ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN PORTFOLIO KELSI THRASHER
CONTACT ME
+1.515.419.3468 | 134 Campus Ave Unit 11, Ames, IA 50014 | kelsireneethrasher@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsithrasher | kelsithrasher.weebly.com | http://issuu.com/kelsi_thrasher
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SELECT WORKS
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TRUCK STOP EMINENT DOMAIN
American car culture has had a lasting relationship with the big state of Texas. In, Dallas you will instantly be exposed to the impact that culture has had on neighborhoods leading into the city. Our site has specifically been impacted by eminent domain, cutting through the neighborhood and causing a lack of community amongst it’s residents. As a highly foot-trafficked and public transit area outside of the city, our site allowed us a great opportunity to program for the people of the community despite the looming six lane overpass. To combat the inactive zone under the wide overpass, horizontal dismantling opened up what once has been a space for the residents. This central pedestrian-occupied zone is then surrounded by two additional rings of program for the development of a fueling station - a stagnant vehicular zone proceeded by a liquid vehicular zone.
Central courtyard (pedestrian zone) facing south
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Pedestrian Zone Car Zone Truck Zone Bus Stops
Main Vehicle Entry
Site Entry Procession [Vehicles] Sections Elevation Rendered Views
Site strategy diagrams
Site Plan
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Building strategy diagrams
Perspective from driver’s point of view upon entering fueling station
West-facing longitudinal section through restaurant and viewing platform
West-facing elevation of restaurant and viewing platform
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UP
1 Extensive Vegetation Growing Medium, 3” Plastic Sealing Layer Polystyrene Insulation, 5“ Bituminous Seal Roof Decking Steel I- beam, W21 x 44 Board Insulation, 1 1/2“ Sheathing, 1/2” Wood Finish W/ 1/2” Ventilation Gaps
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UP
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2 Corten Steel Louvers, 30 Degree Angle, 6” Steel I-section column, W8 x 28 Insulated Glazing Unit, 1” Thick, Typ. 2
Level -1
3 Epoxy- Resin Coating Concrete Slab Reinf. W/ #4 Metal decking 1 1/2” deep Steel girder, W21 x 44 Polystyrene Thermal Insulation, 1 1/2” Sheathing, 1/2“ Toung and Groove Wood finish, allow 1/8” gap
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UP
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4 Gravel Fill Foundation Drain, 4” Diameter Water Proofing Membrane Concrete Wall Footing Reinf. W/ #4
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UP DN
UP
Level 1
UP
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UP DN
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Level 2
Structure
HVAC
Egress
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HOME FRACKING HOME
The booming oil fracking industry sweeping across the central United States is causing more than just headaches for environmentalists. Thousands of husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers are moving to “man camps� around the country, such as in Walford, ND, trying to make money to provide for themselves and loved ones. Poor working and living conditions, isolation from family and their own community, and monetary over-compensation is causing many psychological issues. North Dakota has become the second-largest oil producing state in the nation, outputting almost one million barrels of oil a day. With such economic success and a change to reap high individual financial benefits, people are working long hour days with very little time for rest and recuperation. Also, due to the ever-expanding and moving housing camps, large semi trucks are constantly bringing in housing units or moving them to new locations. This project aims to provide a temporary housing system that helps domesticate the lives of oil rig workers. Taking both domesticity and transportability into account, the design of a modular prefabricated housing system that is easily shipped and customized to particular housing needs is ideal for man camps.
Perspectives from each zone, 1-4, consecutively
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interior finish sheathing
ASSEMBLY
DESIGNING FOR FUNCTIONALITY
insulation
bedrooms 4
interior finish
bathrooms kitchen 3
sheathing insulation
gathering 2
private
entry 1
bedrooms bathrooms
public
zone 4
bedroom
zone 3
kitchen
The design of HFH came from prioritizing the use of recycled materials, creating system of easy assembly, and the ease of shipment. The main material components come from disassembled used shipping containers to form 10’ by 9’ modular wall panels. All components are fabricated off-site, including a core element, in which the central plumbing wall and bathroom fixtures are all installed. The kitchen elements then fit into the opposite side of the core walls to create a centralized mechanical system. kitchen
bathrooms
gathering
zone 2
gathering
entry
zone 1
gear room
zone 1
private
zone 2
zone 3
zone 4
exterior finish bedrooms 4 bathrooms
bedrooms
SPATIAL
bathrooms
zone 4 public
kitchen
bedroom 3
interior finish
kitchen
zone 3
gathering 2
kitchen
bathrooms entry 1
flooring
gathering
zone 2
gathering
entry
zone 1
gear room
The way the interior is designed plays a large factor in mental health. By optimizing natural daylighting, using natural textures, and an aesthetically pleasing color palette, the interior can become a place of comfort and relaxation for the workers. zone 2
zone 3
zone 4
exterior finish
MATERIALS
DESIGNING FOR HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY
zone 1
interior finish
flooring
Each designated zone requires a certain material palette based on the type of activity performed. Zone 1 calls for durable material that can handle persistent rough usage. Zone 2 is meant for gathering, meaning the space needs to be open and welcoming. Zone 3 is intended for materials that can be easily cleaned while still being a comfortable interior aesthetic. Zone 4 is the most personal area, requiring soft materials that allows for personalization of space.
