PORTFOLIOSydney Thompson

Sydney Thompsonsydney14@uga.edu

University of Georgia: College of Environment and DesignUndergraduate Portfolio

2008-2011

Table of Contents

Hand Graphics / Construction

Small Scale Planting Designs

Density Study

Service Learning Project

Art Work/Travel Experiences

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17-30

33-38

41-44

47-50

Hand Graphics and Construction

This project was the first ever illustrative master plan that I rendered. The class was given the basic plan with merely circles for plant symbols. The objective of the project was to learn appropriate plant symbols for differ-ent types of trees and proper line weights de-pending on the height of the plants. Once the base plan was completed, the project stated to render one in pen, one in pencil, and one in color in order to explore the different effects that each material produces.

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Media Exploration

Pen Illustrative Plan

Pencil Illustrative Plan

Color Marker and Color Pencil Illustrative Plan

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Elevation

9

Axonometric

Angle Exploration10

In hand graphics, our class did a study on how one site can look different de-pending on what an-gle of drawing you do. I used the same plan from the media exploration project in order to learn how to create section draw-ings and axonomet-ric drawings. Media: Color Mark-ers and Prismacolor color pencils

11

Community Subdivision

This project was assigned second year of the program in the hand graphics class. The goal of this project was to learn how to render a larger scale, community plan. Though I did not design the layout of the site, I explored color choices and rendering styles based on the object that I was representing. Dur-ing this project I learned how to represent an extended forest edge as well as standard lots and a common body of water.Media: Color Markers and Prisma-color color pencils.

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Modular wall/Step Elevation

Modular Wall Section Modular Stair Section

The second year of the program I took a construction class. It focused on learning how to properly draw construction details for pavements, stairs, walls, and tree installation. This set of drawings exemplifies how to draw plans, sections, and elevations for modular style materials. Media: Pen

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Modular Wall/Step Plan, Scale: 3/8 - 1-00, Professor Melcher, LAND 2320, 3/18/10

Construction Details14

Small ScalePlanting Designs

Designing for Speed was a project in which the goal was to create an Eye-catching design on a highway median. The project would be seen at high speeds. Therefore, my design had bold, large elements with simple, yet effective details. In order to begin this project, we were required to do huge, abstract pastel drawings inspired by different types of music. The design Inspiration I chose was created listening to Jason Mrazs pop-jazz song shy that way. The rhythm of this song is very flow-ing and relaxing, which is why I chose to use loose organic curves in my design. The beat is also very balanced and never strays too far from the chorus and Melody, which is why I designed a mostly symmetrical site. Media: Color marker and Prismacolor Color Pencils

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Designing for SpeedSection Elevation

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19

For this project, I was given a peer to act as my client. The site we were assigned to design includes the road directly outside of the city hall building in Athens, GA. Other criteria we had for this project were to design the site based off of a quote that our clients picked out as well as decide whether or not to keep the current road open and usable or to close it and turn the site into a sort of courtyard (both being up to the client). My client, Justin Mobley, chose the quote If you come to a fork in the road, take it, which was stated by the late great Yogi Berra. Mr. Mobley wanted to keep the road open, as well as provide a public space for people in downtown Athens to enjoy. In order to meet his desires, I turned the street into a roundabout (inspired by the quote). In the center of the roundabout I created a series of paths and open space. I also designed two fountains in order to drown out the noise of downtown and create a nice focal point. The last requirement of this project was to some how incorporate the actual quote in our design. I decided to make a large sculptural ele-ment that drivers would see as they entered the roundabout.

Ruminating Roundabout20

Planscale: 1/4 - 1-00

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Relating to Architecture

Sectionscale: 1/4 - 1-00This is the first project I was required to select specific

plants for my design, rather than simply stating whether they were evergreen or deciduous. In this project, the goal was to select a planting design that accentu-ated the architecture of the house. I chose a cool color scheme and plants that supported the architecture, with-out taking away from the look of the house. Media: Color marker and Prismacolor color pencil

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Phase One23

Caldwell Corridor Redesign

Caldwell hall is the building on the University of Georgias campus that the College of Environment and Design is based out of. For this multi-stage as-signment I created a new planting and hardscape design for the courtyard behind the building. The goal of this project was to create a design that sig-naled to students and people passing by that they were entering or near the College of Environment and Design. The first phase of the project shown here was a plan view of the entire site. The requirements of the project included enough parking to match the amount of existing parking plus having ADA acces-sible sidewalks. I was also required to create a road that allowed emergency vehicles and garbage trucks to maneuver through the site. Media: Color Marker and Prismacolor Color Pencil

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Section Scale: 1 = 10-00

PlanScale: 1 = 10-00

Phase Two25

Caldwell Corridor Redesign

For the second phase of the Caldwell Corridor Redesign project, I zoomed in on the south-ern portion of the site and created a more detailed planting design. I also created a plant attribute chart showing the species of plants I chose and their physical characteristics as well as their sun and nutrient requirements. The planting design I created is intended to give our college (College of Environment and Design) an identity on campus. The or-ganic curves I created flow with the topography of the site and the planting beds were de-signed to be eye catching, without impeding students walking path. I chose plants that are fairly low maintenance, but that are aesthetically appealing. Media: Color Marker, Prismacolor Color Pencil, Pen, Microsoft Excel

