Gerard O'Connell // Landscape Architect // Portfolio

G E RARD O’ CO N N E L L L AN D S CA P E A R CHI T ECT

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CO N TE N TS

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Gerard O’Connell _01 _02 _03 _04 _05 _06 _07

Unfolding Amager Post· Nature - Dong jingyu Village Regeneration Shadowed Void Bornholm Centre of Landscape Research Klimatilpasning Lindevangsparken Middelgrundsfortet Skabelse af Ungdommens Ø Terra Incognita

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Gera rd Wi lli am O ’ Connell Prins Jørgens Gade 10 2200 København N (+45) 2532 7132 oconnellgw@gmail.com

Educ a t i on 2 0 1 4 -2 0 1 6 Master of Science (MSc) in Landscape architecture with a specialisation in Urban Design University of Copenhagen (KU) Copenhagen, Denmark 2011 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, semester exchange Pennsylvania State University (PSU) State College, Pennsylvania 2 0 1 0 -2 0 1 3 Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) major in Landscape architecture Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) Wellington, New Zealand

Prof essi ona l e x p e r i e n c e 2 0 1 5 -2 0 1 6 Student assistant at Marianne Levinsen Landskab ApS - Copenhagen, Denmark As a student assistant I worked on a wide variety of projects, ranging in scale and process. My main tasks generally involved physical modelling, working in Rhino 3D, and detailing projects for construction.

2 0 1 6 -2 0 1 7 Landscape architect at Marianne Levinsen Landskab ApS - Copenhagen, Denmark I am involved in drawing investigations, GIS mapping and extensive work in Rhino 3D and Revit.

2 0 0 5 -2 0 1 7 Adventure guide and tourism employee at The World - Everywhere, Planet Earth I have working as a white-water raft guide, snowboard and ski instructor/guide, coach driver. Being involved in the tourism industry for some years has given me the opportunity not only to see a lot of the world but observe the effects tourism and landscape architecture have on one another.

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Personal st at ement I am a recently graduated Landscape architect. My experience at the educational institutions and work place listed opposite, under excellent tutelage has revealed to me the potential for landscape architecture to be a key discipline within the multidisciplinary approach going forward. It is my view that landscape architects have to have an excellent understanding of context, as well as an intuitive understanding of the value of place. I believe it is the discipline capable of bridging barriers within development by bringing together sustainability, ecology, economy and architecture, within the public realm.

Through my studies and travels I have developed an in-depth understanding of how people use space and an ability to develop designs that realise the potential of these spaces. This is where I believe I am intuitively strongest, particularly within urban environments where I spend most of my time. I want to work at the edge of the discipline, pushing landscape architecture to the forefront of the built environment where I believe it belongs.

I have a wide skill set across a number of computer based programmes which I am constantly seeking to improve, though most of my design work begins with basic model making and a strong focus on simple and diagrammatic drawings to convey and capture ideas, moments and experiences. The process from sketching to modelling (be it digitally or physically) to representation is one that has become ingrained in my design philosophy, and is one that has served me well in exploring the infinite possibilities of landscape architecture.

Sk i l l s AutoCAD Illustrator Rhinoceros 3D Model making Academic writing

Master

Photoshop ArcGIS Photography InDesign

Public speaking Conversational sketching

Revit Vray

Construction drawing Premier Pro

Learning

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Year 2014/15 Type Studio course Location Amager, Copenhagen, Denmark Where University of Copenhagen Course Urbanism Studio Course responsible Rikke Munck Petersen Group members Bettina Erika Tógyer, Emilie Nørgaard Andersen & Michala Kaja Krebs

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Unf ol ding Amag e r

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INVESTIGATION Testing frames Testing surfaces Axility view orientation Border situations

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Existing structures

Found materials

Our approach was to deal with the island of Amager as a whole entity. By working in a range of scales with the key ideas of connectivity and continuity we aimed to link amenities of Amager and strength its connectivity to Copenhagen.

The initial working phase focuses on strengthening the northsouth connection between Refshaleøen and Sydstranden and also developing the west-east relations on land.

The key points of departure for design focus on connection and navigation within specific problem areas. This was achieved with the use of four design principles drawn from a spatial investigation formed in each area. The principles formed were; structural elements, surface treatments, framed views and both physical and visual connections. This investigation into the program of Unfolding Amager has been broken down into a series of focus areas. The program of the framework can be implemented in site specific manors to each area highlighted through later phases of the masterplan.

