ELLEN DUFFGraduate School Portfolio | 2015

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ELLEN DUFFTable of Contents

Academic

La Phalanstère 4

Family Cancer Center 12

Caterpillar 18

Metal Jewelry Fabrication 24

Dudley Square Housing 26

Timber in the City 34

Modern Vernaculars 40

Other

Professional Work 46

Competition: Hult Prize 50

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LA PHALANSTÈRE: THE BORDER CROSSING

Networks Studio, Fall 2013

La Phalanstère is conceived as an urban utopian

response to the arrival of the new US-Canada

bridge crossing in the old manufacturing district

of Delray, Detroit. The project explores human

interactions with highway interchanges for new

paradigms in sustainable networks. Spatial

arrangements cater to social declarations

within the trucking community, leveraging

utopian ideals of possible urban futures with

international trade logistics.

Team: Ellen Duff + Zachary Potts

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3/3/2015 #4.psd

https://docs.google.com/a/umich.edu/file/d/0B9AK-VeFWklnQ0pheUU4NmpaMlE/edit 1/1

Diagram 1 - Urban sprawl

Old manufacturing facilities and parking

lots fill existing landscape

Diagram 2 - High rise construction

Increase communal access to amenities

Diagram 3 - Trade crossing

International trade crossing brings

constituents in contact with structure

Diagram 4 - Truck based circulation

Circulation extends into building to bring

trade amenities to thru-traffic

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Urban Utopia in Delray, Detroit

Trade Inspection Entrance

Left Page: Cargo Inspection Drop off

Left: Section through high rise

High rise typology forms from desires of

social and logistical trucking needs.

View from bottom floor

FAMILY CANCER CENTERDesign Jr., Fall 2014

As a new prototype for alternative health care

design, the family cancer center design provides

interlocking spaces to bring playfulness

into an otherwise rigid typology. Explored

through graphic representation, hexagonal

shapes accommodate complex programmatic

adjacencies for improved interactions between

doctors, families, and patients.

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13

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Book Graphic Representation

Unprogrammed, small scaled circulation spaces

foster playful interactions with patients.

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Graphic representation of child based pavilions within cancer center

CATERPILLAR: INTERACTIVE FURNITURE

Design Jr., Fall 2014

Caterpillar is an ergonomically based piece

of children’s furniture designed to foster

self expression through the act of play. The

design encourages children to sculpt their

surroundings without prescribed notions. The

use of a CNC 3-axis router and 3D printer

allowed for 1:1 fabrication to create a prototype

for kindergarten aged children.

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19

10”7”

15”

9”

17”

9”

12”

9”

14”

9”

17”

9”

24”

2’ - 0” X 4”

8” X 4”

15”

32”

22”

40”

4" SLATS1/32” GAP

8" SLATS1/16” GAP

10”7”

15”

9”

17”

9”

12”

9”

14”

9”

17”

9”

24”

2’ - 0” X 4”

8” X 4”

15”

32”

22”

40”

4" SLATS1/32” GAP

8" SLATS1/16” GAP

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Kindergartner interacting with Caterpillar

Kindergartner interacting with Caterpillar

Construction DETAILS

4” PAINTED FOAMBOARD

5/8” SLITS

3/4” WEBBING

3/4” SLITS FOR WEBBING INSET

3D PRINTED BUNGEE CONNECTORS

WOODEN SLOT

6"

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BROOCH DESIGNMetals + Jewelry, December 2014

As an additional fabrication course to my

architectural studies, I researched ancient arts

works from the University of Michigan’s Art

Museum as inspiration for metal-smithed jewelry.

Findings rendered themselves in the form of small

scale brooch designs. The course generated

deeper understandings and appreciations for

attention to detail and the design process, while

bridging interdisciplinary practices.

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DUDLEY SQUARE HOUSING Design Studio, Fall 2012

The existing Blair Lot at Dudley Square in

Boston, MA is a large parking area. Adjacencies

to the historic Ferdinand building and

commercial streets makes the area a prime real

estate investment for a new residential housing

development. Dudley Square Housing proposes

bringing open green space to the community

while interlocking with existing buildings.

Right: Prototype unit design model

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Existing Site Social Plaza

Courtyard access

Green roof access

Complete block

Direct views to Ferdinand

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UP

UP

UP

UP

UP

UP UP

UP

UPUPUP

UP

UP

UP

UP

UP

UP

UPUP

UP

UP

UPUP

UP

UP

UP

UPUP

UP

UP

UP

UP UP

DNDNDN

DN DNDN

DN

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Section Through Housing

Skip stop circulation allows for natural ventilation

through the units, while giving access to views on

both sides of the building

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TIMBER IN THE CITYComprehensive Studio, Spring 2013

Red Hook, Brooklyn has great potential for

development with proximity to Manhattan,

low density, and low land costs. However,

Hurricane Sandy revealed the neighborhood’s

vulnerability to flooding. With a market for

new housing, Red Hook has the potential to

address residential prototypes for climate

change needs in the area.

Team: Ellen Duff + Abigail Lupien

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Timber Bridge Construction Social Factors

CirculationEnvironmental Factors

ELEVATION

SECTION

Typical Upper Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

BIKE STORAGE

WOOD PRODUCTION

SHOWROOM

BIKE SHOP

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Typical Unit Plans:

Each unit has their own parking space

and shared a stair with one to two

other units. Each space is offset to

allow for ideal shading from the sun

during summer months. A green facade

facilitates cleaning of the smog from

the car exhaust within the structure.

