Nicole Mater - Portfolio - January 2013

5 CURRICULUM VITAE

7 NEW LYRIC OPERA

20 THINKING HANDS

CONTENTS //////////

3 PHILOSOPHY

26 URBAN RENEWAL 38 TRANSMUTATIONAL CITIES

44 DESIGN BUILD

NICOLE M. MATER 314.225.5907 nicole.mater@gmail.com http://nicolemater.webs.com

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Architectural design must be a solution to a problem and

a

synthesis

of

contextual

information.

More

than the product of an aesthetic vision, a building needs to support social interraction through spatial

PHILOSOPHY ////////

PHILOSOPHY///////////////////////////////////////

functionality.

Architects have the ability to inspire real change within a community. A building design that meets the needs of the people becomes a catalyst for community scale improvement. Informed, critical changes can heal a system as a whole.

My education in architecture has prepared me to implement

change

through

architectural

design,

realizing that the moves that I choose to make in an individual design can have lasting impacts on a community.

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NICOLE M. MATER/////////////////////////////////////// nicole.mater@gmail.com http://nicolemater.webs.com 314.225.5907

CAREER OBJECTIVE Masters of Architecture student with experience in customer relations and with a vast array of software skills seeking an internship that will further improve design abilities and lead to licensure and a career in architecture. Hoping to become part of a collaborative office that works on large scale projects and allows opportunities to create public architecture.

EDUCATION

University of Kansas • School of Architecure, Design, and Planning Masters of Architecture Candidate Expected Graduation in May 2014 Cummulative GPA: 3.62 Studio GPA: 3.81 AREAS OF INTEREST

- Community vitality and urban renewal - Contextually driven, evidence-based design - Healthcare architecture - Pubilc and pro bono architechture - Integrated sustainable strategies COURSEWORK

- Architectural design and graphic communication - Building systems and sustainable strategies - Architectural theory and history - Environmental psychology - Evidence-based design strategies for architecture of health and wellness - Architectural acoustics and performance space design - Construction techniques and design-build processes - Verbal presentation and written publication development

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RELATED SKILLS

CURRICULUM VITAE///

/

- Freehand Sketching and Rendering - Conference Planning Experience - Marketing and Service Skills SOFTWARE EXPERIENCE

- 3D Modeling in Autodesk Revit, Rhino, and Sketchup - Technical Drawing in Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD - Parametric Design Modeling with Grasshopper - Rendering in Autodesk 3DS Max and Sketchup with VRay - Postprocessing in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign - Fim Editing in Apple iMovie INVOLVEMENT

- American Institute of Architecture Students, University of Kansas Chapter (AIAS KU), 2010-2013

- Community Outreach Chair 2012-2013

- Midwest Quadrant Conference Planning Committee, Fall 2012 - United States Green Building Council (USGBC), 2011-2013

- Univesity of Kansas Chapter and Central Plains Chapter

WORK EXPERIENCE

- The Phoggy Dog, July 2012-Present

- Lawrence. Kansas

- Bartender, Marketing Advisor

- Related Skills: Sales, Customer service, Marketing, Event Coordination - Panera, August 2011-May 2012

- Lawrence, Kansas

- Certified Associate Trainer

- Related Skills: Leadership, Active Training, Efficiency, Service - Lafayette Fire Company No. 1, May 2010- August 2011

- St Louis, Missouri

- Server

- Related Skills: Customer Relations, Approachability, Confidence HONORS AND AWARDS

- University of Kansas Honor Roll, Two-time Recipient - AIA Saint Louis Chapter Scholar Award - J. Gordon Mormon Memorial Scholar Award

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CHICAGO LYRIC OPERA

LOCATION: OGDEN PLAZA, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SQUARE FOOTAGE: 125,000 SQFT MENTORS: PROFESSORS GRABOW, LESNIKOWSKI, & COFFEEN This design is the result of thorough study of architectural acoustics and urban design. The challenge was to create an urban space that felt grand enough for the opera, yet approachable for every day use, and create an auditorium capable of functioning as an opera house. The location of the building, in Ogden Plaza, drove the strong

orthogonal geometry of the design and prompted two circulatory axis. The ovoid of the auditorium became the most important statement of the site, being the one element released from controlled orthogonality. Though it appears spherical, acoustic concerns formed a unique shape, that functions optimally for its purpose.

