Melanie Viger, Architecture Portfolio 2018 by Melanie Jacqueline Viger

Melanie Viger Architecture Portfolio 2018

MELANIE VIGER

(647) 528-8436 ahnnyounghaseyo@gmail.com issuu.com/melanieviger

ABOUT

RESEARCH

I am an aspiring architect seeking a diverse and varied professional experience within the film industry. I have been a member of IATSE 891 since November 2018 and have been working as draftsperson and set designer. I have found that my 3D modelling skills are extremely useful in the film industry and have enabled me to be efficient with drafting and creating complex shapes for unusual sets and design pieces. I have completed 2 years of a graduate program in architecture and am currently taking time off school to focus on professional development.

I have studied architectureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in memory, collective consciousness, monumentality, history, sense of place, and economics. Architecture is an irreplaceable part of identity, and this is never more true than during times of war and armed conflict in which architecture is destroyed or obliterated as a means of removing a people and their heritage. My specific areas of research include the destruction of Dubrovnik after the Serbian-led bombing in 1991, and Kosovo during the conflict of 1999. EXPERIENCE

MASTERS OF ARCHITECTURE, ONGOING

Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto HON. B.A. IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, 2016

Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto

THE 100 SEASON 6

GRIT LAB PROGRAM PROFICIENCY

Rhino, Grasshopper, V-ray, AutoCAD, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop EXTRA CURRICULAR ACADEMIC INTERESTS

Human and animal behaviour, neurobiology, effect of psilocybin on brain plasticity, ecology, wilderness GOODFUZZ KNITWEAR COMPANY

100% Canadian made woolen products Founder, Owner Melanie Viger CURRENT TOP BOOKS

On Aggression by Konrad Lorenz Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

May 2018 - Feb 2019

Warner Brothers Set Designer Art Director: Nancy Ford, 604-816-1591 n.ford@telus.net Art Director: Alyssa King, 604-220-9718 a.laurenkate@gmail.com Summer 2017

Research Assistant Vidya Anderson 647-502-6294 vidya.anderson@ontario.ca

PHILIP BEESLEY

February 2017

ARCHITECT

Installation manufacture Gabriella Bevilacqua gbevilacqua@pbarch.ca

REIGO & BAUER ARCHITECTS

Personal Assistant Merike Bauer 416-533-3203 mail@reigoandbauer.com

Summer 2016

Table of Contents

Photo Archive for Toronto 4 a romantic public space Grasshopper vs. Urbanity 20 an exercise in law Mycological Society of Toronto muhsroom foraging in Ontarioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ravines

Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rail Deck Park 32 softening noise pollution and celebrating quietude Urban Savannah 38 a grid communes with park land

Toronto Photo Archive Comprehensive Studio // M. Arch II Instructor: Maria Denegri Studio Partner: Mario Arnone For our comprehensive studio we designed a satellite branch of the Toronto Photo Archive that would behave as part public exhibition and part archival storage, enabling the institution to embrace the public realm. In addition to space dedicated to the preservation and storage of delicate film materials, we designed a large public auditorium that opened onto the patio, a two-storey gallery and exhibition space, a café, and a courtyard with greenspace and seating. The archive itself is an assembly of two primary volumes which separate the public and private programming: the concrete bar along Front Street houses the gallery, auditorium and café, while the perforated metal cube rising above the intersection of Front and Spadina is home to the protected archives, labs and offices.

The neighborhood is fairly dense, consisting of several high-rise developments to the south as well as a proposed multitower development just to the west (hatched building blocks). Our design acknowledges the expansive rail deck park to the south west and embraces the dichotomy between residential density and recreational space.

 

 

   

  



 

   



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





surrounded towers (surrounded byby towers) Spadina and and Front streets, atatwith Spadina Front, a heritage building at its Northwest corner with a haritage building in the northwest corner

the public (the publicblock block of maintains the building) an maintains an opaque & agressive opaque street elevation, opening up street elevation, opening itself up only to the interior court to the interior court





the archive pivots corner to (the archive pivotsat at the the corner) to allow light into, and views out of the allowheritage lightbuilding. into and views out of this orientation offers viewsthe of theheritage future raildeck park from within building.

signifies the elevated importance of (sitting above the rest of the building) signifying elevated importance of the program within program within



thearchive archive building (the volumeweighs weighs thethe building down) by one storey implying thethe gravity of program down, implying gravity of within. the resultant Spadina elevation is lower andwithin. more pedestrian program the friendly resulting Spadina elevation is lower and more pedestrian friendly.



contains a large aperature, taking (sits between the towers to the south) and containing a large aperture, taking advantage of the sunlight reaching advantage of the small amount of sunlight thereaching site. intersection the the site. intersectionwith with the restrest of the building implies integrated program. of the building implies integrated program



                               

                               

                     

                    

      

      

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07 09

31 32

04 03

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14 13

12 11

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B feature stair A public space

