Brian Poticny Undergraduate Portfolio

BRIAN POTICNY 2016 undergraduate architecture and design portfolio

CONTENTS

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Figural Diffusion

Pneumatic Structure

Wasted Space

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Ridge at Nantahala

Visual Defiance

Fine Art

FIGURAL DIFFUSION Figural Diffusion is a mixed-use expansion that incorporates a contemporary art gallery, archaeological exhibition, and artist’s residence within the historic Georgia State Railroad Museum.

This development’s objective is to seamlessly homogenize artifacts of the past with architectural and artistic systems of the present, providing an experience not regularly found in the existing urban fabric of Savannah.

Perception of a space may be altered be an unfamiliar transition of thresholds, creating an essence of vulnerability and selfactualization. Figural Diffusion aims to provide otherworldly experiences by challenging traditional radial circulation techniques within each building condition, diffusing users throughout.

Program: Artist’s residence and gallery for Antony Gormley Location: Savannah, Georgia, USA Architecture Fundamentals Studio III Spring 2015

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Left: Artwork by Antony Gormley

Precedent Studies

Right: Diagrams showing dismemberment

Extensive research was done on drawings and sculptures

by Antony Gormley in order to fully grasp how he physically worked and mentally constructed his creations.

The building’s form was ultimately derived by dismembering his sculptures, simplifying the chunks, and articulating the new pieces into figural objects.

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Morphological Diagrams

Below: Exterior form development Bottom: Perspective View

The exterior object is manipulated by repeatedly being subtracted from itself.

Each dissected chuck is attached to the primary form and cut away in an irregular manner decomposing the object, but creating interstitial spaces for dwelling and circulation.

Just as Gormley’s artwork seemed to anticipate and blend each individual component, the exterior object is a reverse agglomeration of the separated pieces.

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Left: Spacial Isometrics Below: Exterior Perspective

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PNEUMATIC STRUCTURE Mobile architectural structures are becoming increasingly abundant as cultures are gradually shifting towards short-term settlements. Innovative means of living and showcase may be constructed in order to adapt to consumers ever-growing needs.

This pneumatic structure tests the capabilities of large-scale inflatable architecture within a high traffic environment as well as questioning the elements of structure implemented in its design.

Pop-Up Exhibition with Structural Experimentation Location: Savannah, Georgia, USA Architecture Studio III Spring 2016 Collaboration with Carlo Stotmeister, Jessica Pericchi, Olivia Vargas and Tianho Ma

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Design / Fabrication Scale was a large constraint with the inflatable and in order to fit an excessive amount of people inside (and out), a grand structure needed to be created. We removed approximately 20 percent of a platonic torus in order to create an efficient structural interior space as well as an interstitial center-exterior space.

The torus was divided into strips that were cut from 6-mil polyethylene sheets to then be extensively taped together. Once the structure was assembled, a wind turbine was attached via PVC tubing to inflate the final building.

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WASTED SPACE We die to once again become one with the Earth. What we leave behind is permanent. Ourselves, our families, and our belongings all remain within our physical world. In an everexpanding digital age, we have created a realm that houses information of our existence. A realm, like our physical one, that is being littered with things that may never disappear.

Space is being taken up by what we are producing and one cannot help but feel as if there is an abundance of waste.

Generally when we think of waste, we think of a burial method.

Putting what was derived from the Earth back within it to hopefully decompose, somewhat similar to human practice of burial. Burial practice is steadily becoming obsolete due to digital remains. We look to the world of digital media to remember things that have past on. A burial practice that was once cherished has now nearly become obsolete...a waste.

Waste that has lost relevance similar to the waste we have buried within our Earth.

Momento mori means, ”Remembering one must die.” Our waste is the catalyst to our world’s death and needs to be further addressed in order to reclaim our wasted space.

