Linsey Gray

[official] online portfolio ... !!

2012-02-16T04:54:00.001-06:00

Check it out! Click Here!!

www.linseygray.com

southeastern building : remodeling strategies & tactics

2012-01-29T13:14:00.000-06:00

southeastern building : space allocation

2012-01-28T13:21:00.000-06:00

More than one hundred years after its founding, Greensboro was stamped with the beautifully constructed neoclassical American Exchange National Bank now known as the Southeastern Building. Prior to and after its 1920 erection, this building on the corner of N. Elm and W. Market in downtown Greensboro has not only witnessed but experienced a volume of stories that have been and will continue to be told for generations. Preceding its existence was anxiety over the approaching World War I. This anxiety was not only generated by foreign parties but also stirred by resident brewers and distributors of alcoholic beverages. North Carolina was the first southern state to enact the prohibition law in 1908, twelve years before Prohibition became a national law in 1920 - the same year of the American Exchange Bank building. Throughout the 1920s and 30s (NC continued to keep its counties as dry as possible), secret bars known as 'speakeasies' or 'blind tigers' were popping up everywhere, "like mushrooms after rain"www.beerinator.com/north-carolina-beer-history/. State ABC stores didn't show in North Carolina until 1937. With this war on alcohol being so specific to NC around the time of the bank building's first years, I wanted to recreate that sort of mischievous character of the 1920s speakeasies in the basement of today's southeastern building. Located in the eastern wing along Market Street, building residents and downtown neighbors can sneak away to a night out (or in) at a full service restaurant, bar, and ballroom. With the kitchen at the center, as well as the bar (situated within the banks existing plug vault), customers can experience fine dining and a show at a fair price within a vintage and very dramatic atmosphere.

With the crash of the stock market and the American Exchange National Bank's closing, the street level (first two stories) of the southeastern building were remodeled in the 40s. Most of the new modernist facade exists today. Even though this was not the original design by far, this minimalistic, anti-bank building street front created much more history than the neoclassical columns. At the corner entrance of Elm and Market, I want to recreate a 1940s diner and kind of mini-mart to resemble the cafe that once existed within these walls. The diner will offer quickly prepared foods, requiring a small kitchen where food is prepared in front of the customer and minimal storage to make room for retail space. Pre-made sandwiches, deserts, snacks, as well as grocery items, and other household & office necessities will be available in the two-story diner mart - kind of like a modern general store. The first and second stories will also house the realty & apartment management office, a small post office and mail room for residents, an art gallery and retail space for local Greensboro artists and craftsmen, private resident entrance, and a mini day spa toward the back in the north eastern corner. The spa will be open to residents an street traffic for massages and acupuncture procedures (no hot baths, etc) based on appointment.

And in a battle with neighboring High Point, annexations of the 1950s required the first public housing units and expanded public recreation into Downtown Greensboro. With this in mind and following the stacking notion of oil & water, I want to create mid-century style apartment units in the 3rd - 9th floors of the Southeastern Building. Tucked away on the 6th floor will be another, more private bar and lounge for residents and their guests only. This will encourage a tight community among the young professionals new to the city by being so exclusive and conveniently embedded within the residential floors, as well as serve as a quicker get-away from a stressful day at work.

And at the very top of the Southeastern Building, residents can escape, gather, sunbathe, play with their dogs, host parties, or play a game of frisbee on the rooftop park. I invasion plenty of luscious turf, gardening boxes & sheds, patio surface, seating, fireplaces, fish ponds & fountains... all in a safe, fall-proof environment :)

2012-01-23T14:49:00.001-06:00

rereadings: remodeling strategies & tactics

2012-01-23T14:46:00.002-06:00

INSERTION... introduction of a new element into, between, or beside an existing structure/volume, allowing the character of eat to exist in a strong, independent manner; despite its independence, certain qualities of the new are derived from the unaltered existing - built to fit; for successful dialogue, the two components must be speaking equally loudly in different languages.

INTERVENTION... when the original building whole heartedly accepts & establishes an intimate relationship with the new design - two become one; activates the potential or repressed meaning of a specific place; only works when there remodeling responds 100% to the existing building cues... regarding the building as a narrative to be discovered & retold through a process of uncovering, clarification, & interpretation to reveal & reactivate the space.

INSTALLATION... the placement of a series/group of [related] elements within the context of an existing building & successfully combine the two without compromising or interfering with either; elements are usually of limited size and limited life span (i.e. exhibition); the process where the elements of remodeling exist independently from the building.

fourth year [project two] : chatham mills high school

2011-12-07T22:46:00.001-06:00

caught in the moment No.2 new item

2011-12-07T22:41:00.001-06:00

i shot an arrow into the air...

