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Noah Halbach Portfolio
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HOW CAN A SINGLE DETAIL BE USED TO ORGANIZE A LARGE-SCALE PROJECT?
Passing Thresholds Published in Issue 008 University of Texas at Austin Comprehensive Design Studio Spring 2011 Partner: Beau Pesa For the final core studio in the landscape design sequence the assignment was to design a new regional cemetery for Austin, Texas from initial site analysis and layout all the way through material assemble and technical detail. However, the traditional sequence of beginning with the largest scale and moving down to the detail was reversed when my partner and I were asked to start by designing a grave marker before ever knowing the site.
Meditative space
Void
Everyday space
Since death can be understood as the ultimate transition, from a state of motion to stillness and often a death shakes us out of our normal, everyday state of mind and causes us to reflect on our lives, we approached the project with the idea of separating motion and stillness and creating a place for personal reflection. We began at the detail level by designing traditional grave markers, a mausoleum, and a scattering ground. In each instance, visitors were presented with the option of whether or not to cross a subtracted void by stepping onto a seemingly-levitated granite platform. This subtle move signaled the transition from an everyday mind-set to one of quiet meditation, which the visitor could choose to make when they visited the site of a lost loved one.
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Only after designing the various places of burial did we receive a site. The cemetery was to be constructed on a 996-acre plot of land 20 miles east of Austin. The site was used for cattle grazing and tree farming but before the transition, a portion near the Colorado river would be mined for construction aggregate. New residential development was growing to the north and burial sites were not allowed in the 100-year floodplain.
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The detail concept informed our site layout. A system of swales was introduced to subdivide the large site into zones to facilitate storm water management, site circulation, and project phasing. The subtracted ground formed divisions between each zone that must be transversed, physically and mentally, in order to visit a grave site.
The previously industrial land was revegetated with native blackland prairie species to transform it back into a diverse ecosystem for animal habitat and passive human recreation.
Subtle manipulation of topography distinguished burial zones from circulation areas. The scattering ground was raised up,
the mausoleum was carved in, and traditional burial slightly elevated. All were separated by swales.
The site’s circulation was determined by the way visitors experienced these spatial and psychological transitions as they move from the edges of the cemetery towards the burial zones in the center.
The necessary contemplative tranquility within the burial zones was achieved by restricting vehicular movement to the outside and by allowing only foot traffic in the interior.
The traditional burial marker was assembled from prefabricated parts. Concrete was used as a base with steel parts supporting the granite slabs. The granite slabs were
offset from the perimeter edge to give a floating appearance and provide the “void� that could be transversed by visitors of the grave.
Visitors of the mausoleum must descend through a grove of trees before reaching the two-level monolithic concrete structure inset into the earth. Water channels divided
the walkway and provided a tranquil backdrop. Again, a seemingly levitated granite platform must be stepped on to in order to be close to a lost loved one.
A concrete slab was inserted into the chamber to seal it up after burial. Next, a steel plate was fastened to the concrete. Finally, the granite marker was hung from the steel plate to
give it the appearance of floating in front of the chamber. The concrete shelf of each chamber included space for mementos and a flower vase insert.
The scattering ground was at the top of the main hill at the center of the cemetery. Markers were located along a smooth concrete wall that enclosed the scattering area. Water canals further separated the sacred scattering space from
the perimeter circulation. Cottonwood trees added to the tranquility of the space with their softly rustling leaves and floating seed.
The perimeter concrete wall held small steel markers for the individuals whose ashes were scattered within the grounds. Amended soil was added and Mexican Sycamore trees were
planted on the slope to make the wall disappear to individuals that enter inside.
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HOW CAN A DOWNTOWN PARKING LOT BE TRANSFORMED INTO A SUMMER DESTINATION?
The Noodle Semifinalist Flint Public Art Project Flat Lot Design Competition Spring 2013 Partners: Johanna Reed & Laura Bryant During the spring of 2013, the Flint Public Art Project held an international design competition for a summer pavilion in Flint, Michigan. The brief called for a stage, seating, shade structure, and food cart area to be located in a downtown parking lot. However, only a limited budget of $25,000 and eight parking spaces was allotted towards this goal. The challenge was to work within these perimeters to design, budget, and potentially build something special for the residents of Flint. The Noodle at the Flat Lot was a sculptural, curvilinear structure built for play, seating, performance and casual picnicking. The wave form evokes the gentle undulation of the ocean, while the fabric shade structure recalls the airy drifting clouds overhead. The Noodle is a flexible, playful space which depicts an idealized version of summer, offering an oasis within the expanse of a major urban city. This juxtaposition allows for new and exciting interactions, while creating a destination at the heart of downtown Flint.
