Originally from Belmont, CA currently in Portland, OR.
My friends and I made a pact as kids: to never stop imagining worlds and adventures. We thought it was so important that we didn't want to lose it like it seemed the adults had. I am still committed to this pact. More importantly, I feel it's my duty to foster the space and time for as many kids and adults as possible to imagine worlds and adventures. To be able to take a break from the hard stuff, feel something together, and let our minds wander.
Emergent play is the idea that people create their own experiences within an open-ended framework. I'd like to create a system of tools and languages that can be taken apart and smashed together, making the experience itself fun. I strive for design that brings people together to share stories, solve mysteries, and connect communities.
My background in architecture and construction has equipped me with the skills to bring design concepts to life in the challenging medium of physical space. For over four years, I translated brand identities into tangible retail environments. I thrive on creating digital experiences and am adept at integrating them into physical spaces to create a seamless and engaging customer journey.
The most impactful project I have worked on is still ongoing. I was connected to a local community that, despite having been ravaged by racism and theft, remains strong and hopeful as they actively rebuild their community today. As a designer from a different background, I did not pretend to understand what they have been through or suggest where they should go. Instead, I listened and created a set of tools that allowed us, together, to imagine the greatest community learning hub possible. These tools gave them ownership over the design, and amazing ideas emerged from this process. We designed architecture and built a website and video that helped them win grants and start to build this vision. Look up BEAM Village to learn more.
Learning. I want to learn innovative, novel processes for design from the best in the business. I am an expert at combining processes, working across multiple mediums, and learning new ones. I can make ambitious ideas achievable through efficient planning, automated workflows, and production speed. Despite the previous two sentences, I am generally humble and not too serious. I’m ready to learn and make cool stuff, so let’s work together.
RESUME
WORKING_
✦Freelance [March 2024 - February 2018]
Experience_ Architecture, product, and graphic design, animation, web/UI, branding, close client collaboration, project strategy, team managment and mentoring
Clients_ Unlisted Experiential, ProjectPDX, ZGF Architects, Lotus, Sitka Gear, Gore, Style Guide, Modomi, First 40, Institute for Health in the Built Environment, Albina Vision Trust, Feed’em Freedom Foundation, Taskshade, Moebility
Spatial Justice Advocate and Architectural Designer - BEAM Village [∞ - March 2020] Experience_ Worked closely with Black community educators and students to design and build one of many future innovative learning hubs. Coordinated with sub-contractors and manufacturers. Assisted with grant writing, price estimation, and marketing materials.
Architectural Designer - Speranza Architecture [September 2019 - June 2017]
Experience_ Single family residential design and construction documentation, Multi-use adaptive re-use design and visualization, Non-profit artist residence at Kesey Farms design and environmental analysis, Urban design and data gathering analysis and visualization in Barcelona, Spain.
Research Assistant and Fabricator - Floatworks [January 2020 - December 2019]
Experience_ Data gathering and processing of environmental and social data to create 3D printed data landscapes for art exhibition at European Cultural Center - “Time, Space, Existence” Venice Biennale 2021
Miscellaneous Work [2016 - Earlier]
Experience_ Website development for small businesses, mural painting, restaurants, retail, 10+ years of construction experience
EDUCATION_
University of Oregon
Bachelors of Architecture & Minor in Interior Design
Portland Community College
Figure drawing & general education
Cañada College
3D animation and modeling, computer science & general education
PRIMARY SKILLS
3D modeling, animation, rendering & compositing, interaction design, UI/UX, web design, spatial design
SOFTWARE
Highly proficient_ Blender, Rhinoceros 3D, After Effects, Photoshop, Figma, Webflow
Autodesk Maya, Premiere, Davinci Resolve, Illustrator, Indesign, Touchdesigner, html & css
garrett@garrettleaver.com
Through weekend collaborations my friends and I scanned and recreated digitally an alleyway in NE Portland. We then designed interventions throughout the alley playing with the blurred boundaries between the public right of way and the private backyards.
This project aimed to imagine alleys as new pedestrian spaces for dining, drinking, playing, and communal living; as well as an excuse to get together with friends, work on something positive, and explore various methods for collaborating.
After designing digitally, we cleaned up the physical alley and set up an event to showcase the project. It was up for Last Thursday on Alberta st and lots of people stopped by to scan QR codes that transported them into interactive VR versions of the alleyway.
3D scanned with Polycam, modelled in Rhino3D and Blender, interactions build with Webflow.
Project for 1/12 Studio
With Luke Janzen, Daniel Matallana, Jade Danek and Maddy Jones
Mouse movements are captured and occupants draw as they surf. A One Over Twelve project.
Coded in Visual Studio Code, hosted on Netlify.
