ARCHITECTURE +DESIGN
PORTFOLIO BENJAMIN JANES
Personal Statement I am an undergraduate student studying architecture at the University of Minnesota. I am passionate about many facets of design, ranging from graphic design to furniture to the built environment and urban planning. I firmly believe that architects and designers have a unique ability to improve the lives of people everywhere and every day simply by doing what we love, and am driven to live up to belief in my own work. Interests + Hobbies In my free time, I enjoy running, woodworking, photography, hiking, volunteering, and exploring the Twin Cities with good company.
bwjanes97@gmail.com linkedin.com/in/benjamin-janes-a71b1a127
Work Experience
Groundskeeper, Promega Corp. (Summer 2017) As a Groundskeeper, my responsibilities included maintaining the lawns, prairies, and trails around the Promega campus. This mainly involved mowing the grass, trimming back overgrown plants, and clearing trails of debris. We were also called upon to do building maintenance when necessary. Painter, Phoenix Painting and Decorating (Summer 2015) My responsibilities at Phoenix painting included using a paint sprayer and a roller to paint building exteriors, as well as interiors. I was also responsible for building preparation, which included paint scraping and window masking, as well as other general labor responsibilities. Summer School Cross Country Camp Assistant (Summer 2014) During the summer between my sophomore and junior year I assisted my cross country coach in running a summer camp for children interested in cross country. I typically oversaw a small group of children during games or warm-up activities.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (2016- ) Minneapolis, MN Major: Bachelor of Science in Architecture Minor: Product Design GPA: 3.96 Awards: College of Design Dean’s List Fall 2016, Spring 2017 Liebenberg Scholarship Winner for Outstanding Architecture Admissions Application Activities: American Institute of Architecture Students (Fall 2016- ) Freedom by Design (Fall 2016- ) Habitat for Humanity (Fall 2016- )
Summer School Math Teaching Assistant (Summer 2013) I worked as a teaching assistant in a summer school class for 5th and 6th graders who needed help reaching their expected skill levels. My job primarily entailed individually helping students who were having trouble understanding the teacher’s lesson, as well as leading small group learning activities.
Oregon High School (2012-2016) Oregon, Wisconsin GPA: 3.98 Awards: Badger Conference Top 10 Scholar (Spring 2016) National Honor Society (Fall 2015-Spring 2016) Graduated Summa cum Laude with Highest Honors Activities: Model United Nations (Fall 2015-Spring 2016) GAPP German Exchange (Summer 2014) Cross Country (Fall 2012-Fall 2015) Track and Field (Spring 2013-Spring 2016)
Leadership Experience
Skills
Project Manager, Freedom By Design (Fall 2017- ) My role as Project Manager was to plan and oversee the completion of chapter projects, such as our musical playground equipment, and attend Executive Board meetings.
Photoshop
OHS Cross Country Captain (Fall 2015) As a team captain, I was responsible for helping the coaches lead practices, team meetings, and race preparations.
Revit
Badger Boys State Representative (Summer 2015) The faculty of my high school selected me to serve as the school representative at Badger Boys State, an annual conference for developing leadership through teamwork and problem solving.
Illustrator Indesign Sketchup AutoCAD Rhino
BIO + SKILLS
STUD
DIO PROJECTS
With the goal of establishing a better connection between the Weisman Art Museum and the Mississippi River below, FLOW. was conceived as an exploration of movement in water and light. Water’s movement can be broken down into three stages, falling, flowing, and stilled, which can all be mirrored by light. These ideas were implemented vigorously throughout the project. Water spills out from a waterfall at the entrance, then slowly flows down a gentle slope before collecting in a reflecting pool in the central chamber. Light also pours in through the waterfall, and flows through a light slit cut above the slope. An occupiable, thick window wall imitates the patterns of light on water in the main chamber. The design of the project uses this natural progression of light and water to inform the circulation path through the spaces, while also asking users to interact with each stage; descending around the waterfall, stepping over the water as it flows to get to individual spaces, and sitting in the window wall are all part of the experience. Design Fundamentals II Prof. Adam Jarvi Collaboration with Oliver Batzli 2017
FLOW.
