EMMA CLARK

Auburn University has a clear need for an

CONCRETE updated and expanded faculty club on

campus. This individual project focused
on that need with a program including
guest rooms, dining spaces, conference
rooms, a cafe, gallery area, and lecture
hall. The premise of the project was to
utilize concrete in any form. Studying the
opportunities between concrete, the site,
and the program led to the creation of a
large and open interior space with ebbing
and flowing usage. The active street corner
CAFE / GALLERY INTERIOR was brought in through perspective lines
created by the load-bearing concrete walls.
Shown above is the interior view approaching the exterior street corner. The building is pushed back from the The buildings occupiable roof slopes down
street edge, with concrete walls both inside and outside to blur the line between the two spaces. The concrete
walls increase in density at the line of enclosure to mark the edge.
to the street greenery, merging the building
to the site and ultimately creating an inviting
and inclusive space.

Main Grid Perspective Grid Interior Boundaries Circulation / Views Roof Line

Auburn University Faculty Club | Auburn, AL

Ground Floor Roof

Panoramic Section showing the changing perception of the angled concrete walls
 North - South Section

REINFORCED CONCRETE BEARING WALL

EXTERIOR (9.5 x 10 x 1)

Vehicle Access Entrance CONDUIT / ELECTRICAL JUNCTION

(3 DEPTH)
POST-TENSIONED TWO-WAY CONCRETE SLAB
(12 DEPTH / MAX SPAN @ 40)
Guest Rooms

Restrooms REINFORCED CONCRETE DROP SLAB

(15 DEPTH)
HVAC DUCT
HVAC DUCT
Conference Rooms
Services

DROP TRACK LIGHTING

CONDUIT / ELECTRICAL JUNCTION WHITE DROP PANELS (2 THICKNESS)

(410 SQUARE with 2 GAPS)
Exterior View (3 DEPTH)

Auditorium

Cafe

Dining Area / Gallery

CONCRETE WALL FACE

Outdoor Dining Event Space REINFORCED CONCRETE BEARING WALL
(9.5 x 10 x 1)

Occupiable Roof with walls sloping down to edge

Initial Idea Sketch

INSULATION (2 THICKNESS) EXPANSION MATERIAL CONCRETE SLAB FLOOR HEATING RODS

(.5 THICKNESS) (4 DEPTH / POURED ON 20 x 20 GRID)

WATERPROOFING REINFORCED CONCRETE FOOTING

(14 x 5 x 2.5)
SAND / GRAVEL BASE
Concrete Bearing Wall Section
East-West Section showing thermal floors to
negotiate heating of large open
space with HVAC system above
TAMPED EARTH
ceiling panels filling the depth of
the drop slab above walls.

WALL SECTION 1.5 = 1

 IMPACT
RESEARCH WHY CONCRETE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

CO2 Production
ton of CO 2 is produced for every ton of cement
produced

2 nd most consumed substance globally, behind

water

3 past years, China has produced the same amount

of cement as the United States has in the past 100

Emissions of Carbon Dioxide throughout the Production

CO 2 Produced per 1 ton of Resource

of Cement and the Casting of Concrete

(units in million metric tons)

Percentages indicate portion of overall emissions created at that stage of the process

limestone + clay calination - as gypsum is

materials are heated the limestone then mixed
in a kiln (about the gets heated, with clinker
The study of concrete, applied to the Auburn temperature of a carbon making the
Faculty Club design project, occured in a group volcano) to create dioxide is cement
clinker released
research project curated into an exhibit. The team
of eleven divided to individually gather and
curate research on a particular aspect of concrete.
I produced a presentation on the environmental
impacts of concrete. To curate a cohesive and
unified exhibit the team divided into three groups:
graphics development, editing, and coordination.
I participated as the head of the coordination team
and lead the other two members of that team
cement is then
in producing a calendar and unanimous goals transported
for the project, while coordinating between the to sites for
pour-in-place
other teams. I arranged and lead meetings as a concrete or
whole team and as individual groups, working sent to various
fabricators
closely with the school to ensure the successful for pre-cast
production and installation of the exhibit. The team concrete

overall produced an introduction to the exhibit,

and a collective concrete timeline.