2011-11-17T09:42:00.001-06:00

*NEW* Etsy Items!!!

Arrow & Song is an original charcoal figure drawing not derived but inspired from an old favorite piece by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Song and The Arrow. 8x10, 11x14, and 18x20 prints of the original b&w illustration, the digitally enhanced sepia illustration, and the mixed media piece above showcasing hints of the Longfellow's beautiful words are available in the shop!

"The Arrow and the Song"
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I shot an arrow into the air, It fell to Earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly if flew, the sight Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong, That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end, I found again in the heart of a friend.

fourth year studio : [project two] classroom schematic diagrams

2011-11-05T18:20:00.001-05:00

fourth year studio : [project one] final presentation REVISED

2011-11-02T21:19:00.001-05:00

The skeletal spine is composed of stacked pairs. Such symmetry and balance at the center of a body creates the courage and stability to control all mental and physical activity. Just as the body relies on a balance of pairs to provide strength, perseverance, and vitality, the city of Pittsboro depends heavily on its balance between old traditions from the elderly population and the contemporary trends, ideas, and lifestyles introduced by its younger crowd to maintain the unique and charming character it presents today.

For centuries, the city hall has served as the social and political root for communities all over the world. Inspired by both the structure and significance of the backbone, I created a cultural core within the reconstructed interior of the fire damaged Chatham County Courthouse for the town of Pittsboro, North Carolina. This new city hall envelops the historical past while reaching out to the current and upcoming activity within the community. So as not to disturb the original layout, offices of the Community Outreach and Human Resources Departments, as well as the County Manager, inhabit the existing brick quadrants on the first floor. A large open plan conference area in the northeast corner invites the people of Pittsboro to take part in their community through town meetings and various events. The second floor and third floor balcony welcomes large performances, art exhibits, ceremonies, and more where the local and visiting public can come together in celebration, memorial, or promotion of aspiring Pittsboro.

For centuries, Another balance is established within the transition from the outside in. While the exterior remains entirely classic as in the original design, occupants are greeted with a light slight update as they enter the interiors. By using as much salvaged material possible, such as the pine flooring and refurbished brick, elements of the American Arts and Crafts Style begin to introduce themselves through the exposed wooden ceiling beams on the first floor, neutral hues, straight lines, and wood details as found in the acoustical wall panelling and partitions. A light blue-grey barn wood sweeps the floors of both levels to preserve that rustic authenticity felt among the town of Pittsboro. Sections of the original brick wall are exposed in rhythm to sheetrock walls painted a soft bone color to lighten the spaces and contrast with the wood trim and flooring. Craftsman furniture pieces state that this is a building for and by the people of Pittsboro. Upstairs, the wooden rafters are visible in between handing baffles while the floor fixtures completely mobile and made for easy storage to accommodate various arrangements and uses.

the only thing on my wish list...

2011-11-02T00:20:00.001-05:00

log cabin with stone facade : two bedroom : large closets : two and one half bath : full kitchen : dining room : large living room with high pitched ceiling : spiral stairs leading to art loft : full finished basement : two car garage : circle drive in front with private covered driveway in back : covered front porch : large side and back deck : seventeen acres - five acres from road : wooded back yard with creek : one and a half miles off interstate :)

another year handmade :)

2011-10-30T12:41:00.001-05:00

fourth year studio : [project two] high school investigations at weaver academy

2011-10-27T22:41:00.000-05:00

to my educational support...

2011-10-25T23:02:00.020-05:00

As my college career is [finally] reaching an end, my portfolio has begun to make its way around to the biggest supporters of my financial and academic success, starting yesterday with a presentation for the Burlington Women's Club during their October meeting. Among others, they presented me with a major scholarship several years ago so I thought I'd return to them the evidence of my progress throughout my past five years at UNCG.

They were particularly interested in my transition from art to interior architecture and why I made the decisions I made. To briefly reflect this change of direction, I began my presentation with the 1st place cat painting along with more recent paintings and figure studies, displayed sketchbooks, and eventually moved onto the complex and diverse projects from my time as an IARC student.

My connection with the Burlington Women's Club began in 2002 with my very first entry in their's, or any other, art show. In competition with the other middle school and high school students within the school district, my watercolor painting of my cat won a blue ribbon! I created that painting with much guidance from my great aunt Camilla who is an active member of the BWC. Aside from the family connection, my relationship with the Women's Club quickly grew as I entered multiple pieces in their art show every year throughout middle and high school, and fortunately, a financial aid offer from this wonderful group of ladies.

projects here and there... [kevin mcpherrin gallery]

2011-10-19T10:53:00.002-05:00

I found another random project hanging laminate lettering over the entrance of the new

Kevin McPherrin Gallery in downtown High Point yesterday morning. Careful to not damage or leave any visible guidelines on the portal surface, I measured, measured again, and measured a few more times both the space I was working with and each individual letter and used painters' tape to help orient each line of text.

