BAC Segment I Portfolio

2 Chris Pitre

Introduction

The contents of this portfolio shows my progress during Segment I of the Bachelor of Architecture program at the Boston Architectural College.

Before attending the BAC, I had completed a two-year degree in Architectural/Design Construction Technology. This experience allowed me to become employed with an ar-chitectural firm, and learn under the leadership of a professional architect. While this was a great experience, I was limited to gaining the actual experience of design.

Studying at the BAC has allowed me to grow substantially, by taking the tools that I already had, and push them even further. The program has opened my eyes to new design skills and the ability to see things about design that i was never taught before.

I look forward to my growing experience here at the BAC, and will con-tinue to push my ideas under the leadership of great instructors.

Segment I Portfolio 3

EducationBoston Architectural CollegeBoston, MACandidate for Bachelor of ArchitectureJan 2010 - Present (B2 Studio) GPA 3.8

Delgado Community CollegeNew Orleans, LAAAS Architectural/Design Construction TechnologyAug 2002 - May 2005

Louisiana Technical CollegeHouma, LACertificate-Drafting & Design TechnologyMay 1995 - Aug 1997

ExperienceScairono Martinez ArchitectsNew Orleans, LADesignerFeb 2005 - Jan 2010

• Produced and managed construction documents and details using AutoCAD

• Project Management: Weekly construction meetings, maintained meeting minutes, composed field reports, resolved issues in the field

• Revit training• 3D Modeling using SketchUp• Created presentation and marketing material using Photoshop

• Specifications and material research• Developed office CAD/Drawing standards• Communicated with Owner/Client and Contractor

Joseph B. Caillouet Architect AIAThibodaux, LADesignerJuly 2003 - Feb 2005

• Produced and managed construction documents and details using AutoCAD

• Managed daily office procedures

Entech & Associates, Inc.Houma, LADrafterApril 1997 - July 2003

• Produced Naval Architecture drawings using AutoCAD• Performed general project management duties and field work to oversee ship construction

• Performed general office administration

AwardsCurtis B. Coleman Scholarship - 2004

Home Builders Association of Greater New Orleans 2004 Delgado Student Chapter Residential Design Award

National Collegiate Architecture &Design Award - 2004

Skills•AutoCAD•Revit•Rhino 3D•SketchUp•Photoshop•InDesign•MS Office

4 Chris Pitre

5Segment I Portfolio

SEGMENT

i PO

RTFO

LIO

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STON

ARC

HITE

CTUR

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Table of Contents

Studio A-2

The ChairThe Path

The Ritual

Studio B-1

Michaels Sisson ResidenceCharles River Boathouse

Studio B-2

Project 0Educational Pavilion

Chinatown Cultural Center

Professional Practice

Scairono Martinez Architects

Coursework

Freehand Drawing CoursePerspectives

Rhino 3D RenderingFr

061422

3040

566270

86

949697

6 Chris Pitre

Semester

Instructors

Duration

Project Summary

Spring 2010

Amanda SandersCynthia Bubb

4 Weeks

The following project is an exercise in understanding the human figure as a standard of measurement and the study of it’s relationship to environment around it.

By investigating joinery details of a specific mate-rial, a chair was designed based on the concepts of size, scale, and proportion of the human body.

I Began the project by investigating the dimensions of the human body to better understand the scale at which I would be designing.

The Cardboard ChairStudio A-2


I then explored the joining of cardboard to understand the workability of the material and discover how certain types of joints could better suit a built apparatus for the human body.

The joining of multiple joints began the process of finding a configuration to serve as a supporting structure.

Joint Study Models

Study Model

8 Chris Pitre

Standards Research

I researched basic dimension standards of chair design to better understand the scale of my design.

I also explored basic geometric shapes, and found that the triangle closely related to the angles of posture position, and could pos-sibly provide some support characteristics.

I used the triangle as a design element to push my process and help shape my design.

The Cardboard Chair


The project parameters consisted of using three sheets of card-board to construct the chair. I extracted two main joint details to explore in construction, the fold and the support beam.

