STEVE COCHOFF
PORTFOLIO
The Geometer Design-build
team work with: Alexandra Barletta Paul Judin Wade Nolan
STEVE COCHOFF
ge•om•e•ter
\jē-ä-mƏ-tƏr\
Named after the Geometer Caterpillar, geometer translates to “earth measure.” The Geometer is an urban intervention located directly on the Beltline. It promotes both physical and visual relationships as through conditions for users of the corridor and acts as a visual link, or stitch, between the Beltline and the adjacent neighborhoods of Ansley Park and Ansley THE GEOMETER
Mall. The structure transforms the humblest of materials, stud grade 2x4’s, into an intricately woven self supporting lattice-work through the use of parametric modelling and 5-axis CNC technology. The multi-order twisting hexagonal geometry modulates light and view for users while creating a visual landmark on the Beltline from key points in the environment.
PORTFOLIO
georgia tech grad school work THE GEOMETER
Georgia cabinet & supply work Select Interiors
Urban Inter vention
tri-miter tower
LaScalla dining
Construction Study
Pivot block CMU Design Competition
poetics of occupation Thesis Research Platform
Furniture gallery
The Geometer Design-build
team work with: Alexandra Barletta Paul Judin Wade Nolan
STEVE COCHOFF
ge•om•e•ter
\jē-ä-mƏ-tƏr\
Named after the Geometer Caterpillar, geometer translates to “earth measure.” The Geometer is an urban intervention located directly on the Beltline. It promotes both physical and visual relationships as through conditions for users of the corridor and acts as a visual link, or stitch, between the Beltline and the adjacent neighborhoods of Ansley Park and Ansley THE GEOMETER
Mall. The structure transforms the humblest of materials, stud grade 2x4’s, into an intricately woven self-supporting latticework through the use of parametric modeling and 5-axis CNC technology. The multi-order twisting hexagonal geometry modulates light and view for users while creating a visual landmark on the Beltline from key points in the environment.
PORTFOLIO
parametric variation
geometer
site analysis
fall 2011 options III studio prof. tristan al-haddad Alexandra Barletta Paul Judin Steve Cochoff Wade Nolan
area map
vertical scalar
loft distance
area
range
polygon
number of sides
rotated range
scaled rotated range
Monroe - piedmont subarea (6)
horizontal scalar
number of lofted frames
range w/ rotation x-axis rotation angle main arterial routes
site
scaled rotated range
scaled rotated range
parking
stream
floodplain
streams & water
contours
site sections
y-axis rotation
y-axis rotation
aerial view THE GEOMETER
URBAN INTERVENTION
visual methodologies
A NSLE Y PA RK
existing social divide
established by the rejection of the Beltline as a social space
AN SLE Y PARK
bELTLINE
A NSLEY MA L L
Double Stitch Blanket Blanket Stitch Stitch A NDouble T RESIDENTAL V A G RDouble UTI L I TABlanket R IAN LEISURE SUBSTINENCE WO RK PRIVAT E I S O L A T E D PUBL I C EXPERIENTIAL I G N O R E D C O N SU MAB LE
bE LTLI N E
A N SLEY M AL L
RE S IDE NTAL V A G R A N T U TILIT ARIAN LE I S U RE SUBSTINENCE WOR K PRI VATE I S O L A T E D PUBLIC stitching C ONSUMABLE E XPE RIE NTI AL I G N O R E Dsocial
scaled moire iterations
encouraged by the development and inhabitation of the Beltline
A N SLE Y PA RK BE LTLI N E A N SLE Y M A LL
moire patterning
Cross Stitch Stabbing Stabbing CrossStabbing Stitch Cross Stitch RE S I DE NTAL S O C I A L U TILIT ARIAN L E I S U R E WOR K PRI VATE P U B L I C E X P E R I E N T I A L C ONSUMABLE
Sewing Cross Stitch SewingSewing Cross Stitch Cross Stitch
Stabbing Stabbing Cross Stabbing Cross StitchCross StitchStitch
2nd operation
2nd operation
2nd operation
1st operation
STITCHING TECHNIQUES
2nd operation
STITCHING TECHNIQUES STITCHING TECHNIQUES STITCHING TECHNIQUES
1stoperation operation 2nd
stabbing cross stitch
STITCHING TECHNIQUES STITCHING TECHNIQUES
1st operation
2nd operation
1st operation
1st operation
2nd operation
1st operation
1st operation
ANSL E Y PARK BELTLINE A NSLEY MA LL The Beltline Is a new found awareness Double Double Blanket Double Blanket Stitch Blanket StitchStitch techniques Sewing Sewing Cross Sewing Cross StitchCross StitchStitch stitching ESIDENTAL S OofC IA L ofRthe hidden boundaries Atlanta, a UTI L I TA RI AN E I Slimitations, U R but E WO RK city with L no geographic UBLIC PRIVATE P rather a network of communities EX PER I E N T bound I A L CO N SU MAB LE and separated by political representation and economic right-of-ways. Thus, the boundaries (e.g. the Beltline) become socially charged environments that reveal the marginalization of the socioeconomic classes. Therefore, the intervention must address the subjugation of the Atlanta citizenry. This implicit separation must be transformed into visible bounds; a physical divide that incites a further questioning of Atlanta’s existing configuration, double blanket stitch sewing cross stitch whether functionally, socially, or rhetorically. Not only does the Beltline open up the space it demarcates for critique, but presents an actual physical space in which the project of constructing a commons or greater unity can begin simultaneous to this process of critique.
