MEGAN MILLER 2007-2013
OBJECTIVE: To be employed full time by an architecture office that strives for excellence in design. I am open to temporary positions, but would prefer an office where I can stay long term.
01 // education
CAL POLY POMONA 2011-2013 Masters of Architecture, 3.90 GPA Thesis topic: Wellness through the senses NC STATE UNIVERSITY 2007-2011 Bachelor of Env Design in Architecture, 3.97 GPA
LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE
MEGAN ELIZABETH MILLER
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY 2011 Architecture Study Abroad Program
02 // work experience HMC ARCHITECTS SPRING 2012, 2013-PRESENT Managed the LEED certification for various projects, designed presentations, compiled photoshop montages (Ontario, CA) GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT 2012-2013 TA at Cal Poly Pomona for structures, construction documents, and second year studio courses (Pomona, CA) COOP HIMMELB(L)AU INTERN SUMMER 2012 Built various models including a 1:50 scale working model for the House of Music in Denmark, 3D modeling in Rhino (Vienna, Austria) CEDG ARCHITECTURE INTERN WINTER 2012 Helped to complete construction details for a water conservation center before the project went out to bid (Claremont, CA) NCSU DESIGN CAMP COUNSELOR SUMMER 2010/2011 Helped high school students complete college level design projects during an overnight camp (Raleigh, NC) EMERGENCY ARCHITECTS INTERN FALL 2010 Re-designed the project pages for the company website, learned about pro-bono disaster relief architecture (Sydney, Australia) HOUSE RENOVATION SUMMER 2010 Helped to complete various construction projects such as building a wall, cutting a new doorway, etc. for Cymbre Raub (Raleigh, NC) REINHARDT ARCHITECTURE INTERN 2008 Worked on AutoCAD drawings including wall sections, details, and full drawings sets for renovations (Charlotte, NC)
650 S. Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90014 704-942-5317 meganemiller@csupomona.edu memille7@ncsu.edu
03 // skills
Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign, AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, Sketchup, various rendering programs, Excel, Powerpoint, laser cutting, hand drawing, model making, LEED Online, IBooks for the IPad, 3D printable digital modeling
04 // awards
TALLER AL CUBO PUBLICATION SUMMER 2013 Thesis project selected for a Chilean online architecture publication AIAIC STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP FALL 2012 Received a scholarship for excellence in academics, leadership, and design DESIGN STUDIO AWARD OF DISTINCTION 2011-2012 Received an award from the Cal Poly Department of Architecture for excellence in Second Year Graduate Design Studios INTERIM DESIGN EXHIBITION 2011-2013 Featured in the Interim student design exhibition every quarter NCSU HONORS PROGRAM 2007-2011 Completed the NC State University Honors Program, graduating with honors FIRST PLACE LOUIS SULLIVAN BRICK COMPETITION SPRING 2010 Re-designed a wood project in brick and was awarded a $500 scholarship FIRST PLACE BLOCKFEST CMU DESIGN CONTEST FALL 2008 Designed a concrete block with a group of 3 other students CLARK CONSTRUCTION SCHOLARSHIP 2009 awarded a scholarship for academic achievement at NCSU awards night
05 // references
KIP DICKSON 909 869 2682, kadickson@csupomona.edu Gradaute Coordinator at Cal Poly, Practicing Architect, Professor EDDY SANTOSA 626 864 8691, mceddysantosa@gmail.com Lead Energy Modeler at Callison, former member of the HMC ArchLab ALEX PANG 323 547 8378, apang@csupomona.edu Design Intelligence Admired Educator, Thesis Advisor JUDITH SHEINE 626 864 8691, jesheine@uoregon.edu Dept. Head at Univ of Oregon, former Dept. Head at Cal Poly Pomona
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M ARCH thermal bath page 1
mt. baldy residence page 9
hollywood courthouse page 15
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B ARCH hiker’s retreat page 21
gender research center page 27
lighthouse addition page 32
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THERMAL BATH, DOWNTOWN LA
a study of sensorial stimuli in architecture
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Architecture is often regarded as a series of still retinal images, but the greatest designs address the sequence of our movements, activities, and experiences ,engaging both our mind and body. Additionally, Architects and Urban Planners of the present day have effectively engineered physical activity out of the built environment, creating visual, sedentary environments that promote obesity and diminish mental well-being. The introduction of new technologies, machines, and synthetic materials has created unhealthy environments that seek to appease the majority rather than stimulating the individual. The present unhealthy state of America has made it essential to build an environment that encourages wellness. Can architects promote a healthy lifestyle through the intentional development of sensory stimuli? Each of our bodily senses has an effect on our wellness, so architecture should consider all five senses, as well as the movement of our bodies through the artificial environment. Through editing, reduction, and articulation, architecture can seek to avoid sensory overload and sensory deprivation. Texture occurs at different scales. The urban grid, the organization of spaces in plan, or the materials on a wall can all create a texture. Texture can be used to direct sound, generate desired visual and thermal effects, provoke a tactile response, or inform movement by guiding motion or providing a measure for distance. Texture can be informed by fractals, which are patterns based on repetition in nature. The patterns can create a sense of visual motion, or they can imply stillness. Texture is made more interesting when it is interacted with or moved through. Humans, light, and sound can all move through a texture. Texture can respond to the human body, while also extending it. The interaction of texture, light, views, color, materials, temperature, and movement of sound, light, and people can create a dynamic architecture that heightens our sensory experience. Many architects compare architecture to a musical scale. The elements of rhythm, patterns, change, transition, choreography, and composition can all be used to generate a meaningful experience in a building.
