PORT

931.319.4647htsmith@gmail.com

FOLIO

TRENT SMITH

QUESTION

Go into yourself and test the deeps in which your life takes rise; at its source you will fi nd the answer to the question whether you must create. Accept it, just as it sounds, without inquiring into it. Perhaps

it will turn out that you are called to be an artist. Then take that destiny upon yourself and bear it, its burden and its greatness, without ever asking what recompense might come from outside. - RM in LETTERS TO A YOUNG POETRILKE

CONTENTS

CONTENTS 02

INTRODUCTION

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

SELECTED THOUGHTS

SELECTED SKETCHES

FURNITURE STUDIES

PARKS RESIDENCE

SALT FLATS RETREAT

RACECAR MUSEUM

CATHEDRA DE ARTS

FUGAL SCHOOL

04

06

08

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

WHOI am a student at the University of Utah working on a Masters in Ar-chitecture. I’m in the 3+ program here and my Bachelors is in Hous-ing & Design, which is related to interior design. I am originally a Tennessee tree farmer, and am loving my education out west. My stay here has provided many opportunities to explore ideas. WHAT

I am looking for a fi rm to take a chance, a risk, and a journey. I am a student, have limited archi-tectural experience, and have even less experience with ‘west-ern’ design. But I am passionate and hard-working, and want to prove my ethics with a team of workers who are as equally pas-sionate about the work they do.

WHENI am available immediately to the right fi rm, if they are willing to work around my school sched-ule. School comes fi rst, even though I fi rmly believe work is a form of learning. This summer, I would be able to work full time and even more if needed. Flexi-blility of schedule and learning are immensly important to me.

INTRODUCTION

WHEREDesign in the urban setting is something I am unfamiliar yet highly interested in. However, I am also intersted in the residen-tial design in this beautiful and varied landscape. I want to learn how to design in and around this beautiful city which I am now calling home.

WHYLearning as much as I can in the architectural world before I actu-ally enter that world is important such that I can be fully prepared to enter as well as help others prepare to enter. I am interest-ed in learning, and am open to ideas and advice. I am blessed with how far I’ve come, and I’m excited about my future.

INTRODUCTION 04

2004 2008 2008

EDUCATION

SCHOOLMOTLOW STATECOMMUNITY COLLEGE

DEGREEASSOCIATES ARTS AND SCIENCES

GPA 3.491

SPECIALPRESENDIATIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

WORK+STUDYTRANSFER SCHOLARSHIPRECIPIENT

SCHOOLTENNESSEE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

DEGREEBACHELORS SCIENCEHOUSING & DESIGN

GPA 3.312

SPECIALDERRYBERRYAWARD NOMINEE

HOUSING & DESIGNPRESIDENT

SCHOOLUNIVERSITY OF UTAHCURRENT ATTENDANCE

DEGREEM ARCHIN PROGRESS

GPA 3.733CURRENT

2004 2006 2007 2008

EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCE 06

FIRMLENHART DESIGNCOMPANY

LOCATIONCOOKEVILLE, TN

DURATION18 MONTHS

ROLE CAD DESIGNERASST. INTERIOR DESIGNER

RESPONSIBILITYARCH DRAWINGSADMIN ASSISTANTFINISH SELECTIONSFIELD VERIFICATIONPROJECT COMPILATION

FIRMTN TECH UNIVERSITYFACILITIES MANAGEMENT

LOCATIONCOOKEVILLE, TN

DURATIONFALL SEMESTER

ROLE CAD DESIGNERSTUDENT WORKER

RESPONSIBILITYARCH DRAWINGSCLIENT MEETINGSFINISH SELECTIONSFIELD VERIFICATIONRENOVATION DESIGN

FIRMMAFFETT-BOUTON& ASSOCIATES

LOCATIONCOOKEVILLE, TN

DURATIONSPRING SEMESTER

ROLE CAD DESIGNERINTERNSHIP WORKER

RESPONSIBILITYARCH DRAWINGSADMIN ASSISTANTFIELD VERIFICATIONREDLINE CORRECTIONSTECHNICAL DRAWINGS

FIRMTN TECH UNIVERSITYVOLPE LIBRARY

LOCATIONCOOKEVILLE, TN

DURATION30 MONTHS

ROLE ADMIN ASSISTANTCIRCULATION

RESPONSIBILITYRETURN MATERIALSDELIVER RESERVESSTUDENT SUPPORTSHIFT BOOK STACKSSHELF CONSTRUCTION

SELECTED THOUGHTS

Until this point I have been concerned with the actual physical paths that visitors and locals create across sites. I neglected to think about the parallels from the physical paths that we walk every day and the mental and life-long paths we travel. Mental paths are a direction of thought. One is focused on a single item and thinking, say a math problem or even concentration on music, anything really. Then something interrupts you. You may or may not know what that is that has

