MMMichelle Allettoportfolio of selected work

03//lighting design

02//park + ride

01//fashion incubator

04//residential interiors

The Living Runway

An Urban Treehuse

Archistoric Products, LLC.

Normandy Remodeling

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educationThe School of the Art Institute of Chicago2013-2015M.Arch emphasis in Interior ArchitectureCertificate in Historic Preservation

Miami University 2007-2011BFA in Architecturefocus in Entrepreneurship

activities + awardsAIAS - Executive Board (Director of Communication)

USGBC - Member - LEED GA (in progress)

2014 CWA Scholarship Honorable Mention

2014 EAGER Student-Led Research Grant HistRe Collaborative

professional experienceArchitectural Drafter | ARCHISTORIC PRODUCTS, LLC. | July 2014 - Present

-- Organized product specs, and conceptual design ideas from project architects, and translated them into fabrication documents for the custom design, manufacture, and restoration of light fixtures

Interior Specialist | Normandy Builders | Jan. 2012 - Aug. 2013

-- Provided clients with design solutions for interior remodel projects and home additions -- Increased monthly project sales with design development drawings, material selections, and preliminary pricing for client meetings-- Trained new Interior Specialists

Architecture Intern | Normandy Builders | Apr. 2010 - Dec. 2011

-- Managed multiple jobs for permit applications through Building Code research, Plat Survey and Site analysis, basic load calculation, and coordinating permit related change orders with Project Architect and Project Designer.-- Translated field measurements into construction documents and provided Project Architects with drawing red-lines

related skills + experienceNeoCon Intern | Interior Design | NeoCon 2014 - Chicago

-- Planned NeoCon events, such as the HiP Awards, with Interior Design magazine -- Directed new Interns for event prep, which included furniture layouts, swag-bag stations, award displays, and guest relations-- Organized event check-in to ensure all guests were registered before entrance

Teaching Assistant | Design Matters - SAIC | Aug. 2013 - Dec. 2013

-- Introduced First Year Undergraduates to the importance of material selection, user research, and design composition -- Planned and led in-class tutorials for Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and presentation board layout

M.Arch Student Designer | SAIC - Fashion Dept. | Aug. 2013 - May 2014

-- Initiated development of a new design concept which increased our client’s confidence in our student design for the SAIC Fashion Show runway-- Managed runway fabrication, lighting installation, and surrounding environment to ensure all aspects aligned with the initial design drawings that were approved by our client (Fashion Dept.)

01//fashion incubator

The Living RunwayWhen challenged with adapting a historic building in Chicago’s Wicker Park Neighborhood to accommodate a fashion incuba-tor my initial site research became the catalyst for my design concept. Milwaukee Ave. in the Wicker Park/Bucktown neigh-borhood, is a bustling street filled with first floor retail spaces, which makes the street appear as a “Runway” for the neigh-borhood. Applying this concept to the interior and exterior aspects of my design proposal allowed me to connect the existing building, the empty lot, and the fashion manufacturing program. Analysis of neighborhood shopping times and site traffic drove program coordination and placement within the building, and revealed how the different fabrics could be connected.

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Stitching buildings and people together through designA garment uses stitches to connect differ-ent pieces of fabric, both structurally and aesthetically. The Living Runway connects the different “fabrics” of the building:

1. Milwaukee Ave + Wood St.2. Existing building + New building3. Public + Private program

+ ARCHITECTONICS

OLD+NEW: Interior runway mimics fi rst fl oor retail on Milwaukee Ave and is emphasized through structur-al steel beams that break through the existing brick walls. The circulation continues vertically with two sets of stairways, and open ceiling connections.

MILWAUKEE+WOOD: Exterior facade glaze connects both streets visually

PUBLIC+PRIVATE: a clear distinction between the fi rst fl oor retail space, and the upper studio spaces is ap-parent through the new exterior storefront glazing.

+ TEXTURE + MATERIALS

EXTERIOR facade mixes smooth glass with the rough texture of the existing brick, which mimics the Runway circulation inside.

INTERIOR fl oor material changes color and texture to show the Runway circulation

+ SPACE PLAN

Circulation connects Public+Private entrances. One entrance being on Milwaukee and the other on Wood.

The Living Runway “stitches” the different program-ming on each fl oor, but uses the same base pattern. Each fl oor uses the same “pattern” but organizes the spaces to create a unique “look” for each fl oor.Continuing the same Runway circulation will create a sense of way-fi nding for the occupants.

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Stitching buildings and people together through designdesign concept

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+ ADJACENCY

OLD+NEW: The main programming on each fl oor branches off the main Runway, which mimics the retail spaces along Milwaukee.

