NICHOLAS SNYDER
PORTFOLIO
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CONTENTS
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URBAN FLORA University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
DIGITAL FAB University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
ANOTHER BROKEN EGG Moda4 Design
UNIVERSITY GRAB-N-GO Moda4 Design
RESIDENCE Court Atkins Group
LANTERN Personal Project
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URBAN FLORA University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
ABSTRACT ADVISORS James Wasley Matthew Jarosz Matthew Mabee CLASS Thesis Studio PROJECT TYPE Multi-tenant Office Space
Urban Flora explored the topic of biophilic design, the architectural movement inspired by Edward O. Wilson’s book Biophilia. Based on his study of biology and ecosystems, Wilson defines biophilia as, “The innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes.” Contemporary urban environments have created barriers between society and the living ecosystems present during human evolution, severing humanity’s affiliation with other forms of life. The consequences of this are subtle and best revealed in the positive effects humans receive when reconnecting with the natural environment. The book The Biophilia Hypothesis, written by Stephen R. Kellert and Edward O. Wilson, cites several examples of this, including shorter recovery times for patients post-surgery, reduced stress amongst students taking a final exam and higher productivity in the workplace, to name a few. Urban Flora seeks to reintegrate these segregated living systems back into society’s urban fabric.
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W St. Paul Ave
EXISTING CONDITIONS The goal of this project was to design the new office space for the Department of Natural Resources. The new design was required to include biophilic design elements throughout the project as well as be responsive to local climate and sustainability practices. The secondary goal was to encourage redevelopment in the surrounding area. The site was located in one of Milwaukee’s industrial districts on W St. Paul Ave just West of the Marquette interchange. This was an adaptive reuse project, as the existing two-story building was constructed in 1977. The building consisted of a steel frame structure with CMU back up wall that was clad in brick. Additionally, it was determined that the building’s structure had the capacity to support an additional two floors.
Marquette Interchange
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07 W St. Paul Ave
W St. Paul Ave
LEVEL 01
LEVEL 02
NORTH ELEVATION
EAST ELEVATION
SOUTH ELEVATION
WEST ELEVATION
SOUTH-NORTH SECTION
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MASSING Natural light is one of the key elements of biophilic design so, as might be expected, getting light into the core of the building was one of the top priorities for the project. A series of quick massing studies were completed, taking into consideration heat gain and loss during Milwaukee’s summer and winter months. An EastWest atrium through the building was most optimal to capture a consistent quality of natural light throughout the day. This orientation of the atrium also allowed passive heating of the building in the winter time.
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NORTH FACE
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SOUTH FACE
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SECTION After the orientation of the atrium was determined, section studies were completed. The goal was to get a sense of how far the light would be able to pierce into the building in the summer and winter. SOUTH-NORTH SECTION
Several of the initial studies had a shed roof incorporated into the design to enable the application of a rooftop photovoltaic system. The inverse atrium was inspired by the Booth School of Business designed by Rafael ViĂąoly Architects in Chicago, IL. This atrium configuration would provide an expressive display of onsite water catchment. SOUTH-NORTH SECTION
SUMMER
SOUTH-NORTH SECTION WINTER
SOUTH-NORTH SECTION
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WE WORK
PUBLIC
UTILITY
CAFE
W St. Paul Ave
LEVEL 03
LEVEL 02
LEVEL 01
N ITERATION 01 Moving forward it was determined that light could pierce as far as one bay into the space. A secondary atrium was added to the building so that the inhabitants had access to natural daylight from any location in the
interior. The Northwest corner of the building was cut diagonally to create a secondary street entrance that echoed through the building, this started to shape the tenant spaces.
SOUTH-NORTH SECTION
11 DNR
WE WORK
PUBLIC
UTILITY
CAFE
W St. Paul Ave
LEVEL 03
LEVEL 02
LEVEL 01
N ITERATION 02 Based on feedback from iteration 01 the shed roof design was scrapped along with the diagonal secondary entrance. The main criticism of these features had to do with the cost required to complete in relation to the added benefit. Additionally, the shed
roof created several issues in resolving the new proportions on the building facades. The second iteration added only one floor to the building and resized the atriums to put emphasis on the shared public spaces available to the tenants.
