Rylee Ball
STUDENT PORTFOLIO
SELECTED WORKS
CANOPY
Fall 2024
| 4th Year B.
ARCH |
Instructor:
José Pertierra-Arrojo
| Recieved IDS Merit Award
This project seeks to revitalize North Little Rock’s river edge and create accessible public space. provides flexible public space for the community of North Little Rock and visually reconnecting it to Little Rock Proper.
The dynamic form of the canopy pushes vistors through the site and connects points of entry like the Riverwalk. Displacement of the ground serves two purposes: to build up the central area of the site to match the levee wall and to excavate areas to transform the western edge into a wetland, revitalizing the local ecosystem and providing public access to the river.
Continuing the levee wall and breaking up impermeable surfaces
west view of the site on site, looking towards Little Rock
Little Rock North Little Rock
By directing rainwater towards designated gutters and downspouts, sloped roofs help collect and channel water away from the building’s foundation, minimizing soil erosion and flooding. Additionally, sloped roofs can be integrated with rainwater harvesting systems, allowing for the collection of stormwater for reuse in irrigation or other non-potable applications.
The river’s edge is activated with paths that connect Little Rock’s Riverside Trail and openings beneath the canopy that provide visual connections between the Riverfront Drive and Little Rock proper. Those who cross Main Street or Junction Bridge will have a clear view of the green, public programing below.
The orientation of interior massings in relation to the larger canopy allow for passive cooling strategies such as natural ventilation, shading, and evaporative cooling. Organizational strategies take advantage of the frequent southern winds in Little Rock.
Conceptual Diagram
VARIABLE AIR VOLUME
Accessibility & Egress Diagram
FOUNDATIONS F O
The building immitates the bedrock of Manhattan. Where the bedrock rises to meet the skyscrapers, the skyscrapers rise to meet the sky. Where Hell’s Kitchen dips to the earth, the bedrock dips far below. In this way the building mimicks Manhattan as a whole. The facade is directly at odds with the two towers, emphsizing the horizontal, echoing the low elevation of Hell’s Kitchen.The cortan steel tubes increase and decrease in diameter and spacing, providing the desired illumination characteristics for different programming.
Two massings are created to allow light deeper into the site while also creating distinctive spaces with varying light qualities. This aspect is emphasized by raising the northern-most building and the off-set of the floors. The SEC only rises to meet the immediate context, providing views while careful to overshadow the surrounding neighborhood. The terracotta facade echoes the warm and nostalgic brownstones, and the exterior “shell” is manipulated to suit lighting and privacy needs. Program is also carefully applied to each floor to best fit needs. Landscape and architecture studios are located on the southern-most side with open floor plans and lots of natural light. Labs and classrooms for plant ecology and environmental engineering are located in the north building where light requires more control and specialized support.
Spring 2024 | 3rd Year B. ARCH | Instructor: David Kennedy | Selected for Architecture Department Exhibition
O R INTEGRATION
DESIGN FOR EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES
The SEC promotes human connection through multi-use, transformative spaces. The community garden provides public access to greenspace, and community engagement is prioritized through programs, (held after working hours), that will help local residents build their skill sets. The SEC is extremely accessible by foot, bike or public transit, which will encourage those outside of the immediate vicinity to participate in the offered educational programs.
sitebus stop bus routebike lane public green space
cut to allow light
shift height to increase daylighting
angle for community & green spaces
connect masses
DESIGN FOR INTEGRATION
Highline
Subway Station (2 Blocks)
Hudson
DESIGN FOR ECONOMY & RESOURCES
Materials such as CLT and terracotta are carefully employed. The structural system is mass timber with glulam columns which can be easily refitted with new programming. The upper levels feature multi-use areas, utilizing floor space to its maximum capacity
800 mi / 1287 km
CHIBOUGAMAU, QUEBEC
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Terracotta Louver Facade
With rich earthy tones and natural textures, terracotta facades provide excellent thermal insulation, reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainability. Additionally, terracotta’s durability ensures longevity, requiring minimal maintenance.
Mass Timber Structure
Mass timber construction presents a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials, harnessing the renewability of wood and significantly reducing carbon emissions. Its prefabricated components enable faster construction times, leading to cost savings and minimizing on-site disruption. Moreover, mass timber structures exhibit impressive strength and fire resistance, ensuring safety while fostering biophilic design.
Cross Laminated Timber Panels
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) offers unparalleled strength-to-weight ratio, allowing for the construction of tall buildings with reduced structural weight and improved seismic resilience. Its prefabricated panels streamline construction processes, accelerating project timelines and minimizing on-site labor requirements. Additionally, CLT sequesters carbon dioxide, contributing to sustainability efforts by locking away carbon within the building structure for the long term.
DESIGN FOR ECOSYSTEMS
Lessons are taken from the New York City Highline, which aims to integrate different biospheres back into the urban fabric. The vegetative roof mitigates the urban heat island effect by supplying its natural cooling, water-treatment and air filtration properties. A stormwater collection basin and cistern are kept on the roof to slow runoff and retain water on the site, which reduces the energy needed to irrigate a green roof. Other benefits include increased habitat promoting diversity, reduced energy consumption, improved sound absorption, and improved air quality.
DESIGN FOR ENERGY
Shoebox Modeling: Facade Studies
Radiation
Large buildings use energy to power lighting and comfort systems, such as heating and cooling. Allowing more light into the space often invites more heat in, requiring a compromise between the two. To address this issue, the SEC utilizes a terracotta facade that is carefully tuned to site condition. Below is a series of shoebox models testing the most effective orientation of vertical louvers on the south-west face. Similar studies were applied for each face of the building to optimize performance.
DESIGN FOR WATER
Rain and storm water is directed to cisterns located on the vegetative study roof for convenient irrigation or via gutter to ground and basement levels for use in the community garden. The site is located two blocks from the Hudson river, so lower greenspaces provide careful landscaping and acts as a bioswale that naturally filters toxins from runoff and waste water.
THE FOUR ECOLO G
Submitted competition board
In his book Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies, Reyner Banham identifies four distinct urban conditions that make up the city. Like Banham, this proposal understands Los Angeles to be a unique set of contexts, cultures and densities that need to be addressed. From its sprawling suburbia to its dense downtown, LA is as diverse in “ecology” as its inhabitants. The aim of the concept is to create a housing module that can react to as many of these conditions as possible.
The module has a “wet” side and a “dry” side. The wet side consists of mechanical and plumbing systems and becomes the point of rotation when stacking.
The unit is prefabricated and can be deployed as a whole or a kit of parts. Fabrication also prioritizes flexibility in construction and plan, allowing units to be added as an occupant’s needs grow.
Fall 2023 | 3rd Year B. ARCH | Instructor: Brian Holland | Partner: Caleb Rothell | Selected for entry to the Los Angeles Affordable Housing Challenge
G IES OF HOUSING
A. Bed
B. Living C. Kitchen
Bath
Typical stick framing makes up the modules,
While known for its expansive singlefamily neighborhoods, LA is now frequently developing 2-4 story apartment complexes.
While known for its expansive singlefamily neighborhoods, LA is now frequently developing 2-4 story apartment complexes.
https://rgball460.myportfolio.com/work