M.Arch Portfolio

Page 1

SELF

BA in Architecture Clemson University

Master in Architecture First Professional



CV/PERSONAL STATEMENT MORPHALLAXIS NEOPLEXUS COEQUILATE BCN LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHY

Whit Self 2310 Queens Rd E Charlotte, NC 28207

1 3 pg. 11 pg. 19 pg. 27 pg. 35 pg. pg.

704-564-4296 Whit.Self@gmail.com i


CV EDUCATION

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY, CLEMSON SC

B.A. IN ARCHITECTURE HISTORY MINOR MAY 2009

GPA 3.26

AWARDS/ACTIVITIES

SPRING 2007-PRESENT SPRING 2007 SPRING 2008 SPRING 2009 EAGLE SCOUT 2004 AIAS DEANS LIST

EMPLOYMENT

PEASE ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS-ENGINEERS, CHARLOTTE NC

INTERN

HOSTETTER & KEACH INC., CHARLOTTE NC

LABORER

MAY 2008-AUGUST 2008

MAY 2007-AUGUST 2007 MAY 2006-AUGUST 2006

F.N. THOMPSON, CHARLOTTE NC

CARPENTERS ASS’T

JUNE 2005-AUGUST 2005

TECHNICAL SKILLS

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR ADOBE INDESIGN RHINOCEROS DIGITAL MODELING FORMZ DIGITAL MODELING SKETCHUP DIGITAL MODELING AUTOCAD MICROSTATION


PERSONAL STATEMENT Architecture, for as long as I can remember, is something that has interested me. After spending the last four years in the architecture school at Clemson University, I can proudly say that I have found what I should be doing for the rest of my life. Architecture for me is more than just building design and producing a final product. It is about the steps taken to achieve that final goal; the process and the countless failures it takes before the absolute perfect solution to the problem at hand develops. This is where most of the excitement comes from for me. Problem solving is what really interests me about the field of architecture. I have learned countless ways of coming up with a final product, and each way teaches me something new. The perpetual learning that seems to mesh so well with the architectural field is something that I believe separates architecture from other disciplines. With a degree in architecture, I should be able to tackle any problem without hesitation or lack of confidence. The other fine arts have always drawn my attention as well. All the arts, photography being my favorite, use the same precision and process as architecture, just in a different medium. Generating an idea and developing that idea through process and experimentation are traits of all arts. Studying architecture within the college of arts, architecture and humanities at Clemson immersed me in an artistic surrounding where I broadened my view by what I experienced.

2


MORPH

Professor: Juan Carlos Tappan

Fall 07

ARCH 354


4


Morphallaxis in Barcelona, Spain, grew out of the idea to transform the existing utilities and objects on the site, the port of

Barcelona. We

created an

inventory of existing buildings and objects to create the base for a new protective housing neighborhood.

Utilizing

the existing shipping containers as the

structure for each protected housing unit reduces the impact of the construction.

The

containers

are stacked on one another to create a more dense environment creating room for

The

10,000 apartments.

term morphallaxis means, the regeneration and

transformation of the port by the use of existing materials.

Morphallaxis

Fall 07

Whit Self - Andrew Temples - Hali Knight

Initial

housing configurations in stacked towers

(Self )


APARTMENTS OF 30 METERS

(MADE FROM ONE AND A THIRD SHIPPING CONTAINERS)

SHARED PORCH AREA BETWEEN RESIDENTS

6


The idea of minimizing travel time to and from destinations created a basis for the design of our core system. There are four main core types, each with a different function and purpose. A parking core, a solid core for office and university facilities, an open core, and a core based on public and recreational use. Residents pick their house core based on their needs. The housing towers serve as infrastructure throughout the site. Utilizing the buildings for housing as well as infrastructure creates an environment that minimizes travel times.

Diagrams-Self )

Open

core

Morphallaxis

Parking Core

Fall 07

Solid

core

Whit Self - Andrew Temples - Hali Knight

Rooftop

core

(Renderings

and


The

housing cores with protective housing units attached create a pattern

when viewed in plan.

This

pattern using different size core structures is

repeated to achieve the maximum density throughout the site.

Once

Rendering

showing if maximum density was to be accomplished in the site and

buildings were placed at all locations on the pattern overlay.

(Self )

maximum

density is achieved with the pattern, buildings are removed from the pattern as needed to create a system of housing revolving around function and travel throughout the site.

(Self )

8


The

port site with the maximum density pattern overlay (pattern is faded where buildings were removed).

show each core type and placement.

