INTRODUCTION
i | ii
BOOKS The Polysyllabic Spree: A Hilarious and True Account of One Man始s Struggle with the Monthly Tide of the Books He始s Bought and the Books He始s Been Meaning to Read Stranger than Fiction: True Stories
AUTHORS
by Nick Hornby by Chuch Palahniuk
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community
by Robert Putnam
Everything Bad is Good for You: How Today始s Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter
by Steven Johnson
Mediated: How the Media Shapes Your World and the Way You Live In It
by Thomas de Zengotita
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius a memoir Breakfast of Champions
by Dave Eggers by Kurt Vonnegut
Fatu-Hiva: Back to Nature
by Thor Heyerdahl
Global City Blues
by Daniel Solomon
On Writing: A Personal Memoir of the Craft The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business The Art of Travel The Fountainhead Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things A Severe Mercy
by Stephen King by Juhani Pallasmaa by Neil Postman by Alain de Botton by Ayn Rand by William McDonough & Michael Braungart by Sheldon Vanauken
INTRODUCTION
iii | iv
MODELS Apparatus for Excavation Study Model 02 - First Year Birmingham Natatorium Study Model 01 - Fourth Year Auburn Student Union Final Model - Third Year
Columbus Museum of Art Detail Model - Third Year Tuskegee Chapel Final Model - Second Year Tuskegee Chapel Study Model 01 - Second Year
Tuskegee Chapel Final Model - Second Year Birmingham Natatorium Study Model 02 - Fourth Year Auburn Student Union Final Model - Third Year
Birmingham Natatorium Study Model 01 - Fourth Year Birmingham Natatorium Study Model 02 - Fourth Year Columbus Museum of Art Detail Model - Third Year
Auburn Student Union Final Model - Third Year Apparatus for Excavation Study Model 05 - First Year Birmingham Natatorium Study Model 02 - Fourth Year
INTRODUCTION
v | vi
SKETCHES page v: Master Studies, Antonio Gaudi始s Sagrada Familia
page vii:
page viii:
Mountain Hut Design Competition - Conceptual Plan
Lighthouse Sketch and Lecture Notes
Birmingham Natatorium - Main Floor Plan Concept
Columbus Art Museum Auditorium Section and Notes
Auburn University Student Union - Bottom Floor Plan Concept
Tower Study, OCU campus
Master Studies, Corbusier始s Ronchamp and Eero Saarinen始s TWA Terminal Auburn Student Union Site Study Case Study, Shark Alley House by Fearon Hay Architects
Auburn Student Union Elevation Hudson Farms Public Library Site, Elevations, and Plans Birmingham Natatorium Section and Tower
INTRODUCTION
vii | viii
i | ii
iii | iv
v | vi
vii | viii
1|2
3|4
5|6
7|8
9 | 10
11 | 12
13 | 14
15 | 16
17 | 18
19 | 20
21 | 22
23 | 24
25 | 26
27 | 28
29 | 30
31 | 32
33 | 34
35 | 36
37 | 38
39 | 40
CONTENTS
-|-
INTRODUCTION Books
i | ii
Models
iii | iv
Sketches
v | viii
ARCHITECTURE Excavation Atelier
1|4
Tuskegee Chapel
5|8
Columbus Museum of Art
9 | 12
Auburn University Student Union
13 | 16
The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
17 | 18
URBAN DESIGN Hudson Farms
19 | 20
Downtown Revitalization Plan for Abbeville, Alabama
21 | 24
A Study of Healthy Urban Growth for Downtown Auburn, Alabama
25 | 28
PROFESSIONAL WORK City View Center
29 | 38
APPENDIX Letter of Recommendation - Keller Smith - Principal, SRSSA
39
Resume
40
IMAGES 1 Study Model 05 - Final 2 Exploded Axonometric - Ink on Mylar 3 Study Model 04 - Steel Frame 4 Study Model 02 - Stick vs. Steel 5 Study Model 02 - Stick vs. Steel 6 Study Model 03 - Interior Spaces
ARCHITECTURE
1|2
1
EXCAVATION ATELIER This project was a structure or “atelier” that would facilitate the archaeological excavation of a historical site. My concept was that the detritus of the excavation would slowly submerge the structure itself so that the building and its inhabitants ultimately became part of the layers of history that they were exploring. The amorphous shape of the building would allow it to blend in with the surrounding topography as it buried itself over time. The larger significance of this project to me is that it represents many first time experiences that would define my studio time at Auburn. With this project I finally understood that studio was meant to be a
collective laboratory full of ideas, work, and play. This project was the beginning of perfectionism, studio culture, insomnia, and rich conversations. Shown here are several of the study models that I built leading up to final reviews. They show exploration of interior spatial volumes, different structural systems, and the relationship between structure and site. This project also represents the first time that I was confident in the quality of my idea and the execution of my drawings and models. First year studio taught me to value ideas, playfully explore in drawings and discussions and models, and to appreciate the value of quality drawing and craftsmanship.
