[OLD] Undergraduate Portfolio

joshua kuffner Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

table of contents projects children’s museum

01

assembling housing

09

performance space

15

tea pavilion

21

urban infill

25

sketches

31

children’s museum Site

E. Harrison Street

S. State Street

The Children’s Museum site is located in the Loop of Chicago, bounded by S. State Street to the west, E. Harrison Street to the north, the ‘L’ red line tracks to the east, and E. Balbo Avenue to the south. The site occupies a parking lot in the northern half of this block, a rectangle approximately 210’ x 150’

Program

E. Balbo Avenue

The “Discovereum” (a meshing of the words ‘discovery’ and ‘museum’) is designed as a more interactive type of children’s museum. Notable elements include a hands-on construction area, various areas for the creation of artwork or crafts, exhibit spaces, a cafe, a retail store, and the Chicago Town Theater, a performance space.

Gross Square Footage: 84,000 sf Semester: Fall 2008 Instructor: James P. Warfield 01

children’s museum

children’s museum Concepts: Sears Tower View Axis Intersecting the site line six feet east of the State Street boundary and continuing on an angle of 37.7 degrees southwest across the lot is a direct, framed view of the Sears Tower. To capitalize on this view, the atrium of the Discovereum has been oriented around this view axis, and the grand staircase rising through the space intensifies the viewing experience.

03

children’s museum Concepts: Projector Screen/ Vertical Space Frame Outside the cafe entrance to the Discovereum is a grid of perforated metal panels used as a projection surface.

The mode of support for this assembly is a vertically oriented space frame, which is connected to the building’s structural grid. The projector is used to inform and entertain, notifying the passerby of upcoming exhibits being featured at the children’s museum.

children’s museum Concepts: ‘L’ Train Incorporation The ‘L’ train red line runs alongside the eastern edge of the site. As the route progresses northwards, it begins to deviate to the east, forming a curve in the tracks. The Discovereum relates directly to this curvature with a sweeping curtain wall at the northern end of the site. For the straight, southern part of the track, the building provides a whimsical view for train passengers in the form of massive exhaust funnels that terminate at the level of the track.

The interior view of the ‘L’ is optimized at the second level, where the 20’ floor height corresponds to the height of the tracks. When the ‘L’ passes, it can be seen, scarcely 15’ away, providing an entertaining visual connection for the children, with the curved floorplates intimately following the passing train.

05

children’s museum Concepts: High-Tech Enclosure The Discovereum uses OKATECH brand embedded copper mesh glazing that is both transparent like standard glass and yet blocks 69% of the sun’s rays.

The triple glazing incorporates a lowE layer which bolsters the glass’s 1.7 U-Value. Aesthetically, the glass appears transparent from within while maintaining an opaque coppery sheen from the outside, until the sun sets and the skin of the building seems to dissolve away, revealing the lit interior.

The structure of the Discovereum is wide-flange steel framing set in two separate grids: the atrium grid, which is set to parallel the Sears Tower view axis, and the main museum grid, which follows a traditional Chicago rectilinear format.

The structure passes through the envelope and is visible from the exterior, affording visitors, especially children, a sense of how the building is put together.

Enclosure Detail Elevation

Enclosure Detail Section

children’s museum

First Floor Plan

South Elevation

Fifth Floor Plan

Third Floor Plan

Transverse Section

Two-grid Structure Plan

Axial Section

07

assembling housing Site The Assembling Housing site is located at the converging of the Near North, River West and Gold Coast neighborhoods of Chicago, and is bounded by W. Institute Place to the north, N. Orleans Street to the west, a small alley to the south and the ‘L’ Brown line tracks to the east.

The site is largely situated on an existing parking lot, and measures 97’ x 241’.

W. Institute Place N. Orleans Street

Program n ow Br in Tra ‘L’ e Lin

W. Chicago Avenue

The Assembling Housing follows the program from the open category of the 2007-8 ACSA Steel Competition, which specifies a mid-rise apartment tower comprised of 50 units of four different room arrangements, residential support services, and extensive office and retail spaces.

