nicholas lee
venezia
gyre building, tokyo
japan 2009
photography
Competition Winner - 1 of 13 photographs selected for the 2010 AIA West Jersey Calendar
ai wei wei exhibit 1 tokyo
ai wei wei exhibit 2 tokyo
torii gates at koyosan koyosan
katsura river
japan 2009
watercolors
lotus with koi landscape architecture studio
overlooking kyoto
myoshin-ji
This is a celebration and architectural reaction to the limitless variation in human beings. It is made for individuals of a community with immeasurable uniqueness, personality and diversity. It serves not as a calculated placement of gathering spaces, but rather as a series of interruptions in the earth’s surface through which spaces exist uniquely in time and in place. The monolithic, finite interruptions are physically defined by formal qualities of material and dimension. They are armatures that facilitate the creation of a forever-changing response to the environmental conditions of light, sound, soil, rain and wind. The monoliths outline communities by acting as markers, denoting edges and scribing paths; they cluster and stand alone like different members of a community. They are powerful, present, and on a scale appropriate to the ambitions of a growing international city. While establishing presence for the site, they intentionally hold no programmatic elements. They serve as a reference to the strength of this community, the people who gather on its grounds. Every interruption of earth’s surface provides the opportunity for essential. human. community. space.
Lyceum Fellowship 2010 Nicholas Lee Venezia Professor Erin Moore 12.3.09
lycEum
excavations produce monolithic forms
1. steel or concrete frame
2. rammed earth filling
3. concrete lintels
4. monolith skin
5. semi-translucent windows
A vessel to contain earth. Materials will change depending on the design and dimensions of each monolith.
The dirt that is excavated to create the program of this community center will be reused in the form of rammed earth. It will fill the exterior frame but be formed around large light shafts and openings. The structural properties of earth allow it to be stacked high, but it cannot work alone to create the monoliths.
In order to achieve large spans inside the monoliths, concrete will be used.
Composed of mesh,dark stained recycled products or a polypropylene material. Apertures are cut through this skin to expose light shafts and rammed earth in intentional places with unpredictable results. The purpose of the skin is to create a muted surface in order to emphasize the surface beneath it wherever the apertures are cut.
The final layer is placed over some of the apertures in the skin - not all of them so the rammed earth remains exposed in certain areas. This layer is a thin-cut local stone, or semi-translucent, colored glass. Its appearance changes based on the light and sky color as well as the pattern of the rammed earth below its surface. It also acts as a measure of time as it reflects the formal growth of the surrounding properties.
produce community gathering spaces
The windows of each monolith are defined by the surrounding environmental conditions of light, sound, soil, rain and wind. The semi-translucent windows vary in material, color and opacity, giving each monolith a unique throughout the day.
SE Elevation - 30, November 10:34 am
unique in time and place NE Elevation - 20 January 5:02 pm
10 October, 1:00 pm
par
aut
king
o exit
28 October, 2:45 pm
1 July, 8:12 am
NW Elevation - 6 October 11:56 am 28 October, 2:45 pm
The sculpture by a local artist defines the roof terrace. Shadows make positive space through which light enters and cuts through apertures and small perforations.
The street markets define the northwest edge of the site. This diffused border between street and community center will provide space for vendors while inviting the public to enter the large, urban park.
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underground parking
sky-lit, multipurpose room. (photo collage from David Adjaye’s Ideas Building and Baas Architect’s funeral parlour in Leon) mo
squ
e par
king
SW Elevation - 3 February 6:56 am lect
ure
hall
libr
ary
3 April, 2:15 pm
/Ca fe
16, August, 10:33 am
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17 August, 2:30 pm
1 July, 7:46 pm
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The same space at 8 pm. Artificial light from below illuminates the walls, creating uninhabitable but defined spaces in the sculpture.
Looking up at the afternoon sunlight, framed by the cut in the monolith. The inner wall is covered in thin cuts of stone to expose the rammed earth underneath, and reflect the changing colors of the sky.
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The view from the observation tower. An elevator runs from the parking area to the top of this 6-story structure where a view of the city gives the only reason to ascend. It is the only space above ground level that can be occupied on the site.
Passing time in the shade provided by one of the monoliths.
