PORTFOLIO
le’taj tinker
577 S. Braddock Ave ͻ Pittsburgh, PA 15221 CELL (850) 210-ϵϵϱϱ ͻ E-MAIL letajtinker@gmail.com Design Portfolio link: http://issuu.com/letajtinker/docs/portfolio_letaj_tinker
EDUCATION
Urban Design Fellowship, Summer 2013 Carnegie-Mellon University- Pittsburgh, PA Masters of Architecture - 3.92 GPA - Thesis focused on Historic Preservation (Rehabilitation and Adaptive Reuse), Graduated May 2013 Florida A.M. University- Tallahassee, FL, Bachelor of Science in Architecture - 3.9 GPA - Summa cum Laude, Graduated 2011 Florida A.M. University- Tallahassee, FL, Associates of Science in Architecture - 3.0 GPA - Dean's List, Graduated 2009 College of the Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas
RESUME
EXPERIENCE
Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh – Strategic Planning and Design Intern (July2013-Present) Work with Strategic Planning and Design, and Community and Diversity Affairs divisions on multiple community design projects Conduct studies within the Larimer neighborhood and produced sustainable design solutions to mitigate the urban blight through temporary infill of vacant lots Research the urban fabric within the historic Central North-Side neighborhood and provide initial design recommendations such as sustainable building designs for the neighborhood’s pending Conservation District. Organize community meetings and translated information gathered into designs addressing the community’s needs Compose budgets and feasibility studies for the above mentioned projects Assisted and lead conceptual designs of other small and large-scale projects Produce extensive and detailed site analysis for urban projects Develop design guidelines for future projects Produced analytical maps of various neighborhoods using ArcGis, Google Earth and other GIS-based programs. Meet with elected officials to discuss community development projects with regard to land use and preservation Presented Larimer open space strategies to City of Pittsburgh Open Space Neighborhood Advisory Panel for approval Present final projects to community groups and residents Rothschild Doyno Collaborative: Architecture and Urban Design – Temporary Design Intern (October 2013 – Present) Conduct field measurements and documentation of such measurements Construction of Building Information Models Basic Cad Drafting Design presentation layouts and packages to present to the client. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University – Graduate Teaching Assistant (2011-13) Taught introductory and advanced design and CAD programs such as Photoshop, Revit and SketchUp to students; and constructed lesson plans, and graded assignments. Wilderness Graphics - Design Assistant (June 2010 –August 2010) Assisted in the conceptual design, construction, and installation of wildlife exhibits, plans, and dioramas. F.A.M.U. / A.M.M.C. Historic Preservation Internship (Summer 2009) Member of a group that traveled to analyze, map, and digitally reproduce models of historic areas within Nassau, Bahamas.
TECHINICAL SKILLS
AutoCAD - Revit Architecture - Rhino - Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign - Microsoft Office Word/Excel/PowerPoint -
SOFT SKILLS
Space Programming - Basic Sketching, Diagramming, Hand Rendering – Presentation creating (both digital and physical) –
SketchUp - Basic 2D/3D Computer Graphic Skills – ArcGis – ArchiCAD
Leadership - Strategic Thinking – Communication – Human Relations – Research – Interpretation
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LARIMER CANOPY ROADS
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SHRIMP COCKTAIL CONSTRUCTION
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EPIC PARK
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GATOR OFFICE COMPLEX
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KLEMAN PLAZA REDESIGN
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CONTENTS
THESIS PROJECT
CONVERGING THE PAST & THE FUTURE:
THESIS RESEARCH
The Empowerment of the Centreville House of the Bahamas through Rehabilitation
In addition to its natural resources, it is the various architectural styles which help make the character of The Bahamas. However, these historical buildings are being destroyed as individuals do not know how to the find the balance between preserving the past and making progress for the future. Thus, this thesis will both make a case for the preservation of these historic buildings and use the Centreville House and its site as an example as to how contemporary additions can be successfully added to historic buildings.
