The point at which relationships between disciplines of art blur is a fantastic place. Moving through an undergraduate training in Interior Design has led me through many different processes of creation. I have realized how integrated the fields of art and design really are, no matter how dissimilar they may seem. Throughout my freshman year, I was trained in the fine arts, taking classes such as figure drawing, color theory, art history, design graphics, and portrait painting. These classes were invaluable during my next three years of study, contributing to the graphic quality of my designs and presentations in my studies. My first year of study was a microcosm for what I would explore during my future studies in design, and taught me the elements and principles of design that I could incorporate in a three dimensional level later on. I have found that incorporating all varieties of fine art and design creates a multi-dimensional product that is more thorough in its development. Similarly, I feel that my investigation in interior design whas prepared me for something larger, and has taught me the basics and principles for future studies in larger scale structural design. My background will allow me to create architecture that is finer and more comprehensive than it would have been without my experience with interior design.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Selected as the Top Designer for the sophomore class of the Interior Design Department
SketchUp
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Interior Design, Spring 2009
Nominated for the Wayne C. Hall Undergraduate Scholarship by the Interior Design Department
Adobe Illustrator
Chosen to submit work in the Virginia Commonwealth University Design Exhibition at the Anderson Gallery 2007-2008
Adobe InDesign
4.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average Dean’s List 2005-2009
Selected as the recipient of a Provost Scholarship from Virginia Commonwealth University, covering all tuition and university fees for the entirety of the undergraduate academic career West Grace Honors College Hall Council Chair 20052007 President of the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Phi Sigma Pi, National Honor Fraternity, 2007-2008
AutoCad
Adobe Photoshop
Hand Drafting Hand Rendering
Kitchen Planner IKEA College Park
Intern FOX Architects
College Park, Maryland
McLean, Virginia
May 2009-Present
June 2008-August 2008
Used specialized software to help customers design and purchase kitchen components
Assisted in creating a partition standards library in Revit for the firm
Met with contractors to coordinate kitchen installation for clients
Revised redlined CAD documents for commercial interior design projects
Provided cost estimates for kitchen cabinets and custom countertops
Helped to maintain the company’s materials and finishes library
Intern Beyond Ordinary Boundaries Architecture Richmond, Virginia
August 2008-March 2009 Created architectural construction document sets in AutoCAD for residential and commerical projects Generated 3D models of architectural designs for use in client presentations Met with project managers to discuss progress and plans on a daily basis
Front End Director of Operations Keith-Fabry Reprographics Richmond, VA
February 2007 - August 2008 Hired, trained and scheduled staff for the front end customer service positions Responsible for managing staff while supervising customer service related tasks Produced presentation boards and large scale color prints for local architectural firms
Environmental
L o b b y i n g I developed an environmental lobbying agency and designed their headquarters around their company objectives, which include “educating policy officials to influence their vote toward more conscious environmental actions.� The lobbying coalition, nicknamed DC, has an office developed around the concept of exposed connections. The idea that lobbying firms are inherently secretive and work under a hidden agenda is opposite from the firm that I tried to create. The idea of openness of information is contrasted by standard mindsets regarding lobbyists. I employed transitions and connections in my space to facilitate the open exchange of knowledge and place emphasis on exposure.
research
analysis
lobbying
conference
huddle
3rd floor
public policy
advocacy
operations
conference
library
4th floor
accounting
fundraising
brand mktg
conference
5th floor
administration
Total Floorspace for 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors: 53,400 s/f (17,800 s/f per floor)
Utilized Floorspace for 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors: 18,210 s/f (6,070 s/f per floor)
At left is a view of the fifth floor looking toward the back of the space. The cafe is visible at the back left, and the workstations are present to the right. At the top of this page is a view of the third floor conference room looking out through the main corridor. Below is a view of the fourth floor entrance toward the main corridor. At right the huddle space is partially concealed by a translucent living plant wall, and the stairs to the fifth floor are visible.
C o r p o r a t e Technology Office I was challenged to create a suite for a company called Battelle that reflected their corporate values and culture. Because Battelle provides so many different technological and biological research services, it was a challenge to devise a concept for the space. I found that the thread that connected each of Battelle’s diverse research fields was the idea of analysis. I portrayed the concept of analysis using a series of patterns derived from microscopic images, layering techniques, and transparency. After initial sketches were created, I did studies of patterns found in natural materials at a microscopic level. These studies helped me to develop the concept of layers, transparency and analysis.
Above is a plan oblique of the utilized office space. Below are some selections of the patterns I generated to develop my concept of analysis.
