Portfolio UCL Zhengshen Wang

lIVING RULES

"We seem to have stopped dead in our tracks." Several years after COVID-19 ravaged the country, a sense of pessimism is spreading in an environment of increasingly downward economic development. As an architect new to the design industry, I could sense from the feedback of my clients that the industry was suffering badly. In fact, since the recent times, after Le Corbusier and Koolhaas, the development of architecture seems to have come to a standstill. Under the tide of capital and consumerism, architectural design has become a commodity, formatted to build completely uninnovative buildings. Peter Eisenman said after visiting Chinese cities: "I feel as if I've lost my way, if you say to me: 'Peter, please do a project in this city. ' Sorry, not interested, I shouldn't come here to do a project." So, what should we do as a young designer?

'Living rules' ( 活法 ) is an idea proposed by the Chinese poet Lu Benzhong in the Southern Song Dynasty, which refers to abiding by the law and yet transcending it. This state of stillness inspired me to start thinking about how I could go about creating humanistic and environmentally friendly architecture within the constraints of the external environment.

As a result, my identity became clearer and clearer as a person who loves architecture, to think, to innovate, and to realize my designs as much as possible under the conditions. As mentioned above, some people think that architecture may lose its authority, but I believe that in this challenging world, we should become more pluralistic. In the face of the problems that arise in the post-epidemic era, we need to understand the needs of the users and address them in new and innovative ways. In my graduate studies, I will continue to focus on researching more cutting-edge technologies in architecture, looking to the future to better address the needs of people and society.

CONTENTS

01 Place to Heal. Place for Real. Wellness Centre for Young Adults 01

02 Past - Grid - Present Learning centre in Vallbona 07

03 Rebirth

Nuraghi civilisation research centre 13 04 The Desert Oasis Desert Tower in Xinjiang 18

05 A co-exisitng and growing model for architecture

Biodiversity Research Centre in Sichuan 23

01

Place to Heal. Place for Real. Wellness Centre for Young Adults individual work Winter 2020

In its comments section, one of China`s leading music apps NetEase Cloud Music has been witnessing a pervasive trend of depressive comments below songs. The online community, mainly young adults in big cities, have renamed the app as “NetDepressed Cloud Music”, which became a popular meme. The phenomenon reflects the long-existingdepressive psychological state of young people in general. Peer pressure, houing price, spiritual needs, overuse of online service, and recently the social distancing with the pandemic all make young people, mostly those who leave their hometown for better careers in big cities, feel more and more lonely and lack real, healthy interpersonal social interactions, laying the ground for unstable mental conditions and potential disorders.

According to data, Suzhou currently has a resident population of about 13 million, of which the foreign population is about 8,318,000. The majority of these are young people who have left their hometowns for the big cities in search of better jobs and feel an increasing sense of isolation and a lack of genuine, healthy human social interaction setting the stage for unstable psychological conditions and unstable social relationships

There are around 320,000 university graduates in Suzhou each year, of whom around half choose to take up employment and a third choose to continue their education. This means that young students not only have to deal with the pressure of heavy studies but also with confusion about their future

"996" is the current situation of most young people nowadays. According to a survey, the average working hours in China is 46 hours per week, which is the highest in the world. The average working hours of nine hours a day leaves young people without a life of their own, and some even suffer from depression and lack of interaction with other people. They need a place to heal themselves.

Suzhou's population structure is still predominantly young, but the proportion of the elderly population is still high. With an ageing population, young people are not only faced with the burden of old age but also with difficulties in getting married, low birth rates and heavy family burdens

Nearing graduation, I feel confused about my future. Should I continue my studies or enter society.

It's been two years since I left my hometown and came to the big city. I don't know how my parents are doing at home and I often feel lonely

Today was another "996" day, forced to work overtime at the office, with no time for myself at all.

SITE

The Site are located on the scenic belt around the Old Town.

Extrusion

Use the grid to create a body with a courtyard.

The initial function of caravanserai in history has been a place for short-stay along the trade route. It then served as a place to facilitate the interactions between people with different cultures, produce, religions. Caravanserai could be classified as an architectural typology, characteristic for their mixture of residential and commercial functionality.Caravanserai has certain similarities regarding the layout and principles they follow. A mix of various typologies is combined in a response to the needs of travelers and merchants, and activities they participate in. The floor plan of caravanserai distinguishes areas that are defining the typology.

