Jesse Nguyen Design Portfolio by jessenguyen

TITLE

JESSE NGUYEN

DESIGN PORTFOLIO 1

The contents of this book is a collection of work that spans various spectrums of design, from the visual arts to design/build to architecture. The basis of the creative endeavours presented in this document are the product of my post-secondary education and related experiences. I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 2008, with a major in Visual Arts and a minor in Urban Geography. I went on to graduate from the Illinois Institute of Technology with a Master of Architecture Degree in 2013.

CONTENTS VISUAL ARTS White Cube Solutions to fix our city Concrete Giant Bench #1,2 Public Chair Public Bench

02 02 02 03 04 04

DESIGN/BUILD One Plywood Chair Case Study: Murturm Observation Tower Spiral Tower Media Stand Ulmer Stool

06 07 09 11 12

ARCHITECTURE Case Study: Delta Shelter Material Study: Visual Study Columbia College Chicago Dance School Bronzeville Community Kitchen Line in the Land Polydwellings Roscoe Village Grand-Bois Boarding School

14 19 21 37 61 63 87 93

TITLE

JESSE NGUYEN

DESIGN PORTFOLIO 3

VISUAL ARTS

What is a painting? What is a sculpture? Is the piece above a painting based on its material or is it a sculpture because of its physical dimensions? This is an question of perspective. This piece was my attempt at making a solid cube of paint. Although it did not turn out as planned, it still serves as an adequate metaphor for a white cube because the questions that I posed at the beginning are still valid.

SOLUTIONS TO FIX OUR CITY: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMPUGOVERNMENT Mixed Media / 9’x6’x2’ This was one of 9 (sarcastic) solutions I proposed to improve the city. I expanded on one of my ideas and constructed an intelligent computer capable of replacing human subjectivity and making fair, sensible decisions in place of a corrupt government, complete with flashing lights and sound effects.

CONCRETE Paint, Wood / 4’X8’ In an increasingly global world, urban environments seem to be moving towards homogenization. The gray monochrome stands in for the lack of visual stimuli in the highly developed and generic city.

VISUAL ARTS

WHITE CUBE Paint / 18”x18”x3”

The projects presented on these two pages focus on personal interests that were cultivated during my undergraduate degree. My minor in Urban Geography has heightened my sensitivity to how the built environment plays a role in the construction of a space, particularly the social relationships between the inhabitants of that space. There is a strong focus on the notions of public space. Public space in its literal definition is meant to be free and open but in reality, public space is very much contested. I see no better example of this than with public benches.

GIANT BENCH #1 AND #2 Digital / 18"x24"

VISUAL ARTS 3

The following two images are interpretations of my public bench idea. If the problem is that there is not enough room for everyone, shouldn't it be obvious that the answer is to make more room? Hence, my giant bench.

PUBLIC BENCH Mixed Media / 60”x25”x13”

Public space is often truly free but actually contested space. The built environment is thoroughly designed and thought out. I attempted to expose anti-homeless architecture by creating something so extreme that it would shock the viewer and make them ask the question: Why is this here and why is it like this? Hence, my public chair that you must pay to sit in.

As noted in the Public Chair, many new benches are designed so that homeless people cannot sleep on them. My solution to this was to make the public bench public. In another sarcastic piece meant to shock the viewer through public intervention, I designed a multi-purpose bench. It serves as a seat and a bed for someone to lie down underneath.

VISUAL ARTS

PUBLIC CHAIR Mixed Media / 4'x4'x3'

DESIGN/BUILD

I was tasked with designing and constructing a chair with the following limitations: to use only one sheet of 8'x2'3/4" plywood and to use no mechanical fasteners. There were two additional self-imposed rules: 1. the chair would be stackable as part of a larger set; and 2. as little material was wasted as possible. The One Plywood Chair was cut on a CNC router and help together with biscuit joints. The voids cut out of the sides became the seat.

