RACHEL ROBERTS A R C H I T E C T U R E
P O R T F O L I O
RACHEL ROBERTS 4TH YEAR ARCHITECTURE STUDENT UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
EDUCATION SKILLS
Aug 2015 - May 2020
University of Kansas
Revit
SketchUp
Photoshop CC
Lumion
Illustrator CC
V-Ray
InDesign CC
Bluebeam Revu
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Aug 2011 - May 2015
STRENGTHS Creativity
Time Management
Reliability
Verbal Presentation
Organization
Visual Communication
Leadership
Social Media
Blue Springs South High School
BLUE SPRINGS, MISSOURI
HONORS: GPA: 4.31/4.00 Graduated 2015 Summa Cum Laude National Merit Commended Scholar National Honor Society Student Senate Vice President Missouri Scholars 100; AP Scholar; Smith College Book Award
EXPERIENCE May 2018 - Aug 2018 Dec 2018 - Jan 2019
INTERESTS
Architectural Intern
Photography // Sustainability // Leadership
Nov 2017 - Present
Volunteering // Traveling // Painting
COURSEWORK: GPA: 3.95/4.00 Master of Architecture 2020 University Honors Program Architecture in Europe Faculty-led study abroad program Summer 2017 Italy, Slovenia, Austria, and Czech Republic
POPULOUS
Research Assistant
JOE COLISTRA/INSTITUTE FOR SMART CITIES - KU ARC/D
Aug 2017 - Present
Library Desk Assistant HATCH READING ROOM KU ARC/D
RESPONSIBILITIES: Assisted with all aspects of the architectural design of a hockey arena, including facade design, client presentations, and coordination with project team and consultants.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Support research associated with the KU Institute for Smart Cities project: design coordination, development of housing prototypes into drawings, and marketing graphics for social media. RESPONSIBILITIES: Archival scanning, documentation, and data transfer; perform basic database operations; oversee the Hatch Reading Room and its collection.
Contact: 245 NE Hidden Ridge Lane, Lee’s Summit, MO 64064 (816) 237 6706 rkroberts@ku.edu issuu.com/rkroberts linkedin.com/in/rkroberts
LEADERSHIP Jul 2017 - May 2018
AIAS Third-Year Representative
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Apr 2017 - Present
Order of Omega
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS ETA EPSILON CHAPTER
Nov 2016 - Nov 2017
Vice President of Scholarship
SIGMA KAPPA XI CHAPTER
RESPONSIBILITIES: Represent the third-year M.Arch class in the KU chapter of AIAS, helping to organize professional development, networking, and personal growth opportunities.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Member of an honor society for fraternity and sorority organizations that focuses on scholarship, leadership, and involvement within the campus and local community.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Coordinate and oversee programs and events to foster academic success, working closely with around 100 individuals to provide opportunities for GPA improvement.
HONORS University Honors Program 2015-Present KU’s Honors Program is a nationally competitive and highly-ranked program. KU School of Architecture and Design Dean’s List - 7 semesters The school recognizes the top 10% of all undergraduate architecture students. KU Arc/D Student Architecture Show Participant Feb. 2018 One to two projects from each studio were chosen to be displayed in this awards show. KU Arc/D Curtis Besinger Scholarship 2017-2018
Contents 6
Chicago Lyric Opera
22
Crossroads Learning Community
40
Design-Build: Epic Park Arts Incubator
46
Lawrence Sustainable Village
52
Professional Work: Belmont Park Arena
60
Study Abroad: Sketches + Photography
CHICAGO L Y R I C O P E R A FALL 2018 - 4TH YEAR
An opera house that captures excitement and celebrates all. The Lyric Opera of Chicago currently occupies a site on Wacker Drive, but it is too large to provide a reasonable number of seats close to the stage with good acoustics. A new opera house at the west end of Navy Pier suggests itself as an icon among the city’s skyline. With a swirling form that encapsulates the excitement of opera and the act of attending a show, the new Lyric Opera of Chicago creates a new experience. Material expression is curated to match the sense of motion and provide a contrasting journey from the exterior to the interior of the auditorium. The Lyric Opera is a place for all, where music, arts, and the people who make it possible are celebrated.