SOUTH-NORTH SECTION
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W St. Paul Ave
SITE In addition to redeveloping the building for the Department of Natural Resources, another goal of the project was to encourage redevelopment on W St. Paul Ave. With the addition of the third floor there was extra square footage to support additional tenants, this made the building a catalyst for redevelopment. The site is an eight minute walk from Milwaukee’s Intermodal Station, which connects Milwaukee to Chicago. Due to this, a WeWork office space was fitting as a secondary tenant for the building. Additionally, a small cafe was added to serve both building tenants. Having additional tenants served a dual purpose in encouraging redevelopment while also offsetting costs to redevelop the building.
Marquette Interchange
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13 DNR
WE WORK
PUBLIC
UTILITY
CAFE
W St. Paul Ave
LEVEL 03
LEVEL 02
LEVEL 01
N ITERATION 03 Iteration 03 refined the previous pass of the project. Two sections of the third floor were removed to create South facing rooftop patios for the WeWork tenants. The main atrium was enlarged to span two structural bays so that it was anchored on top of the
existing structural grid. The gradient in the section below demonstrates the building’s use of stack ventilation to passively cool the building in the summer. Local weather data determined there was not enough wind to support cross ventilation.
SOUTH-NORTH SECTION
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VIEW AT SECOND FLOOR OFFICE
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LIVING MACHINE The first floor of the main atrium contains a Carlo Scarpa inspired living machine. This feature brought biophilic elements into the building while demonstrating the buildings waste water filtering system. The series of wetland plants pull harmful bacteria out of the waste water to be used as a food source and help purify the air in the space.
LIVING WALL
The living machine was organized in a series of steps to display this process while dividing up the open atrium into smaller nooks for visitors to occupy.
WETLANDS PLANTER 01 WETLANDS PLANTER 02 WETLANDS PLANTER 03 WATER FEATURE 01
WATER FEATURE 02
WATER FEATURE 03 WATER FEATURE 04
BLACK WATER
WETLANDS FILTER WETLAND PLANTS PULL HARMFUL BACTERIA OUT OF THE WATER RELEASE TO EXTERIOR RETENTION
SEPTIC TANK
ANAEROBIC FILTER
SOLIDS REMOVED
INITIAL FILTERING
WATER IS RETURNED TO START UNTIL SYSTEM IS OVERBURDENED
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ROOFTOP WATER CATCHMENT AREA
STORMWATER RETENTION TANK
STORMWATER RETENTION TANK
SEPTIC TANK ANAEROBIC AERATOR
SEPTIC TANK ANAEROBIC AERATOR
OVERFLOW SCUPPER
OVERFLOW SCUPPER
EXTERIOR RETENTION POND
RETENTION TANK RETURN TO CITY SEWER
STORMWATER CATCHMENT & FLOW PATH
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VIEW AT ENTRANCE PERSPECTIVE
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DIGITAL FAB University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
ABSTRACT ADVISOR Karl Wallick CLASS Art of Detailing PROJECT TYPE Abstract Model
The model developed in the Art of Detailing class represents an exploration into the means and methods behind digital fabrication. 3D printing and laser cutting technologies were used initially to reproduce details from Castle Drogo and Chapel of St. Knut. The semester concluded by requiring all details to be joined together in one master model. This was achieved by using custom 3D printed components to resolve trouble areas (joints and connections) generated by the original construction of the model.
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PRECEDENT DETAILS The Castle Drogo library door, located in England, was fabricated through a combination of laser cutting and 3D printing. The door itself was made out of 1/8” basswood sheets that were stacked to achieve the layering and depth found in the door. The hinges were 3D printed and embedded in the middle basswood layer. The column at the Chapel of St. Knut in Sweden was created through a combination of cast rockite, 3D printing and basswood. The panels as well as the formwork for the column were 3D printed. 1/4” basswood dowel was cast in place to create the notch detail around the panels. LIBRARY DOOR
COLUMN
CASTLE DROGO
THE CHAPEL OF ST. KNUT
LIBRARY DOOR
COLUMN
CASTLE DROGO
THE CHAPEL OF ST. KNUT
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FRAME After the door and column details were completed, we were required to join them into a larger detail model. Laser cut 3/4� ply wood in combination with 3D printed components were used to create a frame that nestled both the door and the column.
