JANUARY - MARCH 2022
AIA Highschool Design Competition
Precedent Research
Initial Ideas
"Fallen Log"
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"Two Legs"
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"Front Log"
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Sketches & Models
Developing the Exterior
Developing the Interior
Final Sketches
Interior
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Exterior
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Final Designs
Final Sketch
Floor Plan in AutoCAD
Front Home View
Pitch
The Phoenix is a 1970 square foot mountain house that incorporates components of both modern, neoclassical, and vernacular architecture. The home's shape takes inspiration from how logs lay within a campfire, as we feel this can connect people to the surrounding nature. Since traditional log cabins subtract from the environment, we wanted to design ours with the modern mindset of giving back to the environment. Instead of releasing harmful greenhouse gases with a fire, our house uses sustainable energy. The campfire home maintains the homey feel of a fire but turns it into something environmentally positive. We would like to see modern architecture reflect this standard of preserving materialistic values in architecture without sacrificing our natural world.
Externally, viewers can see the varying dimensions of the main body of the house, as well as a slanted front "log" that contains the staircase. The home's layout is split into five levels, allowing optimal seclusion and privacy. This design choice also allows multiple people to quarantine and work from home simultaneously, better meeting the needs of the modern family. Following the standard set by The Nest, our house is entirely solar-powered by panels located on the roof. We also took other measures to ensure the home's environmental footprint is as minimal as possible. These include creating a mostly white exterior that will give the home a higher albedo, a gas fireplace, and several windows to allow for the entry of natural light. Residents and guests will enter a small hallway that separates the kitchen from the foyer. Once turning left, they will see down into the grand, vaulted living space. This was done to create a sharp juxtaposition between feelings within the house. This emotional disparity was something we sought to encapsulate in many other ways within the home. One way we accomplished this was to contrast the type of layouts between floors. While the ground and second floors are open-concept, the other three levels are designed on the principle of closed-concept and personal space. Please enjoy The Phoenix. |
DECEMBER 2021
Engineering Career Research
Career ResearchCareer:
Prosthetist/Orthotist Job Description: Prosthetists design and fabricate medical supportive devices (artificial limbs: arms, hands, legs, and feet, braces, and other medical/surgical devices) and fit patients for them. - Interview patients and evaluate their needs and preferences - Take measurements/impressions of the body parts that are involved with the brace/artificial limb - Select appropriate materials for the prosthetic device - Instruct patients in how to use and care for their devices - Adjust, repair, or replace prosthetic devices - Keep track of care and progress in patients’ records Orthotists are specifically trained to work with medical supportive devices, such as spinal or knee braces. Prosthetists are specifically trained to work with prostheses, such as artificial limbs and other body parts. Skills: Communication- must be able to effectively communicate with technicians and patients Detail Oriented- must be precise when making measurements and fitting devices Patience- must be able to work for long periods of time with patients who need specific attention Physical Dexterity- must be good at working with their hands, as they may be fabricating intricate mechanical parts Problem solving- must be able to reevaluate patients’ rehabilitation A prosthetist must be interested in design and biology- as well as working with many different people. Education: Master’s degree in orthotics and prosthetics. They also require clinical practice under a professional, and a year to 18 months of residency training approved by National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education. Colleges: 1. Georgia Tech (GA Institute of Technology) and Kennesaw State University 2. Northwestern University (IL) and Loma Linda University (CA) Job Opportunities: Prosthetist/Orthotist Clinician for Hanger Inc. in Gainesville, GA requires a baccalaureate degree in prosthetics and/or orthotics and current ABC Board-Eligibility in Prosthetics and/or Orthotics. They also request a thorough understanding of the principles of biomechanics, pathomechanics, gait analysis, kinesiology, anatomy, and physiology. Wage: The median annual wage for orthotists/prosthetists was $68,410 (May 2019). The lowest 10 percent earned less than $41,360, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $108,130. Employment: Employment of orthotists and prosthetists is projected to grow 17% from 2019 to 2029. |
Employability SkillsCommunicate effectively through writing, speaking, listening, reading, and interpersonal abilities- interacting with co-workers, writing documents/keeping records, one-on-one conversations and answering questions, communicating effectively with a team and the patient about their needs.
Exhibit critical thinking and problem-solving skills to locate, analyze and apply information in career planning and employment situations- problem solving, learning about and giving patients what they want, gaining trust and interacting with customers. The process requires a lot of involvement with the patient, as the prostheses will be a substitute of one of their limbs. Each one is specific to the amputee, so unique problems and preferences may arise. Apply the appropriate skill sets to be productive in a changing, technological, diverse workplace to be able to work independently and apply teamwork skills- Demonstrating Responsibility, Dealing with Information Overload, Adopting a New Technology, Managing Change, Teamwork Skills, Managing Time, Staying Organized. Being in charge of creating someone’s new limb holds a lot of responsibility, and new and different techniques are constantly being developed to better an amputee’s quality of life. Deadlines can be necessary in a medical practice. Students can demonstrate these skills at wheeler with teamwork through group projects, clubs, and study groups, and communicating with teachers and classmates. Problem solving can be applied with STEM learning, and compromise with assignments and essay topics. Time management and organization can be practiced with any class, keeping track of homework and assignments and meeting deadlines. It is important to practice these early, because these “skills” often become personality traits They can help with being compatible with whatever career you choose. Reflection Being a prosthetist involves the entire aspect of creating an artificial limb, as the prosthetic is specific to the patient. Rather than passing through different people whose job is a singular skill involved in the process, one team (2+ prosthetists) analyzes the patients’ condition, develops molds, designs the prosthetic, and builds it.
There is so much research on new and better ways to develop prosthetics! They range from making limbs as realistic and functional as possible to as simple and comfortable as possible. If you look at the latest news in prostheses you can see things like Lorenzo Spreafico’s 3D printed tactile prosthetic Prosthetists are trying to incorporate touch in artificial limbs, as well as more natural movement. MIT engineers have created low-cost prosthetic foot that approximates natural gait. Many projects focus on making prosthetics more accessible and affordable- like Desiree Riny’s DIY guide, or Project Circleg, lead by two Zurich-based graduates, creating a low-cost lower limb prosthetic made from recycled plastic. The crazy thing is most of these new ideas were developed by young people who have just entered the field, who are all committed to finding ways to make amputees prosthetic experience better. |
Prosthetists with an Impact
Lorenzo Spreafico
Lorenzo designed and invented a 3D printed tactile prosthetic arm that incorporates vibro-tactile feedback, relaying information about how firmly a person is gripping or touching an object via vibrations to their skin. He did this as his final year project as a college student! He was motivated to design the product after noticing that little progress had been made in bringing the experience of touch to prostheses- especially one as affordable as his. |
Desiree Riny
Riny created a DIY design guide for people to make their own prosthetics. She developed a DIY method to make prosthetic development flexile and affordable. Riny is currently participating in the RMIT Activator program where she is using her spare time to continuing to develop solutions that allow amputees to reclaim accessibility to their prosthetic care by enabling them new lower limb prosthetic from utilizing materials accessible in various communities around the world. She says her goal is to “fix the everyday problems in prostheses that are usually overlooked.” |