michelleleotaud ‌design in process
michelleleotaud ‌design in process
Table of Contents Resume
Contact
Selection of Projects
68 Ellerslie Park,
Sustainable Projects The Trullo Transitions A Catapult for positive integration
Techniques workshop Retail Projects Green Express Kiss Optique Commercial Projects One Woodbrook Place Renaissance Agostini Insurance Brokers Residential Projects Janoura Residence Singh: Moka, Trinidad Singh: Apes Hill, Barbados Arrindel Residence
St. Clair, Trinidad W.I. mleotaud@gmail.com
Resume EDUCATION 2012-2013 Institute of European Design Turin, Italy Masters of Sustainable Architecture 1997 – 2001 Florida International University, Miami, FL Bachelor of Design Major: Architecture 1996 – 1997 Lehigh University Bethlehem Pennsylvania Major: Engineering 1989 – 1996 St. Joseph’s Convent Port-of-Spain, Trinidad EMPLOYMENT March 2009 Present Architect, OBMI Ltd. 28 Stone St. Port-of-Spain, Trinidad Responsible for managing consultancy team for production of documentation from schematic stage through construction documentation. Also highly responsible for conceptual design, and site supervision, specifically of commercial and retail architecture, and interior design. Currently a strong emphasis on coordination, and project management in mixed use schemes and high rise buildings. April 2007 – March 2009
Architect, TMC Architects Ltd., 122 St. Vincent St. Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
April 2003 – April 2007
July 2002 – February 2003
Responsible for all planning, design and site supervision of commercial and retail architecture, interior design and coordination, and project management.
Interior Architect, HCP Architects Ltd., 27 Cipriani, Blvd., Port-of-Spain, Trinidad Responsible for all design and site supervision of commercial interior architecture, some residential architecture and interior design, project management, and imaging and graphic rejuvenation of HCP Architects Ltd.
Interior Designer, Ethan Allen, Miami, Florida, U.S.A. Responsible for interior design for residential and hotel projects. Also responsible for furniture and accessory sales and some product marketing.
August 1999 – February 2002 Office and Graphic Assistant F.I.U. Photography & Graphics University Park Tamiami Trail, Miami, Florida, U.S.A. Responsible for assisting graphic designers with Photoshop, and Powerpoint presentations, such as CD covers, posters, T-shirt designs, logos, and presentation layouts. Also responsible for assisting office manager with accounts payable and accounts receivable, upkeep of databases, and other clerical duties.
Resume
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ROFESSIONAL INTEREST P An Architectural design aesthetic that merges both modern design with tropical architecture at the same time being aware and responsible of the site’s environment and sustainability. RECENT PROJECTS The Renaissance at Shorelands Shorelands, Trinidad • Two 20 storey waterfront residential towers, accommodating 74 luxury apartments, 12, 2 bedroom, 24, 3 bedroom and 28, 4 bedroom residences above a 3 storey podium accommodating extensive amenities and secured parking. Each tower is crowned with four spacious penthouses and 2 luxury residences comprising of 360 degree views and rooftop pools. One Woodbrook Place 187 Tragarete Rd., Trinidad • 2M s.f. Multi-use project consisting of 421 residential apartments, and 200,000 sf of retail and commercial space. This unique development is the first in the region. Trincity Mall Trincity, Trinidad • The largest retail mall in the Caribbean. Architectural and Interior Design services of: • Several luxury high rise apartments, OWP • Single family Residence, Apes Hill, Barbados • Single family Residence, 68 Ellerslie Park, Maraval • Single family Residence, 17 Ellerslie Park, Maraval • Single family Residence, The Orchard at Moka • Single Family Residence, Newbury Hill, Glencoe • Residence Outdoor Entertainment Area, Goodwood Park.
