farkitekcher

FARKitekCHer

// an archinovel by uncle farkus // the undergraduate portfolio of adam roark

NOTE FROM THE AUTHORit is my belief that architecture should be, above all else, fun; therefore it should come as no surprise that i designed this portfolio to be fun. i have always been able to come up with absurd and ‘off the wall’ ideas and sto-ries that seemingly have no relation to architecture whatsoever. as my story as a student of architecture has unfolded the past four years, i have been able to apply that spontaneous part of my personality and thought process toward the concept of ‘narrative architecture’.

i am certain that i want to spend the rest of my life designing, practicing, researching, and teaching about spaces that drive stories on any imagin-able scale. before i can help write the stories of others professionally and academically, i have to continue my own story by adding a few chapters [via graduate study].

RESUME

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DIGITAL MODELING// rhinoceros// 3ds max// sketchup// revit

CAD// autocad// vectorworks

ADOBE// photoshop// illustrator// indesign// after effects// dreamweaver

ANALOG// sketching// physical modeling// carpentry

EDUCATION// school: clemson university [class of 2012]// major: architecture// minor: fiction writing

AWARDS// portfolio ranked #4 in my graduating class// 2010 award for collaboration at the cac.c// s.c. life scholarship [$20,000]// s.c. award for excellence [$1,500]// clemson first scholarship [$2000]

ORGANIZATIONS// clemson first// billie hardee home for boys// tillman international house// hrbc youth leadership

WORK// stripe-it signs: graphic design [2007-present]// holcombe land dev: drafting [2010-2011]// tiger town graphics: labor & installation [2009-2010]

CONTACT// 843.453.2712// [email protected]// twitter.com/adamroark_

STUDIO ELSEWHERE// new york city [summer 2010]// charleston, sc [fall 2010]

PROLOGUE

FARKITEKCHER?1] ‘farkitekcher’ is the practice of combining fiction with architecture. ‘farkitekcher’ works off the assumption that one of the single most impor-tant aspects of design is imagining and writing potential stories through physical spaces that inhabitants [characters] of any place will experience and therefore undergo character and plot development in their lives.

2] ‘farkitekcher’ is a fictional architecture firm run by uncle farkus.

UNCLE FARKUS?1] ‘uncle farkus’ is an architect in farkville, usa, who uses his ability of story-telling to express architectural ideas and theories re space and place. a renaissance man of sorts, he combines his love for music, film, writing, and technology with architecture.

2] ‘uncle farkus’ is a fictional character from the mind of adam roark

ADAM ROARK?1] ‘adam roark’ created the ‘uncle farkus’ character at age 12 and has been rigorously developing and experimenting with him as a brand for most of his college career.

2] ‘adam roark’ is a student of architecture at clemson university. pas-sionate about technology and turning information into knowledge, he con-tains unashamed weirdness in thoughts and practice as well as the ability to derive a narrative from any situation. all in all, adam roark uses language and space as his weapons of choice for being a story teller.

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CONTENTS

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NOTESbrooklyn, ny [via studio nyc]buffalo, ny [via studio clemson]charleston, sc [via studio cac.c]greenville, sc [via studio clemson]seneca, sc [via studio clemson]anderson, sc [via studio clemson]

STORY TIME// falling into place// a new hope// the spine// night at the museum// the big bad wolf// the terminal

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charleston, sc [via studio cac.c]brooklyn, ny [via studio nyc]new york city, ny [via studio nyc]low-country, sc [via studio cac.c]hobby and travelhobby and english 445

MINOR WORKS// wood// planning// mapping// history + theory// photography// literature

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THE CONQUEST OF CONWAY WESTmeet conway west--a young man who is a little ‘lost in the world’ on the road looking for truth, cultural relevance, and a life-changing experience. this ‘coming of age’ tale, as told by uncle farkus, documents the journey of conway as he travels to new places and experiences the unique spaces designed by the fictional firm, FARKitekCHer.

all characters appearing in this work are fictitious. any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental.

