Brennan Kawika Aitken-Gantz
Portfolio 2013-2015
Brennan Kawika Aitken-Gantz I thrive in the process of learning, expressing a creative vision and exploring new technologies but the thing that gets me out of bed in the morning is the promise that I can in some way be of service to the world. I believe the privilege the architect has to shape the spaces we inhabit bestows a responsibility to make those spaces inspire deep belonging in the people that dwell there.
PSOM BUILT PAVILION TABLE
My previous professional experience in the field of both residential and commercial carpentry provides me with solid footing to expand my understanding of architecture.
Each of these projects represents one step in my growth towards a more articulate and effective architect and citizen.
My values of graciousness, respect and patience will only serve to enhance the work environments I enter. I believe in cultivating respect for those who have come before us as well as supporting those yet to arrive.
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Curious. Engaged. Intelligent.
The pavilion from above.
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Design/Build//Project Manage/Motivate As the incoming AIAS President, I was given the opportunity to lead a project to build a pavilion for the Communications Department of Portland State University. I put a team of 6 designers together, including myself, and organized the design, permit and engineering, assembly, and removal of this pavilion over a period of four months - 1.5 of which while I was in school. The pavilion’s thesis was to embody the quality of bridging. Bridges connect the east and west side of the city of Portland - our city is defined by them. The University experience is also a bridge, changing you from one person to another. Installing bracing.
Above: Making a model. Below: Full scale mock-up of frames.
Portland State Of Mind Pavilion
The design team and Director of Architecture. Clockwise: Willy Chandler, Rosemary Hill, Kat Leavitt, Professor Clive Knights, Maab Cano, Myself, Chelsea Mueller
PSOM BUILT PAVILION TABLE
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SIMPSON CS18 STRAP ANCHORED TO EACH FRAME WITH (1) #7 SCREWS MIN. RUN AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE DIAGONALLY BRACING BOTH SIDES OF THE FIRST 12’ OF EACH END ON EACH WALL AS WELL AS RUN ALONG THE TOP EDGE BOTH SIDES OF THE PAVILION USING SIMPSON CS18 STRAP RUNNING TOTAL LENGTH IN UPPER CORNERS. ATTACH TOP STRAP TO EACH FRAME.
SEE DETAIL 2 TYP. ALL CORNERS
2X4 BLOCKING BETWEEN EACH FRAMES TOP AND BOTTOM TYP
project we were told that we would not need to PROJECT MANAGER: obtain a permit for the site, BRENNAN AITKEN-GANTZ 541-621-8553 but we discovered midway brennan.ag@gmail.com that that was incorrect.
2x4 TYP
CONTACTS:
1/2” PLY
1
FRAMES 5” OC
GROUND LEVEL ELEVATION DETAIL
NOT TO SCALE
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FRAME CONSTRUCTION
1”
5’-0” 2X4 WITH (1) 1/2” THROUGH BOLT EACH END. SHIM EACH SIDE OF BRACE AS REQUIRED, TYP
2 PLATES AT EACH CORNER, TYP
FRAME ASSEMBLY Engineering details.
BRACED FRAMES PLACED 3’ OC MAX
5/8”
2x4
SCREW LAYOUT ON SIMPSON TP37 PLATE
3’-0”
5’-0”
(12) 1-1/4” #7 SCREWS PER PLATE
2
NOT TO SCALE
5/8”
SIMPSON TP37 EACH SIDE
3’-0”
NOT TO SCALE
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BRACED FRAME CONSTRUCTION
PORTLAND STATE Engineering/Permit/All OF School Installation MIND When we started the PAVILION
FILL TWO ADJACENT FRAMES WITH SAND, TYPICAL AT BRACED FRAMES
NOT TO SCALE
FACULTY COORIDINATOR: CLIVE KNIGHTS Director of the School of Architecture knightsc@pdx.edu
I worked diligently with the engineer to produce ENGINEERING: NBZ Consulting Engineering drawings and plan sets 21617 SW Susan Lane that allowed us to obtain a Beaverton, OR 97003 permit from the city. Besides navigating the permit process, I came up with the idea to invite the whole student body to join in the installation of the pavilion. Between 50 and 100 students donned hard hats and brought the frames down to the site and helped to erect the structure together
S1
Opening day at the 2x4 cutting (in place of a ribbon).
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Once built, the space offered a profound passageway placed upon the Urban Plaza where multitudes of students and citizens pass each day. At night, the lights placed above the serpentine path, lit the structure like an extraordinary wooden lantern. One material, a simple repeating element, hundreds of hours of collaborative hard work: a captivating and original space is manifest. Reflections in the rain.
Illuminated at night.
The completed table installed at psu.
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I was invited to design and build a conference table for the new BUILT lab opened by Professor Corey Griffin at PSU. The table was designed and built with the help of a recently graduated alumnus, Reid Weber and a graduate student, Kalina Vander Poel. All the lumber was reclaimed fir. Two 7’6 sections with alternating ends of 2x4s connect to create one 4’x’15’ table. Building the table from reclaimed lumber and mild steel.
BUILT Lab Conference Table
The first space of two. Focused on informational learning and observation.
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27"
Sited in Kelley Point Park along the Columbia Slough, this project explored the relationship between natural systems and the built environment. I designed a set of buildings arrived at by a path that is built to teach young people about the natural world and the Columbia Slough in particular.
