academic design portfolio / benjamin schwartz

Benjamin Schwartz / Academic Design

CONTENT /

Boston Public LibraryFall 2009

Chapel in the WoodsFall 2007

Book of MasksSpring 2010

SoHo LoftsSpring 2008

Glass Arts Seattle Fellows CenterFall 2008

CNC Wide LoungeSpring 2010

(712) [email protected]

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BOSTONPUBLICLIBRARYBoston, MA42º21’52”N, 71º03’32”W

5th Year StudioFall 2009Duration / 18 WeeksGFA / 199,930 ft2

Collaboration / Alex HaleFaculty / Jonathan Ramsey

Award / Nominated For 2009 Construction Specifications Institute Iowa Design Award

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In the digital age, where information is conveyed with rapidity in intangible forms, people still seek interaction with tactile mediums. Our library is the assemblage of the virtual and the real; it is flexible and adaptive to accommodate new media and eliminate redundancies, while respecting and maintaining access to physical formats. The space functions as an interface between reader and text, but also between reader and community. Evaluating the ethical concerns which arise from such a function, we chose a design sensitive to the historic context and texture of the neighborhood.

The library is situated at the north end of the greenway, which is a hub of activity, on the edge of a major highway system. It is close to two subway stations and acts as crossing point for many pedestrians to and from the North End neighborhood in Boston. The plaza proposed in our design orients itself appropriately to the flow of pedestrian and transit movement, while catering to adjacent buildings and businesses.

A safe space is created for pedestrians, separated from the busy traffic nearby, by pulling back the volume of the main library from the western edge of the site and then elevating the surface of the plaza from street level. Paths to and from the plaza to the entrance are as intuitive as possible, extending logically through the programmatic layout of the library. Circulation through the building is clearly understood through visual connections. An atrium space at the entrance is positioned as the heart of the building, providing patrons necessary perspective to identify destinations and trace logical routes to get there.

The programmatic layout within the library and the structural layout work together in repetition to visually organize the building. Structural elements function as organizational tools. A series of full floor height vierendeel trusses alternate on every other floor. These trusses extend outwards from the mechanical cores to the atrium and to the ends of the narrow building. Stack floors appear free floating as the structural levels hold the IT labs, study spaces and mechanical chases. Module stack spaces address new media needs. The shelving units provide storage and flexibility for various media types as well as provide indirect lighting for the space. The mixed balance of public, semi-private and private adjacent spaces transition smoothly, forming a topography of various degrees of white noise and visual connectivity to communal spaces.

CENTRAL ATRIUM SPACE

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05 / Boston Public Library

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SOUTHWEST FACADE Operable terracotta louvers shade the rear of the

library to provide controlled amounts of daylight to the study spaces and stacks.

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STRUCTUREThe core structure consists of vierendeel trusses that alternate floors with pre-cast concrete suspended from the bottom and steel decking and cast-in-place concrete on the top. This spans between the two main cores and six major columns lining the atrium.

SECTION A


1. Atrium 2. Circulation 3. Mechanical 4. Underground Parking 5. Main Collection Stacks

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6. Computer Labs 7. Study Rooms 8. Cafe 9. Gallery

10. Afterhours Lobby 11. Lecture Hall 12. Black Box Theatre 13. Green Room, Set Storage

SECTION B

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CHAPEL IN THE WOODSLitchfield Farm, Dallas County, IA41º41’21”N, 94º15’37”W

3rd Year StudioFall 2007Duration / 4 WeeksGFA / 1,952 ft2

Faculty / Daniel Naegele

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The chapel in the woods has one essential goal: to make nature present in a subtle but apparent way. Technically, the site chosen is an eight-acre plot of land that is heavily forested and overlooks a stream on the western edge. It holds 70 occupants, 40 of them seated, and provides necessary amenities such as a small sacristy. The building lies in a clearing along the eastern edge of the stream. Visitors approach the chapel by stairs, rising out of the topography and onto a terrace cantilevered over the stream. A low roof puts them into a state of spatial compression as they enter the chapel. This begins a sequence that wraps around a central core of the building. Upon entering, the ceiling slopes down gradually until it meets the sanctuary and compression is released into the larger space. This procession from the approach to the sanctuary prepares you for the contemplative space. At the front of the sanctuary is a wall that recedes from the building in a manner that reflects sunlight back into the space, creating sundial-like patterns across the floor and walls.

