University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2018 - 2023
Located in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia, adjacent to the MARTA Arts transit station, this short-stay mixeduse housing development serves as a checkpoint for individuals and families to learn and grow into new phases of their lives. With 36% of families in the area being single-parent families to children under 18, 40% of individuals aged 35 or younger, and 40% of individuals receiving at maximum a high school diploma, the program we created offers facilities for living, learning, and caring, all located within the same complex. Utilizing the concept of districting, we were able to separate different programmatic spaces while maintaining a sense of community. From daycare centers, internship programs, and community-driven classes for financial and nutritional well-being, Transitional Independence provides a space for people to confidently explore and succeed in new paths of life.
This building is the central hub for activities for residents as well as the general public. The program within is dedicated to those elements necessary to help young adults transitioning to independence. These spaces include art galleries, wood shops, and a top floor community greenhouse, all of which share the goal of providing spaces for people to not only develop new skills but display and celebrate their achievements. Additionally, by celebrating wood construction with the fully exposed mass timber structural system, the design creates an inviting space that fosters a positive educational atmosphere.
The lower floors of this building are dedicated to an Urban Marketplace and community spaces, and floors 4-12 sport 79 short-stay apartments, split between 2-bedroom, 1-bedroom, and studio layouts. The point-supported system allows for not only an efficient layout of structure and room size, but also the application of prefabricated panels on the facade. The overall design highlights the benefits of different mass timber systems within the same building type, while also creating separate dynamic spaces.
This building is designed so that it could be constructed in two phases: first the community spaces on the lower levels, and later a hotel above. The lower levels of this building are dedicated to community use, while the hotel on levels 4-18 is designed to generate the necessary revenue for the proposed programs throughout the district.
A key feature of the Phase 1 structure is the double-height pool space on the first floor. This area contains a hybrid timber and steel cable structure integrated with the MEP systems. Additionally, the use of acoustic dowel-laminated timber (DLT) showcases innovative possibilities of mass timber. This holistic approach to design is a key element to the overall methodology for this project, which serves to demonstrate the uniqueness and flexibility of mass timber construction.
Jazz is known to have two polar representations in Chicago: suit-and-tie formal, where one attends a performance as an event, and smoky informal, where one goes to listen and unwind. This design celebrates both equally while creating two different circulation experiences for each. The main hall, or the formal venue, is raised above a 45’ tall atrium and lit from within, drawing people off Michigan Ave into the lobby and up winding escalators that hug the “gem” that is the main hall. The club, or the informal venue, is only accessible from a private entry and elevator located against the western alleyway, alluding to an idea that one needs to be in the know to experience. The main facade that encapsulates these programs is determined to be nearly invisible while still reminiscent of the movement within the building, utilizing cable-stay systems to ensure the waving curtain wall can remain as thin as possible.
Raising the main hall, which seats 613 patrons, to the 5th level of a narrow site forced some unconventional forms of vertical circulation. Two sets of winding escalators serve the east end of the main hall, available at the front of the lobby, while 3 elevators at the lobby’s rear are dedicated to serving the west end of the main hall.
To support the “gem” cantilevering 45’ above the lobby, a system of trusses above the main hall support the structure in tension. A basket system of beams and columns also supported by the trusses, cradle the main hall from below and attach to the structural cores at the west end.
Circulation for the rest of the building is provided via private elevators for staff with access to all levels, and a private club elevator that only serves the 9th floor where the jazz club is located.
Champaign, IL
Spring 2020
In order to promote the happiness, health, and well-being of its residents, this building has been designed in a way that maximizes privacy while also encouraging connections. The push and pull of the facade allows individual units to have their own unique view without obstructing another’s. The inclusion of large community spaces on both the ground level with public access and roof for residential access allows patrons to choose which type of social interaction they’d like to have, if any at all. The use of a light-frame wood structure reduces carbon emissions during construction, and allows the building to be more sustainable compared to concrete or steel. Additionally, by focusing on natural light and ventilation, the use of a green roof, water reclamation services, and solar panels, this structure aims to reduce its carbon footprint to ensure that any interaction with the building is a clean, safe, and resourceful experience for all.
The intricacy of the facade lies in the simplicity of the units in plan. Each unit remains completely ADA accessible while also having access to its own private outdoor space. These balconies create an illusion of undulation by pulling back into the unit rather than protruding outward. This move not only provides added privacy by using the walls between units as visual barriers, but it also creates an intricate pattern when they are stacked properly.
To break up the exterior, as the units are stacked on top of each other, they’re also mirrored. This mirroring adds a sense of randomness to the exterior while maintaining uniform structure on the interior. By keeping water and gas lines adjacent to the interior corridor, the mirroring of units does not affect the efficiency of MEP. Additionally, since the design utilizes a light-frame wood structure for the upper floors, columns are not needed as load bearing walls for each floor are aligned vertically, with loads transferred to the concrete podium on the first floor via transfer beams.
Located against the Hudson River, Pier 76 was originally home to the NYPD Tow Pound. This site is not only centralized among vivid nightlife and art/event centers (such as the Javits center just across the street), it also plays a crucial role of serving as a barrier between the districts of Hell’s Kitchen and the Chelsea. Additionally, the site is at the edge of NYC’s High Line which ends just south of the pier. In order to celebrate the pier’s past while establishing itself among the other iconic programs in the area, this design re-purposes the warehouse’s existing structure to expose and build on top of, creating a new public park for art and culture. Complete with restaurants, cafés, a concert hall, and a night club, the entire pier is transformed into usable event space no matter the day, time, or season.