LEGEND LASER CUT WOOD STEEL FASTENERS CAST ROCKITE WHITE 3D PRINTED PLASTIC
FRAME ASSEMBLED/EXPLODED
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STAND The final requirement of the project was to design and attach a stand. A large 3D printed footer was created and cast into, in an effort to anchor the model. This allowed for a smaller wood stand piece that made the model a little over 4’-0� tall. Additionally, X bracing was added between two of the existing framing plains. The beams were cast from 3D printed molds and held together by a series of 3D printed connectors and steel fasteners.
STAND ASSEMBLED/EXPLODED
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ANOTHER BROKEN EGG Moda4 Design
SCOPE PROJECT DIRECTOR David Weinberg ROLE
Tenant improvement for Another Broken Egg in an existing building. Work included demolition of existing space, shell repair/infill at existing openings and a new demising wall/vestibule construction for a secondary tenant.
Project Coordinator RESPONSIBILITIES PROJECT TYPE Restaurant
I was responsible for preparing the construction documents and renderings based on the client’s sketch layout for the space and prototype package.
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VIEW AT ENTRANCE
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SITE The site for the project was existing to remain as is with the exception of an additional dumpster enclosure and new vestibule. No work was done for the site zoning/code requirements due to the building use remaining the same.
NEW DUMPSTER ENCLOSURE
NEW ENTRY VESTIBULE TO MATCH EXISTING
EXISTING RETENTION POND
SITE PLAN
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WEST ELEVATION
NORTH ELEVATION
SOUTH ELEVATION
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PLAN Almost the entire interior, as well as several overhead door openings in the existing restaurant space were demolished in preparation for new work. The new demising wall runs North-South which allowed both tenants to have building frontage facing the existing parking lot.
EXISTING OPENING TO BE INFILLED DEMOLITION PLAN
NEW ENTRY VESTIBULE
NEW DEMISING WALL
FUTURE TENANT SPACE
FLOOR PLAN
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VIEW AT CHECK-IN
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VESTIBULE The client requested that the new vestibule entry for the second tenant space match the existing vestibule. No drawings were available for the building so a field survey was conducted to measure the space as well as determine the structure of the existing vestibule. PLAN
PREFINISHED METAL COPING
NEW SEALED CONCRETE SLAB AT VESTIBULE
2”X8” WOOD RAFTERS @ 24” O.C.
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SLOPE 1/4” PER FOOT
R-30 BATT INSULATION MIN R-19 BATT INSULATION NEW ADHERED THIN STONE MASONRY VENEER 2”X6” PT. WOOD STUDS @ 16” O.C.
EXISTING STRUCTURE TO REMAIN
15/32” PLYWOOD SHEATHING WITH TYVEK ON EXTERIOR
NEW HEADER/ BEAM
NEW ALUMINUM STOREFRONT
1/2” ASPHALT IMPREGNATED FIBER ISOLATION BETWEEN NEW SLAB AND EXISTING NEW CONCRETE FOOTER
FLUTED DRAINAGE CAVITY 1/2” EXPANSION JOINT
2” RIGID INSULATION BOARD
SECTION
SECTION
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ELEVATION
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UNIVERSITY GRAB-N-GO Moda4 Design
SCOPE PROJECT DIRECTOR David Weinberg ROLE
Tenant improvement for a local university’s existing building. Work included demolition of existing space, expanding the kitchen prep area, defining the interior palette and adding new flooring into the common area.
Project Coordinator RESPONSIBILITIES PROJECT TYPE Retail
I was responsible for conducting a field survey of the existing conditions, reviewing code and life safety requirements, creating renderings and preparing the construction documents based on the client’s sketch layout.
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VIEW AT ENTRANCE
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PLAN The new layout expanded into the common area, picking up on the angled language already present in the building. Additionally, a second entrance is added to create a more open feeling and to allow better flow through the space.
