Matte Board Model

~3’x3’x3’

Digital Model
Adobe Photoshop

Module Studies and Derivations

The evolution of the parking and

marina modules resulted in a
more refined method to arrange
the structure, circulation, services
and program within the floors of
the building. The challenge was,
essentially, layering the modules in
such a way that both reinforced the
idea of inversion as well as produced
an efficient design.
Pieter De Hooch
The Bedroom, 1660

An exploration into the spatial relationships of Pieter De Hooch’s 17th century painting reveals a figurative story. The relationship between the

Basswood Model
1’x1’x3”

The relationships between these three categories were explored in two and three-dimensions. The linear movement within the painting

Plaster Formwork/Basswood Framework

2’x1’x6”

Ink Drawings on Mylar

 SYNTHETIC
three distinct objects can be translated into three categories: HUMAN NATURE
MATERIAL

Basswood Model
~1.5’x8”x2”

results in a building that reaches out towards the coast of Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park, Buffalo.

Site Plan

Ink Drawing on Mylar

Floor Plan
A.

B.
C.
F.
D.

E.
Section A. - Classroom

Section B. - Kitchen & Dining

Section F. - South

The entrance of the structure extends to the shore,

acting as both a long circulation corridor and a
dam - to replace the existing concrete dam. The
Section C. - Bedroom programs are split in to appendages that extend
from the corridor. Varying materials (glass and
concrete) reinforce the public and private realms,
as well as provide open views for painting and
drawing.

Section D. - Bathroom

Section E. - Office, Storage & Private Studio Section F. - North

Two-Ply Chipboard Graphite Drawing on Stonehenge Paper
 STAND
sit GOAL
ANALYZE HOW THE BODY REACTS
TO VARIOUS SPATIAL ENVIRONMENTS.
THESE ENVIRONMENTS UTILIZE ONE
SINGLE PIECE OF MATERIAL WHICH
IS CUT AND FOLDED TO PROVIDE
STRUCTURE.

One-Ply Chipboard
lie
Niagara Falls is most often classified as two separate entities: Canadian and American. In an attempt to design a
structure that melds aspects from both the American and Canadian sides, each territory has equal influence on
the design parameters.
 Diagrammatic Plan

A A
Graphite on Stonehenge & Adobe Photoshop

PARAMETERS
- Collect impalpable data from American and Canadian territories (street and talus tangent lines).
- Project data on to pre-programmed site.
- Organize programs through folding, using the border as the central axis.

RESULTS
- Structure engages three tiers: rapids, falls, and Niagara River.
- Locations of program allow for continuous circulation and constant contact with the main attraction: the falls
themselves.
- A conceptual link is established from specific program to the root of data (street lines project on to structure, for
example).

South Section A
AutoCad & Adobe Illustrator
Corrugated Cardboard Model with Matte Board Overlay
~3’x2’x2’
Photo Montage Photo Montage Photo Montage
View from Prospect Point, Top of Falls View from Foot Bridge at Border View of Lobby
Image Credit: The New York Times

The layering of structure and material offers a unique experience

for the shoppers within the market. The system utilizes both steel and wood
to support the undulating roof.
FIND VESSEL MULTIPLY VESSEL STRUCTURE VESSEL
 Interior View - Rink

Exterior View - South

Exterior View - Birdseye

Lockers
Cafe/Lounge

Office

Rink

Pool/Water
Collection

Pool/Rink

Diagram - Program Diagram - Water Flow

SECTION A
 N

SECTION A

SEC
TION
B

Site Plan Floor Plans

SECTION B
 Image Credit: Panoramio
DNA Sample Electropherogram

LEAST MOST Third Floor

OCCUPANCY

Second Floor

First Floor

Basement

Professors Students Staff Visitors Professor Occupancy Heightfield Student Occupancy Heightfield

To examine DNA, the sample is fragmented and then reconfigured.
This reconfiguration is read as a fluctuating graph that translates
into specific characteristics regarding that DNA sample.
The occupancy of a particular
building - specifically, the Clark Center - can be mapped similarly.
Occupancy levels are recorded and then graphed to display the
varying conditions within the building according to function and
location.

Staff Occupancy Heightfield Visitor Occupancy Heightfield

Foamcore and Translucent Paper Model
~2’x1’x1” Rhinoceros 3D Photo Montage of Site
 S-2 (Low Hazard Storage)

B (Business)

H (Hazardous Storage)

A-3 (Assembly)

F-1 (Factory Industrial)

R-2 (Residential)

I-2 (Medical)
B (Business)

R-2 (Residential)
A-2 (Assembly)
I-2 (Medical)
E (Educational)
B (Business)

Occupancy levels can be regarded as values which assign a hierarchy to a space. These values can be interpreted as a spectrum from dark to light, for example. Mapping the
occupancy of the Clark Center introduced a new way of looking at the building in a spatial sense. One can observe how different inhabitants interact within the confines of the building,
both independently and dependently. For example, as the occupancy levels of scientists within their private offices increases, the level of visitors within those spaces decreases.
Following the analysis, the spatial representations of these occupancy levels revealed a new way of looking at these relationships. Conceptually, mapping the occupancy was a new
way of reconfiguring data.