Gross Square Footage: 125,400 sf Semester: Spring 2008 Instructor: Mark Taylor 09

assembling housing Programmatic Break-Down

Steel Framing Grid

From the northern elevation, several elements of the Assembly Housing can be identified. Notably, the building rises up in setbacks, which are organized by a 16’ on-center steel column grid. The base of the structure is allocated to retail and office functions, and cradles the ‘L’ track in a rooftop station.

The mid-rise tower above is devoted to residential functions, and is broken into two main ‘stages’. These can be identified by the exterior cross-bracing configuration and balcony placement.

This hierarchy of units provides possibilities for varying incomes. The upper stage is more luxurious, and affords its tenants more expansive floor plans, balconies, and views.

Elevation Study Residences and related functions Office space and related functions Retail space

assembling housing

11

assembling housing

Apartment Layouts

One Bedroom Unit Two Bedroom Unit Three Bedroom Unit Live/Work Unit

Fifteenth Floor Plan

Tenth Floor Plan

Fifth Floor Plan

assembling housing Addressing City Life The ‘L’ Brown Line passes over the eastern portion of the site. In order to benefit from this common mode of transit in Chicago, the Assembling Housing incorporates a new station on the building’s third floor. The station is accessible from both the office block and street level via two stair towers.

The building further addresses ‘L’ train passengers, residents and workers by complementing the diverse local culture with two retail stores, a restaurant, and an art gallery on the first floor.

Third Floor Plan - Offices

First Floor Plan - Mixed Retail

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13

performance space Site

ulp tur e

Ga rd en

Robert Allerton Park Site Map

Sc

Reservoir

The Performance Space site is located in Robert Allerton Park in Monticello, IL. The site is a 100’ square oriented 45 degrees from true north in order to align with a nearby garden path. It is bounded on the south, east, and west by an expansive rolling meadow, and on the north by a tall hedge bisected by the entryway to a sculpture garden.

Program The program is divided into interior and exterior performance venues, theater support rooms, and reception and ticketing. The design is to be integrated with the nature of the surrounding area.

Meadow

San gam on R iver

Gross Square Footage: 5,875 sf Semester: Fall 2007 Instructor: Andrew Weiss

15

performance space

performance space Parti

Concept

Main Floor Plan

The main concept behind the form of the Performance Space is an analogy to a key part of many performances: sound. The amplification, directional, and wave-form qualities of sound were all taken into account in the design, as well as the abstract imagery of a horn as a producer of sound.

Another important concept was from the necessity of the program, to be integrated with nature. This was accomplished by placing the main level below grade, using complex curvilinear geometry not unlike the surrounding meadow, and implementing a green roof.

Green Roof

N

17

performance space Landscape Integration The Performance Space is integrated with the surrounding meadow by forming an abstract hill with its curved green roof which covers 90% of the total roof area. This allows for the landscape to be less interrupted despite the presence of a buiding.

Traveling the main path leading to the lobby is a performance in itself. The walkway curves in towards the building gracefully, slowly decending below grade to the front door. Immediately before arriving, the visitor passes beneath an overarching concrete retaining wall, and then slips sinuously into an entrance in between two curtain wall planes.

Design Process

performance space Theater Form Integration

Spaces for Performance The Performance Space is based around two theaters, one is the main 132-seat indoor theater, and the other is an outdoor amphitheater situated on the building’s southwestern side. Both are served by a common service wing, and the main theater is directly connected to the lobby and ticketing spaces.

The theaters are intrinsically linked in form; the main theater’s curved side wall sweeps out an arc that forms the seating arrangement for the amphitheater.