ONE PLYWOOD CHAIR

1/4" = 1' SCALE MODEL

PHOTO OF ACTUAL TOWER

CASE STUDY: MURTURM OBSERVATION TOWER 7

1/8" = 1' DYNAMIC MODEL FROM BELOW

The purpose of this project was to graphically explain and illustrate the forces acting on this tower. I built a dynamic model of the Murturm Tower with members that were able to bend, torque, and deflect depending on how I pushed or twisted it to simulate wind and gravity loads. The Rhino model on the right illustrates how the tower can be distorted depending on which force is acting on it. Since the primary members of this tower are oriented in spiral form, it inherently has torsion in it. The tendency to twist on itself is resisted by having two spirals oriented in opposite directions. The green members show the tower twisting, There are vertical ruts that triangulate the voids in the tower. They are diagramed as red (compression) and blue (tension), depending on the direction that the tower is bending. The tension cables help stiffen the tower but their main purpose is to hold the stairs in place by having each node pulled in three different directions. This case study was done as preparation for the Spiral Tower, a project presented on pages 9-12.

1/8" = 1' DYNAMIC MODEL

CASE STUDY: MURTURM OBSERVATION TOWER Bending: Tension and Compression

Twisting: Torsion

Force Load Tracing

CARDBOARD TUBES

FOUNDATION PIN JOINTS

This 40-foot spiral tower is the one of the biggest accomplishments during my time at IIT. It is constructed primarily of 3.5-feet cardboard shipping tubes and ramboard. Two weeks of conceptual and structural studies were followed by another two weeks of mock-ups that slowly moved up in scale. Another week was spent on the construction and erection of the actual tower. The diagonal strips were used to alleviate the downward direction of gravitational forces. Having horizontal strips on the inside and outside of the spiral acted in compression and tension to keep the spiral in a curve. Four sets of triangulated guy wires are placed 30-foot high on the tower to prevent twisting. It was important to keep the connections and details of this structure simple to create an image of lightness and not take away from the spiral form. This directive was most successful in the foundation detail - two independent pin joints set in 2-foot concrete piers.

FOUNDATION PIERS

TUBE CONNECTION DETAIL

FOUNDATION INSTALLATION

SPIRAL TOWER

SPIRAL CONSTRUCTION/ FORM WORK

SPIRAL TOWER FROM BELOW

MEDIA STAND

ULMER STOOL

ARCHITECTURE

CASE STUDY: DELTA SHELTER

1/32" = 1' SCALED SITE MODEL

1/8 = 1' SCALED COMPONENT MODEL

CASE STUDY: DELTA SHELTER 15

CASE STUDY: DELTA SHELTER

The models show the relationship of the home to the site. The component model and AutoCAD drawing allowed me to build a hierarchy of the building elements.

The purpose of this project was to explore the components of the home in relation to the organization and construction of its elements. Exposed I-beams give hints towards the horizontal and vertical organization of this home. The planar walls and window elements provide enclosure and define the level of access into this place of refuge.

STUDY MODEL

FOLDING DETAIL

The purpose of this exercise was to explore the material properties of corrugated plastic, manipulate it, and use it in an innovative way.

STUDY MODEL

This project was completed with the attitude that the results of the exploration would be able to be applied in other work. In order for the product to be able to grow, expand, and be replicated, it had to first be broken down into a single unit. To the left are images of a 4'x8' sheet of corrugated plastic that had a pattern of 3â&#x20AC;? triangles routed out on the back side and folded to create a dynamic contour field.

MATERIAL STUDY: VISUAL TRAINING

STUDY MODEL

Columbia College Chicago has historically rented or bought, and then retrofitted existing buildings. This has led to a transient existence in the city. Columbia College has recognized this issue and one way that they are trying to remedy this is by tearing down the existing Getz Theater and building a new dance center. One thing that is stressed by Columbia College's Master Plan is that they want to create a culture of interaction and transparency, in order to foster a stronger relationship with the community. Columbia College also asked for a building that can help build a distinct sense of place. It is important to give Columbia College a solid design that can say, "Columbia is here and this is our community." The following pages outline my proposal for the new dance facility and how I arrived at the final design.

