Jesse Chadwycke WetzelApplication to Graduate Program in Master of Architecture

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE.........................3

RESUME...........................4

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL

MAPPING........................5

LIVING STAIR...................6

GATEWAY.....................10

VESSEL...........................14

NEXUS............................18

EXPLORATIONS.............22

PREFACE

This portfolio is an exercise in communication. My goal is to communicate who I am as a de-signer. This is not a complete picture of my de-sign experience, instead it focuses on several projects that I feel best describe my design pro-cess and interests. I am not including projects from my professional experience because I want to highlight examples of my work that best represent my ideas and my design process.

I strive for clarity when trying to convey my ideas. While writing, line drawings, and render-ings are all important to communicating design, I have focused on using diagrams as a way to describe many of my ideas. I have also tried to highlight my design process and approach. The finished product is very important, but I think I can better explain who I am though the way I work and not simply what I produce.

The following projects represent a variety of so-lutions that can be found when the same en-ergy and enthusiasm are applied in an effort to solve different design challenges. The images and information for each project represent what I enjoy and focus on, not necessarily the complete documentation for describing each project.

- Jesse Wetzel

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Jesse Wetzel, LEED AP 1929 Plymouth Road Apt 1008 tel: 540.539.7863 Ann Arbor, MI 48105 e-mail: wetzel.jc@gmail.com Academic Experience Master of Architecture Candidate (2G), Taubman College-University of 2012 Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a Minor in Architecture 2006

History, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.

Work Experience

YARD, Ann Arbor, MI summer 2011 Collaboration with Jason Young on the design and construction of two installations for a private residence in Ann Arbor. Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects, Los Angeles, CA 2/28-3/04/2011 Design Intern. One week externship through The Taubman College spring break externship program. Responsible for the production of a schematic design to be proposed to client. Production of RFP response.

Independent Contracting/Consulting 2/2009-2/2010 Freelance Design Consultant. Various clients including individuals and design firms. Production of renderings, photography, drawings, feasibility studies and consultation on marketing images, design and photography. Duda Paine Architects LLP, Durham, NC 6/2006-1/2009 Design Intern. Extensive experience in all phases of a project up through CD. Production responsibilities including presentation graphics, physical models, and working drawings. Extensive experience coordinating consultant team on multiphase performing arts center in Orlando, FL. Design Concepts, Winchester, VA s/w 2003 Design Intern, undergraduate internship. Responsible for onsite survey for the production of drawings. Draftsperson.

Teaching/Reasearch/Assistantships

GSI for Design Fundamentals I (ARCH 316), Neal Robinson, TCAUP. f 2011

Constructing Communication, Irene Hwang, Taubman College. w 2011

MIDMOD, Harry Giles, Taubman College. f 2010-s 2011

Teaching Assistant, Peter Waldman (ARCH 101), University of Virginia. f 2005

Awards and Recognition

Taubman College Merit Scholarship, $5,000. 2011

Viele Scholarship, Sigma Phi Society, $4,000 (awarded twice). 2011,2010

Dean’s List, University of Virginia. 2005

Archived Student Work, University of Virginia. 2003, 2005

Community Activity

Graduate Mentor, Sigma Phi Society Michigan chapter 2010-present

Triangle Design Group [guerilla design service group] spring 2010

Triangle Chapter Young Architect Forum [YAF] Member. 2009

Alumni VP and National Delegate - UNC Chapter of Sigma Phi Society. 2008-2009

Founding Member of the Alpha of North Carolina Sigma Phi Society

chapter at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. 2006-2008

livewinchester, va 1983-2002charlottesville, va 2002-2006durham and chapel hill, nc 2006-pres.

work - studiocharlottesville, vawashington, dcnew york, nysan francisco, ca

work - professionalatlanta, gasan francisco, caaustin, txsan antonio, txcharlotte, ncoklahoma city, okmiami, flchicago, il (personal competition)columbia, scraleigh, ncorlando, flnewark, nj (personal competition)chapel hill, nc

playI have a general love of experiencing new things. My wanderlust is an exten-sion of this interest. I think travel is a great way to supplement a formal education in design. There is no substitute for be-ing able to physically inhabit a building and appreciate it in its context. Most of my experience has been up and down the east coast of the US. At some point I would like to live and work in Japan and Scandinavia. I also want to travel to South America, Africa and Australia.

