1

2

41220303642465054

The Natural House: House as a ManifestoDesign Development: Assembly RequiredMobile Research FacilitiesUVa Vortex: Ivy CorridorCity for a DayFreedom by Design: Fall BuildQueally Admissions CenterMaymont Horticultural BuildingResume

Contents

3

4

Architecture should acknowledge, respect, and embrace the spot on which it is placed. Universal design is an oxymoron. Design is fiercely individual. Houses today are too often selected from a catalogue and dropped onto sites with no regard to context. The Natural House is designed in direct opposition to that trend, in a way that is fully cognizant of its site. Its site is centered around an imagined ruin, perhaps of an old house that served a family now long forgotten. Instead of razing that structure, a new one is built inside of it, made light with glass and metal to contrast the heaviness of the existing stone. This new house utilizes sustainable design strategies that take the local climate into consideration while encouraging its residents to interact with the nature that surrounds them.

The Natural House: House as Manifesto. Spring 2015 W.G. Clark

5

6

12 & 34 & 5

Site PlanStudy Models (1/32” = 1’-0”)Site Model (1/8” = 1’-0”)

The design of the Natural House began with the selection of a site within one of Virginia’s hardwood forests. Many possible forms were explored for the house before the “occupied ruin” scheme was selected. This concept allowed for a design that confronted the conditions of its site head on and utilized existing assets, instead of simply starting with a blank slate. Careful consideration was given to the site’s climate from the very beginning of the design process. The southern stone wall shields the interior from harsh sunlight in the summer. During the winter months, the stone ruin acts utilizes its high thermal mass to re-radiate heat inward The central courtyard, coupled with the porosity of the ruin, allows for cross ventilation to cool the house. A deciduous shade tree is planted in the middle of the courtyard to block sunlight in the summer, but allow it into the home after it has dropped its leaves in winter.

1

7

2

4

3

5

8

7

9

6

8

9

6789

10

Office RenderingLiving Room RenderingChildren’s Bedroom RenderingMaster Bedroom RenderingExterior View from North

The interior floor plans of the house are left very open, and separation of spaces is achieved through the use of non-permanent casework and shelving. The extensive use of glass in the building envelope allows for a constant visual connection to the site, and large outdoor spaces encourage residents to connect with their surroundings as they go about their day. The material palette is fairly restrained, with materials selected primarily based upon utility. The plans proposed here imagine the inhabitants as a young family with one or two children, but the interior layouts could be reconfigured easily to suit a variety of occupants’ needs.

10

10

UP

DN

11121314

Level 1 PlanLevel 2 PlanExploded AxonometricWall Section Details

11

12

11

Scale

Project number

Date

Draw

n byC

hecked by

5/2/2015 9:00:14 PM

A106Exploded Axon

Project Num

berIssue D

ateAuthorC

hecker

1413

12

This studio challenged students to design a building in Charlottesville, Virginia composed of 98.7% of a single material family. Metals were chosen because of their flexibility, versatility, and structural possibilities. They can take on nearly any form, from light and airy screens to monolithic blocks and plates. They’re not without limitations though. For one, metals are terrible insulators. Maintaining comfortable temperatures within an all metal building required the implementation of numerous passive design strategies. In this project, the primary building envelope is situated within a tempered microclimate created by a secondary enclosure of operable metal louvers. These two systems work together to modify incoming sunlight and prevailing winds, based on the seasonal need for either heating or cooling.

Design Development: Assembly Required. Fall 2014 Charlie Menefee

13

14

This project began by looking at light. White models were constructed to experiment with various building geometries and shading methods, and were tested using light meters. For an all metal building, it became apparent early on that sunlight was going to be providing more than luminance; it brought heat with it as well. Controlling light therefore became a critical part of climate control within the building. A system of metal building screens was developed, to allow for shading without limiting airflow through the building and site. These screens began as an attachment to the primary structural steel system of the building. Throughout successive iterations, the screens became louvers to allow for easier operability. They were initially moved to a secondary structural system and eventually were completely separated from the building itself.

21

3

15

1,2,34567

Early Study ModelsMetal Screen Attachment Detail Operable Louver DetailEarly Shading Scheme Building Envelope Details

4

76

5

16

North

North

9

8

17

10

18

89

101112

13,14

Summer Climate AnalysisWinter Climate AnalysisSectional Model (1/4” = 1’-0”)Southeast AxonometricSectional Model Detail (1/4” = 1’-0”)Massing Model (1/16” = 1’-0”)

11

19

The south facade of the building is adaptable and dynamic, with screens that can be opened or closed to modify incoming southern light. During Charlottesville’s hot, humid summers, the southern screens are closed. This blocks incoming sunlight from reaching the conditioned building envelope, while still allowing cooling breezes to pass through the building. Heat rises up through the building, passing through steel grate floors and out of the roof vents, taking advantage of the chimney effect. The louvers on the surrounding screens are left open to accommodate air flow. Tulip poplars, chosen for their relatively fast growth and height once mature, were positioned along the southern part of the site to add additional shading. The louvers are closed during winter to block the prevailing northwest winds before they reach the building. In this configuration they also reflect light back into the north courtyard, warming it. During these cold months, screens on the south facade are opened to maximize passive solar heat gain.

12 13 14

20

UP

B

C

D

2 3 4 5 6

A

1 7

UP

B

C

D

2 3 4 5 6

A

1 7

DN

B

C

D

2 3 4 5 6

A

1 7

1516171819

Level 1 PlanLevel 2 PlanSouth Building ElevationWest Building ElevationEast Building Elevation

15 16

21

Level 10' - 0"

BCD

Level 212' - 0"

Level 324' - 0"

AE

Level 10' - 0"

B C D

Level 212' - 0"

Level 324' - 0"

A E

17

1918

22

At Schoodic Education & Resource Center on the Maine coast, opportunities for ecological research abound. However, due to extreme variations in weather, researchers typically limit their field work to warmer portions of the year, and only require shelters seasonally. A system of rapidly deployable tension membrane structures was developed using a kit of interchangeable parts. Researchers could construct large hub structures or smaller outposts as the need arose, and position them in close proximity to the ecosystems that they were studying.

Mobile Research Facilities. Spring 2014Earl Mark

23

24

The history and culture of coastal Maine is strongly tied to sailing. This fact, coupled with the studio’s stipulation that tension membrane structures be incorporated into the design, led to the exploration of sailboats as precedent. The mobile structures required by marine biologists and other researches shared many characteristics with sailboats. They needed to be lightweight, but sturdy enough to endure extreme conditions. Early iterations looked at a simple triangular tent shape that would rely on a central “mast” with sliding connections for operability. To create larger spaces, this form was aggregated to create a larger structure with swooping saddle-like curves. These two ideas would both find themselves in the final design. Given the variety of tasks that researchers could perform in their work, two types of structures were proposed. Large hub structures would be erected as semi permanent, seasonal structures to house labs, sleeping quarters, and other programs. Smaller, simpler, outpost structures could be deployed as needed in more remote sites for shorter periods of time. The two structures would be similar in structure and share some parts. This would help to reduce costs, as well as allowing for easier repairs in the field.

1

25

12345

Little Moose Island Site PhotoEarly Concept DiagramFraming Model with 3D Printed JointsSectional Study Sketches Traditional Wooden Mast Hoop with Tarred Hemp Rope

2 3

5

4

26

The standardized framing system would allow anyone to create new components for these structures. These systems could be attached to the structures to allow for solar power generation, rainwater collection, or weather monitoring. As researchers developed new systems, they would be easy to share with their colleagues.

