Site Furniture Project — Owen's Portfolio

Owen’s Portfolio

Owen Champness
owen@owenchampness.com
LinkedIn

Hi! I’m Owen. I’m an Architectural Engineering student at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. I am passionate about creating affordable housing through volunteering and thermal insulation and its effect on the environment. I have experience in AutoCAD, SketchUP and Revit. I volunteer for Engineers Without Borders, in particular the WATurbine team.

In my free time, I really like coffee. I like light roasted beans and making pourovers; I find the experience quite meditative. I also play a lot of rhythm games, specifically osu!. I host a multitude of tournaments for that game, as well as being a pretty solid player if I do say so myself. Apart from that, I listen to a lot of music. My favourite genres to listen to are hyper-pop, indie rock, and dariacore.

CV

Site Furniture - G.U.S DOC 0002

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Site Furniture - G.U.S.
DOC 0004

 Publisher: University of Waterloo
 Class: AE100 (Concepts Studio)
 Tools: AutoCad
 Credits: Owen Champness, Lucas Lai, Grayson Newmann, Nhan Doan

DESCRIPTION

G.U.S. was conceived as a response to an underused circulation zone on the University of Waterloo campus, transforming it into a destination for rest, connection, and the simple joy of reading. Designed as a U-shaped bench system with an integrated community library, the project encourages students to slow down: select a book, settle in, and return it for someone new to discover. Personalization and comfort guided every decision, with seating geometries accommodating varied postures and preferences to ensure that each visitor can find a seat that feels like their own.

Developed in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, the project combined human-centered design with technical feasibility. Drawings and documentation were executed in AutoCAD, and accessibility was prioritized through the application of Ontario’s barrier-free design guidelines. To choose a material, we did research on weathering resistance (ISO 4892), moisture absorption, and long-term maintenance. This led to the specification of steel framing and wood seating components suitable for year-round outdoor use.

Through iterative prototyping, environmental analysis, and community-driven programming, G.U.S. reimagines a forgotten corner of campus as a generous, durable, and welcoming space—an invitation to pause, read, and share knowledge in public.