Project Snapshot: Caterpillar Parking Deck

This is a great little project that I worked on with Jim Matarelli while I was with PSA Dewberry. This project is located next to the Caterpillar World Headquarters and the proposed Cat Visitors Center and Lakeview Museum in downtown Peoria, IL. The schematic design phase of this project had a very tight schedule and budget, so it was necessary to come up with quality images and concepts quickly. We came up with 5 or 6 proposals for the re-skinning of the existing parking deck and I then created them in SketchUp.


















Then, one option was chosen and I fleshed it out using Bentley and Photoshop. This method gave great results considering the short amount of time that the budget allowed. The museum has not been given the green light yet, and the future of this project is reliant on that decision.

Project Snapshot: Habitat for Humanity ReStore

The design of the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Peoria, Illlinois was a small volunteer project that Evan Spirrison and I worked on. The company was moving from the back of the building it rented into the front. They wanted a simple and cheap way of making the exterior of their storefront and display area to stand out. On the exterior I proposed striped awnings over the windows, light sconces, signage, and photo montages (these were very important to the folks at the ReStore at the time). On the interior, we proposed removing the existing carpet to expose the original intricate tile work underneath, a wall that showed the varying stages of house construction, and additional Habitat for Humanity signage.



















Ultimately, the changes we proposed for the interior were carried out. The canopy and central signage on the front of the building was built as well. However, the sconces and photo-montages have yet to be installed. Nevertheless, it was a fun project for a good cause.

Project Snapshot: Caterpillar Assembley Line

The model for Caterpillar Assembly Line was the largest and most intricate model that I have worked on in my architecture career, so far. The final model measured about 5'x6' and consisted of literally thousands of tiny parts, palates, and pieces. Everything that goes into building a tractor is represented on this model, and you can see the tractors being completed as they pass down the assembly line. In addition, the entire building housing the assembly line and the parts storage area were modeled as well.
The picture above is an in-progress photo and the the other project team members from PSA Dewberry are shown. Unfortunately, I don't have an image of the finished model, but if anyone out there has a photo of it I would love a copy.