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NOTESbrooklyn, ny [via studio nyc]buffalo, ny [via studio clemson]charleston, sc [via studio cac.c]greenville, sc [via studio clemson]seneca, sc [via studio clemson]anderson, sc [via studio clemson]

STORY TIME// falling into place// a new hope// the spine// night at the museum// the big bad wolf// the terminal

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//credits: prof. dave lee //studio: nyc arch 351 FALLING INTO PLACE

conway west exited the subway at smith and 9th in brooklyn, ny and began walking carelessly down the street when he noticed the new flagship building for the gccdc--the group that had changed the notori-ously polluted gowanus neighborhood for the better over the past few years. having followed its progress for months, he was curious and excited to take a look and see what all the hype was about.

he took notice of the large opening contained by steel structure and paid special attention to the solar pan-els and green ivy that covered some of the walls--‘green stuff’ he assumed. he was down with that. on his right, he noticed a museum that celebrated the progress of gowanus and warned of how it got so bad to begin with. on his left, he noticed young children learning about the same thing by doing ‘experiments’ with plants, telescopes and other fun way to learn.

conway made his way to the promenade that over-looked the canal and stood along the railing. he was pleased to see how clear the canal was. he could re-member when it was ‘as black as sin’ just a few years before. he looked into the distance and saw manhat-tan. he thought about how his life was kind of like the canal a few years ago--very unclear and kind of dark and twisted; far from perfect. conway looked at the tetris-inspired building and thought about how it rep-resented change in the area. “you know who designed this building?” conway asked a man who was walking his dog on the promenade. “uncle farkus, of course,” the man answered. conway had never heard of this uncle farkus,’ but he had invoked a certain emotion in his soul with his work and he wanted to see if any of his other buildings might do the same.

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SITE

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studio nyc was an intense 6 week studio of living in tribeca and working in brooklyn with the gccdc--gowanus canal com-munity development corporation. the studio consisted of a close relationship with the gccdc as we got to know them and what they envisioned the area to be in the near future.

environmental science parksite.plan 1/16” = 1’

STUDIO NYC

smith and 9th street, booklyn ny--view of the ‘quadrozzi concrete

take 1. every good story needs a rough draft. the work on this page is what was presented during final reviews for studio nyc; however, due to the short amount of work time and criti-cisms that suggested that the project could reach a whole new level, the entire project was reworked during free time.

ROUGH DRAFT

this scheme utilized the corner condition for maximum museum exposure


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different tetris geometries were inspired and used for programatic elements and spatial characteristics

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main access points from the street and canal were identified

REVISED DRAFT

FARKUS SAYS...

tetris is a classic video game in which shapes must be re-arranged quickly to keep from an

overflow of danger. like tetris, gowanus must also be re-arranged and changed to avoid the danger

of a depressing conclusion.

// unclefarkus.comthe landscape becomes a tetris game to create multiple paths of circulation

moving off the street and along the canal creates opportunity for a park and plaza area as well as direct access [both physical and visual] to the canal

classrooms

museum

cooperative offices

canal promenade spaces are color coordinated with semi-transparent ceilings that allow for light


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spatial separation betweenchildren and public programs

opening allows building to frame view of the gowanus

scrim walls with greenery

curtain walls provide transparency between spaces

exposed steel structuresuggests important presence

solar panels

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promenade along gowanus becomes as much public space as integral to the gccdc programs

//credits: prof. robert bruhns [with lena roper] //studio: nyc arch 452 A NEW HOPE

conway west did some research and learned of a new airport that the mysterious architect, uncle farkus, had designed in upstate new york. buffalo, to be precise. what better way to get to an airport than by taking an airplane? conway thought. so that’s what he did.

the plane that left la guardia, however, was unlike any plane he had ever taken anywhere before. it didn’t need runways. it just lifted up vertically. it was like something from star wars.

he arrived in buffalo and his plane landed on an ex-tended arm that hovered over the erie canal. the arm retracted and conway exited and made his way into the airport itself--a building he quickly realized was not really an airport at all. it was more of an ‘aeropolis’ if anything. he quickly noticed the mall full of stores, services, and food. he saw signs for hotels and apart-ments in the airport. everything he needed to survive was right there in front of him.

conway spent a few days in buffalo. he had never thought to visit buffalo for fun; but now he knew he was going to be telling all of his friands all about the city which had made his darkness a little brighter. he took a zeppelin over niagara falls, biked around the city, and even visited the antique [physical] book store in the aeropolis. it was while at the antique [physi-cal] book store that he was told about another project by uncle farkus--one that helped render the physical book obsolete in academia--a library in charleston, sc--his next destination.

