evan stravers architectural design portfolio
DESCRIPTION
Summary Portfolio of Architectural Design and Related Creative WorkTRANSCRIPT
EVANSTRAVERSDESIGN
ARCHI TEC TUR AL
D E S I G N
P O R T F O L I O
Dedicated to Kevin Ballantine,
who reminds me every day to be
the change I see in the world.
5
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
KPR
OFES
SIONA
L WOR
KPE
RSON
AL W
ORK
I
II
III
HOTEL PICTURESQUE
LE PROJET ‘GREEN BOX’
CHAMPAIGN CENTER FOR NEW MEDIA
LEVEL 4
PIXELATED LANDSCAPE
SPOTS N’ DOTS
ARCHITECTURAL TRAVEL SKETCHES
GREECE SKETCHING INTENSIVE
THE STRUCTURE OF INTENTION
BUILDING HOPE
ARCHITECTURE TO GO
MCHENRY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
SYCAMORE TRAIN DEPOT
DEKALB FLIGHT TRAINING CENTER
ST MARY STAIRS
MARKITECTURE
CONVENTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
‘ROID RAVE
CHI-TOWN SHAMROCKS
LOVELL FAMILY PATIO
QUIRKY
DESIGNED FOR YARDAGE
8
18
20
22
24
28
30
32
34
38
42
44
50
54
55
56
62
64
66
68
70
73
Summary Portfolio of
Architectural Design and Related
Creative Work
6
First off, I’d like to thank you for your consideration and I hope you enjoy the work I’ve
presented. The following is an attempt to fit myself and my work into as small a nutshell as
possible, which is obviously challenging. Though an extensive collection of work, it is far from
exhaustive, and I believe it’s length is necessary to give you to the most accurate insight into
my personality as a designer. I believe this gives you as much of an impression as possible as
to the depth of my architectural design understanding, breadth of interests and influences, and
most importantly my creative potential. The projects presented here were selected to illustrate
my primary goal as a designer: finding meaning within design. Creating meaningful spaces is
the essence of architecture; it is why we design and go through the training required to create
buildings. Grand plans, great designs, and detailed renderings are wonderful, but what are the
spaces worth if they contain no real meaning for those who experience the design? How do
you go about consistently creating meaning in architecture and design? These are questions I
will certainly not answer in these pages, but represent an ongoing quest and one of the many
factors that drive me as a designer. I do what I can to create projects with something a bit
different, divergent, and explorative, in the hopes that they can convey meaning in space and
presentation, as well as have a little bit of fun. I have strong ideas, but an open mind and an
eagerness to learn and enact meaningful change in the built environment. I hope you enjoy my
work.
Sincerely,
Evan Stravers
ForwardABOUT THIS PORTFOLIO
7
Academic WorkTHE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
AT URBANA -CHAMPAIGN
8
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K Hotel Picturesque A BOHEMIAN APART-HOTEL IN PARIS
PARIS, FRANCE
UIUC SAPV SPRING 2009
ARCHITECTURE 373 ARCHITECTURE AND THE CITY
ALEJANDRO LAPUNZINA, STUDIO CRITIC
GROUP SITE WORK
INDIVIDUAL DESIGN WORK
I distinctly remember a lecture early in the Versailles Study Abroad
Program in which the program director and, later, my studio leader,
Alejandro Lapunzina, extolled the many advantages sketching held
over photography as a means for capturing and understanding the built
environment. He bemoaned the dearth of substandard architectural
images created by the ease of digital photography and its subsequent
use to photograph buildings, but he said something that stuck with
me and bothered me as I went along in the program. “There are
very few architects,” he said “who really have an ability to view the
built environment through their lenses.” With my background and
passion for photography and the image, I was immediately struck by
both a wish to be that architect, and by the sense that I found this
9
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
Kinterpretation of the place of photography in architecture lacking. How could it be, I wondered,
that the photograph was so helpless in the design of a building, if the photograph is by its nature
the medium through which most architecture is disseminated? Cannot it then be a powerful
force in the qualitative design of a building as well? Cannot it serve to fortify and assist the
sketch in the design process and even serve as part of a sketch or as a sketch itself?
This project aims to explore the functions of the sketch and the photograph as they relate
to both the design process and its presentation. Though partially designed digitally (as is
common, and with much benefit), Hotel Picturesque is presented as a series of detailed sketches
combined with black-and-white Ilford HP5 400 film photographs taken at the site and developed
by hand in the darkroom at the ENSA-V. The sketching reflects the hand-drawing emphasis of
the program. The camera is a 1970’s Olympus OM 2-N passed down to me from my father.
NORTH ELEVATION
HOTEL PICTURESQUE
10
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
DIRECT LIGHTCOORIDORLIGHT
LIMITED LIGHT
PIGNON WALLLITTLE TO NO LIGHT
the physical site site layers
mass/void
small business
green
space
religious
institutional
ground
residential
upper
residential
These photographs capture the site in a unique light, and present the
picturesque site qualities the building attempts to reflect and enhance.
This combination of mediums both present the project and site as well as
directly reflect the context within which it was created, creating a second,
metaphysical site for the building.
As you can see, the site is quite picturesque, and previously chosen
by the program professors for a sketching exercise for just this reason. Its
quaint position on the edge of a sleepy park square in Paris’s 11th Arrodisment
presents a unique opportunity to design an apart-hotel cognisant of the area’s
aura. The site footprint is a 60-meter long sliver of land only about 10 meters
wide, bordered to the north by the park itself (specifically by a small platform
in which several trees are planted), to the east and west by gates opening to
the street, and to the south by what would be one of the main drivers of the
design: the complex blind (‘pignon’) wall common in Hausmann’s Paris. Much
of the immediate area is small business or residential on the ground floor and
residential from the second floor up, with a small church, a small school, and
XI
PARIS
HOTEL PICTURESQUE
658M²
PIGNON WALL/NATURAL LIGHT DIAGRAM
N
SITE PLAN
11
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
Kthe qualitative siteHOTEL PICTURESQUE
PIGNON WALLPARK FLORA EXISTING CHURCH
CHILDREN AT PLAYTREES AND PLATFORM
12
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K programming
‘1 Bedrooms’ Sleeping
CookingLiving
Bathing
Shared
Breathing
Pool
SaunaMedia
Multipurpose
‘2 Bedrooms’Sleeping
Cooking
Living
BathingBreathing
‘3 Bedrooms’Sleeping
Cooking
BathingBreathing
Living
‘Studios’
BreathingBathing
SleepingLivingCooking
BarCafe/Lounge
LoadingMaintenance
Laundry
Lobby
Work Out
Employee Facilities
Offices
ServicesStorage
MaintenanceLaundry
EmployeeFacilities
Offices
Circulation
Total Program ~3500 m²
PROGRAM ROTATED VERTICALLY
TO FIT SITE
0
-1
+2mGROUND
-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Site 658 m²
PROGRAM ROTATED VERTICALLY
TO FIT SITE
copious vegetation for an urban area. Common are children playing on a slide in the church
square, flocks of pigeons, or a man serenely taking in a pipe in the garden. Songbirds play in the
park trees. There is little traffic, perhaps the occasional car or bike.
Other than the typical Baron Hausmann prototype, there are several other genres of
architectural style present in surrounding buildings. The collection ranges from the romanesque
church to more modern and contemporary influences present in the residential structures to
some really ugly apartment buildings. There is, all in all, quite a bit of architectural noise. Thus,
there is an opportunity for the building’s form to try and cut through the noise and unify the site
into a more distinct, enjoyable whole. There is a place for restrained sculpture here. There is
an opportunity for a serene, naturally-inspired, yet progressive focal point opposite the existing
church. Not to directly oppose, but to contrast and augment and to further activate the void
the garden provides. While many sites would certainly demand a more rectilinear building, this
HOTEL PICTURESQUE
sectional diagram
13
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
Kconceptualization
square asks for a visually dynamic, yet grounded building echoing the organic
forms of the park as if it were simply another grove of trees.
