portfolio JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
portfolio JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
contact julie.m.sylvester@gmail.com 88 East 3rd Street, Apt 2 New York, NY 10003 m. 860 798 0308
EDUCATION
June 2013
RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN (RISD) : PROVIDENCE, RI Master of Architecture
June 2009
BOWDOIN COLLEGE : BRUNSWICK, ME Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art / Minor in Environmental Studies
August 2013
MICROSOL RESOURCES - REVIT ARCHITECTURE ESSENTIALS : NEW YORK, NY 24 AIA hour Revit course
June - July 2008
HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF DESIGN : CAMBRIDGE, MA Career Discovery Summer Studio
Sept - Dec 2008
DANISH INSTITUTE FOR STUDY ABROAD (DIS) : COPENHAGEN, DK Architecture and Design Program
WORK EXPERIENCE
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
June - Aug 2011 June - Sept 2012 June 2013 - Present
BROMLEY CALDARI ARCHITECTS PC : NEW YORK, NY Worked on construction documents for several homes on Fire Island, NY, and other residential/retrofit buildings in and around New York City.
2011 - 2012 2012 - 2013
2-YEAR RISD ASSISTANTSHIP WITH JONATHAN KNOWLES : PROVIDENCE, RI
2011 - 2012
1-YEAR RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP WITH SILVIA ACOSTA : PROVIDENCE, RI
Assisted with coordination and installation of RISD Degree Project events. Lead graduate teacher’s assistant for Architectural Design Studio.
Assisted with research, outreach and development of design-build studios for the architecture department. Spring 2012
MODERN ARCHITECTURE TEACHER’S ASSISTANT FOR IAN BALDWIN : PROVIDENCE, RI Helped co-lead discussion groups for first year students and responsible for bi-weekly writing conferences.
LEADERSHIP
2012 & 2013
ACE MENTOR : PROVIDENCE, RI Mentored high school students on a weekly basis with projects that helped to develop their interest in architecture, engineering, and construction.
Spring 2012
PROJECT MANAGER FOR ARCHITECTURE DESIGN-BUILD STUDIO : PROVIDENCE, RI Managed a class of 70 students that worked on the design and construction of a community garden and pavilion.
2006 - 2009
BOWDOIN COLLEGE OUTING CLUB LEADER : BRUNSWICK, ME Wilderness First Responder trained and licensed to lead outing club expeditions into the Northern New England woods. Many activities included team building exercises.
SKILLS
DIGITAL - Autodesk (autocad 2009-2014), Revit, Adobe CS5 & CS6 (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), Microsoft Office Suite, digital photography MANUAL - Model fabrication, hand drawing (drafting, sketch), photography (35 mm, 4x5 film)
REFERENCES
JONATHAN KNOWLES Professor Architecture Department RISD
jknowles@risd.edu 917. 414. 4630
SILVIA ACOSTA Professor Architecture Department RISD
sacosta@risd.edu 617. 823. 2425
JAMES BARNES Professor Architecture Department RISD
jbarnes@risd.edu 401. 465. 2962
JERRY CALDARI Principal at Bromley Caldari Architects PC
jc@bromleycaldari.com 212. 620. 4250
CONTENTS A COLLECTION OF WORK J U L I E M E E S Y LV E S T E R
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
2
A MINOTAUR’S LABYRINTH
16
CONNECTING TO THE NAVY YARD
32
URBAN FABRIC
48
SEASIDE RETREAT
58
PROPOSITIONS IN GUATEMALA
78
MAPPING THE CITY : HAVANA
94
BRIDGING THE GAP
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
120
BLOSSOM DESIGN-BUILD
150
PRINCE LAB
164
SLAUGHTERHOUSE KITCHEN
ART AND DESIGN
178
CHARCOAL DRAWINGS
186
OBI CHAIR
194
PHOTOGRAPHY
A MINOTAUR’S LABYRINTH RISD / ARCHITECTURE DESIGN PRINCIPLES NICK DEPACE FALL 2010
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
At RISD, is the first core studio offered in the Architecture Department. The studio is set up in such a way that first year students are introduced to not only the fundamental principles of design, but a unique way of learning to develop a project through the process of iteration. To complete a Master of Architecture degree from RISD is to know the true meaning of "iteration." In order to develop a design it means to test and challenge all possible solutions within a problem. It is through this labored path of testing, researching and brain storming that well-designed projects are achieved. Design Principles taught us how to evolve a folded strip of paper into a dwelling for Ovid’s fierce creature, the Minotaur.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
2
PAPER KNOTS Assigned to the fisherman sailing "butterfly knot" the assignment asked to translate the tied rope version into that of one made from paper. Without the aid of any fastener. In order to do so, the logic, sequence, and essence of how to tie a knot from rope needed to find a linkage to a paper version. After the discovery of a paper knot was made, the next challenge was to figure out a way in which the multiple knots could aggregate to form a final massing approximately 3ft x 3ft x 3ft in volume, again without any fasteners.