At the beginning of the project, dance defined as bodily movement, was used as a metaphor to kickstart the design process. There was also an attempt to define what a dance school is. My initial response was to lean towards what Columbia wanted - a building that promotes dance and a building that forms a space for interaction between groups of people. Essential users of the space were identified and an investigation through role-playing helped determine whose needs the building would be catered to. Discoveries of who used the building the most led to an understanding of which program elements were most important based on shared program spaces.

Model 1. Conceptual quantification of public and private spaces Model 2. Illustrates that different program elements (represented as different colours) stretch across the whole building Model 3. An initial representation of cuts into the building envelope that reveal interior spaces

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL 23

+4 +

Model 1. Colour as a metaphor for mixed program; Idea of vertical openings continued from model 3 on previous page Model 2. Further exploration of the building being cut open Model 3. Vertical extrusions as a method to control visibility into the building Model 4. Studies on how orientation and dimension of vertical 'fins' can affect visibility across a boundary

2. 1/16" = 1' Scale Model

After discussions, the refined structural model lost its connection to the original conceptual model. Spans became too tight and the grid too rigid. The exploded structural drawing is a representation of a system more indicative of the north-south orientation originally proposed in the conceptual structural model.

3. 1/8" = 1' Scale Model

Model 1. Conceptual structural model, taking cues from vertical fins in previous models Model 2. Translation of conceptual structural model to a post and beam structure Model 3. Refinement of post and beam structure

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL

1. 1/16" = 1' Scale Model

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL 25

The vertical extrusions are dynamic in the sense that they alter the ability to see into the building depending on the orientation of the pedestrian to the building. Another level of complexity is added to the facade by changing the profiles of each of the extrusions, which create shadow lines and visual activity. The digital drawing shows how the wall would be installed. The curtain wall has mullion caps on interior and exterior faces. Model 1. Detail section model identifying the fundamental components of the facade Model 2. Exploration into the components of a curtain wall.

Colour has the ability to create atmosphere. Coloured vertical extrusions with a reflective quality will transfer colour when light bounces into or out of the space, which will create a pleasant ambiance. Model 1 & 2. Wall section exploring the effect of colour on a space. If there is a reveal in the partition wall, with the appropriate lighting conditions a colourful glow might create a pleasing atmosphere.

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL

Two steps have been taken up to this point to make the building form dynamic: the vertical extrusions, and the changing of their profiles. One more change was made. The west half of the facade was elevated to change the amount of visibility into the building. It further delineates zones of public and private.

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL

1/8" = 1' SCALE MODEL 11TH ST ELEVATION

1/8" = 1' SCALE MODEL SCHOOL ENTRANCE

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL 29

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL

1/8" = 1' SCALE MODEL THEATRE ENTRY

DANCE STUDIOS THEATRE LOBBY/CAFE/LOUNGE G COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL 31

50ft 100ft

Extensive studies on the overall building form were followed by a transition to the actual spaces inside the building. These plans join the building structure to the organization of program spaces by identifying the largest areas that need to be column-free spaces. The west side of the building is generally student oriented. This half of the building is 4-stories tall. The public cafe/lounge, theatre scene shop, and green room is on the ground level. The second, third, and fourth levels contains dance studios, classrooms, student lounges, and a library. The east side of the building is part public and part administrative. The ground and second level are lobby spaces for the theatre. The second level has a portion that is open to below to create a more open and communal space. The third level has offices for teaching staff and theatre administration.

The building section illustrates who uses a space. The corresponding circulation diagram further points out how people move around the building and the zones that are shared by multiple groups of people. Circulation paths were organized so that they pass through important shared spaces, in the hopes of created an environment that is more conducive to interaction.

