2023 Select Projects

2023

COACH UTHMAN, Mr. Uthman, Mr. O - depending on who you speak to, Uthman is referred to in so many different ways. The spaces Uthman has served in garnered him those titles and shaped his aspirations towards becoming an architect.

Prior to grad school, Uthman spent two years serving in AmeriCorps programs, City Year and Public Allies. Both programs were social justice oriented, and it sparked his commitment to revitalizing Black and Brown communities through design. Through his mechanical design background and love of art, Uthman aspires to continue serving communities that are overlooked through the medium of architecture.

uolowa@gmail.com

www.linkedin.com/in/uthmanolowa

EDUCATION

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Master of Architecture | Expected June 2023

Binghamton University, State University of New York

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering | 2016

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Gensler, San Francisco, CA Research Fellow | Summer 2022

designLAB Architects, Boston, MA

Architectural Design Intern | Summer 2021

Here There Be Dragons Podcast, RISD Graduate Assistant | Fall 2020 - Fall 2022

Project ARCHive, RISD

Audio Content Creator | Fall 2020-Spring 2021

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Lead Teaching Assistant (Steel Structures), RISD

Fall 2022

New York Urban League, New York, NY

Leadership S.T.E.M. Facilitator | 2018-2020

Public Allies, New York, NY Literacy Mentor | 2017-2018

TEACHING EXPERIENCE (continued)

City Year, Manchester, NH

AmeriCorps Member | 2016-2017

AWARDS + EXHIBITIONS

Gensler Rising Black Designer Scholarship

2022 Recipient

RISD Architecture Triennial, “Scale to Fit” Work Exhibited, Fall 2022

Low-Rise LA (Los Angeles) Housing Design Competition

Honorable Mention, Spring 2021

RISD Fellowship Award

2020 Recipient

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Design Software: Rhino, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, DragonFrame

Physical: Colored Pencil, Charcoal, Marker/Ink, Acrylic Paint

Fabrication: Laser Cutting, Table saw

HOW CAN A BUILDING EMBODY 30,000 YEARS OF HISTORY?

The Narragansett People established their existence in what is now Southern New England more than 30,000 years ago. Since the inception of the Rhode Island colony in 1636, the presence of the Narragansett Peoples has dramatically dwindled. The design of the Narragansett Art Academy is meant to serve as a reclamation of the land the Narragansett people inhabited first, and honor their history, as well as be a symbol of hope and continued growth towards the future.

NARRAGANSETT ART ACADEMY

Core 02 Studio: Constructions

Critic: Danniely Staback Rodriguez

The Narragansett Art Academy is located on the eastern coastline of Block Island, a small island south of Rhode Island. The Narragansett peoples historically settled on present-day Rhode Island 30,000 years ago. With the site being perched above the coast, the building engages with the environment around it to create an experience that reflects the values and practices of the Narragansett people.

DESIGN CONCEPT

Circulation + Program Orientation

The Aacademy is located roughly 30 feet above the coastline below. The circulation within the building flows along the topography of the site, contributing to the shape of the structure. The flow with the topography relates to the Narragansett people’s ability to work with nature as opposed to against it. The large communal programs are oriented towards the east, facing the coastline for users to enjoy, and be inspired by the endless view.

Dining Area

Auditorium Studios

Internal and External Courtyards

The Art Academy blends nature within the building as opposed to creating strict boundaries. The internal courtyard is bounded by the studios and auditorium spaces, and it offers a break from the stressors of producing artwork. The external courtyard overlooks the coast offering beautiful views and an outdoor eating area for users.

Illuminating the Dawn Auditorium

Direct sunlight is captured by the rounded sawtooth roof structure of the auditorium. The sawtooth system opens towards the South and reflected sunlight fills the space below. Beyond the auditorium, there is ample natural light filtered throughout the building.

ART ACADEMY FLOOR PLAN

The floor plan is a meandering path of circulation that is bordered by clusters of programmatic space made for communal gathering. Upon entering the building, visitors can veer left towards the larger communal spaces such as the dining area, library, and commissary. If visitors veer right upon entry, they will encounter the multi-disciplinary art studios and auditorium that is oriented around an indoor courtyard. The auditorium and dining spaces open to the east, to capture views of the shore and horizon.

