portfolio nicholas reed scribner
DESCRIPTION
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Kestrel House - Multifamily Housing Project Proposal (Design Marfa)
Wroclaw EP
Paper Heart
Constellation Records
Multimedia
Barcelona: Kitchen Redesign and Remodel
Ontario: Vestibule Extension
Hand Sketches
Index
Design • Build • Hand Sketching Composition • Recording • Performance
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Kestrel House - Design Marfa
Concept sketches and thought process
Site Plan
Elevation AA
Design Marfa is an ideas competition to propose designs for multi-family housing in Marfa, Texas.
Currently, Marfa has no property zoned for multi-family housing although multi-family zoning is permitted under Marfa’s zoning and regulations. As tourism increases in Marfa, the availability of housing for full-time residents has the potential to become even more limited as the attractiveness of vacation rentals and part- time residences remove inventory from the market.
The site is approximately 275 x 275 feet. It is a vacant lot in a residential neighborhood.
Kestrel House Team:
Nicholas Scribner - Architectural design, project management, technical research, graphical renderings, presentation design.
Ben Borden - Architectural design, research.
Luke McElchran - Architectural design consultation.
Teo Zamudio - Graphic design consultation.
+4 ft
.
+2 ft.
+2 ft
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+4 ft.
1.
2.
3.
4.
3.
2.
1.
B
1. Live/work studio: 319 sq. ft
2. Garden 1-bedroom: 800 sq. ft
3. Center 2-bedroom: 1021 sq. ft
4. North side 1-bedroom: 654 sq. ft
CC
B
N. Kelly
W. 1
st
A
A
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Kestrel House: Concept & RenderingsIn considering the architectural problem presented by Design Marfa, we asked ourselves a number of questions regarding the site, community, architectural context, and ideologies concerning sustainable building practices. Landscape as architecture, it could be said, informed the design process from the top down, prioritizing the careful gradation between shared and private space, and access to said space. Our concept, while maintaining a practical approach, plays with building shape and arrangement as a ways to re-exam-ine and re-define the way we interact with the unbuilt, landscape and each other. In defining the volume, we found the higher the building grew in elevation, the more contextually indifferent it became. The plane of the residential landscape, with its gentle changes in height insisted on humility. Low-rise configuration gave all equal access to green spaces. As an outsider, its difficult to completely understand the needs of the community of Marfa. We could assume certain things: we are not designing for one demograph-ic. We are not designing only for the affluent, poor, young, or family alone. To design for a community as a whole means presenting a variety of options, a spectrum of solutions for a variety of programs. In the conceptual stages, we found the orthogonal gave very little variety in vectors of human movement and sight. In positioning planes at 120º, we gained two perspectives on the traditional arrangement. This variation solved another problem: How to "enclose" the courtyard without the use of physical barriers such as fences. The adjacent buildings in the complex dilate to give the courtyard a sense of centre and focus. Land-scape topography further draws energy to the middle of the complex. Clearly delineating open spaces is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks. we must negotiate between the utopian ideal of the commons, and the pragmatic polarization of "mine and yours." Somewhere in the middle, lies our solution: the psychological barrier, creating by variation in materiality of landscape; the visual barrier, a living mediation: plants. Patios retain privacy, while personal "yard" space is faded to collec-tive green space.
Elevation BB
Elevation CC
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Kestrel House: Icono-graph
Hoping to capture the zeitgeist of sustainable architecture while not being swallowed by it, we considered the pre-condition of "integration" of green systems as indi�erent and ignorant of our architectural moment. We are constantly navigating the duality of increased availability of technological solutions, and decreased availability of resources and livable space. The concept of the solar super-structure reaches into this duality to inform its distance from the livable space. The superstructure provides a surplus of energy from a semi-transparent solar array that shades and protects the building, and manages storm water for re-use in gardening and indoor plumbing systems. The structure also assigns a second dimension of communality to everything under it. De-coupling the green-systems from the residential systems accedes that technological and ideological changes necessitate upgrading and retro�tting, allowing for temporal �exibility in the “green” systems.
Private space semi-private space
apt. assigned green space shared green space
+4 ft
.
+2 ft.
+2 ft
.
+4 ft.
Systems of Economy & Ecology
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Design & Build: Kitchen, BarcelonaCustom Kitchen Island
Ergonomics:For comfortable sitting and socializing, we maintained 33 centimeters of knee room free from obstructions on sides facing kitchen
Cost:The design of the table a�orded a minimum of raw material use and weld points, keeping labor and resource cost down.
Flexibility:To keep open the possibility of expanding storage in the kitchen, the metal frame was designed to be easily retro-�tted with many kinds of storage options.
