A collection of undergraduate and professional design work.

1. SHAWN SULLIVAN | Portfolio 2019

2. Examining East Boston’s Movement Patterns
ARCH 3170 Urbanism
Shawn Sullivan
30%
AVERAGE COMMUTE
DAILY FLOW
of Passengers Arrive to Logan
Airport by High Occupancy
Vehicle / Shared-Ride Modes
12 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 8 10
Major Routes to Logan Airport
MBTA Blue Line
Airport Parking
Logan Airport / Major Hubs
TEMPORAL Park Shuttle & Fly
Hilton Garden Inn
Avis
LAZ Parking
Courtyard by Marriott
Overflow Parking
PreFlight Airport Parking
TownePlace Suites by Marriott
Enterprise
Overflow Parking
Economy Parking
Logan Airport Complex
Taxi Parking
Hyatt Regency
MassPort Ferry Routes
50 Minutes by Car (30 Miles)
60%
AVERAGE COMMUTE
DAILY FLOW
of East Boston Adults are
Employed in Industries
Surrounding Logan Airport
40 Minutes by Transit or Car (4 Miles)
Major Routes to Work
MBTA Blue Line
Employee Parking
Places of Employment
12 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 8 10
EAST BOSTON ADULTS
Employee Parking
Flight Support
Cargo
American Legion Playground
East Boston High School
Hugh R. O'Donnell Elementary
Mario Umana Academy
Patrick J. Kennedy Elementary School
60%
AVERAGE COMMUTE
DAILY FLOW
of East Boston Students Walk
to School Daily
Boston Public Schools Safe Walking Routes
School Buildings / After School Facilities
School Yard / Sports Fields
12 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 8 10
EAST BOSTON YOUTH
James Otis School
East Boston Memorial Park
Donald McKay School*
Adams Elementary School*
Manassah E. Bradley School**
Curtis Guild Elementary School
Porrazzo Skating Rink
*No before school programming
**No after school programming
Harbor Walk
30 Minutes by Foot (1.5 Miles)
3 FLOWS
EAST BOSTON INDUSTRIAL
REDEVELOPMENT
PRUDENTIAL CENTER
ANALYSIS
URBAN NATATORIUM
SOWA MARKET HALL
MOON ISLAND ZIPLINE
BAUGRUPPEN ON THE
SPREE
SARTELL MILL SITE
RENEWAL
PUBLIC HOUSING
REDENSIFICATION
03
08
14
18
25
06
10
16
20
PHOTOGRAPHY
2018
SHAWN SULLIVAN

