WOODY HANSON
Urban Design Architecture Research & Travel
Portfolio
Personal
Introduction
After studying architecture and geography at the University of Minnesota I set out to understand my role as a designer and advocate in contentious social conditions and fragmented urban environments. Upon my graduation in 2010, I spent nine months in Nicosia, Cyprus developing a Fulbright Research project on unifying architectural heritage in the historic core of the Cypriot capital. My intention was to help overcome the conventional understanding of the city as two halves by revealing the urban evolution of Nicosia as a single entity. In 2011, I studied urban design at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. The program focused on post-conflict regeneration as well as relationship building with communities through a ‘participatory design process’. For my thesis project, I worked with non-profit organizations (Common Ground + Sherman Park Community Association) to develop an urban design strategy for a 12 block area of the Sherman Park neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The above mentioned individual academic achievements have focused my attention on confronting socially, culturally and historically unique conditions in the urban environment of US cities. Throughout my past experiences, I have developed a distinct, multi-disciplinary creative process as well as exemplary graphic, verbal and written communication skills. The following pages of this document highlight a number of my projects that demonstrate my passion for improving our urban environments through a collaborative, contextual process.
Woody Hanson
Table of Contents
3 - 24 5 - 14
Urban Design Sherman Park | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
15 - 18
Cathedral Quarter | Belfast, Northern Ireland
19 - 24
Guinness Lands | Dublin, Ireland
25 - 34
Architecture
27 - 28
Rural Country House | Randalstown, Northern Ireland
29 - 30
Cotton House | Rosemount, Minnesota, USA
31 - 32
Box Link
33 - 34
Riverfront Apartment | Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
35 - 44
Research & Travel
37 - 40
Unifying Aspects
40 - 42
Physicality
43 - 44
Drawings + Photography | Europe, Middle East, North Africa
45 - 46
Resume
of
of
Architectural Heritage + Revitalizing
the
Moat | Nicosia, Cyprus
Place : North Belfast | Belfast, Northern Ireland
Urban Design
Urban Design Location
Institution Date Completed
Sherman Park
Milwaukee, WI, USA Queen’s University October 2012
spatial Improve
social
CONNECTIVITY in Sherman Park to encourage
economic
Spatial Connectivity
Social Connectivity
+
+
community
OWNERSHIP + city-wide USERSHIP
$
The primary objective of this strategy is to install a series of connectivity cogs, or complimentary physical initiatives, which knit the neighborhood together and attract outside interest to propel the community forward. The proposal is split into nearterm and long-term solutions to begin generating revenue in the community while also promoting Sherman Park as a convenient and healthy place to live. The near-term plan highlights public works initiatives as well as grassroots, entrepreneurial opportunities for residents in the area to grow, produce, buy and sell goods locally. The long-term plan retains urban agriculture in the neighbourhood while establishing viable and competitive commercial corridors with business complimentary to the wholesome lifestyle developed in Sherman Park during the initial phase of this plan.
Economic Connectivity
=
6
4’walk 8’ Bump-out 11’ traffic lane 8’ Bump-out 4’walk + Grass + Grass This neighborhood master plan is intended to increase connectivity, safety and opportunity throughout, principally by weaving together essential community nodes. By linking these nodal points together through an interactive streetscape plan, a stronger community identity will emerge to dissuade criminal activity and promote local businesses. In addition, important social facilities have been planned regularly throughout the neighborhood to meet the needs of this underserved community and open up space along the commercial corridors for economic opportunity. This plan is expected to operate in tandem with the housing refurbishment efforts of Common Ground. The drawing on the upper right of this page highlights a proposed plan to revive the housing market in the neighborhood through alterations to the existing housing stock as well as historically considerate infill. At present, 110 existing houses are in need of refurbishment while 17 single-family homes are proposed to fill in the gaps.
9’ - 15’ walk
5’ bike 11’ traffic lane
11’ traffic lane
8’ parking
5’ bike 6’ walk
Streetscape revitalization will open opportunities for commercial expansion along North Avenue and Center Street. Unfortunately, significant investment in the area by local businesses will only occur after continued growth is expected. This plan proposes a phased implementation strategy for near-term economic opportunities as well as long-term sustainability. With nearly three acres of vacant and underused land along these streets, the ‘commercial corridors’ provide a unique opportunity for largescale urban agriculture. Agriculture provides immediate entrepreneurial opportunities for residents while also providing easy access to nutritional food. Over time, agricultural use will give way to complimentary businesses that pride themselves on being community-oriented and focused on the health and well-being of the neighborhood. During this time, the neighborhood will derive a unique identity in the city as ‘Holistically Sustainable Urban Living’ to generate notoriety and stability. As a primary arterial route between Downtown Milwaukee and the nearby suburbs, Sherman Park will establish a presence along this commuter corridor to reclaim business from big-box retailers.
