Meredith McBride Portfolio

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“

The difference between good design and great design is

intelligence.

-tibor kalman

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function of design the big picture & its parts


custom office design The big picture of this project involved designing an office space and fabrication facility for San Francisco based design firm, Sand Studios. The small details and refined spacial decisions are what make the space

as unique as the firm that houses it.

lobby and reception

Concept: facilitating collaboration through a dominant central spine

N - S looking W through lobby and pin-up space, outside spine


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1st floor

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2nd floor

FLOOR PLANS A reception & lobby B awards & pin-up C small conference D large conference E team room F cafe & break G huddle space H staff workstations I print & doc. assembly J active pin-up K human resources L materials library m large materials n metal shop o wood shop p spray & finishing q drafting room r computer hardware s server room t electric u data v project files w packaging and prep. x loading dock

parti model

E - W looking N cutting spine at cafe and drafting room


large conference room

A multi-disciplinary firm, Sand Studios works as a team. Collaboration, communication, and constant dialogue are crucial for their projects to succeed. Creating a space that highlights this was the driving force in design.

central collaboration Within a

spine, the studio has an emphasized zone to come together.

view upon entry


team room

lighting sketch - linear, static lighting throughout office space turns into random, dynamic angles over the fabrication studio

workstations and huddle space


fitness and culinary facility A holistic business design, the project was research driven, client and context based, and proposed everything from architecture and interior design, to branding and product design, and graphic design of menus and facility offering brochures.

exterior view


lunch menu

Fusion serves only organic products grown in our rooftop greenhouse or bought from local farmers. Our fresh produce cycles with the seasons, so be sure to ask what’s available. chef salad romaine, turkey breast, swiss cheese, hard boiled egg, tomato

orchard panini turkey breast, fruit dijon relish, raisin walnut bread

normandie salad baby greens, chicken breast, goat cheese, pecans, grilled apples

greek wrap chicken breast, cucumber, hummus, feta, tomato, whole wheat tortilla

greek salad baby greens, chicken breast, black olives, feta, cucumber

grilled cheese panini cheddar/swiss cheese, tomato, choice of bread

sides quinoa tabbouleh (fresh parsley, tomato, onion) roasted seasonal vegetables (olive oil, sea salt) edamame (with sea salt)

arizona wrap black beans, corn, green pepper, brown rice, salsa aioli, whole wheat tortilla

high protein

< 200 calories

snacks to go hummus, veggies, and pita apple, nut butter brown rice, berries, spice, nuts feta, tomato low fat

high fiber

fusion eat. move. chicago.

rootop pool

Fusion’s design is an open, inviting space that blurs the line where the

urban sidewalk ends and organic offerings begin.

cafe

culinary classroom


“

Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a

particular purpose. -charles eames

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design analysis building studies and abstractions


drafting & scale model studies

Studies of works by renowned architects were explored using

studies of Steven Holl’s Stretto House

hand drafting and model building techniques.


Through these studies, a process of learning and an understanding of foundations, concepts, and the poetry of architecture and was conceived.

studies of Richard Meier’s Smith House


Building abstraction 1 An unconventional and unique structure, Steven Holl’s Horizontal Skyscraper sits above the trees and vegetation below. The building is supported on strategically located connection points to the ground plane

abstractly reminiscent of the roots of a mangrove tree and its growth strategies.

Horizontal Skyscraper by Steven Holl


wire and plaster root sculpture


Building abstraction 2 A study of Peter Zumthor’s Thermal Baths in Switzerland provoked an exploration of the senses - particularly sound. Each volume of space within Zumthor’s Baths resonates differently and so a study of material, size, and volume, and the resulting sculpture, ensued.

Peter Zumthor’s Thermal Baths


slate and concrete slab sculpture & accompanying drawings


“

I always put myself in the place of the user and think about how

sequence, pacing, and pauses

might affect the experience. -renate gokl

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profiles focus on user & client needs


residential loft Customized for the Sterns, a couple from Napa Valley, California, this

residential loft

specifically addresses the clients’ professional and personal needs.