Scale: 1/16” = 1’

1. Main office

2. Commissary

3. Library

4. Storage / Mechanical Rm.

5a. Kitchen

5b. Kitchen Storage

6. Faculty Office

7. Fabrication Lab

8. Studio(s)

9. Interior Courtyard

MATERIAL + FLORA EXPLORATION

Exterior + Interior cladding

Wood is a material that was heavily used by the Narragansett people, and that is reflected as the primary building material of the art academy. The exterior facade is a network of wooden panels at alternating sizes. Locally sourced timber laths create a warm inviting rhythym within the interior walls. For both systems, light interacts with the wood to create an atmosphere representative of the Narragansett way of living.

Northern Highbush Blueberry

The highbush blueberry is a thriving plant on Block Island due to the highly acidic soil on the island. This is one of many plant species that will be present in the interior courtyard, blending nature into the built environment.

Concrete Flooring

Floor panels made of concrete provide an earthy contrast to the wood laths that line the interior walls of the building.

ART STUDIOS + COURTYARD

As students, faculty, and visitors traverse the Academy, there are ample moments for gathering and collaboration. The studios face west capturing beautiful evening light as students and visiting artists work or present their work. Across from the studio is the internal courtyard that invites natural elements into the space. Users of the space never have to stray too far to experience the regenerative benefits of being in nature.

THE DAWN AUDITORIUM

This communal space is the primary gathering space for the Academy. With its east-facing orientation, the auditorium can open its modular wall and capture views of the horizon. The name of the auditorium is emblematic of the morning sun, and carries the symbolic meaning of hope and inspiration that comes with a new day. The Auditorium, and Academy as a whole, serves as the dawn of a new era for the Narragansett peoples in Rhode Island.

HYBRIDIZED MODELING

This project explores the inner workings of creating a digital model. Information embedded in the digital form was extracted and deployed to author an original physical model. At the onset, two surfaces merge and produce a new surface that is formed from their intersection. Through a hybridized replica, the surface is reproduced in the physical domain through the use of paper, seamlessly bridging the digital and physical realms.

THE MAMBA

Models Course

Critic: David Ross

Modeled Excerpt

The bolded outline of the hybridized spiral vessel is the portion of the surface that was physically modeled using folded bristol paper. The completed physical paper model is depicted in the images after the next page.

Vertical Strips Modeling Technique

The physical model was comprised of vertical and horizontal strips of panelized surfaces. The outer sides of the spiraled surface were grouped into vertical strips, and underside grouped into horizontal strips. This drawing depicts a sampled vertical strip of the model, where the dotted lines represents the scored incisions for folding to occur.

Physical Modeling Technique

The diagram to the left highlights the panels of the underside of the vessel. Each panel is tabulated to provide a point of connection to the adjacent strip. This system of scores and tabulated edges allowed for each strip to be folded and replicate the concavity of the original model.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION LOOK LIKE?

Education designers and strategists partner with schools, colleges, and universities to respond to change and create learning environment that are engaging, flecible, and resilient. During the 2022 Gensler Summer Fellowship, fellows explored the future of design on university campuses. The research was manifested in a speculative design at Tuskegee University.

EDUCATION ECOSYSTEMS

Gensler 2022 Summer Fellowship

Team members: Alex Q. J, Christina J., Tarlan P.

Critics: Mark Thaler, Donna Barry, Sara Catania, Brad Iest, Brian Watson

Tuskegee University is a Historically Black University, and the only college in the United States designated a historic site. Although Tuskegee possesses a rich history, it was apparent that the institution needed work on advancing its ecosystem for future students. The site for the project is located on the Southeastern portion of Tuskegee’s campus. Currently, a vacant lot is bordered by some of the most integral buildings on campus. The site is also bordered by University Ave - the main campus artery that students use to navigate. All of these factors contributed to an ideal location to begin designing a building that could facilitate Tuskegee’s future growth.

Administrative Public Amenities

Support / Facilities Thompkins Hall (Student Activities)

Residential Academic

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPI)

The diagrams below depict the research conducted during the design process. Five focus areas on Tuskegee’s campus were identified as targets to be addressed through the design of the Campus Connector. The five performance areas are listed below.

