JMK
DESIGN PORTFOLIO
HAbitat KALAMAZOO, MI CONCEPT The goal of this project is to enter the discourse of “anonanimal� at the intersection of the human and the animal. This project explores the evolution of the relationship between the two species and attempts to understand how the most recent manifestation of this relationship may have quantifiable benefits in the practice of psychological and physical medicine. With an understanding of how the social contract between humans and our animal companions has grown more complex, this thesis attempts to explore the fluctuating role of the dependent and the codependent structure within these relationships. The curation of images of humans and animals is the result of my work on the animal companion research basin earlier this year. I became incredibly interested by the way humans tend to project emotions onto animals and used this study as a way to understand this aspect of the human animal relationship visually. From here, the concept of my project was born.
F2014 ANONANIMAL THESIS STUDIO JASON YOUNG
PROGRAM Expanding on this research, I began to question the way in which we interact with animals at various times in our lives and how this interaction might be pushed even further. Thru this investigation I quickly became aware of the benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy and biophilic design in the practice of healthcare. Studies suggest that people suffering from mental and physical ailments have increased recovery rates and fewer overall health problems when exposed to nature, even if for only short periods of time during the recovery process. Therefor, my proposal evolved into the creation of a healthcare facility that explores combining the elements of the animal companion and nature into the built environment. Some of the research on biophilia has proven to be beneficial to patients regardless of the method of exposure. Given this knowledge, this facility will provide the user control over their degree of participation with the animals and nature by introducing moments of exposure that vary from visual to total emersion. This strategy will also provide the therapy animals with safe, healthy, spaces to occupy outside of the hospital corridor. In order to begin to understand how this project unfolds around the HAbitats, I took a “standard” floor plan of a health center, which in many ways matched a standard animal shelter, and began to create a series of duplications to understand where these two programs begin to contaminate the institution by creating interesting moments of overlap. From this study came these “biopsies” of mashed spaces.
SITE As for the site, the intention of this project is to represent a prototype of an institution that can be implemented in various locations. For the purpose of this prototype, I have situated the building in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It’s classification as a postindustrial city with a reputation for progressive medical practices makes Kalamazoo the ideal landscape for an institution of this nature. This map beings to illustrate the size of Kalamazoo and its desire to produce natural habitats in an industrial city.
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SKETCHES
A2 PLACE ANN ARBOR, MI
CONCEPT The goal of this project is to create a commercial hub for the city of Ann Arbor, while also respecting the character of the surrounding residential neighborhoods. As a result, the complex will try to give back to and enhance the community. This will be achieved by putting the building’s roofs to work. One roof will be fitted with solar panels, which will be used to harvest solar energy. One roof will be designated as a “green” roof, which will be used to improve the air quality directly around the site. Finally, the lowest roof, will be converted into a community garden for the residents of the building, creating a stronger sense of neighborhood.
W2014 SYSTEMS STUDIO LARS GRAEBNER & DOUGLAS KELBAUGH COLLABORATORS: LAURA WEAVER & YUAN LIANG
SITE The goal of this project is to use the site’s unique location, with its proximity to Main Street, Liberty, Central Campus, and the new Blake Transit Center, to create a hub for the city’s residents and visitors. This goal is achieved by creating a complex that provides, permanent, semi-permanent, and shortterm lodging in combination with commercial and retail space. This blending of programs will engage users and encourage further financial and community growth for Ann Arbor’s already vibrant downtown area.
PROGRAM The project includes a mixture of commercial and retail spaces, situated around the perimeter of the site. Some of this space is designated for “quick shops”, which accommodate more temporary users who may simply be commuting via the Blake Transit Center, or for those who may be guests at the hotel which is situated above the “quick shops” on 4th Street and the northwest corner of the site. The program also incorporates “Live/ Work” units around the 5th street public corridor and the southeast corner of the site. These units are meant to encourage small business owners to take root and grow their businesses in the heart of Ann Arbor. Additionally, the building provides residential units in the form of townhouses and a combination of studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartments; giving the site more of a “neighborhood” feeling. This residential atmosphere is further instilled through the use of a large semi-public courtyard, which exists between the two programs, creating a pleasing transition from commercial to residential.