THE GEOMETER
visual methodologies
URBAN INTERVENTION
visual methodologies
A NSLE Y PA RK
existing social divide
established by the rejection of the Beltline as a social space
AN SLE Y PARK
bELTLINE
A NSLEY MA L L
Double Stitch Blanket Blanket Stitch Stitch A NDouble T RESIDENTAL V A G RDouble UTI L I TABlanket R IAN LEISURE SUBSTINENCE WO RK PRIVAT E I S O L A T E D PUBL I C EXPERIENTIAL I G N O R E D C O N SU MAB LE
bE LTLI N E
A N SLEY M AL L
RE S IDE NTAL V A G R A N T U TILIT ARIAN LE I S U RE SUBSTINENCE WOR K PRI VATE I S O L A T E D PUBLIC stitching C ONSUMABLE E XPE RIE NTI AL I G N O R E Dsocial
scaled moire iterations
encouraged by the development and inhabitation of the Beltline
A N SLE Y PA RK BE LTLI N E A N SLE Y M A LL
moire patterning
Cross Stitch Stabbing Stabbing CrossStabbing Stitch Cross Stitch RE S I DE NTAL S O C I A L U TILIT ARIAN L E I S U R E WOR K PRI VATE P U B L I C E X P E R I E N T I A L C ONSUMABLE
Sewing Cross Stitch SewingSewing Cross Stitch Cross Stitch
Stabbing Stabbing Cross Stabbing Cross StitchCross StitchStitch
2nd operation
2nd operation
2nd operation
1st operation
STITCHING TECHNIQUES
2nd operation
STITCHING TECHNIQUES STITCHING TECHNIQUES STITCHING TECHNIQUES
1stoperation operation 2nd
stabbing cross stitch
STITCHING TECHNIQUES STITCHING TECHNIQUES
1st operation
2nd operation
1st operation
1st operation
2nd operation
1st operation
1st operation
ANSL E Y PARK BELTLINE A NSLEY MA LL The Beltline Is a new found awareness Double Double Blanket Double Blanket Stitch Blanket StitchStitch techniques Sewing Sewing Cross Sewing Cross StitchCross StitchStitch stitching ESIDENTAL S OofC IA L ofRthe hidden boundaries Atlanta, a UTI L I TA RI AN E I Slimitations, U R but E WO RK city with L no geographic UBLIC PRIVATE P rather a network of communities EX PER I E N T bound I A L CO N SU MAB LE and separated by political representation and economic right-of-ways. Thus, the boundaries (e.g. the Beltline) become socially charged environments that reveal the marginalization of the socioeconomic classes. Therefore, the intervention must address the subjugation of the Atlanta citizenry. This implicit separation must be transformed into visible bounds; a physical divide that incites a further questioning of Atlanta’s existing configuration, double blanket stitch sewing cross stitch whether functionally, socially, or rhetorically. Not only does the Beltline open up the space it demarcates for critique, but presents an actual physical space in which the project of constructing a commons or greater unity can begin simultaneous to this process of critique.
THE GEOMETER
visual methodologies
URBAN INTERVENTION
parametric variation
geometer
site analysis
fall 2011 options III studio prof. tristan al-haddad Alexandra Barletta Paul Judin Steve Cochoff Wade Nolan
area map
vertical scalar
loft distance
area
range
polygon
number of sides
rotated range
scaled rotated range
Monroe - piedmont subarea (6)
horizontal scalar
number of lofted frames
range w/ rotation x-axis rotation angle main arterial routes
site
scaled rotated range
scaled rotated range
parking
stream
floodplain
streams & water
contours
site sections
y-axis rotation
y-axis rotation
aerial view THE GEOMETER
URBAN INTERVENTION
construction process
1.
tri-miter tower
3.
2.
1. The sled used to hold the 2x4’s; (2) layers of 3/4” MDF 2. The 2x4’s positioned in the two sleds with platens at the ends to ensure security 3. The 5-axis CNC routing dados for the 2x4’s to interlock and guide lines for miter cuts
4.
5.
6.
4. (2) steel angles were plasma-cut to brace each joint 5. Pre-drilling the holes in pre-assembly to ensure a smooth final assembly 6. Each frame was pre-assembled, taken apart, then re-assembled on site 7. Frame elevations to build from
7.
X2.3
.
X1.5
. .
X2.5
.
X1.3
8'-8"
9"
'-6 13
8'-6 1/2"
'12
" 1/2
X2.1
.
.
.
X1.7
X2.7
X1.1
.
.
.
10'-6" 10'-8 3/4"
9'-4 1/4" 10'-4 1/4"
X2
X1
\trĪ-mĪ-dƏr\
" 11'-7
10'-9 1/4"
.
.
.
TRI-MITER TOWER
.
.
1" '-1 12
Miter is defined as a joint made between two pieces of wood, fabric, or other material at an angle of 90°. The Tri-Miter Tower is a construction typology study investigating joining materials and professions. Manipulating singular elements into a fluid whole, the structure is a physical representation of connecting two traditional hand working practices: carpentry and weaving. Using only traditional carpentry and joinery methods (no glue), the construct is assembled from solid 2” square white oak staves, accented with walnut spline. The resulting tiers twist to interlock in vertical succesion, forming a tapestry of woven wood.
.
9'-11 3/4"
tri•mi•ter
.
.
8'-2 1/4"
.
4'-3 1/2" 12'-3 1/2"
11'-3 1/4"
X3
X4
URBAN INTERVENTION
construction process
publications built installation
X12 X4
X3
X2
X5
X6
X1
X8
X10
X9
X11
X13
X14
X15
X16
X7
X17
X20
X18
X19
Y1
Y2 Y3 Y19
Y4 Y5
Y6
Y7
Y8
Y20
Y18
Y9 Y17
Y10 Y11
Y12
Y13
Y14
Y15
Y16
COURSE ATLAS Fall 2012
THE GEOMETER
For Graduate Students Photo Credit: Tristan Al-Haddad’s Design Build Studio
URBAN INTERVENTION
construction process
publications built installation
X12 X4
X3
X2
X5
X6
X1
X8
X10
X9
X11
X13
X14
X15
X16
X7
X17
X20
X18
X19
Y1
Y2 Y3 Y19
Y4 Y5
Y6
Y7
Y8
Y20
Y18
Y9 Y17
Y10 Y11
Y12
Y13
Y14
Y15
Y16
COURSE ATLAS Fall 2012
THE GEOMETER
For Graduate Students Photo Credit: Tristan Al-Haddad’s Design Build Studio
URBAN INTERVENTION
construction process
1.
tri-miter tower
3.
2.
1. The sled used to hold the 2x4’s; (2) layers of 3/4” MDF 2. The 2x4’s positioned in the two sleds with platens at the ends to ensure security 3. The 5-axis CNC routing dados for the 2x4’s to interlock and guide lines for miter cuts
4.
5.
6.