Centreville House
Site Location: Nassau, Bahamas
Destroyed Historic Buildings
HillCrest, built in the 1840’s, Marmaduke, built in the 1860’s and The Royal Victoria Hotel, built in the 1860’s aare prime examples of historical buildings within Nassau Bahamas that were demolished because they “had no place in future plans”.
Hillcrest
Marmaduke
The Royal Victoria Hotel
Contemporary Addition Precedents The Louvre Addition, designed by I.M. Pei, the Suites Avenue Hotel Facade, designed by Toyo Ito, and the East Wing Addition to the National Gallery of Art are successful examples as to how contemporary additions can be added to historical buildings.Through analyzing the approaches taken in developing these designs, it was discovered that the elements of Materiality, Morphology, Surface Articulations, Distinctiveness and Symbolism are key to designing a successful addition.
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Louvre Addition
Suites Avenue Hotel Facade
East Gallery Wing Addition
The Intervention The ďŹ rst step of this intervention is identifying the historical elements and the non-historical elements of the site. According to the guidelines of the National Register, the site is equally as important as the building as they both form the overall character of the place. Over time, alien elements have been added to the site which have compromised the historical integrity of the place. Thus, these elements must be removed. On the contrary, elements such as the historical Collins Wall, and the Centreville House must be preserved and acknowledged through the design.
Historical Elements Iron Fence
Tear-Shaped Path
Centreville House
Collins Wall
Non-Historical Elements
Labyrinth
Lucayan Tree House
Amphitheatre
A.M.M.C. Headquarters
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From Mansion to Museum..
The Centreville House is assigned the new use of becoming a public museum. This is an attempt to counter the stigma that the building has of being an object of segregation; and to also celebrate its place within Bahamian architectural history. Major areas of the building such as its reception rooms and dining rooms have been preserved and used as gallery spaces as these are key to the building’s identity. Secondary spaces have then been modified to allow for support spaces for the museum and to ensure that the building is fully accessible to all who wish to enter it. The basement serves as storage for some of the museums collections, as well as storage for the addition; and also provides a workplace for the museum’s curator.
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Basement Floor Plan
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Public Zone 4 Galleries
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Service Zone
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1st Floor Plan
Private Zone 1 Curator Office 2 Storage 3 Workroom
2nd Floor Plan
5 Restrooms 6 Mechanical Room & Closet
The Linking Plaza... The plaza becomes the element that links the Centreville House to the addition. It serves a a focal point of the site; essentially becoming a hub that links the front and rear of the site. By following and emphasizing the existing grid of the Centrevill House, the scale of the plaza is one which does not take away from the prestige of the Centreville House, but is large enough as to allow for its removal, if necessary, as per the recomendations of the Rehabilitation Standards.
Plaza Gathering
Evening Events
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Reimagining the Site... Establishing an entrance onto the museums podium through its port chochere, the design builds upon a strong north-south axis which connects parking to the building. Entrance into the site was relocated to the rear of the site. The existing vehicular entrance then became a pedestrian walkway that connects to the main linear circulation path. Additions that were introduced into the site include a Fruit Orchard, Community Garden, and the Kids Play Area. These additions were placed toward the west of the site in order to create balance between the front and rear portions of the site, and to also promote interaction along the historic Collins Wall. Historically, the site was known for the mansion which sat in the midst of lush greenary. The Fruit Orchard pays homage the the Orange Grove that existed at the rear of his site. The Play Area and the Community Garden were implemented with the purpose of inviting the community to make use of the once segregated site.
Fruit Orchard
Community Garden
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Kids Play Area
The Addition Design The large trees of the orchard, which include Mango, Tamarind, and Breadfruit trees, wrap around the southern and the western facades of the addition and help shade the building from the scorching sun.
The large, floating, overhanging roof slants from the east to the west; allowing sunlight to enter through the eastern facade, but shading the western facade from the scorching sun. Furthermore, the slanting roof takes into consideration the climate of the country; specifically the semi-constant rainfall.The roof overhang decreses along the northern facade in order to allow the northern light to enter the building freely.
