portfolio

david charpentierarchitecture + design

David Charpentier

3342 Whitebridge Lane

Charlotte, NC 28262

DaveCharpentier@gmail.com

1 (401) 226-7488

To talented principals, designers and technicians:

My name is David Charpentier, and I am interested in an intern architect position

with your firm. I have recently graduated with my Masters of Architecture from the

University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Through university research and professional

practice I have developed a unique set of skills to aid in both design theory and practice,

ranging from standard diagrammatic analysis to techniques using video and collage. I

have extensive experience with AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite and Apple

Studio, and am beginning to gather a greater familiarization with BIM systems such as

Revit. I am currently working on obtaining my LEED AP accreditation. I have extensive

knowledge of both technical and presentation aspects of the architectural practice. My

wife and I are relocating to the Boston area after a brief tenure in North Carolina in order

to pursue our professional goals and be closer to family.

Personally, I am looking to explore the role of architecture pertaining to the

dialogue between design, context, function, sustainability and media. I believe an

internship at your firm will help me achieve this. As architecture is a composite of time,

space and narratives, it should reflect not only the instance of its conception, but

resonate through the past and into future as well. I believe designers straddle a difficult

line between pushing the envelope and respecting the historical context, in

communicating a particular understanding of identity. I look forward to facing this

challenge as I develop my architectural skills.

I believe interning at your firm will help me to develop my theories as an architect

and designer, and benefit you by providing an eager participant in the creation of a

variety of projects. I look forward to hearing more about your firm and potentially

working with you on future projects.

Sincerely,

David Charpentier

David Charpentier

3342 Whitebridge Lane

Charlotte, NC 28262

DaveCharpentier@gmail.com

1 (401) 226-7488

Resume

Purpose: Seeking a full time post-graduate internship allowing for the development of personal and

professional architecture goals.

Education

o07/2006 to 05/2009

University of North Carolina at Charlotte Masters of Architecture

- I am currently near the end of my thesis year in the Masters of Architecture program at

UNCC. Through this program I have developed technical, social and personal skills

relevant to designing architectural spaces and experiences.

o09/2004 to 05/2006

Community College of Rhode Island

- After receiving my Bachelor’s degree at URI, I took several courses over the next two

years to determine the focus of my career. Most of these courses were in the realm of

psychology or art.

o09/2000 to 05/2006

University of Rhode Island Bachelor’s Degree, Computer Science

- I graduated from URI Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and a

GPA of 3.5. Here I began to acquire computer skills in several programming languages

and graphic designs.

Related Work Exper ience

o06/2008 to 08/2008 and 06/2007 to 08/2007

Architectural Intern SFCS, Inc. Charlotte, NC

- Tasks - Worked on a variety of projects dealing with the design and development of

retirement communities. This included working on construction documents, SketchUp

models, and Photoshop renderings; organizing plans, elevations and sections; creating

detail drawings; comparing and selecting products for use by residents; and assisting

coworkers with construction administration.

- Contacts - Scott Rasner, Manager 1 (704) 372-7327 srasner@sfcs.com

Don Flick, Project Architect 1 (704) 372-7327 dflick@sfcs.com

- Website - www.sfcs.com

o04/2005 to 07/2006

Behavior Specialist Perspectives Corporation North Kingston, RI

- Tasks - Helped children and teenagers with development and behavioral disorders to

successfully function and become acclimated with the nuances of everyday life.

- Contacts - Gina Phillips or Mike Wilson 1 (401) 294-8181

- Website - www.perspectivescorporation.com

o09/2003 to 08/2004

Web Site Development Intern URI Web Development Group Kingston, RI

- Tasks - Website design using Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, HTML, PHP, and

Dreamweaver. Implemented Typo3 system frameworks to develop templates for clients

to easily update their websites on their own.