4. (2) steel angles were plasma-cut to brace each joint 5. Pre-drilling the holes in pre-assembly to ensure a smooth final assembly 6. Each frame was pre-assembled, taken apart, then re-assembled on site 7. Frame elevations to build from
7.
X2.3
.
X1.5
. .
X2.5
.
X1.3
8'-8"
9"
'-6 13
8'-6 1/2"
'12
" 1/2
X2.1
.
.
.
X1.7
X2.7
X1.1
.
.
.
10'-6" 10'-8 3/4"
9'-4 1/4" 10'-4 1/4"
X2
X1
\trĪ-mĪ-dƏr\
" 11'-7
10'-9 1/4"
.
.
.
TRI-MITER TOWER
.
.
1" '-1 12
Miter is defined as a joint made between two pieces of wood, fabric, or other material at an angle of 90°. The Tri-miter Tower is a construction typology study investigating joining materials and professions. Manipulating singular elements into a fluid whole, the structure is a physical representation of connecting two traditional hand working practices: carpentry and weaving. Using only traditional carpentry and joinery methods (no glue), the construct is assembled from solid 2” square white oak staves, accented with walnut spline. The resulting tiers twist to interlock in vertical succession, forming a tapestry of woven wood.
.
9'-11 3/4"
tri•mi•ter
.
.
8'-2 1/4"
.
4'-3 1/2" 12'-3 1/2"
11'-3 1/4"
X3
X4
URBAN INTERVENTION
diachronic precedent research
Pivot block
Halved joint 10,200 BC Neolithic Era
wattle work
competition team work with: Devaqunuyah Reuven Joyce Gemarino Kristen Kellogg Joshua Word
3,500 BC Bronze Age
Log cabin
Tenon joint
1998 AD
Wood block house Tadashi Yoshimura Architects
Miter joint
2011 AD
In order to maintain the highest economic advantage, the Pivot Block resides within the nominal 8 x 8 x 16 CMU dimensions. This allowed the design to focus on the aesthetics of play between light and shadow. It was designed by first displacing the corners of the face, producing an undulating surface. The surface was then divided into four segments, each pivoting around a central axis so as to align with the curved edges. PIVOT BLOCK
Times eureka pavilion Tadashi Yoshimura Architects
TYPOLOGY STUDY
built model
joint type analysis design
HALVED JOINTS
26.6°
linear
linear
halved joint
halved/tenon
Tenon Joints 90°
24.2°
tri-axial
bi-axial tenon joint
bi-axial
tenon/halved
Miter Joints
5.8° 95.8°
bi-axial miter/halved TRI-MITER TOWER
tri-axial miter/tenon
tri-axial
miter/tenon TYPOLOGY STUDY
built model
joint type analysis design
HALVED JOINTS
26.6°
linear
linear
halved joint
halved/tenon
Tenon Joints 90°
24.2°
tri-axial
bi-axial tenon joint
bi-axial
tenon/halved
Miter Joints
5.8° 95.8°
bi-axial miter/halved TRI-MITER TOWER
tri-axial miter/tenon
tri-axial
miter/tenon TYPOLOGY STUDY
diachronic precedent research
Pivot block
Halved joint 10,200 BC Neolithic Era
wattle work
competition team work with: Devaqunuyah Reuven Joyce Gemarino Kristen Kellogg Joshua Word
3,500 BC Bronze Age
Log cabin
Tenon joint
1998 AD
Wood block house Tadashi Yoshimura Architects
Miter joint
2011 AD
In order to maintain the highest economic advantage, the Pivot Block resides within the nominal 8 x 8 x 16 CMU dimensions. This allowed the design to focus on the aesthetics of play between light and shadow. It was designed by first displacing the corners of the face, producing an undulating surface. The surface was then divided into four segments, each pivoting around a central axis so as to align with the curved edges. PIVOT BLOCK
Times eureka pavilion Tadashi Yoshimura Architects
TYPOLOGY STUDY
casting options corner condition
PIVOT BLOCK CASTING CASTING
poetics of occupation intimacy in architecture
BASE PLATE / MOLD
The design intent of this block was that it could be mass produced, efficiently. The first casting option shows the block can be cast into a mold, whose base plate is shaped to the pivot design. Blocks are positioned top to bottom. Cavities will be created by inserts that would be removed after the blocks are cast. The second casting option shows casting by arranging the blocks as shown in the diagrams to the right. The blocks face outwards, where two blocks are back-toback leaving the last one’s length to match the width of the first two. This option allows for casting three blocks at a time.
INSERTS TO CREATE BLOCK CAVITIES
fa ruc hri t ne c iture
Woodland Cemetery | Eric Asplund POETICS OF OCCUPATION
“The art of detailing is really the joining of materials, elements, components and building parts in a functional and aesthetic manner.” - Frascari The “Poetics of Occupation” is a discourse on the spatial understanding and relationship between architecture and furniture. This investigation produced serial, large scale, hand drawn wall sections
to catalogue tectonic inhabitation, challenging inefficient wall assemblies. Translating this strategy from private dwellings to corresponding library typologies, it reexamines intimacy in architecture and justifies the union of the built and the body. CMU DESIGN COMPETITION
renderings
The stacked bond is held simply by its mortar and will therefore only be used in decorative applications. The orientation of the wall in respect to the traveling sun will also allow for a seemingly changing facade throughout the day. 1. The stacked bond iteration used as a free standing wall in a park setting. Aside from being an active identifier for the park, it would also work as a sound buffer to nearby houses. 2. An alternate version of the stacked bond created by mirroring adjacent blocks. This design would stand out in interior conditions in offices or reception areas with day lighting options.
renderings
3.
1.
2.
4.
The running bond is a typical configuration used because of its structural stability. Beyond the standard concrete block, using the pivot block helps make the experience of the wall exciting as the wall seems to continually shift from a staggered overlap to a diagonal form reaching toward viewers while thin ribbons stream across the entirety of the wall. 3. A running bond iteration used as a facade to a house. The pivot block carries the advantages of a cmu, while its segmentation works to simulate the narrow look of brick or stacked rock walls. 4. An alternate version of the running bond created by mirroring adjacent blocks. This design offers more of a seamless flow horizontally across the wall. PIVOT BLOCK
CMU DESIGN COMPETITION
renderings
The stacked bond is held simply by its mortar and will therefore only be used in decorative applications. The orientation of the wall in respect to the traveling sun will also allow for a seemingly changing facade throughout the day. 1. The stacked bond iteration used as a free standing wall in a park setting. Aside from being an active identifier for the park, it would also work as a sound buffer to nearby houses. 2. An alternate version of the stacked bond created by mirroring adjacent blocks. This design would stand out in interior conditions in offices or reception areas with day lighting options.
renderings
3.