The pattern of the curtain wall follows the existing grid of the plaza, which aligns with the columns of the Centreville House, but rather deconstructs it. This move has a symbolic meaning of changing the questionable order of segregation that governed society during the buildings prosperous years, and inciting the premise of a new order of giving the site back to the people.
1 -Gift Shop -Access to Orchard -Cafe Stand -Sitting Area
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2 -Restrooms 3 -Mech. 4 -Director’s Office 5
5 -Staff Offices
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6 -Conference Room
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7 -Research Room
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Plaza Energy...
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Plaza Energy...
Creating Memories...
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Celebrations...
LARIMER CANOPY ROADS VIEW 2
VIEW 3
URBAN DESIGN
VIEW 1
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Larimer Avenue, Pittsburgh, has been re-envisioned as a pleasant canopy road that helps establish a strong identity for the district. It is intended to be a part of the City’s Urban Forest Master Plan. The proposed Larimer Avenue Canopy Road is primarily an all-residential street populated with families. Both sides of the Avenue have lot sizes of approximately 40’ x 100’, with lots on the east side having an easement of 20’ for the greenway. Each parcel was developed as a combination of single family residences and duplex units. There is a 20’ front yard setback and a minimum of 25’ deep rear yard. Side setbacks can be as shallow as 5’. The maximum building height allowed is 35’.
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LOCATION PLAN:
SUSTAINABLE FEATURES A
LIVING BIOSWALE W/ EXPOSED WATER
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LARIMER LAKE
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SYCAMORE TREES
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PERVIOUS SIDEWALK
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DOGWOOD TREES
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ECO FRIENDLY ROOFING MATERIAL
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SCALE: 1”= 20’
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STREET PLAN:
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NEW NEIGHBORHOOD PARK
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Larimer’s new neighborhood park will promote healthy living to the residents of both the Larimer District and surrounding districts alike. The Park boasts a track encompassing Larimer’s new lake.
KEY TO BE DEMOLISHED
CANOPY STREET
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Larmer Avenue will be lined with a predominantly residential building typology. The housing type will be single family residential, and can be configured either separately or as a duplex unit.
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RESIDENTIAL TYPOLOGY
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ORPHAN ST
Larimer Avnue Canopy Street breathes a fresh air into the community. Shade coverage over the street has dramatically increased, resulting in a more pleasant street experience.
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AY
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LIVING ROOM
KITCHEN
BEDROOM 1 GARAGE
TYPICAL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE
BACK ELEVATION
FRONT ELEVATION
SIDE ELEVATION
STREET ELEVATION
STREET SECTION
VIEW OF LARIMER GREENWAY
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AY
VIEW OF GREENWAY
VIEW LOOKING NORTH OF LARIMER AVENUE
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VIEW OF ALLEY WAY
SHRIMP COCKTAIL CONSTRUCTION
BIOMIMICRY
With biomimicry as the precedent, the SHRIMP, which is native to Apalachicola Florida, served as a design guide for this culinary institution. Elements taken from the shrimp for the design of the culinary institute include its colour which provide visual emphasis, the natural curvature of its body for circulation, and the segmented structure of its body which inspires modules.
As the shrimp’s body is a muscle, it relates to steel in that they both have high strenghts and ductility without compromising either.
APALACHICOLA BAY
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The layout of the program follows the natural curvature of the shrimps body.
