David DonaldsonPortfo

lio

Inde

x of P

roje

cts

Kutak Rock Law Officeswith Alley Poyner Macchietto Architects

International Quilt Study Center and Museumwith Alley Poyner Macchietto Architects

MCC Institute for the Culinary Artswith HDR Architecture, Inc.

UNMC Ruth and Bill Scott Student Plazawith HDR Architecture, Inc.

Light and Path InstallationUndergraduate Project, University of Kansas

Rural Centre for the EnvironmentUnited States Peace Corps Project

OHSU School of Nursing Courtyard ImprovementsOHSU Design & Construction Project

Northwest Film CenterGraduate Project, University of Oregon

UCU Striyskiy Park Campus AthenaeumGraduate Project, University of Oregon

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Kuta

k Roc

k Law

Offic

es Location: Omaha, NebraskaProject Type: Historic RenovationCompany: Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture

Details: An historic preservation project with Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, the Kutak Rock Law Firm’s offices included a full rehabilitation of the historic Omaha Building - Nebraska’s first skyscraper. Originally built as the New York Life Insurance Building in 1889 and designed by renowned New York architects McKim, Mead & White, it stood as the tallest structure between Chicago and San Francisco at the time of completion. Constructed in the Italian Renaissance Style and on the National Register of Historic Places, the building had been twice renovated since its purchase by Kutak Rock in the 1970’s, including the addition of a 12th floor. Alley Poyner Macchietto was hired to simultaneously modernize the facilities while celebrating the rich character of the original design.

In my role as an intern architect on the project, I participated in the acquisition and production of accurate as-built and demolition drawings for major portions of the building. This included painstaking exploration into the heart of the old core, where we peeled back layers of stucco and drywall to discover hidden jewels such as pink Georgian marble and an ornate oculus window which was incorporated into the Board of Director’s suite. In a more technical capacity, I also assisted members of the design team in bringing the 7-story atrium up to code through the use of skywalks and operable interior windows with state-of-the-art automated smoke control panels.

Images courtesy of Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture

Inte

rnat

iona

l Qui

lt St

udy C

ente

r and

Mus

eum Location: Omaha, Nebraska

Project Type: Museum/Educational CenterCompany: Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture

Details: Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects in association with Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, the International Quilt Study Center and Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln became the world’s first center dedicated to the preservation and study of quilting and related textiles. The Alley Poyner Macchietto team acted as the architect-of-record on the project, taking the Robert A.M. Stern Architects’ vision of patchwork stitches and mak-ing it a cohesive reality through the use of light and materials throughout the building. The museum reached a LEED Silver certification, no small feat considering the intensive building controls required to preserve a delicate collection of over 2,300 quilts.

I worked with the project team in ensuring collaborative communication for detailing be-tween the Robert A.M. Stern offices and our own. Given the overriding importance of texture in the stitched quilt concept, a major part of my role on the project was also to experiment with combinations of colors, lights, materials and patterns for the main atrium space and the display spaces throughout the building.

Images courtesy of Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture

MCC

Inst

itute

for t

he Cu

linar

y Arts

Location: Omaha, NebraskaProject Type: Community CollegeCompany: HDR Architecture, Inc.

Details: When the Omaha Metropolitan Community College (MCC) approached HDR Architecture about a new institution dedicated to the study of culinary the-ory and production, our design team was asked to a provide the campus with a centerpiece building which emphasized MCC’s dedication to both its student and the community. The architects worked hand-in-hand with the landscape architects to provide a “two-way dialogue” between the restaurant/kitchen spaces and the students passing by on campus. The prominent, patinated copper facade on the second story serves to anchor the Student Bistro and Dining Room into a public plaza, further blurring the boundaries between the interior and exterior realms.

In addition to a creating contemporary center for cu-linary artistry, MCC sought to achieve a building that would continue contributing to a healthy community and environment. My primary role in the project was working towards a LEED certification through elimina-tion of stormwater runoff, public transportation access and water efficient landscaping materials that took advantage of the Institute’s 15,000 gallon rainwater collection tank. We also sought to make sure both the public plazas and parking areas on the primarily commuter campus far exceeded LEED standards for permeability and runoff through the use of bioswales, raingardens and permeable paving systems.

Images courtesy of HDR Architecture, Inc.

UNMC

Ruth

and B

ill Sc

ott S

tude

nt Pl

aza Location: Omaha, Nebraska

Project Type: Campus Planning/Student PlazaCompany: HDR Architecture, Inc.

