Chris Norcross
Architecture Portfolio
2020
Chris Norcross NorcrossArch@gmail.com
Profile
Experience
Hello! I’m Chris, a 25 years old recent graduate from Roger Williams University’s M.Arch program. Goals I'm working towards are; applying my digital fabrica�on experience into prac�ce, developing sustainable building methods, and pursuing an architecture license. Skills I can offer include; parametric design, fabrica�on, problem solving, research, and quickly learning new programs.
Graduate Research Assistant Roger Williams University
Accomplishments
Digital Manufacturing Course Assistant Roger Williams University
Eagle Scout: 2012 NASA Research Grant Recipient: 2019 Architecture work exhibited in a gallery at the Italian Embassy: 2017 Na�onal Youth Leadership Training; Par�cipant: 2009 Staff: 2011-2014
Fall 2019 Helped students develop Grasshopper scripts and VR workflows, as well as hone their 3D prin�ng and CNC milling techniques. Performed maintenance and repair on 3D prints and the CNC mill.
Construc�on Materials Course Assistant Roger Williams University
Educa�on Roger Williams University Masters of Architecture
Fall 2019 Aided students with detail drawings and technical problems; gave feedback on drawings and advice on design issues.
2018-2020
Bachelors of Science in Architecture 2014-2018
Minor in German
Interests I enjoy working with parametric design and digital fabrica�on. I like to see the world in new ways; digitally in VR, from above with a drone, or ge�ng lost in a city. I am passionate about architecture that benefits the civic realm and has cultural value.
Rhino Grasshopper Drone Scanning Photoshop Illustrator InDesign Blender V-Ray
Spring 2020 Assisted with a VR workshop. Material for the workshop was researched before the event. Documented the workshop and managed the 3D prin�ng of par�cipant’s models.
Research Grant Recipient NASA Rhode Island Space Grant Consor�um Summer 2019 Created physical and digital models in Rhino & Grasshopper to study and measure the volume of a folded paper form with a nega�ve Poisson’s ra�o.
Skills
AutoCAD Revit Virtual Reality CNC Fabrication Laser Cutting Photography 3D Printing Python
Biblioteca di Firenze Boston Art Machine Oceanic Links Frankly Girih River of Time Program & Pedagogy Drone Scanning Digital Fabrication Wooden Assembly
Biblioteca di Firenze Location: Florence, Italy Program: Library Date: Fall 2016 Size: 33,800 Sq. Ft.
Located on a site adjacent to a low-income housing complex, a food market, and an architecture school, I designed a branch library. The site had two historic walls that are over 400 years old, these walls were incorporated into the interior spaces as reading nooks in the children’s section of the library. On the third floor, a long reading desk with windows offers a vista across the city’s rooftops and a view of Brunelleschi's iconic dome on the cathedral.
TYPICAL WALL ASSEMBLY -VMZINC SINGLE SEAM PANEL CLADDING -VMZINC SIDING CLIPS 12" O.C. -WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE -SHEATHING -METAL STUD 16" O.C. -MINERAL WOOL INSULATION -VAPOR BARRIER -78" METAL FURRING 16" O.C. -2 LAYERS OF 58" GWB
TYPICAL FLOOR ASSEMBLY -SHIP LAP OAK FLOOR -58" PLYWOOD -1"X4" FURRING STRIPS 16" O.C. -SITE POURED CONCRETE FLOOR -11 GAUGE GALVANIZED STEEL DECKING -20" DEEP OPEN WEB JOIST -ARMSTRONG SUSPENDED METAL CEILING
CONCRETE CAST AGAINST RIGID INSULATION AND VAPOR BARRIER
TYPICAL WALL ASSEMBLY -HISTORIC MONOLITHIC MASONRY WALL -WATER BARRIER -4" RIGID INSULATION -VAPOR BARRIER -SITE CAST CONCRETE -78" METAL FURRING 16" O.C. -2 LAYERS OF 58" GWB
PC CONCRETE LINTEL
MASONRY OPENING NOTES -5"x5"x21" CHANNEL CUT INTO EXISTING WALL -L5"x5"x21" STABILIZING FRAME SET INTO CHANNEL -WINDOW OPENING CUT INTO EXISTING WALL -CHANNEL & WINDOW OPENING ARE CUT USING A CNC ROUTER MOUNTED ON A 6 AXIS ROBOTIC ARM
L5"x5"x21" FRAME AROUND WINDOW OPENING, FLUSH WITH WALL SURFACES
TYPICAL BELOW GRADE WALL ASSEMBLY -HISTORIC MONOLITHIC MASONRY WALL -WATER BARRIER -4" RIGID INSULATION -VAPOR BARRIER -FOUNDATION WALL
Boston Art Machine Location: Boston Program: Artist Incubator Date: Fall 2018 Size: 152,000 Sq. Ft.
The Boston Art Machine is as it sounds, a Machine for art; being both efficient and financially independent. The studios are given views of the city of Boston, the nature on the site, and the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. Not only can the artists find inspiration by looking out from the building, but also by looking inward; the different types of studios are intermingled to foster collaboration between the artists. The landscape creates an experience for the visitors, adding onto the Boston Harbor Walk, and returning nature to the area. Historically the site was part of the ocean, the hills on the site buffer the city from storm surges.
Oceanic Links Location: Trieste, Italy Program: Aquarium Date: Spring 2019 Size: 97,500 Sq. Ft.
