kirsten
STABLER
portfolio
KIRSTEN STABLER Architectural Academic Work Plant a Seed. Watch it Grow. Sankt Jørgen Sø Thermal Baths Alterity Cemetery Carlsberg CSR Center Vellum Furniture Competition Human Sun Dial Grant Project
Professional Architectural Work Art Work Watercolor Paintings Sketches
P L A N T A S E E D . W AT C H I T G R O W. Reconnecting Children + Nature San Luis Obispo, CA 5th year, Bachelor of Architecture Thesis California Polytechnic, SLO Professor Sandy Stannard
THESIS Exploration and understanding of the natural world is a vital part of being a member of this planet. Thanks to electronics and air conditioning there is an increased complacency and disconnect with the natural environment. The average American child spends only 4-7 minutes per day outside in unstructured play, yet 7+ hours per day indoors with electronic media. This lost connection is especially detrimental to the growth, happiness and health of a child. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods writes “As the young spend less and less of their lives in natural surroundings, their senses narrow, physiologically and psychologically, and this reduces the richness of human experience.” To remedy these findings, a children’s center focused on a blending of the built and the natural environment is proposed. If children are educated and encouraged to enjoy nature at a young age, there is hope they will continue spend time outdoors and grow into healthy adults.
P RO C E S S In the beginning stages of design, day lighting models and colored light wells were explored. The ideas of a childlike scale, connective wall and strong entry were tested throughout the design process. As time went on the site took on a campus plan, with smaller buildings that mimicked houses. These smaller homes are to give children security through a small scale and the familiarity of home. A connective wall made of rammed earth is designed to connect diverse programs within the site and give children the opportunity to dwell within a raw material. Lastly, a strong entry experience is created using a changes in elevation and filtered views.
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Kirsten Stabler
sun exposure
westward dominant wind
existing water source
piazza to connect
ar ray from piazza
Final Site Design
Academic Projects | Plant a Seed. Watch it Grow. | San Luis Obispo, CA | 2013 7
ground floor plan
loft floor plan n
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C L A S S RO O M C L U S T E R S The six classrooms were broken apart into three classroom clusters, consisting of two classrooms, a service space and shared flow space. The clusters were designed to mimic little homes, each cluster with the shed room and gable roof. The flow space acted as a entry to the cluster and indoor-outdoor flow space made of glass covered breezeways between n the classrooms with nana walls. 2
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Kirsten Stabler
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Academic Projects | Plant a Seed. Watch it Grow. | San Luis Obispo, CA | 2013 9
Teaching Kitchen Entr y
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Kirsten Stabler
tower plan
Second Floorplan
Ground Floorplan
Academic Projects | Thermal Baths | Copenhagen, DK | 2011 11 Classroom View Site Section
SANKT JØRGENS SØ THERMAL BATHS Copenhagen, Denmark 4th year, Danish Institute for Study Abroad Professor Michael Cederfield
P R O JGERCATM The Sankt Jørgens Sø Thermal Bath is a public bath for the City of Copenhagen. thethe sitesite is core to Located on on the the southernmost southernmost lake lakeofof‘The ‘TheCopenhagen CopenhagenLakes’ Lakes’ is core Danish society. Sankt Jørgens Sø Thermal Bath aims the to enhance the public’s to Danish society.TheThe bath structure is nestled within existing topography experience the presence Lakes while providing the private visitors personal andworks relaxing to minimizeoftheir along the serenity of the lakes.a The design to spa experience. give both the public and private patrons their own experience. For the public, a stretching studio is added, as well as keeping the existing trail over the bath rooftop. For the bath patrons, privacy is kept hiding the baths within the existing berm.
DESIGN The idea of ‘stretching’ physically and metaphorically was emphasized through the design. The design was about water and was thus, inspired by water. Using watercolor techniques, a scheme of overlapping rectangles were created to form the initial plan and exterior facade. The rectangles were used to ‘stretch’ the plan across the edge of Sankt Jørgen Lake, incorporating the existing trail into the design.
East Entr y Elevation
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Kirsten Stabler
Baths Exper iential Design Charette
P U B L I C A N D P R I V AT E The play of public and private is stretched through the design. Throughout the scheme, those walking around the lakes and patrons of the baths have a hidden connection. That happening above ground and visible to the public, relates to the bath beneath. This is especially visible in the above ground light wells that function as benches and stretching platforms for the public and work to bring light into specific sauna spaces below in the bath.
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Kirsten Stabler
Denmar k
Copenhagen
Site Plan
Public Floor A
Section AA
Main Floor
Academic Projects | Thermal Baths | Copenhagen, DK | 2011 17
PHENOMENOLOGICAL
SECTION
The user’s experience is explored through a longitudinal section through the baths. Moving from left to right, the section shows the linear progression through the baths from entry to relaxation pools. Additional structure details are pulled out of the section to show the science within.