Interior remodeling and outfitting of: • KISS Baking Company Rebranding Mall Outlets • Green Express, Environmentally Friendly Cleaners • OPTIQUE, A Ferreira Optical Boutique, West Mall • Bmobile Outlets, Frederick St., Henry St. & Charlotte St. • Laughlin and DeGannes Tool Store, San Fernando • Agostini Insurance Brokers Ltd., Henry St. • Tropical Power, Chaguanas • TSTT Mobile Stores (conceptual design) COMPUTER SKILLS Fluent in Vectorworks 12.0, Microsoft Office Applications, Adobe Photoshop, and AutoCAD. Working knowledge of Sketch-up, Revit Autodesk 2009, Ecotech, and Design Builder. LANGUAGES Fluent in English, basic understanding of Spanish
ACHIEVEMENTS Golden Key Honor Society Member Who’s who in American Colleges 2000 Member National Women’s Hockey Team Player of the Year TTHB 2005 and 2011 PUBLICATIONS Spring 2001 Key Biscayne Fire Department. The booklet consisted of projects designed by myself and my Design 5 classmates for the Key Biscayne Fire Department’s (Miami, FL) new site. It served as a prototype and reference for other Fire Department buildings throughout the region. REFERENCES Excellent references provided upon request
Sustainable Design Sustainable Design, GREEN Architecture, LEED, Environmentally friendly; these are all words that seem to be at the forefront of all recent topics be it social, political, or cultural. It’s not just a fad it’s become reality and designers must do their part to defuse the environmental crisis. I am an architect with an affinity towards modern design but with a tropical heart. Being from the Caribbean beauty in our surroundings is as natural as breathing. However our society is not yet developed to realize that we need to address our environmental problems now, before it makes a greater impact on our ecology. I would like to obtain my degree in sustainable architecture because I want to develop a more ambitious solution to defusing our environmental problems on a more global stage and help my compatriots live more sustainably as individuals. I would like to equip myself with the tools necessary for educating my clients to have a better understanding of their responsibility to the environment as developers.
The Trullo Transitions
A Boutique Hotel and Spa , Puglia Italy The Trullo is a Bold noticeable Architecture, rather than competing with it we chose to use the existing features to develop a contemporary interpretation. The main economic function of this area is tourism. Thus the SPA and Boutique hotel will provide a unique and necessary destination. The existing stone walls became the catalyst for the extension and the modules. By extruding, pushing and pulling these elements we created definitive boundaries for our spaces. The infill walls then became lighter elements to balance these massive walls allowing natural light to filter through the spaces.
The Trullo Concept
The Module
Module Aggregation
Module Construction Process
The Trullo Climatic Understanding
The Spa
The Environmental Section The Trullo Off Grid Module
A Catapult for positive integration A School in Gaza City, Gaza Gaza City, as we are aware has been a war torn zone for many years. The school provides a change of pace for the children that will attend. It provides protection as suggested by a series of elements, the boundary wall, the building itself, the bamboo screens all surrounding the inner courtyard. Once you pass through the main entry you leave the troubled world behind symbolized by the water, washing away the worries of your daily life and entering into a safe space. The community can also use the covered courtyard or the integration gardens. These become spaces of interaction, of calmness, of leisure, and of learning. The school becomes a Catapult to the future, a catapult for positive integration‌
Gaza City
Concept for Social Integration
Gaza City
Environmental Strategies :-
Passive Cooling using prevailing winds Storm Water Harvesting Local Material Use Sun Shading as a cultural architectural language Planning for multi use for education at large
Workshop Unconventional Construction Methods. Torino, Italy This workshop was lead by an Italian architectural firm, ARCO. They have a strong desire to remind the industry that we can get back to basics and that this is not only sustainable economically and socially but also environmentally.
Traditional materials making a comeback‌earthbags and bales of hay create large thermal mass walls
1. Buckets are filled with earth 2. Old Feed bags are filled and packed with earth 3. After 3 layers of earthbags a wooden structure is placed to stabilize structure 4. The wooden structure is filled with clay pellets to absorb moisture. 5. After all the wood is in place straw layers are placed on top as though laying bricks and they are strapped down. 6. A mixture of hay and plaster is created and hand applied to the bales. 7. The roof structure is applied 8. A second layer of straw mixtures is applied
Sustainability Workshop 1
Use of Recycled Materials …old water bottles create fixed furniture 1. Bottles of water with square section are collected and filled with Sand 2. Before putting the second layer a layer of cement is placed to fix bottles inplace 3. This process is repeated untill desired height of wall is achieved. 4. After putting all the layers a line of twine is wrapped around each of the bottle caps for stability. 5. Another layer of cement is trowelled on and the bottle tops and bottoms are cleaned so that the wall has a sense of transparency. 6. Allow to set and bench is complete.
Sustainability Workshop 2
Commercial Design Throughout the past few years, I have worked on two of the largest multi-use schemes in the region. I have helped provide the creative and technical foundation for these landmark projects.
The success of these projects can be attributed to my team’s integrity, dedication and loyalty to our clients. It is my belief in order to have a successful project you must have a team of experienced and innovative professionals, passionate and hardworking in their endeavors.
