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
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
TYPE_ Data Vis and Storytelling
ROLE_ Mapping, 2D&3D Animation, Video Editing
Winter 2020
This project aims to visualize gentrification in Portland’s historically Black neighborhood, Albina. Urban renewal and blight removal projects have driven development across the neighborhood ultimately displacing Albina’s Black residents and business owners. The rapid gentrification of Albina threatens complete historical and cultural erasure in the built environment and with it, the loss of rich informal third places.
Front porches, vacant lots, food production sites, multi-use homes and businesses, corner stores/bodegas, barber shops/salons, and event sites are informal third places that were embraced by Albina’s Black residents in order to adapt to systemic disinvestment by the City of Portland. This project will document the loss of Albina’s informal third places from the year 2010 in order to preserve the memory of the neighborhood’s history and it’s Black residents’ resilience.
Modelled in Blender, animated in After Effects.
Project for Philip's Speranza's Scales of Time class.
With Danielle Valdez and Aubrey Moore
TYPE_ Experimental Animation
ROLE_ 3D Animation, Video Editing
Fall 2021
Modelled in Autodesk Maya and Blender, animated in Blender, compiled in After Effects
TYPE_ Informational Animation
ROLE_ 3D Animation, Digitial Twining, Video Editing
Summer 2020
New ideas about Covid-19 mitigation must be explored. Whole building testing could be possible with automated sensors and a connected system that could alert building operators.
While working with the Institute for Health in the Built Environment, I took on the challenge of creating an animation to illustrate the potential of whole-building viral testing. The goal was to effectively communicate to potential investors how devices installed in a building's air handlers could monitor each floor for viral presence. My solution involved animating an iconic building, navigating around it to showcase different floors being tested, with the results visually indicated through a color-coded system: blue for clear, yellow for caution, and red for compromised areas.
To bring this vision to life, I harnessed Google Earth Studio, an experimental web application that allows for intricate camera animations around the 3D landscapes of Google Earth. By integrating tracker data and rendering frames within this space, I was able to import and align the footage into Blender, matching it with 3D models of surrounding buildings for realistic occlusion effects. The focal building and its floors were modeled and animated to reflect the testing outcomes. Subsequently, in After Effects, I crafted a fictional user interface for the testing software, complete with engaging infographics to explain the process. This project culminated in the creation of four distinct animations, each tailored to different buildings and locations, honing my skills in virtual camera matching, 3D to 2D integration, vector animation, and UI design.
Work for the Institute for Health in the Built Environment, under Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg.
Animated in Blender and compiled in After Effects with footage from Google Earth Studio.
TYPE_ Promotional Animation
ROLE_ 3D Animation, Video Editing
Winter 2020
Series of promotional clips experimenting with the word PLAY. I did general design and web design for "Kitchen Sync Magazine" a student run design journal.
TYPE_ Informational Animation
ROLE_ 2D Animation, Video Editing
Winter 2020
This video is phase I of a project to spread awareness and begin a conversation about erasure of Portland's Black neighborhood through the lens of education.
Education has never been fair for everyone, and the public school system has failed so many people of color. This project presents a brief history of education in Portland.
Phase II is to project the video onto the wall of prominent Black leader and educator Noni Causey's learning hub to inspire "Conversations From the Heart".
TYPE_ Art Exhibition
ROLE_ Data processing, 3D printing, Assembly
Summer 2021
Through digital processing, ecological data sets have been transformed into ephemeral landscapes. These miniature landscapes form an immersive field of information. Tide cycles, salmon spawn rates, sun cycles, and photogrammetry are represented via 3D printed objects.
Displayed at art exhibition at European Cultural Center - “Time, Space, Existence” Venice Biennale 2021
This is a project under Erin Moore for FLOAT.
Acquired datasets, processed the data in Excel, translated it in Grasshopper for Rhino3D, and 3D printed.
With good friends : Mike Kwilos, Heather Tietz, and Jeremy McCCarthy.
TYPE_ Product Video
ROLE_ Directing, Filming, Video Editing
Summer 2022
How do we highlight the benefits of a product that doesn't yet exist?
Focus on the problem that does exist.
Work on the storytelling of this product, building the marketing campaign & website, & video production.
Edited in After Effects.
Product designed by Peter Van Liefde & Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg with Austin Gutierrez
TYPE_ Academic Architecture Studio
ROLE_ Design, 3D Modeling, Animation, Rendering
Fall 2019
At the heart of Portland International Raceway, amidst the adrenaline of high-speed races, lies an unexpected sanctuary of diverse, verdant landscapes. The project, "Performative Landscapes," embarked on a journey to reimagine the spaces between the racetrack's architecture, sparking a curiosity about designing for a broader spectrum of inhabitants, both human and non-human.
Initially conceived to enhance the human experience around the raceway, my focus shifted upon witnessing the site's existing conditions: a mix of manicured monoculture grassland and neglected dumping grounds. This observation led me to ponder the potential of the landscape if allowed to evolve without human interference, straddling the line between cultivated land and untamed nature.
This project explores the thresholds of transition—where pavement gives way to grass, forests merge into water, and man-made structures blend seamlessly with the natural world. My approach involved crafting spaces that accommodate the myriad forms of life that might inhibit or pass through the raceway's grounds.
