lucas spiegel

I am a versatile and uniquely skilled designer. My professional interests lie in sustainability, social responsibility, rigorous material exploration, meticulous craft, and innovative, elegant design solutions. I graduated with honors from the University of Oregon, earning a professional architecture degree and a fine arts minor. I have a long-standing passion for art, and a background in web development and graphic design.

I worked in India for the last year, practicing both vernacular and contemporary architecture, and I am currently based in Oregon. Please get in touch with any questions, comments, or employment/collaboration opportunities.

Chef's Block A contemporary kitchen island that takes cues from the traditional butcher's block. - UofO IARCH Studio, fall '08

A reversible slab of end-grain maple and concrete provides both cutting and pastry rolling surfaces. Its base extends the vertical grain, and elegantly stores knives and a cherry rolling pin.

Fruit Shelf Wall-mounted 'bowl' displays produce as art. - UofO IARCH Studio, fall '08

Thinned cedar planks are laminated into curves, forming shelves that keep fruit off the counter and prevent crushing in the bottom of the bowl.

Bamboo Furniture Experiments in rural India - independent work, spring '11

Assorted furniture made in rural India. Metal hardware was minimized or eliminated, and no power tools were used in construction.

Additional Work

Salon der Alchemisten Entry Tunnel Temporary structure for festival space. New Delhi, India. - Independent work, February '11

This temporary structure, made of repurposed bamboo, canvas and cotton rope, served as the entry to a music/art/food festival. The task was to create a tunnel using a supply of used, precut bamboo which could be quickly and easily built. The structure is a simple and elegant 3-pinned bamboo arch module, with cotton rope tensile cross-bracing. The canvas walls, sewn and then tied to the interior of the archway, create a blank screen onto which is projected an undulating animation of light, which draws the visitor through the tunnel and into the festival space.
César Chávez High School An urban agriculture and sustainability-focused public school. Portland, Oregon. - UofO ARCH Thesis Studios, winter-spring '10

The school has three zones: the open and semi-public ground floor; the north zone, which holds commons, offices and gym; and the southern Conservatory, in which the classrooms are nestled. The Conservatory harnesses 200ft of southern exposure for passive heating and year-round gardening. This urban development gives back to the community a library, computer lab, commercial kitchen, meeting and presentation rooms, and fresh produce. Students learn in classrooms, gardens, labs, and elsewhere in the neighborhood, fostering both community involvement and self-sufficiency.

Bangalore Weekend House Innovative bamboo housing. Bangalore, India. - For Wonder Grass Pvt. Ltd., January '11

This small bamboo house merges traditional materials with contemporary design and innovative structural methods. The space is organized around a unique yet unifying geometry, and an open, central courtyard. This courtyard provides daylight and space for gathering and circulation.

Die Wohnungsscheune Residential adaptive re-use of a barn. Soglio, Switzerland. - UofO ARCH Studio, spring '09

A Swiss barn is transformed into a small home and workspace. Wood and glass is linked with the existing stone structure through a concrete wall that bisects the new and old buildings. The voids and solids of this wall account for structure, spatial variety, passive heating, and built-in elements.

3D Media Architectural models and prototypes.

2D Media Digital, traditional, and hybrid presentations.

Professional Experience Intern Architect, Willard C. Dixon Architect, Eugene, OR, February 2012-Present
Involved in all stages of mostly small residential, commercial, and historic preservation projects.

Junior Architect, Serie Architects, Mumbai, India, April 2011-September 2011
Schematic design, design development, and research for large and mid-sized housing and hospitality projects. Drafting, physical and digital 3D modeling, rendering, and presentation development.

Junior Architect, Wonder Grass Bamboo Architecture, Nagpur, India, November 2010-April 2011
Schematic design, design development, and working drawings for special commissions. Product development, and R+D for new construction systems and building prototypes. Website development and graphic design.

Shop Supervisor, A&AA Model Shop at University of Oregon, 2006-2009
Supervised students using wood shop facilities, and operated laser cutter for Art and Architecture student and faculty projects.

Architectural Intern, Weir/Andrewson Associates, San Rafael, CA, summer 2008
Drafted architectural and structural details, participated in design development, archiving, and project research.

Graphic Designer/Web Designer, Fruition Design Collective (freelance), 1995-Present
Responsible for client relations, concept development, graphic design, layout, programming (HTML, PHP, JavaScript, CSS). Skills & Strengths • Fluent on Mac and Windows with Sketchup Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
• Competent using Rhino 3D, Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD, Maxwell Render, and VRay.
• Experienced in graphic design and website development.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to problem solve and learn new skills quickly.
• Incorporates feedback with ease and alacrity. Education B.Arch University of Oregon, Eugene, OR - Graduated June 2010
Five-year professional architecture degree. Art Minor, 3.82 GPA (cum laude). Academic Honors • Honorable Mention, War Memorial Design Competition, 2007
• Diversity Building Scholar, 2006-2010, University of Oregon
• Grace Morris, Hendricks-Goodrich, Ben Selling, Jerome Steinbach, Rockwell, Joseph Starr, and Franz & Kathryn Stenzel Scholarships, 2006-2010. Advocacy Work Volunteer, Sexual Assault Support Services, Eugene, OR - 1999-Present
Design and develop agency website, administer IT system. Presented sexual abuse awareness and prevention curricula at middle and high schools. Co-facilitated support groups for abuse survivors. Represented the agency via tabling and public speaking.

Organizer, Against Patriarchy Conference, Eugene, OR - 2001-2003
Helped conceive and organize this free, annual conference held on the UO campus. Performed many duties including poster, program and website design, workshop coordination and facilitation, and much more.

Domestic Violence Intervention Specialist, Aces Nova, Eugene, OR - 2002
Co-facilitated groups of court-mandated domestic violence offenders in a feminist, accountability-based program. References (available upon request)