Spatial Connectivity Streetscape Improvements • • • • •
• • • • • •
Emphasize store-front economy Establish public seating and vegetation Promote alternative transportation use Organize parking and calm traffic Clean up alleys
Organised parking + traffic calming Extended pedestrian realm Emphasised social nodal points at key community facilities Activated streetscape with outdoor furniture to encourage socialization Increased safety features such as clean alleys (see right image) and lighting scheme Improved bus stops
8
Social Connectivity Link • • • •
and
Establish Assets
Utilize vacant land and underused parking lots Establish social spaces at street corners Provide community facilities and pocket-parks Improve connections and interaction with nearby social institutions
10
Portland, OR
Local Grocery
Case Study
Economic Connectivity Revive Commercial Engines • •
•
Re-brand neighborhood as holistically sustainable Develop near-term opportunities for residents in urban agriculture and street vending Guide and encourage complimentary businesses and new infill buildings for longterm
Restaurant Training
Seattle, WA
Case Study
12
14
Urban Design Location
Institution Date Completed
Cathedral Quarter
Belfast, Northern Ireland Queen’s University January 2012
Cathedral Quarter is located within the heart of Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. This historic district was the birthplace of the original settlement of the city around the mouth of the River Farset and Belfast Lough. Today, Cathedral Quarter sits to the northeast of the modern City Centre and to the west of the River Lagan. The area is proudly advertised as the arts and culture district of Belfast, and in the coming years a new Metropolitan Art Center (the MAC) and a new arts campus for the University of Ulster will support that claim. As the lead designer of this group master plan proposal I developed a series of maps and diagrams to represent important existing characteristics of the site that would help guide the design proposal. Through this exercise, a number of key strengths and weaknesses were discovered within the site that provided me with a framework to begin the design process.
limited pedestrian permeability
1/4
walkable historic district
isolated by major road network
high level of vacant buildings
deteriorating block structure
nearby monuments and shopping
neighboring site assets
existing public transportation
mil
e
16
s ck
Do do n ar en
Cl Cr
um
li
n
Ro
ad
Co
Sailor Town
rr
id or
City Quays
Τιτανιc Quarter
Cathedral Quarter
Sirocco Works City Centre
Vision Statement
Cathedral Quarter will be regenerated to retain its ‘Bohemian arts and culture’ identity and character while also integrating into its neighbouring districts and the city as a whole.
Queen’s Quarter
This design proposal aims to redirect the flow of pedestrians from along the retail cross of Belfast through the Cathedral Quarter along an intimate streetscape of entries and arcades. Public transportation access and a mixed-use residential hub will support cultural and educational activity in the area while enlivening the cultural core of Belfast.
Laganside
18
Urban Design Location
Institution Date Completed
Guinness Quarter Dublin, Ireland Queen’s University January 2012
The Guinness brewing facility at St. James Gate in Dublin has been a primary economic force for employment and tourism in Dublin for over 250 years. However, during the recent recession the company is considering consolidating its operation. This decision provides an ideal opportunity to link the historic Guinness Storehouse, which has drawn over 4,000,000 visitors since 2000, to Heuston Train Station. The sequence to the right shows how the consolidation of the facility and a revival of the Grand Canal Docks and historic routes could establish a new Guinness Quarter.
The primary design goal in the site proposal was to emphasize the importance of the Guinness Storehouse as a tourism magnet. As a result, I focused my urban design strategy on the area immediately surrounding the Guinness Storehouse. Resulting features of the design included: • • •
Revival of the historic form and presence of the Grand Canal Docks Cultural and tourism quarter focused on the area’s industrial and brewing heritage Key linkages from the new Guinness Quarter to Grand Canal Park, the Liffey River + Heuston Station
20
3
9
pm
am
Noon
The new development in the Guinness Quarter will rise from the form of the historic Grand Canal Docks which ran alongside the Guinness Storehouse. The former docklands will become a new public realm enclosed by highlyactive frontage and tourism uses. The pedestrian zone spills out to the north into a park along Thomas Street, to the south into parkland along what was the Grand Canal and to the east into a walk through the Guinness Lands and Storehouse. The heights of the new buildings will be 2-4 stories shorter than the Storehouse so as not to detract from the most important monument in the site. Ground level of the new development will be almost entirely commercial use and the upper floors will be hotels to support the tourism interest in this cultural district. Although existing infrastructure already exists through the Liberties Area, proposed tram extension along Thomas Street and bus systems servicing the Grand Canal Docks area will substantially increase the foot traffic in the Guinness Quarter. A ring road surrounds the docklands development to allow traffic through but traffic calming measures will encourage walking, biking + the use of public transportation.