C private space

LATERAL LOAD RESISTING SYSTEM A SHEAR WALLS FLANKING THE AUDITORIUM B ELEVATOR/FIRE STAIR CORE

Auditorium Volume Detail sections

The fins are tied to the W section that braces the metal cube. A thermal break is acheived through a fibreglass Schรถck connectio

A Z-girt connects the belly metal panel to the fins. Since this passes thorugh insulation, a thermal break is acheived through a fibreglass Z-girt

Transom windows allow for passive ventilation

The concrete ledge and floor slab are connecte with rebar

1 2

The OWSJs support corrugated metal deck topped with OSB Vapour barrier 100mm slag insulation Roofing membrane zinc cladding

To acheive adequate stiffness for the 6m accordion doors, the top of the frame is braced with an HSS steel section with structural silicone bead

The vertical mullions are structural steel

Ball bearing detail for accordion doors

Roofing assembly:

7 6

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Archive Volume, East side Detail sections 1:50

 flashing 

white stone ballast rooft membrane 2x90mm rigid insulation air/vapour barriers wood sheathing metal deck w-section beam

W-section beam

steel stud framing 13mm gypsum ceiling 13mm gypsum wallboard 250mm steel stud wall w/ batt insulation steel column behind 19mm sheathing air/vapour barriers 90mm rigid insulation thermally broken z-girt 25mm airspace 3mm steel cladding outriggers to z-girt 3mm perforated screen

 HSS column behind triple glazed curtain wall steel fastened to vertical mullions structural frame + 3mm perforated screen



structural mullion to HSS column flashing 13mm gypsum wallboard steel stud wall w/ batt insulation 19mm sheathing air/vapour barriers 90mm rigid insulation roof membrane

metal deck on OWSJ 19mm sheathing air/vapour barrier 90mm rigid insulation roof membrane filter fabric growing medium

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Model photos top: sketch model illustrating contrasting material palette bottom: the façade along Front Street is clad in pre-cast panels 12 meters tall, textured with the bark of tree species native to southern Ontario. The perforations of the cube’s zinc panels are dictated by a Grasshopper script. The volume is angled towards the future Rail Deck Park and allows for views out of 49 Spadina’s south face.

Renders top: a view of the south facade, where the auditorium juts over the street. And a cafe! bottom: the accordion doors of the auditorium open onto the courtyard patio.

Grasshopper v. Urbanity Computing // M. Arch II Instructor: Ultan Byrne This Grasshopper exercise explored how a few simple rules can influence the propagation and density of buildings within city blocks, the form of the landscape and the texture of the buildings themselves. By working with several city blocks at a time we can see how a few simple rules can have dramatic effects on the urban environment and the shape of neighbourhoods. The results of this exercise illustrate the disconnect between broad strokes zoning policies and the human element of neighbourhood-building.

PARAMETER: NUMBER OF BUILDINGS PER SITE /16 buildings within this site boundary PARAMETER: PROPORTION OF BUILDINGS ASSIGNED BY TYPE /.5 residential /.25 office /.25 commercial

PARAMETER: NUMBER OF HILLS PER SITE PARAMETER: HEIGHT OF HILLS PARAMETER: DISTANCE OF HILLS FROM BUILDING

PARAMETER: DISTANCE OF HILLS FROM SITE BOUNDARY PARAMETER: HEIGHT INCREASES TOWARDS CENTRE OF SITE

PARAMETER: TEXTURE DENSITY PARAMETER: HEIGHTS RANDOMIZED left: pixelation size decreases as proximity to site boundary -or- building footprint increases right: pixelation is homogeneous when no boundary is near

Mycological Society of Toronto Design Studio II // M. Arch I Coordinator: Mason White Instructor: Mauricio Quiros The site for this project was the property of the Ontario Food Terminal located in Etobicoke, between the Humber River and Mimico Creek and just north of the Gardiner Expressway. The proximity of the ravines and the deep history associated with the site were the guiding factors for this design. Before humans occupied the Toronto area and developed the region on a mass scale, this land was an oak pine savanna. The density of waterways and shallowness of the great lake basin made for a swampy, temperate grassland populated with reeds and other tall grasses along with black oak, white pine, black ash, wild bergamot and lupines. Humber River and Mimico Creek are home to ancient trade routes of first nations peoples, and small symbols of this history remain peppered along the existing trails. Here, my opposition to design that is untethered to place is evident. This project fused together critical elements of the site’s past, and became an “unearthing” of an invisible archeology, and a celebration of the land. To drive this point home, the buildings on this site are dedicated to the Mycological Society of Toronto, a small organization that studies mushrooms of southern Ontario. So earthy! They lead foraging expeditions for those interested in learning about mushrooms and the complicated biology of their existence. Molds, spores and fungi are a mysterious bunch, and not much is known or understood about them. Thus, a mycology research institute is born: it is a low-slung building delicately nestled in a valley, and to the west is a plant conservatory that serves the City of Toronto’s parks. The landscape is the essence of a ravine, dug into the south side of the site, and serves as a green connection between Mimico Creek and Humber River for pollinator species to mingle. The site itself is a rather depressing paved parking lot used for the logistical vehicular organization of the Food Terminal. A vast expanse of grey asphalt is home to many large trucks, a waste storage unit, two parking garages, a few personal vehicles for staff, and some lost seagulls. top: site plane where OFT is darkened amid an increasingly residential area; the ravines’ waterways feed into Lake Ontario bottom: some ‘shrooms next page: rendering of the laboratory building.

