Dan Vallacchi Architecture Portfolio by Dan Vallacchi

DAN VALLACCHI

ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO

CONTENTS

Section 1 central high ADDITION comprehensive studio, fall 2016

Section 2 the IN-BETWEEN

grad studio I, fall 2015

Section 3 living in the CITY

Section 4 urban ACUPUNCTURE

Section 5 urban SCARS

studio V, fall 2014

grad studio II, spring 2016

studio VI, spring 2015

Section 6 early WORK 2nd & 3rd year

Section 7 stewardson COMPETITION spring 2017

7 8

Section 8 personal WORK photography and more

CHS PERFORMING ARTS ADDITION comprehensive studio, fall 2016

A performance art theatre addition to Central High School, located in the Olney neighborhood of Philadelphia. The proposed design revolved around a new vertical lobby that would act as a threshold between the new and the existing school. This feature creates a vertical connection to all floors of the existing school and creates a connection to major program elements such as the library, the new theatre, the existing auditorium, gymnasium, and the athletic fields. The new entry enters into the existing basement level and has easy access to the street, which is a great improvement from the existing entrance. Furthermore, a new music and art wing was added as well as a new courtyard that allows access to the parking lot in the rear of the school. This studio also focused on building systems and how these become factors in important design decisions.

ground floor plan, structure plan, HVAC plan, bathroom detail

lobby entrance

south elevation

new library

library from Ogontz Ave

view into library from 2nd floor

library stair elevation

Alot of time and attention was spent on the design of the library. In order to make the vertical lobby, the existing library had to be displaced so it was important to give the new addition a state of the art space. The structural details and interior design was important in the final design of the addition at CHS.

library mezzanine stair

north south section

concept model

BRIDGE

college of physicians founded

ARCH ST.

RACE ST.

FLORIST ST.

U.S. MINT

Current Building Location 19 S. 22nd St.

1787

1909

1863 First building complete 13th & Locust St.

25,000 Specimens 8am

5pm

S M

TH F S

Business

Collection Museum

Library

(T,W,TH)

3,250 (13%) On Display

process diagrams

the IN-BETWEEN grad studio, fall 2015

This project explored the spatial and material conditions of threshold and how these conditions generate productive departure points for the consideration of the way a building meets its site and a site meets the city. The project process began with conceptual diagrams and models defining threshold on the given site. This led to the exploration of tectonics and techniques by which materials coalece into a piece of architecture. The design phase prioritized sectional studies and diagrams as the principal means of investigation. The final phase of the semester tackled the complexities of the various thresholds that exist in and around the project while also proposing a design for the relocation of the Mutter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and its varied collections. The proposal is located at 4th and Race Streets, in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia.

basement plan

sectional studies (cardboard)

ground floor plan

massing studies

first floor plan

section looking west

second floor plan

North South Section

interior courtyard

physical section model

main circulation

gallery space

entry lobby

exterior courtyard

LIVING IN THE CITY studio V, fall 2014

This project examined the interactive aspects of people and places in an urban environment. We were asked to propose a new mixed use complex on the Schuykill river that would accomodate residence, business and visitors. Located across the Schuykill river from 30th street station and nestled among the shadows of the PECO building, the site is an odd offspring of original land conditions and urban infrastructure that took place through the years. This site condition sparked my interest in Guy Debords theory of Derive and the idea of chance encounters and variation of environment. The intent of my proposal was to successfully merge living, working, and visiting (hotel) into the site which decades ago was a wetland of the Schuykill river. These factors came to form my proposal which creates an interaction among the new inhabitants with the river and the city around them.

Using the 100 year flood and historic maps as inspiration, my design proposes the intrusion of the Schuykill River onto the site giving visitors a unique urban experience, allowing interaction with the river and nature.

East West Sections

process diagrams

form diagrams

building plans

North South Sections

Summer Market incorporating shipping containers and the business plans developed

urban ACUPUNCTURE grad studio, spring 2016

In conjunction with AsociaciĂłn PuertorriqueĂąos en Marcha (APM), a health, human services, community and economic development non-profit organization, my classmates and I proposed a revitilization of the Germantown corridor located in North Philadelphia. Our goal; to create economic development within the community with hopes of the existing community members contributing to this growth. We conducted extensive research on the community and case studies that gave us insight to business plans that created economic growth in similar neighborhoods across the country. Over the course of the semester we developed a master plan for sites that APM had previously aquired, while also proposing a quick action plan that the association will initiate in the summer of 2017.

 



 

 

 

 

 

    



DN UP

UP DN UP

4th Floor Plan

DN UP

3rd Floor Plan

DN UP

2nd Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

physical models

interior render of the cultural center

My individual intervention was the design of a mixed use residential facility that housed an urgent care, fitness and cultural center, all of which were programs that community members thought would be helpful in their day to day lives. The residences include family units and low income residences for veterans and the elderly. My proposal sits on a site located at Germantown and Susquehanna Ave. and incorporates roof gardens accesible to all residences to utilize.

North South Section

urban SCARS

undergrad studio, spring 2015 The Reading Viaduct, soon to be a public park similar to the High Line in New York City, is a raised rail in the Callowhill neighborhood of Philadelphia. The intent of this project was to design an intervention that would act as an attraction in alliance to the new Rail Park. Interested in the ways the rail interacted with the grid system of the city, I used the concept of weaving as inspiration for the design of a performing arts exhibition center that incorporated connections to the the new park and would allow visitors to weave through the old and new infrastructure.

site analysis collage

physical model process

North Section II

East Section I

East Section II

early WORK

2nd & 3rd Year Samples A collection of work from my earlier years of architecture school. Included is a library project (pictured left) located in the Bella Vista neighborhod of Philadelphia, some sketches, and a site terrain project based on a site on the Wissahickon trail. These projects show some of my hand drawing, model making, as well as the start of learning the use of digital programs in coordination with architectural design and representation.

elevation created in autoCAD

chipboard study models

retention garden detail

material elevation created in adobe illustrator

section created in autoCAD

floor plans and physical model (1/8”=1’-0”)

basswood physical model using digitally generated triangulation of the site

personal WORK

photography and graphic art In my free time I enjoy photography, videography, and creating graphic art. To do so, I use a mixture of adobe photoshop, lightroom, and premiere pro to achieve the look and feel I am going for. My goal in all of my work is to represent an experience or feeling in the eyes of the viewer while also capturing moments that are important to me. I love exploring, whether its in the city or otherwise and hope to use the skills I have learned to further my career and personal interests.