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11 October, 4:08 pm ent
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ce offi
ce
3 December, 11:13 am kitc
hen
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25 June, 9:30 am
The main automobile and pedestrian entrance is inspired by Alfredo Paya Benedito’s University Museum in Alicante. The descent underground leads to the double-height roofed parking area.
Roof Plan
N
The interior gallery walls penetrate vertically to define the outdoor gallery space. On these walls a mural is painted every year by local youth artists. It serves as the backdrop to a small theatre for school performances.
1st Floor Plan art gallery
N The outdoor amphitheater underneath a fabric, tensile roof.
Lyceum Fellowship Competition Community Center in Abuja, Nigeria Fall 2009 Professor: Erin Moore
This is a celebration and architectural reaction to the limitless variation in human beings. It is made for individuals of a community with immeasurable uniqueness, personality and diversity. It serves not as a calculated placement of gathering spaces, but rather as a series of interruptions in the earth’s surface through which spaces exist uniquely in time and in place. The monolithic, finite interruptions are physically defined by formal qualities of material and dimension. They are armatures that facilitate the creation of a forever-changing response to the environmental conditions of light, sound, soil, rain and wind. The monoliths outline communities by acting as markers, denoting edges and scribing paths; they cluster and stand alone like different members of a community. They are powerful, present, and on a scale appropriate to the ambitions of a growing international city. While establishing presence for the site, they intentionally hold no programmatic elements. They serve as a reference to the strength of this community, the people who gather on its grounds. Every interruption of earth’s surface provides the opportunity for essential. human. community. space.
WPA 2.0 competition
architecture projects
WPA 2.0 competition entry Hosted by Citylab Fall 2009
an extracurricular submission to the WPA 2.0 competition hosted by CityLab. This was an open call to solve infrastructural opportunities in America. We developed a multimodal transportation hub designed to fit under viaducts in periphery cities across the country. Our main goal was to take advantage of the divergent scales of transportation in order to rejuvenate or create downtown suburban city centers. Group members: Jonathan Chesley, Nicolaus Wright, Will Krzymowski
Japanese Academy of the Arts Winter 2009 Professor: Otto Poticha
A space for students of an international academy of arts, this studio project was an exercise in understanding culture and physical presence .
winter 2009 studio
architecture projects
Coee and Bookstore
WC M.
WC F.
Elev. 1
Porter s Lodge
Street Display
Elev. 2
Gallery 1 Loading Dock
Japanese Noh Theatre Spatial Composition Fall 2008 Professor: Kevin Nute
Adopting the plan of the Benesse House by Tadao Ando, we were asked to use principles of spatial organization to create a usable space of a completely different program. The house is used as a museum in Japan.
architectural
models
Cube Spatial Compostion Fall 2008 Professor: Kevin Nute
Still Life Studio Sketch Model Winter 2009 Professor: Otto Poticha
This model was meant to express the spatial implications of a sixinch cube. I worked with scale, spatial hierarchy and experiential movement to emphasize the cube as connection to a sacred space rather than the sacred space itself. The small human figure on the bottom right is at the beginning of a journey marked by approaching monumentality, the raised cube that defined the assignment, and the humble, sacred endpoint.
An exercise in physical context. We were asked to use a sketch model to understand the implications of a building in the context of the block, the landscape of the park blocks and the city of Portland. The metaphor of ‘still life’ motivated us to think about the assignment as a piece of fruit in a still life painting; each piece is unique but relies on the other pieces to stand and finish the composition.
product
LUMINAIRE DESIGN SPRING 2009 Collaborationwith WillKrzymowski
design
The Solar Decathlon was my first experience in architecture. It was the most rewarding project I have ever been a part of and taught so much about the technological side of sustainability. Since coming to the U of O, I have learned about architecture, art, design and sustainability, but my passion is the environment. I want people to be able to live sustainably without knowing it. Ultimately, I want to learn how to use architecture as a regenerative tool, to improve upon the ecology of site and surrounding. These tags, located all around the house during the competition, were used as a communication tool to summarize the energy efficiency of the house in a clear, familiar, concise format. Product labeling in the green movement fascinates me.
SOLAR DECATHLON 2007 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND