Patrick Gaither Selected Works
Charlotte Children’s Museum:
The steep sloping topography and proximity to the floodplain nestles the children’s museum into the hill, allowing a roof garden, skylights into the first floor below, and a seamless connection from landscape to building-scape.
Site and building are fused together as one idea. The museum is to be an extension of the ground, connecting the architecture and surrounding context as one.
Site Plan: Showing the constraints of the existing road to the north, and the floodplain directly south.
Render: Calling out the double faรงade system.
Wall Sections: Looking at the different wall systems incorporated into the design of the southern faรงade.
Kitchen
Storage
Mechanical Occupiable Roof
Shop Café Administration Gallery
Gallery
Classroom
Lobby/Ticketing
Climbing Sculpture
Gallery
Gallery
2
1
Plans: Ground and second level plans, showing the interaction of building, site, and the way they respond to one another.
ESTCODE
ESTCODE
ESTCODE
ESTCODE
Elevations / Sections: Understanding the space and volumetric aspects of the project.
0’
5’
15’
30’
Parametric Bridge:
Revit is a powerful tool within the field of architecture. This project explored the parametric side of Revit, exploiting possible changes to a bridge with just a few parameters. Once the parameters are set the bridge can be as short or as long as needed.
The basic ideas behind the bridge were to have a sinuous path to walk along with an undulating canopy overhead. The structure, canopy, and walking path all respond to the set parameters of the system.
f Bridge
Storrs Bridge:
The existing switchback stair was reworked to raise the elevation of the bridges as to not crowd the salon or take away from its expanse.
Render: Showing the two bridges spanning across the salon.
DN
DN
Using Charles Gwathmey’s set of underlying rules, this project focused on connecting the two wings of UNC Charlotte’s architecture building. A pair of bridges, sixteen feet in the air, span across the mid-point of the salon.
DN
Section 1
Orthographics: Plan at top and section/elevation just above.
Renders: Three renderings and different perspectives of the project. Spanning the page is the section/elevation of the overall addition.
Fibonacci Sequence:
This first year studio project utilized the Fibonacci sequence at first in two dimensions with trace on gridded paper, then evolved into three dimensional studies of these shapes merely extruded up or down in the z direction.
The final product resulted in a larger scale model (1:1) with each grid square allowing for 1 inch in every direction. Paint studies we also done to see how different media would affect the perception of the work. The final model also we made to sit on a light box and allow a different perspective and interaction with light, whether natural or artificial.
Pipe Pavilion Project:
Through a series of set pieces, connections were made between them into the development of mini pavilions. Roughly the size of a parking spot, these pipe pavilions were intended to create a new environment of street life between the road and a storefront for instance that sidewalks just do not offer.
They can be used as an area of relaxation, a place to eat lunch outdoors where there may not be park space, or just a good conversation starter.
Render: Showing the pipe pavilions, and the different formal qualities they take.
Above are the seven standard pieces to choose from in the design of the pipe pavilions. To the right and below is the process of how the project develops. The bases of the standard pieces are filled with concrete for stability and structure. Loose pieces of pipe are zip tied to one another to conform from one base shape to the next. Eye hole screws are inserted to the bottom of the wood flooring and secured to the base. This allows people to walk on a flat surface instead of the curved pieces of pipe.
Storrstex:
Developed in a computational practice course, this group project utilized a specific series of tasks to understand and produce an end product that derived from the computer and finished as a built unit.
Rhino and grasshopper were used to create the shape and openings in the project. A script was also developed to tab the individual pieces so the connections could be made and held together by binder clips. Storrstex was displayed over a two week period in the Storrs salon.
Piping Plover Habitat:
Many species die every year. As a group of three, the project developed into a preserve and a park all in one. The Piping Plover thrives on and around dunes, but with human interaction, their rituals are interrupted causing instability in breeding and reduced numbers.
Using Rhino and Grasshopper, a scripting program, dunes, paths, and walkways were able to be established. This gave the Plover separation from human interaction, but also still allowed observation.