1.
2.
4.
The running bond is a typical configuration used because of its structural stability. Beyond the standard concrete block, using the pivot block helps make the experience of the wall exciting as the wall seems to continually shift from a staggered overlap to a diagonal form reaching toward viewers while thin ribbons stream across the entirety of the wall. 3. A running bond iteration used as a facade to a house. The pivot block carries the advantages of a CMU, while its segmentation works to simulate the narrow look of brick or stacked rock walls. 4. An alternate version of the running bond created by mirroring adjacent blocks. This design offers more of a seamless flow horizontally across the wall. PIVOT BLOCK
CMU DESIGN COMPETITION
casting options corner condition
PIVOT BLOCK CASTING CASTING
poetics of occupation intimacy in architecture
BASE PLATE / MOLD
The design intent of this block was that it could be mass produced, efficiently. The first casting option shows the block can be cast into a mold, whose base plate is shaped to the pivot design. Blocks are positioned top to bottom. Cavities will be created by inserts that would be removed after the blocks are cast. The second casting option shows casting by arranging the blocks as shown in the diagrams to the right. The blocks face outwards, where two blocks are back-toback leaving the last one’s length to match the width of the first two. This option allows for casting three blocks at a time.
INSERTS TO CREATE BLOCK CAVITIES
fa ruc hri t ne c iture
Woodland Cemetery | Eric Asplund POETICS OF OCCUPATION
“The art of detailing is really the joining of materials, elements, components and building parts in a functional and aesthetic manner.” - Frascari The “Poetics of Occupation” is a discourse on the spatial understanding and relationship between architecture and furniture. This investigation produced serial, large scale, hand drawn wall sections
to catalogue tectonic inhabitation, challenging inefficient wall assemblies. Translating this strategy from private dwellings to corresponding library typologies, it reexamines intimacy in architecture and justifies the union of the built and the body. CMU DESIGN COMPETITION
hand drawn wall section
somethings beautiful wall diagrams
oliver house Los Angeles, CA R.M. Schindler, 1963
space as furniture
Viipuri City Library | Library Analog
“The furniture, originally conceived to adapt the house to a more comfortable use, has usurped our place in it.” - R. M. Schindler THE BODY’S PERCEPTION OF SPACE Rising up from the piano, you try to turn, but find you are restricted from lateral movement. You give in to the pull of the furniture channeling you forward and step through the narrow confines of the space between the walls; the Albertian occupiable wall. At the end you exhale, as now there is space to afford both ends to breathing. Looking over the low wall of the fixed plywood furniture-piece and beyond the cold, immutable stucco walls, your eyes fix on the sunny 800 Los Angeles day. Two environments seemingly stuck in stasis. Sliding your hand over the shelving unit, you discover the rare life brought to the seriality of the veneered machine as intersecting volumes and extending surfaces. Still, you reside in your sanctuary as the trees sway in the slight breeze on mute.
POETICS OF OCCUPATION
SOMETHINGS BEAUTIFUL According to Ruskin, wood is an honest material. It is a natural material that is traditionally worked by hand, this working adds value to the material, and allows a visual translation of the histories of the craftsman and how the piece came to be. These castings open a discussion of the honesty of manufactured wood and if beauty can be achieved. Presented as a whole, the two parts together in one process, sublimation, and consequently, beauty is achieved. According to art critic Joshua Reynolds, beauty is thus represented by something that incorporates individual particularities and still represents the whole of an idea. It is sublime when it can make an impression on the mind in an instant. Hegel adds that it must also be a general form of a natural object. I think Ruskin too would have found the resulting process honest in telling a story. The process of casting, then, informed the thesis platform. A natural form molds, imprints, and informs the succeeding layer. One form carves its way into the receiving space with a 1:1 relationship.
albertian wall
architecture understood to the body
corresponding scaling triads
corresponding layering triads
THESIS RESEARCH PLATFORM
somethings beautiful case study timeline
hand drawn wall section
Fisher House Hatboro, PA Louis I. Kahn, 1960
window as furniture
Robert Treat Paine Residence H. H. Richardson, 1886
Fisher House Louis Kahn, 1960
Furniture House Shigeru Ban, 1995
Museo Canova | Carlo Scarpa
“...The room is the place of the mind.” - L. I. Kahn
Plywood House Herzog & DeMeuron, 1985
Oliver House R. M. Schindler, 1934
1850
2010
Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève Henri LaBrouste, 1851
Winn Public Library H. H. Richardson, 1889
POETICS OF OCCUPATION
Philip Exeter Academy Louis Kahn, 1972
Viipuri City Library Alvar Aalto, 1935
Musashino Art University Museum & Library Sou Fujimoto, 2010
THE BODY’S PERCEPTION OF SPACE Sitting in the elevated chair, you detach. No longer do you readily associate with the room you have just traveled through. Now, your focus is the furniture that receives you. It’s spring, and the wood continues to drink up the water in the air. It’s dense, firm, and supporting. You relax into the reclined posture of the red oak bench. Defying gravity, your feet hover over the ground. The disconnected feeling from the room around you turns into a resting unification with the wall, with architecture, and with nature outside. Intersecting with these emotions are perpendicular panes of the outside world and cubes of light. Daylight filters through the glass and duly warms your skin. With your arm on the rest, you trace the warn finish, meditating on all the previous hands that have come to rest there. Harkening to the beginning, you are once more aligned with the carpenter who worked effort and care into the piece.
