KAT LEAVITT works 2013-2016

FOLD Origami and PaPer-making StudiOPOrtland, OregOn

This project is an infill building located in The Pearl district of NW Portland in a lot size of 25’ wide x 100’ deep. The program for the building is an origami studio that houses a gallery, paper-making studio, folding space, education area and small live in residence.

The design concept of this building was derived from Wabi Sabi in Japanese culture. Two elements that emerged were authenticity and decay. Authenticity came to fruition in both the heavy timber structure with a sugi ban finish and the interior division of space. Each space is divided by paper screens. There are various types of screens based on the pragmatic needs. In the residence there

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is a solid screen that allows for privacy. In the folding area the screens can are semi translucent and can be manipulated to allow for more visibility.

Decay is another way to tell the story of those who have occupied the space before them. The sugi ban finish on the heavy timbers adds to this story with its rich burnt texture. While the screens can become broken down and decay over time from human touch. These elements come together in an elegant and interesting way.

DIGESTION TIME IN HOURS

HARVEST uPick Farm and educatiOn centerSauvie iSland, OregOn

Harvest is a cultural center located on Sauvie Island outside of Portland. A 5000 sq ft building dedicated to bringing together Sauvie Island farmers and urban tourists through food education. The building is surrounded with crops that grow seasonal fruits and vegetables for visitors to pick, learn about and then cook with.

Weaving was the main source for concept development. Looking at the warp and weft of a woven piece of fabric then creating an architectural language that could adhere to these elements all while weaving the landscape into the design.

A series of posts and trellises begin at the parking lot and grow in height and length until they become trusses and create the building itself. These elements act as the warp and main structure of the building. While the interior division of space becomes more like the weft, when the two come together it creates a complete architecture.

PORTLANDSTATE OF MINDPAVILION

Portland is a city of bridges. We are defined as “East-siders” and “West-siders” but the bridges between us bring us together, binding us as one.

The bridge, specifically the covered bridge of which Oregon boasts the most (50) in the western states, is known for offering a particular type of crossing and spanning experience.

A bridge offers support, leverages the wisdom and technology of many to cross a river or ravine, focuses us on a destination, and connects communities.

Bridges are sewn deeply into our consciousness as connecting elements that serve the greater good. Their structure, function, beauty and the

COVER SHEET :: PROJECT OVERVIEW T1

PLACED CENTRALLY WITHIN THE URBAN PLAZAVIEW LOOKING WEST

experience they convey is one that stands the test of time.

Approaching the experience of the University, one hears stories and anecdotes but until one is actually in the process of obtaining a degree, the institution is largely unknown and mysterious.

The perception of pursuing a degree is often thought of as four years on a linear path.

In actuality, the process is much more difficult, rigorous, challenging, exhilarating, at times unnerving, and of course ridiculous fun.

Once this path is completed, the

graduate can look back and see how the educational process prepared them to be an integral part of the community.

University as an experience is very much a bridge between life’s stages, places and identities.

The person who enters the University is not the same person who leaves - they have crossed a rubicon.

With this temporary installation, we seek to emulate the bridging qualities we admire in both structural spans as well as the University experience.

The pavilion spans between two points. The seemingly simple form placed on the plaza reveals something else

entirely upon entering from either end.The inside is both delightfully surprising

and rewardingly challenging. The curve of the pavilion is oriented around a central axis.

After crossing the threshold, the path changes course. One is surprised by new possibilities arising from the altered path.

Vertical walls become slanted and complex but pushing past the unexpected one is rewarded with a refreshing architectural space.

Information, connections, new views and perspectives, a place to rest, and a fresh insight on both the outside world and yourself are made available inside the

heart of the pavilion.The PSOM Pavilion will provide places

where information can be presented, and where someone can’t help but “take a selfie.” We plan to integrate merchandise and graphics into the space-making itself.

Portland’s unique character is well represented in the use of a common material used in a simple and ingenious manner. The lumber, if not retained for future installations, can be sold back to the lumber yard and therefore not wasted - pre-cycling!

Cladding and floor-boards will use reclaimed or pre-cycled materials.