Individually and collectively, you must be committed to helping your client both with the tangible and the intangible.
One Woodbrook Place Mixed Use Development Residential Towers Commercial Retail 7 Acres One Woodbrook Place is a mixed use development consisting of 431 residential apartments housed in three towers of 25,18 and 16 storey’s respectively. There are four podium apartment buildings as well consisting of 5 stories each.
The developments also houses 100,000 s.f. of commercial space and 100,000 s.f. of office space, in multi-storey buildings engaging Port-of-Spain’s newest park.
Along with green building concepts, OWP is designed in accordance with New Urbanist Principles; Live Work and Play and is situated within urban landscaping. It is the first of its kind in the region providing a community within a community, connecting people on a larger level.
Ascend the skyline of Port of Spain and you will enter into a space perched within the sunset, hanging over the horizon and allowing vistas over layers of history and cultural intrigue‌ a place of luxury and wonderment‌. and you will know that you have arrived.
Penthouse Upper Floor Plan SLEEPING
Penthouse Lower Floor Plan LIVING
OWP Residential Interiors
The Residential Experience
WORK LIVE PLAY
2 Floors of Basement Parking
OWP Exterior
The Renaissance at Shorelands High End Residential Residential Towers 50,000 s.m. The Renaissance at Shorelands is an oceanfront, luxury residential development consisting of two 20-storey towers on 50,000 sm.
Each of the Towers has four penthouses, each crowned with three storey rooftop residences. The community elements for this project include a grand lobby, concierge and valet service, an infinity pool, gym, spa and clubroom.
The renaissance at Shorelands is equipped with SMART building technology and a Berthing Marina.
The Renaissance at Shorelands
Agostini Insurance Brokers This 19,000 s.f. project involved a Corporate reimaging, including both the exterior faรงade and interior remodeling. The building street front was updated simply with alucobond paneling and an enhancement of the entry portal. The interior challenges were to create a more customer oriented environment and move to a multi service platform of insurance products. This included both customer interface spaces as well as employee workspace.
Agostini Insurance Brokers
Retail Design Imagine a space where customers are influenced to shop! Retail design is a creative art in which combines many different design ideas together of which it’s primary purpose is to stock and sell products to the consumers. The spaces must be designed in a way that makes a fun and trouble free shopping experience for the consumer.
Imagine a space where employees want to work! The focus is to maximize your financial performance with innovative and financially effective branding strategies, going beyond store design by influencing the employees to develop their customer service skills and produce results with measurable returns on your investment.
Imagine a space that is technologically savvy! Having a point of sale system that provides a quick and efficient checkout is always a plus for the consumer. Introducing new technology for the security system helps prevent a lot of theft. And by also introducing new electronic games starts sending the message that the brand is keeping current and understands its customers.
Imagine a space that encourages customers to buy! The space must be specially made to your product. Retail spaces must also be designed to bring people to the retail space to shop. Designs are meant to be attractive to encourage you to at least look around at the products on sale.
Imagine that space is YOURS!!
Green Express An environmentally friendly dry cleaners. A radically different Dry Cleaner outlet. The ecologically rooted process founded in 1999 presents to Trinidad the world’s largest brand of environmentally friendly dry cleaning. This award winning system introduces a new level of environmental sensitivity to the dry cleaning sector of Trinidad and Tobago. Of specific concern to this proposal was the zone allocated to the customer and front counter services. The creation of an interior environment celebrating not only the state of the art processes and equipment but presenting visual and tactile stimuli that roots the customer in the environmentally driven philosophy behind the operation. Space planning to achieve ergonomic efficiency and a fluid capacity to change imagery were incorporated. Materials were selected from a green perspective coupled with energy efficient lighting systems. This relatively intimate environment synced with the environmental processes have set the context for repeat business and success.
GREEN EXPRESS
Optique The Falls at Westmall, Westmoorings, Trinidad Retail Outlet; Optometrist Facility and Fashion Eyewear Showroom Designed as an upscale luxury optometrist facility at The Falls at Westmall, the resulting store is a contemporary blend of texture and colour. Using innovative and interesting lighting with retail display elements, the store becomes a new approach to optometry creating a unique environment for the client. The use of glossy wood finishes and tensile fabrics blends well with the trendy fashion eyewear on display. This modern design combines an inspired artistic atmosphere together with the primary purpose to stock and sell products to the consumers. The space developed ultimately makes a fun and trouble free shopping experience for the consumer.
