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j a c o b
architecture selected works 2021
g a s p e r
jacob gasper
archigasper@gmail.com
Select Grants + Awards bussard award | 2021 + presented to one fifth year project celebrating a conceptually rigorous architectural response in the final thesis studio cardinal key honor society inductee | 2021 + cardinal key is an organization founded in 1926 upon the cardinal virtues of leadership, service, scholarship, and character and is iowa state university’s premier honorary.
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university honors program grant | 2020 + to support the funding of an honors capstone research project - architectural clay formworks lightfoot internship scholarship | 2020 + provides exceptional students with funding support to assist in the pursuit of intern opportunities
319.538.2138 archigasper.com
Select Conferences + Exhibitions 2021 | “process / product“ in the field notes session of distributed proximities: 41st annual conference of the association for computer aided design in architecture. november 3-6, 2021. 2020 | “pandemic pause” in the field notes session of distributed proximities: 40th annual conference of the association for computer aided design in architecture. october 26-30, 2020. 2020 | “parametric modeling of the church in studenica”at dimensions reflected: mongeometrija 2020, belgrade, serbia w/ leslie forehand + jelena bogdanović + charles kerton + magdalena dragović + aleksandar cučaković + marko pejić + travis yeager
Jacob Gasper is currently an architectural designer at STARTT in Rome, Italy where he is involved with research and
devloping drawings for masterplans, historical reuse, exhibition design, and competition proposals. He was previously the Innovation Intern at OPN Architects in Des Moines, Iowa where he assisted in the design and deployment of Revit + Rhino workflows. Gasper holds a Bachelor of Architecture with Honors from Iowa State University where he was a Research Assistant at the Computation + Construction Lab (CCL) and Architectural Robotics Lab (ARL) under the supervision of Shelby Doyle. Additionally, he served as a Set Design Director for the Iowa State Fashion Show (2019,2021), co-founded and co- edited StratAA a new annual publication showcasing student work in the ISU Department of Architecture, and created visualizations for national/international conferences (Berlin, Belgrade) for Study Studenica. Gasper is the awardee of the Bussard Award for most successful senior thesis (w/ Mary Le, Braden Cooper, and Mohammed Alhamoudi) and has published Field Notes at ACADIA (2020,2021).
rome as found architectural design vi
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observing air
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architectural clay formworks
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the water tower
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architectural installation
digital fabrication research
architectural design iv
the fashion show
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pandemic pause
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the new excess
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resume
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set design
conference publication
architectural design v
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rome as found rome study abroad program spring 2020
Torrione Prenestino, as found, acts as a detached member of Rome’s strong and stratified urban fabric. In an area constricted by train tracks and high-speed roads, the park creates this isolation by not reaching out to its immediate context. Creating contemporary architecture in a city like Rome requires the need for open, public space as well as a relationship to the existing ancient context of the given site.
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The design for a new social hub for the neighborhood of Pigneto serves as a contemporary example of integrating architecture and landscape. Several large examples include the Capitoline Hill project and the Markets of Trajan, in which both projects are merged with an existing natural hill.
instructor | simone capra location | rome, italy in collaboration w/ henry melendrez + andrew evans
The Torrione Prenestino’s existing slope in the back of the site welcomes a similar intervention. By integrating our ground floor into the existing slope and extending the landscape onto the roof, the hard line between the existing landscape and our new architecture becomes blurred. The Nolli Plan visually explains the continuity of public space through the dense urban fabric of Rome. Our public floors facilitate this exchange through permeable facades and no interior walls. Permeability also connects the site by creating easy paths through the building. A simple design that takes precedent from antiquity informs the user about a fluidity created between interior and exterior space.
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SITE PLAN surrounding context carves the final massing
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NORTHWEST AXONOMETRIC creating new public space
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permeable facades exterior/interior mobility
public piazzas inhabiting voids
extended park space landscape continuity
DESIGN DIAGRAMS surrounding context carves the final massing
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A
B
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N 1. workshop
2. flex space
3. cafe
GROUND PLAN inset into the existing hill to preserve landscape continuity
4. piazza
section A 9
section B SITE SECTIONS continuity of circulation between interior and exterior
student housing flex space
co working park piazza
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cafe workshop flex space
EXPLODED AXON programmatic distribution
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B
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5. co working
6. park piazza
7. park
PARK PLAN extension of the park blurs the hard line between architecture + landscape
lecture
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conc
cert
presentation
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INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE an open ground floor provides spatial flexibility for different programs
observing air black contemporary artists archive fall 2020
Black Contemporary is a rural field station dedicated to the research of spatial phenomena. Rural architecture at Black Contemporary does not exist as volumes of mass placed on the landscape, but instead wraps the atmosphere in various skins. Functionally, this invited air is what makes these passive machines operate.