The Earthly

The Institute is nestled in the valley, connected to the urban world by a small trail. The OFT is hardly visible, though readily accessible as the trail lands on the surface at the conservatory, where parking and roads and car sounds may be found. The Institute researches molds, slimes, fungi and other earthly biological substances. It is open to the public for Mycological Society meetings, informal classes or lectures, and exhibitions that celebrate scientific knowledge.

1. 2. 3. 4.

classroom admin library/reading room cafe

5. 6. 7. 8.

washrooms reception security checkpoint conference room

9. offices 10. labs 11. bio sample storage 12. mechanical

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10 8 11 4 6 5 5

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A six-pronged joint houses silicone-sealed glass for the conservatory. 30

The Heavenly The conservatory sells various plants and mushrooms to the public. The atmosphere is thick with the scent of fresh flowers and a light fog. One could almost forget where they are.

Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rail Deck Park SUPERSTUDIO // M. Arch II Coordinator: Richard Sommer Instructor: Petros Babasikas The site for Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future Rail Deck Park has a soundscape dominated by cars, trucks and light rail. For this week-long competition I proposed a design that lessened noise pollution and anticipated the desire for quiet space within this developing urban area. To the south is the Gardiner expressway, a perpetually busy freeway, and to the east, Spadina avenue and the clubs and bars of the entertainment district. I saw for this park a refuge from the clamour of the street, where sensorial comfort and the gentle pitter-patter of fellow humans are the priority. I was looking to find joy, spirituality, and wildness in this space carved out for both exploration and contemplation. In fact, much of this park is left unplanned so that paths may take their own shape, or new uses discovered.

below: and aerial render of the buildings and the soundabsorbing wall that circulates the park land. next page, left: proposed area for development. next page, right: the coloured catalogue corresponds to the plan where each colour is a sound zone ranging from frenetic to mellow. Each zone carries with it the variables of pedestrian speed, agitation and disturbance.

a trail may be paved or gravel

a copse of trees

a grotto in which to be lost

butterfly house

where two walls meet; enclaves

a thing a sculpture a gathering

tulips lupines lavender

a sea

shell â&#x20AC;&#x153;earsâ&#x20AC;?

amphitheatre and spectacle

entrance

a sculpture a thing

automation, or the disembodied!

entrance!

market!

transit!

 

 





 



 



Wellness centre // Butterfly House

Commercial

silence

hums and chats

Grass land

Offices // Institutional

Residential

whispers

busy streets

Wall of varying height

 

 

  



  

Urban Savannah SUPERSTUDIO // M. Arch II Coordinator: Richard Sommer Instructor: Petros Babasikas Savannah, Georgia began as an early American settlement on the bank of the Savannah river. City blocks are rigidly organized along boulevards that funnel cargo, goods, and people through the city’s ports. Within the city blocks, also knows as “wards,” are civic and commercial buildings while residential buildings line the perimeter, containing the urban social sphere within. Due to the tumultuous times of colonial America, a thick fortified wall surrounded the city and served as a military defense, and beyond the wall sprawled farm land. In SUPERSTUDIO the Savannah grid is transposed onto an anonymous Toronto site. The block unit remains in a loose organization, and the fortified wall is represented here as retaining walls. Rather than being flung out of the urban realm, these walls draw the urban pedestrian into the parkland.

Savannah in 1734. The settlement began as nine block units, or wards, which were replicated as the town grew. Savannah is strategically located along a major waterway, making it ideal for tranist of goods and people as well as military manoeuvres. Public domain archival image.

Residential Civic Commercial

The blocks, or “wards,” were usually named after a single landowner, public figure or military official 38

Zoning plan of Savannah in the 17th century.

The Organizing Grid The grid is created from the alignment of the main streets on either side of the site. The fission in the middle occurrs where the opposing grids do not align. The grid is 30m x 30m.

The Block Formation Two block sizes are created from the grid. The smaller are mainly residential, similar to the original Savannah block, while the larger blocks are more heavily commercial and institutinal. The pedestrian reigns.

The Landscape A Grasshopper-generated landscape fills the rest of the site area. Hills and valleys create a rich landscape for exploring, cultivating, wandering, getting lost, and contemplating the surrounding urban context. A path winds through the topography, looping and connecting the blocks to each other and the urban fabric.

` Residential Civic

Institutional

Commerical The watering hole Loping hills and a gentle breeze at sunset // oak pine park land Retaining walls White pine, black oak, black ash, honeylocust Underground parking

Melanie Viger ahnnyounghaseyo@gmail.com 44