3
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
4
DEVELOPING A GROUND The aggregation of knots needed to have a base to rest on (or within), so the instructors came up with the idea of developing a ground by making section cuts through a pastry. Each slice of the pastry represented every tenth slice of our made up ground. The slices in-between depended on our ability to mediate a balance between every iterative slice. The completed pastry ground provided a foundation for which the knots had to excavate a connection to.
5
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
6
TRANSLATING TO CHIPBOARD To better solidify the findings made from the knot aggregation/pastry ground coupling, the next step was to test its tectonic relationship using chipboard. By using the unique qualities developed in the aggregation of knots, the characteristic qualities of floors, ceilings and walls were derived. Alas, a dwelling for a minotaur was beginning to emerge.
7
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
8
LABYRINTHINE DWELLING Just as the Minotaur lived in a labyrinth, this new dwelling contains some of those labyrinthine qualities. Built into a cliff by the sea, the Minotaur’s home needed to fulfill the basic functions for eating, sleeping, and bathing. Within this enclosure only the Minotaur would understand the logic and sequence of spaces. Any unwanted visitors would get lost in its maze. The enclosure was developed from a group of modules based on the chipboard enclosure, which was based on the paper knots. The module developed spatial qualities based on these tectonic relationships. By spreading the floor plates apart, the roof plates would also open. This design feature was used to control the percolation of light and movement of water. As a result, the program to eat, sleep, and bathe were developed around this ability to control the private and public conditions of the spaces within the labyrinth.
9
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
10
11
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
12
13
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
14
CONNECTING TO THE NAVY YARD RISD / ARCHITECTURE 3RD ADVANCED STUDIO ENRIQUE MARTINEZ FALL 2012
BROOKLYN NAVY YARD offered an opportunity to investigate the city of New York’s ongoing efforts to redefine the future of its waterfront as a quality public asset and activator for economic development. I found that the Brooklyn Navy Yard held tremendous potential to set up a visual link between itself and Manhattan’s East River edge. The resulting project was a viewing pavilion situated off of the East River Esplanade, adjacent to Corlears Hook Park.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
16
INITIAL CONCEPTIONS After analyzing the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s site, its ability to make a bigger presence along the waterfront seemed dubious. The community’s desire to make the Navy Yard more permeable and accessible did not seem highly likely due to the Yard’s strict policy of no visitors, not to mention their wrap-around fence. However, the visual proximity between its piers and Mahattan’s East River edge spans the shortest distance in the whole area.
17
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
18
CALLING ATTENTION The intricacy of the Navy Yard’s edge is concealed beyond the extension of two finger piers that prevent a deeper view into the site. The design challenge was finding a way to bring attention to its unique and distinct shape that has evolved over decades of ship building.
19
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
20
VISUALIZING THE NAVY YARD The study of sight lines and the invention of viewing devices helped build the character of the Navy Yard into a more manageable spectrum with which to work. The flattening and deepening of views into the Navy Yard helped to conceptualize the spatial qualities needed to bring its waterfront to life.
21
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
22
A FOCAL POINT The design focused on a public viewing pavilion directly across from the Navy Yard.
23
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
24
DESIGNING THROUGH VIEWS Built off the edge of the Esplanade and settled in the water, the pavilion makes a direct visual linkage to its partner across the river. Extended viewing tubes are designed with the intent to not only direct specific views, but also to allow for moments of individual contemplation or a space to gather with a group of friends.
25
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
26
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
28
29
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
30
URBAN FABRIC RISD / ARCHITECTURE URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES JIM BARNES FALL 2011
URBAN DESIGN
The second core studio, focused on developing the designer’s sensitivity and awareness for designing within an urban context. A rigorous exercise in analyzing the city of Providence through five scales helped to delineate and pinpoint important aspects for designing within such a wide spectrum of influence on a city. The five scales involve the room, the building, the street, the neighborhood, and the city. Formerly known as the Jewelry District, but renamed the Knowledge District, the project’s site is across from Brown University’s new medical school. To initiate and encourage more visitors and residents to the new area the final proposal included three places of rest; a hotel, a home for the elderly, and medical student housing.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
32
the room
the building
the block
the neighborhood 33
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
A RIVER’S TIMELINE The Providence River has evolved and changed over the past century and a half. The bridges provide the city with its own timeline on the evolution of its industry. Analyzing the speed at which each bridge is traversed and its sectional relationship to the city informs a person on how even the design of a bridge can influence the character of its surroundings.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
34
DESIGNING FOR THE 5 SCALES To design for a neighborhood block requires attention to detail within all of the different scales of operation.
35
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
THE CITY
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
36
THE BLOCK Instead of combining all three housing programs into one building, the decision to separate them allowed for a more sensitive design intervention within the neighborhood. However, an important quality to living that I wanted to incorporate into the proposal was that of a more community-minded design. Thus, the integration of a series of ramping paths to, through, and out to the street from the buildings helped encourage a more permeable interconnection among the three and the rest of the neighborhood.
