kevin sullivan
selected works
trans-pecos 2-7
hot springs 8-13
marfa 14-19
traverse the slope 20-23
float.mist.play 24-35
braiding waller creek 36-49
the living district 50-55
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kevin sullivan
title: trans-pecos cousre: design and visual studies I semester: fall_10 instructor: Jason Sowell
This exercise demonstrated different modes of representation for landscapes, highlighting the influences each has in terms of resolution and meaning. A segment of the Sierra Vieja Mountains in western Texas was chosen as the site. Four models were constructed, with the intention that resolution would increase with each technique. This was achieved through idealization and interpolation for each of the modeling types. Along with physical modeling, analog drawings, both sectional and perspectival, were composed as a further means of exploring the topography and scale.
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kevin sullivan
title: hot springs cousre: design and visual studies I semester: fall_10 instructor: Jason Sowell
This assignment focused on manipulating the ground plane through cuts in the earth to define volumes and create places at a range of scales. It was a proposal for the construction of a series of hot and cold pools of varying sizes, at a west Texas thermal spring. The aim of my proposal was to orient the public pool along a major view shed looking down the valley of the adjacent stream. By creating two public spaces as nodes along the circulation path (above the river and at the water’s edge) I activated and engaged with the existing waterway. The private baths are located along the ramp that negotiates these two conditions, oriented toward the west for optimal sunset exposure.
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orientation
private/public
circulation
vegetation/retaining
0
12
kevin sullivan
40’
80’
160’
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1
4
3
2
5
6
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4
2
5
3
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kevin sullivan
title: marfa cousre: design and visual studies I semester: fall_10 instructor: Jason Sowell
This studio project was a proposal for a performance ground in the town of Marfa, TX. Programmatic requirements included film screenings, the accommodation of a large dance floor or gathering space, and a venue with seating for the local food truck. Marfa stands out among other west Texas rail towns because of its transformation by Donald Judd and other contemporary artists into a modern art outpost. The goal of my project was to divide the space through subtle slices in the ground plane that direct views and movement through the site toward the large film screen that serves as an anchor for the site.
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operation
sightlines
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vegetation
seating
breaklines
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0
8’
16’
32’
dine
dance
screen
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kevin sullivan
title: traverse the slope cousre: design and visual studies II semester: spring_11 instructor: Hope Hasbrouck
This studio project was a proposal for one of Olmsted’s five original playground parks in greater Boston, MA. The design requirements were to refine the existing circulation system and ensure ADA compliance. The challenge was to determine an elegant way of traversing the rather steep slope. My goal was to conserve the three historic Olmsted staircases on site, while introducing an ADA compliant path. As a means of highlighting the stairwells, a new design language was utilized for the intervention. This was achieved both through the architecturalization of the topography as well as the deliberate exclusion of curved paths as a way to clearly illustrate the intervention. The composition of the path was determined by the framing of views from the landings of the original staircases. This composition was used as a technique for guiding and driving one through the site.
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kevin sullivan
title: float.mist.play cousre: design and visual studies II semester: spring_11 instructor: Hope Hasbrouck
This project called for thee interventions in Austin’s Zilker Park to accommodate the programs of float, mist, and play. A synthesis study was preformed to identify the sites for design proposals within Zilker Park. The sites were selected because their physical and experiential attributes aligned with the desired internal organization schemes for each program. A derivative of the shift operation was applied and transformed at each program location in an effort to develop a consistent design language for the interventions across the Park. Spatial and formal relationships between the three interventions are achieved through the structuring of elements such as orientation, approach and extension.
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This drawing is a product of the analysis stage of the project. This analysis aimed to reveal the specific locations for three interventions within Zilker Park: a sailboat launch, a multigenerational play area, and a mist/cooling station (all of which were determined by the studio instructor). My technique included studying the site in multiple projections simultaneously. A series of sequential sectional profiles were taken along the entire length of the shore, which were then abstracted by aligning the water’s edge to reveal the character of the shore. These sectional cuts are then linked to an elevation of the shore, comparing the park and an existing jogging path oriented vertically. A study of enclosure along this jogging path was noted symbolically. The sections are linked to their origins in plan allowing one to compare any location in all three projections. In plan the canopy cover is included along with the contours that make-up a popular rock outcropping of interest. From this set of explorations, I determined the sites for the three programmatic interventions: launch=1, mist=2, and play=3.
