NATE SWIFT
Design Portfolio architecture & photography
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture From Clemson University Minor in Art (Focus in Photography and Art/Architecture History) Graduated in 2019 Graduate of the Charles E. Daniel Center for Building Research and Urban Studies program in Genoa 2019 Professor’s Choice Award for Senior Synthesis Studio
Professional Experience
GBD Architects (Portland, Oregon, USA) Design Assist September 2021 - Present As a Design Assist, I work closely with one of the firm’s Design Principals. Together we mainly focus on the schematic design phase, working closely with clients and city officials through the design process. This includes extensive 3D Modeling in Rhino and SketchUp designing everything from the building form to custom window mullions. We hold biweekly design presentations with clients where we create diagrams and materials palettes to communicate our process and vision. In addition to my role as Design Assist, I am a part of GBD’s DEI and Green Teams. With DEI, I am on the education committee bringing in speakers, leading diversity and inclusion trainings, and selecting/ hosting the firm’s Media Club (a book club that includes movies, tv shows, and podcasts). Through the Green Team, I help push the sustainability agenda in the early stages of projects, help with internal efforts to make the firm more environmentally conscience, and volunteer in green initiatives around the city. Osterlund Architects (Raleigh, North Carolina, USA) Design Professional May 2019 - July 2021 Osterlund is a small firm where everyone is expected to carry out the role of Project Manager and Project Architect. I did everything from initial sketches, set schedules, take the project from schematic design through the permitting process, and follow the project to construction completion. I was responsible for 5-10 projects at any given time, learning how to balance deadlines, meetings, and consultants. Towards the end of my time at Osterlund, I became the firm’s Revit expert and did all the firm’s promotional renderings. Davis Architecture, LLC (Columbia, South Carolina, USA) Intern / Draftsman May 2016 - January 2019 I worked at Davis Architecture throughout my time in school. I mainly used AutoCAD and Revit to design residential, commercial, and medical floor plans. In addition to drafting, I doubled as the firm’s photographer for all projects during that time.
NATE SWIFT natecharles401@gmail.com +1.803.587.5927
References
Craig Mendenhall, Principal Designer GBD Architects craigm@gbdarchitects.com Michelle Schulltz, Director GBD Architects michelles@gbdarchitects.com Kyle Anderson, Principal Designer GBD Architects kyle@gbdarchitects.com
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Expertise
AutoCAD Revit 3D Modeling Softwares Adobe Suite Project Management Presentation Packets Problem Solving 2D to 3D Model Translation Creating Material Palettes
TABLE OF CONTENTS
24 PASSAGES
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4 BOTTLING BLOCKS
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10 WATERFRONT MASTERPLAN
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16 EMMAUS CHURCH
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20 STADIUM POINT
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PROFESSIONAL WORK
32 UNDERGROUND
38 ACUTE
42 LINEWORK
44 PHOTOGRAPHY: EVERYDAY
EDUCTIONAL WORK
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BOTTLING BLOCKS 2022
A Multi-use building in Portland, Oregon, USA, I was the Design Assist on the project working with the Design Principal creating the facade design, material palette, and floor plans. A key task was to create process diagrams for client presentations.
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The client wanted to breakaway from the cookie cutter 5 over 1 apartment style and create a design unique to the Portland city fabric. Landing on a Euro-Centric style, we started breaking down the building into smaller sections.
South Elevation 5
A sense of collective belonging both internally and exteriorly was essential for the new community. On top of the retail ground floor, residential units surround amenity decks on both building’s Level 02. Small retail spaces for local vendors and town homes line the ground floor to embrace a creative public. (See images on next page.)
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Exterior colours are pulled from the wide range of Oregon’s natural palette. 8
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WATERFRONT MASTERPLAN 2023
New waterfront masterplan concept in Portland, Oregon, USA. A project proposed by the city development branch of Portland’s NBA team, Portland Trailblazers, to activate the eastern waterfront. This project was done in collaboration with Populous Architects.
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Existing Waterfront My focus was centered around the design and redevelopment of the Transit Center, Hotels, and the Waterfront Buildings along the site.
Transit Center & Pavilions
Hotel
Waterfront Buildings (Market, Water Taxi, Commercial Buildings)
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One of the main issues with the current site is the existing transit hub and stadiums are currently an island. To find a solution, I studied multiple building configurations and pedestrian flow in plan and 3D to come up with an answer. I designed a central icon that closed and open air pavilions surround, creating a place to gather and connect with the waterfront and proposed hotels.
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Public Space
Main Circulation Core
Observation / Restaurant
The new central transit hub addresses the existing sprawl of public transit roads and rails by creating new routes buried underneath the tower. The tower acts both as a high viewpoint for the site and punch through the earth for commuters below. This will service Uber pickups, local bus routes, inner city trains and cross country trains.
Ground Level
Below Ground Retail Uber / Local Bus
Inner City Train
National Train
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Vital to the actual waterfront is the re-introduction of plants and the continuation of the existing public green way south of the site. Trees, wildflowers, and grasses line bike lanes and pedestrian paths that weave in between and around open air markets, galleries, parks, and commercial buildings.
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EMMAUS CHURCH 2020
A historic church renovation in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. The project is split into multiple phases with the current phase to renovate the existing space immediately with future plans to expand on the scope. I led the design phase, documentation, and construction administration for this project.
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The wish of the client was to move the main entry from the historical entrance to a new gathering space to the side of the existing sanctuary to meet the demands of a modern church flow. A space was needed for the congregation to gather before and after the service. The oversized worship gave way to a new gathering hall that opened up the space to the exterior allowing for a bright naturally lit welcoming space to greet the community.
