Samantha Rohlfsen Architectural Portfolio
Selected Works
CONTENTS
Resume....................................................................................................................3 The Laboratory of Conservation and Radical Exhibition.................4 Street For the People......................................................................................18 Extension of Des Moines Art Center........................................................28 Tiny House Competition..................................................................................38 Exhibiting Architecture Reflecting on the Venice Biennale..........44
CONTACT 515-290-9233 S.L.Rohlfsen@gmail.com
2
Experience Student Assistant Manager
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
From 2018 to Present
Display exceptional problem solving and customer service skills Lead monthly supervisor meetings Assist in the planning and conducting of employee orientation
Freelance Graphic Designer
2020
Remote
Collaborated with client to design and execute designed logo Organized meetings with client to discuss design options
Coach
From 2018 to 2019
Wapsie Valley High School, Fairbank, Iowa
Fostered a culture of good sportsmanship, cooperation, and responsibility Motivated and encouraged athletes Helped develop each participant’s physical and psychological fitness
Education Bachelor of Architecture Iowa State University
2017-May 2022
General Education Hawkeye Community College
2014-2017
High School Wapsie Valley High School
2013-2017
Awards Iowa State University Grant
Extracurricular Spring 2019 - Spring 2021
Program of Study Award
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
Dorothy Siberell Kolls Scholarship
Fall 2020 - Spring 2021
Iowa State University General Scholarship
Fall 2020 - Spring 2021
NOMAS
Fall 2020 - Spring 2022 National Organization of Minority Architecture Students
AIAS
Fall 2020 - Spring 2021 American Institute of Architecture Students
Intramural Ice Hockey
Charlie Cutler Architecture Scholarship
Spring 2021
Intramural Basketball
Iowa State University’s Dean’s List
4 Semesters
Tiny House Competition
Cardinal Key Honor Society Nominee
Spring 2022
Spring 2019 and Spring 2020 Fall 2017 Spring 2020
3
The Laboratory of Conservation and Radical Exhibition
By definition, a monument is a written record, statue, tomb, or building created to commemorate history, person, or an event. The importance of monumentality is a century-long debate in modern and contemporary architectural practice. They address the afterlife of a monument, and how this new imagined space can communicate a message on the present and future by arousing visitors’ sympathetic feelings through architecture. When posed with this challenge, their alike interests as well as the presence and urgency of climate change drew them in the direction of waste and water conservation. The importance of water in the city of San Francisco is the idea that guided their decisions.
Fall 2021 Studio Instructor: Bosuk Hur Project Partners: Rafael Jimenez Camacho and Mckenna Winther 4
Old Monumentality This manifesto defines the old monumentality, a polluted and failing infrastructure in the city of San Francisco, from climate change and destructive human behaviors of waste. 5
New Monumentality
The second manifesto proposed the new monumentality, a space with reclaimed ecosystems and radical exhibition spaces in the existing architecture on the site, new water treatment facility, and laboratories to research and improve the water quality of San Francisco. 6
Conceptual Diagram ‘The Laboratory of Conservation and Radical Exhibition’ puts the idea of “out of sight out of mind” relating to issues of waste to rest at The San Francisco Southeast Water Treatment Plant. This project will reinvent the facilities existing conditions, serve as an educational research and solution center, and bring open green space and visibility to this industrial and marginalized area, becoming our definition of “new monumentality”.
7
Site Plan Located in Bayview-Hunters Point, in the San Francisco Peninsula, this water treatment plant is surrounded by industrial warehouses, distribution ports, and is one of the city’s poorest and most marginalized residential neighborhoods. The San Francisco Southeast Water Treatment Plant, an old monument of the city, handles 80% of the city’s water, treating 60 million gallons of wastewater a day and up to 250 million gallons during a storm.
8
Site Section The interior of the monumental water treatment facility has now become the space for radical exhibition spaces in which humans are exposed to the concealed realities, lifelines, and consequences of waste and pollution- serving as a wake up call for the citizens of San Francisco.
9
10
11
12
preparation
collection
impurity
Visitors enter a dimly lit space to acquire protective equipment as they prepare to enter into the most intense and hazardous areas of the water treatment process.
Dark hallways route unfamiliar individuals to discover the next steps of the process.
The smell is authentic and repulsive and your view of space is determined by the level of pollution.
re-purpose
RE VI VA
purity
revival
As the process continues, visitors shed layers of protective equipment; the spaces get brighter and the smell gets more bearable– the water becomes purified.