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Observing Air, seeks to reveal the omnipresent atmosphere moving through and around the existing seed drying bin. Wind enters through openings and is diffused as it circulates throughout the space.
Layers of paper held in tension are carved by the moving air creating constantly fluctuating voids and topographies. This consensual destruction results in the manifestation of spatial situations not usually seen. The assembly is a constructed framework that, through continuous weathering, articulates and brings clarity to the natural elements of the larger context. We did not construct an atmosphere, we revealed one.
2020 BUSSARD AWARD WINNER P U B L I S H E D I N BLACK CONTEMPORARY EXHIBITION FALL 2020 instructor | peter goche location | ames, iowa in collaboration w/ mohammed alhamoudi mary le + braden cooper
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SEED DRYING BIN SECTION air enters the building through vents and flows through the space
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MIDWESTERN ATMOSPHERE “observing air” brings an awareness to the ever present volume of air sculpting the landscape
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DETAILS manifesting atmospheric spatial situations not usually seen
architectural clay formworks honors capstone research fall 2020 - ongoing
This research develops methods and mock-ups for unfired clay 3D printing, both for its geometric possibilities and limitations as a reusable architectural formwork. The hypothesis of this project is that clay can be 3D printed to produce a mold, poured into to produce a concrete cast, then dissolved, remixed, and then used to produce new prints and molds.
The project methodology relies upon iterative digital fabrication to combine robotic fabrication knowledge, computational design, and ceramic knowledge. Resulting work is evaluated for replicability and aesthetics. The outcome is mock-ups of architectural elements that reduce formwork material use and demonstrate the viability of the proposed methods.
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HONORS PROGRAM GRANT RECIPIENT FORTHCOMING NCUR 2021 PRESENTATION
instructor | shelby doyle location | ames, iowa in collaboration w/ cyle king
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KUKA INDUSTRIAL ROBOTIC ARM SETUP architectural robotics lab in the student innovation center
5” x 5” plywood
5” x 5” Plywood
air compressor hose coupling
Air Compressor Hose Coupling
2” x 1/2” bushing fitting
2” x 1/2” Bushing PVC Fitting
3” x 2” pvc flexible coupling
3” x 2” PVC Flexible Coupling
3’ x 3” polycarbonate
3’ x 3” Polycarbonate Tube
end cap assembly
End Cap Assembly
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threaded steel rod 3/8”
Threaded Steel Rod 3/8”
CUSTOM CLAY EXTRUSION SYSTEM utilizing pressurized air and plumbing parts
finished formwork
casting + removing formwork
completed cast
CLAY CASTING WORKFLOW inital small scale casting prepping for future 1:1 scale expierments
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80 mm
80 mm
2 skirt layers
10 mm skirt distance
2 skirt layers
1:2 Clay : H20
1:2 Clay : H20
10 mm skirt distance
40 psi 40 psi
5 mm layer height
16 layers
8 layers
6 mm layer height
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Notes: - 10 mm/s robot velocity - failure after 8 layers - ran on T1 (manual control)
Notes: - 10 mm/s robot velocity - failure after 16 layers - ran on T1 (manual control)
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80 mm
80 mm
2 skirt layers
1:2 Clay : H20
2 skirt layers 1:2 Clay : H20 10 mm skirt distance
10 mm skirt distance
40 psi
4 mm layer height
24 layers
40 psi
28 layers
3 mm layer height
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Notes: - 10 mm/s robot velocity - failure after 24 layers - tallest print at 100 mm - ran on auto - resulted in less user error
Notes: - 10 mm/s robot velocity - failure after 28 layers - although having more layers, the overall cylinder was the same as 4mm - ran on auto - resulted in less user error
INITIAL CLAY COLUMN TESTS testing height and clay limits
the water tower culture of conservation in san francisco fall 2019
San Francisco, and most of California, suffers from an ongoing drought that was declared a state of emergency in 2015. This project responds to this issue as a mixeduse housing project that serves as the center of an urban-sized desalination system.
