KC SMELSER
INTERIOR DESIGN PORTFOLIO
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY Everything is an art things, such as the
if one looks at it the right way.
Even
simple, mundane
layout of a vegetable garden, or the brewing of tea,
can become art in the hands of the right person.
Design
is no different,
for the shaping of spaces we all use and live in daily is not only a quest for functionality, but a quest for beauty as well.
The
creation of a
beautiful space can also transform the lives of those who live and work in them into art for by simply existing in a beautiful environment, the way one behaves, moves, feels, and functions becomes elevated: transforming daily life into a beautiful experience, making good design essential for living well.
230 NW Anthony St. Apt 202, Pullman WA • 406590-3710 • kc.smelser@outlook.com
QUALIFICATIONS Microsoft Office Suit: Powerpoint, Word, Excel, as well as Adobe programs. General business and organizational experience stemming from successful self-employment. Experience with selling specialty products, and a thorough knowledge of historical periods and styles, as well as of furnishing and finish types, styles, and qualities.
RESUME
AWARDS MT State Governor's Post-sec Tech Scholarship, 2010-11, 2011-12 Montana State University Dean's List every semester from Fall 2010 to Spring 2013 Glen Terrell Presidential Scholarship, 2013-2014 National Kitchen & Bath Association Design Competition Winner: 3rd Place 2012 Kitchen Design. Washington State University President's Honor Roll' Fall 2013, Spring and Fall 2014
EDUCATION 2010 - 2013 2013 - 2015
Student Development Assistant, Receptionist at NWPR A.S. of Interior Design from Montana State University A.A. from Montana State University B.A. of Interior Design from Washington State University
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND 05.2011 - 08.2011
Design Assistant to Bill Doughter of 'Designs by William.'
Responsibilities included: Creating purchase orders and change orders for interior finishes and furnishings. Worked closely with clients in choosing materials: worked with contractors and local craftsmen and business owners to purchase materials and implement designs. 05.2012 - 08.2012
Sales Assistant at City Lights
Responsibilities Included: Assisting customers, answering telephones and directing calls, processing recently arrived orders, notifying customers concerning order statuses, and contacting company representatives about damaged orders. Duties also included: meeting with representatives from manufacturers carried by the shop, performing walk-throughs of client's spaces to determine lighting needs and possibilities, assisting with lighting calculations, and creating lighting plans and designs. 01.2014 - Present
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
DJ at KZUU
Responsibilities Include: Creating two hours of live on-air content weekly, complying with onair FCC regulation concerning programming content, understanding studio equipment operational procedures, and maintaining a professional on-air presence at all times.
08.2014
- Present
Responsibilities include: A professional manner at all times when when communicating to other employees and to the listening public: a thorough understanding of NWPR and NPR's content, programming, station locations, and broadcasting reach. Duties include: Filtering emails and calls to various department heads when appropriate, answering inquiries and problem solving for station listeners and members. Responsibilities also include: assisting the Membership Coordinator and the Major Gifts officer with data entry, coding, community outreach and ongoing communications with major donors, covering and dealing with listening preferences, event planning, and billing. Intern at WSU's Museum of Art
08.2014
- Present
Responsibilities include: assisting with the organization and setting up of exhibitions within the museum, as well as the dismantling of previous exhibitions, handling and hanging valuable art pieces, accession documentation for new pieces in the MOA collection, condition reports on new pieces to the MOA collection and pieces for current exhibitions, framing art pieces and works from the MOA permanent collection and art pieces for exhibitions, and leading docent tours of museum exhibitions. Self Employed on Ranch and Farm
2007 - Present
Responsibilities include: Contacting, hiring, and interacting with a wide variety of professionals including, cattle wholesalers, veterinarians, brand inspectors, insurance agents, truck drivers, feed lot owners, hay and feed producers and mechanics. Rudimentary medical knowledge for dealing with calf birthing and sickness not requiring veterinarian services is needed. Also needed is a responsible handling of personal accounts and taxes dealing with large amounts of money for feed, pasture, and transporting services, as well as insurance for maintaining farm equipment and land management, along with licensing for the accompanying brand ownership documentation. A strong work ethic and excellent time management are essential.
