EMILY FITZOWICHArchitecture Portfolio

TABLE OF CONTENTSREDOUBT NATURA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Creating an interpretive centre that protects and complements the Farnsworth House

Protection Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Interior Renderings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Context and River Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Flooding Protection Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Character Protection Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15The study and documentation of a Catholic church for future conservation measures

Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Character Defining Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Statement of Significance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Laser Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Photogrammetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Final Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Detail Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29The changing needs of a church, and the study of God’s relations to nature and humankind

Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Area Studied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Exploded Axonometric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Stairs - Movement Between Nature and Humankind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Glulam Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

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REDOUBT NATURAHeritage Conservation through Provocation

A new interpretive centre design for Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois

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PROTECTION THROUGH PHYSICAL MEANS PROTECTION OF CHARACTER + VALUESYearly flooding of the Fox River is currently the largest threat to the integrity of the Farnsworth House.

Construction of a visitor’s centre that contradicts the Farnsworth House creates a unique experience.

Building in a floodplain, Mies van der Rohe designed the Farnsworth house on stilts in order to keep it above yearly flood waters . Just three years after its construction in 1954, large flood levels caused two feet of water to enter the house . Since then there has been three other events where flooding water has entered the house and countless others that have flooded the lower terrace . Over the past few years the chance of these high floods occurring and damaging the structure have increased . Currently there are three proposals for flood mitigation of the site . None are ideal as they all alter the integrity of the site and structure .

In order to not compete, but to complement the Farnsworth House, the visitor’s centre must have similar values, but designed differently than the Farnsworth House . Just as our eyes see colours brighter when sided with complementary colours; values and character defining elements of the Farnsworth House will be more apparent when one is exposed to contradictory ideals .

19961954

20081997

5 YEAR LEVEL

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SCALE 1:100Storage677 sqftUsed both for the visitor’s centre and the storage of the flood fence .

Exhibit Space922 sqft

SkylightDesigned to be the same dimensions as the core of the Farnsworth House . The skylight itself is the same length and width as the mechincal core and the surrounding area is the same size as the bathroom, kitchen and cabinetry .

Washrooms216 + 219 sqft

Gift Shop Storage216 sqftA temporary wall is installed to divide it from the gift shop so more or less storage can be used .

Gift Shop677 sqftAccessable and open to all of the public .

Mechanical129 sqft

Staff Room/Kitchen496 sqft

Used both as a break room for staff and a kitchen for catering events .

Meeting/Multipurpose Room330 sqft

Can be used to rent out as a meeting room or by the visitor’s

centre as an exhibit space .

Foyer302 sqft

Exhibit Space349 sqft

Supplements the tour of the house on infromation on the Farnsworth house .

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INTERIOR RENDERINGSTop left: taken just outside of the storage doors, looking upwards towards the foyer.

Bottom right: taken from the foyer, looking down into the exhibit spaces.

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Normal levels of Fox River

SCALE 1:2500

100 year floodplain

Yearly flooding levels

Predicted movement of flooded river with Redoubt Natura

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100 year flood level

Yearly flooding level

PROTECTION FROM FLOODING WATERS

Natural grassesIn Mies van der Rohe’s original design the native prairie grasses of Illinois surrounded the house . In 1973 under Peter Palumbo’s ownership, the original grasses were replaced with a short-cut lawn . By reintroducing native grasses to the exterior of Redoubt Natura, not only is the original character of the site restored, but the stronger roots developed by the grasses will help to protect the surrounding earth from flood waters .

Floodwall-Grade GlassFlooding proof glass similar to the glass found in aquariums can be used in a house in order to help flood-proof a building .

Removable Flood ShieldA temporary flood barrier shield can be placed on openings in order to further waterproof during flood events .

Temporary Flood BarrierAlthough the Redoubt Natura will divert the majority of flood waters, flood barriers can be installed throughout the site in order to ensure as little water as possible hits the Farnsworth House . Piles would be permanently installed and hidden in the ground . The remainder of the barrier would be stored in Redoubt Natura and taken out and assembled prior to flooding events .

