Matthew Efteland Architecture Portfolio

architecture portfolio

matthew efteland

meefteland@gmail.com

soledad public plaza project site section, ink on mylar contents

public safety and justice center project design for government client

architecture of invitation

master’s final project, University of Minnesota

soaring to new heights

Ralph Rapson traveling study competition entry

edina transportation center built project for public school district

saint john’s abbey church rendering and visualization

orphanage nursery re-design design / build volunteer project

sendai mediatheque

structural analysis model

floor, wall, roof model as design tool

lake shore cabin

site conscious design

public safety and justice center

completed design for government sector client description

The proposed design consolidates all major county functions into a single state of the art facility: Courts, County Attorney, Victim Witness, Probation, Law Enforcement, 911 Dispatch, and Corrections. This project was the result of a relationship built through a previous facility study and pre-design. The final proposal is a 70,000 square foot, $40 million building on a 9 acre greenfield site. This project is currently awaiting bidding. These renders were produced with Enscape and Revit by various team members under my direct supervision.

skills / tasks

• led design of building layout, exterior and interiors from initial concept through schematics

• managed team of architectural staff in producing diagrams, renders and construction documents

• fostered established relationship with client and consultants from pre-design studies through construction documents phase

• guided the production of renders through initial sketches, design meetings, and markups of progress renders

architecture of invitation

master’s final project description

As my final project for my Master’s in Architecture from the University of Minnesota, I imagined a major design intervention for Sojourn Campus Church, just a few blocks away from Rapson Hall. The goal was to transform the existing simple rectilinear structure into something far more dynamic and inviting. I achieved this by adding a large addition composed of interlocking wedge shaped roofs that extend out over the surrounding site, creating shelter and inviting passerby to look inside and engage in the activity going on in this new space. The addition includes a new worship space under a translucent skylight roof, a prayer chapel, a coffee shop, spacious lobby, library and exhibition spaces, and new administrative and children’s ministry wings. The existing building is converted into a fellowship hall and campus ministry spaces.

skills / tasks

• explored design possibilities through sketching, collage, modeling, and stop motion video

• adapted design in response to feedback in various contexts throughout my workflow, gaining insight through regular desk crits and periodic pin ups

• presented my work to a jury of industry professionals for mid-semester and final reviews

exterior aerial perspective of building in context

section through the link with elevation of prayer chapel beyond

section through library and exhibit space with courtyard beyond

soaring to new heights

Ralph Rapson traveling study competition entry

description

My entry to the 2023 Ralph Rapson traveling study competition was a response to the question: how could an aging elementary school in the Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul be re imagined as a community hub and resource? My design proposal includes a 3-story school building with butterfly roof positioned between athletic fields and a community garden to the West and a playground and nature park to the East. The ground floor of the school is comprised of multi-use spaces that could also serve as community resources: the gymnasium, cafeteria, auditorium, and art and science classrooms, as well as administrative offices and flexible working spaces for community partners. The cafeteria kitchen has an adjoining greenhouse, with direct access the to community garden and wood-fired outdoor oven - ideal for community events, shared food resources or a restaurant business incubator. The building design is organized around a central atrium filled with abundant light that draws visitors in. Classroom wings have north or south facing windows with appropriate overhangs to limit solar heat gain in summer.

skills / tasks

• participated in a respected local design competition

• iterated my design through hand-drawn sketches and study models (many in a very short period of time)

• imagined an innovative and unique design solution

edina transportation center

completed and constructed design for ISD #273

description

This built project is a new storage and maintenance facility for the district’s school bus fleet, including administrative offices and a multipurpose training and break room for drivers. This all-inclusive facility provided state-of-the art maintenance shop to service all of the district’s vehicles, heated and unheated storage bays, and an expandable design to allow for future additions should the fleet grow.