6,7,89

1011,12

1314,15

Attachable Component RenderingsSERC Site SectionHub Structure AxonometricHub Structure ElevationsHub Structure Plan Hub Structure Sections

76 8

9

27

131211

14 15

10

1. Framing is composed of 2” diameter aluminum2. Galvanized steel joints are manufactured to fit the exact geometry of the structure3. 2x4 pine joists provide support for the floor of the structure. 4. A floor is then laid on top using 2x6 lumber with a maximum required length of 12’5. Lower joints accommodate standard scaffolding feet for leveling

Research Hub Framing System

28

1. Framing consists of poles and joints made of lightweight carbon fiber for portability. 2. Sloping backside of structure can be oriented towards prevailing sea winds 3. Prevalent winds in Maine come from the south, making this side ideal forphotovoltaics as well. 4. Sleeping cot occupies the space with lowest roof height, preventing unused space while still allowing comfortable standing in the work area 5. Long strip windows are positioned at the eye level of somebody sitting at a table, providing enjoyable views while working

Mobile Field Research Outpost

1617

18,19,20

Little Moose Island Site SectionMobile Field Research Outpost PlanMobile Field Research Outpost Elevations

16

29

1. Fabric shell of the structure attaches to rope at each vertex using a simple tab and brass grommet 2. Rope is fed through a single block pulley taken from modern sailing vessels3. Pulley system attaches to each joint using bungee cord, to allow the structure some flexibility in high winds 4. Having been redirected by the pulley, tension is applied to the fabric by walking the rope away from the structure 5. Once appropriate tension is reached, the rope is locked in place using an integrated cam cleat attached to the block pulley

Tension Rigging System

17

18

19

20

30

The fourth annual UVa Vortex competition presented teams with the task of improving residential culture at the University of Virginia. Sites were positioned along the Ivy Road corridor, which serves as a primary entryway for University visitors. Teams composed of both undergraduate and graduate students from the architecture, landscape, and planning departments participated in the week long design charrette.

UVa Vortex: Ivy Corridor January 2015Seth McDowell

31

32

1

33

The Scholars Zoo marks a new entrance to the University at the western end of the Ivy Corridor, becoming a visual spectacle for all the latest undertakings across campus. Live-work spaces reinterpret and frame the founding principles of the University of Virginia to meet the contemporary reality of a growing university and expanding urban core. The Scholars Zoo extends the OpenGrounds network and links to the existing Rivanna trail system, first year residential core, main campus, and downtown. It offers alternative mode of transport that transform distance into an opportunity for reflection and exchange, while also promoting outdoor recreation and healthy living.

12

Program Diagram and Site AxonometricSite Plan

2

34

34

5,6,7

Site SectionSite Massing Model Perspective Renderings

3

4

35

5 6 7

36

Human activity in Earth’s northernmost latitudes is predicted to increase drastically over the next century. A shift in arctic climate could open up shipping routes, allow for increased agriculture, and improve access to vast reserves of natural resources. However, despite this promise, life above the Arctic Circle is currently incredibly difficult for a number of reasons. How then can we help these incredibly isolated Arctic communities? What if we could not only bring exciting new cultural and educational experiences to these towns, but also change the way their local economies work to allow for more year-round flexibility and greater consumer choice? The City for a Day proposal aims to do just that

City For A Day. Spring 2015 Matthew Jull

37

38

This massive floating urban center would travel between small towns in the far north, providing them with much needed services that they wouldn’t otherwise receive. Whether peoples’ needs lie in education, healthcare, or just the need to purchase goods more easily, the City looks to provide a centralized location for such amenities that remains accessible by constantly moving throughout the region. During the winter, when sea ice becomes too thick for efficient movement, the City will lock down in one location, and will be accessible by travel across the ice on snowmobile, allowing year round access. To keep it running, the city will also house its own permanent and semi permanent population, made up of sailors, researchers, educators, retail workers, and others. As such, it will contain all of the programmatic elements one might find in a typical urban neighborhood. Places for shopping, recreation, coming together as a community, and living.