240th St. / County Highway 44

One square = 300’ x 300’ / 2 acres / 8361 m²

LITCHFIELD FARM SITE PLAN

15 / Chapel In The Woods

240th St. / County Highway 44

One square = 300’ x 300’ / 2 acres / 8361 m²

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SECTION A

Aluminum Window FrameFlashingExtruded Aluminum SupportBracket

2x6 Treated Wood Top PlateSelf-tapping Screws

1/2” Gypsum Wall Board

6” Cast-in-place Concrete Wall

Insulating Solar Control Low-eMSVD Coated GlassTop Expansion Clip “E3.5” &Bottom Expansion Clip “Bc3.5”Fabral Concealed Fastener MetalRoofingSealant

#12/14 X 1 1/2 SDWW (2 / Clip)

Purlin2x4 Steel Studs and InsulationSteel Roof I-beam (W10x88)1/2” Gypsum Ceiling Board

Steel Studs and FiberglassInsulation

Vapor Barrier

Foam Expansion Joint

6” Cast-in-place Concrete FloorSlab With Polished Surface#5 Steel Reinforcing Rods 10” O.C.

3” Rigid Foam Insulation

Sand Infill

SoilDampproof MembraneDrainage PanelFilter Fabric4” O.D. Drainage Tile

Gravel

12” Concrete Footing

Stirrup 10” O.C.

30°

#5 Steel Reinforcing Rods, 10” O.C.

WALL SECTION B

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5th Year StudioSpring 2010Duration / 2 Weeks

Faculty / Mitchell Squire

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The uses of masks are multitude. Equally numerous are the ideas masks invoke. These masks, inspired by Charles and Ray Eames, are suggestive of the many rituals of ancient and modern cultures around the world. A mask implies anonymity, concealment of identity and protection. But also, they suggest a sense of playfulness and amusement. This book of masks hides its intentions with a playful demeanor. The book itself is much like a closet or a drawer full of clothes, revealing that a mask is actually an everyday item that we put on and take off privacy, seeking to hide not just our face, but also our persona. Whether it’s purpose is self-retribution or vanity, the mask chosen communicates the intentions and desires of the individual underneath.

BOOK OFMASKS

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SOHOLOFTSNew York, NY40º43’18”N, 73º59’56”W

3rd Year StudioSpring 2008Duration / 9 WeeksGFA / 42,687 ft2

Collaboration / Justine BangertFaculty / Charles Masterson

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In SoHo, stringent guidelines restrict the construction of new buildings. Only those harmonious with the neighborhood’s context are considered, calling for subtlety in design.

The high-end lifestyles of SoHo inhabitants act as a counterweight to historic preservation. Luxury and modernity interweave with the past. To achieve this concept of ideological texture, we looked to the fashion industry for inspiration. In his collection, Pleats Please, Issey Miyake plays with depth and volume, combing innovative draping with elegant forms. We translated his fashion to the surface of our facade, folding the material in varied patterns and directions. Fashion is art, but it is also functional. Similarly, our façade is not merely aesthetic; structural and mechanical components give the façade its articulation.

Architectural pleating begins with a volume broken into three parts. At the ground level, a high-end boutique which is expressed by high ceilings and an open plan, folds into a lobby serving the lofts and a small café. Both spaces flow into an exterior courtyard. The proportion and position of the courtyard makes it configurable to accommodate small runway shows put on by the boutique. Five levels of lofts, varying in layout and ranging in size from 1,070 sq. ft. to 1,350 sq.ft., are layered and pleated above. Each level incorporates a light shelf to illuminate the space and a vertical bi-folding window that, when open, transforms the living space into a large balcony. A combination spa and gym borders the layers on the top floor, again weaving luxury and function. The façade of this level is hemmed back to allow for a terrace and to create visual dynamism from the street view. Glazed walls open to the terrace from the three pools of the spa, allowing it to become one continuous space in the same manner of fluidity as the living spaces.

