Thesis project - Lucky Strike Branch Library

BP Corporate Office

Project Description: Design a corporate office space for BP using set programmatic parameters within the context of a 13,000 square foot base building template.

Solution: Based on company research, the concept for this space is based off of organic chemistry and the carbon molecule. The office is divided into public and private domains. The public front of house space includes the reception area and meeting rooms and illustrates the curvilinear forms associated with the term "organic" and molecular forms. The reception desk is conceived as a layering of cut corrugated cardboard, allowing the simple repeated form of the corrugation to create an intricate textural and visual pattern much like the vast array of complex compounds created from the carbon molecule. The private work area is structurally organized to mimic a chemical equation, derived from programmatic adjacencies designed to foster collaboration and innovation.

VCU School of the Arts Portable Information Kiosk

Project Description: Design an easily portable information kiosk for the VCU School of the Arts that can accomodate one person with a laptop. Must be constructed out of no more than two sheets of 2'x8'x3/4" birch veneer plywood, using slip joint connections. Design should be no larger than 3'x6' when assembled and 3'x2'x6" when compacted.

Solution: Based off of a 2'x2' component that can be configured in various ways to accomodate a variety of tasks, the concept behind this design is the use of a simple, singular object that invites exploration and creativity by its users.

Pollak Cafe

Project Description: Translate the concept for the VCU information kiosk into a cafe area located on the first floor of the Pollak Arts building.

Solution: The transaction counter is the result of an analysis of the various geometric shapes created by the possible configurations of the kiosk detailed in the previous post. Custom light fixtures, both pendants and sconces, are derived from a smaller scale version of the kiosk components. Seating and storage are also slight variations of the geometric, slip joint construction used for the kiosk.