The form is created from a deep understanding of the program
molded to fit constraints of the site, made be conceptually reflective of an
organism made up of many unique cells all growing upward to bask in the light.
While the visual language of the building contrasts with those surrounding, it
still connects to the blind walls of Hausmann’s Paris to obey the common ‘good
neighbor’ building practices of covering these ‘unsightly’ walls. It takes the
patterns present on the existing wall and plays with them, bending them into
the natural, yet structured forms reflective of the trees in the park. Utilized also
are pages from the modernist building vernacular (also a favorite of the program
director). White floor slabs, floor-to-ceiling glass, and open plan combine to
HOTEL PICTURESQUE
INSPIRATION IMAGES
CONCEPT SKETCHES
CONCEPT MODELS
14
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K floorplans
form a unique style, echoing a sculpted tree of extruded Farnsworth Houses, repurposed for
21st century Paris. The exoskeleton structure of the building reflects the geometry of these
trees sculpturally, as well as visually and socially. With the exoskeleton forming the branches,
the individual units become leaves, with light filtering through the combination of more opaque
occupied and more transparent vacant apartments as it would through a tree. In the animal
kingdom, trees provide a common interactive space for all sorts of species, and this building
emulates the social function of a tree in that context to encourage resident and community
interaction and the cross-pollination of ideas and experiences. Distributed amenities and
informal social spaces throughout the building encourage passing interaction and augment a
dynamic public level featuring a cafe, bar, and ample seating space on several levels. Below, the
HOTEL PICTURESQUE
STORAGE & MECH.ADMIN. OFFICESTOILET & CHANGING
HOT TUBMINI LAP POOL
LAUNDRY-2 -1 G
+1 +2 +3
+5 +6 +7
RECEPTIONENTRANCE RAMP
HOT TUBMINI LAP POOL
KITCHENRECIEVING
CAFE 2nd LEVELOUTDOOR SEATING
LIBRARY/READING ROOM SCENIC OVERLOOK EXERCISE AREA
SOCIAL TERRACE
15
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
user can access a spa and mini lap pool which provide wonderful places to relax and the unique potential to bring the surrounding
community into the building encouraging further interaction. The ground floor is raised two meters above grade to allow natural
light into the pool and staff spaces, as well as to connect directly onto the existing park platform, creating an outdoor cafe seating
space. This helps integrate the public level with the park as if it were simply an extension of the natural space, and provides an
excellent seating area for dining. An entrance ramp provides a more accessible public level and a point of spatial compression for
sectionHOTEL PICTURESQUE
+4 SCENIC GLASS LIFT
CONFERENCE & MEETING
‘LARGE’ UNIT
‘SMALL’ UNIT (SHOWN)PLANTEDCOMMUNITY TERRACE
typical upper floorplan N
16
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
typical (small) unit
BATHROOM + UTILITIES CORE
EXOSKELETON STRUCTURAL MEMBERS
GALLEY KITCHEN
LIVING AREA (W/ POSSIBLE FURNITURE)
SALVAGE BRICK ‘FALSE PIGNON’ WALL
FLATSCREEN TV
BLIND BRICK ADJOINING WALL
PRIVACY CURTAINS
MAIN ENTRANCEHARDWOOD SLEEPING AREA
CABINET, SINK & MIRROR
SLIDING GLASS ENVELOPE
HOTEL PICTURESQUE
17
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
HARDWOOD SLEEPING AREA
CABINET, SINK & MIRROR
SLIDING GLASS ENVELOPE
people entering the building for the first time - facilitiating their appreciation of the whole park
through the lens of the building entrance.
Individually, the hotel units are minimalistically modern and relatively spartan,
encouraging visitors to spend time in the park or enjoying the surrounding city. They are
reflective of the cellular structure in their form in plan, and in their function within the greater
organism of the hotel. They encourage those making an extended stay to make the space their
own by adapting furniture distribution, as if manipulating the internal components of the cell.
As in a living cell, the unit wall is mostly permeable and transparent yet rigid and protective
when needed, facilitating the osmosis of people, views, and ideas. The unit walls achieve this
complex relationship of permeability and protection through sliding glass doors lined with heavy
floor-to-ceiling curtains, which allow the envelope to constantly adapt to the user’s desires
for privacy or openness while creating a light space that interfaces directly with the serene
surroundings. Most parts of the room can become a scenic balcony overlooking the park. Much
of the plan of each room is kept as open as possible, with the only permanent feature of the
room being the toilet/shower/kitchenette/HVAC chase ‘core’ that runs vertically through each
room, emulating once again the functions of a tree by distributing the building’s ‘nutrients’ to
each of the cellular rooms.
By utilizing naturally-inspired design, the building becomes a natural extension of the
park to house human visitors, providing an exceptional and memorable stay in this small serene
park within one of the most wonderful cities in the world.
HOTEL PICTURESQUE
18
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K LE PROJET ‘GREEN BOX’ SUSTAINABLE MICRODWELLING
‘Project Green Box’ is a small micro-residence designed in the tradition of the Hotel Everland (a temporary micro-hotel atop the Palais Tokyo),
designed to go on top of the gymnasium roof of the Versailles Prefecture Fire Station and intended to serve as both a temporary residence for
visiting ENSA-V faculty and an icon of sustainability for the school and community. Situated so that it is visible from the Versailles-Rive Gauche train
station platforms, the design is intended to be modern, yet restrained, and beckon those who see it to discover more about sustainable living. The building
can house a couple in the lofted bed, and serve them with a bathroom and kitchenette. The form, clad in recovered planking, divides the southern exposure
into two faces: the southeast to store morning thermal gain in the trombe panel while the users are away, and the southwest to allow for an unobstructed
view of the sunset when they return in the evening.
VERSAILLES, FRANCE
UIUC SAPV SPRING 2009
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN INTENSIVE
RANDALL THOMAS, STUDIO CRITIC
CLASS SITE WORK, GROUP DESIGN WORK
TEAM: STRAVERS, CURIEL, CAMILLE
FLOOR PLANN
LOFT PLAN
19
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
Winter SummerPassive Stack
PhotovoltaicsBrise-soleil
In winter, incoming air is funneled past the trombe panel to partially warm it, then heated by a small in-floor heating unit for maximum efficiency. Ventilation occurs through small openings at the highest points of the building.
In summer, the Trombe panel is hidden from receiving solar gain and is used to cool the air as it enters the space.
sustainable design strategies
Active Cross VentilationIn the seasons of mild weather (or in case of the unfortunate cooking accident) glass doors open for full cross-ventilation of the space.
In addition to stack ventilation, the roof is pitched in order to place photovoltaic panels at ideal angles to produce maximum power output during both summer & winter.
In order to make the transparent fenestration design of the building possible, extensive sun-shading is required to control solar gain and interior brightness.
France is a heating dominated ecosystem, meaning that passive ventilation must be designed to deal with inside air once it is heated. The roof and fenstration is designed to take advantage of the stack effect to move warm air up and outside.
Trombe PanelDenim InsulationA salvaged concrete mini Trombe Panel helps add thermal mass and condition air temperature inside the building over the course of the day, absorbing solar radiation during the day and releasing it at night.
Post-production denim insulation offers excellent performance with little environmental impact, and also grounds the design in French culture where denim originates (“denim” = “de Nimes”).