Aesthetics:The remodel of other architectural details in the apartment employed varnished steel and wood, which is re�ected in the table’s design.
Project:
Humans have a tendancy to �ll space, not use it. If the program for a space is not de�ned, the program most often defaults to storage.
Design and Build new kitchen in apartment undergoing general renovation. Incorporate recuperated materials and work with local artisans during construc-tion and production of custom furniture.
Description:
Conceptualize and build a kitchen in an open concept, top �oor apartment in Barcelona, Spain. Work creatively with the limited space to optimize work areas, and maximize space available for appliances and storage.
Design kitchen Island occupying a �ex space that is used at times for exercise. Island had to be movable while being comfortable for working, socializing and eating.
In the interest of sustainability, cabinet doors were made from recuperated pallet wood and the hanging pot-rack from a window grate.
Possible Retro�ts
Cabinets
Hangers
Drawers
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Design & Build: Vestibule, Cornwall
For this project, I drafted plans for permit applications and performed various carpentry tasks.
The Existing structure is an old farm house from the early 19th century. The family uses it as a second home and often has many visitors. The vestibule provides a place to gear up, hang winter clothes, and acts as a buffer zone against heat loss in the winter.
The exterior facade on the addition is a continuation of the traditional board and batten siding common on farm houses of the day, the interior is a painted horizontal knotty pine for warmth and rustic feel.
35'
Proposed 124.8174 Feet Addition
Land Area Apr. 5 acres
Existing2 StoryResidence
County Road 27
Road Setback and Site Plan Overview
12' 3 1/4"
11' 9 3/4"
9' 3
1/1
6"
10' 2
1/1
6"
4' 11 1/2"
3' 4 1/16"1. 2.
3. 4.
Construction Notes
1. RoofAsphalt Shingles, eave protection 36" up roof slope,3/8 inch plywood sheathing with H-clips,2x10 rafters 16" OC6mil vapour barrier1/2"drywall
2. Floor5/8" plywood sub-�oor2x8" �oor joists
3. Exterior wallBoard and batten siding1" furring strips, house wrap2x6" studs 16 OCR29 insulationvapor barrier, 1/2"knotty pine
4. Concrete sonotube piles10" diameter, 4'below grade, 6"aboveGalvanized steel cradle and pressure treated 4x10 beams
Foundation Plan
Existing Structure
Permit Application Drawings
Vented ridge
Vaulted ceiling
2-2x8 header
Vented soffits
3x6 window
Aluminium Z flashing
2" HD foam, 1/2" concrete board around perimeter, 1' below grade
Grade
Concrete sonotube 10" diameter 4' below grade 6" exposed
Existing structure
Pressure treated 4x10 beams
Vapor barrier
Technical Section
7x7 rough timber beam header sits on original stone foundation
Header Joist lag bolted to Original Beam Header w 5/8" 16 OC
Floor Joists 2x8 16 OC
Joist header fastened to framing members in existing building
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Hand Drawings
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Hand Drawings
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Music Composition & ArrangementIn 2009, I co-composed the �nal track for "Paper Heart," a feature �lm starring Michael Cera and Charlene Yi. My role consisted of composing the melody and harmony for the second part of the last song, composing and arranging the string section, as well as directing the string section during studio recording of the parts.
After �nishing the demo and sending it to the directors of the �lm, we got the go-ahead to take it to the studio. The budget allowed us to hire professional string players, and an engineer. We combined multiple takes of a small string ensemble in order to achieve a big orchestral sound. This combined with bell samples, percussion, and an operatic lead singing the main melody found the e�ect we desired.
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Music Composition & Arrangement
Wroclaw: 2013
This 4-song album was a personal experiment in psychogeography and the concept of the flâneur. The architecture and organization of urban space, form our thoughts and behaviour. They bend our creative impulses to fit into the spacial framework we are exposed to. I spent hours upon hours walking around Wroclaw, Poland in google street view while writing this album. Originally I was there on a kind of treasure hunt, looking for instances of a very rare and beautiful modular kiosk called the "k67." They look like they could be lost parts of the international space station. What started as exploration, ended up as an intentional shaping of the internal space through allegorical experience of external space: feeling the vastness or claustrophobia, the beauty and dereliction of different quarters. The city was the virtual geography my songs were born of.
The �rst track, “Berlin Story,” is about when Martin Gore recorded "Somebody" at Hansa studios in West Berlin in 1984, around 150 meters from the wall that separated the city. For some reason, he decided to hang microphones out the windows to record the sounds of the neighborhood as he was singing, (completely naked). I liked to think there was something else, something secret that was happening in this ambient recording. Its that hidden story, about two young people, and the development of a relationship under super heavy social circumstances.
