M I C HA E L B L O I S portfolio
PROFESSIONAL WORK selected projects
138 St. Helens Avenue Quadrangle Architects. I joined the project team at the design development stage and took a leadership role, under the direction of an Associate, to move the project from schematic design through to construction.
The project originally began at RAW Design and it was inherited by Quadrangle as one of the partners rejoined the firm in 2013. The project is a dynamic mix of commercial and residential, located on a challenging site in the West end of Toronto. The design has a number of bold moves both in its massing and cladding materials. The developer is new to the city and is looking to make a bold statement and stand out from their competition. Within a small project team I was given latitude to set up the drawing package, coordinate all of the consultants and manage the internal team. In addition to the increased level of responsibility, the complexity of this project required me to go beyond the normal level of coordination and product research, that I had previously experienced. I worked closely with Engineered Assemblies, a Toronto based company specializing in cladding fabrication and installation, to develop details for the unique cladding pattern. This project stands out among the other work at the office, with its many unique details and mix of residential, commercial and public space. I am glad that I had the opportunity to be on the project team.
Exterior rendering and elevation study
2014
15 A655
14 A655
Canopy Section Detail Through Entrance Door A655
SCALE: 1:10
11 A655
SCALE: 1:50
Alcove Section Detail
10 A655
SCALE: 1:10
Entrance Canopy Parapet Detail
Section Detail Through Entrance Glazing
6 A655
SCALE: 1:10
3 A655
6 A655
7 A655
SCALE: 1:10
Canopy Section B
A655
SCALE: 1:50
SCALE: 1:2
3 A655
Recessed Light Fixture Detail SCALE: 1:2
West Canopy Elevation SCALE: 1:50
Recessed Light Fixture Detail SCALE: 1:2
West Canopy Elevation SCALE: 1:50
REV
2 A655
13 A655
7 A655
Section Detail
9 A655
SCALE: 1:10
Canopy Section B
15 A655
Section Detail
5 A655
SCALE: 1:10
Canopy Section Detail Through Entrance Door SCALE: 1:10
11 A655
North Canopy Elevation SCALE: 1:50
Entrance Canopy Parapet Detail SCALE: 1:10
SCALE: 1:50
3 A655
7 A655
Recessed Light Fixture Detail
Canopy Section B
3 A655
SCALE: 1:50
12 A655
6 A655
SCALE: 1:50
SCALE: 1:10
West Canopy Elevation SCALE: 1:50
SCALE: 1:2
2013
Canopy Reflected Ceiling Plan
ISS
SCALE: 1:50
REVISION RECORD
North Canopy Elevation
Reserved
Recessed Light Fixture Detail
SCALE: 1:2
2 A655
5 A655
Canopy Reflected Ceiling Plan SCALE: 1:50
14 A655
Alcove Section Detail SCALE: 1:10
8 A655
Reserved SCALE: 1:10
10 A655
Section Detail Through Entrance Glazing SCALE: 1:10
4 A655
Canopy Section A SCALE: 1:50
6 A655
West Canopy Elevation SCALE: 1:50
1 A655
Canopy Plan SCALE: 1:50
City Centre, Kitchener Quadrangle Architects. I joined the project team at the design development stage and I was in charge of the detailing and consultant coordination.
City Centre is a 17 storey condominium development located across the street from Kitchener’s City Hall. The building is comprised of a base of street-related units and a tower that meets the ground in the corner of the site. The tower is further defined by a fin element and a variety of cladding materials which helps the building relate to the finer grain of the surrounding context. This project originally began in 2006, but it was put on hold due to market conditions. The challenge in the design development and construction drawing stages was to maintain the original design intent while working with current standards and available products. Due to the variety of materials in the tower and podium, a robust set of details were required to describe all of the conditions where different materials joined. The entry canopy is an element that I was able to focus on from concept to detailing. This element was not clearly defined in the original design package, so the opportunity was left to me to design it. I find that condominium buildings generally lack consideration when it comes to the finer grain details or the elements that people interact with. So in the design and detailing of the canopy and entry vestibule, my aim was to add a higher level of detail in this public area of the building.
Canopy RCP and details
2013
Cannon Design Travel Grant After graduation I was awarded with this travel grant to continue my thesis research. The award included an exhibition and public presentation to discuss my research.
