JOSHUA MASON
SELECTED WORKS
table of contents s.d.m. pool house +clusters merged terrains vertical networking freelance office
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S.D.M. POOL HOUSE pool house - inspired by Eduardo Souto de Moura Pritzker Prize winning architect Souto de Moura’s work inspired the design of this pool house, from the formal decisions, spatial decisions, and experiential motives. A dialect between heavy and light, as well as the juxtaposition of built and existing environment drives the design. Formally, the design consists of a large continuous frame that “floats” over a faceted concrete structure that mimics a shorefront rock. (made possible by a thick beam system in the upper plane and a suspension structure.) This continuous frame spans two vertical planes that extend past the rectangular geometry of the floor plan to separate the building from the city as well as frame a public green space. Floating the second floor over the pool creates a bright, open area as well as a shady, intimate pool space. Throughout the design, the building forms around the rock structure, which emphasises a tension between the two, as well as an embeddedness of the building in the environment. The heaviness of concrete is emphasized through thickness and juxtaposition with storefront glass. The planarity of the form is a product of a Miesian influence that is prevalent throughout Souto de Moura’s work, as well as a focus on viewing within a building and framing views outwards.
Planar Extensions
deviations from formal perimeters to denote spatial thresholds
Embedding, Floating
continuation or deviation from existing landforms to create coherence or tension between land and built form
tension between built and natural form implies floating
Selective Focal Framing
frames views to designed courtyards or surrounding views in a way that isolates foreground, middleground or background
filtering out middleground through view framing
Vernacular Material Palette
material choices vary from project to project based on context and available materials to achieve “anonymous architecture.�
thickness emphasizes heaviness of concrete overhang emphasizes joint between heavy and light thin ground plane contrasts heavy roof
Connecting Heavy + Light
glass meets directly with thick concrete or solid roofs to create a contrast between the two materials
Ground Plan
Longitudinal Section
2nd Floor Plan
Cross Section
+CLUSTERS micro-unit housing complex - jersey city, new jersey Rethinking how freelancers, entrepreneurs and pedestrians can live, work and interact through the aggregation and clustering of apartment units, communal workspaces, and market clusters.
WORK
CLUSTER OF UNITS
+CLUSTER
USTER
ONE CL
++CLUSTER
USTERS
TWO CL
TWO CLUSTERS
THREE
UNIT
CLUSTER OF UNITS
+CLUSTER
RS
CLUSTE
++CLUSTER
CONNECTION OF WORKSPACES
BE
D BAT
H
LIV
ING
EN
CH
FRO
RE
STO
CE
FFI
/O NT
KIT
PRIVATE WORK INSIDE UNIT INTERIOR GROUP WORK EXTERIOR GROUP WORK
STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM
0'
10'
25'
45'
BARBER
PAINTER
TATTOO ARTIST
NAIL SALON
CLOTHES DESIGNER
DESIGNER WRITER ARCHITECT STOCK ANALYST CODER GAME DEVELOPER GRAPHIC DESIGNER
SITE
2ND FLOOR
UNIT SECTION
1ST FLOOR
GROUND FLOOR
PEDESTRIAN FLOORS
PUBLIC REST AREA
COMMUNAL WORKSPACE
MERGED TERRAINS police station - perth amboy, new jersey
situated on a street corner adjacent to an increasingly busy train station, this project aims to take advantage of pedestrian traffic to create a bond between the police and the people of perth amboy. the site was subdivided so that horizontal and vertical circulation occurs along the diagonal divisions. two materials - brick and concrete block - are used to define indoor and outdoor spaces, while an array of rotating panels create a merged sense of interior and exterior divisions. public naturally begins to merge with the police along diagonal site divisions.
DIVISION OF SITE ALONG DIAGONALS
VARIETY OF ROTATING ELEMENTS
VOLUMES CREATE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPACES
VOLUMES ARE TRUNCATED AT ENTRANCES
FLOORS ARE STEPPED TO ADDRESS CHANGE IN ELEVATION
PROGRAM IS ASSIGNED, CIRCULATION OCCURS ALONG DIAGONALS
DOWN
SECOND FLOOR
DOWN
UP
DOWN
FIRST FLOOR
VERTICAL NETWORKING micro-unit housing complex - vertical aggregation The emerging field of freelance working is changing constantly, spurring changes in a person’s work habits and environment. Many workers find that working from home is undesirable, and prefer changes in their environment from time to time. This high-rise aims to break the tradition of working from home or out of coffee shops by creating communal work spaces and lounge spaces near one’s apartment. These lounges and workspaces are reached by a series of experiential bridges and staircases that span between the two towers of the building. The void that travels up the facade of the building lets ample amounts of light into the apartment, creating an enjoyable working environment. Through movement in the void and use of the communal areas, residents will be prompted to interact with one another, and create a larger network of like-minded residents.
LOUNGE SPACE
UNIT
x2
COMMUNAL WORK SPACE
UNIT-WORKSPACE RELATIONSHIP
PRIMARY CIRCULATION
SECONDARY CIRCULATION
STRUCTURAL STRATEGY
CIRCULATION ZONING
FREELANCE OFFICE micro-unit housing complex - horizontal aggregation Recent years have shown a rise in independence in the office place, resulting in a rise of open plan offices. This rise of independence has subsequently given rise to an increase of FREELANCE WORKING. The process of working from home has not yet been perfected--loneliness, procrastination, distraction, and a desire for a change of scenery has turned many away from the potential benefits of working from home. Perhaps the difficulties of working from home are unavoidable; perhaps the key to being a successful freelancer lies in the dynamic of the office.
Planar language at site scale. A construction method of using party walls and continuous ground planes creates consistent facades and reinforces horizontal nature of the building.
Planar language at human scale.
A design method of stacking planes at 6 inch increments creates surfaces that allow for various activities.
The benefits of an open office plan lie in its expansive environment and ease of communication. A system of using a continuous line to define spaces was used to create many open spaces without ever closing any in. Along these lines, a language of stacked planes was used to create surfaces of various heights that can be used for many different things; creating multi-functional spaces. A sense of community and activity is complimented by the aggregation of many units with colored windows. A dynamic facade that changes based on tenants’ patterns of use will promote an active, community-oriented environment, concluding that a community will benefit the individual freelancer.
SE CT IO N
A
GROUND/ROOF PLANE
UNIT ALONG STRAIGHT LINE COMMUNAL WORKSPACE FIRST FLOOR: SOCIAL SECOND FLOOR: PRIVATE THIRD FLOOR: EXTERIOR SECTION B
UNIT ALONG BEND
PARTY WALL
JOSHUA MASON
JSM55@NJIT.EDU NJIT ARCHITECTURE CLASS OF 2018