1Swiontkowski

Objective:

I first came to architecture after a

brief foray in the world of journalism.

During my time in that industry I

noticed one key, recurring element.

All of our problems in this world are

design problems. Everything from the

environment to social injustice can

trace its roots back to architecture,

and It was with that in mind that

I quickly recognized the difference

between reporting and solving. I wanted

to solve.

Four years and two degrees later, I have

not forgotten where I came from. I bring

a journalistic approach to research

and fact gathering. I look for the

stories embedded in our architecture, as

those are often much more powerful

than charts and graphs. I often conduct

personal interviews when researching

a location, and I also write about my

WORK whenever possible. This helps me

to unearth the narrative of the site —to

find, and contribute to, its story.

A brief note:

This portfolio was designed in

chronological order from the fall of

2013 to the fall of 2014. This is intended

to show my progression as a young

designer. This portfolio was also

designed for print display only,

So certain details may not properly

display on your screen. This paragraph,

for example, has been placed in this

location so it shows through the

dotted line cut-outs on the cover. So

keep that in mind while viewing. Lastly,

all renderings, images and diagrams

were created by myself unless noted

otherwise in the lower left corner

of the image. That said, thank you for

taking the time to look at my portfolio.

Enjoy.

Education:

University of Kansas - Lawrence (2013-Present)

Degree in progress: Masters of Architecture

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (2009-2013)

Degrees earned: Journalism BA & Architecture BDA (Bachelors of Design and Architecture)

Employment:

Graduate Teaching Assistant Under Prof. Nils Gore (Jan 2015-PRESENT)

• Helping establish goals and grading methods for the studio

• Assisting in community engagement and lending a journalists perspective

• Working with students to understand and consider various methods of fabrication

Architectural intern at Manica Architecture (Jan. 2015-Present)

• Assisting with conceptual design

• Helping with marketing graphics and renderings

ARCHITECTURAL INTERN at Kaas/Wilson Architects Summer 2014 & Winter Break 2014/15

• Assisting in construction document generation (redlines, Details, etc.)

• Handling marketing and presentation graphics

• Helping with product specification

Digital Fabrication Assistant for KU School of Arch, Design and Planning (Oct. 2013-Present)

• Operating the school’s 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC router

• Helping students to determine the correct software and physical tools to produce their desired work

Technical Skills:

Revit, Rhino, Grasshopper, AutoCAD, Autodesk Showcase, Adobe CS6, Sketchup, Kerkythea, Lumion, Solidworks, Film and Photography Editing, Final Cut Pro,

Graphic Design and Certified Proficiency in German

Jeff Swiontkowski Portfolio of Graduate Work

Education:

University of Kansas - Lawrence (2013-Present)

Degree in progress: Masters of Architecture

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (2009-2013)

Degrees earned: Journalism BA & Architecture BDA (Bachelors of Design and Architecture)

Employment:

Graduate Teaching Assistant Under Prof. Nils Gore (Jan 2015-PRESENT)

• Helping establish goals and grading methods for the studio

• Assisting in community engagement and lending a journalists perspective

• Working with students to understand and consider various methods of fabrication

Architectural intern at Manica Architecture (Jan. 2015-Present)

• Assisting with conceptual design

• Helping with marketing graphics and renderings

ARCHITECTURAL INTERN at Kaas/Wilson Architects Summer 2014 & Winter Break 2014/15

• Assisting in construction document generation (redlines, Details, etc.)

• Handling marketing and presentation graphics

• Helping with product specification

Digital Fabrication Assistant for KU School of Arch, Design and Planning (Oct. 2013-Present)

• Operating the school’s 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC router

• Helping students to determine the correct software and physical tools to produce their desired work

Technical Skills:

Revit, Rhino, Grasshopper, AutoCAD, Autodesk Showcase, Adobe CS6, Sketchup, Kerkythea, Lumion, Solidworks, Film and Photography Editing, Final Cut Pro,

Graphic Design and Certified Proficiency in German

Objective:

I first came to architecture after a

brief foray in the world of journalism.

During my time in that industry I

noticed one key, recurring element.

All of our problems in this world are

design problems. Everything from the

environment to social injustice can

trace its roots back to architecture,

and It was with that in mind that

I quickly recognized the difference

between reporting and solving. I wanted

to solve.