Map: Depicting area of concentration for the Piping Plover. Project based on Freshkills Landfill, Staten Island, New York.
Diagrams: Showing the manual thought process behind the grasshopper script.
Charlotte 2024: Summer Olympic Games: Full studio booklet at: http://issuu.com/nbrow/docs/olympicsstudio_uncc
Could Charlotte become the host city for the 2024 Summer Olympics? Solving that central question became the main concept of the eight person group studio. Many parts of the city were added to and upgraded, all with intentions of an afterlife for each venue. The aim was to have Charlotte prosper from the addition of usable infrastructure, during the games and well into the future.
2024
2030
Over the course of a semester, the studio group researched, developed, and designed the renovations and up fit of Charlotte to become the host of the 2024 Olympic Summer games. The games were a catalyst for development of the uptown Charlotte area with the end game of 2030. The larger goal was to put Charlotte on the map one hundred fold of what it is now. If there were to be a New York of the South, why not Charlotte?
2024
2030
Le Centquatre:
The development of this project is published in Material Strategies in Digital Fabrication. The process looks at how to assemble the project, both in a physical format, as well as a digital format. Unique qualities of the project were called out and explained step by step on how it could be built, both physically and digitally. Working between the physical and digital gives a deeper insight and appreciation to the overall project. Understanding how both are constructed forces a different and unique way of thinking about the design.
25’ - 0”
70’ - 0”
25’ - 0”
Diagram: Looking at the constraints for the built project, and designing to those same constraints within the digital format. Step 2
Process: The steps above show how the project developed. From diagram to structure and assembly, the digital and physical are covered.
Diagram: Showing how the project will fit within the given constraints.
4
Structure: Development of the structure for the overall project.
Render: Showing how the completed project comes together holistically.
Uptown Housing Project:
Drip Edge
Ridgid Insulation
Just west of The Design Center and one block from the light rail, the 1.4 acre site holding a mixed- use housing development fits well within its context. The shape of the plan mimics the site boundaries while leaving the center open as a courtyard area for residents and passers by to utilize the green space.
Retail and parking occupy the first level while one, two, and three bedroom units reside within the remainder of the building. The project was an examination into urban housing and a question of how to mediate different factors of the site itself and area as a whole.
Finished Dry Wall
Finished Dry Wall
Floor Insulation
Zinc Paneling Bracket and Clip for Paneling
W Worthington Ave.
Ipe Wood Siding
Double Pane Glass
Hawkins St.
Mullion System
Finished Flooring
Finished Exterior Flooring
Post - Tension Concrete
Poured Exterior Slab
. ett St
Dogg
Insulation Finished Sidewalk
Fine Gravel
Drain Pipe Rebar Ground
Site Plan: Showing the central courtyard in response to the building shape and site constraints of the project.
Wall Section: Definition and separation of retail and residential.
DW
DW
DW
DW
DW
DW
DW DW
DW
DW
DW DW
DW
DW
DW
DW
DW
DW
DW
DW
Arrangement of the units was a difficult task to manage. Every unit has a porch as well as view into the center courtyard. Managing issues of egress, life safety, and parking were just a few topics touched on while designing.
Plans: Ground and second level plan above. Images of a section model through the courtyard to the right.
Elevations / Sections: Developing the relationship of ground to architecture as well as circulation and lines of sight throughout the project.
Perspectives: Understanding the project within the surrounding context of the site. Images of the final model in context to the right.
Bryant Park Community Courthouse:
Questioning the layout and operations of the traditional courthouse was the ultimate goal of the design studio. Explorations of many forms were looked into with depth including: connectivity of spaces, public and private circulation, program clustering, and lines of sight, into and throughout the building.
Development of the overall project was a formidable task. Many thought out questions and diagrams were used to come up with a project that solved the problem within the constraints of the studio.
C
A
Plan: Ground floor plan, displaying entry and connection.
