Alexander James Palmer

WORK

CONTACT:

Alexander James Palmer438 King AveColumbus, OH 43201419.889.8864ajpalmer19@gmail.com

The Ohio State UniversityKnowlton School of Architecture275 Woody Hayes DrColumbus, OH 43210

EDUCATIONThe Ohio State University Columbus, OH Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Creative Writing MinorCum Laude, Distinction and Honors in Architecture

Arlington High School Arlington, OHDiploma, Honors

2012

2008

TRAVEL2011 Eastern/Central Europe

Intensive five week tour of architecture in Greece, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, and Germany

Western EuropeIntensive five week tour of architecture in Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Germany, and The Netherlands

2010

WORK2011 FedEx Ground Columbus, OH

Package Handler

Anderson Construction Findlay, OH Intern, Operator

2008

REFERENCES

ALEXANDER J. PALMER 438 King Ave / Columbus, OH 43201 / 419.889.8864 / ajpalmer19@gmail.com

4

ACTIVITIES2010-2012 ONE:TWELVE Knowlton School of Architecture Student Journal

Writer and Copy EditorWriting Credits:Issue 001: “High Rise, High Skepticism”Issue 002: “Faces” “Know Your Order” Postcard

BikeOSU Safe Cycling advocacy groupTreasurer

Boy Scouts of America Troop 318, ArlingtonEagle Scout, Troop Instructor

2011-2012

SKILLSSoftwareRhinoceros 4, AutoCAD 2012, Illustrator CS5, Photoshop CS5, InDesign CS5, SketchUp 7, 3DS Max Rendering, V-Ray Rendering

FabricationLaser cutting, 3D printing, traditional shop fabrication methods, building architectural models

SketchingTravel sketches, producing preliminary schemes/concepts, diagramming

WritingTechnical and creative writing

REFERENCES Available on request

2001-2008

438 King Ave / Columbus, OH 43201 / 419.889.8864 / ajpalmer19@gmail.com

5

Current ResidenceThe Ohio State University

Safe HavensThis Is A MarketLost In The WoodsThis Bitter Earth

“The Dust Settles on Eternity” Story“RUN” Short Story

“FACES” One:Twelve Issue 002

“A Crossroads At The End Of The Universe”

The Czech RepublicPortugalFrance

Columbus, OH: 08-12

Highland Heights, KY: SP11Columbus, OH: AU10

Athens, OH: SP12

EDUCATION

PROJECTS

WRITING

TRAVEL

BelgiumGreat BritainAustriaGreeceSpainSwitzerland

ALEXANDER J. PALMER

ItalyThe Netherlands

Columbus, OH: 08-12

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: AU12

Grove City, OH: AU10

Madria, Mexico (fictional): 2012Nonfiction: 2011

No Location: 2012Nonfiction: 2012

PraguePorto, Aveiro

Paris, Reims, Poissy, Ronchamp, AmiensBrussels, Brugges

LondonVienna, Bregenz

Athens, Corinth, Delphi, AeginaSeville, Barcelona, Madrid, Zaragoza, Córdoba, Salamanca

Vals, Zurich, Berne, Sumvitg, BaselRome, Tivoli, Paestum, Florence, Bomarzo, Bagnaia, Montepulciano

Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Groningen, Utrecht, Almere, DelftGermanyStuttgart, Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Leipzig, Dresden, Frankfurt, Neviges

Hypo-Stylin’

Rock’n Rio

St. Croix, US Virgin Islands: WI12Next DetroitDetroit, MI: SP12

Casa la Roca (Case Study)Caracas, Venezuela: SP10

6

Current ResidenceThe Ohio State University

Safe HavensThis Is A MarketLost In The WoodsThis Bitter Earth

“The Dust Settles on Eternity” Story“RUN” Short Story

“FACES” One:Twelve Issue 002

“A Crossroads At The End Of The Universe”