interrupted, but your mind is now instantly either identifying with the interruption or wondering where the interruption came from. Physical paths are the same, but on a much slower time table. You walk in a direction and for some reason something (or someone, an obstacle regardless) causes your path to either violently change direction or shift slightly, causing a new path to be made. Actual constructed paths do this and we follow dutifully, even with a change in material being the only type of path change. Our lives

are a compilation of all these physical and mental paths, on an almost infi nitely slower time table than the physical path and the mental path. Your mind changes possible a thousand times over a minute, a physical path may change twice or so in that span, and the life changes almost un-noticeably in that time frame.

It seems natural that it works this way, our mind changing rapidly changes our paths slowly and our lives even slower. I was having a troubling time running these three parallel “paths” in my mind until it reached me that it was obvious that they are parallel but on different time tables. They, rather, we, are created in that way. Our minds should direct our physical lives and they should combine to direct our lives.

Another idea is interrupted thought, path, or life. Once an obstacle, either perceived or real, is introduced; do paths change to avoid it or gain momentum to crash into it, either willingly or unconsciously in each case? The questions that arose from interruption were twofold: fi rst being if the obstacle is removed, is the path the same; and secondly can the introduction of a nobstacle into either the physical path or the mental path introduce change into the lifelong path?

LIFE AS PATH: PHYSICAL AND PERCEIVED OBSTACLES ANALYSIS OF SITE NEAR 900 SOUTH TRAX STOP

THOUGHTS 08

Once an obstacle is introduced, such as you are telling me a story and there is some distraction that happens that causes you to pause for a brief instant. Will that path of thought be the same after the obstacle is removed? Is it possible to go back to a path once you’ve been “enlightened” by knowledge of the obstacle that once was there? Is the path different or are you now different? Or is the actual path and you different because of the obstacle?

The second train of thought following an introduction and/or removal of an obstacle, whether perceived or actual, is that can it be done in such a way to accelerate the lifelong change or even the physical change? For example, is supposedly takes 21 days or “instances” of a new habit to be logged into long term memory and become part of a daily routine. This is an extremely powerful possibility for change in my opinion when looked through the lens of a lifelong change.

Every three weeks I can introduce small, tiny habits that compiled over many years can ultimately cause drastic changes in my fi nal life. For instance, if I introduce an obstacle into the path of pedestrians, such as the entrance of a building, I have caused their physical paths to change to either go through my building if I let them or go around my building. Now if I use an outdoor gallery on a building obstacle and it changes every so often, I have now changed what the old obstacle that becomes part of my new path into an ever-

changing perceived obstacle that causes me to pay attention to new obstacles every time they change. And if the art is such that it causes a pedestrian to pause and refl ect, or it even touches someone who does not notice the art normally or doesn’t bother to go inside the obstacle building, I have now changed their physical path and possibly their mental path if the art is such that inspires thought or growth or refl ection.

My question is for this instance: do I now have an accelerated opportunity to change their life now that I am affecting two of the three paths that I’ve observed? Is this why something that “makes you stop and think” is so much more profound than the best billboard that I walk by and keep walking?

SELECTED SKETCHES

SKETCHES 10

FURNITURE STUDIES

Drawing is an exercise that I must continually practice. Drawing keeps you honest, in my opinion. It keeps your eyes attuned to details of what actually is, rather than the perceived world. If

you look at something and try to draw it, it is almost impossible to not start adding details and nuances of how the object should be or could be if you had designed it. I struggle with beautiful drawings,

I’ll be the fi rst to admit that. I’m more interested in getting the jist of the design and the big picture across to clients or peers as quickly as possible instead of a immaculate drawing or sketch of a design.

It is where you put your priorities in design, mine are getting my ideas across as quickly and effi eciently as possible while keeping it loose. Interpretation is not a bad thing, collaboration only makes designs better.

FURNITURE STUDIES 12

I FIND FURNITURE EXTREMELY INTERESTING, THEY SEEM TO HAVE A CHARACTER, AND LIFE, OF THEIR OWN.

WHAT DOES YOUR FURNITURE REFLECT ABOUT YOU?