Four years and two degrees later, I have

not forgotten where I came from. I bring

a journalistic approach to research

and fact gathering. I look for the

stories embedded in our architecture, as

those are often much more powerful

than charts and graphs. I often conduct

personal interviews when researching

a location, and I also write about my

WORK whenever possible. This helps me

to unearth the narrative of the site —to

find, and contribute to, its story.

A brief note:

This portfolio was designed in

chronological order from the fall of

2013 to the fall of 2014. This is intended

to show my progression as a young

designer. This portfolio was also

designed for print display only,

So certain details may not properly

display on your screen. This paragraph,

for example, has been placed in this

location so it shows through the

dotted line cut-outs on the cover. So

keep that in mind while viewing. Lastly,

all renderings, images and diagrams

were created by myself unless noted

otherwise in the lower left corner

of the image. That said, thank you for

taking the time to look at my portfolio.

Enjoy.

In 2007 Oklahoma City released a broad scope urban planning guide called the Core to Shore Framework Master Plan. As its title suggests, Core to Shore was designed to link the city center with the Oklahoma River which runs about 1.5 miles to the South. The key components of the plan were:

• Large parks along a “pedestrian spine” lined with high/medium den-sity housing

• A “world-class” boulevard on the Southern edge of the city center

• A new convention center

• Walkable design with amenities nearby

• Pedestrian friendly transit options

• Mixed-use development throughout

Over the first half of the semes-ter, this studio focused the various aspects of this plan and others like it. We looked for ways in which this plan could be improved or altered to better address the needs of Oklaho-ma City. We then took our findings and used them to develop a proposal for the city’s new convention center.

Core to shore Master Plan RewriteInstructor: aLEX oGATA

fALL 2013

5Swiontkowski

Students began by researching the Core to Shore Plan from cover to cover. From there, students looked at case studies and spoke with locals. Lastly, after visiting the site, each group began to make their conclu-sions about how to better the Core to Shore Plan. My group, which con-sisted of Devan Shihata, Pat Begley, Clara Guimard, and myself, saw the existing framework as problematic at best.

The New York-style central park was too large. The housing develop-ments were too spread out, and the city didn’t have the population or resources to support these spaces. Lastly, one of the key components of the plan, pedestrian friendly transit, was practically non-existent.

To remedy this we proposed a series of smaller, more manageable spaces (red circles). Arranged along a pedestrian corridor (yellow), each space would be relative to a neigh-borhood. The neighborhoods would have their own amenities, a diversity of housing options, and each would be linked by one of two light-rail transit lines (blue). The intersection of these two lines then becomes the new heart of the city –located right at the doorstep of our site.

7Swiontkowski

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Cox Convention

CenterMyriad

Gardens

Devon Tower

As mentioned earlier, a new, state-of-the-art convention center was part of the original Core to Shore Plan that was released by Oklahoma City in 2008. The first half of the studio was a critique of the master plan. Now we had to develop a proposal for this one element.

My group of Devan Shihata, Pat Begley, Clara Guimard, and myself, chose to continue to work within our previous proposal which involved a series of “pocket parks” arranged along a pedestrian spine. The spine ran North/South with support from two light rail lines. The intersection of the two lines at the Southwest cor-ner of the site then became a guiding element of our design.

Beyond our own inferences, the project had to meet strict square footage requirements. The project also had to maintain the pedestrian spine, provide a “hearth” for the city, provide space for an additional hotel proposal, a functioning loading dock and service corridors that did not intersect with public spaces.

Oklahoma City Convention CenterInstructor: aLEX oGATA

fALL 2013

Ren

der

ing

by: P

at B

egle

y

9Swiontkowski

First, we looked to emphasize the intersection of the two light rail lines by rotating the overall struc-ture. This opened up space for a public plaza in front and a loading dock in back. What was later dubbed “Four-Corners Plaza” can be seen on the previous spread.

The hearth, situated at the inter-section of the site and the pedestri-an spine, acts as the gateway to the structure. Accessible from all levels it serves as a gathering space for guests and the public. As one moves through it, they notice that the exhi-bition hall, meeting rooms and ball-room each have their own levels.

Once separated, each level can operate independently, thus increas-ing event turnover. Each level also has a corresponding hierarchy of spatial qualities and materials that become more refined as you move upward. Each level connects back to the hearth, and each level also has access to its own green space.