Ground Floor - Public/Private Second Floor - Public/Private Third Floor - Public

ry ry
ry Libra Libra
Galle
Conference

arch
Rese
B
A

ure
Lect
age
Stor

Section A Section B
 RECONFIGURED Terminal
DATA

Site

Heart

Digital Models,
3D Studio Max

Freehand Sketches on Trace Paper

The common relationship extracted from the methods of occupancy and DNA mapping is the idea of assigning value (either spatially or graphically) to a reconfigured set of data.
Building occupancy, on a sociopolitical spectrum, can be seen as a broad term that describes the basic use and tenancy of a space. For instance, the Clark Center – being a research
institute – would be labeled as such using a building occupancy code. To break the building down into its occupants not only reveals a new occupancy code, but it also shows the
occupancy in terms of the occupants’ interaction within a space. Graphically, this method was represented as occupants-versus-program throughout each floor. Comparatively, DNA
sequencing creates an unpredictable set of data that is derived from a single strand. The set of new data pays homage to the original strand, yet it is an entirely new approach to
discovering the structure of the sample. The same principal applies to the mapping of occupancy. To break down the occupancy data of a building in terms of its occupants, location
of program and density reveals new data; yet, the new data is just a reconfiguration of the original data. The new, fragmented data is presented and analyzed in a different way.
This concept may be applied more pragmatically to an urban context, where there is a spectrum of extensive data (site context) and precise data (inhabitants).

Fourth Floor - Public/Private Fifth Floor - Private Roof Plan

D
C

Cafe

age
rch Stor
Rese
a arch/
Rese

Section C Section D
 Digital Models, Rhinoceros 3D

The Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus provides such an urban context. A “campus” can be identified as a single entity where individual buildings with particular uses
are combined to create a symbiotic relationship. The Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus is comprised of a series of buildings with individual occupancy codes that are determined by
specific types of activity ranging from industrial storage to places of assembly. Identifying the occupancy codes creates an extensive set of data; that is, a map of the types and
locations of buildings. To engage the given site in terms of extensive versus precise data, one must make that transition from a generic set of data to a reconfigured set of data. In
DNA sequencing, it is the fragmented sets of DNA from the sample set. In terms of mapping the Clark Center occupancy, it was the transition from the generic occupancy levels to
the specific activity of the building’s occupants. Within the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus the generic set of data can be seen as the occupancy codes of each building. The decisive
issue, then, was finding an opportunity to transition from the generic guidelines of the campus to the specific constraints of the site. Essentially, how does one reconfigure data on a
broad scale so that the data then becomes site-specific? To explore the campus as a single entity, the occupancy codes within the site are blurred to reconfigure the campus data as
a collective reading rather than a map of individual occupancy codes. This action attempts to look at the campus as a cooperative group that is not read as just a map of data, but
as a collective experience. The single entity of blurred codes can now be compared to a strand of DNA or the general occupancy of the Clark Center – all of which represent a whole.
Data gains its legitimacy when it is broken down. Fragmented. Reconfigured. Analyzed. The single, blurred iteration of the campus was fragmented using three “screens”,
resulting in three sets of fragmented data. The fragmented data is, in essence, the registration of the blurred site on two-dimensional planes. Three sets of building codes, which are
fragments of the greater context of the campus, results from the registrations. Space and time (in terms of distance and proximity) were disregarded and the new data only shows
the codes as two-dimensional relationships rather than a three-dimensional experience. The three fragmented sets of data were further analyzed in terms of their programmatic
qualities. Similar codes were linked together, diagrammatically, from each set of data. These unique links became the cornerstone of the new lab organization which relate,
programmatically, to the layered codes.
In addition to the precedence established from the corresponding building codes, certain criteria were created to further scrutinize the relationship between space and
the occupant. The first criteria dealt with proximity and physical adjacency of a program – more specifically, the interaction of occupancy groups based on the location of a given
program. These criteria followed two sub-conditions: the Terminal/Site/Heart concept and the principle of occupant circulation. The Terminal/Site/Heart organization followed the idea
of having three separate units that reference their orientation and programmatic format based on the coding and location of each section. This was a formal way of methodizing the
relationship between the three sections. The formal basis for movement of occupants was one that controlled it in terms of public and private space. For example, public circulation
was carved from public space while private circulation was carved from private space. This clear delineation resulted in a separation between various occupancy groups (visitors,
staff, and etcetera). The second criteria involved differences in materiality; in particular, opacity, transparency and material adjacency with a focus on the interaction of occupancy
groups based on those materiality differences. As layers of program start to build, differences in materiality (opacity levels) result in variations of spatial perception. In theory, a
building following this principle would have a series of layers which determine public and private spaces based on differences in materiality. Subjecting the original design to these
two criteria allowed for further exploration in terms of space and occupancy.
The proposed building attempted to explore layering and blurring as means of distinguishing occupancy and circulation. The method to derive the building’s program and
orientation is not the aspect of scrutiny. What can be scrutinized, however, are the results – that is, the interaction, organization, and materiality within the building, along with the
interpretation of program and the interior versus exterior experience. To derive the building’s program was a matter of finding similarities between the campus’ building codes and
the assigned program requirements. To create a standard building this method may suffice. However, after focusing so keenly on building codes in an urban context versus a single
building’s context, the result should be an interpretation that obscures the meaning of a building code. With an emphasis on blurring and layering, the program of the building should
delve into the greater possibilities of such actions.
The program in the genome research lab adhered to the constraints of the given requirements. However, if one were to disregard any preconceptions about the program
of a research laboratory, what would be the result? To strictly translate the campus’ building codes into the program of the building would produce a multi-purpose space that literally
draws its program from the campus. For example, the “Residential” building code would truly result in a residential space; while the “Business” code would result in a space dedicated
to business – so forth and so on. This organization would not only build on the concept of tying the campus and the site together, but it would also be a more beneficial structure for
downtown Buffalo – where the aim has been to revitalize the city through new and existing architecture.

