PORTFOLIO Birger Meekins Selected Architectural Works - 2011-2016
bmeekins16@gmail.com 716.499.5757 Washington, DC
BERT MEEKINS https://issuu.com/bmeekins16/docs/portfolio_2016
Education August 2011 - May 2016 Architecture Marywood University
August 2009 - May 2011 Math & Science Jamestown Community College
Personal Statement During architecture school, I realized my true passion for design. I find that I draw my inspiration from new experiences, whether it be something I learn, a person I meet, or place I visit. I am always drawing inspiration from a changing environment, which is why architecture truly became my passion. Through different professional and educational experience, I value space that is foremost functional, but in turn embodies an appreciation for the culture it is established within, and ultimately helps to establish thereafter. Because of this, Washington DC has become an area I have come to appreciate architecturally. Being raised in a rural New York has given me a different perspective of urban areas. As a constantly growing city with a rich culture, it presents the opportunity for architecture to have great influence in it’s future. For me, those ever-changing variables of architecture and the design process continually inspire and push me to grow.
Competencies Autodesk
Adobe
Revit
Photoshop
AutoCAD
Illustrator
3DS Max
InDesign After Effects
Other Software
Knowledge
SketchUp
3D Printing
VRay (3DS Max)
Rendering
Rhino
Hand Modeling
Bluebeam
Animation
Work Experience May - August 2014 Sater Group - Architectural Intern Created and edited CAD drawings, created 3d models and renderings of existing floor plans, and participated in company meetings. May 2015 - 2017 Formwear - Owner Built a business specializing in 3d printing jewelry, household objects and custom designs. Designed and maintained a website, regulated sales, spoke with clients and customers, organized sales revenue documents, order forms, materials, ect. Designed a logo, business card, sample work book, and jewelry. May 2016 - September 2016 Bemus Bay Planners - Junior Architectural Designer Drafted complete drawing sets including floor plans, elevations, sections, structural details, schedules, ect. Introduced Revit as a potential BIM platform to expedite processes in AutoCAD. Coordinated meetings with clients. Visited sites to take measurements for as-built drawings. Created 3D Renderings using Revit and Photoshop. October 2016 - Present David M. Schwarz Architects - Architectural Designer Collaborated with team members on large-scale products. Developed drawings and photorealistic renderings. Modeled unique classical details with parametric Revit families to be referenced by different companies coordinating through a common Revit Cloud model. Hand-modeled intricate study models. Managed office 3D Printing Station, including maintenance, material tracking, and educating others. Developed master plan drawings in Revit to calculate cost, determine phasing, compare unit count with GFA, estimate parking requirements, and study massing.
Awards & Extracurricular
Web Design Mapping Presentation Drawing
August 2011 - May 2016 Dean’s List Marywood University
Photography
Qualifications NCARB Approved Hours - 1256 (+1068 Pending) Years of recorded NCARB Experience - 1.23
August 2009 - November 2011 Soccer Team Captain & 1st Team All-Section Jamestown Community College
“We think too much, and feel too little.” -Charlie Chaplin
02
03
04
INFORMATIC ARTERIES
LIVE ENDS
URBAN LOFT
NET WORK
01
01
02 03 04
01 INFORMATIC ARTERIES Washington, D.C. arch 420 site plan 0
60
120
240
i st. nw ft
360
n rk
w
ne
yo
w
e. n
av
11th st. nw
12th st. nw
13th st. nw
7th st. nw
8th st. nw
g pl. nw
9th st. nw
10th st. nw
h st. nw
mlk library g st. nw
f st. nw
Concept Informatic Arteries is a library addition in downtown Washington DC. Focus on new space vs. established space and respect for initial design intent are paramount. Movement through space becomes the driving concept behind the architecture. Circulation through the library is coerced by a system of steel louvers which twist and deform, revealing an image concealed behind it. The image becomes visible as one moves through the spaces, or “arteries,� as different viewpoints expose themselves depending on the louver deformation. The building becomes navigable and interesting, as opposed to the original building design, and allows occupants to discover new uses the library has for them, and rediscover ones that it had all along.
