The project site is the 11th and 12th floors of the Parsons building located on 13th Street and 5th Avenue in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York.

Project Approach - This project was executed primarily using physical drafting and rendering techniques. The prompt was approached with a focus on the combination of biophilic and geometric elements, the use of natural lighting, and the stacking of materials to create spaces and programs within my chosen material selection.

Design Intent & Process:

Spatial Strategy & Layout - The plans and sections were drafted based on specific boundaries provided by my studio professor. The solution for this prompt was the design for a two story vestibule that the user would enter through the 11th floor hallway of the project site. The user would then walk through an opening in the modulated wall and enter a large, double-height interior where they could pass through to another space on the same floor, or ascend to the 12th floor using the curved statement staircase. Once on the 12th floor, the user could walk around the outer edges of the double-height space with visual access to the open circulation that would occur on the level below, or they could exit the interior and pass through into other spaces within the 12th floor of the building.

Material & Lighting - Realistic construction materials were conceptually represented in the model making process of this project. Bristol paper was used to create a modular grid out of triangular blocks that allowed for a combination of geometric and organic patterns to form. The thickness and openness of the modules created the potential for seating, storage spaces, and lighting manipulation. The modular design created a visual path from the floor to the ceiling where the very same concept was implemented to reimagine the sites skylight. The use of hollowed out blocks enabled eventful and intentional manipulation of natural and artificial lighting. Balsa wood was used to play with the concept of stacking material in order to create spaces and additional functions. It was manipulated through stacking and then many layers were sanded to create a primary part of the skeletal structure of my design. Its use and manipulation created unexpected forms and structures that represented floors, walls, and stairs. Finally, butter board was used to represent slightly less conceptually important elements of the design, such as flooring, walls, and ceiling panels.