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL

1/16" = 1' SECTION MODEL 33

Initial ideas were to have a fully exposed dance studio to increase exposure to the public but after speaking with a dancer, that changed. He explained that when rehearsing, he and his fellow dancers wear very little clothing. Therefore, it can make them feel uncomfortable when others watch them practice. So, considerations were made to make the dance studio private but stil provide fenestration and natural lighting. 1/8" = 1' WALL STUDY MODELS

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL

In addition to looking at the spaces, there was also an attempt to define the interior boundaries as well. Questions such as "What is a wall?" were asked. So continuing the discussion on the relationship between inside and outside, the same ideas were applied to this study. Different methods were proposed on how to build a wall while allowing controlled amount of visibility between two spaces.

1/8" = 1' MODEL WITHOUT FACADE

LOBBY ATRIUM

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL 35

1/8" = 1' MODEL WITHOUT FACADE

The main goal of this project for Columbia College is to create a stronger presence in the Chicago fabric. I considered three scales at which to confront this task. The largest scale is the city. From Columbia's Master Plan, they want to create a "distinct sense of place". I assume this means they want an iconic building that can announce Columbia's arrival but it is very important that the building does not alienate itself from the neighbourhood. In order for the building to fit into the community seamlessly. I considered another scale that was brought to my attention from another line in the Master Plan - to create a transparent and interactive culture. The public and private boundary on any given site is usually at the level so I distorted the boundary visually by controlling what the pedestrian could see inside, and reciprocally, what the building inhabitant could see outside. Manipulating this edge condition created a new level of transparency. My solution to create a more interactive environment was to consider the relationship between the people who actually inhabit the building. I identified spaces in the program that were conducive to interaction between different groups of people and placed a strong consideration of how I organized that space, relative to the rest of the program. I created main circulation paths through the lobby and cafe/lounge area because these are the most public zones within the building. By blurring the private and public boundaries, both visually and spatially, I hope to create a setting that can encourage relationships between the building and its environment, and more importantly, between the inhabitants within the building.

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO DANCE SCHOOL

THEATER

CALUMET AVENUE

TITLE

1/32" = 1' SITE MODEL 37

43RD GREENLINE

PRAIRIE AVENUE

43RD STREET

iit

Schools 35th - bronzeville - iit

Parks Community Amenities

Indiana

Metcalfe Park

43rd

51st

Cottage gr

Sketches and models were used to explore how a home might manifest in this project. Washington Park Park Washington What is a home and how literal should this metaphor be? Is it about the privacy of a family or an extension of the lives inside the home? Opposite to that, what if this project is about escaping the realities of present day Bronzeville? Should this be a vacation home or a treehouse?

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

47th

Michigan

Dan Ryan

ar ar

Historic Bronzeville conjures up many adjectives: vibrant, passionate, and lively but the strongest term that can be used to describe what Bronzeville used to be is community. However, over the last number of decades, this community has experienced a severe rupture in its livelihood in the form of hid levels of displacement. A look at the landscape will show how sparse the community is. A direct corollary of the lack of development in Bronzeville is the shortage of community amenities - from community centers to desirable food options. I have taken this opportunity to recreate what Bronzeville use to be for many people - a home. I have used a principle of the "home" as a driver for my project. The goal here is to create a second home for the residents of Bronzeville to live and grow together.

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN 39

1/16" = 1' scaled conceptual models exploring numerous ideas such as form, visibility, circulation, etc.

GETTING MAXIMUM STREET PRESENCE 1. First reaction to use whole site to get a large builing perimeter. 2. If I wanted to add an open space, it would decrease building perimeter. 3. Solution: to add space to interior to increase building perimeter. There were three factors that weighed heavily into deciding the building proportions: 1. In addition to the traffic on 43rd street, the placement of the courtyard was placed based on the position of the sun during the busiest time of the day - early evening 2. The western mass was lowered and the eastern portion raised to allow more light into the courtyard and the eastern side of the building.

