PortfolioVivian Walker

Vivian WalkerE. vivwalker82@gmail.comP. 419.261.2642A. 428 Kent Court Maumee Ohio 43537

(work)Resident Assistant, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, August 2010 - Present Served as a mentor and advisor for 40 first year and older students. Worked with other resident assistants to develop a successful hall community. Utilized organizational and public speaking skills to create and present hall programs to educate residents about critical issues. Developed mediation and conflict resolution skills. Enforced University policy.

Server/Host/Cashier, Perkins Restaurant , Sandusky, Ohio, Summer, 2011-PresentGreeted and seated all customers in a professional and friendly manner. Demonstrated knowledge of daily specials, and scheduled reservations and expertly managed large customer crowds.

Swim Instructor and Lifeguard, South Toledo YMCA, Toledo, Ohio, January 2005- May 2009Responsibilities included holding weekly swim classes for ten to twelve students; instructing on basic stroke techniques; preparing students for competition and motivating students to swim to the best of their ability.

(volunteer)Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Toledo Ohio, 2008-currentProvided patients and families with music.

Barack Obama Headquarters, Toledo Ohio, Fall 2008,2012Assisted with community canvassing, voter registration and clerical work.

Kent State UniversityBachelor of Science in ArchitectureHonors Scholar(August 2009- Present)Expected Graduation: May, 2013G.P.A 3.34

apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, writing biographies, lyre playing, swimming

3D Modeling SoftwareRhino, Sketchup,Revit, AutoCAD, 3d Max,

Adobe Creative SuiteDreamweaver, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop

Building Performace Simulation ToolsWeather Tool, VE, Climate Consultant

Education

*References Available Upon Request

skills

Experience

interests

http://issuu.com/vivian_walker/docs/vivian_walker_portfolio_pages | 419.261.2642 | vivwalker82@gmail.com

Ninety percent of the average human life is spent indoors. Most people are born indoors. Most people die indoors. Just imagine all the “life” that happens in these built spaces we have created for ourselves. Keeping this in mind, I was contemplat-ing what direction I wanted my life path to follow. I could only identify one, singular, absolute desire – to help, to ameliorate, to improve a person’s life as best I could.

I am a creator, an artist, a designer. I go through my day seeing not problems or sad tired truths but promise, possibilities and potential. It is my belief that true architecture celebrates this thinking. Archi-tecture lies within direct correlation of the human needs and wants. It illuminates and brings meaning to the desires and aspirations of our people. And in my opinion the quality of our surroundings lies in absolute proportion to the quality of our lives.

Upon examination of my life path and my unique talents and skills, I chose to pursue a degree in architecture. What better way is there to influence a person’s overall wellbeing than the environment they choose or are required to “live”? And what better vehicle to use to facilitate this influence but that driving force which is architecture.

Therefore, as an undergraduate architecture stu-dent, I am seeking for more than just oppurtunities. I am seeking for an opportunity to make a differ-ence. I am seeking for an opportunity to influence. I am seeking for an opportunity to change lives through the architecture of “life” spaces.

My thoughts

http://issuu.com/vivian_walker/docs/vivian_walker_portfolio_pages | 419.261.2642 | vivwalker82@gmail.com

Table of contents

Swaying Trees

Extruded LearningFacing FacadesLIfe between buildings

Sketching exploration

Alaskan Refuge

Page 7

Page 19

Page 29

Page 35

Page 43

Page 53

Page 59

Flexible Space

“Be a fish swimming against the current, and be a tree swaying against the breeze.”-unknown

Sway

ing T

rees

Kent, Ohio :Project Location: Charles, Harker :Professor

Fall Semester, 2012 :Date

Biomimicry, or the imitation of nature’s functions and systems if the purpose, the theme, the reason for this structure. So why not look to one of nature’s life sources; tress. Tress concert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Plus, they provide shade, shelter, warmth, food, mulch etc. “After 3.8 billion years of research and development, failures are fossils, and what surrounds us is the secret to survival...”

This design approach takes this inspiration that trees provides and employs the ideas in as many ways as possible. The facade, the X-factor, the research purpose, and the structure.The design wanted to appear as a tree in the middle of a forest. The structure needed to have the smallest footprint as possible. Thus if the structure was supported of columns the actual footprint could be minimalized .

