Portfolio by Melanie Wolfe

Melanie Arthur Portfolio of Recent Works 10412 Nieman Rd. Overland Park, KS 66214 (913)-617-5120 jayhawkmel@gmail.com

Kansas Energy Center Professor Bill Carswell Spring 2012

Chicago Lyric Opera House Professor Stephen Grabow Winter 2011

Creation of a Working Environment Professors Nils Gore & Nick Nepveax Winter 2010

Mixed Media

Independent Works Collection Over Time

PAGE

30 3

Kansas Energy Center Professor Bill Carswell Spring 2012

001

ocated in Wichita, Kansas are three agencies with a common business: oil. These agencies are the Kansas Geological Society, the Kansas Geological Survey, and the Kansas Corporation Commission. They are all currently located in separate facilities but would like to unite under one roof for the convenience of their shared clients. The goal of this studio project is to design a facility for these agencies that allows them to communicate and share information, yet also maintain their individual privacy from one another. A major factor driving this project is that the geological core sample library maintained by the Kansas Geological Survey is running out of space, so this new facility will include a large warehouse to to accommodate this issue. Finally, the clients would like the new facility to serve an educational role, so community areas and space for seminars will also be included within the program. As a comprehensive studio project, the goal of this design is to be all inclusive with the design, including technical integration.

Understanding the Program: Prior to design, the needs of the clients were taken into consideration. The clients were visited, interviewed, and surveyed about their needs. They were asked questions regarding their current work environment and their ideal future working environment. The information was gathered and arranged, taking several iterations before settling upon a ďŹ nal theme.

Adjacencies Diagram: KCC Reception Desk Reception Area

Print/Fax/Scan Center Table Seating Small Conference Area Library and Filing Area

Iterative Production:

Open Work Area Secure Storage Mechanical Room

KGSoc Entry Vestibule Reception Desk Reception Area

Customer Parking

Table Seating

Modular Conference

Individual Work Areas

Hearing & Conference Area

Log File Cabinets

Kitchen/Break Area

Courier Parking Area Truck Loading Dock

Restrooms Men 8 Capacity Small Conference Area Open Work Area Work Room Duplication & Mail Center

Restrooms Women 8 Capacity Computer/Phone Hub Room Monitor Room

Warehouse Storage Mechanical Room Exhibits

KGSurv Geo KS Info Center Mechanical Room

Requirements Given: North or northwest entry Three separate entities Public to private progression Community spaces Natural light & windows

Parti: Entry into a central common core branching out into three entities.

Final Scheme:

Reception Desk Reception Area Energy Research Center

KGSo KCC

Com

KGSu

Open Workstation Secure Storage Storage Map and Public Inventory Print/Fax/Scan Center

Warehouse

Forklift, Mowers, Tool Storage Sample Processing Area Warehouse Storage

First Floor Plan

Main Entry

Office & Small Conference

Small Work Conference Room

Office

Commons

Exhibit

Break Room

Loading Dock W

Open Work Areas

Tools

Inventory Secure Storage

Log File Library W

Storage

Drop Off Processing

Work Room

Hearing Room Individual Study Areas Table Seating

Research Room

Reception

Duplication & Mailing Center

Paper & Supply Storage

Info Center

Reception

Elev.

Warehouse Storage

Impromptu Auditorium

Employee Commons Monitor Room

Employee Patio

Small Conference Office

Office & Small Conference Office

Office

Reception Mechanical

Office

Open Work Areas

Table Seating

Comp./ Phone Hub Room

Office

Educational Geology Walk

KS Geological Survey

KS Corporation Commission

KS KS Geological Geological Societ Survey

Commons

Mechanical

FT.

0 5 10

Site Plan

Second Floor Plan

Society Secure Storage

Society Extended Log File Library

Access Road

13th Street

KCC Secure Storage

alcony Lounge

Elev.

Greenwich Small Conference

Modular Conference Room

Office

Greenwich

CC File Library

Office

Employee Patio

FT.

0 5 10

Employee Patio

FT. N

0 5 10

FT.

Site Plan Site Plan

South Elevation

0 5 10

Design Goals:

Natural Light and Ventilation

Protection of the Data - Designing a secure facility for the storage of the well samples and file archives that can withstand extreme Kansas weather conditions. FEMA building standards will be considered. Sustainability and Energy - Lowering energy costs, churn costs, first costs, maintenance costs, and pollution production. A flexible floor plan, appropriate planting selection, and an energy efficient solution for heating, cooling, and day lighting are some ways to help with these issues.

Summer

Health and Productivity - Promoting productivity by creating a healthy working environment. Natural day lighting, natural ventilation, and community areas will be provided. Prestige, Image, and Attractiveness - Being conscious of all design decisions and how they might affect the employees, visitors, and locals to promote community acceptance. Fight Urban Sprawl - To help reverse the process of sprawl in Wichita, an open site will be selected within an already developed area.