NEW LYRIC OPERA ///

CHICAGO LYRIC OPERA

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1

Freight

Retail

2

3

Reception

Ballet School Lobby

Ballet School Offices

UP

UP

Women

Performer Lobby

Chorus Lounge Stage Manager's Office

Rigging

Storage

Cloak Room

Men

Theater Storage & Catwalk Access

Business Office

Green Room

Side Stage Chorus

Bar Box Office

UP

Rear Stage

DN

Box Office UP

Bar

Cloak Room

Theater Storage & Catwalk Access

Side Stage

Scene Shop

Truck Lift

DN

Storage

Freight

Banquet Storage

Women

Freight

Freezer Refridgerator

Men

Banquet Kitchen

UP

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Banquet Hall

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Retail

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E. NORTH WATER STREET E. ILLINOIS STREET

DRIVE

E. NORTH WATER STREET

N. COLUMBUS

NEW LYRIC OPERA ///

N. NEW STREET

N. CITY FRONT PLAZA DRIVE

N

1”=40’

SITE PLAN

1”=40’

SITE SECTION

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rentable space for retail, and an accessible entrance to accomodate the north entry.

By filling the plaza with trees, users are provided with shade in the summer months. In the winter months as the trees begin to shed, the opera begins to unveil and assert its presence in the city.

NEW LYRIC OPERA ///

The site is sloped, with approximately a twenty-five foot difference from the north end to the south end. By raising the north end of the plaza, we were able to achieve a flat plane, and create grand staircases that lead to the opera. We were also able to activate the north end of the site with

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In a modern approach to the auditorium, subdued finishes take a backdrop to the production.

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NEW LYRIC OPERA ///

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NEW LYRIC OPERA ///

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becoming a prominent feature of the building. From this placement on the site, the best views of the city can be seen across the river to the southwest. It serves dual function as a prominent marquee.

NEW LYRIC OPERA ///

Attendees expect the experience of a night at the opera to be full of grandeur and opulence. The bar becomes a magnet for socialization and display. The bar in this design is cantilevered over the entryway,

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NEW LYRIC OPERA ///

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In the digital age, freehand sketching and analog

envision the design, and open a dialogue between

modeling is losing its presence in architectural

the designer and the client. They allow designers

design. Digital means are taking the profession

to see flaws in the designs that can often be mulled

to new heights, allowing more complex designs

over on the computer. They force designers to

to be envisioned than ever before, and some

confront problems with geometry. They are also a

designers are losing their hand for craft. Yet, these

necessity in the iterative design process, allowing

sketches and models speak to clients in a way

designers to move in a linear process toward

that renderings cannot. They allow the client to

refinement and clarity.

THINKING HANDS ////

FREEHAND SKETCHING & ANALOGUE MODELING

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THINKING HANDS ////

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THINKING HANDS ////

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Healthy cities are defined by the quality of life by the people living there. Ailing cities are losing this quality because their problems have become seemingly too large to repair. The principle of urban acupuncture argues that interventions at key points throughout the city can revitalize the entire system. Just as in medical acupuncture, small interventions can spark chain reactions, resulting in the improvement of the city as an entity.

URBAN RENEWAL /////

PABST CENTER FOR MUSIC LOCATION: KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI SQUARE FOOTAGE: 60,000 SQFT MENTOR: SHANNON CRISS

Jaime Lerner, an authority on urban renewal, argues that any city, anywhere can be brought back to life by making improvements in these key areas: mobility, sociodiversity, and sustainability.1 The provision of effective public transportation is key to promoting mobility within cities. If existing forms of public transportation are not convenient or effective, people will not use them. This is especially true in mid-west American culture, where the car reigns supreme as a symbol of freedom and financial success.

Sociodiversity ‘encompasses the need to embrace and celebrate the multiplicity of peoples with different income levels, ages, religions, races and so on within the city, while at the same time preserving the traits that define each one’s identity.’ 1 Maintaining a mix of social classes helps to bond the community and create a feeling of safety within the city’s public spaces. Sustainability does not only imply that new construction be built to “green” standards, but also that the community live in ways that are more ecologically responsible: reducing dependancy on the vehicle; living nearer to the city center, combating sprawl; providing efficient energy sources to the community; and promoting recycling.

1. Jaime Lerner, Urban Acupuncture, 18 April 2011, Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University.

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Retaining Diversity Once a dilapidated district of abandoned warehouses, in recent years the Kansas City, Missouri, Crossroads district has been begun to be rehabilitated by local artists. Cities have a history of being reinvented in this way. Artists move in to run-down areas of the city and reinvigorate them with the livelihood of art culture. Due to its proximity to the city center, the Crossroads district is gaining popularity as a residential district. Loft rates are increasing, causing artists to move into the West Bottoms district, leaving the crossroads in a downward spiral of gentrification.