Concrete Research Exhibit | Auburn University the aggregate

is mixed with
cement and
water to cast
concrete in
either pre-cast
or pour-in-
place pieces

Innovations in Cement & Aggregate

C o n s i d e r a t i o n s w h e n I m p l e m e n t i n g I n n o v a t i v e Te c h n o l o g i e s
Heating the limestone is a large
part of the emissions created
by cement, partial limestone
in its average
replacements can be utilized,
lifetime,
most commonly fly ash
concrete will
reabsorb 33-
Blended 57% of the
Cement CO2 emissions
created during
its production

Eco-cement

Concrete already absorbs CO2

throughout its lifetime, reactive
magnesia can be added to the
cement in order to increase the
amount of CO2 it absorbs

through
changes in fuel
types, heating
methods, &
Cement aggregate some
Replacement replacements,
emissions can
Complete cement replacements be cut in more
Individual Research Board than half
are being tested, with Cenocell
on the environmental using fly ash in a reaction with
impacts of concrete usage organic chemicals to create
a complete replacement for
and production. cement and aggregate
 The Farnsworth Visitors center is not able to fulfill

SITE STUDY the current needs, including a teaching area and

ample room for occasions. The site of the
proposed visitors center occurs on the street to
mark the location as an important place and to
keep it from being visible from the Farnsworth
House itself. The center is designed to elongate
the path visitors travel, strengthening the
experience of isolation as people travel down to
the house. This movement of path also blurs the
line between structure and site, this is to immerse
visitors in the idea of Farnsworth as an escape from
society, the way Mies intended it to be used. The
building keeps to Mies clean elements of design
and organization while having its own
personality in contrast to Farnsworth, both in the
material usage and the expression of structure.
The heavier structure runs in the direction of the
path to Farnsworth, strengthening the concept
of immersion, while the lighter structure runs
perpendicular to the path to encourage moments
of pause within the visitors center, especially in the The Farnsworth Visitors Center | Plano, Illinois
multi-use and gift shop spaces. The materials of
the building consist of wood and exposed
concrete, to both differentiate it from the
Farnsworth house and blend it into the site to not
distract from the views from the house.

Floor Plan
 INSULATED GLASS PANELS (6FT WIDTH X 3FT LENGTH)
-SLOPING 20 OVER 80 FEET
-CLIPPED BETWEEN TRUSSES WITH WATERPROOFING

CONCRETE TRUSSES
-SPANNING 80 FEET
-TOTAL 34 INCHES DEEP

site / building stretches the path between parti / two cores are wrapped forming the path, circulation / darker line denotes entry path and lighter
civilization and the Farnsworth site opposing walls create a slight pause line denotes exit path after visit

GLULAM BEAMS (30 DEEP)

-SPANNING A MAXIMUM OF 30
-SUPPORT FOR LOWER ROOF SYSTEM

Materials of double truss system, visible from

interior of visitors center looking upward.

SEALANT
INSULATED GLASS ROOF

CONCRETE TRUSS (34 DEPTH)

GLULAM BEAM (30 DEPTH)

GLASS

GLASS

WATERPROOFING

INSULATION

STEEL PLATES WITH FASTENERS

WATERPROOFING

CONCRETE BEAM CONCRETE BEARING WALL

Detail of the system holding the glass panels

between the concrete I-beams. The glass
slopes across the length of the building, CONCRETE FLOOR SLAB

mounted at the top of the I-beam and INSULATION

ending at the lowest point within the beam.

