Design Portfolio spring 2012
Thomas McCarthy
Thomas McCarthy 9232 University City Boulevard #37 Charlotte, NC 28213 {tel.} 603 944 6085 {email} tcmccart@uncc.edu
The following is a series of selected works that were completed while enrolled at UNC Charlotte’s School of Architecture’s three-year graduate program. It provides a brief representation of my design interest, process, and capabilities.
Project Overview Thesis LIC Design Competition Haiti Ideas Challenge Shelton Vineyards Winery Asheville Urban Upfit Constructs Graphic Design Illustrations
1-16 17-26 27-30 31-38 39-44 45-50 51-52 53-56
Thesis
Ecological Parametrics
Formulating an architecture that produces a solution to economic issues concerning a specified ecology.
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Site Diagram 400 North Lake Shore Drive Chicago, Illinois
n water street
future construction
n lake shore drive
chicago river
existing structure
vegetation
public space
2.2 acres (95,832 sq. ft.)
Species The initial study aimed at creating a foundation for the idea that architecture that responded to biological needs could be incorporated and/or merged with other programmatic necessities. The goal was to illustrate the process of implementation.
mammals reptiles amphibians crustaceans snails invertebrates insects plants birds fish
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urban-site
eco-site
mammals reptiles amphibians crustaceans snails invertebrates insects plants birds fish
approximately 110,000 sq. ft.
approximately 125,000 sq. ft.
n a d toce u s g i ian a Ple iner N w a sh Io pek on To id sturge Pall vefish Ozar k ca Tumbling Creek cavesnail Decu Ame rrent false aster rican D har t Ea warf l ’s-to s a ngue k t Fa er e i fern r ss n i s pr et ai t’s lo rie fr co ing we ed ed or ch id
il
na es er
t ar
’s ton
d
ro
n lde
go
e etl be ng r yi bu er can ipp eri k s rfly Am kota butte Da blue r e terfly Karn satyr but Mitchell’s Hine’s emerald dragonfly Hungerfo rd’s c r a Wh w li n g water be A ite c a etle Gr r kans t’s paw p e a o a s r l t y d t muss a o r te el s c r u lpi n ih po d
x lyn da na bat Ca ray wolf G y Gra bat a n bat India ig-eared Ozar k b Bog Turtle Cop p e r Easte belly water snak e rn m L a s s a O ake s auga Illi zar Erie w no k ate i r s hell s nak c av bend e e am er p
y gh dais u e lover Ho kesid c e i La y prair lily Leaf sota dwarf trout Minne Bald eagle Mead’s m ilkweed Leas t tern Pip W ing p lo ho op ver ing cra ne
Various endangered species were investigated. Afterwards eleven were chosen as possible candidates that could survive on the site.
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Piping Plover
One of the endangered species, the Piping Plover, was selected in order to provide examples of the kinds of parameters that could be discovered through thorough habitat investigation.
2/12
Piping Plovers spend up to 10 months of the year on the wintering grounds in the Texas Gulf Coast. Plovers depart for the wintering grounds from mid-July to late October. They feed on exposed wet sand in wash zones; intertidal ocean beach; mud-, sand-, and algal flats; and shorelines of streams, and salt marshes by probing for invertebrates at or below the surface.
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il r te sna ar ne d e c a gu isto er ian Ple N wa a shin Io pek on g To id stur e Pall fish ve ca Ozark Tumbling Creek cavesnail Decu Am rrent false aster Dw erican h ar t’s E arf -ton Fa aster lake gue iris fern ss n pr et air t’s ie lo frin co ge we do ed rch id
Charadrius melodus
e etl be ng r yi bu can pper i eri k s fly Am kota utter Da er blue b y Karn ll’s satyr butterfl Mitche Hine’s emerald dragonfly Hunge rf o rd ’s crawling Wh water be A ite cat’s etle pa G r ka w p r ear ly ott nsas d muss a o el scu r ter lpi n
ipo d
ph
x lyn da na bat Ca ray wolf G ray at G na b India big-eared bat Ozark Bog Turtle Copperb elly wate Easte r snake r n m L assas O ake auga Ill zar Erie i n oi k he water s ll sna c ke av bend e am er
d ro en old g ’s ton y gh dais u e er Ho kesid -clov ie a ir L y pra lily Leaf sota dwarf trout Minne Bald eagle Mead’s m ilkweed Leas Pip t Pteiprn i i W ng p ng p lo lo ho op ver ver ing cra ne
This diagram represents the idea of an additional waterway on site to create an increased sense of isolation. The design move developed as a response to the piping plover‘s sensitivity to human presence and the majority of their wintering grounds being located on Texas islands within the gulf coast.