37
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
38
below ground level 39
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
ground level
pocket in between
live above ground level JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
40
HOTEL
41
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
THE BUILDING
hotel floor plate plan
THE ROOM
hotel room plan
section cut through hotel JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
42
STUDENT HOUSING
43
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
THE BUILDING
student housing floor plate plan
THE ROOM
student housing room plan
section cut through student housing JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
44
HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY
45
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
THE BUILDING
elderly housing floor plate plan
THE ROOM
elderly housing room plan
section cut through elderly housing
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
46
SEASIDE RETREAT RISD / ARCHITECTURE DIGITAL REPRESENTATION PETER DORSEY SPRING 2011
DIGITAL REPRESENTATION served as an introduction to various applications for digital work in architecture. The final project involved designing a module that could form a small structure, as well as learning to render images of the project. AutoCAD, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Rhino, and V-Ray were taught and employed throughout the course.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
48
49
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
50
51
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
52
roof plan
section 1 53
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
plan section cut 1
plan section cut 2
section 2
axonometric 1
axonometric 2 JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
54
55
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
PROPOSITIONS IN GUATEMALA RISD / ARCHITECTURE 1ST ADVANCED STUDIO SILVIA ACOSTA WINTER 2012
PROPOSITIONS IN GUATEMALA took place over the 2012 winter session term in Antigua, Guatemala. The studio was comprised through two parts. Part one was to complete one sketchbook of paintings done during the time spent there. Part two was an individual design proposal based on a given site in the city. The process of painting the city during the six weeks there was the most tactile and intimate way of exploring a new place. Painting what we saw helped to teach us all more about the lifestyle of the area and architectural characteristics it embodied.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
58
ANALYSIS OF SPACES Guatemala’s climate allows for its buildings to remain primarily open air. Each home has a courtyard and surrounding the courtyard are hallways that provide a buffer zone to the more private spaces (bathrooms and bedrooms), which are fully enclosed. The blurring of inside and outside space was the most prominent architectural feature there.
59
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
60
ANALYSIS OF CONSTRUCTION The primary material of construction in Guatemala is with CMUs or bricks. After an expedition to the Mayan ruins of Tikal, the observations and examination of stone construction around the city became highly prominent. Researching different kinds of arches and brick work helped develop a more thorough understanding of the architectural language of Antigua.
61
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
62
AN ORCHID HOUSE Once a year Guatemala City is home to one of the largest orchid festivals in Latin America. Thousands of people from all over travel to see it. The simple act of showcasing orchids is a highly profitable act for the city. Antigua is also host to a growing tourism population with a growing demand for eco-friendly activities. The design of a public building to grow, house, and sell orchids provides one more opportunity for visitors to interact with the local people. The site for the project is a small park situated behind the tanques de la union, a public outdoor clothes washing pool where many families gather to wash clothes in the morning. I see the program of a public orchid house near the public water tanks as a wonderful opportunity to bring tourists closer to the local culture.
63
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
64
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
66
THE PROPOSAL Situated at the north end of the park, the orchid house echoes the symmetrical front facade of the tanques. Sticking to only brick construction the use of barrel vaults and arches is heavily utilized as a way to span longer distances. The larger spans help to create a loftier atmosphere within the structure. An important feature to the project is a public bathroom below ground. A slice through the ground floor allows the percolation of some natural light and air down to the bathrooms along a two story high garden wall.
ground floor plan
sub-ground bathroom plan 67
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
longitudinal sections
cross sections JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
68
69
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
70
71
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
72
73
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
74
75
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
76
MAPPING THE CITY : HAVANA RISD / ARCHITECTURE 2ND ADVANCED STUDIO GABRIEL FELD SPRING 2012
22
MAPPING THE CITY focused on using narrative and map-making processes to design a hotel in Havana, Cuba. Choosing the site for my hotel in the city’s most modern neighborhood, Vedado, I concentrated my work on developing a proposal that would attempt to bring the culture of the neighborhood and city into the circulation of the hotel. A continuous ramp that revolved around the structure of the hotel served as a ribbon of public space throughout the project.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
78
MAPPING A NARRATIVE As a way to help develop a connection with the city, I read the short story The Passenger by Ena Lucia Portela. By use of the narrative as a tool, I became acquainted with certain neighborhoods and important landmarks. Using this knowledge enabled me to invent 2d and 3d maps as an outlet for familiarizing myself with the area.
79
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
80
LEARNING FROM PRECEDENT As a way to learn from Cuba’s history, Hotel Nacionale was used as a case study. Researching its history and programmatic elements provided a foundation upon which a new hotel could be designed. However, Hotel Nacionale is an icon from days past. It was the home to many Americans during the times of prohibition and much of its design influences were based on American standards. The hotel lacked any flavor of Cuban culture. With a new site and context, the design of my hotel would work to bridge the divide between the city and hotel guests by merging the cultural interactions between the locals and the visitors.