Winter

Design Concept - An Axis of Gathering Space: The concept behind the main entry is a series of public gathering spaces along the main short axis of the building. At the front of the building is the front patio with sitting planters. Beyond the front door is the main foyer. Here is located the main receptionist to direct the visitors to their destinations. Also located in the main foyer is the door to the hearing room. The foyer is a place where visitors and employees may gather before or after events or throughout the day. Further down the corridor is the impromptu auditorium space for small, informal meetings or educational lectures for visitors. The sweeping staircase and limestone accent wall lead the visitors to the second ďŹ&#x201A;oor where they are met by a balcony lounge. This lounge is also an informal gathering space for employees on their breaks or for small programs. The balcony lounge is the welcoming mat for the modular conference room, the ďŹ nal gathering space along the axis. Entry Patio

Foyer and Main Reception

Balcony Lounge

Impromptu Auditorium Modular Conference Room

1 1/2” = 1’ Parapit Detail

Flashing Blocking Light Gauage Steel Framing Header Light Gauage Steel Framing Stud

Brick Veneer

Technical Integration:

Mechanical Axonometric

Mortar

Fire Egress Axonometric 2” Air Gap 3” ISO Rigid Board Insulation

Mechanical A Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system was selected for the ofﬁce portion of the project for the energy savings it can deliver. A traditional Direct Exchange (DX) system was selected for the warehouse portion.

5/8” OSB Sheathing Brick Ties Roofing Ballast Cant Strip Fully Adhered Roof Membrane

Code The city of Wichita has adopted the International Building Code (IBC) 2006 with local amendments. The building’s occupancy groups are B, S-1, and A-3. The building’s construction type is Type 1-B: Non-Combustible Protected. Structural Uniform steel 30’ x 40’ bay construction using fewer unique members. Warehouse designed using precast concrete units to withstand an F5 tornado according to FEMA regulations. Wall Section An efﬁcient wall assembly with low embodied and operational energy achieved through continuity of the protecting layers. Water, air movement, thermal energy, and water vapor are all considered and handled.

Concrete Slab Structural Steel Decking Conrete Form Enclosure Continuous Vapor Barrier Continuous Air Barrier

Structural Axonometric

Window Sill Detail Mortar Brick Veneer 2” Air Gap Suspended Ceiling 3” ISO Rigid Board Insulation Continuous Air Barrier Continuous Vapor Barrier 5/8” OSB Sheathing Brick Ties Preformed Flashing with Drip Edge 5/8” Gypsum Wall Board Connecting Tape for Lintel Light Gauage Steel Framing Stud Light Gauage Steel Framing Header Blocking Weep Holes Lintel Backer Rod Continuous Sealant Bead Continuous Expanding Foam Sealant Window Unit

1 1/2” = 1’ Window Sill Detail

Construction Details 2

1ST FLOOR LEGEND

Wall Type Door Type

OFFICE

109

Window Type KEY PLAN

RECEPTION 100

101

A A1

102

MONITOR ROOM WALL SCHEDULE

A2 VESTIBULE 101

100

107

ENTRY FOYER

108 CORRIDOR

IMPROMPTU AUDITORIUM

Steel stud wall center with 5/8” gypsum wall board on each side

103 A3

106 10”x10” column

103 104

104

105

RECEPTION

ELEVATOR

ceiling-mounted projector WOMENS

105

TABLE SEATING

106

MENS

PRINT/COPY

HEARING ROOM OFFICE A1

RECEPTION

CORRIDOR

Chicago Lyric Opera House Professor Stephen Grabow Winter 2011

002

he Chicago Lyric Opera House is a project designed for Wolf Point, a site along the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois. This was a semester long group project by Xing He, Elizabeth Bunker, and myself. Google SketchUp, 3D Studio Max, and Revit were used to create this project. The project assumes that the current Lyric Opera has out grown its space and is in need of a new facility.

The Parti: The goal for this site was to create an iconic building as a Chicago landmark. This was achieved through the building parti in which two boxes intersect beneath a horizontal plane. The opaque box contains the private, backstage areas and the glass box contains the public areas. Where the two boxes intersect is the auditorium, where public and private collide.

Understanding the Theatre: Behind the stage, a theatre is a well oiled machine that the audience never sees. Researching precedent theatres allowed us to investigate what has been successful and what has not in making this machine work. From there, we did several diagrammatic plan iterations, rearranging the parts into our most functional design.

Understanding the City: Chicago is a city with many layers both physically and culturally. The streets run both above and below ground level. One of the most challenging stages of this project was ďŹ guring out how the circulation would work both to and from the site. Working through the problem on paper by sketching was the best way for us to bring the multi-dimensional problem into something we could all see clearly and discuss.