The job was simple yet required a good eye for scale, proportion, and orientation which gave me pride in completing the task along with just being able to contribute to such a wonderful gallery. Within the hectic world of Interior Architecture at UNCG and work, I haven't had much time to indulge in my personal artwork... it was nice being surrounded by paintings again and provided a nice escape from current academic stresses.

"Kevin McPherrin has brought the original work of the world's hottest emerging artists into the design community since 1985. The gallery now represents the work of fourteen artists from nine countries, representing styles from European transitional pieces to cutting-edge abstracts to photo-real figuratives."

Check out the artists, work, and more info here!! Thanks Kevin!

Hawthorne Residential Partners : Forestdale Finished!

2011-10-18T21:37:00.005-05:00

In a former post I talked about having a couple opportunities this summer to lend a creative hand to the locally-based Hawthorne Residential Partners who manage and invest in apartment properties throughout the southeast. After completing a graphic mural in their office, I was invited to follow HPR to Hawthorne at Forestdale in Burlington to paint another graphic on an interior wall of the newly managed and renovated apartment clubhouse. As promised in said earlier post, here are some images of how everything in the clubhouse design came together!

Hawthorne at Forestdale not only has a new information & welcome center - including a refreshed gym, laundry room, and pool area - but updated landscaping, signage, park area, individual models, and even bright, fresh paint on each unit door! For more information, visit Hawthorne at Forestdale.

Process work from my mural can be viewed *here* :) Thanks!

fourth year studio : [project two] chatham mills

2011-10-12T10:27:00.003-05:00

Chatham Mills in Pittsboro, North Carolina opened in the 1920s and operated for 70 years as the world's largest producer of woven labels, producing labels for some of the best known brands such as Coca-cola, Mercedes Benz, Marshall Field's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. This textile mill quickly became part of Pittsboro and Chatham County citizens' lives. In 1996, Chatham Mills sadly ceased production and closed its doors as a victim of technology and in 1997, Chatham Mills Development Corporation bought the properly with belief that this "architectural gem of a building had a continuing role to play in economic and cultural life in Pittsboro and Chatham County". As a member of the National Register of Historic Places, Chatham Mills is currently home to a variety of businesses with plenty of space still available. Bio-tech companies and related offices such as UNC Dialysis and UNC Hospice hold residency as well as Starrlight Mead Winery, Hobbs Architects, reality and leasing offices, and the popular co-op Chatham Marketplace.

The Chatham Marketplace is a co-operative business owned entirely by members of the community (more than 2000 households)

The people of Pittsboro and Chatham County have joined freely to meet common social, economic, and cultural needs and follow seven basic principles for success as an independent group:
- volunatry and non-discriminatory membership/ownership
- democratic control
- owner economic participation (members contribute financially and therefore receive financial benefits)
- independent
- educational
- cooperation among cooperatives
- concern for community

Today, the marketplace provides healthy, quality food, supports local agriculture, strengthens local economy, offers active ownership, practices environmental stewardship, is a catalyst for cooperation among community members, serves as a community hub, and advances the well being of each community member.

FOR MORE VISIT:
www.chathammills.com
http://chathammarketplace.coop

iar 311 : [project one] pre-design + schematic design

2011-10-05T01:55:00.000-05:00

new to the etsy family...

2011-09-25T19:49:00.000-05:00

fourth year studio : [project one] space planning & diagraming

2011-09-23T11:40:00.001-05:00

fourth year studio : [project one] acoustic flooring

2011-09-21T11:14:00.001-05:00

Acoustical Surfaces, Inc.
STC Ratings

fourth year studio : [project one] readings on acoustics & lighting...

2011-09-16T14:32:00.007-05:00

How would you feel about being an occupant in the San Francisco City Hall after its renovations? Explain.