27 / SoHo Apartment Building

+/-0 BOUTIQUE / CAFE / LOBBY

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+6 SPA / GYM

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THE COURTYARDThe L-shape footprint provides an outdoor space for intimate runway shows or a place for residents to relax.

THE FACADEEvery unit in the bulding uses a manually operable rainscreen. It folds vertically into the lightshelf above, providing a balcony-like experience in each of the living spaces.

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winter sunlight 25˚

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Light shelf aids light in reaching deep areas in each loft. White powdercoated steel on top surface. Bullnose assembly constructed with stainless steel.

Ledge at railing height. Insulated steel construction. Also aids in reflecting light deep into loft.

12” floor assembly: steel beam, steel decking and cast-in-place polished concrete topping.

Floor sill assembly wrapped in powdercoated steel on exterior.

Light shelf aids light in reaching deep areas in each loft. White powdercoated steel on top surface. Bullnose assembly constructed with stainless steel.

Counterweight assisted bi-fold window panes fold into light shelf for ventilation.

Ledge at railing height. Insulated steel construction. Also aids in reflecting light deep into loft.

12” floor assembly: steel beam, steel decking and cast-in-place polished concrete topping.

Floor sill assembly wrapped in powdercoated steel on exterior.

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Seattle, WA47º37’09”N, 122º20’21”W

4th Year StudioFall 2008Duration / 18 WeeksGFA / 20,764 ft2

Collaboration / Megan BertlingFaculty / Tim Hickman, Paul Mankins

Program Document DevelopmentDuration / 3 WeeksCollaboration / Megan Bertling, Zac Rosenow & Kiel Uhl

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GLASS ARTSSEATTLEFELLOWSCENTER

There is strong support for the glass arts in the Pacific Northwest. Building on this enthusiasm, we conceptualized a new glass art fellows center for Seattle which bridges the gap between creation and consumption. Artists who live on-site, practicing and experimenting with their own work, are given the opportunity to dialogue with the local community. A variety of classes for the general public facilitates the exchange of ideas and techniques. Outreach, combined with this space for creative and intellectual commerce, perpetuates this sharing of knowledge to national and even global art establishments.

This glass art center provides individual housing and studio space to six artists. Six living units are positioned at the north end of the site and six studio spaces are reflected to the south end of the site. Classrooms and the lecture hall are positioned perpendicular to the band created by the residences, studios and outdoor circulation. The gallery is pulled away into a separate volume underneath the studios. This helped reinforce our parti of two parallel bars with vastly different programs, bridged by a perpendicular bar containing the space where the different program parts will meld: the lecture hall. The center also attempts to keep a low dominance in the neighborhood physically. Instead, it is an extension outdoor public spaces, such as the adjacent Denny Park. Patrons interact with the site with varying degrees of commitment. At the dog-ear corner of the site we have the most heavy flow of pedestrian and vehicle traffic. From here, pedestrians may walk down the covered outdoor seating area, where they can casually watch the artists work. They may also follow the logical path that funnels into the circulatory spine, also requiring a very low level of commitment. The fellows center utilizes a geo-thermal field under the outdoor exhibition area and a heat recovery system in the hot shop which recycles lost heat to the indoor gallery, classrooms and faculty offices. The entire facility takes advantage of passive cooling for the warmers months through operable clerestory windows and vents.

