2. The intent of this portfolio is to showcase my
design work from both the Clemson University
School of Architecture [CSOA] and the office of
Gavin & Sullivan Architects.
I am currently enrolled in Clemson University’s
2-year Masters of Architecture program. I also
graduated in May 2012 from Clemson with a
Bachelor of Art in Architecture and minor in
Entrepreneurship. During both my time in col-
lege and high school, I have worked summers
at the firm Gavin & Sullivan Architects, which
has given me experience I could not have
attained elsewhere.
Architecture has always been a life long
passion and goal, and I would like to continue
working in the field. Based on my design work
and experience, I believe I would be a positive
addition to your office. Thank you for your time
and please consider me for an internship this
upcoming spring semester.
Sincerely,
John Caveney

3. adaptable living
student housing
spring 2011_arch 353_genova, italia
TABLE OF CONTENTS
urban position
community learning center
summer 2010_arch 351_brooklyn, ny
traveling europe natural undulations
sketches indoor football practice facility
spring 2011_____ genova, italia fall 2011_arch 351_clemson, sc
reuse, renew
performance center adaptive reuse
fall 2011_arch 351_clemson, sc
work experience releasing light
modular construction techniques commuter train station
summers_____ lowell, ma spring 2010_arch 252_anderson, sc
john howard caveney the amorphous skin
resume non-denominational campus chapel
spring 2010_arch 252_clemson, sc

5. The program called for a student housing dormitory to be built on Corso Maurizo
Quadrio in Genova, Italia. It should be able to house approximately 80 students,
provide an array of living options and amenities, and complement the
surrounding area nicely. My partner and I provided a design dictated by both
function and the students’ needs.
team_william brantley
professor_henrique houyak
spring 2011_genova, italia
student housing
adaptable living
SECTION A-A
This project was done while studying abroad in Genova, Italia. To render the
structure we used Rhino, and for the drawings we used Autocad. The surrounding
area greatly influenced our design here, as our site was set on a major highway,
located in an urban context, and directly overlooking the Mediterranean. Also, due
to the steep slope of the terrain towards the ocean in Genova, the back entrance
to our building was set three stories higher than the front.
One of the main features of our design is a sloping cable garden on the rear
side of our building to benefit both the residents of the dormitory as well as the
surrounding neighbors through both function and aesthetics. The garden covers a
series of open walkways that terrace away from the wall;
creating a communal space that encourages interaction
between all floor levels. The reasoning for the terraced
walkways is to get the maximum amount of natural light
possible into the area.
SECTION
B-B
6

6. GROUND FLOOR PLAN
FIRST FLOOR PLAN

7. 4-person double single studio
suite apartment
TYPICAL ROOM LAYOUTS
The unique shape of the building is a direct result of the needs of the
students. There is one main circulation tower located near the middle of the
building that houses both an elevator and grand stairwell, and it is accessible
from the existing 40 foot wall located behind the structure.
There are a range of room styles for the students to pick from according
to their liking. The first floor contains suite-style rooms that have common
areas for every four students, the second floor houses two-person rooms, the
There are two exterior staircases on both sides of the building. The one on the right is only for residents third contains single units, and the top level has larger studio apartments with
and conveys a feeling of lightness. The left one is a public staircase to go from the street to the top of small terraces overlooking the ocean.
the existing wall; hence it is much more sculptural and inviting to pedestrians. The ground floor of the building contains bike storage, a workout gym,
In terms of facade materials, the ground floor is made of glass blocks that let light in, but also convey laundry facilities, and a large dining hall. There are also common rooms
a distinct separation between the busy road and the interior. The upper floors are covered by a series of located on each floor in the main circulation tower.
horizontal louvers which help shield light coming from the south. The stucco was painted orange to both fit This dormitory was designed with the needs of the students in mind, and
in with the palette of colors of the surrounding buildings, but to also stand out from the existing wall. every design decision made was reasoned and logical.

