[katie lomax]
At a time in the not so distant future, when the trustworthiness of politicians is at an all time low, something begins to change. Politicians no longer are the head of politics, but rather become figureheads for patriotism within Italy. They rally pride within their people, using the tactics they once used to deceive people instead to motivate and encourage them towards a greater goal...
The original government center of Montecitorio is renovated into a center for the people to come and hear these great speakers. As people flood into the new Teatro di Mancini however, they are unaware that they are there for more than their own entertainment. A new generation of “politicians” are learning from every move they make as the building doubles as an exclusive university...
Students examine spectators during political events, analyzing every emotion and reaction they exhibit. They learn how to spark emotions, inflict fear, and instill trust in people as they study their uncensored reactions to various speeches and politicians’ ploys.
Teatro Di Mancini
Rome, Italy
Building renovation based on a fictional future, aimed at teaching the timelessness and flexibility of good architecture.
Boston City Hall
Large Scale Renovation
Quarter 1, Group Project:
Annie Bui
Katie Lomax
Quarter 2, Individual:
Katie Lomax
The first aspect of this design project was to take a section of Boston City Hall, create a model, and then pair that model with another randomly chosen student in class. The challenge was to design a single building out of these two slices that would then be used to house the Boston Film Festival for thousands of moviegoers.
Another aspect of this design challenge was to take a theme from one of three movies and translate it into an architectural strategy & concept. The theme we chose to work with was suspense & how to create intrigue for the buildings inhabitants from the time they entered the building until they reached their destination at a theater.
This theme of suspense paired with the existing structures of the two sections resulted in a decision to raise the cinemas to the upper levels of the building in an attempt to influence the experience of the building's visitors. This move also resulted in a need for an elaborate structural system that could support such large weights.
While the structural system, composed of large columns and trusses that respond individually to each load, was necessary for the support of the cinemas, it also became a large part of the building's concept as a strong focus drawing people's attention upwards and adding to the feeling of suspense.
CCS Nexus
Proposal for a New College of Creative Studies Building
Interdisciplinary Group Project:
Allison Hair - Architectural Design
Crosby Lovell - Construction Management
David Skeeber - Construction Management
Katie Lomax - Architectural Design
Lisa Henry - Structural Design
Tim Sullivan - Landscape Design
The concept of the NEXUS, an interaction between many various parts, is the key idea that drives this design. The College of Creative Studies is composed of eight separate art and science majors that greatly benefit from the mature, collaborative learning environment provided by UCSB.
In an attempt to make this environment as integrated as possible, our design locates its program spaces entirely around a single central courtyard that provides a strong connection between students and faculty within the college.
In a further attempt to make the college as interactive and porous as possible, we have also raised the majority of the building off of the ground floor allowing people to enter from nearly any location, maximizing the college's connection with the surrounding campus.
While the building itself draws people into the college, the landscaping also plays a key role for both our proposal as well as campus circulation. We have incorporated the Campus Planning proposed mall plans into our design while also intersecting other major axes to create a variety of spaces for interaction and circulation.