nick merge lavelle
merging structure + site creating sustainable design for people + the environment ba arch: miami university (2008) mla: university of michigan (2012)
interests
resume
education
awards exhibitions programs skills experience
contact
5022 SW Slavin Rd. Unit 19 Portland, Oregon 97239 419.863.0108 zuzolonl@gmail.com
Sustainable/Ecological Design | Merging Landscape with Architecture | Innovative Stormwater Management | Socially Responsible Design | Urban Design | Cultural Design | Inclusive Design | Creative Problem Solving
University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | MI | August | 2012 MASTERS OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE Miami University | Oxford | OH | May | 2008 BACHELOR of ARTS in ARCHITECTURE | CUM LAUDE MINOR | LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ASLA Certificate of Honor | Ray Marshall Rowe Memorial Award: recognizes the student with most promise in graphic presentation | Sigma Lamda Alpha: Landscape Architecture Honor Society | Miami University Dean’s List: 5 of 8 semesters | Hal Barcus Architectural Scholarship [Miami] The Lean Years Conference: University of Michigan | EDRA 42 Chicago | Charles H. Wright African American History Museum | U of M Work Detroit Gallery | Landscape Spaces + Places Conference: Indiana University AutoCAD | Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign | ArcGIS | SketchUp | Microstation | Microsoft Office | TR-55 Hand Rendering | Hand + Computer Drafting | Model Building | Graphic Design + Layout | Public Speaking + Presentations | Construction Documents | Photo Montage | Welding | Woodworking
CANOE | Portland | OR SALES SUPPORT ASSOCIATE | Oct. 2012 - Present Marianne Zarkin Landscape Architects | Portland | OR GRAPHICAL RENDERER | Nov. - Dec. 2012
*Provided graphical rendering services for a project in Lake Oswego. Utilized AutoCAD, Photoshop and Illustrator to complete several high quality, graphically strong plans to communicate the planting and hardscape designs.
The Heidelberg Project | Detroit | MI DESIGNER | Jan. 2010 - Dec. 2011
*Recruited by Professor Beth Diamond to research + design a sustainable vision for the non-profit group’s new community arts center: The House that Makes Sense | The design and associated graphics are utilized for fundraising for the building *Collaborated with an architect, developer and Heidelberg staff to produce a schematic design that was code compliant, meeting space + programatic needs of Heidelberg, and used for pricing + feasibility studies | Produced a 17-page schematic design drawing set that included site, layout, floor, furniture, and roof plans, sections, elevations, model photos, precedents, details, materials, lighting design, and paintings
University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | MI GRADUATE STUDENT INSTRUCTOR | Winter + Fall 2011
*Site Engineering + Landscape Planning Studio | Assisted teaching first + second year graduate students *Reviewed + Graded projects/assignments | Held office hours + desk critiques | Received excellent reviews
Fanning Howey Associates, Inc. | Celina | OH LANDSCAPE INTERN | Aug. 2008 - Aug. 2009
*Participated in all phases of design: schematic, design development, construction documents, and construction administration | Collaborated with engineers, architects, and interior designers on K-12 schools *Participated in LEED design + documenting site credits on Gold + Platinum receiving projects *Responsible for site grading, reviewing submittals, and presenting to clients | Worked on Illustrative Plans, Site Layout, Grading, Planting, Details, Playgrounds, Site analysis, and Project Addenda
The Architectural Group, Inc. | Dayton | OH MODEL BUILDER + INTERN | Jun. - Aug. 2007 + 2008
*Constructed a 1/40 scale model for the Dayton Tech Town Sustainable Development | Constructed to light up | Managed a budget and schedule | Proposed buildings were constructed as boxes of translucent acrylic + existing buildings were detailed using polystyrene and clear acrylic | Displayed at Dayton City Hall and Miami University *Built a 1/115 site model for a development by Synergy | Proposed buildings were distinguished by using stacks of clear acrylic compared to the existing buildings, detailed using colored + mirrored plastic | Context outside the development was printed on clear transparency, then placed on clear acrylic
Miami University | SPRING STREET URBAN DESIGN PROJECT | Oxford | OH DESIGN TEAM | Spring | 2008
*Proposed innovative ideas to make Spring Street a complete + green street | Collaborated with Professor David Pryterch, Miami University Architects, BHDP Architects, and City of Oxford | Produced a comprehensive document backed by intensive research + case studies | Filled with graphically rich design drawings detailing potential design interventions such as bike lanes, raised crosswalks, pedestrian plazas, and rain gardens
CONTENT
THE HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE HEIDELBERG PROJECT COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER
2010-2012 | INDEPENDENT DESIGN PROJECT WITH PROFESSOR BETH DIAMOND + THE HEIDELBERG PROJECT | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
DESIGNING A CULTURALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RELEVANT BUILDING AND SITE
2007 | SUSTAINABILITY STUDIO | MIAMI UNIVERSITY
CONNECTING THE DOTS
MUD LAKE BOG PRESERVATION PLAN AND SITE DESIGN
2010 | LANDSCAPE PLANNING Studio | University of Michigan
GREENING AND COMPLETING DETROIT STREET TRANSPORMING DETROIT STREET INTO A GREEN, COMPLETE STREET
2011 | LANDSCAPE PLANNING STUDIO | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
BLUE BOTTLES
REPURPOSING COLORED GLASS BOTTLES FOR A CUSTOM CHANDELIER
2007 | INDEPENDENT DESIGN PROJECT
FURNITURE + LIGHTING DESIGN
2007-PRESENT | INDEPENDENT DESIGN/BUILD PROJECTS
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
UNRAVELLING THE HISTORICAL STRATA TO CREATE NEW LAYERS THAT UNFOLD OVER TIME
2012 | METRO LANDSCAPE STUDIO | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
FROM THE WATER
RESURRECTING THE MIAMI INDIANS’ BUILDING AND LANDSCAPE TRADITIONS BEGINNING WITH THE ADDITION TO A HISTORICAL BUILDING
2008 | MYAMIA CULTURAL STUDIO | MIAMI UNIVERSITY
FULL CIRCLE
HEIDELBERG PROJECT ART INSTALLATION
2012 | INSTALLATION STUDIO | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
PROFESSIONAL MODELS
MODELS THAT HELP PEOPLE VISUALIZE THE POTENTIAL OF NEW URBAN INFILL DEVELOPMENT
2007-2008 | THE ARCHITECTURAL GROUP INC.
PROFESSIONAL RENDERING
2012 | MARIANNE ZARKIN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
EARTH + SKY CHURCH
MERGING EARTH AND THE HEAVENS ABOVE TO CREATE A SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL FAITHS
2007 | GRADUATE LEVEL LANDSCAPE STUDIO | MIAMI UNIVERSITY
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION DESIGN FOR THE NEW HELLENIC MUSEUM OF MICHIGAN
2011 | PLANTING DESIGN STUDIO | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
DANA GARDEN DESIGN/BUILD PROJECT
CREATING A DYNAMIC OUTDOOR SPACE AND DEMONSTRATION AREA FOR THE DANA BUILDING
2011-2012 | DESIGN/BUILD STUDIO | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
ECO-REVELETORY U: the wings
BRINGING ECO-REVELETORY DESIGN TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
2011 | SITE DESIGN STUDIO | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
IT’S IN THE BOX!
INITIATING NEW PUBLIC SPACE IN DETROIT THROUGH MOBILE INTERVENTIONS GENERATED BY COMMUNITY PARTICIPATORY DESIGN PROVIDING COMMUNITY-BASED INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE UNDERREPRESENTED
2011-2012 | MASTER’S THESIS PROJECT | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
THE HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
heidelberg project community arts center
detroit | mi
background:
Tyree Guyton created the Heidelberg Project on his native Heidelberg Street in 1986 using found object art. all the objects were used by people at one point, giving an energy to it. he used this energy to bring attention to his crumbling neighborhood, to bring about a change and new life. Tyree uses different colored dots to show the diversity of people and how art can heal the differences between people.
concept:
The House that Makes Sense (HTMS) is to serve as the new community arts center for the Heidelberg Project Cultural Village, designed to display parallel concepts in the construction of a building and the building of community. A spiralshaped nerve center for the Cultural Village, the HTMS provides spaces to support community development, introduce visitors to the Heidelberg Project and to make and celebrate art.
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
n
+Final Site Plan
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
5. 4.
