As a student of architecture I have traveled the world to analyze and dissect how architecture functions as a cultural phenomenon and use my experiences in travel as the engine that drives my designs. I have a strong understanding of a projective architecture, thanks to my UIC education, a school dedicated to the pursuit of shape as a cultural phenomenon. After graduating from UIC I have dedicated my life to the pursuit of how architecture functions as a cultural phenomenon. Every architectural project has an ambition, whether program, environmental performance, formal gymnastics, raw utility etc. and I have traveled all around america and with the personal ambition of seeing how architecture is used as a tool to elicit life in the physical environment. Architecture describes people.
Following graduation I worked for the University of Illinois conducting field research for a study aiming to eliminate childhood obesity and I used this study as an opportunity to see how the american people use architecture to reflect what they value in their lives. In 6 months I was able to study rural, suburban and urban environments and to set up narratives for how metropolitan areas function for the far reaches the deep logging woods of Oregon to central park in Manhattan; I believe I have witnessed the full spectrum of american urbanity.
Currently, I am on 3 month excursion in Cape Town, South Africa, ending in November, in pursuit of understanding how architectural spirit can be manifested in other cultures.
University of Illinois at Chicago - Institute for Health Research and Policy, Chicago, IL, US, Research Specialist
Traveled to 14 different communities in 12 different states to collect data
Worked with no supervision for 14 weeks; entering the office only twice in that time period
Investigated such topics as walk-ability, food-economies, tobacco-economies and access to exercise
Observed communities while operating under rigorous coding protocol which attempts to categorize the entire American landscape into several pages of documentation
Interviewed community members in a wide variety of settings including but not limited to fast-food restaurants, grocery stores,limited-service stores, supermarkets, parks, street segments and physical activity venues
Department of Urban Speculation, Chicago, IL, US, Team Lead/Planning Consultant – LeClaire-Hearst
Co-lead a group of 6 students through research and design phases of a public housing community redevelopment phase
Created a dossier of drawings, diagrams, and research for the LeClaire-Hearst community to be used as a rallying object to raise funds and unite the community in their redevelopment
Conducted interviews with community leaders to understand hopes and gains of the community
Created a master plan to help the community negotiate with HUD and CHA for grants and to ensure the community was ready to work with the developer in the development phase
Bike and Roll, Chicago, IL, US, Tour Guide
Toured groups on bikes and Segways through 8 different neighborhoods, dishing out knowledge of over 40 buildings, 30 historical land marks, 10 public hotspots and 8 secret nooks of urbanity
Preformed regular bike and Segway mechanical maintenance and repairs
Trained people of all ages, from as young as 12 to as old as 82, to ride Segways up and down the lake front of Chicago while being the only tour guide to never have an accident report filed
Received many positive reviews on both tripadvisor.com and yelp.com, enough to be requested for many private tours
University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US, Research Assistant
Gathered historical documentation on the buildings including rare and restricted documents
Gathered previous student studies and organizing their documentation
Studied Chicago high-rise buildings by visiting them and sketching out layouts
Drew Axonometric drawings which explain how an individual building functions as a single-structured city within the metropolis and how that building elicits its own unique type of lifestyle
Created and managed an online database through Dropbox.com which was accessible to many contributors to post and receive documents
University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US, Bachelors, Architecture
Bachelors of Science in Architecture
UIC is an architecture school directed by Bob Somol, in pursuit of shape as the driver of meaning in architecture. The under-graduate program at UIC is focused on shape specifically in the metropolis and in urban environments. My studies are situated in the architectural discourse by attempting to define shape as a driver of new types of lifestyles, to trap abundance of existing conditions and combine them to make a new, vibrant reality. I believe architecture is the number one describer of the physical environment. In order to describe shapes, I have learned a number of necessary skills primarily focused on communicating meaning in form.
Talent Tuition award, Scholarship
This scholarship is merit based and awarded to students chosen by the administration which portray outstanding work.
Year End Showcase, Nomination
Every year UIC school of architecture puts on a year end show of all the best work from the studio's. I was selected to the year end show 3 consecutive years in 2009, 2010, and 2011.
Student Advisory Board elected Representative, Nomination
Every year, two students are elected to represent each class of the UIC school of architecture and serve as the Liason's to the administration. I was elected for the school years of 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.