VATION

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

3. The noise and vibration from the CTA stop will be dampened by the larger eastern mass.

YOUTH CENTER 900 SQFT

DAY CARE 900 SQFT

COMMUNITY DINING AREA 1,800 SQFT

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN 41

RESTAURANT KITCHEN 1,600 SQFT

CLASS ROOMS 900 SQFT

GROWING SPACE 2,000 SQFT

DEMO KITCHEN 1,600 SQFT

OFFICES 900 SQFT

EVENT/GALLERY SPACE 2,250 SQFT

COMMUNITY COOKING CLASS DINING ADMINISTRATION FOR RENT OFFICES AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM DAY CARE STUDENTS PERMANENT CHEFS RENTABLE KITCHEN LOADING

12AM

9PM

6PM

3PM

12PM

9AM

6AM

3AM

12AM

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

BUSIEST TIME OF THE DAY

CIRCULATION DIAGRAM

special event space mixedoccupancy community space

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

S 43rd

vertical circulation

Ave irie Pra

VIEW FROM SOUTH WEST

Windows on a home or photos on a living room wall allow a passage into the lives of the people that live in the home. It is up to the inhabitant of the house to choose what to display. I took this attitude when designing the building's envelope. There are some parts of the program that I wanted to put on full display - the restaurant, youth center, and growing space. However, there are different parts of the home that are not fully public. This led to selective screening - from trees, window shades, or the trellis wood screen wrapping the building - depending on what part of the program it corresponded to.

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

VIEW FROM UNDER TRAIN PLATFORM

GROUND

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

In addition to the ability to see into the home, the model of the home was used to organize the spaces inside the building and circulation through those spaces. The ground level is the most public, and as the program moves up, the spaces become more specialized and intimate.

SECOND LEVEL

VIEW OF GARDEN FROM CLASSROOM

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

VIEW FROM INSIDE GREENHOUSE

EAST-WEST SECTION

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN 49

NORTH-SOUTH SECTION

VIEW FROM ATRIUM TOWARDS GREENHOUSE

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

VIEW OF RESTAURANT FROM ENTRANCE

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN 51

1/8" = 1' SCALE MODEL VIEW FROM SOUTHWEST

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN 1/8" = 1' SCALE MODEL VIEW FROM TRAIN PLATFORM

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN 53

1/8" = 1' SCALE MODEL PLAN VIEW

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY ITCHEN 1/8" = 1' SCALE MODEL GREENHOUSE

This drawing explains the building envelope. The wood trellis extends over the windows to create a screen. They are designed like operable, vertical jalousie windows. Depending on what is occurring inside the room, the user has the option to open or close the blinds. In addition to the family growing up inside the home, the actual home ages too: the exposed concrete shows the structure of the building; the growth of the vines on the exterior wall change seasonally; and the wood will weather over the years as it is exposed to the climate.

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

FACADE MOCK-UPS

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

VIEW FROM TEACHING KITCHEN

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

VIEW FROM GARDEN TO CLASSROOM This project is designed to be a second home for the community of Bronzeville. It is a place where the residents can come, interact, learn, and grow together.

EDUCATION

COMMUNITY

HOME

AVG RAINFALL PER YEAR = 39.1IN

RAIN CATCHMENT AREA = 8,100 SQ-FT

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN 59

WATER TANK = 1,400 CU-FT

EAST ELEVATION

- Rain screen that has three main objectives: 1. To protect building exterior from weather 2. To provide solar shading where needed (in combination with operable louvres and screens)

Roof Surface Area = 8,100 sqft Avg Rainfall/year = 39.1in Avg Rainfall/month = 3.3in Most rainfall in a month = 4.13in (May) Growing Area = 1,400 sqft Average growing requires 1in of rain per week. Therefore on a yearly basis, the growing on this site will require 1,400 cu-ft of water per month.