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the ‘airport of the future’ competition hosted by fentress architects was a re-imagining of the airport with limitless possibilities. this entry realized that future flight technologies are essentially infinite and impossible to predict--however, the one thing that could be predicted was that it is ‘human’ to relic the past, retro, and an-tique. this scheme aims to capture the feeling of the 50’s and 60’s when flying was glamorous and fun while also combining with potential future flight technologies.

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LAKE ERIE

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buffalo, ny, was chosen as the site due it’s rich history as a once glorious city followed by long-term decline which shows poten-tial for a glorious return to the city it once was. additionally, the specific site was an optimal location for connecting different modes of transportation.

FARKUS SAYS...

many times, when beginning a story, it is best to throw down as many words and short narratives as possible to serve as a solid starting point. similarly,

when designing buildings, sometimes it’s best to rapidly produce sketches and models as a starting

point. it’s quick, cheap, and allows for more ideas to get explored before moving forward.

SKET

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commercial

private

personal

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hangar rises over interstate to acknowl-edge ground transportation.

bend makes a gesture to water transportation

movable armatures that act as ‘minimal footprint runways’ allow for airports to be located in urban areas and adapt to ever-changing flight technologies that function in many configurations

tower/street entrance

hangar/park entrance

offices

auditorium

airport administration

private hangars

commercial armatures

aeropolis shopping/services

air traffic controlFLOOR26

FLOOR02

FLOOR01

FLOOR00

administrationreal estate agencybathroomsaircraft/hangar sales/rent

servicespet kennelbike depotcar shareconference roomchildcare

entertainmentcoffee shop/musicholodeckplaygroundice skatingcasinomuseumaquarium

shoppingapple storefoodretailclothing/boutiquespharmacy

lifestylechapelspaoxygen barfitness centerhealth center

// unclefarkus.comthe interior serves as a warm swarm of connections reminiscing the legendary twa terminal at jfk

// unclefarkus.comwhen in shopping/service programs, the hangar becomes a ‘showcase’ or ‘museum’ of sorts for displaying aircrafts

armatures extend and retract to ‘receive’ and ‘send’ aircrafts

// unclefarkus.comarea under the aeropolis becomes public park area for incorporating foot and bicycle transportation

//credits: prof. ray huff [with eric laine] //studio: cac.c arch 351THE SPINE

conway west took a train from buffalo to charleston, sc. he immediately grasped a strong sense of history as he glanced at the old buildings that appeared to be hundreds of years old. he made his way through the streets of the town and took notice of the large variety of people ranging from tourists, students and apparent locals.

eventually, conway arrived at the campus of the medi-cal university of south carolina. he made his way to the underwood designed library and noticed students all around the landscape on their mobile devices reading and studying. he made his way inside and immediately realized the large escalators and walk-ways that connected each side of the building. from the ground floor, conway took the elevator to each floor and observed students studying in atmospheres of all kinds ranging from private to big public groups. ways of studying had changed so much since he had dropped out of college.

he thought it was fantastic to see a building that didn’t neglect progress and change. “maybe i’ll go back to school like i promised my mama,” conway said to a student who smiled at him and went back to studying. he sat in the amphitheater area on the bottom floor and thought about his darkness which had brightened a little bit more. seeing all of the up-and-coming med-ical students studying and finding their purposes in life made him truly realize that he too had a purpose. he just had to find it. “i need to find out more about me, who i am, and where i came from,” he said aloud as nobody heard due to the earbuds in their ears. he got online using the musc wifi and searched for ‘uncle farkus designs’. a museum by farkus that celebrated african american art was located 3 hours away.chap

ter 3

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to assist musc in identifying desirable avenues of action that rethink the function of the library and architecturally emulate its current and future role.

the library should have a strong visual leg-ibility, both from the exterior and from within the building

the library ‘experience’ should extend beyond the building envelope

diversity and flexibility are essential to af-ford maximum versatility for current and fu-ture needs

a distributive and decentralized approach to the library’s organization

enhance in order to remain the nexus in anexpanding campus

OUR PRINCIPLES

OUR CHARGESTUDIO CAC.C

the issues that we identified led to design principles that would be key to the design phase.

