Rachel Stagner architecture portfolio
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Rachel Stagner
rstagner.com | re.stagner@yahoo.com | 314-957-8118
Education
Skills
University of Kansas
Revit
2016-2021(expected):
SketchUp
Master of Architecture,
Lumion
Graduate Certificate in Architecture of Health and Wellness
Experience Freelance Architectural Renderer | 2020-Present
AutoCAD InDesign Photoshop Illustrator Unreal Engine
Starbucks
3DS Max
Barista | 2017-Present
AutoCAD Hand Sketching
Christner Architects
Model Building
Architectural Intern at Christner Inc | Summer 2019
University of Kansas Architecture Department Teaching Assistant for ARCH 605 | Fall 2019, Fall 2020 Architecture Mentor for Second Year Students | 2019-2020
University Honors Program Seminar Assistant for HNRS 195, Freshman Honors Seminar
“Popular Music of the Vietnam Era” | Fall 2019
“Adaptive Control, Automation, and AI” | Fall 2018
“Eco-Fueled” | Fall 2017
Art Director + Lead Curator of “Cocaine: Coca to Crack” exhibit | Fall 2016
Honors Work exhibited in KU Architecture Student Show | Spring 2018 Phi Kappa Phi Member | 2018-Present University of Kansas Chancellor’s Scholars Club | 2016-Present University of Kansas University Honors Program Member | 2016-Present National Merit Scholarship Finalist | 2016 University of Missouri-STL Dean’s Award for Creative Achievement | 2014
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Grand Center Soundscape
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Centering Under the Canopy
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Crossroads Elementary
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Free State Lofts
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Local Materiality
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Urban Station
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Grand Center Soundscape
St. Louis, MO Tactical Urbanism Installation
Team: Caroline Coleman Rachel Stagner I worked together with my partner to develop design prototypes and research the neighborhood. I personally created all the diagrams and renders shown except for one (noted). I also compiled our research and design process from the semester into a comprehensive booklet.
Objective To create a series of installations that activate public space, in a way that fosters the development of community engagement and unites diverse populations, so that the Grand Center neighborhood has effective resilience in times of socioeconomic need.
Grand Center
Median Income
$42.0k
Race Black
63%
Other 4%
$20.9k
Asian 7% White Grand Center
26%
St. Louis City
49.8% of Grand Center residents 63% of Grand Center residents are live below the poverty line
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arts and culture destinations in Grand Center
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schools in Grand Center
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grocery store in Grand Center
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Black (49% in St. Louis City)
Site The site, situated on the corner of Delmar Boulevard and Grand Avenue, is located at the crossroads of the arts and the Delmar Divide (a historic racial divide). Currently, utilized as a parking lot, this site can be used to create meaning making, uniting the different populations within the neighborhood and the St. Louis metro area.
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Housing Development
Powell Symphony Hall
Veterans Affairs Hospital
2 The Grandel Concert Hall
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Fox Theatre
Areas for Improvement
Underutilized land Arts + Entertainment Family Housing Healthcare Facilities Diagram by Caroline Coleman
1 -heat island effect
all land in Grand Center is underutilized 30.0% of(meaning vacant or parking only) Key Performance Indicator % of area that is underutilized and unshaded
2 - mental illness
St. Louis City residents experienced 14.8% ofmental distress 14 out of the past 30 days Key Performance Indicator % of people within Grand Center that experience poor mental health
3 - food insecurity
23.3%
of St. Louis City residents experience food insecurity and uncertainty
Key Performance Indicator % of people within Grand Center that experience food insecurity
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Over 50% of the Grand Center population below 18 lives in the development to the east of the site.
The Grand Center has one of the most concentrated districts of arts and culture venues in the US, drawing visitors from around the metro area.
The Veterans Hospital houses most of the neighborhood’s 60+ population; the hospital also serves veterans from around St. Louis.
families
arts district
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Connecting
Green Space
Sound
Main structure positioned in center of site to connect visitors coming from the Arts District and families from nearby housing.
Green spaces serve as flexible areas for relaxation, garden boxes, and frame pathways through the site.
Sound elements integrated into the structure and the ground plane promote serenity through music and emphasize the history of music in the city.
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Hanging Sound Chimes
sound The project creates a soundscape from the music of Chuck Berry’s ‘Johnny B. Goode,’ both in form and in pitch. The placement of the hanging chimes and height of the sound sculptures correlate to the position of the notes on the staff. The chimes are tuned to the major chords of the song: B♭ Major, E♭ Major, and F Major; the planted sculpture creates a percussive brushing sound.
Sound Sculpture
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Family Zone
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Garden Zone
Sound Zone
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Centering Under the Canopy
Accra, Ghana Health + Wellness Center for Soccer Academy
Render by Allison Kelly
Team: Allison Kelly Rachel Stagner I worked together with my partner to develop the larger site and research the surrounding community. I personally completed the final diagrams, including master plan, plans, and sections. We worked together to create the renders, using my hand drawn entourage to tie together the different scenes.
