Portfolio

WHITNEY KNUFArchitectural PortfolioBA University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign May 2009M. Arch Washington University at St. Louis December 2011MCM Washington University at St. LouisMCM Washington University at St. Louis December 2011

portfolio

CONTENTSHand Del ineation

Wal l Sect ion Precedent

Sustainable Residence

Bathhouse

Cul inary School

Discovereum

Residence

Uhome

Spatial P lanes

Food HAUS

Miscel laneous

Inked on Mylar

Red House_Bexleyheath, England

Collaborative Project with French Students_Fontainbleu

Team Project_ Paris, France

Paris, France

Children’s Museum_Chicago, Illinois

Children’s Museum_St. Louis, Missouri

Children’s Museum_St. Louis, Missouri

Visitors’ Center, Hotel, Offi ce, and Manufacturing_St. Louis, Missouri

Food Pantry for Chicago Food Depository_Chicago, Illinois

Sketches, Watercolors, Details, Biomimicry

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

H A N D D E L I N E A T I O N

FL 2005

FRESHMAN year

The f i rst architectural studio consisted of learning how to produce basic drawings by hand. We were given the drawings of a s ingle fami ly res idence and we required to reproduce plans, sect ions, elevations, and several perspectives. The fol lowing drawings were inked on mylar.

H A N D D E L I N E A T I O N

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

W A L L S E C T I O N

FL 2006

SOPHOMORE year studio

Part of the Anatomy of Buildings class required us to pick a precedent building and construct a model and hand-drafted architectural drawings of a wall section of the building. I chose the Red House in Bexleyheath, England designed by Phillip Webb. The section of the Red House was a typical masonry section with an air space, weep hole, and a fl ashing. The intent of the model was to show all materials as realistically as possible.

W A L L S E C T I O N

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

S U S T A I N A B L E R E S I D E N C E

FL 2007

F O N T A I N B L E U F O R E S T , P A R I S _ F R A N C ES U S T A I N A B L E R E S I D E N C E

JUNIOR year week- long design chal lenge

While studying in France, I participated in a project where I worked as a team with 3 French students to work on a very small retreat home. The intensive project was a week long focusing on sustainable design. Professionals in sustainable design were invited to act as visiting professors and assist us in design critiques.

EXTERIOR RENDERING

Our site was located in the Fontainebleu Forest outside of Paris. Some of the sustainable features included: a radiant fl oor system, a solar chimney, a large overhang roof, heating via thermal mass,and grey water collection off of the curved roof. We built our outdoor deck around a tree to use the natural shade. For water heating, there were two solar panels placed on the curved roof, slanting towards the south. This project required extensive research as well as an ability to work with those of a different culture with different architectural backgrounds and education.

ELEVATION WEST

FLOOR PLAN GROUND

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

B A T H H O U S E

FL 2007

JUNIOR year studio Col laborat ive project with another student.

This was the fi rst design project assigned during my junior year. The program called for a modern-day bathhouse to be located in Paris’ 19th arrondissement where an urban garden is currently located. One challenge of this site was that the northwest edge is signifi cantly sloped and the design had to account for this, with entrances at both the top of the slope and the bottom. This bathhouse would have all the features of a hamam and a pool facility and two students worked as a team to complete this project.

Our goal for this project was to create a facility open to the public, yet private for the hamam experience. We accomplished this through level change, various entrances, and circulation paths. Through out the design process, we focused on our users to customize the space. A glass facade was imposed to allow light penetration, but through the strategic placement of wooden louvers and opaque glass, privacy could be achieved without inhibiting daylighting.

P A R I S _ F R A N C EB A T H H O U S E

CANAL FACADE RENDERING

FLOOR PLAN GROUND (CANAL) FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 1 (STREET) FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 2 (BRIDGE)

WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOMSTREET LEVEL LOBBY

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 3 FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 4 (POOL) FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 5 (POOL)

5TH FLOOR RELAXATION POOL4TH FLOOR POOL

CANAL FACADE OF PHYSICAL MODEL

SECTIONAL MODEL

PHYSICAL MODEL

SECTION AA

GRADUATE Bui lding Systems Project Col laborat ive project to design systems for a past studio project.

