PortfolioJosh Mace | JoshuaRMace@GMail.com | (803) 810-3118

Contents

The model opposite comes from one of my earliest projects. This procession through the clouds stresses ideas of unity and difference, structrual acrobatics, and thinking outside the box.

MercatParcDesign for a public square located on the interior of one of Barcelona’s Eixample blocks

VignettesA selection of noteworthy images from projects not covered in detail in this portfolio

Pine Stone ChapelDesign for a chapel on Clemson Campus, just southwest of the cemetery

Nicholtown PorchProposal for a public space intervention in Nicholtown, Greenville

VantageDeveloping Fountain Inn, South Carolina, attempts build community in its historic downtown

VantageSpring 2012 | Clemson University | Prof. N. Ault

Since man sees in straight lines, designers can use spatial layouts to direct his view for clarity, exposition, or to command a room. Located in small town Fountain Inn, SC, the big idea for the project aligns with the town’s development goals for building a richer community. Through the insertion of a small performing arts center in the middle of main street, the project will create opportunities for currently absent nightlife.

The design places the house on the upper level for efficiency. Backstage is contained in a “tower” that does not extend above the roof of the house. The lower level contains both a symbiotic coffee shop and administrative offices.

Second FloorThird Floor

First Floor

Second FloorThird Floor

The plan uses the 130 degree angle of horizontal human vision to celebrate three critical points of use. The first celebrates the front set of double doors which breaks the linear regularity of the main street while providing a landing space just outside the door. The second vista point lies at the stair landing, and gives users a choice view down the street as they ascend to the auditorium level.

Finally, the auditorium itself gives performers full view of the audience and brings everyone in the audience as close to the stage as possible. The lower level office spaces, coffee shop, and backstage areas all fit around these three critical parts focused on the center’s users.

The sections show the drama of some of the spaces, the upper focusing on circulation and backstage areas, and the lower showing the stage.

1/16”=1’-0”

1/16”=1’-0”

MercatParcHumans fill open places with activity based their edges, especially in urban environments such as Barcelona. Originally, the urban planning of L'eixample in Barcelona called for open, public spaces in interiors of the blocks. Like many other zoning restrictions Cerdá called for, this fell victim to economics. Contemporary catalonian authorities have realized the mistake and begun fixing the problem. This project focuses on the reclamation of one such block center. At once we realized that access posed the most complex problem. With that in mind we focused on two other markets on the same major street, Passeig de Gracia. We saw that people addressed Vinçon as if it was a department store, only entering if they wanted to buy. Bulevard Rosa's corridors created a similar problem–only shoppers used the markets. Our strategy became finding a way to build a market that simultaneously provided the sorely missed open space that the block reclamation program called for. We answered with a piazza style market, accessible through many small pores, which we found had success around the city.

The wide-open center allows neighbors to come together for special events, or to fill the space as more merchants provide specialized goods. By focusing the design on the edges, we can create a powerful, used, and flexible space. We anticipate that many buildings could not readily open themselves up to having two fronts, one towards the street and another to a piazza. Therefore, we proposed that small, open-air, permanent vendor space could easily line the backs of these buildings. Finally, we needed something to make the place distinctive. We decided to propose a canopy of vines around the border. These have a dual function of sheltering shoppers from the heat and sheltering residents of the surrounding buildings from the effects of the market, such as invasive light noise, and shoppers.

NOTE: This is a team project. We worked together extensively on everything.

Fall 2012 | Barcelona Architecture Center | Prof. J. Mansilla

Mercat ParcFall 2012 | Barcelona Arch Center | Prof. J. Mansilla

With Jay Holt of NC State

This project studied european urbanism. Development in Barcelona’s Eixample blocks built up against the sidewalks–largely neglecting the interiors of the blocks, intended for use as public space. This project recovers one such block interior and converts it into a fluid expandable market.

We looked at existing markets in block interiors further down the same street–Bulevard Rosa and Vinçon–focusing on points of access. From this, we designed a system to access the square from the street. The strategy gleaned involved not only providing access through the existing ways through, but also giving stores a second front to the square.

The vision for this project converts the limits of the square into an urban forest. White aluminum trees support boston ivy, a vine which changes colors according to the seasons. The square supports three different types of shops–the second fronts from larger shops, permanent stalls along the boundaries of blind facades, and temporary shops that might occupy the center of the square during special seasons.

The image opposite depicts proposed sections through the block, showing four unique ways to access the block, as well as some interior visions for the square.

Vinçon

MercatParc

Bulevard R

osa

This diagram represents the layouts of the other markets we examined, as well as our proposal for MercatParc’s design.

Roof Plan

Ground Floor Plan

1/4”=1’-0”

Though simplistic, the project allowed us to generate relatively thorough detailings, such as this one showing how the permanent small-scale shops meet the large aluminum trees supporting the ivy.