81
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Old Havana, Vedado & Church grounds.
Vedado and Linea St
Cross streets
CHOOSING A SITE Linea Street is one of a few major streets in Havana. In choosing a site I wanted something that wasn’t secluded from the life and activity of the city like Hotel Nacionale. What is peculiar about Linea Street is that while its translation is "line", about midway along it there is a kink. This slight bend in its path was where I choose to site the hotel. Site of Nacional and proposed hotel site JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
82
Teatro Trianon Remodeled 1955
Teatro Mella 1930s
Beth Shalom 1952
Statue Alejandro Rodriguez y Valesco House on Linea
Hospital Gineco Obstetico America Arias
CULTURAL INFLUENCES Along Linea Street there are many different institutions that add to the diverse and rich makeup of Havana’s culture.
Museo de La Danza
Bertolt Brecht Cultural Center
Focsa Building 1952
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
84
A PLACE IN THE CITY In the old city, the daily lives of people are enriched with vibrant street activity, whereas in Vedado much of the living is within a highrise tower. With the hotel situated on the kink of Linea Street, the trajectory of views and movement lead directly toward it. This strong visual link is key to successfully interjecting movement and energy within the hotel.
85
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
86
FINDING FORM In order for the hotel to communicate its connection to the city the right form needed to be sculpted. The exterior needed to hold a certain presence along the street front and the interior needed to express a quality about the city’s culture.
87
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
88
BLENDING PATHS With a wrapping ramp throughout the hotel, (connecting the street level with the top floor) it was essential to design the floor plates as an interactive element from the ramp. In such a way the programmatic elements of public space are spread out along the course of the hotel’s ramp.
Ground Floor Plan
89
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Lifted Ground Floor Plan
Intermediary Ground Floor Plan
Final Extension of Ground Floor Plan
Life Above the Ground Floor Plan
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
90
91
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
longitudinal section
longitudinal section
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
92
BRIDGING THE GAP RISD / ARCHITECTURE MASTER THESIS THOMAS GARDNER SPRING 2013
BRIDGING THE GAP is a thesis built upon observation I made on how I engaged with the world around me. What I discovered was that I had become accustomed to designing for a client. I knew how to question and process aesthetic design decisions, but I never considered how the specificity of spatial qualities effected me. I realized that I had not only acquiesced to a world of architecture that I physically didn’t fit, but that I had also learned to design architecture that reinforced this problem. I was curious to understand how I had learned to cope with an environment built for people a foot taller that challenged my daily existence. My perception and understanding of my surroundings began to change after fifth grade, when I stopped growing and everyone else continued to grow. Leaving an environment scaled to an elementary school student, to that of the average-sized person altered my awareness of the size and dimensions of objects. As my classmates grew into their new school, I remained the size of a really tall fifth grader. My time at RISD has influenced my thoughts on how we construct space, but more importantly it has initiated my critique of who we build for and why. I am no longer satisfied accommodating the mean. My interest lies in the challenge of broadening the spectrum of what is considered average.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
94
BOXED IN One day in February, I found myself caught in the rush of foot traffic in the great room at Grand Central Terminal. The intense battle of people all rushing in opposite directions made maneuvering across the floor a huge challenge. I found that it was easier to traverse the area by finding small structures or walls to bunny-hop to as a method to avoid being swallowed up in the whirlpool of activity. Sandwiched between an information kiosk and a trash can I found it easy to stand undisturbed from the crowd. In this area I had found an invisible pocket of space that helped protect me from people rushing by.
95
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
96
PROSTHESIS Over winter session, I produced a series of armor aimed at reducing anxiety in crowded places by delineating zones of personal space. While the devices performed well as protection, their shells subsequently isolated me from the greater context they were worn in. It was clear that these constructs needed to be more than armor. Instead, it would be beneficial to design them as prosthetics. Prosthesis responds to a loss or lack of something. Its additive quality gives opportunity to make use of something that had been taken away. For me, stepping into a densely packed space strips me of self-confidence, but with a social prosthetic there is the potential to mollify the situation. A series of wearable constructs emphasized the subtle and nuanced delineation of space by augmenting the condition it created as they were inhabited. The intimate quality of the construct made the wearers feel slightly awkward, but succeeded in sensitizing each person to the environment. Through this sensitized environment my participants were hyper-aware of how they stood or sat, how the construct felt on their body, and how comfortable or uncomfortable they felt in relation to the others.