Academic Projects | Thermal Baths | Copenhagen, DK | 2011 19
A LT E R I T Y C E M E T E RY New York City, New York 3rd year, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Professor Marc Neveau
P RO G R A M September 11th was a day of devastation, uncertainty, and loss. Over 10% of lives lost from the attacks were those that do not call themselves ‘Americans.’ These ‘Others’ are the focus of the project as four memorial features are designed. A cenotaph, place of burial, threshold and sacred space is designed to function as a path for mourning for NY visitors. The main issue addressed in the cemetery is the creation of an inwardly focused place for visitors to reflect. By adding large concrete walls to contain the site
Ground Plan
Cenotaph
Threshold
Sub-Ground Plan
Sacred Space
DESIGN Each piece of the project, the cenotaph, burial site, sacred space and threshold were developed as separate exercises and then incorporated into overall design. Each component works to isolate the individual, providing peace and a place for personal reflection and mourning. The cenotaph is a long tunnel with names of the lost illuminated so that each step taken highlights another ‘Other.’ The burial site is a slope of moving urns that mimic the fading memory of the lost. The underside of the burials creates the sacred space, a large space with coves for personal thought. Site, New Yor k City
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Kirsten Stabler
Academic Projects | Alterity Cemetery | New York City | 2010 23
C S R E D U C AT I O N C E N T E R Adaptive Reuse, Carlsberg Wheat Warehouse Copenhagen, Denmark 4th year, Danish Institute for Study Abroad Professor Kelly Nelson
P RO J E C T The Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen is the leading company practicing Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, within its company. The abandon Wheat Warehouse on the Carlsberg campus is adapted into a CSR Education Center. The historic integrity of the Warehouse is maintained by retaining the existing shell of the brick structure but gutting and updating the interior. A single circulation path throughout the site and through the building integrates those that work at the center, visitors and the local public. The path is meant to encourage interaction between the different users to form relationships and educate the public and professional about CSR.
Plan, Fir st Floor
Inter ior Ramp Interactions
C I R C U L AT I O N The design aims to bring the public and private companies together in a meshed educational experience. By introducing an open floor plan and a single path of travel throughout the existing building, the public and private are encouraged to mingle, resulting cross pollination of ideas and information. An expressive stair design expands and contracts to provide special points of interaction and defined spaces without walls.
Plan, Ground Floor Red indicates or iginal building walls
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Kirsten Stabler
N Site, Copenhagen
Academic Projects | CSR Center| Copenhagen, DK | 2012 27
QUORKY
QUORKY Vellum Furniture Competition 5th year, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Professor Sandy Stannard
Quorky is a multi-functional children’s piece made from 5,000 recycled ground wine corks. The ambiguous shape of the chair allows for the piece to be a chair, bench, climbing prop, table and whatever else a child’s mind can imagine. The form of the furniture is derived from a parametric hexagon tesselation, so if more pieces were added they would all fit together forming a never-ending puzzle. The project was as much materials exploration as design. Almost a dozen binders were tested for strength, durability and eco-friendliness.
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Kirsten Stabler
+
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Academic Projects | Quorky | Vellum Competition | Cal Poly, SLO | 2012 29
Outdoor Classroom with Human Sun Dial
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Kirsten Stabler
HUMAN SUN DIAL Bishops Peak Grant Project 5th year, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Professor Sandy Stannard
The Human Sun Dial Grant Project is part of the master plan of the Outdoor Classroom at Bishops Peak High School of San Luis Obispo. Designed and executed with project partner, Amanda Rowlee, the dial teaches students about solar time as well as day light savings, colors, numbers and months. Multiple demonstrations and community charettes were hosted throughout the year to raise awareness and education of the coming sun dial. Molds were made using melamine coated MDF, shattered color glass and sono tubes.
Academic Projects | Human Sun Dial Grant Project | San Luis Obispo, CA | 2013 31
Moder n Rustic , Mar tis Camp, Tr uckee, C A
Red Hut Diner, Reno, NV
The Wave, Mar tis Camp, Tr uckee, C A
The Wave, Mar tis Camp, Tr uckee, C A
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Kirsten Stabler
P RO F E S S I O N A L WO R K MWA Architects + Engineers, Inc. Summer 2012, Truckee, CA The Summer of 2012 was spent working as an intern for MWA Architects and Engineers. The firm specializes in high-end custom homes in the Tahoe area in Northern California. As the sole intern within the firm I was exposed to all steps of design and was given much responsibility. Through the summer I worked on project management, marketing, CAD drafting, SketchUp and client relations. Under the design direction of principal architect, Kristi Thompson, I worked heavily on construction documents for our architects and engineers as well as rendering several projects for the firm’s clients.
Professional Work | MWA Architects + Engineers | 2012 33
WAT E R C O L O R PA I N T I N G I began seriously watercolor painting my sophomore year of college, experimenting with architectural project renderings. The exploration of watercolor soon became a passion and I have continued to develop. I continue to paint and an the author of a weekly blog, Watercolor Wednesday, where I share my recent paintings.
Lund Cathedral, Sweden
A B ROA D I spent my fourth year of architecture school studying in Copenhagen, Denmark. I challenged myself to capture my travels and experiences through the lens of my paint brush. Weekly I published a painting from Copenhagen or one of my travels on my blog and gained a steady following of over 200 people. Copenhagen Cathedral
Ring of Kerr y, Ireland
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Kirsten Stabler
Elephant Gates , Car lsberg Brewer y
Watercolor Paintings | 2011 37
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Kirsten Stabler
COMMISSIONED WORK In the spring of 2012, I began receiving watercolor commissions inspiring me to create a small business, Watercolor Wednesday. I have since completed several private and company commissions. I sell paintings, prints and stationery online and at craft sales.
208 Utah, San Francisco
Bullitt Center, Seattle
Back to the Table Cooking School, Lafayette, Ca
SKETCHES Prior to my time in Denmark I enjoyed sketching, however it was not until my travels through Europe that I really understood the power of the pencil. During all my travel excursions and life in Copenhagen I learned to analyze and understand design by sketching. I have a greater appreciation and understanding from the places I experienced thanks to capturing their beauty in my sketchbook.
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Kirsten Stabler
Central Cafe, Vienna
Salzburg
Par liament Building, Budapest
Clock Tower, Prague
CafĂŠ, Prague
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