3. Mario Umana Academy
East Boston High School
American Legion Playground
Kennedy Elementary School
60%
AVERAGE COMMUTE
DAILY FLOW
of East Boston Students
Walk to School Daily
Boston Public Schools Safe Walking Routes
School Buildings / After School Facilities
School Yard / Sports Fields
12 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 8 10
O'Donnell Elementary
James Otis School
Memorial Park
Bradley School
Guild Elementary School
Porrazzo Skating Rink
30 Minutes by Foot
(1.5 Miles)
Donald McKay School
Adams Elementary
Harbor Walk
30%
AVERAGE COMMUTE
DAILY FLOW
of Passengers Arrive to
Logan Airport by High
Occupancy Vehicles
Major Routes to Logan Airport
Airport Parking
Logan Airport / Major Hubs
Park Shuttle & Fly
Hilton Garden Inn
Avis
LAZ Parking
Courtyard by Marriott
Overflow Parking
PreFlight Airport Parking
TownePlace Suites
Enterprise
Overflow Parking
Economy Parking
Logan Airport Complex
Taxi Parking
Hyatt Regency
MassPort Ferry Routes
50 Minutes by Car
(30 Miles)
12 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 8 1012 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 8 10
60%
AVERAGE COMMUTE
DAILY FLOW
of East Boston Adults
are Employed in Airport
Industries
40 Minutes by Transit or Car
(4 Miles)
Major Routes to Work
Employee Parking
Places of Employment
Employee Parking
Flight Support
Cargo
TEMPORALEAST BOSTON ADULTSEAST BOSTON YOUTH
Examining East Boston’s Movement Patterns
ARCH 3170 Urbanism
Shawn Sullivan
30%
AVERAGE COMMUTE
DAILY FLOW
of Passengers Arrive to Logan
Airport by High Occupancy
Vehicle / Shared-Ride Modes
12 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 8 10
Major Routes to Logan Airport
MBTA Blue Line
Airport Parking
Logan Airport / Major Hubs
TEMPORAL Park Shuttle & Fly
Hilton Garden Inn
Avis
LAZ Parking
Courtyard by Marriott
Overflow Parking
PreFlight Airport Parking
TownePlace Suites by Marriott
Enterprise
Overflow Parking
Economy Parking
Logan Airport Complex
Taxi Parking
Hyatt Regency
MassPort Ferry Routes
50 Minutes by Car (30 Miles)
60%
AVERAGE COMMUTE
DAILY FLOW
of East Boston Adults are
Employed in Industries
Surrounding Logan Airport
40 Minutes by Transit or Car (4 Miles)
Major Routes to Work
MBTA Blue Line
Employee Parking
Places of Employment
12 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 8 10
EAST BOSTON ADULTS
Employee Parking
Flight Support
Cargo
American Legion Playground
East Boston High School
Hugh R. O'Donnell Elementary
Mario Umana Academy
Patrick J. Kennedy Elementary School
60%
AVERAGE COMMUTE
DAILY FLOW
of East Boston Students Walk
to School Daily
Boston Public Schools Safe Walking Routes
School Buildings / After School Facilities
School Yard / Sports Fields
12 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 8 10
EAST BOSTON YOUTH
James Otis School
East Boston Memorial Park
Donald McKay School*
Adams Elementary School*
Manassah E. Bradley School**
Curtis Guild Elementary School
Porrazzo Skating Rink
*No before school programming
**No after school programming
Harbor Walk
30 Minutes by Foot (1.5 Miles)
3 FLOWS
EAST BOSTON INDUSTRIAL SITE
Architecture, Infrastructure + the City
Today, East Boston bares the scars of both the extensive landfilling that helped
to physically established the neighborhood and the manufacturing industry
that later dominated the local economy. The Maverick Mills site epitomizes this
history as it is one of the largest undeveloped former industrial sites and is
elevated only a few feet above the high tide line.
After visiting the Maverick Mills parcel and surrounding neighborhood, I
began to observe three distinct population groups and their daily ebb and
flow throughout East Boston. Particularly, I found the concentration points of
each group to be of interest: schools and sports facilities for the East Boston
youth population, the peripheral airport industry for East Boston adults, and the
Logan Airport terminals and “Park and Fly” hotels for the temporal population.
My proposed architectural redevelopment of the Maverick Mills site aims to
provide a mixing point for these three distinct populations since there is a
lack of such instances elsewhere in East Boston. The mixed use development
provides housing, a high school, commercial space, and a new hotel while
also creating a new linear park bisecting the East Boston isthmus. Additional
phasing adjoins neighboring sites, provides additional mixed use development,
and creates a new pedestrian circuit. New waterways help to provide drainage
opportunities as well as coastal habitat. In the event of a flood, these channels
help to both filter and divert water out of the site. Programmatically, nearly
every structure is designed with ground-floor parking in order to elevate the
most vital spaces above the flood zone. 03

4. 100YEARFLOOD
LARGERAINEVENT
HIGHTIDE
AVERAGEWATERLINE
LOWTIDELINE
COMMERCIAL WITH
GROUND LEVEL PARKING
RESIDENTIAL WITH
GROUND LEVEL PARKING
PARK/HABITAT WITH
RAISED HIGHWAY
85% OF RESIDENTIAL IS ABOVE FLOOD LEVEL
77% OF COMMERCIAL/INSTITUTIONAL IS ABOVE FLOOD LINE
SITE FLOODING
PHASE 1 PLAN - GROUND LEVELPHASE 1 PROGRAM DISTRIBUTION
04

5. FINAL PHASING PLAN - UPPER LEVEL
05

6. MOON ISLAND ZIPLINE
Unbuilt Architecture + Design Competition
Boston Society of Architects Citation Award, 2016
Working one-on-one with the principal and founder of Studio Enée Architects,
the Moon Island Zipline extrapolates from the fact that the public can no
longer “set foot” on the city-owned site within the Boston Harbor Islands
National Park. The design consists of two glass and concrete towers flanking
the northern and southern shores of the island. Aiming to minimize visual
impact, the towers are slender and enveloped with frosted glass panels.
Shifting tubular platforms allow for easy take-off and landing from the ziplines
while also providing the necessary anchor points for the zipline cables. 06

7. 18th Century Granite
Waste Water Facility
Police Firing Range
Former Bridge Connection
Fire Fighter Training Facility
SITE LOCATION & PLAN
07