20
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
Figure GroundEvan Stravers Downtown Champaign
The Champaign New Media Center presents a new prototype for a media library, providing a dynamic space for the education and exploration
of the ever-expanding world of new media. An important part of this studio course was examining the relationship between diagrams and the
architecture they create, and as an investigation we were asked to diagram a movie of our choice which would inform our designs. In order to create a
diagram that led to dynamic interplay of program and space, I chose to diagram Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, a dramatic multifaceted narrative with
many twists and turns. The geometry gleaned from this exercise was then used to deploy the required program in a dynamic way, crossing adjacencies
to create an exciting building. The building features both a black box theater that rejects the immediate setting for an immersive experience as well as a
‘glass box’ theater, which conversely invites the building’s setting into the performance to create different narrative opportunities.
CHAMPAIGN CENTERFOR NEW MEDIABUILDING FOR THE DYNAMIC NARRATIVE
CHAMPAIGN, IL
SPRING 2010
ARCH 475 ANIMATIONARCHITECTURE
CLASS SITE DOCUMENTATION
INDIVIDUAL DESIGN WORK
THERESE TIERNEY, STUDIO CRITIC
ANIMATIONARCHITECTURE
[ɑː] to [aː] or [äː]/ˈrɒtɨk/
B[aː]stIn
I dont want to be a product of my envrionment. I want my environment to be a product of me.
BIRDS-EYE VIEW
THE DEPARTED DIAGRAM NARRATIVE GEOMETRY + PROGRAM DOWNTOWN CHAMPAIGN
CONCEPT ELEVATIONS
newmedia library
gallery café
blackbox
glassboxfoyer= + public
outdoor
tix
= newmedia library
gallery café
blackbox
glassboxfoyer
tix
public outdoor
service/storage
service/storage
dynamicrecombination
21
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
Longitudinal Section
Transverse Section
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
FOYER
GALLERY/CAFE
PARKING
NEW MEDIA LIBRARYEXTERIOR
THEATERSEATING
PERMEABLE PAVING
EXTERIORTHEATERSEATING
GLASS BOX THEATER
FOYER
BLACK BOX THEATER
GLASS BOX THEATER
COVERED TERRACE CAFE
PROJECTIONSCREEN
STORAGE
GLASS BOX THEATER (BLACK BOX THEATER)
NEW MEDIA LIBRARY
LIBRARY LOWER LEVELSTORAGE
CAFE
FOYER
ANIMATIONARCHITECTURE
FOYER AS EVENT SPACE
22
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
How does the motion of the frame in space render itself on screen? What emotions can be conveyed with only the motion of the frame and a generic, empty space?
This project explores those questions, choosing to emphasize an emotion that is truly one associated with film and rarely if ever approached by architects: fear.
What is the architecture of fear, specifically of this locale and in these times?
Isolated.Panicked.Cold.Disoriented.
Someone running.Accelerated blinking.Heavy breathing.Glancing over the shoulder.
These qualities are created with the movement and pacing of the frame in the ubiquitous concrete parking garage. The panicked breathing helps immerse the viewer in the frame, as well as the simulated blinking and
LEVEL 4STOP-MOTIONFILM SPRING 2010
ARCH 475 ANIMATIONARCHITECTURE
INDIVIDUAL WORK
THERESE TIERNEY, STUDIO CRITIC
unsteady focus. Meanwhile, the score works both in tandem and contrast conveying a sense of finality and of acceptance in the face of imminent doom. The First Person perspective
is exclusively expored here for its relation to my experience with media and most especially, video gaming. As a twentysomethings male, I am stereotypically well versed in that realm,
ANIMATIONARCHITECTURE
SCAN
TO WATCH THE FILM!
23
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
ANIMATIONARCHITECTURE
and the ability of the first person perspective to be engaging on a visceral level. How can this apply to the built environment? It is amazing the type of emotions game designers can create
in their universes with frame effects, and I wanted to explore these techniques in a manner more accessible to the architectural discussion. Specifically, a particular animation sequence
in the Call Of Duty 2 campaign narrative was especially inspirational. In it, the first person frame is used to show the perspective of a character dying inside a crashing helicopter
while watching a nuclear blast. While grisly, this sequence was helpful in identifying frame manipulation techniques for communicating fear within the structure of a short film.
24
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
PIXELATED LANDSCAPEuiuc main quad anti-pavilionSPRING 2008
ARCH 273
INDIVIDUAL WORK
ALLISON WARREN, STUDIO CRITIC
Here in Illinois, we grid so hard even our grids have grids.
Mies designed along a grid, and his arguably most iconic
buildings and campus reside in Chicago. The landscape of
the state is a sea of gridded agricultural plots, arterial roads,
townships and counties. Daniel Burnham and his famous
‘Burnham Plan’ are worshipped, and his planning projects include
both the city of Chicago and the campus of the University of
Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. The entire campus is based upon
a 1 mile x 1 mile arterial grid, and the main Quad and surrounding
buildings are planned along subdivisions of this grid. The grid
is something that architects have long utilized, and its merits
and weaknesses are numerous and well-known. What happens
when you keep subdividing and subdividing, all the way down
to the human scale? You are left with a conceptualization of
the built environment that is remeniscent of a low-resolution
image. It is pixelated. There are many reasons for distilling our
surroundings to squares of data, and in a number of ways we
already do, though we are rarely aware of it. We reduce our
surroundings to small bits of data in such edeavors as digital
imaging, structural analysis, point cloud site documentation,
environmental modelling, and the creation of 3D worlds in video
gaming to name just a few. This project aims to expose us to
the pixelated lansdcape that constantly surrounds us, while
extending those pixels into a useful design for a new interactive
1 m
i
1 mi“Continuous Monument” Superstudio, 1969Agricultural research fields of the University of Illinois
25
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
multimedia sculpture and building signage system for the Quad
and university buildings across campus.
We were originally tasked with designing a small
‘student pavilion’ for the quad. I found this design prompt a
bit redactive and directly contrary to the entire point of having
an open university quadrangle, so after some discussion with
studio teachers and research, this more site-appropriate design
response was formulated. The location of the pavilion site on
the Main Quadrangle of the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign gives a designer much to work with in terms of
context, and in my reading helps to provide a system of site
contraints both physical and psychological that help dictate the
design of the structure. The Quad itself is a rectilinear pattern in
the landscape with both regular and irregular triangles cut into it
by sidewalks. There is copious planting of trees and shrubs of all
kinds on each side of the Quad, but not in the middle, providing for
wonderful unobstructed views of the entire landscape and lots
of open space for recreation. Gregorian Revivalist architecture
dominates the square, which is then sectioned into triangles by
sidewalks. This existing geometry poses the issue of formal
approach as a question to the designer: should one continue
this rectalinear precedent or reject it entirely with organic or
computational design for effect? I believe that adhering and
expanding this gridded heritage is the correct approach to a
the student as programWhat do students utilize the quad for?
26
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K design in this context in order to both make a statement about
the grid and to provide a dynamic construction. There is great
continuity in rectalinear design across the campus, and to have
one minor piece completely reject it for a more sculptural,
‘faddy’ form dates something quickly in such a context.
The construction is a multi-purpose collection of 1’-6”
cubes assembled of stainless steel, Plexiglass, and low-energy
touchscreen LED displays powered by photovoltaic panels. Each
cube has a male and female locking component to provide data,
power, and a secure structural connection between each when
locked, while allowing ease of mobility when unattached. Night
lighting through continuous display on the LEDs helps extend
safe hours on the Quad. Climate is an important factor for this
pavilion, particularly when it comes to realistic site occupation.
Illinois weather is notoriously erratic and can contain extremes
of heat and cold throughout the year. Since there is plenty of
shelter in the immediate vicinity in the form of large university
halls (open most hours), the actual usefunless of any structure
as an actual shelter is extremely limited. Also limiting its
usefulness in this regard is the fact that the Quad gets little use
in inclement weather, with most use coming on hot, sunny days.
This makes the functionality of a roof an expendable feature,
allowing for the design to focus on interacting with students
rather than providing a place of respite.