I wanted to use this typology as a design approach, drawing on the architectural style of the caravanserai, while adding elements of modern architecture to suit modern living. The project serves as a short-term residence and I see it as a therapy for young immigrants in metropolitan China. Young adults can relieve their inner stress by meditating and looking up to the heights. caravanserai's model of group living also promotes interaction between young people and creates a

Core

Cores are inserted at the four corners of the building.

GROUNDFLOOR PLAN

Route

Circulation

The shape of the building are formed by Daylight Raise the northwest corner of the building to get more sunlight.

Commercial area

Roof garden

The design of the meditation room has two main features, one is sky light-the thickened skylight allows the sunlight to pool in one place, providing a sacred place for the meditator, as if it were a statue of Buddha in a temple. At the same time, the refraction of sunlight through the thickened skylight can reduce the direct light entering the room and increase the natural light in the room. The second is translucent concrete, a material that provides a hazy feeling where the meditator can dimly see the shadows of trees and people beyond the walls, emphasising the power of abstraction.

Translucent concrete Sky light

TRIBUTARYOF OUTERMOAT

02

Past - Grid - Present Learning centre in Vallbona individual work

Summer 2021

Vallbona, a historic town on the outskirts of Barcelona, acts as a transport hub. The client expected to place a learning centre for the community, providing extra-curricular teaching and community activities. This was a great opportunity to learn from the urban system of Barcelona and to integrate it with local realities for a creative playful learning process.

The grids defines the entire circulation of the building, with visitors guided through the corridors in order through the classrooms, the farm and the exhibition halls, achieving a linear narrative effect.

CLASSROOM

The classroom area consists of several small units which are connected to each other using frames so that students can easily reach the location of each unit. Each unit can accommodate 4-6 people inside and can be used for tutorial and workshops

Below the classroom area is a sunken park, surrounded by greenbelt, where students can have outdoor learning and discussion activities as well as rest and enjoy the

INDOOR FARM

The farm is located on the other side of the classroom area and is also sunken, with people having to negotiate a downward slope. On the north-west side of the farm is a staggered level with stepped farmland for better access to sunlight. On the southeast side is the vertical farm with an intelligent light and irrigation system, capable of cultivating more crops, which one can observe more closely through the corridor. A resting area and lobby are located where the two sections are connected.

EXHIBITION HALL

People can follow the revolving staircase to see presentations on agriculture. The entire exhibition hall is divided into two parts by the grid, and the walls of the hall have windows and balconies that follow the path of people to increase the light in certain directions and provide a view At the top of the gallery people can look down on the whole area, and the windows in the roof are designed to allow natural light to gather on the exhibits.

IRRIGATION SYSTEM

The main control of irrigation and water on the farm, as well as the water supply and drainage functions for the entire building. The exposed pipes are deliberate to show the building's interior details in full.

OFFICE AREA

With offices, toilets, storage rooms, pantries, stairwells and other necessary functions, this area is primarily intended for the staff and management of the learning centre. It is also divided into two parts by the grid, with a view of the outside through a large glass area.

Skylight

BALCONY EXHIBITION SKYLIGHT

Steel frame

Flexible and spacesaving as a frame structure to support the whole building.

Iron sheet

This material is more modern and the form of the container reflects the character of the unit.

Concrete

A good material for keeping enclosed spaces indoors and creating comfortable spaces for indoor activities.

Recycled brick

Sustainable, environmentally friendly recycled bricks symbolise the revival of local agriculture in Vallbona.

The exhibition hall section offers visitors a rotating upward view and a gradually climbing view. So we can adjust the natural light in the room through the openings in the roof and walls. The balcony is set up to allow visitors to navigate to the outside, while window openings are made in the floor around the walls in a week so that sky light is focused on the exhibits.

In terms of materials, three main materials were used: recycled brick, concrete and steel, to reflect the change in architecture from traditional to modern. The transformation of the different architectural styles represents Vallbona as a town where modernity and history coexist.

Factories have traditionally been places where industrial goods are produced and our impressions stop at the pollution of the environment. But the redefinition of the function, with sustainability in mind, has also changed the meaning of the factory - not only as a place to produce agricultural products, but also to produce excellent students. Hopefully this satisfies the client's need for a learning centre and also breathes new life into the development of Vallbona as a town on a broader level.