What is an Ocean’s boundary? Unlike continents which are surrounded by water, the world’s oceans are all interconnected. There is no discernible difference between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, these oceans along with the Atlantic, Arctic, and Southern Oceans constitute a Global Ocean. Which link the whole world together. The form of the aquarium is dictated by the four exhibits; rivers, the Adriatic Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and a temporary exhibit. Like the oceans, these exhibits overlap and flow from one to another.
What is an Aquarium?
Aquarium is Leisure
Aquarium is an Ambassador For Marine Life
Aquariums provide a space for unwinding and escape from the stresses of daily life. People can spend an afternoon at an aquarium and the surrounding spaces relaxing.
Aquariums represent different species of marine life and present details about them to the public. Aquariums address issues facing marine life and inform the public what they can do to help.
Aquarium is a Tour of Marine Ecosystems
Aquarium is for the People
Aquarium is Emotional
Visiting an aquarium allows visitors to experience a variety of ecosystems from around the world. Some ecosystems are inaccessible for the average visitor, the exhibits provide visitors with an otherwise rare experience.
Aquariums are tuned to mesh well with the culture and city in which they reside. When designed thoughtfully, there is harmony between the people and an aquarium.
Aquariums create experiences for their visitors which can be moving on many levels. These emotional experiences can be the catalysts that inspire children to become marine biologists.
Aquarium is Educational
Aquarium Connects People With Science
Aquarium is Public Space
Aquariums are one of the best ways for people to learn about marine life, our oceans, and our impacts on them both. An aquarium’s knowledgeable staff and exhibits provide visitors with information about fishes and ecosystems.
Aquariums bring together scientists and visitors in an environment which fosters a discourse between them. Marine scientists can tell visitors about their research and how their findings are important for the conservation of the oceans.
Aquariums are more than just an education center, they are piazzas, cafés, and meeting points. These spaces can be utilized by anyone and it is the responsibility of the aquarium to have a healthy relationship with the public.
An aquarium is not just a place to see fishes from around the world. An aquarium has many functions and responsibilities, they provide opportunities to the public, and speak on behalf of our oceans and the species that inhabit them.
Frankly Girih Location: Koura, Lebanon Program: Spiritual Center Date: Summer 2019 Size: 11,200 Sq. Ft.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Social Space Lobby Lounge Ablution Room Spiritual Space Work Rooms Kitchen Patio
In Islamic architecture there is a set of tiles called Girih tiles; consisting of pentagons, decagons, rhombuses, and two types of hexagons. Inspired by O.M. Ungers’ design principles, I used the Girih tiles as a base unit for designing a university spiritual center. The campus looks over the Mediterranean on a hillside that is populated with olive trees, shrubs, and rock outcroppings. The spiritual center mimics the rock outcroppings with its concrete forms peek out from the earth.
River of Time Location: La Antigua,, Guatemala Program: Museum & Archives Date: Fall 2019 Size: 51,500 Sq. Ft.
In a city with over a dozen ruins of Spanish colonial churches, convents, and monasteries; La Recoleccion stands out. The former monastery lies on the outskirts of the city and has suffered the most from the 1773 earthquake and it being dismantled to build Guatemala's new capital. Looking to prevent further damage from rain, plants, and bats; I formed an enclosure around the ruins. At one end of the enclosure is an archive that houses the city's artifacts and historic documents. At the other end is the museum, where visitors can learn of the city's history while also seeing the ruins from a new perspective.
Program & Pedagogy Location: Bristol, R.I. Program: Architecture School Date: Spring 2020 Size: 65,500 Sq. Ft.
Interested in how the concept of program and pedagogy relate to one another, I focused my thesis on my university's architecture building. I explored how a studio space can programmatically teach students about light, materiality, and structure. I also asked myself, what a school of architecture of the 21st century looks like? It has a large robotics lab for students to experiment with full scale models and learn advanced construction techniques. It has an expanded library with material samples, so students can access even more information. And it has open unassigned spaces for students to use as they see fit.
Drone Scanning Location: La Antigua, Guatemala Date: Fall 2019
During a trip to La Antigua, Guatemala I used a drone to create a photogrammetric scan of the ruins on my site. This scan produced a detailed model of the ruins which became a key instrument for the rest of the semester. Sections of the ruins would have been a daunting task without this model. I set up clipping planes in Rhino to trace the details that were captured in the mesh textures. In Rhino I aligned the model with a photo I took at the site, matched the focal length of the lens that took the photo, set up the sun to the photo’s time and date, and then rendered my design. After Photoshop compositing, I had a collage with consistent perspective and lighting.
Digital Fabrication Date: Spring 2020 Size: 18”×17½”
Looking to combine both VR and CNC milling technology, I challenged myself to design a hexagonal shading module. In a VR modeling program, I followed a Sol LeWitt type of script for perforating the hexagons. When milling the hexagons, I experimented with settings to achieve various textures. I started by trying a finishing tool path with a large step over percentage, this resulted in scalloped grooves cut into the surface in rasterized and offset patterns. I then realized that I could combine multiple finishing tool paths to get new textures. By using two rasterized tool paths that were perpendicular to one another, this created a diamond pattern finish.
Wooden Assembly Date: Fall 2017
As part of a construction materials course, I needed to draft construction details for a wood framed building. I decided to clad the with rough sawn lumber, as it reminds me of the similarly clad cabins I see when camping. I found this choice of material interesting to work with, as it adds variety to the facade through each plank's unique live edge and dimensions. But these also introduced challenges, such as how the rough sawn lumber interacted with rectilinear elements, such as the window opening. At the time I notched a plank to accept the window head. If I were to redesign this facade today, the live edge of a plank would overlap the window head.