The Dream Team

Located in Southern California, this project was directed by artist Meg Webster for a prominent couple.

Meg Webster designed numerous nature and environment-based sculptures to enhance the landscape. With input from Webster and Paula Cooper Gallery, I meticulously modeled all components of the project, particularly addressing the complexity of the sculptures, playground, landscaping and flora Webster envisioned.

My 3D model was instrumental in determining the scale and placement of sculptures, positioning pathways, planning general landscaping, documentation for clients and contractors, and proposing various playground designs. The images shown here also incorporate elements from 02 Treehouse.

Regrettably, only portions of the proposal have been realized.

The remote professional clients (my partner & I)), known as "DwnShifters," emerged from a desire for a significant lifestyle change. Instead of working for 48 weeks to enjoy brief vacations, this couple sought a year-round pursuit of their dreams. I set out to design the ultimate mobile live/work home.

Approaching the build with a designer's mindset, numerous floor plans were evaluated to optimize living, working, and sleeping in a compact space. The ingenious solution involved a bed that folds out of sight during the day, creating a spacious living and working area. This Murphy-style bed also allowed for a full bath and garage in the rear of the van, reclaiming valuable space.

Equipped with 730W of solar panels and supplemental alternator charging, the mobile tiny home meets all power needs for cooking, working, and living. It also features a 44-gallon fresh water supply, sufficient for drinking, cooking, washing, and bathing for weeks at a time. Robust WiFi capabilities enable smart devices, entertainment, and remote work across the country.

Additional features include a flexible kitchen, radiant floor heating, a built-in dog kennel, ample storage, and more. For extensive details about the build and lifestyle, visit DwnShifters. Vlog and Van Tour videos are available on our video channel.

Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen's "Plantoir, Blue," 2001-2021, as temporarily displayed in Rockefeller Center, NYC.

In collaboration with Claes Oldenburg, Coosje van Bruggen, and Paula Cooper Gallery, we embarked on digitizing and producing a new version of the original 2001 "Plantoir."

I developed a 3D model for initial scale and color studies. Once the scale was finalized, I created a waffle construction 3D model to confirm the dimensions. Following this, the model was refined for fabrication.

The piece, made from stainless steel, aluminum, fiber-reinforced plastic, and polyurethane enamel paint, stands over 23 feet tall and weighs more than 2,300 pounds.

With Walker & Moody Architects

Situated in Marin County, California, this ambitious project harnesses a diverse array of digital techniques from inception to completion. Guided by the creative vision of a female sculptor client, the project's formal gestures were initially crafted in clay, which were then 3D scanned and refined in Rhinoceros software for technical precision.

My role involved comprehensive 3D modeling and coordination among the project's numerous contractors. Initially serving as a tool for client and city approvals, the model evolved into the primary reference drawing set for all stakeholders. Specialized boat makers were engaged to fabricate complex forms using Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP), based on models I developed in Rhino. Steel components were meticulously modeled and coordinated with a steel detailer, ensuring seamless integration with the overall design.

Additionally, the model facilitated the creation of concrete formwork by a fabrication firm, enabling the construction of intricate foundations, sills, and walls. Details such as glazing, handrails, and composite materials were also derived directly from the digital model, streamlining the project's execution and ensuring precision throughout the construction process.

With Graftworks

Three years after our PS1 Young Architects Program entry, a gallery in Miami, Florida, commissioned us to build our project in their outdoor space. Located in the Wynwood Art District, this commission provided us the opportunity to test our innovative building system.

The parasitic nature of the structure extends from the roof, over the main outdoor space, and into the adjacent parking lot. Shade, seating, and a bar were the primary programmatic elements shaping the installation's form.

Construction of the assembly was completed in just three weeks, affirming that our kit-of-parts approach is both economical (under $10,000) and efficient. Built from over 500 pieces, the structure is based on four standard components.

With Hans Haacke and Paula Cooper Gallery

In conjunction with artist Hans Haacke and Paula Cooper Gallery, Gift Horse has been erected on the 4th Plinth of Trafalgar Square London, England.  After Haacke's proposal was selected via the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Programme, Commissioned by the Mayor of London, I was brought on to assist with researching, designing, and drawing technical components for the piece's realization.

The twice scale bronze horse skeleton was cast in five pieces for easier shipping and installation.  The LED bow that scrolls a stock ticker tape, was fabricated in Brooklyn, NY and assembled with LEDs in London by Scanlite.  Connection details for the skeleton, drawings for city approval, wiring channels, and the bronze base were all designed by our studio.  The LED bow was also designed by us.  The bow houses custom made flexible LED tiles and controllers that relay back to power and real-time information components located in a ventilated cavity in the base.  