Occupancy Level Analysis of Proposed Design

Gallery Library/Cafe

Public
Lecture Hall

Public Occupancy - First and Second Floors

Digital Models
Rhinoceros 3D and Adobe Illustrator
Physical Model of Polystyrene, Maple, and Plexiglass
~6.5’x6.5’x6.5’

Materiality within the previous design was restricted merely to different opacities. What would happen if materiality was affected by the interaction and intersection of
the programs? Can materiality dictate the levels and types of occupancy within a space? Unknowingly to many people, it does. A solid block wall is highly abrasive compared to the
openness of a curtain wall. Within corridors, solid walls on either side of a narrow hallway echo the private and closed characteristics of a space. Open hallways with transparent
enclosures (if any) relay a message of public and open space. With that in mind, who would occupy those types of spaces? If “private” is represented by solidity, and “public”
is represented by transparency, what would be the result of an intersection between the two? The middle ground is translucency. From the exterior of any structure, the more
translucent layers that accrue within an area eventually result in an opaque space. However, from the interior, translucent layers result in opaque spaces on the exterior. This
interesting relationship shows that as one’s perspective changes (from the exterior to the interior), so does the materiality and its effects. A private space from the interior may seem
like a public space from the exterior. In a typical building, these spaces would be defined as opaque versus transparent. In a building that is layered strictly using translucent material,
the relationship between occupancy and materiality varies based on perspective.
What if public and private spaces were disregarded? The true definition of a multi-use, collaborative building would be apparent through a structure where different
programs blur into one another. This can be achieved through a material that allows passive movement within a building – in air, light, and human circulation. One could imagine
and open system using a tensile fabric along with transparent interior surfaces to enhance the notion of an autonomous building. Various programs would meld together, where
an assembly space and a business space would work cooperatively, for example. Consequently, these relationships would work in a domino-effect, where one program has direct
connection to the program in closest proximity. That program, in turn, would have contact with the next program – so on and so forth. So although each program works separately,
they are all in cohesion due to the materiality and adjacency within the space.
Another factor to take in to consideration is the idea of time. Throughout the day, different areas of the building may need to collaborate. For example, the business and
medical sectors of the building may need to collaborate during the work day, while the medical and residential sectors of the building may interact after typical work hours. These
shifts in interaction can be highlighted in various ways. In terms of materiality, the building’s walls may actually change opacities to accommodate for the shift in relationships. This
could occur either electronically (electrochromic glass) or manually (blinds or screens). Another way to illustrate this shift would be through maneuverable walls. In this case, the
various layers would be modified as different interactions transpired.
The new research building begins to be equated to the broad context of the medical campus by becoming more flexible and transparent (both figuratively and literally).
With programs derived from the campus, the new laboratory would take on ideals of the campus as a whole in terms of program and concept. The occupancy of the new laboratory
would be mapped in an opposite method to the Clark Center or the DNA strand, in which both of those instances are separated into sets of data. The occupancy would be blurred and
distorted to represent the dynamic, blurred nature of the building.

