MOHipHop
My design for the Museum of Hip Hop stems from a study of hip hop music, culture, and history. My music studies of The Sugarhill Gang, Run DMC and several others, are shown through 2D graphics (on the first line of images) that reflect on music patterns and instruments. After the music study I continued to study the culture of New York City and how it was affected by hip hop culture from the 1970's to present day. These findings allowed me to produce the SNAFU drawing (depicted below the 2D computer images). The SNAFU is a multi-layered drawing that incorporates images of graffiti, subway maps, as well as pieces of the 2D music graphics. These pieces were then combined to produce 3D objects. After the 3D objects were created, the form of the museum was born. The facade of the museum has no windows, but does have a large skylight on the roof to allow light to penetrate the central column of the building. Each space in the museum provides a place for visitors to fully immerse themselves in hip hop culture from a historical library to a breakdance room. Throughout this study, form and function were used to create a museum experience that would be unforgettable to anyone who would come across this new Brooklyn Bridge adjacent landmark in the heart of Dumbo.
Tectonic Campus
The Tectonic Campus project was a chance to create a new educational space for Milwaukee's Urban Ecology Center. Once topography and campus designs were completed, we had a choice to go further with one building on the campus. For this building, we focused on mass, plane, frame; and three tectonic words that defined their overall design. The three words I focused on during my study of the campus were line, patchwork, and pattern.
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I chose to model the campus greenhouse, to explore a space that is often thought of as one dimensional. My focus was to create a cohesive space that had exterior structural components that interacted with each other. The Greenhouse is not just a house for plants but also a place for learning. The exterior stone garden/pathway to the Greenhouse is designed as a labyrinth to help school aged children decompress while coming from the outside, into an educational space. I also focused on creating visual interest and education opportunities through light and shadow manipulation that would change based on the season and angle of the sun.
Downer Woods Dorm
The dorm project focused on creating a design that complimented the surrounding site; the Downer Woods. We were given the site on the northeast corner of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus.
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In my design I focused on the overall neighborhood aesthetic and addressed issues that I found in my own dorm experience. I addressed the scale change from neighborhood to campus through my manipulation of the landscape. To add more green space to the UWM campus, the dorm is equipped with two green roofs, one that is accessible to students and the community, on top of the first floor and the other on the upper level roof of the dorm. The dorms serves the community by providing a public access courtyard, coffee shop, and lecture hall, with private space for students above. The dorm rooms are set up suite style with lounge and study spaces. The rooms are spacious to allow students the opportunity to personalize and create their ideal study and living environment. On each floor of the dorms students have access to small lounge areas, large lounge areas, kitchens, as well as quiet study rooms. These dorms are designed to put the mental and physical wellbeing of the student first. A happy student, is a productive student.
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
