This is a presentation of studio work, sketches, and photography completed while earning my M.Arch degree at the University of Oregon

1. CONTACT : Robert Spooner 1928 Agate Eugene OR 97403
robertspooner@gmail.com 541.285.5342

2. PORTFOLIO CONTENTS
VANCOUVER REGIONAL LIBRARY
BRIDGE OVER THE COQUILLE
PEEL: A CARDBOARD CHAIR
SAUNALAHTI SCHOOL
DOCUMENTATION: SAUNA
SKETCHES: ITALY
PHOTOGRAPHY: FINLAND

3. FORT VANCOUVER
REGIONAL LIBRARY
Ft. Vancouver Regional Library is an actual
commission that my professor, John Rowell,
proposed for our terminal studio. We also had
the opportunity to work with Miller|Hull, the
project architect. The library is part of a plan by
NEGATIVE SPACE EXPLODED ISOMETRIC
Vancouver (WA), to stimulate the historical VERTICAL CONNECTION MORPHOLOGY
downtown and reestablish strong community. ( NORTHERN READING ROOM )
The design process began by critically analyzing
traditional library typology, specifically, the grand
reading room. The final design seeks a more
practical solution that heightens social interaction
between community members. a
b
Today inviduals see the library as more than a c
place to find information. People are looking for a d
place to explore, relax, work, and share with
e
others. The library should create the occasion for
f
focused, enticing, and chance encounters. The a
b
c d g
library must also provide a diversity of places and e f
g
experiences that match the many characters of
Vancouver.
The design takes the traditional top floor reading A DIVERSITY OF SHARED SPACES CONNECT
room, chops it up, and distributes equal parts at THE FOUR STORY VERTICAL READING ROOM.
the north side of each floor. This parti creates a
vertical reading room. The room is united by shift- INDIVIDUALS SIMULTANEOUSLY EXPERIENCE
A SPACE OF THEIR OWN AND AN AWARENESS
ing terraces within an open four story volume. OF OTHERS.
This openness forges social connections
between floors through an awareness of others’
activities. It also provides many unique places
and cool, diffuse reading light.

4. S N
LE
HE
T.
.S
MT
VANCOUVER
PACIFIC COAST LIBRARY SITE
PORTLAND
MT
.H
OO
D
ViewÊ OfÊ LibraryÊ EntryÊ FromÊ TheÊ SouthwestÊ Ê

5. Looking West in the Entry Lobby
m 2

6. Looking West in Northside Vertical Reading Room
3 4 5

7. 1/8” Basswood Model
Entry Atrium Room Study
Looking Down
At The Staircase
Looking East
Up The Staircase

8. Initial Massing
1/32” Sketch Model
1/32” Sketch Model Final Composition
1/8” Vertical Reading Room Study 1/8” Vertical Reading Room Study 1/8” Analog Push/Pull Model

9. BRIDGE OVER THE COQUILLE
Rivers act on us in a special way. They make
many changing sounds as they bend from the
mountains to the sea. This sound washes away
everything but that which is occurring at the
specific moment. This is what we mean when
we speak of the river’s “current”. It is alive and
happening. The river is vital.
This covered bridge asks what may be captured
for the pedestrian’s experience, not simply what
can be kept out, namely the rain. The bridge
captures the sound of the river, the changing
light of the day, and even the gentle sounds of
the rain on the water.
This form is informed primarily by its function as
a reflector of sound. Its parabolic cross section
is intended to actually focus the sound specifi-
cally at the center of the bridge. In addition,
parabolic curves are similar to funicular curves,
so this form is structurally efficient for spanning
the river. The form also recalls the local topog-
raphy and the curved riverbed below the bridge.
The grid shell structural system was chosen PARABOLIC SHELL GATHERS, AMPLIFIES, AND FOCUSES
because it employs materials of our time in the THE SOUNDS OF THE COQUILLE RIVER
AT THE CENTER OF THE BRIDGE
same way the original covered bridge did. Now
we have small sections of sustainably
harvested lumber, while the original bridge used
heavy timber trusses. The layered intersections
of the grid shell also recall the Towne trusses of
many historic covered bridges, including the
striking light that filters through the soft hues of
the wooden members.

