kevin ford portfolio

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KEVIN FORD architecture portfolio K F ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY . B.ARCH . 2007 - 2012

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A showing of my work from 2007-2012.

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Page 1: Kevin Ford Portfolio

KEVIN FORD

architecture portfolio

KF

ILLIN

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IN

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OF T

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. 2

007 -

2012

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ACADEMIC WORK

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seoul education tower

Stage 1:

layering large void with

program blocks

Stage 2:

abstracted atrium vs.

program

Stage 3:

sky terraces considered,

general form refined

Stage 4:

sectional space properties

investigated

Stage 5:

overall building form and

program worked out

After spending 10 days in Seoul, South Korea in

January 2011, our two-person studio team learned

of Korea’s daunting, and in some ways inhibiting

form of primary education. Our solution was to

design a vertical, K-12 Western style school

located in the Seoul Forest area of the city. The

building’s formal and programmatic gestures are a

direct response into our investigation of how an

educational system can be weaved into a high-rise

typology.

60492712 of high schools admit to inflating grades

of South Korean parents want to send

their children abroad for school.

of South Korean teachers have admitted

to accepting bribes.

of parents want to send their children

away from Korea as early as elementary

school

60%

49%

27%

12%

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The building is raised on top of an undulating

grass-topped podium underneath of which is the

building lobby and the school theatre. Pedestrians

on the street are allowed to pass under the podium

to traverse through the site on their way to and

from Seoul Forest. The typical floor plan of the

tower pushes the classrooms to the exterior, thus

allowing the central spaces to act as large atriums

meant for congregating. The classrooms shift back

and forth in plan to evoke the playfulness of a child.

building lobby

school theatre

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Second Grade Atrium High School Atrium

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The tower stands tall within the context of the greater part of Seoul Forest, but it

also tries to do so in a way which is playful, energetic and inviting. The area is

home to a large mix of both high-rises and low-rises and for this reason the

building breaks up it’s tall vertical form into blocks which are more correctly

scaled with the surrounding community.

The series of large, central atriums which run up both sides of the building allow

for dramatic views out to the skyline of Seoul and function as a place of play for

the younger students, and as a place of interchange and socializing for the older

students.

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SPACE + MATERIALITYSPACE + MATERIALITYThis studio focused primarily on

the creation and modulation of

space using a design vocabulary

which put heavy weight into the

concept of phenomenal transpar-

ency. Physical models were used

throughout as a way to experiment

and test ideas.

Colin Rowe and his writings on Le

Corbusier’s Villa Stein were used

as a point of departure into the

rest of the project.

Modern abstract and impressionis-

tic art was used as a source of

inspiration to delve into a pro-

cess which focused on the grid,

materiality, proportion, volume,

light and transparency.

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The three level floor plan is

composed on a 10’ x 10’ grid with

columns spaced equally in both

directions at distances of 20’.

The floor plates layer and overlap

one another to create a variety of

unique spatial conditions.

The program of the building con-

sists of a small personal art

gallery on the eastern side of the

building, shielding the public

from the private home and studio

located on the western side of the

site.

Third Floor Plan Second Floor Plan First Floor Plan

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The sectional properties of the

project help to create an envi-

ronment of flowing space

throughout the work areas, gal-

leries and living spaces.

Color is used selectively, as

are pieces of contemporary art,

to serve as highlights within

the otherwise purely white envi-

ronment.

Vertical circulation is handled

by way of a series of floating

staircases positioned so as to

maximize their dramatic charac-

ter.

The sectional properties of the

project help to create an envi

ronment of flowing space

throughout the work areas, gal

leries and living spaces.

Color is used selectively, as

are pieces of contemporary art,

to serve as highlights within

the otherwise purely white envi

ronment.

Vertical circulation is handled

by way of a series of floating

staircases positioned so as to

maximize their dramatic charac

ter.

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MONTESSORIBLOOMINGDALE

THIS MONTESSORI SCHOOL, LOCATED IN

THE DENSE URBAN CHICAGO NEIGHBOR

HOOD OF WICKER PARK, IS ESSENTIALLY A

STUDY OF HOW A CONCEPTUAL IDEA OF

LEARNING CAN BE TRANSLATED INTO A

SPATIAL EXPERIENCE WHICH IS CONDUCIVE

TO BOTH LEARNING AND TEACHING.

THE CONCEPT CAME FROM THE IDEA THAT

BEHIND A LARGE AMOUNT OF PERSONAL

FREEDOM IN WHICH MONTESSORI STUDENTS

ARE ALLOWED TO PARTAKE, A VERY STRUC

TURED AND ORDERED SYSTEM IS NEEDED IN

THE BACKGROUND TO ALLOW THIS FREEDOM

TO HAPPEN.

