FRANK ZIMMERMAN ARCHITECTURE | URBAN DESIGN | PLANNING PORTFOLIO_2015
FRANK ZIMMERMAN FRANKZIMMERMAN.NET FRANKZIMM@GMAIL.COM 512.497.5518
HIGHWAY INDEX
AN ALTERNATE FUTURE FOR INTERSTATE 794
GRADUATE THESIS LOCATION MILWAUKEE | WI TIME 5 MONTHS MEDIA RHINO 3D | PHOTOSHOP | ILLUSTRATOR | DIVA | ARCGIS | AUTODESK SIMULATION CFD | 3D PRINTER | LASER CUTTER | CNC
HONORS CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARD | SUPER JURY
Located on the footprint of an underutilized expressway bisecting Downtown Milwaukee, my thesis sought to repurpose, trace, and index the highway’s platform and structure within an informed infill pattern. Social, environmental, historical, and economic characteristics were all criteria used to gauge the effectiveness of the design.
1894
1956
2014
site evolution
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lakefront third ward river’s edge ring park
transit hub
interchange
lakefront
From downtown, a series of expressway decks transform into commercial towers. On the surface below, at a high school and middle school, students cross Lincoln Memorial Drive through passages both above and below the roadway. And at the lake, a cantilevered gallery with performance stages fills the gap in Milwaukee’s museum district.
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third ward RETAIL | HOUSING MISMATCH
5 residents
= 5 Residents
= 5 Residents 2010 Census 2010 Census
retail locations
= Retail Locations
= Retail Locations
Surrounded by some of the most valuable land in Wisconsin and a glut of retail establishments, the area advances new residential and civic opportunities. The layering of highway and new construction emphasizes the street enclosure and creates a dynamic, visual variety that encourages pedestrian activity.
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river’s edge
black white hispanic
RACIAL DIVIDE
The river’s banks have been shaped significantly by economic interests over the last 150 years. The design proposes restoring the east side of the river to a soft boundary, while the west side maintains its hard retaining wall. In addition, the plan bids to soften and bridge Milwaukee’s historically rigid segregation lines.
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1856
1916
1936
2014
ring park
WIND ANALYSIS 4th - 6th st
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7th - 10th st
The ring park explores how building, infrastructure, and landscape can be expressed as a uniform surface. The ring collects, treats, and releases water from the Milwaukee River while simultaneously organizing space into varied programmatic zones that adjust to meet seasonal demands.
iteration 1
iteration 3
with few escape options, the wind speeds up exiting low pressure areas.
the varied facade angles create a turbulent zones
final design
final design
linear passages bordering the public space provide additional escape routes for moving air - lowering the pressure differential.
while curved facades steady air speeds close to buildings, sharp facades create calm space beyond the building’s immediate vicinity.
final magnified
final magnified
SOLAR ANALYSIS
transit hub
The transit hub capitalizes on the intersection of heavy rail, bicycle, bus, automobile, and Milwaukee’s streetcar. Stored streetcars serve as an elevated backdrop for the plaza, while contoured towers bend to minimize the shadow cast to the north. Structure from the highway is left behind to create a field of gates. While they are sculptures in themselves, their strength allows for an array of future installations.
To encourage citizens’ use of outdoor spaces in continental climate zones attention must be paid to maximizing solar exposure as seasons change.
This requires shaping southern buildings and positioning public spaces to catch early spring and late autumnal sunlight.
max accumulative radiation
min
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interchange The interchange explores how the existing highway can shape future buildings and landscape. The highway’s structure is capable of supporting living habitats, while its platform could adapt uses according to time, traffic, and social demands. Ramps could carry rush hour traffic in the morning and host cultural events in the afternoon.
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daily traffic count 120,000 I-43
I-794
36,000
lincoln dr
26,000
concept reduction
public space delineated by existing highway enclosure piecemeal highway removal highway as structural host building + landscape as continuous surface
control: inferred ‘highways to boulevards’ proposal
human networks + systems interaction of object building + surface facade as continuous surface
a knoll of regional geology amplifying existing topography object landscape
COMMUNITY PLINTH MILWAUKEE SHIP STORAGE + PUBLIC LANDSCAPE
LOCATION BAY VIEW | MILWAUKEE | WI TIME 2 MONTHS TEAM JOHN SCHEDLER |LAURA TRAINOR INPUT DESIGN | RENDER | MODEL |CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS
MEDIA RHINO 3D | REVIT | AUTOCAD |
PHOTOSHOP | ILLUSTRATOR | INDESIGN | INK | CHARCOAL | MODEL
HONORS 1ST PRIZE | INNER HARBOR COMPETITION Constructed along an operational slip within Milwaukee’s industrial harbor, the boat storage and office facility is designed with the future of wood technologies in mind.