11. b Interior View
c Approaching the Bridge d Looking Back Grid Shell Layers

12. 1/4” Basswood Section Model
Model
in a
Vitrine Interior Detail Exterior Detail

13. PEEL: A CARDBOARD CHAIR
This chair was completed during a furniture
studio. The studio’s objective was to design
and build a chair made entirely of cardboard.
Cardboard is often thought of as a low-tech or
waste material. Although conventional
cardboard is made of at least 80% waste
products, it is actually a high-tech industrial
material with an amazing strength to weight
ratio. My goal was to use the strength of this
humble material to make a lightweight,
structurally efficient chair.
Cardboard’s industrial origins inspired me to
take on the challenge of designing a chair that
could be industrially produced, easily shipped,
and assembled without special tools or
instructions. Thus, “Peel” combines Modernist
furniture ideals with the contemporary value of
sustainability.
The chair is made from two separate pieces of
flat, glue-laminated cardboard. It is assembled
by zipping the parts together. The zippers can
only be zipped one way, so no instructions are
necessary. “Peel” is light, non-toxic, recyclable,
very inexpensive and disassembles in seconds.
While it may be industrially produced, it has an
elegant curving form that is both structurally
expressive and stylish. Batteries not included.

14. PEEL: A CARDBOARD CHAIR
5'-0 1/2"
3'-5 1/4" 1'-7 1/4"
3'-9"
1'-6"
1'-3"
PLAN VIEW FRONT VIEW REAR VIEW SIDE VIEW SECTION A-A
A
r = 12' r = 12'
3'-10"
5'-0"
r = 4' - 3"
4'-7"
r = 3' - 5"
r = 16' - 5" r = 12'
1'-6"
1'-8"
r = 7' - 10"
r = 1' - 8"
r = 1' - 2"
11'-3 1/4"
r = 2' - 0" r = 1' - 8"
A
PLAN VIEW BASE SHAPE SEATING PIECE SIDE PIECE BRING CORNER A TO MEET OPPOSITE CORNER A
+ CONNECT TWO SIDES OF #8 VISLON SEPARATING ZIPPER
+ PULL ZIPPER TAB AND ZIP UP UNTIL CORNERS B MEET
B B B B
B B B
A A
A A A
REAR VIEW REAR VIEW REAR VIEW SIDE PIECE
BRING CORNER B TO MEET CORNER B
+ CONNECT TWO SIDES OF #8 VISLON SEPARATING ZIPPER
+ PULL ZIPPER TAB DOWN, AROUND, AND ZIP UP
UNTIL ZIPPER TAB RETURNS TO CORNER B
B
IARC 586 + SPRING 2006
B B B
ESTHER HAGENLOCHER
B
ROBERT SPOONER
PLAN VIEW OPPOSITE SIDE VIEW SIDE VIEW SIDE VIEW
0 1 2 4

15. SAUNALAHTI COMPETITION
The Saunalahti School project was for an open
competition that I entered while studying
architecture in Finland. I worked in a team with
a landscape architecture student from the
University of Oregon.
Finnish architecture often sits at the transition
between complimentary conditions and serves
to intensify the intersection. The architecture
acts like an instrument or a vessel that creates
the occasion for this meaningful experience.
The site for the school has the major street of a
nodal development to the west and linked open
space system to the north and east. To the
south sits a community square, church, and
retail shops. Our solution places a more regular
bar of program along the street to reinforce the
streetscape. A winding bar along the northeast
open space follows the the lines of existing
topography and the required sports fields. The
site is divided by this winding ridge line into
higher and lower zones. The curve alternately
divides the fields and forms terraced seating.
The two bars are spread to create a courtyard
that serves the youngest users as a sheltered
play yard and as an auxiliary open space
connected to the community square.
In addition to larger concept, the reality of the
competition allowed our team to engage the
particular. This project helped me develop my
ability to analyze a program full of complex
relationships and demanding adjacencies. This
design is efficient, simple, and unique.

16. NORWAY FINLAND
SWEDEN
RUSSIA
DENMARK
UK
GERMANY
European Context
ESPOO
HELSINKI
GULF OF FINLAND
(BALTIC SEA)
Regional Context
AGRICULTURAL FIELDS
SAUNALAHTI
NEW DEVELOPMENT
SEA INLET
Site Context Site Plan