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VOLUME STUDIES Left The North Entry Bella Centre New connection Entry to Nature Park Entry to birch forest

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Right Refshaleøen West Park Entry to water Dragør Sydstrand

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NEW CONNECTION - HANNEMANNS AllÈ Through our spatial investigations, we found that there was a large area of housing that was cut off from Ørstrad and Natur Park Amager.

We worked with two key points along Hannemanns Allé. Cultural square working in conjunction to the new Copenhagen Arena. At the other end of Hannemanns Allé, a new entrance to the nature park.

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Year 2016 Type International Landscape Design Competition Location Xi Jing Yu Cun, Jixian, Tianjin, China Where FrelinOConnell Team members Oskar Frelin

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POST · NAT UR E Dong j ingyu Vil l ag e Regener ation The Dong jingyu Village Regeneration was a design competition a friend and I completed in our personal time. Dong jingyu Village is a cultural landscape and a site of historical significance due to traces left in the landscape from centuries of human inhabitation.

POST·NATURE aims to rejuvenate the site and allow access for future generations to visit and experience this tremendous landscape.

POST·NATURE creates a circular stage to witness the dynamic evolution of the natural landscape as it works to erase the footprints of old; a new future is created by nature itself.

With a ‘curated’ experience the visitor’s gain an in-depth interaction with the natural process of the site in a way that allows the site to develop and degrade naturally with minimal interference. Dong jingyu Village will function as a future descriptive landscape. Here visitors can explore and understand the natural process from pre human through to today, and possibly into a future where there is a positive interaction of humans within the natural processes of the landscape.

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TRANSECTED RUINS We worked with the concept of a circular path surrounding the ruined village. Thus creating a transect of the village in which the process of nature can be witnessed as the landscape develops.

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B-b Entrance to the circle path; cut into soil The visitor can view the soil strata of the site, highlighting the natural processes within the ground.

C-c Cut through vegetation The visitor experiences the processes in action at ground level

E-e Walkway over building The visitor can pass over a number of ruins in the village

D-d Cut through building The visitor can pass through an the walls of an old building in the village

F-f Walkway through the canopy From the bedrock to the canopy, elevation changes provide a dynamic viewing experience through out the site

SECTIONS B-F The above sections indicate the changes in elevation in the path, highlighting the natural processes and history of the site, from the bedrock to the canopy. The opposite plan reveals the changing typology of the path.

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Ruins Walkway through ruins

Elevated walk Large site trail Ruins

E Walkway over ruins

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0m

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Cut through building C

50m

0m

50m

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100m

View point

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Ruins b

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Facilities

Entrance

Large site trail 0m

Soil cut

Parking

100m

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Large site trail

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500m

To lookout 0m

To the well

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50m

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Situation Plan 0m

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100m

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500m

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Year 2016 Type Masters Thesis Project Location Chernobyl, Ukraine Where University of Copenhagen Supervisor Ellen Marie Braae

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Shadowed Voi d For my masters thesis I wanted to go into a deep subject matter.

Attempting a project in Chernobyl involved an in depth theoretical and practical exploration. How to deal with such sites that represent a moral grey area in terms of exploration and memorialisation.

What I found was extremely interesting. In the shadow of the world's worst nuclear disaster, a conflicting trend in tourism is growing. Dark/dystopian tourism is quickly becoming a mainstream touristic phenomenon.

The thesis explores the psyche of the dark tourist in the realm of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and what landscape architecture can do to facilitate the tourist exploration. Ultimately asking; how the events that took place there can be better memorialised with the proposal of a new typology of memorial architecture.

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LOCAL MAP In order to maximise tourist interaction and minimise their activities impact on the Zone, the Tourist Zone was created. Reusing existing infrastructure to facilitate the tourists experience.

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THE DUGA This relic of the cold war is one of the most impressive gantry structures I have ever seen. Access to the radar has been facilitated by stairwells and viewing platforms that connect to the existing structure.

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MODEL 1:500

Materiality and construction are key when I consider a physical model. Each material and method of construction have a personality of their own.

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DUGA VIEW PLATFORM In order to allow an idea to sink in and a potential epiphany to occur these points of pause are essential to the success of the design.