S T R U C T U R E Flat concrete slab with columns at approximately 24’ on center.

E N C L O S U R E The enclosure is a fritted glass curtain wall that is clipped to the structure. There are wood louvers attached to the curtain wall mullions over spaces that require more privacy or a limited amount of daylight.

L I G H T I N G

P A R I S _ F R A N C EB A T H H O U S E _ s y s t e m s d e s i g n

Since most of the enclosure is glass, the daylight that enters the building is signifi cant. The artifi cial lighting in the building is either strip lighting or wall sconces depending on the function of the space. The strip lighting is primarily in the more public areas of the building while the sconces are located in the hamam and other private areas that require a softer light. The strip fi xtures double as return vents for air to enter the plenum and are benefi cial as it prevents the fi xture from producing excess heat.

M E C H A N I C A LThe mechanical system consists of a fan coil unit in each space, a chiller and heat exchanger in the lower level, a fan and exhaust stack on the roof. The chiller serves the cooling cycle of the building and pumps water to each of the fan coils, on its return it uses the canal as a heat sink. The heat exchangers convert the steam provided by the local infrastructure into usable heat. Fresh air is brought in from the roof and ducts down to each fan coil unit. The drop ceiling serves as an exhaust plenum for the return air to travel through and be expelled out a stack on the roof. In addition to the regular mechanical system, a desiccant wheel is located on the hamam level to help remove the humidity from the return air that is going to be recirculated throughout the rest of the building. There is also radiant heating embedded within the fl oor slab to help supplement the heating load.

radiant heating will be added in the walls for the comfort of the hamam users

hamam level

spa locker rooms

administration level

retail/lobby level

pool locker rooms

Water Movement

hamam level

spa locker rooms

administration level

retail/lobby level

pool locker rooms

Air Movement

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

C U L I N A R Y S C H O O L

SP 2008

JUNIOR year studio

The E’cole de Cuisine site was located in Paris on a site with an existing tree that had to remain as a part of the design. The program called for a small- scale commuter school for the culinary arts. The school required a public space for presentation as well as more private space for classes and studying. In my design, I chose to additionally incorporate a roof-top kitchen, auditorium, and herb garden.

I began the design process by evaluating the practice of cooking. I realized that there were two aspects to cooking: the private preparation and the public display /sharing of the food. Therefore, I chose to separate the spaces according to which aspect they were addressing. The building was separated through level change according to these spatial needs.

On the ground level, minimizing the number of walls kept the space open for public events, but incorporated wide-staired level changes to make the space appear divided and, by default, created an auditorium-like atmosphere . This level change allowed the entire fl oor to be used for large scale exhibition events but also provided enough division to allow daily use in each separate space. The upper two levels are more private at designated as the student spaces for studying and classes. The second level has strip windows to allow framed views and the third level has curtain wall with outdoor space completely surrounding it. The roof acts as a combination of the both aspects of cooking. It has a full kitchen for classes to take place but also auditorium seating for demonstrations and events to take place.

P A R I S _ F R A N C EC U L I N A R Y S C H O O L

PHYSICAL MODEL IN SITE MODEL

FLOOR PLAN GROUND FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 2

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 3 FLOOR PLAN ROOF

SECTION AA

3RD FLOOR STUDY ROOM

3RD FLOOR LIBRARY

COURTYARD WITH TREE

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

D I S C O V E R E U M

FL 2008

SENIOR year studio

The Capstone Studio project was for a “Discovereum” in downtown Chicago. The site for the project is located at 657 South State Street which at the present time is a parking lot. Being located near a college dormitory, a few schools, Millennium Park, and the Harold Washington Library, the area is geared toward the younger generation. The program called for numerous specifi c exhibits including an art room, a climbing structure, a theatre, a Chicago Museum, and more. However, we were permitted to take liberties as to what to include and what to disregard as well as if to add exhibits. With the Discovereum project, the challenge was to create a safe environment for children to engage in educational activities in which parents are also able to enjoy the space. With such a wide age range of client, the design had to provide for all.