The sculpture will be on view until Summer 2016.  Click here for an interview with the artist and to see the Bow LEDs in action.

With Pfau Long Architecture Ltd. & VBN

This project presents a unique opportunity to house both a junior college and a California State University, fostering collaboration on various teacher education programs. By combining the two schools, the project significantly enhances the transfer rate of junior college students and overall undergraduate completion rates.

Encompassing 85,000 sq ft, the building includes classrooms, laboratories, and computer labs, all dedicated to supporting child development, nursing, and community health programs.

Designed to meet LEED Gold standards, the building features natural ventilation, a green roof, radiant flooring, a geothermal central plant, daylighting, west facade shading, and the use of sustainable materials.

Architect Aron Eisenhart enlisted my expertise to assist with the modeling and fabrication package for a three-story residential staircase in San Francisco.

Utilizing advanced 3D software, I modeled the staircase to precise dimensions, ensuring a perfect fit within the confined stairwell. This model also served to verify compliance with all relevant building codes and was used to determine the proper angle and rigging locations for placing the stairs.

After finalizing the design, the model was used to generate detailed 2D drawings for the fabricator. The white oak handrails were exported from the model for CNC milling, ensuring exact replication for a precise fit.

With Thom Faulders & S/U/M

In collaboration with Thom Faulders and Studio Under Manufacture, this project involved the addition of a gallery space and bathroom. Thom Faulders served as the architect of record, while Studio Under Manufacture provided digital fabrication, design, and consulting services.

The variegated ceiling, rear wall, and bathroom patterning are crafted from a series of milled MDF boards that dynamically modulate throughout the space. These elements wrap, bulge, and align in unique ways, creating a continuously evolving visual experience based on the viewer's position within the space.

The J1 Chair is a light weight, comfortable and affordable piece of furniture that looks great indoors or out.  This chair is made from less than one sheet of plywood and is cut using a computer numerically controlled (CNC) router.  This process enables extremely precise cuts, fast production times, and lower costs.

This chair was a finalist in the MoMA Design Store's Open Call for NYC designers in 2013. The price point for the MOMA Design Store was a bit high, but you can make the chair yourself for a very reasonable price. Get the CNC cut file HERE!

Photos by Skyler Smith

With Cindy Bell

Our proposal for the City of Dreams Pavilion on Governors Island, NYC aimed to spotlight the pervasive issue of plastic bag overuse in New York City and across the United States.

Using a framework crafted from chainlink fence, the design features a flexible surface that folds in on itself, creating a dynamic space for gatherings and performances. The interior is lined with white reclaimed plastic bags, while the exterior is adorned with salvaged yellow bags.

Designed to be lightweight, easily assembled, and cost-effective, the pavilion leverages winds from the Upper Bay to animate the space, resulting in a kinetic environment with auditory elements ideal for summer gatherings.

Originally created in 1966, this piece by Robert Grosvenor was revitalized in 2015 when Paula Cooper Gallery enlisted my expertise to produce a new untitled version for Art Basel in Switzerland.

I meticulously 3D modeled the sculpture based on Grosvenor's original sketches. In addition to the sculpture, I modeled the exhibition space and structural elements, providing precise instructions for the installers on how to place the sculpture within the exhibit.

The piece is made from aluminum and epoxy enamel. After its debut at Art Basel, the piece was showcased at Dwan Gallery in Los Angeles, CA, and later at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The Flat Pack chair was an exercise in recreating a classic Bent-Plywood chair as a flat, inexpensive, and easily assembled DIY project.  It is possible to make two chairs per every single sheet of 4' x 8' plywood.  The chair was first 3D modeled in Rhino and then each part was flattened and exported to a tool path software.  A robotic CNC mill cuts the parts and then the chair is assembled in a couple of hours with simple tools, some sanding, and wood glue.

This chair was commissioned by Popular Mechanics magazine for a print spread in their July 2014 magazine.   Read about this chair as it appeared in Popular Mechanics magazine!  Purchase the CNC Cut file HERE!

Photos by Reed Young

Eric N. Mack's work for Chronorama Redux at Palazzo Grassi, Venice.

Under the guidance of Eric N. Mack and the Paula Cooper Gallery, I crafted a series of 3D models to bring Eric's visionary concepts to life. These models were instrumental in shaping the overall design of the sculptures, defining the armature structures, and calculating the precise quantities of fabric required for the exhibition.

"Chronorama Redux" was showcased at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice from March 12, 2023, to January 7, 2024.