3.
2. +Dot Pull-Apart Model 5 3
1 2
+First Floor Plan 1. dot gallery 2. interior concrete wall 3. interior penny ramp gallery 4. exterior penny ramp (green roof) 5. exterior vertical wood members
The basic building concept builds off of the art and atmosphere already established at Heidelberg. Such components of the design include building out of found and reused materials as much as possible, a theme found in Guyton’s work. One of the unique details of the design calls for the use of compacted metal bales to construct massive structural walls for the HTMS. The design also calls for a circular or “Dot” form as part of the design to recall Tyree’s signature polkadots in his art that are a testamate to peoples’ faces. This form is meant to have a spiritual and ceremonial character; the center portion of this form houses gallery space while the encompasing perimeter is a ramp that ascends to the upper floors. At night, the “Dot” radiates to beacome a beacon of hope for the neighborhood and Detroit. This ramp is also a reference to the famous Guggenheim Museum in NYC, as Heidelberg has been referenced as the “Ghetto Guggenheim” on many occassions.
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
+HOPE Concept Painting
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
+ Initial Design
+Dot Gallery Natural Indirect Lighting studies
+Floor Plan Development
The initial design was done for a different site in the Heidelberg Project, the corner of Heidelberg and Ellery. The site was moved to the Mount Elliott location due to the greater amount of traffic and visibility it would have. The House was then redesigned using the initial design as a jumping-off point but making it more permeable to the street, less-fortress like, and an overall reduction in size down to 10,000 sf.
+Metal Bale Walls
+Mount Elliott Street Design
The new design would be based around three simple forms with each form having a separate use as well as utilizing different sustainable systems. The “Wedge” making the southeast component of the building houses the educational and core components. The “Semicircle” creates the northern portion of the building and houses the new offices for the Heidelberg Staff. The “Dot” is the central and most significant part of the building housing the galleries and also being the only portion that is two stories, making it also the tallest.
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
The House has been a long-time dream of the Heidelberg Project, a unique structure that would be just as known around the world as Heidelberg Street. The original vision saw an existing house clad in pennies collected by school children from across the country; the thousands of pennies are waiting to give the old vision new life. Using the spiral, a symbol of rebirth, as the design concept, the pennies are proposed to portray this concept by following the lifefilled corridors. The corridors, both indoor and outdoor, outline the spiral while following the energy-filled bale walls.
+East Elevation
+North Elevation
+South Elevation
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
+West Elevation
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
1. rainwater cisterns 2. daylighting 3. trombe wall (metal bale walls) 4. geothermal heat pump 5. passive solar cooling + natural ventilation 6. sunken mosaic urbanite outdoor courtyard 7. green roof 8. bioretention pond 9. birch grove 10. mechanical deck 11. outdoor classroom 12. sculptural gutter
12
10
2
8
+Section A
6
3
+Section B
4
2
3
summer cooling
9
winter heating
12
6
5
3
7 2
12
9
3
+Section C
7
2 Green Roof
12 First Floor
Ground Floor
11
+Section D
3
6
1
d
d
b
a
c
14
16
5 12
17
11 10
12
2
5 5
7 13
15
1
6 9
8
3
18
n
1. drop-off drive 2. accessible parking 3. exterior penny floor 4. rainwater cisterns 5. metal bale walls 6. main entry
7. windshield gallery 8. multipurpose space 9. ramp gallery 10. gift shop 11. bathrooms 12. studio/classroom
+Final Illustrative Site Plan
13. outdoor courtyard 14. dumpster/service entry 15. heidelberg project offices 16. outdoor classroom 17. staff parking 18. bioretention pond
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
3
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
HOUSE THAT MAKES SENSE
The House that Makes Sense is meant to be a beacon of hope not just to people who live in the surrounding blighted neighborhoods or residents of greater Detroit, it is meant to reach out to other places of despair and injustice. The House combines the blighted pieces of a forgotten city; the burnt, broken, and mangled materials are swept up in order to sweep up and enliven a desparate people. The House aids the Heidelberg Project as one of the centers for Detroit’s rebirth as it seeks to educate and enliven the people who remain. The pioneer structure for the Cultural Village seeks to give a functional face to the project’s 200,000+ visitors a year while giving back to those who for so long have believed in Heidelberg’s power of healing and social change.
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER designing a culturally and environmentally relevant building and site
harrison | oh
+Building Entry/Procession Creation
background:
concept:
The landscape adjacent to the building abstractly reflects the entire history of the site and as one travels away from the center the land is given back to nature. The LEED designed visitor center grows from the remnants of a partially demolished warehouse and reaches to the sun on the summer solstice.
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
The known history of this 300+ acre site includes native americans, pioneer settlers, agriculture, and a DOE uranium processing plant which contaminated the water table and Great Miami River. A 16 year clean-up of the toxic brownfield/Superfund site ensued with completion in 2006. A LEED Platinum visitor center was put on the table as the focal point for the newly created fernald wildlife preserve which tells of the site’s rich past.
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
The site plan embraces local ecosystems especially wetland and tallgrass prairie. It recognizes the agricultural past in interlacing rows of sustainably raised crops and paths set on the cartesian grid of the former uranium plant. The summer solstice axis, which the native americans utilized for planting, breaks the grid to form the main path to the visitor center. The formalness melts away as one proceeds outward from the center.
A B
n +Final Site Plan
A. proposed visitor center building B. existing warehouse remnants
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
Site Plan Process
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
+Section A
+Section B
The main pathway cuts through the steel truss remains of the old warehouse; the punctured concrete slab is planted with mighty sycamores to let nature take it back. A curved pathway deviates from the axis as one approaches the old warehouse remains. The path is flanked by siding from the warehouse. Gaps are placed between pieces of siding to frame views of important sites from the past which are now overtaken by nature. The path symbolizes nature’s tendency to deviate from regularity and consistency showing that nature rises above everything and will be the continuing history of the site.
A
17
16 15
10 12
11
1
9
14
13 A 5
8
7
3
1 4
6 B
2
B 4 3
5
n
A. proposed visitor center building B. existing warehouse remnants
+Final Floor Plan
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
1. reflecting pool 2. agricultural rows 3. summer solstice pathway 4. curved ramp to green roof 5. ex. warehouse remnants 6. building entry garden 7. information desk 8. atrium 9. multipurpose room/auditorium 10. kitchenette 11. bathrooms 12. library 13. outdoor reading area 14. bridge to offices 15. bike parking 16. showers 17. park offices
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
+Solar Studies Summer
Fall/Spring
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
Winter
The building was designed to be passive solar utilizing a heliodon for determining sun exposure in the seasons and overhang lengths. The building is sheltered in the summer while allowing some sun in fall and even more in winter to increase heat gain. A massive glass enclosed gabion wall acts as thermal mass and a heat chimney, allowing hot air to escape via operable louvres. An educational extensive green roof shelters the building with added insulation while blending the building into its surroundings; when viewed from a distance, because of its horizontal character and green roof, the building becomes one with the landscape. A large rising glass atrium offers stunning views of the surrounding prairie while hosting large events and gallery exhibitions. Employees are housed in a separate, smaller building in order to create a better working environment away from the public.
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
FERNALD PRESERVE VISITORS CENTER
CONNECTING THE DOTS
mud lake bog preservation plan and site design
ann arbor | mi
Livingston County Washtenaw County
5
1
2
4
+Site Plan
n
1. U.S. 23 2. Mud Lake Bog 3. Mud Lake 4. Independence Lake 5. Whitmore Lake 6. Proposed Bog Access Path currently developed forested areas wetlands open water bog
+redtwig dogwood
+sphagnum moss
Mud Lake Bog is a University of Michigan owned natural area 10 miles north of Ann Arbor. Because of it’s southern range location, bogs are rare in this part of the state and development and agriculture are beginning to encroach. Such activities bring the risk of changing the hydrology of the sensitive acidic environment.
concept:
+pitcher plant
The way chosen to preserve the bog is through public education and access to the bog via a boardwalk that eliminates people trudging through the sensitive ecosystem. The boardwalk mimics the way one jumps from one high point to another in order to stay somewhat dry and uses the high points as educational nodes for each ecosystem niche with the airy boardwalk connecting the dots.