DN UP

13 DN

UP DN

13 UP DN

0 ft 25

1. Main Stage 2. Main Lobby 3. Green Room 4. Merchandise Mart 5. Chicago Sun Times 6. Plaza

7. River Walk 8. Chicago River 9. Box Ofﬁce 10. Cloak Room 11, Dressing Rooms 12. Scene Shop

13. Restrooms 14. Bar 15. Ofﬁces 16. VIP Lounge 17. Storage 18. Practice/Rehearsal

UP DN

DN UP

UP DN

18 15

UP DN

Level 2 0 ft 25

Transverse Section Transverse Section 3/64" 1 = 1'-0" 3/64" = 1'-0"

0 ft 25

Level 3

Transverse Section BB

UP DN

0ft

Transverse Section 3/64" = 1'-0"

0 ft 25

Longitudinal Section AA

50 1

Level 4

Longitudinal Section 3/64" = 1'-0"

Transverse Section 3/64" = 1'-0"

0ft 1

Transverse Section Transverse Section 1 3/64" = 1'-0" 3/64" = 1'-0"

Personal Contributions:

Development of original parti. Auditorium seating arrangement and early auditorium 3D modeling. Auditorium materials and color scheme selection. Riverwalk stair design and 3D modeling.

Lower canopy design and 3D modeling. 3D Studio Max materials application and rendering for building model. Post-process Photoshop of 3D Studio Max renderings. Illustrator touch-up of ďŹ&#x201A;oor plans and sections.

Creation of a Working Environment Professors Nils Gore & Nick Nepveax Winter 2010

003

tudio 409 is a third year design/build studio at the University of Kansas. In this studio, third year architecture students collaborate to design a project and then see it through to its completion. During the process, students learn everything from pre-design to post-production. They learn first hand about joint connections, materials, hardware, finishes, tools and machines. More importantly, students learn to appreciate the art of production and craftsmanship. They learn the importance of communication and time management as well as how to use construction documents to facilitate the relationship between the builder and the designer. In 2009, KU’s Scool of Architecture purchased a warehouse on the outskirts of Lawrence, Kansas to house the school’s 804 studio and two 409 studios. A portion of the building was sectioned off by glass within which a kitchenette, office, conference room, and restrooms were constructed. It was left to the seventeen fall 2010 design/ build students to design the remainder of the space and construct the desks for use the following semester.

Preliminary Learning Exercises: Jig Building: Creating a device that can aid in reproducing the exact same product. MIG Welding: Welding experience and an appreciation for welding professionals. Shop Drawings: Creating detailed shop drawings and reading those made by others. A.

Defining the Project: We began the project by brainstorming and mapping out all of the requirements we needed the studio space to fulfill: drawing, storing, computer work, modeling, eating, conferencing, and lounging. We knew we required 60 desks total, 24 for studio 804 and 36 for the two 409 studios. Our main focuses were durability, functionality, ergonomics, electricity, and the ability to be mass-produced. Experimentation: Our first step was to consider how the studios were going to be divided within the space. We developed three floor plans and settled on one: a two-studio scheme with 804 having its own space and the two 409 studios together. We experimented with three different materials: wood, glass, and Richlite and settled upon wood due to cost limitations. We also experimented with differences in height, cavity size, desk top size, storage, shelving, materiality, desk groupings, and floor plan layouts.

Studio 409 Gallery Proposed Partition Walls

Studio 804

Proposed Partition Walls

Auxiliary Space

Glass & Steel Total Est. Cost: $15,750

Conference

0’

5’

10’

15’

5’

10’

15’

Wood Design Total Estimated Cost: $6,000.00

Richlite Total Est. Cost: $43,500

Concept Development: As a studio we were all drawn to what we referred to as a “cavity top” design. The term “cavity top” refers to a long bank of desks with a short, wide, and deep opening underneath for storage. Additionally, we liked the idea of having a trough that extended down the middle of the desk pods housing electrical outlets. Finally, we agreed upon a steel structure to match the language of the industrial space. Early on in the design process, we locked onto the concept of the horizontal cavity top ﬂoating above “staple legs” (U-shaped legs made from three thick pieces of

rectangular steel tubing). Our concept overall began to develop around the idea of line profiles: the lines of the desktop edge, drawer edges, and staple legs. We also decided upon higher desks rather than shorter desks for stand-up work and conferencing. To make the back of the cavity top accessible, we turned it into a drawer. After experimenting with many storage options, we decided to go with a simple design that floats under the table between two desks in a four pod. The design of the storage unit, too, incorporates a line profile.

Weld inside and outside corners, leaving the corner edges untouched. Grind smooth the outside welds on the two outer ribs where it will sit flush with the staple legs.