Studio A-2

10 Chris Pitre

Sketch models were used to explore the joint details of the fold and support beam.

The triangle was carried thru as the form defin-ing element.

While these elements were successful in creating the form, they were not success full in providing a stable structure.

I decided to add planar elements to create a stronger chair, while using the triangle as a guide to design these planar elements.

Process model using only the fold.

Process model using the fold and the beam.

The Cardboard Chair


The final design consists of planar ele-ments, a fold for the seat, and beam ele-ments for support.

The Triangle in Design

Studio A-2

12 Chris Pitre

Isometric

Plan View

Elevation View Section View

The Cardboard Chair


The Chair Inhabiting The Space

The Body Inhabiting The Chair

The Reading ChairThe chair is designed as a simple reading chair, to sit comfortably for a prolonged period, while enjoying a good book.

The design fits well as a personal chair, or in the larger context of a public library.

Studio A-2

14 Chris Pitre

Spring 2010


4 Weeks

The PathStudio A

-2Semester

Instructors

Duration

Project Summary

I began the project with a study of the topography to better understand the site conditions how this would influence a path through the site.

The following project is an exercise in creating a sense of experience for a user along a pathway. Each student was given a generic site to create to trajectory path of experience.


Site Location

The chosen context of my site is an urban environment along a body of water, which allowed me to explore the blending of natural and man-made elements, and how to successfully combine these two into a harmonious experience for the user.

Chris Pitre16

The Path

My path through the site is an experience of escaping from the urban environment and bringing the user to a more natural environment at the water’s edge.


Studio A-2

Concept sketches and research helped me vi-sualize some ideas to push my design forward.

Provide a connection to the landscape and water with an outward view.

Provide noise blocking element at entrance.

Provide screened element for inward gathering space.

Chris Pitre18

The Path

Site Plan

During my first iteration of design, I found that I had created too much of an abrupt edge at the water, which did not create the natural feel that I was looking for.

I also found that I did not have the natural progression through the site that I was looking for.


Studio A-2

Soft Edge / Nature

Hard Edge / Man Made

I decided to add an axis thru the site which would incorporate a water element, giving the user a natural sense of movement along the path.

Chris Pitre20

The Path


Studio A-2

22 Chris Pitre

The Ritual

Spring 2010


6 Weeks

Studio A

-2Semester

Instructors

Duration

Project SummaryThe objective of the ritual project was to study a given ritual and use the ideas and concepts ex-tracted from the analysis of the ritual to design a space on a site located on Newbury Street in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston.

I chose to study the ritual of a Japanese Tea Ceremony. This ritual is based on the aesthetic preparation of tea and provides a bonding experience for the host and his guests. The ritual is a formal ceremony in which guests are invited by the host to join in a time of reflection and appreciation for tea. In essence, it is a social experience between the host and his guests.


A large part of the tea ceremony is based on movement thru a series of spaces which ultimately lead to the tea room where the ceremony takes place. This movement by the visitor is a series of progressions toward the experience of the cer-emony, and are controlled by the fact they must be allowed by the host before they can move to the next area along the path.

Gate EntranceWaiting AreaTea Room

Garden Area

Stations of Movement

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Site Location

The Ritual

The given site is located in a busy and culturally active area of Boston on Newbury Street, which is filled with various retail shops and serves as an active social destination for both tourists and day-to-day Bostonians.


Studio A-2

As part of the program, each student was asked to present a design scheme which contained at least three “vendor” spaces.

For my program, I decided to create a mu-sic pavillion in which individual talent could showcase their music for the neighborhood. This would provide a social activity along Newbury Street, and would allow artists to invite indviduals to join in a celebration and appreciation for their music.

The site is designed as a progression of spaces, much like the tea ceremony:

1. Visitors enter the first vendor at the site entrance, and must purchase tickets for the performance before they are allowed to enter the next space.

2. The next space is an open garden area, where individuals can socialize and enjoy refreshments before the performance begins.