Competencies Site Analysis Model Making Movement Spacial Interaction New vs. Old
01
“The impossible often has a kind of integrity which the merely improbable lacks.� -Douglas Adams
01 INFORMATIC ARTERIES Washington, D.C. arch 420 site plan 0
60
120
240
i st. nw ft
360
n rk
w
ne
yo
w
e. n
av
11th st. nw
12th st. nw
13th st. nw
7th st. nw
8th st. nw
g pl. nw
9th st. nw
10th st. nw
h st. nw
mlk library g st. nw
f st. nw
Concept Informatic Arteries is a library addition in downtown Washington DC. Focus on new space vs. established space and respect for initial design intent are paramount. Movement through space becomes the driving concept behind the architecture. Circulation through the library is coerced by a system of steel louvers which twist and deform, revealing an image concealed behind it. The image becomes visible as one moves through the spaces, or “arteries,� as different viewpoints expose themselves depending on the louver deformation. The building becomes navigable and interesting, as opposed to the original building design, and allows occupants to discover new uses the library has for them, and rediscover ones that it had all along.
Competencies Site Analysis Model Making Movement Spacial Interaction New vs. Old
UP
3rd
studio/exhibit space
2nd
archives/history
CAFE DN DN
UP
UP
public space
UP
UP
great hall
0
10
20
40
60
ft
ground
CHILDREN’S AREA
entrance vestibule
UP
theatre/event space
4th
cafe
popular library outdoor eating area
theatre
UP
meeting/event space
5th
DN
DN UP
innovation & prototyping
special collections
UP
lookout
meeting/event space
6th
north ft 64 32 16 8 0
Information through Discovery As pedestrians navigate the library, their movement is encouraged by discovery. Each louvered wall reveals a important figure in history that represents the spaces it is concealing. The existing MLK Library lacks excitement. Architecture can be the engine to reinvoke the importance of libraries as an interactive space, especially in a day when the printed book has become endangered to technology.
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character that is the goal of true education. -Martin Luther King Jr.
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ARCHIVES/HISTORY POPULAR LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
west
CHARLIE CHAPLIN
0
15
30
60
ft 120
a
THEATRE/EVENT SPACE MEETING AREA
earnest hemingway children’s area studio/event space
DETAIL ft 30
1/2� steel louver 70 rotating arm anchor bolt
10
20
right angle anchor plate
5
curtain wall mullion interior partition board 0
SECTION
steel louver system
batt insulation rigid insulation
window pane
finished floor backer plate i-beam support column concrete exterior finish
acoustic ceiling tile
02 LIVE ENDS
with Stephanie Breslin, Joseph DiLoreto, & Milton Major
Brooklyn, NY arch 410
This project aims to bridge the gap between the community; building interventions that highlight prosperity in the community via a promenade. This promenade rises above the Canal where the stench cannot be sensed, allowing pedestrians to enjoy the area without the hinderance of the pollution. Each intervention is unique according to the surrounding context.
Competencies Spacial Relationships Digital Fabrication Rendering Techniques Urban Context Mapping
PILLARS
LANDING
HILL
N
Live Ends activates the dead end streets lining the most polluted body of water in the U.S.; the Gowanus Canal. The Gowanus community thrives on small businesses including art shops, restaurants, and larger industries such as lumber yards and factories. Economically, the area is strong, but is divided by the smell and constant unpleasant presence of the Canal.
DOUGLASS ST.
DEGRAW ST.
SACKETT ST.
2ND ST.
DOCKS
1� - 45’
Concept
02
“When one man, for whatever reason, gets the chance to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself.� -Jacques Cousteau
02 LIVE ENDS
with Stephanie Breslin, Joseph DiLoreto, & Milton Major
Brooklyn, NY arch 410
This project aims to bridge the gap between the community; building interventions that highlight prosperity in the community via a promenade. This promenade rises above the Canal where the stench cannot be sensed, allowing pedestrians to enjoy the area without the hinderance of the pollution. Each intervention is unique according to the surrounding context.