THE PAVILION’S STORY

SHEET NAMET1 COVER SHEETA1 SITE PLANA2 PAVILION STRUCTUREA3 RAMP S1 STRUCTUAL

CONTACTS:

PROJECT MANAGER:BRENNAN AITKEN-GANTZ541-621-8553brennan.ag@gmail.com

FACULTY COORIDINATOR:CLIVE KNIGHTSDirector of the School of Architectureknightsc@pdx.edu

ENGINEERING:NBZ Consulting Engineering21617 SW Susan LaneBeaverton, OR 97003

PSOM PaviliOnPOrtland, OregOncOmPleted Fall 2015

The PSOM Pavilion was commissioned by Portland State University to draw attention to their annual Portland State Of Mind Festival.

The pavilion was designed by six volunteer students over the summer and then built during fall term. We had two weeks to come up with a design and present it to the clients.

PSOM Festival is about bringing students, alumni and the community together for ten days. We chose to use bridges and the idea of bridging as our concept. The pavilion would act as a bridge between entering

college and graduating. On the exterior it seems simple and traversable. However, when entering both school and the pavilion it is a completely different experience, it becomes complex resulting in a changed experience when exiting.

caSe Study: JaPaneSe PaviliOndigital graPhicS StudiO

The focus of this studio was to learn how to use Rhino and further explore graphically communicating with tools like illustrator and Photoshop.

The Japanese Pavilion was design by Shigeru Ban for the 2000 World Expo in Hanover. Three layers of building materials made up the building: first a paper tube grid shell, wooden lateral supports and a pvc fabric membrane.

The challenge in modeling this structure was to find a way to replicate the form and graphically represent it in a way that was legible. Creating these diagrams provided a

lentS neighbOrhOOd demOgraPhicS3rd year deSign StudiO iii

COMPOSITION OF PAPER TUBES

HUMANKIND – NATURE – TECHNOLOGY

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALSThe materials for this project were chosen based on two considerations: one the client suggested that the stucture be made of paper tubes, and two, the theme for the Expo was sustainability. Ban and Otto wanted materials that could be completely recyclable after deconstruction.

PAPERIn order to pass permitting regulations in Hannover the paper tubes had to be fi reproof. After many tests the fi nal product was comprised of fi ve layers. A fi lm of fi reproof polyethylane (which also acts as a waterproofi ng), paper, fi berglass mesh, paper and then fi reproofi ng again.

PVC MEMBRANE

TIMBER

PAPER TUBING

FOUNDATION

COMPOSITION OF PAPER TUBES

HUMANKIND – NATURE – TECHNOLOGY

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALSThe materials for this project were chosen based on two considerations: one the client suggested that the stucture be made of paper tubes, and two, the theme for the Expo was sustainability. Ban and Otto wanted materials that could be completely recyclable after deconstruction.

PAPERIn order to pass permitting regulations in Hannover the paper tubes had to be fi reproof. After many tests the fi nal product was comprised of fi ve layers. A fi lm of fi reproof polyethylane (which also acts as a waterproofi ng), paper, fi berglass mesh, paper and then fi reproofi ng again.

PVC MEMBRANE

TIMBER

PAPER TUBING

FOUNDATION COMPOSITION OF PAPER TUBES

HUMANKIND – NATURE – TECHNOLOGY

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALSThe materials for this project were chosen based on two considerations: one the client suggested that the stucture be made of paper tubes, and two, the theme for the Expo was sustainability. Ban and Otto wanted materials that could be completely recyclable after deconstruction.

PAPERIn order to pass permitting regulations in Hannover the paper tubes had to be fi reproof. After many tests the fi nal product was comprised of fi ve layers. A fi lm of fi reproof polyethylane (which also acts as a waterproofi ng), paper, fi berglass mesh, paper and then fi reproofi ng again.

