MEREDITH NORTZ
UNC Charlotte / Master of Architecture
SAY IT LOUD - North Carolina Exhibitor
North Carolina Based Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
My faith, son, and family constantly inspire me. My mother worked at home raising 6 kids and my father runs his own engineering company. They are the best example of selflessness, hard work, and dedication that I have ever known.
MEREDITH NORTZ
Bio:
The great designer, Meredith Nortz is a Master of Architecture student at the UNC Charlotte School of Architecture. Prior to joining UNCC, Meredith graduated from Clemson University where she received the prestigious Peter R. Lee and Kenneth J. Russo Design Award. Meredith has a strong commitment to community involvement and served on the AIA Greater Columbia Chapter’s Board as the Education and Outreach Chair from 2017-2018. Professionally, Meredith engages in retail, education, hospitality, and religious work.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I have wanted to be an architect since I was in middle school. I have always had a passion for art and design and would sketch for hours as a kid.
What do you do?
I am a Master of Architecture student at the UNC Charlotte School of Architecture. I enjoy volunteer opportunities that connect kids and K-12 students to architecture such as visiting classrooms to speak and hosting kids in architecture events.
What excites you in the work you do?
I am excited about designing spaces that cater to communities by connecting people to the environment, resources, and ultimately each other.
Who or what inspires you professionally?
My faith, son, and family constantly inspire me. My mother worked at home raising 6 kids and my father runs his own engineering company. They are the best example of selflessness, hard work, and dedication that I have ever known.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
My proudest and most humbling moment was building a small CMU block house for a family in Guatemala during the summer of 2012. We were able to use low tech solutions to provide a family with shelter and dignity.
Featured Project Name:
Elevation Through Education
Featured Project Location:
Charlotte, NC
Featured Project Completion Date:
Unbuilt (Academic Project)
Role in Featured Project:
Project Team ( Meredith Nortz & Daniel Fernandez)
Featured Project Description:
Elevation Through Education is a 340,000 sq/ft mixed-use complex located in uptown Charlotte, NC. The project aims to uplift disenfranchised communities displaced by the interstate beltway by integrating opportunities for education and economic mobility. The main trade school component offers an education for the future where students are trained in environmentally sustainable practices and technologies which are implemented on site. Professor: Liz McCormick Graduate Studio UNC Charlotte, SoA
Photography Credit:
Meredith Nortz & Daniel Fernandez
Featured Project Name:
Big Box Transformation
Featured Project Location:
Charlotte, NC
Featured Project Completion Date:
Unbuilt (Academic Project)
Role in Featured Project:
Sole Designer
Featured Project Description:
This project speculates on the future opportunities of a big box store. A pilot site is imagined at a Lowe's store located in the South End District of Charlotte. The existing structure is transformed into a vertical farm and business incubator for the surrounding community. A new parametric spatial organization was developed to enlarge or compress space depending on programmatic daylighting needs and proximity to urban nodes. Professor: Jefferson Ellinger Graduate Studio UNC Charlotte, SoA