CONNECTING THE DOTS
background:
+poison sumac
University of Michigan mud lake bog property Independence Lake County Park Watershed boundary
CONNECTING THE DOTS
+Existing Land Use
+Recommended Future Land Use
In order to prevent hydrologic changes, various BMP implementation strategies are proposed for strategic places within the bog’s watershed especially along major flow lines. Such strategies aim to reduce erosion, capture sediment, and increase time of concentration to name a few. Small natural sinks were found in the catchment area, which could be taken advantage of to create a constructed wetland to increase water quality entering the bog. It is proposed that the university or county buy or put protective easements on land that contains a major flow line so some of these strategies can be implemented.
3.
2.
1.
Sediment Forebay
Check Dam
5.
4.
Constructed Wetland
Catchment BMPs
Armoring
6.
Bioswale
Natural Sink
+Flow Accumulation LOW
HIGH Natural sink Points of conflict where stormwater is concentrated into a pipe to traverse a roadway
+Drainage
1 1 1
4 6
3 4 6 3 1
1 4 6
1
1
1
3
3
3
2 5 3
3
3
4 6 4 6
+Stormwater Quality + Quantity Treatment
CONNECTING THE DOTS
n
CONNECTING THE DOTS
3
g
e
f
3 d 3 c
2
b s2
a. oak upland council ring node b. cattail marsh circular seating node c. shrub lowland gabion seating node d. tamarack circling path node e. terminus overlook f. bog mat g. mud lake
2
university of michigan
property independence lake cou nty park
s1
section 1 : 8’ (W) soft pathway comprising of compacted 3/4 minus crushed concrete w/ fines
a
section 2 : 6’ (W) elevated pathway w/ a structural system of open web steel trusses w/ spans of 40’ or 50’ section 3 : 6’ (W) elevated pathway w/ structural system of dimensional wood lumber w/ spans of 8’-12’
n
1
+Boardwalk Detailed Site Plan
5
3
1
2
5 4 1. 6’ (W) pultruded fiberglass boardwalk 2. 24” (W) black locust bench seating 3. wood stairs: 6” risers w/ 12” treads 4. pultruded fiberglass platform 5. earthen mound
+Node Detail Plan
b
2
3
e+f+g
3+ e
CONNECTING THE DOTS
b+2
The boardwalk surfaces is red as it picks up on the brilliant shades of foliage in the fall while creating a distinctive line in all other seasons, blurred by the vegetation growing around and through it.
CONNECTING THE DOTS
B
A
+s2
+Main Boardwalk Elevation
1 2 5
6 4 8
GRADE
Due to its unique construction, the pathway itself is meant to be an attraction making the journey to the terminus exciting in a contrasting way to the surrounding natural areas. Although, it attempts to blend into its surroundings to reduce the visual impact. The initial segment of the boardwalk is supported by a light, steel structure, able to span distances of up to 50’. This allows the boardwalk to have less contact with the ground. Small mechanical equipment like Bobcats can use the first segment as a pathway for constructing the later segments, reducing impact, especially compaction and destruction of plant life, on the surrounding wetland
3
+Section B
7 9
+s1
1
5
2
4 3 6 7
8
+Section A
9
CONNECTING THE DOTS
1. 1.5” dia. recycled aluminum hand rail 2. laminated reclaimed pickle barrel railing supports 3. 1.5” (D) pultruded fiberglass grating (red) w/ 60% open space 4. 2 x 8 wood safety edge 5. 2” x 2” stainless steel cable net 6. 1/4” x 4 steel bar 30” o.c. 7. 6 x 10 wood beam 8. 24” (D) open web steel truss 9. 6” helical piers driven to suitable structural substrate
CONNECTING THE DOTS
CONNECTING THE DOTS
The unconventional boardwalk materials like the fiberglass grating, metal mesh, and steel truss were chosen because they are thin with large openning that allow light, water, and visual access as well as allowing plant material to grow up and in-between, blurring the constructed work. The second segment of the boardwalk utilizes a typical wood beam and joist construction. Here, in the tamarack swamp, vegetation shifts to something more unfamiliar to people so they are encouraged to interact with it. So this section lies close to the ground and eliminates the hand rails. The terminus deviates from the straight and level to gently rise above the bog for a grand, unobstructed overlook. The rise allows for informal seating, encouraging people to take the time to enjoy this unique setting.
GREENING + COMPLETING DETROIT STREET transforming detroit street into a green, complete street
ann arbor | mi
background: Detroit Street, though not that long, passes through several different sections and landmarks of Ann Arbor: the Farmer’s Market, historic Community High School, the Ninth Ward, Zingermann’s, and the DDA. It is on the agenda for a makeover as it has a CSO and the project wants to align itself with the environmentally sustainable direction Ann Arbor is headed. A group project, one person was in charge of one of four areas, which then all had to read as a single solution.
t
e tre ys a w
d
a bro
concept:
n
fifth street de tro it s tre
fourth street
et
division street
Given the Farmer’s Market as my individual area, the group direction would be to unite the high school and market with a strong axial relationship including turning the portion of Fifth Street that divides the two into a raised pedestrian crossing that could be shut down for events. A heavy emphasis was placed on stormwater quantity as well as quality control to reduce loads entering the sewers. The areas would be further tied together using similar materials, material treatments, and plant species.
+Land Use Analysis DETROIT STREET
Residential Commercial Mixed Use Park/Open Space Institutional
DETROIT STREET
+Complete Streets Solutions
1. New Bus Stops 2. New Crosswalks 3. Raised Crosswalks 4. Automobile Parking 5. Bike Parking 6. Dedicated Bike Lanes 7. Pedestrianways 8. New Seating 9. Curb Bump-outs
+Detroit Street Stormwater Diagram +Green Streets Solutions
1. Stormwater Planter Boxes 2. Subsurface Detention Structures 3.Vegetated Bioswales 4. Greywater Cisterns 5. Irrigation Cisterns 6. Rain Gardens 7. New Street Trees + Green Space
Ninth Ward Historic District
Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market
Fifth/Detroit Street Improvements
Ann Arbor Community High School
n
+Detroit Street Comprehensive Layout Plan
The updated design looks to marketplaces of the past for inspiration, Greek Agoras more specifically. Agoras situated the sellers on the perimeter, enlosing central open spaces. This redesign opens the existing structure by removing a central portion so as to visually and physically connect to the newly created central pedestrian space. Rather than shifting attention away from the current interior, which is parking, the market can now focus inward and to the pedestrian while blocking out all vehicular aspects, including the streets. The central space fosters play for children, whilst their parents are shopping, as well as sitting and conversing places for shoppers. This space also adds new uses than just a marketplace; the design creates an amphitheater so performances can now happen.
new stormwater planter boxes fourth street pedestrian entry
gabion seating amphitheater + stormwater detention
wild planting area
lawn mounds + rock swale
fifth street
fourth street
new fifth street entry
central green space new fourth street arched facade
it s tro de
n
+Farmer’s Market Site Layout Plan
DETROIT STREET
tre
et
truck parking/loading/ unloading dock
DETROIT STREET
CONCRETE PVM impervious surface
RAIN GARDEN: detention + purification + infiltration
8” CONC. PVMT 6X6 W.W.F 10/10 MAX. DETAINED WATER LEVEL /6 WOOD SEAT 2” BAR STEEL 24” O.C. 3” STEEL ANGLE NON-WOVEN FILTER FABRIC 12” DEEP GROWING MEDIUM 4’ (L)X 2’(W)X 1’(T) WIRE GABION BASKET FILLED W/ SMALL GLACIAL TILL BOULDERS STORAGE MEDIUM: 2UNCOMPACTED WASHED AGGR. W/ MIN. 40% VOID SPACE 3 /8”X6” GALV. ANCHOR BOLT W/ NUT + WASHER CONC. FOOTER COMPACTED AGGREGATE BASE UNDISTURBED NON-COMPACTED SUB BASE 1
Stormwater Detention Amphitheater
llection ROOF: METAL ious surface co v imper
SYCAMORE STREET TREES: detention DETENTION EMBANKMENT STORMWATER DETENTION AMPHITEATER: detention + purification + infiltration
SUBSURFACE PIPES: RIVER ROCK SWALE: surface flow + infiltration
TRENCH DRAIN: linear overflow + surface collection
MAX. DETAINED WATER LEVEL 2” DEEP RUNNEL OVERFLOW 8” CONC. PVMT
11/2” CALIPER SYCAMORE TREE B&B 5’ DIA. STEEL TREE GRATE 1/8” X 3” BAR STEEL WELDED TO STEEL TUBE 5’ DIA. X 31/2’ STEEL TUBE
MT: e collection
12” MIN. 3/4COMPACTED AGGREGATE BASE
2” DEEP RUNNEL OVERFLOW 8” CONC. PVMT 6X6 W.W.F 10/10
GROWING MEDIUM MAX. DETAINED WATER LEVEL
Sycamore Tree Stormwater Planter Box
UNCOMPACTED SUB BASE
#4 BAR 12” O.C.B.W. 36”(D) GROWING MEDIUM 3’ (W)X 8’(H) CONC. EMBANKMENT FOUNDATION NON-WOVEN FILTER FABRIC STORAGE MEDIUM: 12” (D) OF 2UNCOMPACTED WASHED AGGR. W/ MIN. 40% VOID SPACE 4” PERFORATED HDPE UNDERDRAIN 12” MIN. 3/4- COMPACTED AGGREGATE BASE COMPACTED SUB BASE
Concrete Stormwater Embankment
+Site Stormwater Management
DETROIT STREET
Stormwater utilizes the existing drainage patterns but allowed to infiltrate via newly added green spaces. These green spaces located in the center of the Farmer’s Market collect all site drainage and are designed to detain a 100-year storm. This detention is allowed to happen due to the slight topography of the site. The market remains level while the middle green spaces step down, creating a significant drop in elevation. In fact, when these areas flood, it is like an emergent wetland, a highlight of the market.