3. The final space is the performance area, in which individuals are only allowed to enter once the music starts, and they are entertained by their host, the musician.

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The Ritual

The use of the circle in the design was gained from the inspiration of the Enso, or circle, from the Japanese culture. This symbol is an expression of the moment when the mind is set free to simply let the body and spirit create. I saw this as a representation of the creativity of music, and the moment of expression by the artist who is giving the performance.


Studio A-2

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Site Plan

Site Section Site Section

The Ritual


Studio A-2

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Michaels Sisson ResidenceSt

udio

B-1

Semester

Instructors

Duration

Project Summary

Fall 2010

Claes AndreasenTom Simister

6 Weeks

The following project is an exercise in analysis and intervention of an existing building. I was given a building and asked to research and analyize the project to try and understand the concepts behind the design, and then trans-form the buidling thru intervention based on my findings.

Photo Courtesy Architecture Magazine - Dec 1998



The Michaels Sisson Residence was designed by the Miller Hull Partnership in 1998 for a young couple, and is located in Mercer Island, WA.


32 Chris Pitre

Michaels Sisson Residence

My analysis began with research to find photos and existing drawings of the residence. Creating hand drawings of the existing house plans forced me to concentrate on the details of the project and become familiar with the design elements. This allowed me to understand the layout of spaces and the context of the site. This exercise in drawing gave the chance to begin to conceptualize the ideas behind the design of the architect.


Studio B-1

34 Chris Pitre


The project has a strong connection with its surrounding landscape by rising up into the trees. The building sits on a heavily wooded site of northwestern Douglas Fur trees. The layout of the house consists of four levels which brings up into the trees instead of sitting low on the site.

Sketch model showing relationship with

the trees


Studio B-1

36 Chris Pitre


Photo Courtesy Millerhull.com

The connection with nature continues by letting the outside and inside become one with each other. The rear of the house is filled with glass, and a large door opens out onto a deck and boardwalk. There is a sense that the nature at the rear of the property wants flow inside, and the inside want to become involved with the outside.

Nature - Inside/Outside


Studio B-1

The top level is open between two floors in the center of the space, allowing a field of vision to be created which has a focus to the rear exterior of the house along the boardwalk.

38 Chris Pitre


My intervention involves adding an exterior space to the design. This small addition reflects upon the relationship with nature by rising up into the trees, and is placed in the direct path of vision at the rear of the house to become a focal point from inside the house.


Studio B-1

The space is allowed to become part of the existing house slightly, by touching the existing boardwalk. But it becomes its own entity by rising up on slender posts. My vision for the space is a place of meditation, or a place to relax up in the trees, and become one with nature.

40 Chris Pitre

Charles River BoathouseSt

udio

B-1

Semester

Instructors

Duration

Project Summary

Fall 2010

Claes AndreasenTom Simister

8 Weeks

The boathouse project is an exercise in site analysis. After thoroughly investigating a specified area along the Charles River in Boston, I designed a community boathouse based on my site analysis. This project was an important exercise in understanding how a site can influence the design of a building.


I began my investigation by visting the site and documented my first experiece thru sketches and photos.

42 Chris Pitre

Charles River Boathouse

By analyzing my findings after I visited the site, I began to document aspects of the site that I thought were important:

-Site entrance-Pathways-Places of activity or rest-Noise from the city

I felt that the site entrances and pathways were im-portant factors to start to consider where my project would be located on the site, as this would determine the ease of how visitors would approach the boathouse.


Studio B-1

I looked at the pathways, and how they traveled thru the site, and how they connected visitors to different areas of interest on the site. The most prominent area of interest and activity is the existing dock. This area of the site serves as a great public destination. Building in the near vicinity of the dock, or in place of it, would greatly disrupt it’s social function. So I look at an isolated area of land adjacent to the dock to site my building.

Existing Dock

Isolated Site

44 Chris Pitre


View of isolated site from dock.

