Portfolio By Noah Morris
Comprehensive Collection 2017 - 2021
About Me
Hi, I’m Noah Morris!
I am an architectural design professional with five years of professional experience in the architectural and construc on industries. I’d like to thank you for taking a look at my previous work. This collec on is made up of my life’s work, from my undergraduate academic work to my professional career. I hope you enjoy these projects as much as I enjoyed working on them. I am proficient in architectural design and produc on, as well as computer hardware maintenance. Apart from studying architecture, I enjoy a good cup of coffee, music and art, and food of all types. I am passionate about architecture, and I believe it should perform three tasks: IS USABLE FOR ALL IS USABLE TOMORROW ENACTS SOCIAL CHANGE
Contact +1 (618)560 6578 noah.morris42598@gmail.com linkedin.com/in/morrisarchitecture 412 Bluff Street Alton, IL 62002
Contents Granite City Music Venue Henderson Associates Architects Design Compe on
Intersections Hotel University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Senior Capstone Studio
Chicago Ethiopian Cultural Center University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Junior Studio
Gregg Monastery for the Arts University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Junior Studio
Wood House Sanctuary University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Junior Studio
Blueprint Coffee Watson Road Location Steel Counters + Café Layout | Na ons Food Service
Bluff Gate Bridge + Bus Station Lewis & Clark Community College Sophmore Studio
Graphics Projects
Granite City Performing Arts Center Granite City Public Compe
Henderson Associates Architects on (Winner) | June-August 2021 Granite City, IL
Granite City, Illinois is a depressed steel town within the Saint Louis Metro East. The past century of the town has seen it rise and fall, from company town, to mid-century heights, to post-industrial economic depression. The city decided to buy a church located in the center of town and convert it to a music venue for local bands to perform, working on turning the downtown in an entertainment district. The city held a compe on for the design. The renova on s ches aspects of Granite City’s rich, working class history with the world of today, using steel members to accent wood materials, both complimen ng the tan brick. The concert hall retains the original midcentury stained glass windows, with new ligh ng fixtures that compliment the exis ng building. The fellowship hall is now a bar and lounge, with wall art celebra ng local music stars Bonnie and Delaney Bramle . The inter decor highlights the city’s historic e to steel, and has an ecclec c blend of speak easy and contemporary design. My role in the project was in document produc on and crea ng all of the conceptual design renderings. Granite City awarded Henderson Associates Architects the project in October 2021.
Front Eleva on
Exterior Render: Pedestrian Area + Music Garden
Site Plan
Interior Render: Performance Area
Interior Render: Bar + Lounge
First Floor Plan
Basement Floor Plan
Intersections Hotel University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Senior Capstone Studio | Fall 2019 Champaign, IL
Intersec ons is a bou que hotel project located in the heart of Champaign, Illinois. The city is growing from its small Midwestern town roots into a dense, urban environment. The green spaces are retrea ng to the city’s residen al areas, and the downtown has become a storage facility for cars that emp es at the end of the business day. With these factors in mind, considera on for both green space and community engagement must be considered. By intersec ng four rectangular prisms, we can create a step pa ern for program and two first floor green spaces. The use of glass creates a transparent layer between the indoor and outdoor, allowing for year-round interac on with the spaces. Guests and visitors alike will have access to a restaurant and spa, crea ng a sphere of casual interac on. As hotel guests rise through the hotel’s six guest floors, they will find two green roofs and vantage points to downtown to the south and the tree lined streets to the east. The hotel will also be able to produce its own electricity through, solar power, with possibili es of sharing its energy with its neighbors.
