PORTFOLIO ZACHARY J. STUERMER
“The creation continues incesantly through the media of man” -Antoni Gaudí
RESUME OBJECTIVE
With a background in Biology and Ecology, I have an inherant affection for design and the environment and a passionate drive for furthering their synergy.
EDUCATION
Clemson University | May 2022 Architecture | MArch GPA: 3.86 AIA SC Chapter Fellowship Graduate Assistant University of Georgia | Dec. 2018 Biology & Ecology | Bachelor of Science GPA: 3.33 Zell Miller Scholarship HOPE Scholarship John and LA Spears Foundation Scholarship Discover Abroad | Spring 2017 Hawaii | New Zealand | Australia | Fiji GPA: 3.76 •Examined the impact of various land and resource conservation technique’s in New Zealand, Australian, and Hawaiian socioeconomics •Collected energy and waste use research for Fijian Eco-Resort to lessen environmental impact
SKILLS
Painting | Drawing | Woodburning | Photography Revit | Rhino | Photoshop | InDesign | Illustrator | AutoCAD
EXPERIENCE
Pure Form Design Studio | 2018-Present Intern •Create and propose architectural design schemes and solutions for clients •Research code, material, and concepts •Solve design problems and implement ideas through sketching and the use of Revit The Zach of All Trades Co. | 2017-Present Founder •Design and creation of over 30 personalized gifts and cards within the first quarter •Communicate effectively to ensure high quality customer service •Management of budget and supplies Holly Productions | 2011-Present Director of Design •Supervise and direct design and operations for seasonal decorations in 25 highly trafficked corporate locations in Atlanta •Management of subcontracted installation and decoration teams Riverbend Renovations | 2019 Subcontractor •Consult with contractor and clients on design matters and creative properties of renovations •Organize materials and operate production equipment •Perform tasks necessary to expediate demolition, preparation, and reconstruction of projects
INVOLVEMENT
Clemson GAPP Habitat for Humanity UGA Equip Athens
CONTENTS EDUCATIONAL
REGROWTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . .07 GATEWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 CORNERSTONE . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 BOOLEANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
FLUOR DANIEL . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
PROFESSIONAL
MAUI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 SANTA BARBARA . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 PARK CITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
PERSONAL
WATERCOLORING . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 WOODBURNING . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 PHOTOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 LUMINARIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
EDUCATIONAL
REGROWTH “Regrowth” is a reimagination of transitional housing for disabled homeless veterans of Mobile, Alabama with a focus on the synergetic rehabilitation of the inhabitant and their environmental surroundings. We have selected a site that is immediately adjacent to the existing Veterans Affairs Clinic in Mobile. This site is severely eroded from years of lumbering and heavy storms. Given the value of the VA Clinic next door, we saw it as an opportunity to rehabilitate the environment while simultaneously rehabilitating the veterans that would be living there. This site is nestled in a sub-urban area that provides a wealth of job opportunities for our transitional residents as they re-enter the community. “Regrowth” is designed to be an integration space for users of all walks of life, including the VA nursing staff and local community members. Designed in Fall of 2020 in collaboration with Brittany Lapple and Sarah Miley.
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GATEWAY “Gateway Design School of Asheville” is a higher education school of the arts with a focus on sustainable and innovative tent design. The intention of this school is to provide a top tier education for students seeking a career in outdoor gear design, while simultaneously providing them with a comfortable place to call home. This is a “live-work-play” style community also houses a large public area for the students to intermingle with the public. With the tectonics of tents in mind, we designed the building to feel light and airy while still retaining a sense of stability. That being said, the obvious choice for the structural system is steel framing with concrete slab floors. The lightweight paneling pattern of the exterior facade is also directly inspired by the prismatic, taught nature of a tent fly stretched over the stiff frame of the interior space. Designed in Spring of 2020 in collaboration with Sydney Parker.
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CORNERSTONE “Cornerstone” is a non-denominational sacred space designed to be a place of peace, solitude, and unity for the students of Clemson University. The heavy walls are comprised of locally sourced quartz to create a feeling of monolithic timelessness. Upon entry to the side hall, the user has the option to remove their shoes and store them in a series of cubbies. In the main sanctuary, there are sand pits beneath several of the pews. The feeling of bare feet on the earth has long been a gesture of going “back to our roots” and allows the user to unwind and decompress in this place of rest. This removal of shoes also symbolizes a form of ritual in every religion. It is one action that all share and thus opens the room for mutual respect and unity among different cultures. Once they exit the main hall, they can rinse their feet in the wash station provided before replacing their shoes and going back out into campus. Designed in Fall of 2019.