DETROIT STREET
n
1. new concrete pavement 2. new pervious concrete pavement 3. new bike rack 4. relaid historic brick 5. new catch basin 6. new 3” yellow pavement stripe 7. new 5’ Dia. steel tree grate 8. trench drain 9. gabion stepped seating 10. seeded lawn area 11. wet prairie planting area 12. steel grating 13. river rock swale 14. new hand railing 15. new 6” drain pipe 16. new sawcut concrete score line
+Detailed Site Layout Plan
Newly created entrances were a priority as people can really enter from anywhere presently. These entries are on axis with each other and collect people from both the south and north directions. The new south entry utilizes a new brick wall reminiscent of Roman Aquaducts that helps to enclose the market with an open facade. The north entry removes some of the existing market structure and replaces it with a gridded plant climbing structure which birngs in more light and greenery while still giving a sense of an overhead roof.
A
EX BLDG EX. CONC. PVMT. SAWCUT EX. PVMT. 6” CONC. CURB 4” HDPE OVERFLOW PIPE W/ GRATED CAP 6” CONC. CURB W/ INLET SAWCUT EX. PVMT. EX. ASPH. PVMT.
GROWING MEDIUM
4” HDPE PERFORATED PIPE COMPACTED SUB BASE
Stormwater Planter Box Detail Adjacent to Bulding
DETROIT STREET
NON-WOVEN FILTER FABRIC STORAGE MEDIUM: 2UNCOMPACTED WASHED AGGR. W/ MIN. 40% VOID SPACE
BLUE BOTTLES
repurposing colored glass bottles for a custom chandelier
background:
The 19 blue bottles as well as the green wine bottle were collected as I drank them, with the idea in mind to create a light fixture from them. The idea was to create a chandelier type fixture that would become the centerpiece of a room, possibly a kitchen centered over an island or dining room table.
concept:
The goal was to blend ordinary materials (metal, wood, and electrical fittings) together into a geometric form that seemed would break apart or lose its balance at any moment. while this was a solid concept, detailing and constructing it would push my creative side.
BLUE BOTTLES
BLUE BOTTLES
BLUE BOTTLES
BLUE BOTTLES
challenges:
solutions:
Where to conceal the wiring
1 Aluminum channeling was placed on the inner portion funneling the wire to a central location.
How to do connections while keeping a streamlined appearance while holding glass, steel. and wood.
2 Pairs of dowels were set into the frame that went through wood-steel-wood-steel-wood.
Attaching the blue bottles to the frame
3 Holes were drilled through the frame and the lids set into them. Holes were then put into the lids so the fixtures could fit through. By using the cap, bottles could be unscrewed to change bulbs.
Placing the individual light fixtures into the blue bottles
4 Achieved by trial and error with different electrical fittings and bulb sizes. A clamp holds a piece of conduit which then has a double-sided fitting which holds the light bulb and terminal.
Running wire to a power source in the ceiling
5 Electrical conduit was slid over the all-thread that connects the chandelier to the ceiling. The conduit was large enough that the wire fit between it and the all-thread.
2
1 3
5 4
conduit clamp
conduit
double sided conduit fitting
terminal BLUE BOTTLES
bulb
FURNITURE + LIGHTING DESIGN +Topo Coffee Table The idea for this table came from the block that make the top surface which were building masses for an deconstructed architectural model. These blocks are connected to each other via dowels that sandwich bar steel to create dark lines embedded in the lighter poplar wood. The two larger steel plates are the only connection to the table top. One is sandwiched via dowels and the other screwed-in. vase crevase
movable book end
+Right Angle Desk Lamp
Made from simple everyday items such as electrical fittings, conduit, all-thread, and dimensional lumber, this lamp is simple, cheap, and easy to construct yet elegant.
The bottom also allows place for display of any number of items Glue was almost eliminated as a connecting element as dowels and screws are the primary connectors. The only place glue was used was gluing a thin veneer of red oak plywood to the outside of the the construction grade plywood.
FURNITURE + LIGHTING + SCULPTURE
A place to showcase books and sketchbooks is adjustable to allow for different thicknesses of books to create a composition in and of itself. The piece that slides back and forth allows room for the thin, tall vase for flowers or branches.
FURNITURE + LIGHTING + SCULPTURE
+Single “T” Concrete Bench
FURNITURE + LIGHTING + SCULPTURE
Using the premise of the prefab single T concrete plank, this smaller version was first formed with plywood while simple, square steel plates finish were placed in slots in the form. Rebar was placed in the lower portion of the form and through predrilled holes in the steel. This along with sheer compression keep the steel embedded in the concrete.W.W.M. was placed on the broad upper portion as sitting on the cantilever will increase stress.
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY unraveling the historical strata to create new layers that unfold over time
saginaw | mi
background:
+Existing Water Delivery Trestle on the site
This project envisions an alternative scenario for a possible future of the 700 acre former General Motors facility in Saginaw, MI. Instructed by Professor Joan Nassauer, the design uses Scenario 1: repurposeing the site as an Industrial Heritage Park. The design uses a phased approach within shifting economic and environmental contexts, seeking possibilities for a future landscape that can be acted upon by inhabitants of the present. It is to also address the ecological and property management dynamics of a landscape that is in transition from a past industrial use to an uncertain future. In Scenario 1, all industry on site ceases, and the entire facility is converted to a regional park celebrating the area’s industrial heritage of vehicle manufacturing. The design must also control flooding, provide off-channel storage of Saginaw River floodwaters, remain highly contaminated despite extensive remediation, retain disassembled remains of the engine block plant as a landmark, and establish a new visitors’ center.
+Final Site Model
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
concept:
The design solution offers a series of highly constructed spaces which tell the story of the site’s history and material flows as the visitor moves through. With this design, the site draws visitors from across the nation and world because of the novelty and beauty of the experiences it provides. Both phases of the plan call for short-lived, ephemeral interventions and processes that remain highly visible so people are aware of a shifting landscape and so have a reason to keep visiting without getting bored.
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
Historical Industry: Material + Water Flow dirty water clean water clean sand dirty sand Saginaw Bay
Bay City
Approximate 100year Flood Plain
Crow Island State Game Area Nodular Site City of Saginaw Saginaw River Approximate 100year Flood Plain
Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge
n +Regional Context Map
+Investigative Units Contamination Map
Figure 5. Descriptive map of Investigative Units
+Existing Site Photos
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
+Existing Water Delivery Trestle
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
2
2
The Phase I plan, to be realized by 2015, calls for lowbudget solutions based on tasks that need to be completed no matter what the site’s fate. Clean soil is stockpiled into repeating mounds that rise from the landscape. Existing structures like the SMCO plant are disassembled and the material neatly stacked in giant, artful piles and lit at night. The existing trestle is covered in fabric and also lit at night. Because wind and water-borne erosion would be high with exposed soil, fences made of fabric run in and amongth the mounds. Blowing in breezes, lit at night, and wildflowers eventually blooming amongst them are all short events that turn this otherwise barren landscape into one of spectacle created by an interplay of man and nature.