THESIS RESEARCH PLATFORM
somethings beautiful case study timeline
hand drawn wall section
Fisher House Hatboro, PA Louis I. Kahn, 1960
window as furniture
Robert Treat Paine Residence H. H. Richardson, 1886
Fisher House Louis Kahn, 1960
Furniture House Shigeru Ban, 1995
Museo Canova | Carlo Scarpa
“...The room is the place of the mind.” - L. I. Kahn
Plywood House Herzog & DeMeuron, 1985
Oliver House R. M. Schindler, 1934
1850
2010
Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève Henri LaBrouste, 1851
Winn Public Library H. H. Richardson, 1889
POETICS OF OCCUPATION
Philip Exeter Academy Louis Kahn, 1972
Viipuri City Library Alvar Aalto, 1935
Musashino Art University Museum & Library Sou Fujimoto, 2010
THE BODY’S PERCEPTION OF SPACE Sitting in the elevated chair, you detach. No longer do you readily associate with the room you have just traveled through. Now, your focus is the furniture that receives you. It’s spring, and the wood continues to drink up the water in the air. It’s dense, firm, and supporting. You relax into the reclined posture of the red oak bench. Defying gravity, your feet hover over the ground. The disconnected feeling from the room around you turns into a resting unification with the wall, with architecture, and with nature outside. Intersecting with these emotions are perpendicular panes of the outside world and cubes of light. Daylight filters through the glass and duly warms your skin. With your arm on the rest, you trace the warn finish, meditating on all the previous hands that have come to rest there. Harkening to the beginning, you are once more aligned with the carpenter who worked effort and care into the piece.
THESIS RESEARCH PLATFORM
hand drawn wall section
somethings beautiful wall diagrams
oliver house Los Angeles, CA R.M. Schindler, 1963
space as furniture
Viipuri City Library | Library Analog
“The furniture, originally conceived to adapt the house to a more comfortable use, has usurped our place in it.” - R. M. Schindler THE BODY’S PERCEPTION OF SPACE Rising up from the piano, you try to turn, but find you are restricted from lateral movement. You give in to the pull of the furniture channeling you forward and step through the narrow confines of the space between the walls; the Albertian occupiable wall. At the end you exhale, as now there is space to afford both ends to breathing. Looking over the low wall of the fixed plywood furniture-piece and beyond the cold, immutable stucco walls, your eyes fix on the sunny 800 Los Angeles day. Two environments seemingly stuck in stasis. Sliding your hand over the shelving unit, you discover the rare life brought to the seriality of the veneered machine as intersecting volumes and extending surfaces. Still, you reside in your sanctuary as the trees sway in the slight breeze on mute.
POETICS OF OCCUPATION
SOMETHINGS BEAUTIFUL According to Ruskin, wood is an honest material. It is a natural material that is traditionally worked by hand, this working adds value to the material, and allows a visual translation of the histories of the craftsman and how the piece came to be. These castings open a discussion of the honesty of manufactured wood and if beauty can be achieved. Presented as a whole, the two parts together in one process, sublimation, and consequently, beauty is achieved. According to art critic Joshua Reynolds, beauty is thus represented by something that incorporates individual particularities and still represents the whole of an idea. It is sublime when it can make an impression on the mind in an instant. Hegel adds that it must also be a general form of a natural object. I think Ruskin too would have found the resulting process honest in telling a story. The process of casting, then, informed the thesis platform. A natural form molds, imprints, and informs the succeeding layer. One form carves its way into the receiving space with a 1:1 relationship.
albertian wall
architecture understood to the body
corresponding scaling triads
corresponding layering triads
THESIS RESEARCH PLATFORM
hand drawn wall section
plywood House Bottmingen, Switzerland Herzog & DeMeuron, 1985
house as furniture
Select Interiors
Georgia Cabinet & Supply Bartaco
oiled reclaimed heart pine 2014
Japanese Lantern | Formal Analog
Tap: A Gastropub
oiled common walnut 2007
29
WO ODWORKING
THE BODY’S PERCEPTION OF SPACE Echoed footsteps lead you through the corridor, partially blind due to a bend around a Paulownia tree. The cool air carries the reverberations the whole length of the room, aided by the flattened serial grain patterns of the plywood interior. Shallow steps sound at the impact point of the shoe, reminding you that the whole house is levitating over the ground. Pausing at the bend, an impasse, you reflect on human interaction with nature. You observe a lone tree from the looking glass of a construct of manufactured wood. In proximity, the interior paneling intertwines with the structure, selectively revealing portions of timber at perpendicular intersections. You meditate over the anisotropic properties and relationships. THESIS RESEARCH PLATFORM
hand drawn wall section
scalar dimensioning unit renderings hand drawn section
Philip Exeter Academy Exeter, N.H. Louis I. Kahn, 1972
Window as furniture
scalar diminsioning
Fisher House | House Analog
THE BODY’S PERCEPTION OF SPACE Your pupils dilate and adjust as you emerge from dark catacombs of shelved books. Light pours in, showering your exposed skin with vitamins. Inhaling largely your lungs expanding as your body understands its existence in this new larger open space. The familiar scent of tea guides you back to the exterior wall of the library. It’s the smell of the tannic acid in the hardwood slowly releasing in to the air. At the threshold of sitting down with the recently excavated book, you scan the limits of the library. Taking in where you’ve been, resetting your focus on what is to come. You sit, as the wings of the carrel blind your senses from distraction. The front ledge of the desk invades your lap, allowing you to lean forward and rest your elbows on the faded sun-bleached surface. Imprinting the pages with the unseen oils of your fingertips, your eyes tide over the sentences. Jotting notes, the pencil periodically wiggles, following pens of the past on the softened surfaces. The sun sets and you slide the shade closed to help block another cold New Hampshire night. POETICS OF OCCUPATION
THESIS RESEARCH PLATFORM
hand drawn wall section
scalar dimensioning unit renderings hand drawn section
Philip Exeter Academy Exeter, N.H. Louis I. Kahn, 1972
Window as furniture
scalar diminsioning
Fisher House | House Analog
THE BODY’S PERCEPTION OF SPACE Your pupils dilate and adjust as you emerge from dark catacombs of shelved books. Light pours in, showering your exposed skin with vitamins. Inhaling largely your lungs expanding as your body understands its existence in this new larger open space. The familiar scent of tea guides you back to the exterior wall of the library. It’s the smell of the tannic acid in the hardwood slowly releasing in to the air. At the threshold of sitting down with the recently excavated book, you scan the limits of the library. Taking in where you’ve been, resetting your focus on what is to come. You sit, as the wings of the carrel blind your senses from distraction. The front ledge of the desk invades your lap, allowing you to lean forward and rest your elbows on the faded sun-bleached surface. Imprinting the pages with the unseen oils of your fingertips, your eyes tide over the sentences. Jotting notes, the pencil periodically wiggles, following pens of the past on the softened surfaces. The sun sets and you slide the shade closed to help block another cold New Hampshire night. POETICS OF OCCUPATION
THESIS RESEARCH PLATFORM
hand drawn wall section
plywood House Bottmingen, Switzerland Herzog & DeMeuron, 1985
house as furniture
Select Interiors
Georgia Cabinet & Supply Bartaco
oiled reclaimed heart pine 2014
Japanese Lantern | Formal Analog
Tap: A Gastropub
oiled common walnut 2007
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WO ODWORKING
THE BODY’S PERCEPTION OF SPACE Echoed footsteps lead you through the corridor, partially blind due to a bend around a Paulownia tree. The cool air carries the reverberations the whole length of the room, aided by the flattened serial grain patterns of the plywood interior. Shallow steps sound at the impact point of the shoe, reminding you that the whole house is levitating over the ground. Pausing at the bend, an impasse, you reflect on human interaction with nature. You observe a lone tree from the looking glass of a construct of manufactured wood. In proximity, the interior paneling intertwines with the structure, selectively revealing portions of timber at perpendicular intersections. You meditate over the anisotropic properties and relationships. THESIS RESEARCH PLATFORM
LaScalla Dining
continued
Kevin Rathbun Steak
T
his stained hickory table base looks more solid than it actually is. This piece was designed with integrity working with pieces to make a whole.