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KEY
LEVEL 1 PLAN
1 - TEACHING KITCHENS 5
2 - PASTRY KITCHENS
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3 - WINE ROOM
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4 - STUDENT LOUNGE
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5 - RECIEVING AREA
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6 - TRASH AREA 7 - MECHANICAL ROOM
LEVEL 2 PLAN
8 - BAKE SHOP 9 - RESTAURANT 1
10 - DIRECTOR’S SUITE 3
11 - ADMISSIONS OFFICE
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12 - CAREER SERVICES
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13 - STAFF ROOM 14 - FACULTY AREA
LEVEL 3 PLAN
15 - LIBRARY 8
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16 - LECTURE ROOM 17 - CLASSROOMS
STRUCTURAL PERSPECTIVE SECTION
18 - DEMONSTRATION LAB STEEL TRUSS, INSULATION ON METAL DECKING/EPDM ALUMINUM LOUVERS BG JOIST GIRDER W-WIDE FLANGE I-BEAM POWDER-COATED HOLLOW STRUCTURAL SECTION COLUMN
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RECTANGULAR SLOPED FOOTING
BRICOLAGE OF SITE
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EPIC SQUARE
URBAN DESIGN
The Epic Square project seeks to revitalize the intersection of Old Bainbridge and Tharpe Street in Tallahassee through a number of innovative moves. Such include the implementation of two major plazas, the North Plaza becoming an entertainment hub and the South Plaza being more family orientated, with a large tenisle covered park and numerous water features. Buildings were designed to give a more urban edge and feeling, and feature a series of interconnecting themed courtyards
LONGITUDINAL SITE SECTION
TRANSVERSAL SITE SECTION
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DESIGN STRATEGIES EXISTING FIGURE GROUND
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Traffic Congestion Lot sizes too large; Site lacks an urban edge Site not pedestrian friendly Insufficient site lighting Poor connection to nearby Old Bainbridge Canopy Road
PROPOSED FIGURE GROUND
The round about was implemented with the following goals in mind:
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Create safer intersection/ reduce frequency of crashes Can slow excessive traffic speeds while still improving traffic flow Reduced long-term operational costs More aesthetically and environmentally-friendly intersection
SITE CIRCULATION
- Implementation of by-way roads to divert traffic from the roundabout. Such roads provide alternate routes for vehicular traffic in all direction of Old Bainbridge and Tharpe St. to reduce traffic within the squares; and to create a more pedestrian friendly zone. - Site not pedestrian friendly - Insufficient site lighting - Poor connection to nearby Old Bainbridge Canopy Road
ADA SENSIBILITY
Zone 3
Zone 4
Zone 2 Zone 1
Zone 5
- Master Plan divided into different designated zones - In addition to shading trees, different scented trees have been implemented unique to each zone - Each zone suitably addresses pedestrian crossings at each of the nodes - Wheel chais ramps to be installed on every curb - Site noises also aid in site navigation for the blind. In particular, the square will generate the most noise
BUILDING TYPOLOGY
SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES 18
PHASING AND PROPOSALS PHASE 1: OLD BAINBRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER
The first step is to establish a community center where residents of Old Bainbridge and Tallahassee are afforded a place to concregate. The community center will have a gymnasium, indoor sporting activites and community halls
PHASE 2: EPIC SQUARE
Phase 2 features a plaza which features a marriage between retail and leisure.Retail stores and cafes surround an exciting and lively amphitheater which is intended for major concerts and events. Also included is a series of sports bars to promote nightlife within the area.
PHASE 3: RESTAURANT ZONE
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The highlight of Phase 3 focuses on the creation of a restaurant filled zone within the ampitheater. Signature restaurants will enhance the night-life activity on the site. Also included in this phase is the construction of a bus shelter.
PHASE 4: RESIDENTIAL COURTYARD
Phase 4 consists of a series of 3-story mixed-use blocks which include the following: ground-floor retail, second floor offices, third floor residential. The blocks create interior courtyards which support public activity.
PHASE 5: URBAN COURTYARD
Phase 5 feaures a series of urban courtyards whcih serve as social nodes within the overall scheme. Each courtyard has a different theme and is meant to serve as a gathering point for pedestrians and those who frequent the plazas.
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GATOR OFFICE COMPLEX
DESIGN INSPIRATION
BUILDING MASSING
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Located to the northeast of the Main Street Bridge, the site of the proposed office/retail complex is surrounded by a number of elements such as the Jacksonsonville Jaguars Stadium, riverfront shops ans restaurants, and the historic Avondale and San Marco Districts; all of which capture the spirit of the city of Jacksonville, Florida. The building dedicates its first two floors to retail with the remaing 4 floors being for office purposes. The open floor plans give the owner control over the layout and design of his spaces; and both buildings are anchored by atrium spaces which hosts the main circulation access throughout the building.
