Sam Church | Portfolio Spring 2023

SAM CHURCH

PORTFOLIO

SPRING 2023

SAM CHURCH

[ they / he ]

Lawrence, KS sam.church@ku.edu

linkedin.com/in/sam-church7 issuu.com/samantha.church007

https://studiosecondstory.com/

HONORS AND AWARDS

Graduate with Highest Distinction

The University of Kansas’ inagural class of Interior

Architecture

May 2022

Co-Presenter

EDRA 53: Health in All Design Conference 2022

3rd Place

KU School of Architecture Third Year Portfolio Review 2021

Best Photography, 2020 Creators’ Ball Gallery

KU School of Architecture and Design Honor Roll

August 2018 - Spring 2022

KU Excellence Scholarship 2018 - 2022

Scholarship Hall Resident

Fall 2018 - Spring 2020

EDUCATION

B.S. INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE WITH HIGHEST DISTINCTION, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

2018 - 2022

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Minor / GPA 3.96

DIPLOMA, WHITE HOUSE HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL

2014 - 2018 | GPA 4.0

EXPERIENCE

INTERN, GOULD EVANS ASSOCIATES

Lawrence, KS / San Francisco, CA

May 2021 - July 2021

• Worked with team to develop gender-inclusive restroom brief for a community college in southern California

• Team accepted to present our work on inclusive restrooms at the EDRA 53: Health in All Design conference

• Co-authored blog post about inclusive restroom best practices with Michael Ralph

• Designed and iterated floor plans with Joshua Kehl

• Researched inclusive restroom best practices

• Created presentation documents

UNDERGRAD RESEARCHER, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

Lawrence, KS

January 2021 - Present

• Developed design guidelines with professor Casey Franklin for gender-inclusive student housing

• Surveyed students about their student housing experiences

• Wrote paper about findings and their applications

GRAPHIC ARTIST, SELF - EMPLOYED

Various Locations

July 2013 - Present

• Collaborated with sports teams to design merchandise

Created logos for local businesses

Designed stickers and other merchandise to sell online

INVOLVEMENT

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION CHAIR, MARGARET AMINI SCHOLARSHIP HALL

August 2019 - August 2020

PEER MENTORING COLLABORATIVE, KU ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT

August 2020 - Present

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, IIDA KU CHAPTER

August 2020 - Present

DEIB STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

August 2019 - Present

“If you could free the most oppressed people in society, then you would have to free everyone.”

SELECTED WORKS

cultural floor plan by José Moreno research brief team project at Gould Evans internship mixed-use individual

“You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.”

-Friedrich Nietzche

healthcare individual

VERVE COWORKING

miscellaneous works individual

-Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

The Museum of Queer Joy

A vibrant celebration of unapolagetic authenticity

PROJECT TYPE:

Cultural PROJECT LOCATION:

Portland, OR

PROJECT DATE:

Spring 2021

Building footprint designed by José Moreno

We live in a society where the act of being openly queer can be considered radical. Narratives representing queer folks often focus solely on the hardships of queerness. LGBTQIA+ people do not need reminders of the struggles they face; for them, it is their lived experience.

The Museum of Queer Joy is both an educational experience and an escape; it immerses its visitors in the queer experience through a positive lens, celebrating queerness through an emotion-driven journey. The Museum’s primary exhibition transitions from simple, predictable, and unexpressive, to bright, bold, and emotive as visitors progress; this architectural story evokes the joyful and sometimes overwhelming journey of discovering and accepting one’s authentic self.

THROUGH A TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY FROM PREDICTABLE CONFINES TO UNEXPECTED LIBERATION , THE MUSEUM OF QUEER JOY EMULATES THE EXPERIENCE OF QUEER SELF - DISCOVERY.

Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD, Revit, VRAY, Enscape

Below: conceptual collage of Museum experience

PORTLAND HAS A RICH, COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY, DATING TO LONG BEFORE “QUEER” HAD BEEN SPOKEN ON OREGON SOIL.

The Rose City offers a boquet of queer culture and history.

The Portland Two Spirit Society was founded in 2010 for LGBTIQ Native American/Alaskan Natives and their families to connect, reclaim, and restore culture and community.

The Portland Gay Liberation Front was founded as a result of a classified ad in the newspaper in 1970.

The Peacock in the Park drag show was founded in 1987 by Lady Elaine Peacock, as an annual fundraiser for the Audria M. Edwards Scholarship Fund.

The annual PDX Red Dress Party was organized for the first time in 2003 to raise money for those living with HIV and AIDS.

The Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade takes place at Waterfront Park annually. The first official pride event in Portland was in 1975.

ENTRY SEQUENCE

The contrast between the Museum’s reception area and the introductory exhibit is intentionally extreme.

The high ceilings and bold expression of the lobby create an inviting atmosphere that promises excitement. Decorative panels transform sunlight, foreshadowing the museum experience to come.

The introductory exhibit’s low, dark ceilings create a feeling of oppression; the atmosphere is meant to be uncomfortable. Low light levels create an exclusive focus on the exhibit, turning the attention of guests away from themselves and to the stories of others.

Spring 2021

The Museum of Queer Joy

TRANSFORMATION

As guests journey from the darkness of the introductory exhibit into the transformation hall, the atmosphere changes dramatically.

The transformation hall introduces an abrupt splash of color, symbolizing the joy of selfdiscovery. Its upward sloping ceiling and increased light level create a feeling of release as one travels through; this allows guests to empathize with the sense of relief that living openly and authentically can provide.

Exhibits on the south side of the transformation hallway focus on queer victories and stories of success.

Spring 2021

The Museum of Queer Joy

Inclusive Restrooms Brief

A deeper look at inclusive design

PROJECT TYPE: Research brief

PROJECT LOCATION: Southern California

PROJECT DATE:

Summer 2021 Internship

DESIGN TEAM:

Lauren Maass, Principal

Joshua Kehl, Designer

Michael Ralph, Design Performance Researcher

Ricardo Millhouse, Research Associate

Sam Church, Intern

My internship at Gould Evans focused on creating an inclusive restroom research brief for our client, a community college district. We researched the feasibility and benefits of gender-inclusive restrooms vs traditional binary restrooms, and developed several prototypes as examples of what future restroom construction could look like.

For my role on the team, I did the preliminary research on inclusive restrooms, in preparation for the literature review by Michael Ralph and Ricardo Millhouse. I had an existing library of scholarly work which I had referenced previously, that I contributed.

Following preliminary research, I helped develop the designs we presented to the client. My primary teammate was Joshua Kehl. We iterated about two dozen different layouts before we arrived at our final product.

ACCESSIBILITY

Universal Design considers a variety of different users’ needs.

COST

Our work involved outsourcing cost estimates of each design.

EQUITY & INCLUSION

Equitable restroom facilities should consider the needs of people with a wide variety of circumstances.

MAINTENANCE

Gendered and inclusive systems may require different custodial procedures.

PRIVACY

Comes at the cost of user safety through increased potential for isolation (and thus vulnerability).

SAFETY

Passive surveillance: when users of the facility can be casually observed by other users in or adjacent to the space.

All of our inclusive variations were based on this existing binary restroom, in use by the client. This helped to establish a baseline; we included the same number of water closets and fixtures in all variations. Maintaining a benchmark allowed us to reliably compare binary layouts and inclusive layouts.

FosterAdopt Connect

Empowering foster youth through dignity

PROJECT TYPE: Mixed-use / adaptive reuse

PROJECT LOCATION: Strawberry Hill Kansas City, Kansas

PROJECT DATE: Spring 2020

Adobe Creative Suite, Revit, Enscape, handsketching

Studies show that in Kansas City, foster youth experience homelessness at a disproportionate rate; 25% of youth who age out of the system will become homeless by age 21. Youth, especially foster youth, who experience homelessness are more likely to experience low self-esteem and have suicidal thoughts.

FosterAdopt Connect is a foster care organization whose mission is to “provide foster and adoptive children a stable, loving, and nurturing family environment by support and advocacy for abused and neglected children and the families caring for them.”

SIMONE DOUGLAS

The prompt was to design a new Kansas City headquarters for FAC. Program included an overnight “drop-in” shelter for homeless foster youth, an office space for FAC employees, and apartments for foster youth who have recently aged out of the system.

A typical example of a Kansas City foster youth who’s aged out of the system. She’s just celebrated her 18th birthday and wants to go to college, but doesn’t currently have the resources.

SEEKING RESOURCES INDEPENDENCE MENTORSHIP SEEKING RESOURCES INDEPENDENCE MENTORSHIP

RESEARCH: HOMELESSNESS AND SELF - ESTEEM

Reports by Sean Kidd, Ph.D., who specializes in suicide and resiliency among homeless youth, revealed that homeless youth who report low self-esteem:

• Will stay on the streets longer

• Are more likely to return to the streets later

Through a deep read of the reports, it was extrapolated that by designing privacy, autonomy, and individualized control into the built environment, Foster Adopt Connect can positively impact the perception of homeless youth and reset the cycle.