EXISTING SPACE
DEMOLITION PLAN
NEW FLOORING
OFFICE EXPANSION NEW PREP FLOORING
FLOOR PLAN
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35 3-5/8” MTL. STUD FRAMING MTL. STUD BOXED HEADER NEW ACOUSTIC CLG. TILE EXISTING SLAB TO REMAIN, PATCH & REPAIR TO RECEIVE NEW FINISH
COUNTER SECTION
3/4” WD. TRIM CAP TUFTED SEAT BACK
1/2” FURNITURE GRADE PLYWOOD FURNITURE GRADE WD. FRAMING
ADJUSTABLE SHELF
SOLID SURFACE COUNTER MELAMINE CABINET INTERIOR BRUSHED STAINLESS DOOR PULL 3/4” MILLWORK PANEL, TYP.
SECTION DETAILS
OPEN
COUNTER ELEVATION
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VIEW AT EXIT
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VIEW AT COUNTER
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RESIDENCE Court Atkins Group
SCOPE PROJECT DIRECTOR Nathan Miller
New ground up residential home build. In addition to construction document production and permitting, approval from the neighborhood review board was also obtained.
ROLE Intern RESPONSIBILITIES PROJECT TYPE Residential
I assisted in preparing the construction documents and renderings based on the firm’s prototype home layout and client’s requests.
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VIEW AT ENTRANCE
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SITE The Eastern side of the site was left open to capture views of the gated community’s golf course. The North and South sides were screened with trees to create privacy from the existing neighbors’ homes.
LANDSCAPE SCREENING
OPEN TO GOLF COURSE
SITE PLAN
LANDSCAPE SCREENING
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EAST ELEVATION
WEST ELEVATION
NORTH ELEVATION
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PLAN The height of the living room space was an important feature to the client. Several iterations were completed to demonstrate heights at 12’, 13’ and 14’. Altering the height greatly impacted the facades of the home. Transoms were added above several windows to improve the building scale at the new heights.
2ND FLOOR PLAN
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1ST FLOOR PLAN
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VIEW AT LIVING ROOM
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LANTERN Personal Project
ABSTRACT MATERIALS Wood Cast Rockite 3D Printed Plastic
PROJECT TYPE Lamp
The lantern was developed while I was in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In short, I wanted a lamp for my apartment and decided to design one from scrap materials of previous school projects. The design of the lamp stemmed from the idea of a hidden light source, only allowing reflected light to fill a space. This was achieved through closing off three sides while keeping the back open, which in turn reflects light off a wall and back into the space.
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PRECEDENT/ITERATION 01 The precedent for this project came from a wood lamp that resembled a cube with a voided space. This allowed light to escape in a singular direction. Iteration 01 further explored the precedent lamp’s play on solid vs void and how both conditions could shape light. Solids were created from planes of 1/4” and 3/4” wood held apart from each other by 1/4” dowel rod. However, due to the materials available iteration 01 was never built. Additionally, the design didn’t allow for bulb changes. LEGEND WOOD INSUFFICIENT MATERIALS
PRECEDENT
ITERATION 01 ASSEMBLED/EXPLODED
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ITERATION 02 Iteration 02 addressed the first design’s material and accessibility shortcomings. The lamp was resized to accommodate the wood sizes available and the back panel was removed. Opening up the back of the lamp also improved usability, allowing significantly more light to escape.
ITERATION 02
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ITERATION 03/04 Iterations 03 and 04 continued to explore the ideas of solid vs void but introduced new materials into the mix. 3D printed plastic was used as both formwork for casting rockite as well as a solid element on the lamp to restrict light. While rockite also acts as a solid element, it created an area for branding as well. Designs can be printed into the formwork which transfers them into the rockite once cast. In addition to including new materials, a second side of the lamp was removed. The previous iterations functioned more as mood lighting as opposed to being useful for activities such as reading a book. Continuing to open the lamp in conjunction with translucent 3D printed components greatly improved the lamps usability, allowing more light out to fill a space.
ITERATION 03
LEGEND WOOD CAST ROCKITE CLEAR 3D PRINTED PLASTIC WHITE 3D PRINTED PLASTIC
ITERATION 04 ASSEMBLED/EXPLODED
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THANK YOU