Weekend festival Situated on the southwest corner of the parking lot, The Noodle took advantage of street and sidewalk activity as well as performances inside the lot. The shape of the wave was designed to encourage movement and increase group interaction and conversation by conforming to multiple positions of the body. The versatility of the wave form allowed it to serve as a heightened viewing platform for the spectacle along Flint’s main thoroughfare, Saginaw Street.
Venue for summer concerts
The linear pavilion was open on all sides to serve multiple functions. During the week, the downtown lunch crowd could lounge on The Noodle after grabbing a bite to eat at the food carts. In the evenings and on weekends, concerts utilized the stage embedded within the wave form and leveraged the space provided by the parking lot to accommodate a larger audience. During Flint’s largest summer festival “Back to the Bricks� the pavilion was engaged on both sides as needed for festival activities.
The form is made of 4,500 foam pool noodles which provide a strong rhythm and recall the buoyancy and lift of the ocean. While the structure is within 72 feet (eight parking spaces), it stretches outside this boundary in a variety of ways. The crest of the wave ends in a bar with space for eight people as they overlook the noodles. This area can be expanded during off hours with movable seating and food trucks. On the opposite end of the structure, the noodles blend into the asphalt with a blue spill of washable paint. The stage, resting between the two noodle forms, provides a space for performances or picnic lunches.
Weekday lunch on the Noodle
Picnicking on the wave form and stage draws a large crowd during lunch hours, while increasing retail traffic and sales along Saginaw Street.
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HOW CAN A DISCONNECTED BROWNFIELD SITE BECOME A VIBRANT NEW URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD?
Living Layers Honorable Mention Bridge to transit
Untangle the grid
Provide access
Shift the center
Link the layers
ULI/Gerald D. Hines Urban Design Competition Spring 2012 Partners: Todd Ferry, Karl Gleason, Yvonne Ellis & Daniel Villalobos Our five-person multidisciplinary student team proposed a redevelopment plan for a 26-acre United States Postal Service site in Houston, Texas after the postal service deemed its distribution facility and office space obsolete. One of the first problems that had to be address before any new development could flourish was the site’s relative isolation from the rest of Houston. It was split from surrounding neighborhoods by two elevated freeways; disconnected from downtown Houston due to a confusing alignment of bridges; separated from the Buffalo Bayou by a 14’ change in elevation; and cut off from the University of Houston-Downtown campus by freeway on/off ramps. Our solution was a series of infrastructural changes and programmatic additions to connect the site to the valuable adjacent amenities. The sunken freeway on/off ramps were bridged with an art walk to the commuter rail station and local light rail stop. Bridges over the bayou were simplified to continue the downtown street grid for easier movement to and from the site. A multi-level open promenade on the bayou provided pedestrian access to local performance venues and the bayou trail system. A new black box theater and arts high school extended the theater district to include the bayou. Finally, open recreation space was used to transition between the upper urban site and the lower bayou.
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Parking under elevated freeway 5
USPS office building
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View of downtown from site
UH-Downtown campus
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UH-Downtown 1
Buffalo Bayou
Franklin Avenue
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The existing site consisted of an obsolete USPS distribution facility and office space that was situated between multiple elevated freeways and the Buffalo Bayou. Seven different bridges connected the site to downtown Houston and created a confusing array of options without any clear pedestrian routes.
Ballpark District Downtown Houston
Existing conditions
The new district borrowed complementary programmatic elements from the surrounding districts, such as experimental theater space and high-end restaurants along the bayou, sports bars and restaurants across from the stadium district, and new classroom space and student housing next to the university. The goal was to provide residents and visitors with a diverse choice of activities in order to activate the site during al times of day.
New buildings were oriented towards downtown Houston and stepped up to maximize views of the attractive city skyline. Office space and residential units were positioned above first-floor retail along the realigned Franklin Avenue and the new Plaza Park with the goal of bringing in the right mix of amenities and users for a vibrant urban community.
Master plan
View of Plaza Park
View of the Bayou Promenade
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HOW CAN A NEGLECTED URBAN WATERSHED BE TRANSFORMED INTO THE CENTERPIECE OF A NEW DISTRICT?