- Contact - Trent Batson, Manager 1 (401) 874-7499 trent@uri.edu

- Website - www.wdg.uri.edu

Education References

Peter Wong 1 (704) 687-4978 plwong@uncc.edu

Studio Professor, Graduate Coordinator University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Bryan Shields 1 (704) 687-4026 bshield9@uncc.edu

Studio Professor University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Eric Sauda 1 (704) 687-4029 ejsauda@uncc.edu

Thesis Advisor University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Professional Skil ls

AutoCAD SketchUp Rhino ArchiCAD

Adobe Photoshop Adobe InDesign Adobe Illustrator Dreamweaver

Drafting Rendering Model Making Website Design

Final Cut Pro Soundtrack Pro

Various Programming Languages

Interpersonal Communication

Working with Clients and Maintaining Customer Satisfaction

Exploring Ideas and Breaking Limits

portfolioDavid Charpentier3342 Whitebridge LaneCharlotte, NC 28262DaveCharpentier@gmail.com401-226-7488

contents

Figure and Field Study

Precedent Study Part 1 :: Herzog and DeMeuron’s House for an Art Collector Part 2 :: Student Art Gallery

Trysting Wall

Tryon Street Bus Stop and Community Pavilion

Estudio/Galeria/Residencial

Digital Fabrication Projects Toothbrush Holder Physical/Digital/Physical Boundary/Physiology

Charlotte Latin School :: Environmental Science Center

Rudisill Mine :: Park and Cafe

Shadowbox

China 2008 :: Photography, Sketches, Collage and Watercolor

SFCS Inc. Providence Place Senior Residences, Red Springs, NC New York Masons Senior Residences, Utica, NY

4th Ward Armature and Community Market

Frames in Motion :: Cinematic Interrogations of Space

Figure and Field StudySeptember 2006

This project served as an introduction to the way in which figures and fields work in an architectural composition. A series of figures and fields were photographed in the Charlotte urban fabric, with the elements of particular compositions analyzed and reinterpreted through drawings and models.

The figure composition I chose consisted of a series of window frames. Once overlaid these frames became a series of interacting grid structures offset from a banded background.

The field element chosen consists of the glass and masonry pattern of a downtown skyscraper. In this field, the strong vertical lines of the facade grid stand in stark contrast to the fluctuating horizontals of the window mullions.

Plan and Perspectives

Original and Modified Photos

Original and Modified Photos

Field Sections

Model Elevations

Model Plan and Elevation

Precedent Study :: Part 1Herzog and DeMeuron’s House for an Art CollectorOctober 2006

The focus of this study was to understand how the architects’ use of materials and site. The typical wood shingles and siding of a Swiss house are replaced by precast concrete pieces that mimic the form of the wood down to the grain. The level changes of the site are represented by two sets of courtyards: a lower gravel one that offers entry to the house, and a more open, green courtyard above and at the same level as the house.

Being an earlier work of Herzog and DeMeuron, this house also plays with ideas of containers and contained. The exterior of the house serves as a shell for which the array of box-like interior rooms fit into. This house existed as a turning point for the duo as they began to explore concepts of buildings skins in addition to the exploring vernacular archetypes.

Requirements for this project included hand drawn plans, elevations, sections and perspectives, as well as a model exploring the relationship of the building to its site.

Elevation, Section and Plan

Exploded Axon and Perspectives

Precedent Study :: Part 2Student Art GalleryNovember-December 2006

As a continuation of the previous precedent study, this hypothetical exhibition space was to reinterpret some of the design facets of the original Herzog and DeMeuron project. Requirements included various type of gallery and critique spaces, storage areas, a cafe, functional spaces, and on-site parking.

In this project I continued to explore the elements of the Swiss box, breaking it down on the inside into smaller exhibit areas. The bending of the box moves to shift over the site, creating an upper garden courtyard to contrast the sculptural courtyard below. The translucent skin of the box re-examines the concept of the art gallery, allowing filtered light through the 4”-thick, heat and UV protective glazing. The notion of forcing the circulation around the exterior while keeping the interior primarily for exhibition was also a reinterpretation of the vernacular form inspired by Herzog and DeMeuron’s efforts.

Requirements for this part of the project likewise included hand drawn plans, elevations, sections and perspectives, as well as a model exploring the relationship between the materials of the building and the site.

Section, Elevation and Plan

Perspectives

Trysting WallJanuary 2007

A largely theoretical project in which the materials and construction of a wall were to act both as both barrier and communicative device between two lovers.

My process entailed several ways for the lovers to interact amidst their sandstone prisons. This ranged from the whimsical (a seesaw) to the tactile (a doorway blocked by burlap) to the more motion oriented (stairs and a peg ladder leading to windows where only a hand could be glimpsed on the opposing side).

