MEGAN VAN HORN
SELECTED WORKS- 2022
CONTENTS
01 02 03 04 05 06
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY INTERVENTION- FALL 2020 MAPLE & 13TH ST. 4 UNITS- FALL 2019
DESERT OASIS LIBRARY SPRING 2020 BRASILIANA LIBRARY EXPANSION- FALL 2021 MODEL BUILDING 2019-2021 CONTACT
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY INTERVENTION FALL 2020
01
PROJECT DESCRIPTION The objective of this studio was to imagine a future Arizona State University campus by detecting both current and future boundaries that prohibit interdisciplinary interaction and providing solutions that will deconstruct those boundaries. This project focuses on the boundary created by indoor versus outdoor spaces and how they prevent different disciplines from interacting. It also explores the boundary created by COVID-19 separating students from the classroom.
The final intervention seeks to bridge the boundary between building and outdoor mall on ASU’s Tempe campus in order to create a space for interacting and learning for students of all disciplines. The change in section created by the large stair draws students to gather and learn from one another as in Raphael’s masterpiece, “The School of Athens”.
Site Plan
Level 1
Level 2 West Elevation
This studio also focused on the utilization of different scales to create a comprehensive project. This intervention starts at the scale of the campus with four selected sites, continues to the site of the corner of one building, and is fulfilled at the scale of several of the project’s details.
Axonometric
Shade Structure
These details include a movable shade structure which incorporates the moulding of the more classical architecture of Matthews Center and the modernity of a transitioning shade system.
One last detail is the grass and concrete stair. This stair focuses on accesibility as well as biophilia. The stair is accesible to all levels of ability as it has an appropriately sloped ramp at the center. The stair also welcomes students to connect with nature and eachother as they are oversized and furnished with grass. These details are implemented to a demolished corner of Matthews Center to become a semi-indoor, semi-outdoor space for chance encounters and regular meetings. The intervention effectively bridges buildings that previously would not have been interacted with much by many disciplines of students to the network of malls on campus and in turn, bridges the gap between those students.
Another detail is the water collecting umbrella structures which utilize a biomimetic water collecting textile and channel water back to the project’s grass stairs.
MAPLE & 13TH ST 4 UNITS FALL 2019
02
PROJECT DESCRIPTION The objective of this studio was to study a given site and create a low square footage housing solution for the particular site. Specific sites were given in order to teach the ability to design a comprehensive dwelling that synthesizes the culture of the place, the various potential clients, and the tectonics of making this dwelling a reality.
The location of this site is in the historical Maple and Ash neighborhood in Tempe, Arizona, which has strict zoning regulations to maintain a single family home oriented neighborhood. The idea for this project came from taking those rules and regulations and scaling them down to create more affordable small apartment-sized dwellings that afforded owners the privacy and aesthetic of the neighborhood.
The form of these units is inspired by the traditional pitched roof and cookie cutter style doors and windows of many Arizona homes. These features are exaggerated to be much larger in these units to expose the fact that while they may look like those homes and be in the same area, they serve a different purpose.
Each apartment unit consists of at least two flexible private rooms, a kitchen and living space, and one bathroom. This format allows owners the flexibility of having at least one bedroom and one other multi-use room if desired.
Level 1 The garden area of each unit is outfitted with plants and a perforated concrete/ grass pathway that doubles as a carport.
Level 2
Level 3 Three of four units are equipped with stairs to access second and third levels and one apartment remains one story in order to allow for accesible renting.
CIRCULATION & VIEW
Circulation Diagram The previously single unit site was divided into four segments to allow each unit a garden area and unblocked views from their windows. The long segments allowed for units to be staggered to provide privacy wihtin the small site. These segments also connect to either the street or back alley to allow staggered entrances for each apartment. This provides a procession through the garden into the home for dwellers and allows more privacy.
View Diagram
PERSPECTIVE SECTIONS
DESERT OASIS LIBRARY SPRING 2020
03
PROJECT DESCRIPTION The objective of this studio was to develop a position on what a contemporary library is and should be and then articulate a design for such a library. The design of this library centers around the idea that a library is an oasis for both the body and the mind. In the Arizona desert, public buildings become a shelter from heat for many, and this library is no different. It provides users with a climate controlled area to learn and relax. Historically, libraries have been seen as centers for information and a building block of democracy. This can be directly translate into the notion of an oasis. As an oasis is seen as a place for refreshment among barren lands, the library can be a place of knowledge where some may have little access to knowledge.
Parti Diagram
The footprint of this library is influenced by the form of an oasis. A central watering hole surrounded by dense vegetation. This central court allows users a relaxing procession into a quiet space and also views of desert landscaping from the interior. This central court and library interior is protected from the desert sun on both the south and west elevations by tall, thick rammed earth walls. The climate of Phoenix requires this protection on these sides and allows for a more open north and east elevation.