PARKS RESIDENCE

The Parks Residence was a adaptive retrofi t of an existing historic building in the downtown of Cookeville, TN. I had the opportunity to do extensive CAD drawings and shop drawings for several of the designs

by the Lenhart Design Company. Mr. Parks had quite the eye for detail, so the drawings that were created were very ornamental and specifi c for the French style we were trying to achieve. I had the great pleasure

to work with many differet designers and craftsmen to execute the drawings and designs to what they are today. Inspiration for the designs came from Mr. Parks collection of silver, various fabrics

that were used on the project, as well as a fl ore de li motif that was continued throughout the residence. The grapevine freize design was the fi rst drawing created for this project.

GRAPE FREIZE GRAPE FREIZE CONFERENCE DOORS ELEVATOR DOORS CHANDELIER CONCEPT

PARKS RESIDENCE 14

NORTH ELEVATION

SALT FLATS RETREAT

This school project stemmed from early experiments in experiencing various phenomena in the Salt Flats region in Utah. The phenomena I chose to explore was the vastness of the fl ats.

Having grown up in the southern US, I was completely unfamiliar and intrigued by the unending openness and beauty of the vastness of the fl ats. The original project involved framing various parts of the fl ats

through empty pictures frames. This framing idea translated directly into the retreat design, having a rythm and and repetition which allowed for a religious experience moving from within the building

to the outdoors, passing through successive frames to enter into the vast nothingness of the salt fl ats.

FRAME STUDIES BUILDING STUDY MODEL BUILDING STUDY MODEL

FLOATING ISLAND FRAME PROGRESSION BUILDING MODEL

SALT FLATS RETREAT 16

SECTION

STRUCTURE AND FLOORPLAN

BUILDING MODEL

SIDE ELEVATION

RACECAR MUSEUM

The racecar museum was designed for a time period after the extinction of the automobile. It would serve as a museum and gallery for the future generations who wouldn’t know what

an automobile was, a generation completely dependent on public transport and pedestrian traffi c. The concept behind the design was that as you move up through the levels, the support spaces became

fewer and smaller, and at the top it is just the observer and the car. More casual observers would linger at the lower levels, where a restaurant and services were available, and the true car enthusiasts

would make their way to the top, where they could be alone with the sky and the car of their obsession. The cars were on a cable display system, and could move closer to you as well as rotate for viewing.

SITE PHOTOS AND MAP TURNTABLE TIME-LAPSE STUDY FOR CAR DISPLAY MECHANISM

RACECAR MUSEUM 18

SITE PLAN

FIRST SECOND THIRD FOURTH FIFTH

RACECAR MUSEUM

SECTION

RACECAR MUSEUM 20

FRONT ELEVATION

3D MODEL WIREFRAME

CATHEDRA DE ARTS

The program given to us originally intended to incorporate a business incubator for artists. We were allowed to re-write the program, which I did to introduce an art school into the community as well

as serve as business incubator for the faculty of the school. Our site, next to a TRAX stop, allowed the form to be dictated by community pedestrians traversing the site in order to catch the TRAX. This allowed

the building’s form to include outdoor galleries so that the pedestrians were forced to witness the art being created, both by faculty and by students. The idea of overlay also took form with subsequent

levels, allowing a myriad of outdoor spaces and circulation opportunities, such as a non-traditional library system where books are arranged by size fi rst, then by content.

EARLY DIGITAL MODELS TO EXPLORE MASSING ON SITECONCEPT SKETCHES OF BASIC SHAPES AND EXTERNAL CIRCULATION

CATHEDRA DE ARTS 22

The fl oorplans were designed such that each level indicated a level of commitment to art. The fi rst fl oor contained a main lecture hall, a cafe, gallery, and workshop while allowing pedestrians to ‘cut through’ the buildings to the trax stop. The second fl oor included faculty and a library, as well as study rooms. The third fl oor is dominated by a large communal studio and offi ces for guest artists who could serve as visiting faculty.

FIRST FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

THIRD FLOOR

CATHEDRA DE ARTS

PHYSICAL MODEL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT. TOP - RIP/TEAR MIDDLE - PAPER MASSING BOTTOM - FINAL SECTIONAL MODEL

CATHEDRA DE ARTS 24

NORTH ELEVATION

EAST AND WEST ELEVATIONS

CATHEDRA DE ARTS

RENDERED SECTION PERSPECTIVE

CATHEDRA DE ARTS 26