2013
Wood on steps is scented wood so the friction from feet generates a smell
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A double layer facade facilitates light filtration that is effected by moving people
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Wood slats on the interior layer of the facade create a visual texture with subtle openings
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5th Stree
Wall surfaces at the top levels are porouswith absorptive foam to absorb sound
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Wall surfaces at the lower levels are smooth concrete to allow for sound reverb
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Cuts in the facade allow for views to the outside
Concrete walls are shaped to allow for a greater range of motion
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Wood slats twist to filter light, effecting light levels within the building
Research suggests that drawing parallels to nature can promote wellness and well-being. What does nature have that the built environment doesn’t? Every element in nature has its own unique texture, often informed by fractal geometry. Nature also has variation in light, color, sound, and smell. Natural materials have more texture and scent than artificial materials as long as they are not covered with synthetic coatings.
The spaces in the upper left corner of the building are extroverted with views out
Cuts in the roof allow light to change within the spaces throughout the day and allow views of the sky above
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People circulate through a double layer facade with occasional views to the interior of the building
The pools overlook a central atrium so people can see movement and activity within the building
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A Spaces in the top right portion of the building are quiet and introverted Rooms are F defined by either concrete or wood, with some transitional spaces in the middle
The water temperature varies in each room, allowing for a diverse thermal experience
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Low walls block light, regulating the light in each space The spaces towards the bottom of the building are louder with reverberation
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level three
level two
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level one
A forest is seen as a particularly soothing space in nature. A forest is neither transparent nor opaque, bright nor dark, loud nor quiet. It caters to our peripheral vision, rather than having focal elements. Similarly, a cave is also an invigorating element in nature. We are excited by how we can move through a cave, interact with its niches, and discover the mysteries it has to offer. Architecture can implement similar devices that provide exciting spaces for our bodies to occupy and interact with.
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MOUNT BALDY RESIDENCE a mountain retreat for a film maker
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The ten week long Mount Baldy project integrates studio, structures, and construction documents courses in an attempt to mimic the realities of the design and construction process. Students design a small residence, build a small scale model which undergoes structural testing, and then build a model at 1�=1’ and produce a complete set of construction documents. In order to take advantage of the integration of the different courses, I designed a simple house which pushed the limits of construction and detailing. I utilized a flitch beam system which allowed for a specific expression of either wood or concrete in different parts of the building, while also keeping structural members thin and simple. I explored the dichotomy of concrete and wood, utilizing concrete as a massive element that sits in the earth and wood as a lighter element that reaches towards the sky. Steel serves as the connection which allows the concrete and wood to interact with one another. The process was exciting yet frustrating as we poured our own concrete, struggled over red lines, and built models as tall as ourselves, yet an invaluable lesson in turning design into reality.