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kevin sullivan
1
2
3
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100’
flatland
hillside
water
shore
80’
60’
40’
20’
0’
Chinkapin Oak Quercus muehlenbergii
Souther Live Oak Quercus virginiana
Pecan Carya illinoinensis
Ashe juniper Juniperus ashei
TREES: Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia), Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria), Texas Kidneywood (Eysenhardtia texana), Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa), Mexican white Oak (Quercus polymorpha), Texas Pistache (Pistacia Texana), Arroyo Sweetwood (Myrospermum sousanum), Shin Oak (Quercus sinuate var. breviloba )
Flameleaf Sumac Rhus lanceolata
Golden Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos
Escarpment Black Cherry Prunus serotina var. eximia
Texas Persimmon Diospyros texana
American Smoke tree Cotinus obovatus
Redbud Cercis canadensis var. texensis
Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
Bur Oak Quercus macrocarpa
Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum
Black Walnut Juglans nigra
Hackberry Celtis laevigata
TREES: Anacua (Ehretia anacua), Texas Ash (Fraxinus texensis), Mexican Buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa), Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii), Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia), Golden Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos), Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora), Texas Persimmon (Diospyros texana), Redbud (Cercis canadensis var. texensis), American Smoke tree (Cotinus obovatus), Western Soapberry (Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii), Evergreen Sumac (Rhus virens), Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei), Escarpment Black Cherry (Prunus serotina var. eximia), Texas Oak (Quercus buckleyi ), Plateau Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis)
TREES:Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica), Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii, American Elm (Ulmus Americana), Lacey Oak (Quercus laceyi), Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), Hackberry (Celtis laevigata), Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Black Willow (Salix nigra), Texas Oak (Quercus buckleyi )
SHRUBS: Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora), Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatic) GROUNDCOVER: Nolina (Nolina texana), Seep Muhly (Muhlenbergia reverchonii), Two-Leaved Senna (Senna roemeriana), Woolly Ironweed (Vernonia lindheimeri ), Twistleaf Yucca (Yucca rupicola), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia ),
SHRUBS: Agarita/Agarito (Berberis trifoliolata), Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora), Flameleaf Sumac (Rhus lanceolata), Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatic), Wafer Ash (Ptelea trifoliate), Lindheimer's Silk tassel (Garrya ovata var. lindheimeri)
GROUNDCOVER: Frostweed (Verbesina virginica), Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus)
SHRUBS: Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris ), Indigo Bush (Amorpha fruticosa), American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
American Elm Ulmus americana
Black Willow Salix nigra
Longleaf Pondweed Potomogeton nodosis
Water Stargrass (Heteranthera dubia), Longleaf Pondweed (Potomogeton nodosis), Sago Pondweed (Stuckenia pectinata)
GROUNDCOVER: Seep Muhly (Muhlenbergia reverchonii) Woolly Ironweed (Vernonia lindheimeri), Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus)
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Nine-Banded Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus
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Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
The Barton Springs Salamander occurs only at the spring outflows of Barton Springs. These are often found under rocks or in gravel in water several inches to 15 feet deep. They can also be found hiding in aquatic plants and algae. They rely on a clear, clean, continuous flow of spring water. Threats to water quality such as urban runoff, increased development in the Barton Creek watershed, and the risks of a toxic chemical spill or sewer line breakage in the urban zone surrounding Barton Springs remain a concern. Also of concern are reduced groundwater supplies due to increased urban water use.
Austin Blind Salamander Eurycea waterlooensis
Flora and Fauna
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kevin sullivan
Barton Springs Salamander Eurycea sosorum
Rock Squirrel Spermophilus variegatus
2 Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis
split operation
program organization
1 2 float
mist
play
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float
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mist
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play
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kevin sullivan
title: braiding waller creek cousre: landscape architectural design semester: fall_11 instructor: Allan Shearer group: Chris Murton, Annie Palone, Kat Phillips and Kevin Sullivan
The City of Austin is currently constructing a project that will divert the flow of water from one of its urban creeks as a means of flood control through a large underground tunnel. This tunnel will open up roughly 28 acres in Austin’s Central Business District. The resulting surface flow (approx 1.2 miles) south of this diversion will be managed to support cultural amenities and ecological services. This studio project posed the question of how to form a district. The studio required both full district designs as well as more detailed design of four sites of the group’s choosing.
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waller creek district
existing
transformation
Eighth Street
relax slow dine enjoy walk engage jog drink
BRAID four sites
WIDTH
urban design
OVERLAP
Sixth Street
connections
collect dine drink intersect meet rest shop
E. Fourth Street
connect art community play create shop dogs bike dwell
Palm Park
play splash slide family community tag run learn stay jump
1200’
0 0
40
300’ 600’
2400’
1200’
Existing kevinConditions sullivan - Rendered Plan Murton . Palone . Phillips . Sullivan
BRAID Waller Creek
1200’
Transformation Plan Murton . Palone . Phillips . Sullivan
BRAID Waller Creek
diagrammatic
proposed Brackenridge Hospital
Waterloo Park WC Tunnel Intake Facility Future high-rise residential
I-35
Symphony Square & Serrano’s
Red River MusicDistrict Sixth Street
East Sixth Street
Downtown Commuter Rail Station Mixed-use, Low-rise Residential Austin Convention Center
Waller Creek Hotel 50-story hotel proposed completion 2015
waterways bike priority streets bus priority streets pedestrian priority streets creek trail commercial - hotel
Lady Bird Lake Trail
commercial - restaurant low-rise mixed use high-rise mixed use community parking
Rainey Street District Future high-rise, high-density residential infill
illumination shade parks 0
200’ 400’
800’
Proposed Conditions - Rendered Plan Murton . Palone . Phillips . Sullivan
BRAID Waller Creek
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gather
proposed
existing
provide access Our group considered access to be the most important objective. Without a means to get to and around, people cannot visit the site and thus cannot form memories. We viewed access as occurring a multiple scales with our impact as designers being most visible at the transitions between these scales.