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award: recipient of the 2010 ‘award for collaboration at the cac.c’ as voted by the studio

STUDIO CAC.C

the cac.c [clemson architecture college in charleston] was an off-campus study opportu-nity in the historic city of charleston, sc. during the semester of autumn, 2010, the cac.c was commisioned by the medical university of south carolina to present ideas for their existing library that would allow them to evolve in the digital age where paper books are becoming less and less prominent due to the digital collapse of time and space largely due to technology.

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INTERCONNECTIONthis strategy, which i collaborated on with eric laine, stressed the idea of connections--both physical and visual to provide a strong sense of place. ad-ditionally, the concept of personaliza-tion was implemented through multiple types of study spaces and pods. more in-depth information lies on the follow-ing pages.

RECONFIGURATIONthis strategy aimed to be a more con-servative and less-costly scheme that would fix problems such as circulation routes and fire code issues. additionally, it proposed leaving the exterior facades in tact for the most part aside from re-moving the louvers along the windows.

design by joel dixon and mike mccarthy

VERTICALITYthis strategy focused on circulation as programmable space and proposed a ramp that would contain opportuni-ties for multiple types of study spaces alongside the circulation function to allow for chance meetings and a more social, open atmosphere.

design by suzanne steelman and lyndsay sherak


with the importance of mobile tech, site becomes as important to the program as inside the building

an opening is created on axis with the ‘art’

an extension is on axis with the atrium at ‘art’

CONC

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FARKUS SAYS...

the way books are read is changing and in an overall accepted way, too. likewise, libraries, which have traditionally held the aging book, are continually becoming less about physical media and more

about digital media and social interaction for sharing information. the modern library must create spaces that meet these requirements with more than mere ‘furniture solutions’ if the library hopes to keep from

extinction.

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floor 00 floor 01 floor 02 floor 03

study offices classrooms utility & circulation green roof

areas along core allow for study spaces along circulation routes


crosswalks, escalators, and elevators allow for visible and physical connection between both sides of the core page 39 // unclefarkus.com

re-arrangeable study pods

customizable sun-filtration

opening allows for naturallight in interior space

roof access

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multi-purpose amphitheater area allows for circulation, flexible study space, and serves as a median between public and private study areaspage 41 // unclefarkus.com

//credits: prof. harry harritos //studio: clemson arch 351NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

conway west arrived at the african american folk art museum in downtown greenville, south carolina. he was immediately drawn to falls park that inhabited the space across the street and the giant suspended bridge that enveloped the river. from the park, he made his way to the street level and to the museum itself which was had a very unique form and an even more unique interior. obviously, it was ‘unique,’ something he had grown to expect from uncle farkus’s designs.

inside, conway began a journey through multiple levels, weaving in and out of the exhibition displays which were created by strange forms coming from the ceiling called ‘voronoi’ patterns as overheard from a nearby geeky 12 year old. conway viewed exhibitions that were located both in and outside of the build-ing. while outside, he took special notice of the park across the street. it’s almost like i’m still in the park, he thought.

the artwork, like the building itself, inspired conway. after all, conway west was an african american too. the ingenious and beautiful work that had been done using mostly recycled materials really ‘hit home’ with conway. he couldn’t help but feel inspired to partake in his own form of art. he wasn’t sure what form that was yet, but he was determined to figure it out. un-fortunately, he was out of money and needed a job to save up the money for a dream first.

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building sits in with falls park across the street by acting as a continuation of the park

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N‘night at the museum’ was a semester long proj-ect to design a multi-use museum for art collec-tor bill arnett that plays off the language of the site including both the corner condition and the park across the street in downtown greenville, sc. by incorporating a voronoi pattern derived from points identified from palimpsest drawings, a spatial hierarchy was created that divvied up space amongst levels while still retaining a large level of transparency between museum levels.