8. PRUDENTIAL CENTER ANALYSIS
Advanced Architecture Representation
Upon analyzing one of Boston’s most recognizable features, I found that the
Prudential Center Complex takes on the form of an “Urban Island” amongst a
sea of smaller blocks and buildings. Rising from a common base, individual
structures extend upward to create a pocket of towers and connected
structures within the Back Bay neighborhood.
Throughout many additions and transitions since its origins as a rail yard half
a century ago, the parcel has maintained its reading as an intact, singular site
thanks to early master planning and development schemes that have insisted
on the continuance of an interconnected base. Altogether, my analysis
specifically studied the changes within the complex over time, the relationship
with the surrounding neighborhood, and the current usage patterns within the
complex’s substructures. 08

9. 1962
Massachusetts Turnpike - 1962
1965
Prudential Tower - 1964
Sheraton Tower - 1964
War Memorial Auditorium - 1965
Shopping center - 1965
1975
Boylston Apartments -1967
Fairfield Apartments - 1967
101 Huntington - 1970
Sak’s Fifth Avenue - 1971
Sheraton Addition - 1975
1993
Hyne’s Convention Center - 1988
The Shops at Prudential Center - 1993
2008
111 Huntington - 2002
Mandarin Oriental - 2008
2016
888 Boylston - 2016
6 The Shops at Prudential Center
7 Mandarin Oriental Hotel
8 888 Boylston
9 Hynes Convention Center
10 Sheraton Boston Hotel
1 Prudential Tower
2 111 Huntington
3 101 Huntington
4 Avalon at Prudential
5 Mandarin Oriental Hotel
1 Huntington avenue
2 Ring Road
3 Boylston Street
4 Dalton Street
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
HEIGHT
(FT)
VOLUM
E
(FT3
)
FOOTPRINT
(FT2
)
DAILY
HUM
AN
TRAFFIC
(PERSONS)
TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL FOOTPRINT TOTAL DAILY TRAFFIC
SHOPS
AT
PRUDENTIAL
HYNES
CONVENTION
CENTER
M
ANDARIN
ORIENTALHOTEL
AVALON
AT
PRUDENTIAL
101HUNTINGTON
SHERATON
BOSTON
HOTEL
111HUNTINGTON
PRUDENTIALTOW
ER
THE COMPLEX’S COMPONENTSDATA & FIGURES
09

10. BAUGRUPPEN ON THE SPREE
Studio Abroad
School of Architecture Design Award, 2017
OriginallyanindustrialareaforAEGTurbinefactories,Berlin’sOberschöneweide
neighborhood has become the site of regrowth after a period of postindustrial
decay. Through a semester with Humboldt University, I worked with a
partner to analyze the district and design a proposal for a new Baugruppen
(community housing) complex.
Our design idea uses recycled industrial barges as a platform for new
construction. This not only pays homage to the industrial past of the area,
but it also helps to enliven the riverfront that currently serves as a border
rather than a community asset. Altogether, our proposal a system of three
barge types connected by a public boardwalk system. To fill the programmatic
requirements of the project, we suggested that Oberschöneweide would
benefit most from two dedicated Residential Barges, one Flex Barge hosting
both commercial and residential tenants, and a Piano Barge offering a concert
hall and a cultural attraction for the area.
Throughout the semester, we worked directly with local engineers, an expert
on sustainable architectural systems, and a Berlin piano hall to ensure that
our design met industry and programmatic standards. The final Baugruppen
complex proposal employs recycled TAF 2001 industrial barges as the
foundationfornewlyconstructedtimber-framearchitecture.Thebargesystem
proposes using a Marine Thermal heating/cooling system in combination with
a wood-pellet boiler for the winter months. While each barge type is designed
to be self-sufficient on its own, the utilities are connected beneath the new
community boardwalk when docked together. 10

11. PIANO BARGE
PHASE 1
PROPOSED PLAN
11

12. RESIDENTIAL BARGE
FLEX BARGE
STRUCTURE GRID
CLUSTER (6-8 Persons)
CLUSTER
LOWER LEVEL
ENTRY LEVEL
UPPER LEVEL
GREENERY SERVICE
QUAD SINGLE
SINGLE (1-2 Persons)
QUAD (3-4 Persons)
12

13. HYDRO-THERMAL HEATING/COOLING SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
TYPICAL ASSEMBLY
WATER / ELECTRICAL CONNECTION
SUN SHADING
BARGE
BARGE FIT-IN
MARINE THERMAL HEATING/COOLING
WOODEN SUPER-STRUCTURE
CONCRETE/WOOD FLOORING
HUBS & CONNECTIVITY
REPLICABILITY
BOSTON
HAMBURG
13

