The document is a portfolio of Mike McCarthy showcasing various architectural projects and designs from his academic career, detailing his personal home remodel, private home redesigns, and other creative works. It highlights his approach to sustainable and innovative architecture, incorporating elements like energy efficiency, environmental systems, and community-focused designs. The portfolio illustrates his evolution as an architect through various projects completed during his studies at different institutions.

1. Mike McCarthy
McCarth
www.mccarthitecture.com
Portfolio 2011
mike@mccarthitecture.com All work is from academic sources unless otherwise noted.

2. This project set me on the path towards studying architecture.
I redesigned and rebuilt my own home overlooking a lake in
South Carolina myself beginning in 2002. I thought I would
resell it in a couple of years, so I disguised the “greener”
design to look like a typical “rural South” home so as not to
scare away potential buyers House is day-lit most rooms
buyers. day lit,
Home R
H Remodel
d l view the lake, and operating costs are a fraction of the
neighbors’. I reached the architecture2030.org 2010 energy
use target a couple of years ago and am halfway to the 2015
Personal Project target.
Ongoing. Images are of home “before” and “current status.”
2002 – Present (South Carolina)
Original floor plan New floor plan (upper level)

3. Home R
H Remodel
d l
(continued)
Before Construction
Software: Punch! Home Design

4. Home R
H Remodel
d l
(continued)
During Construction
Software: Punch! Home Design
Preliminary designs
Final tile pattern for Master Bath

5. Home R
H Remodel
d l
(continued)
Construction Details
I designed and built
everything you see here
(excluding truss design)
Structural Details

6. Home R
H Remodel
d l
(continued)
Construction Details
Low-e skylights bring light deep into 29’ x 40’ room Interior Details
Salvaged windows heat the room in the morning and look out to lake

7. Private Home
Redesign
Contracted Project
Mechanical pencil on paper
2008 (La Jolla, CA)
Preliminary studies for a
residential home overlooking the
g
ocean in an established
neighborhood.
The family was proud of their
Persian heritage and wanted
columns incorporated
somewhere in the design so the
design,
bottom design includes Greek
columns subordinated to Persian
columns, playing off the Persian-
Greek wars.
Due to coastal preservation
p
regulations, the building height
could not exceed the existing
home’s roofline, and for financial
reasons, the design closely
followed the existing structure.

8. Private Home
Redesign
(continued)
2008 (La Jolla, CA)

9. Private Home
Redesign
(continued)
Computer visualizations
2008 (La Jolla, CA)

10. Private Home
Redesign
(continued)
2008 (La Jolla, CA)
Clockwise from bottom:
Roof Plan
Basement
Main Floor
Solar Panels
Skylight
Skylight
Solar Hot
Water Panels

11. The Rookery
(Chicago)
Stairway Detail
Class: Design With Details
Mechanical pencil on paper
2008 Fall - SAIC
Exterior Section Under stair

12. Misc. Hand
Drawings
Mechanical pencil on paper
Clockwise from top left:
Wall Detail; Charleston, SC
2010 Fall – Clemson University
(
(Architectural Drawing)
g)
Union Station; Chicago, IL
2008 Fall - SAIC
(Design With Details)
Ping Tom Park; Chicago, IL
2008 Fall - SAIC
(Design With Details)
Wall Surface; Charleston, SC
2010 Fall – Clemson University
(Architectural Drawing)

13. West Elevation
Eco-Home
Redesign
Class: Environmental Systems South Elevation
Partner: Stephen Troutman
Software: ArchiCAD
2010 Spring – Clemson University
North Elevation
East Elevation
Site Plan

14. This home near New Orleans was designed to
use roof shade, high ceilings, operable louvers,
Home and public pavilion designed for an
amateur astronomer. style ventilation to maintain
and “shotgun shack”
cool interiors in summer; passive solar together
Eco-Home
with geothermal and radiant heating for warmth in Redesign
winter. The FEMA-recommended elevation was
re-envisioned as a structural truss system to (continued)
prevent shear from hurricane winds and mimic
the uncontrolled kudzu growth endemic to the
Southeastern U SU.S.
2010 Spring – Clemson University
Floor Plan