Competencies Spacial Relationships Digital Fabrication Rendering Techniques Urban Context Mapping
PILLARS
LANDING
HILL
N
Live Ends activates the dead end streets lining the most polluted body of water in the U.S.; the Gowanus Canal. The Gowanus community thrives on small businesses including art shops, restaurants, and larger industries such as lumber yards and factories. Economically, the area is strong, but is divided by the smell and constant unpleasant presence of the Canal.
DOUGLASS ST.
DEGRAW ST.
SACKETT ST.
2ND ST.
DOCKS
1� - 45’
Concept
03 URBAN LOFT Scranton, PA arch 320
Concept The Urban Loft is a mixed use building in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania. Because Scranton’s population has been in decline since the 1930’s, a decision was made to “look to the future” in design conceptualization. According to the sun path, the Loft’s form staggers itself to maximize natural light in to the residencies. The ground floor makes use of the site, engaging pedestrian traffic as people are exposed to the activities inside the center as they walk and drive by. The exterior space includes an outdoor auditorium, providing the inhabitants of Scranton a place to watch shows, attend lectures, or perform themselves.
Competencies Urban Context Culture Research Site Analysis Facade Studies Building Circulation
03
“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.� -J.R.R. Tolkien
03 URBAN LOFT Scranton, PA arch 320
Concept The Urban Loft is a mixed use building in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania. Because Scranton’s population has been in decline since the 1930’s, a decision was made to “look to the future” in design conceptualization. According to the sun path, the Loft’s form staggers itself to maximize natural light in to the residencies. The ground floor makes use of the site, engaging pedestrian traffic as people are exposed to the activities inside the center as they walk and drive by. The exterior space includes an outdoor auditorium, providing the inhabitants of Scranton a place to watch shows, attend lectures, or perform themselves.
Competencies Urban Context Culture Research Site Analysis Facade Studies Building Circulation
DETAIL WALL SECTION 1” = 1’
04 NET WORK Scranton, P.A. arch 510
he
ri
ta
ge
tr
ai
st
..
l el
m
la
e.
ck
aw an
na
riv
er
Concept Net Work is conceptualized based upon the relationship between the Scranton Heritage Trail and Lackawanna River. Free-form layouts were performed deliberately, mimicking the feel of navigating through nature. The Heritage Trail lacks access to the River currently. Net Work provides direct access to the river for hikers, fishermen, kayakers, and pedestrians who want to enjoy themselves by the river. Its Sanctuary structure sits above the river, framing the pedestrian’s views down-river and allowing only the ambience of moving water to be heard through its openings in the floor. This offers a space to get away from the sounds and feeling of the city of Scranton nearby.
Competencies Site Relationships & Context Spacial Experience Environmental Challenges Material Investigation
con
exterio
Sketching exterior Revisiting these s rediscovered.
04
“The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake” -Kurt Vonnegut
04 NET WORK Scranton, P.A. arch 510
he
ri
ta
ge
tr
ai
st
..
l el
m
la
ncept sketches
e.
ck
aw an
na
or perspectives & vantage points
riv
er
r perspectives helps to identify similarities and differences in the schematic design thought process. sketches is dually important because initial ideas without influence from outside factors can be
Concept Net Work is conceptualized based upon the relationship between the Scranton Heritage Trail and Lackawanna River. Free-form layouts were performed deliberately, mimicking the feel of navigating through nature. The Heritage Trail lacks access to the River currently. Net Work provides direct access to the river for hikers, fishermen, kayakers, and pedestrians who want to enjoy themselves by the river. Its Sanctuary structure sits above the river, framing the pedestrian’s views down-river and allowing only the ambience of moving water to be heard through its openings in the floor. This offers a space to get away from the sounds and feeling of the city of Scranton nearby.