Specifi c views of the city and the sculptural entrance would be engaging for those of any age. An outdoor cafe on the second level allows parents to rest while their children play in the art room close by or down below in the outdoor play space. For toddlers, there is a space just for them with a small mock grocery store and a miniature train which allows them to ride along-side the Loop train. For older children, there are play structures that span levels, an art room to work on projects, exhibit spaces, and a science inventing lab. The goal of this concept was to create a space that is architecturally rich yet be a place of discovery for those of all ages.

C H I C A G O _ I L L I N O I SD I S C O V E R E U M

PHYSICAL MODEL IN SITE MODEL

2ND FLOOR CAFE

LEVEL -1 MUSEUM SPACE

GROUND FLOOR COURTYARD

R O O F G A R D E N

CHILDREN’S TRAIN SECTION

TODDLER TOWN

LEVEL -1 MUSEUM EXHIBITION SPACE

SECTION BB

DETAIL 2

DETAIL 1

DETAIL 1

DETAIL 2

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

T H E G A L L E R Y

FL 2009

GRADUATE studio

My fi rst graduate studio project was a multi-family residence in St. Louis, Missouri. Every student had a unique site- mine was located in the Grand Center neighborhood. My site was on Washington Avenue across the street from the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts. Designing a residence in this neighborhood proved challenging as most of the surrounding buildings were galleries and commercial spaces.

When designing, I chose to lift the residences to the second level and keep the ground fl oor for commercial space- keeping in tune with the neighborhood. I envisioned my building as a space of transition; a building with two different programs and two different users. The “transition” spaces (corridors, entrances and stairs) were intended to be dynamic and interesting. Level change was one way to address the different programs of the building, but it was also acknowledged through material choice: concrete for the commercial spaces, which is consistent with the surrounding buildings, and wood for the residential which is stereotyped as a softer, more welcoming material.

The residential units were two stories and the units’ staircases crisscrossed the main residential corridor. One level was dedicated as the more public space of the unit (kitchen, living room, dining room, and half bath) while the other level was for the more private spaces (bedrooms, full bath). Because I crisscrossed the units, I was able to have majority of the public levels facing the street and the private levels facing the back.

S T . L O U I S _ M I S S O U R IT H E G A L L E R Y

FRONT ENTRANCE RENDERING

FLOOR PLAN GROUND

BALCONIES

CORRIDOR

ENTRANCE COURTYARD

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 2 FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 3

CORRIDOR

BEDROOM

KITCHEN

LIVING ROOM

CO

RR

ID

OR

SECTION AA

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

U H O M E

SP 2010

GRADUATE studio Col laborat ive Project

LEED gold single family residences designed in collaboration with other students, Arcturis (local architecture fi rm), GreenSpace (local contractor), and University City. The fi rst month of this studio we spent individually designing a house to fi t on one of the sites. After we completed our individual design, we discussed as a studio the similarities between different projects and then divided into groups to work together to design another house pulling the strongest points of each individual project. The fi rst 2 spreads show the fi nal group project and the last 2 spreads show my individual project. Notably, the effi cient, barbell plan was considered the “strong point” of my project and thus used in the fi nal project. The most innovative part of our fi nal project was the polycarbonate walls on the two ends of the barbell plan which allows high diffuse light transmission, yet maintains a high R-Value. We spent signifi cant time researching materials and construction techniques to accomplish this design. The rest of the home was covered in a corrugated metal rain screen with perforated metal overhangs on the ends to provide shading. This house would be a beacon in the neighborhood as a night the ends would be illuminated with light from the interior,turning the house into an interactive piece of art.

U N I V E R S I T Y C I T Y , S T . L O U I S _ M I S S O U R IU H O M E

F I N A L G R O U P P R O J E C T _ L a n t e r n H o u s e

FLOOR PLAN GROUND FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 2

BEDROOM

KITCHEN

LIVING ROOM

summer sun

winter sun

18’-0”

9’-5”

2’-0”

SECTION PERSPECTIVE

ELEVATION FRONT (STREET)

GRADUATE studio Individual Project

My individual project was design that could be customized depending on location and owner preference. The facade is a combination of two materials that wrap around all four sides of the house. The openings are designed primarily for the interior space and typically located along a seam in the material or at a corner condition. The fl oor plan is a strong barbell with the stair acting as the primary anchor. The stair acts as a cube with in the cube and the thick walls of the stair house penetrations as well as built-in pockets to emphasize the concept of a porous cube. These penetrations also help the staircase to act as a solar chimney by allowing warm air within the house to be ventilated.