15. Buist Academy
SC Architecture Firm
Software: ArchiCAD
2010 Fall – Student Intern North Elevation East Elevation
Computer model created from
copies of the original blueprints
and elevations from the 1920 s.
1920’s
Floor Plan

16. Temporary
Outdoor Art
Gallery
Class: Studio II
Partner: Victoria Wright
g
Software: SketchUp
2009 Spring – Clemson University
Rather than boxing in and
isolating art from p
g public view, this
gallery reinforces the idea of an
open air street fair by challenging
the traditional notion of exhibition
space enclosures.
The design, based on native
Austin oak tree and leaf
structures, reduces the overall
amount of materials used which
will decrease the appearance of
the structure. The gallery fades
into the background and allows
the art to take center stage.
Keeping the walls delicate and
open enables the construct to
infiltrate the public way in a non-
intrusive manner. At the same
time, sunlight and art infiltrate the
interior of the structure
structure.
Recycled and/or locally produced
materials such as recycled steel
and glass compose the frame
and skin of the gallery.

17. Pavilion
Documentation
Class: Productions and
Assemblies
Software: SketchUp
2009 Fall – Clemson University
Project involving the
documentation and modeling of a
local pavilion and its
construction. My portion of the
documentation was of the
hardware components

18. Pavilion
Redesign
Class: Productions and
Assemblies
Software: SketchUp
2009 Fall – Clemson University
Redesign of the previously
documented pavilion with p
p primaryy
emphasis on modeling
construction details, not design.
The deck sits on reinforced
concrete piers with wide footings
under the frost line. The roof
frame is primarily supported by
vertical columns which are
welded to the floor frame and
diagonally braced by cables.

19. Chicago
Townhouse
Class: Studio II
Software: ArchiCAD
2010 Spring - Clemson University
Project to create a townhouse on
a typical 24’ x 125’ Chicago lot
yp g
using collaged precedents for
our floor plans.

20. Chicago
Townhouse
(continued)
Class: Studio II
Software: ArchiCAD
2010 Spring - Clemson University
The floor plan is loosely based on
elevations from the San
Francisco Federal Building
designed by Thom Mayne of
Morphosis.
Roof
Floor 1 Floor 2 Floor 3 Deck

21. New campus center for The School of the
Art Institute of Chicago located in existing
4500 sq ft historic corner storefront in busy
downtown Chicago.
Originally based on rectilinear volume
Campus C t
C Center exercises, this project evolved into an
accentuation of the noisy and visually busy
urban setting itself, with building-like
volumes and thoroughfares defining the
Class: Intermediate Interior space between “neighborhoods.”
Architecture II
Software: ArchiCAD Current SAIC Student Center
C t St d t C t
2008 Spring - SAIC
Location and views surrounding future SAIC Campus Center site
SAIC Campus Skyline near campus Skyline vectors Extrapolated forms

22. Campus Center
(continued)
Class: Intermediate Interior
Architecture II
Software: ArchiCAD
2008 Spring - SAIC
Referencing the Daniel Burnham
plan for The Loop as the civic
center of Chicago, the SAIC
Campus Center becomes the hub
of the school’s social activities.
Ground floor
E. Monroe St entrance was not to
be used and could be blocked off.
Requirements: Food service, art
gallery, performance space,
single bathroom, seating.
Key
Grand entry
Parks & Recreation district
Business district
Dining district
Theater district
Entertainment district
Arts & Culture district
Mezzanine level

23. Campus Center
(continued)
Class: Intermediate Interior
Architecture II
Software: ArchiCAD
2008 Spring - SAIC
Materials, colors, and structure
reflect the energetic urban
environment – steel, glass, and
gray shapes create a vertical and
horizontal skyline whose volumes
cast shadows over other forms in
order to de-emphasize the
architecture while emphasizing
the space itself.
Aside from student art, the walls
and ceiling remain unadorned
and uncolored to evoke the blank
canvas that faces every artist as
well as the position of the SAIC
student as a tabula rasa ready to
absorb the unique
interdisciplinary curriculum that
SAIC offers.
Early conceptual drawing