The Japanese Tea Ceremony was the subject of an essay in one of the books that I studied during my thesis year. The Tea Ceremony is a sensory experience that also has a strong connection to Japanese culture. During my trip to Japan I visited a number of Tea Gardens to study how architecture contributes to the experience of the Tea Ceremony. I visited traditional and contemporary examples to try to understand how the traditional ideas and customs of this building type are used today. The exhibition featured large prints of my photographs along with pages from my sketchbook that I carried on the trip.
Photographs displayed in the exhibition
dodge cars, rickshaws, people duck your head remove your shoes step up kneel
2012
Urban Tea House
on site: 26 Dirt The Building Envelope. On Site review magazine, Fall 2011, pages 54 - 55. In addition to contributing an article, I co-hosted the launch party and presented my article to the guests.
My Thesis project was published in the 26th issue of On Site magazine. The theme of this issue, Dirt, refers to matter that society discards or tries to prevent from entering our buildings. The opening essay of the magazine asked if this matter does have a place in our built environment and what its integration would mean for our daily lives. In my contribution, I presented the layered facade system that I developed in my thesis project. This screen offers a gradual separation between inside and outside and uses dirt as a component of the facade. Organizing the launch party involved securing sponsors, promotion, set up, and coordinating the presentations. We had a great turn out and positive feedback about the event.
Magazine article spread and gallery display
2011
Library and Art Gallery Competition Kongats Architects. As a member of the small project team I developed architectural concepts; program configuration options and I worked on the final presentation package.
The Oskar Luts Library and Art Gallery competition was seeking a proposal for a complex site within the historic city of Tartu, Estonia. The building will serve as an expansion to the existing library as well as provide a new home for the art gallery’s growing collection. Strict guidelines and zoning restrictions coupled with ambitious program requirements made it necessary to build to the maximum zoning envelope; This included a peaked roof. In order to make the best use of the unique space created by the peaked roof both institutions share the top floor. The final scheme is light and open to allow views to the existing building behind and to create a strong connection with the surrounding park area. The project was submitted and the office is awaiting the results.
A view of the third floor library space and main stair
2011
Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery Kongats Architects. As a member of the small project team I assisted with contract administration and some design changes that came late in the project.
I joined the project team during the construction phase of the project. While the historic facade was being restored I was asked to refine the exterior wall assembly. There was some concern about how the facade would perform with a new building behind it. After consulting a number of reliable publications and individuals who had experience with the issue, I prepared a brief report and set of details that were used to correctly insulate the exterior wall and prevent damage to the existing masonry. I also worked on the exterior signage. The historical board requested that the original pitched roof at the corner of be building be restored; but unfortunately is was beyond repair. We decided to use the gallery’s name to form the point instead. As a result, the bold letters on the gallery became its most identifiable feature.
A view of the completed building . And the lobby (right)
2011
District Energy Center Kongats Architects. As a member of the project team I worked on the working drawing set, met with consultants and product representatives, and prepared presentation images for client review.
The District Energy Center is a retrofit of an existing Foundry building in the West Don Lands neighbourhood of Downtown Toronto. The building will function as a district energy plant for the surrounding development. In collaboration with Toronto artist Andy Patton, we developed an interior light wall that wraps two sides of the building. The light wall changes colour and suggests the building’s function without actually displaying the machinery itself. Park space wraps the building on three sides and the light wall serves as a public art piece within the park.
The Foundry 23 2010.12.21
The building as seen from the underpass park
2010
The Foundry 24 2010.12.21
Louver Facade Working Drawing Set Paul Raff Studio. This project was my first professional working drawing set. As a member of the team I was responsible for schedules, organizing the set and developing some of the components. I was also working on the project in its design development stage.
This complex and innovative project is a later addition to the original Blue Point housing development in Phuket, Thailand. This drawing set dealt with the facade system which consisted of a series of privacy louvers that twist over their length. This project was a great challenge and I learned a great deal in the process. The images include some of my work and the marketing images, that serve to explain the overall proposal.
Cover image for the drawing set, depicting the louver facade
2008
950 mm 950 mm 5700 mm
950 mm 950 mm 950 mm
3700 mm
950 mm
450 mm (max)
LOWER STEEL CABLE
FABRIC SLEEVE CONNECTION STEEL CABLE ANCHORED TO CONCRETE
FABRIC PANEL CLIPPED TO STEEL CABLE
TCH
STRE
STRETCHED FABRIC PANEL (SQUARE) UPPER STEEL CABLE FIXED GROMMET CONNECTION
SUSPENDED BRASS BALL
Residential Shading System Paul Raff Studio. With direction from an associate at the firm, I was the only person working on this project. The shading system was developed for an existing villa in Thailand.