The new Kauffman Center is a performance hall located just north of the given building. It is a catalyst for music culture in Kansas City. Drawing on the contextual relation of the two buildings, the focus of the restoration will be to create a place where local musicians can thrive, without being forced from the area. This will help the Crossroads to retain its identity as the arts district.

Denotes location of Pabst Warehoue rennovation project

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URBAN RENEWAL /////

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3.

1.

2.

Basement N 1. Original facade component 2. Existing circulation core 3. Existing egress staircase

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Ground Floor

The Pabst warehouse was built in the 1910’s by the Pabst Brewing Company. The building was used for horse stabling and has been named on the National Historic Register. For this reason, much of the existing building may not be changed. The east facade must remain in historical condition. The building itself is very structurally sound, allowing the

flexibility to alter the floor plates. During prohibition the building was owned by infamous Kansas City historical figures, The Pendergasts. They established a speakeasy on the north side of the building. The building’s interesting history generates interest throughout the community and provides inspiration for the project.

URBAN RENEWAL /////

THE EXISTING WAREHOUSE

Despite the number of windows offered by the building perimiter, the square footprint of the warehouse results in a dark building core.

Second Floor

Third Floor

Fourth Floor

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URBAN RENEWAL /////

Public

Private

WC Theater Lobby

WC WC

WC

Theater

Speakeasy

Courtyard Backstage

Lobby

Lounge

Daycare

N

Ground Floor

Dance Studio

Practice Rooms

N

Second floor

third floor

Fourth floor

Apartment

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Large sections of brick wall and structural members cut from the Pabst Warehouse and recycled throughout the district in bus stops Recylced cast iron structural column removed from the Pabst warehouse

High brick wall retains thermal gain, and provides a place for signage advertising events at the center Low, brick wall acts as a bench for performing and waiting

ADA Ramp to elevate users to bus entry height

BUS STOPS Kansas City relies on vehicular transportation, and parking lots dominate the city landscape (shown in blue). Parking lots not only severely compromise the microclimate of the city and damage the water table, but also continue to promote vehicular transportation. The city has established bus routes, but low volume and infrequency of stops shy commuters away from using the system. Bus stops have the capacity to greatly increase the rate of public transportation use within cities. Commuters are more likely to use public transportation when it is made convenient for them. Bus stops make users aware of their presence, shelter them from the weather, and promote community interaction.

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URBAN RENEWAL /////

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URBAN RENEWAL /////

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TRANSMUTATIONAL CITIES //////////

LONDON / ROME / BARCELONA / PARIS / LYON

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LONDON 40

development and the other delineating urban fit of specific buildings. The trip also required the journaling of memory maps for each day, which helped me to understand the cities as I spent more time exploring them. Much of the journey focused on full cognition of the cities' patterns, which were learned through first-hand experience by walking and taking public transportaion of all types. In addition to the cities we documented, we also visited Paris and Lyon.

TRANSMUTATIONAL CITIES //////////

In the summer of 2012, I participated in a study abroad excursion that traveled to several countries in Western Europe. The focus of the trip was to study the transumational qualities of each of the cities. My professors, Bruce Johnson and Genevieve Baudoin, encouraged me to create a collage of images in the style of James Corner in order to document these qualities in each urban setting. Each city has two accompanying collages, one dedicated to a large scale urban

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ROME 42

TRANSMUTATIONAL CITIES //////////

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LOCATION: RURAL LAWRENCE, KANSAS SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,000 SQFT MENTORS: BRAD SATTERWHITE & CHRIS GRILL

DESIGN/BUILD //////

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS FIELD STATION

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multipurpose building needs to function as a classroom, workshop, and event venue, and maintain the flexibility to accommodate more if need be.

As they are located several miles north of campus, there is little connectivity between the two sites. The locally iconic skyline of campus is visible from elevated vantage points at the site.

The goal is to meet the programmatic needs of the clients while capitalizing on the connection to campus and striving to create sustainable architecture.

DESIGN/BUILD //////

The University of Kansas Field Station is a component of the university dedicated to biological and ecological studies. The Field Station is in need of additional facilities to promote further on site study and to better perform ecological experiments. They have received a grant to expand their infrastructure by adding a small greenhouse to be used for controlled experiments year round, a large greenhouse to house experiments in the warmer months, and a multipurpose building that would be used as flexible space. The

Context The chosen site lies on a shallow slope at the end of an existing driveway. Utilization of the current infrastructure will create an easy progression of users by being in close proximity to the existing buildings and speed the process of construction.

Denotes location of new facility

N

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The tower allows for visitors to view the surrounding site and creates an important connection by establishing a visual line back to the University Campus.

