[IN] Matthew Coulombe by Matthew Coulombe

MATTHEW COULOMBE UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE // MWC23@NJIT.EDU

[IN] MATTHEW COULOMBE // NJIT // BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE // MWC23@NJIT.EDU [IN] IS A COLLECTION OF SELECTED WORK AND FINDINGS CONDUCTED DURING MY STUDIES AT THE NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, MY TIME STUDYING ABROAD IN EUROPE, AND INDEPENDENT WORK. THE TITLE “[IN]” TO ME IS SYMBOLIC OF MY DESIGN STRATEGIES AND PRINCIPLES. MY WORK IS FUELED AND DEFINED BY THREE WORDS: [IN]NOVATE, [IN]TEGRATE, AND [IN]SPIRE. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROPER UNDERSTANDING AND EMPLOYMENT OF THESE THREE WORDS CAN RESULT IN PHENOMENAL DESIGN SOLUTIONS THAT EXPLOIT ARCHITECTURE FOR ALL OF ITS POTENTIAL. CONTENTS: CORE AND SHELL PROTOTYPE SUB: PORTO POOL PROMENADE RURAL EDUCATION CENTER ABROAD: URBAN OPERATIONS

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[IN] THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF MY DESIGN WORK IS INNOVATION. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN IS SEEMINGLY BECOMING A MONOLITH WITH FEW INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. THE NEGLECT OF IN-DEPTH STUDIES OF CURRENT TYPOLOGIES AND THEIR ADVANCEMENTS RESULTS IN REPETITIVE DESIGNS THAT DO LITTLE TO PROGRESS AND ENHANCE SOCIETY. I BELIEVE THAT TRULY CREATIVE STRATEGIES THAT INTRODUCE NEW AND EXCITING IDEAS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRACTICE.

CORE AND SHELL PROTOTYPE LOCATION: SITELESS / ARCH 464 / PROF: THOMAS BARRY THIS SEMESTER LONG STUDIO WAS INSPIRED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL TYPOLOGIES OF THE RENAISSANCE, MOST NOTABLY THE PALAZZO AND BASILICA. THESE COMMON FORMS WERE COMPRISED OF A SERIES OF COMPONENTS AND PRODUCED SUCCESSFUL BUT EXPECTED RESULTS. STUDYING BUILDING TYPOLOGIES AND THEIR ADAPTATIONS, THE GROUP-WORK ORIENTED STUDIO EXPLORED THE THRESHOLD BETWEEN THE NORMATIVE AND THE SPECTACULAR IN ARCHITECTURE. THE SUBJECT OF THESE MODERN INTERPRETATIONS OF CLASSICAL TYPOLOGIES WAS THE TYPICAL CORE AND SHELL OFFICE TOWER. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SITELESS PROTOTYPE BECAME THE MODEL FOR DESIGN. THE REMOVAL OF A PROPOSED SITE ENCOURAGED A HIGHER LEVEL OF THINKING INTO THE INTRICACIES AND WORKINGS OF THE TYPOLOGY. OUR DESIGN SOLUTION BEGAN WITH A TYPICAL CORE AND SHELL LAYOUT AND WAS THEN SPLIT, DIVIDING THE TOWER INTO TWO HALVES. NOW WITH TWO HALF-DONUT PLANS, THE TOWER DEVELOPED A NEED FOR MORE SHEAR STRENGTH. USING THE OPPOSING INNER WALLS, A REINFORCED, PERFORATED SURFACE WAS CREATED. THESE SURFACES WERE THEN MANIPULATED HORIZONTALLY, BEING PULLED GRADUALLY TOWARD AND, IN SOME INSTANCES, THROUGH THE OPPOSITE HALF OF THE TOWER. THE RESULT IS AN OFFICE TOWER THAT BECOMES INJECTED WITH MOMENTS OF UNIQUE WORK ENVIRONMENTS. THE PROJECTIONS OF THE INNER MEMBRANES CREATE MULTI HEIGHT, EXPANSIVE WORK SPACES THAT ENCOURAGE INTERACTION BETWEEN DIFFERENT TENANTS. THESE INTERSTITIAL SPACES CREATED IN BETWEEN THE CORES MAY ALSO EXIST OUTSIDE THE ENCLOSURE OF THE TOWER. EXTERIOR SPACES ALONG WITH THE PERFORATIONS IN THE SURFACES ALLOW FOR EFFICIENT INTAKE OF FRESH AIR INTO THE WORKPLACES AND USE THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENTIAL AIR PRESSURES TO PASSIVELY CIRCULATE THE AIR.