BLOOMING

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THIS MONTESSORI SCHOOL, LOCATED IN

THE DENSE URBAN CHICAGO NEIGHBOR-

HOOD OF WICKER PARK, IS ESSENTIALLY A

STUDY OF HOW A CONCEPTUAL IDEA OF

LEARNING CAN BE TRANSLATED INTO A

SPATIAL EXPERIENCE WHICH IS CONDUCIVE

TO BOTH LEARNING AND TEACHING.

THE CONCEPT CAME FROM THE IDEA THAT

BEHIND A LARGE AMOUNT OF PERSONAL

FREEDOM IN WHICH MONTESSORI STUDENTS

ARE ALLOWED TO PARTAKE, A VERY STRUC-

TURED AND ORDERED SYSTEM IS NEEDED IN

THE BACKGROUND TO ALLOW THIS FREEDOM

BLOOMING

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AN EDGE OF THE SITE RUNS

PARALLEL TO THE BLOOM-

INGDALE TRAIL, AND A LARGE

PART OF THE DESIGN PROB-

LEM WAS LOOKING AT HOW TO

INTEGRATE THE TRAIL WITH

THE BUILDING, EITHER PHYSI-

CALLY OR METAPHORICALLY.

SPATIALLY, WITHIN THE CON-

FINES OF THE BUILDING

PROPER, AN EXPLORATION

WAS MADE INTO HOW SPACE

CAN BE CREATED USING AN

ORDERED SYSTEM. THIS HAP-

PENED THROUGH THE USE OF

‘RIBBONS’ WHICH CUT

THROUGH THE SITE VERTI-

CALLY AND HORIZONTALLY

AND CONSISTED OF WALL,

ROOF, AND FLOOR ELEMENTS.

ADDITIONALLY, THE RIBBONS

SHIFTED AND FLIPPED UPSIDE

DOWN ACCORDING TO PRO-

GRAMMATIC OR SPATIAL

NEEDS.

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TOP: STAIR DETAIL

RIGHT: ENTRY WAY

UP: EXTERIOR OVERHANG

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ROWING: THE ESSENTIAL MOTIONROWING: THE ESSENTIAL MOTION

This 20,000 sf boathouse, located in the Ravenswood neighbor-

hood of Chicago is to be the primary home for the Lincoln Park

Boat Club, whose mission is to provide boats, classes and shelter

for recreational and competitive rowing, sculling and paddling.

The site is located adjacent to the north branch of the Chicago

river and lies on a quiet residential street. The surrounding neigh-

borhood is made up mostly of two to three story brick row

houses.

Through investigations into the sport of rowing, as well as material

and programmatic investigations, a solution was conceived which

is sensitive to both the building’s function and it’s site, as well as

symbollic of the sport itself.

ROWING: THE ESSENTIAL MOTION

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This three-bedroom, two bath summer home

on the shores of Lake Michigan takes ad-

vantage of its lakefront location and

utilizes a strategy which welcomes the

site into the home. The interior spaces

wrap around an open courtyard which helps

light puncture throughout all areas of the

house, and helps to serve as a visual

focal point. The construction method is

timber frame and curtain walls are used

throughout to help bring the surrounding

environment into the home.

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SPACE + MATERIALITY:

(RESTRUCTURED)

The grid has been lifted

off the ground plane to

become floating struc-

ture. In this rethinking

of the Space + Material-

ity project, the scale

has been increased to

provide for universal

space for an artist’s

pavillion. The theme

continues to be an

exploration of phenom-

enally transparent

space, except now it has

been restrutured to

provide for a simple

glass cube and outdoor

pavillion topped by a

three-dimensional truss

system overhead. The

space on the ground

plane is broken up and

enriched by a series of

undulating parametric

wall systems which add a

sense of vibrancy

through form and color.

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FREE INTERIOR SPACE

PARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATIONPARAMETRIC UNDULATION

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PERSONAL WORK

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SPATIAL COMPOSITION STUDY

This study attempts to create a system of spatial moves

in which a dynamic composition can be formed from a kit

of very ordered parts. A simple four-column, four-beam

square bay is used as a starting point from which floors

are added at varying heights, stairs are introduced,

partitions appear, and the bays themselves begin to be

manipulated into a whole which is very expressive in

character.

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take piece out of bay insert lower section add stairs

lift up sectionally / disrupt rotate bays horizontally cut bay diagonally

add partitions voids into partition entire composition

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CHARACTER OF A VIEW

ONE COULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT A VIEW IS THE

MOST APPRECIATED CHARACTERISTIC OF ARCHITECTURE. A

GREAT VIEW, HOWEVER, CAN BE SHAPED BY MORE THAN

JUST WHAT’S OUTSIDE.

THIS STUDY BEGINS TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING WHICH HAS

HELD A LONG STANDING INTEREST FOR ME; NAMELY, HOW

THE CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM OF A CURTAIN WALL, AS WELL

AS THE PRESENCE OF ANY PARTITIONS, OR LACK THEREOF,

CAN AFFECT THE PERCEPTION AND APPRECIATION OF A

GREAT VIEW.