9. This project was commissioned by the Gowanus Canal Development Corporation and
called for a community center located near the depleted Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY.
The structure was to contain three science labs for elementary-aged students, offices, co-op
spaces, as well as a small museum; all in under six thousand square feet.
professor_dave lee
summer 2010_brooklyn, ny
community learning center
urban position
brick wall
community
garden
concrete patio
brick wall
ramp
upwards
grass area
concrete
For this project, I used Rhino for both drawings and renderings. The site sat under a large subway system
walkway
tables w/ bridge with a number of crossbars and columns going through it; making for an extremely difficult site. This
called for a very unique building shape that was determined by the locations of these obstructions. Since
umbrellas
we had the whole block to work with, my structure lined the entire street wall of Smith Street. The end result
ramp wooden
downwards balcony
was a two-story structure on the corner of Smith and 9th, and then one-story for the remainder of the block.
ampitheater
grass area
inspired
wooden steps
The goal of this project was to create a place where community residents could come to work, relax, learn,
grass area
extension
of water
garden
etc, so it was imperative to create a center that would appeal to everyone. On the roof of the lower portion of
the building, I designed a green roof where students could study different types of plant life. This continued
grass area
into an elevated walkway going further into the site that opened up to a park area along the canal. Every
decision made was for the benefit of all different ages and people.

10. In terms of plan, I separated the design into three distinct areas; the offices, the museum, and the classrooms.
This was done because of the completely different natures of the three spaces. The offices and museum are
located on opposite ends of the ground floor, and the classrooms, along with the educational roof garden, are on
the second floor. The spaces are closed off enough that they will not bother one another, but close enough to still
be considered a ‘community center.’ Also, since the site is so covered from the subway system, natural light is
difficult to come by. To compensate for this, the ceiling above the museum is set slightly higher than the tops of
the walls so that natural light can flow easily into the museum from the street side. This was also done because
typically skylights are better suited for museums than wall windows.
There are a number of different materials on the facade to give it varying textures. I used concrete, brick, and
glass, as well as metal colored plates underneath the walkway. This was done to add color to a structure that
could easily go unnoticed within its context. Also, the colored plates give the building a greater community feel
that is an attraction for the children of the neighborhood.
SECTION ALONG SMITH STREET
GREEN ROOF
CLASSROOM
CL CO-OP SPACE LOBBY
MUSEUM
APPROX. GRADE

11. OFFICE
SPACE/ OFFICE
MEETING LOBBY
CO-OP SPACE
SPACE ROOM
MUSEUM
CL RAMP DOWN
BATH ELEVATOR
SHAFT
UP
RAMP UP
BATH
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
CLASSROOM CLASSROOM The community center for the GCCDC will be a staple in the neighborhood
and with help from the cleaning of the canal, will revive the area to its former
CLASSROOM GREEN ROOF glory. By both separating and synchronizing different programs, this building
will be a ‘community center’ to the fullest sense of the word.
BATH ELEVATOR
SHAFT
DN
RAMP DOWN
BATH WALKWAY
TO
CANAL
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
FRONT ELEVATION

12. The main feature of my project is the slanting roof members. There are two variations of these, which
you can see from the diagrams on the opposite page (red and yellow). The lower, red form is composed
of a six-foot wide truss system. The higher form is two-foot wide, and it is held up by the lower one,
as you can see from the structure detail. The reason for these two different heights is to allow light into
the field area where they are differing. This system is replicated for the length of the field, also lining
up with the field marks below every five and ten yards. The only scenario where the roof system is not
repeated is in the central circulation corridor, which I strove to make more noticeable and meaningful
by switching the material from wood to glass.

13. R
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professor_kevin hyslop
fall 2011_clemson, sc
indoor football practice facility
natural undulations
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The goal of this project was to create a proposed indoor football practice facility at Clemson
GATE
X
GATE
University. It is to take the place of an existing practice field, and along with the field, will house
a locker room, training room, film room, storage, and offices. I strove to create a structure that
SHED AREA
GOLF PRACTICE
FACILITY
was not your typical sports facility. By employing wooden, undulating roof members, I
SHED #1171
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Basketball
created a natural structure that looks as if it is growing out of the ground.
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14. REAR ELEVATION