The Column
To make the column cost effectively, think of it not as a solid block of wood, but rather as four individual sides, or sleds. Each sled, then, has three components: the skin, three ribs, and the base. For the skin, I first applied the hickory veneer to the 1/4” bending ply. This is to ensure proper adhesion with consistent pressure across the piece. This works because the bending ply still retains its bendability in later forming it to the ribs. The ribs and base are rips of 3/4” plywood. I templated the curve of the column and routed each of the (12) ribs to it. Therefore each rib was exactly the same. Next, evenly space and secure the ribs to the base. I used a bag or vacuum press to glue down the skin to the ribs. When doing
33
WO ODWORKING
oiled common walnut 2007
pre-veneered 1/4” bending ply
(3) templated plywood ribs
plywood sled base
Legal Harborside - Floor 1
oiled/polyurethane finish common hickory 2011 WO ODWORKING
30
LaScalla Dining
Outfitting a dining room alcove
seat and seat back parts. The back parts can be screwed into the sides of the seat bottom ribs.
Sandwich
To assemble, build from the bottom up. I screwed the ribs down to the bottom plate, spacing ~12” along the outside radius. Next, I screwed the top plate down. This sandwich effect creates a solid entity.
Finishing
I
’ve always enjoyed working on radius projects. They only require a little more planning, but that little extra goes a long way towards a great finished product. This is a dining settee for a, then, newly purchased home. The owners decided they wanted to dine in this semi-circular alcove, open to the pool area.
Three sheets of 1/4” bending ply and a top cap are all that’s needed to finish the settee and send it to the upholsterer. Because the back ribs are set at an angle, the bending ply for the seat back has to be cut at a radius. I modeled the back in rhino, flattened the shape, and then translated points to the plywood. Given the shape, you can just fit both halves on one sheet. When attaching, leave the four inches reserved for the cushion open, this makes it easier for the upholsterer to work around. I used two layers of bending ply for the seat back and the front of the seat for added durability.
top/bottom plate layout
seat back radius layout
Always Template First
By templating the space, you now have a physical representation of the exact conditions of the space. I templated the perimeter of the alcove with rips of 1/4” MDF. From here, I worked backwards adding tolerance, depth of seat back, and depth of seat to find the inside radius of the bench.
Generate The Parts
I started with the top and bottom plate. For economy, I used 24” rips of plywood mitered at 60°. I pocket screwed scrap rips to the back side to achieve the desired depth and routed the radii. The next parts to generate are the L-shaped ribs. Again for economy, I used separate rips for the
31
WO ODWORKING
WO ODWORKING
32
LaScalla Dining
Outfitting a dining room alcove
seat and seat back parts. The back parts can be screwed into the sides of the seat bottom ribs.
Sandwich
To assemble, build from the bottom up. I screwed the ribs down to the bottom plate, spacing ~12” along the outside radius. Next, I screwed the top plate down. This sandwich effect creates a solid entity.
Finishing
I
’ve always enjoyed working on radius projects. They only require a little more planning, but that little extra goes a long way towards a great finished product. This is a dining settee for a, then, newly purchased home. The owners decided they wanted to dine in this semi-circular alcove, open to the pool area.
Three sheets of 1/4” bending ply and a top cap are all that’s needed to finish the settee and send it to the upholsterer. Because the back ribs are set at an angle, the bending ply for the seat back has to be cut at a radius. I modeled the back in rhino, flattened the shape, and then translated points to the plywood. Given the shape, you can just fit both halves on one sheet. When attaching, leave the four inches reserved for the cushion open, this makes it easier for the upholsterer to work around. I used two layers of bending ply for the seat back and the front of the seat for added durability.
top/bottom plate layout
seat back radius layout
Always Template First
By templating the space, you now have a physical representation of the exact conditions of the space. I templated the perimeter of the alcove with rips of 1/4” MDF. From here, I worked backwards adding tolerance, depth of seat back, and depth of seat to find the inside radius of the bench.
Generate The Parts
I started with the top and bottom plate. For economy, I used 24” rips of plywood mitered at 60°. I pocket screwed scrap rips to the back side to achieve the desired depth and routed the radii. The next parts to generate are the L-shaped ribs. Again for economy, I used separate rips for the
31
WO ODWORKING
WO ODWORKING
32
LaScalla Dining
continued
Kevin Rathbun Steak
T
his stained hickory table base looks more solid than it actually is. This piece was designed with integrity working with pieces to make a whole.