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+ All cities are made up of sub-regions and while it has been discussed by Simmel and others how the metropolis as a whole tends

ferent fragments, or regions as I will generally call them, of a city can affect an individual’s mindset and can help reinforce

Every city or metropolitan area is composed of different regions, whether we label them as neighborhoods, burroughs, villages,

its own which distinctly separates it from other regions within the city. This is, of course, a common fact and is one of the h

desirable places to live by so many people.

If we are to look at a particular region in a city and begin to understand what distinguishes it and makes it unique from other

one other. Important characteristics such as the history of an area, its cultural offerings, its local cuisine and culinary off

life as well as a whole host of other factors all play in to give a region what I call its character.

Some parts, or regions, of a city have stronger characters than others and this is usually due to the level of strength and int

a major historical role throughout the life of a city will generally have a highly developed and unique character. Some regions

greater character of the city as a whole.

URBAN CHARACTEER AND

MENTAL IIMAGE

An example of this could be the Wrigleyville neighborhood located on the north side of Chicago. It could easily be argued that

status as the home of famous Wrigely Field sets it up as a caricature of sorts for the city in many people’s minds.

Different regions of a city make up its cultural fabric, but they also tend to play a very large role in affecting the mental f

individual in a city has a favorite area within that city, and this preference in area usually corresponds in a very personal a

clarify that when I say self image I am not referring to someone’s conception of their own self worth but rather to the view th

oftentimes based on career choices and personal interests. I care to argue in this essay that the degree to which someone enjoy

character of that region reinforces this self image.

People by nature are able to enjoy a wide variety of activities and are thus able to usually see at least a part of themselves

someone is immersed in that favorite place (region), their minds, in a subtle but strong and very perceptible fashion, flood th

ite self image. As an example, a person with an artistically leaning personality might generally enjoy taking in the sights, so

There is nothing new or radical in what I am proposing here, but rather my intention is to try and help uncover some of the com

could help architects and urban designers better tap into the emotional well of the people who set foot in their spaces.

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All cities are made up of sub-regions and while it has been discussed by Simmel and others how the metropolis as a whole tends to affect the mental life of an individual, I would like to investigate how dif-

ferent fragments, or regions as I will generally call them, of a city can affect an individual’s mindset and can help reinforce self images that one has of themselves.

Every city or metropolitan area is composed of different regions, whether we label them as neighborhoods, burroughs, villages, districts or what have you, and each region tends to posses a unique character all

its own which distinctly separates it from other regions within the city. This is, of course, a common fact and is one of the hallmarks of any major city. It is also one reason why cities are deemed as such

If we are to look at a particular region in a city and begin to understand what distinguishes it and makes it unique from other regions, we will find a wealth of factors at play which overlap and interact with

one other. Important characteristics such as the history of an area, its cultural offerings, its local cuisine and culinary offerings, its architecture, the socioeconomic status of its inhabitants, its street

life as well as a whole host of other factors all play in to give a region what I call its character.

Some parts, or regions, of a city have stronger characters than others and this is usually due to the level of strength and intensity with which its character is apparent. In addition, a region which has played

a major historical role throughout the life of a city will generally have a highly developed and unique character. Some regions have a character which is so strong they tend to make up a large chunk of the

An example of this could be the Wrigleyville neighborhood located on the north side of Chicago. It could easily be argued that while this area represents only a small fraction of the City of Chicago, its iconic

status as the home of famous Wrigely Field sets it up as a caricature of sorts for the city in many people’s minds.

Different regions of a city make up its cultural fabric, but they also tend to play a very large role in affecting the mental framework of both their inhabitants and visitors alike. In a similar view, each

individual in a city has a favorite area within that city, and this preference in area usually corresponds in a very personal and tightly-knit way with that person’s preferred self-image of themselves. I must

clarify that when I say self image I am not referring to someone’s conception of their own self worth but rather to the view they have of themselves in relation to their role in society, factors which are

oftentimes based on career choices and personal interests. I care to argue in this essay that the degree to which someone enjoys being in a certain region of a city is directly proportional to how strongly the

People by nature are able to enjoy a wide variety of activities and are thus able to usually see at least a part of themselves in nearly every region of a city. Everyone has a favorite place, however, and when

someone is immersed in that favorite place (region), their minds, in a subtle but strong and very perceptible fashion, flood their heads with images which have the pleasurable effect of reinforcing that favor-

ite self image. As an example, a person with an artistically leaning personality might generally enjoy taking in the sights, sounds and smells of a bohemian area more than they would a financial district.

There is nothing new or radical in what I am proposing here, but rather my intention is to try and help uncover some of the complex mental processes which lie behind such preferences. Knowledge such as this

could help architects and urban designers better tap into the emotional well of the people who set foot in their spaces.

Page 44: Kevin Ford Portfolio

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