3+4
3+6
naw
i Sag
er Riv
6
6 2 2
7
1
5
2 4 4
3
7
6. existing SMCO plant (disassembled
3. fabric fences
7. existing trestle--covered
Piles of disassembled materials from existing buildings create mass and hint at human presence Fabric fences create a rhythme, traversing the low planted mounds while protecting the bare soil from wind + water erosion
n
+Phase I Plan
implementation by 2015
4. earth mounds (clean soil) 5. wildflower + grasses seeded area
SMCO plant is draped in fabric, which allowed to blow in the breeze, allowing it to shift in mood throughout the day and seasons Existing trestle covered in white fabric shows care while covering up what could be seen as an eyesore. Lit at night, it looks like a bright, healing scar. While covered it could be painted and retrofitted for Phase II and unveiled as a celebration
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
1. settling ponds 2. disassembled material piles
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
12
8
10
20
13
7 14
naw
i Sag
18
6
3
19
er Riv
5 14
15
4 1
2
4
14
M13
17
19
16
Washington Ave.
n
+Phase II Plan
implementation by 2030
1. entry drive and drop-off 2. existing trestle structure 3. parking 4. black foundry sand mound 5. proposed 15,000 sf visitor center 6. the “cut” 7. nodular ribbons 8. garden of hyperaccululators 9. settling ponds 10. new “clean” wetland
9
8
11
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
11. existing water treatment facility 12. city of saginaw sewage treatment facility 13. nodular pedestrian bridge over M13 14. clean sand foundry mounds 15. existing reservoir 16. SMCO Plant “Bones” 17. new recreational fields 18. garden of lost jobs 19. new bike path/river walk 20. barge-like dock
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
Site Flows Topography
Flooding
normal water elevation (+0’) high frequency/low volume (+5’) mid frequency/mid volume (+10’) low frequency/high volume (+15’) extra storage
Vehicular
Water clean dirty
Pedestrian
Wildlife Habitat wetland aquatic upland woodland grassland wildflower
n
Ecosystem Services
Remediation
Wildlife
wildlife food source
aquatic habitat
avian habitat
Soil + Air O2
cleaning soil
CO2
O2
CO2
carbon sequestration/ oxygen production
erosion control
+”Dirty” Wetland Life Preserver
Cultural
aesthetic order
recreation
jobs/economic development
Water max. flood level
+”Clean” Wetland + Sediment Traps
flood storage volume
cleaning water
flood control
de-sedimentation
+”Clean” Constructed Wetland + Corvis Ruins
+Garden of Hyperaccumulators
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
Lined with bright red painted steel, this channel announces that it carries contaminated water. This water collects from the “dirty” sand pile, which is created from leftover, contaminated, black sand from the foundry process and culminates into a wetland where the water can be treated. Strong axial relationships and even color treatments were based off the old nodular plant on the site prior, though they are allowed to degrade to more naturalistic forms over time. Even landforms are industrial in character. The “clean” sand piles are perfect circular mounds at first; however, they’re allowed to degrade and erode with rain and floodwaters, shifting them into more natural forms. The same holds true for the “Clean” wetland; it begins with a strong gridwork of emergent plants, but as sediment builds, the deeper pools are filled, allowing emergents to take residence everywhere.
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
THE CUT
After one descends from the parking, one can continue the experience of deliberate removal by proceeding into the Cut where the visitors center is removed from view. Corten steel walls encase the contaminated soil behind while also relating to the former use of the site as an iron foundry. Because it is situated where the nodular plant sat, beams and other structural elements protrude from western gabion retaining walls as if the plant was buried because it was so contaminated. These act as structure for the Nodular Ribbons while relating to another strata of history.
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
The most spectacular features lie adjacent to the proposed visitor center.When one enters the park they are greeted by the black, dirty sand mound, created by sand after it’s been used in the foundry process. Then cars arduously climb onto a parking lot raised 30’ above grade on top of the most contaminated fill. Visitors must then walk down a long ramp to the visitors center and then into the “Cut.” The Cut is a 30’ triangular shaped hole in the ground lined with rusting Corten steel walls to remind of the contamination. The level of the Cut remisces of the pre-development grade when the site was covered with wetlands.The monumental space hammers home the impact humans have had on the landscape. The raised parking is the exact shape + size of the cut, but is instead fill. The landscape is not all a bleak message though. At the end of the Cut, one of the Nodular Ribbons sweeps in to take the visitor out onto a beautiful, rolling landscape, raised above the contamination, blooming with flowers and grasses, and even accomodating trees.
LONGEVITY THROUGH EPHEMERALITY
FROM THE WATER
resurrecting the miami indians’ building and landscape traditions
miami | ok
background:
The Drake House is an allotment house given by the U.S. for the trouble of being uprooted from Ohio. It is currently the tribe’s guest house; an addition was added to the north side then torn down. An addition needs to be added to provide more rooms to guests as well as providing outdoor spaces for gathering and events; the grounds are nothing but lawn and say nothing of the miami peoples. The miami tradition of storytelling and plants both create the form of this addition that outlines the old addition as well as becomes a part of the newly designed garden radiating from a circular gathering area.
FROM THE WATER
concept:
FROM THE WATER
2
10
6
1
6
7
4
3
10
10
5
11
9 10
7
10
n
1. vehicular entry 2. secondary vehicular exit (grasscrete) 3. historical drake house 4. proposed addition 5. tiered circular gathering area 6. water channel 7. overflow creekbed 8. constructed wetland 9. agricultural planting area 10. concentric stormwater overflow depressions 11. perimeter boardwalk
8
b
+Site Plan
8
1. stepping stone entry path 2. main entry 3. vestibule 4. slant hallway 5. sliding barn doors 6. dining/conference room 7. outdoor deck 8. new cut-through to existing kitchen 9. pantry 10. tall grass indoor planting bed 11. public outdoor balcony 12. private bedroom balcony 13. bedroom 14. bathroom 15. water channel 16. sumac outdoor planting nooks
16
2
11
1
15
11
3
10
7
5
13
6
a
13
4 16
9
16
12
12
existing house
+ground Floor
existing house
+first Floor
FROM THE WATER
FROM THE WATER
The addition is raised above grade to accomodate frequent seasonal flooding. A large, linear planter creates a focal element and space divider, housing tall grasses in an effort to bring the outdoors inside. Raising the addition also allowed outdoor planting areas to move closer to make it seem like the addition and the Sumac planted in them were always adjacent to one another Because of it’s rural location, the design utilizes on-site wastewater and stormwater management in the form of constructed wetlands. These wetlands would fluctuate seasonally, being high in the spring, floodking far into the ringed earthen depressions, and lower in the hot summer. An area for planting crop is placed adjacent the constructed wetland so seasonal flooding can deposit nutrients naturally.
+section c Stepping stone entry path + water channel Flowering Crabapples
+Section A
+Section B
Interior Prairie Plantings Fragrant Sumac Exterior Planting Nooks Constructed Wetland overflow flooding rings Horizontal Loop Geothermal
Flowering Dogwoods
Circular Gathering Area
Circular Gathering Area Agricultural Planting Area
Channel Overflow Creekbed
Constructed Wetland
FROM THE WATER
FROM THE WATER
In order to make the addition contrast from the historical home, the wood is left unpainted, in its natural state. The roof is made of galvanized corrugated steel atop stainless steel tubes. The west facade is a false facade that outlines the historical addition but allows fragrant sumac in and around it to blur the boundary between indoor and outdoor and historical and contemporary. The horizontality of the vast, open landscape is accentuated in the long windows on the north elevation, low slope roof with its thin tubular members, and horizontal siding. Because earthwork would be needed for constructing the stormwater channels, horizontal loop geothermal could be embedded in the mounds, providing heating/cooling for the entire structure.