PROGRAM AXONOMETRIC

The primary conceptual move for space programming was placing all resources aimed at foster youth near the main entrance of the building. This keeps visitor resources located away from employee-only office space and reasserts that the primary focus of FosterAdopt Connect is to proudly serve foster youth.

PROJECT GOALS

PRIVACY AUTONOMY CONTROL

USERS ALLEVIATE ISOLATION CLIENT REVERSE THE STIGMA COMMUNITY ESTABLISH TRUST

Kidd, S. A. (2006). Youth homelessness and social stigma. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36(3), 291–299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964006-9100-3

Kidd, S., & Shahar, G. (2008). Resilience in homeless youth: The key role of self-esteem. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 78(2), 163–172. https://doi.org/10.1037/0002-9432.78.2.163

FosterAdopt Connect

FosterAdopt Connect

Spring 2020

REFRAMING PERSPECTIVES

This design aimed to address the needs of foster youth through a friendly hospitality approach; a dignified atmosphere will be established through the use of curated decor and an emphasis on prioritizing foster youth.

The design will flip the perceptions of foster youth and the homeless through intentional design choices and a dynamic, adaptive environment.

By placing the resources for foster parents and homeless foster youth adjacent to the main entrance, FosterAdopt Connect will firmly establish their pride in serving foster youth. This placement also serves to further emphasize transparency to the community.

GROUND FLOOR BLOCKING DIAGRAM 3/64” = 1’ - 0”

PRIVACY, AUTONOMY, AND CONTROL: HAVEN ALL - IN - ONE MURPHY

Initial concept sketches for Haven

ABOVE: Concept sketches and rendering of custom Haven Murphy bed design

OPPOSITE PAGE: Shelter space 3D view and donor wall elevation.

Rain Garden Lofts

Sustainable service

PROJECT TYPE:

Affordable housing / mixed-use

PROJECT LOCATION: Washington-Wheatley Neighborhood Kansas City, MO

PROJECT DATE: October-December 2022

Adobe Creative Suite, Revit, Enscape, handsketching

Located on the corner of Prospect and East 20th Street, Rain Garden Lofts is a mixeduse development that aims to revitalize the underserved community of the WashingtonWheatley Neighborhood.

Sustainable design methods such as a crosslaminated timber construction, a solar panel array, and a rainwater capture and storage system were implemented. These techniques offset utility costs for tenants and allow members of the Washington-Wheatley community to utilize the space.

The site is located in a food desert, so a grocery store was implemented. It serves the apartment tenants as well as surrounding community. A rain garden on the east side serves as a community green space.

SECTION

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN SERVES THE COMMUNITY THROUGH AFFORDABILITY AND BEAUTY

Exterior wall section demonstrating rainwater capture and storage

CALLOUT C1. Foundation wall assembly NTS

CALLOUT C2. Typical wall-to-wall assembly NTS

SECTION 2

Longitudinal perspective section

SECTION 1

Transverse perspective section

Inversion

Modeling an abstraction of motion

PROJECT TYPE: Conceptual model

PROJECT DATE: Spring 2019

This project explores how the human body fits into and interacts with the built environment; this idea is then transferred to an artistic interpretation to develop the skill of modeling abstract concepts like motion into unique physical constructions.

OPPOSITE PAGE: A diagrammatic representation of a handstand, starting with a full body and gradually breaking the movement down into individual parts.

THIS PAGE: A model was built as an abstract interpretation of the movement of a handstand. The beads track the location of the feet and head.

Lightbox

No leftovers

“If we were livin’ in the jungle, we’d have to figure out how to make a spear out of sticks so we could live.”

PROJECT TYPE:

Conceptual model

PROJECT DATE:

Fall 2018

PROJECT PARTNER: Reagan AufDerHeide

This project was my first exploration into designing the three-dimensional as an experience. The objective was to create a space using a repeating, evolving space that modulates light. My partner and I elected to use a shape that has no “leftovers,” so we left all pieces of the repeated plane attached. This was used as a tool to accentuate the directionality of the movement that one might make through the space.

Drawing out the assembly instructions for our lightbox was, admittedly, quite rushed in the end due to our snow day. I feel like, despite that, we managed to create a functioning set of instructions that explained each step without talking down to the user. Reagan and I modeled our instructions aer the classic Lego instruction books, which use no words and rely solely on pictures to communicate assembly. One of our best ideas was to make each new step a different color than the pieces of the structure that had already been assembled to differentiate between the new and the old. Our final result was fairly simple, and I learned some new tricks for putting together a quick but quality presentation when I’m in a time crunch.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Final model photo depicting the interior of the lightbox.