Intertwined with the romanticism of pause within the landscape is the pragmatic need to facilitate reflective places to allow people to stop and consider the sum total of the places that they have experienced and provide time to ponder the places that they may discover in the future.

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CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The extensive rail network has been reused. Tourists can explore the site on adapted railcars. Interventions are fitted with existing structures as seen in the unfinished cooling towers the opposite page.

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1842-1899

1953- 1976

2012

Year 2015 Type Studio course Location North Bornholm, Denmark Where University of Copenhagen Course Transformation Studio Course responsible Anne Tietjen Group members Nanna Maj Stubble Ă˜stergaard & Amra Vehabovic

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Bor nhol m Centre o f L andscape Researc h As part of this studio course we travelled the island of Bornholm on a site exploration and study trip. After exploring the island and speaking with the local occupants it became very clear that there was a big problem with population decline especially within the young adult demographic. Sadly; a trend that is effecting a lot of small rural communities in developed countries.

We decided to use the islands geographical location and it’s diverse landscape, to create a series of landscape ‘laboratories’ by retrofitting run-down or abandoned buildings. Firstly as field stations for researchers, then to expand by bring more actors in and establishing more and larger permanent facilities. Thus, attracting the demographic currently missing from the community.

This project taught me how and where to gain funding, establishing a brand, restoration, and facilitating research.

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GRAZING LANDS This stream connects the site to the southern end of Tjen. Work can be done in conjunction with the project being done in Tjen.

This nature protection area is connected to the Krakken plantation the second largest patch of forest in North Bornholm.

Lake Bornholm, a very important area of open water, lies on the edge of the Krakken plantation. Lake Bornholm, a very important area of open water, layer on the edge of the Krakken plantation.

Sections of the green wave are listed as nature protection areas, these patches give the opportunity to integrate the larger network and provide ecological corridors.

A large open area with a patch work forest will provide quality potential for research into ecological corridors and the effects of grazing animals.

This area has a mixture of used and unused houses, if the houses are in use the majority of them are not attached to farms. Possibility of another field station.

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AGRICULTURAL LAB

Soldalen - The facilities established in Site 1 are located close by and will be the main facilities within Site 2.

As with Site 1, Olsker is the closest urban settlement and important for recreation and production connections.

Areas of national geological interests are located all over North Bornholm.

Two streams run from the site to the coastal village Tjen. Bakkebak to the north is part of an inland connection project by the team working in Tjen.

This large farm will be used as the central agriculture facility the open area gives great potential to house a variety of projects.

Sections of the green wave are listed as nature protection areas, these patches give the opportunity to integrate the larger network into ecological corridors.

Existing wind farm which can be used to power the site using sustainable energy.

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LEARNING FROM NATURE It became clear very early in the project that the large yet fragmented forest and heath network within inland of Bornholm was the key to unlocking the islands potential to serve as a world class landscape research area.

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the wetland lab

Moseløkken - This is the site of two projects being developed by the granite stories groups. It is connected by an existing bike path.

Large pig farms has a huge influence on the landscape surrounding them.

Terrain forms a valley which is framed by forest.

Stream has been drained and former wetland turned into farmland.

Olsker is the closest urban settlement and will be an important factor in future development of the area.

Main road of the area runs through.

Soldalen - The owner is looking to branch out, and the location makes it ideal as an initial development of research facilities.

RESEARCH SITES Site 3 has been chosen as the first intervention area, based on its landscape features and the fact that Soldalen is ideally located within the site. This allows for the development of Soldalen as the primary research facility alongside the development of the first landscape lab – the wetland lab.

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FOREST LAB

This is a highly trafficked section of Dandalen, it has good access from the coastal road but not from the inland.

Home to Denmark’s largest waterfall

Rø village is the closest settlement and will be an important factor in future development of the area.

The site of a proposed visitor centre created by the project team working on Dandalen.

This is a weak section of Dondalen, the potential of high quality spatial experiences and connection to nature. Working in connection with the Dondalen project.

Nature protection area encompassing Dondalen and Rutsker plantation, great potential for research and recreation.

This intersection between Rø plantation and Rutsker plantation is the beginning of Dondalen stream and an important link missing in the green wave. It is well connected and used section of the bike path.

These buildings are a great location for another field station facility.