The thermal bath is a celebration of water as a leisure space, inviting public gathering and providing numerous health benefits.
L
People in the space really get to observe just how filthy we are as a collective- and how dangerous this waste truly is.
13
14
broad-leaved cattail typha latifolia
pickerelweed pontedaria cordata
sedges carex spp.
reed canary grass phalaris arundinocea
common three-square bulrush scirpus pungens
canadian pondweed elodea canadensis syn. anacharis canadensis
water poppies hydrocleys nymphoides water lillies nymphaea spp.
A fundamental characteristic of wetlands is that their functions are largely regulated by microorganisms and their metabolism. Microorganisms include bacteria, yeasts, fungi, protozoa, rind algae. The microbial biomass collects and eliminates or recycles organic carbon and many harmful nutrients. Constructed wetlands provide habitat for a rich diversity of invertebrates and vertebrates. Invertebrate animals, such as insects and worms. contribute to the treatment process by fragmenting waste and debris and consuming organic matter. The larvae of many insects are aquatic and consume signiicant amounts wild rice of material during their larval stages, which may last for zizania aquatica several years. Invertebrates also ll a number of ecological roles; for instance, dragonny nymphs are important predators of mosquito larvae. Although invertebrates are the most important animals as far as water quality improvement is concerned, constructed wetlands also attract a variety of amphibians, turtles, birds, and mammals. In wetlands constructed to treat domestic sewage, agricultural spikerush eleocharis palustris wastewaters, and other wastewaters relatively high in organic water level matter, bulrushes (either softstem or common three- square) are often used because they are tolerant of high nutrient levels and sludge because they establish readily but are not invasive. Arrowhead common reed and pickerelweed have also been used phragmites successfully in agricultural australis wetlands. Blue Flag Iris can be planted along wetland edges to provide color. Cattails and common reed have been usedsoil frequently because of their high tolerances for many types of w a s t e w a t e r . For stormwater wetlands, the goal should be a synthetic diverseliner assemblage of plants. A diverse vegetation is aesthetically pleasing and may be more likely to resist invasive species, to recover from disturbance, and to resist pests than a less diverse stand. The numbers of wildlife attracted to a wetland generally increases as vegetation diversity increases.
Wetlands Diagram
lanceleaf frogfruit Phyla lanceolata
Constructed wetlands technology is an established green multi-purpose option for water management and wastewater treatment, with numerous effectively proven applications around the world and multiple environmental and economic advantages. Constructed wetlands are treatment systems that use natural processes involving wetland vegetation, soils, and their associated microbial assemblages to improve water quality. Wetlands are frequently constructed by excavating, backklling, grading, diking and installing water control structures to establish desired hydraulic ow patterns. They support conventional water treatment plants by becoming an additional puriication phase before the treated water is dumped back into the reservoirs and ocean, as well as collecting sewage overrow soft rush when these conventional systems are overwhelmed. juncus effusus The San Francisco Bay serves 7+ million people in the city, and our site, The San Francisco Southeast Water Treatment Plant is the oldest and largest in the area. On an average day, it treats 80 million gallons of wastewater. However, because the city has one of the unusual combined sewers that transports sewage and stormwater in one set of pipes, that number rises to 575 million gallons on a rainy day. The biggest water pollutant to the Bay is stormwater runoff, so designers and conservationists are always actively looking for solutions to this issue. The San Francisco Southeast Water Treatment Plant is 80+ year old failing infrastructure, utilizing the city’s under-performing sewage system. The water treatment plants across the city are consistently overwhelmed, and issues have increased due to recent droughts in California. Our site, like most treatment centers and industrial plants, is located in the poorest neighborhood in the city, which is distanced and disguised from the rest of San Francisco. narrow-leaved cattail typha angustifolio
golden canna canna accida
american wild celery vallisneria americana
A constructed wetland solves issues that came along with this site and infrastructure. These systems designed to receive and purify wastewater are low-cost and low-maintenance, and offer an abundance of additional environmental beneets and architectural advantages. These include, but are not limited to, collecting stormwater to prevent harmful runoff and pollution into the city and the Bay, lizard’s tail minimizing the risk of saururus cernuus ooding, offsetting issues of drought, reducing the risks of combined sewage overrow, creation blue ag iris of wildlife habitats, iris versicolor taking some load off of overwhelmed conventional water treatment s y s t e m s , spatterdock nuphar luteum decreasing the carbon footprint, removal of pharmaceuticals, personal care items, and other micro-pollutants, arrowhead arum peltandra virginica providing recreational spaces, and the revival of landscape and greenspace in underdeveloped areas. The process of water puriication by wetlands is as follows: Water is introduced at one end and ows over the surface or through the substrate, and is discharged at the other end, which is typically a larger body of freshwater– in this case, it is the San Francisco Bay. As water ows through a wetland, it slows down and many of the suspended solids become trapped by vegetation and settle out. Other pollutants are transformed to less soluble forms taken up by plants or become inactive. Wetland plants also foster the necessary conditions for microorganisms to live there. Through a series of complex processes, these microorganisms also transform and remove pollutants from the water. Nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are deposited into wetlands from stormwater runoff, from areas where fertilizers or manure have been applied and from leaking septic elds. These excess nutrients are often absorbed by wetland soils and taken up by plants and microorganisms.