The exhibition hall is on the first level. We saw this as the most high-ly functional option because of the direct access to the loading docks. This level is also the location of the “Four Corners Plaza” where both the public and guests can congregate.

11Swiontkowski

The second level is highlighted by the sky bridge that continues the pedestrian spine from the Core to Shore Plan North to Myriad Gar-dens. This is also the meeting room level. Exhibition guests have direct access to two open roof terraces, there is a private one to the West and a public one to the East that is lined with restaurants, shops and an art gallery to activate the space.

13Swiontkowski

Ren

der

ing

by: P

at B

egle

y

The third level is the most refined. A private terrace looks to the north towards Devon Tower while guests can also view out over the second level roof terrace and down into the hearth space. This is all a result of giving each programmatic require-ment its own level which can be seen at the bottom left.

15Swiontkowski

Ren

der

ing

by: P

at B

egle

y

Haskell Indian Nations Univer-sity began in 1884 as a boarding school for Native American chil-dren. Located in Lawrence, KS, its storied past has made it the subject of an ongoing debate in the Native American community. On the one hand, it is a historical landmark and a pillar of modern tribal-based education, on the other hand it is a symbol of oppression, a brick and mortar reminder of nearly a century of “re-education”. So what would a Haskell cultural center represent? How would it address this tumultu-ous past? And how would it relate to the community at large?

These are all questions I looked to answer with my proposal. To start, I wanted to openly address the univer-sity’s past. I did this by making both physical and metaphorical connec-tions to representative objects on the campus. I drew one line to Hiawatha Hall, the oldest building on campus and a symbol of early oppression. I drew another line to the on-campus graveyard –an obvious symbol of death. Next, I chose to intersect these lines in a central courtyard, a square, the modern, man-made equivalent of the circle and a recurring element in all Native American cultures.

Haskell University Cultural CenterInstructor: Marie-Alice L’Hereux

Spring 2014

123 123

17Swiontkowski

123 123 123

DN

UPDN

UP UP

UP

UP

DN

DN

DN

4316 SFGallery

1621 SFBookstore

1

1/16" = 1'-0"1 Main Level

Open to Below

Open to Below

Open to Below

B

A

The circle represents both the passage of time and the unity of the tribe, and it is around this square that I chose to orient all of my gal-leries. Utilizing my connections to the graveyard and Hiawatha as cir-culation, I divided my galleries into three parts. The pre-contact gallery is on the entry level to the East of the courtyard. Glazing on both sides provides a connection to both the “tribal square” courtyard and the reclaimed, natural landscape to the East –thus metaphorically connect-ing it to Native American life before contact with Europeans.

19Swiontkowski

UP

UP

UP

UP

1617 SF

EducationalArchive

2933 SFMechanical

3122 SFPermanent Storage

1530 SFPrep Area

1477 SF

PreservationStudio

9819 SFGallery

2652 SFPurchase Gallery

1

Lightwell Above

Lightwell Above

The moment of contact, symbol-ized by a sharp left turn downward toward Hiawatha Hall, is emblemat-ic of Native Americans struggle to remain independent and their even-tual submission to Western form. This downward struggle leads the visitor below the “tribal square” into a dark contemplative space. Here there is no direction, the visitor must meander until they find their way up and out.

21Swiontkowski

DN

4390 SFGallery

Open to Below Open to

Below

Open to Below

The rebirth of Native American culture is symbolized by the journey one must take up and out of the con-tact period gallery. The dark, con-densed space leads the visitor up to a second story gallery. Flooded with light and lined with contemporary Native American art, this gallery not only symbolizes the rebirth and rediscovery of Native American cul-ture –it functions to this end as well.

23Swiontkowski

Amelia Earhart Museum ExpansionInstructor: Roberto Castillo

Summer 2014

The existing Amelia Earhart Birthplace museum is located on a bluff above the Missouri River in Atchison, KS. Built in 1861, the Gothic revival style house has been home to several families, but it has remained relatively unchanged since its addition to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It has functioned as a museum since 1984, and remains an integral part of a his-torically significant neighborhood that was added to the National Reg-ister of Historic Places in 2002.

25Swiontkowski

Located directly across the street from the existing museum, the site of our new addition would prove to be both topographically and contextual-ly challenging. From the beginning, it was deemed extremely important to not disrupt the neighbors’ views of the river. It was also important to develop some form of dialogue be-tween the old museum and the new addition.