BRONZEVILLE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

3. Reuse wood and timber that would be thrown out - Poured-in-place concrete structure ensures that building will have long permanent life - Rain water harvesting for irrigation of on-site greenhouse - Operable windows to facilitate natural ventilation - Greenhouses placed on south side of site to maximize solar gain

1/32" = 1' SCALE CONTOUR MODEL

1/8" = 1' SCALE CONTOUR PLASTER MODEL

This was an exercise where a piece of snippet of text was shared out of context. Without knowing where it came from, the text's translation into a landscape project was open-ended. The models presented here depict a rain collection system sited in Cook County Park in Illinois. LINE IN THE LAND

1/32" = 1' SCALE CONTOUR MODEL

THESIS MASTER PROJECT

1/128" = 1' SITE MODEL

PERSONS/ACRE 860+

430

FAMILY INCOME $200K +

$100K

2KM 2MI

POLYDWELLINGS

This is a proposal for three mixed-income, mixed-use residential complexes in Vancouver, Canada. Vancouver’s current urban geography is unique because 50% of its land use is dedicated to single family homes. This is an inefficient model because Vancouver’s population growth is currently out-pacing Canada’s national average by 9%. Increasing the available housing stock and subsequently, the increasing the population density, is required to provide adequate housing that can begin to meet the existing demand.

.4KM .4MI

POLYDWELLINGS 65

GROUND LEVEL

POOLYDWELLINGS

The three sites are located immediately adjacaent to each other. The goal is to increase housing stock so it was important to select three empty lots as opposed to tearing down existing buildings. I have also chosen this site because it is located in a buffer zone between the downtown peninsula and Vancouver's poorest neighbourhood. The two distinct areas are within just 2 miles of each other. A large goal of this project was to create a community that is attractive to new residents but one that also does not displace current residents. This was achieved by increasing retail and amenities for the community. This will improve the local economy and expedite the community's development. Secondly, there was ample space allocated to social services to provide support for the lower income residents. Lastly, there are various scales of public outdoor space that are adaptable to numerous programs (from balconies and interior courtyards to an open park) to encourage interaction between all community members. A focus was placed on organizing public program and amenities so that pedestrian traffic and sidewalk activity would increase.

PROGRAM SECTION

SITE 1 INCREASED PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY

PUBLIC COURTYARD

MATERIALITY: PERFORATED COPPER SCREEN

MATERIALITY: HORIZONTAL WOOD FACADE

MATERIALITY: MASONRY BRICK WEAVE

PREFABRICATED BRICK PANEL This project is sited in one of Vancouver's oldest neighbourhoods, VIctory Square. The existing architecture is compressed of mid-rise masonry buildings commonly seen around North America built in the last century. There was an effort to acknowledge the area's history without imitating the area's surrounding architecture. This challenged was tackled by choosing materials that will age gracefully and create their own stories and histories - copper which patinas to a vibrant green, timber which loses its colour and turns into a steel gray, and masonry whose weight speaks of timelessness. Having three buildings cladded in different materials will create individuality, identity, and pride. An attempt was made to use the materials to skin the building in interesting ways that still stayed true to the material's essence. For example, the unit of the brick was translated into the unit of the prefabricated panel that is still stacked the same way a traditional brick would be. The unit of the brick was further emphasized by offsetting the way each was stacked to create an interesting texture. Thirdly, depending on the program of the specific part of the building, bricks were taken out of the wall to create openings.

POLYDWELLINGS

In an ode to the area's strong industrial past, the facades are mechanically operable. This gives the inhabitants the ability to control natural lighting and fenestration.

SITE2: OPERABLE FACADE

POLYDWELLUNGS 75

DIVERSE UNIT MAKE-UP

Circulation is key to all housing projects. In this case, circulation includes organization of unit types - market and subsidized. It was important that various units were dispersed throughout the project, so as to not segregrate. Buildings also shared one residential entrance and lobby. Units are all organized in U-shapes to provide shared outdoor courtyards elevated above the street. Additionally, units were pushed and pulled to to create varied floor plates to accomodate squarefootage unit requirements. This created balconies or sunrooms in some units and increased square-footage in other units.