study abroad In the summer of 2005, I had the opportu-nity to travel around Europe. The indepen-dent study was an intensive exercise that allowed me to experience many things with a consistent focus on how these in-sights could relate to design.

zurich, chludiano, chbellinzona, ch

lake como, itvicenza, it

toulon, frmarseilles, frparis, fr

utrecht, nlamsterdam, nl

duisburg, dehannover, deberlin, defranfurt, destuttgart, de

basel, chlucerne, ch

live. work. play.all locations listed in chronological order

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prefab 20*20

OPEN COMPETITIONINTERIOR DEISGN SHOW WESTAUGUST 2009

SITE: Any urban setting in the world. Building is meant to be adaptable to various sites with sensitiv-ity to existing infrastructure and environmental impact.

PROGRAM: Free-standing, prefab dwelling unit with a footprint no more than 400sf in an urban setting anywhere in the world. Fit for two adults, its basic pro-gram shall include sleeping, bathing, cooking, living, working/studying, and stor-age areas.

FOCUS: To provide a space that can have a light impact on the site but still be spatially generous. Integration of program and vertical circulation became the driving force behind the design.

initial “sketch”

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The living stair concept evolved as a way to efficiently integrate the vertical circulation and the horizontal modules. The stair provides a continuous volume of light and animates the house, where the landings become the rooms.

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modulation strategy

programming strategy

massing and site strategy

The massing is offset to allow for light and vegetation at the ground level, even in an infill condition.

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servanthierarchy served

escaping

sleeping

eating

living

cleaning

entering

pv panels/rain harvest roof garden

master bath master bed

kitchen dining

study/storage

laundry/ .5 bath

living

utilitycarport/entry

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stair intervention layout

infill condition push in raise up divide program

breathing, food, water, sex, sleep, homeostasis, excretion

security of body, of employment, of resources,of morality, of the family, of health, of property

friendship, family, sexual intimacy

self-esteem, confidence, achievement, respect of/ by others

creativity,spontaneity,

problem solving, lack of prejudice,

acceptance of facts

module

product

subassemblies

woodzinc panelhybrid steel + SIP structure corten screensfloor system

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living room

level 2dining terrace

level 3bedroom

roof garden

level 1.5study

level 0.5foyer

kitchen

bathroom

+9’-0”

+22’-8”

+31’-8”

+42’-5”

+13’-8”

+4’-8”

sustainability diagrams

building section

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3 3Ground SourceHeat Pump

Rainwater Harvest

go with the flow stay cool lighten up

Green Roof to minimize heat gain

South facing roof with photovoltaics that power site lighting

Operable Windows for cross-ventilation

Living spaces face south for daylighting

Underfloor airStairwell creates stack effect

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stair tower living room

evening street view

1-Carport2-Entry/Foyer3-Utility4-1/2 Bath5-Living Room6-Hearth7-Laudry8-Study9-Storage10-Terrace11-Dining Room12-Kitchen13-Master Bedroom14-Master Bathroom15-Closet16-Roof Garden17-Rain/Sun Harvest

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walter pierce parkgateway

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIAARCH 202TIMOTHY STENSONSPRING 2004REVISITED 2009

SITE: Adams Morgan, DCDiverse, Colorful, Rich, and ecclectic neighbor-hood northeast of the National Mall.

PROGRAM: A building that can serve as a gateway to and a symbol of a com-munity park.