Rebirth

Nuraghi civilisation research centre individual work

The nuraghi are an ancient civilisation located on the Italian island of Sardinia and one of the most characteristic remnants they left behind are the stone buildings that dot the island. This project aims to revitalise the nuraghi civilisation using modern architectural techniques and styles and incorporating local culture.

SOUTH ELEVATION

Today, I am accused of being a revolutionary, and yet I confess that I have always had only one teacher, THE PAST, one discipline, the study of the Past. I went everywhere, and I placed pure works, always preceded the one question HOW and WHY. I learned from the Past the reason for things.

WHY HOW

NORTH ELEVATION

Italy

Sardinia

Barumini

The façade is constructed using high-strength concrete, a ductile material that allows for maximum expression of the curved surface. The façade is underpinned by trusses, which support the large span of the roof and maintain stability, while loadbearing columns are used to support the interior of the building, further enhancing the safety and stability of the structure.

With regard to the sustainable component, the project reduces the energy required to cool the interior of the building by using windows on the ground floor and at lower levels to enhance air circulation. The overall arching shape of the building also contributes to the reduction of heat dissipation within.

1.steelU-section

2. Stecel sheeting, polyurethane - coated

3.steel-section

4. alpolyic

5.steel lat

6.stainless-steel rod

7.aluminum bracket 8. cocrete panel

9, roof construction: roolsealinglaver, reinforced concrelein nermanenl ribbed, sheel-melalshuttering 10.steel I-beam

11.stcelangle 12 stcel angle ralvanized 13. calcium Board 14. Loor

15. Calcium is board. painted

16 Plasterboard,painted thermal insulation

17. loor construction:reinforced coiiete inpermanent ribbedsheetmetal shuttering

steell-seclion,galvanized

As the edge of the desert, most cities are facing the problem of water shortage. Therefore, how to make good use of groundwater resources to bring economic benefits for the city has become our main purpose. In order to exploit groundwater resources, we adopted cylindrical living buildings. For the design approach of the outer ring housing units, we are based on the traditional dwelling houses of Ayiwang in southern Xinjiang, which is a typical desert adapted building in southern Xinjiang. Each volume has its own unique characteristics and is part of a larger system.

The Desert Oasis Desert Tower in Xinjiang Group work Winter 2021

Combination： A courtyard with three separate rooms

Combination： Four separate rooms

GROUP C GROUP D

Combination： A courtyard with two separate rooms

Combination： Two floors; A courtyard with five separate rooms

GROUP E GROUP F

Combination： Two floors; A courtyard with four separate rooms

Combination： Two floors; Two courtyard with three separate rooms

THE SCENERY OF THE INDOOR

The indoor view is displayed here. Large French Windows open out the view.

THE SCENERY OF THE BALCONY

The balconies are connected up and down by steps. You can catch a glimpse of part of the next tower.

A co-exisitng and growing model for architecture

Biodiversity Research Centre in Sichuan individual work Summer 2022

Sichuan is a province with extremely rich biodiversity resources, but with rapid urbanisation, the ecological environment and biodiversity have been severely damaged and many problems and challenges have emerged, including: population growth, over-exploitation, vegetation destruction, invasive alien species and climate change. To address these issues, the concept of coexistence-growth cities was born. Compared to traditional urban structures, the Coexistence-Growth City is characterised by environmentally friendly and recyclable building materials, a mutually beneficial symbiosis between people and nature, modular growth to accommodate population growth and a diversity of built spaces. At the same time the minimum materials required for structural sections and the planning space are calculated with the help of a viscous bacteria algorithm. The project is an experiment in this coexistencegrowth city model, with modular units designed for different users and connected by bridges, atriums, patios, etc. It serves as a biodiversity research centre and proposes a new model for future urban regeneration.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN URBAN

ENVIRONMENT

A NEW CITY MODEL

The traditional urban model has many drawbacks, such as the use of high carbon emission building materials; the extensive use of fossil fuels leading to air pollution; and the sense of disconnection between the city and the natural environment. Therefore, a new concept is proposed: the COEXISTING-GROWING CITY

Since the reform and opening up in 1978, China's urbanization has gradually accelerated, and many problems have emerged, such as population growth, overexploitation of resources, and loss of biodiversity. Among them, the relationship between human and natural organisms is an issue that has received much attention in recent years.