A key innovation in the design was the use of concrete walls, poured into uniquely shaped earth molds and then erected to create structures with a dual texture: one side rough and fractalized for various species' habitation, and the other smooth and contoured for human interaction. This technique, alongside the study of procedural textures, guided our exploration of potential habitats and their architectural integration.
Beyond these structural interventions, I designed a series of smaller, functional nodes that serve both the raceway’s needs and as habitats. These nodes, equipped with biodegradable interiors, are conceived to gracefully return to the earth, leaving behind concrete remnants as shelters for future generations of fauna.
"Performative Landscapes" is a project about coexistence and the delicate dance between human activity and the natural world. It’s a vision of a future where architecture not only accommodates but celebrates the diversity of life, fostering an environment where every creature, great and small, can find refuge amidst the roar of the raceway.
TYPE_ Academic Architecture Studio
ROLE_ Design, 3D Modeling, Rendering
Fall 2019
Led by Sebastian Guivernau at the University of Oregon, our studio set out to integrate subscription-based business models with distinctive architectural designs. My deep-rooted interest in gaming and game design inspired me to challenge the emerging narrative around virtual reality (VR) and gaming: the notion of isolated experiences in secluded spaces. Instead, I imagined a world where these technologies foster shared, communal experiences, drawing people together in dynamic, physical spaces.
Central to this vision was a multifaceted building in downtown Portland, combining residential living with communal VR environments. Housing units encase the building’s edges, offering ample daylight and balcony access. A semi-open walkway encircles the interior, leading to transparent, suspended rooms. These are the communal hearts of the building, where technology and architecture merge to create shared virtual experiences. Equipped with an array of sensors and VR gear, these rooms align the virtual world with the physical, allowing users to interact within a space that physically adapts to virtual scenarios.
The ground floor welcomes the public with retail and dining spaces, underlain by parking facilities. This structure not only proposes a new direction for VR but also represents a broader commitment to designing spaces that encourage community, interaction, and a reconnection with the natural environment.
Amidst crafting this project, a key theme emerged: the power of imagining positive, functional futures over the allure of dystopian narratives. While dystopias capture our imagination, they often limit our capacity to envision a future where technology enhances human connection rather than diminishes it. This building is a testament to that belief, providing spaces for interaction, play, and even retreat to nature on the rooftop garden, reminding us of the balance between digital engagement and the natural world. This project culminated in a VR experience created in Unreal Engine, allowing my peers to step into the world I envisioned, bridging the gap between digital dreams and architectural reality.
With mentorship from: Sebastian Guivernau
TYPE_ Academic Architecture Studio
ROLE_ Design, 3D Modeling, Animation, Rendering, Webdesign, Community Outreach
Sprng 2021
My thesis project at the University of Oregon's architecture program, was a transformative journey into community-engaged design. Initially apprehensive about my ability to serve the Black community of Albina as a white designer, my experience turned into an educational odyssey under the mentorship of artists and educators Cleo Davis, Kayin Talton Davis, and Craig Wilkins. Immersing myself in the history of Black communities in Oregon and engaging in meaningful dialogue with local youth and educators, I developed a set of culturally specific yet adaptable architectural tools.
These designs were not just about structures but about fostering a deeper understanding and connection with the community's heritage and aspirations. More than a project, it was a commitment to ongoing involvement and advocacy within Albina, cementing lifelong relationships and a dedication to continuing radical work for the community. This project isn’t just about building spaces; it is about creating tools for multiple generations and cultures to connect with each other.
See what's next / get involved:
In collaboration with :
ReBuilding Cornerstones
Noni Causey
BSTRONG Students
University of Oregon College of Design
With mentorship from :
Craig Wilkins
Kayin Talton Davis
Cleo Davis
TYPE_ Academic Architecture Studio
ROLE_ Design, 3D Modeling, Animation, Rendering
Winter 2020
A winning entry in the 2020 Solar Decathlon Competition, this project represents a forward-thinking approach to educational architecture on the border of Tecate, Mexico, and Tecate, California. Developed in a University of Oregon architecture studio, this design not only aims to connect communities separated by a border but also to create an environmentally responsible, net-zero energy building.
The challenge was to extend the threshold between its dual-context environment: a dense urban city on the Mexican side and a rural town on the other. Our solution leveraged passive and active energy strategies tailored to the local climate, including thermal mass heating, optimized natural daylight, and shaded outdoor areas, to significantly reduce the building's energy demand.
Spatially, the school is organized into prefabricated clusters of classrooms around communal courtyards, inspired by traditional pueblo architecture and utilizing local labor and materials for the skin, promoting community and outdoor learning. The gym and administrative buildings draw from the efficiency of nearby warehouse structures, modified to introduce vibrant, engaging spaces for students and staff.
Central to our design philosophy is the concept of learning through interaction with the environment. We imagined the school as a living lab, where operable parts and playful elements allow students to engage with and learn from the building itself, understanding climate control in the most hands-on way possible.
This project was not just about architectural innovation but also about fostering a sense of connection across borders and cultures. It highlighted the importance of collaborative design processes and environmental stewardship, offering practical lessons in team management and cross-disciplinary cooperation. Through Little Dipper Elementary, we not only envisioned a space for learning but also a platform for building community and understanding sustainability in action, and made some lifetime friends along the way.
See the full presentation below.
Accomplished with amazing designers and friends:
Daniel Valdez
Katherine Marple
David Deussen
With mentorship from :
Ihab Elzeyadi