The wetland is an expansion of the existing conventional water treatment facility. It supports the water purification process by becoming another phase of cleansing before the water gets dumped back into the Bay. This low-cost, low-maintenance addition not only enhances the treatment process, but also collects and protects the Bay from storm water runoff, creates habitats and regenerates ecosystems, lessens the load on the primary treatment system, and revitalizes the surrounding low-income, industrial neighborhood. 15
16
17
Street For the People
“WHAT IF” The self-driving capabilities of cars have significantly improved to the point where vehicle accident death rates have gone down over 1000% since 2000. Now in 2100, non-self-driving cars have been made illegal on public roads. Fleets of publicly-owned electric vehicles can autonomously pick up and drop off people anywhere, free of charge. Since no one will own a personal vehicles, car infrastructure changes. Parking lots can be removed, and roads can be made simpler and smaller. Beyond this, the technology within autonomous vehicles allows them to coexist with pedestrians on the street. Streets can become less about passing through and more about becoming a destination in themselves, optimized for pedestrians.
Spring 2021 Studio Instructor: Kimberly Zarecor and Andrew Gleeson Project Partners: Angie Espinoza Vaquerano and Nathan Nall 18
The current planning model of Jordan Creek, and similar suburbs, is unsustainable. Fastgrowing, sprawling urban development centered around the car claims vast amounts of land and supports a small population. This hyper-consumerist way of living is not inclusive, diverse, or human-focused.
19
Des Moines, IA Woodland Heights Commercial
Downtown Business District
Site Analysis To implement the ward into the existing city, they first introduce the self-driving car. The self-driving car is phased in first along major roadways of Des Moines. Jordan Creek is the first neighborhood they completely replace with their ward strategy. The existing city changes as the self-driving car is introduced. 20
Configuration 1
Configuration 2
Basic Cutting Concept
Configuration 3
Configuration 4
Combined Configuration
Ward Cutting Diagrams They designed the ward with a 1000x1000 foot grid in mind. Historically, most ward systems follow a set of rules so when they are combined they create a lively neighborhood. Their ward is very flexible with the configurations that can be made. This allows for any kind of program to be implemented into the street for all neighborhoods. 21
Section
Plan
Ward Implementation
Intimate Thin roads can be completely occupied by people and bikes on a shared path. No self-driving cars use these spaces. The scene: After emerging from a small street, you enter a hidden plaza and are greeted with the delicious smells of a small café. 22
Section
Plan
Ward Implementation
Intermediate Self-driving car roads can be single lane and drop-off spaces can double as sidewalks. The scene: You are attracted to a part of the city you’ve never been to before following the sounds of music. 23
Section
Plan
Ward Implementation
Intermodal Larger roads allow for more movement and promote busier programs. The scene: You feel the warm summer sun on your skin as you walk, observing this area’s signature trendy shops and restaurants. 24
Integrated Streets combine with each other within the ward to form a dynamic and diverse street system. 25
Des Moines, IA Woodland Heights Commercial
Downtown Business District
Phase One Car infrastructure is no longer needed, so spaces that were once parking lots can be infilled with structures. Roads can be thinned and more space on the street can be reallocated to the pedestrian, shown in green. 26
Des Moines, IA Woodland Heights Commercial
Downtown Business District
Phase Two The blue spaces on the map represent the areas that can remain as a part of Des Moines after the ward is implemented in other neighborhoods. 27
Extension of Des Moines Art Center
As an extension to the Des Moines Art Center, they wanted to design a unique gallery with movable partitions. The flexible space allows for various artists to collaborate or have individual shows on our second floor. The louvers were designed in direct response to the sun path in Des Moines, Iowa. The roof structure was foundation of their design process, impacting each decision about structure and mechanical systems. The louvers also house the track system for the movable walls for the gallery. The Extension to the Des Moines Art Center pushes the limits of adaptable space and creative solutions using structure and lighting.