Isolated Site

Existing Dock


Studio B-1

Placing my building in this area of the site would allow it to have a close relationship with the existing dock, while not intruding on its function and use. Using this site placement also gave me the chance to take advantage of the nearby site entrance, and create a direct access to the building. This helped me start to development my program layout, by realizing that if I let a pathway continue thru my building, I could split the program in two, and create a central public corridor with direct access to the water.

46 Chris Pitre


Rowing as Motion Motion as Geometry

Geometry as Form

Once I began laying out my program, I gained inspiration from the act of rowing, and the geometry created by the axis lines of the oars in relation to the major axis of the boat.


Studio B-1

While I did feel that this location was best suited for its relation to the existing dock and site entrance, I did not want to overtake the parcel and destroy the landscape that was already present. I allowed only a piece of the structure to touch the land, and let the dock be the connection that would bring visitors to the water.

48 Chris Pitre


The program is split in two, generating a cen-tral corridor between two buildings, creating a social hub, and direct connection between the existing landscape of the site and the water.

One building is reserved for boat storage and ath-lectic functions, while the other serves personel and public functions. Circulation towers redirect visitors from a horizontal movement to vertical movement.


Studio B-1

In this first massing model iteration, you can see the cooridor created between the buildings, and the idea of extending the second spaces out toward the water.

50 Chris Pitre


Since a large portion of my building is directly over the water, I wanted the user to be able to experience this element. I incorporated folding glass wall which could be opened at certain times of the year to bring quality of water and the sounds of the river into the space.

The second story of the athletes facility is dedicated solely to lockers and shower rooms. I incorporated a clerestory window to bring light into the space while keeping a since of privacy.


Studio B-1

The circulation towers are enclosed with glass to allow the user to still be able to experience the exterior elements of the landscape and water.

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Ground Floor Plan


Studio B-1

Second Floor Plan

54 Chris Pitre



Studio B-1

From the river, the building starts to become weightless by floating just above the water, and becomes detached from the land. The open court between the two structures allows the landscape and the water to flow freely as if there were no building separating them.

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Project 0St

udio

B-2

Semester

Instructors

Duration

Project Summary

Spring 2011

William NolanMatt Roberts

5 Weeks

Project 0 is the basis for all of the coursework of Studio B-2, and is an exercise in understand-ing tectonics. Starting with two abstract details, I was able to extract components to form a “kit of parts”, and establish a tectonic concept which was used to build at various scales and conditions throughout the course of the studio.

Detail 01

Detail 02


I studied each detail and extracted individual components which could be used as building blocks. While doing this, I was thinking about how these parts could start to define space.

58 Chris Pitre

Project 0


Studio B-2

By combining elements of both details, I was able to form a tectonic concept of parts which could be transformed to create an apparatus. One of the main elements from my study is a brace, which is joined with a rod support. I visualized the brace as part of a shell system which would create a space.

Study Model 1 incorporates the brace element and the rod element. I found that using the rod support at only one axis would provide an unstable apparatus.

Study Model 2 incorporates the brace element and the rod element. The rod support is now at two axis points to provide a more stable apparatus.

60 Chris Pitre

Project 0

Tectonic Concept:A system of main bracing elements are held in place by thru rod supports to form an exterior enclosure shell. Providing different axis points for the rod support allow the braces to be adjusted at different angles to form various components of the structure.

Using this concept and my system of com-ponents, I was able to design an appara-tus, at human scale, for an unspecified site.

I designed a park pavilion that incorporates elements of my concept to provide shelter, a place of rest, and a place for viewing public art.


Studio B-2

Final Assembly Parti

62 Chris Pitre

Arnold Arboretum PavilionSt

udio

B-2

Semester

Instructors

Duration

Project Summary

Spring 2011


5 Weeks

The following project is a continuation of understanding my tectonic concept by introducing it to a sloped site. My initial apparatus from Project 0 is transformed to adapt to the site, a larger scale, and more program.

Peters HillArnold Arboretum


Each student was given three poten-tial sites located on Peters Hill at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston. Each site has different slope characteristics, and each was analaized at the site to determine elements which would have an affect on the decision of where to place the Educational Pavilion.

