KURT BROSNAN
DESIGN PORTFOLIO
INTERSECTION TYPE: CONCEPTUAL DESIGN LOCATION: RPI, Troy, NY
Physical Model INTERSECTION investigates the introduction of a multimedia gallery into a highly trafficked public area on the Rensselaer Campus. The goal of the design was to turn a circulation corridor into a place where students of all disciplines could convene to display their work and collaborate. The concept of the design is realized in the unexpected consequences that occur when two spacial systems (concrete and forestry) are brought together.
Aerial View
Site Plan
Interior View
Preliminary Investigation
Interior View
Preliminary Investigation
Interior View
Interior View
SUBTRACTION TYPE: CONCEPTUAL DESIGN LOCATION: RPI, Troy, NY
Plan View of Digital Model SUBTRACTION uses a series of simple rule sets to drive decisions for the design of a garden and sitting area located within a state park in New York. This particular method of conceptual design assumes a given pre-existing condition which must be altered based on these rule sets to fulfill the criteria of the program. The effect of these criteria on the design ultimately drives the aesthetic nature of the space.
Interior View of Garden
Preliminary Investigations - showing subtraction system and its effects in plan and isometric views
Interior View of Garden
Physical Model
Physical Model
Interior view
SINUSOIDAL TYPE: FABRICAITON/CASTING LOCATION: RPI, Troy, NY
digit digital mock up Algorithmic curves may be used to allow rapid iteration of design concepts. SINUSOIDAL is an investigation which uses a series of algorithmic curves parametrically controlled to generate various surface geometries. Positive and negative form work were CNC milled from the digital surface model to create a mold within which a thin shell could be cast out of plaster cement.
plaster tile casting
tile reflection pattern
sinusoidal curves
CNC foam mold
VORONOI TYPE: FABRICAITON, CASTING LOCATION: RPI, Troy, NY
CNC foam mold
The voronoi diagram is a reasonable method for producing complex geometries which exhibit a particular structural integrity. VORONOI uses a voronoi diagram as part of an iterative process in the design of a vertical screen wall. Varying porosity is determined by the cellular pattern of the diagram. Positive and Negative form work of the digital model were CNC milled to produce a double sided mold within which the final model could be cast.
plaster casting
machining of foam mold
pattern variation
pattern variation
pattern variation
CONNECTIONS TYPE: URBAN PLANNING LOCATION: Rensselaer, NY
physical model The Albany/Rensselaer area exhibits many problems typical of post industrialization. Much of the downtown of the city of Rensselaer is cutoff by highway on ramps, empty plots, and abandoned manufacturing facilities. CONNECTIONS, a design for a new high speed rail station, employs a campus concept that creates an infrastructure which can support community development. Community program such as parks, open markets, bars, restaurants, hotels and other types of retail are incorporated with the station to promote prolonged occupation and community involvement.
1 LightRail W
Bar
10 B Restaurant
9
Aquatic Center
6 7 W B
3 Market
Hotel
4
8 K
Shop
K
2
Train tat S ion
5
program distribution
site plan
Bus tSation
6
9
1
7
7
6
4
6
5
5
4
5
16
9
6
1 8
18
3
17
11
10
6
4
9
8
5
7
5 4
7
7
15 11 6
5
Main Level
8
7
8
7
6
6
13
12
2
14
7
8
1. light rail 2. news stand 3. coffee shop 4. dining 5. rest rooms 6. ticketing 7. waiting 8. lockers 9. registration 10. market 11. hotel 12. pharmacy 13. post office 14. book store 15. hs rail 16. bar 17. taxi 18. bus station
MoCA TYPE: DESIGN DEVELOPMENT LOCATION: Shenzhen, China
physical model MoCA is a continuation of a competition entry by Tom Wiscombe of Emergent Architects for a Museum and Public works exhibition center located in the Futian Center District of Shenzhen. The L-shaped massing of the building serves to create a defining corner to the urban fabric. The building itself supports an astonishing canopy which extends over the void created by the buildings massing. This canopy creates an outdoor courtyard within which lush plantings, step seating, and a central cooling pond define a micro climate which serves as an oasis within the stressful urban environment. The architecture of the project is embedded within the structural system which supports the massive outdoor canopy. The structural concept is related to the wing of a dragonfly which uses depth of section to increase the structural stability of the overall system. A central moment frame which is connected to two vertical concrete cores defines the primary structure of the building.
roof plan
elevation
section detail
cross section of dragonfly wing
physical model (dimensions 5’L x 3’W x 4’ H )
Level: +34M
1
3
3 2
3
1. MoCA offices 2. PE library 3. circulation core
CELLHOUSE TYPE: HOUSING/FABRICATION LOCATION: RPI, Troy, NY
top view
Cellular mappings are one effective way of producing geometry that are easily translated into fabrication data. Using planar mappings complex curvatures that are difficult to construct with traditional framing techniques can be broken down into an assembly of self-similar modules. CELLHOUSE explores the use of these techniques through several scales ultimately testing the practicality of such techniques at the residential scale. The “module� is a framing unit that is assembled from several individual components which are CNC milled out of ply material. Each module could be deployed to a site and readily assembled as part of a permanent or temporary structure. A simple shop drawing could be used to identify the order of connection for each module.
module
pattern investigations
roof plan
structure pattern
5
7
4
7 6 3 2 1
First Floor 1. front entrance 2. living area 3. kitchen 4. study 5. den 6. bath 7. bed
fabrication data
MINIMAL TYPE: TENSILE STRUCTURE LOCATION: RPI, Troy, NY
preliminary study
A minimal surface is a surface that exhibits zero mean curvature. Many minimal surface geometries may be found in natural structures such as bone and sponge. MINIMAL is an tensile structure installation developed through a mesh relaxation technique of creating minimal surfaces. The mesh geometry was segmented into 64 individual parts which were cut out of elastic fabric using a CNC lazer cutter. The parts were then mechanically stitched together to form the minimal surface geometry. A compression fitting was used to secure wooden framing devices to which the fabric structure was attached. A simple connection was used to fasten the fabric to the frames. This allowed quick adjustments to the post tensioning of the structure.
fabrication geometry
segmented geometry
Existing Wall 3/4” Wood Framing Tensile Fabric 1/2” Fastener 3/8” Hex Nut Typ.
3/4” Flat Washer Typ. attachment photo
1/2” Fastener 1/4” Threaded Rod Compression Fitting attachment detail
axonometric rendering
a: 1 relaxation diagram
a: 2
plan rendering
a: 3
a: 4
PLYFORM TYPE: DIGITAL FABRICATION LOCATION: RPI, Troy, NY
72.1
12.00
12.00 36.00
60.00
1
preliminary study
The contemporary practice of architecture has been subject to increasing influence from digital technologies and computation. Digital mediums provide a highly adaptable platform for design. They offer high levels of numerical accuracy and rapid iteration of design processes. With the use of rapid prototyping machines, and computer numeric controlled machining digital designs may be quickly adapted for physical assembly; however without user input there is no account for material parameters in the digital process. PLYFORM investigates the range of implications that component based assemblies have for architecture as a means of simplifying the process through which geometry is ultimately realized in fabrication.
68.00
base geometry and component mapping
P
=
p*L3
48*E*I = deflection p = load L = span E = modulus of elasticity I = b*h 12
L
h b
material testing
CNC milling of component geometries
local surface deflection
surface deflection analysis
component orientation
strip assembly
pin connection
assembly process
component sheet set