MARIA C. KENNEDY Master of Architecture University of Oregon 2013 Bachelor of Science in Architecture University of Minnesota Twin Cities 2011
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.�
CONTACT INFO: Maria Kennedy 114 Winn Terrace Beaver Dam, WI 53916 mariakennedy4@gmail.com 920.344.6485
- Anne Frank
CONTENTS
LIVING URBAN PLACE
1
DIVERSIFYING DENSITY
2
TREETOP TOWER
3
FREEDOM BY DESIGN
4
GROWING COMMUNITY
5
CELEBRATING HERITAGE
6
PORTLAND IDEA FACTORY
7
1 LIVING URBAN PLACE This project involved the redesign of a public plaza located in Oaxaca, Mexico, a historic World Heritage Site city with vibrant traditions,a strong artistic culture, and a very public community. Maintaining the use of the existing buildings, which include the basilica of the patron saint of Oaxaca, Soledad, the city hall, a music school, a smaller church, and a popular marketplace, was essential. The site acts as a path between the two major thoroughfare streets that border it, and is one of three very significant public nodes within the city. Because of this, it must be a meaningful place that offers the opportunity to easily pass through during daily activities, as well as to socialize and spend time in an active urban setting. New program required the addition of a library, exhibition space, and a private home for the city historian. The challenge of adding diverse program into an already complex urban space was a beneficial exercise and lesson in understanding what brings public places to life. Creating a private realm for the historian’s residence in the center of such a public space was another unique challenge. I was an equal contributor in the design scheme and model building. I collaborated with other team members on completeing the drawings, but worked primarily on the site section, diagrams, and building section drawings.
view of market terrace toward basilica public plaza redesign partners: Miranda LaBerge, Sam Shafer materials: chipboard, balsa wood, butterboard, ink on mylar, Adobe suite spring 2010 Prof. Lance Lavine
site context
redesign site model street level plaza and amphitheater
open air exhibit toward library
longitudinal site section
2 DIVERSIFYING DENSITY This mixed-use dense housing complex is located on a vacant site in a St. Paul historic district with views of the downtown skyline. The site slopes to the west, and is bordered by East 7th Street, a major thoroughfare, along its north side. A rain garden and onsite filtration meadow is located in the lowest area, and all the buildings feature green roofs. The site is organized into three major public places, whose characters are determined by the surrounding housing types. The family garden courtyard is a communal garden space for the surrounding family-style apartments. The central open area is divided into semi-paved plaza spaces, with a bus stop, planter-benches, and a statue commissioned by a local artist. The urban professional courtyard has an open paved area for markets and events, with gently terraced steps that blend harmoniously with the natural topography.The low basin can be flooded in winter to create an ice-skating rink so that the plaza is a year-round amenity, even in Minnesota’s climate. Facades on the exterior respect the levels of scale and detail of the historic context, while those facing the courtyards are more playful in their massing and materials.
East 7th Street
urban context Urban Professional
existing site conditions
proposed development
longitudinal site section
My partners and I worked equally on the design and group drawings. I worked on the specific building plans, sections, and elevation individually.
dense housing proposal partners: Louis Martin + Briana Turgeon-Schramm materials: mdf, Autocad, Adobe suite, colored pencils, pen, markers ug studio III: fall 2010 Prof. Julia Robinson
longitudinal site elevation looking south
Family Garden
first floor individual building design A
A
first floor
second floor
[skylights above]
public park + plaza from 7th Street
third floor
section A-A courtyard elevation [north]
3
TREETOP TOWER This cabin is located in remote northern Minnesota on the shores of Lake Vermillion. Each student worked with a potential client to understand their needs and desires for a vacation retreat. After weekend site visits, two different sketch model ideas were presented to the clients, Mike and Judy Theron, a middle-aged couple living in an adaptive reuse condominium in Minneapolis. The verticality of trees on the site inspired the form of the cabin. Another goal was to minimize the footprint in order to preserve as many trees as possible on the heavily wooded site. The Therons were inspired by the idea of being in the treetops, so the master bedroom suite is located on the fourth floor with views to the south. The main living space occupies a double height space between the third and fourth floors, while a more intimate gathering space connects the first and second floors. Space for the Therons’ children and grandchildren to stay is located on the two lower levels.The stairs circle the “trunk” and hang from the larger fourth floor plate, emphasizing the feeling and drama of the climb to the treetops.