Vineyard Winds is an electric company that produces electricity off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, MA. This project was completed in 2024.

Commissioned by Joshua Dunn Design/Build, I created a detailed 3D model to address design challenges, produce client renderings, and support the approval package submitted to local governing bodies.

This men's wedding band was meticulously designed to conceal a significant message within its seemingly random patterning, which becomes visible when the ring is oriented towards light.

Created through computer modeling in Rhino and 3D printed in wax, the ring underwent rigorous testing to ensure precise replication of the digital design in physical form. Its intricate pattern features rectangular perforations that penetrate both faces of the ring, demanding extremely fine printing for the hidden code to be legible.

Explore the accompanying images to unveil the secret message revealed by the ring.

A multimedia installation by Ja'Tovia Gary, serving as a memoir that celebrates the power of ancestral knowledge.

Commissioned by Paula Cooper Gallery, I created a stop-motion animation that enabled Ja'Tovia Gary to adjust the speed of intricately placed rings rotating around a textured sphere. This video work was subsequently mapped and projected onto the sphere, enhancing the installation's visual impact.

Experience the piece in motion at the Dallas Museum of Art.

View the stop-motion video I produced.

With Pfau Long Architecture Ltd.

Accolades:

2009 Savings by Design Award, AIA CC Design Awards

2009 Sustainability Citation Award, AIA SF Best of the Bay Awards

2009 Recognized as "One of the City's Top 10 Green Projects in San Francisco" by the Office of the Mayor and AIA SF

Nestled in San Francisco’s vibrant Mission District, this century-old Levi’s warehouse has been revitalized by the Quakers to serve as their inaugural West Coast elementary school.

The comprehensive program encompasses classrooms for grades K-8, a library, gymnasium, meeting room, and essential support spaces for faculty, maintenance, and tech staff. Leveraging the building's expansive existing windows and a newly introduced interior light court on the third floor, all classrooms are strategically positioned along the exterior facade, which serves as the foundational design element.

The project prioritizes sustainability with natural ventilation facilitated by the existing large windows and a new thermal tower. Additional green strategies include the reuse of materials within the building, procurement of locally sourced materials, installation of radiant floor heating, and the implementation of a playground designed to manage storm runoff effectively.

With Studio Under Manufacture

Competition Winner

In 2007, Studio Under Manufacture invited me to collaborate on an open entry competition sponsored by the Alameda Arts Commission. The competition called for designing an art piece to hang on a central wall dividing the adult and children’s areas of the library.

Taking inspiration from a book, we explored how materials with similar shapes could exhibit diverse behaviors. By utilizing thin wood laminates and recycled HDPE (high-density polyethylene), and employing precise cuts to release tension, we engineered a variegated system that manipulated material flexibility. Collectively, these individual pieces formed a large, flowing structure that envelops the library's central wall. Different colored HDPE components were strategically incorporated to delineate zones for various subject disciplines.

This multimedia installation is by Ja'Tovia Gary, and was first exhibited in 2020.

Commissioned by Paula Cooper Gallery, I modeled the monitors and acrylic wedges for this piece. These wedges were then exported as 2D files and precisely cut for assembly. The acrylic components were meticulously glued together, and the monitors were carefully stacked to complete the installation.

With Graftworks & Ben Ledbetter Architect

Awarded First Place, Housing, in the Connecticut Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors Excellence in Construction Awards for 2011.

Located in New Haven, Connecticut, Highwood Square is a 45,000 sq ft innovative low-income housing development with a strong artistic focus. Prospective residents must demonstrate financial need and submit a portfolio of artwork for consideration. Once accepted, residents occupy one-, two-, or three-bedroom apartments, each equipped with a designated studio space on the ground floor. These studios are strategically arranged to foster community through art openings and gatherings, while enabling artists to showcase and sell their creations.

The development occupies a former perfume factory site, incorporating two existing buildings into its design. Vibrant colors emphasize the site's creative legacy and inject visual interest into otherwise economical building materials. Units are interconnected vertically and horizontally, creating unexpected double-height spaces, cozy nooks, and exterior decks to enrich the living experience.

With S/U/M & GaGa

For the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery's annual benefit and auction, Bay Area designer Jordan Geiger of Ga-Ga collaborated with S/U/M to create a temporary event space within the neoclassical War Veterans Memorial building. This innovative space was designed to delineate various zones using only illumination and lightweight materials, enhancing both the gallery and atrium spaces.

