Deutchtown Haus
SD,DD,CD,CA
2020-2024
Pittsburgh, PA
Located in the historic Deutchtown neighborhood of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, this 1868 italianate rowhouse was originally constructed by John Stoke, a file maker in what was then Allegheny City.
In the following years, Mr. Stoke would add a blacksmith shop to the west. This shop would eventually be demolished and replaced by another rowhouse in a succession of homes that would eventually define the historic district of Deutchtown. By 2019, after 150 years of serving Pittsburgh families, the home had fallen to disrepair and was in need of rehabilitation.
Without removing any finishes, the home’s construction appears to be typical of the region: 2-wythe brick on a stone foundation. After further investigation, it was discovered that during initial construction, only the three weather exposed walls were constructed with a foundation or masonry construction. The remaining wall (abutting the pre-1868 rowhouse to the east) consists of balloon framing directly against the wood siding of the existing home to the east. The studs of this wall run from roof to basement, bearing on soil.
As owner, designer and contractor, this project required four years of evenings and weekends to reach it’s final form. The project began with an extensive interior demolition follwed by a top-down room-by-room renovation and upgrades to the exterior windows and doors.
The project aimed to preserve original building elements where feasible. Highlights included the first floor stair and associated ballister, and the 2nd floor off-width plank flooring. Deteriorated elements beyond repiar were removed and improved to exentuate the character of the home.
Boulder House
CD, CA
2016
Boulder, CO
Located on a one-acre lot in Boulder, CO, this residence was designed to blend the existing outdoor landscape into the built environment while maintaining a sense of privacy in a dense residential neighborhood.
The home is divided into three masses. Each mass is defined by it’s primary programming: living, sleeping, and storage. Sleeping and living masses are linked by a generous entryway that acts as an axial that also leads to an outdoor living space that acts as a buffer between these primary masses.
La Frontera School
SD, DD
2016
Center, CO
In 2015, the farming community of Center, Colorado lost their local preschool to a fire. This bilding had not only acted as a vital support system for the children of Center, but also as a gathering place for the community. This project was initiated to explore potential opportunities for reconstruction of these spaces within the existing building shell.
La Frontera’s design was devloped as a playful and celebratory expression of the communities values. The programming called for a community space, kitchen, classrooms and an expansive playground. Each of these spaces were placed along an expanded hallway bisecting the building, designed to operated as both circulation and as a gathering space for the community.
Thunder Valley House
DD, CA
2012
Pine Ridge Reservation, SD
Pine Ridge is a U.S. Indian Reservation in South Dakota and home to the Oglala Lakota tribe. At the time of design, Shannon County, located in Pine Ridge, faced an 80% unemployoment rate and an average annual income below $3,000. These issues stemmed froma lack of affordable housing and land ownership.
Students from the University of Colorado joined students from the Oglala Lakota College and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology to develop designs for four homes to be construced on the reservation. These homes were designed as living laboratories to collect data on energy use and air quality to compare construction methods.
After completing the designs, the students worked with local labor to build the first of the four homes planned for the site.
info
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Aaron Travers
mr.aarontravers@gmail.com
Chicago, IL
Nearly 15 years in the design and construction industry. An expert in code compliance and cross-discipline coordination.
Experience
Consultant
Irwin Code Consultants
October 2024 - Present
Architectural Associate
Jacobs
March 2024 - Present
Construction Plans Examiner
City of Pittsburgh
March 2019 - March 2024
Senior Controls Designer
Current by GE
June 2016 - March 2019
Architectural Designer
re:architecture
January 2016 - June 2016
Intern Architect/Builder
Native American Housing Initiative (NASHI)
January 2012 - January 2014
Certification
Master Code Professional
International Code Council (ICC)
Certified January 2020
- Combination Plans Examiner
- Commercial Combination Inspector
- Plumbing Plans Examiner
- Commercial Plumbing Inspector
- Building Inspector
- Residential Building Inspector
- Residential Plans Examiner
- Electrical Plans Examiner
- Commercial Electrical Inspector
- Commercial Mechanical Inspector
- Mechanical Inspector
- Fire Plans Examiner
- Commercial Building Inspector
- Building Plans Examiner
- Commercial Energy Inspector
- Residential Energy Inspector/Plans Examiner
- Commercial Energy Plans Examiner
- Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner
Education
BEnvD - Architecture
University of Colorado Boulder
Graduated 2012