2
3
4
5
6
7 8
7
Study Model 05 - Final Study Model 04 - Steel Frame
ARCHITECTURE
3|4
8
IMAGES 1 Final Model 2 Study Model 3 Study Model 4 Final Model
ARCHITECTURE
5|6
1
TUSKEGEE CHAPEL The centerpiece of the Tuskegee University campus is the school chapel designed by distinguished Auburn alumnus Paul Rudolph; our studio was charged with accomodating the same program on the same site with a structure of our own design. This proposal uses my burgeoning love for Frank Gehry and Antonio Gaudi to address the iconic nature of the site and Paul Rudolphʼs existing chapel. Case Studies - Gaudiʼs Sagrada Familia and the ruins of Tintern Abbey. I loved the combination of highg gothic order and formality with the spirit of decay and wildness. The only rooms in this design are the main auditorium, the adjacent prayer chapel, and the priorʼs office. The rest of teh spaces are atria for circulation and for gatyhering. I wanted exterior quality of light to characterize the interior spaces. I also hoped that
the arcades, courtyards, and gardens, both interior and exterior would encourage reflection and provide a refuge on the campus. A unique aspect of the project was that many students used the chapel on a daily basis as a convenient way to negotiate the dramatic topography of this part of the campus. Stairs, entrances, and exits are positioned in such a way as to facilitate this traffic without disupting the functions of the chapel. The hope is that their passage through the building will have a slowing, calming effect on their day. This project also played with light. There are abundant clerestories for daylighting and the raised spine of skylights that span the entire structure is a reference to the anthropomorphic design of cruciform cathedrals like Tintern Abbey.
2
3
4
5 6 7 8
5
Final Model Level One Plan - Sepia Level Two Plan - Sepia Longitudinal Section - Sepia
ARCHITECTURE
7|8
6
7
8
IMAGES 1 Longitudinal Section through Main Gallery 2 Longitudinal Section through Auditorium 3 Interior Detail Model 4 Interior Detail Model 5 Interior Detail Model
ARCHITECTURE
9 | 10
1
2
COLUMBUS ART MUSEUM This design focuses on simplicity of plan, hierarchy of uses, and daylighting. I started by analyzing the building program and dividing all of the required spaces into two major categories based on their function. The first category was for functions unique to museums and galleries: spaces for viewing art, producing art, and the maintaining the exhibits. The second category was for everything else: a gift shop, a restaurant, a suite of offices, and a small gathering space. The two different functions are expressed spatially. The art functions are grouped together on the bottom level as pristine, double-height volumes. The non-art
functions occupy the second level as a mezzanine that looks down on the gallery spaces. The two spaces and functions are connected by a small auditorium in the middle of the structure. The auditorium symbolizes a place of learning and enlightenment where people come to learn about art and acheive a greater appreciation. The sloping floor of the room is a literal and metaphorical bridge from the mundane world of restaurants, gift shops, and offices to the extraordinary world of art. The interior of the museum is very open; the visibility of the art from every space is intended to lure people down into the gallery spaces.