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stepped form mimicked topography1 structure sunk into site2

non-museum programs separated3 opening between programs created4


‘changes of day’ by thornton dial

FARKUS SAYS...

researching bill arnett’s massive collection of african american folk art was essential in under-

standing the kind of art that would inhabit the museum. after all, what inhabits the exhibitions will be vital in determining and progressing the plot of

the structure. of everything viewed. the work by legend, thornton dial, stood out the most and had

the most influence in the design.

a palimpsest drawing containing site data was created and used to identify key points which were inputted into grasshopper to create a voronoi pattern. these patterns were used to assist the formation of floor plates and exhibition spaces.

palimpsest points voronoi patterns

residential public museum commercial

floor 00 floor 01 floor 02 floor 03floor 04 floor 05


multiple ‘stepped’ outdoor roofed areas for observation and exhibition are allocated throughout

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the voronoi passes throughout floors to create unique spaces for exhibitions

voronoi-patterned ceilings create movable exhibition spaces throughout floorspage 51 // unclefarkus.com

//credits: prof. robert bruhns //studio: clemson arch 451THE BIG BAD WOLF

in dire need of money, conway west found a job at the only place hiring in such a harsh economy--a bbq restaurant roughly 40 miles from greenville. conway wasn’t about to be too picky with where he worked. after all, all he really needed was the money--not a career.

conway spent several weeks at the restaurant called ‘the big bad wolf’. it was a traditional southern vine-gar-based bbq restaurant with some of the best bbq in the upstate of south carolina. he loved working at the big bad wolf almost as much as he loved eating the food he served. of course, it came as no surprise to conway when he learned that the restaurant was ac-tually designed by uncle farkus. of course, he thought.

the job wasn’t without it’s difficulties however; it was actually a rather monotonous job of consistently pull-ing pork off a pig and putting it on a bun. still, it was a job and he wasn’t going to complain. to make the job less tedious and to pass the time a little more quickly, conway would often sing to himself while he worked--most of which was original material that he came up with.

one day, conway was performing his job like usual and a nice new song coming off his lips when a coworker told him how great his voice and songs were. the co-worker said that if it weren’t for his singing, she too would have trouble making it through the day of te-dious work. it was then that conway west realized his purpose and could touch people’s lives with his gift. his darkness almost completely faded.

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FARKUS SAYS...

sometimes, writers face a ‘block’ that keeps them from writing their next big thing. this 2 week

project at the beginning of the semester was intended to get ‘creative juices’ flowing to keep

from experiencing a ‘block’ due to summer vaca-tion and time off. just a way to get back into the

game with a fun project.

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taking inspiration from ‘the 3 little pigs’, the building reflects the impact of the big bad wolf’s blowing away

bbq is a southern tradition. ‘vinegar or mustard-based?’ is one of the most important questions that southerners will ask. ‘big bad wolf bbq’ appeals to traditional south-ern bbq architecture in that it follows the low, rectangular, brick-clad building--except this time with a theme--the children’s story, ‘the big bad wolf’. an old, recycled bill-board frame on the roof appears to have been victim of the elements [particularly wind]. the front porch area allows for farmers and sellers of goods to ‘set up shop’ and re-ally push for the social interaction that the traditional ‘bbq party’ is legendary for supporting.

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a few happy customers

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//credits: prof. dave lee //studio: clemson arch 251THE TERMINAL

conway west continued working at the big bad wolf until he had saved up enough money to pursue his purpose in life--singing. he wasn’t sure exactly where he would go. conway took public transportation to the train station in anderson, south carolina--a building he had been told was uncle farkus’s first design to get built. it only seemed reasonable that the final destina-tion of his journey for self-discovery be where farkus began. after all, this journey would not have been pos-sible without the architecture.

conway arrived at the train station in downtown an-derson. he stood on the street and looked at the build-ing. it was kind of obvious that it was farkus’s first project. to conway, it symbolized farkus’s growth over his career. a kind of growth that he too hoped to one day see in himself. since he had already booked his ‘ticket to anywhere’ online, conway walked down the stairs to wait.

at the platform level, he sat in a comfortable chair and waited with many others for the next train. conway thought about his journey over the past few months. he looked back at his personal growth and how his darkness had subsided largely due to architecture. conway wasn’t exactly sure where he was going in life, but he knew he had led an interesting story the past few months and he was ready to see how that story would continue in the future. he dozed off in his seat as he waited.

the next train came to a stop and an attendant said “wake up mr. west!”. conway woke up and looked around. he didn’t know where he was headed, but he was ready to go.