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01 / Art By Fire (1997) / 5.0mi / 14min02 / Blowing Sands Glass Studio / 5.8mi / 13min03 / Chihuly Studio / 4.2mi / 11min04 / Flowmotion Art / 4.0mi / 9min05 / Edge of Glass (1993) / 2.6mi / 8min06 / Seattle Stained Glass / 3.7mi / 9min07 / Kirsten Gallery / 3.9mi / 10min08 / Olympic Color Rods / 0.1mi / 1min09 / Seattle Glass Gallery (2008) / 0.2mi / 1min10 / Canlis Glass (1993) / 1.1mi / 5min11 / Glass Art Society (1971) / 0.9mi / 5min12 / Seattle Glass Blowing Studio (1991) / 0.3mi / 2min13 / Hot Glass Color & Supply / 0.3mi / 2min14 / Jeffrey Moose Gallery / 0.7mi / 2min15 / Traver William Gallery (1977) / 0.9mi / 4min16 / Vetri International Gallery / 0.9mi / 4min17 / Goodridge Glass / 1.3mi / 6min18 / Artforte Gallery / 1.8mi / 7min19 / Gallery IMA / 1.6mi / 8min20 / Glasshouse Art Studio (1972) / 1.7min / 7min21 / Avalon Glassworks / 6.5mi / 10min22 / Artswest / 7.1mi / 11min23 / Phenix Glass Art / 8.4mi / 14min24 / Pratt Fine Arts Center / 2.3mi / 10min

35 / Glass Arts Seattle Fellows Center

01. Art By Fire (1997) / 5.0mi / 14min02. Blowing Sands Glass Studio / 5.8mi / 13min03. Chihuly Studio / 4.2mi / 11min04. Flowmotion Art / 4.0mi / 9min05. Edge of Glass (1993) / 2.6mi / 8min06. Seattle Stained Glass / 3.7mi / 9min07. Kirsten Gallery / 3.9mi / 10min08. Olympic Color Rods / 0.1mi / 1min09. Seattle Glass Gallery (2008) / 0.2mi / 1min10. Canlis Glass (1993) / 1.1mi / 5min11. Glass Art Society (1971) / 0.9mi / 5min12. Seattle Glass Blowing Studio (1991) / 0.3mi / 2min

13. Hot Glass Color & Supply / 0.3mi / 2min14. Jeffrey Moose Gallery / 0.7mi / 2min15. Traver William Gallery (1977) / 0.9mi / 4min16. Vetri International Gallery / 0.9mi / 4min17. Goodridge Glass / 1.3mi / 6min18. Artforte Gallery / 1.8mi / 7min19. Gallery IMA / 1.6mi / 8min20. Glasshouse Art Studio (1972) / 1.7min / 7min21. Avalon Glassworks / 6.5mi / 10min22. Artswest / 7.1mi / 11min23. Phenix Glass Art / 8.4mi / 14min24. Pratt Fine Arts Center / 2.3mi / 10min

LOCAL GLASS ART COMMUNITYGlass Blowing Studios Galleries Schools Glass Art Craft Making Supplier

GEOGRAPHIC

ENIVIRONMENTORIENTATION

PRECIPITATION

TEMPERATUREHUMIDITY

ENVIRONMENT / CLIMATE INFORMATION

Greenhouse Gas Emissions / 11.5 tons per year per capitaHeating Degree Days / 4,615, Cooling Degree Days / 192Solar Heat Gain Factors / (47°N/122°W) 275 BTU/h/ft2 (Summer Solstice), 250 BTU/h/ft2Due to Seattle’s cloudy climate (Ave. 226 days/year), passive solar energy is difficult to achieve.

Classification / Marine west coast (mild) / wet winter, dry summer similar to Mediterranean climate.Adjacent Bodies of Water / Puget Sound, Greater Pacific Ocean, Lake Washington.Partially protected from Pacific Ocean by the Olympic Mountains and from arctic air by the Cascade range.The Puget Sound Convergence Zone / Important feature of Seattle’s weather. In the zone, air arriving from the north meets air flowing in from the south. Both streams of air originate over the Pacific Ocean / airflow is split by the Olympic mountains to Seattle’s west, then reunited by the Cas-cades to the east. When air currents meet, they are forced upward, resulting in convection (thunderstorms can occur, but only on fringes of the city.)