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CONCEPT An early design concept of a curving nautilus form was refined to become the final design. This form is able to blend into the landscape to create an experience building towards the viewing of a show. In this section you can see the design iterations and ideas that combined to form the realized opera house.
A triangular diagrid facade of glass and metal panels creates a modular and customizable system where materials have a smooth transition. The only orthogonal pieces are channel glass walls along a pedestrian ramp to pique interest in a sort of “preshow� where shadow figures can be seen moving backstage.
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SITE DESIGN The site, just to the south of Gateway Park at the west end of Navy Pier, is accessible by public transportation (subway, elevated rail lines/The Loop, and busses), car, water taxi, and pedestrians. With 1800 seats, this new opera house takes cues from its environment to create a visible and recognizable landmark among the city of Chicago. The site design moves and curls with the building while creating two circular nodes with views to the city and the lake. An outdoor auditorium gives the opera opportunities for summer performances.
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SYSTEMS The final opera house design incorporates a high level of design coordination with an understanding of technical building systems, such as structure, mechanical systems, fire protection and isolation, vertical circulation, means of egress, accessibility, internal movement, and acoustics. The next few pages outline the major aspects of each. Research on the capacities, requirements, and approximate sizes was done to perform code compliance.
STORAGE
2400 SF SCENE STORAGE
2080 SF
OFFICE
OFFICE
150 SF
195 SF
RR
RR
RR
RR
RR
RR
130 SF
130 SF
150 SF
150 SF
200 SF
200 SF
TLT.
100 SF
OFFICE
229 SF
SCENE MANAGER
390 SF
JANITOR
PROP SHOP
1460 SF OFFICE
CHORUS DRESSING
140 SF
300 SF
CHORUS DRESSING
515 SF
OFFICE
CHORUS DRESSING
530 SF
700 SF
154 SF TLT.
TLT.
110 SF
100 SF
GREEN ROOM
2245 SF
WARDROBE
COSTUME CONSTRUCTION
1080 SF
1000 SF
REAR STAGE
3600 SF
CHORUS LOUNGE
2130 SF
WIG SHOP
800 SF
STAR DRESSING
275 SF
MECH. SHAFT
883 SF
SUITE DRESSING
360 SF
STAR DRESSING
275 SF
ADMINISTRATION
SUITE DRESSING
2250 SF
360 SF
STAR DRESSING
275 SF
SIDE STAGE STAR DRESSING
MAIN STAGE
SIDE STAGE
3600 SF
3000 SF
VAULT
90 SF
3000 SF
MANAGER
200 SF
315 SF OFFICE
STAR DRESSING
150 SF
275 SF
OFFICE
130 SF
STAR DRESSING
400 SF RESTROOMS
560 SF
STORAGE
STORAGE
680 SF
600 SF
WILL CALL/BOX OFFICE
1020 SF
AUDITORIUM
10984 SF BAR
400 SF CLOAKROOM
600 SF
SHAFT
200 SF
SHAFT
175 SF
MEN'S RR WOMEN'S RR
440 SF
590 SF
STORAGE
SHAFT
160 SF
160 SF
BAR
385 SF
Mechanical/HVAC Egress + Vertical Circulation Loading + Prop Movement Accessibility Fire Separation -017
LOBBY
22000 SF
STRUCTURE DIAGRAM
TRANSVERSE SECTION
HVAC DIAGRAM
REVERBERATION TIME: V/S T = 640,000 CF/19,360 SF
ACOUSTIC DIAGRAM
= 33.06 FT : 1.55 sec
Acoustic Reflections Lighting Projections Sightlines
LONGITUDINAL SECTION
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SCULPTURAL SKYLINE PRESENCE MATERIAL CONTRAST EXCITEMENT ARTS ENGAGEMENT CITY VIEWS CELEBRATION
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CROSSROADS LEARNING COMMUNITY FALL 2017 - 3RD YEAR
An elementary school for students, teachers, and parents alike. The Crossroads District of Kansas City, Missouri is a lively and young neighborhood undergoing a lot of change as the area is revitalized. As a result, there are currently a lack of schools in the immediate area to serve young families. An elementary school at the corner of 19th and Grand Boulevard would need to address its urban context while serving the unique needs of the area. The Crossroads Learning Community is a project about adaptability and sustainability, addressing how community and neighborhood affect development, and the unique ways in which children learn, grow, and succeed.