The project was programmat-ically challenging as well. The main purpose of the addition was to house two replicas of Earhart’s more famous planes: the 41’ x 27’-6” Lockheed Vega in which she made her record-breaking trans-Atlantic flight, and the 55’ x 38’-7” Lockheed Electra 10E in which she so famous-ly disappeared in 1937. Beyond that, we also had to provide additional exhibition space, a projection room, restrooms, a reception desk, a me-chanical room and parking.

27Swiontkowski

Connecting to Birthplace and the Earhart Bridge Two Hangars The Fly-by as a Salute

Public Space that opens to the neighborhood

Sinking one hangar to preserve views of the river Parking and Handicap Access Level -1 Space Syntax Level -2 Space Syntax

All together this program is fairly typical of aviation museums –but this is not a typical aviation muse-um. First, it’s an expansion. Most of the artifacts that are currently on display are deeply connected to the birthplace museum. Also, due to the circumstances of Earhart’s dis-appearance, there is decidedly less potential for expansion than there would be in other museums. Thus, most of the new “artifacts” on dis-play are fan-generated –the majority of which are for sale. So to accom-modate this I looked to transform some of what would be exhibition space into a retail area on the main level.

DN

DN

DN

DN

651 SF

Entry Pavilion26

1915 SF

ObservationPlatform

28

1A704

3A704

4A704

2A704

Level 0:Existing Birthplace

Museum, Parking & Main Entry

29Swiontkowski

UP

DN

UP

DN

UP

UP

137 SF

Storage15

354 SF

Gift Shop16

45 SF

Display17

1869 SF

Vega Gallery18

49 SF

Reception19

4323 SF

ObservationPlatform

27

3/32" = 1'-0"1 Copy (2) of Level -1

UP

UP

242 SF

W/C6

241 SF

W/C7

4403 SF

Electra Gallery10

468 SF

Projection Room

13

408 SF

Mechanical14

81 SF

Storage21

136 SF

Storage22

62 SF

Storage23

447 SF

Kitchen25

WATER

3/32" = 1'-0"1 Copy (2) of Level -2

Level -1:Courtyard, Vega Gallery,

Admin, Gift Shop & Electra Gallery Observation Deck

Level -2:Exhibition Hall, Restrooms, Kitchen, Electra Gallery & Seasonal Patio Dining Area

My second alteration to the pro-gram was more economically moti-vated. I had a theory that a museum in the town the size of Atchison simply lacked the population capital to stay afloat on daily attendance alone. So, after doing some research, I uncovered that many museums of this size generate just as much of their income, if not more, from host-ing events than they do from daily attendance. This makes even more sense when you consider Atchison’s proximity to major markets like Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka and St. Joseph. I looked to capitalize on this potential revenue by providing two separate venues for events, and to support these spaces I added a kitchen and a small restaurant with a bar.

31Swiontkowski

33Swiontkowski

University

of

Kansas

Mass

ach

uset

ts

St.

Retail A

rea

Mass

ach

uset

ts

St.

9th St.

Lawrence Warehouse Arts DistrictInstructor: Josh Shelton

Fall 2014

Located just East of downtown Lawrence, the Warehouse Arts District boasts a wealth of historic and creative capital. Once home to a major rail hub, the district has since become a hot spot for young artists and entrepreneurs. Many of its historic buildings have been rede-veloped into market-rate apartments and artists lofts while others require more drastic repairs or demolition.

This studio worked in conjunction with a local developer to craft a se-ries of additions to the district. The overall plan was divided into three sites. Each site had to be conscious of the surrounding urban context whilst meeting very specific pro-grammatic goals. In addition to this, students, typically in groups of two or three, were only given a week or so to complete a proposal for each site. This rapid-prototyping method produced a wide variety of results –some of them more successful than others, but perhaps more important-ly, this style of work bears a close re-semblance to this process as it exists in the real world.

