Work Sample of Dexter Gao 2019 by Dexter Gao

CONTACT E-mail: wg2281@columbia.edu Address: 536 West 113th Street 62B NYC USA

Portfolio of Wentao "Dexter" Gao M.Arch candidate @Columbia GSAPP Selected Works 2017-2019

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Wentao “Dexter” Gao

EDUCATION 2017.9 -present

Mobile: +1 917-601-0966 ; E-mail: wg2281@columbia.edu Apt. 62B 536 W 113th St, New York City NY US

Columbia University, NY, the United States Program: Master of Architecture (3yr)

Master’s Professional Degree

2012.9 -2017.6

Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China Major: Urban Planning (5yr) GPA: 3.74/4.0

Bachlor of Engineering Degree

2015.6 -2015.8

Columbia University, NY, the United States Main Course: Introduction to Architecture

WORKSHOP 2015.10

Exchange Program

AA Beijing Visiting School - Super Real 2.0 Algorithm Analysis for BAITASI Renewal Design

INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE 2018.5-2018.9 Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), SHA Office Architectural Intern · Mainly responsible for making and revising interior TD drawings of DongJiaDu 4 super tall towers (No. 2386). · Participated SD section drawings of QIANTAN 4 Lot (No. 2615) mix-use project with LDN team. 2014.6-2014.9

2014.10-2015.6

2013.10-2014.6 SKILLS Software Communication Organization Physical Models AWARDS 2016 2015 2015 2015 2015

CONTENTS

Yunnan Design Institute, Kunming, China Architectural Intern ·Participated in the project of housing & townhouses in Dali Erhai lakeside as an intern designer, assisting design and SD drawings mainly by AutoCAD. APCE DESIGN Co Ltd, Studio of Prof. Yuan, Guangzhou China Intern Urban Designer ·Participated as an intern designer in the project of the Urban Design of Huizhou South Railway Station & new town and mainly responsible for assisting design and parametric 3d model making and its representations by grasshopper and v-ray. ·Participated in the analysis of the project of the Urban Master Plan of Foshan Nanhai as intern designer including site visit, data mining & visualization and pre-research. Scientific American Chinese Edition, Beijing China

The Generator of City Love UIA Architectural Competition - "Concept and Notation"

Spatial Metaphor for Urban Issue Solving Urban Design - An Artists' Community as Countryside Hollowing Solution

BIM - Landscaping Stage: the Greenpoint Theater A BIM Empowered Project for Integrated Building System

Remote Assistant Editor

Deconstructive Discovery in Weaving Material Spatial Discovery - A Conceptual Public Structure for Cathedral

Simulation for Renovation Architectural Parametric Research - Renovational Proposal via Swarm Flocking Algorithm

·The Award of “Challenge Cup” National Competition for undergraduate Curricular Academic Science & Technology Works （2nd class） ·The scholarship of Honored Student in Sun Yat-sen University (1st class) ·The Scholarship of Zengcheng Planning Institute ·The Scholarship of Mingyuan Urban Planning & Design Award ·The Award of Urban Social Research Competition by National Steering Committee of Urban & Rural Planning Education in China （2nd class）

START- UP EXPERIENCE Co-founder & Chief Designer 2014.10-2015.10 Cube Co. Ltd, Solutions for smart urban parking spaces · Established a start-up company as one of the co-founders with a patented cubic parking technology, providing more rational parking spaces for metropolis areas and big public buildings in China. · Forming Business plan and presentation materials, designing logo and relevant architectural design for cubic garages. ·This Project has accomplished an award(Finalist of China Division) of the Global Social Venture Competition sponsored by Microsoft Research Asia. 2

The Generator of City Love 2018 UIA International Architectural Competition "Concept and Notation" - Love Hotel Site: Wujiaochang,Shanghai, China Building Area: 1800 m 2

Team Work Team: Wentao Gao, Rentian Liu Role in Team: Conceptual Design, Technical Drawings, Architectural Representation and Comic Expression