Biomimicry, or the imitation of nature’s functions and systems is the purpose, the theme, the reason for this structure. So, why not look to one of nature’s life sources; trees. Trees provides so much of life complicated problems. They provide shade, shelter, warmth, food, mulch etc. Trees literally provide us the atmosphere we can survive in; they convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Thus, this design approach takes the inspiration that trees provides and employs those ideas in as many ways as possible; the facade, the X-factor, the re-search purpose, and the structure.

“After 3.8 billion years of research and development, failures are fossils, and what surrounds us is the secret to survival...”

biomimicry | a tree

This design approach takes the inspiration that trees provides and employs the ideas in as many ways as possible- the facade, the X-factor, the research purpose, and the structure.The design wanted to appear as a tree in the middle of a forest. The structure needed to have the smallest footprint as possible. Thus, if the structure was supported of columns the actual footprint could be mininzed.

Piezoelectric field | Park | Pathway

Entryway | Promoting the idea of the “forest”

The three programatic pieces: education, lab space, and administration

These sketche s were the inspirations for the “moments” that I wanted to create for this project.

The park

The entryway

The Big Idea+'Moments'

Three Pieces

section

Longitudinal Elevation

Longitudinal Section

Transverse Section

Transverse Elevation

Longitudinal Elevation

Longitudinal Section

Transverse Section

Transverse Elevation

Longitudinal section

Longitudinal elevation

Transverse section

Transverse elevation

section and elevations

site planThe structure was placed on the site to optimize the opportunities for view, wind (capture and blockage), and rainwater collection. Also, the structure itself is supported on these large monolithic columns to reduce the overall building footprint.

Translucent panels surround-ing the labs work space

Piezoelectric energy, enters into the basment lab where it is harnessed and studied.

Operable windows, acts as light shelf and natural air ventilation

Living Machineecological wastewater treatment designed to

mimic the cleansing functions of wetlands

Faacade diagram, The operable window bays are placed in areas where the activity invites the use of window and promotes the use of natural ventilation and supports the good view.

Translucent panels surround-ing the labs work space

Piezoelectric energy, enters into the basment lab where it is harnessed and studied.

Operable windows, acts as light shelf and natural air ventilation

Living Machineecological wastewater treatment designed to

mimic the cleansing functions of wetlands

Faacade diagram, The operable window bays are placed in areas where the activity invites the use of windows and promotes the use of natural ventilation and frames the good view.

EntryWay

Classroom with operable windows

These are not the real trees that you find in your backyard, but conceptual ones. These “trees” have Nanoleafs which uses nanotechnology designed to capture the sun’s energy in photovoltaic and thermovoltaic cells and then converting this radi-ation into electricity. The “trees” themselves which act as generators that produce electricity from movement of wind or rain,

PIezoelectricity

take the swaying of the trees...

and harness its energy

Sun PAth Diagram Wind DirectionThe sun will be shaded on the build-ings south facade and allowed to shine through on the north side.

The prevailing winds throughout the year come from a south westerly direction.

Kent, Ohio :Project Location: Charles, Harker :Professor

Fall Semester, 2012 :Date

Entry

Children, Interaction Area

Lab

A super-insulated wall assembly is the most affordable wall assembly and achieves maximum R-value with minimum thermal bridging; goal with this design. Double stud walls on 24″ centers is the easiest and cheap-est built thick wall cavity. Both material costs and labor costs are extremely low compared to alternatives. Cellulose is economical while also being the best green insulation product known to man. It’s cheap. it minimal carbon footprint. It fills all voids. It retards air flow like a champ. It has high thermal mass compared to alternatives like foam and fiberglass. OSB is cheap and makes it easier to attach cladding and laterally brace the structure. Continuous exterior insulation is the icing on the cake. It eliminates any thermal bridging worries. When taped, it also can virtually eliminate air penetration and double as a water resistive barrier allowing one product to serve three important roles.

The Design Structure

classroom + interactivce space

The Support StructureThe Pavilion employs the

QuaDror interlocking frame technology comprised of steel

beams. The Pavilion takes advantage of the collapsibility of the frames,and are designed as pre-fabricated modular housing units. These structural units are able to ship to site flat and can

then be erected with the corners secured to form four triangular

trusses. The trusses are respon-sible for the downward and lateral

forces acting on the Pavilion.