FROM THE WATER
FULL CIRCLE
heidelberg project art installation
Design Team: Kevin Dunnell + Helen Graham + Nick Lavelle + Kristin Lemley + Becky Schwartz
detoit | mi
background
Detroit, Michigan is a city distinguished by record high murder and poverty rates. Conglomerate companies are partially to blame for the current status of Detroit because they fueled segregation and promoted a disposable consumer society. The success these companies reaped during the boom of the automobile made them appear as a deity in the eyes of many citizens. As the auto industry began to crumble so did the citizens and city of Detroit. This deterioration tends to overshadow the highlights of Detroit’s past. The ability to revitalize Motown Music, Hudson’s flagship store, or the Trumbull may not be within reach today; however, there is hope for a new Detroit, one that rises from the ashes and is able to sustain itself.
concept
FULL CIRCLE
Detroit’s blight and abandonement is directly referenced in the site chosen for the sculpture, “Full Circle.” Mount Elliott Street, perpendicular to Heidelber Street, is the location of two abandoned houses, which ahve been left burnt, and disowned by hope. Tyree Guyton has illuminated the homes within the Heidelberg Project with art, dterring criminal activity from the neighborhood. Between these revitalized-broken homes lies a leveled sense of security. These demolished home once held the memories and aspirations of hard working blue-collar families.
FULL CIRCLE
THE SITE
Full Circle is composed of two interlocking spirals and stands to embody a foundation for rebirth, while also paying tribute to the scars left in Detroit’s history. It encompasses the entrie 30-foot wide empty lot between the two homes that remain standing. One spiral runs counterclockwise, symbolizing entropy, the disorder which Detroit has suffered from and ultimately led to the city’s demise. It coils down from twelve feet high [off the top of one of the houses still standing] and is composed of old car parts, corporate logos, broken furniture and appliances, illustrating a timeline of Detroit’s destruction. A tree stands in the center as a meditative area to ground participants in the present. This reflective area symbolizes a turning point in Detroit’s history. The second spiral curves clockwise, symbolizing rebirth and in turn, the future of Detroit. It starts at the center of the lot and twirls out, composed of plants, bicycle wheels, and windmills, showing that sustainability is the answer for Detroit’s future.
+Concept Timeline
FULL CIRCLE
+Site Plan Proposal
FULL CIRCLE
FULL CIRCLE
PROFESSIONAL MODELS Dayton Tech Town Model
models that help people visualize the potential of new urban infill development
dayton| oh
background:
Dayton Tech Town is a new urban infill development in the heart of downtown Dayton. All buildings are to be LEED rated and the development sits on a remediated brownfield site, once the Fridgidaire Refrigerator Plant.
PROFESSIONAL MODELS
concept: The master plan had been created, outlining streets, rough building footprints, and green space. Only one building had been designed and built. The concept was for the model to be an ongoing project, constructing buildings designed and built in a very detailed manner. All the undesigned lotsare simple translucent boxes. The entire model lights up to heighten excitement and annimation of the model. I also designed and worked with a local fabricator to make an acrylic top to eliminate dust, the ability for onlookers to touch, and increase professionalism.
PROFESSIONAL RENDERING
generating visualizations to help comprehensions of detailed designs
portland | or
MARIANNE ZARKIN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS Q3 TRAILHEAD PROJECT background:
The proposed project for the Q3 Trailhead in Lake Oswego was never built but shows the possibilities for good infill development in Portland.
concept: Utilizing Adobe Creative Suite, espcially Illustrator, a series of plans was generated to show the design of Marianne Zarkin Landscape Architects. Because of the small site footprint and the high attention to detail, four plans were created starting with the existing site to show the complete transformation that could happen. Then separate hardscape and planting plans and finally an overall Illustrative Plan to show the complete design.
Existing Site Conditions
Proposed Hardscape Plan
Proposed Planting Plan
PROFESSIONAL WORK
Combined Illustrative Site Plan
EARTH + SKY CHURCH merging earth and the heavens above to create a spiritual environment for all faiths cincinnati | oh
background: Many religions have strikingly similar beliefs, but the differences that exist divide them greatly. The design problem was to design a universal, nondenominational church that first began as the design of a building joint, or the intersection of two materials, planes, directions, etc. The church, located next to a major interstate, + joint, had to use concepts and ideas in religion and translated that into a building and surrounding landscape. concept: Earth + Sky Church translates the simple relationship that religion has between the heavens, or sky, and the subterranean/hell, or earth; paired with this is the simple movements of ascending and descending. Water and plant life are also important elements in religions taken into consideration. Earth + Sky Church is literally a joint between the worldly and heavenly.
EARTHEN SKY CHURCH
+Transformation of the Joint to building Concept Models
EARTHEN SKY CHURCH
The Earth + Sky Joint is formed by two interlocking right triangular forms, one of wood and one of steel. The wood is an earthly material + color. The steel is reflective, reflecting the sky and transforming it into a light or heavenly material. This joint transforms into building form through repetition of similar triangular forms. The triangle base speaks to the earth as it is bulky and large; the triangle’s point speaks to the heavens as it disappears and merges with the sky. Taller forms speak to the heavens through their height and slenderness while short and wide forms merge with the massive earth. This is further accentuated through the addition of a giant earth mound that interacts with the triangular forms, bringing them back down to earth at the end of sequence. The earthen mound also reflects the same rise and fall of the forms.
EARTHEN SKY CHURCH
EARTHEN SKY CHURCH
QUAKING ASPEN
f
OAK STEWARTIA
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
k a. main church b. banquet hall c. entry drive d. parking e. water canals f. prairie mounds g. quaking aspen grove h. stewartia view terminus i. building entry plaza j. service/deliveries k. outdoor courtyard l . outdoor chapel 1. foyer 2. ascending hallway (5% slope) 3. descending hallway (5% slope) 4. sanctuary (lower level) 5. sanctuary balcony 6. music room + balcony 7. bathrooms 8. classroom 9. terminus balcony 10. building connector hallway
+Final Site Plan
h
b
a l
g
1
e
c
A prairie landscape engulfs most of the site, allowing the building and other landscape elements to stand out. As one enters the site, the topography rises slightly to reveal a sacred outdoor space, an enormous earthen mound covered in a grid of Quaking Aspen, and an intersecting array of water channels that reflect the sky, building, and the fluttering aspens. Aspens were chosen for their characteristic white bark and shaking leaves that show the presence of wind. Water, a significant element in all religions, brings holiness and tranquility as well as reflection of oneself.
j
REDBUD
i
d
EARTHEN SKY CHURCH
EARTHEN SKY CHURCH
Summer
Today, many places of worship lie disconnected to the principles of their respective religion because many times they throw up pre-engineered steel buildings that say nothing to the sacred. Earth + Sky follows the likes of Church of the Light by Ando and Church of the Reconciliation, and Church of the Holy Cross to apply principles in building and craft to reflect traditions and morals and beliefs that have been established for millenia.
EARTHEN SKY CHURCH
EARTHEN SKY CHURCH
Autumn
EARTHEN SKY CHURCH
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION design for the new hellenic museum of michigan detroit | mi
The new Hellenic Museum of Michigan is planned to inhabit a early 20th century mansion but is unaccessible and says nothing of Greek culture nor sustainability. Further complicating things, a 13 story apartment building overshadows the two-story museum while a parking lot borders the opposite side, creating a huge disjuncition of scale.
concept:
The proposed site plan and building additions picks up on the idea of skewing perception that the ancient Greeks used to build perfectly square-looking temples like the Parthenon. The design uses a series of vertical and horizontal distorted grids to either decrease or increase perceived scale. Plant selections were taken from Greek myths to create a rich layering of texture and cultural reference to ancient Greek landscape and were also used to define scale. The design also seeks to create a sustainable landscape through material reuse, stormwater management, and energy conservation for the building.
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
background:
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
135’
30’
+building Height Comparison 6 10
11 7
12
9
8 4 5 3
2
n +Site Layout Plan
1. vehicular entry 2. main entry 3. existing museum 4. main accessible entry 5. east addition 6. parking (10 spaces) 7. hallway addition 8. courtyard 9. cafe/existing carriage house 10. dumpsters 11. sculpture garden 12. service entry
+circulation
+vertical shifts
+building additions
+stormwater movement
+plantings 1
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
A distorted grid of stacked urbanite creates a series of cells planted with a combination of wheat-like grasses and poppies. This combination recalls ancient traditions of planting poppies in fallow fields to replenish nutrients. The urbanite walls rise in height and keeps the plants erect, separating the plants while allowing the grid to remain visible.