B
Plan: Second level plan. Second Floor Plan at 1” = 16’ - 0”
Working in section was a critical part of the development of the overall project. The way in which the pieces of the courthouse work with one another depend heavily on a well thought out section in terms of lines of sight, circulation, and views into and out of the building.
Plan: Third, fifth, and seventh level plan.Floor Plan at 1” = 16’ - 0” Third - Fifth - Seventh
Fourthand - Sixth - Eighthlevel Floor Plan at 1” = 16’ - 0” Plan: Forth, sixth, eighth plan.
Plan: Ninth level plan.Ninth Floor Plan at 1” = 16’ - 0”
Elevations: East, South, and West elevations show best how siteEast andElevation architecture work with one another.
South Elevation
West Elevation
Sections: Three sections show the importance of connectivity on many levels of scale. From the courtroom scale to the building scale as a while.
East - Wes
The Hub - UNC Charlotte Uptown Expansion:
Thorough examination of structure, space planning, HVAC systems, and many other factors were questioned throughout the design. Situated on a challenging site, entry, connection to the surrounding context of the city, and views into and out of the building were all taken into account. The overall connectivity to site serves both the business industry of uptown and educational expansion of UNCC.
Retail Meeting Hall
Meeting Hall
Meeting Hall
Retail Gallery
Gallery Patio
Faculty Admin.
Retail
UP
Entry
Gallery
Retail
Class Room
Office
Business Center
Studio
Resource Center UP
UP
UP
Mech.
Retail
Studio
Class Room
Mech.
Storage
Mech.
Pin-up
Retail
Class Room
Retail
Class Room
Class Room
Retail
Studio
Class Room
Storage
Studio
Studio UP
UP
Retail
Class Room
Retail
Patio
Class Room
Plans: Retail and building services house the ground level while business areas, studio and class room areas house the second and third levels.
UP
Studio
48'-1" T.O. PARAPET
PARAPET FLASHING BLOCKING
47'-0" T.O.ROOF INSULATION SLOPED 1 4" PER FT. TOWARDS DRAIN RUBBER MEMBRANE ROOF SYSTEM
STOREFRONT WINDOW SYSTEM METAL SILL 2 X BLOCKING METAL FLASHING TO MATCH METAL PANEL SYSTEM
30'-0" F.F. Section A Scale: 1/8” = 1’-0”
GWB CEILING 4" STEEL TUBING 4' ON CENTER 6" METAL STUD 16" ON CENTER 5
8"
GWB
POUR STOP
Sections: Lines of sight through the building were major design factors throughout the process and development.
15'-0" F.F.
W-SECTION (REFER TO STRUCTURAL DWG.) OPEN WEB JOIST (REFER TO STRUCTURAL DWG.)
4" CONCRETE ON METAL DECKING
4" STEEL TUBING 4' ON CENTER CENTRIA FORMAWALL DIMENSION SERIES 3"-T STEEL ANGLE 4" X 8" STEEL TUBE TIED BACK AT STEEL COLUMNS
SEALANT AND BACKER ROD 4" CONCRETE PAVERS 2" OF SAND 6" FRENCH DRAIN STONE
0'-0" F.F.
Elevation: Showing retail on the right, and to the left is the entrance closest to the Center City Building (UNCC).
EARTH
2' X 2' DROP ACOUSTIC CEILING SYSTEM INSULATION
2" x 4-1/2" STOREFRONT SYSTEM SLAB ON GRADE FOUNDATION (BEYOND) REBAR FOOTING (BEYOND) INSULATION
Wall Section: Accompanied by the corresponding elevation shows how material and structure are handled.
The HVAC and structural systems of the building were developed in detail to show an overall understanding of how the building was to operate. The three diagrams above show the levels of the building, zones and operational systems for the HVAC system. To the right, the structure for the entire building is called out in an exploded axon, giving a bit more clarification of what is happening on each level.
Elevation: Allowing the shadows to give an idea of pushed and pulled elements of the building.