For this assignment, I had the opportunity to create a healing center through structure. My focus was on providing aid during the grieving process. A key component of my design are a series of light wells located within a group healing space. These tall wells bring in soft, natural light and help soothe visitors. They also have a symbolic purpose, as they represent the individuals who are gone. In my detail model, several aspects of the building’s design are revealed, such as the window assembly, the timber construction, and the layers of a green roof. 

Located between Port Graham and Nanwalek, this complex fills the void and creates a “bridge” between these two remote Alaskan towns. Due to current physical conditions, a new and larger airport has been designed to service both communities, connected by a main road. A community center, restaurant, and yurt-style lodges have been implemented as auxiliary functions to create a destination for tourists and accommodations for locals, in addition to providing further job opportunities for the sustainable economies that have been thriving locally. Future development lots have been articulated and planned for further expansion of the economy.

A skeleton in the desert, this massive structure represents the concept of "Well Tempered Grid” by Sol Lewitt, a renowned figure in the Minimal and Conceptual art movements. The building conveys a strong sense of repetition and restraint, which are qualities found in Sol Lewitt’s drawings, paintings and sculptures. The building contains a museum, a studio and a living space, all of which are used by artists studying Sol Lewitt’s work.

This home was designed for an emerging artist who creates work in the Abstract Expressionist style. The goal was to design a domicile in which the artist can be immersed in the work of abstract painter Agnes Martin, one of the most revered figures in her field. The dwelling has a living area, a work studio, and a gallery space for the emerging artist. It also contains a gallery featuring the work of Agnes Martin, who produced tranquil paintings often composed of grids and stripes. The home’s minimalist aesthetic embodies the spirit of her work. 

Urban Works is a flexible and creative environment equipped with apartments, studios and a marketplace, allowing the artist, creator or small business owner to live, work and sell all under one roof. Geared towards the creative class, this proposal combines the popular co-working model with residential and commercial space. 


A lot on the corner of 26th and Lawrence Streets was chosen as the location. This site is on the border of the residential Five Points and the industrial RiNo neighborhoods, and sits right in the middle of the various co-work spaces popping up throughout the area. Mindful of these conditions, we decided to stitch the two urban fabrics together by creating a live/work community nested in a modest warehouse


By stacking our three major programmatic elements – retail, working and residential – we addressed the three-story building maximum per the zoning code. Four light wells puncture vertically through the building to allow ample light and exterior windows for all apartments on the third floor. Ground-level glazing and a grand entryway give the building a strong street presence. Up above, balconies enable residents and office workers to enjoy the city's great climate and to feel connected to the lively urban environment.

The clients for this residential project are an art dealer and a cellist. There are two additional units for rent that are intended for artists and musicians to temporarily live and work onsite while being mentored by the clients. The intention of this design is to create connections between the creative spaces through light, views, and boundaries by deploying permeable conditions along the procession. In opposition, each living unit restricts light, views, and boundaries to create isolation. Structure is then leveraged to define outdoor spaces and create cohesion between each of the masses.

The goal of this final assignment was to make isometric drawings and model an existing home, and then make changes to the home while using the system employed by the original architect. I worked with the Fosc House by Pezo von Ellrichshausen, which has several distinctive features. It is a hexagonal shape with many windows of varying sizes. The home is also built around a central staircase connecting all three floors. For the changes, I shifted each of the floors several feet in different directions, trying to keep with the irregularity of the windows and house shape. I left the staircase as the central point of the home.

Dawe Gallery is a small art gallery located on the east side of Cranmer Park. It was designed to house the artwork of Gabriel Dawe, an artist who focuses on light and color. The Dawe Gallery was designed in order to create two unique lighting conditions in each gallery space. One space features a window that runs the length of the southwest wall and the top of the southeast wall to allow direct sunlight to interact with the work in the space. The other space was designed with channel glass and incorporates a large overhanging roof for a gallery space with more ambient lighting conditions. These two different spaces allow for two different experiences when viewing Dawe’s artwork. 

Ascension, a mixed-use development that combines housing spaces with a climbing facility, promotes both community and the importance of recreational areas. The building program provides spaces that are available for use by all users. The centralized circulation encourages the interaction between the different users that enter the building, as well as allows them to experience the sensation of ascension, regardless of whether they are climbing up the tower or walking. With different users in mind, a screen pattern was developed that reflects the interactions of each user within the building. The use of screens and a planar glass system allows ample light into the facility while also helping to diffuse it. Ascension combines activities for all users, creating an inclusive space.

Project 2 was entirely centered around the mechanical and tectonic relationships that occur and should be controlled in a structure. The second half of the semester began with an analysis of fields and diagrams; my study is shown here. The 13x13 array of identical empty 1-inch by 1-inch squares was composed and set to follow a  very specific linear advancement, to convey a larger exponential growth illusion. Each row and column (corresponding to horizontal or vertical expansion) changes in a constant flow, yet retains individuality throughout. The assignment grew into a hypothetical Denver structure, with four (or more) stacked arrays to convey the original intent of your motif. 

The prompt for this design was to create a space for literacy within the Denver neighborhood of the Highlands. Instead of creating a traditional library this space creates the opportunity for “Literacy of the Self” which is defined as meditation and self-reflection to encourage focus. The design intention is to create a space that detaches from the sensory inputs of the city, providing a moment for individuals to find isolation of thought, preparing them to confront the flow of data upon reintroduction to the city.

This project was driven by the need to create housing that accommodated the diverse CU Denver community, emphasizing the inclusion of non-traditional students. With a focus on creating various scales of communal spaces, the variety of units were kept to a minimum. The units themselves are aggregated into four separate buildings that form the shape of a double “L,” each one tiering downward to create rooftop terraces. The two exterior bars are formed out of the inverse of the interior and are elevated off the ground, giving the single loaded corridors equal views into and out of the site. All four buildings are wrapped in a three-part skin system that aids in bringing cohesion to the project while continuing to break up the larger communal spaces into smaller, more private zones.

This gallery building was designed to house the work of sculptor Robert Morris, one of the central figures in Minimalism. His sculptures — often composed of repeated geometric forms — force viewers to consider composition and scale as they move around the work. Morris’ ideas were incorporated into the design of this gallery. Pure forms, rhythm, repetition, and scale impact visitors’ interaction with their spacial environment from the moment they enter the site.

The building consists of a gridded set of masses reflecting the modularity and order of the site’s context. These masses are staggered, and direct lines of circulation are broken. This creates a sense of wonderment and discovery as the user moves through the galleries. A mass is added to enclose the circulation space. In return, this becomes an interface between the city and the galleries. 

The galleries and circulation space are elevated, allowing the two main access points of the site to connect. It also enables the ground level to be used as a public space. Outdoor galleries are dropped into the public space, relaying the concept of art as a gift to the public. Voids are carved into the building’s upper levels, which results in visual connections through all levels — from ground plane to the galleries above.