Layers
New Development
Public Realm
Cathedral Park • •
•
Establish link across James Street to connect Guinness Lands Mixture of hard and soft landscaping that emphasizes vistas toward the Storehouse, new development, + cathedral Begin constant stone pavement to continue throughout the entire site and guide tourists
Road Network
Central Canal • • • •
Water feature representing the Grand Canal Docks Establish public square surrounding the water feature with elements of public art. Street furniture to encourage rest and gathering within the square Provide clear pedestrian route toward Grand Canal Docks Park, Guinness Walk + Cathedral Park
Guinness Lands
Historic Map
250
ft
22
24
Architecture
Architecture Location
Institution Date Completed
A family with two adolecent children were seeking to extend the rural family home which has been vacant for a number of years and is uninhabitable in its current condition. The overall design provides the family with plenty of space to host friends and relatives without compromising their private space both indoors and out of doors. The addition to the home is smaller, shorter, and constructed of slightly different materials than the existing building to distinguish new from existing. In accordance with the family’s wishes, the house has been programed to operate efficiently based on the number of residents. While the children still live in the home, the family will use all 2400 ft2 and three bedrooms. However, as the parents age and the children leave the home to establish their own lives the existing structure can be decommissioned and the couple can conduct their day to day life entirely in the 1000 ft2 addition.
Rural Country House
Randalstown, Northern Ireland Queen’s University April 2012
28
Architecture Location
Institution Date Completed
Cotton House
Rosemount, MN, USA University of Minnesota December 2009
An overgrown field of relics from a World War II smokeless gunpowder plant in rural Minnesota is slated for demolition and redevelopment as a sustainable community for nearly 30,000 residents by 2030. At the center of ‘UMore Park’, I proposed a low cost, high efficiency community of buildings at the center of the community to attract low-income artists to live and work next to each other at the core of an arts and culture district. The complex would rise from the former “Cottonhouse” foundation ruins at the northern end of the former Gopher Ordinance Works production lines. Each ‘live-work’ unit share a plumbed wall with a mirrored unit next to it. Within each unit, I designed a compact plan for living space to allow the studio to be expansive within only 850 ft2. The ‘live’ section of each unit is stacked to include a balcony and bedroom above a living area, kitchen, and bathroom. The ‘work’ space will include a utility sink, large access door, blank walls, and a 12’ to 16’ stepped ceiling to provide evenly distributed ambient light throughout the day. cmu and wood framed construction with shared resources between adjacent units would keep the construction cost extremely low while also providing an ultimate work space and artists community.
30
Architecture Location
Institution Date Completed
Box Link N/A University May 2009
of
Minnesota
A connective unit that links two buildings is a space in which one expects to move directly from one building to another. The overarching concept of this structure is to act as a place of movement while providing an opportunity for resting and spectating on a mezzanine level. The materials used in my model are specific to the function of the planes they create. A thicker floor system provides movement between spaces and levels while also supporting the gathering areas. Thin walls create real and perceived volumes, directing movement around them as impenetrable boundaries. The fritted glazing diffuses light into the space and the direction of the fritting refers to the spaces use as transition or gathering space. These light sources influence movement by drawing the figure around the boundaries and into different areas. The careful consideration of edge conditions and orthogonal plane locations has led to a faceted geometry that is integrated into the box rather than fighting its rectilinear periphery. The void spaces within feel as though they are carved out of a solid block.
32
Architecture Location
Institution Date Completed
Riverfront Apartment Minneapolis, MN, USA University of Minnesota May 2010
Throughout this studio I studied the historic luxury apartments of New York from the early 20th century and my assignment was to propose an ‘Apartment for the Affluent‘ (A. Alpern) in Minneapolis. I began with a vacant site slated for high rise redevelopment along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis’ East Mills District, near the nationally registered Pillsbury ‘A’ Mill. The district is located at the crux of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood, Downtown Minneapolis, the Mississippi River, + the St. Anthony on Main commercial district. My design became a dichotomy of an intimate, more traditional, façade positioned toward the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood juxtaposed against the maximized, more contemporary, façade oriented directly toward Downtown Minneapolis and along the route of the Mississippi River. Foot traffic from the Stone Arch Bridge, Nicollet Island, and the heritage park along the river would be directed along existing and relocated railroad tracks directly through the public core of the building where visitors are welcome to take the elevators up to the rooftop terrace café area. Two to three residential units per floor are connected to an elevator core, four of which are located on the rear side of the building at interior corners. The exterior cladding of the building is to be influenced by the neighboring residential and industrial buildings with more traditional patterns in the rear and a modern treatment in the front.