FOCUS: This project was re-visted to study several dif-ferent scales and scopes. The final proposed design was a large bus stop that would be more appropri-ate in scale, less invasive on the site and allow for money to be reinvested in the park.

adjacent row houses washington, DC

rock creek parkway

duke ellington bridge

national zoo

national mall

adams morgan

walter pierce park

existing mural at the east edge of the site

colorful wall paintings and flags near site and around adams morgan

site

The building could also function as a flex space that could be rented out when the station is not in use and buses are not running through it. This could provide an extention of the night life along 18th St. as well as a way to gen-erate funds for the upkeep of the park. The local group “Friends of WPP” could use the money to eventually fund improvements like artificial turf for the soccer field (currently a dust bowl after one year of overuse).

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early design sketches

general massing

existing south elevation

building proposal

view of proposed building from SE

The building is a literal gateway. Pedestrians would pass through when entering the park and buses would pass through when using the existing bus turnaround.

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columns

frosted glass “billboard”

building component diagrams

the window box frames a view of the existing mural

the floor is raised so people can look at other people, not wheels

program word plan

louver shadow studyroof louver interlayer

int/ext ceiling

structural steel “i” beams

green metal panel

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view of entry

view from information desk

The building is scaled so that is does not be-come an empty, underprogramed space. It is not a transit station, but it is an informational node where you can purchase metro tickets and get info for local events. You can also pur-chase food brought in from different local res-taurants everyday. The building is also meant to be a symbol of arrival into Adams Morgan as you cross the Duke Ellington Bridge.

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vinegar hill c.1950

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downtown charlottesvilleJefferson School Site

Vinegar Hill was originally a very rich, diverse, and dense neighborhood...

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...razed to the ground in a “violent urban act”...

...for a 1960’s mega block that never got built...

...leaving the site a no-man’s land.

The Jefferson School was once an active participant in the community of Vinegar Hill. With the neighborhood being razed, the community had lost its home. The Jefferson School experienced the opposite process of losing its community but retaining its physical identity. I proposed that the Jefferson School become a new home for the stories and identity of the displaced community of Vinegar Hill.

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at the edge of memory and amnesia

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIAARCH 401CRAIG BARTONFALL 2005

SITE: Charlottesville, VABetween the downtown pedestrian mall and university. Adjacent to the former site of the neighborhood of Vinegar Hill.

PROGRAM: Revitalize an existing building and provide space for a new community center. Program to include an African American Heritage Museum as well as additional program that would create a critical mass for a community center.

FOCUS: This project was an opportunity to work with a community as the client for a studio project. It was im-portant to develop a plan-ning strategy and a story that could relate back to the community. My build-ing contribution was a community center that would include a library, pub-lic room, and other elements vital to create a critical mass on the site.

vinegar hill historical iterations

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north

community garden outdoor room

public plaza

aquatic/fitness center(teammate’s building)

community center(my building)

carver recreation center

vinegar hill african american heritage museum

brown street extension creating entries into site and dividing program

path of memory

general edge massingto create a courtyard

Building as a vessel for space, program, and memory.

The most important space is the one that is not built. The open courtyard can allow for a variety of activites for large groups or individuals. site planning and reprogramming strategy

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The path of memory became a pow-erful way to connect to the history of the Vinegar Hill community. The people appreciated the path because it was a way to restore the spatial connection between the residential neighborhood and downtown. This is how Brown Street previously functioned and the design was meant to be respectful of the site’s past.

The design of the path proposed a lit walkway that would have a series of his-torical texts stamped into the path. At night the path would illuminate the sto-ries of Vinegar Hill and tell the stories of the people who lived there. There is also a reflecting pond that one would cross going east and west through the site that is meant to commemorate and cel-ebrate the community that lives today.

site plan key

community center-ground level key

Jefferson Schoolswimming and fitness centerpath of memoryreflecting pooloutdoor ‘living room’public gardenplaza

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1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-

children’s library/day carecaferestaurantterraceatrium/lobbyauditoriumreading lounge/great roomlibrary stacks and circulationmedia labarchivesgarage

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design and concept sketches

northeast view of community center

southeast view of community center

basswood model photos

view of eastern loggia and screens

spatial vignettes

covered public terrace

loggia along eastern edge

To create spaces that would blur the line between inside and out. Many of the spaces become in-terstitial moments within the skin or under cover of the building, but in an exterior space. These spac-es were a call back to the porches of Vinegar Hill homes that brought people together.