At the heart of a busy, bustling college campus, users
are primarily students, faculty, and others who have reason
to frequent campus. The Quad is the original multi-purpose
space for a campus, and this project aims to propose a multi-
CONCEPT SITE PLANN
27
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
KTOP ELECTRONICS CONNECTOR
(FEMALE)
TOP PROTECTIVE COVER
TOP LED DISPLAY SCREEN
SIDE LED DISPLAY SCREEN
SIDE PROTECTIVE COVER
EDGE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
BOTTOM COVER (AUDIO VENT)
BOTTOM ELECTRONICS CONNECTOR
purpose monument to augment this. One of the true design
questions here is discerning the multiple possible actions of
multiple possible users. As one makes careful site observation,
site uses fall into three distinct categories: the student
group gatherings common on a campus (gather), individual
contemplation or work (think), and limited athletic activities
such as catch or frisbee (play). In order to accommodate these
first two activites, the design must take into account the scale
of the human in order for it to be able to be used for sitting,
standing, leaning, or addressing a crowd. The third function is
harder to address, and is best accommodated though voluntary
restraint in overall scale and vertical height of the project. This
allows activities to easily take place on, around, and over it,
eliminating as much risk as possible to mindless students in the
oft-crowded Quad. It is also important to keep the structure
as tamper-proof as possible, while maintaining its moveable
characteristics and availability to legitimate users. The cubes
will essentially be over-engineered and able to withstand most
any circumstance.
By designing a reconfigurable ‘pavilion’, this project
provides an excellent space for all sorts of meaningful student
interactions: classes, gatherings, protests, sculpture, video,
or other art displays, performances, games, sitting, reading,
thinking or simply shooting the breeze with a friend.
28
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K Spots n’ DotsGRAPHICS FOR ARCHITECTSFALL 2007ARCH 272LARRY HAMLIN, STUDIO CRITICINDIVIDUAL WORK
29
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
V O I D
&
AN ARCHITECTURAL FOUND MATERIALS SCULPTURESPRING 2008
ARCH 273ALLISON WARREN, STUDIO CRITIC
INDIVIDUAL WORK
MASS
CONC
EPT I
NTER
IOR
30
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
KARCHITECTURAL TRAVEL SKETCHES // UIUC/ENSAV STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM VERSAILLES [SAPV]
LONDON - HISTORIC & CONTEMPORARY
31
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
RONCHAMP CATHEDRAL - LE CORBUSIER
GOTHIC CATHEDRAL - BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
LA TOURETTE MONASTERY- LE CORBUSIER
32
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
KGREECE SKETCHING INTENSIVE // JAMES P. WARFIELD
33
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
34
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
KTHE STRUCTURE OF INTENTION // TRAVELLING HISTORY SEMINAR // WILLIAM J.R. CURTIS
“You are confronted with yourself in these materials.” - William J.R. Curtis
35
ACAD
EMIC
WOR
K
In our UIUC Study Abroad Program-Versailles coursework, we were lucky to be led through
France to a number of iconic buildings by one of the foremost modern architectural historians
in the world, William J.R. Curtis. He gave us detailed insight into the design and construction of
monuments such as Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoy, Maison du Brésil, La Tourette Monastery (shown),
Ronchamp Cathedral, and Alvar Aalto’s Maison Louis Carré. His insights have had a profound
effect on my design understanding and on my conceptualization of architecture as a whole. These
buildings also made exemplary models for photography, with the tone and grain of film and Corbu’s
spartan, pensive spaces meshing wonderfully to form highly expressive prints. I am incredibly
proud of the rolls upon rolls of black-and-white film (in addition to digital photographs) that I took at
these magnificent buildings. I wish there was space here to print them all.
36
Professional WorkSHARP ARCHITECTS, INC.
Since September of 2010 I have been working for a small office in my hometown of DeKalb, IL headed
by Lisa F. Sharp, ALA, LEED AP BD+C. I’ve been incredibly grateful for her abilities as an architect and
teacher, and have learned so much under her mentorship. While many architectural offices are shuttering
their doors, we have been have consistently growing over the course of my tenure. It has been incredibly
rewarding to help make some really impactful things happen in the community in which I was born and grew
up, especially since it is a complex place. DeKalb is a college town in industrial and agricultural flux, with a
crisis of vision and real urban and sub-urban problems I know well. It also bears scars of recent tragedy, with a
mass shooting taking place in a crowded Northern Illinois University classroom mere blocks from my childhood
home dramatically impacting the mindset of the area in an instant. Working here has helped me become more
aware than ever of the dense narratives and relationships within the built envinroment, and the things required
to constistently complete a variety of projects to the utmost quality for clients with varying needs. As part of
a small office, I have a considerable amount of design influence and have had the opportunity to participate
in most, if not all facets of the profession. All of the images that follow were produced by myself for the firm,
although the designs are team-driven. Projects on which I was the primary designer are noted.
37
STREAMWOOD?
SYCAMORE TRAIN DEPOT - NIGHT PHOTOGRAPH EVAN STRAVERS FOR SHARP ARCHITECTS, DECEMBER 12, 2012
38
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
ADDITION SIZE: 4,300 sqft.
CONSTRUCTION COST: $821,000
BUILDING COMPLETED SUMMER 2011
LISA SHARP, PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
EVAN STRAVERS, INTERN ARCHITECT
PARTICIPATED IN PRELIMINARY DESIGN, DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION DRAWING AND
ADMINISTRATION,
AND PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY.
Hope Haven of DeKalb County is an amazing organization
tirelessly dedicated to fighting homelessness in DeKalb County
since its founding in 1990. They provide emergency food and shelter
for individuals and families in the short term, transitional and semi-
permanent housing in the long-term, and education and career services
to assist people in the creation of a better life. Their unique focus
is to keep homeless families together, rather than splitting them up
according to gender as is common in shelters, and their approach has
resulted in a high rate of success in placing people who have previously
been homeless into jobs and permanent housing. The organization is
also one I know well personally, having volunteered at the shelter for
multiple service organizations at the shelter, only a mile from where I
grew up on the campus of Northern Illinois University. The opportunity
to help them expand their program is one I still relish.
As a young organization, they provided shelter on church
floors, then started with a small rental shelter, and expanded along
with the ever-growing need for space, eventually moving into their
current building in 1991. In 2006 they were able to build a second
facility a mile north which currently serves as their long-term shelter,
enabling the original building to be more fully utilized for families and
emergency residents. And once again, faced with an ever-increasing
local population needing shelter, Hope Haven approached Sharp
SHARP ARCHITECTS // COMMERCIAL DESIGN
Building HopeHOPE HAVEN HOMELESS SHELTER EXPANSION
39
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
Architects Inc. in 2010 to lead them through the process
of designing and receiving special use permit approval of
an addition to their existing shelter. The process included
presentations to both the local planning commission and city
council to receive approval, which itself would turn into a
trying and divisive exercise.
In recent years NIU has not cultivated the reputation
as the safest university, and the area north to the north of it
in which Hope Haven is situated is a complex mix of students
and low-income housing. While in reality Hope Haven actively
improves this area and the city as a whole, some planning and
police officials opposed the project, leading to a contentious
permitting process. The since-departed Police Comissioner
went so far as to fabricate statistics to insinuate that Hope
Haven was negatively impacting the neighborhood simply with
its presence. Thankfully, the presentation of more reputable
data supported the exact opposite conclusion, and a following
increase in community support insured the building was given
a green light in spite of the smear campaign.