The Column
To make the column cost effectively, think of it not as a solid block of wood, but rather as four individual sides, or sleds. Each sled, then, has three components: the skin, three ribs, and the base. For the skin, I first applied the hickory veneer to the 1/4” bending ply. This is to ensure proper adhesion with consistent pressure across the piece. This works because the bending ply still retains its bendability in later forming it to the ribs. The ribs and base are rips of 3/4” plywood. I templated the curve of the column and routed each of the (12) ribs to it. Therefore each rib was exactly the same. Next, evenly space and secure the ribs to the base. I used a bag or vacuum press to glue down the skin to the ribs. When doing
33
WO ODWORKING
oiled common walnut 2007
pre-veneered 1/4” bending ply
(3) templated plywood ribs
plywood sled base
Legal Harborside - Floor 1
oiled/polyurethane finish common hickory 2011 WO ODWORKING
30
furniture gallery
this, watch the pressure so you don’t dimple the skin in between the ribs and end up with a wavy surface. I then clean cut the top and bottom and miter cut the sides on a sliding table saw to make sure everything was square. This leaves the last step of gluing the four sides together. I used simple masking tape to hold the joints together while the glue set up.
continued
ATLANTA HARDWOODS, INC DISPLAY TABLE
IWF | Atlanta, GA
This table base is a modern take on the conventional farm table. It was used by the Atlanta Hardwoods Corporation as their main display table at the 2012 International Woodworking Fair. They provided the top, which was a gorgeous bubinga slab measuring 3 in. thick x 53 in. wide x 99 in. long. To contrast the ruggedness of the large live edge slab, refined quarter sawn wenge was used for the base.
Accessories
COMMUNAL TABLE
The Ritz-Carlton | Cayman Islands This was one of a pair of rustic communal “picnic” tables (36 in. wide x 72 in. long x 36 in. tall). The 3” top is faux breadboard, made out of 5/4” common white oak. The breadboard ends are false to avoid uneven shrinkage/expansion compared to the field. The rustic base is also 5/4” common white oak, miterfolded into 4” boxes. This rustic look was achieved by working the wood perpendicular to a running band saw blade.
NICHE TABLE
The Johnson Studio | Atlanta, GA
1/2” thread-rod welded to 12” x 12” steel plate
With the column assembled, the next items needed to complete the table base are the top plate, the decorative base, and the actual base. I welded 1/2” thread-rod to an 1/8” x 12” x 12” steel plate. The thread-rod runs the length of the table base, where a washer and nut at the bottom squeezes all the pieces together. The plywood sleds actually bear the pressure. The top plate is then the piece used to attach to the underside of the table. The decorative base and the actual base are both 6/4 hardwood milled down to 1 1/4”. The decorative base represents trim at the base of the column, but a 10” x 10” block gives the same illusion. The actual base is a 30” x 30” square with 7” radii cut out of the corners. 4” wide blocks with inset adj. levelers are then attached to the base.
mitered column
5/4” x 10” x 10” decorative feature
In an acutely angled corner of the conference room of the Johnson Studio sits this niche table (19 in. dia. x 21 1/2 in. tall). The table tapers out from the base to reveal its primary function, housing the uniquely shaped Polycom conference soundstation. The legs are polished stainless steel and the finish is a highly polished black automotive paint. 2 1/2” x 30” x 30” base 1/2” nut & washer
37
WO ODWORKING
WO ODWORKING
34
furniture gallery
EDISON craft ale + kitchen Contract furniture designed to a carry a rustic look. The restaurant was a new venture located at the historic Grove Park Inn in Ashville, NC. Each table comprised of two materials: richly figured common walnut offset by blackened steel.
VANITY CABINET
Private Residence | Atlanta, GA
BAR HT. DINING TABLE
A vanity cabinet designed for small spaces. The mirror slides, rather than swinging open, to save space and still be operable once the cabinet is open. The sliding hardware is a hand-forged custom bearing system on blackened steel. The wood is bleached common cherry and the finish is Danish oil and Polyurethane.
Grove Park Inn | Asheville, NC
The custom turnbuckle braces set this table apart from the others (36 in. wide x 36 in. deep x 42 in. tall). Beneath these are blackened steel boots to protect the legs from wear and tear.
HOST STAND
COMMUNAL TABLE
Savor & Relish | Dallas, TX
Grove Park Inn | Asheville, NC
Negative space was all that was needed to accentuate this simple host stand (48 in. wide x 20 in. deep x 42 in. tall). The frame is made of waterfalled common white oak boards, mitered with domino splines for added strength. The veneer used for the cabinet is flat cut white oak. The finish is Danish oil and Polyurethane.
TRI-MITER TABLE
Private Residence | Atlanta, GA This is the commercial offspring of the Tri-miter Tower. The 36� dia. glass top offers a view inside the base, elaborating on the construction and symmetry. The wood is common white oak accented by walnut splines, finished with Danish oil and Polyurethane.
35
WO ODWORKING
This communal table is made from (3) common walnut boards with a faux live edge as a cheaper alternative to a large walnut slab table. This top (24 in. wide x 96 in. deep) sits on two tapered u-shaped blackened steel legs. This table was built sans the stabilizer bar running the length of the table, maximizing knee clearance. The finish is Danish oil and Polyurethane.
ROUND DINING TABLE
Grove Park Inn | Asheville, NC
The blackened steel ring at the base is the secret to this table. Despite the base being weighted, this table was still top-heavy. The steel ring increases the stability by increasing the base’s surface area. The low profile and color help it to go less noticed, while also protecting the base from cleaning abrasions. (30 in. dia. x 30 in. tall)
WO ODWORKING
36
furniture gallery
EDISON craft ale + kitchen Contract furniture designed to a carry a rustic look. The restaurant was a new venture located at the historic Grove Park Inn in Ashville, NC. Each table comprised of two materials: richly figured common walnut offset by blackened steel.
VANITY CABINET
Private Residence | Atlanta, GA
BAR HT. DINING TABLE
A vanity cabinet designed for small spaces. The mirror slides, rather than swinging open, to save space and still be operable once the cabinet is open. The sliding hardware is a hand-forged custom bearing system on blackened steel. The wood is bleached common cherry and the finish is Danish oil and Polyurethane.
Grove Park Inn | Asheville, NC
The custom turnbuckle braces set this table apart from the others (36 in. wide x 36 in. deep x 42 in. tall). Beneath these are blackened steel boots to protect the legs from wear and tear.