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Concealment

Heaviness

Movement

Rises up to the sky and treetops .

Burrows under the earth and grass .

Light and transluscent with a heavy core .

Heavy and dark with a light core .

Blends into landscape through transparency .

Camoflages and reflects surrounding landscape .

ALL DIAGRAMS 1:500

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BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCHThe study and documentation of a Catholic church for future conservation measures

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contextual analysis

Legend

Blessed Sacrament Church

Residential Buildings

Commercial Buildings

Churches

Schools

Community Centres

Roads

Transit Stops

Parks

Water

Blessed Sacrement Church and it’s surroundings in a

500m radius.

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Bank Street

Bronson Avenue

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Nestled in the corner between 4th Avenue and Percy Street, the Blessed Sacrament Church is located within the Glebe community . This community is known for its relaxed lifestyle, chic commercial area and a blend of contemporary and historic buildings .

Larger developments, like Lansdowne Park, play homage to the historical nature of the Glebe, with brick veneer buildings that reflect the older homes that surround them . Lansdowne Park, as well as Bank Street are

mainly commercial areas and bring a large amount of foot traffic, along with vehicular traffic to the area . As for the people that surround this church, we see a pattern that mirrors the architectural style: there are

a large amount of seniors as wells as young adults . The people reflect the environment and vice versa in this community’s assemblage of the new and old .

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Designed by John Gibb Morton and finished in 1933, the Blessed Sacrament Church was designed to be a contemporary Catholic church unlike any of its kind in Ottawa . This originally caused uproar in the community, as the church was seen as harsh and plain, more akin to a Protestant church than a Catholic church .

In 1953 custom German stained glass was installed in the peaked arch windows in order to add more ornamentation into the space . Before these installations, the rosette window in the apse was the only stained glass in the church .

A sacristy and rectory were added to the rear of the church in the 1960s, as well as a new crucifix . This crucifix was created by artist Gerard Trottier, and just as the rest of the church, the new crucifix was streamlined and devoid of the ornamentation that is typical in Catholic churches .

history

character defining elements

Context: Located in historic Glebe neighborhood · Relationship between church and community

Massing: Rectangular and semi-hexagonal massing motifs · Monolithic size and height · Scale of bell tower

Neo-Gothic Influence: Cruciform floor plan · Pointed arches · Stained glass windows · Small, rich detailing · Carved motifs · Stone tracing around windows · Rosette window with Maltese cross and cinquefoils

Art Deco Styling: Monolithic, geometric form · Verticality · Streamlined style

Verticality: Vertical lines on exterior · Bell tower · Pointed arches · Interior columns

Materiality: Indiana limestone cladding · Copper roofing · Terrazzo marble · Granite · Cork ceiling · Plaster walls · Oak finishing

Technical significance: Steel structural framing · Concrete masonry units · Metal lathing covered in plaster · Plaster and cork for acoustic control

Religious: Crucifixion tympanum above main entrance with Eucharist symbols · Granite altar and communion rails · Statuettes · Crucifixions · Chi-Rho engravings · Twelve Stations of the Cross

Other features: Later addition of sacristy and rectory · Handmade iron lanterns in nave

While the Blessed Sacrament Parish does not hold any formal heritage designation, it has considerable values stemming from its design, context, materiality, and its spiritual significance .

Architectural Value The Blessed Sacrament was planned by J . Gibb

Morton, notable church architect, under the direction of Rev . Dr . John J O’Gorman . The church incorporates a modern interpretation of Gothic style within an Art Deco design – which was a contemporary style for secular institutional buildings at the time . It utilizes the formal layout characteristic of a Gothic church, and traditional materials like stained glass and marble and terrazzo flooring, but the overall expression of the building is Art Deco; making this Catholic Church a unique specimen of the style . The finishing materials that are used are elegant; they include terrazzo, marble, oak, copper and Indiana limestone .

The structure also boasts more technologically advanced techniques for the time . The building is designed to be fireproof, with concrete foundations and a steel structure . The interior of the church uses Caen stone plaster with a background of acoustic plaster for its finishes . Acoustic cork ceiling panels were also used in the nave to create a space with high acoustic properties .