skills / tasks

• produced renders, diagrams and construction documents

• designed custom flooring pattern for administration wing

• led design of building exterior with special emphasis on administration wing

• unified material and color scheme across entire building

saint john’s abbey church

computer rendering and visualization description

This is the first in a series of buildings designed by Marcel Breuer for a master plan to expand St. John’s campus to twice its size. The innovative design demonstrates the flexibility of cast concrete to take on virtually any shape and texture. Breuer’s mastery of light and shadow make this space stunning to behold. I created a set of 3d visualizations both still and animated to represent the real life space as accurately as possible.

skills / tasks

• researched building design and construction

• utilized skills with Auto CAD and 3ds Max to assemble a complex computer model

• created customized textures and lighting sources

• simulated stained glass texture using Adobe Illustrator

• produced series of high resolution images

• rendered series of video walkthroughs and edited final presentation in Adobe Premier (scan qr code below)

baptismal view from balcony stained glass window

orphanage nursery re-design

design / build volunteer project

description

Foundation For His Ministry (FFHM) is a well established organization with several orphanages throughout Mexico.

Hogar Para Ninos in Vicente Guerrero is their oldest and largest home for children. I had the opportunity to visit and volunteer there on multiple occasions before being asked to update their nursery (cuna) to better meet the needs of the children and their caretakers.

skills / tasks

• site analysis and documentation

• interviews with owner and users

• consultation with engineer and contractor

• sketching and diagraming (iterative process)

• presentation of design proposal to founder and staff

• adaptation of design in response to feedback

• production of construction documents

• job site supervision of demolition and framing

• installation of custom skylight flashing

• inspections and interviews post-occupancy

• great reviews and follow up work from client

central courtyard nursery dedication covered play area orphanage site plan

chalkboard paint name placard

“is this my room!?”

new kitchen children’s bathroom old nursery plan

sendai mediatheque

structural analysis model description

This scale model of the Mediatheque of Sendai, Japan by Architect Toyo Ito was intended as a study of a unique structural system in an existing structure. I was drawn to this particular building because of its revolutionary design and structural system: A thin lightweight steel honeycomb floor structure is supported by a series of angled interlocking steel tubes that make up hollow “seaweed columns” that weave their way through the building’s seven levels. These artistic structural elements are prominently displayed through the all-glass curtain wall system surrounding the mediatheque. For the model, horizontal floor and ceiling components were laser cut and hand assembled. Columns were cut at precise lengths and angles and assembled by hand.

skills / tasks

• researched building design and structure

• analyzed and interpreted construction drawings

• created scaled digital drawings in Auto CAD for laser cutting

• calculated length and angle of each structural member using diagrams and tables

• assembled components in specific order to achieve necessary fit and stability

• presented work verbally and visually including additional graphics and explanation

rooftop lattice section cut through three floors

double glazed south facade floor detail view through east facade

floor, wall, roof model as design tool description

This design project focused on the ability to perceive spatial relationships and proportion intuitively. A set of pre-dimensioned shapes of three distinct materials were used to define a series of programmed spaces: an eating space, a sleeping space, and a space for reflection. Rather than being concerned with the practical requirements of a typical structure, this project emphasized the space-defining properties of the basic structural elements of floor, wall, and roof.

skills / tasks

• modeled mock-ups in clay and cardboard

• responded to critique from peers and professors

• envisioned design elements at full scale

• proportioned spaces appropriate to human scale

• incorporated balance and flow into design

• executed presentation model with high level of craftsmanship

bird’s eye view

view of reflection space view of eating space from south overhead view

lake shore cabin

site conscious design description

This senior architecture studio project involved a thorough site study and incorporated passive solar and other environment-conscious design elements. The final cabin has two inhabitable levels, as well as an observation/stargazing tower. The cabin features two bedrooms, two and a half baths, as well as a loft with sleeping space for six.

skills / tasks

• conducted thorough site survey

• determined appropriate building location and orientation to maximize views and passive solar heating

• incorporated site plant and mineral color palate into exterior finishes

• studied heavy timber framing and cabin design

• allowed structural system to inform design

• produced final model including context

Section AA

second level floor plan south elevation photoshop drawing

matthew efteland

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