Portfolio_AMO

Amber M. OrgantiniM.Arch Portfolio

Somewhere between architecture, art, andcommunication...

INDEX

01.0Trestle Block 435:

St. Louis Design Center

02.0Urban Theater:

A Dynamic Corner

03.0Feed Right:

Nourish the Mind and Body (Secondary School Proposal)

04.0Tyson Research Laboratories:

Minding the Watershed


My architectural interests extend to new urbanisms and urban growth, and the notion of landscape and the concept of the public park. In many circumstances, architecture acts as a either a background, an intermediary, or delimiter. Determining the right kind of intervention is vital to the process.

I have always been interested in how, particularly, civic architecture interacts with the public realm - altering the perceptual experience of the direct user, the spontaneous user, or the passerby.

It is critical to consider how architecture relates to its physical surroundings on both the exterior and interior, and provides a social opportunity to positively impact a community.

My design process is rather non-linear as I first attempt to converge social, programmatic and environmental needs to develop an architectural strategy. And from here, I begin to design.

01.0Trestle Block 435:

St. Louis Design Center

Washington University in St. LouisAdvisor: Eric R. Hoffman, AIA, NCARB, LEED APStudio: 616 Degree Project - Fall 2012

This project reflects an opportunistic moment to connect people, place and activity in an

otherwise lifeless area adjacent to the historic Old North St. Louis. The title, Trestle Block 435, refers to a parcel of land along an elevated railway known locally as 'The Trestle'. Proposed by the Great River Greenways for development into a biking/pedestrian path, the existing infrastructure has the potential to serve as a destination; growing and connecting from

the 'ground-up' and offering views to and from the Old North neighborhood, the new I-70 corridor, the Mississippi River, and downtown St. Louis. Proposing St. Louis' first Design Center at this critical juncture, will increase visibility for the St. Louis Design Community and its many offerings while activating this monotonous and under utilized site along the Mississippi River. The exhibition space and public market intends to spark a revitalization of

life and color, into this otherwise monochromatic landscape. The project's bridging and adjacency to primary transportation routes will serve as delimiter, stage and billboard. Simultaneously, this strategy allows Downtown a means to expand North, further unifying the River and larger St. Louis community.

(pause)first a....

02.0Urban Theater:

A Dynamic Corner

Washington University in St. LouisAdvisor: Catalina Freixas, LEED APStudio: 317 Core I - Fall 2009

At the juncture of the bustling intersection of Tucker and Washington Avenues (A Historic Loft

District), is a proposal for a small-scale urban theater on a condensed and awkward site. The design concept explored a sequence of 'peeling' from the surface (to invite people on top of building), 'lifting' to tuck program within (creating views from inside-out and outside-in), and 'twists' to draw attention upwards (also a way to add

more back of house space) all contributing to a small theater with a dramatic corner presence!

The sun-shading canopy on the east side of the building seemed like a necessary addition to signify entry as well as to elevate the 'drama' of the building; the design of the canopy was inspired by an exercise in representation of sun-shading of both urban and

site scales (modeled on all times of day), carried out early in the project's conceptual phase. The eventual analysis of sun shading on the site was both metaphorically and physically applied to the canopy's structural design.

(solitude)to find some...

03.0Feed Right:

Nourish the Mind and Body (Secondary School Proposal)

Washington University in St. LouisAdvisor: Donald N. Koster III, AIA, NCARB, LEED APStudio: 511 Vertical Studio - Spring 2011

The existing primary school, Patrick Henry Downtown Academy is more than just a learning center; it's a place where the parents and

children receive food from subsistence programs, adult education, and childcare, to name a few. The vacant adjacent site has the potential to grow into a secondary school for children and a functioning community center for the people of the Columbus Square neighborhood.

Given the research surrounding child nutrition and its direct correlation to learning performance, this proposal takes a would-be secondary school and community center one step further - to propose space for nutritional education and application to be used by both new and existing schools. The needs of both the community and the students are at times of day shared and other times separate activities.

This tripartite/dual sided school design attempts to consider pragmatic uses of all intended functions, while considering existing building heights and pedestrian flow of the neighborhood of the primary school. Also, internalizing student congregation and circulation to the courtyard side will ensure an increased sense of safety and privacy for both students and community.

(break)to take a.....

04.0Tyson Research Laboratories:

Minding the Watershed

Washington University in St. LouisAdvisor: Heather Woofter, Chair, Graduate ArchitectureStudio: 318 Core II - Spring 2010

Taking organisms found in the St. Louis region, this project's conceptualization began with

analyzing characteristics of mushroom gills and corn kernels and interpreting both as a superstructure and pod-like microenvironment, respectively.

The project then responds to site location and program, accommodating a site-sensitive ecology and watershed while creating a special place for occupants to interact with nature on both the interior and exterior. The program diagram represents an ideology about nature, work, and leisure and how combined components, through architecture, can enhance one's experience and physical environment.

(calm)and the final.....

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