A TYPICAL OFFICE TOWER USES A DONUT-PLAN, AND THE SHEAR PLANES ARE FORMED ALONG THE CORE’S WALLS, HOUSING MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND OTHER BUILDING SERVICES.

THE SHEAR PLANES ON THE “Y-AXIS” ARE RECONSTITUTED ALONG THESE CUTS AS PHYSICAL SURFACES. THIS CREATES A NEW INTERSTITIAL ZONE BETWEEN THE TWO HALVES.

A SPLIT THROUGH THE CORE AND FLOOR PLATES IS MADE AND THE TWO HALVES ARE SEPARATED ALONG IT’S “X-AXIS,” CREATING TWO HALF-DONUT PLANS.

THE SHEAR PLANES ON THE “X-AXIS” ARE REESTABLISHED INTERMEDIATELY IN THE BUILDING. PROGRAM WITHIN EACH HALF MAY PUSH THE SURFACE TO ACCOMODATE OR CREATE MORE SPACES. THESE PROJECTIONS CREATE A STRUCTURAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HALVES.

WHEN THE SURFACES ARE MANIPULATED AND SPAN ACROSS BOTH HALVES OF THE TOWER, A LARGE, MULTI-HEIGHT SPACE IS CREATED, EXPOSING THE STRUCTURE AND CORES, AND MAY BE USED FOR TRADING FLOORS, SHOWCASE HALLS, OR MORE OPEN COLABORATION FLOORS.

EXTERIOR INTERSTITIAL SPACES CREATED IN THE TOWER MAY BECOME WINTER GARDENS, OSERVATION DECKS, OR SIMPLY OPPORTUNITIES TO SUBTLY LINK THE TWO HALVES

The more normatives segments of the tower are comprised of typical half-donut floorplates. This ensures an easily occupied and flexible workspace

The interstitial space between the cores becomes multi-use and may contain auditorium seating or ramps to link multiple floors owned by a single tenant

The bottom floors of these projections become expansive office floors which may accomodate showcase halls, shared spaces, or a more unique office environment dependent on the occupants

The interstitial spaces created between the two halves allows not only to light and fresh air intake, but also introduces the opportunity for new, public program.

The steel-frame shear system, in some instances, expands laterally to create multi-storey projections outward to accomodate even larger floor plates

SUB: PORTO POOL PROMENADE LOCATION: PORTO, PORTUGAL / COMPETITION / CTRL+SPACE THE PORTO POOL PROMENADE WAS AN INTERNATIONAL IDEAS COMPETITION CREATED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL PLATFORM CTRL+SPACE. THE BRIEF CALLED FOR A DESIGN OF A PUBLIC POOL THAT ALLOWED THE CITY OF PORTO TO RECONNECT WITH THE DUORO RIVER. WITH A GROWING PRESENCE OF TOURISM IN THE CITY, THE DESIGN MUST OFFER NEW AND INNOVATIVE INTERACTIONS WITH THE WATER. CONDUCTED WITH A LIKE-MINDED COLLEAGUE, OUR DESIGN PROPOSAL SUB WAS A CONCEPTUAL EXPLORATION OF THE LIMITS TO WHICH THE USERS COULD OCCUPY THE SITE. THE PROPOSAL WAS INSPIRED BY THE CHILDHOOD ACT OF SUBMERSING ONESELF UNDER WATER WITH A BUCKET PLACED OVER THE HEAD. SIMILARLY, THE DESIGN CONSISTS OF 3 “BUCKETS” THAT ARE SUBMERGED PARTIALLY BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE DUORO. THESE BUCKETS ARE NATURALLY PRESSURIZED AND ALLOW USERS TO OCCUPY BELOW THE WATER LEVEL AND GAIN ACCESS TO PRIVATE POOLS AND SPACES. ABOVE THE SURFACE, THE PODS ARE SCULPTED TO FORM SHALLOW PLAY AREAS THAT SPILL DIRECTLY INTO THE RIVER. A CIRCULATORY BOARDWALK LINKS THE BUCKETS AND, AT THEIR JUNCTION, ALSO SINKS AND AGAIN ALLOWS THE USERS TO EXPERIENCE AN EXPLCIT VISUAL CONNECTION TO THE WORLD BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE DUORO. THE DESIGN PROMOTES UNIQUE INTERACTIONS WITH THE RIVER AND OFFERS A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SPATIAL QUALITIES FIT FOR LEISURE, RECREATION, AND EXPLORATION.

