Meghan PutnamDesign Portfolio

The city of Chicago provides a unique backdrop to the Museum of Contempo-rary Photography, providing it with a mul-titude of design opportunities and con-

straints. The museums adjacency to Grant Park and Michigan Avenue address present the opportunity for the building to be-come an architectural landmark for the city. Although building in such a dynamic environment has its advantages, it also provides a number of obstacles. With a relatively small building footprint, the design needed to maximize the sites limited space and also interact with its surroundings while addressing the unique needs of a photography museum, such as, avoidance of direct uv rays. The first step in the strategy became a simple extrusion of the footprint to maximize space. Next, the buildings circulation was [carved out] as a way to [break the box] and provide an op-portunity for the public to observe how those within the building move throughout the space.

MoCP

Parkside Village Elementary

Level 1

Level 2

Le l Level

Parkside Village ElementaryParkside Village Elementary is located in downtown San Diego. The design focuses on creating a healthy and stimulating envi-ronment for the buildings users. The shape and orientation of the building is designed to maximize natural light and harness the steady breeze that blows in from the ocean. The classrooms are arranged ac-cording to grade level giving space between the upper and lower grades with the play-ground area in the center giving teachers an unobstructed view of the students play-ing, providing a safe learning environment for all.

Information MembraneA cell membrane protects the interior of a cell from the

outside environment. Cell membranes are selectively perme-

able to ions and organic molecules. The "skin" or library

membrane acts in the same way. Through a series of per-

forations and voids, the building design allows for circula-

tion, light, book storage, and outdoor space. This design

seeks to address the needs of the modern public library.

Through the integration of an interactive art center the li-

brary once again becomes a gathering place for the com-

munity and a place to share experiences and ideas.

Calla ChristianThe Calla Lily is a traditional symbol of pu-rity due to its smooth curves and stark white color. The Calla Christian Church mimics both the organic shapes and sense of purity. The program for this project called for a worship space, reception area, classrooms, and administrative space.

ional urves Chuand this

l s hu

s

sysymbmbolol of pupu--s anand ststarark white e e hurch h mimimimimimicscscs

sensnse e ofofof s s

Located in a rural community in mid-Missouri, the concept for this project was [knowledge]. An armillary sphere, a traditional symbol of knowledge, became the formal source of inspiration for the structure. The de-sign incorporates many windows in a cylindrical

composition as a reminder to learn from the world around us.

Boone County Library

Level 1

Level 2

North Village LoftsNVL was an adaptive reuse project located in downtown Columbia Mis-souri. The goal was to convert this historic warehouse into artists lofts, retail space, restaurant, spa, and gym, while maintaining as much of the

historic facade as possible. The solution I proposed was to add a modern metal awning to modern-ize the building without competing with the exist-ing structure. This project was largely an exercise in space planning with historic preservation, building codes, natural lighting, and plumbing considerations all taken into account.

arm lock

rotating arms

twist lock dome

removablesaltwater pan

potable waterreceptacle

spout

Through a series of design modifications, this design addresses some of the shortcomings of products that are currently on the market.

Na seeks to provide simple and aesthetically pleasing solutions to the issue of po-table water. Simple considerations such as ease of use and multi-functionality were at the driving forces of the design.

Without water, life would not exist. It is a prereq-uisite for all human and economic development. Yet today, nearly one bil-lion people lack access to potable water. more than twice that many, 2.5 billion people, do not have access to plumbing.

prototype:

solution:

neutralizing aqua

Na's focus is on improving the health and lives of it's users. That's why it is made of lightweight BPA free plastic to eliminate the risk of leeching harm-ful chemicals into the water. Also, the use of enamel over steel plate for the saltwater pan ensures rapid heating and safe dringing wa-ter all for a reason-able price.

This system was designed to have three posi-tions. the standing position separates the system from the ground removing possible bug and dirt contaminates.

The second available position is the unlocked posi-tion. By simply rotating the arms towards the front spout, the system is unlocked. Then, a twist of the dome releases the top and it may be removed by lifting and pulling it through the back. this al-lows access to the saltwater plate for cleaning. The hemisphere shape of the system maximizes the surface area of the saltwater pan and attracts more sunlight through the plastic dome

The lock feature prevents the possibility of con-tamination through an airtight seal that is immove-able by the wind or small animals. This position also allows the user to use the top handle to eas-ily carry the system from place to place. Also, the system is available with a shower-head attachment. By depressing the spout, the shower-head fills with water and regulates the flow of the water to elimi-nate waste.

standing

unlocked

locked

Centripetal movement describes the way by which bodies are drawn or impelled to follow a curved path with the orgin always a point on a central axis. In nature, the helix best describes this complex geometrical form. Borromini's stair in Palazzo Barberini is an ex-ample of how the basic helix can be manipulated to form new geometries. Borromini stretched the helix into an oval rather than the traditional circle. In this form study, the helix is manipulated in many ways such as the exterior points moving closer and fur-ther from the orgin point to form an undulating geometry. The central axis may also be reinterpreted by rotating the direction. Rather than its traditional vertical configuration, it may be tilted on its side to form yet another unique geometry. By following a few sim-ple rules, the possibilities for creating new geometries from the helix are nearly endless.

Centripetal Movement