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Phase Three

For the third and final phase of the Caldwell Corridor Redesign project, I created a formal planting plan using autocad. This plan included the proper number of plants in a given area as well as their spacing. Along with the planting plan, I created a plant schedule. In the sched-ule I included the details necessary for a contractor to know when pur-chasing and installing the plants as well as details of how to properly plant each type of plant in my design. Media: Autocad and Microsoft Excel

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Caldwell Corridor Redesign28

Detail of dogpark and lake

The site of the project is located in Atlanta, GA off of Northside Drive. I created a mixed-use recreational park. The park features include two playgrounds (each serve different age groups), an interactive water feature, a fenced in dog park, a lake surrounded by a walking trail, a basketball court and a tennis court. There is an administration building with a few parking spaces and an attached rest room building for park goers use. I was required to grade the entire site; most of the site is ADA accessible. The goal of my design was to create a space that all ages can enjoy. I also wanted the space to be used 24 hours a day. Therefore, it is very well lit and open for police surveillance. Media: Color Marker, Prismacolor Color pencils

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(Above) Section detail of how the dog park is elevated above the sidewalk around it using a retaining wall. (Top Right) Play-ground specifications based on the equipment that I chose. (Bot-tom Right) Detail of my interactive water feature.

Northside Drive Park Redesign30

Density Study

Density Study 133

Dream House

During my Applied Engineering class, we were given the same site for three different projects. The first project that I was assigned was to design my dream house. The house had to be at least five thousand square feet and include nu-merous amenities. We were also re-quired to grade the entire site, which was very new to me. My dream house featured a grand entrance driveway complete with a fountain and a parking lot in back for guests. For active recre-ation, I included a large pool and a ten-nis court. For passive recreation, I incor-porated a large pond in the back yard with a dock for fishing and a walking path around it. I kept a lot of existing trees in order to maintain privacy. Media: Autocad, Color Marker, Prisma-color color pencil, Pen

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Density Study 235

Neighborhood Layout

The second project in my density study required me to design a neigh-borhood that had housing lots. The neighborhood was a zone density of 2.5 dwelling units/gross acre, the lots had to be able to hold a minimum house size of 2400 square feet, and the lots had to be at least 8000 square feet. We had to grade the road en-tirely. The neighborhood I designed is along one main, curvilinear road. Media: Pen

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Density Study 337

Mixed-Use Community

The final stage of the density study was to create a mixed-use, residential community. In my design, there are 112 units. Each unit has four, 2 story town homes. At the front of the com-plex, there are two, 5,000 square feet commercial or office units. On this site, there are 40 commercial parking spots and 277 private residence park-ing spots. The amenities that I includ-ed in my design are a recreation cen-ter complete with an exercise room, a game room, a covered event space, and a pool, a universal mail pick-up and trash drop-off, and a detention pond at the end of the site to collect runoff. I completely graded this entire site to ADA standards. My goal of this proj-ect was to create a safe, aesthetically appealing residential area. I chose a radial theme because I had never at-tempted one in the past.

This density study was very interest-ing to me because it showed how one site could be used for three very differ-ent designs. Media: Color markers, Prismacolor Color Pencil, Pen

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Service Learning Project

In my applied ecology class I participated in what the professors refer to as The Service Learning Project. This projects goal is to give students real life experience dealing with clients and installing their designs. My group worked on one of our professors back yard. She wanted a design that utilized the principles of permacul-ture. Permaculture (Perma-nent Agriculture) is more of an idea rather than a style of design. When practicing permaculture, one tries to utilize natural processes to help the plants, such as water drainage and slopes. Also, every plant in a permaculture design has duel purposes, such as aesthetics as well as nutritional value.

The two concept plans on the far left were shown to our cli-ent to help her visualize our design process. The concept plan above is the one we ultimately based our final design off of.

Permaculture41

Service Learning Project

To the right is the finalized planting plan of my groups Service Learning Project. Our main feature of the back yard is the keyhole vegetable gar-den located in the center of the yard. We chose this design because a keyhole garden al-lows one to minimize bed lines and maximize planting area. Another notable feature of our design is the fact that no planting beds are more than four feet wide. This is because from any side the reach is two feet to the center of the bed; any reach longer than two feet is uncomfortable for the client. Media: Pen

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Work Days43

During our work days we prepared the soil and layed out bedlines. We also cleared invasives and planted many of the plants that were in our final plan.

Service Learning Project44

In this set of pictures, our group is creating the keyhole vegetable garden using a lasanga method of soil prep-aration. This method is characterized by using differ-ent layers of compostable material such as soil, leaves, paper, lime, and pinestraw. The idea is that these layers will decompose by the spring and one is left with beau-tiful nutrient filled soil for planting.

Art Workand

Travel Experiences

(Top Left) Wine Glasses: White Charcoal

(Top Right)Lovers: Pen

(Bottom Center)Shapes Abstracted: Colored

Chalk Pastel

47

Art Work

(Above) Rose: Acrylic(Right) Joy: Mixed-Media

48

49

England

London House of Parliament

Spain

(From Top to bottom)Rock of Gibralter

PortugalMadrid

Travel Experiences50

Italy Australia

(From Top to bottom)Rome

Cinque TerreTuscany

Left: BrisbaneBelow: Lady Elliot

Island

Below: Great Barrier Reef(Green Sea Turtle)

Above: Fraser islandLeft: Carnarvon Gorge

Resum and Coverletter

This portfolio was created using a combination of the Adobe programs Photoshop and Indesign. All images are

from my personal camera and scans.