14. URBAN NATATORIUM
Site, Space + Program
Through my initial investigation of the irregular parcel assigned for this project,
I discovered two axes - one that follows the reflected extents of an adjacent
public square and another that adheres to the streetscape boundary. Further
research unveiled that this diagonal street traces the edge of the historical
Boston peninsula and thus holds unexpected urban significance. These axes
helped determine the initial volumetric shaping for my Natatorium design, and
they are also clearly defined within the programmatic arrangement of my final
massing strategy.
The main mass of my building design adheres to the reflected boundary of the
public square with its triangular shape. Most of the general and administration
program elements of the Natatorium complex are housed in the space defined
by this axis. As the largest elements of the site, the three pools serve as the
building blocks for my design and follow the second axis established by the
historical Boston peninsula. These pools protrude through the facade of the
main triangular mass in order to both adhere to the historical axis and publicly
display their importance as “building blocks” for the Natatorium as a whole.
The major organizational strategy for the programmatic pieces within the
complex is based on both public accessibility and aquatic skill level.
14

15. DIVING
DIVING
DIVING
FAMILY
LOCKER
ROOM
S
ADM
IN
. OFFICES
STUDIOS
VERTICAL
CIRCULATION
FAMILY
FAMILY
BOUNDARY OF HISTORIC BOSTON PENINSULA
BOUNDARY OF PUBLIC SQUARE
PROGRAM
PRIMARY FUNCTIONS SUPPORT FUNCTIONS
PUBLIC
GYM
CAFE
PRO RESTRICTED
ATRIUM
BUILDING
ENCLOSURE
ACCESSIBLE
CIRCULATION
MECHANICAL
SITECONDITIONS
TRAINING
TRAINING
TRAINING
AXIALALIGNMENTPROGRAMSTACKINGFINALMASSING
MAIN ELEVATIONMASSING STRATEGY
SECTION PERSPECTIVE
15

16. SARTELL MILL SITE RENEWAL
Independent Exploration
My hometown of Sartell, Minnesota was founded thanks to the establishment
of a paper mill on the bank of the Mississippi River. Tragically, a portion of
the much-expanded mill exploded in 2012 leading to its permanent shutter.
The City of Satell has identified three options for future redevelopment of the
site: maintaining the industrial zoning, transforming the site into a residences,
or creating a new mixed-use development. My independent analysis of the
site considers each option through a four-factor matrix: two elements relate
to benefits that were lost with the closure of the mill (tax revenue and jobs)
while the other factors are new desires (added residences and the creation of
community assets). A physical massing strategy for each typology was also
studied for the multifaceted site.
A mixed use site proves to be the most well-rounded option. The eastern
portion of the parcel could host commercial structures, a new commuter
rail stop connecting the Minneapolis metropolitan area, and the necessary
parking to support this new development district. Mixed-use buildings would
sit closer to the Mississippi housing local business space and upper-level
residential space. 16
The Old Mill: 1946-1984 The New Mill: 1984-2013 What Remains: 2013-Present
Hydroelectric Dam 1
Pedestrian Bridge 2
Existing Commercial Rail 3
Two-Story Office Building 4
374-Space Parking Lot 5
2
1
3
4
5

17. INDUSTRIAL
SINGLE-FAMILY
NEW
COMMUNITY TAX
JOBSHOMES
VOID
MIXED USE
PROS
- Well-rounded approach to needs
- Public river access
- Transit connection to Twin Cities
- Brings business opportunities to
center of town
- Utilizes existing office building &
parking on the site
CONS
- Most costly development option
NEW
COMMUNITY TAX
JOBSHOMES
VOID
NEW
COMMUNITY TAX
JOBSHOMES
VOID
17

18. SOWA MARKET HALL
Structural Systems
Best Overall Structural Project, 2016
The SoWa Market project was dedicated to analyzing and determining
cumulative load paths within an architectural design. Tasked with creating
a year-round space for the expanding SoWa Market in Boston, I collaborated
with another student to develop a design that utilized cables in a visible and
clearly architectural manner.
Visitors to this design for SoWa Market would be immersed in an honestly
expressed structural system before even entering the building. The external
cable and column bays create a tunnel-like experience and offer places to
sit. Once inside, the spacing of the slender structural columns creates an
interesting lighting and screening effect. Overhead, the mezzanine level hangs
in place by cables and is laterally stabilized by a rigid circulation core.
Ifbuilt,themodularstructuralsystemwouldutilizerepeatingbaysofreinforced
1’ x 1.5’ hallow steel members and standard 5/8” diameter steel cables. Apart
from the foundation, pinned connections would hold the market hall together
at all major points of structural interaction. This designed system could
easily be prefabricated and then quickly assembled onsite without a major
disruption to the weekly SOWA Market. 18