64 Chris Pitre

Arnold Arboretum Pavilion

Site 02 Section

I chose to site my building on Site 02. This site was the clearest of existing trees and vegetation, so the building would not affect the existing landscape. This site also gave me the opportunity to explore using my tectonic as an extension of the existing pathway from the main entrance of the site.


Studio B-2

Site 02 is a downward sloping site. I had to think about how my tectonic would engage the site, and move visitors down the site, and thru the space. My initial conceptual model shows the tectonic components of the brace and rod support. I wanted to create varying levels down the slope which would be connected to the braces. The braces extend to engage the site, while the rod support is connected at a single point of each brace. This created a moment in which the rod support becomes a gestural movement down the site, guiding the visitor thru the building.

Vertical Circulation

Concept Sketch Models

66 Chris Pitre


The rod support creates a directional path, touching down on the site at start and finish.

Longitudinal Section


Studio B-2

The program for the educational pavilion consists of an entry, an exhibit area, staff space, and utility space. The bracing system increases in size as it moves down the slope, creating a small entry space, and a larger destination point which is the exhibit space.

Site Plan

68 Chris Pitre


Cross Section

Section Model

The staff and utility areas or placed in the center of the building, leaving space for circulation at the exte-rior side of the building, and allowing the facade to be glassed, and open to the exterior. The glass panels on the roof are operable to allow ventilation during the warmer months, letting heat escape from the building.


Studio B-2

Interior Perspective

Having the staff and utility spaces at the center of the building also provides wall surface for exhibit space along the circulation. Visitors are able to experience the exterior landscape as they move thru the space.

70 Chris Pitre

Chinatown Cultural CenterSt

udio

B-2

Semester

Instructors

Duration

Project Summary

Spring 2011


8 Weeks

The following project is the final step in de-veloping my tectonic idea for an even greater scale. The cultural center contains a large program, including offices, a performance space, and artist studios, and is located on an existing site in the Chinatown neighbor-hood of Boston. The project is pushed by site analysis which transforms my tectonic to adapt to the given site and program. Site

72 Chris Pitre


Axis of Travel thru Site

Entry Points on Site

The main influence of my site analysis comes from the fact that the site is located at an intersection of various cultural neighborhoods, includ-ing Chinatown, The Financial District, and The Leather District. This creates a nodal center where people can merge. Creating an axis of travel thru the site to meet at this node point, began to form my project.


Studio B-2

The site is also affected by the presence of a large vent tower. As part of my analysis, I found that the tower acts as an element that wants to cut thru the site, or separate it. This is apparent mainly in the approach of the site from the Chinatown Park. I used this as the basis for a strategy of entrance to the building, one main entrance on the “financial district” side of the site, another on the “neighborhood” side.

Longitudinal Section Thru Site

Ven

t To

wer

Ven

t To

wer

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Study Model

Tectonics Elements Study

Project 0:Bracing elements are joined by rod support to create enclosure.

Arnold Arboretum Pavilion:Rod element becomes a gestural move to create a horizontal pathway.

My initial study of my tectonics on the given site involves using the center node as an expressed moment on the site. As the rod element from the previous project was expressed as a horizontal move along the site, it is now used as a vertical movement. It is now increased in size to become an inhabitable space.


Studio B-2

The program elements are centered around the node, and pierce the node to become part of the central space. This first layout of my program was a good exercise in discovering how the node and the programs around it would interact, but I felt that I was missing my initial analysis of axis thru the node. I was also missing the bracing element of my tectonic strategy.

76 Chris Pitre


I went back to my axis diagram to reestablish the movement thru the site that I was looking for. I wanted to create a major and minor axis. The major now becomes a path of destination which leads to major program element, an exhibit space of the first floor, and a performance space on the second floor. The minor axis is established as the neighborhood side entrance. Both of these paths from the entrances lead to a common place of meeting at the center node.