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BW HOTEL COLUMBIA, MO
CONCEPT The inspiration for this project comes from the surrounding community. The building acts as a social intersection, bridging together the residential and commercial districts of Downtown Columbia. The building’s unique angles and use of positive and negative forms create welcoming public space on the street level, while also creating privileged views from every room, these views are enhanced by the implementation of accessible green roofs.
F2009 Thesis Studio Benjamin Schwarz
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
SITE This project was sited in northwest downtown Columbia, Missouri on the corner of Broadway and Providence. This site was chosen because it is a busy intersection that acts as a crossroad for the up and coming shopping district, an upper-middle class residential neighborhood, and a low-income residential neighborhood. It is also located near two of Columbia’s historically protected buildings, the “Blind Boone Home” and the Second Missionary Baptist Church. Being situated between these two sites creates cultural intrigue in addition to creating a thread between these three urban zones.
PROGRAM
Level 8-11
The proposed building program includes a hotel with commercial units lining the west side of the street on the lowest level. Currently, Columbia does not have a hotel downtown; despite the fact that the city and the University of Missouri have both expressed an interest building one. This site is ideal for a hotel because it is located downtown, within walking distance of the University and the sports district and is only a couple of miles from two large interstates.
Level 7
Additionally, the city is attempting to expand its commercial core, and would like to avoid diverting consumers away from the already established commercial center of the city.
Level 4
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09 SOLAR HOUSE UNIVERSITY CITY
CONCEPT The Show-Me Solar Team created a sustainable home that harvests all of its energy needs directly from the sun. A three-foot modular grid governs the home’s modern style. Creating a sleek design with simple construction that highlights and unifies the interior and exterior spaces with crisp elegant lines. The elongated axis, defined by the line of passage, provides generous southern exposure for solar gain as well as a sequential order from public to private spaces.
2009 SOLAR DECATHLON UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI S&T
SITE In 2009, the architectural studies students from the University of Missouri and the engineering students from Missouri Science and Technology came together to create the Show-Me Solar Decathlon Team. The team was formed in response to the U.S. Department of Energy’s challenge to design and build a 1,000 square foot solar powered house. Upon completion, the house was showcased on the National Mall for the month of October. For the purposes of this project, the Show-Me Solar Team chose to hypothetically situate the house in University City, Mo.; an area with nearly the same solar angles as Washington D.C. and a city that the team was familiar with. University City is an urban college town; just outside of St. Louis, Mo. the target demographic for this project was a young professional, with some tie to Washington University in St. Louis. After the competition, the house was moved to Rolla, Missouri where it became a part of the University of Missouri S&T’s student housing stock. It is now located in an area of the campus known as the Solar Village and is part of the university’s student housing system.
PROGRAM The competition called for a 1000 square foot house with at least one bedroom, a complete kitchen, bath, workspace, and living room for entertainment. Although it was not required by competition guidelines, the Show-Me Solar Team insisted on building a home that was accessible for everyone and decided to follow ADA codes throughout the entire house. Additionally, the house features a customized home automation system that was developed by the engineers at Missouri Science & Technology known as the Chameleon System. Chameleon provides access to the house with the use of an access card, which was programed according to the preferences of the user. The programmed settings are activated as soon as the card is swiped, truly customizing the house for its occupants. Chameleon also tracks the energy and water usage of the homeowner and provides data regarding ways to be more energy efficient.
FINISHED HOUSE
S.H.A.R.E. DETROIT, MI
CONCEPT S.H.A.R.E. LLC (Supportive Housing, Architects Redefining Equality) is a design firm that focuses on repurposing abandoned schools into mixeduse supportive housing communities for homeless families. Our research has shown a primary obstacle to self-sufficiency for homeless individuals is a lack of a support system and a sense of community. Studies show that homeless individuals are more likely to achieve success when placed in a supportive housing community that provides on-site services. The benefits of a supportive housing community also reach the taxpayers. Redirecting tax money to a supportive housing community reduces the overall cost and provides better services for the individuals seeking assistance. S.H.A.R.E works as the conduit to bring the physical, financial and social benefits of this repurposing and redirecting to the city and its residents alike.
