rylee smith portfolio
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south end performing arts school
south boston fitness center
wood matters precedent s t u d y
see-through screen wall
south end public library
rethinking the courtyard h o u s e
affordable housing in boston panel
Rendering of front facade
south end performing arts school In this project, our first task was to design a new layout for a block in the South End through a careful study of the site and its surroundings. Then, based on our reading of the site, we chose one block of our development to further develop into a school. Created Spring 2019.
site plan
The block is located at the intersection of multiple urban fabrics- the ‘field’ condition of the square, the ‘fabric’ condition of the South End’s rowhouses, and the ‘object’ condition of the cathedral and the modernist housing development next to it. The block synthesizes these disparate conditions to create interior private space and exterior height reflecting the opposing buildings. The pedestrian pathways cut through the block improve access and gesture towards the monumental cathedral.
Axonometric diagram of site strategy + circulation
Full site plan
The school organizes the educational disciplines as nodes in a network, with an interior loop of circulation connecting them. The loop connects at the fourth floor, creating an implied courtyard for the school while allowing the ground floor to remain porous.
school
Ground floor plan
Axonometric diagrams: performing arts center, educational disciplines, circulation
Section through theater wing
Front facade elevation
PARTI
Rylee Smith ARCH 2130 Building Concept Diagram NTS
Site strategy diagrams
Parti diagram
south boston fitness center
Model
Stemming from an analysis of the intersecting street grids and interesting skyline views at the site, my task was to fit large and boxy program elements for a fitness center into my triangular reading of the site. The result is a building centered on an atrium, with circulation stepping up in a gesture towards the sky. Created Fall 2018.
First + Second Floor Plans Unrolled Elevation
Hand drafted plan, section, elevation (my work only)
wood matters precedent study
To explore the material and aesthetic properties of wood, we constructed a 1:5 scale model of Peter Zumthor’s Steilneset Memorial. In two weeks of research and construction, we created this model to demonstrate the interplay of fabric and timber. With Lorenzo Uribe and Sarah Francoeur at IE University, Fall 2019.
Final model (with group)
see-through screen wall
This project explores the possibilities of a corten steel and glass curtain wall, with a light and unobtrusive steel frame. Using simple loads and an unspecified program, we created a system that could be repeated across the scale of an entire building, with openings that can be placed to allow in specific amounts of light and attention when desired. Created Fall 2018 with Soha Eltaher.
Section and plan with details of custom mullion and I-beam connection (Roof, floor, and interior columns are generic as defined by the assignment)
Plans
Longitudinal section
The South End library deals with the typical constraint of a narrow slot defined by party walls and the street. My strategy pushes the functional elements such as shelves and storage rooms to the sides and back of the building, opening the front and center up for public programs. An oval-shaped staircase disrupts the geometry and ties the building’s separate floors together. Created Fall 2018.
south end public library
rethinking the courtyard house
Set on a site exposed to roads on three sides, privacy was a main concern for this house. By organizing the house around a series of private interior courtyards, an inner world of the home is created, connecting the inhabitants to nature and each other. As the house was being designed, the program evolved to accommodate two families with both private and shared space under one roof. Created Spring 2018.
Privacy heatmap diagram Rylee Smith ARCH 1120 Privacy Diagram 1/8� = 1’
Model photo
Courtyard diagram Longitudinal section
Plan
NORTHEASTERN AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS PRESENTS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN BOSTON A PANEL DISCUSSION
GREGORY MINOTT Founding Partner, DREAM Collaborative
DOMONIQUE WILLIAMS Deputy Director, Office of Housing Stability
DANYA SHERMAN Strategic Consultant in Community Development and the Arts
JULES SIEVERT Creative Director, NuLawLab, Stable Ground
MARY HALE Moderator Professor, Northeastern University School of Architecture
THURSDAY MARCH 21 // 6-7:30 PM 318 CURRY STUDENT CENTER AIAS
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Event flyer
affordable housing in boston: an expert panel
Sample promotional graphics for Instagram Event photos by Adrian Ramon
As secretary of Northeastern’s chapter of AIAS, I led the planning and execution of a multidisciplinary panel discussion questioning the current state and future development of affordable housing in Boston. I researched and contacted panelists and worked with moderator Mary Hale to develop questions to guide the discussion. I also produced graphics to promote the panel discussion. The result was a deep discussion on affordability, activism, and how art and design can make us better advocates. Research for the event began in summer 2018, and the panel took place in March 2019.