fair
fair
system
creek trail
good
good
excellent
excellent
entrances
bike routes
bus, train & car
creek trail
parking lots bus + train stops bike racks
bike
public transit
car
transition
road sidewalk
pedestrian
transition openings crossings
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system
evaluation
evaluation
ada ramp stairs
entrances
bike routes
bus, train & car
thicken
existing
proposed
maximize non-exclusive uses Increasing activity on site was the second most important objective. For us, maximizing non-exclusive uses was about increasing the overall usership of the site. We felt this was achieved through creating comfortable and safe paces to gather.
fair
system
shade
good
excellent
excellent
evaluation
evaluation
illumination
gathering areas
seating & trash cans places to gather
shade
fair
good
shade
system
illumination
seating & trash cans
places to gather
benches
destination movement
paths
lighting
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eighth street Low-rise mixed-use residential with creek-front park and plaza/ cafe spaces replaces APD. This site incorporates one the tunnel intake points as a unique sub-watersurface path creating a unique way to experience the creek
existing
proposed
access
gather
street level access
uses
thicken
gabions support path
bank failure
outdoor seating
environment
strengthen
buildings ignore creek pooling
engagment
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kevin sullivan
pooling creates amenity
wrap
existing
0
160’
proposed
320’
0
80’
160’
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existing
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palm park A grassy lawn slopes down to creek-front trails and boardwalks, playground and splash areas, and makes connections to pedestrian promenades to the north (Sabine) and south (Rainey).
existing
proposed gather
access
ADA ramp
out of use pool
uses
thicken
broken path
sabine pedestrian way
pooling
strengthen
environment
failed wall
engagment
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kevin sullivan
path at creek
wrap
existing
0
160’
proposed
320’
0
80’
160’
49
existing
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kevin sullivan
title: the living district cousre: 2012 ULI/Gerald D. Hines Competition semester: spring_12 instructor: Simon Atkinson, Dean Almy group: Nicolas Allinder, Travis Glenn, J.W. Fields, Kevin Sullivan, and Lauren Vogel
The ULI/Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition, offers graduate-level students the opportunity to form their own multidisciplinary five student teams and engage in a challenging exercise to design and development program for a real, large-scale site in two weeks. The 2012 ULI/Hines competition site was a 16 acre site at the confluence of Buffalo and White Bayou. The charge of the competition asked teams to envision a new district linking to the Bayou as well as tot he adjacent historic and theater districts. There was a small residential requirement but beyond that teams were free to create what they felt would meet the needs of the specific site in order to create a successful downtown district.
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the living district model
today
2020
2,140,000
2,520,000 requires development equivalent to
requires development equivalent to
4
45 Memorial Parks
the living district
is a scalable, adaptive paradigm, proposing a dense culturally rich center of economic and ecological productivity that can be replicated across houston’s regional transit network. district sown
district germinates
2 units acre
requires open space equivalent to
requires open space equivalent to
4 Memorial Parks
5 15.8 acres 1,000 residents
20 acres 1,000 residents
district sprouts
5 Memorial Parks
residential target of 20,000 residents by 2025 in an ecology of integrated Living Districts
Memorial Parks
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kevin sullivan
63 gal capita
total additional land use equivalent to
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Memorial Parks
requires potable water supplye equivalent to
requires potable water supple equivalent to
memorial park
Memorial Parks
16 units acre
32 gal capita
2 2 Memorial Parks
total additional land use equivalent to
11 Memorial Parks
district character a dense and active urban setting, accommodating the dynamic cultural diversity of the city
community commons increased access to recreation and nature for the entire community
transit and mobility framework multi-modal community lifestyle, connected across the city and the region
ecosystem services water conservation for a healthy community and a healthy bayou
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a. highrise residential b. incubater business
breathe
c. office d. entertainment
civic space
e. live work units
roof garden
f. SRO housing g. transit station 1
open space playing fields
perspective view
live live work move
live work move
grow water vaults 100 yr. flood plain biofiltration
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kevin sullivan
structural vents
commuter rail
community commons
the ramp
adaptive faรงades
interactive water meter display
lightrail connection
the triangle
biofiltration tieback
flood basin expansion
urban bayou beach
the urban beach 57