Concept Renders: Warmth, Urban Nature + Presence
Exterior Render: Across the Street
Exterior Render: Rainy Night
First Floor: Lobby + Restaurant
South Eleva on
Second Floor: Spa
Third + Fourth Floors: Guest Rooms
Fi h + Sixth Floors: Guest Rooms
Interior Render: Lobby
Interior Render: Spa Baths
Interior Render: Corner Suite
Exterior Render: Terrarium Courtyard
HVAC Diagram
PV Panels Cuts energy costs Gives back to the grid
Green Roof Absorbs heat Increases public health
Thermal Massing Mass absorbs heat during day Releases heat at night
Permeable Paving Decreases water pooling Increases public health
Prefabricated CLT Panel Construc on Cuts construc on cost Renewable Material
Mass Timber Framing Renewable Material Creates a warm environment
Concrete Founda on + Cores Stable structural core Deadens sound transfer
m
Chicago Ethiopian Culture Center University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Junior Spring Studio | Spring 2019 Chicago, IL
The Chicago Ethiopian Cultural Center is located in the Printer’s Row neighborhood of Chicago. Tasked with designing a cultural center for a chosen culture, the project lasted the en rety of the Spring 2019 semester. Choosing Ethiopia created a structure who’s goal was to reveal and to share. Ethiopiaw is not well known in the US. In fact, the typical Midwestern might s ll hold the same regressive ideas of yesteryear. I decided that my project should become a form that would be a physical and subconscious “li ing of the veil” and a remover of bias. This project is a celebra on of a strong heritage. All considera ons in the design celebrate Ethiopia’s rich culture and geography, through use of materials. The project is also meant to teach, featuring a gallery, library, and a small cafe.
Concept Diagrams: Forma on Process [Midterm]
Exterior Render: Across the Street
URBAN SECTION
First Floor: Assembly + Cafe
Second Floor: Gallery
Third Floor: Library
Fourth Floor: Office
4
OFFICE
3
LIBRARY
2
GALLERY
1
ASSEMBLY
Green Roof Absorbs heat Increases public health
Double Skin Facade Allows so ened daylight into space Assists in Hea ng + Cooling
Steel Beam + Girder Structural System Flexible building material Reusable material
Corten Steel Perforated Facade Perforated for views + light Reference to Ethiopian material
Concrete Founda on
Structural Axonometric
Contextual Axonometric
Gregg Monastery for the Arts University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Junior Spring Studio | Spring 2019 Chicago, IL
For millennia, devout worshipers from religions across the globe have separated themselves to live a holy life. While religious monas cism is on the decline, many have chosen the path of the arts, but in the age of constant interrup on, the crea ve process can be easily s fled. Enter Allerton Park, a lush 1,500 acre forest hidden in the seemingly infinite farm fields of central Illinois. While easily accessible from Interstate 72, the park is nestled in the small town of Mon cello, far from the bustle of everyday life. While exploring a rela vely unknown area, I found a nice perch on the south side of the park above the Sangamon River. While I enjoyed Allerton’s gardens and statuary, I found the south side much more suitable for crea ng a place of retreat. The site is high enough to avoid flooding, but low enough to experience the Sangamon, and just far enough from the road to be both accessible and secluded.
Personal Cartography
Interior Render: Studio
Exterior Render: Snowy Winter
Site Plan
Studio + Residence Floor Plan
Exploded Axonometric
Wood House Sanctuary University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Junior Spring Studio | Spring 2019 Urbana, IL
The arboretum at the University of Illinois of Urbana-Champaign serves many func ons; public park and garden, annual fes vals, and laboratory for the university. When tasked with this two week “warm up” project, we were given an open program to choose the building’s func on. Apart from the arboretum’s annual Japanese Matsuri fes val, the overall atmosphere is calm, contempla ve; a place for quiet strolls and si ng under a tree and reading a book. Thus how the project’s spiritual nature came to be. Working on a site like this presents the challenge of avoiding tree roots and not disturbing the site, due to the scien fic nature of the arboretum. Therefore, a simple wooden construc on placed on top of piers became the form. The wood exterior is charred in the Yakisuki fashion, both to allow the structure to blend into the trees and also to reference the site’s Japanese es. A large space for group medita on views a cluster of trees and the arboretum’s pond, while two quiet rooms act as spaces for self-contempla on. The windows are placed lower to bring oneself to the floor and to view the surrounding arboretum.