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Floorplan
4
Entry/Reception Press Release Area Cafe Conference Guest Offices
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Huddle Space Copy Area Manager Offices Principal Offices Administrative Offices Divisable War Room
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9 6
5
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7
8
10 4 7
11
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10 9
The proposed lobby area (seen on the facing page and top left) features a fully movable reception desk and platform area to accommodate for press releases. The images shown are SketchUp renderings of the space that were detailed using Photoshop. The concept of analysis is seen throughout the space. All of the millwork features translucent resin countertops and accents . This serves to display the hardware used to construct the desks which encourages inhabitants to analyze the structures. The front facade of the offices near the core of the building (seen at middle left) is made of translucent corrugated plastic, which allows for the passage of daylight and views from the curtain wall, helping to gain LEED points and energy efficiency. The ceiling is implied using a lattice type wood ceiling, which creates an interesting pattern throughout the space. Main pathways are delineated by a change in floor material and overhead by a laminated wood drop ceiling element (seen at bottom left). From Top to Bottom: View of reception from the entrance. The reception desk is visible at the left, flanked by a translucent wall lit from the interior. The reception area with an elevated “stage� area for press releases. The patterns seen on the floor are areas of polished concrete. A view over the administrative offices toward the managers offices. These offices have translucent walls and sliding barn style doors. A view from the back of the office looking toward the front window wall.
The Richmond Flood museum is a fictional building that serves to educate the public on Richmond’s flood history. The proposed exterior for the Richmond Virginia Flood Museum is comprised of a portion of an aging, elevated railroad trestle and the Richmond flood wall, with various structural connections in between. The juxtaposition of these two massive, seemingly indestructible structures that have both been decayed and overcome by water during natural disasters creates a strong statement toward the fleeting nature of all manmade structures. Because of the nature of these building elements and the program of the building itself, I devised the concept of erosion for the project.
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Floorplan
Exterior Entry Patio Reception Area Open Seating Restrooms
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Curator Offices Gallery Space Cafe Outdoor Patio with Water Feature
flood wall
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7
6 railroad trestle
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3
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railroad trestle 1
Second Floor Plan
First Floor Plan Oblique First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan Oblique
Section
Top Left: View of main corridor from entrance toward administrative offices and restrooms. The glass enclosed cafe is visible at the right.
Below: A panoramic view I pieced together of the site of the proposed museum.
Right: A view of the rear of the building, which includes a pond and covered patio connected to the cafe inside.
The design challenge for this project was to design a 10,000 square foot office space for a software design company. Personnel space and adjacency requirements were given to us, along with the plans for the original empty tenant space. The original space is punctuated by columns every 22 feet. These columns were immovable, and became the biggest challenge through the design process. I wanted to create an open office system with maximum accessibility, so I worked to create a plan that eliminated all “dead corridors” and allowed all “neighborhoods” (or departments) to be easily accessed by others.
photo credit: Rainnovation
Software Development
Support Space
Technical Support
Brand Marketing
Administrative
Each department is color coded on the plan below. On the opposite page is an image of the unfinished interior of the office space with sketches of each floorplan iteration.
Floorplan
N
not to scale
Opposite page: View of technical support along the window wall Top left: View of reception and seating Middle: Conference room Bottom: View down main corridor
This sculpture at right was constructed from a solid piece of 13�x23� cherry and 462 wood screws. The screws are arranged into a topographical landscape by fastening some screws deeper into the wood than others. Also in this section is a hanging lamp I designed and built. It is formed from handmade painted paper over polystyrene, machine bolts and nuts, and brass mesh. When the light is off, the layer of brass mesh over the lamp hides the detail of the painted paper. However, when the light is illuminated, the brass mesh becomes translucent and allows the pattern to shine through.
I have always had an interest in photographic composition, but during my internship in Washington, D.C. during the summer before my senior year of college I began to take photographs with buildings as the subject. The National Cathedral came to be the subject of many of my photographs. Another theme in my work developed over the summer, wherein I used constrction cranes as framing elements or important compositional components. I liked the idea of construction in progress, and the fact that everything in the city is constantly being rebuilt. One of these photographs can be found on the opposite page.
I have extensive experience with drawing and sketching from life and for design conveying purposes. The drawing at right is an ink sketch I did while visiting Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water House in Pennsylvania. I have also included several marker renderings of interiors from various design projects I completed during my undergraduate studies as well as a graphite rendering.
Painting is an interest of mine and I spend lots of time in my studio working with various media on canvas. At right is a detail of a painting I did in acrylic on stretched canvas. The full dimensions are 24�x36�. The majority of my paintings are portraits, which can be seen on the next pages, but I also enjoy exploring various textures in my paintings through the use of a wide array of mixed media on a single piece. This is reflected in the work of the next pages.