Digital Releasehttp://nicscribner.bandcamp.com/
K67 Kiosks
CD Release
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Music Recording & Performance
In 2009 and 2010 I recorded and toured with Clues and Elfin Saddle, two bands signed to Constellation records in Montreal. Formed in the late 90's, the label gained notoriety with bands such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor and A Silver Mount Zion. Working with Constellation gave me a voice in the Montreal music community.
CLUES - Self Titled. Full Length, 2009
The release of CLUES was much anticipated by indy media. One of the band leaders had been a member of Arcade Fire. Though released in a suffering economy for musicians, the record was popular, and earned the group multiple publishing deals and Canadian grants and tours, bringing us all over North America and Europe.As a member of this group, I quickly got a feel for the contemporary music industry and touring lifestyle.
CLUES - Endless Forever 7”, 2010
This release contains two demo track for songs which appeared on the full length album. The Full length was recorded in a professional studio, with a certain amount of pressure, observation, and management. This has a critical impact on the creative process. The sound produced in a high-end studio is often superior, but often does not allow for candid creativity. We hoped to show our audience, through releasing two versions of songs, that a certain magic exists in demos, something that gives true insite into an artist’s mind, and yet is often overlooked in the commercial recording industry.
European Tour: 2009
North American Tour: 2009 Recording Studio: 2008-2009
East Coast tour - Nov 2008, 6 Dates
EU Tour - Netherlands and Belgium - Dec 2008, 7 Dates
West Coast Tour - February 2009, 14 Dates
North American Tour - Aug, Sept 2009, 41 Dates
EU tour - UK, Continental & Czech - Oct, Nov 2009, 39 dates
EU tour - France, February 2010, 13 Dates
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
12
3
Multimedia: Tonal Elevation
Watch video of MAX/MSP patch: https://vimeo.com/115861347
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
1 2 3Watch video of MAX/MSP patch:https://vimeo.com/115861347
To a certain degree, this project is a musical instrument, to a certain degree, its a new lense through which we can perceive speci�c architectur-al phenomena.
As a child, on long trips, I would often �nd myslf staring out the window, imagining a laser, bisecting everything it touched as we drove past. Another less macabre activity was to close one eye and move my index �nger only up and down, tracking the horizon of the passing street or cityscape. As my eye trained itself to ignore the details of each individual building, it saw instead a new shape made from an amalgamation of elevations. Each property contributes the information needed to complete, as if in the form of a survey, the graphic average of a neighborhood or section of street.
The tonal interpretation changes the analysis of the architectural character of any given stretch of neighborhood. The tonal narrative becomes a way to close our eyes to the obvious aesthetic relation-ship of architectures, and listen instead to the long-range dynamic themes and patterns that emerge as a function of time.
TonalInterpretation The number we give the MIDI tone generator, or synthesizer, must be a number the “make-note” sub-patch recognizes, since it uses MIDI protocol, it must be between 0 and 127. since the number usually coming out of our color tracking program was around 210, I included a process to divide that number by 3, giving us notes closer to middle C, a more listenable range.
Visualiation/Tracking In order to extrapolate a number from the elevation of the yellow line at a particular point on the x-axis, I had to duplicate the video, though only keeping the vertical column of pixels at the far right of the screen. This is done by specifying and using “source dimensions” which are one pixel wide, and 240 pixels high. The color tracker makes an average for the location of yellow on the screen, therefore, the average still corresponded to one exact point on the y-axis, which is the number we send to the sound sythesizer.
Video PlaybackThe Patch I built to express this concept canibalized certain MAX/MSP templates. I assem-bled screenshots of the west side of St. Urbain Street in Montreal in between St. Viateur and Fairmount streets, then illustrat-ed the horizon with a yellow line.
I made a video panning the assembly from right to left, and played it with the standard “jit.qt.movie” plugin.
Multimedia: Tonal Elevation
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Multimedia
Frozen Moment of a Crash
Watch Video:https://vimeo.com/115919287
This is a sound installation I made at my family home in Vermont. There is an electric motor out of view in the shed, to which the rope is connected. The motor moves the rope, which moves the bicycle wheel. The two guitars we see are tuned to be harmonically sympathetic with the note the motor is making. The rope is dragging across the strings of the guitars, droning a chord. A piece of tape on the rope "strums" both guitars every time it makes the trip from the motor to the bicycle. A bird has landed to enjoy the artwork.
Nicholas R
eed Scribner • Fall 2015 M
aster of Architecture C
andidate
Multimedia