Waller Creek Master Plan Design Excellence Award University of Texas at Austin Urban Design Studio Fall 2011 Partners: Berman Rivera, Laura Bryant & Yvonne Ellis The assignment for our landscape architecture urban design studio was to produce a master plan for a new “Waller Creek� district in Austin, Texas. Areas along Waller Creek in downtown Austin became ideal sites for redevelopment when the city began building a new storm water bypass tunnel that would reduced the threat of flooding. However, the existing creek conditions of steep banks, polluted water, extensive pavement, and hidden access points prevented the creek from being the attractive centerpiece that would link the new development into a cohesive district. Extensive site data was gathered through City of Austin GIS database and weekly site visits in order to fully understand the current conditions of the creek and adjacent land. The data was analyzed to provide the basis for effective interventions.
Ecological and social overlaps
Our four-person team focused on improving the ecological performance of the creek while increasing the public’s ability to access it. The goal being an experientially rich, best of both worlds, overlap of ecological and social functions. Opening the creek up and programming activity space along its length would allow users to take advantage of the unique urban asset and attract development to the district.
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12th street
11th street
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10th street 5
9th street 6
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8th street 7
4th street Existing conditions
6th street 8
Convention center
Waller creek district master plan
Sites of important ecological / social overlap
Waller Creek was neglected, in part, because it was not visible from street level and difficult to access. When our team mapped the existing level of creek engagement we discovered a creek path that was fragmented and poorly lit, limited activities taking place along the creek, entry points that were hidden, and overgrown vegetation blocking views.
The color-coded diagram above displayed the level of engagement by area. Green indicated successful engagement, yellow was moderate, and red was used to show unsuccessful engagement.
Our proposed improvements included connecting the fragmented path and improving lighting so that all parts of the creek were accessible, increasing the number and size of entry areas, and removing some of the screening vegetation and obsolete buildings to improve visibility from the street to the creek.
The evaluation was preformed again with the proposed changes. The creek became easier to engage overall except for a small stretch between 6th and 5th streets that had existing buildings to the creek edge. The same type of analysis was preformed for environmental performance, access, and development potential.
The creek area between 11th and 10th Street was an example of where the creek itself was already very attractive but unengaged. Creek accessibility was improved with a regrading of the banks to create a more gradual transition that could be used by office workers on lunch break or visiting hotel guests.
Existing
Existing
Proposed
Proposed
Existing
Existing
Proposed
Proposed
Between 9th and 8th Street the creek was completely neglected. Stubb’s restaurant and outdoor concert venue used vegetation to screen the creek on one side and an outdated police parking garage hemmed in the other. To reverse this trend, the creek was widened, planted with bald cypress, and a boardwalk was added. Stubb’s new outdoor seating overlooked the creek and new urban condos replaced the garage.
Existing
Existing
Proposed
Proposed
The narrow sunken creek channel between 7th and 6th Street was already highly constructed. Yet there was very little engagement with the adjacent restaurants and pedestrian Sabine Street. We proposed adding a small stage area and terracing the steep bank to accommodate seating. A new pedestrian bridge with benches connecting existing parking to Sabine Street adds additional space for crowds to linger during performances or just a romantic night on the town.
Existing
Existing
Proposed
Proposed
An area of the creek along Palm Park remained programmatically similar to its existing condition but was transformed in character in order to improve usability. A playground was added to the park to attract families from the adjacent neighborhood. The existing retention pond was remade as a constructed wetland that filters pollutants before they enter the creek. Some of the over-abundant parking was used to add a small cafe and outdoor seating overlooking the creek.
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HOW CAN A GOOD IDEA BECOME A REALITY?
Professional Work Tom Leader Studio Design Workshop Garcia Design, Inc. The variety of experience I’ve gained working on numerous projects as an intern at Tom Leader Studio, as a contractor at Design Workshop, and as a designer at Garcia Design, Inc. has educated me on the process of taking projects from design proposal to complete built work. Over the past two years I have worked on the following types of projects to varying degrees: recreation trails master plan, university campus, creek restoration, cultural center, animal shelter, research facility, police station, subdivisions, and churches. My role in each project changed depending on what stage the project was in. The following is a sample list of my responsibilities: + Drafting construction sets + Writing design specifications + Red-lining drawings for change orders + Reviewing contractor submittals + Producing as-built drawings for complete projects + Creating planting plans + Rendering plans, sections, and views + Drafting development agreements + Writing project descriptions + Creating firm marketing materials + Compiling together RFQ materials + Creating a firm facebook page + Meeting with clients + Observing construction
In 2011, Tom Leader Studio (TLS) from Berkeley California won a national competition to redesign portions along the Mississippi river in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Part of my responsibility as an intern was to map the site. Using City of Minneapolis GIS data, I created regional maps of habitat, recreation, and watersheds and inlets. I also walked the site numerous times while in Minneapolis to record site features and note ideal and problematic locations of intervention.