3 4
5
6 7 8 9 10
6
7
8
Section - Concept Sketch on Trash Section through Auditorium Section through Auditorium - Lighting study Level One Plan - Art Spaces Level Two Plan - Mezzanine
ARCHITECTURE
11 | 12
9
10
IMAGES 1 Study Model 2 Study Model 3 Final Model 4 Final Model 5 Final Model
ARCHITECTURE
1
2
13 | 14
AUBURN UNIVERSITY STUDENT UNION GROUP PROJECT WITH CLASSMATE BILLY WILSON - TEAM WILD CARD The principle goals of this studio were to create forms that would stand out from the traditional character of the campus, symbolize the spirit of the university, and be embraced by the students. Toward that end, every phase of the design process was critiqued by students of Professor Burlesonʼs Introduction to Architecture class. As a generic Fine Arts Elective, his class offered a wide range of perspectives from students in various programs across the university. Their input was used to evaluate the work and direct our progress. The constant dialogue with the Intro students and the added complication of working in teams made this studio project particularly difficult. For us, the students
(over thirty of them in all) represented both client and end user. It was often difficult to anticipate how they would react to any given strategy or aesthetic. Even though the student union supported a 250,000 square foot program, it was in danger of being overwhelmed by the massively scaled structures adjacent to the site – the 9-story Haley Center complex and Jordan-Hare Stadium. The unconventional forms and the feature towers served to set the student union apart from the other structures while evoking the claws, fangs, wings, and talons of the Auburn Tigers and the great War Eagle.
3
4
5
6 7 8 9 10 6
8
Final Model Final Model Final Model Level Three Plan Level Two Plan
ARCHITECTURE
7
15 | 16
9
10
IMAGES These images are samples taken from Stepping Back: Relating to a Post-Katrina Coast, a photo essay by myself, Samantha Coffey, and Kendall Smith.
ARCHITECTURE
17 | 18
THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE KATRINA GROUP PROJECT WITH CLASSMATES SAMANTHA COFFEY AND KENDALL SMITH In the spring of fourth year, I was in a special studio for students who had elected to stay on campus instead of participiating in Auburnʼs study abroad program. This “Studio X” was taught by visiting Paul Rudolph Professor Stan Berthaud. A graduate of Tulane University, Stan was very close to New Orleans and those affected by Hurricane Katrina. We spent the entire semester exploring the culture of the gulf coast region and the effects of the disaster, with hopes of writing and publishing a childrenʼs book about Katrina. Throughout the semester we visited with children at local elementary schools some of whom had been permanently displaced by the storms. We asked them to tell us about their thoughts and experiences, and to relay to us their hopes for the future and the rebuilding
of the Gulf Coast. We also took a class trip to see the devastation first hand making stops at Pass Christian, the University of Tulane in New Orleans, and the Ninth Ward at one of the primary levee breech locations. As the term progressed, the initial childrenʼs book idea grew into two other projects: one team produced a video documentary of our studio and its interaction with the children, and another put together a photo essay about our experience of the limited progress in the region. I was the lead photographer, writer, and designer for the photo essay, aided by classmates Kendall Smith and Samantha Coffey. All of the projects were presented in an informal open gallery setting at the end of the semester. The childrenʼs book was eventually published and is available on Amazon.com.
IMAGES 1 Elevations 2 Plan of two block site
URBAN DESIGN
19 | 20
1
HUDSON FARMS This studio was all about creating an architecture of place. The site was a greenfield located just outside of Montgomery, Alabama that was soon to become a TND called Hudson Farms. Using an initial site plan generated by Dover, Kohl & Partners, the studio worked together to create a working town in which each student would design a different building archetype, in my case a small town public library. As a group, we listed out all of the possible building projects for the town and chose locations for each, with the more prominant public structures placed adjacent to open spaces and so on. In addition, each student was given a small part of the town to develop as they saw fit. Basic uses and densities were predetermined, but it was left to us to design the forms themselves and to interpret the preliminary Hudson
Farms architectural guidebook. The site plan utilizes the Transect model for development. As such, the two blocks that I designed show decreasing density and different forms and land uses as a commercial node transitions into a more heavily residential zone. This semester I took the opportunity to study and design dozens of infill elevations; I broadened my knowledge of Traditional Neighborhood Development, the New Urbanism, and their lexicon; I actively participated in a highly collaborative process; and I directly engaged many of the key issues of modern urbanism such as the balance between pedestrian and automotive traffic, the problem of parking, and the role of iconic architecture in enforcing public space.