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
full sun part shade full shade
+sun/shade Analysis: Growing Season
poppy
perennials
gardenview scarlet beebalm
prairie fire beardtongue
threadleaf bluestar
white nancy spotted deadnettle fringe tree
royal purple lily turf
paperbark maple
karl foerster feather reed grass
bluebunch wheatgrass
sweetflag
dwarf fothergilla
holmstrup eastern arborvitae
sherwood compact mugo pine
virginia creeper
yew
virgin’s bower
vines
grasses + sedges
hameln fountain grass
canadian hemlock
trees + shrubs
little bunny fountain grass
+Planting Plan n
daffodil
grape hyacinth
wind flower
crocus
jan
+Spring Bulb Plan
feb
dec
mar
nov
oct
apr
may
sep perennial/annual flowers woody flowers seed heads architecture bark deciduous foliage evergreen foliage
aug
jul
jun
+Seasonal Interest Chart
E. K
+Sculpture Garden and Cafe Seating Area
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
. ve A y irb
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
+Section A
growing media.
PLANT COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME QNTY. SIZE/ SPACING AREA AESTHETIC/CULTURAL VALUE CONDITION (sf) 1 1.5” Cal. B+B see plan Sculptural form, fine texture; hemlock mentioned Trees Canadian Hemlock Tsuga canadensis in Greek mythology 2 1” Cal. B+B see plan White, late spring, fragrant flowers; will glow in nigh Fringe Tree Chionanthus virginicus small, sculptural, drought tolerant 2 1.5” Cal. B+B see plan Reddish-brown peeling bark; small deciduous tree; Paperbark Maple Acer griseum red fall foliage 4 4’ Tall B+B 5’ o.c. Evergreen, fine textured, columnar Holmstrup Eastern Arborvitae Thuja occidentalis ‘Holmstrup 28 5 Gal. 3’ o.c. Compact nature; fall foliage color; winter form Shrubs Dwarf Fothergilla Fothergilla gardenii
Sherwood Compact Mugo Pine Pinus mugo ‘Sherwood Compact’ 5 5 Gal. see plan Compact nature; drought + shade tolerant; evergre round habit 2 5 Gal. 4’ o.c. Drought + shade tolerant; evergreen; shapable Yew Taxus x media ‘Gwen’ Bulbs 5 Bulbs/sf 275 Mentioned in Greek mythology; early Perennials Crocus Crocus olivieri balanasae ‘Zwanenburg’ 1,375 bloomer; will provide a carpet of orange 1,600 Bulbs 5 Bulbs/sf 320 Mentioned in Greek mythology; early bloomer; wil Daffodil Narcissus ‘Chiva’ a line of green + yellow before other plants come o Gardenview Scarlet Beebalm Monarda didyma ‘Gardenview Scarlet’ 19 1 Gal. 3’ o.c. Red flowering perennial; med. height Grape Hyacinth Muscari aucheri ‘Dark Eyes’ 890 Bulbs 5 Bulbs/sf 178 Mentioned in Greek mythology; early bloomer; wil a line of purple Poppy Papaver somniferum 88 1 Gal. 9” o.c. Mentioned in Greek mythology Prairie Fire Beardtongue Penstemon barbatus‘Prairie Fire’ 94 4” Pot 2’ o.c. Reddish blooms; tolerates dry soil Royal Purple Lily Turf Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’ 140 4” Pot 18” o.c. Part shade alternative turf; pinkish-purple flowers 63 1 Gal. 2.5’ o.c. Light blue flowers; feathery texture; fall color Threadleaf Bluestar Amsonia hubrichtii White NancySpotted Deadnettle Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’ 31 4” Pot 12” o.c. Drought + shade tolerant; variegation; white flower colored leaves 1,015 Bulbs 5 Bulbs/sf 203 Mentioned in Greek mythology; poppy-like flowers Wind Flower Anenome coronaria ‘Governor’ will provide a bold streak of orangish-red in spring Grasses Bluebunch Wheatgrass Pseudoroegneria spicata 58 1 Gal. 2’ o.c. Wheat-like; cool season grass--greens + flowers in before other grasses Hameln Fountain Grass Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ 298 1 Gal. 2’ o.c. Wheat-like; med. height Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ 35 1 Gal. 2’ o.c. Wheat-like; taller height Little Bunny Fountain Grass Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’ 69 1 Gal. 18” o.c Wheat-like; compact size 66 1 Gal. 18” o.c. Mentioned in Greek mythology; suited to rain gard Sweet Flag Acorus calamus Vines
Virgin’s Bower Virginia Creeper
Clematis virginiana Parthenocissus quinquefolia
6 7
1 Gal. 1 Gal.
see plan see plan
White fall flowers; Red fall foliage
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE
MANAGEMENT
Provides morning shade for the building See NOTE 1
ht lighting; Attracts birds
;
Southern shading in summer for the building
Northern wind break for the building
Attracts butterflies
See NOTE 1
een;
See NOTE 2
See NOTE 2
Attracts butterflies Attracts butterflies
s; See NOTE 2 spring
dens
Attracts birds
See NOTE 3
planting notes. NOTE 1 Plant grows best in acidic soil; must be planted with peat and replenished with such every 5 years. NOTE 2 Bulbs should be allowed to naturalize as they are in contained structures. Should be monitored to make sure rotting is not occuring. NOTE 3 Virginia Creeper, once well established should not overtake overhead courtyard structure. It should be allowed to connect to it but not more than 10’ in. Growth is to mainly take place on the vertical structure adjacent to planting. NOTE 4 Yews in courtyard are to be trimmed yearly to keep a geometric shape that is aligned to the pavement on the ground. It should not be allowed to get more than 5’ tall.
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
rs + light
See NOTE 2
ll provide out Attracts bees + butterflies ll provide
See NOTE 4
Attracts birds
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
The front yard generates forced perspectives in order to increase the scale of the museum landscape so it looks less out of place adjacent to the thirteen story apartment building. These forced views are created by the urbanite walls arranged in a distorted grid. These walls double as plant dividers, this is important given the context of the scores of vacant and unkept lots in Detroit.The walls bring structure, regularity, and sense of caring to the “wild” character of the plant choices. These walls are made from the pieces of the existing driveway of the museum after it’s demolition.
+Front Garden Perspective
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
+New Addition Perspective
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
LANDSCAPE OF PERCEPTION/DECEPTION
DANA GARDEN DESIGN/BUILD
creating a dynamic outdoor space and demonstration area for the dana building
ann arbor | mi
background: This was the first design/build studio at Michigan run by Stan Jones, formerly at the University of Oregon. The project was to redesign what is known as the Dana Garden, which is the east side of the Samuel T. Dana Building, the building that houses the School of Natural Resources and Environment which the Department of Landscape Architecture is a part of.
DANA GARDEN DESIGN/BUILD
concept: The idea was to create a cohesive set of spaces that spoke about what happens inside the building as well as being an outdoor educational tool and experimental space for the Landscape Architecture Department. Spaces were created for an outdoor classroom area and a gathering area for field trip staging. The goal was to have as little waste as possible hauled away at the end of the project so the materials removed during the demolition phase, were reused in the construction phase, from compacted aggregate to slabs of concrete.
DANA GARDEN DESIGN/BUILD
DANA GARDEN DESIGN/BUILD
ECO-REVELATORY U: THE WINGS new entry plaza for the diag at the university of michigan
ann arbor | mi
+ concept 1
= concept 2
combined concept
The Wings
background: The Diag is one of the most recognizable places at the University of Michigan and even though it refers to a walkway that deviates from Ann Arbor’s grid, it encompases all the negative space around it.
concept:
Regents Plaza
n +Context Plan
ECO-REVELATORY U: THE WINGS
The design is based on the most distinguishable element associated with Michigan: the football helmet. The Wings is based on the wings of the football helmet, creating a rising overhead structure of stainless steel. Coupled with glass brick and both lit at night create a spectacular entrance. The design strives to make a recognizable space for people to meet, post flyers, hold rallies, sit and people watch, or merely move through.
ECO-REVELATORY U: THE WINGS
North University Ave. 1
6
5
7
A 1
2 3 3
8 4
State St.