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Threats
dogs
falcons
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) length: 14-19 inches weight: 18-56 ounces wingspan: 3.3-3.6 feet
racoons skunks foxes cats
Selective predator management using the exclosures has pro’s and con’s. Predators still harass the plovers, in some cases causing them to abandon the nest. The pipers also may not “accept” the small confinement, resulting in similar abandonment.
crows coyotes people vehicles
gulls
DRC1339
35% American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) length: 17-21 inches weight: 20 ounces
Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) length: 21-26 inches weight: 40 ounces
44%
DRC1339 is a chemical product injected into chicken eggs in order to attract “smart” predators who prey on habitats similar to the piping plover’s.The chemical kills the host within 72 hours, and is applied between March and May; when the plover’s are mating.
seagrass
site edge
By mimicking tidal fluctuations, water recedes, and the plovers are able to feed in the exposed mud-flats. Researchers recommend that adding a buffer to the MLLW (mean lower low water) boundary to capture areas exposed during low tides when piping plovers are present. This diagram gives an example of both the buffer and a depressed zone that could be used to capture additional prey.
capture zones
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Part Two
Hydroponic Filtering System
The second half of the thesis focused on illustrating how biological needs could provide parameters that would drive a comprehensive design. The result was a proposal for a urban fishery and biological control facility that would deal with the issue of aquatic invasive species and the reduction of particular native fish.
- effluent water from tanks is distributed throughout the excavated area - plants remove ammonia, nitrates, and phosphates from the water - filtered water is returned to the tanks via a siphon - plants use nutrients for expedited growth - possibility of plants used as a food supplement for the fish - the closed-loop water system uses less energy - fish excrement can be packaged as fertilizer
Final Program 1. Biological Containment Facility 2. Fish Hatchery 3. Aquatic Research Laboratory (industrial partnership) - Addition to the Center for Structural Biology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. - Addition to the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Chicago. - Addition to Northwestern University School of Engineering and Applied Science. 4. Residential Tower
Issues of Open-Water Harvesting
Benefits of Urban Fishery
Environmental Impacts of Open-Ocean Aquaculture
- reduction of already depleted natural population - use of non-renewable resources - removal of adolescent fish populations that are not available for sale - unreliable source for fisherman and market
- continuous production - safe from the elements - avoids pollutants - waste products can be utilized as fertilizer - fresh products with no preservatives - reduction of non-renewable energy consumption by the abandonment of harvesting related machinery - close proximity to demand - control over food intake - control over water quality - control over water temperature
- using wild-caught fish to feed farmed fish impacts other wildlife that depends on them for food. - fish can escape - uneaten food can build up on the ocean floor underneath the pens, altering the abundance and biodiversity of these communities - fish waste adds extra potential harmful nutrients to the ecosystem - other marine wildlife can become entangled in the fish pens - underwater loadspeakers to keep other marine wildlife away alter the natural behavior of predators - threat of disease from wild fish - threat from chemicals and pollutants
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Algae Facade System
- uses Co2 emitted from the building to create algae and O2 - algae is used to feed fish in larval stage - biofuel can also be extracted from the algae
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Diagrams
paths
water remediation
light shafts
parking deck
bloater chub tanks
green space
deck vehicle access
algae wall
oxygen bar
building skin
lake shore drive
yellow perch tanks
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Long Island City Cinema Competition
Vegetation
Entry, ticket,and lobby space
This design focused on recreating a complete ecological system centered around native woodpeckers. This kind of habitat in New York City could significantly reduce (as much as eighty percent) the growing population of the invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB). Since 1996 the ALB has cost the city between thirteen and forty million dollars annually.
Sixteen theaters and an IMAX theater had to be strategically placed on the site in order to maximize the amount of woodlands needed to support the woodpecker habitat. Trees were placed in the adjacent river channel, and within planters on reused train rails so they could be moved during outdoor movie premiers. Wood blocks were also incorporated into the facade
at various heights that correlated with the various woodpeckers nesting preferences
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Low tree layer; dwarf fruit trees Herbaceous; beats, herbs
Canopy; large fruit and nut trees
7-Layer Forest
Shrub layer; currants and berries
Soil surface; ground cover
Rhizosphere; root, vegetable
Vines
Foodsource
Berries infected with nematodes
Woodpeckers hosting nematodes
Nematodes distributed in soil
Tree infected with Asian Longhorn Beetle
Proposed Strategy 20
Facade Diagram Rebar Frame
Metal Sleeve
Timber Block
Structure
Building Skin
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Restaurant and exterior projection screen
Woodpecker habitat facade
Below grade circulation
Outdoor seating 24
Paths and greenway connection
Mobile tree zone
Tree canopy circulation
Theaters
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Haiti Ideas Challenge In response to the natural disaster that took place on January 12, 2010, a design competition was held in pursuit of ideas that could help stabilize the country of Haiti. This design aimed at enhancing the strengths of the nation where 66% of the labor force is involved with agriculture, which contributes to 23% of the overall GDP. The design also sought to provide new solutions to the countries regional concerns that were in addition to the devastation from the 7.0 magnitude earthquake. The final product was a response to the need for quick and easily assembled housing, water collection, mosquito avoidance and prevention, and seismically sound structures, while providing opportunities for private agriculture growth for profit and medicinal purposes.