PVC MEMBRANE

TIMBER

PAPER TUBING

FOUNDATION

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pulat

ion &

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percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were ab le to i den t i f y more than one e thn ic o r ig in

L en ts popu la t i on : 20662

A lber ta Area Popu la t i on : 22072

Por t l and Popu la t i on : 613980

Wh i te

B lack o r A f r i can Amer ican

Amer ican Ind ian

H ispan ic

As ian

Other

Pac i f i c I s l and

15 .2%

1.2%

4.5%

63.6%

15.5%

64.1%

10.9%

4.16%

.4%

2.7%1.2%

21 .2%

8.9%

.7%

75.2%

6%

1%

7.7%.6%

4.4%9.8%

Population and Ethnicity

Households receiving SNAPHousing

Income in Lents

Lents : 13%

Alber ta Area: 8%

Por t land: 16 .5%

Shared Quarters in Lents: 4% of units

Median Cost of Rent : $773

Median Home Value: $194k

Total Housing Units in Lents : 7389

Rented Units : 49%

O wned Units : 51%

learning opportunity to comprehend how the structure worked. The axonemtric diagram expresses the simplicity of the three construction materials and the order of assembly. The second diagram is a graphic representation of the composition detail of the paper tube structure.

This project was focused on taking demographics data from the Lents neighborhood in Portland in order to better understand the community living in the area where the proposed building site was. A comparison was made between Lents and another neighborhood undergoing a similar renewal plan.

Data was carefully collected from ArcGis and translated into a series of infographics that was presented to professionals and peers. The goal was to create visuals that could be compared to one another to have a grasp on what the data meant.

This studio had three parts to it, a site investigation, redesign of a place setting and finally a design proposal for a dining pavilion for the food cart pod located on SW 10th and Alder in downtown Portland.

The site study focused on one food cart, The Whole Bowl. A series of diagrams explores: The people who eat at The Whole Bowl The employee How the food cart is used both during open and closed hours What the community is saying The ingredients of a whole bowl

Site inveStigation of food Cart Pod2nd year deSign StudiO ii

Through this site investigation I began to ask questions that would ultimately lead to my concept for the dining proposal.

The medium for the eight diagrams are ink and water color on 12 x 12” paper.

This project asked for a “redesigned and re-imagined” table setting. The setting would be used by one guest and one host. The place setting would serve a meal from the I chose to study.

After investigating the Whole Bowl’s only option on the menu, this place setting is designed to have the guest go through a sequence of steps to create their meal.

A vocabulary was created to graphically communicate the proper sequence of ingredients to make a whole bowl. The size of the bowl corresponded to the volume of the ingredient needed for the meal. The felt lids

PLaCe Setting2nd year deSign StudiO ii

had a range of value where the lightest lid was the first ingredient and the darkest was the last.

The felt lids were hand felted and sewn, then individually hand dyed to create the value range. The felt lids were then dipped in plaster to provide a rigid surface for the hand to grasp. The “table top” was made of plexi box edged with cedar and filled with rice.

The last part of the studio was to design a dining pavilion located in the existing parking lot where the food carts line the perimeter.

The concept for the design emerged from the felt lids in the table setting project. Wanting to embody the qualities of fabric into my architecture, I looked at silk cocoons as precedents, they are strong, soft and sheltering.

The dining area turned into small pods of cocoon like shelters ranging in size and height. Each “cocoon” had rotating walls that allowed for a fully private or public eating experience. The challenge for this project was to find

dining PaviLion 2nd year deSign StudiO ii

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the best location for each dining cocoon. Several circulation, negative and positive, and orientation studies were done to find the right positioning.

Architect: Rem KoolhaasProject Year: 1991Location: Paris France

The 1st year studio focused on a case study in order to understand basic architectural graphics and conventions.

Although the studio was not about designing a new structure, it was about how to design presentations and how each drawing could tell a story about the house.

Villa Dall’aVe Case stuDy1st year stuDio

Shooting with film allows me to be present and intentional with framing each moment. I explore these moments with curiosity, intrigue and a need for permanence. Each moment is permanent no matter how well the photograph turns out, that fragment in time is captured with light and film.

I fell in love with the process of developing my own film in a darkroom. Darkroom photography is a medium in which I could see my creations come to fruition immediately. My hand controls the moment captured through each process of development.

PerSonaL Work exPlOratiOn in analOg PhOtOgraPhy