Religious Value The construction of Blessed Sacrament represents

the growth of the Catholic Church in Ottawa in the early twentieth century . It is designed so that from each entrance into the nave, a parishioner would come in facing an altar . The Chi Rho monogram is used throughout the church as an architectural motif . The Trottier crucifix, the original crucifix, and the bas-relief carved wood stations of the cross are all important expressions of religious messages within the building, as are the stained glass windows, which parallel depictions of stories from the Old Testament with images of events from the life of Christ .

Environmental Value The establishment of the church was because of the

determination of Catholics in the Glebe to have a church that would be a monument to the Blessed Sacrament within the neighborhood .

The scale of the Blessed Sacrament relative to the small residential buildings allows the church to stand as a monument in the middle of the neighborhood . The massing, verticality, and size of the church afford it prominent position, and inspires a feeling of awe . Its materiality also makes it distinct within its context; its brilliant, fine quality Indiana limestone exterior contrast with the darker and more commonplace brick which comprises most of the built form of the Glebe .

statement of significance

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Laser scanning was done in multiple sessions on site using a smaller Faro scanner . This scanner proved to be invaluable onsite due to its easy maneuverability and quick scan times . This was especially useful when scanning the attic of the church . Multiple scans were taken inside the nave of the church, as most of the drawings done were primarily the interior of the church .

On the exterior however, significantly less scans were done . For the north elevation only 3 scans were done in places that were relevant for the drawing . This caused an issue, where large areas of the north elevation were blocked by trees and power lines, creating blank areas in the scan . These holes were filled in with the help of photogrammetry, which will be discussed later .

laser scanning

Point Cloud

An axonometric image of the exterior point cloud. It is cropped to only include information relevant to

the north elevation drawing.

Point Cloud Image

The first of the two point cloud images used to trace the north

elevation drawings. This image was taken in Recap where the program

detected and highlighted the edges.

Point Cloud Image

The second of the two point cloud images. This image shows in the points in their RGB colours as taken by the scanner. It can be seen where trees and rooflines create a gap in the data.

Another issue we encountered is there was very little information on the roof, as the scan locations were all on the ground, and overhangs obstructed the roof above . In order to get clearer information on the roof ladders, drones or other forms of elevating the scanner would needed to be used in order to fill these gaps . Due to multiple constraints, unfortunately we were unable to obtain these scans . Because of this the final drawings do have areas where no information could be obtained on the elevation .

Once scans had been joined using Faro software, the 3-D point cloud model was viewed using AutoCAD Recap . From there the model could be moved, cropped and colouring could be changed based on factors such as the RGB value, intensity and location . For the north elevation two pictures were used . They complemented each other, as each image filled in information that was difficult to see in the other image .

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Low Density Point Cloud

A basic point cloud is created by comparing photos and seeing where similar points are. Through triangulation, the location of each

point is calculated.

photogrammetric model

High Density Point Cloud

As the original point cloud is created, a higher density one can be constructed

afterwards, as it uses existing points to calculate the location of new points.

Wireframe Solid

A solid mesh is formed by connecting the point cloud to create a surface.

Shaded Model

The photos are then projected onto the wireframe solid, giving us a model with

shading and colour. This model can then be texturized for greater detail.

Photogrammetry is the process of using multiple photographs of an object to create a 3-D computer model of that object . For photogrammetry to properly work, one must photograph an object that is three dimensional as well, or has a large amount of texture . Although this wall is flat, it is highly textured and responded well to the process . It was chosen primarily to aid in the creation of the north façade drawing . During the laser scanning process a large amount of that wall was not properly scanned due to a large tree in the way . The hope was that if the wall could be captured through photogrammetry, it would fill in the gaps the laser scan had left .

To take the images, multiple images done in multiple locations and angles needed to be done . Because this was such a large area images from greater heights needed to be taken . Due to multiple restrictions, ladders and drones could not be used . Instead the camera was mounted on a painter’s pole in order to take the higher images . This of course was not entirely sufficient, as there was not enough information to correctly calculate the form of elevated objects .

