.
The Epitecture Studio
architecture that relies upon
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Bachelor of Science Architecture, December 2004
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Master of Architecture, May 2007
Included below are a series of projects that explore two concepts that have been vital to the development of "Nature Frame." Embracing the unique conditions of the environment, setting, or context to help inform and enrich the character of the design. Utilizing unintentional (natural, organic, living, etc) elements alongside intentional (man-made, architectural, permanent, etc) ones.
Palenque Visitor Center, 2004
Main Entry, Designed to fit into not only the natural landscape but the historical and architectural as well. The visitor center/museum/research center was designed to introduce people to the ancient Maya City of Palenque in Mexico and in the process be the continuation of that tradition.
Sustainable Residence Hall, 2004
Main Entry, Designed for the Univ of Wisc Baraboo/Sauk County, the residence hall utilized the most degraded part of the site and transformed it into an asset. The building served as a connection between the intimacy of the forest to the north and the dramatic views to the south. It also extended the available opportunities for the incorporation of vegetation.
Grand Trunk Environmental Park, 2005 School of Human Ecology, 2006 Main Entry, Incorporating vegetation into the interior design can visually enhance the newly created vertical and horizontal surfaces. In addition, it helps to filter out pollutants from the air. This biological approach reduces reliance on mechanical equipment.
Univ of Wisconsin Milwaukee Stormwater Masterplan, 2006 Building Integrated Photovoltaics, 2007 Humanature Project: Thesis, 2007 Site Plans, As the project progressed several issues surfaced including how to think of the architecture and its environment as a single integrated idea. One strategy was to view the building as a dead/fallen tree that has altered its surroundings and provided new opportunities for growth. Another strategy viewed the site as a single ecosystem with a series of niches. These niches weren’t based on plant or animal type but spatial relationships and movement patterns. Other strategies looked at historical patterns, future development, and even the possibilities that may occur when the walls and roofs are demolished. Perspective Looking East, The result of studying this dynamic was a biological center located along the National Mall in Washington D.C. The building served as an institution for the study, display, and appreciation of the interface between the intentional and unintentional.
Gateway Plaza, Located on a brownfield site that once served as a transfer point for the Grand Trunk Railroad, the environmental park attempts to rediscover its economic potential and historic character. The large site near Downtown Milwaukee provides a means to bring new types of green industries to the city while taking elements of its heavy industrial past to inform the design of its public spaces. Reconfiguring the abandoned railcars and rails into a network of raised planting beds. They provide structure and height to the space while avoiding the disturbance of the contaminated soil below the surface.
Sectional Detail, Designed for the Univ of Wisc Madison, the new classroom/office building relies on the natural processes of plants that occurs throughout the year. Tapping into these processes allows a building to respond to seasonal climate changes that plants have evolved to deal with. The vine covered wall provides shade during the warm months of the growing season and allows light in during the cold months of the dormant season. The use of a non-traditional technique on an educational building also provides an educational tool for instruction and research for professors and students. 
Site Model, Part of an effort to reduce the impact of campus stormwater on Milwaukee’s sewer system a series of raingardens, green roofs, permeable paved surfaces, and other best practices were proposed. These small to moderate scale projects weren’t meant to dramatically change the landscape, but enhance it. The goal was to go beyond just reducing stormwater and utilize them for educational purposes. In addition they would help to beautify the campus and as well as making spaces more accessible and enjoyable.
SARUP Strategy, The design for a PV-array on the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the Univ of Wisc Milwaukee calls for producing energy in conjunction with shading the building and reducing co2. The array would be a sculptural piece that interacts with its environment.
Concept Illustration, Based on the premise that incorporating manmade or intentionally designed elements with natural or unintentionally designed ones produces something that is more complete than when they are separated.