The loss of habitat and the over-hunting of wildlife by humans have led to the extinction of more and more wildlife. In fact, as early as in ancient times, the Chinese thinker Mencius put forward the concept of sustainable development: 'The number of pots does not enter the stagnant pond, and the fish and turtles are not to be eaten.' Therefore, in order to maintain rapid urban development while reducing damage to the natural environment, a future-oriented and sustainable urban development model needs to be considered.

Recyclable materials

Mutually beneficial symbiosis

Unlimited extension

Diversity of space

Sichuan is an extremely rich province in biodiversity, thanks to its diverse geography. The plateau, basin and mountainous terrain provide habitats for different species, and Sichuan is known as a treasure trove of biodiversity in China. However, with the urban development of recent decades, Sichuan's biodiversity has been severely damaged. The project site, located at the boundary between the city and the plateau, is an experiment in this coexisting-growing city model.

As can be seen from the graphs, forest cover and the number of pandas in Sichuan declined during periods of rapid population growth. This reflects, to some extent, the negative impact of increasing population and accelerated urbanisation on the environment.

Arthur Schopenhauer

Margaret Mead

CHINA

SICHUAN BAIMO RIVER

The slime molds simulation algorithm performed on a computer simulates the path of slime molds to find food by setting up emitter points and food points. A refresh rate of once per second is set in the algorithm, so that a stable path network is gradually established with food locations after continuous movement of the slime molds.

path simulation

Integration with building frames

26

Slime path simulation

Building structures along the path with cubes Building structures along the path with cubes

FISH HUMAN

Integration with building frames

In order to show the response to different environments, sites spanning rivers, flatlands, hills.

Stepped blocks to get more daylight.

Performing block cutting and dividing atrium and corridor. Fill the unit into the body block and confirm the core barrel and common area.

The frame structure is set up and the floor slab separates the ground level where people can walk.

Adding facades and canopy, and stairs between platforms for people to pass.

As

Mycelium organic bricks

Mycelium is the nutritional component of the fungus and consists of hundreds of interwoven fibres produced by the spores, when dried it is a very hard material. This material is biodegradable and does not pollute the environment even after disposal.

Fir wood

the main material for the frame structure, it has stable rot and compression resistance and is not easily damaged by insects. The wood can be sourced locally from Sichuan.

Walnut

Mainly used for framing and flooring inside units. This wood is moderately light, strong and durable and is less prone to cracking, warping, etc.

Charred wood

Mainly used for balustrades, handrails. The wood has been processed at high temperatures to provide effective protection against decay and insect infestation. It is more environmentally friendly than preserved wood that has been made with chemicals.

PLANTS

Coniferous forest exhibition room

FUNCTIONS

Only the middle is the location of the trees, suitable for taller coniferous trees

Broadleaf forest exhibition room

All four corners have more generous areas for lush broadleaved trees

Bamboo exhibition Room

Lower and narrower areas indoors are suitable for bamboo growth

BIRDS

Open-air birdhouse

Tilting Birdhouse

Lateral Birdhouse

FUNCTIONS

The area above the room is set up with intricate burrows and shelves for birds to stay and nest

The sloping shelves provide more space for the birds to stay and also receive more sunlight

The side entrance offers a different way of forming this room which, unlike the front, allows rooms to be built on top

THE SCENERY OF THE ENTRANCE

FISH

FUNCTIONS

Exhibition room with own pool

A room with a pond at the bottom where you can keep fish without being near the river

Residence

Conventional housing with a double-storey interior

Exhibition room inserted in the water

The lower structure can reach into the river, but cannot be inhabited

Residence

Structure with external staircase, with added garden on the roof

HUMAN

Restaurant

The centre is semi-open, with bamboo planted on either side to provide light and a good landscape

Underwater exhibition room

The lower part can reach into the water, while one can enter underwater to view the view under the water

Just entering the building you can see the sunken park on the first floor, where many plants and trees are planted. The sunken plaza expands the vertical space and provides a place to rest.

Seed collection room

Pixel blocks around the perimeter hold seeds of various plants that visitors can take out and look at carefully during their visit

Research Office

A research room with a roof garden where the plants being studied can be cultivated on the roof

Classroom

Large staircase for reading and relaxing on. The interior of the first floor is available for study and the balcony offers a good landscape

THE SCENERY OF THE ATRIUM

The patio adds reflected light to the ground floor of the building and enhances natural light throughout the space.