Requirements included hand drawn plans and elevations; a spatial study relating the experience of the lovers; and a model that detailed the materials and construction of the wall.

Spatial Study

Plan and Elevations

January to February 2007

An empty lot on Tryon Street in Charlotte exists as a potential location for a new bus stop between the Downtown and University areas. The site was occasionally used as a place for swap-meets and yard sales, so a pavilion that continued to facilitate communal activities was necessary. A playground and open green space allows for children of different age groups to interact while their parents socialize under the pavilion.

The structure and shape of the bus stop and pavilion is based on lightweight aluminum framing and opaque glass. Solar panels on the top follow the direction of the sun and providing energy not only for the on-site activities, but also for those in need in the surrounding community.

Requirements included a series of CAD drawings, perspectives and a site model.

Tryon Street Bus Stop and Community Pavilion

Site , Site Plan, Site Sections

Ramon Ramirez House and StudioFebruary to March 2007

Ramon Ramirez is an artist and architect residing in East Los Angeles. Ramon was thinking of transforming his former home into a studio and gallery space with some residential elements mixed in. Being a friend of our professor, our class was offered a chance to work on a project that would reflect artist’s style.

Using precedents ranging from Gordon Matta Clark to Frank Gehry to Ricardo Legorretta, the scheme of the new dwelling and studio was based on disassembling the current East LA residential form. One split form becomes a studio, an exploded form to the right becomes a gallery. In the back, fragments become libraries and offices. Two rectilinear blocks interrupt the re-imagined vernacular forms with functional spaces such as a bathroom, kitchen and storage. A courtyard in the back serves as an outdoor studio and recreation area.

Requirements included CAD drawings, sectional spatial studies, collage perspectives and a detailed model.

Estudio/Galeria/Residencial

Spatial Study :: Rear Elevation and Sections

Front Elevation

First Floor Plan

Digital Fabrication ProjectsSeptember, October, November 2007

Toothbrush Holder Using AutoCAD and Rhino, this object was created from a sheet of plexi-glass, using no waste; it is held together without any glue.

Physical/Digital/Physical This representation of a wave breaking was transformed into a digital model in Rhino, then reassembled as a physical model with plexiglass and a cardboard egg-crate using a heat gun.

Boundary/Physiology The goal of this group project was to create a physical boundary that was formed on the basis of human movement and physiology. The twisting form of the wall morphs from a slightly-reclined seat to a pin-up area to an elbow height shelf on one side, while the other side moves through the same sequence in reverse. These photos represent a full scale section of what would actually be a fifty foot long object.

Comprehensive Studio ProjectSeptember to December 2007

The goal of this semester long project was to create a sustainable center for the prestigious Charlotte Latin School. The building was to contain sustainable/”green” design elements as well as being an educational tool for such activities. Other programmatic elements include classrooms, project rooms, a forum, a research center and an exhibition space.

My solution encompasses the use of recycled materials, daylighting, ventilation, a green roof and rainwater collection. The design of the building works with the stepping down of the contours of the hill on site, moving down the slope in a similar way to the cascading rock forms currently on the site. The buildings are separated into the semi-private classrooms and project rooms on one side and the more public forum and exhibition space on the other. The spaces formed by the bending of the two bars helps create an outdoor amphitheater and courtyard space.

The undulating sawtooth roof represents a minimalist version of the dappled light created by overlapping tree branches. The windows above open to let in the occasional breeze. The roof also works with a complex rainwater collection and filtering system reliant on the composition of the green roof. The materials of the building itself help distinguish the separate levels as well as natural elements of the site: the rock walls of the bottom floor created from the rocks on site; the wood siding reminiscent of the bands of trees scattered about the area.

Requirements for this project included site plans and diagrams; detailed plans, sections and elevations at 1/8”, 1/4”, 1/2” and 1” scales; site and section models; diagrams explaining sustainable and structural elements; and a series of perspectives detailing activities in the school.

Charlotte Latin School :: Environmental Science Center

2nd Floor Plan

1st Floor Plan

Front Elevation and Section

Wall Detail and Wall Elevation Detailed Classroom/Project Room Floor Plan

Hallway/Courtyard Forum Exhibition Space

Mapping StudioJanuary to April 2008

This project was undertaken in two phases. The first involved mapping the site in Charlotte’s Historic Southend. Looking at the history of the development of the site also required examining the digging and subsequent filling in of the gold mines. My final map for this phase looked to relate the changing depth and breadth of the mines with the rising height of the downtown Charlotte and the expansion of the immediate Southend area.