The design concept for this project was to separate the two programmatic pieces; the “research part” and the “educational part.” The two coexist right next to each other thus creating a symbiotic relationship yet not inter-fering with one’s purpose. Also I want the “skeletal structure” and the water collection system to be exposed because this pavilion is about learning. And what better way to learn then to actually see it.

The pavilion

Lab | Research Area

Children Learning | Interaction area

Site PlanThe project called for initial design proposals for a satellite research/classroom facility in the same general site area. This satellite facility is intended to act as an outlying classroom and research facility that provides for close observation of conditions in the bog itself. The facility will be approximately 800 square feet, and is to have minimal impact on the water quality, flora, and fauna therein.

Longitudinal elevation

Transverse Elevation

Transverse Section

Longitudinal elevation

Project Location: New York, New York City Professor: Charles GravesDate: Spring Semester, 2011

Faca

ing

Faca

des

“The hustle and bustle of a New York City street…”

Facing Facades

design intention

For this project we were as-signed the problem of design-ing a small structure and then

skinning that structure with a high performance skin. The project

was located on a busy New York city block, with a high volume of traffic; pedestrian and vehicular. The office building consisted of

a small core. Also, the design called for lobby with doubled ceilings and the lower floor to

have a high “rent- ability” rate.

Essentially, a double skin facade is pair of glass “skins” separated by an air corridor. The main layer of glass is usually insulating.

The air space between the layers of glass acts as insulation against temperature extremes, winds, and sound. Sun-shading devices are often located be-tween the two skins. All elements can be arranged differently into numbers of permutations and combi-nations of both solid and diaphanous membranes”.

Double Skin Facade

lobby

Top floor office

Project Location: Shaker Heights, Ohio Professor: Charles GravesDate: Spring Semester, 2011

“Life between buildings comprises the entire spectrum of human activities in public space – the necessary, the optional and the social types of behaviors”

-Jan Gehl

Life

bet

wee

n Bu

ildi

ngs

Life between buildings is a dimension of architecture that deserves more careful treatment. It is where social interaction and perception, urban recreation, and the sensory experience of city life take place. Life between buildings comprises the entire spectrum of human activities in public space – the necessary, the optional and the social types of behaviors. These are, therefore, vital areas and planning processes must begin by understanding these spaces between buildings.

Shaker Heights Public Square

I composed a small booklet on my design proposal for a “new” urban design for town square in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The book includes four spreads showing render-ings of the new city layout and the public square.

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This spread documented the “new” urban design. The “new” design based in Shaker Heights, Ohio, has many differnet types of structures to comprised of the dsign. However, the influential moment of this design was the main bouvelvard that was created. is comprisized of many different structures.

This spread emphasizes the new design.

Page 1|2

Page 3|4

This spread speaks to the design solution. The first page offers a reasoning as to how the overall grid design was created. Also it shows the relationship between the “vehicular” boulevard and the “pedestrian” boulevardThe “public square” is set off to one side in order to create the need to transcend the entire boulevard.

PAge 5 | 6

Another aspect of this design was to design the public square. The square is surrounded on three sides by a repeatable bay. The bay consists of three sections: a lower, double height walkway that leads to commercial space; a second level is rentable office space; and the three level is apartment space.

PAge 7|8

Project Location: Hope, Alaska Professor: Charles HarkerDate: Fall Semester, 2012

“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.”-Frank Gehry

Poet

ic A

rchi

tect

ure

Site Plan

Poetic architecture taps into that moment when architecture transcends itself, when it becomes more than simply a physical space — and exudes to a sense of place and beauty that words cannot often describe. Thus, I put together the following to explore the issue of poetic architecture, and to become more aware of the poetry which surround you.

Poetic Architecture

Site Plan

With regard to optimum orientation, the best orientation for the structure was calculated to be placed at an angle

of 192.5 degrees. This is when there is the most solar radiation during the underheated period and least during

the overheated period for Hope, Alaska.

Site Orientation

Microhydropower System WorksHydropower systems use the energy in flowing water to produce electricity or mechanical energy. Although there are several ways to harness the moving water to produce energy, run-of-the-river systems, which do

not require large storage reservoirs, are often used for microhydropower systems.For run-of-the-river microhydropower systems, a portion of a river’s water is diverted to a water convey-ance -- channel, pipeline, or pressurized pipeline (penstock) -- that delivers it to a turbine or waterwheel. The moving water rotates the wheel or turbine, which spins a shaft. The motion of the shaft can be used

for mechanical processes, such as pumping water, or it can be used to power an alternator or generator to generate electricity.