Axis Diagram


Studio B-2

Site Plan

78 Chris Pitre


Section Study Model


Studio B-2

By studying my design in section model, I began to see how my tectonic elements could start to form a “language” throughout the building. The bracing elements become part of main structural system of the building, and penetrate thru the node to engage the central space. These elements are exposed both inside and outside.

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Ground Floor Plan


Studio B-2

Second Floor Plan

82 Chris Pitre


The center node becomes a place of engagement for those visiting the site. Circulation is around the node, so visitors must interact with this area when moving from different spaces throughout the building. The bracing element of the structure penetrates the cylindrical ele-ment of the node, and is exposed to create a sense of visual interest.

Longitudinal Section


Studio B-2

Bracing of the structure penetrates the cylindrical node.

Interior Perspective @ First Floor

Interior Perspective @ Second Floor Balcony

84 Chris Pitre


Cross Section


Studio B-2

86 Chris Pitre

Scairono Martinez ArchitectsPr

actice

Project

Supervisors

Responsibility

Louisiana Army National GuardReconstruction of Beauregard Street HomesNew Orleans, LA

Barry ScaironoRon Martinez

Assist with residential design through existing conditions survey and site coordination. Prepare documents and details for bid process and construction. Assist with construction ad-minstration by attending weekly meetings during construction and documenting the process through reports and photos.


In 2005, much of the South coast was damaged due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Jackson Barracks, a major Army National Guard support unit in the New Orleans area, was severely damaged by flooding in the Lower Ninth Ward. Scairono Martinez Architects was awarded one of many projects by the State of Louisiana to rebuild and improve this military complex. This project was to include the reconstruction of several military housing units.

The scope of the project included a total of 13 housing units located on a private drive contained within the walls of the complex. Many of the existing houses were built over time since the early 1930’s. Most of the units were renovated over the years. This led to non-uniform conditions within the plans of each house, and poor curb appeal.

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The existing site conditions were documented through extensive photos and investigations to determine the conditions of structural stability and overall reconditioning factors. During these site visits, special attention was paid to some of the existing historical details and layout of the buildings.


Beauregard Street Homes

EXISTING CONDITION

Each house was thoroughly documented through photos and measurements. Field drawings were used to produce CAD drawings of each existing building layout. These drawings were used to obtain accurate layouts and floor area of each building.

NEW CONDITION

Sketch by Dennis Brady

Using the existing area and program for each existing building, a new floor plan was created.

A single base floor plan was created to use as a template for each individual building. By making slight changes to in-crease or decrease the size of the floor plans, construction would be made easier due to the similarity in the layouts, while giving each building it’s own identity.

Design goals were to make improvements over the existing buildings such as larger kitchen areas, better circulation and organi-zation in the floor plan, and improved exterior components such as covered front porches.

90 Chris Pitre


A major goal of Scairono Martinez Architects was to improve the uniformity of the site layout and curb appeal. Illustra-tions were created to present to the client for approval.

Upon approval of the design from the client, construction documents and details were created for each building.



Open ended rafters were one of a few details used to keep some of the historical elements in the design.

Detailed waterproofing details such as this window sill detail were important in conveying precise information to the contractor.

It was important to the client that any future instances of flooding and water damage could be guarded against and easily dealt with in a renovation process. To ensure this, decay resistant material such as the ones shown here were incorporated in to the design.

RAISED CMU FOUNDATION LIGHT GAUGE STEEL FRAMING CLOSED-CELL FOAM INSULATION

92 Chris Pitre


My experience extended beyond design and document production to include first hand involvement with construction administration. By attending weekly site visits to document the construction progress, I was able to see a transformation from concept to completion.

An aerial view of the construction site shows the vast area included in the scope of the project.



At each weekly meeting, field reports were produced to record the progress of the contractor and determine any issues that would have to be resolved between the architect and contractor.

Progress photos were compiled each week in document form and submitted to the client.

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Coursework

Freehand drawing course

96 Chris Pitre

Coursework

Interior Perspective

Exterior Colored Pencil Perspective


Rhino 3D Rendering

BAC Segment I Portfolio

Documents

Transcript of BAC Segment I Portfolio