97
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
98
A WHIRLING GOWN Modeled after Turkish Whirling Dervish skirts, I made my own whirling dress to wear. The garment’s whirling theatrics helped delineate personal space because it drew attention to my presence. As people passed by, they kept enough distance between themselves and the outer ring of the expanded dress. In this way, I enhanced their physical relationship and perception of me because they had to take extra precaution to avoid a collision. In New York City, people walk with assertion, efficiently finding ways of getting from point A to point B. They are not commonly distracted by irregular behavior on the streets because it is such a common occurrence that any oddity blends in with all the others. However, when I took my dress to different places around the city, my whirling seemed to captivate people as they walked by. The dress had a unique ability to emerge and blend into the background so people were unsure of my purpose and its intent. It could be extremely visible and mesmerizing to some near me or it could camouflage into the grey urban landscape for others too engrossed in something else to notice.
TESTING TIMES SQUARE I experienced the most interesting reactions when walking through Times Square. With all the activity and visual stimulus already present, I had assumed that I would have blended in more than I did. I often diverted attention away from the giant characters posing for photographs with tourists and even turned a few of the characters’ heads. By videotaping my walk through Times Square, I was able to go through the footage and study the reactions and interactions between those I passed and myself. The results were illustrated in three tests.
99
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Test One Utilizing the video recording of walking in the dress from Broadway to Times Square, I studied the film stills to find specific moments when people took notice and stared at me. To map my walk, I looked for areas that would help triangulate the formation of positions among tourists, characters in costume, and myself. I was interested in finding any patterns that arose from my positioning near them, as well as identifying the distance at which people would notice and recognize that I was an anomaly. 6
5 4 3 2 1
0
50
100
200
400 ft
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
100
1
2
3
10 4
9
5
8
6
7 1
10 10
7
1
9 8
7
6
6
2 3
3
1 2
8
9 6
5
4
7
5
4
8
5 4
9
10
10
3
2
Test Two 1
There is a certain degree of choreography in the footwork of passing people. It is impressive how infrequently people collide, considering every person moves with different trajectories and pace. By assessing a specific point in time shortly before I cross the street, there is a moment when the interaction of others passing makes for an intriguing sequence of footwork. Using labanotation, I diagrammed the footsteps of four participants; the Cabaret dancer, the man moving towards me, the woman walking perpendicular to me, and myself. Through the careful, unconscious calibration of each persons movements, we found a way to continue our movement without anyone colliding.
6
1
5 4 3 2
0
101
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
5
10
20
40 ft
Test Three In this test, I stood still to be able to assess and chart the reaction and movement of two individuals near me. The man on the right takes notice of me and walks in a peculiar arc around me. He appears slightly curious and makes a small investigation of looking at me, but walks around me with an exaggerated allowance of space. The man behind my left shoulder spends more time assessing the situation. He openly stares at me as I can not see him over my shoulder. He takes a hesitant step backward after fully analyzing the situation.
0°
135°
90°
Fig. 4. Peripersonal space. (A) ἀ e flight zone of an animal. When a threat enters the flight zone, the animal moves away (based on Smith, 1998). (B) ἀ e personal space of a human. When another person enters the personal space, the subject moves away. (C and D) Some tactile receptive fields (shaded) and visual receptive fields (boxed) of neurons in monkey cortical area PZ. (E) Schematic diagram of visual receptive fields in PZ. Space near the body is represented by relatively more receptive fields, and space at increasing distances from the body is represented by fewer receptive fields.
0
5
10
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
20
ft
102
SCULPTING A SPACE An important part of understanding my location within my project came from localizing places within a broader context. I chose to find commonalities with Times Square (the area of my whirling) and Manhattan’s latitude line of 40° N with other locations. There are ten other cities that are laid on the same path. Extending those latitudes to find common longitudinal relations widened interconnected relationships drawn through this simple coordinate system. Along these imaginary lines was a way to envision the broader context in which my work was resident.
103
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
In thinking about sculpting space to influence circulation I designed some ways in which curved walls might influence the way people walk and pause. Similar to an eddy in a river, these small niches allowed for spaces to pull off to the side and rest. The three sections on the opposite page worked to manipulate wall thickness and elevation levels to create dynamic space.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
104
LEVELING The perception of height differentials is weakened when we are not standing in close proximity to others. The unequal characteristics among us are concealed at distances, but are dramatically revealed when placed side by side. I created a two-person helmet to emphasize the perception of these height differentials. While wearing the helmet, these differences were not only made more obvious, but incited in some wearers the sudden comprehension of diverse perspectives and altered the way they imagined spaces for different people.
105
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
106
107
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
108
TRANSLATION TO ARCHITECTURE The translation of the two-person helmet into a larger architectural scale resulted in a section of an inhabitable cube that emphasized the height differentials. This cube utilized various elevation levels so that view lines would be constantly changing. Apertures in the walls, steps and different floor heights contribute to this evolving way of seeing and experiencing space and understanding its effects on others.