CONCRETE FOUNDATION

WATERPROOFING

CONCRETE FOUNDATION FOOTER

Concrete bearing wall section

SCALE INTEGRATION

Room Plan

Second Floor Plan (including pool and bar space)

Interlocking between rooms with wall carving

Ground Floor Plan Exterior View from Room

Auburn University Hotel | Auburn, AL

Floor Plan (level 3-5)
Auburn University has one hotel that is
located within walking distance of the Stacking system between rooms
campus and downtown center, and is
unable to cater to the needs of a large
institution. The site of the additional hotel
exists two blocks from the original hotel
and campus, replacing a current parking
lot. The hotel program consists of guest
rooms, a pool, gym, restaurant, and
bar. The program also calls for an urban
grocery market.
The site is one block from the main
thoroughfare of Auburn, AL. This is a
high traffic area consisting mainly of
pedestrians, and the urban grocery
opening onto the sidewalk with produce
lining the edges will encourage more
foot traffic. The grocery sits on a corner
of a main street and an alley. Along the
alley are some restaurants with seating
in the back and the addition of a street
cafe on the corner will strengthen and
continue this language.
The rooms are arranged with an angled
window to block direct sunlight to the
bed area. The walls of the hotel are
board form concrete with the edge of
the slabs faced with wood planks, lining
up with the lines of the concrete.
LOW TECH ADDITION

Floor Plan

Auburn Woodshop Canopy | Auburn University

Ceiling View
The Auburn University College
of Architecture, Design and
Construction has an existing
woodshop. The current space is
successful in fulfilling the needs
of the college in regards to
housing necessary equipment,
however the space is not
adequate to service the entire
college. The project called for JUNE 9AM JUNE 12PM JUNE 3PM Solar Panel
a low-budget and low-tech Joint Clip
canopy addition to the current
woodshop so that students and
staff would be able to install
the project. The project was
Steel Beam
developed in pairs, my partner
being Nadine Hernandez, and
the client asked that a high level
of importance be placed on
sun exposure and the ability Glulam Column
for the project to expand itself.
The canopy we developed DECEMBER 9AM DECEMBER 12PM DECEMBER 3PM
was a steel, prefabricated truss
system in conjunction with a
solar panel system. The solar Steel Joint
panels allow the school to use
the energy generated to run the
machinery in the woodshop and
filter light for the canopy space
below. The canopy is held with
large concrete column bases
to provide seating and table Concrete Base
surfaces for students to utilize.
SEPTEMBER 9AM SEPTEMBER 12PM SEPTEMBER3PM Prefabricated Canopy and Solar Panel System
 Corbusier Seminar
ART STUDIES The work shown was developed in a
seminar on the life and projects of Le
Corbusier. The first project (shown
directly below) was a replica of Le
Corbusiers Still Life and the second
(shown to the far left) a direct replica
of a later painting by Le Corbusier. The
next project was a 3D depiction of the
previously painted still life. The final
project was inspired by Le Corbusiers
Villa Stein and his color palate . The
seminar focused the study on the purism
color palate and the composition of Le
Corbusiers paintings and buildings,
developing that study into out own
compositions (both 2D and 3D). The
medium of the paintings is acrylic on
canvas with the 3D piece being plywood
and basswood. The study occurred over
a semester.
Sketching Studies
Graphite Rendering
The graphite rendering is that of a photograph of the Stockholm Public Library designed by Erik Gunnar
Asplund. The left images depict stages of the process in completing the rendering. The image below is the
completed graphite rendering. This project was completed as part of the first year studio work.
Nicaragua Service
This project was part of a mission trip with
Auburn Campus Cru, a student ministry, to
Nicaragua. The most exciting part of the
trip was the construction project to build
a new home for a family. The project was
a large team effort and included pouring
and laying a concrete foundation and
constructing masonry walls with tin and
wood truss ceiling. The building was a
three room home with a clear story to allow
heat to escape. As a team member, it was
rewarding to see the completed house and
the progress that was made each day, but
the part that makes this my favorite project
to have done is the team I was fortunate
enough to work alongside each day.
These sketches were completed in a sketching seminar that
took place during a semester abroad in Rome. The sketches
are completed with both graphite and pen. The sketches
shown are of various monuments and structures around
Rome, including the courtyard of Bramantes Cloister and the
Trajan Market.