Context Plan
South Elevation
Perspective Section
North Elevation
East Elevation
West Elevation
Study Bar
Section
Reading Room
Yoga Studio
Reading Room
The 21st century library does more than simply house books. Since many things are online, this library is home to several study areas along with a large counter at the north side which serves as a study bar. This library is also home to a yoga and meditation studio where users can refresh their minds and connect with other community members.
BRASILIANA LIBRARY EXPANSION FALL 2020
04
PROJECT DESCRIPTION The object of this studio was to create a forward thinking expansion to an existing library. The Brasiliana Library in Sao Paulo, Brazil is a university library known for its vast collection of Brazilian historical materials. The expansion to this library that our group proposed was both interdisciplinary and meditative in nature, both qualities that we believed would be relevant to a university setting in the year 2050. Project Team: Megan Van Horn, Olivia McKay, Nidhi Parikh
The idea for this expansion was to provide interdisciplinary meeting areas within the library for students and other users to collaborate in, as well as a meditative roof garden to escape the world of school work. The meeting areas are modular rooms which would house discipline specific books relative to Brazilian history. The rooms located within the atrium are clad in glass to allow for projection of lectures and videos onto the concrete surface of the auditorium. The rooms to the south of the auditorium conceal a staircase and elevator that provide a means to enter the roof garden.
First Floor
NORTH 0’
20’
50’
100’
Second Floor
GREEN ROOF A green roof is incorporated as an expansion to the roof of the auditorium. The roof has several layers of soil that vary in size to support different sizes of plant life from grasses to small trees. The layers are arranged to form a walkable path for guests at the center and raised planters at the sides.
INTERDISCIPLINARY HISTORYGROUP AND INDIVIDUAL ROOMS • 20’X20’ and 15’x15’ • Book selection relevant to room discipline
NORTH 0’
20’
50’
100’
Third Floor
NORTH 0’
20’
50’
100’
The expansion connects to the existing building in three places: modular interdisciplinary learning rooms at south side of the auditorium and IEB library, and a greenhouse space at the top of the auditorium. This image illustrates how those spaces are connected in a section view.
PERSPECTIVE SECTION
DETAIL 1
WALL SECTION
DETAIL 4
DETAIL 3 DETAIL 5
DETAIL 2
0
10
20
Detail 1:
Curtain Wall to Concrete
Detail 2:
Aluminum Panel to Glass
These drawings detail how the expansion connects to the existing building. The connection points on the existing building are made of glass curtain walls and exposed concrete. The expansion would connect corten steel and glass curtain wall to existing exposed concrete and new aluminum panels to new curtain walls on the south side of the expansion. Detail 4:
Green Roof Layers
Detail 5:
Cor-Ten Steel Connection
ALUMINUM FLASHING STEEL BOX BEAM SUPERSTRUCTURE SOIL LAYER
FILTER FABRIC DRAINAGE LAYER ROOT BARRIER INSULATION WATERPROOFING DECK LAYER
W/ CORROSION RESISTANT FINISH
ANCHOR BOLTS CURB WIDTH
Detail 3:
Glass Dome to Slab
MODEL BUILDING 2019- 2021
05
From 2019 to the present, I have had access to a model building shop at Arizona State University’s Design School along with a digital lab that is equipped with laser cutters and 3D printers. Models have been a useful tool in understanding and visualizing projects from the site scale down to the scale of a detail. The following selected works demonstrate how I have utilized model making in my career as a student at The Design School to express different purposes and aspects of my designed projects.
BRASILIANA LIBRARY Site Model
Wood: Existing Library Aluminum: Expansion
This model was created to illustrate the interaction between the existing Brasiliana Library (wood) and a proposed expansion on the library (aluminum). This model was hand made in a model shop using MDF and aluminum. The site base was laser cut out of plywood.
BRASILIANA LIBRARY Wall Section Model
This model was created to demonstrate the connection of a new expansion to the existing Brasiliana Library auditorium. The model was created using laser cutting techniques coupled with hand cut MDF board. The existing building is shown using MDF board while the new expansion is shown in chip board and acrylic.
Section taken from “Section” drawing: Project 04
MAPLE AND 13TH 1/8”=1’-0” Model
Perspective View
Plan View (Roof Removed)
This model was created using laser cut templates derived from a Revit model, the East/West envelope and roof pieces were assembled to be removable from the North/West envelope, floors, and interior walls. The pieces separate from each other to reveal interior walls and create a plan view when looking on from above.
ORANGE BUILD STUDIO 1”=1’-0” Pavillion Model
This model was created as part of the Orange Build: Design Build Studio at ASU. The 1”=1’-0” model was crafted throughout the semester by a team including myself to serve as a reference for construction of the outdoor pavillion at ASU Polytechnic campus. Materials used include basswood and MDF.
CONTACT
06
MEGAN VAN HORN 480.265.6318 mmvanhor@asu.edu