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Our proposal de-centralizes the desalination plant into a urban network of pipes that filter ocean water from the bay into fresh drinking water as it travels to Nob Hill. The water is stored in our architecture and distributed throughout the city. The city also faces a large homeless population, currently handled by shoving people into large warehouse - like shelter spaces.
instructor | leslie forehand location | san francisco, ca in collaboration w/ cyle king
Throughout our selected precedent observations, we have looked at how architecture can facilitate rehabilitation by having a de-emphasis on private spaces in favor of community social spaces. An on site trade school focusing on the reuse of materials would teach the residents marketable skills and encourage green practices. This project serves as a monument to a future that could facilitate the areas current problems..
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SOCIAL HOUSING PERSPECTIVE PLAN emphasis on dynamic circulation and public spaces
treated wat potable b chemicals suc and flu
seawater is pumped at high-pressure through these semi-permeable membranes to seperate dissolved salt
seawater undergoes a two stage mechanical filtration to remove coarse and fine particles
seawater is drawn into the system through an underwater pipe.
treated water is pumped to the mixed housing complex and stored, utilized, and distributed to the rest of the city
ter is made by adding ch as chlorine uoride.
U R B A N D E S A L I N A T I O N S Y S T EM aboveground pipe system dispersing the desalination process
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circulation
housing
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trade school
SECTION programmatic distribution
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1. public plaza
2. public + private space
SECTION DETAILS desalination pipes street elevation
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CIRCULATION public plazas created above the city
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PHYSICAL MODEL diagrid structure experimental model
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HOUSING PLAN spaced thin towers create viewports for the existing context
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the fashion show set design
spring 2019
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The Iowa State Fashion Show, the largest student run fashion show in the nation, hosted this year’s guest designer Vans, in Stephens Auditorium on Iowa State’s Campus.
set one |6| miles of string |110| eye hooks |200| feet of chicken wire |350| cds
My co directors and I lead a team of 15 individuals tasked with designing, fabricating, and installing two full scale fashion show sets.
set two |720| feet of wood |100| 4’ x 8’ foamcore boards |5| gallons of paint
The sets are inspired by Vans dedication to creative expression and the eclectic cultures of Los Angeles and New York City.
date | 14 april 2019 attendance | 2,150
VANS OFF THE WALL GUEST DESIGNER
location | ames, iowa in collaboration w/ hannah hogan + amelia brown
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SET ONE inspiration | nyc graffiti
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SET TWO inspiration | sun on the beach
pandemic pause field notes
summer 2020 The following field notes record the physical space of the ISU Computation + Construction Lab (CCL) located in Ames, IA during July 2020. The drawings and text capture a space simultaneously frozen in time and transitioning to a new future. Since the pandemic began the work of the CCL has shifted: robotics labs and digital fabrication seminars were transitioned to online courses, research halted, and equipment retooled to produce 2,000 face shields for Iowa healthcare workers.
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on the CNCs. The following drawings are artifacts of this moment in time, accompanied with text, drawings, and notes. These field notes reveal the culture and practice of computational design relies not on equipment but rather on the people who animate spaces and work with these tools.
The collaborative work at the heart of the CCL is fundamentally altered by social distancing and masking. The KUKA arms sit frozen in the position they were left in on the last day of in person class on March 12, 2020. Zoom has become a verb. Clay prepared for the Potterbots sits dry in five-gallon buckets. Dust collects
2020 ACADIA PUBLICATION + PRESENTATION FEATURED IN THE ARCHITECTS NEWSPAPER FEATURED IN DATUM ISSUE 12
location | ames, iowa computation + construction lab indivudual project
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KUKA INDUSTRIAL ROBOTIC ARMS frozen in place 12 march - 3 august
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PACKING RESEARCH MATERIALS
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CONCRETE 3D PRINTING PRELIMINARY NOTES
the new excess wpa: architecture and the green new deal fall 2019
Through the examination of the potential of excess and excessiveness as architectural methods, we have found possibilities using waste as tools of creating architecture and urban systems. This leads us into the theory of creating a “new excess”, and conceivably redetermining the negative narrative that follows excess.