24. Campus Center
(continued)
Class: Intermediate Interior
Architecture II
Software: ArchiCAD
2008 Spring - SAIC
Technical construction materials
like Litracon translucent
concrete, 3-Diculous 3-
dimensional printed artwork,
piezo-electric floors, and Ceelite
LEC panels serve to inspire the
Center’s art students to explore
new materials and techniques
while the busy lines and shapes
energize the students to go out
and create their art.
Early conceptual drawing

25. The assignment was to create an abstract shape from human
motion – specifically dance. We used video of dance
movement to pattern the shape. This form was modeled in
sketches, paper, wood, plaster, and computer 3-D, and the
final figure was then used to design a dance theater. The
finished model used simulated materials.
Form Before
Function “Dance” is simply practiced, choreographed human motion.
Martial arts movie action is also highly choreographed,
rhythmic human activity, and is more interesting to me than
dance movements, so I chose a martial arts film - Ying Xiong
Class: Design Visualization (Hero). The film was broken down into frames for motion
Software: Cobalt, Illustrator analysis. Leg position and form was noted and chosen for
dynamic movement.
movement
2006 Fall - SAIC Ying Xiong (Hero) 2002
Using Illustrator, I traced the actor’s The first, last, and middle frames The frames were connected to define Paper model from the drawing to
leg motion in the frames to find the were isolated to define the form. planes and create the 3-D form. bring the 3D shape into reality for
motion vectors.
vectors inspection and modification
modification.

26. Form Before
Function
(continued)
Class: Design Visualization
Software: Cobalt, Illustrator
2006 Fall - SAIC
I built a hollow wood form and
p
poured p plaster in to create a
solid. The solid plaster form was
translated to 1/8”=1’ to create
the theater.
Next, I built a computer-based
solid model for 3D visualization
and manipulation.
Using the required 1/8”=1’
dimensions, the computer model
was split to determine floor
placement.

27. Form Before
Function
(continued)
Class: Design Visualization
Software: Cobalt, Illustrator
2006 Fall - SAIC
The various necessary programs
within a theater were blocked out
to determine proper placement
within the solid.
Storage
Office
Stage
Lighting
Seating
Lobby
Circulation
Ticket Office

28. Form Before
Function
(continued)
Class: Design Visualization
Software: Cobalt, Illustrator
2006 Fall - SAIC
Functional spaces were realized
in the computer to prove efficacy
and demonstrate clearances.
The final model was created in
wood with acrylic sheets to
indicate exterior electrochromic
glass skin.

29. In 40 years, there will be another 3 billion people on the planet.
Most of them will live in urban areas. Where will their food
come from?
To paraphrase Cass Gilbert, the skyscraper is a machine to
Grant Park make the land pay and pay again. A skyscraper or other
Redesign multistory structure which houses an indoor farm would bring
fresh, local produce to the urban environment, reduce
(Chicago, IL) transportation fuel use, reuse grey water, remove Co2 from the
air, create local jobs, and create year-round cropland in the
Class: Advanced Interior center of projected future human population growth.
Architecture I
Software: ArchiCAD E h i th surrounding skyscrapers, multiple l
Echoing the di k lti l levels were
l
added to Grant park to increase recreation space, allow for
2008 Fall - SAIC winter use, and create valuable cropland..

30. Greenhouse in Winter with closed walls Greenhouse in Summer with open walls
Grant Park Redesign
(Continued)
A greenhouse level provides year-round community
gardens.
Undulating park landscape on multiple levels provides
more recreation space.
Mechanically raising and lowering skylight domes allow
light and ventilation into lower levels.
Interior spaces lit by skylights and fiber optics connected
to heliostat sunlight collectors.
Mechanically raising and lowering glass panels allow light
into greenhouse area and protect the plants during the
winter.
winter
Detail A: Greenhouse, garage + viewing platform Detail B: Ventilation and light shaft/column
Section: Looking West