The addition allows the shelter to house an
additional 30 male emergency residents and vacates space in
BUILDING HOPE
40
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
BUILDING HOPE
the existing building for a family dormitory which allows mothers and their children to sleep in
the same room. The men’s emergency shelter is necessarily separated from the family shelter
and includes dormitory, shower, and quality living and dining spaces for the new residents. The
new wing also includes an apartment for live-in staff, kitchen expansion, and a multi-purpose
room for classes, self-improvement and counseling. Spaces within the existing shelter that
were in poor shape were upgraded with matching finishes and the old apartment suite was
made into a new children’s playroom. A new Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring product was chosen for
its low maintenance, high durability, and long-term cost-effectiveness (they have also recently
been adopted by Wal-Mart). Structurally, the scissor trusses allowed easy and inexpensive
HVAC installation, as well as a bit of additional headroom and the wonderful interior quality the
TRUSS FRAMING CONCEPT DIAGRAMS
PRELIMINARY DESIGN SCHEMESTRANSVERSE SECTIONS
SITE + PLANTING PLAN
FULL BUILDING PLAN
41
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
MENS DORMITORY
MENS LIVING/DINING
HALLWAY
MULTIPURPOSE ROOM
VEST.
STAFF TOILET
APARTMENT
JANITOR
CASEMGR.OFFICE
APT. TOILET
MENSSHOWERROOM
STOR.
MECH.
SERVING ROOM
MENS EMERGENCY OFFICE
HOPE HAVEN
EXPANSION PLAN
BUILDING HOPE
painted exposed ductwork provides. The color palette was chosen to be bright and uplifting
without being obnoxious or out of place. The exterior spaces surrounding the building were
designed to allow for additional parking, water detention, and outdoor living spaces for men,
families, and children. The existing playground space was relocated and improved to create a
cohesive space for children to play that includes large mature trees, a patio, benches, play fort,
and gardens to raise healthy produce for residents and allow them to learn employable skills
and self-sufficiency. A storage shed featuring a wonderful community mural was relocated, and
the existing basketball hoops were re-used on a new, larger court for resident use. Overall, we
succeeded in creating a transcendent building that serves the client with a unique and upbeat
style, helping people to move out of homelessness both in function and in feeling.
EXPANSIONFLOOR PLAN
LONGITUDINAL SECTION
42
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
PROOF
LOGO DESIGN EXPLORATION
"Building Hope” Expansion Campaign 2011
1990
Serving the homelessand the community
for 20 years
2 0 1 01 9 9 0
Architecture to GoBUILDING HOPE CAMPAIGN PROMOTION
BUILDING HOPE
Our firm was given the unique opportunity to provide professional-level graphic design services assisting Hope Haven with
their fundraising campaign. I was tasked with vectorizing, cleaning, and making minor improvements to the Hope Haven
logo, and then using that logo as a basis for a button and two-color T-shirt for sale to the public with proceeds going to the
Building Hope campaign. I worked closely with Hope Haven staff and Sports of All Sorts in DeKalb, IL to produce the shirt, which
was a huge hit. Its design highlights the importance of each member of the community by presenting those who wear it as sets
of drawings: individually holding the strength, support, care and information required for a successful building campaign, while
providing a great background for the bright red Hope Haven logo button. The screen-printed image ages as an old set of drawings
would, gracefully gaining character as the days go by, gradually becoming the owner’s favorite shirt. It certainly has become mine.
43
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
FRONT BACK
MOCK-UP
BUILDING HOPE
44
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
SIZE: 8,574 sqft.
CONSTRUCTION COST: $1,770,000
BUILDING COMPLETED SUMMER 2011
LISA SHARP, PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
EVAN STRAVERS, INTERN ARCHITECT
PARTICIPATED IN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT,
CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS,
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION, AND
PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY.
In the world of not-for-profit healthcare design, budget efficiency is at a premium. Clients have a long list of needs for a building’s functional aspects, without extensive budgets to make them a rality. In order to design the most sustainable, fuctional, meaningful, and valuable building for the dollar,
creative solutions must be used in order to design something that , as Charles and Ray Eames put it , provides “the best for the most for the least”. The McHenry Community Health Center is a new medical clinic building operated by a not-for-profit organization, Greater Elgin Family Care Center. The new facility features a large reception and waiting room, fourteen exam rooms, along with laboratory and staff support spaces. The owner was fortunate to have received a grant for the construction of the building, with future maintenance and operating costs remaining their responsibility. Our design approach focused on creating a workplace that was comfortable and efficient for both staff and patients as well as reducing energy use and maintenance costs. The building features: Solar tube daylighting in each interior exam room and nurse space without a window. A white 60 mil EPDM roof to reduce heat gain. R-49 insulation at the attic and R-21 insulation at the walls to reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter. Advanced electronically controlled window treatments to reduce solar gain Window placement allowing natural light into almost every space of the building, maximize light transmittance while minimizing heat gain. Lighting control systems to help maximize the use of natural light when available, reducing dependence on light fixtures. Occupancy sensors on light fixtures for exam and office spaces to reduce electricity consumption while rooms are unoccupied. Exterior masonry veneer requiring minimal maintenance.
SHARP ARCHITECTS // NOT-FOR-PROFIT HEALTHCARE DESIGN
The Best (Clinic) for the Most for the LeastMcHENRY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
45
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
MECH. STORAGE ALCOVE RECEPTION/WAITING VESTIBULECORR.
McHENRY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
BUILDING SECTION
PLAN SHOWINGPROGRAMDEPLOYMENT
SITE + PLANTING PLAN
BUILDING SECTION
46
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
MCHENRY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
47
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
48
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
MCHENRY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
49
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
Details, Details.They say that the devil is in the details, and in architecture and construction
nothing could be more true. Details can make or break a project and can make the difference between a wonderful, impactful building and one that gets torn down or substantially modified because of a discontented client (See: Trahan Architects Holy Rosary Church in Louisiana). Detailing is also largely where innovative building technologies and sustainable design decisions are actually implemented within the design process, making it more important than ever in today’s architectural climate. Details also can be individually beautiful, and can show a deep understanding of a building’s design. For this reason I’ve included a few of the details I’ve done for Sharp Architects.
SHARP ARCHITECTS // CONSTRUCTION DETAILING
50
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
SIZE: 5,103 sqft.
COST: $818,000
BUILDING COMPLETED WINTER 2012
LISA SHARP, PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
KATIE SPERL, PROJECT ARCHITECT
EVAN STRAVERS, INTERN ARCHITECT
PARTICIPATED IN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT,
CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS & ADMINISTRATION,
PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY.
What is the true nature of sustainability? LEED is a decent
start, but its serious drawbacks as a system that actually
leads to really sustainable design decisions in architectural projects
are becoming clear. The USGBC is, at it’s heart, a for-profit company,
and its system does little to address the many ways a building can
be sustainable. What of economic or cultural sustainability? These
are harder to quantify and do not have direct environmental impact
in our typical understanding, but represent incredibly important
considerations in urban design. Is there anything truly more
sustainable than helping a young philanthropic foundation dedicated
to scholarships and service in the community rehabilitate a building
left empty for 60 years into their base of operations for the future,
creating a new community icon? Before December, most residents of
Sycamore were unaware that their community had ever even had a
SHARP ARCHITECTS // HISTORIC PRESERVATION
For Good, For Ever.DEKALB COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SYCAMORETRAIN DEPOT OFFICES
51
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
SYCAMORE TRAIN DEPOTDEKALB COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNTATION OFFICES
SYCAMORE, ILLINOIS
COMMUNITY MEETING ROOM
SYCAMORE TRAIN DEPOTDEKALB COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNTATION OFFICES
SYCAMORE, ILLINOIS
RECEPTION AREA
52
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK SY
CA
MO
RE
TRA
IN D
EPO
TD
EKA
LB C
OU
NTY
CO
MM
UN
ITY
FOU
NTA
TIO
N O
FFIC
ES
SYCA
MO
RE, I
LLIN
OIS
COMMUNITY MEETING ROOM
STAIR
ENTRY
RECEPTION
OFFICE
BOARD ROOM
CONFERENCE OFFICE
OFFICE OFFICE
STAIR
FILES
STOR.
SERVING
Train Depot. We were incredibly happy to change that, and introduce the DeKalb/Sycamore area to this hidden gem within their midst.
