Undergraduate Portfolio

bryan s. rubyundergraduate portfolio

bryan s. rubyundergraduate portfolio

[email protected](864) 607 3634

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contents

designing a paper bag

folding water

reviving ragtime

floating storage

understanding the design process

feeling nature as space

changing the mood of domestic violence

using only one material: wood

fracturing the void

photography and sketches

becoming the objects of war and peace

a collection

page 4

understanding the design procresslantern design charrette

professor s. hambright-belue4 weeks individual

page 5

understanding the creative process is crucial to design, and that is what this project was intended to teach. using paper bags, the iterative process forced the creation of a design rather than relying strictly on inspiration. this was achieved by experiementing with paper manipulations and dividing these folds into categories (or families). after five families were created, one family was chosen for even more iterations to discover a fold that would eventually become the underlying design for the lantern. after the fold was chosen, an intensive study of the fold was required to then discover possible string connections as well as incorporating variation into the design. it was then time to create the lantern shape, where the introduction of light into the project became very important in the design. after many iterations of possible shapes, the lantern design was then finalized to create illumination that decorated the 2012 AIAS Beaux Arts Ball.

designing a paper bagP1

page 6

creating the shape

the final shape that i decided to use is this object resembling a space ship or an airplane. i chose this shape because it contains the most connectable versatility. in the end, the shape contributed to the structural soundness of the lantern itself.

step 1 step 2

step 3 step 4

step 5 step 6

page 7

iteration 1, forward facing, no variation

iteration 2, inverted, no variation

iteration 3, inverted, variation

page 8

the final design integrates the limitations of the original objects with the asthetics of the connection to create a structurally sound paper lantern.

page 9

page 10

folding water

after chosing a rather undeveloped location on clemson’s campus, the program required a revival of space. though it was originally introduced as a project of urban furniture, the project slowly became a study of circulation. the design was chosen after analysing how clemson students move through the space. it not only maintains existing paths, but the design enhances the atmosphere of students utilizing the space with the soft sound of falling water by also creating a space for gathering and relaxing outside. the retaining wall fountain follows the existing circulatory and topographical movements and also responds to the natural tendencies of the site.

P2

page 11

a gathering space in clemsonurban furniture - clemson, scprofessor a. jacques2 weeks in group with brianne burdy

page 12

creating the concept

responding to nature

responding to movement

page 13

concrete foundation takes advantage of existing topography in order to stay standing.

steel anchors are doweled into ipe wood seats. the benches are water resistant and they are given the appearance of floating on the water because of the anchors.

water collects and then spills onto the wall where folds in the wall then create creases in the water.

combining concepts

page 14

outreach center for the prevention of domestic violenceinfill project - seneca, sc

professor a. jacques4 weeks individual

page 15

reviving ragtime

in the year 2013, south carolina was ranked first in the nation for domestic violence. the objective of the project is to raise awareness for domestic violence in the small town of seneca, south carolina. seneca is often known for it’s late night jazz ensembles found in the ram cat alley; a stone’s throw away from the site. the design attempts to bring the jazz of the ram cat alley back onto main street. the project also wants to change the mood of domestic violence, and draws inspiration from the upbeat jazz style known as ragtime. the result is a center for the provention of domestic violence with a ragtime spatial system.

P3

page 16

ram cat alley

ragtime rhythm

ragtime spatial system

creating the style

page 17

first second third

the plan combines the rhythm of ragtime with curved and fluid movements. the sencond floor acts as a library cafe for users to come to events hosted by the center and even includes space for local jazz ensambles to come and play. the third floor acts as an office space for emplyees of the center.

page 18

because this is an in-fill project, the facade of the project becomes extremely important. the desgin calls for a subtly striking facade to keep with the slow changing mood of domestic violence while inviting citizens into the space. the brown masonry echoes the existing materials of the town.