The project was carried out for the developer of the previous project. His house was overheated by intense solar gain on the facade facing the pool. To mitigate this problem we proposed an expressive tensile shading structure . Steel cables span between two concrete walls and create a grid for the fabric shades. The shades are perforated and begin to pull open as they move further from the facade. This allows more light to fall onto the pool and allows the interior of the villa to remain shaded.
Axonometric drawing of the shading system
2008
tuitive and subliminal response to “Leap Frog.” The main devices used are speed and repetition with slight variation. Similar to a jazz performance, each composition is the recording of the live action on the computer screen. To supplement the intuitive and subliminal responses seen in the initial takes, the underlying structure of “Leap Frog” is extensively analysed. The analysis precisely identifies key improvisational events in the music. Subsequent takes consciously and precisely link the improvisational structure of the music to the events of the visual compositions, building on the knowledge gained from the previous intuitive takes.
Opposite: top, left to right: Figure 5-3. Chromatic Encoding - Schema A, Take 4; Figure 5-4. Chromatic Encoding - Stage 4, Take 30. Bottom, left to right: Figure 5-5. Chromatic Encoding - Stage 9, Take 4; Figure 5-6. Chromatic Encoding - Stage 9, Take 10. Images courtesy of the author..
In The Place of Sound Ripley, C; Polo, M; Wrigglesworth, A. (Eds.) An edited book that I worked on for a research assistantship at Ryerson University. The book is a collection of essays submitted for a conference at the University, during the previous year.
My role in this project included, organizing and formatting the contributor’s essays; laying out the graphic content of the book; formatting for APA style. In addition to learning a great deal from the content of the book, the process itself was a learning experience full of challenges opportunities to develop my skills.
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Bennett Neiman
A period of practice precedes an established direction. There is a negotiation between individual moves in the drawing, and the reconciliation of figures relative to other elements and the extension line network. It is a search for a logical arrangement and articulation of objects defining spatial structures within the musical structure. The underlying extension-line network is played as a series of chromatic encodings that take multiple trajectories. Selected elements and regions are filled with different colours. Each colour type (red, blue, black, and grey) represents subliminal systems, sometimes metaphoric, other times structural. These studies have a sense of depth because of the strength of line weights and different densities of colour and shade. Complex relationships are read among individual elements representing reciprocal notions of plan and section. The chromatic encoding process does not follow a strict recipe or formula. It is an exploratory search to define primary, secondary and tertiary precincts within the given underlying order. The studies test orientation constants and variables. There are numerous experiments produced, moving from the original source vehicle to the base extension line drawings to the chromatic encodings. Bebop Spaces is an attempt to represent the tonality of a poetic design process as actions instead of words. To the designer, these actions are liberating and exhilarating, as the pressure to make quick, on the spot decisions is accomplished. Through illusory animation and time compression, the compositions represent what is occurring in the mind of the designer as the works are created. Initial takes are mostly an intuitive and subliminal response to “Leap Frog.” The main devices used are speed and repetition with slight variation. Similar to a jazz performance, each composition is the recording of the live action on the computer screen. To supplement the intuitive and subliminal responses seen in the initial takes, the underlying structure of “Leap Frog” is extensively analysed. The analysis precisely identifies key improvisational events in the music. Subsequent takes consciously and precisely link the improvisational structure of the music to the events of the visual compositions, building on the knowledge gained from the previous intuitive takes.
Opposite: top, left to right: Figure 5-3. Chromatic Encoding - Schema A, Take 4; Figure 5-4. Chromatic Encoding - Stage 4, Take 30. Bottom, left to right: Figure 5-5. Chromatic Encoding - Stage 9, Take 4; Figure 5-6. Chromatic Encoding - Stage 9, Take 10. Images courtesy of the author..
Example page from the book. Essay by Neiman, B.