35Swiontkowski

A

B

C

Site A had the largest program of the three sites. Situated in a highly transitional area between residential to the West and industrial buildings to the East, this site had to be a po-rous boundary to the Warehouse Arts District without cutting off the neighborhood that sustains it. Beyond this students had to accom-modate:

• (36) Condos• 2 bed / 2 bath each• +/- 1400 square feet each (including pri-

vate outdoor space)• 2 off-street covered parking spaces each

• (4) Penthouse Suites• 3 bed / 2 bath each• +/- 2800 square feet each (including pri-

vate outdoor space)• 2 off-street covered parking spaces each

• Amenity Space for Residences• +/- 6,000 interior square feet• Shared outdoor courtyard

• Commercial• +/- 27,000 square feet

• Additional Parking• 33 on-street parking spaces for public use• 85 off-street parking spaces for public use

My group of Ashley Meadows, Linda Alouane, and myself elected to locate the majority of our park-ing at or above grade in the South building. This was a much more cost effective approach and, in the end,

Warehouse Site AInstructor: Josh Shelton

Fall 2014

37Swiontkowski

Pedestrian ThoroughfaresResidential Proximity to Arts District

Major Street FrontagesParking StrategiesRespecting the Neighbors

Expanding to Vacant lots

it proved to be a pivotal design fea-ture. We wrapped our garage with residential and office space on three sides. This reduced the unsightly “parking garage aesthetic” and also provided our residents with a private green space and parking adjacent to their units.

The Northern-most building has been pushed in at its center so as not to overshadow the neighbors. The void created by this move is where we chose to locate our other method of parking –though this one is punc-tuated by a hefty portion of green space.

Surrounding this void, the entire North building has retail at grade with all the residential units stacked above. The breaks in the building correspond with existing pedestrian pathways and this is also where we chose to locate our vertical circula-tion for ease of access.

The end result is a cost-effective, highly functional mixed-use propos-al that, with further development, has real potential to work within this community.

Ren

der

ing

by: A

shle

y m

eadow

sRen

der

ing

by: A

shle

y m

eadow

s

39Swiontkowski

Ren

der

ing

by: A

shle

y m

eadow

sRen

der

ing

by: A

shle

y m

eadow

s

Site B is complicated for much more different reasons than Site A. For starters, there is a large pedes-trian thoroughfare to the Northwest with a proposed restaurant on the corner. To the South there is the 9th Street corridor, a major entry point to the district. Directly to the East is a major gallery and creative space for artists, and to the North is a mas-sive surface lot that was deemed off limits. On top of all this, students had to fit in a program as follows:

• (1) Mixed Use Retail Space• +/- 1000 Square Foot retail space with 3

on-street parking spaces• +/- 1800 Square Foot 3 Bed / 2 Bath rental

with 2 off-street covered parking spaces

• (1) Mixed Use Gallery Space• +/- 800 Square Foot gallery with 3 on-

street parking spaces• +/- 1200 Square Foot 2 Bed / 2 Bath rental

with 2 off-street covered parking spaces

• (12) Live / Work Units• (10) 1 Bed / 1 Bath each• (2) 2 Bed / 1.5 Bath each• +/- 1100-1500 Square Feet each• 2 off-street covered parking spaces each

From the start, my group of Tyler Eighmy, Chris Meier, and myself looked to maintain a clear pedestri-an pathway to the heart of the Ware-house Arts District –informally lo-cated at the intersection of Delaware and 9th Street. To do this we divided

Site BInstructor: Josh Shelton

Fall 2014

41Swiontkowski

Pedestrian Thoroughfares North-South Pedestrian Pathways Directing Traffic to Arts District Core

Two Courtyards - Two Programs Major Street Frontages Linking Galleries and Pedestrian Areas

the live/work units into two build-ings. The North building has all of its residential units stacked on top of the work/sell spaces at grade.

The South Building is capped by a gallery on its Northern-most end near the courtyard. The main body of the building has work spaces on the alley side and retail spaces for artists lining the “pedestrian spine” that runs North/South down the middle of the site. The overall “L” shape of the building gives it a strong presence along the 9th Street corridor while still providing two large courtyard spaces that can be programmed for a variety of uses.

43Swiontkowski

The program for Site C was to provide a trail amenity for the pro-posed Borroughs Creek Rail Trail expansion. Still in the revision pro-cess with the City of Lawrence, the trail will eventually run North along the railroad before cutting across the river to link up with other trail systems. Students were encouraged to develop a program that would not only aide in the development of the community, but the trail system as a whole.

My partner Drew Jablonski and I began by taking a very close look at the “cycling culture” in Law-rence. We talked with local cyclists and bicycle shop owners and the resounding feedback had two key points. First, the trail expansion was absolutely necessary, and second, the trail needed more amenities. With that in mind, we began looking for case studies. We wanted more than architecturally inspired bath-rooms or “ride-share” booths. We eventually decided on a brew house based on several highly successful case studies in Portland, Raleigh and Amsterdam.