Existing KPI Values

Research on Tuskegee’s campus and documented feedback from the student body revealed the campus lacked primarily in learning variations and community inclusivity.

Potential KPI Values

After analyzing the data and research the areas with the greatest potential for growth were learning variations, connection, and outdoor livability. The design of the Campus Connector could provide solutions to each area. The design interventions are depicted in the ensuing pages

THE GOLDEN TIGER CONNECTOR

Named after Tuskegee’s Mascot, the Golden Tiger Connector is a proposed network of campus buildings that addresses the need for a more connected campus. Four buildings serve multi-purpose programming that encourages cross-disciplnary interactions amongst students and faculty. The bridges link the new buildings to each other and historic Thompkins Hall, which has served as a student hub for decades. The Golden Tiger Connector preserves the historic architectural vernacular of the campus while offering a fresh energized presence that serves its users.

FROM UNIVERSITY AVE TO THE QUAD

The future university provides ample opportunities for students, faculty, and community members to be connected without having to travel far. The section drawing below depicts how users on Tuskegee’s campus can connect with friends and faculty from University Ave to the inner green Campus Connector lawn. The setbacks of the building meets the users’ desire to have a variety of spaces to experience.

DESIGNING THE “PERFECT” WALL

The What Cheer Flower Farm project was an exploration of building systems. This project was an exercise that integrated local zoning, code, and building regulations to design a building that could go beyond the conceptual realm of other standard architectural studio projects. This exercise led to a greater understanding of how to design a structure that addresses the sustainable concerns of the future.

WHAT CHEER FLOWER FARM

Integrated Building Systems

Team members: Craytonia W., Elijah T., Kyle A.

Critic: Rachel Stopka

The What Cheer Flower Farm Center is located in the Olneyville neighborhood of Providence, RI. Thr project is a proposed building for the non-profit organization that is already operating on the site. The building designed is located on the Northeast corner of the site at the intersection of Dike Street and Agnes Street. The building houses What Cheer’s operational systems that includes the stem processing and packaging of the flowers they provide to the greater Olneyville community. In addition to the daily operations, the building contains programs that supports community events, job opportunities, and educational services.

The diagrams below depict the massing of the building and the decisions that were made to arrive at the final form. Under the M.U.75 Providence Zoning laws, the building is under 75 feet in height. The massing has a threshold that allows pedestrians to have direct access to the site from Stokes Street. Setbacks were created on the side of the building that faces the site to allow for interaction with the site at various levels.

STRUCTURE + WALL DETAIL

The structure of the building is a hybrid of steel and timber framing with Cross Laminated Timber for the flooring. Both materials can be sourced locally, which ultimately contributes to the efforts toward a sustainable design. The axonometric drawing below depicts the structural system of the building. The second Axonometric drawing illustrates the skin of the building with the brick veneer and the cladding system present. The detailed section drawings on the following page demonstrate how all of the wall elements come together to form the “perfect” wall.

Steel Beams

Glu-lam Columns

PARAPET FLASHING

WATER CONTROL MEMBRANE (FULLY ADHERED)

WATER, AIR AND VAPOR CONTROL MEMBRANE (FULLY ADHERED)

PEEL AND STICK TRANSITION MEM. AIR AND WATER CONTROL

GAP FILLED WITH INSULATION CAVITY INSUALATION

PREIMETER OF ROOF INSULATION WRAPPED IN AIR BARRIER TO BLOCK AIRFLOW FROM ROOF TO PARAPET

ROOF MEMBRANE

DEFLECTION SPACE

BACKER ROD TO FILL DEFLECTION JOIN AND REBOND WATER/AIR BARRIER

EXTERIOR CLADDING SYSTEM

The cladding system comprises wood laths that form a screen over the brick veneer facade. The cladding is adjustable and assists with the diffusion of natural light into the interior spaces. The brick siding maintains the architectural languge of the neighborhood, as Olneyville has a historic industrial past and the building types are made of brick. The exploded axonometric outlines the layers of the wall system that seals the thermal envelope of the building.

thank you