PUBLIC+PRIVATE: L1 - The Public-Private Runway circulation connects the Retail space on the fi rst fl oor, with the member-on-ly spaces that are off of the Wood St. entrance. L2 - The semi-private Photography studio on the sec-ond fl oor is connected with the member-only offi ce space and meeting area. L3 - The open Design Studio on the third fl oor con-nects to a semi-private meeting area, reading nook, and a private conference room.ready-wear vs. haute couture

+ LIGHTING

Exterior facade creates an opacity that highlights the various interior spaces that are connected by the Run-way Circulation.

Lighting above the main runway emphasizes the con-nection between the old+new buildings, and serves as a spot light during shows.

Clustered pendant lights create an intimate feel in the Luxe Lounge.

Elevations + Building Sections

Milwaukee Ave. Elevation

Wood St. Elevation

Elevations + Building Sections

Section 1: Milwaukee-Wood

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+ CIRCULATION

Runway circulation connects programming on each fl oor. It “stitches” together public+private spaces (de-sign studio-sewing room-open offi ce) and it material-izes the relationship between the historic building and the new addition (Retail Shop-Cafe) + (Photography Studio-Garment prep-Cafe)

+ FURNITURE

Using pieces with linear elements will mimic the hori-zontal Runway circulation.Fabrics/elements that emphasize stitched elements or patterns.

Sleek clean pieces mixed with rustic elements will help balance the connection of the existing building with the new building, as well as the exterior facade.

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A. Retail - Pop up shop (ready wear clothing by 2-yr members)B. Luxe LoungeC. Fitting Rooms/Model prep/Back of HouseD. Gallery/Auditorium/Event Space (Haute couture display)E. Runway CirculationF. First Floor Cafe + Beverage BarG. Cafe Kitchen/Storage/Catering prepH. Event Coordinator ReceptionI. Meeting/Casual Workspace

I. Meeting/Casual WorkspaceJ. Second Floor Cafe + Beverage BarK. Garment prep (iron + steam stations)L. Photography StudioM. Collaboration SpaceN. Marketing Director OfficeO. Business Marketing-Brand Strategy open officeP. Group Conference AreaQ. Storage

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level 3 level 4

I. Meeting/Casual WorkspaceJ. Second Floor Cafe + Beverage BarK. Garment prep (iron + steam stations)L. Photography StudioM. Collaboration SpaceN. Marketing Director OfficeO. Business Marketing-Brand Strategy open officeP. Group Conference AreaQ. Storage

I. Meeting/Casual WorkspaceM. Collaboration SpaceP. Group Conference AreaQ. StorageR. 2-yr Member Desks (6-person program)S. Open Design StudioT. Sewing Room

I. Meeting/Casual WorkspaceM. Collaboration SpaceP. Group Conference AreaQ. StorageU. Material/Design LibraryV. Archives

Furniture Selections

group conference+ cafe seating

collaboration spaces

private offices

open office - 2yr members

the Boutique

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Pendant LightRecessed Light

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Existing Brick

Copper

Polished Concrete - Basalt

Decorative Mosaic Tile

Porcelain Stone in Spritzer

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the Runway

Pendant Light

Suspended Acoustic Fabric Panel

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Existing Brick

Copper

Polished Concrete - Basalt

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pendant lightrecessed light

the Luxe Lounge

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Existing Brick

Copper

Custom Textile Rug

Wood Floor - Antique White

furniture

q_bic - Haworth Collection Resonate shelves - Haworth q_bic table - Haworth Collection q_bic bench - Haworth Collection

02//park + ride

The Urban TreehouseIn an effort to enhance a sense of community in the South Loop through the addition of a Park+Ride, I am proposing to integrate the convenience of parking with the idea of a tree house retreat. I wish to promote a feeling of productivity for busy weekday commuters, provide a place of retreat for travelers passing through Union Station, and create a destination spot on weekends for families. By combining parking with multi-functional programming that mimics the layout of a tree house, the disconnect and lack of program at the current Union Station parking garage can transform into a vibrant exciting community.

In order to transform this area into a vibrant community, I used the concept of a tree house retreat for the programmatic layout of my Park+Ride proposal. According to my research, tree houses can be used for recreation, workspace, habitation, and observation or as temporary retreats. Keeping this in mind, I began to develop an abstract fl oor plan of how occupants would use this space. The public space on the bottom of the “trunk” slowly morphs into “branches” at the top of the building, and create private spaces on the top.