2 5
11
6
8
7
4 4
9 3 10 5 5 11
1. existing crosswalks 2. underlit glass brick pvmt 3. new 6� conc. pvmt 4. herringbone conc pavers 5. new trash/recycling cans 6. bioretention ponds 7. colored glass bottle filled gabion walls 8. metal mesh curved benches 9. stainless steel wing structure 10. display kiosk 11. paper birch trees
n
3 11
+Final Site Plan
+conc. pavers +metal mesh benches +stormwater storage capacity
+Section A
+glass brick
1 4
3
3
1
2
4
4
3 7
3
4
+Display Kiosk Plan 5 4
5
6
3 5
6 5 4
*denotes steel is to be powder coated with dark gray
+Display Kiost Connection Detail
+drought and flood grasses and perennials
tolerant
+gabions filled w/ blue glass bottles +perforated 4” hdpe underdrains
8” compacted 3/4- aggregate+
+subsurface detention aggregate
ECO-REVELATORY U: THE WINGS
overflow drain embedded in gabion+
1. brushed aluminum roof 2. underlights placed in sidewalk 3. 6” circular steel post* 4. 4” steel square tubing* 5. 1/2” galv. steel carriage bolts w/ nut and washer 6. 4” steel angle* 7. brushed aluminum post caps
ECO-REVELATORY U: THE WINGS
The Wings are an intertwining of curving ground surfaces, vertical walls, and overhead structures. The gabions rise from the bioretention pond while the stainless steel structure rises from the gabions. These elements enclose a small gathering space from the busy intersection but makes a grand statement including at night when the illuminated glass brick leads people into central campus.
The planting pallete was kept simple, selecting only a handful of plants. Betula papyrifera was selected as the major planting element due to its white bark, bright green summer foliage and bright yellow autumn foliage. The bark would make an equally bright statment illumated at night as the glass brick, and the foliage in the daytime would highly contrast the dark foliage of the existing oaks. This semicircle of birch acts as another gateway and barrier to noise. The other main planting was done in the bioretention pond, choosing attractive and clean-looking plants due to its prominent location. Black-eyed susan was chosen to add “Maize� to the blue bottles in the gabions while a handful of grasses were chosen based on salttolerance, winter character to hold the space, seed heads, and drought/flooding tolerance.
ECO-REVELATORY U: THE WINGS
IT’S IN THE BOX!
initiating new public space in detroit through mobile interventions generated through community participatory design providing community-based infrastructure to the underrepresented
master’s thesis detroit | mi
Concept Painting the container orange calls attention to a site while brightening the surroundings
An expandable roof increases surface area of available rainwater collection Sliding doors double as signage for the intervention with the ability to light up at night
A floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall magnetic white board facilitates community design charrettes allowing people to move around magnetic components to achieve a final design everyone understands and agrees upon Existing floor is replaced with hardwood salvaged from pallets Doors are added so shower/toilet stall components can be attached. the container provides a solid base while creating a securable facility for people to feel safe performing such tasks
Standard shipping container sizes
Salvage
background:
Container transformation
Repurpose
Mobilize
Unpacked container
Intervene
concept:
As a response to the decades of decline, the orange shipping containers and their innards which makes up the BOX! seeks to become a new icon for the city, a catalyst for conversation and commitment to place. The project is a tactical kit of parts, designed to initiate new forms of public life on formerly abandoned landscapes. The BOX! is a flexible, adaptable set of interchangeable components which can empower communities to reclaim their public space on the road to neighborhood stability and potentially economic development.
IT’S IN THE BOX!
Detroit hit its stride, economically, socially, and industrially, in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Due to an overlay of events such as the civil uprising of 1967, white flight to the suburbs, loss of industry to other regions and loss of jobs due to automation, Detroit has since suffered disproportionately--socially, economically, and in relation to the built environment.
Packed container
IT’S IN THE BOX!
n
City of Detroit + Vacancy Map vacant parcels Downtown Core
parks
oit R
iver
Windsor, Canada
Detr
Packard Plant
unt
Mo
Capuchin Service Center: Distributes food + clothing to families in need
t
tt S
ent
Ext
unt
Heid
ject
Pro
Mo
rg elbe
Ellio
Michigan Ave
tt S Ellio t
Capuchin Site
Roosevelt Park
Heidelberg Project Site Michigan Central Train Station
Michigan Central Train Station/Roosevelt Park Site
site selection
The initial site selection is crucial to the potential success and future stability of the project. Though sites would ultimately be determined by community and civic leaders, the initial criteria for choosing the sites is established as: (1) open spaces adjacent or in close proximity to some means of stability such as a community organization; (2) spaces that have high visibility to both community residents and visitors; and (3) the community must be receptive or in need of a new public space. Using those guidelines, the first three sites were chosen to receive the BOX! (above).
Step 1: Transit
IT’S IN THE BOX!
Site Process + Evolution
IT’S IN THE BOX!
Step 2: Arrival
Step 3: Site Presence
Step 4: Community Involvement
n Step 5: Delivery of Final Components + Setup
IT’S IN THE BOX!
Intervention 1: Heidelberg Project Site Plan Street Scale Step 6: Completed Intervention
IT’S IN THE BOX!
water
agricultural irrigation cisterns
potable water cisterns
The design is meant to be both open to the street, inviting anyone into the space to learn more and interract, and somewhat enclosed to provide safe places for children to play and a securable place to prevent theft of the food crops. Even the existing billboard is incorporated into the intervention, shifting the message from a negative alcohol related ad to one that advertises the space to cars while also preaching a positive message of eating healthy.
laundry cisterns
s
Intervention 2: Capuchin Service Center Site Plan Community Scale
IT’S IN THE BOX!
n
IT’S IN THE BOX!
Pallet Components
Lamella Structure
full-size wide planks
raw pallet
half-size narrow planks 4 : wide planks lamella pieces full-size narrow planks 6 : narrow planks half-size beams
full-size beams 3 : beams cuts are targeted to eliminate holes where nails occured
pallet disassembled
cutting to standard sizes
bench connector cut outs
specialty cuts
1 13/16� o.c.
drilling holes
hardware additions
1 /2” galv. carriage bolt
flowers narrow planks /2” galv. carriage bolt
1
beams 1 /2” galv. washer + hex nut
half-size
growing medium
galv. steel connector
half-size
receptacle
1 /2” galv. carriage bolt
/2” galv. washer + hex nut
1
narrow planks beams half size pallet in folded position /2” galv. washer + hex nut 1
full-size
assembling final pallets
full-size
bench
bench row
planter
full size pallet aisle w/ lamella inlays bench row
standard classroom outer bench ring inner bench ring
inner focal/performance area
dance floor/ meetinghouse
topography
floor arrangements
IT’S IN THE BOX!
IT’S IN THE BOX!
n
Intervention 3: Roosevelt Park Site Plan City Scale
Because this is already a high profile and visible site, the design targets those that are visitors to the city. The Train Station is fitted with a giant retractable screen for showing outdoor movies at night. The current site is entirely lawn with meandering walkways; to add color and cues to caring, lawn in all the smaller islands encircled with sidewalks are replaced with wildflowers. Many active recreation areas are also unique to this site due to the large amount of existing open space. Soccer, baseball, and basketball are all accounted for providing meaningful play for children and young adults of the many ethnicities in Detroit from Latinos to African Americans. The existing homeless population on the site is accounted for in the new design, creating a place on the site away from the more active areas with provisions like public toilets + showers, laundry facilities, and an agricultural plot.
IT’S IN THE BOX!
Water Crate: Water + LIght Column
IT’S IN THE BOX!
COMMUNITY-BASED INFRASTRUCTRE + MULTI-DIMENSIONAL/MULTI-USE SPACES
1. Creating + Viewing Art:
4. Performance + Music + Night Interest:
2. Mobile Classrooms:
3. Public Toilets + Showers: 1. Panels and abandoned building facades provide a canvas for teenagers and others to express themselves in a positive way while adding customized vibe and energy to each intervention. 2. Keeping with the mobility and education goal of the BOX!, some BOXES! become mobile classrooms that travel to not only BOX! interventions but other places like schools, temp agencies, or community centers. Each one of these BOXES! is geared to a different trade like computer training, carpentry (above), or bike repair and is not just a place to learn but to also generate an economic return paying for equipment and paying the students. 3. These facilities are usually few and far between especially for the homeless as they can’t walk into any business to use the bathroom. This provides a safe place for such activities to happen while they can secure their possessions. 4. A safer environment is created at night as people attend events.
IT’S IN THE BOX!
balance
5022 SW Slavin Rd. Unit 19 Portland, OR 97239 419.863.0108 zuzolonl@gmail.com