This project involved transforming a 72-acre site into a soccer academy with a focus on mental wellbeing. We further developed the Health + Wellness Center on the site to include community interaction and promote a comprehensive approach to healthy living. The diagram below shows how we wanted to create spaces that moved from public to private, active to peaceful. The master plan takes advantage of the surrounding context and existing tree cover to shape its final form.
The public spaces are concentrated along the main north road, with trees and berms helping to create privacy to the academy but not excluding locals from using the space. The southern leg of the site is covered in tree canopy and includes small agriculture plots to be used for horticultural therapy and food for the academy. The H+W Center combines both active and peaceful activities to unite the two parts of the site.
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Private
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Community Therapy
Community Gathering
Nutrition
Sports Clinic
Flex Space
Active
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Public
Commercial Road Residential
aining Center
Health + Wellness Center
Residential Complex
School
Terraced Agriculture
Quiet + Private
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Cut Through Community Clinic
North-West Elevation Public Side
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Cut Through Student Flex Space
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0’
50’
100’
200’
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UP
1 Flex Space 2 Occupiable Roof
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50’
100’
200’
Occupiable Roof
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50’
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1 Flex Space
10 Kitchen Classroom
2 Trainer Office
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3 Bathroom
12 Community Classrooms
4 Sports Therapy
13 Community Gathering
5 Hydro Therapy
14 Therapy Lobby
6 Student Lockers
15 Therapy Office
7 Staff Lockers
16 Group Therapy
8 Student Gathering
17 Individual Therapy
9 Running Track
18 Storage
200’
Main Floor 20
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1 Flex Space 2 Trainer Office 3 Bathroom
The Health + Wellness Center is broken into three main parts: student sports medicine clinic, where players get ready for the field; the nutrition center, where community and students can unite over food; and the mental health center, where local residents can access therapy and learn about handling their mental health. 10 Kitchen Classroom
11 Public Market Space
12 Community Classrooms
4 Sports Therapy
13 Community Gathering
5 Hydro Therapy
14 Therapy Lobby
6 Student Lockers
15 Therapy Office
7 Staff Lockers
16 Group Therapy
8 Student Gathering
17 Individual Therapy
9 Running Track
18 Storage
The canopy covering the entire complex is designed with tree columns to mimic the natural tree canopy, while the PV panels take advantage of the sun to produce energy for the project. The occupiable roof is accessible by berms leading up to the ends of the building. This makes the roof easily accessible and helps visitors feel connected to the earth despite being on top of a building. 1 Flex Space
2 Occupiable Roof
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Solar Canopy Reinforced Concrete, Occupiable Roof Solar Chimney, Earth and Concrete
Reinforced Concrete Interior Walls Earth Tube Vent Rammed Earth Exterior Walls Openings for Natural Ventilation Concrete Foundation
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The clinic rooms are ventilated using an earth tube/chimney system. The earthwork on the site contains earthtubes below that contain cool air; the hot air in the chimney creates a suction force and draws cool air into the clinic rooms, creating a comfortable space without the use of electricity. If occupants want more control over the space, they can also open up windows in the room to allow for cross ventilation.
The building uses rammed earth construction to take advantage of local materials and give a sense of being connected to the earth. Local workers would be educated on the technique and could use that skill in future projects. The use of trees in courtyards help continue the idea of canopy as a natural aspect.
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Crossroads Elementary
19th and Grand Kansas City, MO K-5 for 200 Students
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Crossroads Elementary is located in the heart of Kansas City, in the Crossroads Arts District. The core idea with my school is to create an environment for students and children in the area to have a place specifically for them. There is a lack of greenspace within a quarter mile radius of the school as well as in the surrounding city, so I reserved half of the site to be public park space.
In the inner courtyard, students will learn about plants and get hands-on science experience with planting beds for each grade level. I opened up the building into a U-shape on the first floor to allow for free movement of students between courtyard and park space.
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Classrooms should foster an environment for learning that motivates students to want to learn. In order to help create this environment, this classroom is to focus on student-driven, project-based learning. Young students often struggle to focus on shifting topics: by streamlining the education process to include an overarching theme between different subjects, students will stay interested in their schoolwork.
Project-based learning helps students to use the subjects they learn about in class and apply them to a real-world application. Instead of focusing on testbased evaluation, where memorization Flashing Cap Flashing Cap a Cotta Panel is emphasized, students Terra Cotta Panelare encouraged Clip System Clip System to I.2 learn more about topics and pursue areas that interest them.