PRIVATESEMI-PRIVATE

PUBLIC

page 19

the section reveals a strategy to pull light into a limited window space. the facade spills light into the upper floors by exposing the balconies at different levels. the building also faces south, taking advantage of all possible natural light. the rear window illuminates the spaces of the third and second floor by diffusing nothern light throughout the rear of the structure.

page 20

floating storage

the united states white water center finds its home on the edge of charlotte, north carolina. it also has the largest artificial river in the world. not only is it used for olympic training in water sports, but also as a recreational center for friends and family to spend time together. in analyzing the site, the project would be located in a heavily wooded area [in stark contrast to the rest of the facility which is entirely a built environment]. this distinction showed the very different experience that the kayak storage facility and repair area would give compared to the rest of the UNWWC. the project wanted to create the “roughin’ it” experience that comes with kayaking in a real river. it was in this design decision that placed the building outside of the common circulation of regular pedestrian and bike traffic and combined with the natural environment to form two free-standing structures. it is also important to mention that the only allowable material used is pine wood planks.

P4

page 21

a storage facility for kayaksUSWWC - charlotte, ncprofessor n. ault4 weeks individual

page 22

deciding the concept

the site contains a unique contrast between developed and undeveloped areas. because the artificial river already had storage facilities, the experiece created had to be as unique as the contrast.

the slope of the site not only over looks the river, but also creates problems of water run off. this is why the proposed design would be lifted off the groud.

the area around the site is heavily surrounded by bike and walking paths, so it was decided that the placement should act as a pit stop to the river without hindering the existing paths.

page 23

A

B

c

S E C T I O N A S E C T I O N B

S E C T I O N C

proposed design placement

section a section b

A

B

C

section c

page 24

learning the pin joint

the project added a layer of difficulty once pin joints were the only allowable construction method. a triangular tectonic was then realized due to the fact that pin joints are strongest in triangles.

page 25

the kayak repair structure thus became an expiremental exercise on structural integrity. the construction is vertically sound because of the recessive triangle joint, and lateral bracing shown in plan create a solid structural system that eventually becomes the basis of the storage facility.

page 26

the design

PLAN

WESTERN ELEVATION

SECTION D

WOMENS MENS

BREAK ROOM

Dspatial system

structural system

natural ventilation

page 27

the design is able to store up to 65 kayaks with plenty of area for users to comfortably maneuver the kayak throughout the space. kayaks are stored vertically, allowing users to easily lift the kayak and save space simultaneously. the changing facade is dependent on how the kayaks are stored, and the open faces of each unit take advantage of the northern winds to naturally ventilate the structure. the storage units also act as a structural system by incorporating periodic diagonals which provide vertical and lateral bracing to the design.

page 28

fracturing the void

the end of via corsica in genova, italy boasts a site rich with history, axial progression, and frational divisions. the site originally touched the shore, acting as an edge for city protection in the medieval times. designing a museum of war and peace on a site historically related to that very subject called for a project that preserved the existing wall, but also responded to a very fractured site. the idea of a cantilever as a memorial componet introduced solutions to traffic noise, fuctioned to give the sea view back to the people of genova, and eventually turned the project into a diagram itself.

P5

page 29

a museum of war and peacemuseum - genoa, italyprofessor n. ault5 weeks in group with sarah casaday and emily mcgowan

page 30

the “blade”

1 site

2 slice

3 shift

4 flatten

5 continue

6 final

programatically, all rooms related to the maintenence of the museum were pushed to the back following a 12 meter structural grid. the musuem itself boasts open spaces divided by the blade and connected by the ramp. the ramp becomes it’s own symbollic architectural experience as users go up the ramp and cross through the thing that divides war and peace. the ramp and the cantilever are equally angled to counter-balance eachother and fracture the voided space that is the wall.

page 31

first second third

the landscape elements follow the current axial progression of via corsica while echoing the movement of the fractured wall.

page 32

the experience

lower courtyard war exhibit

page 33

peace exhibit view from memorial

page 34

the cantilever is the most important gesture of the project. it is angled at seven degrees and reaches past two lanes of traffic at fifteen meters. this angle was chosen for optimal perspectives of the sea once users enter the public space above the museum. the cantilever is also the memorial component of the program; allowing users to step out onto its black granite reflective surface and be on the object that separates war and peace. the monument is programmatically at the end of the program, and its surface is symbolically reflective because in the end, it is man who is the object of war and peace.

the cantilever

page 35

the site takes on an entirely different personality at night. vertical elements that make up the facade become visible, and interior lighting shines out over the port almost like a light house on the genovese cliff.

page 36

sketches and photography

page 37

page 38

page 39