Morphallaxis

(Knight, Self )

Fall 07

Whit Self - Andrew Temples - Hali Knight

The

overlay includes roads and is designed around existing site buildings.

The

highlighted central cores


Rendering

of cores with housing positioned into the site based on the pattern overlay.

(Temples, Self )

10


NEO

Professor: Martha Skinner

Fall 08

ARCH 351


12


Neoplexus

was designed for a one week design

charrette that tackled the water shortage problem

Barcelona, Spain. This project targets the Barcelona has as the most prevalent problem. Reducing the leaking pipes by in

old leaking pipes that

fixing the old infrastructure is a realistic way to solve a rising issue of water conservation.

Our

solution involves creating a temporary piping

system that is transported throughout the city as the pipes are fixed.

The

pipes are suspended above

the ground while work is done to repair the leaking pipes.

By only fixing a portion of the city at a time

and moving from location to location, neoplexus

does not need to be a large scale system, but rather just a simple kit of parts that can transform a neighborhood.

During

the fixing of the pipes,

neoplexus also serves as a public water fountain.

In plazas, extensions drop down from the suspended pipes, allowing public access to water.

(Sketch- Weidner; Montage- Self )

Neoplexus

Fall 08

Whit Self - Virginia Black - Hali Knight - Clay Montgomery - Derek Weidner


Kit OF Parts

(Sketch-Weidner; Model-Montgomery)

14


The leaking pipes (Diagrams-Self )

Neoplexus

cause inefficient water supply

Neoplexus

is installed

Neoplexus pipes

Fall 08

Whit Self - Virginia Black - Hali Knight - Clay Montgomery - Derek Weidner

carries water during fixing of


Pipes

are fixed while the residents still have access

to water.

Neoplexus

is removed

Renewal

of pipes complete

16


Barcelona

Neoplexus

with old piping system.

(Diagrams-Self )

Fall 08

Neoplexus

installed in first section of the city.

Whit Self - Virginia Black - Hali Knight - Clay Montgomery - Derek Weidner

First

section of

Barcelona

is fixed and neoplexus is

removed and installed in next area.


The

process continues with neoplexus continuing to move

throughout the city.

Neoplexus

has been implemented throughout the majority

of the center city, and the leaking pipes have now been fixed.

The process has transformed and revived the city of Barcelona while bringing about a great environmental change.

18


CO

Professor: Martha Skinner

Fall 08

ARCH 351


20


The

program for this project was based on an idea

for an urban farm in the center of

Chicago. The

vertical farm is an idea that establishes a farm that is able to sustain

10,000

people.

Along

with

the farm there are programmatic elements that support the farm: school, office, market, housing, commercial and a riverwalk.

My

initial concept revolved around balancing and

responding to the different programs inside the building.

This led to schematic models based off the The schematic stage allowed

principle of balance.

me to create a uniformed concept that incorporated the pushing and pulling forces of sound, light, heat, and occupancy that the building in would respond to.

Ephemeral

Chicago

forces change the

atmosphere and the building changes physically when these forces change the environment.

Each Coequilate

Fall 08

Whit Self

weight corresponds to different program.

should be adjacent.

Moving

The

fishing string ties programs that

one element effects the others connected to it.


CIRCULATION CHANGES ACCORDING TO PROGRAM LOCATION

School

Market

Housing

Office

Farm

Riverwalk

22


WEIGHT = PROGRAM SIZE STICKS = USABLE SPACE

No

program added; sticks are vertical

Coequilate

Fall 08

Riverwalk

weight added; two sticks form the

riverwalk space.

Whit Self

Market space.

weight added; a stick forms the market

Restaurant rant space.

weight added; a stick forms the restau-


Farm School Housing Market Riverwalk OfďŹ ce Commercial

Office space.

weight added; two sticks form the office

School space.

weight added, two sticks form the school

Housing space.

weight added; a stick forms the housing

Farm

weight added; last of the sticks form the farm

space.

24


PROGRAMMATIC DIAGRAM

Diagram depicting the use of weights to determine the program space and shape concept of building.

FARM SCHOOL HOUSING MARKET RIVERWALK OFFICE COMMERCIAL

Coequilate

Fall 08

Whit Self


SECTION CUT DIAGRAMMING SKIN

METAL TUBES Tubes

hinged to straighten and bend to balance environmental

changes inside and outside the building by opening and closing exterior skin.