2008
Bebop Spaces: Master Take
65
66
Bennett Neiman
After working on four or five of these improvisations in a row, previous key moves and patterns start to repeat themselves instinctively as variations within the structure. These improvisations are performed in as many takes as necessary until a satisfactory level of ordering is established. Each drawing performance happens in the moment, but at the same time it is based on prior study and thought. Bebop spaces is an architectural design performance. When the viewer begins to read it, improvisation occurs. This is because there are infinite interpretations. It is not just the recording itself that is improvised, but also the act of reading. The viewer, as a participant, begins to improvise as much as the performer. Similar to a masterpiece jazz improvisation, the viewer must experience the composition to appreciate it. It is a conversation or an argument.
Reference List Coker, J. (1978). Listening to Jazz. Englewood Cliffs, NJ. : Prentice-Hal Inc. Granz, N. and Patrick, J. (1997). Liner Notes from Verve’s Master Edition of Bird and Diz. Polygram Records. (Catalog Number: 521436, ASIN: B0000047D3). Neiman, B. (2006). Bebop Spaces. Proceedings of the ACSA Annual Meeting. Salt Lake City, UT. Parker, C. (1950). Leap Frog. [Recorded by Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Thelonious Monk (piano), Curly Russell (bass), Buddy Rich (drums)]. On Bird and Diz. [Medium of Recording: record] New York, N.Y.: Verve Records. Pearson, C. Le Corbusier and the Acoustical Trope: An Investigation of Its Origins.The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 56, No. 2. (Jun., 1997), pp. 168-183.
Opposite: Figure 5-7. Chromatic Encoding - Stage 9, Take 10. Image courtesy of the author.
Bebop Spaces: Master Take
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Coffee Town RVTR Architects. “Coffee Town” is a master plan proposal for a community development in China. The plan created high density housing which allowed much of the site to be freed up for community functions and open space.
My role in this project included, researching about the site, the context, the culture; developing a clear understanding of the climatic conditions; producing presentation drawings and diagrams; assisting with the presentation video. The images represent some of the things that I worked on. The large image is a hand sketch by Geoff Thun, that I developed and rendered. BANDING
BOULEVARD IS ORGANIZED TO ACCESS A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF LANDSCAPES AND ACTIVITES AS ONE MOVES ALONG ITS LENGTH
CONNECTION
EVENTS
PLACES FOR LARGE GATHERINGS , SPORTS, AND FAMILY ACTIVITES THE BRIDGE AND ADJACENT PLAZAS BECOME A MAJOR EVENT SPACE
ACCESS
COFFEETOWN
/
CONCEPT DIAGRAMS AUGUST 9, 2007 RVTR
Axonometric of a portion of the master plan
2007
THE EDGE OF THE BOULEVARD PROVIDES A THRESHOLD AND UNIQUE IDENTITY TO EACH ADJACENT COURTYARD.
THE REQUIREMENT FOR EMERGENCY AND SERVICE ACCESS IS ACCOMODATED WITHIN THE PAVED BOULEVARD WIDTH.
MODEL AND FURNITURE MAKING selected projects
Study Models When I design, I think with my hands and I experiment with materials, tools and techniques. This hands-on, messy approach informs all of my work.
Many things have been written about the value of model making and sketching alike. I believe that one can tell by looking at a work of architecture or industrial design if model making or some type of physical experimentation was a critical part of the design process. Forms become simplified, refined and shaped by intuition. Unnecessary parts and inconsistencies are found and eliminated during the process. Building a model, much like the process of sketching a scene, forces one to pause and focus on each corner, relationship and change in light. I bring this approach to each project and what I have seen is that a model has the power to engage the project team, the client and the public.
Study models from Ryerson, Kongats Architects and Quadrangle Architects
2010 to 2013
Ammunition Box - Media Stand 3/4” Furniture grade walnut with clear coat finish; 1/2” furniture grade poplar with high gloss paint finish; 3/4” square section stainless steel tube; drawer hardware
This furniture project began with a search for a media stand. I was looking for a simple stand to house a speaker and a cable box, with storage for movies and peripherals. Although I found a number of stands that met the functional requirements, they were not well designed. I began designing this stand soon after returning from a trip to Japan. I was inspired by the joinery and attention to detail in Japanese architecture and furniture making. I was also struck by the strength and simplicity of the box joint that was traditionally used to make ammunition boxes, and these two influences came together in this project. I worked with the dimensions of the devices and modeled the overall size based on the width of a 42” wide screen television. In addition to meeting the functional requirements, proportion became an important component of the design. The stand’s width is twice its height; the width of the stainless steel frame matches the thickness of the walnut; and the shelves and drawer are constructed out of a thinner 1/2” material to set up a hierarchy in the piece. I learned a tremendous amount about furniture making and this experience has made a positive impact on how I approach detailing.
