Jesse Rhodes: Biography
M.Arch.- UWM, B.S.Arch.- UTA, AG Architecture Design Associate
M.Arch.- UWM, B.S.Arch.- UTA, AG Architecture Design Associate
My name is Jesse Rhodes, a current student here at The University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee scheduled to graduate in May of 2019 with my M.Arch. I am originally from North Texas where I received my B.S.Arch and spent most of my college career. Consider me an architectural designer with the passion and enthusiasm to provide design based skills that are a development from a variety of mixed-use, residential, and institutional projects. Works well in group environments with the ability to collaborate design solutions. Qualified in CADD, Revit, Sketch-up and Adobe suite. My ambition as an architectural designer is to generate elegant, spatial configurations that are not only transparent to reason and order, but also establish solutions to the obstacles we face as a community.
Project Description
The main focus of the studio was to research the effects of environmental justice on the community of Sherman Park, WI. This is where I interpreted my own understanding of what was going on, what I like to call "Territorial Justice". The unequal distribution of resources and income that contributes towards a residential environment whose physical characteristics –building layout and site plan- function to allow inhabitants themselves to become key agents ensuring their safety. These resources include Income, equal housing opportunities, and protection from cost burdened homes. With our teams, we each designed a "planter plus" that would engage the community, as well as the human body. To further engage the community we designed the intervention to be able to be assembled by the community themselves so them receive ownership over the planter. Our designed took on a "kit of parts" concept that works as a modular piece that can not only work with it's self, but along with other planter units. With this idea in mind, the vision for my site was to complement Frederick Law Olmsted's initial idea of creating boulevards that connected the parks of Milwaukee. With his Washington Park and the close by Sherman park, my idea was to reverse the score of the alley way and convert the space into a pedestrian and bicycle green way called a promenade. This would be full of activated spaces that were once vacant lots. This Throughway will also be populated with affordable housing units and a new neighborhood center with a public market. Reconnecting the neighborhood in an efficient, affordable, and equal way that considerers the symptoms of environmental justice on Sherman Park.