Offices

Research Areas/Storage

Researcher Occupancy - First and Second Floors

 NOTES

1 Foundation for perimeter wall

36 inch wide by 12 inch thick
continuous site cast concrete strip footing
with 3-#5 reinforcement bars

2 External wall below grade

8 x 16 x 8 CMU inner and outer
wythe
11
3 External wall (first and second floors)
8 x 16 x 8 CMU inner wythe with 3-#5
vertical reinforcement at corners,
openings and 48 inches oc and
horizontal joint reinforcement at 16 inches
o.c.
vapor barrier
2 inches rigid insulation
2 inch air space
8 x 8 x 4 CMU outer wythe
Stucco finish on interior

4 Ground floor
4 inches compacted gravel/sand
vapor barrier
4 inch site cast concrete slab on grade
with mesh reinforcement

5 Window A at ground floor

Site cast concrete sill
10 8 inch bond beam lintel
16 inch bond beam
Wood framed double glazed window with
wood mullions

6 Window B at ground floor

Site cast concrete sill
8 inch bond beam lintel
9 16 inch bond beam
Wood framed double glazed window with
wood mullions

7 Second Floor
2 x 10 joists at 16 inches o.c.
¾ inch plywood subfloor
¾ inch wood plank finish flooring
Ceiling
¾ inch gypsum board
8
8 Window at second story
Site cast concrete sill
8 inch bond beam lintel w/ (2)-#5 grout
solid extend 8" ea. side of m.o.
8 inch (2) course high bond beam lintel w/
(2)-#5 grout solid extend 8" ea. side of
m.o.
Wood framed double glazed window

9 Bay Window at Second Floor

Site cast concrete sill
Concrete lintel with 4-#5 horizontal
reinforcement at corners
8 inch bond beam
Aluminum flashing

10 Roof
2 x 8 rafters at 16 inches o.c.
¾ inch plywood sheathing
Built-up roof membrane
Ceiling:
2 x 4 joists at 16 inches oc with 4 inches
batt insulation between
7
vapor barrier
6 5 inch gypsum board
8

11 Roof at external wall (Parapet)

8 x 16 x 8 CMU inner wythe with 3-#5
vertical reinforcement at corners
vapor barrier
5 2 inches rigid insulation
2 inch air space
16 x 8 bond beam outer wythe with 2-#5
horizontal reinforcement at bottom corners
8 inch bond beam inner wythe with 2-#5
horizontal reinforcement at bottom corners
3

4
2

AutoCad and Adobe Illustrator

 N
PARTIAL SITE PLAN
1”=10’ P&G Gillette Headquarters - Boston, MA
J. Shue

The proposed sculpture design embodies the Gillette

brand as one that is at the forefront of innovative technology
and polished aesthetics. The sculpture reflects the brand through
its simplistic beauty and functionality. Maximizing the allowable 2”x2” STAINLESS STEEL FRAME

space, the sculpture is built to represent the idea of expansion

18” CONCRETE BASE

and visualization towards a successful future. The present, REINFORCED CONCRETE

represented by the center concrete frame, sheds light on the past

and future. This emphasizes the successful roots of the past and
the continued innovation of the future as the company’s vision
expands. The concrete footing represents the company’s strength
25’
18” and its positive
2”x2” STAINLESS STEEL FRAME
footprint on the
23’
community, as it
22’-6”
REINFORCED CONCRETE
allows people to engage the sculpture’s concrete base as a sitting area. The frosted glass
19’
canopy represents the innovation of the company which ties the past to the future. Night
or day, the sculpture acts as a community icon through its structure and illumination. It is
17’ a timeless window.

The materials to be used include stainless steel frames, blue-

tinted glass, frosted glass, and concrete - all which represent simple,
1/4” FROSTED
GLASS, TEMPERED
efficient, durable, and modern design. The frames are clad only on the
north and south sides of the sculpture so that the glass is able to be
cleaned when necessary. The design attempts to capture the attention
of the community by using materials that effectively portray the design
during both the night and day.
Eyes are drawn to the frames of
blue tinted glass and the sleek
concrete structure that separates
18” CONCRETE BASE J. Abisch them. At night, the concrete frame
is illuminated from the center. The
WEST ELEVATION
1/4”=1’-0” light is dispersed to the rest of the
CONNECTION A structure which creates a stunning
J. Shue icon.
2”x2” STAINLESS STEEL FRAME 17’-7”

15’-8”
1/4” BLUE TINTED GLASS,
TEMPERED 13’-8”
REINFORCED CONCRETE

11’-9”

9’-10”

1/4” FROSTED
GLASS, TEMPERED.
ATTACHED AT MIDPOINT
OF EACH FRAME.

CONNECTION A

18” CONCRETE BASE

J. Abisch
SOUTH ELEVATION J. Shue
1/4”=1’-0”

J. Shue J. Shue