The Czech RepublicPortugalFrance

Columbus, OH: 08-12

Highland Heights, KY: SP11Columbus, OH: AU10

Athens, OH: SP12

EDUCATION

PROJECTS

WRITING

TRAVEL

BelgiumGreat BritainAustriaGreeceSpainSwitzerland

ALEXANDER J. PALMER

ItalyThe Netherlands

Columbus, OH: 08-12

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: AU12

Grove City, OH: AU10

Madria, Mexico (fictional): 2012Nonfiction: 2011

No Location: 2012Nonfiction: 2012

PraguePorto, Aveiro

Paris, Reims, Poissy, Ronchamp, AmiensBrussels, Brugges

LondonVienna, Bregenz

Athens, Corinth, Delphi, AeginaSeville, Barcelona, Madrid, Zaragoza, Córdoba, Salamanca

Vals, Zurich, Berne, Sumvitg, BaselRome, Tivoli, Paestum, Florence, Bomarzo, Bagnaia, Montepulciano

Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Groningen, Utrecht, Almere, DelftGermanyStuttgart, Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Leipzig, Dresden, Frankfurt, Neviges

Hypo-Stylin’

Rock’n Rio

St. Croix, US Virgin Islands: WI12Next DetroitDetroit, MI: SP12

Casa la Roca (Case Study)Caracas, Venezuela: SP10

7

NEXT DETROIT

Alex Palmer

Reese Greenlee

In a group honors studio project tasked with defining nature, my group selected Detroit, Michigan for a speculative nar-rative project polemicizing a version of nature humanity could hold if we contin-ue down our current path in regards to climate change, pollution, architecture, culture, and more. From Detroit’s current situation, its tumultuous history, and our speculative future, a rich and complex project for and of the city emerged. Com-bining all elements of our historical na-ture, the idea of Next Nature became the dominating political direction.

Emma Silverblatt

Allison Drda

Josh Kuhr

Joe Sizemore

CRITIC: Lisa Tilder

HONORS STUDIOCRITIC: LISA TILDERSPRING 2012

10

This combination map was the defining graphical anal-ysis of the project. The indi-vidual architectural-nature parties chose a historical fig-ure to base their explorations on. The Deep Ecologists are led by Rachel Carson. The Techno-Utopists are led by Buckminster Fuller, and the Neo-Luddites are led by

Ted Kaczynski. Within these parties and coding systems, each project was placed on a specific site in and around Detroit, most of which fo-cused near the center of the city, and were plotted con-currently, regardless of posi-tion in time versus each oth-er. Though the map doesn’t tell the full story in regards to

our created Detroit history, it works well as a palimpsest to recognize where each project has drawn or reacted to another, and in that way it can be carefully chronolo-gized. The combination also defines for us the Next Na-ture position, led by Slavoj Žižek, which is the future the project predicted.

11

12

Opposite: from foreground to background, Ur-ban Farm (Deep Ecologist), Interchange Housing (Techno-Utopist), Packard Plant Inflatable Meeting-house (Neo-Luddite), Downtown Detroit, with the Tesla Tower and Gateway in the background (Tech-no-Utopist)

Top: Aerotropolis detail (Techno-Utopist)

Left: Nuke Housing (Techno-Utopist)

Right: Cow-Belle Isle (Deep Ecologist)

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

HYPO-STYLIN’

Located on the Salt River Bay nature preserve on St. Croix, the laboratory program called for wet and dry laboratories, faculty and student housing, education wing, archive, and cafete-ria. My project combined all of the programs into a single massive structure with discrete formal elements encompassing the programs. As science becomes a new religion with its var-ious disciples and believers, it seemed fitting to house the scientific programs in forms remi-niscent of religiosity. Though the public are not given access to the lab/cathedral of science, they are invited to learn the ways and “bap-tize” themselves in the knowledge of science through the community accessible education buildings which eventually process into the water. Separating each building is a spiral cir-culation unit, each representing a pilgrimmage point and a point of respite for those who tread there. At the end, the guests can take a short boat ride down to ascend the final circulation piece in the water, a coronation if you wish, and admire their new faith, Science.