Photograph of the finished media stand 2012
Side Table 3/4� Particle board with high-quality walnut veneer and 1/4� wood dowels
While reading the Saturday paper on the couch, I leaned over to put my coffee down and realized that I had no place to put it aside from the floor. That is when I put down the paper and picked up my sketchbook. In addition to a table surface I also required storage for my growing magazine collection. The base of the table is angled to make it easier to read the spine of a magazine from a standing position. This simple design move is what defines the project.
Photograph of the finished side table 2013
ACADEMIC WORK graduate and undergraduate
Laurentian School of Architecture Formerly known as the Northern Ontario School of Architecture (NOSOA). International Ideas Competition. Third Prize. The team consisted of Sean MacLean, Jason Fung and myself.
Our concept is simple; a school of architecture that prepares its students to practice in Northern Canada should be housed in a building that reflects the conditions and culture of that place. We see this as a layered approach in which a number of ideas, strategies and gestures unfold in the overall design of the building. These layers include: addressing climatic issues, highlighting a hands-on approach, a palette of local materials, gathering and community, capturing the spirit of the place, and conveying the experience of a northern landscape. The building works on all of these fronts to inspire its students and engage the community. We envision a new master plan for the three blocks surrounding the OHL arena in the city’s south end. A plan that includes a new transit hub, market and student housing, artists’ studios, retail space, open space and of course Sudbury’s new School of Architecture. Situated on the block adjacent to the arena, the NOSOA building is based on a clear and straightforward diagram. A southern and a northern mass are connected by an outdoor courtyard and a subterranean link. The southern mass is groundrelated and connected to the landscape at two levels. The northern volume emerges from the landscape and is organized around an atrium and trombe wall that shields the interior from harsh summer sun. This space acts as a solar chimney, heating up in the summer time, drawing air through the building and out of the top of the atrium. In the winter, this atrium/trombe wall combination serves to collect and store energy from the low winter sun, and radiates it back into the building throughout the night. This building strives to be a strong model and learning tool for its students and the community as a whole.
View of the south facade and the outdoor community event space
2009
Corporeal Architecture M.Arch Thesis 2010. Titled, Corporeal Architecture: A material response to sensorial experience. This project examines the connections between the senses in our experience of architectural space.
Mesh facade that changes through the seasons
My project began with an interest in sensory experience and the means by which the body engages in architecture. Numerous threads were explored- studying the work of Aalto, Scarpa, Holl, Zumthor and the writing of Pallasmaa; examining the work of artists like David Rokeby and Michael Awad; research about perception and sensation, through Deleuze, J.J. Gibson, Frampton, Frascari‌ And through personal experience: documenting sites in the city through different seasons, visiting the American Folk Art Museum (and others) in New York. The project developed into a critique of the critique, referring to the ocularcentric critique. This critique argues that vision has been the focus of architects and designers at the exclusion of the other senses. This critique is a point of departure for my work, which seeks to add a new layer—through a study of the links between the senses (intersensorality) as they occur in the experience of architecture. I have identified a number of key moments in architectural experience that highlight these links and provide a venue for experimentation (moments when a number of the senses are at play). Together with a number of threads and supporting ideas, the design portion of the project tests materials, forms and conditions in order to bring the links between the senses into focus. This design research is contained within my proposed, small addition to an existing branch Library on Queen Street West. One of the greatest challenges of the project was to convey the sensory connections through traditional means of architectural communication. The renderings attempt to position the viewer in the experience, and the line drawings communicate the engagement with the body and the materiality of the space. 2010
screen
glazing
mesh-ice/ mist facade
columns
5m stair
Opposite Right: Stair series- in different times of day. Top Right: Longitudinal Section through existing library and addition. Bottom: Transverse Section.
A Post-Carbon Don Mills Fall M.Arch Studio. “Post Carbon Studio”. The Project was later included in “Carrot City” Exhibition and was selected to represent Ryerson in the CASA National Portfolio Competition (among three other projects).