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CONTEXT In an urban environment, an elementary school must be accepting of its context, while still safe for students and teachers. Using form instead of fences, this building centers around a playground that is connected to the outside world, but still somewhat isolated. Each protrusion of the building is related to the program inside, allowing the school to express itself to the outside world. These fluctuations in plan also helps avoid imposing vertical planes, bringing a large building down to street scale for adults and children.
McGee Street
Grand Boulevard
19th Street
20th Street
site plan 1/64”=1’-0” -025
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LEVEL ONE:
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1 Library/Gallery 2 Entry 3 Parent Meeting Room 4 Administration 5 Counselor’s Office 6 Nurse’s Office 7 Gym 8 Collapsible Stage 9 Art 10 Music 11 5th Grade 12 Learning Pocket 13 4th Grade 14 Restrooms 15 Kindergarten 16 1st Grade 17 2nd Grade 18 3rd Grade 19 Cafeteria 20 Kitchen 21 Service/Storage 22 Outdoor Stage 23 Student Planters 24 Playground
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X-X
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Public Areas Administration Horizontal Circulation Vertical Circulation Classrooms Supplementary Learning Area Services Egress
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LEVEL TWO:
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25 Library Loft 26 Learning Lab 27 Student Roof Garden 28 Bridge 29 Teacher’s Lounge 30 Teacher’s Roof Garden 31 Trellis
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A-A
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Public Areas Administration Horizontal Circulation Vertical Circulation Classrooms Supplementary Learning Area Services Egress
ADAPTABILITY GREEN SPACE IMAGINATION COMMUNITY USE FLEXIBILITY TRANSPARENCY SAFETY CREATIVE EXPRESSION SUSTAINABILITY
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PROCESS These sketches are part of an extensive exploration into the facade in regards to views, privacy, sun shading, and openness. They represent the chronological progression of ideas, starting at the top left and ending with the built model photo at the bottom right. The subject is the library of the building, facing west and also containing a gallery. The last image on the page is a simple but elegant solution of wood louvers, which make a 90o turn over the length of the space. This design addresses all necessary issues while also being sustainable and economical.
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LIBRARY WALL SECTION
G
F
E
D
C
B
A Parapet Detail
Roof membrane 8” rigid insulation, sloped to drain 3” concrete on corrugated metal deck
T.O.P. 26' - 0"
Roof 24' - 0"
Terracotta parapet cap Metal flashing and counterflashing Continuous roof membrane 2x6 blocking 6” metal stud Batt insulation infill 5/8” exterior sheathing 1” metal furring grid 6” recessed exterior light
1.5” terracotta rainscreen panels 1” horizonal metal furring 1” vertical metal furring Air/Moisture barrier Metal flashing 5/8” exterior sheathing
Level 2 12' - 0"
2x6 blocking 2.5”x5” mullion Double pane insulated glass Wood louvers
HSS 12x12 steel column W 21x50 steel girder W 6x6 steel beam Custom acoustic cloud ceiling 8” flat ceiling lights HVAC ducts
24”x24” carpet tiles 3/4” plywood subfloor 6” concrete slab, thickened at edges 8” rigid insulation Waterproofing membrane Compacted gravel fill French drain
Level 1 0' - 0"
Level 0 4' - 6"
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DESIGN-BUILD: EPIC PARK ARTS INCUBATOR SPRING 2018 - 3RD YEAR
An intimate and flexible retail space for rotating local artists. The Strawberry Hill Neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas is a historically diverse area located on the bluffs overlooking the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. The entire studio worked with the local community to design and build an arts-based “pop-up shop� from a reclaimed shipping container. The shop is intended to sit permanently on a site next to the Epic Park Arts Center so that local artists can rotate throughout the year, each getting a chance to have a brick-and-mortar shop experience. Taking a design from concept to reality was a holistic learning experience in client relationships, teamwork, and how an architectural design can actually be built.