area diagram
land
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Examining the procession to the site exposed a pattern of edge conditions that would come to inform the building’s design.
lift
In an area with a drought of public amenities, the intention was to create a space on which even the most timid citizens would be willing to engage with the industrial face of their city.
divide
The transparent tower serves the dual purpose of viewing area and transmission antenna for office operations.
push
carve
site investigation
habitable roof iterations
[26] pedestrian path
While the facility is owned by the public, its common typology would rarely be open to the public. Lifting and reshaping the ground plane along a series of facets allows citizens to regularly experience the facility by following a linear path.
section cc
north elevation
20 10
FT
west elevation
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section aa
20
40 FT
green roof
ipe rainscreen
glulam structure
ipe ceiling finish
timber colums
interior partitions
glazing
Hung from the ipe roof plane, fiber cables are arranged on each facade according to solar loads and visibility needs. A set of construction documents were prepared to accompany the design.
cable facade
concrete slab
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typical facade condition
3 1
FT
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MACHINE + SURFACE AN ARCHITECTURAL PROTOTYPE FOR 7-ELEVEN
dallas_tx
LOCATION DALLAS_TX | NEW YORK_NY | BENTLEY_KS TIME 2 MONTHS MEDIA RHINO 3D | GRASSHOPPER | ILLUSTRATOR | PHOTOSHOP | LASER CUTTER | CNC
PRODUCT CATALOGUE
Given current operational trends and it’s 24-hour schedule, all storage and retail functions were transfered to a mechanized roof and column system.
1900 est # | total cubic ft
machine plan
the new model for 7-Eleven supports 24 hours of activity
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platform plan
15
30
FT
This studio sought to understand and propose an alternative building pattern for a ‘small box’ franchise. Using 7-Eleven as my chain and the work of Paul Rudolph as my representational inspiration, I designed three 7-Elevens at different scales and in different locations. Designs in Dallas, New York, and Bentley are all based on the manipulation of surface and column to support mechanized store operations and fulfill a public need.
bentley_ks
With the symbiotic assistance of 7-Eleven, the Bentley, Kansas Post Office could be saved from impending closure. The public surface of the 7-Eleven wraps the post office and the neighboring city hall to form a tiered town square in-between.
The 42nd street - Bryant Park station, at one time rated as the loudest place in Manhattan, is improved by a 7-Eleven that utilizes an acoustic mirror to focus the noise on an absorptive chandelier that then slows the highest frequencies.
acoustic iterations
Glass columns on the street level allow pedestrians and 7-Eleven customers to abstractly view one another for improved safety.
new york_ny
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7-ELEVEN analysis rendered in the style of paul rudolph
0 FT
150
600
STEEPED URBANISM
A MASTER PLAN FOR THE GRAND TRUNK DISTRICT
LOCATION BAY VIEW | MILWAUKEE | WI TIME 4 MONTHS MEDIA RHINO 3D | AUTOCAD |
PHOTOSHOP | ILLUSTRATOR | INDESIGN | INK | MODEL
HONORS 1ST PRIZE | INNER HARBOR COMPETITION SUPER JURY NOMINATION PUBLISHED IN CALIBRATIONS
Located 2 miles south of Milwaukee’s downtown, the master plan area is currently dominated by vacant industrial structures, immense block sizes, and contaminated brownfield land.
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existing
hydrology
CIVIC
Focusing on the overlap and synthesis of diverse use types, the master plan sought to introduce and thoughtfully integrate commercial, residential, and light industrial uses within a water-conscious landscape.
COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL SINGLE-FAMILY MULTI-FAMILY
use plan
The focal point of the masterplan occurs at the northwest corner of the Grand Trunk. There, the public landscape fans out to connect with the Kinnickinnic River, establishing human scale spaces for a myriad of uses across all seasons.
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PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE WORK COMPLETED WITH CDS | OPN | IED
While at Community Design Solutions, I worked on a range of civic focused design and planning projects.
senior housing expansion
Projects range from building and landscape design to regional planning reports.
energy substation adaptive reuse
In addition, we staff professional design charrettes, community meetings, and home improvement workshops. campus bike plan
home improvement workshop
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During my time at OPN Architects I prepared construction documents, collected field measurements, created presentation graphics, and fabricated models.
courthouse model
In addition, I helped design and enact public outreach for a high-profile landscape project
elementary school
public input session
While employed by the Institute for Ecological Design, I edited a publication for the City of Milwaukee. With the help of a team, I designed and fabricated a 6’ x 12’ model that reimagines Milwaukee’s Inner Harbor. Wes Brice | Brian Peterson | Jim Wasley
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The design and model were utilized at city events and development negotiations. The white massings denote existing structures while the basswood massings denote proposed additions.
FRANKZIMMERMAN.NET FRANKZIMM@GMAIL.COM 512.497.5518