TEACHING LABORATORYST. CROIX US VIRGIN ISLESCRITIC: LISA TILDERGUI COMPETITION ENTRYWINTER 2012

PARKIN

G

DORM

HOUSINGARCHIVE

EDUCAT

ION

PUB. LAB

WET LA

B

(DRY L

AB)

DOCK

THEA

TER

22

PARKIN

G

DORM

HOUSINGARCHIVE

EDUCAT

ION

PUB. LAB

WET LA

B

(DRY L

AB)

DOCK

THEA

TER

As the center needs to facilitate public and private programs, the division of these functions and their circulations was very important in the design. Pub-lic procession is designated in green and private in blue.

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

CASA LA ROCA

The project was to recreate the model for the unbuilt 1995 Office dA project Casa la Roca using digital fabrication techniques and advanced 3D modeling. Using a mix-ture of digital and hand fabrication, my group created a model where structural members were modeled in basswood and all terra-cotta curtain wall elements, as well as the eponymous rock, were modeled with bristol board to clearly dif-ferentiate materials and their responsibili-ties to the project.

ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICSCRITIC: STEVEN TURKFABRICATION CASE STUDYSPRING 2010

34

35

ROCK’N RIO

The City of Rio de Janeiro is hosting the Olym-pics in 2016 and has begun considering a post-Olympic masterplan to reuse the districts where the games are held. The program called for at least 2,000 units of housing, unspecified type, as well as commercial and retail to sup-port the residents. Amenities like beaches and boat docks, as the site is on an inland lake in the city, were encouraged. Drawing from the natural setting of Rio, the project integrates the water, rock, and forest found all across the city into a planned district. The residents of the site live in the mat of rock buildings, cut through with swaths of road and courtyards giving access and light to all tenants. Prospec-tive tenants have two flavors of living available to them, a more typical apartment block style room, and the invented type of Rock dwelling.

OLYMPIC HANGOVERRIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZILCRITIC: BART OVERLYAUTUMN 2011

38

39

The transition zone from forest to park.

Buildings exist on various scales to create different community sizes to meet specific peoples’ needs.

Automobile circulation is restricted to the periphery of each building block with pedestrian and paths being the only means to traverse the site laterally once off the main coastal road.

40

41

RO

CK

FOREST

WATER

42

43

44

45

SAFE HAVENS

Northern Kentucky University needs dorms and amenities for 1500 students as well as mixed-use development. The project is sited on a hill just south of NKU’s main campus so it must also act as a gateway between the town and the university. My project took the tight site constraints and topography as a means to divide the program up into several smaller courtyard style buildings giving all residents semi-private outdoor space and public out-door spaces as well. Two towers attached to the largest dorms draw you off the street, or up through the site, depending on your location of entry. Always visible, they create a unique visu-al experience in every space of the site in ac-cordance with their relative location. The dorm buildings act to create a relatively normative experience of space punctuated by moments of intensity in the form of plazas and expan-sive views up and down the steep hillside.The mixed-use development at the top of the hill facing the street acts as a barrier to protect the living areas from the bustle of the town.

DORMS AND “STUFF”HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KENTUCKYCRITIC: ROB LIVESEYSPRING 2011

820824

808

814822

856

850

852

854

812810 820 822 824826816 818 828830832 834 836 838840 842 844 846 848 850 852 852816

818

818

856

854

856

808

852

852

842842

856

844

846848

850

826818

856

852

808

856

818 814 812 810

The program calls for a connection be-tween the public street and the university with housing and mixed use development

There are two utility right of ways on the site that must be avoided in masterplan-ning of the campus

48

820824

808

814822

856

850

852

854

812810 820 822 824826816 818 828830832 834 836 838840 842 844 846 848 850 852 852816

818

818

856

854

856

808

852

852

842842

856

844

846848

850

826818

856

852

808

856

818 814 812 810

My scheme uses these right of ways to cre-ate public to private transition spaces in the plan. The private spaces were accomodat-ed with enclosed student courtyards.

