nathan gilman portfolio
marina toronto
urban plan chicago
campus chapel grand rapids
sustainable home minneapolis
urban plan grand rapids
transit-oriented development chicago
multi-faith chapel san antonio
transit building chicago
public library chicago
bus stop grand rapids
site iterations
site plan Located along the Toronto waterfront, our studio designed a community centered on wellness. The marina is a way for the community to connect with not only Toronto but throughout the Great Lakes. The marina was designed for the community. A sail school and canoe launch encourages utilizing the Lake Ontario for fitness of the body and mind. The marina design takes elements from a sailboat. The marina is given an identity by using masts, cables and sails.
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context plan
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view towards toronto
marina perspective
marina entry by boat
memorial park
Logan Square located west of downtown Chicago is an area in need of redevelopment. The area is separated. There is a separation from residential to commercial as well as separation between greenspace. The proposal for urban development in the area is a green network that acts similiar to a highway to a car. The green network would be a way to enhance pedestrian movement. It could be used to get from home to work or as a trail to get to the bloomingdale trail and parks. A secondary move is to give Logan Square a sense of place by giving more prominence to the intersection of three main roadways on the site. The design calls for a design of a square in that area with pedestrian bridges to reach through the area.
green network
exterior separation
exterior link
exterior unity
masterplan
urban square
perspective towards the square
green network
A campus chapel design is a tough challenge due to the many different religious backgrounds of the student body. The design of a multi-faith chapel goes beyond the needs of a particular faith and instead focuses on the individual. This chapel focuses on the preparation one needs when entering a worship space. There is a separation from worldly distractions, spiritually enriching space, and simple material palette. The space is intimate by providing either a small worship space or meditation room. Tranquility is used by the sound of water during the preparation and a simple wash of natural light across the textured interior materials. flexible floor plan
entry perspective
site plan
winter perspective
perspective
The town of Proctor, MN offered a competition for a sustainable home that could be used as a model for home design for future Proctor residential design projects. This home utilizes a water collection system, photovoltaics, tankless water heater, local railroad ties, natural ventilation, and many local materials. The goal of this design was to sell a sustainable lifestyle at an affordable price. A unique feature of this design is the option to add an additional garage door on the north side of the garage. With this configuration two smart cars would be able to fit into the garage.
front perspective
site plan
floor plans
local untreated railroad ties for landscaping
permeable driveway
photovoltaic array
rain water collection system with cystern sustainable design features
structural insulated panel |r-41| double-pane, insulated glass with low e coating, argon gas |r-3| structural insulated panels |r-33| western red cedar siding
recycled antique lumber hardwood flooring structural insulated panel |r-33| bio-composite exterior cladding |r-3.5|
6� concrete slab with radiant heat |r-0.6| 1� rigid insulation |r-6| concrete foundation wall
wall section
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june 1
interior light study
exterior light study
interior
entry perspective
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site 3
site context
site 1
The Grand River is a unique feature to the city of Grand Rapids because of its history to the city, presence in the city, and attraction for the city. But the river is under utilized. There is not a continuous walk along the river linking multiple existing attractions along the river, such as monuments and parks. This proposal is program a riverwalk with multiple amenities to encourage the people of Grand Rapids to come out and experience the river, get exercise, and build community. The proposal includes bike rentals, exterior pavilions, outdoor amphitheater, public restrooms and parking located through three separate sites along the river. The primary site is site 3. Site 3 is an empty parking lot in the heart of Grand Rapids. It was chosen to be the starting point for the riverwalk with the main amenities and attractions. site 2
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site 2
site 3 site 3
grand river | information state michigan starts hillsdale county ends ottawa county (emptying into lake michigan) total length of river 252 Miles (longest river in mi) average discharge 3,800 cubic ft./sec. (colorado river average: 17,850 ft./sec.) watershed 5,572 square miles lake michigan watershed (%) 13 percent proposed riverwalk location grand rapids proposed riverwalk length 3.5 miles
pedestrian access
bike storage|service
bike access
elevated walkway access
retail
restaurant
parking
vehicular access
floor plans
A transit-oriented development is a design attempting to separate people from their cars. The building relies on pedestrian interaction. The space of this design comes alive by the movement of people. The pedestrian boulevard through the site as well as the atrium space in the tower help create a vertically visual connection. The site in which this design stands straddles the cta blue line, a crucial connection to the success of this building. In order to deal with the vibration of the rail line, a roof canopy above the rail line takes the vibration and converts it into kinetic energy by exciting the structure of the canopy. It also gives a unique way to alert the cta riders at the stop that the train is about to arrive.
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To enhance the atrium space within the tower, radial cuts were taken out of the building in order to draw more natural light down through the atrium space. The location of the cuts were in respect to particular sun positions in the sky.
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street perspective
pedestrian boulevard
final model
final model
The design of this chapel project derives from the idea of creating a spiritually enriching space by the use of unique forms. These forms allow natural light to flood into the building to create a feeling of divine presence. The shifting planes represents spiritual unrest. The unrest from spiritual separation from God as well as each other. Though the form shifts, the plan is a structured axial plan to give guidance to those who need it, everyone who enters.
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site plan
east
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sanctuary blessed sacrament multi-faith worship protestant sacristy catholic sacristy senior chaplain’s office protestant office catholic office administration room restrooms storage narthex medical center (existing)
floor plan
south
west
southwest
northwest
reflection direct 1 2 3 4 pathlength d: 37’ 1: 86’ 2: 50’ 3: 59’ 4: 117’ time d: 0 msec 1: 43 msec 2: 11 msec 3: 19 msec 4: 70 msec
acoustical analysis
direction front left right front back path ----49’ 13’ 22’ 80’
sanctuary
narthex
When chicago was in the race for the 2012 summer olympics, our studio group broke into groups of three. Each designed either a aquatics center, competitor housing, or a transit center. This transit center is a central stop for public busing and taxi, rail line, and personal vehicles. Taking after the design of the waterloo terminal, this transit center is a light weight structure of glass and sun screens that is not enclosed but instead a shelter where multiple modes of transportation meet. It is a representation of the modern age of travel with the use of modern materials in a stream-like form. Internal lighting is built into the structure to not only highlight the form but it also makes such a structure stand as a beacon at night to help guide people to their next destination.
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sun screen
tube structure
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glass structure detail
section
perspectives
final full and sectional models
final full model
1 Working off the grid of which the surrounding context adheres to, the design of the library utilizes a skewed version of the grid in plan. The grid is pinched and pivoted into a form of six wedges. From there the building comes alive by sliding back and forth to give a sense of excitement similar to being engulfed in a novel. The interior reinforces the movement of the wedge forms by the play of the floor plates which create multiple level ceiling heights. The openness of the floor plans allow its users to see others interacting with the building thus continuing the play of motion.
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floor_1 floor plans
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third floor stacks
third floor perspective
lobby
exterior entry
A bus stop is a stationary form representing an act of motion. The form should take on the feel of motion. Utilizing simple horizontal and vertical planes, this concept for bus stop shifts and rotates in multiple directions as it moves down the sidewalk. The user will feel energized by the movement of the reflections from passing vehicles bouncing from one panel to the next.
movement action change stir evolve act flow
develop shift pass advance migrate progress