The design discusses the probabilities of space for love in China’s modern global city Shanghai. The site locates at one of the sub-central business districts named Wujiaochang. What must be prioritized is that we have extracted various love-related events and discovered the existence of interactions between instinctive requests and attributions of love relationship. We divided these affairs into 3 main parts, ”hook-up”, “dating” and “stable relationship”, coming up with several prototypes and typology to describe these kinds of space and finally establish a instinctive generator of city love events. Moreover, a montage circulation was designed to serve for experiencing all these brilliant events happening in the project. What is equally worth discussing is that because of the narrative concept of the project, it naturally defined 4 story lines in this love hotel. Varied loverelated events of different relationship occurred and being experienced in such space.

Site and issue

strangers

feelings

dating

stable relationship

public space

The site locates near a normal business district in Shanghai, China, a 30m x 60m x 30m cubiod. Shanghai now is definitely a global city which has huge population more than 15 million. Neverttheless, space for love in this city is ignored here and most modern metropolis area in the world. Love relationships do require time and space to be generated, this project focus on building a generator by some "mechanism" of city love, serving for enhancing and honing people's distinctive love in the city. The love hotel itself would thus finanlly be a generator of love for users and a collector of city love events for dramatic observation like a montage.

love-related public space

half private space

private space actual & potential lovers

site

massing

insulated

block

distribution

hook-up

dating

stable relationship

montage circulation

winding

safety&order

observation

typology inserted

rationalize

outcome

interactions with the context

hook-up

private straightforward insulated

dating

winding experience adventrous subtle

stable relationship

order safety community

Conceptual Proposal: observation montage 6

Love Relationship have strong and subtle relativity with Space in the stage of modern ciry fabric. Different behaviors of love relationship tend to occur in distinctive space. Therefore, different kind of space may trigger lovers to enhance their ties of intimate level. We defined three types of love relationship, hook-up, dating, stable-relationship, trying to translate this concept into spatial prototype in distinctive features. Moreover, establish the architectural language of circulation to build an mechanism of observation. 7

french windows

roof platform winding wall

stable relationship curtains

prototype 1 - hook-up

prototype 4 - dating

prototype 3 - stable relationship

prototype 4 - montage circulation

stable relationship suites

greenary park

dating platforms

dating rooms stable relationship core circulation ramps dating fabrications

circulation corridors

dating prototype

open lobby

underground pub

arrayed rooms space

rooms + pub

This prototype aims to be a utopia that trigger and respect modern people's desire to build straightforward and quick sexual relationship, creating a insulated underground space including a pub and arrayed hooking-up rooms area. Several rooms extrude over the ground of pub to be a subtle fabrication for cultivating interactions between people above and below by vague eyesight of vision and light. People who are about to have sex with each other access the rooms area by pipe-like attachments.

corridor + fabrication A

corridor + fabrication B

corridor + fabrication C

corridor + fabrication D

maze fantasy generator

intimate action generator

closer distance generator

visual imagination generator

Dating prototype basically formed by layered corridor space affiliated with rooms, creating self-closed space to extended dating lover's experience in this section. Each corridor has distinctive love-related fabrications for different purpose to enhance lover's love. the whole space work for brilliant sequence of experience that people have to access and across different space and typologies to reach their booked room.

suites + platform

stair + platform ramp

meta-city park

meta-neighborhood space

meta-high density resident

meta-courtyard space

observe but never access - dating

observe but never access - stable

observe and perform - public platform

The concept indicates that stable relationship call for order,safety and settlement. This prototype extract and redefine such space inspired by contemporary urban fabric & life. 12

The story line 4 is a system of circulation with recreational relatively public activities around the project, each attachment with 3 different relationship could be approached but not accessed, creating the montage of visual observation. 13

