Defining Place

in You
Antwon Ward
Architectural Studies & Design
Morrisville State College
38 Atlantic Street
East Hampton, NY 11937
Tel. 631-365-2546
ward584@morrisville.edu

ABLE OF CONTENTS
September2009 October 2010

PROJECTS
FALL 2009
1
2

CONSTRUCT/ CUBE

Orthogonal planes.
I formed a three dimensional maze.

ROOM PLAY

Experiencing full scale models.

There was a competition where four winning designs
will be build full scale.

SPRING 2010
3

STRUCTURES AND VOLUMES

Repetition.
Layering geometric shapes to create three dimensional
volumes.

SPACE AND COMPOSITION

3 Step process.
Taking a Modern or Cubist painting and transforming it
with an architectural twist.

COHABITATION

Personalities.
My first townhouse design for two very different people
living in New York City.

FALL 2010
6

FAADE ANALYSIS

How ironic.
Evaluate all three dimensions with James Stirlings 5-7
Carlton Gardens to help design my own faade.

FAADE DESIGN

Defining place in you.

Combining James Stirlings building with my own twist
to put a face on the townhouse.

Design Statement

I believe my personal mentality is carried out in all my designs.

Physical and visual circulation are key to successful designs. I
also believe that a project presentation should be able to speak
by itself. I want every type of person to be able to experience a
new feeling or a new sense of understand about life. I titled my
portfolio Defining Place in You because architecture is made
for the client or community, not the architect. We refer to the
past, but design for the future.

construct/cube

This project entailed the building of a construct

using 3 planes in the X, Y, and Z axes while
cutting out portals in order to create unity and
circulatory spaces within the entire model. Then,
the construct was enclosed with a 8 cube. The
objective was to unify the construct with the
cube, forming circulation and defining space.

My plan was to cut portals that visually bring the

eye around the model. I also physically joined the
outside with the inside. I also included rest or
observation spaces where the people inside of the
construct would be able to stop and take in their
surroundings.

CONSTRUCT/ CUBE
1

The picture in the top left is the front (X)

Below that is the top/bottom (Z) and
below that is the side view (Y).

I used a 2 x6 tool to create the maze and various major lengths in that measurement including
the midpoint, half the width, and 6 square. I related my model to an Esher drawing, having the
maze turn into all three dimensions.

Drawings of the final cube. The

elevation is shown above while the
drawing below shows a section.

The circulation is evident in all the pictures with the most important being at the top and the exterior
to the right. The strip of pictures are various views that allow you to see the relationship between the
outside cube and the inside construct.

room play

This was the final project of my first semester.

Our objectives were to create a successful design
project by demonstrating the ability to apply an
understanding of a formal strategy and
consistency, volition in decision making the
placement of translucent plastic planes to design
spaces and place. In addition, we were to gain an
understanding of the placement and use of
accessories, elements and light to enhance the
designed spaces and place.

To elaborate on a theme I developed during the

semester, I proposed a maze theme where one can
forget about everything that is happening in their
life. I made three different spaces that enabled
the inhabitant to release or overcome unpleasant
feelings from the past. I used blue lights because
it is a very calming and tranquil color and it
represents movement, or circulation.

ROOM PLAY
2

This sketch model included height differences throughout the entire piece. They were also angled depending on
where you are in the model. Finally, the portal in the first space is set at the beginning of the model so you would
be able to see where to go and move on from it.

Observation Space
Relieving
Inviting
Irregular
Unsatisfying
Boring
Reflection Space
Fitting
Complete
Strong
Accomplished
Personal
Unused Space

From my first design, I created more circulation

and stronger spaces. Creating tighter paths to
squeeze into will make the journey more
exciting. Also, by putting the obstacles in the
path, its more realistic to life experiences.
Resembling a glass maze at a carnival, the
translucent material provides a sense of

enclosure. The new space surrounding the

reflective space makes it become more
comfortable. It is also stepping inside something
more deep and personal, becoming your own
space. Ending this journey allows the individual
to let all their emotions free into the labyrinth
walls.

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structures and volumes

Using vertical and horizontal members of

various lengths and two-dimensional shapes, our
objective was to explore order, definition, and
expression of a series of spatial volumes in a
dimensional grid.

I proceeded into this project by first finding a

precedent. I chose the interior of the activity
center at Morrisville State College. The stairs
always inspired me and I wanted to somehow
recreate it in my project. As a result, I used the
stairs as the structure and I used the only odd
shape as the hierarchical element, representing
the pool table in the middle of the building.

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STRUCTURES AND VOLUMES

3

To the left is the main floor of the building. It is a perfect square the looks over the pool table. The last
picture shows how the stairs wrap around and down into the central space.

4 corners occupied
Created new 4 sq. grid
Focal point is the center
Maintained the middle square
Created diagonal that is
balanced

As simple as this project seemed at the beginning, considering that all we needed to do was stack
different shapes on each other to create volumes, I had some trouble trying to make my circulation
work while still trying to make interesting volumes. The pictures below are showing my floating
volumes that visually show how the shapes spiral around.

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One other thing that I wanted to put into my project was phenomenal transparency. I have
triangular volumes overlapping square volumes. The blue triangle is the top layer, the red square is
the middle layer, and the blue triangle is the bottom layer. Thus, creating a irregular volume.

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space and composition (painting)

The objective was to produce a three-dimensional

model, thus arranging volumes based on the
implied spatial relationships existing in a
painting. Artists are often involved with the
depiction of more than two dimensions and it was
our job to analyze the painting we chose to form
our three dimensional interpretation of the space
depicted in the painting.

