Work Samples

Rickenbacker Area Mobility Center

The Rickenbacker Mobility Center addresses the need to connect the public with the Rickenbacker Area and provide transit access to necessities. With this new transit hub, COTA additionally partnered with local organizations, including the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, to provide education and food stability to residents. To ensure that this new facility meets the needs of all its users, the facility was designed with maximum mobility in mind. By providing waiting areas for passengers, pedestrian connections to existing sidewalks, bicycle racks, and car-sharing services COTA Rickenbacker Mobility Center positions itself as a main hub for all modes of transportation. Further showcasing COTA’s sustainability initiatives, the transit hub features innovative landscape design features that provide walking trails, rainwater retention, and a butterfly garden because the terminal is located along the migration path of the endangered monarch butterfly. Other sustainability features in the Rickenbacker facility include pantograph chargers located in the bus canopy to charge battery electric buses and the facility aims to be completely electric, becoming an active part of COTA’s net-zero vision.

I was brought onto the project team in early 2023 during the phases of design development and construction documentation. My contributions included the general design of signage elements, creating construction documentation, and supporting sustainable design efforts. The Rickenbacker Area Mobility Center is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in the early summer of 2025.

McKinley Ave. Renovation

The COTA McKinley Ave. Maintenance Facility was constructed in 1979 to meet the rising demands for public transportation services in the Columbus Metro area. Over the years, as the need for more sustainable transit solutions grew, it became clear that the facility required renovations. Commencing in 2010, this transformation was executed in multiple phases, allowing the facility to remain fully operational and serve the community throughout the construction process. The renovation project was designed to enhance the facility’s capacity to address increasing transit needs and to align with COTA’s vision of achieving net-zero emissions by 2045. This commitment to sustainability was realized through significant reductions in energy consumption and a shift from diesel-fueled buses to cleaner alternatives, including Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Battery Electric Buses (BEB).

I joined this project in 2022 as an architectural designer, immersing myself in a collaborative environment with the project architect and other talented designers during the construction documentation phase. My contributions included preparing the LEED submittal for Phase 3, creating floor plans, interior and exterior details, as well as assisting in the further development of documentation for the 40 Battery Electric Bus charging stations located within the bus garage.

The project stands as a beacon of sustainable practices, showcasing energy and water efficiency. It not only features electric vehicle charging stations and COGO electric bike charging racks but also positions itself as a green transportation hub, promoting other eco-friendly transit solutions. In March 2024, this facility was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the official opening of the LEED-certified space. Later that year, its outstanding contributions to sustainable design and community impact were recognized when it received the AIA Cleveland People’s Choice Award.