Worship
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Proposed new entry solution
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Gathering 17
Working with a historic building meant there was an extensive flexibility required during the construction phase of the project. As we were unable to see what all was behind the years of patchwork remodeling done to this hundred year old church, our design intent and actual construction had to be a continual dialogue as shown here in the building’s main gathering space on this page and the next.
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In the process of renovating the main worship space, original wood ceiling paneling was discovered under the current ACT panels. As a cost effective and sustainable move, we decided to adapt to re-finish the panels.
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STADIUM POINT 2021
A new development in Peoria, Arizona, USA. Focusing on the large multi-use residential building, the mission was to incorporate the creation of an “Oasis in the Desert” that is prevalent in the site through the residential building. My task was to carry out the directions of the client and principal designer and apply the main moves to the rest of the building while coordinating the interior and exterior design efforts.
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With the size of the residential building, breaking up the facade was crucial to create an inviting street presence. Through the use of facade articulations and large setbacks, the building reads as multiple smaller buildings creating a less imposing figure to approach.
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Open Space Connection 1
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Open Space Connection
Main Open Spaces
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Level 04
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Three main open spaces created by the residential design brings the over arching “Oasis in the Desert” theme into the building’s program.
Activated Corners (Levels 01 - 02) 1
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Activated Corners (Levels 01 - 03) 5
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F UP
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Level 01
While corners on central development side are activated with potential food and drink spaces to invite public interaction with the residential building.
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PASSAGES
Warehouse Re-purpose and Revitalization Spring 2019 Professor’s Choice Award In collaboration with Bryan Hazel and Geofferey Powell
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Tasked with researching the city of Detroit, Michigan, the team found that education is a major issue in the city. The question we asked was, can the synergy of start-ups be used to help the struggling Detroit education system? The solution was to create an area where young adults could learn the tools and skills of a trade to equip them for the future by pairing them with start-up companies already working in the Detroit area.
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To achieve our design solution, we gutted the existing building and created interactive pathways through the main building that feed into a more structured environment for teaching and meeting.
1. Remove the original roof.
2. Remove the floors of the secondary level.
3. Remove the second floor in the main building.
4. Add large window bays to frame views to the river.
5. Add a series of intertwining ramps in the main building.
6. Add flex office spaces throughout for collaborative meetings.
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Plan at 614’
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To capture are programmatic goals, we mixed the start-up spaces and classrooms to induce interaction between the students and businesses housed in Passages. Start-Up Education Collaboration 1. Start out with four main bays that twist into each other.
2. Open the bays to expose the views of the river.
3. Break up the passages to create a visual dialogue between levels.
4. Vary ramp levels to further visual dialogue throughout the building.
5. Designate spaces for business, education, and collaboration.
6. Ground level serves as an open expo for galleries and lectures.
7. Add offices to the main expo space to invite focused collaboration.
8. Skylights added to the roof for lighting and lively interior.
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Bio-Diverse Roof: BIO-DIVERSE ROOF: 1
Wildflowers & natural seeding Wildflowers and natural planted in a soil mix varying by seeding of fleece protective plant choiceon on toptop of a filter layers on a rendentive CLT panel layer and water layer, all of which rests on 9-ply CLT panels assembly.
Facade:
FACADES: Storefront window Windows inserted into zinc box systems frames with zinc inserted panels attached to walls (east and westmetal facades) or into a zinc glass facade systems (courtyard and panel curtain wall. south facades)
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Floor Slabs: FLOOR SLABS:
CLT 5-plystructure CLT panel with a with 2 1/4” thick concrete concrete finishtopping
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T-SLAB Shape metal joints TO WALL CONNECTION JOINT: T-shaped metal plates bolted into bolt into wall panels wall panels connecting to floor slabs and floor slabs with screws 20ʼ
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FOUNDATION: Foundation: CLT wall panels bearing on concrete
42” Concrete foundation walls with stripstrip footings; finish grade to bottom of footing is footings 42”
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Wall Section A 3/8”=1ʼ-0”
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UNDERGROUND
Fall 2018 Building Research and Urban Studies progam in Genoa In collaboration with Austin Williams
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Above Grade Model
The main design concept was to create a sloping exterior with light boxes punching light through to a maze of exhibition spaces below street level.
Below Grade Model
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Ground Level
Level -01
Level -02
Level -03
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The main design concept was to create a sloping exterior with light boxes punching light through to a maze of exhibition spaces below street level.
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It was important for the exterior to integrate into the fabric of the city. Genoa has an ample amount of public space, but lacks quality green space. By creating a sloping lawn, Underground was able to turn a hole in city centre into a usable green space in the busy downtown area.
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ACUTE
Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina Spring 2017
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Queen City Quarter (Mall)
Charlotte Convention Center City Proposed Light Rail
Charlotte Transit Center
Key viewpoints to and from the site set the boundaries for the plan.
Charlotte Plaza
Founders Hall
Bank of America Stadium (NFL)
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The elevation is inspired by the iconic nearby Blue Ridge Mountains’ topography.
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LINEWORK
Ruled Surface Pavilion Fall 2016
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Repeat and twist original basic form to create complex structure.
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PHOTOGRAPHY EVERYDAY
A project I will be continually working on, Everyday is a series of photographs of life. Undersanding how people interact with a city is important to a good design. Seeing a city through a lens eye has increased my awareness of the positive and negative affects architecture can have on people and to be mindful of human scale while designing.
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Nate Swift Design Portfolio
natecharles401@gmail.com
architecture & photography