1’- 11 5/8”

1 1/4” x 1 1/4“ Rib is welded to the 1” x 3” Spine

1’- 11 5/8”

5’- 4”

1/8” Flat Steel Runner is welded to the underside of the 1 1/4” x 1 1/4” Rib 1” x 3” Tube Steel Spine is welded to the 5” x 3”

4’- 4”

1’ - 10 3/4”

0’- 11 3/8”

Staple Leg

0’- 5 1/2”

2’ - 3”

1’- 10 3/4”

3’- 6 1/8” 1”

2’- 0 3/4” Grind inside and outside edges in preparation to receive weld.

1’- 1 1/2”

2’- 3”

1’- 1 1/2”

1”

1’ - 7”

2’- 3”

3’ - 0”

Weld inside and outside joints.

3’- 6 1/8”

Leave outside corner edge exposed. Fill with epoxy or hit lightly with grinding wheel.

9’- 6”

2’ - 10”

1’- 1 1/2” 0’ - 1”

Fabrication Timeline

FRAME

1’- 1 1/2” 0’ - 1”

STORAGE

2’ - 9 1/4”

1’- 4 1/4”

Steel Cutting

Welding

Grinding

0’- 1”

1’- 1/2”

Wood Cutting

Wood Finishing

Electrical Wiring

0’- 1” 0’- 3/8”

0’- 1” 1’- 1/2” BOTTOM

3’- 5 1/2”

1’- 1/2”

2’- 3”

0’- 1”

1 1/4” Baltic Plywood Table Top 3/4” Round Shank Screw

0’- 3/8”

1 1/4” x 1 1/4” 11 ga. Tube Steel Rib 5/8” Hex Nut

3’- 5 1/2” C

0’- 3 1/2”

B 3” x 5” 11 ga. Tube Steel Stapple Leg

3/4” Baltic Plywood Cavity Box 3” x 1/8” Flat Steel Runner

2’- 2 1/4” 0’- 3 1/2”

DRAWER

Steel

Baltic Plywood

CONNECT

The Final Design: The final design divides the 60 desks into 15 pods of 4. It combines a steel frame with a laminated wood top and wooden storage elements. The steel frame is composed of three components: the spine, the ribs, and the staple legs. Within the spine is a trough-like space for electrical conduit and power strips to run. Above the desks floats the 1-1/4” baltic birch plywood top with a durable dark gray laminated surface. The top is connected to the steel frame below by hidden bolts. Resting upon the ribs of the steel frame are drawers for large flat storage. At the center of each four pod are two storage units each with two lower spaces for large item storage and two smaller upper drawers for small item storage. The storage units and wide drawers are all made of baltic birch plywood and have shellac and polyurethane finishes.

Challenges with Lessons: Limitations: Limitations such as time, budget, and resources forced us to restrict our design leading to unachieved expectations and disappointment. 17 Designers: With so many self-confident designers working on one design, making sure everyone’s voice was heard was very difficult. Craftsmanship: We underestimated how difficult it would be to get everything perfect on the first try. Good craftsmanship required patience and practice. Communication: Divided into separate task groups with limited meeting time per week made communication poor without extra effort. Overcoming these challenges and others is what made this studio most rewarding. I learned how to work professionally with others not of my choosing, as well as important hands-on construction skills. I learned a great deal about how a project goes from a sketch on paper to a product in real life, and how much work goes into getting it there.

Mixed Media

Independent Works Compiled Over Time

004

here is a difference between what exists and what is perceived through experience. Capturing these experiences can be done in so many ways. A drawing or sketch allows one to explain the world how they see it. Through a photograph, one may add focus or depth to an otherwise ordinary scene. Collage combines all of these things, allowing one to synthesize a range of items to communicate one big idea. What we choose to include or leave out, emphasize or down play, these are what make our readings of our environment unique and thus our experiences our own.

Strong Hall Staircase Lawrence, Kansas Ink and pencil on paper Spring 2012

G.P. Scholarship Hall Lawrence, Kansas Ink and pencil on paper Spring 2012

Potter Lake Bridge Lawrence, Kansas Ink and pencil on paper Spring 2012

10801 Mastin Street Overland Park, Kansas Gelatin silver print Spring 2011

Light and Spindles Overland Park, Kansas Gelatin silver print Spring 2011

Notre Dame du Haut Ronchamp, France Le Corbusier Graphite on paper Fall 2008

Bangledesh Parliament Dhaka, Bangladesh Louis Kahn Graphite on paper Fall 2008

Opening Barcelona: Detail Transmutation of the City Study Abroad Documentation Barcelona, Spain Digital Collage Summer 2012

Opening Barcelona: City Transmutation of the City Study Abroad Documentation Barcelona, Spain Digital Collage Summer 2012