Spatial Metaphor Sun Yat-sen University Undergraduate senior Urbanism Core Studio Instructor: Dr. Siyou Chan metaphor 1: elders and youngster

Site: Luochang Village,Guangzhou, China Building Area: Urban Design Project Site Visit and Research: Teamwork by Class Design: Individual Work

metaphor 2: traditional handcrafts and modern art

Due to China's post-urbanism problems emerged in the vital metropolitan region, the site named Luochang Village which locates near a global city Guangzhou is currently undergoing a significant urban issue which has been highlighted by sereve population imbalance that abundant ammount of young people immigranted to metropolis area around Guangzhou, leaving their children and parents who are mostly elders to live at the hometown. As a result, shortage of labour can cause serious social, economical and spatical depression in the countryside. This phenomenon is generally defined as "rural hollowing". This project focus on this issue and seek for a rational social and spatical solution, introducting a modern artist's community as the site which gathered many tradtional handcraftsmen includes an abandoned cultivated land. Plentiful young artists are supposed to be willing to get in this new community nearby a global city because of the paradox between modern art's dependency to urban culture and young artists' weakness in affording rent in centre district. In this strathgy, the design establish a metaphor between young and old in the aspect of people, program and space.

metaphor 3: solution for paradox between high metropolitan rent and urban-oriented modern artists

40% young people immigranted to metropolis districts for jobs.

14%

Guangzhou Airport Area

New Financial District

27% Guangzhou Metropolis Area

15%

Intelligence Developent Area

11% Dongguan City

18%

Foshan City

renovational strategy

extended and adjusted blocks

art community fabric remove reserve renovate

Extracted Spatial Language in New Area - Old Courtyard Reborn The site Luochang Village locates at suburb area in Guangzhou, suffering a severe urban issue that called Countryside Hollowing. In this case, significant amount of young people left for metropolis district for higher wage, which generate a 18% aging rate and 40% hollowing rate. Moreover, hardly can the remained residents in this village sustain a satisfying life by the annual average income in this village is $2285. Kids and elders stay in their hometown in a depressed manner evevydady. As time goes, the village itself is about to collapse in the aspect of space.

new built

element

block

courtyard reborn

The solution for this urban issue is to introduce a modern art community in the abondoned corn field in the site, importing young and energetic artists to mitigate serious population situations, creating more space of interests for this village and enhancing people's activities and communications. Meanwhile, this suburb village has a rational location for artists who need to live close to metropolis area. 22

Seeek for Spatial Dialogue

Redesign the Historic Blocks

Overall Fabric

Pedestrian System

Recreational Space System 26

Extend the Fabric

Geometric Transform

Planning Forms

Planning Programs

Generators of Urban Life 27

Axonometric Drawing / Historic Area Connected with New Area by Courtyard System Reborn / Spatial Metaphor for Dialogues Between Traditional Handcrafts and Modern Art

Perspective / Space of Alleys in Identical Scale with Historic Blocks

Perspective / Courtyard Space Cultivating Pubilc Space for Artistic Events

Perspective / Riverside of the Modern Artists' Community 30

Landscaping Stage: the Greenpoint Theater A BIM EMPOWERED PROJECT Columbia University GSAPP AT IV - BUILDING INTEGRATED SYSTEMS BIM PROJECT Instructor: Prof. Sahrra Khan Site: Green Point, Brooklyn New York City, the United States Dexter Gao Luna Yue Zuo Chuyang Zhou

The GreenPoint Theater locates on the Block 2590, Brooklyn with approx. 24,000 sf, surrounded by precious riverside spaces and a park. Therefore this theater project aims to accquire those incredible landscape as part of the background of high level performance by creating a clear facade system with large cantilever. As a result, a floating urban deck has been risen to become a positive urban participant to exhibit artistic events and being exhibited as a modest landmark in Greenpoint neighborhood.