Details: When HDR Architecture completed the Sorrell Center for Health Science Education for the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), our design team was tasked with taking the schematic master plan, developed by Carol R. Johnson Associates, and making it a reality. The efforts culminated in one of the largest green spaces in midtown Omaha, with over 1,000,000 square feet of carefully crafted circulation and destinations that act as a hub of the four UNMC colleges - Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Public Health.

I had a major role in the coordination and recording of the existing conditions between facilities, governmental bodies and utility surveys into the production of design documents. Additional responsibilities included developing schematic design options for the paving and placement of three ‘Dango’ ceramic pieces by international sculpture Jun Kaneko and stud-ies for the removal of the 41st Street corridor.

Images courtesy of HDR Architecture, Inc.

Light

as Ar

t Ins

talla

tion

Location: Kansas City, MissouriProject Type: Temporary Installation

Details: Completed as the final project for my 2004 Artistic Lighting Design studio with adjunct professor and designer Derek Porter, this team project was the culmina-tion of efforts by myself and four classmates on the experiential aspects of color along a path of three-dimensional, planar surfaces.

Included as part of an exhibit displayed during Kansas City, Missouri’s “First Friday for the Arts”, our piece was constructed specifically to encourage public participation and interaction. Through a combination of rigid and flexible structures with integrated lighting fixtures, we were able to create geometric planes of color which, at different intervals along the path, would create focal points and nodes of curiosity dependent on the position and viewpoint of the user.

Rural Center for the Environment

Building a Sustainable Future www.green-agora.ro

Rura

l Cen

tre fo

r the

Envir

onm

ent Location: Homoródalmás, Romania

Project Type: Ecological Education Center

Details: During my time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Roma-nia, we were encouraged to look both inside and outside of our communities for ways to positively influence the lives of oth-ers. In 2007, myself and two other volunteers with architectural backgrounds were approached by Agora, a non-profit environ-mental NGO to design and build a seasonal use education cen-ter in the small Székely village of Homoródalmás. The goal of this project, later named the Rural Centre for the Environment, was to provide facilities to promote sustainability education and agro-tourism resources to both locals and visitors.

Our schematic design of the center was modelled after the tra-ditional timber-frame barns prominent to the area, while incor-porating sliding doors for expandable event space and insulated windows to take advantage of views of the countryside. A small office and library were added for secure storage of informa-tional materials, while the sleeping loft above provided a sepa-rated bunk zone for visiting volunteers. Along with provision of the initial design concept, I was able to work hand-in-hand with local Romanian craftsmen during construction and had input on several major modifications as we neared completion.

Rural Center for the Environment

Building a Sustainable Future www.green-agora.ro

OHSU

Scho

ol of

Nurs

ing C

ourty

ard I

mpr

ovem

ents Location: Portland, Oregon

Project Type: Student PlazaCompany: Oregon Health & Science University

Details: The Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing approached OHSU Design & Construction in spring of 2012 with a small pool of funds and hopes of making their central courtyard more habitable. With only four weeks until the end of the fiscal year, I saw an opportunity and volunteered as project manager for a fast-track, adaptive improvement of the space.

We immediately brought in TERRA.fluxus landscape architecture and went to work addressing the project challenges. In addition to fiscal and time constraints, the space only received seasonal sunlight, while high glass walls created a “fishbowl” effect of users being on display. The courtyard also acted as an intensive rooftop for a sub-grade auditorium slated for repairs in the next five years.

The resulting design took the linearity of the courtyard and twisted it on an axis, using vegetated screens to create smaller “rooms”. These screens were then used to link together low weight planters, creating the feeling of a permanent installation while allowing ease of movement for roof repairs. We chose indigenous and lower-water plants to minimize sunlight and maintenance needs, while varying vegetation heights were used to break down the verticality of the space. Finally, I coordinated closely with our contractor, Teufel Nursery, with change orders and schedule to ensure comprehensive installation within the time frame and under budget.

Images courtesy of TERRA.fluxus Landscape Architecture

North

west

Film

Cent

erLocation: Portland, OregonProject Type: Educational Center/Community Cinema

Details: A Portland institution, the Northwest Film Center is a resource dedicated to the study and appreciation of motion pictures in order to create a local climate where the art of film can continue to flourish. This project was the culmination of studies under adjunct professor and architect Bob Hermanson into the integration of architecture and storytelling through the medium of film.