34
Research & Travel
Research
Date
Location Client Completed
Unifying Aspects of Architectural Heritage Nicosia, Cyprus The Cyprus Institute June 2011
During the 2010-2011 academic year I conducted research through the U.S. Fulbright program in Nicosia, Cyprus. Since 1974, a UN-controlled Buffer Zone has divided Cyprus in half between a Greek- and Turkish-speaking communities. While the southern Greek-speaking community is a prosperous EU nation widely recognized as a prime tourist destination, the north is an unrecognized, Turkish military occupied zone. The Buffer Zone, or ‘Green Line’ as it is commonly known, cuts directly through historic core of the capital city polarizing a perfectly circular, 16th c. Venetian fortification with eleven regular bastions.
Nicosia’s East-West Spine A
transformation from the
Pediaios River
to
Ermou Street
to the
Buffer Zone
Few modern maps exist of the entire ‘Walled City’ and the majority of citizens in either community have little knowledge of the rich heritage that has developed throughout a long history of foreign rule within the iconic defense system. The goal of my research was to explore lenses through which Nicosia’s forgotten architectural heritage can be experienced in the context of its present-day divided realities and goals for future re-unification. Throughout the year I presented on aspects of the urban landscape that describe Nicosia as one based on its urban evolution over many centuries. For many residents, I was able to dismantle the prejudiced view of the “Last Divided Capital in Europe” in favor of a collective understanding of the city as an eclectic mix of architectural and cultural heritage.
Neighborhood Revitalization Priority Projects
of the
Nicosia Master Plan
The Evolution From Minarets
and
of
Nicosia’s Skyline
Bell Towers
to
High-Rises
Traveller’s Journeys Αrchduke Salvator
of
Austria
in
1881
38
Research
Date
Location Client Completed
Encircling the ‘Last Divided Capital in Europe’: Revitalizing the Moat Nicosia, Cyprus The Cyprus Institute October 2011
The urban open space surrounding the star-shaped Venetian fortification system of Nicosia is widely misunderstood as nothing more than a sunken ditch that was previously used as a battlefield, dumping grounds, and agricultural land. However, the neglected moat surrounding the iconic Venetian walls presents unique opportunities for the revitalization and reunification of Nicosia’s urban core. The moat inhabits an extremely important site in contemporary Nicosia’s urban core at the interface between old and new settlements, within the historic fortification system of the capital and as a physically unifying landscape between the two polarized communities on the island. However, over the past century this continuous line of defense, which once protected the city from attack, has been pierced by bridges expanding the city outward, torn in half by the Buffer Zone, and besieged by contemporary development. Today this momentous landscape goes largely unrecognized by most tourists and residents while proposals for contemporary development projects threaten to further fragment the moat and its cultural significance. The moat we see today has lost its identity as one continuous trench surrounding the city. Instead, the only sizable area of undeveloped space at the city center has become a series of boundaries and unrelated, underutilized experiences. I argue the peripheral landscape of the moat should be transformed into a continuous and flexible public space that will promote cultural activity and tourism, unite communities in the capital, and enhance the living conditions within and immediately surrounding the Walled City. This phased rehabilitation proposal that will bolster the unifying, continuous and cultural aspects of the moat, in order to create a shared physical and historical experience around the ‘Walled’ and ‘Divided’ capital. I framed my suggestions for the moat within three phases of development: Discovery of an Iconic Monument, Reconnection of a Continuous Public Space, and Development of a System of Cultural Activities. Each component of the proposal is grounded in the historical and social research I conducted and is intended to resolve numerous issues that I discovered as a resident and tourist of the ‘Walled City’ and a researcher of the historic landscape.
