5,000,000 sq. ft. of inhabitable space divided among commercial areas, residential units, a university with a library, performing arts center, a hotel, and all the facilities necessary to accommodate the United Nations. The award winning computer model shown above was generated by my colleague John Cerone and illustrates our formal vision. Each member of the team chose an aspect of the tower to detail and John used our designs to compose this comprehensive representation.
The tower is 800 feet in diameter and over 1300 feet tall, with a central structural cone inclined at an angle of 23.5 degrees. As shown in the schematic to the right, the cone is formed by nineteen vertically trussed piers housing an alternative arrangement of stairs and elevators braced by a several horizontal space frame torsion rings. Furthermore, the building mass is formed by a 540 degree rotated helix composed of crescent shaped floor levels revolved around a common axis. In this manner, the floor plates are not all stacked directly on top of one another thus eliminating the possibility of pan caking if structural failure occurs at a lower level. The thin edges of the crescents twisting skyward recall the two helixes in Tatlin's original design. Within each level, outside offices would have a view of New Jersey, Manhattan and Brooklyn, while the inside ones would look into an open building core
Circulation Core
Typical Floor
Automated Conveyor Retail Concourse
Skylobby
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HELIX ELEVATION 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Once the primary components of the Tower of Babel were collaboratively conceived, each member of the group chose one aspect of the structure to design in detail. The drawings and sketches in this section represent my personal design work for the outer helix circulatory system. This component provides for a separate means of circumnavigating the tower from out beyond the exterior facade. The sketches to the right illustrate my early conceptions of an automated means of pedestrian travel within this structure. Within the upper drawing, an automated conveyor serves as this method of mobilization while the drawing directly to the right proposes a system of individual rail cars for rapid transport.
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Automated Walkway Pedestrian Walkway Retail Space Communication Center Catwalk Access to Main Floors
HELIX PLAN 1
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SECTION @ HELIX SYSTEM
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Twisting six times around the core building structure, this lesser helix is essentially a two mile long promenade with moving sidewalks, shops, restaurants, and sweeping vistas that would bridge all of the vertical circulation axes of the complex. Aside from being a public attraction it provides for redundant, independent and handicapped accessible connections to the twenty vertical circulation axes. In effect, this two mile retail complex invites the institutions of capitalism and public habitation into the upper levels of the urban high rise. While engaged within this design studio, I began to develop a strong interest in the incorporation of new forms of circulation within building structures. My articulation of the helix eventually inspired and informed later design work focused on a more humanizing architecture through the use of circulation systems and new methods of defining the conventional components of design. The Tower of Babel establishes high standards for the future of this discipline.
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above: Perspective of Automated Walkway below: Axonometric Section of Helix System Designed and hand drawn by Jason Ivaliotis
As shown in the plan to the upper left, the helix is divided into three distinct components. Because of the excessive length of this exterior spiral, it became necessary to include a rapid means of transportation to make pedestrian navigation more fluid. Therefore, I have designed an automated walkway within the core of the structure. As shown in the section to the left and the perspective to upper right, this glazed tunnel is composed of two conveyor belts running in opposing directions. The mobile belts are broken at 40 foot intervals to allow for access to the other areas of the helix. In addition, as shown in the section and the drawing to the right, I have provided for pedestrian access to the primary floors of the building via glazed catwalks spaced at 80 foot intervals. The remaining components of the helix include retail tenant spaces for commercial occupation and a pedestrian walkway which provides for spectacular views of New York previously afforded only by the Windows of the World
Restaurant of the World Trade Center. Also contained within this outer walkway are news kiosks, lounge areas, and digital display units for communication and entertainment. Ultimately, the synthesis of these components creates a continuous interior street which promotes urban diversity, a plurality of functions, a stairless means of egress from all levels, and the humanization of the modern high rise building. Since it is located at such high altitudes the form of the helix was designed as a light structural wing. This spiral was treated as an aerodynamic bridge structure which includes steel trusses to maintain lighter dead loads and allow for wind circulation at high altitudes. As illustrated in the drawing to the right, this fin shape is attached to the structural piers of the cone via steel cables and includes large trusses at intervals of forty feet. The span between the primary supports contains lighter framing and glazing to provide for dynamic views of the surrounding context as well as the tower itself.