Site Sec on
Floor Plan
Building Sec on
Blueprint Coffee Watson Road Location Na ons Food Service Steel Counters + Café Layout | 2017 - 2018 Saint Louis, MO
Blueprint Coffee has been providing sustainably sourced coffee to the Saint Louis area since 2013, and has been a staple for the Delmar Loop neighborhood of University City. The Watson Road loca on is the second loca on for the brand, and occupies an old brake service storefront. The project’s goal was to create an atmosphere that embraced the building’s maintenance heritage, while also having a playful, lively environment. My role in the project was to design a workspace layout that not only paired well with the vibe of the aesthe c, but also provided a produc ve, efficient work space for the baristas. Working closely with the owner and contractor, a bespoke stainless steel counter top was designed by building four tables that would fit together like a puzzle behind the shop’s work area. The finished product fit perfectly in the small work area, and provides a solu on to the shops small amount of storage space, while also giving a clean and elegant appearance.
Café Floor Plan
Axonometric View of Tables
Bluff Gate Bridge + Bus Station Lewis + Clark Community College Sophmore Studio | Fall 2017 Alton IL
Alton, Illinois is a quaint river town in the northern edge of the Saint Louis Metropolitan area. Much like Granite City, Alton had a large industrial sector that largely disappeared in the la er half of the Twen eth Century. However, Alton has a long history da ng all the way back to the Illiniwek tribes and early French fur traders. The landscape of the area is also more vaired; towering bluffs meet the river, with prarie and hills do ng the area. The project program called for a welcome area, with a carte blanche of the func on of the structure. With great future poten al on the city’s river front, a bridge spanning Landmark’s Boulevard would allow for visitors and residents alike to visit the river’s edge. The form’s inspira on is two fold; both a blade of prarie grass and also the undula ng form of the Mississippi river bluffs. To welcome all visitors, driving or otherwise, a bus sta on sits on the bridge’s town-facing side. The prarie grass garden serves as a botanical educa onal area and public green space.
Bridge Plan
Birds Eye View Rendering
Garden Walk Rendering
Graphics Projects In Brugge... University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Geography of Ci es | Spring 2020 Brugge, Belgium is the capital of the West Flanders province and the largest city, boas ng a popula on of around 118,000. The city is ancient, with se lements da ng as far back to the Bronze Age. During the Medieval Era of Europe, Brugge became an important city, with its access to the sea in the north and posi on along the Hansea c League trade routes. The city retains most of its medieval architecture and has a UNESCO World Heritage Site designa on. Brugge’s wide use of canals from its medieval golden age has earned the city the tle of the “Venice of the North”. Its currently host to the Zeebrugge port, one of the most important ports in the European Union. The goal of this project was to look at how Brugge’s history and geography shaped the city’s character. By taking a figure ground and abstrac ng the details, one could make connec ons as to how different features could shape others. I have selected five features that have built Brugge’s character: the historic canals, renowned tex le industry, building density, public spaces, and the educa onal and religious structures.
Prototype Symbols Winter 2020 These symbols were designed to represent different projects for this por olio. A er crea ng the set, I decided to only use the Intersec ons Hotel icon, as it seemed fi ng; a way to say here is where I am. These studies serve as an interes ng study of form for each project. Yellow: Intersec ons Hotel Red: Cultural Center Green: Gregg Monastery
CONNECTIONS TO CONTEXT
COCO AN BIANCA DENG NOAH MORRIS KAREN RAMOS
The business model of a hotel depends on several variables, most notably its guests. Understanding the area in which the hotel is located can give key details about what kind of guest would stay in the hotel. For example, taking a look at a city’s historical background can give an idea of why someone would want to visit. Is the city a commerce center, research hub, or just a fun town? The history of the city affects these factors, and thus reasons as to why someone might visit. The information could also show whether the city is a one-night stay for people passing through or if it is an extended or repeated destination.
HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 1850 Champaign Founded as “West Urbana”
One of the first banks to operate in Champaign, Cattle Bank acted as the primary bank for cattle ranchers that brought their live stock to the town they could be sent to the Chicago Stock Yards.
1867 University of Illinois Established After the Morril Land-Grant Act, the University quickly became synonymous with the Champaign-Urbana area.
1921 Virginia Theatre One of several theatres in the downtown area, Virginia Theatre plays many roles, from showing motion pictures to acting as a performance venue for musicians and plays.
W WASHIN SHIN HIN NGTON ST STR STREE E EET
ET TRE NW ALN UT S
N NEIL STREET T TRE
N RANDOLP PH STREET PH STREET
NF REM ONT S
TRE
ET
W HILL LL STREET
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COOPERATION
E WASHINGTON WASHINGTON ON STR REET
1937
CONNECTIONS BY RAIL
E COLUMB COLUMBIA IA STREET STREET
Cattle Bank Opens
HISTORY OF COMMERCE
N WALNUT ALN STREET TREET REET
HICKORY STREET TREET ET
W COLUMBIA STRE EET
1858
With the Illinois Central Railroad building its rail-line two miles west of downtown Urbana, Champaign would quickly become a commercial hub for the Central Illinois region.
1980
Champaign City Building
Busey Bank Building
After construction ended on the Art-Deco structure, Champaign City Building not only functioned as the city hall, but as a local landmark and a symbol of the city.
Busey Bank is one of the commerce giants of Champaign. With over $8 Billion in assets, the Bank owns many subsidiaries statewide, such as TheBANK of Edwardsville in Southern Illinois.
1999 Research Park Established Acting as a business incubator and tech hub, Research Park works closely with the University of Illinois several large private companies. The area could be compared to micro-model of Silicon Valley, bringing the private and public sectors together.
W CH CHURCH STREE S STR T
EM AIN STR E
1999 Illinois Terminal Opens Functioning as a transit hub for Greyhound, Amtrak, and the Mass Transit District bus system, as well as municipal offices and event space, Illinois Terminal is a sign of Champaign’s continued prosperity of the past, present, and future.
ET
2014 Hyatt Place Champaign
USER ANALYSIS
W PARK STREET ST
Using the cartographic and historical data, we can deduce the type of user for the project:
NC HES TNU T
EC HES T ER
STR
NM ARK ET S
EET
TRE ET
TAY LO OR STR EET
Young Adult to Middle Age International and Domestic Medium Stay (3 - 10 Day) Visiting University or Business Bus or Car Share as Primary Transport Middle and Upper Economic Class
STR EET
W U UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY S UNI STREET TRE TREET SITE
RESIDENTIAL
PARKING SPACE
COMMERCIAL
ENTERTAINMENT
PRIVATE GREEN SPACE
DOWNTOWN CHAMPAIGN, IL Population: ~39,000
PUBLIC SERVICE
HOTEL
PUBLIC GREEN SPACE
0’
100’
200’
Density: 3,975 per Sq. Mile 400’
Connections to Context University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Senior Studio | Fall 2019 Team Members: Coco An, Bianca Deng, Noah Morris + Karen Ramos In prepara on for our capstone, our studio was divided into teams and had a week to prepare a board describing an aspect of the site. Our group was tasked with studying the historical context of the site, and how that might affect the hotel or the type of guest. Through a comparison of landmarks, the surrounding area, and that has developed through me, we found connec ons back to Champaign’s founding, and followed the city’s past to the present through its commercial and educa onal endeavors.
My contribu on to the project was the meline analysis of the town of Champaign itself. I looked into the surrounding area and key contextual factors, both historical and contemporary, and analysed this data to find what kind of visitor would be at the site.
Hyatt Place is one of the newest additions to Champaign’s skyline. Acting as the downtown’s sole hotel, the Hyatt serves a variety of guests. Many guests here stay on average three to seven nights, and primarily are here to visit the university, Carle Hospital in Urbana, or the many businesses in the downtown Champaign area.