Plan Components
Community
gardens
PeacePlayers International bi-communal basketball court
International UN-sponsored
outdoor
concert venue
Pedestrian-freindly
Public
crossings
cafe and tennis courts
Under-road
parking structures near three
original gates and bus station
Open
market area with collapsible shelters
40
Research
Date
Location Client Completed
As part of a three-year, EU-funded research initiative, I lead a team or design and planning students in an analysis of the changing ‘physicality of place’ within North Belfast over the past 50 year. The study is intended to inform planning and design during the next half century by understanding how the urban fabric of North Belfast has changed since the dawn of the ‘Troubles’ devastated the most segregated area of the capital. Many of the mapping exercises demonstrated in this spread highlight changes in the built form and statistical analysis, specifically focused on the changing patterns of access residents had to each other and to wider services and amenities. We concluded that changes in the built environment over the past 50 years have resulted in less dense, isolated and insular communities while reducing permeability within North Belfast and connectivity to the impressive natural and built environment that surrounds it. The vast amount of derelict space dividing Protestant and Catholic communities could be combined with the existing green space to establish a network of open space and enjoyable pedestrian mobility within a 10 minute walk.
Physicality of Place: North Belfast
Belfast, Northern Ireland Queen’s University May 2012
1960
2012
+
=
=
42
Travel Location Date
Drawings + Photography Europe Middle East North Africa Since June 2008
London, United Kingdom
Rome, Italy
As his journey begins in the the novel ‘Bitter Lemons’, Lawrence Durrell writes, ‘Travel can be one of the most rewarding forms of introspection’. In addition to travel based on my curiosities I have had the privilege of actively participating in numerous prestigious programs. These programs have offered me extraordinary opportunities for academic, social, and mental growth while simultaneously expanding my world view.
Mostar, Bosnia
Herzegovina
Athens, Greece
Jerusalem, Israel
Cairo, Egypt
and
44
EDUCATION 2011 - 2012
2006 - 2010
Master
of
Science (MSc) – Urban & Rural Design
Queen’s University – School of Planning, Architecture, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
and
Civil Engineering
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) – Architecture Geography Minor University of Minnesota – College Minneapolis, MN Cumulative GPA: 3.65
of
Design
AWARDS 9.11 - 6.12
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship Rotary International | Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK • •
Develop an understanding of the ‘participatory’ design process in the divided communities Fostered relationships with neighborhoods and community organizations through collaborative meetings and presentations
9.11 - 6.12
Queen’s International Postgraduate Taught Scholarship Queen’s University Belfast | Belfast, Northern Ireland
9.10 - 6.11
Fulbright Research Grant U.S. Department of State + • •
10.11
7.09 - 9.09
•
Cyprus Institute | Nicosia, Cyprus
Undergraduate Travel Fellowship Metropolitan Design Center | Nicosia, Cyprus •
4.10
the
Explored and presented aspects of architectural heritage within the ‘Walled City’ of Nicosia in the context of its present-day divided realities and goals for future re-unification Proposed a phased rehabilitation plan for a continuous, cross-boundary urban park within the moat surrounding the historic city walls Presented research at PRIO/AHDR Conference in Nicosia, Cyprus
• •
Analyzed the Nicosia Master Plan as a historic preservation and urban planning case study for reconciliation in a divided community Compared the rehabilitation of the Old City of Nicosia with historic districts in Minnesota Presented research at National Conference of Undergraduate Research
Resume Email Mobile Address
WORK EXPERIENCE 6.12 - Present | 8.05 - 8.07
Designed distributor showroom space and photography sets for new product advertisements Assisted brand management initiatives with public relations and communications departments
Property Development Intern Artspace Projects Inc. Minneapolis, MN • •
8.09 - 6.10
Designed ‘The Secret Garden’ for educational community, Bookworm Gardens Produced construction documents from architect’s sketches and field measurements Organized presentation boards for land use committees and client meetings Prepared historic preservation application documents for buildings in Sheboygan County
Brand Management Studio Intern Kohler Company Kohler, WI • •
6.10 - 9.10
hans2568@gmail.com +1 920 207-8324 275 East River Drive De Pere, WI 54115
Architectural Intern LJM Architects Sheboygan, WI • • • •
6.11 - 9.11
Woody Hanson
Prepared Low-Income Housing Tax Credit applications for artist live/work proposals Overhauled Sustainable Design Guidelines to streamline future Artspace development processes
Student Digital Library Assistant College of Design - Digital Content Library Minneapolis, MN • •
Annotated photographs collected during my travels in digital database Archived visual information requested by College of Design faculty
TECHNICAL SKILLS Computational Design
AutoCAD, Google SketchUp, Kerkythea
Multimedia Design
Adobe Photoshop CS5, Adobe Illustrator CS5
and
Adobe InDesign CS5