THE DESIGN WAS INSPIRED BY THE CHILDHOOD ACT OF SUBMERSING ONESELF UNDER WATER WITH A BUCKET PLACED OVER THE HEAD. AS YOU ARE ABLE TO BREATHE BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, THOUGH EXCITING, YOU MAY ONLY EXPLORE SO FAR AS THE STRENGTH REQUIRED TO FIGHT THE PRESSURE DIFFERENCE BECOMES TOO MUCH. THIS ONCE INSPIRING ACT BECAME THE FUEL FOR OUR PROPOSAL.

OCCUPATION WITHIN THE BUCKETS ALLOWS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE SUBMERGED SMALLER POOLS WHILE HAVING DIRECT VIEWS INTO THE RIVER ABOVE. THIS DUALITY IS ACHIEVED BY THE FUNDAMENTAL BUT SELDOM USED PRINCIPLE OF POSITIVE AIR PRESSURE UNDER WATER.

Shallow Pool

Boardwalk Electrical Housing

Conductive Heating/ Cooling Pipes Sunken Boardwalk

[IN] THE SECOND PRINCIPLE OF MY DESIGN IS INTEGRATION. TOO OFTEN ARE SITES AND THEIR CONFLICTS RESOLVED BY IGNORANT AND STUBBORN DESIGN STRATEGIES. STRUCTURES THAT “LAND” ON THEIR SITES, THOUGH SOMETIMES ATTRACTIVE, ACT MORE LIKE PARASITES ATTACHED TO THE EXISTING FABRIC RATHER THAN BECOME INTEGRATED INTO IT. I BELIEVE THAT RESPONSIVE DESIGNS INTERJECT THEMSELVES AND INTERACT DIRECTLY WITH THE GIVEN URBAN AND SOCIETAL ENVIRONMENT.

RURAL EDUCATION CENTER LOCATION: MODASA, INDIA / ARCH 364 / PROF: SILVA AJEMIAN SITED IN MODASA, INDIA THIS STUDIO PROJECT FOCUSED ON PRIMITIVE BUILDING PRACTICES AND THE HARVESTING OF LOCAL MATERIALS. THE BRIEF CALLED FOR A NEW EDUCATIONS CENTER FOR THE CHILDREN OF MODASA AND REQUIRED A DESIGN THAT ACCOUNTED FOR THE HARSH DRY AND RAIN SEASONS. THE PROPOSED COMPLEX IS DESIGNED ADJACENT TO A MAN-MADE LAKE THAT BORDERS THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE SITE TO CAPTURE THE COOLED AIT BLOWING ACROSS IT. RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE SHORE IS A CIRCULATORY RAISED PLATFORM THAT JOINS THE CLASSROOM BLOCK TO THE CANTEEN AND RESOURCE CENTER. INTERSECTING AND PERPENDICULAR TO THIS AXIS IS AN UNPROGRAMMED COMMUNAL PLATFORM. THE UNION OF THE TWO AXIS DIVIDE THE COMPLEX INTO PROGRAMMATIC SECTORS, BUT ALSO UNITE THEM IMPLICITLY. ALONG THE MAIN AXIS, STRUCTURAL RAMMED EARTH AND CONCRETE WALLS FUNNEL COOL AIR THROUGH THE SCHOOL. A BAMBOO SKELETON IS THEN CONSTRUCTED AND FRAMES MOST OF THE STRUCTURE. STAGGERED, ELEVATED PLATFORMS HOLD CLASSROOMS, EACH WITH ENCLOSED AND OPEN AIR LEARNING SPACES. THE PLAN EXPANDS OUTWARD TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THE SITE FOR RECREATION, WHICH INCLUDES A CRICKET COURT. BAMBOO ROOFING, VERTICAL WOODEN LOUVRES, AND LOCAL VEGITATION IS USED TO EFFECTIVELY SHADE THE COMPLEX, ENSURING A COMFORTABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT IS EASY TO BUILD AND EASY TO MAINTAIN.

