Canoe Gallery - FLLWSA 2009

A Spring Green, Wisconsin canoe builder was hoping to open a gallery to exhibit his strip built canoes in a renovated building. The main floor is used to show the five designs. A lift is installed to ease the process of moving the boats from the basement workshop, to the ventilated workspace, and the gallery space.
The main theme throughout the gallery is the basket weave. When the strips meet along the keel of the canoe they alternate creating that pattern. The most dramatic example of this is in the roof with alternating roof planes sloping into each other creating wings for water or snow run off.
The ceiling of the gallery space reflects the roof line creating the same basket weave effect. This theme is also in the store front with elements in the main window, the front door and handrails.
These sections detail the interior elevations as well as the roof lines. On the south wall of the gallery there are benches to view the hanging canoes on display. Facing them are cabinets that hold canoeing accessories to accompany a purchase of one of these art pieces.

Shekinah Abode - FLLWSA 2008

(North is to the left) The Shekinah Abode is a residence for a single mother with two daughters. The circulation spaces are wider than normal to create living spaces in them. The center hub of the building is the dining and kitchen area with a green house adjacent.

The Shekinah Abode is built into a south facing hill to give passive heating and cooling for the house. It also allows the possibility for fenestration for solar heating. The roof is also oriented for advantageous placement of solar arrays.
The structure for the Shekinah Abode is simple and affordable, staw bales. On the south side of the dining area is typical stick fram construction to support the windows. The foundation portion of the building is created by stacking recycled tires like bricks. They are filled with soil, contained with wire mesh and plaster over.
In the dining area of teh Shekinah Abode, there is a built-in table and bench. Above is an impressive set of windows that look out into the green hosue and beyond. The first and last rows of windows are operable. They allow warm air in from the green house or to release it outside to cool the space.

Computer Renderings

Bissonette Residence - Chief Architect
Desk Design - SketchUp
Bissonette II - Chief Architect

Uganda Community School Project Inc. - FLLWSA 2008

The Uganda Community School Project Inc., is a non profit organization whose goal is to create an educational community center in Nawantale, Uganda. The first phase of the project proposed the construction of a High School, Health Education Center, and Library/Computer lab.
The first building to be built would be the High School. This contains four classrooms and support spaces. The rooms are oriented around a central courtyard for school assemblies. Each classroom has a cupola to allow more natural light into the rooms.
The building that is most needed in the community is the Health Education Center. Here, for the first time, AIDS/HIV screening will be available for Nawantale villager. There will also be classes on healthy living offered.
The building that welcomes visitors to the campus is the Library/Computer Lab. Each building expands upon the knowledge of the amateur builders are gaining with every building. This one introduces curves and a taller roof structure.

Buckeye Town Hall - FLLWSA 2007

The town of Buckeye, AZ was supposed to grow to three million from a population of thirty thousand people. This posed a problem for the town offices which would relocated to a civic center. The design accommodates the existing population without overpowering them, but also has potential for expansion if the town grows.
The main entry to the Buckeye Town Hall creates a stepped plaza that is shaded by mesquite trees that are native to the area. The structure of the building reaches out of the walls to draw the user into the space as well as propose a potential expansion plan.
The side entry is recessed, but to a lesser degree than the front entry. The beams extend past the wall and tie the Buckeye Town Hall to the proposed Library across the sidewalk.

Instead of projecting the entry out from the Buckeye Town Hall, it is tucked the father in on the south side of the building. The door is transparent along with the surrounding wall. Showing the users clearly what is inside, it also allows the structure to be seen puncturing the envelope of the building.

Photographs

Shoes
School Yard
Badlands
Porthos

Cholla - FLLWSA 2007

The Teddy-Bear Cholla is the inspiration for this design. The cactus' abundance of spines provides shade for the plant and the thick walls keep it cool. These were incorporated in the design of the structure.
At a smaller scale the cholla pod can be used as a desert shelter. The stairs wrap around the base to one of the windows that opens as a door. The fins that project out can be manipulated to shade the windows. The interior walls are thick, keeping the temperature tolerable.
A larger scale of the cholla pod is reminicent of the Ste. Chappelle in Paris. The sanctuary space is small but quite open and lofty. The windows are stained glass with the colors projecting around the interior as teh sun tracks through the sky.
To enter the sanctuary of the cholla chapel there is a staircase that winds inside a base, which would act as a gathering hall or narthex. This base opens otu at ground level. This gives the pod a pure unbroken exterior.