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volumes mimicking train sounds

transparent open ‘caboose’ building entry

street-level stairs to platform level

canopy covering platform level

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chugga... ... ... chugga... ... chugga... chugga... chugga chugga... chugga...chugga..chugga

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the remnants of the old train station in downtown anderson, sc

located in downtown anderson, sc, the building reclaims an old and aban-doned train station location from years past in order to bring locamotive life once again to the area. the form reflects the ‘chugging’ sounds that a locamo-tive makes as it starts and stops to instill a sense of space that reflects slow-ing down and speeding up [and vice-versa]. a street-level stairway leads to the platform while a front entrance allows for passengers to enjoy the station while they wait all while giving back to anderson through a street-level cafe that overlooks the arrival and departure of the american locamotive.

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FARKUS SAYS...

one of the most important parts of a story is the dialog between characters. architecturally, the

audible dialog between the space and the user is just as important as any visual characteristics.

in the case of the terminal, the sound of the locamotive directly relates to that of the form and

spaces within.


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spider clip glass system

wooden veneered canopy

paneled wooden ceiling

steel-framed railing

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charleston, sc [via studio cac.c]brooklyn, ny [via studio nyc]new york city, ny [via studio nyc]low-country, sc [via studio cac.c]hobby and travelhobby and english 445

MINOR WORKS// wood// planning// mapping// history + theory// photography// literature

697173757779

NOTES

WOODjewelry box consisted of 6 sides of red oak that were mitored on every edge to a 45 degree angle and glued together to create a box. from that closed box, the top was cut off and hinged to the main piece. finally, pieces of exotic amazon wenge wood were inserted on the edges to create a contrast in colors and give a very sleek, elegant look.

record player table was an experiment in re-cycled materials as every single piece of wood was gathered from garbage piles around the area ranging from pine to maple. over 30 different scrap pieces were sanded down, cut to size, and apoxied together with the assistance of biscuit joints. once assembled, the table allowed for a turntable to sit on top and lp storage on the bottom that screams ‘modern’ with a modest yearning for the past, seeking to connect with the days of old when vinyl records were more prominent.

WOOD//credits: prof. doug degood //studio: cac.c arch 499

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as the owner of a smart phone full of social media apps in a new [big] city for several weeks, it was a ‘no brainer’ to take complete advantage of docu-menting the entire trip through social networks such as facebook, foursquare, youtube, and twitter. utilizing geo-tagging technology allowed for precise coordinates of when a video was captured, how a tweet was tweeted, or where a photo was taken.

this information, when archived through google maps, not only allowed for a very precise and organized method of reliving the ‘studio new york city’ experience, but also allowed for the feeling of a space to be captured through text, photo, and motion picture--regardless of whether it was in a busy street such as times square or an intimate diner in wil-liamsburg. there were no parameters for what could be captured. it could be an emotion felt on a subway or an upcoming activity that deserved excitement.

this map documents the entire 6 week studio new york trip through various social media networks. the interactive google map can be accessed via: http://unclefarkus.com/mapping_networks.

3 hour tour from Manhattan over the

Brooklyn bridge begins now!3:28 PM Jun 23rd via Seesmic

drinking sweet tea... in new York city. bliss10:51 AM Jul 3rd via twicca

Too busy in studio to post pics today, will

do tomorrow. I belong in new york.12:26 AM Jun 23rd via Seesmic

went birthday shopping for myself today: @americanapparel shorts: $48, belt: $28, uni qlo t-shirts: $4.90 each... such a large

gap in prices12:46 PM Jul 3rd via web

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At the Common show in brooklyn6:59 PM Jun 26rd via Twicca

FACE

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MAPPING//credits: prof. dave lee //studio: nyc arch 351

manhattan

brooklyn

queensnew jersey


20%=

+33%

a collaborative project from studio nyc, planning was a series of propositions based on research and investigation to attempt to get developers interested in the gowanus area thinking about how a ‘rebirth’ of the neighborhood could be achieved.

the gowanus canal is plagued by zoning problems, brown fields, disoriented residents, and a canal that has been identified as one of the most polluted areas in the world.

our studio put together and presented a series of potential ideas to kickstart development and make the gowanus neighboord healthy again.