Architecture System - Floating Deck for Acquiring Incredible Landscape

Canvas of View

Extruding Deck

Circulating Deck

Rationalizing Space on Given View

Site Plan

Floor Plan - Ground Level

Floor Plan - Level 3

Floor Plan - Level 2

Floor Plan - Level 4 37

Facade System - 2 Interfaces Interface 1: Unitized curtain wall system provides great sense of clearness and simplicity for the f loating urban deck which is the magnifesto of greenpoint theater.

Facade System - 2 Interfaces Interface 2: Concrete wall covered by aluminium meshes with certain patterns to create a elaborated view as an alternnative method to stay away from expensive stone finish to combine brutality and transparency.

Detail System - Complexity for Simplicity 42

MEP & Sustainability System Wind, Lights,Plants & More Pivot doors help to provide nature ventilation into event space, smart glass panel on south and west facade can prevent glare and save energy. Moreover, green roof is not only applied as urban greenary, but also creating thermal mass and accoustic barriers.

MEP Plan Series

Water System Section

Overall Structure Axon Structure Plan Series

Hiden columns at the entrance of the theater support the CW which hit the ground.

Structure System Truss Free Spaces in Crazy Cantilevers Bracing steel Cores contribute to provide additional support for f loating urban deck. 46

The Double Library: Iconic Human Experience & Stacks Columbia University GSAPP Core II Studio Instructor: Emmett Zeifman Site: Dumbo Brooklyn, New York Design: Individual Work

This project aims to reintepret the relationship between human and book of hard copies in as information industry has been dominating and reshaping built environment for decades. Bringing people back to urban library was defined as the design objective and the main strategy is to create an iconic landscape for reading, inspiring people to re-evaluate the value of reading hard-copy books in a library. Staircases are chosen to be the rudimental architectural typologies for redesign as both circulations and stacks. Also, to establish a monument in the urban context to convey that New York is a city which always respect learning and sharing in every manner.

Element & Construction Diagram

The library is kissing an existing building on the site and the entrance is located on the southeast side of the building plan, along with a small exterior garden and a curvilinear public auditorium. After entering the library, The experience of climbing stacks via an unified mega-form consists of staircases starts from the ground level. Concept Models

Rendering / Stacks & Reading Space Physical Model / 1/8''=1'

Physical Model / Detail Photographs

Rendering / Public Auditorium 56

Deconstructive Discovery in Weaving Columbia University Graduate School of Arhitecture, Planning and Preservation Summer Studio - "Intro" Instructor: Prof. Jane Kim Site: Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Ave at W 112th St., New York City, the United States Individual Work

Site / Steps / Cathedral of Saint John the Divine/ NYC

This studio tried to set a rational sequence of critical thinking in architectural design by intense training of site analysis, conceptual diagrams, techiqucal drawings, study models, mid-crit model and final model. The given material and technique is wool and weaving. The site locates at Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in the city of New York. I focused on the windows inside the cathedral and tried to rationalize my concept of deconstruction of mosaic glasses in the language of weaving, making study models to figure out distinctive patterns to be as metaphor for deconstructive detail of the window. Moreover, discover potential of functional weaving space and finally create a conceptual structure above the steps of the cathedral to be a pubilc soace which serve for people and also has valid concept and respect to co-exist with the splendid and famous historoic cathedral.

Conceptual Diagram / Abstraction of Window

Hand Drawing / Mylar / Effects of Image in Window for Abstract Potential

Conceptual Collage / Deconstruction of Window Hand Drawing / Mylar / The Script of Deconstructing Window in Abundant Detail The site analysis inspires my interest focus on the windows in the cathedral, noticing that those extreme intricate details of glasses compose the whole structure with some religious stories of the window. The windows initially are refined by mosaic glasses, similarly, the visual effects may blur as some subtle images from specific distance, which motivate me to try to abstract and deconstruct the window based on the details in distinctive levels.