Moisture Barrier, White Rigid Insulation, Sloped 1/4” per 1’, min 6” Gypsum Board Concrete filled Decking
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M
Top of Parapet Lo 31' - 4"
Insulation oisture Barrier Framing Stud
Level 3 28' - 0"
Insulation Moisture Barrier Framing Stud
t Space
Vertical Louver sulated Glass
13.5’’ Exposed Ceiling
6” Aluminum Louver 12” Aluminum Louver 24” Aluminum Louver Expanding Gasket
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Reading Room
Vertical Louver Double Pane Insulated Glass
Level 2 14' - 0" 13.5’’Exposed Ceiling
t Space
Reading Room
meter Heating French Drain ng, 36” deep
Perimeter Heating French Drain Reinforced Spread Footing, 36” deep
Level 1 0' - 0"
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Exposed Deck Ceiling Carpet, 1” Reinforced Concrete Slab, 4” Rigid Insulation, 4” Compacted Gravell, 4”
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Flashing Cap Terra Cotta Panel Clip System
I.2 Top of Parapet Lo 31' - 4"
Level 3 28' - 0"
10’ Ceiling
5th Grade Classroom
Insulation Moisture Barrier Framing Stud
10’ Ceiling
Breakout Space
Hallway
8’ Ceiling
Vertical Louver Double Pane Insulated Glass
Terrazzo Finish, 1” Concrete, Reinforced Decking, 4” W 27 x 94 W 18 x 76
Level 2 14' - 0"
Gypsum Ceiling with Recessed Lighting Sliding Glass Wall System
10’ Ceiling
2nd Grade Classroom
10’ Ceiling
Breakout Space
Hallway
8’ Ceiling
Perimeter Heating French Drain Reinforced Spread Footing, 36” deep
Level 1 0' - 0"
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The detailed wall section cuts through the south classrooms. This helps to illustrate the way that the light is filtered in through the curtain walls on both the north and south sides. The vertical louvers to the north allow for clear, uninterrupted views of the inner courtyard while the south curtain wall has a pattern of horizontal louvers that help frame views to the city while filtering light into the reading rooms on both floors. The ceiling heights are shown clearly in the drawing and help to show the spatial quality and feel of the spaces. The circulation in the hallway is bounded by a lower 8’ ceiling while the breakout space in the hallway opens up to a 10’ ceiling height. The reading room has the highest ceiling with an exposed ceiling that makes the room feel close to the outdoors.
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Free State Lofts
6th and Massachusetts Lawrence, KS Mixed Retail and Commercial
The development of my design revolved around the pushing and pulling of forms. I wanted to create a dynamic facade and have individual views for each unit. This drove the “zig-zag� form shown on the main facade. This helps to give units private balconies as well. It also directs the views towards Mass Street.
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The detailed wall section shows how the different parts of the wall system fit together. It also displays how the balconies overhang one another to create a private space for residents.
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Three Bedroom Unit 1375 sf
3' - 4"
6th Street
Massachusetts Street
3' - 4"
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Commerical
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Tenant Lobby
DN
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Lofted Two Bedroom Unit 1235 sf
One Bedroom Unit 800 sf
3' - 4"
Two Bedroom Unit 1235 sf
UP
3' - 4" 10' - 7 3/4"
10' - 7 3/4"
11' - 4 3/4" DN
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Second Floor
Third Floor
Fourth Floor
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Section Looking North
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Section Looking East
Mass Street Elevation 41
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Local Materiality Completed during time at Christner Overseen by Emily Wray, Senior Associate
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Context Responsibilities: - Research Natural History - Research Conservation - Analyze Rock Types - Analyze Tree Species
I spent the summer researching the background of the ecosystems in Missouri and Illinois to discover what trees, rock, and aggregates are available. Christner wanted to learn more about local materials within Missouri and Illinois, the two states they do work in. These materials could help contribute to the principle of biophilia by adding natural textures and colors into built environments. Materials harvested within Missouri and Illinois are half the required distance by LEED, meaning the catalog of materials I gathered will also be a sustainable option.
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- Create Graphics - Gather Samples of Materials - Craft and Finish Samples - Design Reference Book
My research consisted of investigating Missouri and Illinois’ natural history. I started with learning the geology of the two states. In Missouri, there are Precambrian exposures of granite, which is the basement rock of both states. Above that, both states consist of a lot of dolomite and limestone. When I was looking into the stone available for architectural use, limestone was the main one available, though there were limited amounts of granite as well.
color led to the rock being known as Missouri red granite. It can be seen in historic buildings across the US, including Missouri’s state capital building. Now, the color is less desired and most suppliers only make it available by request.
After European settlers moved into Missouri, trees were quickly cut down and there is little virgin forest left. Now, with strong conservation efforts, Missouri forests are slowly being restored to their presettlement state.
Learning about the Ecological Sections of Missouri and Illinois allowed me to better understand where specific species of trees were as well as their density within those areas. Historically, southern Missouri was covered largely by oak and short-leaf pine.