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machine in the garden

NEWARK VISITOR’S CENTEROPEN COMPETITIONAIA NEWARKSEPT-OCT 2009

SITE: Newark, NJAt the edge of the Passaic River in the Ironbound dis-trict. East of Penn Station in Downtown Newark.

PROGRAM: A visitor center for the city of Newark. The building program is mostly exhibition space showcasing the city. There was also a strong urban and landscape programming element that involved the adjacent underutilized space.

FOCUS: This competition became a challenge of finding a way to mitigate between an urban condition and a proposed park. The strategy was to lift the green landscape up and slide the urban condition below. The building becomes a ma-chine that connects these two conditions.

PARKOPENVOID

FUTURE

PROVIDE

GROWTHCHANGE

COMMUNITYLANDSCAPECITYSTATUS QUOCONSUMEURBANPAST MASSDECAY

VISITORSN E W A R K V I S I T O R S C E N T E R

observation deck

concept section

site aerial tectonic diagrams

area map

curl up|down

precedent images

park above|urban below

lift groundplane

site juxtaposition

newark nyc

new york bay

site

passaic river

ironbound district

nj penn station

landscape + building integration studies

stack

overlappermeate

engage

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In addition to being a visitor’s center, this building evolved into a metaphor for Newark, a nod to what it has been and an optimistic vision of where it may go in the future. Newark was a very prominent shipping city during the industrial revolution and the development of the city along the Passaic River was a reflection of that time. Today, much of the same infrastructure and relics of the city’s industrial past still exist. The area along the Passaic River, particularly the ‘Ironbound’ district, has become polluted and vacant space occupied by fields of shipping containers. In a effort to return to a healthy relationship with the river, Newark has begun the process of cleaning and restoring its riverfront. The site and visitor center will extend a small greenway park along the river, west, toward downtown Newark, as part of this effort.

The building is meant to be a gesture of healthy growth that can, in turn, inspire more new growth and eventually help rebuild the identity of the site and city. This area of Newark is cur-rently known as dangerous and polluted, but with careful nurturing of the land adjacent to the Passaic River, that stigma can be changed. A visitor center that shows Newark in a positive light and a safe new river walk area could act as generators for more positive growth in the future.

The building will also reconnect with its local community as well as welcoming visitors. The ex-pressed structure and industrial finishes are references to the local culture and bridges adjacent to the site. Visitors can interact with the rich culture of Ironbound and the history of the metal working in the large workshop exhibition area. The large atrium space on the ground level is meant to be a catalyst for activity and interest both inside and outside the building. Locals and visitors can observe local urban artists working and engage with installations produced by the community’s craftsman.

The park and the building become one in an act of synthesis with the park ramping up into the building and cradling the observation deck. This nexus is meant to symbolize how two different environments can come together to offer a better vision of the future.

project description building iterations

early design sketches

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auditoriumoffice

support programwork/breakroom

restroomssecurity/police

lobby entryopen gallery

cafeexhibition

observation deckmechanical

restaurantrecycling

conf./meetingworkshop atrium

green roof/terrace

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situation plan

cross section

northwest perspective

key

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roof terrace

jogging trail

floating performance venue

urban plaza + drop-off

ampitheater

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atrium view overlooking the workshop/exhibition area

observation deck viewthird level plan

second level plan

ground level plan

northwest site aerial

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explorationsunion station 2020

nc aia 2008

“genius loci” abstract form|shadow study

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williams studio 2006

green commercial campus

williams studio 2006

gattegno studio 2005

terminus 200 family photo

walkway shadow studytower study

williams studio 2006 building matters 2005

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wetzel_works 2004-2009

thanks to:Edwin Harris (Newark Competition)Leroy Ali-Osman (Newark Competition)Jorge Abad (IDS West Competition)Mikhail KimJohn ReeseDayna Koeninger