Table of Contents Riverfront Park: Canada Island Merry Cellars Wine Bar and Bistro
1 6
LaCrosse Bed and Breakfast
20
Freitag LA Flagship
26
Small projects, Sketches, Art
40
Riverfront Park Wedding Venue Canada Island, Spokane WA Out-door community space 3,000 Square foot pavilion
1
RIVERFRONT PARK WEDDING VENUE THE PROJECT Riverfront Park in Spokane, some 40 years after hosting the World's Fair of 1974, has decided to update several sections park. Canada Island, the place of Canada's pavilions during and a major industrial sight before the fair, was selected to park's current wedding venue.
the of the the fair, replace the
The project involved an intense period of research concerning Spokane Falls, the city, and the area of the park, as well as researching long lasting wedding trends and plant types and combinations that would be appropriate for the design. Created in collaboration with several landscape architect students and a fellow interior design student, this project spanned disciplines and took me out of my comfort zone while allowing me to gain experience in another field of design.
THE TOOLS Space planning Hand drafting Historical research Collaboration with landscape architects Planting and landscaping knowledge
2
THE CONCEPT The conceptual organization of the wedding venue takes the new branding of the park and fuses it with inspiration drawn from the medicine wheel of the Spokane tribe, who are most closely associated with the area. The island acts a medicine wheel, taking the visitor through the four sacred elements. A trail through redcolored plantings represents fire, and this continues through a lush wildflower garden representing Earth, to come to a platform placed over the roar of the falls, representing air, and the remaining trail continues near the water on the southern portion of the island, completing the circle of elements. The center of the Island, shielded by towering pines from the roar of the falls, and represents the unity of the elements, and of marriage. This 'secret' garden exists as the main ceremonial space. 1 [MOUNTAIN WILDFLOWER MIX] [ EARTH] 2 [JAPANESE BLOODGRASS] [FIRE] 3 [PONDEROSA PINE] [UNITY] 4 [FEATHER WHEATGRASS] ]AIR] 1
2
3
4
5
6
5 [TWO-ROW STONECROP] [EARTH] 6 [WINTER CURRENTS] [FIRE]
3
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
Above is the redesigned floor plan for the the existing buildings on the island. The buildings need to serve the main reception area for weddings, community events, and even family gatherings. (See rendering to the left.) PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
The buildings were redesigned to include a large commercial catering kitchen, accessible to the outdoors through a rolling door that opens onto a covered patio created form one or the existing pavilions. The building also includes storage for tables and chairs that can be used for events, ADA bathrooms, as well a suite of rooms for the use of brides and grooms during wedding preparations as well as a wide variety of other uses. RECEPTION SPACE
4
A view of the reception area looking towards the eastern end of the island towards the Spokane Falls, providing the perfect backdrop for a sunset ceremony.
CEREMONY ENCLOSURE
5
Merry Cellars Wine Bar & Bistro Pullman, WA
12,200 Square Foot Commercial Space Dual-Company merger
6
MERRY CELLARS WINE BAR AND BISTRO
file:///C:/Users/KC/Downloads/360%20view%20final.html - A 360 Degree overview of Level One
7
The Project This project centered around renovating an existing local retail store into a restaurant and wine bar that combined to well known businesses in Pullman, WA. Begun by meeting with the owners of the two businesses, Patrick Merry and Jim Harbour, there was a period of research and programming to identify and satisfy the owners needs and requirements. The next stage of the project centered on design development. A detailed REVIT model was created utilizing the existing floor-plans and elevations of the building, and was the starting point for the redesign of the interior. The project ended with the creation of a full set of construction documents detailing the project, as well as specifying FF&E.
The Concept
&
Inspiration
Inspiration came from the surrounding countryside: the rolling hills of the Palouse region. A mixture of rough and refined textures, as well as an highlights derived from the earthy colors of a Palouse Spring, lend a elegant but casual atmosphere to the space. The casual atmosphere is further enhanced by the open plan for the space, with pockets of space for different uses and more privacy delineated by major structural components such as the main staircase and 'floating' walls featuring the current wines of Merry Cellars.