OPTIQUE
Kiss Desserts Retail Outlet for Cakes and other Treats Gulf city Mall, Trinidad This outlet served as a prototype store of approx 565 s.f. located in one of the major malls in Trinidad, Gulf City Mall. It is modern and edgy yet retaining the elegance and stature of the already well established brand of Kiss Baking products.
The marketing concept was to have the Cafe itself be attractive to all types of customers both existing and new. It stands out amongst the other shop displays but compliments the cakes and desserts without overpowering them. The use of imagery, signage, colour and display is a great recipe for re branding Kiss Desserts and in bringing this product into the current trend and taking it forward.
These new stores will not only retain the large clientele base that Kiss already has but also attract new customers making the brand far reaching, because as the saying goes everybody needs a kiss!
KISS
Residential Design A home occupies special places in our hearts and minds. Conjures up unique feelings and mental images. For those of us in the business of creating new residential spaces – a setting for new perspectives, discoveries and experiences –
there is no greater reward than crafting a place that is authentic, unique and the blank canvas for making beautiful memories. As an architect, I recognize that I have an opportunity, or better yet, a responsibility to preserve and enhance the very essence of a site. My success is based on the fundamental principle of embracing the very culture, and history specific place, combined with the lifestyle needs of my clients, allowing these resources to dictate the design path taken.
Forming a house into a home!
Janoura Residence Ellerslie Park, St. Clair, Trinidad A single family luxury residence. 4000 s.f. With 3 ensuite spacious bedrooms, this modern home is equipped with all the luxurious spaces one might expect in their dream home. The house also holds a music room, a library, a five car garage, and a large indoor and outdoor entertainment space. It is an open floor plan with the spacious rooms divided only by the layout of the furniture. The use of local flora and fauna along with a low level pond demarcate the entrance to the massive stainless steel entry door. The external experience is only surpassed by the interior one. Specialty lighting, double volume ceilings, state of the art sound system, and the sleek modern furniture allow for a jaw dropping moment. This is a home that will stay current for years to come.
“Contemporary Lines, amongst natural beauty A Home where you want to LIVE…”
Janoura Residence
Singh Residence The Orchard’s, Moka, Trinidad A single family home A 3500 s.f., 3 bedroom 3 ½ bathroom Spanish transitional home. Inspired by its surroundings, the site is located in a development once part of an orchard. The house is laid out on the site in an L-shape, engulfing the land and the views. The main outdoor entertainment is located at the heart of the house and is easily accessible to both the kitchen and the pool. Sitting on this open verandah one truly feels that you are amongst the orchard trees. All the large trees were preserved on the site and the design was sensitive to their existing locations. Although the client had very Spanish inspired tastes the final result is transitioning towards a tropical home.
“Relax in a soothing environment�
Singh Residence, Moka
Singh Residence Apes Hill, Barbados A single family luxury Residence 2500 s.f. A 3 bedroom 3 ½ bathroom Modern Tropical home. Barbados is internationally known as a tourist destination. Its island hospitality is surpassed only by its natural beauty. Its crystal clear waters and white sand beaches are forces one cannot resist. These natural forces are brought into the design of this house, making it as irresistible to the user as Barbados is to its tourists. By bringing nature into the house I have created a warm, tropical atmosphere. At the same time, keeping the lines clean and fresh, to produce a style that fits easily into the tranquil Barbados environment whilst embodying its own unique characteristics, thus making it a HOME.
“Sophisticated elegance with a distinctly tropical feel…”
Apes Hill, Barbados
Singh Residence, Apes Hill
Arrindel Residence Newbury Hill, Trinidad Single Family Residence This house was designed with 3 ensuite bedrooms, 4 bathrooms in a Modern Style. Newbury Hill is strategically placed overlooking the western coastline of Trinidad. The layout of the house has maximized the beautiful views at this hill top property. With an infinity edge pool caressing the contours of the mountain the home owner has a wonderful entertainment space that flows from the mountain through the house overlooking the valley.
These natural forces of the site inspired the simple modern lines allowing the house to compliment the beauty of the site and not overpower it. By keeping the lines clean and fresh a unique style is produced that stands out amongst the hill but at the same time fits easily into the tranquil environment.
Arrindel Residence, Newbury Hill
Michelle Leotaud, mleotaud@gmail.com