DYLAN MCKNIGHT
urban design portfolio
2011-2013
PROFILE
2422 MASON MILL PL CHARLOTTE, NC 28273
E: mcknight.dylan@gmail.com
P: 919-601-2483
www.linkedin.com/in/dylanmcknight
Highly driven urban design and planning professional recognized for exceptional work ethic, quality networking and relationship building, strong leadership qualities, and rapid skill development. I will add value to an organization while continuing professional development in the field. With graduate training in urban design and planning, I bring a detailed understanding of Design, Planning, Real Estate Development, Finance, Economic Development and Market Dynamics. Demonstrated skills and qualities in: • • • • • • • •
Sustainable Design and Development Vision Planning Corridor, small area plans Problem Solving and Critical Thought Neighborhood Planning Financial Analysis Market Research TOD
• • • • • • • •
Charrette/Workshop Facilitation Deal Analysis, Visualization and Pitch Economic Development Historic Preservation Smart Growth Trend Analysis Open Space Preservation Urban Infill
EDUCATION University of North Carolina at Charlotte 4.0 gpa - August 2013 Master of Urban Design, Master of Community Planning North Carolina State University Bachelor of Science - Botany
3.0 gpa - June 2000
LEADERSHIP Team Leader|Study Abroad Design Team|UNC Charlotte Led team of 3 American and 2 Chinese students in designing masterplpan and design guidelines for the redevelopment of 110 acre Suzhou Industrial Park Suzhou, China|Summer 2012
DM 1
Team Leader|ULI Gerald Hines Competition|UNC Charlotte Led Team of 5 in creating a masterplan and development pro forma for a 20 acre urban infill site in downtown Houston, TX Charlotte, NC|Spring 2012
SKILLS Google Sketchup AutoCAD Lumion 3d visualization Hand drawn graphics V Ray 3d Rendering Trained Facilitator
MEMBERSHIP ArcGIS Suite Adobe Creative Suite MS Office Suite – Access and Excel Argus DCF Software Wordpress Spanish language
American Planning Association Congress for the New Urbanism Urban Land Institute Tau Sigma Delta National Honor Society in Architecture and Allied Arts
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE UNC-Charlotte - Office of Real Estate and Land Use Land Use and Planning Intern • • •
February 2013 - Present
Research and documentation of projects involving real property owned by UNC Charlotte and related entities. GIS analysis, market analysis, trend analysis and site analysis with respect to potential property acquisitions. Organization of office workflow processes including project tracking, data management and database design.
Argos Real Estate Advisors - Charlotte, NC Planning and Development Intern
August 2012 - Present
• Planning, GIS analysis, site feasibility, due diligence research, market analysis, 3D visual realization of concepts for existing and proposed development projects. • Marketing through website design and maintenance, printed material design and distribution. • Communications through email marketing and contact management; communicate effectively with stakeholder groups.
Sustain Charlotte Volunteer - Community Outreach
August 2011 - Present
• Lead sustainable visioning workshops for neighborhood organizations. • Promote awareness of local issues and sustainable vision for Charlotte through public outreach and networking. • Represent Sustain Charlotte at public events and festivals through tabling.
DM 2
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT
CONTEXTMAP
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT Objective: Choose a parcel or collection of parcels in Mecklenburg County. Design a method to control the property, perform due diligence, design the site plan and financially analyze the feasibility of the proposal.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
SUMMARY PRO FORMA
DM 3
The site is located in Charlotte's West Side. It sits adjacent to the Stewart Creek Greenway and an early 1900s mill and trolley line currently under redevelopment. My development proposal on the 24 acre site was centered on stream and wetland restoration, bioretention of stormwater, mixed-income housing, ample public open space amenities and the extension of the Stewart Creek Greenway on site.
This proposal was determined to be not financially feasible without low-income housing tax credit rewards or increased density. Increased density on the site could be achieved through alternative parking designs and/or sacrificing key open space. In addition, the market in Charlotte's West Side is fragile and recent political strife in the community would likely raise concerns over this project. But, with redevelopment of the adjacent mill, strengthening of the local market and strong relationships between stakeholders and community groups, the project could be a successful and sustainable infill development.
DM 4
GIS ANALYSIS
GIS analysis
DM 5
Given a set of desirable features including land use, slope, land cover and distance to urban areas, I used ArcMap to identify suitable areas for the construction of a large solar farm in North Carolina. Then I chose the most suitable sites based on a 1-10 score and displayed those locations as the ideal areas for new solar power plant development.
WINTER
SUMMER
I used ArcMap to perform a kernel density analysis of burglaries in Buffalo, NY, a method ideal for visualizing collections and intensities of data. I moved the analysis to ArcScene, which allows for 3D display of information and the ability to create videos. Effective display of information is critical in urban design and planning.
FALL
SPRING
DM 6
ULI GERALD HINES
ULI GERALD HINES COMPETITION
houston, tx spring 2012
7982
Regional Diagram: Centralized site acts as a connective bridge between Houston neighborhoods.
