ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN PORTFOLIOCarly Rickerson

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The concept of convergent evolution describes how two distantly or unrelated species can have very similar characteristics, despite living in opposite sides of the globe. Though the common ancestor of the two species may have existed millions of years ago, the species have evolved in a similar manner. To understand convergent evolution, you must also understand plate tectonics, and the formation and separation of the continents. The ancient supercontinent of Gondwana is an ideal classroom for studying these concepts. Over 500 million years ago, the continent Pangea, split into two continents: Gondwana and Laurasia. Gondwana consists of the modern-day, southern hemisphere continents of South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, India, Arabia and Antarctica.

This project was to design a botanical garden dedicated to the flora of Gondwana. The design consists of plant beds, reperesenting the modern day countries and continents, a water pathway, and a central water collection system which collects rainwater to feed into the water pathway system and water the plant beds. The plant beds are separated by the water pathways and raised at varying heights, held in place by retaining walls made from rammed earth. The water pathways are walking paths with a very fine layer of water, which travels from a large basin at the north end of the site to the south end of the site where it is recycled back into the system. The plant beds and water pathways represent the force of plate tectonics which tore apart Gondwana, forming smaller continents which we now know today. The forms of the plant beds and water pathways are derived from the map of Gondwana itself, just as it was breaking apart.

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Vernal pools act as natural filtration systems, allowing water to slowly seep through the ground and to be naturally cleansed of pollutants. Our building reflects the importance of this through material choices: per-forated copper, pervious surfaces, and planted “green” walls. The perforations in the copper allow light to filter into display spaces, at the same time reflecting the past through patterns inspired by Chumash cave paintings. Other pervious materials, such as grated metal walk-ways, also filter light and allow the passage of water. The “green” walls provide a natural means of filtration for light, water, air, and heat. The form of the building also captures the importance of water on the site by guiding rainwater to a natural filtration system. The roof pitch not only reflects that of the barn, but it directs rainwater to the east side of the site, where it is carried by a water-way to the man-made vernal pool adjacent to the plaza.

Vernal pools also transform throughout the year through stages of bloom, flooding, and dormancy. Our building reflects these transformations. The function of the barn transforms as different programs and layouts are needed for displays. This happens through movable panels, which can divide the space or be removed to create a fully open space. The site is also transformed by fluctuating levels of water, reflecting the different stages vernal pools experience. Durning the rainy season, wa-ter in the vernal pool may overflow past the plaza and eventually reach the Derevoux Slough on the west side of the site. During the dry season, the plaza can be-come outdoor seating on the stepped contours of the man-made vernal pool.

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Second Floor Plan Third Floor PlanBasement Floor Plan

1. Display Space2. Gift Shop3. Lecture Hall4. Faculty Office5. Loading Area6. Library

7. Children s Classroom8. Children s Lab9. Adult Lab11. Lab Prep Room12. Administration13. Break Room

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Along the Chicago River, located on the North Branch Canal, opposite Goose Island, is the site for the design project of the rowers boathouse. The neighborhood is filled with industry, however, a line of trees along the river edge forms a thick wall between the site and the river. From the site, the wall of trees completely separates you from the Chicago River, and the city beyond. The experience of traversing through the wall provides a unique interaction with nature within the city limits of Chicago.

As you move across the paved site, approaching the wall, you begin to feel the presence of the river. Walking through the wall, tall grasses must be brushed aside and you must watch your step to get to the other side. After reaching the other side of the wall, you are only steps away from the river, with just a 10 foot drop-off separating you from the water. This is a rare occurrence along the Chicago River, where there are very few green spaces or natural vegetation.

To preserve the experience of crossing through the wall of trees for the users of the building, the training rooms and training tank float above the river, forcing the rower to pass through the wall of trees in order to reach these spaces. An all-glass facade in the training tank room gives the rower the experience of being on the river, even when practicing indoors. The line of trees is mostly preserved near the boat dock so rowers can have this experience as they are transporting the boats from storage to the river.

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LEGEND 1. Vegetation 2. Soil 3. Filter Mat 4. Drainage Layer 5. Roof Membrane 6. Insulation 7. Curtain Wall System 8. Concrete Column 9. Wood Decking10. Water Training Tank11. 8" Concrete Slab12. 18" Concrete Beam13. 18" Concrete Wall14. 3' Concrete Caissons

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A classic storyline of the ancient Greek myths, is of a journey. The ancient Greeks were facinated by the adventure and dangers of the open sea, unknown territories and the unknown creatures that inhabit them. One of the oldest and most beloved of these myths is the story of Jason and the Argonauts.

The journey begins in Iolcos, the modern day city of Volos. In commemoration of this classic saga, the city of Volos reconstructed the Argo, using the ancient shipbuilding methods of the time, to embark it upon the original quest to Colchis.

The project was to design a ‘neosikos’, the Greek word for boat house. The concept was to create a permanent home and visitors center for the Argo. Visitors experience the journey of discovery as they travel through a series of ramps, which slice through the concentric wooden arcs of the exterior facade. These ramps offer many different views of the Argo, the sea, and the city, while providing information about the mythic story.

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The Ardmore Higher Education Center will offer degree courses from four universities on their new 30 acre campus in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Miles Associates was selected to design the campus master plan, as well as design and produce construction documents for the Administration Building and the Science & Technology Building. The Science & Technology Building is a 60,000 square foot lab and classroom space with a Microbiology Lab, Biology Lab, Chemistry Lab, and a Nursing School.

As the Project Coordinator, I worked with the Project Designer throughout the design and construction documents phase, completing the majority of construction documents which were produced entirely in Autodesk Revit.

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This 17-story, multi-tenant office tower is located in downtown Tulsa. The One Place Office Tower is directly adjacent to Cesar Pelli’s recently completed BOK Event’s Center, and is within close walking distance to multiple businesses and downtown attractions. The downstairs lobby level will take advantage of the ideal location by providing desirable tenant space for local business. The tower includes 5 levels of parking and 11 levels of office space above.

I helped create the Skecthup and Revit models during the schematic design phase. I worked directly with the Project Architect during the construction documents phase, and produced the majority of the wall sections.

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Currently under construction in Ada, Oklahoma, the Business & Conference Center includes accessible classrooms, a lecture hall, a mock courtroom, conference rooms, and a FEMA disaster recovery shelter.

The Business & Conference Center serves as a gateway between the university campus and the residential and business sectors of Ada. The FEMA shelter can be used by the community and university as an events center, as well as an emergency recovery shelter.

I worked directly with the Project Designer during the early schematic phase, building the Revit model, and producing the construction documents. This was my first project that was completed in Revit.

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The GRDA administration building is located in Pryor, Oklahoma. GRDA operates three hydroelectric facilities and manages two lakes along the Grand River. The new administration headquarters building would provide engineering offices, training rooms, metering and relay rooms, drafting rooms, and a diasaster recovery conference room. The roof plan is also designed to house photovoltaic panels.

In its conceptual phase, the design of the new GRDA building was based upon the turbine itself, which provides energy to the district. This form is represented in the circular lobby and upstairs conference rooms, and is reinforced by the accent walls, which also serve as a collision barrier for the security of the building.

During my experience working on GRDA, I was involved in the design of the project, creating 3D models and renderings, researching materials and sustainable systems, and working with the client and consultants on design, structural, and mechanical issues. I was also responsible for producing the majority of the construction documents, and coordinating drawings and specification documents with our consultants.

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