15. GROUND FLOOR PLAN Almost the entire structure is covered in wood. I
PARK did this for two reasons. For one, I did not want
my building to be a run-of-the-mill sports facility; I
AREA
FRONT ENTRANCE
ELEVATED
WALKWAY
ELEVATED
WALKWAY
wanted it to be different. Also, the wood gives it a
natural feel that fits in with the varying angles of
the roof.
The material of the vertical faces in between the
MECH.
two roof forms changes based on direction. The
OFFICE
east faces are entirely glass to allow as much light
OFFICE
MEETING
ROOM in as possible. The west facing facades are also
glass, but they are infused with wooden strips to
STORAGE
MEETING
ROOM
break up the light. This is done because most
FU_COLD
FU_HOT
FU_WASTE
FU_TOTAL
FIXT_CODE
practices are in the afternoon, and sunlight is most
intense from the south-west during this time.
TRAINING ROOM SHOWERS BATHROOM LOCKER ROOM FILM / AV
FIELD ENTRANCE
Due to the nature of the project, I separated the design into two main program areas. The first one being the
field area that is covered by the undulating roof. The second one being a green roof walkway that wraps around the
field structure. This path serves two functions: it allows fans and coaches to observe practices going on inside or the
surrounding sports fields, and under it contains all of the miscellaneous program spaces, such as the locker room and
offices. Also, the shape of this path slightly rotates as well (see elevation), in order to keep in tune with the tone of the
rest of the structure. This was the same idea when creating the slanting, band window that wraps around three sides
of the building.
While definitely giving it a different definition, I believe the building serves it purpose and completely adheres to all the
needs of a modern day practice facility.
SIDE ELEVATION

16. I wanted to give the entire space a very open feel. The smaller viewing area is enclosed by walls on all sides, made of a series horizontal beams
with spaces in between, but has no ceiling. The front facade (which you can clearly see in the perspective at the top) is made of wooden beams as
well, but there is glass in between them to allow LED lights and signs to be shown for upcoming shows. The only fully enclosed spaces are those
for miscellaneous uses, such as offices, storage, and bathrooms. The sole sky coverage is a series of vine roofs that allow for protection from the
elements and shade (denoted by irregular dotted shapes in plan). They also serve as guides for visitors to follow as to where to go and where to
congregate.
The space can be closed off for smaller performances, but for larger ones, it opens directly to the lawn area where there is another stage. The lawn
slopes upwards towards the back of the site and also has the vine roofs, but they are much larger and taller to cover more space.
This building is very adaptable in the sense that it can be used for both small performances and large festivals. It will provide a premier
performance venue that Clemson does not have at the moment. With its open but enclosed feel, visitors will surely not forget this concert experience.
LONGITUDINAL SECTION

17. LAWN AREA FLOOR PLAN
ENCLOSED AREA FLOOR PLAN
This project was an adaptive reuse plan to renovate the existing and historic Astro Theater in
downtown Clemson, SC. The goal was to change it to a full-scale performance venue that could
house a variety of different acts. My idea was to use the entire site to create two separate (but very
open to one another) stages and viewing areas. One such would be a large, lawn area at the back
of the site, and the other would be a smaller and more enclosed space, located along the street.
professor_kevin hyslop
fall 2011_clemson, sc
performance center adaptive reuse
reuse, renew
SITE
PLAN

18. In the design, I tried to connect the past and
the present. The front facade is composed of
brick to match the existing streetscape and invoke
a feeling of traditionalism, but on the right and rear
sides I used a series of transparent sunscreens
to convey modernity. The sunscreens break up
incoming rays where the sun is most intense but
still allow the interior to be flooded with unique light
effects. They also serve as structural elements by
holding up the exterior catwalks above them.

19. SCALE: 1’-0” = 1/8”
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
SCALE: 1’-0” = 1/8” SCALE: 1’-0” = 1/8”
In regards to floor layout, I again created an open plan with
a visual connection between the bottom and top levels. The UP UP DN
building curves with the slope of the track so to make both a
physical and visual connection between the station and the
DN
railway. This way someone sitting in the waiting area has a
clear view of both incoming and outgoing trains. I combined
new and old in the interior as well, using a mixture of brick,
UP
glass, and grated metal for wall materials. The floors are all
made of stone. I gave the individual rooms a OPEN TO
compartmental feeling by having them all set away from the
ABOVE
OPEN TO BELOW
OPEN TO
GROUND FLOOR
exterior partitions. They look like boxes alone by
OPEN TO
BELOW
themselves. I used their unique shapes to help guide the
visitor through the space. Adjacent to the bottom floor, I
created a large outside area that provides plenty of space to DN
wait for incoming trains.
OPEN TO
BELOW
With its mixture of traditionalism and modernity, both in
professor_peter laurence
spring 2010_anderson, sc
commuter train station
releasing light
the exterior and interior, this structure will help revive the
surrounding downtown area.
TICKETS
GROUND FLOOR PLAN FIRST FLOOR PLAN SECOND FLOOR PLAN
This program called for a redesign of an existing structure to make way for a small, commuter train
station in historic downtown Anderson, SC. The space allowed for a total of three stories, with the railway
tracks passing underneath the main road along the bottom level of the building. The project was done with
both Google Sketchup and Autocad. My goal in this design was to create a building that was in direct
response to its environment; both the urban street context and the railroad.
FRONT ELEVATION

