2014
Benjamin Hall 417.227.0045 Bhall1380@Gmail.com
service Urban Infill
copenhagen, denmark
Sports & Leisure Center
copenhagen, denmark
springfield, missouri
Texas County Memorial Hospital
houston, missouri
Windsor, Missouri Masterplan
windsor, missouri
the MOBILcITY
austin, texas
TransFORM KC
kansas city, missouri
Photography
truth
Sherwood Elementary School {Net Zero}
nixa, missouri
denmark, copenhagen
heart
Nixa Junior High Addition & Renovation
U rba n In f ill
While studying abroad in Denmark, I had the opportunity to design my first urban infill and facade project. The design was for a fashion studio and boutique. The program consisted of three studios for three different designers, in addition to a boutique, material library, break room, and conference room. The site was in a wealthy neighborhood near the center of Copenhagen overlooking the city lake. A small two story building of no significance, resting between two larger more traditional buildings, inhabited the site which was where the studio and boutique were to be built.
After researching the fashion industry, I quickly began to find similarities between it and architecture. One key difference is the evolution of the two. Unlike architecture, fashion is capable of rapidly changing and often does so with the seasons. I decided on producing a facade that would be capable of expressing the change, to either to inspire the designers residing inside or to excite the public passing by on the outside.
Front Elevation
Day Rendering
Day Rendering
Night Rendering
Night Rendering
U rba n In f ill
The exterior has a fiberglass mesh that appears stretched between
the adjacent buildings. This mesh is known for its ability to absorb, and reflect the colors of its surrounding, making it ever changing. It works best in more vibrant environments, but because Denmark experiences lots of darkness during the winter, and overcast days throughout the year, the option of artificially illuminating the material has been chosen as well. The artificial lighting source for this design would be a series of LED lights placed behind the mesh.
The interior of the building would have the raw materials exposed from the adjacent buildings, and instead an exposed lightweight steel structure would be placed between the adjacent buildings to support the upper floors. The stairs and elevator are placed against the back wall to open up the interior space. To maximize space, book shelves would serve as partitions, and railings. A green roof as been added to the top as an additional break area or gathering area.
Building Section
Wall Section
Diagrams
Sports & Leisure Center
While in Denmark, I was tasked with designing a sports and leisure
center that would double as a community center. The location had already been determined, and was at the heart of an upper middle class neighborhood, full of old Danish architecture. The people were predominately local Danes, who mostly kept to themselves, perhaps because the neighborhood was lacking in energy. The program had already been established, and was to consist of badminton courts with smaller intimate spaces, a multipurpose space for informal gatherings, and a cafe.
Sports & Leisure Center
Located on the only green public place in the area, this site hosted
a small park. I wanted to keep as much of the park feeling to the site as possible, which because of its area and the net area of my building, I would have to build up and not out. Copenhagen is known as the city of towers, and to build “up� offered the unique ability to be a part of the towers and also to stand out as an iconic modern day tower, and beacon of community living. Because the height offered the opportunity for a unique and inhabitable space, at the top which would look out over Copenhagen, two more programmable spaces were added; an event space, and a green roof.
Total Area of Tower Area of Site
Area of Tower Footprint
Area of Remaining Site
Comparative Square Meter Chart
Birds Eye Rendering
Site Plan
I was able to create a small footprint (16m X 22m), which could
accommodate all necessary functions. The final height of the tower would have to be 36 meters, about 12-16 meters above any adjacent building. The windows were based on the need of the program, and were mainly placed to look out over the park and not out into adjacent apartments. By moving the structure
West Elevation
South Elevation
and the vertical elements, such as the stairs and elevator, to the exterior, I was able to open the interior spaces. The same cut-out forms were brought to the inside and serve as barriers between the circulation areas and programmable spaces. The ground floor walls are capable of opening up almost completely to become more inviting and less restrictive to all people.