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As the project manager, I was in charge of all documentation of the shipping container, from precisely modeling the original container to drawing accurate design assemblies in the model and completing all construction documents. I oversaw the construction process and directly aided in the fabrication of all wood cladding panels and all window box units for the container. As one of the closest people to the project, I gained experience talking to clients, team members, metal fabricators, and city officials. The image on the left is a final wall section; the image on the right is the final Sketchup model of the shipping container.
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LAWRENCE SUSTAINABLE V I L L A G E SPRING 2017 - 2ND YEAR
A mixed-use development for entrepreneurs and pedestrians. Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, Kansas is an active corridor of shopping, dining, and living spaces. This project proposes a mixed-use development directly adjacent to Mass Street, composed of commercial spaces and apartments so shop owners can integrate living and working. Its unique shape aims to connect the public library and parks with the liveliness of Massachusetts Street, while preserving the balance between public and private. Using form and materials specifically designed to draw people together, this development is curated to respond to its site and uses to ultimately extend the essence of Mass Street.
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SITE DESIGN Site design, urban landforms, and continuation of green space were as integral to this project as the design of the live-work units themselves. Creating a dynamic pedestrian experience in the middle of an overwhelmingly concrete landscape informed the use of plants on horizontal and vertical surfaces, placement of landscape furniture, and use of sustainable materials. The goal is to guide a person on a refreshing and pleasant journey through the space.
7th Street
Vermont Street
Massachusetts Street
ramp to parking
community garden 8th Street
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0’-0”
20’-0”
40’-0”
60’-0”
PUBLIC VS PRIVATE GREEN SPACE COMMUNITY UNIQUE STOREFRONT LIVE-WORK LIGHT MODULATION TRANSPARENCY
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POPULOUS INTERNSHIP: BELMONT PARK SUMMER 2018 - 4TH YEAR
Facade studies and process sketches inspire design intent. During my summer internship at Populous, I worked with the design team on the New York Islanders’ new arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The project was in the middle of the design development phase so I was able to do a lot of process sketches, studies, and charrettes for both architecture and interior design. Working on mostly the exterior design, but also getting to look at program-specific building relationships and code requirements, helped to supplement my architectural education
with
real-world
entertainment sector.
experience
in
the
sports
and
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IDEATION:FACADE These facade iterations were part of a broader study into a corner of the arena that was previously unresolved. In the hope of adding a sense of motion and excitement, each idea proposes a way to draw the eye across the corner. Because this building type gets a lot of traffic at night, it was critical to also consider how lighting the facade might look, and what visual effects could be achieved in the transition from night to day. Some studies use a rotating terracotta tile, while others remain more vague in order to explore patterns and light.
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SUITE DETAILS Taking the same exterior design ideas to the interior helps to create a more cohesive user experience. To elevate the design standard, this project team considered everything down to the restroom detail, working with materials and patterns. These suite-level study schemes incorporate differing ideas about motion, light, rest, and visual connection with the arena’s physical context in a historically rich, wooded area.
CORRIDOR
WOMEN’S LOUNGE
MEN’S LOUNGE
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RENDERING BY POPULOUS Proposed adjacent to the Belmont Park Arena site is a small office building for which we were able to present a schematic design to fit into the context of the site. This scheme splits the building into two forms that play with the concept of old versus new, steel and glass versus brick. A single canopy joins the two and covers a pedestrian walkway with filtered light.
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S T U D Y ABROAD: E U R O P E SUMMER 2017 - 3RD YEAR
Research, urban analysis, sketching, and photography. On a summer study abroad trip, I visited Rome, Florence, Venice, Ljubljana, Vienna, and Prague to study urban design and infrastructure (public space, natural features, waterways, monuments, transportation, services) and how these interact with buildings to create what is experienced as the public realm. Through mapping, diagramming, sketching, and photography, I created a cumulative research document on what makes gathering spaces successful and an integral part of a city’s past, future, and daily life. Scan the QR code below to view the online interactive document.
SCAN
ME
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RACHEL ROBERTS (816) 237 6706 rkroberts@ku.edu issuu.com/rkroberts linkedin.com/in/rkroberts