POLYDWELLINGS SITE2: TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL UNIT LAYOUT

20FT

SITE3: OPERABLE WOOD FACADE AS SCREEN

FACADE MODEL

POLYDWELLINGS

FACADE SECTION

SITE 1: PERFORATED SCREEN

POLYDWELLINGS 79

SITE3: TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL UNIT LAYOUT

25FT

SITE1: PRIVATE COURTYARD

POLYDWELLINGS 81

SITE2: COURTYARD PERSPECTIVE SECTION

POLYDWELLINGS SITE2: 1/16" = 1' SCALE MODEL

POLYDWELLINGS 85

SITE1: 1/16" = 1' SCALE MODEL

POLYDWELLINGS SITE3: 1/16" = 1' SCALE MODEL

1/8" = 1' SCALE MODEL

This is a proposal for a mixed-use apartment/gallery on Lincoln Avenue, in the Roscoe Village neighbourhood of Chicago. The transit rail posed issues of noise, while the corner lot created an intersection between the commercial and residential corridors. The area demanded that all Lincoln Ave frontages on the ground level be accessible to the pedestrian. All retail space had to be entirely public. The two-story gallery incorporates load bearing walls and concrete columns that reasonably allows 16-ft spans. The building uses a terrraced profile that transitions the building from commercial on the east to the residential neighbourhood on the west. Residents were given a private entrance that is hidden from Lincoln Ave. The main volume of the building uses framing elements that hint at how the building is organized inside. This visual device was used to elevate the home to another level, literally and metaphorically, over the hustle of the urban fabric of the city.

ROSCOE VILLAGE

1/32" = 1' STUDY MODELS

SITE1: 1/16" = 1' SCALE MASSING MODEL

ROSCOE VILLAGE

3 G

LINCOLN AVENUE ELEVATION

ROSCOE STREET ELEVATION

ROSCOE VILLAGE

Ave

EAST WEST BUILDING SECTION

SITE1: 1/8" = 1' SCALE STRUCTURAL MODEL

PERSPECTIVE FROM SOUTH EAST

ROSCOE VILLAGE 91

ROSCOE VILLAGE

CONCEPT SKETCH: CHILDREN PLAYING WITH BLOCKS

I proposed that the school be comprised of multiple smaller units. The benefits of this strategy were that it allowed the campus to be built in phases, ease of construction on a sloped site, and spans within the dormitories and classrooms were managable. A secondary set of issues that had to be addressed dealt with connection to the outddoors and the security of young children. Spaces were created so that children were always visible by many sets of eyes.

GRAND-BOIS BOARDING SCHOOL

During this project, I was in contact with Edwidge Dorelien, President of Haiti Sustainable Education. He is in the process of opening up a boarding school in Grand-Bois, a rural area in the south-east region of Haiti. There are two immediate issues that were dealt with in this project: 1. Economic and technologic limitations restricted construction options; and 2. The selected lot is set on a steep hill-side.

Program Schedule: Daily Sequence Diagram

SCHOOL ENTRANCE

GRAND-BOIS BOARDING SCHOOL 95

AERIAL LOOKING TOWARDS SOUTHEAST

DINING HALL GROUND FLOOR

PAVILION SECTION C

DINING HALL ROOF

MAINTENANCE BUILDING

GRAND-BOIS BOARDING SCHOOL

PAVILION SECTION B

1/32" = 1' PAVILION MODEL

MAINTENANCE BUILDING AND DINING ROOFTOP SECTION

DINING SECTION

GRAND-BOIS BOARDING SCHOOL 97

GRAND-BOIS BOARDING SCHOOL

DINING HALL

EARLY SKETCH FROM POLYDWELLINGS

JESSE NGUYEN

DESIGN PORTFOLIO