The brew house would be housed in a new building along Delaware Street. The size of the building is

Site CInstructor: Josh Shelton

Fall 2014

45Swiontkowski

Preserve existing tracks & Quonset hut Provide expansion areas for the trail food truck parning and event space

Pedestrian Access the beer garden as a focal point Providing green space for the neighbors

based on a similarly sized brew house in New York City. We managed to locate the plans to this facility and were able to program out every de-tail of the brewing process –right down to the number of employees.

To the South of the brew house is a stacked bicycle storage facility. Cou-pled with outdoor-access restrooms, this is where local residents can store their bicycles. The restrooms pro-vide an amenity to both the nearby trail and to the adjacent beer garden.

The quonset hut was a pre-exist-ing structure that we opted to keep and use as a small restaurant, bar and venue. The aesthetic brought on by the hut is on-par with the history of the district and the railroad. This also works well within the targeted demographics a project of this na-ture would be pursuing.

The beer garden links the quonset hut to the brewery. It’s central posi-tion, coupled with food truck park-ing and a stage immediately to the South, makes it a seasonal attraction for local residents and trail-goers alike.

Ren

der

ing

by: D

rew

Jabl

onski

Ren

der

ing

by: D

rew

Jabl

onski

47Swiontkowski

Ren

der

ing

by: D

rew

Jabl

onski

An hour north of Kansas City, Horton, KS is emblematic of most small Midwestern towns experi-encing problems. A population of 20,000 has dwindled to roughly 1,700. Most large employers have left. Infrastructure has become strained, and the local government is out of ideas.

This is what we walked into when we first met with city officials, but during the meeting we were able to uncover a few more ideas they hadn’t yet considered. One such idea was culinary tourism –the idea that a culinary education center, a learn-ing farm, or a star chef’s restaurant would be able to draw people, and money, into the town. Our studio was going to take all three of these ideas, hypothetically pair them with culinary programs in Kansas City, and take advantage of the two key resources Horton had left, open land and a camping community around Lake Mission.

My group of Devan Shihata and myself chose the lake site. A lodge/hotel that would be home to the star restaurant. The site was loaded with potential, and we immediately began looking for ways to transfer that suc-cess into downtown Horton.

Horton Culinary Education CampusInstructor: Todd Achelpohl

Spring 2015

49Swiontkowski

The end-result of our extensive site study was decidedly un-lodge-like. Throughout this process we no-ticed that other groups were taking the idea of a hotel/lodge rather liter-ally. There was a lot of heavy tim-ber construction, large gables and Adirondack chairs. We did not want to do that. We wanted to produce something native to Kansas and, more importantly, native to Horton.

These challenges were made much more real when we were told our program. Beyond the star restaurant, we were building a fully functional hotel complete with a reception area, lounge, 12 attached guest suites, 11 detached guest lodges, a 4,500 sf meeting room, and all the necessary service and support spaces.

These would all have to be in-corporated into our design and, this being a comprehensive studio, we also had added tasks throughout the semester. We had to plan for utilities, expansion, alternate uses, fire, and structural concerns. And once we had met with all of these consultants we would have to draft full wall de-tails that would cover each of these aspects.

Horton Reservoir Hotel and LodgeInstructor: Todd Achelpohl

Spring 2015

51Swiontkowski

Beginning with the site, I must say that this was the most loaded site I had dealt with at this point in my education. The large earthen dam, the dam that created Mission Lake in the 20s, borders the site to the North. On the West and Southeast edges of the lake is a very successful camping community. Oddly enough, the dam actually acts as a wedge keeping the two communities separated. To the South of the site is the original catchment pond that Mission Lake was created to replace. East is a large forest and West is agricultural land. The entire site is a lush grassland and we looked to preserve it as much as possible.

To do this, we chose to locate our structure directly behind the dam. This allowed us to preserve the boat launch and other existing amenities while still connecting both sides of the camping community and pro-viding a meeting space. This also provided some very interesting architectural opportunities which I will address on the following spread.