SUSTAINABILITY
PROJECT BRIEF/ PROGRAM
With biomimicry being the driving force behind the design process, the Floridian Alligator was selected as the design inspiration. Aside from it being indigenous to the St. Johns River, its color, texture, and repetition provided the basis for the building’s facade design. The cantilevered overhang supports this view as it brings to mind the creatures ribcage as it follows the path of the building’s courtyard. The tubular structure which supports the curtain wall suggests a series of ribs with the concept being insisted upon by the verticality of the structure. Also, the hue of green of the curtain wall hints woards the color of the alligator’s skin. The two dynamic shaped buildings were created on the two principle views from the site: one towards the river and the other towards the Will Alsopp Bridge. Additionally, the building has been morphed in the third dimension at selective spots to provide optimal site views for potential important spaces within the building such as meeting rooms, atrium views, etc. Furthermore, the building massing funnels pedestrians into the site and directs them toward the boardwalk which runs parallel to the site.
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
EGRESS
HVAC STRATEGY
CIRCULATION CORES
BUILDING ANALYSIS A. BUILDING PEEL-AWAY Provides optimal viewing of the river
B
B. ROOF SLOPE
Roof drains water sway from boardwalk and toward the service lane
C. BIOMIMICRIC PAVILION
C
Provides shelter along boardwalk primarily at the entrances to the atriums
A D
D. PUBLIC COLLONADE
Provides sprotected walk for retail shops accessed from the boardwalk.
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TECHNOLOGY/BUILDING SYSTEMS
- SUN SHADING CONTROL LOUVERS: The double glazed facade features a series of operable louvers. Moreover they offer provacy whenever needed in the office spaces. - PASSIVE COOLING: Operable windows and skylights in the atriums of both buildings allow for passive ventilation. - HIGH ALBEDO ROOF: Helps mitigate head gain within the building - GEOTHERMAL WATER PUMP - RAIN WATER HARVESTING SYSTEM - LOW EMMISSIVITY COATING: On the glazed facade reduces building heat gain. - BIO WALL: Used primarily on the existing garage facade to make it more aesthetically pleasing
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
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Both buildings feature structural concrete cores in their centralized atriums which anchor them. Tying into the core are a sereies of columns, encases in pored concrete, that are oriented on an approximate 30’ x 20’ grid which extend the height of the buildings. Connected to these columns are the I-Beams which act as the primary support for the floor slabs on each level. The secondary form of support is delivered through the web joists which in between each series of beams. The roof is composed of a steel truss structure with insulation on a metal decking and an EPDM finish. FInally, the building sports a double skin curtain wall which is independently supported by steel, tubular columns which tie into the buildinds floor slabs.
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EXISTING
PROPOSED
KLEMEN PLAZA REDESIGN PROJECT BRIEF
SITE LOCATION
URBAN DESIGN
This project seeks to redesign Klemans Plaza; which was one of the most entertaining and lively sites within Tallahassee, Florida. Through various strategies, such as creating balance within the site, implementing various nodes for privacy, introducing storefront retail facilites and vendors, and introducing more vegetation and green spaces within the site, it is hoped that this plaza will be revitalized and regain it’s title as one of Tallahassee’s most exciting desitinations.
BUS ROUTES
SITE USAGES
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LEGEND
LEGEND
LEGEND
VEHICULAR CIRCULATION
LEGEND
SITE REDESIGN PROPOSAL
SCULPTURE GARDEN
B
JUMBO SCREEN
D
Re-purposing the blank museum wall to be a jumbo screen for viewing events. Also, half of the parking garages entrance should be covered to provide space for a stage which will be used in conjunction with the green space.
B C
C
SEATING CANOPY
A
Replacing the ampitheater with a seating canopy to be used in conjuction with vendors situated within the site.
D
NORTHERN ENTRANCE
AERIAL OF SITE
Proposed retail, vegetation and water features to highlight the site’s main entrance.
A
Sculpture garden provides a deďŹ nite center for the plaza. Also, several gazebos and trelli to be inserted for small to medium group gatherings.
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