Carrying over this scalar relation between the above and below ground resulted in the examination of two different grids in the design phase: the mine grid ran North-South, while the city grid ran NE-SW. These two disparaging grids led to two different pathway systems in the development of the park and cafe on the site. The mine grid dug into the ground, reflecting the memory of the mine shaft locations and a more friendly experience of being below ground. The city grid would rise up above as concrete blocks and pathways. A cafe to the north would engage the businesses on that portion of the site and pavilions in the back could be used by neighboring residents to sell goods. The intersection of the two grids was where the scalar relation would ultimately tie together; a tall glass and steel observation deck offset by an “open” mine-shaft extending into the infinite below.

Rudisill Mine :: Park and Cafe

Site Plan

Longitudinal Section

Front Elevation :: Cafe

Tower Section

Cafe Section

Shadowbox Material and Structural ExplorationMarch 2008

The Shadowbox is an attempt to understand the nature of materials and the structural methods by which they are joined together. The composition had to consist of wood, metal and concrete (or Rockite) elements that were joined together via appropriately scaled and detailed means.

My project interpretation of the Shadowbox rids the scheme from its frame, instead focusing on a Rockite base out of which a steel sheet is unfurled. A tight fit with rubber gasket connects the steel and Rockite pieces. The wooden ribs are connected by aluminum compression clips welded onto the back of the steel torsion, providing a regular rhythm to the composition as well as an aesthetic balance to the Rockite and contrast to the steel.

China 2008 Photography, Sketches, Collage and WatercolorMay and June 2008

My trip to China with the College of Architecture was both an educational and invigorating experience. Learning about another culture firsthand, particularly one that is undergoing such an economical and architectural renaissance, helped to broaden my views and opened myself to engage in more traveling.

On the trip we visited ancient structures such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City and the ruins of Mount Huang along with modern marvels such as the skyscrapers and megastructures of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Over the course of the trip I took a wide range of photographs and composed a variety of sketches, collages and watercolors that detailed my various experiences throughout the region. We also engaged in a Superblock design competition with students at Tonji University in Shanghai.

Shanghai Superblock Schematics and Renderings

Summer Internship

Providence Place Senior ResidencesRed Springs, NCJune to August 2007

Working over this short break allowed me to gain a wide berth of experience regarding the phases of a commercial design project. The unit design and aesthetic were largely based off of existing buildings that SFCS had previously worked on for the clients. During the summer of 2007, this particular project went through a series of design schematics for extraneous elements such as a community center; an implementation of daylighting aspects into the long hallways; finalized construction documents; and the initial bidding process. I also created a Sketchup model to help not only the lead designer envision the intersection of roof planes and integration of the community center in 3-D form, but also to show the client as a schematic of their new building. The next summer, I also assisted with construction administration for the project. My experience at SFCS has given me a great understanding of the intricacies of working at an architecture firm.

SFCS Inc.

Plan

Construction Administration Photos (from July-August 2008)

Sketchup Model

New York Masons Senior ResidencesUtica, NYJune to August 2007

During this summer I primarily worked on creating plans, elevations and sections for a set of senior residences in upstate New York. The plans of each unit and the building as a whole where largely based on existing residence halls on the site. The elevations were then compiled based on the arrangements of the unit plans and the aesthetic of the Mason’s Senior Campus. AutoCAD was used to detail the plans and create the appropriate elevations and sections so that the buyer and contractor could propose prices. In addition to this, I also rendered the plans and elevations using Photoshop to show the client our company’s intended final product.

East Elevation

North Elevation

West Elevation

South Elevation

Sample Unit Plans

Mapping StudioSeptember to December 2008

The first phase of this mapping project largely dealt with coming to understand the relationship between our site on 9th Street, the Music Factory entertainment facilities our armature was to connect to, and the cemetery that existed in between. Looking at the history of the area, I noticed the city grid on the 9th Street portion of our development area had remained relatively consistent over time, with similar developments replacing the old over time; the Music Factory site, however, had housed a variety of different grid orientations over the past century and a half. The cemetery remained largely the same. My final mapping project looked at these elements of change and consistency within the grid system, as well as the barriers (railroads, streets, industrial parks) that separated the Music Factory and the 9th Street site.