I chose Amde Ozenfants Still Life with

Bottles. My solution was to analyze this painting
and turn into something that is architectural and
abstract. The key of this project was to look
deeper then what the painting actually portrayed.

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SPACE AND COMPOSITION

4

The model to the left was suppose to give us an understanding of the grid the artist used and how we depicted
the depth. The next step was to give us a better understanding of the painting even closer. I began to give some
layers three dimensions.

Layers

17

It was critical for me to get the title Still Life With Bottles out of my head because it was blocking me from
creating something different from what Ozenfant painted. I saw different shapes in plan, some in elevation and a
made a landscape to relate my final model to a set of buildings.

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cohabitation

Our main objective was to design an interesting,

well conceived, and spatially satisfying townhouse
for two acquaintances: 23 year old Penny and 25
year old Sheldon. In a nut shell, Penny is an
aspiring actress and part-time waitress and
Sheldon is a computer programmer and likes to
work out. Their new home is located in
Manhattan. The two face the challenge of being
opposites, like the modern day Felix and Oscar of
The Odd Couple.

My solution for cohabitation was to have Penny

and Sheldon get along. My goal was to exploit or
express their personalities through the
circulation throughout their townhouse. I also
made the choice to give each person their own
spaces depending on what they needed; Penny
gets the her own theater and the living room to
host her guests, while Sheldon gets a fitness
center and the home office to host his guests.
The name of their townhouse is Spectacle &
Sanctuary.

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*KEY* - color of word represents room in models

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COHABITATION
5
Bubble Diagrams

Block Diagrams

Beginning my final project, I two different plans. The top one had all the spaces on the first floor at the exterior of
the property but the common space would be open. The second floor, which I didnt change, had linear
circulation and was balanced.

These two pictures are showing two of the same information two different ways. The model to the left is showing
the location as a solid and the model on the right is showing the volumes from every view. The top comes off to
show sections, the plan, and, the plan through the second floor (if top flipped over).

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Plan Diagram

Three Dimensional Block Diagram Model

From my previous model, I added a new floor and more stairs as circulation. I also gave Sheldon a
sequence of his spaces and put the kitchen and dining room a few feet under the ground floor. The foyer
of the townhouse incorporates radial circulation, as shown in the plan.

I used the interior main entrance of the Paris Opera in France as a precedent. The stairs created a dramatic path
through the space and I integrated that idea into my scheme to give Penny that sense of importance.

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Foyer and Basement

The major change I made was

adding glass between the stairs.
creating an enclosed outdoor
space, allowing people walking by
to look through.

First Floor

Second Floor

My design is a radical departure

from the Manhattan townhouse
typology. Penny and Sheldon have
different personalities and I
wanted to portray that in my
design.

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faade analysis

25

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FAADE ANALYSIS
6

27

Choosing a building my
James Stirling to
analyze was the best
choice to make. He
plays with irony in
some of his buildings,
mixing different styles
to form one building.
This blend is exactly
what I wanted in my
own design.

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faade design

The objective was to create a beautiful, interesting,

well conceived faade for the townhouse. The
project called for a design where the plan, section,
and volumes complement the faade. The design
also entailed that the presentation will speak on its
own and the diagrams will give all the small details.

My solution for the faade of Spectacle &

Sanctuary was to make the building a site to see.
As in, make it personal for the owners, but open
to guests. The building became monumental and
inspiring. The major component defined the
spaces inside and the transparency stayed
consistent, allowing one to look all the way
through the first floor.

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FAADE DESIGN
7

STORAGE

BATHROOM
PENNYS BEDROOM

TOILET ROOM

LIVING ROOM

THEATER

31

This faade includes elements from classical architecture and modern architecture. Because Spectacle
& Sanctuary departs from townhouse typology, I defined a monumentality that distinguishes it from
its anonymous neighbors. The massive amount of glass works with the massive columns in the faade.
This was my underlying theme: Irony. Sheldon and Penny are complete opposites working together.
This building goes with each individuals personality, but contradicts its environment. In the end, it was
meant to stand on its own.

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INDEX
August 2009 October 2010

PROJECTS
Professor: Brian Kelly (ARCH 141)
CONSTRUCT/ CUBE

pg. 3-7
Foam core at full scale.

ROOM PLAY

pg. 7-10
Plastic, balsa wood, and a foam core base at = 1 -0.

Professor: Dr. Anne Englot (ARCH 142)

STRUCTURES AND VOLUMES

pg. 11-14
Balsa painted white and a chipboard base at full scale.

SPACE AND COMPOSITION

pg. 15-18
Sketch model - Balsa and chipboard
Final model - Foamies with a foam core base at full scale.

COHABITATION

pg. 19-24
Foam core, Foamies, balsa, and hard plastic at = 1 -0
scale.

Professor: Dr. Anne Englot (ARCH 243)

FAADE ANALYSIS

pg. 25-28
Foam core, chipboard, wooden dowels, and balsa wood at
3/16 = 1-0 scale.

FAADE DESIGN

pg. 29-32
Foam core, Foamies, balsa, painted balsa, wooden dowels,
chipboard, and cardboard cylinders wrapped in white paper
at = 1 -0 scale.

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This is a drawing was drawn on a 36x36 sheet of vellum with pencil, then rendered with colored
markers. It contains a elevation (top left), two point perspective drawing (middle left), one point
perspective drawing (bottom), and a plan (right).

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OTHER PROJECTS AND ARTWORK

8

40

Rocking Chair

41

Slide and Swing Playground

42

Table

43

Table with Leaf

44

Still Life

45

In the Distance

46

Ink Landscape

47

Upside Down Bike with Chains

48

An Antwon Ward Production