MODERN VERNACULARS: ARCHITECTURES OF EDUCATION

Amazonian Research, Spring 2014

Through working with indigenous community

members in the Ecuadorian Amazon Forest,

hands on research of the vernacular allowed for

the reinterpretation of contemporary methods

of local construction. Findings led to modern

developments of local techniques that took

form in schematic details for an Ecuadorian

university facade inspired by local culture.

Research Professor: Ana Maria Calisto Duran

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Vernacular bamboo bridge construction

BambooConnector

Structural BambooColumns

Undulating strips of quartered bamboo

Metal Joints

.5 M concrete seating

StructuralSteel Beam

Bamboo Connector

Metal ConnectionDetail

Bamboo Connection Detail

Metal Washer

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Detail of vernacular bamboo construction

IKIAM competition rendering

4cm Recycled Metal Piping[2cm, 4cm, 6cm, 8cm, 10cm]

6cm Flexible Metal Attachment

Metal Bolts

Hanging Metal Structure

4cm Recycled Metal Piping[2cm, 4cm, 6cm, 8cm, 10cm]

I-Beam Metal Bracket

6cm Flexible Metal Attachment

Water Proofed Metal Piping Connector

Hanging Metal Structure

Recycled metal piping connection details

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PERKINS + WILL, BOSTONArchitecture Intern 05/12 - 12/12

Perkins + Will is a national firm specializing

in transformative spaces. While working at the

Boston branch office, I had hands on learning

experience with several different buildings

in the education sector. My role in the firm

varied from assistance with schematic design,

master planning, construction documentation,

and construction administration. Through

working with this practice, I gained a deeper

understanding of how pivotal the role of an

architect can be in effectively nurturing healthy

learning environments.

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UMass Lowell: South Campus 10 Year Sector Plan

Bridgewater State University Dormitory Rendering

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Schematic Office Circulation Rendering

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HULT PRIZEInternational Competition, 2015

The Hult Prize is an annual international

competition formed by the Clinton Global

Initiative. In 2014, President Bill Clinton

encouraged individuals to create sustainable

and scalable social enterprises to address

early childhood education in urban slums

and beyond. Our business, rePLAY, responds

to this challenge by gathering recycled every

day items as a source of material for children

to interact with play based learning through

the creation of educational toys in India. Our

team advanced to the regional finals of the

competition, becoming one of the final 50

competitors from over 20,000 entries.

Team: Ellen Duff, Daniel Sebaldt, Devan

Rostorfer, Barrett Randolph

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Play School

Teachers

Children

Ragpickers

local StaffTraining,

Classroom Companionand Material

Collecte

d Material

Discarded Toys

Play-based Education

Above: Anganwadi School Teacher

Government subsidized pre primary schools

(Anganwadis) have minimal access to healthy

facilities, let alone toys than prosper cognitive,

physical, and emotional development.

Right: Eco System

Materials are gathered from local recycle

companies, cleaned by local staff, and then

given to playschool teachers as resources for the

children to play with and take home.

01 PULL CAR + + + +

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EXPERIENCE

MGA Architecture • Architecture InternHonolulu, Hawaii | 05/13 - 09/13

Assistant designer for facade renovation of large shopping plaza buildingPrimary draftsman of construction documents for 3,000 sq ft renovation in AutoCADGenerated field surveys to document existing conditions on multiple projects

Perkins + Will • Architecture InternBoston, Massachusetts | 05/12 - 12/12

Compiled construction documentation for institutional buildings in REVIT Documented LEED credits for multiple higher education buildingsCreated digital graphics and layouts for design process books and presentationsAssisted in establishment of in-house “Sustainable Initiatives Team”

Downtown Greensboro, Inc • Architecture AssistantGreensboro, North Carolina | 05/11 - 08/11

Generated 3-D models and renderings for potential business storefrontsCreated graphics for proposal of public environmental education building

Turenscape Architecture • Architecture InternBeijing, China | 08/10 - 12/10

Collaborated with project team to create master plan of 134 family neighborhoodDeveloped schematic design of 1,700+ square meter community center

RESEARCH + RECOGNITIONS

University of Michigan • (re)Thinking Architectures of EducationQuito, Ecuador | 05/14 - 06/14

Researched Amazonian construction methods through hands on building with localsCreated modern vernacular schematic facade designs for IKIAM University

University of Michigan • Graduate Student InstructorAnn Arbor, Michigan | 09/14 -12/14

Provided assistance to professor for course ARCH 425: Sustainable Systems IIFacilitated lectures and exams around daylighting, acoustics, and materials

HULT Prize International Competition • Regional Finalist San Fransisco, California | 03/15

Collaborated with interdisciplinary team to develop sustained solutions for affordable pre-primary education in urban Indian slums

EDUCATION

University of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan | 08/13 - 05/15

Masters of Architecture CandidateMumbai Study Abroad Program: Concentration in High Density Housing

Northeastern UniversityBoston, Massachusetts | 09/08 - 05/13

Bachelor of Science in ArchitectureMinor In International AffairsBerlin Study Abroad Program: Concentration in Sustainable Urban Design

Boston Architectural CollegeBoston, Massachusetts | 07/10

Autodesk REVIT Certificate

TECHNICAL SKILLS

DigitalRevit ‘14

Rhino

DIVA for Rhino

Adobe CS6

AutoCAD ’15

SketchUp Pro

Maya

Ecotect

eQuest

Kerkythea Rendering

Fabrication3D Printing

CNC Milling

CNC Knitting

Hand Modeling Making

KUKA Multi Axis Robot

Laser Cutting

Zund Cutting

a: 401 Lawrence Street, Apt #3

Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

t: +1 336 907 2418

e: ecduff@umich.eduAIAS | NCARB | LEED Green Associate ELLENDUFF