Portfolio by Jim Brown at Coroflot.com

Portfolio

Portfolio from Jim Brown

Portfolio

Cover Page - Design, Craft, Story

Microsoft West - Beijing - The new 101,000 SM Beijing research and development center required interior design services through DD phase. The scope included all individual work and collaboration areas for 5000 staff as well as main lobbies, conferencing centers, cafeteria and food service, and customer interface facilities. Shown here are lobby and collaboration spaces including the three story sky-garden atriums, a major design feature.

Boeing, Renton, WA - The 737 line engineers were re-situated in workplace towers within structural bays of the existing factory. The result netted a faster response to assembly problem-solving and cut roll-out for a plane in half. The towers contain 200,000 SF of workstations, collaboration space and executive offices. A skin of polycarbonate maintains the transparency of space and access while allowing way-finding graphics at a scale appropriate to the 750,000 SF factory floor.

Skanska, Seattle, WA - The business plan for this commercial contracting company stresses an open management structure and collaborative environment. The resulting design uses sliding doors and full height glazing on private offices. The “boxcar” table, a major element at entry, uses reclaimed wood to create a collaborative surface for meetings and drawings. The table and reception desk reconfigures in sections and tracks along a floor guide.

Philips Oral Healthcare, WA - Before being acquired by Philips, the Sonicare company lobby featured a radial floor pattern and a fountain suggesting their sonic cleaning technology. Now, Philips desired a lobby re-branding which joined that heritage along with the corporate philosophy of “sense and simplicity”. The re- design combined a high-tech, polished white aesthetic with a northwest green sensibility in the use of salvaged silver-maple planks.

Paramount Theater, Seattle,WA - This pro-bono project created an excusive VIP retreat during pre-performance and intermission. Accessible via a balcony level fire escape, the velvet draped space has a “speakeasy” feel and recalls the 1950’s hot-jazz recordings of Seattle singer Ernestine Anderson, whose voice was called “honey at dusk”.

Handmade Lamps - In 2001 I created a company named Stick Studios. I design and fabricate custom furniture by commission and handmade lighting fixtures for retail sale.

"Home is where the art is" - Our home was featured in a local design magazine in 2004. The story highlighted our house renovations and contemporary art, furniture and ceramics collections.

Custom Furniture Design

Hand Sketching - Examples of concept and presentation hand sketches from various projects.

Work In Progress - Renovation

T-Mobile Creative Center Concept, Seattle, WA - T-Mobile requested proposals for a creative center in an existing downtown space containing a two-story sky-lit atrium and stairway. Along with our team qualifications, I presented this concept which unified the levels using a porous artifact wall symbolizing the transparency of wireless communication. The wall openings allowed views between designers and became a focal point to the creative center, evoking the slogan “stick together”.

Singapore Embassy, Washington, DC - Singapore is a modern garden city with a large ethnic Chinese population. These factors informed the interior design of their new US embassy. Custom light fixtures, carpets, furniture and door hardware were included in the design which combine modernism with Asian influences.

Singapore Embassy, Washington, DC - Custom light fixtures were integral in maintaining the design continuity. I developed detailed designs and worked with prototypes and fabricators to develop the final fixtures.

Ethiopian Embassy, Washington, DC - The embassy design involved recalling and updating ancient architectural motifs native to the horn of Africa. The tight budget was maintained and a difficult site embraced in this project in which I served as architect and manager. I led a team to Ethiopia to observe and grade indigenous stone for use as cladding. A local DC Ethiopian artist , Alexander “Skunder” Boghossian, worked with the design team to created a custom sculpture for the building entry (right).

Baltimore Area Visitor's Center, Baltimore, MD - Baltimore is the birthplace of the Star-Spangled Banner and this theme was used for a temporary visitor’s center at the inner-harbor. Kiosks were designed to represent city landmarks and the flag wall element was sculpted as a backdrop and information counter visible from the street.

Computer Sciences Corporation, Falls Church, VA

Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam - 5-star hotel 411 rooms inclusive of 34 Suites Largest pillarless Ballroom in Hanoi Outdoor Facilities for events of up to 1500 guests 1,133 sqm / 12,193 sq ft of total meeting space

Retail Design - My retail experience includes the roles of project architect for Crate&Barrel and project interior architect/designer for the Denver Flagship REI. The REI project, a former streetcar terminal, also required historic preservation assessments and hazardous material mitigation.

Kid’s Retreat, Washington, DC - The artist client for this basement renovation was inspired by a classic furniture unit by Charlotte Perriand. The compact and whimsical result incorporates the shelving and display aspects, with maximized storage, work-tops and built-in desks.

Papa Chair - Competition Entry - My design grew out of a specific requirement: to sit comfortable on the floor and play with my daughter. The “Papa Chair” allows for back support and leg re-positioning and the chair supports a posture not unlike leaning against a tree stump. Proximity to the ground allows interaction with a child to play or read book as the chair allows the adult to comfortably be at the child’s level. The angle of seat to back is 120 degrees, an optimum angle for the relationship between the legs and spine to reduce fatigue. The legs can be either be supported by the chair base or raised up to cradle a book. As an object placed within the context of a child’s play, the simplicity of form and construction was important in the design. When an adult is sitting on the Papa chair, the chair structure is almost totally covered by the user. The chair no longer seems to be an obtrusive piece of furniture pulled over to the child’s play area.

Science & Space Museum Concept - This presentation was developed to tell a design story without the design team being present. Using hinged and rotating elements and key-hole views, the concept unfolded in a sequence that simulated the experience for museum patrons and built upon discovery and interaction.

Microsoft West - CTC - The CTC is the major customer interface component of the new complex. Product is displayed and presented in the Solution Forum centered around the centralized server room. A bamboo wrap encloses the spaces and defines this special zone as it undulates to create room platforms and seating risers. The curved natural bamboo form contrasts the glass and stainless server room and the raw concrete structural bay.

Retail Prototype - Winston Salem, NC - In this prototype for a comfort shoe retailer, design work included branding and logo, merchandizing layout, casework design, signage, and an initial roll-out. The team collaborated on all design decisions and I developed these presentation materials.

Custom Furniture Installations - In this prototype for a comfort shoe retailer, design work included branding and logo, merchandizing layout, casework design, signage, and an initial roll-out. The team collaborated on all design decisions and I developed these presentation materials. At left is a private residence in Mattapoisette, MA which included custom wood furnishings throughout. The project above and below is at UCSF and includes site art and seating of bronze, precast concrete, enameled steel and stone. The collection of modern chairs, faux appliances and banker-boxes, and rustic benches are permanent but suggestive of ad-hoc groupings assembled by students who borrowed them from classrooms to set up on the quad.