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[UN]RECONCILIATION
“Have no fear of perfection‒you’ll never reach it.” - Salvador Dali World-renowned architect and educator Elia Zenghelis taught the first ISU Masterclass which was conducted in a workshop for one week as an intensive study on the “collective” by means through a given architectural paradigm. Translated into the emblematic image on the right is the result of studying the unrealized paradigm, Wolkenbügel, by El Lissitzky. Despite the ever-changing political powers in Russia during the era of El Lissitzky, the Wolkenbügel was not realized due to it’s innovative material and structural technology that it was designed for. What did come of it were a series of landmarks that surrounded the inner ring of Moscow and acted as an icon in the city, standing above the rest. It is speculated that Stalin’s Seven Sisters were constructed in the same fashion of the Wolkenbügel as a means to create landmarks and a navigation in the density of the city. “The image is not a painting, but a structure around which we must circle, looking at it from all sides, peering down from above, investigating from below.” - El Lissitzky Taking that idea quite literally and applying it to the identity of a labyrinth, the result is a collaged Proun of landmarks leading the lost back out of the chaos. The landmarks all have a different material as a direct translation of the study that the eight placed Wolkenbügel were to be designated different colors so as to aid in the navigation by means of proximity.
Wolkenbügel Studies
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Iterative study samples
Final emblematic image, [UN]Reconciliation
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CASA DELLA ACQUE
Roman baths were one of the beginning points in Roman history were people of all classes would gather together. I moment of humility and socialization. The location of the site is directly North-East of the Coloseum and connected to a park of remains from the Thermae Titi and Traiani. What started out as a project to develop a museum catering to the bathes that are currently being excavated, ended up being more of a lesson designing to the site constraints. I had control over the site selection, and by choosing one of narrow, irregular dimensions, I gave myself a challenge. By creating two long rectangular blocks, aligning them to either side, and stacking them atop each other, there were complications with the structural grid and circulation. My solution was to absorb the edges of the individual parti pieces where they overlap eachother, and create circulation corridors. This allowed for a break in the grid at strategic points and while also clearstory spaces in the walkways. Keeping all attention to the flow of traffic and sneak-visuals into the galleries from each level. The relation of the site to the surrounding landmarks, being at the top of a hill brought the opportunity to open the southern side up for views out on the Coloseum and the city. While on the north facade small balconies were placed with views directed out on the ruins of Thermae Titi and Traiani.
Site Plan
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North-facing longitudinal section
Ground level
Level 2
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CROSBY & BROOME
The corner of Crosby & Broome in Soho, NY has been vacant for use of a temporary parking structure for years. With the ever-expanding density of the city, new housing is essential to accomdate the population. But, with the distance that individuals in New York keep from each other, how do those who crave a “community� and a sense of belonging find that? This new apartment complex is designed for customization, interaction, and environmental livability. Starting with the design of the most basic unit available, it starts with a core kitchen/restroom placement along the opposite wall as the entry. Providing a track-based mobile bed and shelving system, an indivdual has the ability to stow away for more space, and customize the location of the unit within the space. In addition to the unit, the daylighting strategy was investigated throughly. Housing in NY commonly does not have natural daylighting. The units of this complex are pushed out away from the neighboring buildings, allowing the capped units 3 glazed facades, and the internal units 2. By creating the circulation an open atrium with levels of walkways to the units, it allows the daylighting to reach the semi-public corridors and stretch into the central living units as reflected light. In addition to solving the daylighting strategy, this series of open walkways allows for the tenants of the complex to see their neighbors and form social interaction amonst each other. This in return creates a sense of community, and studies prove that results in a safer living environment. This is a 9-story project with four 2,000 s.f. units, four 1,000 s.f. units, and twenty-four 600 s.f. units. Also included in the complex is an open ground level for commercial use with semi-public courtyard, open equipment and exercise facility for tenants only on the second level, and a private tenant entrance off Broome Street.