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Serving as the backbone of our infrastructure is a high speed rail network creating fast and easy transportation from urban center to urban center, which in this project are architecturalized as sectional places of plastic waste exchange. Inhabitants of Des Moines gather here and drop their plastic waste to be collected, processed, and transported along the network for construction.
Utilizing c02 direct air capture fans dispersed on our infinite facade, our imagined future aims to not only cut down on our emissions but to capture them and displace the gas into both our constructed concrete and into its natural form underground. By utilizing byproducts of modern life, plastic and carbon, as construction materials, we imagine a future in which current speculations and experimentations of sustainability become our future reality.
KALAHER AWARD FINALIST
instructor | shelby doyle location | des moines, iowa in collaboration w/ cyle king
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PLASTIC AGGREGATE CONCRETE COLUMNS casted column models with crushed plastic as a replacement aggregate
E X C E S S C A R BDOE N S D M IOOI XNIEDSE SM I TAET EP RL IAANL W O R K F L O W N an openintersection ground floor provides spatial for different programs of housing andflexibility transportation lines
3 | excess plastic utilized as concrete aggregate and interior elements
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1 | excess plastic collection at waste collection sites
EXCESS PLASTIC MATERIAL WORKFLOW repurposing one use plastic as a future construction material
3 | excess c02 piped into the ground for permenant storage
53 2 | excess c02 distributed into concrete for storage
1 | excess c02 collection via collection fans
EXCESS CARBON DIOXIDE MATERIAL WORKFLOW collecting carbon dioxide for storage in concrete and the ground
carbon capture fan
clean air
carbon dioxide
concentrated c02 for storage and transporation
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CARBON DIOXIDE CAPTURE HOUSING SECTION “infinite” facade of spaced out carbon capture fans
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TYPICAL HOUSING PLANS typical plans for level 1-4
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TYPICAL ELEVATION new architecture becomes a collector and archive of modern excess
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jacob gasper archigasper@gmail.com
319.538.2138 archigasper.com
jacob gasper archigasper@gmail.com education b arch. professional degree
iowa state university | 2016 - 2021 ames, iowa | rome, italy +digital media minor +honor graduate
grants + awards cardinal key inductee |2021| rdg bussard thesis award |2020| lightfoot internship scholarship |2020| university honors program grant |2020| kalahar research award - finalist |2019| honors summer research grant |2017| honors mentor program grant |2017| college of design dean’s list |2017 - 2021| university honors program |2016 - 2021|
conferences acadia 2021: realignments
annual conference of the association for computer aided design in architecture +accepted publication +presenter
acadia 2020: distributed proximities
annual conference of the association for computer aided design in architecture +accepted publication +presenter
ncur 2021
national council for undergraduate research +for architectural clay formworks +presentation
engagement strataa: architecture archive
ames, iowa | 2021 + co - founder; co - editor + publication showcasing student design work
the fashion show
ames, iowa | 2019;2021 +TFS2019 set director +TFS2021 set director
datum journal of architecture
ames, iowa | 2018 - 2021 +graphics editor +contributor
319.538.2138 archigasper.com experience startt
rome, italy | september 2021 - present +junior architectural designer +involved with research and devloping drawings for masterplans, historical reuse, exhibition design, and competition proposals.
opn architects
des moines, iowa | summer 2021 +innovation intern +implemented digital workflows for rhino and revit compatibility.
reinaldo correa studio llc.
ames, iowa | august - december 2018 +developed visualizations + models for the traveling toy exhibition nature of the game
architectural research architectural robotics lab
ames, iowa | august 2020 - may 2021 +support the development of 3d printing workflows for clay and concrete +ongoing support of the development of robotic hardware and software
computation + construction lab
ames, iowa | april 2019 - may 2021 +research assistant +maintained digital fabrication equipment and workflows
study studenica
ames, iowa | may 2020 - may 2021 +ongoing development of graphics + presentations models of the studenica monastery for national/international conferences
references simone capra
principle | startt rome, italy simone.capra@startt.it
deborah hauptmann
professor + chair | department of architecture iowa state university, ames, ia deborah@iastate.edu | 515.203.5757
shelby doyle
associate professor | department of architecture iowa state university, ames, ia doyle@iastate.edu | 540.454.4390
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