39

Walking City. Archigram proposed its Walking City during the peak of the 1960s counter-cultural movement. The confluence of new technologies, anti-establishment sentiments, and a number of burgeoning creative subcultures all led to Archigram’s creation of this mobile super structure. They believed their project had the potential to free people and institutions from their traditional geographic bounds and allow for the creation of a new global information network.

Instant City & Ideas Circus. These two proposals, also from Archigram,aimed to spread new ideas and culture to the less connected small towns surrounding London. Both relied on temporary “pop-up” facilities that would tour the countryside, making stops at more isolated towns all while communicating with their home base in a larger city. Newly available rapid communication technologies would allow for a constantly updating experience that put new ideas in front of individuals very quickly.

Liquid Commons Unit. A more recent project, Lateral Office proposed the Liquid Commons as a new, malleable educational infrastructure for small towns in the far north. A series of boats containing various educational amenities travel between eleven cities in the Arctic during the summer, providing them with a more diverse set of services than they would receive otherwise. As winter sets in, the boats come together to form centrally located nodes that then become locked in the ice.

40

1

2

34

5

6

7

Proposed City for a Day Travel Route.

City Population Travel Distance Travel Time Anchorage 300,950 2,200 mi 8.5 daysBarrow 4,373 1,800 mi 7 daysGrise Fiord 13 500 mi 2 daysResolute 198 600 mi 2.25 daysCambridge Bay 1,477 1,800 mi 7 daysChurchill 813 1,100 mi 4.25 daysIqaluit 6,699

Totals: 8,000 mi 31 days

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

41

The need for a direct interaction with the shoreline favored a hull design with a very shallow draft. However, a shallow draft design would have lacked the necessary buoyancy to support the massive weight of the structures on board. Therefore a tapered hull design was used, which allows the vessel to slide right next to the shore when it visits each town. Instead of a typical longitudinal plan seen in most ships, a radial design was implemented. This allows the structure to rotate throughout its journey, ensuring that all parts of the City for a Day receive adequate daylight. With the tapered hull design, it made sense to concentrate mass towards the center of the platform for stability. Taking advantage of this fact, taller buildings were pushed towards that center point. This created a sloped sectional arrangement that maximizes sunlight penetration into the City and performs well in harsh winds. Facades facing the edges of the plan slope inwards, allowing winds to pass more easily over the structures. A large, central exterior space is positioned to the inside of these structures, sheltered from cold winds. A single tower rises from the center of the plan, with its top serving as the vessel’s bridge, where there are unobstructed three hundred sixty degree views. The platform’s plan is derived from a six sided snowflake geometry. This shape’s small fractal-like arms at the perimeter create sheltered harbors for small boats during the summer, and help to lock the structure into the ice during the winter. Each of the six primary “arms” of the City for a Day contains a massive retractable gang plank that allows it to engage with the shore on one or multiple sides.

42

Freedom by Design promotes community engagement through small scale design-build projects in the local community. Last semester, an accessibility ramp was added to an elderly gentleman’s home. The all student team completed preliminary design work, as well as all of the on and off site construction for the project. This build was also used as an opportunity for teaching students valuable new shop skills. The design incorporated elements that required welding, CNC routing, and concrete casting, in addition to traditional wood frame construction. All of the ramp’s hand rails were made using reclaimed wood from nearby barns, which student planed, jointed, and finished themselves.

Freedom by Design: Fall Build Fall 2014

43

44

This project represents the largest build undertaken by the UVa Chapter of Freedom by Design, and should serve as valuable precedent for projects in the future. In January 2015, the project recieved national recognition by the AIAS. It was awarded “Best Project Under $2,000” at the AIAS Forum in Nashville, TN.

45

46

The University of Richmond Queally Center will serve as the new home for the Admissions and Financial Aid departments, and will be the first building that most potential students visit as they explore the campus. This was the first entirely Revit driven project taken on by SMBW Architects, and as such, interns were given an unprecedented amount of autonomy and responsibility while working on construction documents.