25 FT
Bringing new perspectives to the young visitor was a primary focus. I wanted the young visitor to feel like they had stepped into a magical realm, where their experience of nature was direct and surprisingly vivid.
Three perspectives, plan and section.
Natural Orders
Flame charring surface of reclaimed fir.
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We studied the food carts located on the block of SW 10th and Alder in downtown Portland. La Jarochita food cart owner Lupe Jiminez inspired me with her ability to create community around her. Her support of the client, customer and general population was unaffected and authentic.
Hexagonal Screen + Wood Burning While designing the place setting for project two in ARCH 281, I needed a screen to obstruct the two participants. My design requirements stated that it be intricate enough, organized enough and also organic enough that one could spend some time getting lost in
it. I used hexagons tiled and rotated to come up with the final result. Here are three iterations moving toward a final product. To offset the busy screen, I employed a charred wood process used in Japan for siding called Shou Sugi Ban. It creates a deep, soft and luxurious tone that seems to welcome your gaze and resist nothing.
From that observation and my own experience seeing the Arab baths at the Alhambra Palace in Grenada, Spain (see Personal pages) I coined the term proximal solitude. It is attempting to describe a profound sense of solitary relaxation while including an unforced togetherness amongst those around us.
Bottom: Two iterations toward a final screen (above). Passage of light and restriction of vision must be balanced with beauty.
Design Fundamentals II
Diagrams of food cart place, activity, employees, customers and food
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Project I Site Mapping Diagrams A set of diagrams describing the relationship between the food cart and the larger world, including customers, food, city, history, distance and time set the foundation for our next inquiries. Experiments with watercolor and colored pencil on different paper tones.
Place setting screen in use.
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Top: Place setting.
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Lower: The exchange.
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Top: Detail of plate and cup in maple
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Project II Place Setting Built to support a dining experience in silence, the place setting must be visually rich and satisfying to the hands. Place setting orthographic drawing, bleach, india ink and white pencil on black card stock.
Top: Pavilion section model
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Below: Iterations toward the final project.
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Project III Dining Pavilion
SW 10TH AVE.
WASHINGTON ST.
ALDER ST.
A
After countless iterations, I found a design that moved toward my requirements.
A
The process with which I arrived at the design was the most interesting part of the whole term. I decided at each junction to determine to my best ability the most relevant decision to make, then made it based on its impact toward my goal of proximal solitude.
B
B SW 9TH AVE.
5
10 20
SECTION A-A
Site plan and section.
10
40
20
FT.
FT.
5
10
SECTION B-B
Pavilion plan and section.
10 20
40
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FT.
This project illuminated how I habitually make decisions. I began to inquire into the reasons those decisions were being made and realized that with more attention, it was possible to avoid the spurious sentimental choices that result in less effective designs.
FT.
Body Extension Axonometric.
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Project I + II Myth Making Body Extension After studying a myth from the African Dogon tribe, I created a myth that reflected my birth in Hawaii, my particular interest in supporting the feminine and my interest in awareness of the primary experience of being a human being.
Sketchbook Planning For Body Extension and Pavilion
Toward that end I choose to embrace weaving as a primary narrative and tectonic quality. My body extension made an effort to amplify the heartbeat with every footstep. Choreographic Drawing Detail
Body Extension In Action
Design Fundamentals I
Half inch scale model of a communal loom placed on the terrace of Shattuck Hall.
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Project III Pavilion On The Terrace 5
10 20
Plan Perspective and Elevation
10
40
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Extending the weaving narrative, I designed a procession leading to a ritual loom intended to facilitate the creation of an artifact each year by Portland State University Architecture students.
FT.
FT.
Perspective and site plan perspective
Half inch scale model with topography. Plywood, maple and plaster.
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Casa Malaparte The strange long residence perched above the Mediterranean Sea was my introduction into architectural graphics. I took every opportunity to explore with different mediums: pencil, india ink, watercolor, plaster and wood. Full size wooden model made from plywood, maple, and plaster. Each floor pulls out like a drawer. The trademark Malaparte stairs that get narrower as you ascend were made from one solid piece of maple; each step was cut with a rise and run of 5/32 and 12/32 respectively. Plan + Section + Detail of Exploded/Bent Axonometric
Visual Communication II
The entire class around a still life. Charcoal.
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Awakening The Artist Within I had not considered myself an artist before this class. Taking ARCH 120 was an experience in discovering a latent, yet undeveloped, ability to work hard and trust the connection between my hands and my eyes. I have kept a sketchbook with me throughout each class since ARCH 120 and I continually see small improvements over time. Clockwise: Pencil drawing of my brother’s house with imagined remodel. Self portrait in charcoal. Charcoal figure study.
Visual Communication I
Clockwise: Barcelona Cathedral, Girona, Detail at the Alhambra Palace, Window and Arab Baths at Alhambra Palace
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I have many interests and skills including Carpentry and Welding (14+ years), Dance (18 years), Martial Arts (6 years), Soccer, Music and Gardening. Photography was where I started to learn about composition, light and story telling. I’ve traveled and lived abroad and each time I used my camera to record my external observations and, by proxy, some coded memory of my own internal experience. On my trip to Spain with PSU’s Architecture Program I spent the lion’s share of my time sketching in Barcelona, Girona and Grenada. Clockwise.: Arab baths in the Alhambra. Young girl on a trampoline in Norway. Light spilling through the trees on the Oregon coast.
Travel Photography & Sketching