Once this step was completed, all photos were fed into Agisoft’s Photoscan Professional, a photogrammetry program . Photos needed to be cleared of any irrelevant pieces, such as the sky as well as tree branches . This ended up cutting out a large amount of information on the edges and corners of the model, creating a more sagging shape .

Although this model helped greatly in filling in some of the gaps of the laser scan information, it still had its limits . A problem with the laser scanning is higher elements of the structure, such as the roof could not accurately be scanned, and some areas had no information completely . Photogrammetry in this case did very little to aid this issue, as without drones or ladders, the camera could not provide any extra information .

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SCALE 1:200

final drawing

All drawings for this project were done in AutoCAD . Images from the point cloud and photogrammetric model were scaled to size and then traced on top . In order to do this, looking at photos, the point cloud model and photogrammetric model needed to be used for reference . Despite all efforts to be as accurate as possible, there is still an accuracy range of approximately 5cm . This is due to any inconsistencies between the photogrammetric and point cloud model, differences between laser scans, as well as the distance between points in the laser scan . This is not an issue for the current drawing scale, at 1:200, but can cause inaccuracies if scaled up or used for detail work later .

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BOTH DIAGRAMS 1:25

details

Left: Middle of 3 identical stained glass windows

Right: doorway found on the west side of the north façade, just below

the bell tower

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DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE A study of movement through creation and humankind

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Legend

Dominican University College

Buildings

Roads

Forested Areas/Trees

Contour LinesSomerset St

reet

Booth Street

Primrose Avenue

Upper Lorne Place

Empress Avenue

CONTEXTLeBreton Flats is a large expanse north of the site.

Currently only home to the Canadian War Museum and the annual Bluesfest music festival, the

area is currently under development for a new community with housing, recreation and a new

arena for the Ottawa Senators.

North-east of the site is a large complex for healthcare, specifically continuing and

hospice care.

South of the site along Somerset Street is Ottawa’s Chinatown.

The Dominican University College sits atop a ridge, surrounded by small houses, small forested areas and other religious sites . The library is located at the north-west corner, allowing views of the neighborhood below, as well as farther to LeBreton Flats, the

Ottawa River and Gatineau .

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The Dominican University College was founded by the Dominican Order of Preachers in Ottawa . Originally designed by priest Joseph Michaud, construction started in 1882 and the Order moved in during 1899 . During a fire on February 8th, 1910 most of the structure was destroyed, which began a long arduous process of rebuilding . In 1965 the building was deemed a Catholic university and in 1967 it became open as a college to the public .

In 2012 the Dominican University College became affiliated with Carleton University . Although originally built as a place of worship, the church is now facing a declining population while the academic aspect of college continues to grow . In recent years renovations have been done to create more living space, accommodate the expanding library, and vehicular traffic for the building . It is expected that the sanctuary will continue to shrink as the library spreads into the space .

history

SCALE 1:1000

An interior image of the current nave

An interior image of the current library on Level 2

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Current Library Space

Current Worship Space

New Dividing Wall

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Man-madeNatural

“There are no straight lines or sharp edges in nature”- Antonio Gaudi

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View of the glulam tree structure from Level 4

View interior from Level 2, looking towards glulam structure

View interior from Level 2, looking towards glulam structure

MOVEMENT THROUGH STAIRS

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BOTH DIAGRAMS 1:15

TREE STRUCTURE

SCALE 1:50

Built by using glulam as the primary material, standard 2” x 4” insulated and drywall walls are used to fill in some areas . Mortise and tenon joints with bolts keep together the separate pieces . The insulated walls help to divide the space not just visually, but acoustically as well . A glass curtain wall is hung behind the structure, using a bolting system to hang the glass pieces from the tree .

Legend

365mm

265mm

175mm

130mm

Wall Sections

Glazing

Glazing

365mm Glulam

265mm Glulam

Bolts

2” x 4” and Drywall Wall