31. Penthouse Closet Shower Closet
w/Vanity
y
Master Suite
Class: Intermediate Interior Sinks
Architecture II
Antechamber/
A t h b /
Software: ArchiCAD
Study
WC WC
2008 Spring - SAIC
Client owned a large penthouse
in a Chicago high-rise and
g g
Jacuzzi
J i
requested a restful oasis from
their frequent entertaining. The
entrance was hidden from the Bedroom
outside public rooms via a series
of panels, only one of which
opened.
p
Basic Floor Plan Electrical Plan
The penthouse was wall to wall
glass with spectacular views of
the skyline and lake, so to
In-Wall Water
maintain the magic of that view,
Holding Tank
the antechamber took it away y
before the owners entered the 2” Vent Stack
bedroom where the view was 4” Waste Stack
restored.
Supply In
Walls were glass mounted on Supply to Toilet
metal supports, and lit from
pp
½” Cold W t
C ld Water
behind to create a soft glow. Supply
Separate water closets were
positioned such that the
occupants could roll out of their
side of the bed and only take a
few steps.
p
Construction Details - 2008 Fall -
SAIC
(Well Tempered Environment) WC Mass Detail WC Plumbing Detail WC Axonometric

32. Penthouse
Master Suite
(continued)
Class: Intermediate Interior
Architecture II
Software: ArchiCAD
Sections

33. Penthouse
Master Suite
(continued)
Class: Intermediate Interior
Architecture II
Software: ArchiCAD
Visualization
The room’s luminescence is
p
provided by low voltage lighting
y g g g
behind the glass wall panels and
above the ceiling cove creating a
relaxing, soft glow throughout the
space.

34. 2” Vent Stack 4” Waste Stack
Penthouse
Master Suite
Vent junction at (continued)
¼” slope per
least 6” above
fixture overflow 12” of pipe
Class: Intermediate Interior
Architecture II
Software: ArchiCAD
Visualization/Construction
Detailed drawings and renders of
the bathroom construction.
½” Hot Water ½” Cold Water
4” Supply Supply
2” ¾” Cold
Waste Vent Water
Stack Stack Supply
Metal Stud
¾” Hot Overhead Construction
Water Showerhead
Supply
Skylight
Overhead
“Rain”
Shower
Hand shower
w/adjustable
height bar
Bodyspray Gypsum
Board Over Hand shower 4” 2” ¾” Hot & Cold
Array Bodyspray Shower Waste Vent
Metal Stud w/adjustable Water Supply
Shower Array Controls Stack Stack
Construction height bar
Controls

35. Exploration of
Light in Space
Class: Studio I
Cardboard and Wood
14”H x 18”W x 12”D
2009 Fall – Clemson University
Physical model translating
Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s
etching of “Carceri XVI” - 1st
State into physical space and
exploring the quality of light
within. Forced perspective was
used to create the illusion of
depth
Below: The original etching by
Giovanni Battista Piranesi

36. Untitled
Class: Sculpture I
24” x 18” Ceramic Raku
1992 Spring – California State
University – East Bay

37. Handmade
Objects
Clockwise from top left:
Study for column cladding
2006 Fall - SAIC
( )
(Intro to Interior Architecture)
Hellraiser puzzle box replica -
hand carved balsa
Personal - 1993 - Alameda, CA
(Made for Halloween costume)
Pavilion study model
y
2010 Fall - Clemson
(Studio I)
LED and acrylic sculpture
2006 Fall - SAIC
(Intro to Interior Architecture)

38. Levitating
Object Display
Class: Design With Details
18” x 12” Clay, Metal,
Electronics, Seed Pod from
Sweet Gum Tree
2008 Fall- SAIC
Arthur C. Clarke once said, “Any
sufficiently advanced technology
is indistinguishable from magic.”
Plant and animal reproduction is
a kind of magical process which
current technology cannot
replicate. My design emphasized
the magic of the randomly
assigned seed by electronically
levitating it within an organic
shield.

39. Louis Sullivan
Luminaire
Class: Design With Light
14” x 10” Wood and CFL lamp
2007 Spring - SAIC
Hand carved wooden luminaire
with CFL designed for the
elevator lobby in The School of
the Art Institute of Chicago’s
architecture department, located
in Louis Sullivan’s landmark
Carson Pirie Scott building.
Based on a Sullivan design for
the Guaranty Building (1895-96).

40. Dreamstand
Class: Intro to Craft
Oak, Pine, Steel bracing, misc
hardware
2010 Fall – Clemson University
When we sleep, our dreams
take us to worlds where the laws
of physics do not always apply
and familiar things become a
little uncomfortable. This
nightstand has hidden steel
braces which allow an
impossible cantilever along a
twisting path evoking dream
logic.