Rhino 6 | Illustrator | Photoshop | Enscape
Founded in 1930 by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, this museum is dedicated to displaying the work of living artists. Containing over 25,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, films, videos, and artifacts of new media, this museum focuses on
Betaworks Studios is a membership club for builders looking to meet and share ideas with one another. Allowing people with a knack for creating, designing, and building to meet
late 20th century to present-day art. However, it still maintains a few permanent displays of significant pieces from the first half of the last century.
in a singular space, this studio aims to enhance not only the flow of ideas among the people of tomorrow, but also the environment of productivity.
A 4-star hotel built right over the high line, this structure aims to connect the tourist market with the pedestrian life of Manhattan. The Standard, High Line maximizes its revenue generation
4.
Chelsea market is a hub for revenue generation in the heart of the Chelsea District of Manhattan. Essentially and inside-out strip mall, this market is home to dozens of different shops and restaurants, along with being home for television
Located at the center of the High Line, this observation deck allows patrons of the path to stop and take in the views of the city. Located at the intersection of 17th St and 10th Ave, this
These galleries include Lisson, C24, Yossi Milo, Gladstone, Agora, Matthew Marks, Pace, Fischbach, DOOSAN, Paula Cooper, Galerie Lelong & Co, Friedman Benda, International Print Center, Greene Naftali Michael Rosenfield, Hales, Garth Greenan, David Zwiner,
Opened in 2012, this school located in Chelsea is the center of an international system of pre-K through 12th grade education. The association of Avenues plans on opening 20 more campuses
by advertising its location not only above, but wrapping around the area’s favorite public park.
production agencies and offices alike. The High Line itself passes through the 10th Avenue side of this structure, allowing this market to connect to the greater southern Manhattan area.
convenient spot allows stunning views of the Hudson River to the West and of the infamous Edge Observation Deck to the North.
ACA Galleries, Jack Shainman, Galleria Ca’ d’Oro, Praxis, 303 Gallery, Hauser & Wirth, Sikkema Jenkins & Co, Tanya Bonakdar Tina Kim, DC Moore, and Miles McEnery.
Comprised of The Shed, Vessel, Hudson Yards Mall, and more, the Square is a cultural hub for art and recreation. The Shed is a cultural center attached to the High Line which, produces, commissions, and presents various forms of performing arts. Vessel is a walkable art installation designed by Thomas Heatherwick, and is
around the world, focusing their education on an integrated “learning community” amongst them.
the main feature of the Square. The Hudson Yards Mall has programmatic space of over 1,000,000sqft, with 750,000sqft dedicated specifically to retail. The Square is also home to various news stations, cable network programs, and tourist attractions such as The Edge, the largest lookout point in all of Manhattan.
Fully titled the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, this convention center located in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan has a total area space of over 1,800,000 sqf making it the 12th largest
convention center in the United States. It hosts a wide array of events annually, including the New York Comic Con, New York International Auto Show, and Anime NYC.
We wanted to represent not only the connection between the High Line and lower Manhattan morphology, but also how cultural facilities in lower Manhattan have gravitated towards the pier. We found that in the area directly
connected to and surrounding the High Line, there is a significant emphasis on art and expression, with dozens of art galleries and cultural/event centers. Newer construction at the north end of the High Line
or not we want to follow suit with the program of our site, or go against it, but regardless it allows us to compare significant cultural importances with surrounding morphology very near to our site.
Owen Balk and Kimberly Rojas-Cheung,UIUC
5. High Line Observation Deck 6. Various Art Galleries 7. Avenues: The World School 8. Hudson Yards Public Square 9. Javits CenterLocated at the merging of Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea, Pier 76 is was home to the NYPD Tow Pound on the island of Manhattan. The city life surrounding the site is vibrant, aided by the presence of the High Line just to the south. Since this site is at the edge of two different districts, programmatic spaces for music and entertainment are limited within a radius of just a few blocks. With this in mind, the program for the design established itself as a multi-faceted area for leisure and entertainment. Containing three distinct programs in one site (a night club, a concert hall, and various bar/cafes), the design aims to provide both pleasure and play for the citizens of Southern Manhattan.
Each ring represents a 5 minute increase in walking time, starting at 10 minutes away from the site.
Javits Center
High Line
3. Broadway Existing night clubs/bars/lounges Existing concert/music venues Hell’s Kitchen
1. 2.Rather than remove the entire NYPD Tow Pound to build something brand new, the opportunity of re-purposing the existing structure presented itself. This adaptive reuse of structure and grid allows for a pier experience that opens and closes at seemingly random yet uniform intervals. Removing the shell and retrofitting supporting structure onto the existing structure allows for the new architecture to easily integrate itself with the old, not only preserving some history of the site, but also reducing time, cost, and waste during construction.
The purpose of this project was to design a space within Allerton Park that incorporates the ideas of “prospect” and “refuge.” Considering the natural setting of a site such as Allerton Park, fully understanding the topography, paths of wind and sunlight, as well as the surrounding context of a forested setting were key in creating a design that not only worked with the site, but also added to it. This design was inspired by the reflective patterns of the sun, and uses methods of blocking, filtering, and funneling natural light in order to create unique and distinct spaces while maintaining a small footprint of around 600 square feet.
Rhino 6 | AutoCAD | Hand Modeling | Illustrator | Photoshop | Twinmotion