4 In the interest of producing public sculpture for Miami University, the studio culminated in the construction of a 15 foot stainless steel model of the Tower of Babel completed by our design team. With an estimated material cost of $15,000.00 and a construction time line of over sixteen months, the errection of this interactive model offered the opportunity to validate our design theories and prove that such a structure could accomplish its intended objectives at full scale. During this phase we extracted precise measurements from the computer model of the tower to assemble the individual components. The primary cone structure is composed of 19 triangular stainless steel trusses which are bolted to four interior space framed torsion rings. In addition, the large inclined space truss is composed of stainless steel angles and bars and like the other vertically trussed members of the cone, welded assembly was accomplished off site. At the base, each truss is welded to a stabilizer plate which is then anchored to the concrete footing below. The circular array of foundation piers is connected via two continuous steel rings to prevent tortion at the ground level. Representing the outer helix circulation system, the out board spiral encircles the cone and is composed of three steel bars supported by individual armatures. Finally, the interior array of crescent floor plates is simulated using red nylon rip stop as a sculptural accent. The fabric is stretched between two steel bars which are anchored to the tower in a spiral 0 formation to simulate the dynamic form of the 540 rotated helix.
Acadia Jury Comments (Joint Study Award)
"This project succeeds on many levels. It is clear in its conception, rich in its references and is aesthetically intriguing in a way that requires the technology but also transcends it. The fact that it is the result of a collaboration and that this collaboration was carried through all the way to the fabrication of a large physical model is also praiseworthy. The choice of problem -commemorating the destroyed WTC- and the quality of the response lend a seriousness about this design proposal that makes the project stand out among the other entries." Steel Armature Detail for Outer Helix
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The above computer rendering by John Cerone shows the tower sited in the Upper Bay set against the skyline of lower Manhattan. The design team used this perspective as a guide for constructing the large scale model. During the early stages of fabrication, we consulted with a structural engineer to ensure that the steel tower could withstand the load of two adults. Upon completion, preliminary tests confirmed that the conical structure could support up to eight adults without failure. Therefore, when considering our intentions of extracting a unique typology from Tatlin's Tower which would also respond to the collapse of the WTC, success is found in a new type of high rise able to support between 4 & 6 times the maximum design live load. As one of seven students on the design/build team, I chose to extend my obligations to this project beyond the one semester design studio. During a
period of independent study which began in my junior year and continued until after graduation, I remained dedicated to the construction of this model and our collective vision. My contributions included welding and assembly of individual trusses, on site fabrication and welding of various components including the majority of the outer spiral, the design and erection of the interior fabric including steel armatures and material attachment, and managing construction over a period of eight months. The sketch to the right illustrates my design for the steel armatures of the outer helix. Because of the ambitious nature of the project and our inherent professional naivety as student craftsmen, the construction process presented many unexpected challenges. Through the use of adaptive problem solving and extreme endurance, we overcame these difficulties and reached a higher level of professional consciousness.
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Bronze Cast When unleashed from within the subconscious mind, the negative consequences of human desire can manifest in the form of a ravenous conflagration. The sculpture above symbolizes a metaphorical approach to explain the power and destructive nature of human greed. Within this form the hand is reaching outward, striving to obtain that which is a recognizable but superficial measure of success: material possession. These luxuries are only coveted by the individual until they are obtained, thus illustrating the insatiable character of human desire. In response, the flame emphasizes the danger of becoming materialistic to the point where ambition is transformed into a perpetual cycle of greed that has the potential to consume individual humanity within a self induced inferno.
The material composition of the sculpture was essential to produce the desired effect both physically and symbolically. The hand is a metallic representation of my right hand which was cast out of bronze using a series of molds in conjunction with a lost wax process. Following the casting procedure in the foundry, I bored a hole through the wrist to the underside of the palm for the passage of propane gas. In addition, a lead pipe was then connected to the underside of the wrist and run down through the neck, to the base of the torch. Finally, a concealed propane tank is connected to this pipe at the base. The gas is regulated through a release valve on the tank, which in turn controls the height of the flame. Obtaining control over an unpredictable force, such as fire, was very intriguing to me.