LEFT: Simple assembly instructions for the lightbox; each piece of the box has a similar structure, with a gradual change in specific dimensions to create a dynamic space. We incorporated the cutouts of the negative space into the structure of the final model.

BELOW: Final model photo depicting the exterior of the lightbox.

-Annepatt

Lightbox

Fall 2018

Blue Ocean Memory Care

Forging meaningful connections

PROJECT TYPE: Healthcare

PROJECT LOCATION: La Jolla, California

PROJECT DATE:

Fall 2020

Focused around the innovative design principles originally implemented at Hogeway, a dementia care village located in the Netherlands, Blue Ocean Memory Care is a community designed around the needs of patients with mid-level Alzheimer’s Disease.

Residents maintain their independence, dignity, and quality of life, while transitioning to an environment where safety and long-term maintenance of their symptoms are priorities.

MAINTAINING RESIDENT HEALTH BY THE FORGING OF CONNECTIONS TO THE WORLD AROUND THEM, THROUGH TEMPORAL EXPERIENCES, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, AND THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.

NATURE

CAFÉ:

SENSORY STIMULATION: A large feature fountain in the courtyard provides direct access to natural elements and soothing sounds.

VIEW OF WALKING PATH: The recreational area features large windows with views of the walking path to connect residents to the outdoors.

ENVIRONMENT

The café located directly adjacent to the lobby of the north building makes it easy for family members to drop by and share a drink.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

SIGHTLINES: Visual access from north building to south building reminds residents that there is more to the village.

RESTAURANT:

Residents can dine with friends at the restaurant, or family members can make reservations to share a meal with their loved ones.

MEMORIES

SENSE OF PLACE:

Palette and style choices take cues from La Jolla vernacular and natural surroundings

Verve Coworking

A dynamic environment to complement different work styles

PROJECT TYPE: Office / adaptive reuse

PROJECT LOCATION: Kansas City, Kansas

PROJECT DATE:

Fall 2019

Adobe Creative Suite, Revit, Enscape, handsketching

For this adaptive reuse project, the building assigned was an abandoned office in Kansas City, Kansas. The task was to design a coworking office space.

The concept of this project stemmed from the foundation of coworking: different professionals who work in the same environment will benefit from the shared space through the exchange of ideas and knowledge. The space is a celebration of harmony through contrast, of the differences that make individuals unque, and how together, people can create something new and meaningful.

Contrast within the programming of the design was integrated through the creation of energy-designated zones. These “energy zones” allow workers to choose a location that best compliments their own energy level and desire for interaction, similarly to a do-not-disturb sign or an ask-me-anything pin.

HAR · MO · NY

an interweaving of different accounts into a single narrative

CON · TRAST juxtaposition of dissimilar elements in a work of art

A SPACE THAT CREATES HARMONY THROUGH CONTRAST

SYMBOLIZE

Elemental abstractions of energy inspired the design of different energy zones and guide the expression of the space. Both energies are recharging opportunities for users.

INTEGRATE

The interspersing of community spaces into the workspace creates opportunity to forge new connections.

PRESERVE Minimal modification to the existing structure and new construction that complements the industrial style creates cohesion in unexpected ways.

Two primary circulation paths were designated: low energy and high energy. Users have the choice to utilize either option depending on their preferences and current energy level.

The different zones in this space were laid out in a manner that created specific areas designated to each energy level. High energy zones, especially gathering spaces where interpersonal interaction is more likely to occur, were grouped towards the north side of the building. The north side has the most natural light and air circulation and is the most naturally energized area of the structure. Lower energy zones were grouped towards the more closed-off south side of the building, which is quieter and has fewer windows.

COLLABORATION

Above: Elevation of the two designated energy zones within the building. Left; the low energy zone for retreat to relax. Right; the high energy zone for convening to collaborate and host community events.

The branded wall is located within clear sight of the main entry, and uses the neutral tone of green to indicate that it is a mid-level energy zone.

Below, left: The collaboration space located in the main lobby, equipped with seating conducive to conversation and writable surfaces to engage co-workers.

BRANDED WALL 3/8 = 1’ - 0”

TEAM MASCOT

Digital illustration, 2020

QUILT MODEL

Pencil on Vellum, 2018

BURGE UNION

Charcoal, 2018

CHICKENS CAN SWIM?

Digital study

Computer Mouse & MS Paint, 2022

BALCONIES

Digital Photograph, 2021

CONCEPT SKETCH

Sketchbook, 2019

POSTER Digital Collage, 2019