17. Massing Model (1:500)
East Elevation

18. UP
ULKO-VARASTOTILAT,
VOIMISTELUVALINETILA
KUVATAIDE
TILA RULLAKOILLE
JA LAATILKOILLE
JA ROSKAKATOS
TEKSTIILITYO
AUDITORIO
NUOREISOTOIMEN
TILAT JA HUONETILAT
KEITTIOTILAT
NUORISOJARESTOJEN APUTILOINEEN
KOTITALOUS
TILAT JA KEITTIOKOMERA
TARJOILUTILA
OPPILASHOULLON KIRJASTO
TILAT
WC
WC HISSI
WC
RUOKAILUTILAT
VARAST.
JA NAYTTAMOTILAT
WC
LOUKAT 1-2
WC
WC
LOUKAT 1-2
WC
KOHTA WC
HALLINTO
JA TYOTILAT LOUKAT 1-2
WC
WC
LOUKAT 1-2
View To Eastern Facade & Field
KEITTO-
KOHTA JA KOMERA LOUKAT 1-2
KURAITEINEN
KURAETEINEN
KIOSKI
WC
WC LASTENSEMI, FUTUURI
LOUKAT 1-2
TOIMINTATILLA
LIIKUNTA, MUU
SISAPIHA, LASTENSEMI, FUTUURI
LASTENSEMI LOUKAT 1-2
OPPILAIDEN PUKE
JA PESEYTYMISTILA WC
8.5m
POMMITTAA SUOJATA
LASTENSEMI, FUTUURI
LOUKAT 1-2 7.5m
LIIK. OPETT. PUKE JA PESUTILA
4.5m
+18
+16.7
+16.4 +16.4
+12.5
LIIKUNTA
OPETUSILET, 3-6
AULA, WC, TOIMINTATILLA
KOMPASSIKATU LIIKUNTA PORTII JA SISAPIHA & KURAETEINEN LASTENSEMI
Transverse Section
Ground Floor Plan
West Elevation

19. DOCUMENTATION: FINLAND
I spent the summer term after my second year
studying architecture in Helsinki, Finland. The
program incorporated a week at the Finnish
Association of Architects (SAFA) summer lake
retreat. Arranged around the lake are a number
of architects’ small summer cottages, a
meeting hall, and four sauna houses. Our
group split into four teams and created
drawings and models of each sauna. I primarily
worked on the section and model. Our
instructor was noted architectural model
builder, photographer, and exhibition designer
Jari Jetsonen. Jari instilled in us proper sauna
technique in addition to our lessons in media.
Sauna Model 1:100
The New Sauna
Kiljava, Finland 1964
Pentti Kauppila

20. Sauna Drawings
The New Sauna
Kiljava, Finland 1964
Pentti Kauppila

21. SKETCHES: ITALY
I spent the spring term of my second year
studying architecture in Macerata, Italy.
Macerata is an Italian hilltown located in the
Marche Region. Our program included
extensive visits and study of traditional Italian
hilltowns. I gained an understanding and
respect for a town structure that is intriguing
and meaningful, though, strikingly different
from the American town. I also had the
opportunity to visit projects by some of my
favorite architects, including Renzo Piano and
Carlo Scarpa. The following sketches capture
some of my unique moments from this foreign
study experience.

22. Cityscape
Urbino, Italy

23. Stone Window
Santa Maria a Pie’ di Chienti
Montecorsaro, Italy 936

24. Sala Santa Cecelia
Parco della Musica
Rome, Italy 2002
Renzo Piano

25. Banco Populare di Verona
Verona, Italy 1978
Carlo Scarpa

26. Exhibition Easel
Museo di Castelvecchio
Verona, Italy 1964
Carlo Scarpa

27. PHOTOGRAPHY: FINLAND
As mentioned, I spent the summer between my
second and third years studying architecture in
Helsinki, Finland. The program was located at
the Helsinki University of Technology (TKK).
The entire main campus was designed by Alvar
Aalto. Much of the program was devoted to
studying and visiting his work, which I found
captivating. I also enjoyed visiting projects by
other leading 20th Century and contemporary
Finnish architects. Our program incorporated a
lecture series that included Matti Sanaksenaho
(St. Henry’s), Asmo Jaaksi (Turku Library), and
Juhani Pallasmaa. The following photographs
exhibit the Finnish fascination with light,
material, and color.

28. Temppeliaukio Kirkko
(Church in the Rock)
Helsinki, Finland 1968
Timo Suomalainen
Tuomo Suomalainen

29. Kiasma
Helsinki, Finland 1998
Steven Holl

30. Kiasma
Helsinki, Finland 1998
Steven Holl

31. Turku City Library
Turku, Finland 2007
Asmo Jaaksi,
JKMM Architects

32. St. Henry’s Ecumenical Art Chapel
Turku, Finland 2005
Matti Sanaksenaho
Pirjo Sanaksenaho
Enrico Garbin

33. CONTACT : Robert Spooner 1928 Agate Eugene OR 97403
robertspooner@gmail.com 541.285.5342