Sarah Kershner Architecture Portfolio

GRADUATE ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO

SARAH KERSHNER

sarah.kershner@gmail.com

816.651.0615

EDUCATION

Kansas State University - Manhattan, KS

Master of Architecture

Graduated May 2017

Undergraduate GPA: 3.865

Graduate GPA: 4.0

Centro Studi - Orvieto, Italy

Study Abroad Program

Spring 2016

Courses Include: Architectural Design Studio, History of Art and Architecture, Mapping and Movement Seminar, Italian Language, and cultural workshops, in addition to extensive travel throughout Italy and Europe

SKILLS

Computer

Rhinoceros 5.0

Adobe Illustrator CS6

Adobe Photoshop CS6

Adobe InDesign CS6

Autodesk Revit 2015

Certifications

Autodesk 3DS Max Design 2015

DIVA for Rhinoceros

Microsoft Office Suite

Trimble SketchUp Make

Laser Cutter

Autodesk Independent Building Performance Analysis Certificate

Hand Craft

Drafting

Sketching

Model Making

AWARDS

2017 Al pha Rho Chi Bronze Medal for “demonstrated leadership, service, and promise of pro fessional merit”, Kansas State University

2017 He intzelman Prize Finalist for 5th year thesis project, Kansas State University

2015 - 2016 Joh n Helm Memorial Scholarship Recipient, Kansas State University

2015 Dea n’s Italian Studies Scholarship Recipient, Kansas State University

2013 - 2015 Dea n’s List, Kansas State University

WORK EXPERIENCE

Petersen Kolberg & Associates - Portland, Oregon Designer 2017 - Present

Work on healthcare projects, including designing, medical planning, 3d modeling, rendering, co nstruction documentation, client and consultant meetings, marketing, and other activities

Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning, and Design

Graduate Teaching Assistant - Environmental Systems in Architecture I

Fall 2015, Fall 2016

Teach assignments involving passive design, energy and lighting simulations, and other course content; ev aluate and correct student tests and design projects; conduct help sessions to answer student questions and troubleshoot computer simulation problems; attend course lectures

HNTB Corporation Architecture - Kansas City, Missouri

Architecture Intern

June 2015 - August 2015

Create construction documents and details with annotations using Autodesk Revit; product 3D models and visualizations for various projects using Autodesk 3DS Max Design, Rhinoceros, and Sketchup; attend client and consultant meetings

INVOLVEMENT

AIA Portland

AIA Associate

August 2017

AIAS - Kansas State University Student 2012 - 2017

Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning, and Design Ambassador 2013 - 2017

Assists with college events, college tours for perspective students, mentor for first year architecture student

REFERENCES

Available upon request

BIOGRAPHY

My name is Sarah Kershner. I earned my Master of Architecture from Kansas State University. Architecture is my passion; I have been interested in the built environment since elementary school and pursuing architecture as a career has always felt like the next logical step.

I was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but I spent a large portion of my childhood in Portland, Oregon , where I currently live. Living in large urban environments has greatly influenced my love of architecture and design. My experience studying abroad in Orvieto, Italy and my love of travel has introduced me to new cultures and perspectives, as well as provided me with opportunities to experience remarkable architecture.

Sustainability plays a huge role in the way I live my life, stemming from my love of the outdoors. I am excited to make an impact on the way innovative sustainable techniques apply to architecture and building use. I am an avid reader and adventurer. Through my previous job experience, including my position as a graduate teaching assistant for an Environmental Systems in Architecture course , giving volunteer campus tours, and public relations positions in high school, I have been able to gain new personal and professional skills. My experience as a designer with both HNTB and PKA has also greatly influenced my skillset and has exposed me to a wide range of concepts and their use in professional practice.

Architecturally, my interests lie in space planning and architectural research. Healthcare architecture allows me to explore these interests and make an impact on the way people live their lives. My thesis research exposed me to evidence-based design, which gave me the opportunity to learn how to promote healing and human well-being through architecture. I have a passion for healthcare and utilizing the built environment to positively impact our world. Aiding clients in providing high quality buildings that allow them to provide the best possible care is why I do what I do. is Continuing to apply this knowledge in my professional practice is an amazing opportunity to make a difference in the world we live.