HOST STAND
COMMUNAL TABLE
Savor & Relish | Dallas, TX
Grove Park Inn | Asheville, NC
Negative space was all that was needed to accentuate this simple host stand (48 in. wide x 20 in. deep x 42 in. tall). The frame is made of waterfalled common white oak boards, mitered with domino splines for added strength. The veneer used for the cabinet is flat cut white oak. The finish is Danish oil and Polyurethane.
TRI-MITER TABLE
Private Residence | Atlanta, GA This is the commercial offspring of the Tri-miter Tower. The 36� dia. glass top offers a view inside the base, elaborating on the construction and symmetry. The wood is common white oak accented by walnut splines, finished with Danish oil and Polyurethane.
35
WO ODWORKING
This communal table is made from (3) common walnut boards with a faux live edge as a cheaper alternative to a large walnut slab table. This top (24 in. wide x 96 in. deep) sits on two tapered u-shaped blackened steel legs. This table was built sans the stabilizer bar running the length of the table, maximizing knee clearance. The finish is Danish oil and Polyurethane.
ROUND DINING TABLE
Grove Park Inn | Asheville, NC
The blackened steel ring at the base is the secret to this table. Despite the base being weighted, this table was still top-heavy. The steel ring increases the stability by increasing the base’s surface area. The low profile and color help it to go less noticed, while also protecting the base from cleaning abrasions. (30 in. dia. x 30 in. tall)
WO ODWORKING
36
furniture gallery
this, watch the pressure so you don’t dimple the skin in between the ribs and end up with a wavy surface. I then clean cut the top and bottom and miter cut the sides on a sliding table saw to make sure everything was square. This leaves the last step of gluing the four sides together. I used simple masking tape to hold the joints together while the glue set up.
continued
ATLANTA HARDWOODS, INC DISPLAY TABLE
IWF | Atlanta, GA
This table base is a modern take on the conventional farm table. It was used by the Atlanta Hardwoods Corporation as their main display table at the 2012 International Woodworking Fair. They provided the top, which was a gorgeous bubinga slab measuring 3 in. thick x 53 in. wide x 99 in. long. To contrast the ruggedness of the large live edge slab, refined quarter sawn wenge was used for the base.
Accessories
COMMUNAL TABLE
The Ritz-Carlton | Cayman Islands This was one of a pair of rustic communal “picnic” tables (36 in. wide x 72 in. long x 36 in. tall). The 3” top is faux breadboard, made out of 5/4” common white oak. The breadboard ends are false to avoid uneven shrinkage/expansion compared to the field. The rustic base is also 5/4” common white oak, miterfolded into 4” boxes. This rustic look was achieved by working the wood perpendicular to a running band saw blade.
NICHE TABLE
The Johnson Studio | Atlanta, GA
1/2” thread-rod welded to 12” x 12” steel plate
With the column assembled, the next items needed to complete the table base are the top plate, the decorative base, and the actual base. I welded 1/2” thread-rod to an 1/8” x 12” x 12” steel plate. The thread-rod runs the length of the table base, where a washer and nut at the bottom squeezes all the pieces together. The plywood sleds actually bear the pressure. The top plate is then the piece used to attach to the underside of the table. The decorative base and the actual base are both 6/4 hardwood milled down to 1 1/4”. The decorative base represents trim at the base of the column, but a 10” x 10” block gives the same illusion. The actual base is a 30” x 30” square with 7” radii cut out of the corners. 4” wide blocks with inset adj. levelers are then attached to the base.
mitered column
5/4” x 10” x 10” decorative feature
In an acutely angled corner of the conference room of the Johnson Studio sits this niche table (19 in. dia. x 21 1/2 in. tall). The table tapers out from the base to reveal its primary function, housing the uniquely shaped Polycom conference soundstation. The legs are polished stainless steel and the finish is a highly polished black automotive paint. 2 1/2” x 30” x 30” base 1/2” nut & washer
37
WO ODWORKING
WO ODWORKING
34
CHEF’S TABLE
Cache | Little Rock, AR “No expense was spared in creating a dining experience that is like no other in Arkansas.” This is especially true for the chef’s table at Cache (60 in. dia. x 30 in. tall). This 3” thick top is hollow. Under the onyx is a channel to house the led backlight, and in the center is a lazy susan. The oak veneer is stained dark, with a slight rub through and finished with Polyurethane.
BAR
The Restaurant | St. Louis, MO This bar is a monolith of common hickory. The inset paneling is patinaed zinc, patterned after French Tile Patterns. Offsetting this stoic mass is the lighter crystalline back bar and wine cooler.
WO ODWORKING
38
Steve C och of f
Address 960 Ralph McGill Blvd. Atlanta, GA 30306
architect carpenter designer
O B J E C TIV E I’m seeking a full-time architectural position in a challenging and engaging environment in which I can acquire and contribute knowledge at a professional level.
Contact scochoff@gmail.com 678.386.5609
Aw ard s 2011
Unit Design Competition
National Concrete Masonry Association Prize money and national recognition 2011
Masonry Award Georgia Tech
Eligibility for national competition Travel arrangements provided by NCMA
E D UC ATION 2010 - 2012
Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA Master of Architecture 2006 - 2010
Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA Bachelor of Science in Architecture
PUBLICATIONS Atlanta Curbed
http://atlanta.curbed.com/archives/2012/06/12/an-expandedtour-of-atlantas-public-art.php
Creative Loafing Atlanta
http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2012/02/15/tristan-alhaddad-sculptures-multiply-along-the-beltline
Atlanta Beltline
http://beltline.org/2012/02/15/have-you-seen-these-newcollaboration-with-georgia-tech-school-of-architecture/
E MP L O Y M ENT 2005 - 2014
NCMA 2011 Annual Report
http://ncma.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/FINAL annualREPORTmod.pdf
Georgia Cabinet & Supply
Assistant Project Manager
Assist in the layout, milling, fabrication and finishing of furniture and mill work Repair and maintain various tools and machines 2007 - 2008
The Johnson Studio Architectural Intern
Assisted drawing plans, sections, elevations and details for construction documents Create 3-D models of interior spaces for rendering
C OM P U T ER P ROF I C I EN C Y AutoCAD MicroStation Rhinoceros 3ds Max SketchUp Revit Photoshop CS Illustrator CS InDesign CS