East Elevation
North Elevation
Floor Plans
Tower Section
Interior Rendering of Flexible Space
Nixa Junior High Additions & Renovations
The Nixa Public School system is one of the fastest growing
school systems in Missouri. The junior high was originally built in 1965 as the then high school. After many additions it became a chaotic mix of old and new, void of any identity. To accommodate the rapidly growing school population Sapp Design Associates was selected to design an administration, classroom, and commons space addition, a FEMA Tornado Safe Room/ Gymnasium, and renovations throughout the existing school. School identity and school pride became the focus of the new additions and renovations while employing innovative solutions to incorporate 21st century design principles such as: Collaboration, Flexibility, Safety & Security, and Transparency.
Phase I of the additions introduces a
new classroom wing that completes the circulation of the west side of the existing building. This addition allows for two complete “teams� to be added and includes two fully equipped science labs. The interior walls are non-load-bearing to allow for future renovations to take place. Phase II is an Administration, Commons, & FEMA Safe Room addition and Art, Band, Classroom, & Kitchen renovations. These additions take place at the front of the building and create a new identity for the school that enhances school pride.
plan & spacial relationship diagram >
existing school phase I addition phase II addition renovations
The Flexible Learning Space provides students and teachers a choice in how they learn. The different types of movable furniture and technology fosters learning in all forms.
< flexible learning classroom
The Commons is flooded with natural light during the day thereby reducing the need for artificial lighting. Along with the flex space, the Commons serves as the social focal point for the school.
< interior of commons space
Entrance & Lobby:
The exterior fold is continued through to the interior and serves as an inspiration wall while displaying school pride.
new entry corridor >
FEMA Safe Room: The FEMA Safe Room doubles as a gymnasium & wrestling gym. The exterior paint scheme continues the folding theme from the Main Entrance, and serves as a backdrop for all sporting events taking place to the east.
FEMA safe room / gymnasium >
The innovative glass faรงade is a form
of safety glass that will be printed on to allow for school pride to be on display. The overhangs assist in sun control and the transparency provides for an abundance of natural light to penetrate deep into the space.
< exterior view of commons space
The new additions create a more inviting and cohesive appearance. The main entrance is punctuated and the contrast of vibrant and neutral materials create interest.
< overall view of all additions
Sherwood Elementary Springfield Public Schools
Springfield Public Schools has decided to create a new model
for what its schools should be in the 21st century. This model is to address the issue of rising energy cost, and respond to the changes in a 21st century school environment. These changes focus on collaboration in the classroom as well as physical and social development throughout the school. Sapp Design Associates was selected because of its vast experience in the field of education and its knowledge of 21st century school design.
Sherwood Elementary will be the first Net-Zero school in the state of Missouri. Its environmentally friendly design is complimented by solar panels and wind turbines. At times of low energy consumption, Sherwood will be able to supply energy to the grid while still maintaining day to day operations. The school has a unique partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Springfield which lowers the overall cost of the facilities and provides students with before and after school programs for further social, mental, and physical development. While it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t required, the design team designed the gymnasium to FEMA tornado safe room standards to protect the kids.
The classroom wings feature a
commons space that further facilitates different teaching and learning modalities. This is all part of the 21st century school principles of collaboration and flexibility. In this scenario, the students become the teacher and the teachers become facilitators. The result of this type of environment is the students not only learn core curriculum, but they learn how to learn as well. Technology is paramount In this setting; therefore, a modern IT infrastructure is provided to meet current needs and is capable of meeting future needs for many years to come. floor plan >
birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye view of school >
TCMH
Texas County Memorial Hospital Additions & Renovations
Texas County Memorial Hospital is located in Houston, Missouri,
and it serves a vast rural area of southern Missouri. The hospital was built in the 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and was unfit for modern healthcare and was unable to keep up with the growing demand of an aging population. While working for HMN architects, I was able to help support the Texas County Memorial Hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission by working with them on multiple projects to include; Administration & Surgical Suite Renovations, FEMA Tornado Safe Room / Community Center, and the addition of a modern healthcare facility complete with an ER, Dr. Offices, and in-patient/ outpatient rooms.