Fall 2020 Studio Instructor: Thomas Leslie Project Partners: Michael Fritz 28
29
Site Analysis The scale of the surrounding buildings informed the massing of the proposed building in blue. To the left of the site sits Meredith and across 15th street is the Papa Johns Sculpture Park. Renzo Piano’s Krause Gateway Center is located northeast of the site. 30
1 - Storage / Mechanical Rooms
2 - Auditorium
Below Grade Level The basement was reserved primarily for the auditorium and mechanical rooms. The space also included storage for the receiving dock right below the truck port entrance on the left of the plan. 31
2 - Auditorium
3 - Cafe
6 - Administration Offices
4 - Gift Store 7 - Staff Offices
5 - Education Classrooms 8 - Receiving Dock
First Level Located on the busy intersection of Locust and 15th, the educational branch allows a view inside of the building to be intriguing and guiding to the central entrance. The cafe and shop are opened up to the lobby allowing them expand throughout, suggesting a social environment. The administration needed a slightly more secluded location, offering a view of the sculpture park from the conference room. The private functions, staff and the receiving dock are located in the northwest corner behind the auditorium. 32
9 - Curatorial Offices
10 - Gallery
Second Level The second floor gallery space is opened up as much as possible by placing the curatorial spaces in the back northwest corner of the building for easier access to the gallery and to receiving dock via the service elevator. Movable partition walls are integrated into the louver system to allow the gallery to change and evolve for different exhibitions and displays.
33
horizontal base plate steel tension rod fiberglass insulation horizontal base plate
The louvers are oriented for filtering the most desirable light for a gallery setting, around 80-150 lux.
34
laminated glass w
permeable web m steel compressio molded fiberglas roof water draina warren truss partition track lighting track
with clear structural silicone
membrane on rod ss panel age
35
East Elevation 36
South Elevation 37
Tiny House Competition
As students at Iowa State University, they have lived in several different housing types on campus and off-campus, and move-in dates never seem to line up. The options for living alone near campus are limited and expensive. Living near campus also limits food access to students who cannot afford the university’s convenience stores. After having online classes this past year, they learned the importance of a comfortable and efficient workspace in their home. The tiny house becomes a living space on a smaller scale without having to sacrifice comfort. They have included spaces for all the necessary spaces students would need on a daily basis. The site allows for multiple tiny homes to create a small village for students who need short temporary living space.
Spring 2020 Mentor: Ann Sobiech Munson Project Partner: Angie Espinoza Vaquerano 38
Ames, Iowa
e Unive a Stat rsit y Iow
Site
s
ntown Am ow e D
Site Analysis The tiny house is located on an empty plot of land between campus and downtown Ames. The site is within walking distance of campus with two bus routes that are accessible to campus and downtown Ames. Downtown Ames provides students with affordable food access. The tiny house incorporates all virtual spaces in a home with multiple flexible workspaces.
N
39
40
41
42
First Floor
Second Floor 43
Exhibiting Architecture Reflecting on the Venice Biennale
The 2021 Venice Biennale posed a question to the participating curators, nations, and visitors: How will we live together? 60 nations participated in the international event, each responding to the question with their own unique approach. In reflecting on our visit to the Biennale, we found ourselves asking the same question posed by the Dutch pavilion: Who is “we”? At a fundamental level, “we” can be understood by the nations represented at the Biennale. Over half the participating countries were from Europe. The Venice Biennale, by its nature, takes place in Europe, so it might seem logical that the majority of participating nations were European. However, the 2021 Biennale was an international event posing a question concerning how we live together. Is the response adequate if the large majority of responses were coming from Western nations? What parts of the world were missing in this conversation? Second, they investigated the specific ways in which each nation responded to the theme. What issues did they focus on? What “we” was represented across the 60 national pavilions and installations? Which approaches emphasized an idealistic way of living together? Which approaches underlined the uncertainty and foreboding future of living together? Which words representing “we” of the Biennale resonate with you? Which identities, concepts, ideas, images, words, etc, are missing?
Fall 2021 Instructor: Valdimir Kulic Project Partners: Peter Miller, Ruodi Zhang, Cuiling Chen, and Jihoon Kim 44
45
46
47
48
49