19. 1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
Live
+
Dead
Paths
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
Live
+
Dead
Paths
Single
Cable Load
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
Single
Column Load
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine =
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
Live
+
Dead
Paths
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
Live
+
Dead
Paths
Single
Cable Load
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
Single
Column Load
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine =
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
Live
+
Dead
Paths
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
Live
+
Dead
Paths
Single
Cable Load
1/4 Roof =
2,556 lbs
Single
Column Load
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine =
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
=
7,593 lbs
1/4 Roof
+
1/2 Mezzanine
STRUCTURAL MODULE
19

20. PUBLIC HOUSING REDENSIFICATION
Wood Urbanism: Typological Corrections
With a shortage of public housing units in Boston, the city has challenged
developers to propose strategies to redensify existing urban housing sites. In
addition to this initial prompt, my architectural studio focused on using wood
construction typologies to not only redevelop these sites but also explore the
possibilities of integrating sustainable forestry, net carbon sequestration, and
new construction strategies into the proposed development.
With an existing pair of towers dedicated to elderly and disabled tenants,
my proposal for 100 Norway Street includes increasing the number of 50%
Area Median Income (AMI) units while also diversifying the available unit
configurations. Additionally, an elementary school was incorporated onto the
site to share program and solve a community need.
Taking advantage of the southern boundary of the parcel, the modular units
of my design maximize passive solar heating during the winter months
while also blocking intense radiation in the summer. With corridors running
every three levels, units also take advantage of cross ventilation as a cooling
strategy. By utilizing modular assembly, the on-site construction process is
limited and thus minimally affects the existing residents of the complex. This
construction strategy allows for CLT panels to be implemented to their full
potential as a structural partition and carbon storage material. Using wood
panels of invasive Black Locust and infected Ash, this project serves to prove
the worth of these typically underutilized materials. 20

21. ELEMENTARY - DAYTIME
INTERNAL HEAT GAIN
ELDERLY - EVENING
SUMMER
WINTER
60% OF UNITS
ORIENTED FOR SUMMER
CROSS BREEZES
THERMODYNAMIC STRATEGIES UNIT CONFIGURATION
40% OF UNITS
ORIENTED TO MAXIMIZE
WINTER SUN
CORRECTIVE UNITS
IMPROVE EXISTING
FACADE
SOLARSHADING
CROSSVENTILATIONSOLARHEATING
SHARED
PROGAM
INTERNALHEAT
GAINPROGRAM
2 BEDROOM WITH TERRACE
1,400SF
VOLUME OF ASH: 1,154ft3
VOLUME OF BLACK LOCUST: 1,969ft3
TOTAL EMBODIED CARBON: 62,460lbs
VOLUME OF ASH: 828ft3
VOLUME OF BLACK LOCUST: 907ft3
TOTAL EMBODIED CARBON: 18,140lbs
VOLUME OF ASH: 998ft3
VOLUME OF BLACK LOCUST: 1,930ft3
TOTAL EMBODIED CARBON: 63,550lbs
VOLUME OF ASH: 1,073ft3
VOLUME OF BLACK LOCUST: 1,942ft3
TOTAL EMBODIED CARBON: 65,665lbs
VOLUME OF ASH: 333ft3
VOLUME OF BLACK LOCUST: 732ft3
TOTAL EMBODIED CARBON: 22,965lbs
2 BEDROOM
1,400SF
COMPACT 3 BEDROOM
900SF
50% AMI 2 BEDROOM
1,400SF
50% AMI STUDIO
400SF
UNITCONFIGURATIONEXTERIORMATERIALITYUNITCOLORKEY
RESIDENTIAL UNIT CLUSTER CORRECTIVE UNIT PAIR
FULL DESIGN SCHEME21

22. 22
EAST ELEVATIONTYPICAL PLANS
SITE SECTION

23. 23
SOUTH ELEVATION

24. 24
SELECTIVE HARVESTING: ASH
MILLING
MODULE ASSEMBLY
TRANSPORTATION TO SITE
ASH FEEDBACK LOOP BLACK LOCUST FEEDBACK LOOPOUTCOMES
CONSTRUCTION
SELECTIVE HARVESTING: BLACK LOCUST
SITE DEVELOPMENT

25. PHOTOGRAPHY
Independent
Whether capturing natural or constructed form, I aim to photograph subjects
from new perspectives. Composing shots that abstract architectural design
or capture the delicacies of nature has challenged me to keep a keen eye out
for these hidden moments wherever I go. As I continue to study architectural
composition, I have found that my photographic intent has advanced and
taken on new meaning. I often find myself working to remove the scale,
context, or expected viewpoint of subjects in order to leave just the innate
form and beauty. 25

26. 26