Portfolio 2015

architecture portfolio

rachel plessing

education

B.S. Design, University of Nebraska - Lincoln - May 2013 with Honors and Highest Distinction | GPA 3.9/4.0 B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Nebraska - Lincoln - May 2014 with Distinction | GPA 3.9/4.0 M. Arch, University of Nebraska - Lincoln - May 2015

experience

Holland Basham Architects | intern architect (2014-2015) Leo A Daly | intern architect (2012-2014) University of Nebraska - Lincoln MayaCityBuilder Project | Research Assistant (2015-present) D-think & Professional Practice | Teaching Assistant (Fall 2013, Fall 2014) Nebraska Architectural Guidebook | | Research Assistant (2009-2012)

involvement

Healthcare Design 2014 AIA AAH Student Design Charrette (Fall 2014) UNL Healthcare Design Studio (Fall 2013, Fall 2014) UNL Architecture London Study Aboard Program (Spring 2014) UNL Cycling Team (2010-2015) Honors Program (2008-2013) American Institute of Architecture Students (2008-2009)

computer skills

Drafting & Modeling | SketchUp, Rhino, Grasshopper, Revit, CAD, CityEngine Graphics | Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Lightroom, Dreamweaver Other | Microsoft Offi ce, MATLAB, HTML, VisualBasic

rachel plessing

rplessing.wix.com/[email protected](402)-670-2242

Gretna Healthcare Campus

a masterplanned campus promoting a

healthy environment for Nebraska’s fastest-

growing community

02UNL Student Health Center

a new student health center that acts

as a gateway onto campus as means of

increasing awareness of the program

08con

ten

ts

London Cafe

a cafe collaborating with an existing green

space to help visualize the city’s change

over time

14

Des Moines Community Center

a community center addressing

neighborhood needs while accommodating

program for the adjacent state fairgrounds

20Lincoln Urban Seed Bank

an urban seed bank with a facade

specially design to regulate sunlight and

view of adjacent railyard

26Quarry Visitor Center

a vistior center in an abandoned quarry

designed to scale the cut side of the

quarry to the lake below

32

02

Gretna Hospital & Healthcare Campus2014, University of Nebraska, Healthcare Studio

Gretna, Nebraska’s fastest growing community, is looking to provide healthy lifestyles

for its future residents through the construction of a new hospital. However, because

health does not occur strictly within the walls of a hospital, the scope of the project was

expanded to include a masterplan for a wellness-oriented campus. The masterplan’s

pedestrian-friendly environments and mixed-used zoning promotes walkability as

a way to combat increasing rates in obesity and obesity-related diseases. Assisted

and independent living centers in close proximity to the hospital and mixed-used

development address Gretna’s lack of housing options for elderly demographics

and allows residents the comfort of being near to their healthcare needs. Other

amenities such as groceries, pharmacy, fi tness center, and retail are all located within

a comfortable walking distance. The hospital’s location along the south side of a public

green space opposes the typology of alien healthcare building isolated on its own site,

and adds familiarity to the healthcare facility. A combination of green roofs and playful

forms mitigate the boundary between community realm and healthcare program.

03

+6 min

+3 min +3 min min

1

2 3

4

5

6

7

1 mixed-use

2 community green space

3 wellness center

4 hospital

5 assisted & independent living

6 townhouses

7 recreational area

04

05

U

clinic

lab

pre/post op.

plevel 01 planlevel 01 planle planve 00 ppp

4 8 16 24’

iclinclinicc cccccccccc

ablab

re/pos opop.pre/post oopopopppppp.ppppp

parking

surgery

inpatient

radiology

inpatient

public staff

06

lab

receiving administration

surgery

inpatient

pt

public

07

08

UNL Health Center2013, University of Nebraska, Healthcare Studio

Continual campus growth has led to the demand for a new health center better

suited to meet the health and wellness needs of the students. The existing

health center lacks exposure to campus pedestrain traffi c and gathering spaces,

resulting in decreased program awareness and usage. The new site is adjacent

to the Antelope Valley Trail, one of the city’s most highly used trail systems for

both commuting and recreational purposes. By integrating the health center

with a trail entrance onto campus, the health center can become a prominent

campus gateway, optimizing program awareness and encouraging students

and faculty to use the facility during their everyday activities, instead of limiting

occupation of the site to occasions when they are sick or injured.

0

09

09

EXISTING PEDESTRIAN AXIS PROPOSED CONNECTION

EXISTING CITY TRAIL SYSTEM

10

location on site over with potential

campus trail entrance

allowing trail to cut through building

and link into campus

creation of outdoor space for gathering

& socializing

the use of separate materials to

highlight the passage & entrances

11

lobby / reception

clinic

speciality clinic

radiology

pharmacy

physical therapy

cafe

education

12

13

14

London Cafe2014, University of Nebraska London Study Aboard Program

The City of London’s numerous, small green spaces become havens for the City’s

workers to escape bustle of the urban environment during their lunch hours.

This project focused on implementing small cafe structures to collaborate with

several existing green spaces, enhancing them as outdoor lunch spots. The

project concept revolves around London’s layered and ever-changing form.