EXTERIOR SKIN Canvas,

the outer most layer of the building, flexes according to the

conditions inside and outside. population.

Controls

flows of light, heat, sound, and

EXTERIOR WALL Wall

that can be enclosed semi-open or open to outside conditions

CIRCULATION CORE

The

skin of the farm responds to the different forces by opening and closing the building to balance

interior and exterior environments.

26


BCN

Professor: Ulrike Heine

Spring 09

ARCH 452


28


The initial concept Barcelona, Spain

for a library in the center of was creating a rhythm along

the site that changes and distorts at certain times.

The

distortion of the rhythm occurs where

occupants enter the building to guide them through the site.

Once

the rhythm was defined, the shape

of the building took the form according to the interior programmatic elements of the library.

The

human hand was used as a study to see how it could act as a shelter.

Fingers spawned the idea of using A connection of two

irregularly shaped trusses.

plazas surrounding the site created an opportunity to split it into two buildings connected by a bridge.

One

building houses the more traditional

book stacks, while the other is the more public areas, with a cafe as the centerpiece.

The

rhythm

is shown by trusses that support the roof of the structure and allow for the open floor plan that was desired.

Bcn Library

Spring 09

Whit Self - Dylan Thomas


The

connection of the surrounding plaza space justified the splitting of the building into two distinct

parts connected by a bridge.

The

path through the site allows users and the public access to the plaza

areas and a feeling of openness to a neighborhood that is very dense.

Schematic

models showing the rhythm of the trusses on the site.

The (Self )

models also give a representation of how the building will be split.

30


Light studies (Self )

BRIDGE PLAN

on a model showing the movement of light through the clerestory space between the trusses.

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

Interior

of second floor circulation desk and reference areas.

GROUND PLAN

(Thomas)

2

Bcn Library

Spring 09

Whit Self - Dylan Thomas

1


1.

2.

SECTION 1

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

32


DETAILED WALL SECTION (Self )

35’

fiber cement panels

joint connector

soft insulation

steel truss member

15’

reinforced concrete slab

0’

gravel

-5’ foam insulation

earth

Bcn Library

Spring 09

Whit Self - Dylan Thomas


EXPLODED STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM (Thomas)

panels

trusses

floor plates

Exterior

rendering looking south towards main building and bridge.

which defines the hardscape as well as the trusses themselves.

The (Thomas)

lines depict the rhythm of the site

site landscape

34


PHOTO


36


Photography

has always been something that has interested me, and that interest really developed in high school where

to take two years of classes that taught me techniques and processes. the camera and the darkroom.

This

embedded the ideal of always looking for the

photoshop, possibilities for photo enhancement seemed to be endless. college fueled my passion for photography.

Photography

2004-2009

Starting

These

What I

out with an old

“shot�

SLR, I

I

was fortunate enough to be able

had to find ways to express myself using only

and taking time to really find the perfect angle.

As I learned I gained in days.

could create using my previous knowledge and the knowledge

photographs are a sample of work that

I

have produced since my defining high school


This photograph was taken in Amsterdam, NL along one of the many canals. I was trying to capture the essence of the dutch people. The color orange and bicycles are something that is very prominent all over this country and by highlighting the color of the bicycle while desaturating everything else

I

was able to glorify the ideology.

This Photograph also paved the way for a series of bicycles. In the series I made each bike a different color and saturated that color to the point of a neon. I then grouped them into a single piece.

Dutch Bike: 5”X5”

The Bicycle Remastered:

each image is

5”x5”. The

collection is framed in a

35”x9”

frame.

38


Great Mosque

of

Cordoba: 5�x7�

This was taken inside the great mosque of Cordoba, Spain. I was trying to capture the openness and lightness of the structure while also emphasizing the sacredness of the religious building.

The

natural light does not make it into

the center of the mosque creating a very seclusive place of worship.

Photography

2004-2009


This

Eiffel tower is actually a series of I wanted to create an extended frame photograph instead of a point and shoot one time shot. Using photoshop, I was able to arrange the photographs together to form a single image. The perspective that this creates allows for the whole tower to be viewed. image of the

images that

I

took.

Glowing Eiffel: 10�x8�

40


VW Bus: 28�x4�

An

extended frame project for my high school class.

photo in context.

I

captured a

pasting them all together,

I

1971 VW

Assignment

was to use a role of film that would be cut up to form a larger

bus parked in different spots in an empty parking lot.

By

printing many photos and then

created a panorama of the parking lot that is filled with all of the same car.


42


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.