A wine developer/distributor and professional photographer, the clients have a living space designed with reason and function for their everyday schedules.

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view upon entry of wine cellar

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abstract boulder shoe displays

Project #129 BRACELET

level of di

Project #236 SOCCER BALL

level of dif

retail side

“Remixing Workstation” side


The store rethinks the limits of a community retail space by providing group workstations for customers to create something new out of their worn-out TOMS shoes instead of throwing them away.

ifficulty: easy

fficulty: hard

exterior view


“

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like.

Design is how it works. -steve jobs

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structure & tectonics how it works


SHIFTING COMPARTMENT BOX

cross-lap joint


This handcrafted box made of walnut and light cherry wood was designed to be repositioned and ever-changing in its function. The 10 light wood pieces are put together using crosslap joints enabeling the compartments to shift into different configurations they are held into place by connecting to the exterior box. Depending on what is being held,

the design changes simultaneously inside and outside. 8� x 12� shifting compartment box


mobile makeup station

client experience


Working within PAVE competition parameters, this mobile makeover station takes up no more than 3 square feet of floor space when opened and can be completely closed and stored as needed. The challenge involved innovative thinking, engineering and problem solving. The result is a fixture that is

functional, fun, and speaks directly to Philosophy brand cosmetics.


how it works

mobile makeup station

lock rod

“glowing” 3form

“glowin

faux leather

laminate

pivot ro

customer stool

tools and trash punch-outs

ball transfers/casters

spring-back bag hook

makeup storage

graphic “beaker measure

1/2” rod hole for lock up

360° swivel glowing rim mirror

retractable electrical cord

pull-out footrest

pivot rod - tiers swing around product display counter


ng� 3form

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d in swivel rod

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used in a Philosophy retail store


“

I begin with an idea,

and then it becomes something else. -Pablo Picasso

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inspiration cultivating creativity


photography & drawings Framing scenes and capturing emotions from travels abroad in

Kenya, Egypt and Italy



Photographs provide endless inspiration The following pages are a collection of selected photographs that led to inspiration in quick sketches, rendered drawings, watercolor, and mixed media art.


“roadmap” of Milan

detail from Carlo Scarpa’s Castelvecchio



These photographs and drawings were produced while traveling and studying throughout Italy. The history, architecture, and vivid

culture was a

fascinating backdrop for inspiration.


“

Form follows function - that has been misunderstood.

Form and function should be one,

joined in a spiritual union. -frank lloyd wright

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hands-on tangible craft


letterpress printing A collection of original letterpressed designs ranging from beverage costers, to posters and books, to branding and packaging approaches. This traditional printing technique, combined with innovative graphic design ,creates stunning handcrafted results and gives

a nod to preserving the past while keeping up with the present.

Bowruss coffee bag design


An ornamented version of the font Ambicase Fatface was produced through the creative processes of hand sketching, digitally illustrating, laser-cutting plexiglass, and mounting the letterforms to type-high wood blocks. Ambicase Fatface includes each letter as a combination of its traditional upper and lower case. The hand-bound book includes the full collection of type overprinted on colorful make-ready backgrounds using a Vandercook press.

alphabet broadside

hand-bound alphabet book


chair design & fabrication

top view


More than a dozen miniature chair models were made exploring forms and functions of seating. One of these preliminary models was developed further to become a full scale and functional furniture piece.

Made of Sapele wood and steel legs and comprised of 70 pieces, the chair features repetitive forms that change slightly to create

graceful geometry and visual curves.


fine details


Meticulously measured to change by such slight increments as 1/32” and .5°, a naming system aided in pairing 70 pieces into 35 L shaped groups that were then laminated together. Alternating the orientation of pieces created a beautiful pattern of light regular grain contrasting with dark end grain -

a unique detail where the back and seat meet.

1’ 5 1/32”

1’ 5 1/2 ”

1’ 431/32”



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