The renovation of the Surgical
Suite proved to be the most difficult as economy became of foremost importance. Our team had to maintain high standards while using few resources. Our surgical approach to the building posed many structural and mechanical challenges as we strived to salvage as much as possible. All of the hard work paid off in the end when the project came in on budget and a facility once thought of as unattainable for a small community, such as Houston, was realized
interior photo of hospital addition>
FEMA safe room rendering>
Windsor, Missouri Master Planning
In fall of 2010, I was part of a six member team tasked with the
challenge of creating a 20-30 year vision plan for the city of Windsor, Missouri. Windsor is a small town in west-central Missouri. It has remained nearly unchanged since the 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and has recently taken a hit due to economic conditions. Many parts of the downtown are in disrepair, as well as the infrastructure throughout the town. Places of interest are scattered throughout with weak connectivity between places. Assets such as the Katy Trail, and the city park are under utilized and unappreciated. Through a thorough analysis, and careful decision making, a plan for the future development of Windsor was to be created.
After an in-depth analysis of Windsor a plan began to form, which addressed both the needs and concerns for the citizens. Connecting the assets throughout the town was addressed by better utilizing the Katy Trail and converting another abandon rail into a trail. In the plan this would allow Windsor to be a more bike-friendly town, which would help to develop its image into a cleaner, healthier town. In the plan the industrial park, would have to undergo a renovation, that would improve its infrastructure and give it a more â&#x20AC;&#x153;park likeâ&#x20AC;? feel. A new housing development was suggested to be developed near the center of town and would follow Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) principles. The renovation of an abandon warehouse was planned to serve as a community center. All improvements contributed to the cultivation of the Katy Trail and made the trail the focal point of the town.
New Industrial Park Plan
Industrial Park Rendering
My undertaking was to focus on the Industrial Park, making it
a more viable and attractive park for businesses. The original Industrial Park had unlimited access to highway 52, which led to confusing entry and exit points, and unsafe conditions. The new design would zone out the land and provide more viable infrastructure. The plan allowed for the entry and exit points to be minimized to better control traffic, and to maximize safety
along highway 52. Although the future is uncertain, the industrial park hopes to attract green technology companies. This will also help the image of Windsor as a clean, sustainable, and proactive town. Alternative energy sources have been considered, and will help to lower the cost of energy for the companies residing in the industrial park.
New Housing Development
New Housing Rendering
New housing had been diverted away from the city center and other amenities to a location just outside of the city, in the form of sprawled out subdivisions that do not encourage neighborhood interaction. While addressing the housing situation I proposed a new housing development which would be placed in the heart of Windsor, surrounded by amenities. Using Traditional Neighborhood
Development principles the design was created which included, multiple high density housing types, a network of wellconnected streets, and amenities within walking distance. This design promotes human interaction, and appeals to all demographics.
the MOBILcITY
My last project while in school was the design of a transportation
hub for the city of Austin, Texas. The design was based off my thesis paper the previous semester. While the paper examined public transportation as a basis for urban design and its resulting social implications, I wanted to focus on a single building and the role of the transportation hub for my project. Historically the transportation hub has been the center for civic interaction and was the focal point for which all social and economic activity took place. This has not been the case in modern America, but rather sprawl has occurred due to the invention of the automobile. This sprawl has both physically and socially disconnected Americans.
View from the Street (Level 1)
This Transportation Hub is meant
to serve as a destination for those coming into Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downtown. It is a multiuse structure lending use to art, entertainment, hospitality, retail, and transit functions. Due to its location, the Hub acts as the transition space between the city to the north and the parks to the south. The project is intended to show how a complex problem can be easily addressed, and the many diagrams illustrate the simplified design process. The selected drawings are a sample of the final project. For more information on both the thesis, and the project, a separate book is available upon request.