2
IMAGES 1 Abbeville 2 Abbeville 3 Abbeville 4 Abbeville 5 Abbeville 6 Abbeville
1
-
Concepts Overview Analysis USGS Map with Concepts overlay Downtown Study Elevations
URBAN DESIGN
2
21 | 22
3
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION ABBEVILLE, ALABAMA
PLAN
FOR
CHARETTE TEAM: CLASSMATES SAMANTHA COFFEY, MELISSA SCHRICKER, AND DAVID STONE; FACULTY CHERYL MORGAN, JOHN PITTARI, SCOTT FINN, DAN BENNETT, AND DAVID PEARSON This project is a part of Professor Cheryl Morganʼs Small Town Design Initiative Program (STDI). As a part of Auburnʼs Urban Studio and, in this case, the Architecture/Community Planning dual degree program, groups travel around the state of Alabama to serve small communities in need of a cohesive vision for their future growth. The process includes extensive research of the townʼs history, detailed recording and analysis of their existing built environment, and a series of open meetings facilitated by the Abbeville Chamber of Commerce. The meetings encourage the people of Abbeville to take ownership and to participate in shaping their town. The meetings also help us to understand what it is about their town that the people really enjoy and what they feel needs some improvement. In
many ways the forums are a learning experience for everyone. As designers, we didnʼt really teach by showing or explaining; we taught by asking questions and encouraging critical observation. This kind of thinking does not come naturally and can be very difficult for people who have lived in the same small town all of their lives. The series of meetings culminated in a weekend long charette where the student and faculty teams produced dozens of images that conveyed ideas for future growth and presented them to the town in a final open forum. The ideas suggest forms of growth to minimize sprawl, strategies for preserving and reinforcing the character of their historic downtown, ways to encourage tourism, and other general improvements to beautify the town and connect the people in it.
4
5
6
IMAGES 1 Aerial View of Model with Master Plan overlay 2 Panographic of Principal Intersection 3 Perspective View of Model
URBAN DESIGN
25 | 26
1
A STUDY OF HEALTHY URBAN GROWTH FOR DOWNTOWN AUBURN, ALABAMA For synthesis, I chose to explore the way that built form influences how space is occupied. This study focuses on the differences between two adjacent intersections in Downtown Auburn, Alabama. The first intersection is Magnolia and College or Toomerʼs Corner. The second is Glenn and College. Toomerʼs Corner is the lively, pedestrian-friendly center of town. At Toomerʼs Corner, one sees urban vitality: dozens of successful businesses and apartments, and an effective balance of automotive and pedestrian traffic. At Glenn and College, one sees decay; its four corners house an empty bank building, a church parking lot, a gas station, and another empty building, a failed gas station turned failed antique store. The only people there are in their cars. Given the proximity of the two intersections, I saw
no reason why Glenn and College couldnʼt share the success and vitality that Toomerʼs Corner enjoys. Over the course of the semester, I studied and recorded the differences between the two intersections. I concluded that Toomerʼs Corner represents a historic urban pattern of development and Glenn and College represents a modern suburban pattern. I responded to the research by applying all of the urban characteristics that I observed at Toomerʼs Corner to all of the empty or unused sites at and around Glenn and College. These images show the new Glenn and College. The set-back, single-use buildings surrounded by parking, drive-throughs, and curb cuts have been replaced by mixed-use buildings that hold the street and are surrounded by generous shaded sidewalks with street trees and on street parking.