Originally built in 1880 by the Sycamore Cortland & Chicago Railroad, this Italianate gem had fallen into disrepair over many
decades, seeing its last train leave in the 1960s. The City of Sycamore, led by City Manager Mr. Bill Nicklas, spearheaded an effort
to purchase the building from the owner in 2010. Through a generous private donation and TIF funds from the City of Sycamore the
exterior of the building was transformed and the structure was stabilized. Structural work focused on re-supporting the entire wood
first floor structure. Exterior renovations included new roofing, masonry restoration, and new aluminum clad window and doors at all
53
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
of the openings. The brick façade was cleaned with gentle power washing and brushing and then both the brick and the stone were tuck pointed.
Rotting plywood soffits and fascias were replaced with fiber cement and gutters and downspouts were added to direct water away from the
building. Original metal dentils and frieze at the north façade were prepped and painted. Historical photographs were consulted to determine the
mullion pattern for the building. Loading bay doors were replaced with French doors to allow more light into the Freight Room.
The City of Sycamore announced in the fall of 2011 that they would be gifting the building to the DeKalb County Community Foundation,
an organization devoted to local philanthropic efforts. The building now houses the offices of their organization and a large community room
which they make available for business and nonprofit meetings, weddings, and other public gatherings. The design for the interior spaces meshes
modern, functional and historical aspects to create a bright, vibrant and useful new building. The exposed brick provides a wonderful texture which
takes on a whole new life when paired with the colors, chosen to be a bright representation of natural agricultural elements. It is best featured in
the Community room, helping to provide a romantic and historic atmosphere for events taking place there. Also saved and re-used was the original
ticketing window from the old depot, which now resides in the main waiting area.
54
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
SHARP ARCHITECTS // CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
The City of DeKalb approached the firm in 2012 to design a DeKalb Flight Training
center building with two main goals: to integrate multiple existing flight school programs under one roof, and to provide a new face for the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Aiport [DTMA] in the community. An existing, unused hangar on site was selected to be a starting point for the design. This concept combines programmatic features in a way that is conducive to flight education and site opportunities while utilizing the visual language of aviation and it’s associated industrial construction vernacular. Fenestration patterns in classroom and flight simulator spaces not only provide daylighting, but assist in the education of young pilots by framing views of planes on approach to DTMA runways 2/20 and 9/27. The building also features hangar space for 3-4 small aircraft, an educational shop, flight preparation room, teacher offices, and a work/copy room.
CONCEPT SKETCHES: ‘TAXI & TAKEOFF’
CONCEPT PLAN
Taxi&TakeoffDEKALB FLIGHT TRAINING CENTER
ONGOING PROJECT - PRELIMINARY DESIGN
LISA SHARP, PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
EVAN STRAVERS, INTERN ARCHITECT
DESIGN SHOWN BY EVAN STRAVERS
55
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
SHARP ARCHITECTS // CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
ReinvigoratingCongregation
ST. MARY CHURCH ENTRANCE
St. Mary of the Assumption Church first approached us in 2011 about the idea of adding a new set of stairs to their late 1890’s cathedral,
originally asking us and a competing out-of-town firm to produce concept designs for them. They had seen a decline over the years in membership, and a push was being made to modernize certain aspects of their worship experience, including the improvement of the historical entrance to their main worship space. I was tasked with measuring and drafting the site, designing a concept, and ultimately produced a detailed model in Sketchup, although the decision was made to present hand renderings to the client in
order to present the design in a more friendly, accessible way. In 2012 they announced that we had been awarded the job of designing the project, and we were to move ahead designing a number of schemes, though forgoing the covered entrance for budgetary reasons. I completed zoning and code research, and designed four schemes which were eventually narrowed to two that were then further developed. Drainage and lighting were then addressed in development of the design, as well and the incorporation of a boiler-driven integrated snow-melt system. The project is currently active and design development is ongoing.
ONGOING PROJECT - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
LISA SHARP, PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
EVAN STRAVERS, INTERN ARCHITECT
& PRINCIPLE DESIGNER ON PROJECT
DRAWINGS SHOWN BY EVAN STRAVERS
56
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
MarkitectureSHARP ARCHITECTS GRAPHIC DESIGN & BRANDING
BUSINESS CARDS
421 GROVE ST.DEKALB, IL 60115
LISA F. SHARPALA, LEED AP BD+CPRINCIPAL AND OWNER
sharparchitectsinc.
COMMERCIAL PORTFOLIO
PUT YOUR BEST BUILDING FORWARD
McHenry Community
Health Center
McHenry, IL
$ 1,775,000.00
8,570 ft ²
A great building can be even more than just a setting for a successful
business - if planned well, it can become a community icon. With
over 25 years experience, Sharp Architects, Inc. strives to ask the appropriate
questions throughout the building process and pair them with effective and
holistic architectural answers. We work diligently to make the design and
construction process successful, and make each building a great place to work,
interact, and gather, providing infrastructure for years of effi cient and effective
business. Contact us today to explore what Sharp thinking can do for you.
CONCEPT
COMPLETION
“...the project was completed on
time and under budget.”
-Ms. Lesly D. Wicks, LCSW
Executive Director
Hope Haven of DeKalb County
OUR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
EXPERIENCE
SERVICES
COMMERCIAL• Offi ce Buildings• Tenant Build-outs
• Retail Development
• Retail Interiors
INSTITUTIONAL• Educational
Facilities• Police & Fire Stations
• Life Safety Surveys
• Libraries
INDUSTRIAL• Research Facilities
• Animal Shelters/Clinics
RESIDENTIAL• Custom Single Family
HOSPITALITY• Restaurants
• Reception Halls
• Banquet Halls
• Hotels
HEALTHCARE• Medical Offi ce Buildings• Urgent Care Clinics
• ASTC/Surgicenters
• Hospitals
• Imaging Centers
• Cancer Treatment
Centers• Rehabilitative Care
Centers• Counseling Centers
We are highly experienced in delivering quality architectural services in a variety of project contractual arrangements, including:• Architectural Design & Drafting
• Facility Planning Studies
• Interior Space Planning
• Planning & Zoning Consultation
• Construction Administration
• Accessibility Surveys
• Life Safety Surveys
For a complete list of services, please visit www.sharparchitectsinc.com
• LISTEN: We foster a team approach that emphasizes listening to the needs and concerns of stakeholders, and effective communication with team members.
• DEFINE GOALS: It is our belief that our work should fi nd effective solutions to our clients’ goals including image, function, quality, budget, and schedule.
• DESIGN WITH PASSION: All projects deserve smart, passionate design in order to create environments that inspire.
• HONOR THE ENVIRONMENT: We believe in honoring the surrounding community by creating a building that is attractive, environmentally sound, and in keeping with the texture of the neighborhood and landscape.
• BUILD RELATIONSHIPS: Your success is our success. If we stay true to our philosophies, successful projects and strong relationships will surely ensue, allowing us opportunities for future work together.
Streamwood Community
Health Center
Streamwood, IL
$ 700,000.00
4,810 ft ²
Hope Haven Homeless
Shelter Expansion
DeKalb, IL
$ 821,000.00
4,330 ft ²
T ST.
3r d
ST .
5t h
ST .
6t h
ST .
7t h
ST .
G R O V E S T .
P R O S P E C T S T .
F R A N K L I N S T .
38
38
L I N C O L N H W Y .
4t h
ST .
23
23
SHARP ARCHITECTS INC.421 GROVE ST.
DEKALB, IL 60115815.501.1050
www.sharparchitectsinc.com
CONTACT US
“Their design met our functional needs, yet was creative and aesthetically beautiful.”
LISA F. SHARPALA, LEED AP BD+C
OWNER & PRINCIPAL
421 GROVE ST.
“ Lisa Sharp listens intuitively to her clients to understand their
needs and translates those needs into functional designs infused
with her sense of form and style.”
