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_ 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