F2013 OPTIONS STUDIO CRAIG WILKINS
SITE There is currently an abundance of vacant schools throughout the country and the adaptive reuse of an abandoned school carries with it a number of benefits, which readily lend themselves to enhancing the desired sense of community. First, a school likely holds some emotional clout for the surrounding neighborhood; it reminds nearby residents of children, happiness, and community. Additionally, schools are located in residential areas, making the transition from an educational facility to a residential one smooth. Furthermore, there is, typically, a large amount of land surrounding a school, allowing for the site to become a center for community based activities, such as sporting events or gatherings. In some cases, schools are even located near public transportation, a factor that may mean the difference between working and remaining jobless, for some of the new residents. In terms of design, schools are at a more domestic scale than other readily available buildings; yet still provide adequate space and structure to make room for a mixed-use program.
PROGRAM In an effort to create a sense of community and rejuvenate a struggling neighborhood, S.H.A.R.E. proposes to incorporate programs in the former school that will benefit both the building’s tenants and people from the surrounding community. The oldest part of the school will remain mostly intact. While, the building’s more recent addition will maintain its original footprint and charming characteristics, like the large glass dome; the newer wing will built up in order to provide housing for at least twelve families of varying sizes. Given the building’s large footprint and limits enforced by local building codes, the residential wing contains a vast amount of public space S.H.A.R.E. will use this “extra” space to provide extended living spaces for the residents. Finally, S.H.A.R.E. recognizes the importance of outdoor activities and takes advantage of the large amount of land surrounding the building, in addition to the flat roofs provided by the design of the residential wing. The surrounding land will be converted in to a community park and will feature basketball courts, soccer fields, community garden plots, a new playground, a small parking lot, and meandering paths, which will be surrounded by native plants. On the second floor, the flat roof above the gym and daycare center, acts as an extension of the game room. It provides a safe outdoor setting for children to play while also creating relaxing out door space for adults to relax. The flat roof above the community dinning room will be treated as an exterior family room, complete with a barbeque space, a fire pit, small garden spaces and lounging areas.
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ELEVATIONS
9092 DETROIT, MI
CONCEPT The goal of this project is to create a zero net emission single-family residence. Ultimately, this will be achieved through the use of advanced sustainable technologies, strategic orientation and manipulation of the surrounding landscape. Following these guidelines, will allow the house be high tech, without it feeling like a sterile machine; making the house feel like a home. This sense of “home� will be further instilled through the choice of building materials, which will be renewable, as well as residential in nature.
F2013 NET ZERO HOUSING SEMINAR LARS JUNGHANS COLLABORATORS: ZEESHAN VIRA
SITE
The site is located in the Joseph Barry Subdivision, a small, historic, riverfront neighborhood situated directly on the Detroit River. The subdivision, which looks across to Belle Isle, is home to 500 residents. The surrounding housing stock consists of large, single-family homes ranging from one to two stories. The landscape is made up of tree-lined streets, which act as a public fence for the large, private lawns and inset driveways. The project’s unique location opens up the possibility for the implementation of a variety of sustainable systems including, solar, hydro, and wind energy sources. Additionally, the site is ideal for incorporating passive systems, such as strategic landscaping, which will reduce the need for mechanical heating and cooling systems.
PROGRAM The single family home is meant to celebrate views to the adjacent river and provides ample space for gathering. These spaces include a large, main level dining deck and a subterranean recreational room; which steps out onto a pool side sun deck. Additionally, the home offers a semi-open floor plan, featuring a living space that extends between a kitchen, a formal dining room, and a living room. The primary sleeping space is located on the second floor and contains three bedrooms and an open den. To accommodate guests and ensure that the family can grow into their home, if necessary, there is also a bedroom on the main floor.
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Section AA
DETAILED SECTIONS
ELEVATIONS
East Elevation
North Elevation
South Elevation
West Elevation
11 SOLAR HOUSE COLUMBIA, MO
CONCEPT The goal of the 2011 house was to create a symbiotic relationship between rural and urban environments by bridging agriculture and up-used common materials in an urban setting. Showcasing technology and the benefits of adapting rural elements into an urban culture will function as an outlet to educate the public about the magnitude of urban society’s impact on the environment. The house will combine sustainable and urban technologies to showcase a more environmentally safe, but practical housing typology by demonstrating the mutual dependency between the available resources.