// socialize: create public spaces and a public promenade along canal

// synchronize: shared office space between workers

// stabilize: tax incentives for develop-ers based on ‘far’ bonuses

// urbanize: inclusionary housing for the masses in a mixed urban setting

// maximize: infill development that expediates permits and provides more affordable land to account for site cleanup and community concerns

// naturalize: green walls and roofs. [a $464,000 roof of 21,000 sq. ft can save over $200,000 over time and benefit the environment and society]

// revitalize: the restoration of brown-fields--a polluted site that should be turned into greenspace or housing

// utilize: restoring capable structures to benefit job creation, accept tax cred-its, and improve communities and the environment

PLANNING//credits: prof. dave lee //studio: nyc arch 351

BUIL

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BUIL

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Maximum Building Heights Number of Full Floors Area of Site Maximum Combined Area

Toll Brothers: 88 ftTallest: 152 ftShortest: 15 ft

Toll Brothers: 7Tallest: 12Shortest: 1

Toll Brothers: 155,156 ftTallest: 10,224 ftShortest: 11,413 ft

Toll Brothers: 1,086,092 ftTallest: 122,688 ftShortest: 11,413 ft

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every building height for gowa-nus was calculated using the grasshopper plugin for rhinoc-eros. the formula was able to give us the shortest and tallest heights as well as information for the toll brothers site in the neighborhood [a large, pro-posed development project in the area]. the building heights served instrumental in finding optimal heights and areas as well as a clear understanding for how the neighborhoods building codes affected the heights themselves.

20’40’60’

40’15’25’

40’20’

one way street: mixed use:// street width: 20 ft// sky exposure plane: 45°// min height streetwall: 20 ft

two way street: mixed use:// street width: 40 ft// sky exposure plane: 50°// min height streetwall: 40 ft

canal condition:// sky exposure plane: 45°// min height canal wall: 40 ft// max height canal wall: 60 ft

building setbacks were determined in order to allow for maximum sun exposure on the street level. heights, depths, frequencies, and angles of exposure plane were determined by overall building height, function, street width, and location to the canal

MY CONTRIBUTIONS


the low country of south carolina is incredibly rich in history. as one of the nations oldest inhabited areas, the architecture reflects the span of america’s entire history.

whether it be 5,000 year old native american oyster rituals or a recently built monestery in monck’s corner, the low country has a plethora of different opportunities to pick up on a rich history that in turn reflects on how one looks at and perceives archi-tecture not just regionally, but as a part of the bigger picture.

rockville: a small village of historic homes dating back to the 1700s. features a yacht club for events

sewee oyster mound: mounds of thousands of oyster shells dating back 5,000 years. purpose unknown

st. james santee parish: located along the king’s highway, the second oldest church in the south

downtown charleston: very important port city for early america. many laws protecting historic feel

indian fields: religious revival that meets 1/year at 200 year old site where traveling preachers used to go

praise house: 150 year old house given to slaves to practice religion and socialize

mepkin abbey: monastery for moncks and tranquility

naval base: former naval base, now being rennovated as a town with sustainability as the number 1 goal

magnolia cemetary: very large, contains people from all backgrounds and years ranging 300 ago to present

1 2 3HISTORY + THEORY//credits: prof. reggie gibson //studio: cac.c arch 477

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every site had a very unique feel and experience. despite similar themes that were later realized such as materiality or the idea of memories. one of the keys to the uniquity was the attention to detail that shaped every single site in a very personal way.

throughout the semester, the reccurence of sites containing memorials to deceased individuals proved vital in how i perceived the bigger picture. i couldn’t help but imagine what each memorial said about the person and in turn come up with short fictional stories based upon what i could learn from their memorial by how their lives were celebrated spatially.


PHOTOGRAPHY

// unclefarkus.com

LITERATUREwriting is more than just a minor or academic re-quirement/burden. it is a hobby. whether it be writing a story about farkus or reviewing an album on a blog, writing plays a very important role in my design pro-cess. sometimes it serves as a way to explore new creative avenues re a space or place. other times it’s just a way to escape the hustle and bustle or studio life. no matter the purpose for why i write, however, it is always fun and unrestricted.

to read additional works in their entirety, please visit unclefarkus.com

excerpt from ‘fixed gears and high heels’

“it wasn’t a bad design. the people just didn’t know how to use the stairs…or maybe they couldn’t find them. i don’t know. but of all days for the elevator to be out of order. my design–it was a museum in greenville, south carolina–five stories tall. full of african american folk art owned by bill arnett. beautiful stuff, truly. but one of the exhibits caught fire and sent the whole place on fire. people were panicking and trying to get out i assume, but not a single person made it…not even the people on the ground floor since the installation on the ceiling fell on top of them. they died instantly probably.”

farkus paused a moment and said with a little bit of resentment, “how the fark is that my fault anyway?” he calmed his voice back down and continued, “anyway, don’t know if you know, but the main thing an architect is responsible for is fire evacuation and my building failed. one-hundred-twelve people dead. of course they took my license away. eight years of schooling, three years of intern-ing, and seven exams for nothing. not a single mercy. not to mention the loans from columbia that grandma is still paying towards. fark me.”