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Inherent within the thought process of all logical beings is the ability to reason and choose a valid course of action based upon intense contemplation. Through the use of the organic form of juxtaposed flowers, the above sculpture symbolizes this system of decision making. The duality of opposing choices is represented through distinctions between hot and cold, serene and vivacious, fire and its absence, and the connotations of good and evil. These relationships represent how all courses of action share a common origin or "root" and through the power of choice can yield drastically opposing results. The prominent form of the sculpture is a bronze casting of a flowering plant combined with a root structure molded from clay. A pipe was installed within the stem which connects to a propane tank that supplies the gas to ignite the animated flame.
To succeed as an architect, the designer must first recognize the sculptural nature of his discipline, learn to mold the materials of our world into an artistic manifestation, and successfully establish a dialogue with the forces of nature.
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"The observation of nature is part of the artist's life; it enlarges his form and knowledge, keeps him fresh and from working only by formula, and feeds inspiration." -Henry Moore
This final series represents my exploration of the dynamic forces, tension and compression, and their relationship with various postures. Through the use of the factors that govern structural dynamics, I have given an architectural validity to these pieces of contemporary art, which in effect begins to establish a sculptural manner of approaching design. Furthermore, through the use of different postures, I have illustrated the link between materiality and the forces of tension and compression. This relationship can be used to articulate a more artistic form of architecture as an expression of frozen motion. The sculpture above illustrates a study of compression and its inherent connection with stone structures. The posture has been modeled
after a small animal which maintains its tightly curled and compressed position. Due to it's compressive abilities, I have chosen stone from which to carve this sculpture. In addition, wax has been applied to the horizontal surfaces while the connective stone between the two polished portions is left natural and coarse. To accentuate this texture and the intersection of different forms, I have carved a chasm into the base so that an interior light can illuminate the natural complexities of the rough surface. Finally, at the core of the piece, a basin has been carved with a transparent light well bored into its center. This allows the interior illumination to shine through the water and capitalize on its reflective qualities to simulate a glowing subterranean condition.
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When contemplating a successful explanation of tensile forces it is necessary to establish a unity of form and material. The photograph above illustrates my exploration of this force through the use of anthropomorphic form and a metallic material able to endure high degrees of tension. In response to the structure of the human body, the sculpture focuses on the spinal column where most physical tension is absorbed. Composed of individual vertebra and various supporting bones of the arm, hands, shoulders and pelvic regions, the form embodies both pain and the dynamics of movement within this contorted posture. Symbolically, the piece combines the structure of the human body with the pragmatics of furniture, more specifically the table. The individual
pieces of the skeletal form have been cast in bronze from molds of the human body, welded together in this suggestive position, and provide support for the glazed table top. In effect, the possessions that are placed on the table become an intricate part of its symbolism, expressing the burdens we place on ourselves which generate both physical and emotional forms of tension.
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After spending four years as an undergraduate in the design disciplines, it is my intention to bring an idealistic perspective into the professional arena. The drawings contained in this section are indicative of my creative contribution to the architectural firm, Venezia & Associates/ NJ K-12 Architects. The photographs above illustrate my design of a skylight system for the JFK Memorial Library in Piscataway, New Jersey. Located at the ridge of the newly constructed roofing system, this skylight reaches a maximum height of forty feet above the finished floor and was the only source of natural light for the core of the library. In response to the extreme verticality of the allotted light well, I designed the form of this system to act as a funnel which would draw light downward into the ancillary spaces below the ceiling line.
V E N E Z I A & A S S O C I AT E S / N J K - 1 2 A R C H I T E C T U R E A L L I A N C E
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The light well spans approximately ten feet across at the peak of the glazing. Below these transparent openings lies a system of trapezoidal acoustical panels which are angled outward to manage sound distribution. During the evening hours these panels are back lit to provide another layer of interest through indirect illumination. In addition, below these panels I have exposed the supporting system of steel columns and horizontal beams, which in effect expands the illuminating width of the light well from ten feet at the summit to twenty five feet at the ceiling line. This open structure allows light to penetrate into the reading areas on each side of the skylight. Finally, the perspective above and construction drawings that I have completed illustrate my intense professional understanding of this project
as it has developed from conception to construction. This skylight system was conceived through hand sketching combined with the use of the computer as a design tool for the more intricate structural and material details. Throughout the course of this and other projects completed while at NJ K-12 Architects I was constantly coordinating design development with various consultants and participating in the interdisciplinary components of architecture within the professional environment. In this manner, I learned to collaborate and take direction, share the division of labor and understand the vital components of various building systems. The skills acquired while working as the lead designer on this skylight eventually lead to my promotion as Project Manager at NJ K-12 Architects.