View of LRT platform, looking toward Downtown. Allotment gardens below
2008
This proposal is located north of Downtown Toronto, on a decommissioned rail corridor in Don Mills. With the mandate of transitioning the community to a Post Carbon future, this project acts on both a regional and a local scale. Through the integration of leisure and community spaces, transportation systems and urban agriculture, this corridor provides the necessary infrastructure for change. In addition to its more tangible goals, this project seeks to inspire and provide the residents of Don Mills with a positive vision of their future in a Post Carbon world. Moving beyond traditional urban farming, this proposal integrates multiple uses to create an urban condition along the corridor. Parallel to the gardens, transportation and service infrastructure have been introduced to increase connectivity within the community and the city. The allotment gardens themselves are conceived as an extension of one’s backyard, or to provide outdoor growing space to those living in apartment buildings. Owned by a regulating body, the gardens can be purchased or rented with their yield being used to feed one’s family or to be sold at a local farmer’s market. Owners/ Renters may also choose to hire Spin Farmers to tend to their garden. This project focuses on the points of intersection between the corridor and the major streets, specifically the intersection at Lawrence Avenue. At this point, one can access an elevated bicycle/small vehicle roadway, a rail-based transit network and a local road serving the allotment gardens. These systems are thoughtfully integrated into the linear park and the existing suburban fabric in order to foster social interactions and spontaneous events. On a community scale, it is important that we begin to operate in a smaller circle for our day-to-day needs and take more responsibility for what we consume. By providing local food sources, the residents of Don Mills will be given an alternative to the grocery store and the opportunity to be more self-sufficient. What we need now is a positive vision of how we can transition ourselves away from our current, and climate-changing way of life. It is up to Architects and designers to communicate this holistic, and positive vision of the future to both the average person and to the expert.
HELIX STRUCTURE
1M BY 1M GRID STRUCTURE 1M BY 1M PANELS CANOPY
MODULAR RAIL
PRODUCTIVE GARDEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Top Left: Exploded axonometric of the elevated transportation system. Top Right: The bicycle path level of the transportation system. Opposite Left: Future interchange points and the extension of the route above existing rail lines. Opposite Right: The immediate area in Don Mills. Bottom: The layered masterplan , with the bridging structure.
Regent Park: Urban Housing Intervention Winter M.Arch Studio. “Studio in Collaborative Practice�. For this project, we worked with the Architectural Firm and their master plan of Regent Park to develop a proposal for one block. The project began as group work, and then we continued on with an individual design project.
Located in the North West corner of the Phase 3 redevelopment at Regent Park, this 60-unit residential building combines both market and Rent-Geared-to-Income unit types. Within the prescriptive guidelines of the master plan, this project experiments with experiential and sculptural architectural qualities. These research interests came about, in part, as a counter point to the existing conditions as well as preconceptions about the role of public housing in an urban context. Further experimentation with unit types and building configuration resulted in a central atrium space that allowed light to enter the back of the unit. Traditionally, a double-loaded corridor scenario allows a limited amount of light into a given unit. Bedrooms and living spaces occupy the most valuable real estate, along the perimeter of the building, and the kitchens dens etc. are relegated to an artificially lit corner of the floor plate. In this proposal, 2-level units are introduced with the stair located toward the back of the unit. The stair itself is pivoted to create a deformation in the wall and an opening between the wall and the ceiling. This opening brings natural light into both levels, at the back of the unit. An operable window with a closer, is used to facilitate cross-ventilation within the unit. The exterior of the building responds to the expanded gathering space in the center by bulging outward. This sculptural form is realized through a corbelling-brick rain screen system. The craftsmanship and care present in this building pay homage to the historical nature of the building material. Sectional Model, looking into the cavernous atrium space
2009
TYPICAL PARAPET CONDITION AT 6th FLOOR
Bands of brick-width determined by multiple of bricks-with no cuts
BRICK AND GLASS BANDS EXTEND TO MAKE BALCONY GUARD
CONCRETE TILES REST ON 4-WAY STANDS AT CORNERS
BRICK TIES SERVE TO FINE TUNE CURVE IN BRICK WALL
CANTED STEEL STUD WALL
Upper level of typical unit
FOURTH FLOOR
EXTERIOR ASSEMBLY
RAIN SCREEN BRICK FACADE RIGID INSULATION BANDS OF GLAZING SHEATHING CANTED STEEL STUD WALL WITH BATT INSULATION DRY WALL FINISH OPERABLE SKYLIGHT STAIR DRY WALL FINISH EXTRUDED (CURVED) STEEL STUD SOUND ATTENUATION BATT-BETWEEN STUDS STRAPPING PERFORATED WOOD PANELING DOOR
TYPICAL 2 LEVEL UNIT-POLISHED CONCRETE
INTERIOR ASSEMBLY
Yedikule Collaborative Workshop Spring M.Arch Studio Abroad. The M.Arch class traveled to Istanbul, Turkey for this studio abroad. While there, we collaborated with architecture students from the Istanbul Technical University (ITU). The group for this project included Sean MacLean and myself with ITU students, Esra and K端bra.