2012
11 MOUNT BALDY CALIFORNIA
SITE
PROCESS
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WOOD 2X4 TRELLIS
1" WOOD SHIPLAP DECKING
HSS TRELLIS STRUCTURE WOOD 4X8 STEEL PLATE
STEEL 6X4X1/2 HSS
BUILT UP ROOFING
6X4X1/2 HSS COLUMN
WATERPROOF MEMBRANE FLASHING RIGID INSULATION WITH 2% SLOPE
STEEL PLATES WEDLED TOGETHER
3" TONGUE AND GROOVE WOOD DECKING
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6”
TRELLIS DETAIL @ 1 1/2” = 1’
1’
WOOD 4X8 BOLTED TO STEEL PLATE
11"
1" T&G WOOD DECKING WOOD SLEEPERS
STEEL OUTRIGGER
BUILT UP ROOFING
1' - 6 1/2"
WATERPROOF MEMBRANE 2% SLOPED RIGID INSULATION
FLASHING
3" WOOD DECKING COMPOSED OF 1"
6X4X1/2 HSS COLUMN
FLITCH BEAM WITH (2) WOOD 2X8
WOOD LOUVER HANGING FROM OUTRIGGERS
7 1/2"
STEEL OUTRIGGER AT EVERY COLUMN
LVL 3
STEEL PLATE
7 1/2"
F 23'
WOOD 4X8 STEEL WINDOW FRAME GLAZING
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3”
FLITCH BEAM CONNECTION DETAIL @ 3” = 1’
6”
1’
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HSS COLUMN BEYOND
STEEL EMBED PLATE
GLAZING
12" CONCRETE WALL EXPANSION JOINT
FLASHING
WOOD RISER BEYOND 1/4" STEEL PLATE
5 1/2"
7 1/2"
1/4" STEEL PLATE
1’
6X4X1/2 HSS COLUMN
STEEL WINDOW FRAME
WOOD 2X10 TREAD
6”
ROOF TERRACE DETAIL @ 1 1/2” = 1’
3" WOOD DECKING COMPOSED STEEL ANGLE
VERTICAL WOOD LOUVER
STAIR BEYOND
WOOD 4X8 BOLTED TO STEEL P
WOOD SCREEN BEYOND
LVL 2
STEEL PLATE 1" WOOD DECKING RIGID INSULATION 3/4" VERTICAL WOOD TONGUE AND GROOVE 2X4 BLOCKING AT 24" O.C. 3/4" PLYWOOD SHEATHING 3/4" VERTICAL T&G WOOD SIDING
6”
STAIR DETAIL A @ 1 1/2” = 1’
1’
HSS COLUMN BEYOND
BUILT UP ROOFING WATERPROOF MEMBRANE WOOD 4X8 RIGID INSULATION WITH 2% SLOPE 3" WOOD DECKING FLITCH BEAM
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TYVEK BUILDING PAPER
LVL 3 FINISH FLOOR 23' - 3 1/2"
DRAINAGE BOARD
12" CONCRETE WALL
MORTAR CANT
STEEL PLATE STRINGER EMBED
STEEL PLATE RISER BEYOND
REBAR 1' - 0"
WELDED WIRE MESH 3"
CONCRETE SLAB CORK FINISH FLOORING
3"
3"
FILTER FABRIC
4"
GRAVEL
DRAINAGE PIPE
1’
WATER STOP
MIN 2% SLOPE
1/2" CORK 1/4" STEEL PLATE
6”
MID LEVEL DETAIL @ 1 1/2” = 1’
1' - 0"
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WOOD SLEEPERS
STAIRS BEYOND 7 1/2" 1' - 0"
1' - 0"
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STAIR DETAIL B @ 1 1/2” = 1’
6”
1’
2’
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SHEAR WALL DETAIL @ 1 1/2” = 1’
6”
1’
2’
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FOUNDATION DETAIL @ 1 1/2” = 1’
6”
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THE HOLLYWOOD COURTHOUSE an expression of justice and grandeur
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The Hollywood Courthouse expresses justice and grandeur by objectifying each individual courtroom and placing them on a modernized plinth, making a statement about justice to the Hollywood community. The justice system is strongly linked to the concept of “transparency,” so the individual courtrooms are made of perforated metal, allowing for semi-transparency. This semi-transparency allows the public to see that court is in session without violating the privacy of those on trial. The perforated metal is double layer with a rigid structure in between which is visible from the outside. The modernized plinth is composed of two layers of sloped channel glass, creating a “heavy” monolithic base that still lets in natural light to the ground floor. The courtrooms appear to sit on the plinth from the outside, but are actually inserted within it, allowing for an even greater expression of the courtrooms once inside the building. Voids in the second level allow building occupants to see the full height of each courtroom “object.” In plan, the building is composed of three linear bars that transition from public to private. The most public spaces are in the front bar, and the most private spaces are in the back bar. The back bar is pulled away slightly from the front two bars with walkways, allowing for an additional layer of privacy. Voids between each courtroom allow natural light to penetrate into the middle of the building while also increasing the objectification of each individual courtroom. The in-custody holding cells are placed at the back of the ground level so that all holding cells receive natural light. A separate circulation system distances those in-custody from the general public.