Hoping to increase their ability to offer classes and workshops to promote public outreach, the Northwest Film Center’s staff approached our graduate studio with hopes of assessing the feasibility of new facilities on various sites throughout down-town Portland. The new center’s expanded program was to include educational resources in the form of mixed-use classrooms, equipment rental and storage, a filmmaking library and outreach offices. Particular emphasis was put on the need for a state-of-the-art public theater and a secondary screening room to provide the film center with the majority of their operating income and community visibility, as well as a restaurant/lounge for events and openings.

My interpretation of the design problem was rooted in a series of explorations into filmmaking techniques, such as foreshadowing and suspense through lighting, ap-erture, and perspective. By taking the brick warehouse typology of the surrounding Pearl District and breaking it into two skewed volumes (with reinterpreted materi-als), I sought to create a diverse set of views and intrigue points through the interior and exterior of the building, tied closely to direction of approach and time of day. Functionally, these forms were also able to provide separation of the educational and public areas of the facility while allowing for a shared back-of-house. The promi-nent central theater serves to visually unify the divergent programmatic elements while simultaneously appearing to “float” separate from any structure. This effect is magnified through the use of contrasting texture, color and three-dimensional orientation as the theater core emerges from the building, just as plot and meaning spring through the viewing of a film.

North-South Section

East-West Section

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First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

Third Floor Plan

Fourth Floor Plan

UCU S

triys

kiy P

ark A

then

aeum

Location: Lviv, UkraineProject Type: Academic Library - Thesis

Details: In early 2010, I was approached by my thesis instructor, Professor Gerry Gast, with the opportunity to prepare a vision document, programming documents and schematic design studies for a new library and student center on the campus of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU). This project was atypical amongst my graduating class in terms of real world implications, as my results would be used by the UCU Board of Directors to determine the feasibility of moving forward with a library as the next building on their fledgling Striyskiy Park Campus in Lviv, Ukraine. Due to my strong interest in educational design and personal experience working with divergent cultures, I began what would become my graduate thesis project, the Ukrainian Catholic University Striyskiy Park Athenaeum.

The UCU Striyskiy Park Athenaeum was conceived as a crossroads of connectivity between the students of the University, its faculty and the greater population of Lviv in the form of a 21st century library. The building was envisioned as a “jewel in the park”, mixing previously foreign aspects of academic transparency with the traditional permanence of institutions of higher learning. The Athenaeum’s design is split into two wings, each defined by functionality of space, program and material. The openness of the North Wing mirror the public and student functions within, while the mass of the South Wing anchors the building and provides dedicated facilities for classrooms, library staff and the University Administration. The multistory atrium is oriented directly across from the spiritual center of the campus, the Catholic Church, creating a formal entry lobby with clear circulation between the differing programmatic elements, Finally, by moving the literary collections and study spaces to the second, third and fourth floors, I was able to provide a single, easily-secured access point while maximizing daylighting.

After completion of the project in Spring of 2011, I travelled to Lviv to present my final results to the UCU staff and Board of Directors. I received high commendation for the project, and the library has recently been approved for professional design by international firm Behnisch Architekten.

Basement PlanFirst Floor Plan

Striyskiy Park Campus Master Plan. Buildings in progress are shown as translucent, while future expansion is shown as transparent.

Second Floor Plan Third Floor Plan Fourth Floor Plan

Sustainable Systems: With the knowledge that an academic library has a potential lifetime considerably longer than that of the average building, the UCU Striyskiy Park Athenaeum was designed to maximize sustainable system investments. This includes the utilization of a double-skin facade and strategic thermal massing to improve energy efficiency and natural ventilation, along with stormwater control through a permeable courtyard and an extensive vegetated roof. Finally, an open plan and raised floor plenum system throughout the building allow maximum flexibility for future needs.

PAGE 6 PUBLIC SPACES - ADJACENCY DIAGRAM

Entry Vestibule

Front Information Desk

Main Lobby Seminar Room

Seminar Room

Seminar Room

CaféBookstore

Exhibition Gallery

Community Room

Collections and Study Spaces

Library Sta� Areas University Administration

Main Lobby

Reception Area

Administrative Support Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Board Room