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This final dream manifests itself as both a conclusion to my design portfolio and a capstone to my undergraduate education. The Nexus was completed during a collaborative studio where I joined with three other senior designers to articulate our collective vision of a gallery to celebrate the genesis of contemporary art. Ultimately, this project was an entry into the 2003 ACSA Wood Design Competition for a 20,000 sq. ft gallery to house the contemporary arts within an urban setting. In addition, the requirements focused on the use of wood as a primary sustainable building material. In response to the nature of the Finnish Vernacular and its focus on wood as a primary building product, we chose to locate the gallery off the coast of Helsinki on an island known as Suomenlinna. Embedded within the rocky shore of the western cove, as shown within the site map, the structure establishes a clear link with the view of urban Helsinki while celebrating the craft of wood products inspired by the Finnish people and situating itself on an island where the arts had already established prominence within various galleries and museums.
7 GALLERY LEGEND
The above sketch was completed during a collaborative schematic design charette and represents our initial approach to form and spatial sequence. The structure embodies the concept of contemporary art as a boat landing on the shores of Finland and anchoring itself within the foreign soil. As shown in the plan and section, primary entry occurs from a raised platform stretching above the water and descending down through the tree tops of the exterior conservatory. The visitor then enters the building and is brought through the gallery sequence along a descending ramp that gradually unveils the central theater, shown in the section, as the bottom level is reached. Finally, the lowest level contains the cafe, sauna with access to the cove and the ground level entry to the conservatory. The patron's constant engagement with indigenous vegetation and the water surrounding the site grew from our understanding of Finnish culture as one that values its national timber resources, and is heavily reliant upon ship building and industry born from the sea. Due to the large amount of work completed while in this studio, I have primarily included my own contributions. Therefore, unless otherwise noted, all technical drawings such as the plan to the right and section below, sketches or perspectives are my personal design and artistic creations.
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Entry Bridge Exterior Conservatory Upper Entry Single Installation Gallery Main Gallery Auditorium Upper Lobby Lower Lobby Cafe Sauna Administration Swimming Cove
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Section @ Auditorium and Main Gallery
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Preliminary Sketch Model Completed by Design Team The above sketch model completed by the team illustrates the nature of the primary building components, the embedment of the building within the site and the large wooden cantilevered structures. These cantilevers begin as supports for the ramping system above the conservatory and gradually incline and lift up out of the ground to form the shell of the main gallery. In addition, the configuration and elongation of these pieces simulates the hull of a ship which is central to the design concept. Furthermore, as shown in the model and the section completed by myself, the theater acts as the suspended core covered by a delicate wooden shell structure. In addition, the base of the theater, designed by my colleague, is composed of back lit, curved wooden slats in the form of an ovular basin.
Section @ Auditorium and Upper/ Lower Lobby
The smoothness and soft illumination simulates a carved wooden bowl which creates a feeling of comfort that encircles the inhabitant. Evident within the section and my sketch to the left, my personal design contributions focused around spatial sequencing, circulation, and structural design. The image of the site, lower left, illustrates the nature of circulation throughout the uneven terrain. This curvilinear procession manifests itself in my articulation of the descending interior circulation sequence which encircles the auditorium, and culminates on the exterior bringing the patrons either into the water or out to the ground level of the conservatory. In this way, the interior of the building becomes an enclosed topographic representation of the surrounding context.
7 While embracing the culture of Finland it is necessary to provide a form that is both consistent with the craft of wood construction and indicative of the nature of the site. The southern elevation below, completed by myself, illustrates the influence of nautical themes. The form of a beached sea craft grounded within the soil is clearly perceptible. Furthermore, the structure of the gallery not only springs from the site, but also transcends it to encompass the shell of the auditorium as well as the gestural entrance ramp beckoning to the center of urban activity on the mainland. In addition, my design for smaller scale engagement with the sea is found within the cafe, cantilevered over water, and the docks which bring the visitor directly from the interior of the sauna into the cool water of the cove.