Site Map Showing Surrounding Amenities
Design Decision 1
Tower Section
Design Decision 2
Design Decision 3
View from theTrain Platform (Level 2)
Design Decision 4
Design Decision 5
Design Decision 6
Design Decision 7
Design Decision 8
Design Decision 9
View from Elevated Park (Level 3)
transFORM KC
Calls to Ideas for Visioning Kansas City’s Passenger Rail
Transform KC was a “Calls to Ideas” competition that was
seeking individuals and firms to submit ideas on what the new mass transit systems should be in Kansas City, Missouri. Because of my interest in public mass transit and belief in their ability to create more “livable” cities, I saw this as an opportunity to further my knowledge and perhaps make an impact. As I spearheaded the campaign, I reached out to two individuals for further direction and research. Andrea Hall, a candidate doctor of civil engineering at the University of Texas, provided me with her research information on the emerging technologies surrounding self-driving (autonomous) vehicles. Gareth Pierce, a well decorated architect turned mechanical engineer, provided me with an abundance of information surrounding his self-designed MonoMetro system.
The information from these individuals coupled with my research on Cycling / Walking infrastructure and the impact of Mobile Technology in regards to mass transit, allowed me to comeup with a modern vision centered around livability, economics, and feasibility. The plan was presented as a single large print alongside notable industry leading firms such as AECOM, BNIM, Grimshaw, HOK, SOM, and more. All entries can be viewed @ TransFormKC.org
MonoMetro
Value Driven Overhead Rail Engineering for the 21st Century City
• Economically Sustainable • Ultra Safe • Futuristic Aesthetics • High Capacity • Low Cost Infrastructure, and Infrastructure Maintenance
The Cost of MonoMetro is about 60% of that MonoMetro can Handle Up to 2 Times the of Traditional Light Rail System amount of Passengers per Hour
• Narrow Columns and Beams Are Less Visually Obtrusive • Construction Boosts Local
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Economies • Easily Integrated into any Urban Setting and Multi-modal Transit Plan • Icon for 21st Century Sustainable Cities • Low Tax-Payer Subsidies, if at All Subsidized
Autonomous Cars Fuel-Efficient Self Driving Cars as Part of a Car-Sharing Program
• Because of short Trips More Often Taken, The Option for 100% Electric Fleet is Possible, Further Reducing a City’s Carbon Foot-Print • Less City Pollution if Electric or Fuel-Efficient
It’s been Estimated that Autonomous Vehicles Car-Sharing can Reduce Car Ownership by an would Decrease Automobile Injuries by 65% Estimated rate of 15 for every 1 Car-Share Car • Decreases in City Automobile Population Injuries i nN on -A ut o
• Less Parking Spaces Required
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• Allows for more Narrow Roads
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• Drastically Increases Automobile Related Safety • Unsubsidized • Works Well with Current Car Ownership Trends. • Maintained at a Local Level, Boosting Local Economies • Less Congestion
Biking // Walking The Benefits of a well Integrated Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure System are Unparalleled
• Improved Sense of Community • Most Reliable Mode of Transportation • Decreased Obesity Rates • Increased Economic Activity
Economic Activity in Bicycling & Pedestrian Areas increases by about 50%
• Ideal for All Climates
Nearly 9 Times the Amount of Calories are Burned when Cycling as Opposed to Driving • Decreased Traffic Congestion • Decreased Pollution
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• Easily Implemented and Integrated
Mobile Mobility
As Mobile Technologies Develop, Their Use in a Well Integrated Multi-Modal Transit Plan Becomes Instrumental
• Helps to Coordinate the Different Modes of Transportation in a Multi-modal Transit Plan • Generates Multiple Routes and Categorizes Them Based
Fully Connected, Fully Accessible Public Tran- Increased Ridership on Public Transit sit Schedules & Updates
on Many Factors to Include, Time, Calories Burned, Transportation Modes, Safety, Amenities, etc… • Acts as the Thread, Combining all Modes of Transportation
Photography
Photography is a new passion and past-time for me. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rely on
the camera to remember the shape of a place in time, but rather to capture the essence of the moment. I enjoy photographing architecture as well as people in daily life, but after spending much time in Denmark, I decided to focus on architecture.
Benjamin Hall 417.227.0045 Bhall1380@Gmail.com