Precipitation / mostly drizzle or light rain. Average: 37.43” per yearIn Olympic Mountains rain shadow.Average Annual Snowfall / 13”, Record: 20”

Winters / cool and wet with average lows of 35-40°F at night.Summers / dry and warm with average temperature highs of 75-80°F.Record Low & High Temperatures / 0°F and 100°F

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PROGRAM ANALYSISThis diagram breaks the program down into its essential parts to analyze each in a series of qualitative characteristics, then yields a final result, shown on the right.

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DAYLIGHT WATERUSAGE

HEATPRODUCTION

CIRCULATION NOISE SOCIAL

OUTDOORMEETINGSPACE

GALLERY / EXHIBIT

HOT SHOP

COLD SHOP

WARM SHOP

FLAME-WORKING

PUBLIC SEMINAR SPACE

CLASS ROOM

ADMIN.

MECH.

STORAGELOADING /DELIVERY /SERVICE

SAFETY /SERVICE

RES. 1

RES. 2

RES. 3

RES. 4

RES. 5

RES. 6

165 SF

116 SF

65 SF

35 SF

65 SF

72 SF

60 SF

60 SF

180 SF

176 SF

110 SF

110 SF

110 SF

360 SF

187 SF

100 SF

100 SF

50 SF

100 SF

100 SF

50 SF

50 SF

100 SF

50 SF

1000 SF

1000 SF

500 SF

500 SF

250 SF

200 SF

246 SF

100 SF

3150 SF

860 SF

860 SF

1080 SF100 SF

20 SF

10 SF

10 SF

200 SF

1650 SF

100 SF

ADMINISTRATIVE

STORAGE

MECHANICAL

LOADING / DELIVERY /SERVICE

ADMINISTRATIVE /SERVICE

PUBLIC

ARTIST

RESIDENTIAL

PUBLIC SPACES

GALLERY / EXHIBIT

TEACHING

STUDIO

RECEPTION

CAFE

REST ROOMS

HOT SHOP

COLD SHOP

WARM SHOP

FLAMEWORKINGWELDING / MOLD MAKING /SANDBLASTINGWASH SPACE

SAFETY / FIRST AID

SERVICE ACCESS

MECHANICAL

SEMINAR ROOM

STORAGE

ARTIST EXHIBIT

PERMANENT GALLERY

RETAIL

DISPLAY STORAGE

LIVING

BEDROOM

KITCHEN

BATHROOM

DINING

WORKSPACE / OFFICE

LAUNDRY

STORAGE

PERSONAL STORAGE

PARKING

DIRECTOR’S OFFICE

MEETING ROOM

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR’S OFFICE

PROGRAM DIRECTOR’S OFFICE

FUNDRAISER’S OFFICE

CLERICAL OFFICES (4)

LOUNGE

TOOL STORAGE

BATCH / CULLET STORAGE

CLEANING / MAINTENANCE

FINISHED PRODUCT STORAGE

DELIVERY

SHORT TERM STORAGE

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

EQUIPMENT

CONTROLS SPACE / LIGHTING

+ + + + + +

DAYLIGHT WATERUSAGE

HEATPRODUCTION

CIRCULATION NOISE SOCIAL

OUTDOORMEETINGSPACE

GALLERY / EXHIBIT

HOT SHOP

COLD SHOP

WARM SHOP

FLAME-WORKING

PUBLIC SEMINAR SPACE

CLASS ROOM

ADMIN.

MECH.