Diagram / the Geometry of Patterns Formation

physical Discovery / Wool / Weaving Technique Patterns Diagram / the Relativity between Extensions of Pattern and Forms

Pattern 1

Pattern 2

Pattern 3

Systematic Discovery of Study Models Making study models which apply four distinctive weaving patterns separately, recording sequence of development for the whole process of modelmaking. Combined effects and spatial potential will be discovered, preparing for functional adjustment and the coming open space creation.

Pattern 4

Study Models / Developing Sequence / In 4 Weaving Patterns

The final space applied with 4 weaving patterns creates a double-storey performance space for people to experience through, provoking spatial potential of the site for various human behaviors. Spatial Outcome / Mylar / Section Drawing

Collage / As A Pubilc Art Structure

The Final Model was defined as a public art structure above the steps , creating extra public space for people who visit the cathedral or be used to rest on steps. Final Model / Sections & Detail

Collage / As A Pubilc Open Space 68

Simulation for Renovation the Architectural Associate Beijing Visiting School Super Real 2.0 Instructor: Kunkun Chen Site: BAITASI, Beijing Research: Team Work Team: Wentao Gao, Kun Fan, Zhuoni Yang Yuxi Huang Role in Team: Research Design, Simulational Drawings, Programming, Site Modeling, Presentations

Design: Individual Work

The Site locates BAITASI Hutong District, which has a really severe problem that traditional Siheyuan form has gradually collapsed by shanty constructions. These slum dwelling messed courtyard space which used to be tidy and ordered. However, these slum constructions do have its necessity to exist as rents for poor or young people who immigranted to Beijing for jobs. Thus our concentration of research is possibilities and accordance on renovation of this Siheyuan for people who live in here to obtain a better living environment.

Research Hypothesis Before we start to simulate human's movement in the courtyard space, we made a conceptual hypothesis that these extra constructions can be considered to define interior space inside a Siheyuan as original buildings. Therefore, distinctive fabircs generate different courtyard space for different functions or activities.

Issue The Site locates BAITASI Hutong District, which has a really severe problem that traditional Siheyuan form has gradually collapsed by shanty constructions. These slum dwelling messed courtyard space which used to be tidy and ordered. However, these slum constructions do have its necessity to exist as rents for poor or young people who immigranted to Beijing for jobs. Thus our concentration of research is possibilities and accordance on renovation of this Siheyuan for people who live in here to obtain a better living environment.

1930s Siheyuan courtyard space simulation

1930s Siheyuan courtyard space

1960s Siheyuan courtyard space simulation

1960s Siheyuan courtyard space

2000s Siheyuan courtyard space simulation

2000s Siheyuan courtyard space

simulations of human's movement in Siheyuan courtyard space by swarm algorithm

site research and modeling of Siheyuan courtyard space 75

after

before

density of activities comparison

31 units and 67 people at all with 31 separated kitchen and 3 public toilet in ONE Siheyuan.

Site condition at present

analysis outcome BEFORE the proposal

recreational activity zone after the proposal

analysis outcome AFTER the proposal

functional activity zone after the proposal

spatial effect after renovational concept

release more courtyard space orginal condition

remove reserve recreational vectorial zone after the proposal

Renovational Proposal

functional vectorial zone after the proposal

Before & after simulation outcome

Bird View / Physical Conceptual Model of Renovation

The renovational design focuses based on the research illustrated in previous pages that revise people's living condition and release and create more courtyard space by distinctive architectural typologies. With fully respect, , those slum constructions are defined as a spontaneous spatial behavior to adapt residential requests. Thus they are reinterpreted in identical scale and modern material to be a contrast with traditional materials, contributing to create more couryard space in the second storey corridor. In this case, the historic roof structures become a kind of fabrication for people to interact with. Moreover, the glass boxes are created to be public points of interests, being public kitchen for resident to cook and eat together. Considering the site-analysis indicated that it is unnecessary and unreasonable for every unit to have a independent kitchen in such a high-density resident, public kitchen could be a new program to enhance people's living qualities.