2013
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KEY
KEY 4 5 6 7
secure entry 8 lower lobby 9 jurysecure assembly entry 10 administration 11 lower lobby public service counter 12 selfjury help assembly 13 family mediation 14
sheriff’s department holding cells sheriff’s department sallyport 8 upper lobby 9 holding cells courtrooms temporary10 holdingsallyport judges quarters
administration public service counter self help family mediation
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50’
10’
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100’
50’
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150’
upper lobby courtrooms temporary holding judges quarters
100’
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150’
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COURTOOM
UPPER LOBBY
LOWER LOBBY
PUBLIC SERVICES
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PRIVATE
PRIVATE
COURTROOMS
COURTROOMS
PUBLIC
PUBLIC
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HIKERS RETREAT, GLACIER PARK a place for all seasons in a national park
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This “place for all seasons�- a hikers retreat in Glacier National Parkis suitable to the harsh Montana climate (almost) year round. The building is composed of a thick, carved, massive wall, and all of the occupant’s primary activities take place within this wall. Service spaces are dug underground behind the wall, and floor space in front of the wall provides for circulation space and pit seating. Visitors sleep within the depth of the wall, and have a gorgeous view out to Grinnell Lake. Each unit has a masonry heating system, so rooms are passively heated by storing heat from the sun in the thick stone walls and by circulating the smoke from the fireplace through the walls. There are many cloudy days in the winter, so the rooms cannot be adequately heated by the sun alone. Large overhangs protect the porch area and prevent the units from overheating in the summer. Only the south side of the building is fully exposed to the sun, and the rest is dug into the site. Skylights and vents allow for light and ventilation in the back of the building, and a large drain directs water around the building. The roof slopes up on the east side of the building, making room for a meditation space on top of the wall where visitors can appreciate the structure of the building and enjoy the site. This project was part of a semester long studio sequence of three hikers retreats. Each hikers retreat had the same program, but was designed on a different site with a different climate, allowing for a recognition of the differences between the same building in different locations. All retreats had to be passively cooled and heated, and the duration of each project was approximately 5 weeks. This retreat was the final project in the sequence.
2011
storage
storage
kitchen
lobby
bathroom
unit
bathroom sauna
dining
living
unit unit unit
r
caretake
unit unit
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SUMMER
SITE RESPONSE
CONCEPT
SUN
SITE RESPONSE
CONCEPT
SUN
the site “lifts up”, exposing the south side of the building while protecting the north side
a thick wall is the core of the building with support spaces on either side
the summer sun is blocked by the overhang, but the winter sun reaches all the way into the space
PRECIPITATION
FIREPLACES
VENTILATION
VENTILATION
the back spaces are ventilated through the floor
CIRCULATION
PRECIPITATION
FIREPLACES
CIRCULATION
water is sent around the building via a drain where the green roof meets the ground
every unit has a fireplace with a pit seating area and log storage shelf
the circulation core is through the wall, but there are multiple entrances into every room
DIAGRAMS DIAGRAMS
WINTER
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GENDER RESEARCH CENTER
a research institute in north carolina
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“Great architecture touches the soul and lifts the spirit. The most beautiful buildings also reflect our physical bodies and celebrate our senses... many serious architecture scholars are looking closely at the relationship between architecture and human anatomy and human sexuality.� -Jackie Craven The objective of this project was to design a gender research center on the site of the Lucy Daniels Center in Cary, North Carolina. I studied the concept of how males and females could be similar yet different, and applied this idea to architecture. I divided the program up into introverted spaces and extroverted spaces, placing them in two separate structures then connecting the two sides with a suspended walkway. Neither side represents male or female, but they instead represent two opposing space types that have a relationship with one another. The suspended walkway allows for incredible views of the many trees on the site. The Douglas House by Richard Meier served as a precedent for this project.
2009
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FIFTH FLOOR
FOURTH FLOOR
THIRD FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR
CIRCULATION
STRUCTURE
HEIRARCHY
PARTI
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A PLACE FOR DETAIL
an addition to a lighthouse
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The objective of this project was to design a classroom, exhibition space, and handicap circulation up to a lighthouse elevated 11 feet above the ground in Edenton North Carolina. Rather than designing each space separately, I decided to integrate them into a “ramp building.� Because the main objective of the project was to be able to access the lighthouse, I designed a structure that also serves as a handicap accessible ramp. The slope of the ramp allows for theater style seating in the classroom space. I put my design into Multiframe, a program that tests structural loads, and designed the structure to be as minimal as possible so as not to obstruct the views to the lighthouse. I used round steel pipes as bracing, and designed a very minimal connection for where the pipes meet the ground. I modeled this connection out of steel at a larger scale. To avoid distracting mullions, I used a glass fin system for the glazing. This glass fin system is demonstrated in the photo on the left. This glazing system allowed for a less obstructed view to the lighthouse beyond. In essence, the addition is really about viewing the lighthouse and accessing it safely.
2010
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