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+ ARCHITECTONICS

The removal of the parking garage core required rein-forcement to the existing structure. This reinforcement is not only structural, but also serve as the “branch-es” of the treehouse. Because much of the existing parking garage structure was altered to reinforce the overall design concept and goals, additional structure for the building was developed. In a group effort, my team created a structure model to analyze various ten-sile resistant systems. The added structure is a distin-guishing element of the design, and gives the tradi-tional tree house an urban twist.

+ TEXTURE + MATERIALS

The use of concrete instead of wood responds to the urban features of the parking garage and its Union Station surroundings. It also provides a juxtaposition to the greenery, which emphasizes the concept of an urban treehouse

+ SPACE PLAN

Research/analysis of the site, shows that the Union Station site is lacking weekend activities, green space, and feels disconnected to the rest of the Loop/West Loop neighborhoods. Removing the fi rst and second fl oor slabs of the parking garage facilitates commuters walking to Union Station. It also allows people walk-ing on the south end of the garage to easily see the connection to Union Station. This also creates enough height for the addition of trees and a green space on the bottom of the garage.

parking garage morphology

Car Ramp Entrance

Ramp + Circulation Cores

Roof Top

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+ ADJACENCY

A multi-programmatic ground fl oor of green space, ramping into a parking area, connects to retail space, with a two-story restaurant. Continuing up the build-ing is a rooftop concert area that connects to the sec-ond story of the restaurant. The rooftop green space can be used as recreation space for children’s summer camps, or theater camps in the surrounding commu-nities. This space can also serve as a retreat for local yoga instructors, or other fi tness groups looking for a space to hold outdoor classes in the city. The retail space has designated “nooks” in each corner that pro-vide users with views into the city, and host mobile program such as eBook stores, coffee shops, and tech bars. The restaurant provides business workers with entertainment during the week. On the weekends, the restaurant and the concert space provide subur-ban Metra users with a convenient destination spot. Integrating these weekend programs with the parking area will decrease car robbery and vandalism for those who utilize the garage when taking weekend trips by train.

+ LIGHTING

Because this area becomes dark and deserted at night the three circulation “trunks” in the center of the building are illuminated.

ground floor floor 3

A. Seasonal food cartsB. Outdoor Cafe C. Community Event SpaceD. BioswaleE. Circulation Core

F. Parking GarageG. Green space / Reading nooksH. Car Ramp

South Facing Section

building sections

floor 4 floor 5 - roof top

F. Parking GarageG. Green space / Reading nooksH. Car Ramp

I. Parking - ExteriorJ. Open Retail - InteriorK. Dressing RoomsL. RestroomsM. Restaurant - Level 1

N. Restaurant - Level 2O. Outdoor Event Space / ParkP. RestroomsQ. Sloped Concert SeatingR. StageS. Backstage prepT. Food Stands / Snack Benches

North Facing Section

+ CIRCULATION

Carving out the central slabs, allowed the placement of three circulation cores in the center of the garage. These cores shift towards the main program on each fl oor with pedestrian walkways “branching” to these programs. The goal is to create an exciting new way to experience a morning commute or pit stop at Union Station, with a vibrant atmosphere for weekend activ-ities.

+ SUSTAINABLE TACTICS

Another urban component is the addition of sustain-able design tactics, which will help redevelop the site toward future design. Bioswales in the ground fl oor green space collect water run off. A double facade on the third fl oor connects to an air-fl oor heating and cooling system that increases the climatic quality of the interior spaces and generates thermal energy.

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green roof+ double facade

double facade + air floor

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03//lighting design

Archistoric Products is a lighting design offi ce + warehouse that provides ready-to-ship Collection fi xtures, one-of-a-kind Custom fi xture design, and responsible restoration or retrofi t ‘Green’ lighting products. My role at Archistoric is drafting the fabrication drawings for our clients’ custom light fi xture designs.

old town pour house clustered pendant Option 1 - Elevation

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Option 2 - Section Detail

+ nest pendant lights

Nando Restaurant Lighting For Aria Group Architects

MA02/15/14

NordstromWauwatosa, WI June 24th, 2014

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Nordstrom for Aria Group Architects

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suspended lighting

04//normandy remodeling

04//normandy remodelingAs an Interiors Specialist at Normandy Remodeling, I created presentation drawings for client meetings. After consultating with a Normandy Designer, I would put together preliminary floor plans, material selections, and cabinet priceing based on the clients’ requests/needs. These perspective views were generated using 20/20 kitchen and bath design software, followed by hand rendering. The media used is Prisma marker, ink pen, and colored pencil.

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+ guest bath

+ master bath ch

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Bathroom Design

Kitchen Design