Queally Admissions Center Summer 2014SMBW Architects

47

48

49

50

Maymont is a historic estate in Richmond, VA that has operated as a city park since 1925. The park’s programs have expanded substantially over the course of its history. Today, its attractions range from ornamental gardens to a nearly 28,000 square foot nature center. Maintaining Maymont’s one hundred acre grounds requires a substantial facilities management team as well as dedicated horticultural staff. This new horticultural building houses offices for staff, storage for maintenance supplies, and a garage for vehicle repairs. The plan also includes covered parking for the park’s numerous tractors, trucks, and all terrain vehicles.

Maymont Horticultural Building Summer 2014SMBW Architects

51

52

1

2

53

1234

Isometric Sketch First Floor PlanSouth Elevation Studies South Elevation Rendering

3

4

54

University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA Aug 2011 – May 2015 + Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Minor in Global Sustainability + GPA: 3.3 Major GPA: 3.5 Studio GPA: 3.7Powhatan High School Powhatan, VA Sep 2007 – June 2011 + Class of 2011 Valedictorian, Student Council President, & captain of three varsity sports

Chanel, Inc New York, NY June 2015 - Present + Summer intern for the Global Store Design Team + Analyzed existing boutiques and prepared research breifs for members of the Boutique Architecture Leadership Team to better inform future design projects + Worked on schematic design package for a high profile, temporary boutique spaceSkidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP New York, NY Jan 2015 + Selected from a pool of over 150 UVa Architecture students to participate in a week long externship + Shadowed and assisted on the All Aboard Florida high speed rail projectSMBW Architects Richmond, VA May 2014 – Dec 2014 + Worked on all project phases ranging from programming and preliminary client meetings through the production of construction documents + Participated in meetings with commercial, higher education, residential, and institutional clients. + Daily work flow was Revit intensive and also included AutoCAD, SketchUp, & Adobe SuiteUniversity of Virginia Athletics Charlottesville, VA Jul 2013 – May 2015 + Photography intern for the U.Va. Athletics Media Relations Department + Extensive personal portfolio includes work featured in the Wall Street Journal & New York Times + Additional duties include updating photo archives and managing social media accountsStony Run Enterprises, L.L.C. Albemarle, VA May 2012 – Aug 2013 + Intern for real estate management & land development company + Work included property maintenance, marketing, and construction planning + Served as a consultant for a green build project that utilized Thermasteel SIP panels and photovoltaics in constructing a studio on a remote mountain site

Education

Experience

DILLON HARDING

55

Software Modeling + Revit + Rhino + CNC Laser Fabrication + AutoCAD + Vray + CNC Routing + SketchUp + Grasshopper + 3D Printing + Adobe Creative Suite + Microsoft Office + Concrete Casting

American Institute of Architecture Students Aug 2014 – Present + Participate in Freedom by Design build projects to assist low income community membersCavalier Daily Aug 2011 – Jan 2014 + Photography Editor for independent student newspaper with a circulation of 10,000 + Increased size of the photography staff by over 100% through new recruitment practices + Led section during the transition to more online & digital content after reduction in print frequencyJefferson Literary & Debating Society Aug 2011 – Present + Oldest student organization at U.Va., with an average application acceptance rate of 18% + Chairman of 50th Annual Restoration Ball + Raised over $10,000 for the Restoration of Thomas Jefferson’s Academical Village + Increased ticket sales from previous year over 50% (over 700 attended) + Served on executive committee for two years as Parliamentarian and Sergeant at Arms RestoreUVa Dec 2011 – May 2013 + Co-founder of student initiative to raise awareness and funds for Rotunda restoration. + Operations Manager for the Restoration Auction, which has raised over $30,000 to date

Involvement

Skills

dharding@virginia.edu 804.517.7194