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SURVIVORS

MEDITATION & MINDFULNESS IN RESPONSE TO TRAUMA FROM POLITICAL TORTURE

Albany, California

Architectural Design Studio IX & X - Thesis Fall 2016 - Spring 2017

The refugee crisis is a problem of global scale; 24 people are displaced from their homes every minute. Many of these people flee their homes, often leaving behind their belongings and their families in order to find safety. In the United States, 30% - 44% of refugees are survivors of political torture , which is meant to inflict harm and cause psychological damage in order to accomplish a political end goal. This torture often has lasting effects, both mental and physical, and results in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is almost half of torture survivors.

PTSD causes the brain to intensify or confuse signals for the brain regarding fear and behavior in response to perceived threats. However, research shows that meditation and mindfulness practices help to normalize brain function and may allow survivors to return to their normal lives by treating the cause of their symptoms. It helps clients to better engage with therapists, prepare for reliving their trauma, reduces feelings of avoidance, and helps them to better comply with suggested treatment.

The California Center for Torture Survivors helps survivors in the California Bay Area to heal through the use of evidence based design research relating to access to nature, daylight, and social interaction. By studying the connection between architecture and human wellbeing, the Center can be a sanctuary that encourages meditation and mindfulness practices in order to help survivors heal.

Program Relationships

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder & the Brain

prefrontal cortex

hippocampus

amygdala

STATION EAST

AN INTERMODAL HUB

Lawrence, Kansas Architectural Design Studio V Fall 2015

Due to its location between two growing cities, the city of Lawrence, Kansas has the potential to quickly becoming a commuter community that travels to either Kansas City, Missouri or Topeka, Kansas for work each day. As these cities continue to form linkages, it is important that the mass transit systems of Lawrence develops transportation facilities that benefit the community as a whole. The site, located along the Kansas River, connects the downtown of Lawrence to the currently developing grouping of renovated warehouse apartment buildings on the outskirts of Lawrence. This building has the potential to become a link between cities, at the larger scale, as well as a link between Lawrence’s downtown and its developing districts.

The structure of the building is based on a cellular system that allows for a series of two interlocking pieces to be repeated over the entire site. The cell integrates structure, daylighting, drainage, and other building systems together, creating a more efficient system that can better service such a large facility. The building hosts two train lines, a two story café, a bus stop, bike parking, and serves as an ending point to a shared use bike and pedestrian path that winds along the river. By accommodating all of these modes of transportation, the station can become a centralized hub for Lawrence.

MOVEMENT DYNAMIC TECHNOLOGY

Steel Signage

Stairs,

Display Unit with Arrival and Departure Information

Polished Concrete Floor Slab with Radiant Heating and Cooling

Double Pane Glazing with Air Cavity and Low-E Coating and Butt Glazed Vertical Joints

Horizontal Steel Mullion with Welded Pin Connection to Tubular Steel Column and Vertical Cable Ties

Solid Panel with Mechnically Operated Smoke Vent

Polycarbonate Panel Attached to Tubular Steel Welded Space Frame

Double Pane Glass with Air Cavit and Low-E Coating Attached to Tubula Steel Welded Space Frame

Escalators, Concourse Level,

Main Entry Vestibule

Tubular

Steel Drainage Diamond with Gutter

Tubular Steel Column with Drainage Pipes and Conduit and Uplighting at Center Welded Joint

2 Railroad Platforms

and Elevator to Leading to Other Platform

Stairs and Escalator from Concourse to Platform

divide 4:3 plane from center of long side to opposite corners fold side triangles downward

single cell is created combine with other cells, with like sides touching

5 sides of polycarbonate panels and 1 side of glass panels, facing north, are attached to steel frame

diamond shapes, sloped for drainage, are attached to connect cells to one another, with half diamonds used on edges of roof structure

welded steel column pieces with drainage pipes and conduit are attached to cell, with concrete base at floor slab

cells are then joined to other cells to create station roof structure

MARTIN PURYEAR

ONE ARTIST MUSEUM

New York City, New York Architectural Design Studio IV Spring 2015

Situated on the corner of Lafayette St. and Houston St. on the edge of the Soho neighborhood in New York City, the One-Artist Museum houses the work of American artist and sculptor Martin Puryear. Puryear is experienced in a wide range of traditional hand craft , including woodworking, basket weaving, and carving. His work focuses on creating an interior environment that can be experienced from outside the sculpture. This type of work requires a specific and unique architectural setting for display.