The zones were defined by thin, digitally milled plywood sheets that filtered projected light, serving as functional areas for the bar, auctioneer, DJ, and other event functions. The entire installation had to be set up within two hours and dismantled in one hour. To meet this challenge, a clever system using simple zip ties was devised to connect the panel system together. After the event, these ties could be easily snipped, allowing the panels to be flat packed and stored for future events.

Vineyard Lands for Our Community, a non-profit organization in Martha's Vineyard, MA, is embarking on an ambitious project to unite five properties. This initiative aims to ensure the continued success of local shipbuilders, establish new art studios, create a music venue, and provide beach access for residents.

To support this vision, I developed detailed models and renderings for fundraising efforts, promotional materials, and supplemental documentation required for permitting and approvals from local government agencies. Additionally, I produced a hybrid animation incorporating drone footage to seamlessly integrate the new project within the existing neighborhood context..

Read more about the project here.

This series of mobiles by Eric N. Mack, created in 2023, showcases his ability to create intricate compositions using fabric and steel.

Commissioned by Paula Cooper Gallery, I modeled the armatures, enabling the creation of precise 2D drawings for fabrication. Crafted from polished steel rods, these armatures feature hook-shaped ends that enhance mobility, while the horizontal components are sleeved onto the vertical rods, facilitating easy assembly and transport.

This private residence in Martha's Vineyard, MA, was completed in 2024.

Commissioned by Joshua Dunn Design/Build, I created a detailed 3D model to address design challenges, produce client renderings, and support the approval package submitted to local governing bodies.

With Megan Ravey

Inspired by the 1964 World's Fair theme "Peace Through Understanding," the New York State Pavilion Refugee Center serves as a beacon of hope for refugees. This center aids their transition into a new cultural environment by offering services such as housing, education, job training, and community activities. Additionally, it provides land for American and international refugees around the pavilion, allowing temporary inhabitants to grow their own food and engage with the community through farmer's markets.

Located in Queens, NY, known as the world's greatest melting pot of ethnicities and languages, the facility underscores New York City's compassion, resilience, and commitment to the idea that the United States is a nation of immigrants.

The Sail Vase epitomizes the essence of the digital age. Designed using advanced 3D software, its form is crafted by manipulating and shaping surfaces to create gentle folds that elegantly cradle floral arrangements within its base.

Once the design is finalized in the digital realm, the file is transferred for 3D printing using ceramic as the medium. This versatile material offers a range of vibrant colors, ensures ease of maintenance, and guarantees a watertight seal at the base, preserving the integrity of the vase.

This proposed restaurant in Martha's Vineyard, MA, remains unbuilt.

Commissioned by Joshua Dunn Design/Build, I created a detailed 3D model to address design challenges, produce client renderings, and support the approval package submitted to local governing bodies.

With Nayeun Han & Gia Scassera

From the Sukkah City Website:

"Sukkah City" is an esteemed international design competition aimed at reimagining this ancient phenomenon, exploring innovative approaches in material practice and parametric design, and proposing bold reinterpretations of traditional design principles within a contemporary urban context. Twelve finalists were chosen by a distinguished panel of architects, designers, and critics to be constructed in a visionary village at Union Square Park from September 19-20, 2010.

Our project was conceived as a rapid design charrette focusing on social engagement, ease of assembly, and the use of accessible and cost-effective materials. Envisioned as a public structure, we aimed for the Sukkah to serve a dynamic role beyond mere shading and seating. Introducing a 'skin' made from hemp rope and clothespins allowed the public to interact with the facade, manipulating its aesthetic, opacity, and content. For instance, individuals could adorn the Sukkah with clothing and jackets, providing a resource for those in need, including homeless individuals.

Assembly of the Sukkah is straightforward, utilizing standard 2" steel fence posts. Hemp rope is threaded through pre-drilled holes to create the lattice structure, while a small plywood wall supports seating and resting areas effectively.

With Arnell

Located in a prime spot on the Las Vegas Strip, Fontainebleau Hotels and Resorts is constructing a new luxury tower featuring first-rate amenities. We were commissioned to design a 41,000 sq ft nightclub situated on the 7th-floor pool deck at the corner of the site.

Our concept, "LAS VEGAS IS FETISHIZED REALITY," guided the design process, leading us to create a series of spaces that embody and actualize various fetish themes. Voyeurism, exhibitionism, dominance, and submission are intricately woven into the spaces, utilizing cutting-edge materials and audio/visual technologies.

The nightclub is divided into three main environments, leading guests through a sequence of seven voyeuristic actions: "Gaze," "Encounter," "Fetishize," "Fantasize," "Reestablish," and "Detach."