I N D I V I D U A L P R O J E C T _ P o r o u s C u b e

LEED Initiatives

Buildable Area Building Footprint Site

Native Tree Species

Switch Grass Building Footprint

Permeable Pavers

Materiality is based on dimension and orientation of texture rather than a specific material. This allows for both customization and the ability to use materials that are more locally available, more sustainable, or more economically priced.

South SouthEast West

1. Rain water collection off of roof2. Stack effect/Natural ventilation created through staircase3. Awning windows to increase passive ventilation in space4. Geothermal system

5. Corner window configuration so larger window can be oriented in the favorable direction

6. Material Choices

7. Natural Vegetation

8. Building footprint on site

FLOOR PLAN GROUND

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 2

BEDROOM

KITCHEN

LIVING ROOM

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

S P A T I A L P L A N E S

FL 2010

GRADUATE studio The program for this studio included a visitor center, a hotel, a manufacturing facility, and an offi ce building. The site was a piece of land that was broken into several irregular portions due to the interstate slicing across the land. Since the site was literally the product of an intersecting system (the interstate) conceptually, I wanted the building to be the product of an intersecting system also. In this studio, we were charged with designing fi rst a geometric system that could act as the “scaffolding” for the design

S T . L O U I S _ M I S S O U R IS P A T I A L P L A N E S

of the building. My system was created by designating three sight line that intersected across the site: the park, the city, and the neighborhood. These lines were then created points along the site boundary which each had a unique topographical elevation. I used the differing elevations to create an angled plane between two points. I then expanded those planes spatially and used the product of these intersections to locate the building. The building straddled the roads, with the ground fl oor touching down at several different points and different pieces of the divided site. The second fl oor, however, spans over the roads creating the building in spite of the restrictions imposed by the roads. This allowed all of the different, separate programs within the building to interact spatially with one another across presumed programmatic divisions, thus creating a truly mixed use structure.

PARK

CITY

NEIGHBORHOOD

AERIAL IMAGE OF THE SITE

2ND FLOOR POOL

CORRIDOR OF THE HOTEL

FACING THE HOTEL

FLOOR PLAN GROUND

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 2 FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 3

SECTION AA

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

FL 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

F O O D H A U S

SP 2011

GRADUATE studio The fi rst part of the studio was to evaluate the existing networks in Chicago (the river and the boulevard specifi cally) and attempt to use that existing infrastructure to create a system of food pantries / urban farms that could spread throughout Chicago creating a network of pantries to serve the community. Only after developing a network, could we design a building that reinforced that network idea. My site was along the boulevard system at the link where the boulevard meets the park. I viewed this “gateway” condition as my network idea and wanted to minimize the abruptness of the city meeting the park at these locations through the placement of urban gardens. To reinforce the idea of a “gateway,” my site strategy was to organize the crops in a linear pattern that the boulevard traveller would pass through one at a time as a precursor to the park. The building is nestled within these linear crop strips further emphasizing the gateway idea as the buildings represent the city and the crops the park, thus this location is literally a mix between the city and the park.

C H I C A G O _ I L L I N O I SF O O D H A U S

RENDERING FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING AVE

CORRIDOR IN SRO

TOP OF STAIRCASE

FOOD PANTRY

SECTION AA

FEEDING SITE/RESTAURANT

CORRIDOR

APPROACHING FROM BOULEVARD

SECTION DD

RENDERING FROM ACROSS THE BOULEVARD

PHYSICAL MODEL

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

FL 2005

SP 2006

FL 2006

SP 2007

SP 2008

FL 2008

SP 2009

SP 2010

FL 2010

SP 2011

FL 2011

Internship

FL 2009

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

FL 2007

JUNIOR year

I spent my Junior year studying abroad in Versailles, France. Part of the program was to complete sketching assignments on our travel breaks. The following pages show some of the sketches completed while I traveled. One trip was a guided tour with a professor in which we both sketched and water colored.

