Marketing Letter
To Whom It May Concern,
I am a third year architecture student at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, that has started to work more with architecture software and research deeper into the field. I keep a close eye on certain trends that deal with technology and sustainability and I’m excited about where the field is going. A new piece of technology I’m very interested in is the glazing techniques that are now possible allowing for only light and no heat, or through currents in the glazing can block almost all sun and change the quality of light that gets in. I am also looking forward to see how my research dealing with sustainability can be integrated in to new projects and renovations of old and abandoned buildings. Integrating the improved green roofs allows for better placement in now various roofing conditions while still providing better roof protection than say a tar paper. I even study in a building that has taken full advantage of adaptive reuse to provide a great learning environment. I feel it is a great time to be getting my education right now, with lots of sustainable design challenges being posed and that I personally enjoy researching new and future technologies in the architecture field. Whether it’s dealing with new ways to design more environmentally conscious, or the way in which I design. These are just a couple of the problems I’ve been researching and being addressed in my education, and I look forward to getting out in the field.
I like to stay up to date with the new ways in going sustainable as it is an issue that is vital to architecture and the more work I put into understanding it the better I will be at practicing it. I’ve discussed the issue with several local architects wondering how they felt about sustainability and technology and their comments echoed what is being documented in books like what I read for classes, and in several of the architecture magazines. Looking at several of the big firms and architects current and future work is great for case studies for current projects that I am working on. I also really enjoy working with the computer. Working with the different design tools (Revit, Sketchup, Adobe Creative Suite 4, 3d Studio Max) allows me to push my designs further and really explore the many facets of emerging technologies. I have just finished up a couple projects for school and with each one I made sure to try out and learn a new type of software and try out new features in the Adobe Creative Suite.
Several key projects that I’ve worked on up to this point has allowed me to start exploring building technologies and the sustainable issues we are facing as architects.
In the Dance Academy project I was dealing with ways to get lots of indirect light into the building. After lots of research I looked into the pros and cons of tensile roof structures and Linit glass systems. With the tensile roofs I learned how great they were at spanning long distances and covering great amounts of space, while still protecting from the elements and allowing light to filter through. This light effect was also present in the Linit channel glass system which was desired. I ended up going with both those products as they had excellent pros and fit the project well.
In the Boathouse project I was trying to maximize the use of day lighting for a project primarily used as storage, therefore not requiring much in energy. With spectacular views all around the site trying to maximize the views out as well as let light in, I researched lots of glass types and found that with the low-e glazing, the building will be provided with ample lighting, but not the radiation that would make the space unpleasant.
The Dwelling was also a very good project for researching passive systems, sustainability, and the benefits of a client. The goal of the project was to design a small home in an off the grid community, for a specific client. I learned several problems of community design and how when working together all of our designs can provide more than just for the client. I looked into creative means of storage for the community and utilization of thermal massing and rain water collection. The client that we were able to design for helped a lot in determining what kind of passive systems to research. If the client was a shy, keeps to themselves type, certain systems can be chosen that don’t require lots of interaction or flash. The opposite is true as well for people that are more outgoing. The Dwelling project also provided the skills needed in working with large groups. I was able to develop better listening and communication skills working as only one of several designers for this community. The goal of the project was to create a community and not just a bunch of random unrelated projects, so through communication with other group members and focusing on the clientele we created essentially a large self sustaining community rather than individual houses.
Some key points to take away from this, which is my designing philosophy, can be addressed in the following points:
- I always strive for a sustainable design in my projects and look forward to becoming LEED certified.
- I actively research new technologies frequently and always like to understand how these new technologies work and where there being utilized.
- I believe in the importance of clients and how much of a say they have in their project and welcome any suggestions or challenges they bring up and strive for going beyond their expectations.
I’ve included my portfolio of several important projects I’ve done thus far in my education. Listed with each project is the software that was utilized on it and what was being learned and achieved with the design. I’ve also included a couple of letters from past professors and included their contact information as well if you would like to hear more.
Sincerely,
Seann Ringwall
Enclosures: Portfolio of school projects, Reference letters from professors
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