For this competition, our team designed a district around reconnecting to the bayou. We removed a capped area and exposed the water. Then we gave pedestrians connections to, along and over the water. Finally, we created mounding natural spaces to enhance the bayou. Connectivity Strategy: Reconnecting Houston’s historic grid through infrastructure improvements and multimodal transit.
Connectivity Repair Strategy: Bridging the Buffalo Bayou with the White Oak Bayou by revealing forgotten natural elements.
DM 7
7982
Urban Farms over Parking Decks 4
1
Neighborhood Center 2 3 “The vertical forest towers will host over
A-A 5
1 2
3
1 4
1
B-B
900 trees, as well as a variety of plants and 1 flowers.
Pocket Parks
The plants will provide a 10,000 square meter vertical forest.The plants help produce oxygen, humidity, absorb CO2 and dust particles, and 4 protect the building from radiation in its surrounding urban environment.
Urban Forest With Mounds
3
live work play 4
A filtering system helps to recycle water for the 6 maintenance of the plants.
SRO Housing
6 6
This design will allow for an increase in quality of living and a reduction in energy usage.” -Stefano Boeri, Architect
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Pedestrian Bridges 6
N 0
100’
0 Section B-B
GROW 200’
N
0
N
100’
200’
Section A-A
DM 8
7
URBAN INFILL - CHARLOTTE
context map s
ile 2m
the wedge studio spring 2012
site analysis Study area
le 1 mi
Center City Charlotte
1953
2011 N
DM 9
proposed
plaza process sketches
brewery plaza section Affectionately called The Wedge in studio, this post-industrial area consists of predominantly vacant buildings. Some have architectural and historic value, but many don't. The site is bisected by a proposed commuter rail line. We planned for a station in a centralized location on our site.
civic green section
We analyzed the site as an entire studio before breaking the 400+ acre area down into individual districts. My district, called Brewery Park, sat at the southern most tip of the site closest to uptown Charlotte.
DM 10
proposed commuter rail
site plan
0
DM 11
200'
I decided to save two buildings on my site which were built in the early 1900s. Both had vertical elements (smokestacks) which I loved and felt added to the visual interest and character of the area. According to historical records, one building had been used as a brewery in the past, so it became a brewery in my designs. Several local breweries in Charlotte are making good use of postindustrial buildings.
DM 12
BREWERY PLAZA
DM 13
FINAL MASTERPLAN COMPILED FROM INDIVIDUAL SITE DESIGNS
After finalizing our individual site plans, we compiled them into a cohesive overall masterplan. Designing individually while communicating with other site designers around you was a key part of our studio. We grew closer because of this. As a class, we branded the district and created a video presentation to market the masterplan.
DM 14
SKETCHBOOK CHINA
DM 15
DM 16
DM 17
DM 18
DM 19
DM 20
STUDIO CHINA TO USA
china study abroad summer 2012
DM 21
UNCC students teamed up with Chinese students from the Suzhou University of Science and Technology to design a masterplan for the 110 acre Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). The plan for the new SIP calls for a mixed-use TOD development which includes two new subway lines in addition to the existing high-speed rail station.
SUZHOU INDUSTRIALPARK INTERNATIONAL STUDIO
In the past 30 years, Suzhou has grown by massive proportions. In order to preserve the historic core, IM Pei and other Suzhou planners suggested outward growth. Previous development zones to the north, south and west have been halted due to diminishing natural areas. The eastern sector that straddles the high-speed rail corridor to Shanghai is the new focus area for development and contains the SIP and nearby Jinji Lake CBD.
DM 22
Suzhou Industrial Park was only redeveloped a decade ago, but development in China is so robust that a new plan for the park is in progress.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
8DM 23
Our studio worked within some of the framework of a Japanese firm that had recently completed a masterplan for the SIP, but the client, the Souzhou Development Authority, wanted us to push the boundaries and go beyond what the Japanese firm had proposed. They wanted a strong focus on the central park, cultural center and above and below ground retail that capitalized on the transit system.
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
These diagrams show the range of building typologies we proposed. We focused on designing spaces that delivered the required amounts of commercial square footage, but also provided ample public green space.
CENTRAL PARK PROGRAM
China's intensity of population required the implementation of a network of skywalks.
BUILDING TYPOLOGIES
NETWORK OF ELEVATED WALKS
DM 248
Upon returning to the United States, we continued the design of our SIP projects without our Chinese teammates. We took individual focus areas and began more detailed designs of our respective areas while mainaining our team dynamics and communication. Our plan for the cultural center called for bringing the river into the courtyard area and creating an island park with bridges and boardwalks connecting the park island to the cultural center which enveloped it.
DETAILED PLAN AND SECTIONS OF CULTURAL CENTER
DM 25
SUNSET in the island park
ALLﾃ右 IN THE SHADE
DM 26
SUNNY DAY PARK
DM 27
DUSK RIVERWALK
DM 28
THGINKCM NALYD
3102-1102
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