After reading about the restoration and renovations made to the iconic San Francisco City Hall, I would feel proud and grateful as an occupant within the improved building. For three years, more than twenty different architects, designers, and engineers worked together to, first, reinforce and repair the damaged structures caused by the 1989 earthquake, and then carefully refurbish as many fixtures, treatments, and materials as possible. Special attention was given to the update of lighting within each space, as well as around the building itself, so that occupants (tenants, employees, and visitors) would have up-to-date, efficient lighting but in a way that did not take away from the original Beaux-Arts design of the building as if “… a modern architect had never been there” (Irons, AIA). “Because electric lighting was still new technology when the building was opened, modern lighting had to be applied carefully” (Irons, AIA). I would be proud to work in such a glorified building in which so much time and effort went into preserving; and from the descriptions of the new and restored lighting, (specific to different types of spaces from the sky-lit public gallery to the intimate councilor’s office) it seems like a very comfortable yet prestigious and productive environment.

What types of lighting were discussed? How can these fixtures benefit the Chatham County City Hall? Explain.

Throughout the four readings, especially The Impact of Light and Colour on Psychological Mood: A Cross-Cultural Study of Indoor Work Environments by the Taylor & Francis Group, and Enriching Lighting Design by Elizabeth C. Brawley, various types of lighting were mentioned from natural daylight provided by windows and skylights to light treatments and effects like diffusers. Issues on indirect and direct lighting, as well as fixtures themselves and surrounding material becoming reflectors were discussed frequently; one of the articles focused especially on the distance from workstations to the nearest window and compared work environments throughout different times of the day, seasons, and in different countries with varying latitudes. Specific fixtures like LED, halogen and tungsten-halogen, fluorescent, incandescent, metal-halide bulbs, overhead lighting (recessed and pendant), desktop/table lighting, built-in hidden fixtures, accent lighting, diffusers, floods, and accessible/adjustable special-event lighting. Most, if not all, of these fixtures could benefit the new Chatham County Courthouse, especially the study on filtering daylight and managing the distances between the large and abundant windows on each floor of the original structure. Built-ins and hidden floods could be used to accentuate the original architecture of the exterior as well as highlight certain features within the newly renovated interior; and special-event lighting should definitely be incorporated into the multi-purposed spaces such as the gallery/performance space to make that area even more flexible for community events.

What seemed to be the largest dissatisfaction with office types and how may this affect the design of the Chatham County City Hall?

There seems to be a thin line between satisfactory and dissatisfactory spaces described in these articles… A large number of workers like the new open-planed offices in which they can interact and collaborate more efficiently but acoustically, most workers did not like the amount of noisy distractions and the lack of speech and auditory privacy these open spaces provided. Men liked brighter lighting than women, yet both described a median between the two extremes as “just right”; and almost everyone liked having access to and being exposed to natural lighting but felt uncomfortable when too close or too far away from a window. The dissatisfactions of acoustics in open-plan, too bright or too dim light, and the lack of or excessive exposure to daylight seem to be the most common among all office plans. I think that while maintaining the original structure and layout of the Chatham County courthouse, it will be difficult to design a very large open-plan office, but will be just as hard to arrange a lot of individual offices… hopefully this can be interpreted positively and be viewed as an opportunity to come up with a “just right” balance between the two office types. And by choosing appropriate materials and orienting them affectively, as well as paying careful attention on the use of and filtering of the large windows, the acoustic and light qualities will find a balance as well.

Is the courthouse appropriate for a dominant day-lighting system? Explain.

Personally, I think that the courthouse, when used for the court system and the court system only, is an appropriate space for a dominant day-lighting system because I tend to associate trials and political matters with gloom, sadness, anger, stress, even boredom, and think that using sources of natural light abundantly could help elevate the tension, anxiety, and depression within the courtroom by offering somewhat of a refreshment and a kind of visual escape. However, for a city hall's public municipal spaces such as the performance/gallery space in the Chatham County City Hall, day-lighting should not dominate the space but should remain an option in which the varying events and functions of the room would determine. For example, for an art exhibit... natural qualities of light are complimentary to artwork but sunlight can easily damage paintings and artifacts. In this case, all lighting (natural and artificial) should be adjusted with the exhibited pieces in mind... same goes for performances, markets, parties and festivals, and meetings.

What are the benefits of day-lighting?

Day-lighting can offer a refreshing sensation to those who quickly become "cooped-up" in the office as well as visual escapes from the office out to the beautifully inspiring (sometimes motivating) day. Natural light can be the best for reading and working when not too bright or too dim; sunlight can compliment/flatter features in the space - materials, artwork, the people within; and day light can also act as a clock, helping workers pace there workday and evaluate their progress.

Do codes matter for lighting design? Yes, No… Maybe? Explain.

I think that codes do matter for lighting design... accessibility and circulation are major issues that codes attempt to address and without the right lighting, visibility to move around within the space could be difficult and even dangerous. Also, one of the articles discussed the glare of light on surfaces as well as the glare produced by the light fixture itself and how such reflections can be emotionally stressful, mentally distracting or disturbing, and physically dangerous to the human eye. Since codes are meant to ensure the health of a building, then yes, I think lighting is just as important as handicap ramps and fire exits.