site context
lake view from site
site perspective looking south
cabin for Mike + Judy Theron materials: chipboard, balsa wood, mdf, plexiglass, Autocad, prismacolor pencils, Adobe suite spring 2011 Prof. Dale Mulfinger north-south section
first floor
east elevation
second floor
third floor
north elevation
fourth floor
4
FREEDOM BY DESIGN Freedom by Design (FBD) is the community service organization of the American Institute of Architecture Students. FBD works with low income community members to design and build accessibility-related interventions. These featured projects are the main projects from my year as FBD president. For our client Jim, we built an accessible deck so that he could more safely and comfortably access his back door and driveway. By addressing his accessibility concerns, we were also able to give him an outdoor space where he can enjoy the backyard from his favorite stool. The second project was a redesign of a classroom in the Oak Park Community Center in Minneapolis. The room lacked storage, as well as a place for teachers and students to interact in an informal way. Our team suggested a rearrangement of the existing furniture into more defined activity zones, and designed two different bench types. We focused on providing fun, usable benches that are safe for children, minimizing the parts and maintenance. I finalized the bench design and organized the construction and installation with the help of dedicated fellow student members and our construction mentor. Jim’s deck+ Oak Park benches materials: lumber, concrete, plywood, woodworking tools, Autocad, Sketchup, Adobe suite fall 2010 + spring 2011 AIAS Freedom by Design MN
existing stairs to backyard
FBD team with our client Jim
proposed deck design site plan
finished deck
proposed benches + room rearrangement
existing conditions Bench Proposal REVISED Front-opening style
Bench Proposal REVISED Front-opening style
Oak Park Center U of M Freedom by Design April 3, 2011 Sheet 1 of 2
Oak Park Center U of M Freedom by Design April 3, 2011 Sheet 2 of 2
Central Support (Hidden)
proposal drawings
construction process
benches installed in Oak Park Community Center
+D
O
5
E UC
GROWING COMMUNITY
HER T A G
D PRO
In order to revitalize the former site of Tiger Field Stadium in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, MI, the program proposed a mixed use community center that promotes and encourages the city’s rapidly growing urban agriculture movement.
+ ATE R B LE
The site design builds on the the
SHA + RN LEA
RE
CE
as an urban center and maintains it as a community space for athletic activities. As the focal point of the site, it serves as a community forum around which the rest of the buildings are arranged, providing many different ways to meet and share agricultural knowledge around the site. greenhouses, a community kitchen, urban lumber yard, and food processing, composting, and recycling facilities. In the middle section is the urban orchard community garden and wetland retention pond for onsite water management. The most southern area, bordering Michigan Avenue, is focused on learning and sharing urban agriculture knowledge. The major building features a lecture hall, community classrooms, meeting spaces, conference rooms and exhibit space.
site in context
Detroit urban agriculture forum materials: Revit, Autocad, Copic markers, pen, Adobe suite fall 2012 Prof. Melinda Nettles early ideas for Michigan Ave edge
MICHIGAN AVE
M RU
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TU LEC
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HA
MS
OO SSR
CLA
IBIT
EXH
BY
LOB
conceptual sketch of forum
elevation generative sketch
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT PRODUCT
from Michigan Ave looking north
6 CELEBRATING HERITAGE As one of the only open-air museums in Poland, the Sanok Museum of Folk Architecture is an important cultural and educational place. The museum features original buildings and historic reconstructions of traditional Polish architecture and town spaces. This project focuses on the museum’s upcoming reconstruction of a historic Jewish synagogue, modeled after one originally located in the town of Polwaniez. After studying Jewish culture, urban patterns, and the history of synagogues, it seemed fitting to reconstruct a Jewish district that is organized by the slightly haphazard yet lively quality of historic shtetl town centers, and focused around the synagogue. The museum staff also needed new exhibit area, located in the interpretive building that opens toward the Jewish square. The goal is to celebrate the heritage and living culture of Polish Jews, rather than focusing on the violence of the Holocaust.