Proposed master plan for decommissioned rail yards south of the settlement
2009
This collaborative project brought the teams to a settlement in Istanbul that has a great deal to offer the city and its visitors, but has remained isolated because of high rates of crime and accessibility issues. Our task was to imagine an intervention or a master plan that could revitalize this settlement and make its historical landmarks accessible to the city. These landmarks include a 15th century castle, a Basilica, the old city wall, and a rare (for Istanbul) group of 19th century industrial buildings. Our team identified the following issues to address: a lack of connection due to the large rail yards, a lack of public space, the need to highlight the historical landmarks, and a lack of socioeconomic diversity. To address these issues we proposed a master plan for the rail yards which will become obsolete when the planned subway line is built. A subway stop is proposed for this settlement and we set out to design the stop and the development that will take place at grade once the excavation for the subway is complete. Our strategy was to study the existing city fabric and use its qualities, patterns and scale to inform the master plan. Much like this part of the city was expanding, organically. The resulting blocks contained market housing, retail and restaurants and the much needed public space. The industrial buildings were reimagined a cultural centers, containing galleries small scale schools and a local library. The old city wall was integrated with a public boardwalk. In order to add density and commercial opportunities to this site, while still highlighting the historical buildings, the area around the industrial buildings was imagined as a series of earth-berm buildings. These sunken buildings appear as a part of the landscape and allow the industrial buildings to remain as the dominant objects. An additional layer of the project was the design of the subway stop. We imagined the stop as a distinctive landmark, but one that remained low to the ground to maintain visibility of the landmarks. A series of light-wells emerge from the ground and bring light onto the platform levels. At the conclusion of this 3-day charrette, the project was very well received by our hosts and peers alike.
Opposite Top: Transverse site section through subway station. Top Left: Conceptual rendering of subway entrance. Top Right: Conceptual model of subway and bus platforms. Bottom: Longitudinal section through subway platform.
Ward’s Island Artist’s Retreat An example of a third year, undergraduate project. A 4 week studio project that involved large scale model building and traditional presentation techniques. This project continues to be used by the school for displays and exhibits.
Working with that basic form, I then added a group of modules together, creating a linear space to house the program. This creates an emphasis on the spatial sequence and forced me to analyze their relationships carefully. This creates a more efficient and clean plan. Pictured right is an early model of the building. The building opens up to a powerful, south facing view and begins to show the potential for an expressive building.
Line drawing of the building’s expressive lake-front facade
2006
This project was conceived as a response to a growing need for affordable studio space for artists within the city. Expanding the existing Artscape compound, this building would provide an inspiring retreat and facilitate a connection to nature through the greenhouse and urban farm. Within the sandy, windswept site, there were several contextual conditions to be addressed: First, a logical and linear relation to the existing facility, a pier that creates an axis on the site and the traditional architecture of the Island. Reducing the island cottage to its originating type, facilitated a connection while making a clear architectural statement. The dining hall is bound to this form from the greenhouse, through to the lounge - break for green space - through to the kitchen and expressively peels open to reveal a view to the lake. Thin slits of glazing along the length of the building are intended only to provide natural light, privileging the view in the dining space. In creating this inward focus it was intended that resident artists would reflect upon their work and the refined details within the simplistic form. The only exception is the dining experience. I believe that this is a time for one to share with others and escape from one’s work. Within a space that has an outward focus, one may feel more comfortable sharing stories and experiences with others; In addition, the swell and retreat of the lake calms and captivates like the dancing flames of a camp fire. Developing the building’s details resulted in a tension between heavy and light, the traditional and contemporary. Anchoring the light structure to the site was accomplished by sitting it on a massive foundation wall that extends far above the ground line. For the overall structure, I studied traditional barn building and wood construction techniques. Once I understood them, I proposed several details to highlight the load bearing and joining elements and replace them with contemporary materials, such as laminated glass and stainless steel.