The 9th Street site uses its existing grid foundation as a starting point. Areas of density and openness are mapped to determine the position of pavilions, trees, a community garden and a water element. Continuing the idea of historical layers in the city grid, the majority of the built form of the site rises above the concrete foundation as wood decking. Aluminum pavilion covers above are even more loosely based on the grid. The different layers are both integrated and separate at the same time, the temporality of the new material grasping the realization of a continually changing 4th Ward.

4th Ward Armature and Community Market

Site Plan

Connection Details Textural Site Model

Using the grids of the city, my armature acts as a datum line moving across the cemetery, the only part of the area that has stayed consistent through the development period of fourth ward. The clearance over the railroad tracks allows for the bridge to stay at the same elevation as it moves into the cemetery and extends to the highest point of the topography, where there already exists some benches and park like elements.

The bridge itself acts as a map, the structural tree-like V’s marking open spaces where no graves exist. The horizontal wooden elements change in density with surrounding tree cover and switch to sheet metal when the armature moves over railroad tracks or an industrial zone. The smaller vertical elements on the bridge mark graves, a poignant memory to those whose loved ones are buried below.

Site Section Layers

Armature Plan Armature Model

East-West Armature Section

North-South Armature Section

Armature Sequence

Armature Section Detail Model

Plan Diagram

Thesis ProjectSeptember 2008 to May 2009

My thesis project involves a cinematic interrogation of architectural space. The matter and methods of cinema provide a means by which to reevaluate our concepts of architecture and space. Cinema allows for the examination of temporality and movement with regards to perspectives of space. It captures instances; events are created and transformed. Cinema renders experiences of space, of time. Filming, framing, editing and viewing tie into concepts of narrative and experience that are inherent processes in the development of architecture, space and cinema.

The majority of this thesis explores methods of filming space. A small, familiar space was chosen at first in order to practice camera techniques, styles of editing and shot composition. This initial filming took place in the salon of the architecture building at UNCC. The sequence to the right details movement about a staircase during periods of changing classes. The Salon is the central space in the Storrs building students and professors are constantly moving in and about in various manners. The staggered rhythm of shots details the intermittent moments of circulation in the Salon. The cine-grams and plan diagrams examine the circulation of the subjects as they move in and out of the camera’s frame.

The continuation of this investigation involves analyzing an archetype common to both cinema and architecture: the small town. Normative architectural diagrams of this are compared against more temporal and spatial representations drawn from movie sequences. In this case, the film itself will serve as the ultimate diagram, a clear understanding of the chosen small town space, Albemarle, NC. Of particular interest to the composition are aspects of architectural and cinematic narrative. How does the structure of the small town reflect its content, its users, its aesthetic? How, in turn, do the resulting movie sequences reflect the experience of this small town space? How do the form and content of the town, of the movie, tie together to create an understanding of narrative space beyond normal diagrams and analysis?

Frames in Motion :: Cinematic Interrogations of Space

Salon Sequence :: Human Circulation

Albemarle, NC :: Sample Normative Diagrams

Albemarle, NC :: Sample Cine-grams

On the Streets of Albemarle :: Movie SequenceThis movie sequence takes the viewer on a journey along Albemarle’s Main Street, from the outskirts through the downtown center and out through the remnants of urban structure on the other side. This journey is viewed through two alternating points of view, driving and walking. The structure of the film allows for a series of diversions at particular stopping points, or intersections, in the pat of the car and the pedestrian. These diversions allow for a more detailed exploration of tapestries of the urban fabric beyond Main Street.

Park DichotomiesTwo parks, one on the edge, one in the center, one an award winner, one just there.

Liberty Gardens Albermarle Town Center Park

Alternating zoom exit

Element cross cuts

Walkthrough

Signage and Entry/Establishing Shots

Establishing Shots in City

Processions

Signs

Increasing close ups of detailsreveal similarities of

spaces, of churches, until indistinguishable.

Pre Production Photo/Storyboard Analysis

Post Production Timeline/Movie Analysis