Rø plantation is the largest forest area in North Bornholm, it is mostly Norway Spruce (Picea abies) which is an invasive species and highly toxic to soil. Planted for forestry.

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Bird watch tower

Wetland

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Integra t e Health strips / Ecological corridors Forest - Wetland - Meadow

Connec t

Area information Viewpoint

L e a rn

Bird watch tower Wet land class room

3D SECTIONS We used three key categories to outline and describe the concept behind our interventions.

These 3D sections where a useful tool to clearly communication our basic design principles in our proposal for the wetland research area.

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Year 2015 Type Climate adaptation urban space Location Frederiksberg, Denmark Where Marianne Levinsen Landskab ApS Supervisors Marianne Levinsen & Eva Henriette Olsen Status Completed My role Student Assistant

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Kl imatil pasnin g Lindev angspar ke n

Lindevangsparken is a pilot project for climate change adaptation and flood security during heavy rain fall. The design consists of a large park, planted swale and urban space in Frederiksberg.

With a focus on climate adaptation in synergy with new social initiatives, which facilitate learning environments and meeting places for many different kinds of users at the same time. I came to the studio while this project was under construction. I assisted in the final phases of detailing and was given the task of designing a small set of stairs in the terrain after it was deemed too steep.

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PLAN 1:1500 The three key elements of the design; a large green park, a swale and an urban square.

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THE SPIRAL The Fibonacci spiral highlights the end of the waters journey through the park.

Flowing within the spiral until it meets a fountain at the centre.

Overview of the water spiral urban area

Træ flyttet

Træ fjernet

Gamle terræn Ny terræn

The finished stairs

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Year 2015 Type Second round competition Location Middelgrundsfortet, Copenhagen, Denmark Where Baumann Boe-Whitehorn Arkitekter A/S Supervisors Noah Boe-Whitehorn Status – My role 3D/BIM specialist

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Middelgru ndsf ortet Skabelse a f Ungdommens Ă˜ While working at Marianne Levinsen we were asked to partake in a competition for the renovation of Middelgrundsfortet off the coast of Copenhagen.

This was done in collaboration with BB-W Arkitekter.

I was loaned to BB-W for the duration of the competition as a 3D specialist. The model its self was extremely complex. For representation purposes we decided it was best to show a negative space model.

Along with creating the digital model I produced a 3D printed physical model for presentation.

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HISTORY REPURPOSED What has to be kept, what should be kept and what can go. Important questions in any project, but more so when dealing with sites that hold historical significance. It was interesting finding that balance.

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3D EXPLORATIONS 3D modelling is a powerful tool that I have come to know and use a lot both during my studies and in the profession. It proves to be useful in all phases of the design, from basic sketching to detailed representation.

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Year 2016 Type Memorial Location Trondheim, Norway Where Marianne Levinsen Landskab ApS Supervisors Marianne Levinsen, Anders KrĂźger & Eva Henriette Olsen Status Completed My role Student Assistant

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Terra Incognit a

Marianne Levinsen and Anders KrĂźger won an international design competition for a public memorial commemorating the 22nd July terrorist attacks in Norway. I assisted with a in-depth modelling investigation of form, materials and construction techniques. Further into the project I was tasked with digitising our physical model investigations. Which we used create the full scale moulds to be used to cast the concrete forms on site. I was also involved in construction drawings. We have concentrated on creating the spatial, artistic and architectural framework of an open and inviting memorial that residents and visitors of Trondheim can take possession of. A stylised archipelago of in-situ moulded horizontal white concrete formations are scattered across the square - white islands on the bright surface. The islands are different sizes and heights - some are level with the ground, others rise up to sitting height.

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Close up of a plaster model of an island at DAW

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1:100 cardboard site model with the shifted layers Close up of the terrazzo finish resembling mortadella

Placing the islands on our 1:10 model at DAW

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FROM CONCEPT TO CREATION Terra Incognita is a very significant project for me. Not only is it the first built project that I got to be a part of from the very early stages and watch as it unfolded and matured from a sketch to a finished project, but because of the method we took to get from those sketches to the built. It was hugely rewarding to work under Marianne Levinsen and Anders KrĂźger. To learn from their approach and the way they think through the process was hugely beneficial to me as a young landscape architect.

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G E RARD O’ CO N N E L L L AN D S CA P E A R CHI T ECT