2011 SOLAR DECATHLON UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI S&T
SITE In 2011 the University of Missouri and Missouri S&T came together, once again, to accept the U.S. Department of Energy’s challenge to design and build a 1,500 sqft. solar powered house. The house is situated in Columbia, Missouri and was designed for young professionals. Columbia is a medium sized college town situated half way between St. Louis and Kansas City and acts as a cultural center for the state.
PROGRAM The competition called for a 1,500 square foot house with at least one bedroom, a complete kitchen, bath, workspace, and living room for entertainment. Although it was not required by competition guidelines, the show-me solar team, once again, insisted on building a home that followed ADA codes throughout the entire house. Like the 2009 house, the 2011 house, would also feature the revolutionary Chameleon System to assist with energy and water management through out the house. Additionally, it would include a living wall to improve the surrounding environment and provide passive cooling, a small vegetable garden, and a Trombe Wall to aid with passive heating and cooling.
MODELS
CLOUD DETROIT, MI
CONCEPT The Cloud is based on the Swedish Snoezelen Room. Urban protocol often dissuades mediation by restricting behaviors and flooding the senses. In contrast, The Cloud provides an acceptable place to lie down and think in comfort and solitude. It lifts the occupant off the ground, even if only a few inches. Through this subtle move, the dreamer rises from the pedestrian world, to the realm of the imagination. The subjectivity of the dreamer shifts; they emerge from The Cloud with a new sense of optimism and purpose. Dreams which were formerly private, now rise to the surface, free to enter conversation.
W2012 SITUATIONS STUDIO ANYA SIROTA COLLABORATORS: DREAM FACTORY
SITE Our understanding of Detroit is saturated with constructed imagery, some positive and some negative. This representation often distorts and obscures alternate possibilities for the city, its people, and its future. To accept the various mythologies of Detroit as truth is easy, but dangerous. Instead of embracing simplistic, ready-made-interpretations of the city, we must form our own opinions based on our individual experiences, needs, and desires in order to directly engage the city and its people the cloud was brought to downtown Detroit, but is designed to function in any city, town or village.
PROGRAM The cloud is a multi-sensory refuge that shelters its participants from their immediate surroundings and notes projective thought. The soft, white interior with its ethereal lighting is a neutral environment that incubates new imaginings of future Detroit. The exterior is approachable; with its small scale, simplicity, and optimistic imagery are welcoming and disarming. Its clean, graphic from stands out against the gritty complexity of Detroit, drawing attention and inviting investigation and interaction. The cloud is straight forward, recognizable, and universal; it thwarts misinterpretation and bypasses questions of taste.
CHALK ANN ARBOR, MI CONCEPT The goal of this project was to engage an unlikely public space. In order to create a successful project, a question was developed that was ambiguous enough to get all of the users to at least think about their response, therefore, encouraging every user of the existing site to participate on some level, and hopefully, elicit an actual response The question, “what’s your advice?” was posted in strategic locations, which changed the scale of the site, making it easier to manage. Then, chalk was left around the site in hopes that users of the existing space would stop and answer, creating a sense of communication and ownership with other users of the space. Using chalk also created a form of documentation and further engaged communication and participation amongst users.
F2012 NETWORK STUDIO CLAUDIA WIGGER COLLABORATORS: LYLA FIENSOD
SITE This project is situated on the University of Michigan’s North Campus, specifically in the student and faculty parking lot behind the Taubman College of Art and Architecture. The parking lot is bordered to the North by the school, where most of the site’s traffic comes from, a small pond to the east, an arterial road to the South and a small amount of green space to the West. The parking lot is large and has limited pedestrian access; it is used primarily as a transition zone between one’s car and the building, so people spend very little time here. There are a few grassy areas and some benches for sitting, but they are generally under utilized.
PROGRAM The objective of this project was to define and create a public space on a given site. For the purpose of this project, public space is defined as a place where people congregate and communicate, whether all at once or over an extended period of time. Public space is most successful when cultural and recreational activities lead to the generation of new forms of communication and when the space’s already existing inhabitants create this communication. A successful public space is any location that encourages people to gather and engage with their surroundings.
RESULTS
PHOTOGRAPHY
The following is a collection of photographs taken by me throughout the years. They cover a range of personal interests, including: architecture, nature, artifacts, and travel. For me, photography is a passion, it is a way for me to observe, understand, and remember the world as I experience it.
ARCHITECTURE
ARTIFACTS
NATURE
JMK