Scott Penmanselected works

2Smithville Master Plan + Municipal ComplexAnalogous StructuresGarvan TreehouseOrigami ChairArmenia Wellness Center

CSTC: Rural Sustainability Olson Kundig: Passive HouseGensler: Digital DesignUndergraduate thesis: Digital Play

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design

research

02 design

04 Many small towns in northeast Mississippi were founded due to the presence of economic or natural resources. Under the dual weight of a struggling economy and a lack of continued need for those resources, some are facing extinction. In order to cope, many are relinquishing the small town way of life in favor of growth and urbanization. While one town may not be able to stand on its own, however, a network of them off ers more hope. Using the Tennessee-Tombigbee waterway as a literal and ideological backbone, small towns can avoid both decay and the “necessity” of expansion by using regional networks and neighboring cities’ resources.

map of Tennessee-Tombigbee region, highlighting towns ^proposed inter-town bus system ^

proposed Highway 25 scenic byway ^Smithville with distance radii >

Smithville Master Plan + Municipal ComplexProfessor Frances Hsu | Fall 2011

06 On April 27, 2011, the town of Smithville was devastated by an EF5 tornado. In its eff ort to rebuild, Smithville off ers the opportunity to re-defi ne what it means to be a small town in 21st century America. Instead of tying itself to a single resource or interstate, it can instead connect itself to several diff erent networks and assets. A redeveloped Smithville will connect to the waterway, the railroad, and the highway, creating a strip of social and commercial activity that will help draw immediate attention to the town and secure its ability to survive even when one resource is depleted.

diagram of existing / destroyed buildings ^aerial perspective >

site model >plan of development focus >

08 Following the master plan came the design for a municipal complex that comprised a civic center, library, and fi re station. Concrete walls provide the strength and solidity expected of a civic building, while a wooden screen helps soften the image for public interaction.

Another iteration of the design proposed a generalized approach to retrofi tting row houses. First, the bearing walls of the row house are strengthened and re-confi gured into an adaptable new format that will withstand the strength of storms. Next, the interior partitions are constructed. Finally, the facade is built using a grid of clear glass, frosted glass, and metal panel. Th e exact arrangement of the panels is left to the individuals conducting the retrofi t.

lasercut plaster and paper model of civic center ^digital collage study, courtesy of partner ^

row house retrofi t diagram >interior perspective of civic center >

10 Society’s techniques of modern construction follow tried-and-true methods and practices, refi ned through centuries of work and development. Often overlooked, however, are the structures and methods available in nature, where research and development extend back countless millennia. Th e construction methods of nature are often modular, and thus they overlap with the properties of brick construction. Parametric modeling of linear, planar, and volumetric systems reveals common ground between these seemingly disparate subjects and off ers insight into new possibilities for brick construction.

wall manipulations ^bamboo cell structure + arch model >

bone structure + void model >

Analogous StructuresProfessor Caleb Crawford | Spring 2011

12 Garvan Woodland Gardens is a University of Arkansas-owned botanical garden located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Th e garden will play host to three “tree houses” that will provide an interactive and playful educational experience for children. Each of the tree houses will teach visitors about a separate topic: insects + pollination (entomology), plants + forest (ecology), and birds + fl ight / adaptation (ornithology).

In order to make best use of the diverse and otherwise organic site, the structures are aligned on a linear axis stretching down the main hill. Th eir placement connects physically varied and ecologically diff erent zones, and their alignment encourages the visitor to look beyond the garden’s boundaries to the nearby boardwalk and additional gardens.

diagrams of project strategies ^axonometric site concept diagrams >site section diagram, showing axis >

focus attention on the significance of nature in human environments and personal lives

insects + pollination(entomology)

birds + flight / adaptation (ornithology)

plants + forest(ecology)

Garvan Treehousemodus studio | 2014

ENTOMOLOGY ECOLOGY ORNITHOLOGY

14

diagram of wooden screen transparency ^interior renderings ^

sketches of form, structure, and skin >

Th e Gardens set strong examples for both materiality and form. Natural materials are paramount, with metal and glass included where appropriate. Verticality, transparency, and lightness are important characteristics of the garden architecture.

Each of the tree houses has its own educational topic. Th ese themes drive both the form and the program of the houses. Th e design for the fi rst tree house, ecology, “branches” at both the base and the top in order to accommodate diff erent activities for visitors. A wooden screen with varying transparency provides a range of visibility, allowing parents to monitor their kids while still providing a sense of mystery and adventure.

16

model photos ^exterior rendering >

Th e tree houses will teach children about nature through interactive exhibits and structures. Children are encouraged to learn and explore by stimulation of their imaginations, rather than through plaques and pictures. Th e buildings themselves become interactive, and the children understand each of the topics from multiple perspectives. Learning will be fun, as kids are encouraged to explore and play throughout the whole site. Th e tree houses will use real, active examples to draw kids’ attention to the surrounding garden.