STORAGELOADING /DELIVERY /SERVICE

SAFETY /SERVICE

RES. 1

RES. 2

RES. 3

RES. 4

RES. 5

RES. 6

165 SF

116 SF

65 SF

35 SF

65 SF

72 SF

60 SF

60 SF

180 SF

176 SF

110 SF

110 SF

110 SF

360 SF

187 SF

100 SF

100 SF

50 SF

100 SF

100 SF

50 SF

50 SF

100 SF

50 SF

1000 SF

1000 SF

500 SF

500 SF

250 SF

200 SF

246 SF

100 SF

3150 SF

860 SF

860 SF

1080 SF100 SF

20 SF

10 SF

10 SF

200 SF

1650 SF

100 SF

ADMINISTRATIVE

STORAGE

MECHANICAL

LOADING / DELIVERY /SERVICE

ADMINISTRATIVE /SERVICE

PUBLIC

ARTIST

RESIDENTIAL

PUBLIC SPACES

GALLERY / EXHIBIT

TEACHING

STUDIO

RECEPTION

CAFE

REST ROOMS

HOT SHOP

COLD SHOP

WARM SHOP

FLAMEWORKINGWELDING / MOLD MAKING /SANDBLASTINGWASH SPACE

SAFETY / FIRST AID

SERVICE ACCESS

MECHANICAL

SEMINAR ROOM

STORAGE

ARTIST EXHIBIT

PERMANENT GALLERY

RETAIL

DISPLAY STORAGE

LIVING

BEDROOM

KITCHEN

BATHROOM

DINING

WORKSPACE / OFFICE

LAUNDRY

STORAGE

PERSONAL STORAGE

PARKING

DIRECTOR’S OFFICE

MEETING ROOM

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR’S OFFICE

PROGRAM DIRECTOR’S OFFICE

FUNDRAISER’S OFFICE

CLERICAL OFFICES (4)

LOUNGE

TOOL STORAGE

BATCH / CULLET STORAGE

CLEANING / MAINTENANCE

FINISHED PRODUCT STORAGE

DELIVERY

SHORT TERM STORAGE

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

EQUIPMENT

CONTROLS SPACE / LIGHTING

Final product based off of adjacency, program analysis and relationship diagrams. The size of each block is proportional to its area and the tint based on amount of light.

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BELLTOWN SITE PLAN

DENNY WAY

WESTLAKE AVE. N

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01. Gallery02. Seminar03. Entry04. W RR05. M RR06. Outdoor Searing07. Open to Hot Shop08. Flame Working09. Reception10. Associate Office11. Associate Office12. Associate Office13. Director’s Office14. Meeting Room15. Lounge16. Residence #117. Residence #218. Residence #319. Residence #420. Residence #521. Residence #6

Net Occupiable Area: 12784 Sf

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22. Hot Shop23. Cold / Warm Shop24. Seminar25. Loading / Storage26. Geothermal Heat Pump Room 27. W RR28. M RR29. Parking / Loading Access Road

Net Occupiable Area: 6780 Sf

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SECTION A [Residential]

SECTION B [Gallery, Administrative]

SECTION C [Seminar, Cold Shop]

SECTION D [Hot Shop]

Opening in outdoor fore-yard allows for daylight and ventilation of parking area.

GEOTHERMAL FIELD Cool water is pumped from a closed loop geothermal system in a standing column well located beneath the outdoor gallery to individual apartments to provide heating and cooling. Synthetic roof membrane over rigid

insulation and tongue and groove wood sheathing that acts as the ceiling finish for the interior.

Cast-in-place concrete floor with smooth finish for gallery. Radiant floor tubing embedded in slab supplies heating and cooling for volume.

Operable shading device


Glued laminated timber rafter with steel tension cable.

HOT WALLFurnaces vent hot gases out roof, while perforated mesh surrounding furnaces allow shop to cross ventilate through clerestory vents. Space behind wall allows for maintenance access.

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CNCWIDELOUNGE5th Year Spring 2010Duration / 2 Weeks

Faculty / Mikesch Muecke

While it is rare to produce a chair cut on a CNC router, the results are pleasing. Using the Eames LCW/LCM and the Rietveld Red and Blue chair as a model for comfort and style, I designed a chair incorporating similar geometric principals, translating general shapes into facets.

A CNC router has a few limitations. The main disadvantage is that pieces can only be cut perpendicularly through the entire thickness. This made designing the compound angles a challenge, especially since I sought to create a collapsible chair, one which could be easily transported. This is the final product of this process. It requires little labor in the post-router fabrication process. Only squaring of the inside corners, hammering the tabs into place and some light sanding are needed to complete it. Made with (1) 4’ x 8’ sheet of 1/2” Baltic Birch.

Thanks for looking,

(712) [email protected]

www.benaschwartz.com

Benjamin Schwartz

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academic design portfolio / benjamin schwartz

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