S K E T C H E S

Nationale Nederlanden Building_Prague Exhibition Hall_Berlin

View from Pont de L’Archeveche_Paris

W A T E R C O L O R S

Piazza San Marco_Venice

Old City_Dubrovnik

Dwellings_Rovinj

Cliff_Dubrovnik

GRADUATE class The earthworm moves by stretching it’s front section through the soil and then pulling it’s hind section up. The earthworm has two kinds of muscles that it uses to move. The circular muscles surround the worm’s body and can make the body shrink or spread out. The longitudinal muscles run along the length of the body and can shorten or lengthen the worm. An important adaptation for the movement of the worm are the setae. These are tiny bristles which cover the body of the worm and enable the worm to grip the soil as it passes through. This helps the worm move through the soil quickly without slipping. The project was to create an architectural facade system using the same principles as the earthworms muscular system. We designed a type of sun screen that would also be a water collection device and expand and contract as water fi lled or left the device.

S T U D Y O F E A R T H W O R MB I O M I M I C R Y

retracted (empty) facade system

expanded (full) facade systemphysical model

retracted (empty) facade system partially expanded facade system expanded (full) facade system

earthwormmovement

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

epidermis dorsal blood vessel longitudinal muscle

circular muscle

intestine

ventral blood vessel

body cavityseta

ventral nervous cord

nephridium

Circular muscles contract

Both muscles at rest

Longitudinal muscles contract

Both longitudinal and circular muscles contract

I have worked on jobs in various fi elds with different clients. Some of the areas of experience include:

J U N I O R H I G H S C H O O L [O’Fallon, IL]

A I R P L A N E T E S T C E L L [SIU Carbondale Campus]

R E N O V A T I O N S

R E - R O O F S

D O O R R E P L A C E M E N T S

W I N D O W R E P L A C E M E N T S

T E M P O R A R Y C L A S S R O O M S [Mascoutah, IL]

S P E C I A L E D U C A T I O N R O O M R E N O V A T I O N [O’Fallon, IL]

F B I O F F I C E [Scott Air Force Base, IL]

A R M Y S I M U L A T I O N C E N T E R [Texas]

R E C R E A T I O N C E N T E R R E N O V A T I O N [North County, MO]

D A T A C E N T E R [Utah]

M I L I T A R Y R E S I D E N C E H A L L S [Georgia]

W A S T E W A T E R T R E A T M E N T P L A N T [Cape Girardeau, MO]

A R M Y A V I A T I O N F A C I L I T Y [Hawaii]

M E R C E D E S D E A L E R S H I P R E N O V A T I O N [Creve Coeur, MO]

C A D I L L A C D E A L E R S H I P R E N O V A T I O N [Creve Coeur, MO]

A U D I D E A L E R S H I P R E N O V A T I O N [Creve Coeur, MO]

P R O F E S S I O N A L E X P E R I E N C E

My responsibi l i t ies and level of involvement on each of these projects var ied. Depending on the job, my part icipation included:

R E Q U E S T S F O R P R O P O S A L Data Center Military Residence Halls

C O N C E P T U A L D E S I G N

Cape Girardeau Wastewater Treatment Plant Special Education Room Renovation

D E S I G N D E V E L O P M E N T

Data Center

F E A S I B I L I T Y S T U D I E S

Dealerships

C O N S T R U C T I O N D O C U M E N T S

Junior High School Airplane Test Cell Renovations Temporary Classrooms FBI Offi ce Army Simulation Center Recreation Center Renovation Cape Girardeau Wastewater Treatment Plant Army Aviation Facility

R E N D E R I N G S

Dealerships

WHITNEY KNUFArchitectural PortfolioBA University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign May 2009M. Arch Washington University at St. Louis December 2011MCM Washington University at St. LouisMCM Washington University at St. Louis December 2011

portfolio