“ I personally appreciate your ability to successfully work with contractors
and authorities having jurisdiction to deliver a complete project. I look
forward to working with you again in the very near future.”
REFERENCES
-Ms. Bohdonna Strawniak, RN, BSN, CNOR
Director of Facilities Operations
Fox Valley Orthopaedic Institute
-Mr. Allen Jensen
Director of Facilities Management
Provena Saint Joseph Hospital
-Ms. Lesly D. Wicks, LCSW
Executive Director
Hope Haven of DeKalb County
When I first joined Sharp Architects, Inc. we were a young firm and had little in the way of marketing materials, with some unattractive
cheap business cards, a few flyers, and worse, no real website. They say in marketing that ‘if you don’t have a website, you don’t
exist’, and one of the first big projects of my job was designing our online identity. Wordpress was utilized to provide the most modern,
scalable, and easily modified setup possible. Visual appearance was designed to reflect consistent branding, and content was gathered and
organized to maximize ease of accessibility. I also developed our online and social media marketing strategies, and maintain our website,
facebook page and blog. I have also designed our holiday cards for the last three years, flyers, proposals, construction signs, advertising, new
business cards, and a few other various design projects.
TWO-SPREAD FLYER
57
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
PRINT ADVERTISEMENT
58
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
MARKITECTURE
CONSTRUCTION SIGNAGESTAFF HARDHAT ALUMICORE RE-USABLE SITE SIGN
VISIT OUR WEBSITE!
WEB DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION DONE IN COLLABORATION WITHHANY ABDEL.
PLEASE VISITWWW.HANYABDEL.COMFOR MORE OF HIS CREATIVE WORK!
sharparchitectsinc.4 2 1 G R O V E S T . D E K A L B , I L
A R C H I T E C T U R E
815.517.1050WWW.SHARPARCHITECTSINC.COM
P L A N N I N G D E S I G N
H E A L T H C A R EC O M M E R C I A L
I N S T I T U T I O N A LC U S T O M R E S I D E N T I A L
3’
5’
59
PROF
ESSIO
NAL W
ORK
HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2011
www.sharparchitectsinc.com
GREETING CARD
HOLIDAY CARD 2011 TABLE TOPPER
COMMUNITY ‘BUSINESS WALL’ PLAQUE
MOVING/HOLIDAY CARD 2010
SHARP ARCHITECTS - GRAPHIC DESIGN
421 Grove St. DeKalb, IL 60115815.517.1050
www.sharparchitectsinc.com
sharparchitectsinc.
sharparchitectsinc.
Design by Evan Stravers, Junior Architect. Trimble Sketchup, SU Podium, Adobe Photoshop,
Illustrator, and Indesign were used.
60
PERS
ONAL
WOR
KPersonal WorkPHOTOGRAPHY, GRAPHIC DESIGN, DESIGN (AND FOOTBALL).
mirrored window >
Guthrie Theatre - Minneapolis, MN
Architect: Jean Nouvel
07.25.09
This unedited photo of Nouvel’s Guthrie Theatre window is a
cathartic image in the development of my understanding of
architecture. It’s simply the product of a wandering eye and a
wonderfully framed view, yet contained within it are numerous
questions about the nature of one’s relationship to the built
environment. This is obviously an experience planned and designed
by a designer, so how did it come to be carried out, fully connecting
the user and the vision of the architect? What bidges the gap from
the initial idea of a building to it’s long term consequences?
What collection of events, processes, and accidents gets one from
a concept sketch through development and construction to this
user photograph, taken on a spontaneous trip some years after the
completion of the building?
While employed full-time at an architecture firm and loving it, I’ve also attempted to
challenge myself and expand my palette as a designer with a number of different
personal projects in various visual fields. I present them here to give you a bit of flavor for my
design personality outside of the architectural realm. In high school I discovered photography,
which has come to be my main artistic side endeavor and something I love very much. I took
over 8,000 photographs in nine months spent abroad, and never really stopped. I was able to
work as an equine photographer for two summers while in college, and have since worked to
expand my passion into a full side project (and something that aids in architectural design and
presentation). I love all forms of photography, from black-and-white film to digital to polaroid
and other strange and depreciated pop camera styles. I plan to build a darkroom of my own
someday. Graphic design has long been an interest of mine, and I can remember drawing logos
and letter forms for fun as early as grade school. I participated in a architecture/graphic design
collaborative seminar in college which greatly expanded this interest. Football, Hockey, and
athletics in general have also represented important facets of my life, and I have long utilized
them as creative outlets as athlete and as coach, leader, and strategist. I have also done some
creative work as a part of sports organizations, and continue to explore these avenues of my life
in my spare time, perhaps eventually to help put myself through graduate school.
61
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
62
PERS
ONAL
WOR
KCONVENTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
63
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
64
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
‘Roid RaveUNCONVENTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Malfunctioning film purchased on the cheap.
An ambitious company re-inventing Polaroid film.
Camera purchased for $2 at the local Salvation Army.
Three apartments with stacked balconies, wonderfully intermixing
residents of this particular crappy college apartment building over
decades.
Can such a camera setup capture the ‘je-ne-sais-quois’ of the space
through documenting revelry?
A wonderful evening with friends new and old.
The polaroid film is instant, poppy, involved in the very surrounding it
captures.
Nobody doesn’t want to talk excitedly while waiting to see it develop.
The image layers degrade over time, betraying clarity, and ultimately,
the image entirely.
How is this like our memories? Our relationships?
I continue to watch this evening slowly grey into nothing.
I continue to watch this party clear out.
Best friends, lovers, aquaintances make their way home.Figure from “From transaction to transformation costs: The case of Polaroid’s
SX-70 camera” Garud and Munir, Elsevier, 2008
65
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
66
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
Chi-Town Shamrocks Roller Hockey [MIHA]
Growing up prohibitively far from the nearest ice rink, roller
hockey grew over the years to become an important part of my
life and my primary personal athletic endeavor. I’ve played inline hockey
since I was seven, playing for clubs throughout Junior High, High
School, and College. I currently play on a semi-professional travelling
team, and as part of this team and league I also have been able to do
some graphic design and photographic work, as well as travel to play
in such exotic locales as Detroit, Grand Rapids, Cincinnati, and St.
Louis. I am incredibly happy to be able to mix both the creative and
athletic sides of my life, as well as travel to places with interesting and
complex urban environments.
These flyers were made for special events and team tryouts put
on by the Chi-Town Shamrocks Roller Hockey Club, a member of
the Midwest Inline Hockey Association {MIHA} for which I play and
am assistant captain. The photos were taken at various tournaments
over the course of a season, including the all-star game and skills
competition.
FREELANCE GRAPHIC DESIGN + PHOTOGRAPHY
67
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
ROLLER HOCKEY
vs.
NIU HUSKIES
KISHWAUKEE FAMILY YMCA
SUGGESTEDDONATION
CHI-TOWN SHAMROCKS
7:30 pmMARCH 30 th
KIDSFREE$5
ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR
FOUNDATION
68
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
8
56
56
4’x8’ cast inplace concrete slab, Typical.
reinforced perowner requirement
contrast paving rows,block determined by owner
contrast paving rows,block to be determined by owner
brussels dimensional block,on edge in radial pattern
brussels dimensional block,on edge
existing stairs, owner movedand reinstalled.
brussels block or sim.patio pavers, radial layout (optional)
concrete slab for rain barrel (optional)
brussels dimensionalstone garden wall
coping cut to fit around house siding
brussels block or sim.patio pavers, unilock ‘W’layout atypical
slab
atypical slab
atypical slab
0' 4' 8' 12'N
774 square ft. concrete:
8
05- Lovell Patio 04.23.11PAVING PLAN
brussels dimensionalstone pier
brussels dimensionalstone pier, TYP.