109
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
110
111
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
112
REALIZATIONS An understanding that spaces are designed for others, in addition to ourselves, greatly enhances our perception of big contrast in even the most subtle irregularity. We realize that although certain spaces may not be useful to us, they may be valuable for others. The best way to induce these changes in perspective is often found in an enlightening moment. I realized that my project needed to create a lasting memory to change a person’s perspective after having engaged with the architecture. My goal was to create an experience similar to one that many people have when taking a walk through the woods and suddenly coming upon a man-made bridge or fort. These events can lead to the startling realization that someone was here before you, potentially lifetimes before you. This realization can realign a person’s perspective on their context in the world. That unexpected surprise of seeing a man-made object has the power to greatly impact the way the walk is remembered and more importantly, the way we perceive space and time, potentially for the rest of our lives. Perhaps it is in these simple, random interventions in our lives that provide the most vivid and lasting memories. In that memory we reflect not only on the experience, but what was revealed to us in the experience. In a subtle way, the experience can permanently alter our lives by changing or expanding a previously held perspective or idea.
113
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Mimicking this other form of sudden comprehension, I designed an architectural intervention to generate an experience of realization about height and perspective differentials for the user. Constructed as a modular framework, the project is a fragmented composition of steps that dot the landscape of a rising slope. Made from brick and mortar, the architecture is determined by the dimensions of the brick used. Along the way there is an open enclosure at the midpoint of the hill. At first glance the viewer will look at it in its entirety, but through the use of a half-inch mortar joint, the individuality of each brick becomes evident upon closer inspection. The shifting focus between the enclosure and the brick as an individual piece helps to generate a widened understanding of the project’s size and scale. Additionally, as a person walks through the enclosure, they can view nature through tiny apertures between the bricks. These holes create a discreet, interval view of nature that draw attention to the different views afforded at each hole. JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
114
115
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
116
117
ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
118
BLOSSOM DESIGN-BUILD RISD / ARCHITECTURE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SILVIA ACOSTA SPRING 2011
DESIGN-BUILD
In this studio, seventy RISD students designed and constructed a community garden with two pavilions for the Chinese Christian Church of Rhode Island. Beginning with individual work for a week we were later formed into groups of three, then twelve, then twenty-four, and finally seventy students as a way to collectively design and propose one final project The second half of the semester was spent on site. We cleared and leveled the site. We dug, set and poured 108 concrete footings. We laid beams, joists and 1,400 square feet of decking. Lastly, we constructed two pavilions and thirteen linear raised beds for planting. It was a great honor being part of this team, but what made it a more personal accomplishment was being chosen as one of six project managers for the project. I learned what it meant to be a leader and how to manage a group of seventy tired architecture students, many of which had never lifted a hammer in their life. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
120
INDIVIDUAL WORK Cutting and folding elements from a single sheet of paper helped develop a uniform language of tectonic relationships within the project.
121
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
122
TEAM OF THREE In hope-WWw of providing a more conducive place for outdoor learning a long boardwalk extending along the river bank provided a suitable platform for such activity. Placed at the end of this boardwalk is a pavilion to provide a shaded area. The top of the site is home to a community garden consisting of seventeen raised garden beds and a small garden shed to store garden tools and two pre-existing water collection tanks.
123
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
124
TEAM OF TWELVE By working with two other groups the final proposal was a synthetic merging of all the most important ideas from each. A butterfly roof design was chosen for both the garden pavilion and lower pavilion as a poetic way to not only capture rain and direct it in a certain direction, but also to celebrate the noise it would make on top of an aluminum roof. The water tanks would be lit up in the early evening to act like a beacon to attract visitors; drawing them to the light and pulling them through and to the edge of the garden.
125
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
MERGING SEVENTY INTO ONE The entire studio met on a Saturday and it took almost eight hours before any real decisions and negotiations made traction. Eventually, many of the design decisions were based on my team’s proposal and the new design considerations from our studio mates only helped strengthen the overall design.
127
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Presenting the final design proposal to the clients and town JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
128
129
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
BUILDING PHASE
131
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
132
133
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
134
135
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
136
137
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
138
139
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
140
141
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
142
143
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
144
145
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
146
147
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
148
PRINCE LAB RISD / ARCHITECTURE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEMS II JONATHON KNOWLES SPRING 2012
PRINCE LAB
For the project on we were asked to investigate the possible renovation of a engineering lab on the Brown University Campus. The building, constructed in 1965 was renovated once before in the 1980’s. The lighting strategies used at that time did not grapple with the high energy consumption of the system implemented and offered little to no natural day lighting to achieve appropriate lighting levels. As a group, we approached our architectural intervention as an armature that could implement daylight strategies as well as house a new solar energy system. New ribbons replaced three of the structural bays of the laboratory to functionally accommodate each of the defined workshop areas. We identified 3 work zones in plan: wind tunnel, project area, and a machine shop. Each zone had particular lighting needs that were fulfilled by the ribbon structures. The same structural ribbons allowed for the accommodation of our light and energy strategy. In addition, the interventions also provided a new entrance, facilitate circulation, mezzanine, and provided architectural identity.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
150
DESIGN CONCEPT New ribbons replaced three of the structural bays of the laboratory to functionally accommodate each of the defined workshop areas. We identified 3 work zones in plan: wind tunnel, project area, and a machine shop. Each zone had particular lighting needs that were fulfilled by the ribbon structures. The same structural ribbons allowed for the accommodation of our light and energy strategy. In addition, the interventions also provided a new entrance, facilitate circulation, mezzanine, and provided architectural identity.
Wind Tunnel
151
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Open Hall
Machine Shop
Service
Light Band
Mezzanine
Light Band
Main Entrance
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
152
153
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
154
Lounge (open to below)
(open to below)
(open to below)
Classroom
Services
Meeting Room
Atrium
Mezzanine Plan
Back Entrance Loading Dock
Wind Tunnel
Open Lab
Machine Shop
(connection to Barus/Holley)
Offices
Main Floor Plan Main Entrance
(Back Entrance)
(existing workspace / services)
Wind Tunnel
Open Lounge
Brook St Entrance
(Main Entrance)
External Court
155
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Basement Plan
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
156
DAY LIGHTING STRATEGY
SKYLIGHT SOLAR ENERGY GAIN RIBBON A total span = 88’-10”
Daylight factor of .5% was assigned to all workshop areas to accommodate active daily use of lab space. Side lighting from existing windows were calculated to find out the required minimum aperture area needed to achieve the desired daylight factor. Using the hexagonal aperture area, the ratio of light to solar hexagons was determined per workshop area. Same procedure was applied to all ribbons, resulting in energy generation of 388.125 kWh, 621 kWh, 527.85 kWh, 434.7 kWh, respectively. Lighting measurements conducted within the lab concluded a relatively uniform 57 fc throughout the space. In an effort to improve the functioning of the lab’s intended programs, we delineated three areas which would require distinct lighting conditions. The wind tunnel, main space, and machine shop were designed for 70 fc, 80 fc, and 90 fc respectively. We selected a single luminaire and bulb with a desirable luminous emittance profile for all three areas. The ideal light levels of the three spaces then determined the number of fixtures and grid spacing.
56 hexagons
overhead span = 65’-9” 42 hexagons
15 power units = 232.875 kWh 1 power unit @ 15.525 kWh
10 power units = 155.25 kWh 1 power unit @ 15.525 kWh
total energy generation = 388.125 kWh
A
1 SKYLIGHT SOLAR ENERGY GENERATION RIBBON B total span = 113’-0”
C
72 hexagons
overhead span = 75’-6” 48 hexagons
22 power units = 341.55 kWh 1 power unit @ 15.525 kWh
B
18 power units = 279.45 kWh 1 power unit @ 15.525 kWh
total energy generation = 621 kWh
RIBBON C
2
total span = 99’-6” 63 hexagons
overhead span = 75’-6” 48 hexagons
23 power units = 357.075 kWh 1 power unit @ 15.525 kWh
11 power units = 170.775 kWh 1 power unit @ 15.525 kWh
total energy generation = 527.85 kWh
SKYLIGHT SOLAR ENERGY GAIN RIBBON D
D
total span = 88’-10” 56 hexagons
overhead span = 54’-0” 33 hexagons
11 power units = 170.775 kWh 1 power unit @ 15.525 kWh
17 power units = 263.925 kWh 1 power unit @ 15.525 kWh
total energy generation = 434.7 kWh
157
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
3
EXISTING
PROPOSED
57 fc
90 fc 80 fc 70 fc
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
158
SOLAR COLLECTION The structural and solar collection strategy we developed for the project work together using a shared hexagonal grid system. This system folds from the roof down onto the southern facade, and provides apertures for filtered daylight and a framework to hold the solar collectors.
APERTURE AREA: 8.5 ft. sq.
By modulating the orientation and focus of the hexagonal openings in the structure we were able to create pockets that hold the solar collectors in the proper orientation in mirrored cones, which increases the photo voltaic panel’s collection throughout the day. The structure could be made utilizing the engineering school’s digital fabrication technology, and is designed to accommodate future improvements in solar technology. The thickness of the structure and its dual skins - interior and exterior glazing allow our intervention to limit thermal losses while retaining significant levels of transparency.