I created the diagrams shown to clearly illustrate where certain rock and lumber would be harvested. This allows the firm to choose materials that are plentiful as well as close to the site.
Granite production was historically high in Missouri; the signature
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Reference
Each section has a header page that details what will be described within. The oak family is important to Missouri and Illinois because it is the most common species in both states. The background image is sourced from historic topographic data on Missouri and Illinois, sourced from the University of Texas Libraries.
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The reference portion of the book shows the species of wood and pertinent information, including: an image of the wood sample, the concentration and location of that tree, data on strength and hardiness, and uses. This helps designers become quickly informed about the wood. It can also help the designer support the narrative in their project. We included both small and large species so that lumber could be used for larger, architectural applications, as well as smaller, interior uses. The most interesting wood we found was Osage orange, a wood comparable in strength to exotic trees. But the wood is bright yellow and the trees are small making commercial use unlikely. This wood would be ideal for small projects or accents.
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Samples Coarse Aggregate: Old Monroe Gravel
Fine: Mississippi River Sand
Fine: Missouri River Sand
Coarse: Meramec Gravel
Coarse: Crushed Limestone
Coarse: Old Monroe Gravel
Coarse: Crushed Black Granite
Coarse: Crushed Pink Granite
Coarse: Crushed Trap Rock
We wanted to show how the different aggregates available in Missouri and Illinois would work in a concrete mix. I gathered the different gravels and sands from suppliers. After analyzing concrete mix specs for previous projects, I determined the appropriate ratios of coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, and cement mix.
3� x 6� samples. Then, after curing, Emily ground and polished the concrete. The above images show the comparison between fine and coarse aggregates.
Fine: Meramec River Sand Fine Aggregate: Meramec River Sand
We tested each possible combination and made
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Black Locust
Box Elder
Catalpa
Cherry
Hard Maple
Kentucky Coffeetree
Mulberry
Osage Orange
Pear
Persimmon
Red Oak
Sassafras
Sycamore
Walnut
White Oak
Sweet
Gum
We began to create a sample library of the lumber. We visited an urban logging company because they gather small and large trees within the St. Louis area. After acquiring 16 different kinds of wood, we worked to cut each piece to the same width and length. Emily planed them all down to the same thickness and I took over the finishing work, sanding and sealing the pieces. Currently, Christner is continuing to look for more wood as different species are harvested.
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Urban Station
Team: Studio of 16 M.Arch Students This studio demanded collaboration between all students in order to make decisions for the different parts of the larger project. I personally helped with the design development of the exterior canopy and helped create presentation materials to show the client while making design decisions.
I later led the development and construction of 16 chairs for community seating within Urban Station. This included constructing prototypes to find the most comfortable position, working to epoxy the reclaimed lumber, and assembling and transporting everything to the site.
401 N 14th Street Kansas City, KS Community Space for Wyandotte County
Canopy Urban Station was in need of a solution for an unsafe garage door opening. When designing our solutions, we wanted to create an inviting interior that also prevented theft from happening, by reducing large, unobstructed spans of glass. To do this, we decided that having a system that worked to shade the eastfacing window could also act as security bars. This presented an issue of how to design a safe and protected window without making it feel like bars over a window. I worked in a small team with three other students to come up with ideas for the design. The progression of our design is shown here.
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A canopy was important to include because it creates a sense of place in front of the door. The community should feel welcomed into the space. The name “Urban Station� is laser cut into the canopy to act as signage as you approach by car, as well as the shadow cast on the wall during late afternoon. The window wall is made entirely of reclaimed lumber and donated windows. This contrasts with the cold materiality of steel and makes the place feel inviting. The steel louvers act as both shading devices and security. Because of their angle, they block out afternoon sun and also prevent direct access to the glass.
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Team: Brennan Hall Trevor Heersink Christina Nieters Rachel Stagner
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Seating
ACX Plywood, CNC to allow for mass production
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Reclaimed lumber, with epoxy filling in holes and imperfections
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Urban Station needed seating for its community table. I led a team of three in the design and construction of sixteen chairs. We wanted a design that was easy to repeat and construct, so we decided to work around CNC parts. After making three prototypes (1-3), we found a seat shape and back angle that was comfortable. Our final prototype (4) was made with CNC sides as well as reclaimed lumber for the seat. We wanted to tie in the materiality with the original table’s reclaimed lumber; it is also a more sustainable option. Each chair has a different mix of wood, making every chair unique. During production, I helped process the reclaimed lumber, transport pieces from the lab to the worksite, and made decisions on fastener and finishing options.
Team: Maddy Gillette Rachel Stagner Rebecca Twombly
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Thank you for your time and consideration. For more details regarding projects within this portfolio, visit issuu.com/rstagner
Rachel Stagner University of Kansas, M.Arch 2021 314-957-8118 re.stagner@yahoo.com