Through use of materials, lighting, and the pushing and pulling of masses, a building was designed that not only allows viewers to truly understand and appreciate Puryear’s work, but also follows the same type of driving forces that are prevalent in his own work . Three glass display areas penetrate the solid mass of the building, permitting the interior of the museum to be experienced from the heavily traveled intersection below. A series of suspended perforated screens provide visitors brief glances of the sculptures upon entry to each gallery space, allowing them to explore the museum and discover the artwork, as well as providing each sculpture with a neutral background that allows it to be viewed from any angle.

PERFORATION CONTRAST EXPLORATION

Formal Strategy

Facade Strategy

Sculpture Placement

NEUE NATIONALGALERIE

A VISUALIZATION STUDY

Berlin, Germany Digital Architecture III Spring 2015

These visualizations were created as part of Kansas State’s University Digital Architecture sequence. Using a model of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, Germany, a memorial pavilion to Mies was designed and rendered using 3ds Max Design. T he project focused on creating dynamic camera views, lighting, and realistic materials, as well as using entourage to provide life and depth to the scene.

MATERIALITY CONTEXT MOOD

CHIESA DI SAN GIACOMO

ORVIETO WELLNESS CENTER

Orvieto, Italy

Architectural Design Studio VIII Spring 2016

Orvieto, Italy is a small cliff town with a rich history dating back to the early Etruscans. The city is home to layers of incredible architecture, telling the stories of each of its inhabitants throughout the ages. One of the biggest theoretical problems as an architect designing in such a place is how to approach an intervention. After studying the context, history, and precedent projects in other Italian cities, the goal of the project was to solve a problem within Orvieto through a thoughtful architectural intervention.

One of the most intriguing structures in the city is the currently unoccupied historic hospital. Located in Orvieto’s Piazza del Duomo, next to the towering frescoed building commissioned by the Pope, the hospital evolved from the small Chiesa di San Giacomo Maggiore directly adjacent to it. The church originated as a stop for pilgrims to stop and rest, or heal from illness, as they journeyed along the famous Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome. As the church expanded, a hospital was constructed next door, which recently closed. The building hosted a study abroad architecture studio for several years, which art shows held in the church next door. The building has now been left unoccupied.

The city of Orvieto, however, lacks a hospital on the top of the cliff, which is home to nearly 5,000 residents, in addition to large numbers of tourists. The small medical facilities on the cliff are scattered around the city, often in older structures with little equipment or space. The center will be home to an urgent care/triage center, general practitioners offices, and other health and wellness oriented practices. By establishing a wellness center, medical care in Orvieto can be more centralized and less stressful.

HISTORY HEALING COMMUNITY

ADDITIONAL PROJECTS GRADUATE COURSEWORK

My graduate coursework at Kansas State University allowed me to expand my practice beyond the practical aspects of designing buildings. In addition to several research-oriented seminars, I was given the opportunity to explore a variety of other related areas, including sketching studies and research publication, featured here.

SPACEPRINTS SEMINAR

These drawings are part of a collection completed in Professor Peter Magyar’s Spaceprints Seminar. These drawings, done as a series of weekly exercises, aim to explore the spatial relationships of architecture in a drawing style that represents 3-dimensional connections between spaces, rather than typical technical drawings produced at an office. This sketching process can be used both as a tool for understanding existing structures and exploring designs of projects currently in process.

SURVIVORS: HEALING ARCHITECTURE IN RESPONSE TO POLITICAL TORTURE

This four volume series of works was produced as a class with the healing architecture thesis studio at Kansas State. The project aims to compile a body of research regarding political torture, the impacts of trauma, theories of using architecture to promote healing, and evidence based design. The four volumes contain the research collected by the class, as well as program documents, research papers, and design work by individual students. My role on the project, beyond contributing my coursework, was to codesign and co-edit the entire four volumes with classmate Brianna Grimm.