53Swiontkowski

Preserving the Existing Prairie Connecting Campers Across the Site Abstracting the Idea of the Spillway

Preserving Existing Amenities Adding New Amenities Access to Site

The addition of this structure to the Horton reservoir created many dynamic conditions within this proj-ect. Material wise, we could create an extension of the dam by having a dense, industrial concrete form on bottom with light, tensile steel on top. We could also achieve a likeness by altering the form to further hint at this industrial connection.

Another discovery we made was that we could treat these light, tensile forms on top like musical notes. We were able to move them around and punctuate the form to give it a life outside of its industrial materiality. We added a large vertical element, a lookout tower/outdoor event space to anchor the form to the West and used the sheer volume of the restaurant to balance the overall assembly.

Altogether, this resulted in fan-tastic views of both the lake and the town. It also presented new access opportunities for both visitors and local residents. And lastly, this unity of earthen dam and structure man-aged to enhance what was already in Horton without taking it over. We preserved everything that was preexisting and turned a dead part of town into a valuable thoroughfare for visitors and residents alike.

Creating an Extension of the Dam

Promoting Views to Both Sides

Acknowledging Formal Qualities of Industrial Construction

Punctuating form above the dam

Rhythm, Repetition and Balance

55Swiontkowski

Ren

der

ing

by: D

evan S

hiha

taRen

der

ing

by: D

evan S

hiha

ta

Ren

der

ing

by: D

evan S

hiha

ta

As part of a comprehensive stu-dio we were also pushed to consider other aspects of construction we had not considered in previous studios.

We had to plan for expansion. Our particular approach was quite successful. Extra modules would be added to the top and we had planned for an additional meeting room in the basement since pre-design. This would make expansion relatively painless considering the complexity of the site.

We also had to have a firm grasp on the structural system. We had to know how it would work, how big it would be, and how other elements of the design would be attached. I per-sonally did the calculations to make sure all the loads and the sizing of elements were correct.

These were the two main ones, but we also had to work with fire safety, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and acoustical engineers. We had consultants from these actual fields brought in. They made suggestions to our design and we accommodated all their requests. All of these inputs were incorporated into our design and I feel that, in many ways, it made our project much stronger.

Expansion Plan

HVAC Systems Sprinkler System

Structural SystemsExpansion Plan

Graphic by: Devan ShihataGraphic by: Devan Shihata

Graphic by: Devan ShihataGraphic by: Devan Shihata

57Swiontkowski

Service

Meeting Room

Pre-Function

Flex

Conference

Lobby

Hotel Room

Restaurant

Lounge

Graphic by: Devan Shihata

The last task for this studio was to produce a set of several key details. I did the far left and the far right details. The near one demonstrates how the green roof of our cabins can maintain a minimal presence on the prairie side while giving way to a sleek, metallic skin that faces south toward the pond.

The far detail demonstrates the sheer complexity and tremendous scale of our structural system be-neath the crest of the dam. The tail of the retaining wall alone had to be a minimum of 15 feet. Not to men-tion how incredibly complicated it can be to insulate a floating hallway if you’re trying not to show any fas-teners. These are just some of the small issues we had to tackle with this project, but I must say that, in the end, I think this was one of the most bold and innovative projects I’ve produced in graduate school to date.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.

1

2

Concrete FootingGravel surrounding Drain PipeGravel UnderlaymentRigid InsulationConcrete Expansion JointExterior Metal Sheathing fastened to Concrete beyondSill Assembly for Fixed Low-E WindowHead Assembly for Fixed WindowLight Gauge Steel Header AssemblyMetal Rain-Screen attached to Metal Furring Strips beyond5” Light Gauge Steel Construction between Primary Structural ElementsOperable Awning Window w/ Flashing included in AssemblyGalvanized Steel Parapet CapAngle welded to Primary Steel Structure w/ Wood Blocking to support Flashing8” Light Gauge Steel Assembly to conceal deeper Primary Structural Elements4” Earth held in place by Perforated Metal Containment SystemFilter LayerRoot Barrier SystemRigid InsulationWaterproof MembranePrimary Steel Structure beyondGyp. Board w/ Interior Finish TBD

43

6

5

7

8

9

10

12

13

14

11

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Level 10' - 0"

Level 28' - 0"

59Swiontkowski

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.