reconstructed Polwaniez synagogue sectional procession
reconstructed synagogue front entrance
paintings on original synagogue inner dome
The design included a small auditorium and welcome area. Located within formality of the redesigned manor house garden, it provides an orientation point before entering the town square. To give the museum greater community use, the market and entrance area has a large stage and plaza, available for museum events, but also free for public use.
from interpretive building main hall toward synagogue
cultural museum addition materials: prismacolor markers, ink pen, colored pencils, Adobe suite, Autocad spring 2012 Prof. Tom Hubka toward synagogue square from west
section through interpretive building + Jewish district
interpretive center
Jewish district reconstruction market + events
manor house
reconstructed Polish town sqare
tickets
main parking
Sanok Museum of Folk Architecture site plan [including redesign]
introduction hall
viewing porch
auditorium cafe gift shop
main exhibit hall
outdoor stage synagogue square to reconstructed town center
manor house garden
rabbi’s house library + school
existing Polish manor house
manor house garden plan - museum welcome + orientation
synagogue
generative diagrams
Jewish district reconstruction + interpretive center plan
7
PORTLAND IDEA FACTORY The Portland Idea Factory is a museum and community center for innovative manufacturing and industrial production. Located in Portland, OR just west of the downtown core, the museum strives to provide another civic landmark for the area, building off the nearby light rail stop, professional soccer stadium, churches, and area businesses. Acting as a globally renowned gathering place to share ideas about green industry, the project is a catalyst for industrial production inspired by natural processes. The center has various types of exhibit space, educational facilities, offices, a market hall, and retail spaces to directly connect with local industries. The research area encourages future innovation through testing areas, a resource library, and simple connections to the public exhibit space. Each floor has traditional exhibit spaces on the north side, with the jungle-like canopy exhibit hall located under the greenery. Within the thickness of the shadeproviding greenery edge are places for informal presentations, meetings, and interactive displays. Along the street edges, scale of building elements and an arcaded walkway create a comfortable pedestrian place. The entire first floor common area is free to public access. graduate thesis project sustainable industry center + museum materials: Revit, Adobe suite, pens, prismacolor markers, Autocad, plexiglass + chipboard winter + spring 2013 Prof. Howard Davis
IDEA FACTORY
NATURAL CYCLES [SUSTAINABLE]
FUTURE
[REGENERATIVE] learn innovate exchange promote
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION [UNSUSTAINABLE]
generative sketch
site context - site in green
core purpose - movement toward nature-inspired industrial processes
early site analysis
LEARN EXHIBITS + DISPLAY
INNOVATE RESEARCH + DEVELOPMENT
EXCHANGE COMMUNITY EVENTS + CLASSROOMS
PROMOTE MARKET + RETAIL
general program [overlap of uses and informal meeting occurs throughout exhibit + display space]
process work
early process model
section process sketches
section perspective through main exhibits + canopy hall
view from Southwest corner
CONF. ROOM DIRECTOR’S OFFICE
WORKSHOP
STAFF OFFICES CLASSROOMS
EXHIBIT HALL MAIN EXHIBIT HALL
OFFICE
OFFICE
UP UP
STORAGE
STORAGE
MARKET BALCONY
RESEARCH LOUNGE
PATIO
CANOPY HALL
DN
PORTLAND PRODUCTS
UP
UP
INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS
MEET
MEET
LIBRARY
LECTURE HALL SERVICE ELEV
EXHIBIT PREPARATION
STORAGE
STORAGE
EXHIBIT STORAGE
EXHIBIT HALL -
SPECIALIZED STORAGE LIGHTS + SOUND
-
UP
SPECIALIZED STORAGE
STORAGE
READING LOUNGE
MARKET HALL
KITCHEN
CAFE
LOCAL PRODUCT RETAIL NEW PRODUCT EXHIBIT
VIEW PATIO DN
RAMP WALK TO LOBBY
LOBBY + TICKETS
COVERED STREET CANOPY
lobby toward lecture hall
toward main stair
north-south section
east-west section perspective through lobby