Sketches - FLLWSA 2008

Fountain on the Sunset Terrace
Origami chair
Sprite

Lanterns

St. John's Episcopal Church - VTC - Landscape Design 2007

St. John's Episcopal Church in Randolph, Vermont was looking for an updated landscape plan. They wanted a division between their property and the residences either side. This plan also focuses on created public and private gathering spaces for the congregation.
The most private space of St. John's Episcopal Church's landscape plan is an "english garden" for the pastor. This is sectioned off by a picket fence with a field stone path leading to a bench and circling a sun dial to lead into the church offices. Being on the north side the plants are suited to partial shade.

The original gardens of St. John's Episcopal Church were very simple containing trimmed evergreen bushes that were easy to maintain the new design attempts to contain with a low maintenance plan. Along the side walk are stone walls and outside the pastor's garden the other plantings are lilac bushes and some of the existing evergreens.
The public is separated from St. John's Episcopal Church while they are on the side walk by a simple stone wall. The wall also creates a visual foundation grounding the building. The other visible landscaping are the lilac bushes on either side of the church.

Patterns

In the nature patter the casia bush found in the Sonora Desert inspires 'casia', particularly the foam of yellow blossoms on the branches of the bush in the spring.
The nature pattern, 'poinsettia' takes the idea of the leaves overlapping. Each plan centers the arc that create the leaves. The overlapping curves for the red leaves. As they are closer to the center of the plant, the leaves become darker, overlapping more.
The number '6' is incorporated in this figure-ground study. The '6' is flipped and mirrored. The spaces between them filled in to complete the column.
In the figure ground study of the letter 'K', the letter is copied and rotated into pinwheels. The exterior perimeter is emphasized with two lines. Each is stacked to creates a column and offset from the column next to it to create the pattern.

Pool World - VTC 2006

Pool World is s public pool house in rural Vermont. The existing site contains a dirt parking area and pools. The building creates a division between the tow and hugs the pools. This allows the southern section of the property to remain an open field.

The Interior of Pool World is an open floor plan; it is not intended for use during the winter months. The users enter the building on a foot bridge over a shallow gazing pool. This deposits them between the concessions area and life guard station. Past the activity room are public changing rooms. The main space opens out towards the pools.
The structure for Pool World is quite simple with a slab foundation and concrete masonry units for the main walls. In the activity room and concessions area two of the walls are glass blocks. The roof is a tensile fabric structure with a metal skeleton creating the forms.

The exterior of Pool World is supposed to evoke a playful feeling that a public pool has. The deep red of the roof contrasts the forest surrounding the structure. Natural colored stucco clads the blocks to lighten and visually warm the building.

Kidder Residence - VTC 2006

The Kidder Residence is a renovation to a Vermont farm house. The main addition to the first floor is a formal entry to the north, instead of circling visitors around to the backyard and through the mud room. The new porch supports a master bathroom addition creating a master suite for the Kidders.
The main goal of the renovations on the second floor is to create more space for the Kidders. They shared a bathroom with their two sons on the second floor. The new bathroom gives everyone a little bit more room in the mornings. The dormer added to the Master Bedroom opens up the attic like bedroom. It also frames the view of the Green Mountains to the South.
From the Master Bedroom of the Kidder Residence there is a deck that connects it with adjacent barn. The second floor of the barn will also be renovated, though at a later time, into an office or studio space.

The challenge with the Kidder Residence was to take an already cluttered facade of teh house and add to it with out overpowering the original section. As previous owners needed more space they made changes to the house without any apparent pattern. Overall teh renovations are meant to be kept in the same style of the original house.