Each classroom is accompanied by an outdoor lecture space

The school is entered by a raised platform that gradually decends into the recess yard The administrative offices are raised and adjacent to the classroom block

The classroom block is multi-level and contains a small garden

A partially covered recess area divides the plan and directs air circulation

The plan expands outward to a recreational cricket court The canteen and activity room house larger volumes of students

Floating docks project over the river to utilize evaporative cooling

THE CLASSROOM BLOCK CONTAINS SIX CLASSROOMS, EACH WITH AN ENCLOSED LEARNING SPACE, AND AN OPEN AIR COLLABORATION SPACE. THE SUM OF THESE CLASSROOMS CREATE A STAGGERED, SHADED SPACE THAT ALLOWS FOR INTERACTION BETWEEN CLASSES. THE PATH PROJECTS OVER THE LAKE OF DRAWS IN THE EFFECTS OF EVAPORATIVE COOLING. THE COMMUNAL AXIS LEADS UP TO THE SCHOOL AND OFFERS A LARGE COVERED ENTRY. AFTER IT INTERSECTS THE CIRCULATORY PATH IT STEPS DOWN TO GRADE WHERE IT BECOMES A PARTIALLY COVERED GATHERING SPACE. DIRECTLY ACCESSIBLE FROM THE CANTEEN, IT ACTS AS THE MAIN RECREATION AREA WITHIN THE COMPLEX, BECOMEING THE “MELTING POT” OF THE SCHOOL WHERE ALL OF THE LOCAL PROGRAMS ARE ABLE TO INTERRACT. BECAUSE OF THE PROBABILITY OF FLOODING IN THE RAIN SEASON, THE COMPLEX IS ENTIRELY RAISED ABOVE GRADE, EXCEPT FOR THIS RECREATION AREA WHICH, WHEN NECESSARY, MAY FLOOD AND BECOME A NEW FEATURE OF THE PLAN.

01 SITE ASSESMENT

03 PARTY WALL AXIS

02 SINGULAR MASS VS BROKEN COMPLEX

04 PRIVATE VS PUBLIC

PR IVA TE SH AR ED PU BLIC

[IN] THE THIRD PRINCIPLE OF MY DESIGN IS INSPIRATION. SIMPLY “SOLVING THE PROBLEM” PROVIDES LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO INSPIRE AND STIMULATE THE CREATIVE THINKING OF OTHERS. IN ORDER TO PROGRESS, ONE MUST NOT ONLY INFLUENCE OTHERS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY BE INFLUENCED. EXPLORING IDEOLOGIES, PRACTICES, AND UNIQUE DESIGN STRATEGIES EXPANDS THE BASIS FOR DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES AND WILL IN TURN RESULT IN PHENOMAL ARCHITECTURE.