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Ground level
Level 2
Levels 3, 5, 7, 9
Levels 4, 6, 8
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MAKE IT RAIN
Press Release: “In an effort to raise awareness on campus of the increasing load of student debt, students enrolled in the design studio Toys! are hosting an event, Make It Rain, a creative project that symbolizes their wish to be free of debt. At high noon on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, twenty-five hundred colorful balloons filled with an assortment of prizes from local businesses will rain from the top of the 5-story atrium in the College of Design. Over $500 in gift cards, cash, and coupons from 17 sponsors, plus written facts about student debt will be free for the taking. The students’ visual representation of a debt ceiling and the creation of the event stem from studio discussions and research on the financial pressures burdening all creative disciplines.”
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BAD POGO
The pogo stick is an enigma of modern design; it’s symmetry and stillness speak poorly of the action it enables: one of erratic jolts and ricochets. We changed that. The focus of the human position while in motion on the pogo stick acted as a catalyst for the design of “Bad Pogo”. The creation of a frame that gives an illusion of movement, while also contributing to the spring-reaction, was done by replacing the original structural piping with new hollow tube that has been bent into a new spring of sorts. The off-centering of the handles and new form was primarily an investigation of forcing the body to reposition itself accordingly. In return, it was found to generate a stronger connection to the pogo, allowing for one to acutely adjust to it’s unpredictability while in motion. New piping fabrication outsourced by: Jim Howe at Howe Welding & Metal Fabrication
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90Ëš
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6.625 in
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2.687 inch radius
12.414 in
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A 4 0.25 inch diameter rivets w/ 0.5 inch diameter rivet heads
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2.875 in
11.129 in
12.862 in
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104Ëš
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2.478 in
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2.399 in
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39.602 in
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15.165 in
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0.625 inch DOM steel rod
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27.360 in
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11.063 in
0.875 inch steel rod
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0.125 inch steel plate
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2 in
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ZANABAZAR
Derby cars of tradition were an immediate experience for children to sprout a reliance in themselves and to take part in the joy of what they had produced from scratch. Current day production of a derby car has turned into a set manuscript that has been overworked and over-analyzed in order to create an object of optimal speed. The most aerodynamic form is achieved through a pill shape, and ideal weight distribution is met by tacking on disparate weights inside the shell. The driver is forced into the pill, their body bent and torqued so as not to impede on the car’s innate efficiency. The human syncrasy has been eliminated from every stage of derby car production, so why then do we still insist on including the human in this activity when it has so obviously been ousted from it? Our teams position for our derby car roots from this idea; our goal is to reinvent the derby car so that it celebrates its driver. Our first step to realign our derby car to the human was to derive our form from our driver. We positioned the driver in a natural position mimicking that of a lounge chair; through this we recognized the simplicity of foot steering rather than complicating the process through the pulley system of a steering wheel. The driver’s body was photographed and traced in the chosen position, the car’s shell was then formed around the body for optimal speed and comfort. To achieve an ergonomic form we chose to CNC cut our car’s length vertically which would emphasize the various curves and thicknesses throughout the body. This production method would also enable us to take advantage of the possibility of exposing the body. As our purpose was to reinvent the process behind the derby car, we made sure to fit to the regulations that were delegated to us.
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Production
Final Product
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CURRICULUM VITAE
objective
To obtain an entry-level position in the field of Architecture and Design. Interested in gaining knowledge about all medias such as (but not limited to) architecture, industrial, furniture, UI/UX and graphic design.