Program: “Momento Mori-torium” Exhibition Piece Location: Adaptable Architecture Studio II Spring 2016

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Spatial Development

Below: Concept Diagrams

Staggering of spaces is implemented in order to individualize and accentuate each experience.

Stratification

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Volumetric Layering

Bottom: “Waste Towers� Digital Collage Right: Exploded Axonometric

Decomposition

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Site Development

Below: Concept Diagrams

The site is adaptable if existent at all. While the piece of architecture may be a physical creation, it may also exist as a figment of one’s imagination.

Bottom: “Code Road” Digital Collage Right: Perspective Rendering

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Siteless Architecture

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Confrontation

Removal

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User Unfriendliness

Below: Concept Diagrams

Wasted Space serves as a reminder to users of how we treat our world in an attempt to stimulate enlightenment; it’s uncomfortable, but necessary.

Reuse of “Waste”

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Constant Connection

Bottom: “Burial Landfill” Digital Collage Right: Perspective Rendering

Burial Practice

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RIDGE AT NANTAHALA The Ridge at Nantahala is a residential project overlooking the Nantahala River in southern North Carolina that concentrates on visual, haptic, and auditory senses.

The hillsides ridge acts as a datum by splitting the interior and exterior spaces, further solidifying a congruent relationship with the site as well as maximizing views to the valley ahead.

Program: Personal Residence and Production Studio Location: Topton, North Carolina, USA Architecture Studio I Fall 2015

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Overview Entrenched within a secluded valley hillside the house utilizes the topography to create cohesion between natural and built environments, serving as both a minimalistic residence and music production studio. Simplicity of design compliments the fragility of nature and creates a balance of serenity and secrecy.

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section b

a second floor

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first floor

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Top: Exterior Perspective Rendering Above: Interior Perspective Renderings

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VISUAL DEFIANCE Transit centers typically function to solely exchange modes of transport for passengers, resulting in a linear program with low probability of visually interesting spaces.

In an attempt to invigorate a static transportation hub, Visual Defiance challenges the existing typologies by abstracting key elements into optically stimulating features. What was once a fundamentally ordinary experience would now be one full of peculiar, perceptually defying components.

Program: Transit Center and Visual Art Gallery Location: Sinaia, Prahova County, Romania Architecture Studio II Winter 2016

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Design Intent In order to create a visually stimulating experience, a large element triggering movement was constructed.

Formed between the building chunks is a figural lasercut mesh where cuts were derived from screen static and glitch textures.

The patterns produce endless outputs of randomized textures that were mapped onto the mesh feature and cut away using a parametric program. This produced a sculptural component that challenges the static transit center typology and contributes to a more unique experience.

Below: Patterns Used for Texture Mapping Bottom: Resulting Sculptural Mesh

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Sinaia, Romania and adjacent cities

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Top: Street Perspective Rendering Center: Physical Model Photographs

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FINE ART Fine art has been a tremendous creative outlet and medium of personal expression throughout the entirety of my life.

Knowledge of classical art as well as the manifestation of contemporary art has helped me explore realms of imagination outside that of architecture and other meticulous design.

Works of art that express a wide range of medium and purpose have been selected.

Personal Expression of Contemporary Art Location: Savannah, Georgia, USA Mixed Media, various as stated 2012-2016

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Above: Untitled Abstract | 2012 | 60” X 72” | Acrylic, Oil, and Coffee on Canvas

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Left: “Self Destruction” | 2012 | 24” X 36” | Acrylic and Charcoal on Canvas Right: Untitled Abstract | 2013 | 24” X 36” | Acrylic on Canvas

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Below: “Hypocrite” | 2016 | 48” X 48” | Black and White Charcoal on Acrylic

Left-Top: Unititled Abstract | 2015 | 36” X 24” | Acrylic, Charcoal, and Colored Pencil on Canvas Left-Bottom: Unititled Abstract | 2015 | 60” X 60” | Acrylic, Charcoal, and Colored Pencil on Canvas

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