Is lighting subjective (opinion-based) or objective (factual)?

In my opinion, lighting is both subjective and objective. For example, the brightness and glare of light fixtures and their reflections have different effects on different individuals yet the amount of brightness and/or glare it takes to physically harm or distract workers has little variance.

How does the information presented in these articles apply to my programming & design? Explain.

The information presented in these studies apply in various areas and in different ways to my programming and designing for the new Chatham County City Hall. After reading about experiments and surveys on acoustics and lighting, I can now think about everything from space planning, adding structural elements, and material choice, to picking and arranging furniture, fixtures, and even signage for each space.

Does Cooper Lighting, Inc. offer indirect lighting?

Yes, Cooper Industries offers indirect lighting… One can take almost any fixture and make it indirect by the way they place, position, and install it. Cooper Lighting’s wall & ceiling mounts, cove lights, track lights, floods can especially be tucked away behind partitions, molding, beams, etc. to become indirect.

REFERENCED ARTICLES:
The Impact of Light and Colour on Psychological Mood: A Cross-Cultural Study of Indoor Work Environments, Taylor & Francis Group
Enriching Lighting Design, Elizabeth C. Brawley
Effects of Acoustic Environment on Work in Private Office Rooms and Open-Plan Offices : Longitudal Study During Relocation, Taylor & Francis Group
Rethinking Indirect Fluorescent Fixture Design, Charles Lin, AIA
Lighting is the Finishing Touch for San Francisco City Hall's Renovation, Nayana Currimbhoy
LEDs Make Their Architectural Lighting Debut, Lindsay Audin

etsy shop : a bit of a makeover...

2011-09-14T22:27:00.002-05:00

school and work has taken time away from the upkeep of my shop... hopefully a few *fresh* changes in the presentation [and special offers & discounts soon to come!] will revive the prints listed

take a look :)

fourth year studio : [project one] concept development

2011-09-14T10:39:00.004-05:00

Inspired by both the structure and significance of the backbone (or spine), I want to create a cultural core within the existing Chatham County Courthouse for the town of Pittsboro that evelops the historical past and reaches out to the current and upcoming activity within the community. The skeletal spine is composed of a vertebral body and vertebral arch which protects the neural nerve tissue responsible for all possible functions of the body. Thirty-three pairs of pedicles & laminae stack vertically to construct this vertebral arch and control the seven major processes of mental and physical activity. Just as the backbone, and even the entire body, relies on these [pairs] to provide strength, perseverance, and vitality, the city of Pittsboro depends heavily on its balance between old traditions from the elderly population and the contemporary trends, ideas, & lifestyles introduced by its younger crowd to maintain the unique and charming character it presents today.

fourth year studio : [project one] conceptual thinking

2011-09-13T12:40:00.003-05:00

Through investigation of Pittsboro in addition to having a life-long personal tie with the town and surrounding areas, all conceptual thoughts for a new city hall keep latching onto the idea of strength, perseverance, and vitality - like that of a 'backbone'. The town is a great example of determination and independence through the successes of it's local businesses and the townspeople in general; Pittsboro has stuck to its roots and secured its fortitude with family owned restaurants & markets, genuine craftsmen and artists, dependable suppliers for produce and livestock, households, and more. The town is full of old and young energy; all sorts of music festivals, art shows, ceremonies, open markets, and other events are held frequently in and nearby town square. And despite the devastating courthouse fire, Pittsboro has done its best to keep its community close and remain a historic background and core to Chatham County and surrounding areas in North Carolina.

Meriam-Webster defines the 'backbone' as "strength of character". In developing my design process around the idea of a backbone, or spine, I have also began to find a way to address the issue of "Who should we design for, the old or the young?", and "How much updating can still be considered historic?". More rural areas of Pittsboro and Chatham County are reserved for farmland topped with farm, plantation-like houses as well as bungalow style homes; Closer to town square, classical-revival style homes and municipal buildings are embedded between bungalow after bungalow. While keeping the exterior courthouse classical, I want to incorporate the surrounding Arts and Crafts style homes into the new city hall interiors. I think this will be an update that is clean-lined and bold enough for the younger population but one that remains authentic and 'old' enough for the more traditional, elderly crowd. This 1920s-1930s style, to me, displays similar ideas of strength, authority, and vitality, and would be a very flexible style in which numerous types of events/functions could be held for the town of Pittsboro.

I'm still developing this, but I feel confident in the idea so far :)