ABROAD: URBAN OPERATIONS LOCATION: EUROPE / UNIVERSITA DI SIENA / PROF: ERSELA KRIPA HAVING BEEN SELECTED BY NJIT’S COAD SIENA STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM, I HAD THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND AN EIGHT WEEK DESIGN STUDIO LED BY ERSELA KRIPA IN EUROPE. THE PROGRAM FOCUSED ON EXPLORING AND COMPREHENDING THE HISTORY OF EUROPEAN CITIES AND HOW THE ARCHITECTURE ITSELF EVOLVED THE CITIES’ CULTURE. WE RESIDED PRIMARILY IN ROME AND SIENA AND TRAVELED TO FLORENCE, VENICE, TUSCANY, PARIS, BARCELONA, AND OTHER CITIES . THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM CONSISTED OF A DESIGN STUDIO, AN ANALYTICAL HISTORY COURSE, AND AN ADVANCED GRAPHICS COURSE. WE MAPPED HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY URBAN FABRICS AND CREATED COMPLEX DIAGRAMMATIC DRAWINGS TO UNDERSTAND THE CITIES’ CHANGES OVER TIME. AN EMPHASIS ON HAND PRODUCED MATERIAL EXPANDED OUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF REPRESENTATION AND CHALLENGED OUR MOST BASIC OF ARTISTIC SKILLS. THE FINAL PROJECT FOR THE STUDIO WAS A RENOVATION OF THE SIENSE HOSPITALTURNED-MUSEUM SANTA MARIA DELLA SCALA. WITH A GROWING COLLECTION OF RECEIVED ARTWORK AND ARTIFACTS, THE MUSEUM WAS IN NEED OF AN EXPANDED GALLERY THAT ENGAGES THE PUBLIC TO EXPERIENCE ALL THAT THE MUSEUM HAS TO OFFER. THE PROPOSED DESIGN RESPECTED THE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND SUBTLY MODIFIED THE HISTORICAL ARCHITECTURE TO OPEN UP THE MUSEUM AND CREATE A CIRCULATORY LOOP THAT GENTLY RESPONDS TO THE SITE’S TOPOGRAPHY.

An unused rear yard is redefined as an outdoor market that may expand west and become directly accessible by the road in the rear of the museum

The existing atrium in the Santa Maria Della Scala Museum is extended to include the circulatory pathway. A physical connection is made as the ceiling is removed to create a multi-height union of the two types of spaces

The rear wall defining the circulatory path is restructured to take the shape of a traditional loggia to allow seamless transition between the interior and newly created exterior spaces

The current main entry point is expanded to create a colonnade and accomodate more visitors into the museum

THE PRIMARY MEDIUM FOR THE PROGRAM WAS THROUGH SKETCHING AND FREE HAND DRAWING. WATERCOLORS, HOWEVER, BECAME A VIBRANT METHOD OF RECORDING THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL QUALITIES OF THE SPACES VISITED. A secondary entrance adjacent the Piazzeta della Selva is reimagined as an interior piazza with an open plan

An under-utilized passage way is reinvigorated with the contruction of a traditional loggia adjacent to it

MY SERIES OF WATERCOLORS WAS INSPIRED BY SURREALIST ARTWORK. AS I TRAVELED ACROSS EUROPE, I TYPICALLY FOUND MYSELF AT A LOSS OF WORDS; THE ARCHITECTURE AND SCENERY SEEMED DREAM-LIKE. THUS, SURREAL, MONOCHROMATIC RENDERINGS OF THESE STRUCTURES BECAME MY CONCEPT FOR RECORDING MY EXPERIENCES. I WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN THE USE OF NEGATIVE SPACE TO DEFINE AND ACCENT THE ARCHITECTURE. BEFORE OUR DEPARTURE BACK TO THE UNITED STATES, A PUBLIC EXHIBIT WAS HELD IN SIENA DISPLAYING OUR FINAL PROJECTS AND WATERCOS HELD IN THE SANTA MARIA DELLA SCALA AND WAS CRITIQUED BY LOCAL ARTISTS, ARCHITECTS, MUSEUM DIRECTORS, AND HISTORICAL PRESERVATION OFFICIALS.