What started as a series of volumetric study models based on SPINE, ELEMENT was both an abstraction of form and ideas which shifts the focus towards creating large and small spaces for people to gather in. To do this, the volumetric model was inverted inside stacked cardboard, creating a cavity. The idea of passage through the project remained intact, but there is more of a balance between using the space purely for circulation and using it for activities ranging from individual contemplation and study to large musical or dance performances. Another thing that was abstracted from the previous project was the sense of alternation in the form of the building. In the original, alternating planes cut through the sky, but in this project, large masses are suspended over the user’s head, creating platforms and recesses that give and take from the central path, creating a ceiling that is as dynamic as the previous project’s, but in a very different way. All the abstraction was done by breaking the previous design down into its most basic elements and reassembling them through several iterations, eventually creating a space that felt both familiar but also noticeably different. Design Fundamentals II Prof. Adam Jarvi 2017
ELEMENT
Challenged to create a shelter out of a single sheet of folded paper, SPINE was meant to serve as a shelter for pedestrians passing through the park behind Coffman Memorial Union, a central path down to the Mississippi River. The design’s form is derived from the goals of maximizing light and airiness while still providing cover from rain and snow to pedestrians passing through it. There’s a dichotomy of movement encouraged by the project; while the interior is designed to provide shelter for circulation space, the exterior of the ribs serves as seating space for students to come and study, relax, or meet friends. Design Fundamentals II Prof. Adam Jarvi Collaboration with Stephen Farrell 2017
SPINE
Based on the same challenge as the previous project but done individually, LOTUS is sited in the East River Flats Park, where a lack of any shelter from the elements limits the site’s programming on any day that isn’t sunny and warm. After an extensive iterative process, the final design attempted to provide a sculptural pavilion that could accommodate both individuals and groups of people. The pavilion ceiling folds down in the center, providing space for individual study and reflection, while the exterior allows space for groups of people to meet and take shelter from the elements. The design was also intended to reflect and remain open to its natural surroundings, one of the key features of the park. Design Fundamentals II Prof. Adam Jarvi 2017
LOTUS
After a tornado passed through several North Minneapolis communities in 2011, the city was left in possession of a few hundred vacant lots scattered throughout old neighborhoods. These same communities have also lost some of the neighborhood charm that they once boasted. The COMMUNITY HOUSE, sited on two of these lots at the corner of 39th Ave and Fremont Ave, aimed to use infilling as a catalyst for bringing fractured communities together. The plan for the site sought to activate the edges of the lot that touch the street, creating a stepped terrace that allows pedestrians to stop, sit, converse amongst themselves. The street corner of the lot features a communal sitting area, allowing neighbors to gather and get to know each other better. The design of the house itself has an emphasis on hosting and supervising community events. The second floor seems to hover over the ground, creating a carport that doubles as a large covered space for neighborhood parties. The main living spaces on the second floor are designed to have an air of transparency and openness to the neighborhood. There is also a wraparound porch overlooking the community spaces. Design in the Digital Age Prof. Phillip Rader 2017
COMMUNITY
HOUSE
WEIGHT was a project that analyzed the Walker Art Center and abstracted the findings into a new form. The abstraction mainly dealt with the contrast in spaces in the Walker. There were the galleries, which were heavy, strong, isolated from the outside; spaces where the architecture was downplayed to highlight the art. And then there were the public spaces, which were airy and strongly connected to the outdoors. Here, dramatic architectural gestures were on display. The model was conceived as two blocks that mirror the dichotomy between the public and gallery spaces. One Block was made of plaster, representing the values of the gallery spaces. The other block is made of mesh, that has intriguing and dramatic spaces befitting the public spaces at the Walker. A third element dealt with how the building was sited; the proximity of the Walker to the road effectively squeezes people into the building. In the model, this was accomplished by a series of poles which guide users toward the blocks. Design Fundamentals I Prof. Courtney Miller-Bellairs 2016
WEIGHT
PERSON
NAL PROJECTS
Designed as a reaction against the sprawling, massive cabins that dot the north woods, the Getaway Cabin is intended to function as a return to the original purpose of the wilderness cabin. Rejecting the notion that cabins need to have every amenity and activity imaginable, Getaway Cabin refocuses the attention on interaction and connection with nature. Platforms hold the cabin up off the ground, creating a bridge of sorts from the land directly over the water and forms a visual connection between the two. The cabin itself serves as a waypoint for observation, with a transparency that invites the outside in and encourages occupants to get outside and take a hike, go swimming, or simply enjoy nature. The critical systems of the cabin (kitchen, bathroom, utility, and bedroom areas) are contained in a single unit that can be prefabricated and trucked to the site, decreasing environmental impact on the site. 2017
GETAWAY
Conceptually, the Balancing House was created by simply taking one long box and stacking it on top of another, placed so that it would seem like the second level was precariously balancing on top of the first level. The goal was to create a dramatic cantilever over the backyard patio and pool area, which could provide shade on hot summer days. There was also a focus on connection to the outdoors with the project, which led to nearly the entire back side of the house being floor-toceiling windows, with sliding doors blurring the lines between inside and outside. The same is true of the second level, where the cantilevered end opens up to become a balcony off the master bedroom, allowing for a treehouse-like feel. 2016
BALANCING
HOUSE
A product of my interests in woodworking and furniture design, this chair and lamp were my first forays into designing and building furniture myself. My goal was to create something that was simple and sleek, but still had an easygoing feeling to it. Another focus of mine was collapsibility and affordability. Being a college student myself, I wanted to make it furniture that would work for people like me who are on a limited budget and move frequently but still appreciate design. Both pieces can be taken apart by simply removing a few bolts or screws, and pack nearly flat for easy moving and shipping. 2017
FURNITURE
DESIGN
Thank you for reading. Feel Free to reach me at: bwjanes97@gmail.com Benjamin Janes linkedin.com/in/benjamin-janes-a71b1a127