Competencies Site Relationships & Context Spacial Experience Environmental Challenges Material Investigation
5
journal entry 5 bert meekins
A Unique Perspective
heritage trail
The design encompasses three main buildings; a Community Center, Sanctuary, and Housing for autistic residents. Gallery space within the Community Center provides a space for residents to express themselves through artwork and creation without having to directly interact with people if they do not want to. Spaces are built with a strong consideration of the unique perspective that these tenants have.
net work
la
ck
Site plan 5th year studio - bert meekins
aw an
1. auditorium 2. office
a
na
3. gallery 4. vestibule
ri
5. lobby
ve
r
6. outdoor deck 7. reception - comm. center 8. bike/canoe rental/shop 9. entry pergola 10. parking
18
11. library 12. reception - housing
8
13. workshop 14. public restroom 15. electric/mechanical
6
2 up
16. fitness room
Dn
3
2
17. classroom
Dn
18. Sanctuary
5
14
14
7 dn
Dn
1
b dn
9 11 up
4
13 12 17 up
10
17 15
14 16
n 0
8
16
32
64 ft
west elevation
east elevation
0
4
8
16
32 ft
a
section a
b
section b
0
4
8
16
32 ft
FORMWEAR Bemus Point, NY Startup Company - 3d Printed Jewelry
Concept Formwear started as an idea to create 3d printed wearable objects which are influenced through architecture. The jewelry was inspired by geometric forms, nature, and everyday occurences which inspire design. Building Formwear taught invaluable lessons about sales, advertisement, website design, logo design, product conceptualization, 3d printing, communicating with people, networking and many other facets involved with starting a business. The company still exists mainly accepting custom-built orders. I aspire to expand the business to sell built objects that test the limits of 3d printing further. I am inspired by different forms of design every day, and Formwear has allowed me to express my interests in design outside of architecture.
Competencies 3d 3d Printing Printing Digital Digital Fabrication Fabrication Logo Logo Design Design Marketing Marketing Advertising Advertising
formwear 3d printed jewelry
formwear 3d printed jewelry is...
an idea
realized through
computer technology
05 NEXUS Philadelphia, P.A. arch 460
Concept Nexus is a Museum design which displays work for the artist Alexander Calder. Calder’s freeform style and inventive nature inspired an architectural concept largely based upon the design of Calder’s mobiles. The central atrium space is home to a Calder mobile which stands nearly 3 stories tall, suspended from the center of the atrium. This mobile dictates the spacial language through a radial grid based upon its geometry. Human movement and circulation are rationalized through this grid, and the architecture reacts to create a processional layout catering to the interior and exterior gallery spaces.
Competencies Architectural Theory Modeling Studies Rendering Radial Geometry Sustainable Strategies
05
“Just as one can compose colors, or forms, so one can compose motions.� -Alexander Calder
05 NEXUS Philadelphia, P.A. arch 460
Concept Nexus is a Museum design which displays work for the artist Alexander Calder. Calder’s freeform style and inventive nature inspired an architectural concept largely based upon the design of Calder’s mobiles. The central atrium space is home to a Calder mobile which stands nearly 3 stories tall, suspended from the center of the atrium. This mobile dictates the spacial language through a radial grid based upon its geometry. Human movement and circulation are rationalized through this grid, and the architecture reacts to create a processional layout catering to the interior and exterior gallery spaces.
Competencies Architectural Theory Modeling Studies Rendering Radial Geometry Sustainable Strategies
1
1 - Initial concept conveying human movement
2
2 - Exterior circulation adaptations
3
3 - refinement of transitional spaces
4
4 - reduction to one main focal point (nexus)
5
5 - detailing of outdoor spaces & addition of natural light in galleries
N
0
nexus second Floor Plan 8
16
32
48ft
7. Freight Elevator 8. Permanent Gallery Stair 9. Art Storage/Workshop 10. Calder Mobile 11. Outdoor Sculpture Pathway 12. Temporary Gallery
DN
2
1. Entry Vestibule 2. Permanent Calder Gallery 3. Main Lobby 4. Public Restroom 5. Egress Stairway/Elevator 6. Cleaning Product Storage
UP
5
DN
4
6
12
7
4
DN
9
DN
9
9
12
UP
UP
DN
UP
11
10
1
UP
DN
3
UP
8
2
DN
nexus south elevation 0
8
16
32
48ft
elevation - south 0 8
16
32
48ft
70ft
66ft
48ft
32ft
14ft
-16ft
nexus
Section
0 8
16
32
48ft
Thank You.