A conventional log home is somewhat prim-itive, but offers unsurpassed beauty, which manufacturers of modern products struggle to simulate. Although hand-built, full scribed log homes cannot be replicated using modern products, there are many energy efficient, dimensional, or “milled look”, log products on the market today. These include simulated log siding, logs with a foam layer in the middle, and many other modern log solutions. A “true” log home should never struggle with air quality, as there are often many leaks and cracks.

Log cabin construction

Insulated Concrete Forms, or ICFsICF can be used both above and below ground, and there are systems

available for assembling floor and roof diaphragms with the same meth-ods. The finished product is an extremely solid, energy efficient home.

ETFEIn its basic form, ETFE is highly transparent across the entire light spectrum,

providing superior natural day lighting. Though many programs and energy modeling call for complete transparency —capitalizing on the sun for day light-ing and to drive natural ventilation through the generated stack effect— many specific conditions require the ability and capacity to create localized shading,

Western Red CedarThese trees can attain heights of 70-130 feet

(21-40 meters) and diameters of 2-4 feet (0.6-1.3 meters). The wood is lightweight, straight

grained, easy to kiln dry, highly resistant to decay, but it has poor nail holding capacity. It is used in boats, shingles, shakes, poles and

lumber for light construction.

Construction Diagram

Elevation

Section

First Floor

Third Floor

Second Floor

Fourth Floor

Moveable Systems

Observation Tower This is also a “moveable” piece of the struc-ture. Basically, the high powered telescope the located in the tower and it can be moved at 45 degree increments to accommodate the expansive night sky.

Exterior Log Wall Seeing that for most of the year the North prevailing winds crash through the site, the idea was to help counteract the force. During the harsh winter months, the wall would be erect-ed parallel to the building on its North Façade. During the summer months when the winter is not such a great factor, the wall could be moved 90 degrees so that more of the beautiful land-scape could be experienced.

North wind’s interaction with the “log” wall

Sun’s interaction with the South Facade

“Man dwells poetically.” Essentially, man’s relationship to the world is constantly influx, never capable of being grasped in its totality. The poetic thinker never attempts to escape his environment in order to think; rather, the poetic thinker locates himself in the muck. Thus poetic architecture or “the poetics of space” come to embody that manifestation of how space affects our behavior and ultimate understanding of both ourselves and our environment. The space that we call home, at last, allows a person to acknowledge a space as a sanctuary, a refuge from outside sources. This is the crucial objective this project is trying to realize.

This design solution offers the client, with all his needs and wants, a space that would be a refuge; a place that he could call “home.” This final design hopes to offer the client a place that could afford for the quieting of the mind and permit him to retreat into a world truly of his own making. My client stated; love to observe the night sky because it makes me feel connected to the world; to everything and everyone. The lights of stars symbol-ize the light within us.” The overall design concept sought to realize this thought of connectivity through light, by having this solid (Wood Logs) be penetrate by light (ETFE Facade).

Flex

ible

Spa

ce

Project Location: Kent, Ohio Professor: Jason TurnigeDate: Spring Semester, 2010

Flexible space allows us to change how we use this building, how we see the building, how we interact with the building and with each other.

“

“

Floor Plan + Circulation DiagramThis project is about the maximum versatility a space can achieve. The program called for a space that would offer a movie theater, an art gallery, and administrative. I thought the art gallery and the movie should not bifurcate the two programmatic pieces but act as one dynamic opportunity. The gallery space should inform the movie theater and vice versa.

EVent Circulation

Movie Circulation

Floor Plans

Theater Transition

First Floor

second floor

Thrid Floor

Fourth Floor

Diagrams

West Elevation

East Elevation

Site Plan

Perspective

Project Location: Florence, Italy Professor: Charles GravesDate: Summer Semester, 2011

“All art is but dirtying the paper delicately.”

Sket

chin

g ex

plor

atio

n

-John Ruskin

These sketches were done during my travels throughout Italy. The focus was on Vassri’s Corridor and its connection | impression on the city. The following pages were taken directly from my sketchbook that I carried. No alterations or manipulations were made.

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Corridor anaylsis

Thank You