Pine Stone ChapelFall 2013 | Clemson University | Prof. R. Bruhns

The site for this project lied just southwest of Clemson’s on campus cemetery. A site analysis study highlighted the intense site topography, the site’s relationship to the existing campus grid, and the need to attempt to restrict vision to southwest–a view featuring HVAC units, maintenance access to other buildings, and parking lots. In addition , the design responded to the wooded cemetery, the tombstones, and Tillman Hall’s carillon bell tower.

As non-denominational chapel, the design sought to appear unconventionally sacred. Looking to the past, I identified the effect I was looking for in the work of Antoní Gaudí, particularly the Colonia Güell Chapel, and some of his contemporaries, such as Josep Maria Jujol. I made many of the early models out of string. In order to view one of the models right-side up, I submerged it in plaster a few times.

As a comprehensive studio, professors asked us to detail out the design to a thorough level. This included framing plans, and wall sections, shown on the following pages.

A section drawing of an earlier version of the project. Colored pencil made sense to convey both sensitivity and the incompleteness at this stage of the development.

Pine + Scrub

Pine + Scrub

1” = 80’-0”

LOWER FOUNDATION PLAN

LOWER LEVEL

UPPER LEVEL

UPPER ROOF FRAMING PLAN

LOWER ROOF PLAN

UPPER FOUNDATION PLAN + FLOOR FRAMING

1/32” = 1’-0”

1/8”= 1’-0”

3/64”=1’-0”

Nicholtown PorchFall 2014 | Clemson U. | Profs. Albright; Ersoy; Franco; Heine

Nicholtown is an established, vibrant community of low-income, African-Americans living in the middle of greenville. This project asked students to propose an intervention to improve the lives of the neighborhood’s residents.

Spending time researching the neighborhood, it became clear that while the residents frequently gather as part of their rich “front porch” culture, they lacked a public, neutral gathering space–a “community porch.” A social launchpad like this directly improves the community’s identity, activity, and self-sufficiency. Ideally, this project belongs in the community’s center, replacing the decrepit mudscape which currently occupies the space between the existing Nicholtown Community Center and the up-and-coming community garden in the neighborhood’s heart.

Addressing this particular site, one recognizes the inaccessiblity of most of the site. So the design overlays a circulation diagram on the site and adjusts the ground for accessibility. The ground receives a solid treatment built of prefabricated concrete parts which allow activities natural ground will not, yet allows the ground to emerge in strategic locations.

A patterned polycarbonate canopy on 3D trusses provides all-weather shelter for the space, which promotes usability.

NicholtownCommunity Center

Community Garden

Rebecca St

NorthBasketball Court

Playground

BaseballField

3/128” = 1ʼ - 0”

3/128” = 1ʼ - 0”

Circulation generated the design layout. This diagram shows the operating circulation prediction.

This drawing shows the shifted topography which makes the whole area accessible.

Edge Details

Longitudinal Section

Lateral Section

1

2

21

1” = 1ʼ - 0”

1/8” = 1ʼ - 0”

Roof Plan

The design introduces a gradient of activity, busiest at the street and slower further away.

A system of prefabricated parts means reduced construction time and opportunites for volunteer labor. In addition to reduced building time, the system also has the potential to raise neighborhood perceptions of the space more than a poured paving design.

This model can be taken apart and reconstructed for an audience–very little glue used here. It also sheds water.

1/4” = 1’ mockup of interlocking retaining wall step system.

VignettesRomanesque

For this hand drafting history assignment, I designed a small Romanesque Revival home.

GlideHouseThis model of Michelle Kauffman’s Glidehouse for a fundraiser not only explained the home’s concept but also acted as a donation receptacle.

Shell StructureThis assignment asked students to design a shell structure using old T-shirts and wall plaster.

Folio LanternThis project called for a 3D portfolio. By using basswood struts and a continuous strip of fabric, the design makes its very pages structural.

MoogfestThis Design-Build project led to a large temporary installation on Lexington Ave in Asheville, NC, during a music festival hosted by Moog synthesizers.

Steel TectonicsThis project asked a team of students to examine a sculpture intended to teach students about steel connections and produce a 1:3 scale model of it.

Abstract StructureThe project required a load, and that no glue be used. Students could only use dowels, string, and a baseboard to support the prescribed load. My design uses only one dowel and one string.

Kwa WatotoThis short, non-academic project for a Kenyan pastor involved a site visit to Kisumu, Kenya. I helped Pastor Benard cast a vision to American benefactors in order to help make his vision real.

Framing ModelThis model studies the advanced framing strategy, as well as the implications of scissor trusses on a design.

Wall SectionAssociated with the same project as the framing model, this drawing explores how to make a scissor truss extend over to roof a porch, and how a home might meet the ground.

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Josh MaceJoshuaRMace@GMail.com

(803) 810-3118420 Patrick Henry Ct

Lake Wylie, SC, 29710