Physical Model / Corridor Corresponding with Courtyard / 1: 200

Ground Plan / 1: 200 1. Entrance 2.Siheyuan House 3. Added Resident 4. Public Kitchen 1 5. Stair to 2nd Floor 6. Courtyard 7. Public Restroom Physical Model / the Ground Floor Courtyard Space / 1: 200 80

Physical Model / the Public Kitchen Perspective / 1: 200

Second Floor Plan / 1: 200 1. Roof as Fabrication 2. Loft Rooms 3. Public Mini Library 4. Public Kitchen 2 5. Restroom 6. Patios 7. Access to 2nd Floor Physical Model / the Second Storey Corridor Landscape / 1: 200 82

Section Perspective / Revised Couryard Space, Air Corridor and Public Kitchen

Section Perspective / New Living Condition After the Renovation 84

Elective Course - Super Talls Instructor: Nicole M. Dosso(One WTC, SOM) Life Safety Distribution The Whole Building Analysis in ONE Infography

DJD Financial Center 4 Super Talls Tower Interior CD

QIANTAN 4 LOTS MIX-USE SD Sections & Documentations

Other Work

The Urban Design of Huizhou High-speed Railway Station Complex Site Analysis, Urban Design, 3D Model Making, Design Presentation

Professional Internship 656 AXP hours approved for NCARB and ARE

Wentao “Dexter” Gao

EDUCATION 2017.9 -present

Mobile: +1 917-601-0966 ; E-mail: wg2281@columbia.edu Apt. 62B 536 W 113th St, New York City NY US

Columbia University, NY, the United States Program: Master of Architecture (3yr)

Master’s Professional Degree

2012.9 -2017.6

Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China Major: Urban Planning (5yr) GPA: 3.74/4.0

Bachlor of Engineering Degree

2015.6 -2015.8

Columbia University, NY, the United States Main Course: Introduction to Architecture

WORKSHOP 2015.10

Exchange Program

AA Beijing Visiting School - Super Real 2.0 Algorithm Analysis for BAITASI Renewal Design

2014.10-2015.6

APCE DESIGN Co Ltd, Studio of Prof. Yuan, Guangzhou China Intern Urban Designer ·Participated as an intern designer in the project of the Urban Design of Huizhou South Railway Station & new town and mainly responsible for assisting design and parametric 3d model making and its representations by grasshopper and v-ray. ·Participated in the analysis of the project of the Urban Master Plan of Foshan Nanhai as intern designer including site visit, data mining & visualization and pre-research.

2013.10-2014.6

Scientific American Chinese Edition, Beijing China

SKILLS Software Communication Organization Physical Models AWARDS 2016 2015 2015 2015 2015

Acknowledgement I would like to appreciate Ilias Papageogiou, Emmett Zeifman and for Instructing and encouraging me to pursue my architectural dream. I would also appreciate my classmates Canran Chen, Rentian Liu and Yingke Sun for generous help and endless support. Thanks for my girlfriend, you are the meaning of my campaign.

Remote Assistant Editor

· Sufficient capacities of Revit, AutoCAD, 3Ds Max, SketchUp, Rhino, Grasshopper, Adobe Creative Suite, After Effect, Unity, SPSS, ArcGIS and Microsoft office. · Ability to mentor and communicate with others fluently in English. Strong team playing and leadership skills. ·Effective time management and prioritizing tasks to achieve goals in high pressure environment. ·Handmade models, laser cutting, 3d printing, casting and CNC making. ·The Award of “Challenge Cup” National Competition for undergraduate Curricular Academic Science & Technology Works （2nd class） ·The scholarship of Honored Student in Sun Yat-sen University (1st class) ·The Scholarship of Zengcheng Planning Institute ·The Scholarship of Mingyuan Urban Planning & Design Award ·The Award of Urban Social Research Competition by National Steering Committee of Urban & Rural Planning Education in China （2nd class）