18 Th e only constraint in the creation of the chair is that the material used cannot exceed half of a 4’x8’ sheet. Folding solves this dilemma by maximizing the use of a material’s surface area and planar strength. Additionally, folding provides an easy way to model iteratively with little cutting or other manipulation needed. Th e fi nal product uses folded steel, drawing a direct connection to the original size and shape of the metal. In order to achieve the folded edges, the metal was scored using a circular saw and bent into place using a series of clamps.

early paper model studies ^cut + fold diagram >

construction photos >

Origami ChairProfessor Ernest Ng | Spring 2010

20

photos of constructed chair^constructed chair in use>

22 An existing but poorly-maintained gym in Yerevan, Armenia called for a massive renovation and expansion. Studies into both the social and material culture reveal a history of bricolage and piecemeal architecture; this, along with budget constraints, led to the requirement of phased construction (starting with partial demolition of the existing structure). Overlapping and juxtaposition physically enhances this layering, drawing the complex qualities of intersected spaces to the forefront of the design.

diagrams of overlap strategy ^iteration of Boolean intersection modeling ^

ground level plan >exploded axonometric highlighting fi rst stage >

Armenia Wellness CenterProfessor Jane Greenwood | Spring 2012

24 Th e center serves as more than a gym, acting as a location for rest and recuperation alongside physical excitement and action. Diff erent programmatic areas of the facility are connected visually, physically, and audibly, off ering diversity in both privacy and experiential quality.

interior perspective of second-level pool area ^second level plan >

section >exploded axonometric highlighting second phase >

26

exterior perspective of west entry ^axonometric views of successive phases >

exterior perspective of east entry >

28 research

30 Much of the research into sustainable practices conducted today is at the scale of the individual building or at the level of whole cities. Far less literature exists concerning the issues and potentials of small towns and communities. Rural Sustainability is an investigation into what it means to be “sustainable” in a rural Mississippi town, with a focus on quantifying and visualizing societal and economic wellness alongside environmental health.

I presented this research at the MSU Undergraduate Research Symposium in Starkville, MS in the summer of 2011 and at the Design in Action Conference in Philadelphia, PA that fall.

indicator-based calculation of socio-economic characteristics ^graphic visualization of a town’s characteristics, issues, and potential benefi ts >

symbolic visualization of a town’s issues and potential benefi ts >

Rural SustainabilityCSTC | 2011-2012

32 In December of 2011, I was privileged to work in the offi ce of Olson Kundig in Seattle for a one-week externship. Under the guidance of Steven Rainville, a principal in the fi rm, I helped conduct research into the energy uses of typical single-family residences. Looking at both short-term and long-term sustainability, Olson Kundig was attempting to meet Passive House standards for their Carraig Ridge house. Visualizing the inherent energy savings in this approach helped convey just how critical it was to focus on sustainable approaches.

visualization of the energy needed to power typical single-family residences ^calculations and visualizations of the energy savings attained by applying Passive House

standards over a 300 year lifespan >

Passive HouseOlson Kundig | Winter 2011

OIL CONSUMPTION [ BARRELS ]

Energy consumed by a typical newly-constructed North American single-family residence:

47.5 kBTU/square foot/year x 2400 square feet x 300 years = 34,200,000 kBTU

Energy consumed by single-family residence meeting Passive House standards:

4.75 kBTU/square foot/year x 2400 square feet x 300 years = 3,420,000 kBTU

If:

1 barrel of oil yields 5,800 kBTU1 mid-range Suezmax oil tanker holds 130,000 deadweight tons 6

1 ton of oil yields 7.275 barrels 7

Then:

The 300-year energy needs of a typical single family residence would require 5896 barrels of oil, while a house meeting Passive House standards would only need 590 barrels. At this rate, a trip by a standard Suezmax tanker would yield the 300-year energy need of 160 standard residences, or 1600 Passive House residences.

0 50 100 150 200 250 300LIFESPAN [ YEARS ] [ PROPOSED ]

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

30,000,000

35,000,000TO

TAL

KB

TU

= =

=

Energy consumed by typical North American newly constructucted single-family residence

Energy consumed by a newly constructed single-family residence meeting Passive House standards

==

=

=

=

100 Barrels

160 single-family residences

34 My interest in digital technology formed the basis for my internship with Gensler Seattle in the summer of 2012. While there, I aided the fi rm with a project that incorporated parametric modeling of a large, perforated metal screen. Th is involved working directly with both designers and fabricators to compose buildable proposals.

I was also aff orded the opportunity to conduct my own research, and I used this to explore the role of gestural modeling within the design environment. Using a webcam and Grasshopper, I constructed a setup that allowed basic, real-time gestural input to impact the Rhino modeling environment. I presented this research periodically to the offi ce. For video demonstrations of the results, please scan the associated QR codes.

sample section of perforated metal screen proposal ^proof-of-concept video of the gestural interface >

Digital DesignGensler Seattle | Summer 2012

36 After leaving Gensler, I have continued to pursue this human-computer interface strategy on my own time. My techniques for smoothing out the input from the camera improved greatly, eventually extending to the use of multiple cameras.

With the release of Leap Motion, the infrared-based depth-sensing device for desktop users, my user interface experiments became much smoother and more agile. Using Leap, I developed a system of controls that would allow a user to intuitively “fl y” around a digital model.

diagrams of intuitive gesture controls ^proof-of-concept videos of the gestural interfaces >

38 My forays into human-computer interaction led to a research-based undergraduate thesis during my fi fth and fi nal year at MSU. Unsatisfi ed with my early, naive assumptions about gestural modeling, I sought a stronger theoretical foundation to ground my pursuits. Th is took me back to the basics: what it means to be playful as a designer. After defi ning this, I analyzed how it is both challenged and bolstered in the context of digital environments.

It is this research that I would like to pursue in my graduate education. I seek to improve the fi eld of human-computer interaction by championing the abilities of the designer rather than the computer, ultimately guiding interface design towards a vision of human-computer symbiosis, instead of artifi cial intelligence.

ink prints: playing with a given medium (courtesy of Matt Robinson) ^iterative intersection studies for Armenia Wellness Center >

outline of undergraduate research >

Digital PlayUndergraduate Research Thesis | Spring 2013

IntroductionAbstractBackgroundNeed for Th eoryAcknowledgements

FoundationResolveModelPlay

SynthesisDesign PlayDigital ResolveDigital Play