Regional Concerns
Infectious Diseases
Environmental + Health
Hazards
Malaria
Food or waterborne: Bacterial and Protozoal Diarrhea, Hepatitus A and E, Typhoid Fever
Deforestation (cleared for agriculture and fuel) Soil erosion Inadequate supplies of potable water
Hurricane belt provides storms from June through October Flooding Earthquakes Periodic Droughts
Each year 500 million are diagnosed with malaria worldwide, and more than 1 million die. In Haiti 15 out of every 100,000 people carry the parasitic disease.
Vectorborne: Dengue Fever and Malaria Water Contact: Leptospirosis
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Products Existing: Coffee, Mangoes, Sugarcane, Rice, Corn, Sorghum, and Wood. Proposed: Mushrooms
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Shelton Vineyards Winery
The goal of this project was to allow vernacular resources and patterns found within the region to shape the wine facility. The design sought to create the impression of a man-made object inserted in the landscape. Local materials, vegetation, and overall form were used to respond to the context of the area. Submerging a large portion of the building provided pas-
sive cooling, via thermal mass, for the fermentation tanks located on the lower level, and the orientation of the building enabled a reduced solar heat gain. Local stone was used in the dry-stacked facade, floors, and ceiling, in order to contrast the vibrant color of the vegetation surrounding the building. The structural ties used for lateral support were revealed on the northern and
southern elevations, aligning with the rows of vines located on site. An operable screen on the southern facade illustrated the different processes occurring within the facility, and allowed the growth of vegetation that provided evaporative cooling during warmer months.
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Wall Elevation + Section
Detail Model
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Elevation | Section | Section Perspective
Building Section 1/8” = 1’-0”
Site Plan
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Final Model
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Urban Upfit Asheville, NC
This project was an exercise in long-range planning. It dealt with the current design issues of the town, proposed new streets, infill, greenspace, and retail and cultural nodes.
green roofs
new buildings
retail nodes
green space
pedestrian paths
focal points
water remediation
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Focus Area 1
Focus Perspective 1
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Focus Area 2
Focus Perspective 2
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Constructs
Slow House Model
Montessori School Toy
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Mid-Century Modern Credenza Walnut top and frame African Rosewood doors Antique oil finish
Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table Walnut top and frame Book-faced top Antique oil finish
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Graphic Design Master of Urban Design C h i n a
Beijing Shanghai Suzhou
{School ofArchitecture} University of North Carolina at Charlotte
5 wk
In the past three decades, China has undergone dramatic urban transformation under the country’s rapid economic growth and massive urbanization. Chinese cities continued to expand and developed in a highdensity urban pattern, resulting in dynamic urban landscapes with the juxtaposition of skyscrapers and traditional neighborhoods. In the historic cities like Beijing and Suzhou, the legacies of classical urbanism maintain their influence. Meanwhile, numerous new towns have been created across the country to house the swelling population and sustain economic growth. All these phenomena make China an unparalleled place to mine new knowledge of urban design and architecture.
May 14, 2012 June 18, 2012
Checagou 2012
Checagou 2012
{Ecological Parametrics Competition}
{Ecological Parametrics Competition}
Formulating an architecture that produces a solution to economic issues concerned with a specified ecology.
Formulating an architecture that produces a solution to economic issues concerned with a specified ecology.
“The architecture and art of the closing decade of the second millennium have become so selfreferential, so concerned with their own existence and self-definition that today art seems to be about works of art instead of being about the world, and architecture about buildings, not about life. Both deal more with the philosophical issues of representation than with their own contents. The functional and utilitarian dimension of architecture has been pushed aside.” {Juhani Pallasmaa}
“The architecture and art of the closing decade of the second millennium have become so selfreferential, so concerned with their own existence and self-definition that today art seems to be about works of art instead of being about the world, and architecture about buildings, not about life. Both deal more with the philosophical issues of representation than with their own contents. The functional and utilitarian dimension of architecture has been pushed aside.” {Juhani Pallasmaa}
Architecture = Function(Economics) {Hannes Meyer}
please refer to brochure for details
Architecture = Function(Economics) {Hannes Meyer}
please refer to brochure for details
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Illustrations Rome, Italy
Santissimo Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano
Fontana Della Tartarughe
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Villa Rotunda
Portrait
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Thomas McCarthy 9232 University City Boulevard #37 Charlotte, NC 28213 {tel.} 603 944 6085 {email} tcmccart@uncc.edu