The Skills & Tools Hand Sketching Commercial space planning Revit Business type research & detailing Code analysis
UPHOLSTERY, SECOND FLOOR
UPHOLSTERY FIRST FLOOR
8
COPPER WALL CLADDING
PALE OAK FLOORING
WALL TILE AND BACKSPLASH
GREEN STAINLESS STEEL BAR SURFACE
THE PROCESS Initial sketches to determine the direction and style of the project. I usually sketch on scrap paper and paper I have recycled . It usually means I feel less inhibited and I usually created hundreds of sketches for a project in the initial stages.
9
DETAIL DEVELOPMENT Finished sketches for architectural details, as well as bubble and blocking diagrams used to further develop the design before it was created in REVIT.
10
B C
A
11
FIRST FLOOR Spaces A B C D E F
D
-
Entrance & Front Desk Main Stair Case Logo Wall Wine Bar Lounge Wine Retail
E
A F
Enlarged First Floor
12
B
First Floor Spaces A B C D E F
-
Entrance & Front Desk Main Stair Case Logo Wall Wine Bar Lounge Wine Retail
C
D
13
E
F
14
Second Floor Spaces G - Main Staircase Landing H - VIP Tasting Room & Conference Space I - VIP Barrel Tasting Room
I
H
G
G 15
H
I 16
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS An integral part of this project, and the essential component of any real-life project are the construction documents. Here are examples of a few that I created for this project The complete set of construction documents can be found at the end of the portfolio.
17
DETAILS Detail drawings for custom built items in the space were a large part of the project. These are only a few, for the rest, please see the construction document package at the end of this portfolio.
18
LaCrosse Bed & Breakfast Historic downtown, Lacrosse WA
Community Revitalization Large City-owned Lot: Multiple Structures
20
LACROSSE BED & BREAKFAST
existing structures The Project The town of LaCrosse, WA, is in the process of revitalizing it downtown. Activated by LaCrosee Community Pride, a group formed of concerned local citizens, much of the down town area has already been rehabilitated. This large lot, recently purchased by LaCrosse Community Pride, is the next phase in the downtown redevelopment. The buildings on the site were built of local basalt rock in the 1930s. LCP plans on readapting them for a variety of uses for the town. The studio was split into groups, and after several meetings with local residents, each group was assigned a business type to explore further, based off the community's wants and needs. My group was assigned the Bed & Breakfast business type. We researched and created case studies of similar businesses, and created an overall program based on each of our individual designs.
The Skills & Tools Hand Rendering Large Scale Space Planning Historical Research Business Type Research Revit
21
THE CONCEPT Inspiration came from the original materials - namely the basalt rocks already used on the structures. To the right is the existing service station, damaged in a fire, re imagined as the central hub of the bed and breakfast. Mid-century resort lodges influenced the proportions, but overall, the architecture and interiors are very simple so that they blend with the vernacular of the town.
A
22
BED AND BREAKFAST VIEWS A B C D E
-
Main Building Front Entrance Main Building Lobby and Front Desk Dining Area in Main Building Pool & Club house Individual Small Cabins
B
C
23
D
E
24
Freitag LA Flagship Store downtown, Los Angeles CA
5,000 Square Foot Commercial Space VENTURE American retail location
26
FREITAG LA FLAGSHIP
The Project Pairing with Callison Architecture, this senior studio project is centered around designing the first flagship store in American for the Swiss bag and apparel company Freitag The first state of the project was to intensely research the brand and analyze its history, values, products, customer bases, current stores and spaces, and aesthetics. This was summed up in order to choose a direction for the store and to begin concept development. A pop-up shop was also created as a way to explore materiality, shapes, colors, etc. The project has roughly followed Callison's method of research, design, and presentation.
The Skills
&
Tools
Commercial Space Planning Hand Sketching, Rendering Revit Photoshop Illustrator Brand and company distillation analysis
27
REPOSE
THE Concept During the research phase, three different stylistic possibilities were explored for the flagship store based on Freitag's value, personality, customers, and products. They were: The Detroit Loft, The Modern Museum, and The Subway Station. Elements from the museum, and the subway station were used in the store. Most importantly, the visual effects of the subway station were used to define the spaces in the store. The subway is usually portrayed and experienced as 'motion' or 'repose' which are represented by the materials of resin for the former and subway tile for the latter. This was the defining organizational precept for the store.