1

2

Concrete FootingGravel surrounding Drain PipeGravel UnderlaymentRigid InsulationConcrete Expansion JointExterior Metal Sheathing fastened to Concrete beyondSill Assembly for Fixed Low-E WindowHead Assembly for Fixed WindowLight Gauge Steel Header AssemblyMetal Rain-Screen attached to Metal Furring Strips beyond5” Light Gauge Steel Construction between Primary Structural ElementsOperable Awning Window w/ Flashing included in AssemblyGalvanized Steel Parapet CapAngle welded to Primary Steel Structure w/ Wood Blocking to support Flashing8” Light Gauge Steel Assembly to conceal deeper Primary Structural Elements4” Earth held in place by Perforated Metal Containment SystemFilter LayerRoot Barrier SystemRigid InsulationWaterproof MembranePrimary Steel Structure beyondGyp. Board w/ Interior Finish TBD

43

6

5

7

8

9

10

12

13

14

11

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Level 10' - 0"

Level 28' - 0"

D

Level 218' - 0"

Level 333' - 0"

Level 2.222' - 0"

Level 00' - 0"

10

9

8

7

6

30

31

8

9

8

6

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30.31.32.33.34.35.36.37.38.39.40.41.42.43.44.45.46.47.48.49.

Retaining Wall Base -Size and Reinforcement TBDGravel surrounding Drain PipeConcrete Expansion JointRigid Insulation on Gravel BedConcrete Footing -Size and Reinforcement TBDInterior Wall Base BoardConcrete Structural Column Beyond3/4” Gyp. Board w/ Interior Finish TBDLight Gauge Steel Wall Assembly(2) 3/4” Gyp. Board for AcousticsVentilation DuctSprinkler SystemCable TrayInterior Wood Slat CeilingConcrete Structural Beam BeyondRigid Construction Foam18” EarthWater Proofing Membrane w/ Dimple-board and Finish StripWaterproof MembraneRigid InsulationRoot Barrier SystemDrainage Holes at 5’ IntervalsFilter LayerConcrete Drip EdgeGalvanized Steel AngleGalvanized Steel TubeRigid InsulationLow Profile Window Sill Housing2” Polished Concrete Floor SlabHallway LightingSteel Primary Structure BeyondGalvanized Steel AngleGalvanized Tube SpacerGalvanized Wide Flange SpacerDepth Adjustment MountGalvanized Steel ChannelSilicone Seal, EPDM Washer and Aluminum CapExtruded Aluminum SectionRigid Insulation Mounted on Galvanized Steel AngleGalvanized Steel AngleRigid InsulationGalvanized Steel Angle Fastened to Concrete ParapetLow Profile Window Head HousingGalvanized Parapet CapFlashingWood BlockingRoof Membrane w/ white aggregateConcrete Slab on Metal Deck -Size and Reinforcement TBDDrainage at intervals between hotel rooms

1

2

4

5

3

14

13

12

11

15

16 16

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

28

27

26

25

24

29

42

41

40

39

38

43

44

45

46

47474849

36

35

34

33

32

37

18

1412

11

Level 218' - 0"

Level 333' - 0"

Level 2.222' - 0"

12345

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

17

18

19202122

14

15

16

23

24

1. Gravel2. Vapor Membrane3. Rigid Insulation4. Slab on Grade5. Carpet Finish Floor6. Wood Base Board7. 5/8” Gyp. Board8. Cork Acoustical Panel9. 2’ x 2’ Concrete Column10. Wood Slat Drop Ceiling 11. 5/8” Gyp. Board12. Duct Work13. Concrete Beam14. 8” Concrete Structural Concrete Slab15. Filler Sytrofoam16. Concrete Slab17. Steel Wide Flange Memeber18. Ancor Bolts18. 18” Earth20. Filter Layer21.Root Barrier22. Insulation23. Waterproof Membrane24. Heat Pump

Level 218' - 0"

12345

6

78

9

10

111213141516

17

18

19

20

2122

1. Concrete Footing2. Gravel3. Vapor Membrane4. Rigid Insulation5. Concrete Slab on Grade6. See Call out Section Detail 37. Wood Slat Drop Ceiling8. Sprinkler Head9. Heat Pump10. Structural Concrete Beam 11. Concrete Roof Structure12. Waterproof Membrane13. Rigid Insulation14. Root Barrier15. Filter Layer16. 18” Earth17. Concrete Beam with Built-In Downspout18. Exterior Curtain Wall19. French Drain20. Filter Fabric21. Gravel22. Drain Pipe

Graphic by: Devan Shihata Graphic by: Devan Shihata

61Swiontkowski