0-5 year implementation plan
Storm water pipe wetland filtration
Since capturing storm water runoff was central to the firm’s strategy, I verified the location of each inlet in the field. Back in Berkeley, City of Minneapolis civil engineering drawings were used to diagram the location and size of storm water pipes. This information was drawn in section to determine where to locate and how to grade intervention areas in order to effectively capture runoff in proposed wetlands.
Map of storm water pipe location and size
Another responsibility of mine was the production of concept graphics that were used during public meetings. I illustrated numerous diagrams, sections, and views of the firm’s proposal. Above are sections of a proposed constructed island and new park at the site of a former lumber yard.
View of Farview Park Extension and new boat building facility
Texas Tech University Campus Extension
The above plan and street sections were produced on a contract basis for Design Workshop in Austin, Texas. The firm hired me to produce illustrations of a university campus extension for client meetings.
Health Services Campus
Animal Services Center site plan
I also produce project illustrations for marketing material at my current place of employment, Garcai Design, Inc. in Austin, Texas. Above is a rendered plan of the City of Austin Animal Services Center,
A project that I have worked on from initial conception is the Huebner Creek flood control project. The proposal is to widened and deepened the creek to mitigate flooding. My
responsibility was to produce a tree mitigation plan, wetland replacement plan, and revegetation plan for site permitting.
The wetland was designed with multiple depths and slope aspects to increase the variety of ecological conditions for a diverse plant community.
Another project that I worked on from inception was Ulit Avenue Church in Austin, Texas. The planting concept plan to the left was produced for the client, while the site plan on the following page was produced to gain a site development permit from the City of Austin. An in-depth understanding of Austin’s Land Development Code and Environmental Criteria Manual was necessary to get the project in compliance with city code.
Ulit Avenue Church site plan with tree mitigation and plant calculations used to gain a site permit.
The above planting plan was produced for a creek restoration project at the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Research on native riparian vegetation was utilized for a plant palette that thrived in the specific site conditions.
Walnut Creek Plan Enlargement
At Garcia Design, Inc. I produced various subdivision parcel layouts and development feasibility analyses. This translated into a comprehensive understanding of maximum impervious
cover ratios, floor area to parking space requirements, and general principals of lot layout for efficient land use.
The above parcel layout and proposed zoning map for a subdivision in Georgetown, Texas included data on maximized allowable building space for various land uses.
The drawing was produced for a real estate development client.
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Shrub and clump grasses
Aquatic plants at wet ponds Bald cypress trees at pond edge
Village Gate at Sun City Concept Illustration
Wildflower seed
Shaded seating area Planted entryway
Landscape screen
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Existing An on-going projects that I’m working on at Garcia Design, Inc. is the Village Gate at Sun City Georgetown, Texas subdivision. Besides producing lot layout studies and plat amendments, I’ve developed a planting design for the site entrance and water detention ponds. The purpose of the trees, shrubs, and clump grasses was to provide a visually interesting foreground that would shift
Proposed attention away from the ponds, which maintain a relatively low water level. Mountain laurels give year-round color to the entryway and additional cedar elms shade a seating area. The rest of the site is seeded with a native wildflower mix that decreases the cost and pollution of maintenance.
Noah Halbach
Experience
207 West 39th Street, Austin, Texas 78751
Garcia Design, Inc. Designer, May 2012 - Present | Austin, Texas Produced construction documents, cost estimations, permit applications, and marketing proposals. Wrote specifications and reviewed submittals for projects ranging in scale from 0.5 - 25 acres.
t. 612 269 5794 e. halbach.n@gmail.com
Design Workshop Contract, September 2012 | Austin, Texas Rendered illustrative plans and sections for a client presentation. Worked closely with project team to ensure all deliverables were met before deadlines.
Skills Excellent knowledge of + AutoCAD + Photoshop + Illustrator + InDesign
Master of Landscape Architecture University of Texas Austin, Texas, 2012
Advanced knowledge of + ArcGIS + SketchUp + Rhino 3D + 3D Studio Max + Civil 3D
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2007
Familiar with + Public Permitting + Construction Documentation
Education
UT School of Architecture IT Teaching Assistant, 2011 - 2012 | Austin, Texas Coordinated and taught numerous software courses, including GIS, for students and faculty. Operated computer and print lab. Provided technical assistance for conferences and lectures. Tom Leader Studio Intern, Summer 2011 | Berkeley, California Conducted site analysis and produced GIS maps of critical site hydrology. Produced various renderings and site models for client presentations. City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Intern, Spring 2007 | Minneapolis, Minnesota Assisted with design-input exercises during public workshops. Conducted interviews with project stakeholders and presented summary to planning board.