From the top of the tower, onlookers can view the outline of Frasier Hall, an iconic campus building that can be seen from miles away. At night, the view would be particularly impressive, because of the glowing lights of Lawrence and the halo-effect it creates. The tower also allows the Field Station to harvest wind energy and bring internet access to this rural part of town, possible sources of revenue for the Field Station to subsidize the cost of experiments.

DESIGN/BUILD //////

Campus view

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The field station received a grant to expand their infrastructure by adding a small greenhouse (1) that they could use for controlled experiments year round, a large glasshouse (2) that would house experiments in the warmer months, and a multi-purpose building (3) that would be used as a flexible space.

framed view Prior to the introduction of this new facility, the approach to the site was one expansive view. The scheme proposes blocking this view from the approach, and dramatically revealing it. Certain views will be blocked in order to create smaller, but more impactful, framed views. For example, the opening of the barn style doors at the entrance creates a framed view through the building and showcasing the magnificent landscape.

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3 2

1

DESIGN/BUILD //////

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SITE-informed design By orienting the building orthogonally, the design takes advantage of sunlight year round and creates a high-performance greenhouse atmosphere.

Large, twelve-foot wide sliding doors allow for easy transportation of large microcosms and equipment.

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The form of the building showcases a powerful view and creates an indoor-outdoor patio intended for use as an outdoor classroom and open event space. Researchers can also utilize this space as an extension of their workspace during fair weather.

DESIGN/BUILD //////

Early iterations of site design were controlled by studies of site axes derived from existing buildings, roads, and experimental plots and also by the study of shadow lines that occur throughout the year. The shape of the building section was prescribed by the availability of pre-engineered structural members. The clients

were interested in semi-custom aspects of building, in an effort to maintain the given budget. The size of member chosen allows for twelve-foot interior sidewalls and a fifteen-foot central height. The space is tall enough to allow large equipment and full size plant specimens their maximum clearance.

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Custom features DESIGN/BUILD //////

The 1600 square foot multipurpose room is a space to gather, have fund raising events, host classes, and, on a daily basis, become a workshop. Large pivoting doors allow users to view the panoramic landscape. The room has a preparation area with three sinks and many storage cabinets. The walls are covered in peg board, which allows users to easily hang tools. It also gives them the opportunity to hang other items such as works of art for a rural studio or large documents for town meetings or other events.

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DESIGN/BUILD //////

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DESIGN/BUILD //////

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By building a prototype wall section of the building, we were able to gain further understanding of how the elements of the walls work and how the construction process can be made easier. The process of constructing our mock-up allowed us to make our design intent clearer and to maximize the effectiveness of

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materials. All materials were chosen based on their performance and functionality, and stay true to the agrarian aesthetic prescribed by the context. These materials are easy to install in a modular fashion for faster construction. They also are either locally produced or recycled and aid in the sustainable responsibility of the building.

A trench of river rocks controls water drainage around the building and allows water to percolate back into the water table.

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) insulate the building with an R-value of 14 and are able to be installed quickly. SIPs are also capable of spanning the full distance between columns without further lateral support. We finished ours with peg board to accomodate the users needs.

Perm-A-Barrier (Grace Construction) polyethylene membrane ensures the longevity of the wall. It insulates and seals out most moisture, but also allows vapor to escape the wall. It is flexible and easy to install, but must not be extensively exposed to sunlight.

Reclaimed wood salvaged from telephone poles has been cut and planed to size.

Materials & Performance

The concrete mixture is made from a mix of cement and flyash, a biproduct of coal production.

The structure is a basic kit-ofparts component from Varco Pruden. Using industrially manufactured components saves money, since Varco Pruden is a local company this places less stress on the environment.

Corrugated metal acts like a rain screen and protects the membrane from sunlight while keeping out most moisture.

DESIGN/BUILD //////

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Concrete footing

Water-filtering river rocks

Perm-A-Barrier

5/8” Hex head bolts

Self-piloting galvanized #14 Hex head screws

1.5” X 1.5” pine purlins

Self -piloting galvanized #14 Hex head screws

1.5” X 1.5” pine slats

Prototype assembly

Concrete slab, 4” thick

Control break

Concrete knee wall

Thermal break

3/8” Peg Board backed with 1X2 frames

Ice and Water Sheild 4” Structurally Insulated Panel (SIP) 5/8” Gypsum board

W8 X 8 X 31

Metal Purlins, 18 gauge steel, 4”X2.5”

Galvanized corrugated metal, 1/4” depth

Self-tapping galvanized #10 Hex head screws

DESIGN/BUILD //////

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DESIGN/BUILD //////

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nicole.mater@gmail.com http://nicolemater.webs.com 314.225.5907

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