MOTION
28
PROCESS WORK The original floor plan sketch, which has remained remarkably consistent throughout the project. Below are blocking diagrams exploring different spacial arrangements.
29
How they function: ZONES: DECOMPRESSION DECISION PATHS: RACETRACK
FINAL SPACIAL RELATIONSHIPS
WANDER PATH
COMMUNITY FLEX/RETAIL RETAIL
30
FLOOR PLANS Level one
First Floor Spaces A - Main Entrance View B - Tunnel View C - Flex Space Graphic Wall
b
A
A 31
B
C 32
First Floor Spaces D E F G
-
Lounge & Bar Resin Sculpture in Flex Space Bag Retail during the Night Bag Retail during the Day
D
E
33
F
G
34
BAG RETAIL An elevation and - fully enclosed
night rendering of the in
12"
of resin.
The
Bag Retail
area
bags are displayed
on movable white lacquered walls with the cubes, and are lit by art lighting, lending the bag retail space a more curated and artisinal feeling.
35
SECTION VIEWS
A - RETAIL SECTION
b - OVERALL SECTION 36
FLOOR PLANS Level two Second Floor Spaces The Clothing Retail area features the same display format Floor: movable white lacquer walls and art lighting.
b
A
37
as the
First
RCPs Aside
from the visible art ligthing and pendants above the bar, most of the lighting in the
Flagship
exists behind
12
inches of resin.
Freitag LA This conceals
the source of the light, but also created a complex multi-layered system that provides the store with its magical atmosphere.
38
Small Projects, Sketches, & Art From various sources, both academic and personal
40
NKBA KITCHEN DESIGN
The Project Designed while a student at Great Falls College Montana State University, this project was the centerpiece of a studio completely devoted to kitchen and bath design. This project was also entered in the 2011 National Kitchen & Bath Association design competition,
winning 3rd place nationally. The setting was a historic Federal row house of narrow proportions, and the client was a successful professional woman with a family and passion for baking. This entailed 'design by the inch' as no space could be wasted when meeting all the requirements for the client. The project was also advanced to the construction document phase, and a full set of the construction documents can be supplied upon request.
The Skills
&
Tools
Residential Space Planning Hand Sketching, Rendering Chief Architect Construction Documents
41
A view of the multipurpose dining area at the far end of the kitchen, which functions not only as a formal dinning space but as extra storage and a home office disguised behind antique secretaries. , A few examples of the construction documents created for this project.
42
TEKOA
LITTLE FREE LIBRARY
In partnership with the Whitman County Rural Library System, the Fall 2014 RDCI studio created little free libraries for the towns of
Whitman County. My little library was inspired by the rolling hills of the Palouse, and will be created out
of
molded plywood for the body and clear acrylic for the door.
43
IDEC
SEMI-TRAILER Competition
Created
as
a group, this competition spanned two short weeks as a challenge to
create a traveling exhibit based on empirical research about how interiors can be used to improve health.
Our
group's concept was to show how plantings could be incorporated easily into existing architecture, purifying air as well as providing psychological benefits.
44
DOOR DETAIL SKETCHES Created for an advanced construction detailing class, these sketches were based off doors located in WSU's Compton Union Building.
45
SKETCHBOOKS I
love sketching when
chance
-
I
get the
recording a flash of
inspiration or getting down a detail quickly before it's gone.
This
is a random selection and
there are many more.
46
I
became enamored with gems a while ago and experimented with different ways of organizing them and representing them. difficult to portray than
I
DETAIL SKETCHES More
refined pencil sketches showing
button tufted upholstery and a pilaster in
They
are more
could have imaged.
Venice.
47
Two
preliminary sketches attempting to master different point perspectives.
The
one
above was eventually turned into an award winning rendering which has subsequently been misplaced.
Some
day
I'll
find it!
48
Design is an opportunity to continue telling the story, not just to sum everything up. ~Tate Linden