DESCRIPTION
Sheet Description
ISSUE
04.23.11
DRAWN BY
ES
CLIENT
John Lovell1012 Freedom Ct.Sycamore, IL
PROJECT
05- Lovell Patio Design
ASSOCIATE 1
Evan Stravers595 Normal Rd.DeKalb, IL 60115
A1.0
Lovell FamilyPatio
John Lovell originally approached me in spring 2011 about taking his vision for a patio and turning it into a buildable, functional and stylish reality. His wife and two young sons moved into this spec house in a subdivision on the outskirts of Sycamore, IL shortly after the burst of the housing bubble, allowing them to purchase a wonderful house for their growing family with a lot of room, a wonderful yard, a pond, and an excellent view. They sought to add outdoor space to complement their active lifestyle and two young sons, as well as space for a grill, dining and entertaining.
DESIGN
69
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
cut block as needed forelectricalinstall
05- Lovell Patio 04.23.11CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
Approximate Material Requirements
Pier Detail
Paver/Underlayment Detail
Wall Detail:
PAVERS- Unilock Brussels Block Patio Pavers - Color: Owner selected on site 2 Bundles Half Stone 2 Bundles Standard 3 Bundles XL
BLOCK - Unilock Brussels Dimensional Stone - Color: Owner selected on site 10 Bundles Standard
COPING - Approx. 60’ (linear ) Unilock 12”x1.75” Fullnose Coping - Color:Buff PIER CAPS- (7) Unilock Ledgestone caps, drilled for lamp post pass-thru
CONCRETE- 775 sqft. / 258 cubic ft. concrete - Finish: Owner specified
UNDERLAYMENT- Approx. 500 cubic ft. Aggregate for both concrete and paver underlayment Approx. 60 cubic ft. bedding sand Approx. 60 linear ft. Paver edge restraint w/ steel galvanaized spikes as needed (7) Steel Lampposts (7) 2’-8”x 2’-8”x 6” square precast or poured concrete slabs, drilled for electrical Approx. 60 linear ft. PVC tubing for electrical supply Wiring as needed (6) Waterproof exterior outlets (7) Owner furnished and installed exterior light fixtures
Accent Row Accent RowFullnose Coping,rounded side in
Accent Row
Electrical Outlet
DESCRIPTION
Sheet Description
ISSUE
04.23.11
DRAWN BY
ES
CLIENT
John Lovell1012 Freedom Ct.Sycamore, IL
PROJECT
05- Lovell Patio Design
ASSOCIATE 1
Evan Stravers595 Normal Rd.DeKalb, IL 60115
A1.0
Concrete UnderlaymentPaver Underlayment
Paver Edge Restraint
14”
0' 4' 8' 12'N
concrete underlayment
paver underlayment
Paver Edge Restraint
Buried PVC Electrical Conduit
Water resistant electrical outlet, TYP.connected to lamp post/conduit as needed
Electrical conduit connected to house as needed
Water resistant electrical outlet, TYP.connected to lamp post/conduit as needed
Water resistant electrical outlet, TYP.connected to lamp post/conduit as needed
concrete footing /thickened slab for stairas needed (optional)
Concrete footing for brussels block pier, TYP.
Slab cut to fit aroundhouse foundation
paver underlayment
Water resistant electrical outlet, TYP.connected to lamp post/conduit as needed
05- Lovell Patio 04.23.11UNDERLAYMENT PLAN
DESIGN
70
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
SureScoop
Quirky.comCROWDSOURCED PRODUCT DESIGN & STORE
makes bathing a breeze while saving your knees
makes bathing a breeze while saving your knees
makes bathing a breeze while saving your knees
LOGO DESIGN
71
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
‘sleep-n-store’
takes up about the same amount of roomas a sleeping pad.
inflatable sleepingpad rolls up into the inside of the cylinder
main cylinder functions as apillow while sleeping pad is rolled out
ëin-pillowí storage compartmentprovides secure storagewhile sleeping
zippered sleeping pad door
zippered compartment covers detatch for useas cusions
storagecompartment
hand operated sleeping padrolling device
durable, yet bendablesleeping pad roller core
a soft outdoor stool with the increased functionality of an integrated inflatable sleeping pad and twoside cushions for use by campers, backpackers and anyone who enjoys the outdoors.
Evan Stravers 9.5.10
PRODUCT DESIGN
72
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
Pro Right 920
Sprint Out Passing - 900/800 Series
Overview This is a basic sprint-out passing system designed to move the pocket away from the rush and to give a mobile quarterback the option of passing or running the ball. It is also designed to both set up and be set up by the accompanying sprint draw.
Nomenclature
Sprint out passing uses the same 3 number naming system used for all basic passes. The side towhich the play is run is dictated by the first number in the name.
900's - Sprint Left 800's - Spring Right The second and third numbers dictate the playside receiver routes, with the second number assigningthe inside receiver's route (it is the inside number), and the third number assigning the outside receiver's route.
ex: 932 - Sprint Left, with the inside receiver running a 3 route, and the outside receiver running a 2 route. Only the playside receiver's routes are dictated, and any backside receiver runs a crossing/post route.
Pro Right 81(Chair)
Assignment Overview
QB(1) - Open to the playside, run just off the midline aiming for mesh with TB. Give an empty fake and show the ball after a one or two count. Receiver progression is ad-lib, but never force the ball to a deep receiver when a shallow one is open or there is a running lane.
TB(2) - Take a crossover or sprint step just as you would with an outside zone. Mesh with the QB and sell the play fake for a one count then work to hook the end. If the end is already blocked or not a threat, look upfield to make a block if the QB decides to run.
FB(3) - You are alone blocking the end. Cut him or otherwise block him, but try to pin him inside, or allow the TB to hook him. If you are being beat badly, drive him outside at least.
TE(Y) - If you are playside, get a chip on the end to allow an easier block for the FB and TB, then get into your assigned route. If you are blackside, look for a clean release into a 3-5 yd. drag. If the quarterback decides to run, you act as his lead blocker and block the first threat.
WR(X) & WR(4) - Execute your assigned route with whatever release is necessary. If your corner bites hard on the run fake, look for the ball immediately. If the quarterback decides to run, look to make a block on the first available defender.
Line - Rule: The 3 playside linemen (PST, PSG,C) take zone steps playside and seal off the DTs and any LB that shows. Effectively, this is a run play for you. The 2 backside linemen (BSG, BST) step playside and hinge, not allowing any backside penetration. Block blitzes ad-lib.
X41
3
2
Y
Designed for yardageA FOOTBALL PLAYBOOK {EXERPT}
F ootball, our true national pasttime, is a complex game both on and off the field. To understand its history, narratives and nuances is to understand our culture. While not
the most physically gifted offensive guard, my advanced understanding of the playbook allowed me to start, and my frustration with a struggling team led me to become a student of the game. Both eventually led to me become a volunteer assistant coach for my high school each summer throughout college, and I was deeply honored when the young men I helped coach as freshmen my final summer went on to become the most successful group to play football at DeKalb over the last several decades. I deeply enjoy the strategy of the game, watching an offense probe a defense as a boxer circles and jabs another.
DESIGN
73
PERS
ONAL
WOR
K
Slot Right Tight 94(Squiggle)
Pro Right 841
Often an offensive coordinator or head coach is referred to as the ‘architect’ of the offense or team, and there are certainly many deep parallels to be drawn between the two. They are both about organizing information, creating complex plans and implementing them in a team setting to create space in three dimensions over time. Granted, they create space in significantly divergent time scales and with different ‘materials’. Both are also deeply rooted in the American sociopolitical systems and psyche, and each faces complex challenges as we move forward into the future. Football taught me a lot about myself in formative years, and I would like to return to coaching in retirement if possible to give something back to the next generation of young men (gaining a few yards along the way).