Longitudinal Section

Transverse Section

19

tea pavilion Site

Robert Allerton Park Site Map

Mansion Reservoir

Like the Performance Space, the Tea Pavilion site is located in Robert Allerton Park in Monticello, IL. It is situated in a lightly forested area and occupies a square 100’ to a side. The site is bounded on the north, east, and south by light forest, and on the west by a rolling meadow. The site includes several trees, including sugar maples and sycamores. A park path passes through the northeastern portion of the site.

Program The tea pavilion follows a simple program, and consists of an indoor and outdoor eating area, a serving area, storage, and restrooms. The design of the tea pavilion should be in accordance with the surrounding landscape.

Meadow

Sangamon River

Gross Square Footage: 450 sf Semester: Fall 2007 Instructor: Andrew Weiss 21

tea pavilion

Transverse Section

Longitudinal Section

tea pavilion Floor Plan

Concept The Tea Pavilion is the product of many converging ideas, notably allusions to the surrounding park, brise soleils, and panoramic views.

N

The building’s usage of copper patina and local stone provide an aged and natural appearance that fits the surrounding park’s weathered monuments and stautes appropriately. The monolithic entry is derived from the park as well, where the passage through two massive forms is frequented.

The curved brise-soleil canopy on the southwest side provides ample shade for the pavilion during summer afternoons, while allowing winter sunlight to warm visitors.

The main view out from the site is towards a vast meadow, and the curved windows maximize this experience for those inside.

South Elevation

Brise Soleil with Summer and Winter Sun Angles 23

urban infill 20 ‘

Site The Urban Infill site is a simple 80’ x 20’ rectangle oriented on its long axis north-south.

The structure is an infill, which means it directly abuts the neighboring buildings, and does so to an elevation of 30’.

Program The Urban Infill is to be designed according to the design philosophy of a renowned architect, in this case, Tadao Ando. The building serves as a studio and private residence for said architect, and requires studio office spaces on the first two floors, a reception area, as well as living quarters on the upper floors.

80 ‘

Gross Square Footage: 3,130 sf Semester: Spring 2007 Street

Instructor: Paul Armstrong

25

urban infill

Longitudinal Section

Transverse Section A

Transverse Section B

Transverse Section C

urban infill Architect of Light Tadao Ando is known for his judicious usage of daylighting in his architecture, often regarding its play upon high quality cast in place concrete.

The architecture of Tadao Ando has been represented faithfully in the Urban Infill through concrete walls and floors, curves to direct circulation, attention to mass, intersecting planes, and most importantly, lighting.

While strategic strip windows and skylights implement the warming glow of the sun on textured concrete, the main daylighting feature is a large light well on the building’s west edge.

Noon, 45 degree sun altitude

Noon, 60 degree sun altitude

This element serves to diffuse daylight down into the lower floors during the majority of the day. However, at or around solar noon, the concrete floor beams that bridge the gap have their shadows thrown down the wall in stark relief. This artistic presentation of the sun’s zenith is fitting for the architect of light’s private residence and studio.

27

urban infill First Floor Plan - Studios

Second Floor Plan - Studios

Third Floor Plan - Residence

Fourth Floor Plan - Penthouse

A

A

B

B

C

C

N

urban infill Exploded Axonometric

29

sketches Tea Pavilion Oct. 18th, 2007 11” x 17” Graphite Pencil

31

sketches Farmstand Oct. 15th, 2007 11� x 17�

Prismacolor Marker and Ink

sketches Star of David Pavilion Oct. 9th, 2007 11� x 17�

Prismacolor Marker, Ink and Colored Pencil

33

sketches Dairy Experimental Barns Nov. 30, 2005 9.5� x 12�

Prismacolor Marker, Ink and Colored Pencil

sketches Falling Water Nov. 28, 2005 9.5� x 12�

Prismacolor Marker, Ink and Colored Pencil

35

sketches Gregory Hall Oct. 29th, 2005 9.5” x 12” Graphite Pencil

sketches Petra, Jordan Feb. 17th, 2005 9.5” x 12” Graphite Pencil