Southern Cove Elevation The drawing to the left represents my design for the structure of the main gallery. As the primary support, the wooden truss system is inspired by the framing within the hull of a sea fairing vessel. The trusses are composed of gluelams with steel plates and tension rods at the center. In addition, the elongated beams that rest on top of this structure are the aforementioned cantilevered pieces that begin as the vertical supports for the conservatory ramp and gradually become horizontal to form the "hull" over the main gallery. Finally, a transparent glazing system spans between these cantilevers to form a skin over the main gallery and allows for natural lighting, a precious commodity at such high latitudes.
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When contemplating the intense connection between the nautical site and cultural sustainability, it became necessary to provide a symbolic entry sequence that reflects an appreciation for the importance of wood within Finnish culture and industry. As illustrated in the model above, the entry bridge springs from the shoreline, stretches between a system of vertical cantilevers and connects with the descending wooden platform suspended above the conservatory. Inspired by the gestural motion of the projecting docking platform shown below, this elevated structure establishes a constructed sequence of anticipation giving the visitor a preview of the gallery's exterior form, a unique treetop perspective of the conservatory below, and a reverence for the sea beyond. A thorough engagement with the water is ultimately promoted.
The diagram below illustrates the support system for the entry platform above the conservatory. The platform rests on a lateral wooden compression member which is joined to the vertical cantilever via the steel connection shown above. In addition, a steel cable links the top of the vertical member with the outboard end of the horizontal support. As these successive vertical cantilevers become part of the building mass, the angle of incline, illustrated below, decreases ten degrees in the clockwise direction. The plan detail to the right, designed by Malika Kirkling and myself, shows the composition of each inclined member. We have combined a steel space frame at the core with two exterior curvilinear gluelam assemblies. Essentially, the wood sustains compression while the steel manages the tensile force created by the suspended platform.
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Cantilever Plan Detail
In addition to various galleries and museums, the Island of Suomenlinna contains the remnants of a nineteenth century military base. The perspective below, drawn by myself, details the entry sequence and the smaller galleries intended for individual artist installation. These galleries adopt the projectile form of the cannons embedded within the stone walls of the abandoned fortification and symbolize a drastic transformation of purpose for the Island of Suomenlinna. In contrast to their formal predecesor, the cannon which was dedicated to destruction, these projecting galleries promote a form of freedom and creation inherent within the contemporary arts. Finally, each gallery incorporates a residence on the ground level for a visiting artist scheduled to perform an installation within the Nexus.
7 The photographs reveal the large scale building model completed by Anson Dible. Within this representation the viewer can appreciate how the design team exploited the embedment of the building within the site as well as the reflective qualities of the surrounding water. An overhead view of the "hull" structure which defines the main gallery is presented to the left, while the cantilevered entry platform above the conservatory is shown below. In an effort to further the advancement and sustainability of wood products, the Nexus incorporated such structures as the wooden shell, the vertical cantilever in the form of a wood/steel hybrid, and the complex density of the wooden slat work within the facade of the small galleries juxtaposed to the transparent outer skin of the main gallery. Interwoven within the forested landscape and grounded to the shore, the building combines the diversity of all of the above forms into a unified package dedicated to commemorating the spirit which spawned its creation: the dynamic freedom of contemporary art.
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Shell Structure Detail
The structural drawing to the right illustrates my design for the wooden shell which encloses the auditorium at the core of the building. Primary components include a series of struts and steel tension rods as well as the curved "Y" shaped wooden supports which arch upward from the floor plane and connect to a central gluelam at the peak of the shell. In addition, a smooth wood veneer covers the structure, thereby creating a skin which gradually diminishes and reveals the auditorium as the visitor circulates around the perimeter and into the lower lobby. Finally, the perspective below, drawn by me, illustrates how the building springs from the rocky shore and engages the water beyond. The structure cradles an intimate space within the cove that would promote simultaneous human engagement with the gallery and the water, which can be inferred from the activity within the above photograph of the site.