Summer Sun
Winter Sun
Summer Sun
Winter Sun
12 PM
9 AM
Exterior Glazing Reflective Interior Surface
Each hexagon is one power unit: containing three solar cells, generating 15.525 kwh per mo
9 AM
12 PM
3 PM
Each hexagon is one power unit: containing three solar cells, generating 15.525 kwh per month Structural Steel Framework
Solar Collectors
9 AM
Each hexagon is one power unit: containing three solar cells, generating 15.525 kwh per month 12 PM
Each hexagon is one power unit: containing three solar cells, generating 15.525 kwh per month
159
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
3 PM
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
160
161
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
162
SLAUGHTERHOUSE KITCHEN RISD / ARCHITECTURE INTEGRATED BUILDING SYSTEMS JASON WOOD FALL 2012
SLAUGHTERHOUSE KITCHEN sheds light on the ritualistic
The
everydayness has become an inherent characteristic in American life. Stemming from a stable economy and government, Americans have allowed their behavior and habits to be influenced by a capitalistic market. Thus, the everyday routine of life in the US has been in a process of reduction; from a time that was replete with labor intensive tasks (which in the end provided immense satisfaction), to today where people thrive on an immediacy of satisfaction derived from as little work as possible. The benefit of a free and capitalistic market drives competition and spurs innovation, but it also comes with a price. To quench our thirst for efficiency and prosperity we challenge the idea of what it truly means to be a human inhabiting this earth. As Juhani Pallasmaa puts it in An Archipelago of Authenticity; the Task of Architecture in Consumer Culture; "I once entered the Soviet Union...my immediate reaction was that this empire could not last long, because it had already lost its desire for, and sense of beauty. I felt a disturbing confusion of the senses of reality and order" ... "I must say in all sincerity that, on my repeated visits in America during the past few years, I have begun to feel a similar sense of alienation and confusion. The growing architectural regression and repression are signals of a weakened sense of collective reality and individual self, a vanishing of confidence and the sense of life."
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
164
SLOW AND FAST FOOD Architecture in the US has a unique task of not only providing habitable space for people to exist within, but also provides a special connection to a place. These connections are really opportunities for the act of space making to become an offering to a community. As an offering, architecture becomes an active agent in the critical discussion on the loss of ritual in everyday routines. Its design, structure and habitability can work to slow people down and remind them of their physical presence in the world. A fast food restaurant is the antithesis to this design idea. It is an example of how architecture can speed people up and eliminate any possibility for moments of peace and reflection. Very few Americans know where their food comes from. The immediacy of how fast they are handed their hamburger (while idling in the drive-thru) occurs with such speed that there is no time for contemplation. As a result, there is a disconnection and lack of knowledge of where the food comes from. A more important question might be how the food got there. In order for these foods chains to keep up with the demand for cheap food the effects of the process reach deep into the farming and production of food in the US, brutally harming the environment and the animals that are trapped in our system. By collapsing the food production chain, from a sprawling industrial and inhumane machine; into one building on a plot of land where the food is grown harvested, prepared and served; we seek to re-instill an awareness of both where our food comes from, and the process it takes to get to our plate.
165
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
e Jetley, Trsitan Mead , Henry Zimmerman , Julie Sylvester, Nazli Ergani
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER 166
Avnee Jetley, Trsitan Mead , Henry Zimmerman , Julie Sylvester, Nazli Ergani
167
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
168
169
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Section Perspective looking north JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
170
171
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Plan Perspective looking down from the mezzanine JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
172
173
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
Plan Perspective looking up from the ground floor JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
174
detail of the fireplace 175
GROUP ARCHITECTURAL WORK
section detail of the deli counter
plan detail of the deli counter JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
176
CHARCOAL DRAWING RISD / ARCHITECTURE SUMMER FOUNDATIONS GWEN STRAHLE SUMMER 2010
177
ART AND DESIGN
179
ART AND DESIGN
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
180
181
ART AND DESIGN
OBI CHAIR GREEN FURNITURE DESIGN COMPETITION SUMMER 2012
OBI CHAIR
The was a competition entry for the Green Furniture Award of Sweden, which is a sustainable design competition open to all designers. I developed a do-it-yourself transportable, foldable cardboard chair, made from just a single sheet of corrugated cardboard.
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
186
Material
OBI LOUNGE CHAIR Template
1 Sheet Corrugated Cardboard (48 x 80 inches)
8” Seat Height
Tools Cutting Straight Edge Ruler/Yard Stick Box Cutter Cardboard Creaser (Any hard edge that will crease, but not puncture material) T-Square Pencil
CUT LINE CREASED LINE ON FRONT CREASED LINE ON BACK
The slots need to be cut to a width of at least 1/4” to accommodate the thickness of the cardboard.
0
.5
1
2
4
FEET
OBI CHAIR
187
ART AND DESIGN
Material
OBI WORK CHAIR Template 1’ Seat Height
1 Sheet Corrugated Cardboard (48 x 80 inches) Tools Cutting Straight Edge Ruler/Yard Stick Box Cutter Cardboard Creaser (Any hard edge that will crease, but not puncture material) T-Square Pencil
CUT LINE CREASED LINE ON FRONT CREASED LINE ON BACK
The slots need to be cut to a width of at least 1/4” to accommodate the thickness of the cardboard.
0
.5
1
2
4
FEET
OBI CHAIR
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
188
189
ART AND DESIGN
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
190
191
ART AND DESIGN
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
192
PHOTOGRAPHY
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
194
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
196
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
198
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
200
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
202
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
204
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
206
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
208
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
210
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER
212
JULIE MEE SYLVESTER portfolio