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BOOLEANS This series of projects is part of a collection built in a Visualization course at Clemson University. I learned how to design and experiment with Rhino and AutoCAD to create a variety of spaces and design solutions to fit different needs. After creating the initial form, it was then manipulated, sliced, disassembled, and reassembled in a number of ways. The other benefit of these projects was the opportunity they provided to learn how to use the 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines. The lamp and bench shown are just 2 examples of the physical products created in this series.
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FLUOR DANIEL This load tracing analysis model of the Fluor Daniel Engineering Innovation Building was created in a Structures course at Clemson University. Having a keen understanding of structural systems is an important piece of the puzzle when creating high quality design. It allows architects to create feasible projects and reduce wasted time when collaborating with engineers. Produced in Spring of 2020 in collaboration with Emma Gibson and Alyssa Pinkham.
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PROFESSIONAL
MAUI The “Spoelstra Residence” is a 4 bed 4.5 bath luxury home designed on the coast of Kihei, HI. In my experience on this project, I was fortunate enough to meet with the clients and carry through my own design concepts under the assistance of the Principal Architect. The home sits merely feet off the beach and faces South West to catch some of Hawaii’s most sought after sunset views. The butterfly roof system allows sunlight to pour into the home at all times and also provides unobstructed views up towards the mountains in the North East. This home’s design process began in the Summer of 2018 and is currently on hold in the Design Development phase.
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SANTA BARBARA The “Malinowski A.D.U.� is a 1 bed 1 bath accessory dwelling unit designed in the heart of Santa Barbara, CA. This is another project I was able to meet with the client on and carry out my own design concepts under the assistance of the Principal Architect. The unit design was subject to many restrictions with easements and height codes. The small footprint allows for a volume that the resident can live comfortably in and leaves minimal wasted space. The shed roof allows sunlight to enter from the south and while simultaneously providing shade for the balcony in the back. This design process began in the Summer of 2018 and construction was completed in the Fall of this past year.
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PARK CITY The “Heiner Residence� is a spacious luxury home in the foothills of Morgan, UT. The Principal Architect and I first met with the client in the Summer of 2018 to begin the design process and I have had the pleasure of collaborating on many of the design solutions and drawings since then. The front of the house captures sweeping views of the mountains while the back cascades into a creek that wraps around the property. This modern rustic home will fit the family of 5 comfortably. The shop and loft will be constructed first to provide space for the family to live on property while the remainder of the residence is built. This project has just been stamped by engineers this past month and will hopefully break ground on construction in the near future.
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PERSONAL
WATERCOLORING My undergraduate degree in Biology and Ecology left little room for creativity. I started “The Zach Of All Trades Co.� in the Fall of 2017 as a way to invest my time and energy into something to stretch my artistic legs a little bit. As a result, I began to wonder if I was better suited for a field such as Architecture rather than the Medicine. These projects are only a few examples of work that I have completed on commission for a number of clients. This work has taught me a lot about building good client-designer relationships to better produce something that they will love and cherish without sacrificing my own design preferences or my compensation.
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WOODBURNING In the Fall of 2018, I bought a wood burner as a way to sign my woodworking pieces and soon after realized it could be used for much more than that. These are a few of my favorite pieces that I’ve made with it since then. Traditionally, when something is being burned, it is considered to be harmful to the piece. However, it this situation, I find the way the burning tool alters the material in order to create something beautiful to be paradoxically poetic. Woodburning is similar to architectural design in that it is important to consider the many unconventional ways we may be able to create beauty.
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PHOTOGRAPHY What started out simply as a way to document my travels in order to share my stories with friends and family has evolved into something much more. Now when I leave to go anywhere, I never leave my camera behind. So far, I favor shooting bodies of water the most. They are ever-changing and as such the photograph provides that much more of a sense of concrete stillness. The picture captures a point in time that can never be relived or experienced in the same way again. The more computer programs I learn, the more capable I feel in my editing abilities as well. I hope to continue to use this tool in finding inspiration as a designer and in documenting what I create.
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LUMINARIES In the Spring of 2017, I started working as a designer for Bee Natural Honey Pots based in Athens, GA. My job was to produce the highest quality products as efficiently as possible and also to create new marketable ideas that would attract more business. These are a few of the beeswax luminaries that I designed. They range from complex carvings to simple flowers and foliage. The best part about working with wax is how forgiving it is. If you accidentally carve too much off or drop a piece, you can very easily melt it back down and recreate it. Of all my personal artistic experience, this one has proved to be one of the most helpful in providing me with a good sense of spatial orientation and teaching me how to create voids of space to play with light. These are two skillsets that will serve me well in the field of Architecture.
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