Main Lobby

Open Sta� Work Area

Security O�ce

Cataloguing

Loading Dock

Shipping and Receiving

TechnologySupport

Head Librarian’sO�ce

LibraryAcquisitions

Collections and Study Spaces

Children’s Collection

Young Adult Collection

General CollectionSpecial Collections

Periodical’s Collection

Multimedia Commons

Library Lobby

Main Lobby

Reference Collection

Study Spaces

Library Lobby

Circulation Desk

Computer Lab

Main Study Area

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Collection Space

Study Stations

Building Exterior

Information TechnologyDesk

Information TechnologyDesk

SPACE ADJACENCY DIAGRAM

Entry Vestibule

Front Information Desk

Main Lobby Seminar Room

Seminar Room

Seminar Room

CaféBookstore

Exhibition Gallery

Community Room

Collections and Study Spaces

Library Sta� Areas University Administration

Main Lobby

Reception Area

Administrative Support Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Board Room

Main Lobby

Open Sta� Work Area

Security O�ce

Cataloguing

Loading Dock

Shipping and Receiving

TechnologySupport

Head Librarian’sO�ce

LibraryAcquisitions

Collections and Study Spaces

Children’s Collection

Young Adult Collection

General CollectionSpecial Collections

Periodical’s Collection

Multimedia Commons

Library Lobby

Main Lobby

Reference Collection

Study Spaces

Library Lobby

Circulation Desk

Computer Lab

Main Study Area

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Collection Space

Study Stations

Building Exterior

Information TechnologyDesk

Information TechnologyDesk

SPACE ADJACENCY DIAGRAM

COLLECTIONS - SPACE ADJACENCY DIAGRAM PAGE 11

STUDY SPACES - ADJACENCY DIAGRAM PAGE 15

Entry Vestibule

Front Information Desk

Main Lobby Seminar Room

Seminar Room

Seminar Room

CaféBookstore

Exhibition Gallery

Community Room

Collections and Study Spaces

Library Sta� Areas University Administration

Main Lobby

Reception Area

Administrative Support Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Board Room

Main Lobby

Open Sta� Work Area

Security O�ce

Cataloguing

Loading Dock

Shipping and Receiving

TechnologySupport

Head Librarian’sO�ce

LibraryAcquisitions

Collections and Study Spaces

Children’s Collection

Young Adult Collection

General CollectionSpecial Collections

Periodical’s Collection

Multimedia Commons

Library Lobby

Main Lobby

Reference Collection

Study Spaces

Library Lobby

Circulation Desk

Computer Lab

Main Study Area

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Collection Space

Study Stations

Building Exterior

Information TechnologyDesk

Information TechnologyDesk

SPACE ADJACENCY DIAGRAM

Entry Vestibule

Front Information Desk

Main Lobby Seminar Room

Seminar Room

Seminar Room

CaféBookstore

Exhibition Gallery

Community Room

Collections and Study Spaces

Library Sta� Areas University Administration

Main Lobby

Reception Area

Administrative Support Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Board Room

Main Lobby

Open Sta� Work Area

Security O�ce

Cataloguing

Loading Dock

Shipping and Receiving

TechnologySupport

Head Librarian’sO�ce

LibraryAcquisitions

Collections and Study Spaces

Children’s Collection

Young Adult Collection

General CollectionSpecial Collections

Periodical’s Collection

Multimedia Commons

Library Lobby

Main Lobby

Reference Collection

Study Spaces

Library Lobby

Circulation Desk

Computer Lab

Main Study Area

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Collection Space

Study Stations

Building Exterior

Information TechnologyDesk

Information TechnologyDesk

SPACE ADJACENCY DIAGRAM

LIBRARY STAFF - ADJACENCY DIAGRAM PAGE 19

Entry Vestibule

Front Information Desk

Main Lobby Seminar Room

Seminar Room

Seminar Room

CaféBookstore

Exhibition Gallery

Community Room

Collections and Study Spaces

Library Sta� Areas University Administration

Main Lobby

Reception Area

Administrative Support Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Vice-Rector’s O�ce

Board Room

Main Lobby

Open Sta� Work Area

Security O�ce

Cataloguing

Loading Dock

Shipping and Receiving

TechnologySupport

Head Librarian’sO�ce

LibraryAcquisitions

Collections and Study Spaces

Children’s Collection

Young Adult Collection

General CollectionSpecial Collections

Periodical’s Collection

Multimedia Commons

Library Lobby

Main Lobby

Reference Collection

Study Spaces

Library Lobby

Circulation Desk

Computer Lab

Main Study Area

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Group WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Quiet WorkRoom

Collection Space

Study Stations

Building Exterior

Information TechnologyDesk

Information TechnologyDesk

SPACE ADJACENCY DIAGRAM

PAGE 22 UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION - ADJACENCY DIAGRAMProgramming and Adjacency Diagrams