2
3
4 5 6 7 8
4
Partial Rendering of Streetscape Perspective View of Model Perspective View of Model Perspective View of Model Perspective View of Model
URBAN DESIGN
27 | 28
5
6
7
8
IMAGES 1 Announcement Rendering for City View Center 2 First Level Floor Plan with Pedestrian Walkway
PROFESSIONAL WORK
29 | 30
1
CITY VIEW CENTER From June 2008 to February 2009 I worked as an architectural intern at Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart, and Associates, Inc. The City View Center project was just coming on line the week that I started working. Over the next eight months, myself and a team of four others took the project from the end of schematic design all the way through design development to early construction documents. City View Center is a nine-story, 125,000 square foot speculative office building with a three-story parking deck located in Gainesville, Georgia. It is the first of three phases: phase two is a 250-room hotel; phase three is another office building, accompanied by a three level addition to the phase one parking deck. In addition to its raised topography, the siteʼs adjacencies to downtown Gainesville, an existing convention
center, and several other important civic buildings give the City View project extremely high visibility. When completed, it will be the tallest structure in town. The entire development is intended to set a new standard for luxury in the area. I worked on almost every aspect of the building. I attended meetings, corresponded with Structural and MEP subcontractors, and interfaced with inhouse Interior and Landscape Architects. My CAD responsibilities included maintaining the core, floor plans, and enlarged floor plans, creating and maintaining interior elevations, door and finish schedules, and building a 3D model of the parking deck. I also calculated and monitored BOMA standards for the office tower, and open area requirements for the paking deck.
2
3 4
3
Basement Level Floor Plan - July 2008 Enlarged Basement Level Floor Plan - February 2009
PROFESSIONAL WORK
31 | 32
4
5 6
5
Typical Core Floor Plan - July 2008 Enlarged Typical Core Floor Plan - February 2009
PROFESSIONAL WORK
33 | 34
6
7 8
7
Interior Elevations of Bathrooms (Women) Interior Elevations of Bathrooms (Men)
PROFESSIONAL WORK
35 | 36
8
9 10 11 12 13
Axonometric View 1 of Axonometric View 2 of Axonometric View 3 of Axonometric View 4 of Axonometric View 2 of after 3 Floor Addition
Parking Parking Parking Parking Parking
Deck Deck Deck Deck Deck
Structure Structure Structure Structure Structure
PROFESSIONAL WORK
9
10
11
12
37 | 38
13
APPENDIX
39 | 40
1983-Present
Michael Foster, LEED AP
Michael.Foster.348@gmail.com 404.545.9696 Education
2002-2008
Auburn University
1998-2002
Grissom High School
Professional Experience 2008-2009
Bachelor of Architecture Master of Community Planning Graduate GPA: 3.80 Relevant Planning Coursework: “History and Theory of Urban Form,” “Urban Design Studio,” and “Planning Law, Ethics, and Implementation” Advanced Diploma
Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart, & Associates, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia Architecture Intern Projects: 9-story office tower and parking deck in Gainesville, GA Responsibilities: - Development of the tower core from early Design Development through Construction Documents - Attending meetings, applying changes to drawings – especially floor plans, BOMA calculations, door schedule, details, interior elevations, millwork, and finish schedule. - 3D modeling of the parking deck for rendering Coordination between Architecture, Landscape, and Interiors; communication with suppliers and consultants Summer 2007
Fuqua and Partners Architects
Huntsville, Alabama Architecture Intern Responsibilities: - Generating plan and elevation schemes for projects in both Schematic Design and Design Development - Measuring, translating, and drafting existing structures for addition and renovation projects - Interface with clients on-site
Other Experience 2001-Present
Skills
Activities
Interests
801 Franklin, Trim Masterʼs Tree Service, Camp Timberlake for Boys, McAlisterʼs Gourmet Deli, Biziliaʼs Cafe, Chick-Fil-A Mac OS + Windows XP SketchUp Modeling Software AutoCAD 2006, ADT 2007 (2D +3D) Adobe Photoshop, InDesign Hand modeling, drafting, and sketching Atlanta Beltline planning effort LEED for New Construction Version 2.2 accredited May 2009 Participant in Small Town Design Initiative in Abbeville, AL Participant in Montgomery, Alabama Downtown Revitalization Charette conducted by Dover, Kohl and Partners Guitar, Mandolin, BOOKS, movies, Urbanism, travel, Globalism, Branding