20. I designed the chapel to reflect the terrain it sits on. The
blocks composing the building step on one another to be
in line with the gradual upward slope of the hill they are on.
This hill slopes upwards from the pond towards the existing
buildings. The reverse side of the building stands in sharp
contrast to the tiered blocks; it has a flat facade and
rectilinear windows.
To enhance the relationship with the outside
environment, I created an organic porous facade. It can
easily be seen in the model pictured below. This gives
the building both a unique look (nature themed) from the
outside but also helps produce interesting light effects in
the interior.
The building will serve as a connecting point for the built
and natural environments here at Clemson.

21. LEFT SIDE ELEVATION FRONT ELEVATION
professor_peter laurence
spring 2010_clemson, sc
non-denominational campus chapel
the amorphous skin
RIGHT SIDE ELEVATION REAR ELEVATION
Rather than design a religious chapel, the program called for a mixed-use structure to
study the ‘book of nature’ and reflect on its intricacies. The building was to contain open
study spaces, individual classrooms, an auditorium, and a museum area. It would be located
adjacent to the Reflection Pond, directly in the middle of Clemson University’s campus. I
ended with a bold design that stands out with its interesting facades and rectilinear shapes.

22. CONVENT OF ST. AGUGUSTINE
GENOVA
MARCH 10, 2011
PEN ON PAPER
PONTE SCALIGERO
VERONA
APRIL 3, 2011
PENCIL ON PAPER
CASTLE
GENOVA
FEBRUARY 23, 2011
PEN ON PAPER
VILLA
GENOVA
MAY 1, 2011 ISLE OF SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE
PEN ON PAPER VENEZIA
MARCH 29, 2011
PEN ON PAPER
PALLADIO CHURCH
GUIDECCA ISLE
VENEZIA
MARCH 30, 2011
PEN ON PAPER

23. NEW NATIONAL GALLERY DRURY STREET
BERLIN DUBLIN
MARCH 20, 2011 MARCH 4, 2011
PEN ON PAPER PEN ON PAPER
The following pages are a sample of my sketches done while traveling Europe during the Spring of 2011.
ROYAL PALACE
EDINBURGH
MARCH 1, 2011
spring 2011_genova, italia
sketches
traveling europe
PEN ON PAPER
ST. GILES
EDINBURGH
MARCH 1, 2011
PEN ON PAPER

24. PORTO SOPRANO VILLA ROTUNDA
GENOVA VINCENZA
MARCH 10, 2011 APRIL 2, 2011
PEN ON PAPER PEN ON PAPER
GENOVA HARBOR
GENOVA
MARCH 21, 2011
PEN ON PAPER

25. HOTEL REGINA
VENEZIA
MARCH 30, 2011
PEN ON PAPER
BIG BEN
LONDON
FEBRUARY 27, 2011
PEN ON PAPER
PIAZZA SAN MATTEO
GENOVA
PEN ON PAPER
PARISH CHURCH OF
ST. ANDREW & ST. GEORGE
EDINBURGH
MARCH 3, 2011
PEN ON PAPER

26. ROLLING GREEN DEVELOPMENT This completely modular development located in Andover, Massachusetts will
summer 2011 include a 97-unit apartment building, two 67-unit buildings, a number of town-
homes, a storage building, a small commercial building, as well as a small five
hole golf course. In total, the project will have over 300 units. The main purpose
of these renderings were to show the new project (rendered structures) in
relation to the existing context (white structures). I also put together a
fly-through using Google Sketchup for the developer to show at the town
meetings. I had many conversations with the owner during this design, and it
seemed the main issue for town committee members was the project’s impact
on the surroundings, so it was imperative that these renderings were accurate.