The simple, yet fl exible, form of the buildings allow them to adopt various

programs over time, increasing the likelihood of the building’s continual

use and permanence. The main structure remains constant throughout

various uses, allowing its materiality to express the wear of time. Meanwhile

temporary panels defi ne spaces within the building and contrast with the older

permanent structure. While the scale of the building’s change is measured

in years, an accompanying plantable take-away lunch carton design allows

users to personally interact with the space and to observe the changes in their

environment at the smaller scale of weeks and seasons.

150 City of London green spaces

160 people perCity green space

7% go outside duringtheir lunch break

342,000 workers in the City of London

23,940

15

Gallery

Storage

Kitchen

Dining

Storage

KitchenOrder

2 5431

16

eat-in cafe take-away offi ce gallery

potential future programs

elevation

wall plan

Metal texture of thresholds

wear smooth over time,

exposing previous locations of

entries.

Temporary glazing panel.Wood cladding on structure

is permanent, fading and

discoloring with age

Temporary wood panels show

contrast between the new

panels and old structure

Green walls grow throughout

the warmer months and show

change at a smaller time scale

17

worn stair thread worn threshold wall discoloration plant growth

21 543

Newgate Street

seating area

seating area

seating area

18

1 | boxed take-away meal purchased

to eat in adjacent green space

2 | users tear off box tabs and inserts

in planters or green walls

3| users return to site for later meals 4| users observe progress of their plants

Branding for the chain of “green space cafes” includes packaging for take-away

lunches. The box packaging is composed of plantable paper, allowing site users to

plant their environment and observe its change over the course of multiple lunch

visits. This creates a personal connection to the site and encourages repeated use

of the green spaces.

19

20

Des Moines Community Center2012, University of Nebraska, Urbanism Studio

Each year the Iowa State Fair attracts 90,000+ people daily to its fairgrounds.

Currently, the west edge of the grounds is vacant and unprogrammed. This

project investigates uses for this land to enrich the adjacent neighborhood

throughout the year, while still accommodating the large crowds during the

fair.

The program includes community assembly spaces, a daycare, and community

garden to address the needs of the neighborhood. The inclusion of botanical

gardens and large exterior assembly zones allow fair-goers to interact with the

site as well.

21

EntranceMixed- Used Development

Site

Site

+mixed-used

+trail system

+school

+trail system

+fairgrounds++fairgroun

+scho

+trai

++

+

Iowa State

Fairgrounds

Willard Elementary

School

sitemain and educational sites

street frontposition along major street

pedestrian circulation form shaped by routes across site

22

neighborhood circulation open path through building to planting area

pedestrian bridge recreational trail over busy street

plantingcommunity, educational, and biotanical areas

23

Assembly

Support

Circulation

BikeTrail

Education

Office

Interior Planting

Level 01 Level 02

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25

26

Haymarket Seed Bank2011, University of Nebraska, Site Studio

The Haymarket Seed Bank is a place for researchers and visitors to study, collect,

and grow various seeds. The site is secluded from main axes of traffi c, so the

design’s form strives to increase visibility of the building to both pedestrian and

vehicular traffi c to bring awareness to the program. A major projection extends

towards O Street and engages the traffi c entering Lincoln, while a secondary

projection increases visibility from 8th Street and allows morning light into the

main circulation space. The perforated facade addresses the need to regulate

daylighting and glare from the large western exposure, while limiting views

of the nearby railyard. The interior program’s need for daylighting determines

the aperture sizes within the facade, while the location of the openings are

positioned to reduce glare.

27

28

8th St

O St

Initial building form

Visibility from O St Access to Green Roof

Visibility from 8th St

29

SEED VAULT

FAIR TRADE STORE LABORATORY

LABORATORYRBLABORATORYRBLABORATORYRBLABORATORYRBLABORATORYLABORATORYLABORATORYLABORATORY

TEMPORARYT EXHIBITION

MECHANICAL30

Evening

Afternoon

Evening

Afternoon

Afternoon

Classroom

Laboratory Growing Area

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32

Quarry Visitor Center2011, University of Nebraska, Lyceum Competition

The Lyceum Competition included designing a visitor center / artist retreat

within an abandoned granite quarry. This project explores the numerous

dramatic experiences of this site, from the vertigo of peering down a cliff face,

to the humbling feeling of standing far below the quarry rim along the water’s

edge. However, the quarry’s terrain currently makes it impossible to reach the

many levels of the site; therefore, the design employs a ramping method to

provide a way for all ages and abilities to explore the site on its multiple levels.

As the ramp works its way downward, it becomes oriented at diff erent angles to

provide users with various focused views of the quarry’s key features.

33

34

Aluminum Curtain Wall

Granite Panels

Plywood Sheathing

Batt Insulation

Granite Panel

Metal Decking

Poured Concrete

Steel Structure

Batt Insulation

Gypsum Board

Granite Panels

35

gallery viewing book store / cafe

12

3

54

1 | gallery

2 | artist studio

3 | viewing area

4 | auditorium

5 | meeting room