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excerpt from ‘memories’

farkus did not have the answer, and honestly, he did not really care. he had learned something at the sewee oyster mounds that he could carry over into his everyday life; you do not have to know all of the facts about something’s history to learn from it. there is a high value in using the imagination to learn lessons. “so what if they story was made up? who cares if the tree is not multi-use?” farkus asked him-self rhetorically. the truth was, even if it was not true, farkus knew that the story he was told could be applied somewhere else in a way that was not completely apparent to him yet. it was fun. he had fun, and he certainly could not wait for what awaited him at the next site he would visit. perhaps it would have a cemetery, he thought, “maybe i will finally meet a ghost,” he said aloud, not really directed at ronnie, but none-the-less, ronnie responded “you’re getting it, you really are.”

luke 18:22 isn’t literal

bible belt norf merica,w/e town he’s in, doesn’tmatter b/c no friands. nottasingle one cares he’s thare

he walks up and down thastreet w/ a black eye andscar tissue the hottie chilipeps wish they saw yall

tummy pushed in like thaneighbor’s aluminum trashcan, asking for water and theuhpastor says ‘get a job mane’sorta looks jesus-ish likeall the other train jumpinhobo folk, nobody reallygives a poop though b/c

as pastor garth always sayholes in the man’s pantsdont hold ten persants

4:42 @ denny’s bar and grill

my uncle has a thing for gropingthe mannequins at victoria's secreti have found myself tempted to touchspandex-covered plastic too; i don’t

created to fail via the vaginal exit,science says it's in my genesno escape to what i already will bei still attempt to avoid destiny anyway

grandma farkus left for libyaclaimed she would join rebel forcesairport security denied her 'passport'(bilo bonus card member since 1997)

overweight man feels her crotch forknives, all he found was a mouthfull of vomit. ‘adultery!’ the old womanscreams like a pop tart from mars

wanda sykes calls me to take g-mahome. i walk her to the car and shecalls me the wrong name; grabs my ass'grandma, don't take your clothes off'

mother to my mother takes her top off(they look nothing like the ones at vs)i stare at them and try to find the beautynone. 'get in the back seat and lie down'

heading towards home. 20 miles away.man on radio wants to impeach obama'what do you think about that gammy?'response: zero ; inhale: false ; exhale: false

my personal foot stops the station wagon'grandma are you deaf?' response: zerotinker into the back, hand on her hearther boobs [unintentionally] felt good

doubt she cared to be hon-est. her soul—gone to heaven. said a prayer, tearsrun down my face. good night gan-gantwitter: ‘only 56 years old, so young, tbh l’

buckled dead lady in my back seat. whereshould we go to now? first person i’vebeen responsible for death. invigorating.‘the morgue’ pops in my head as destination

‘what would grandma farkus do?’ i speakto the lifeless body. the clock: 4:30 pmbet she would dine for early bird + seniorcitizen’s discount and leave without paying

‘at least i’m not stealing full priced itemsshe’d reason with god. i don’t want to be likeher or anybody else in my family—but—one small, tiny memorial isn’t such a big deal

RIP GRANDMA FARKUS 1956 - 2009

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let’s be friands

friand, you are best to me.late at night we stay awakeand listen to podcasts for freelearning how grasshoppers hop

your face is one i like andyour body would do,for baking more friandswe would call them our own

you and i. let’s make vows,to be friands forevertomorrow, then and nowno, you’d rather just be friands.


THANK YOU

FARKUS SAYS...

thank you for reading my story.i would also like to thank God, my instructors,

my parents, and my friands.

email: [email protected]: @unclefarkus

farkitekcher

Documents

student of architecture

uncle farkus character

architecture minor

fictional architecture

ability of story

mind of adam roarkadam

clemson university class

organizations clemson