education
Iowa State University Bachelor’s, ARCH: Architecture- Professional Degree (B.) GPA: 3.37 Iowa State University Study Abroad Rome Program
Ames, IA August 2010 - May 9, 2015 Rome, Italy January 2014 - May 2014
work experience Graphic Artist | Department of Biomedical Sciences at Iowa State University Job Description: - Working under the Graduate Program Assistant on a multitude of recruitment campaigns - Creating graphics for the program website - Creating layouts for the department student newsletter, The BMS Herald - Working with additional faculty and staff for individual projects - Design mailing templates - Photography for the department - Filming and editing video - Designing new department logo - Creating new artwork - Design new visual identity for the One-Year MS Program
Experience Gained:
- Additional on-the-job training on Adobe products - Gaining website design experience - Photography experience - Leading projects for the department - Taking initiative - Collaboration with other committees to develop a final product
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Ames, IA October 2014 - May 2015
work experience [continued] Main Desk Attendant | Memorial Union Hotel Iowa State University Job Description:
Ames, IA May 2013 - December 2013
- Answering and properly directing phone calls through entire Memorial Union - Scheduling hotel rooms for guests - Face-to-face guest interaction - Parking ramp directions and customer service - Training new employees - Solving guest problems - Handling cash and credit/debit card transactions - Shift closing audits - Properly reporting maintenance requests in building - Maintenance in hotel lobby
Experience Gained:
- Customer service skills in both calm and highly stressful scenarios - On the spot problem solving - Leadership roles amongst new employees - Taking initiative - Hotel software training
Hostess | Skips Job Description:
- Direct customers to their tables - Answering questions about the menu - Scheduling the wait lists - Time-management with customers - Helping servers without being asked (running food, getting drinks, etc.) - Being personable with customers
Des Moines, IA May 2012 - August 2012 May 2011 - August 2011
Experience Gained:
- Keeping control under high levels of stress - Prepare myself for anything - Time management - Customer service skills - Taking initiative
Temp. Work | JT Direct, Inc. Job Description:
- Packaging mailing units for shipment - Organizing stock room
Urbandale, IA May 2009 - August 2009 May 2008 - August 2008 May 2007 - August 2007
Experience Gained:
- Time management - Quick and quality production - Organization skills
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skills skills
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
CINEMA 4D
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
HAND DRAFTING
ADOBE ADOBE INDESIGN PHOTOSHOP
MICROSOFT CINEMA 4D OFFICE SUITE
ADOBE PRO ADOBE PREMIERE ILLUSTRATOR
PHYSICAL MODEL PRODUCTION HAND DRAFTING
ADOBE ADOBE ACROBAT INDESIGN
RHINO MICROSOFT OFFICE SUITE
ADOBE MUSE PREMIERE PRO
REVIT ARCHITECTURE PHYSICAL MODEL PRODUCTION
AUTOCAD ADOBE ACROBAT
SKETCHUP PRO RHINO
ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY ADOBE MUSE
3DS MAX REVIT ARCHITECTURE
AUTOCAD
SKETCHUP PRO
ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY
3DS MAX
honors & awards
� honors & awards � 2014 Fall | CSI Competition | Finalist � 2014 Spring | Roma Tre Workshop | 2nd Place 2015 Spring || Richard Elia Zenghelis Masterclass Participant t | 1st & awards �honors 2013 Spring F. Hansen Prize Place 2014 Fall | CSI Competition | Finalis �� 2009 Spring | Creative Self-Expression Show | 4th Place 2014 | Roma Tre Workshop � 2014 Spring Fall | CSI Competition | Finalist| 2nd Place 2013 Spring | Richard F. Hansen Prize | 1st Place � 2014 Spring | Roma Tre Workshop | 2nd Place 2009 Spring | Creative Self-Expression Show | 4th Place � 2013 Spring | Richard F. Hansen Prize | 1st Place � 2009 Spring | Creative Self-Expression Show | 4th Place
references James Spiller, Associate AIA, M. Arch Lecturer references Department of Architecture Iowa State University James Spiller, Associate AIA, M. Arch jspiller@iastate.edu Lecturer +1 515 294 5343 Department of Architecture Iowa State University Patrick Rhodes jspiller@iastate.edu Associate +1 515 294Professor 5343 Department of Architecture American University of Sharjah Patrick Rhodes prhodes@aus.edu Associate Professor +971 050 203 Department of 1971 Architecture
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American University of Sharjah prhodes@aus.edu +971 050 203 1971
Mitchell Squire Associate Professor Department of Architecture Iowa State University Mitchell Squire msquire@iastate.edu Associate Professor +1 515 294 0390 Department of Architecture
Iowa State University Amy Brucker msquire@iastate.edu Graduate Program +1 515 294 0390 Assistant Department of Biomedical Sciences Iowa University Amy State Brucker abrucker@iastate.edu Graduate Program Assistant +1 515 294 2315 Department of Biomedical Sciences Iowa State University abrucker@iastate.edu +1 515 294 2315