These became access points where the new dorms can connect to the city of Highland heights, nearby amenity, and the residential communities nearby

49

50

The towers act as points of interest to lead pedestrians off the street and down into the site.

The sidwalk continues the existing edge of the site direclty adjacent to the street. The shops can be accessed via several stairs and ramps.

Shops and restaurants for student and public use line the front of the site fac-ing the main street. The plaza is sunk down several feet to help mitigate noise from the 45 mph road adjacent and to give the shoppers some privacy.

51

840 842 844 846 848 850 852

852

852

842842

856

844

846848

850

856

856

852

52

The students live in two person dorms with private baths and have access to double height study spaces for ev-ery 16 rooms. Additionally, there is a large common area in the lobby for students to use to study and socialize.

53

54

55

THIS IS A MARKET

WHOLE FOODS STORECOLUMBUS, OHCRITIC: MICHAEL BAUMBERGERAUTUMN 2010

A Whole Foods store intends to build next to the existing North Market boutique and specialty food store in Downtown Colum-bus. My scheme chose to leave the exist-ing North Market, which is housed in an old textiles plant, untouched. My design deals with the tension of two typologies, that of the market and that of the store. My explorations specifically focused on how the sign came to signify the market, completely separating the form and func-tion of the building, much like the existing North Market. How a store is perceived is based mostly on our perception which is informed by the signage, following the theories of Venturi and others. With the sign taking the responsibility of identi-fication, the store had the freedom to become any form it wishes. My project explored the formal games and narrative rhythms that can be created by repurpos-ing a decontextualized typology, elevat-ing the mundane act of grocery shopping to a spritiual experience.

58

The form of the building in-tentionally resists site spec-ificity as it is displaced from its roots in religiosity.

59

60

61

LOST IN THE WOODS

HOSPITAL COURTYARDATHENS, OH24 HOUR DESIGN COMPETITIONDESIGNED WITH JULIAN FUNKSPRING 2012

O’Bleness Memorial Hospital needs an area for respite from the stressful situations creat-ed with the field of healthcare. The site chosen is an existing area enclosed on three sides by the hospital building. The participants of the competition were told to interpret the word “respite” however they wished. In the design of Lost In The Woods we were seeking es-cape. In this pursuit, a fuzzy datum creates a new level on which an alternative inhabitation can be founded. At once a moment of rest and one of adventure, unraveled in a world separate from the plane of everyday life. The project gives respite from the stress of the hospital. It does this by giving you the sensa-tion of walking into the woods, perhaps with a friend, and becoming totally, completely lost.

The wall was inspired by En-glish walled gardens and the peace felt inside of them. The plant life softens the wall ap-pearance making the occupant feel safe not trapped by their perceived solitude.

The hills inside the wall were inspired by English landscape gardens. Depending on where you stand in relation to the hills objects in the wall become available or obscured. The vis-itor also becomes a folly when atop the hills.

64

65

THIS BITTER EARTH

The Solid Wasted Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) needs a new Visitor Center for the landfill. The program is primarily educational: library, theater, classrooms, with community rooms, a cafe, and a reception area inserted. It was also important to give the visitors a chance to view the working landfill so an observation tower was included as well. The Tower that accompanies the Visitor Center serves as the conceptual point of how we treat the Earth; as a land over which we shall rise and proclaim our dominion. The visitor center’s idyllic space recapitulates the former condition of the world which is now only attainable through the built work. The rebuilt and remediated land sur-rounding the landfill represents our current state of our rebuilding of nature. The view af-forded by the tower into the open end of the working landfill shows future that we hold.

LANDFILL VISITOR CENTERGROVE CITY, OHIOCRITIC: MICHAEL BAUMBERGERAUTUMN 2011

68

Visitors to the landfill park, get out of their vehicles, and take the long walk towards the concrete build-ing ahead. From the outside it is a fortress, but once inside the walls the building becomes a sanctuary.

69

70

71

Thank you for your consideration.72