After sorting out my works over the past seven years, I hope to conclude a framework of my understand between urban space and architectural space. Therefore, this portfolio is not only a collection of architectural works, but also include urban design, architectural design, and installation design. Since I also pursue interdisciplinary studies in Landscape Architecture Design, Art History, and Psychology, I think such content organization can better represent my learning process of architecture.
The porfolio includes four projects at different stages of my work. They respectively discuss the immersive sensory space experience design in architecture, the gradual erosion of human dignity and humanity under rapid industrialization and urbanization, the narrative of urban design, and the spiritual fortress of natural enlightenment.
Architecture, to me, is more than just the construction of physical spaces; it is also a narrative vessel meticulously orchestrated through spaces, events, and activities. I hope this portfolio is not ony a summary of my achievements in a period of time but also a framework for my study in the next stage. It reminds me to always think about the spatial logic from city to architecture, and then from architecture to city. In order to futher improve myself in the future study.
Due to the special climate of the site, it brings two very different experiences between dry and flood season. When the building is implanted as a spatial medium, it naturally creates an immersive spatial experience.
A spiraling ring is the main body of the design. People walk in it and enter the underwater world from the slowly descending large steps, and then slowly walk out of the water to the large steps above the water. This cycle repeats, providing a variety of perspectives in the ring. A completely different space experience.
People, birds and plants naturally communicate with each other through sight, sound, smell and touch, so that people can not only recognize the building itself, but also be guided by it in the space. The indoor and outdoor spaces begin to grow in an organic way and shape a unique spatial experience.
Bird observation points
Migration route Site
Range of wading birds
Range of Songbird
Range of migratory birds
Bird distribution map
The entire building is divided into two flow lines:
Internal - Activity
External - Viewing
The Bolabi Lake wetland is an important habitat for birds and a destination for many migratory birds, especially waterfowl. Bolabi Lake is located in the agricultural area of Nakhon Sawang Prefecture, Thailand, and lacks a building that offers a rich experience of bird observation, interaction, and entertainment. There are no less than 238 species, 20 orders, of birds in Lake Borabi. According to their ecological habits, including foraging, resting, and reproductive activities, birds of 20 orders can be divided into 7 ecological groups: migratory birds, wading birds, climbing birds, walking birds, flying birds, songbirds, and raptors.
Block generation
The building first evolves from a circular shape, and then multiple functional blocks are derived inward from the ring, and the building is adjusted to different heights according to the terrain and water level to adapt to the entire site.
Seasonal functional change analysis
diagram
Dry season
The overall internal flow of the building does not have repetitive routes, which can provide visitors with a better experience inside the building. On the flat surface, one can deeply feel the special functional layout for a better experience, and the interior space of the building is also relatively open, with furniture arranged along the streamline.
Rainy season
During the rainy season, the water level rises and a portion of the roof terrace is covered by the lake, naturally creating a water-friendly platform. People can observe the life of water birds up close here. A part of the building is also flooded with water, and indoors one can see special scenes such as waterbirds fishing underwater.
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The building is transparent and has an open hall where people can enjoy the scenery and bird species from sunken seats. After the hall, there is a submerged corridor that allows people to experience traveling on water and underwater.
rood steps
ramp outside the mutimedia hall
Inside
building, there is
spacious activity area
children can make models
specimens. Dedicated teachers educate children about birds while they play. Outside the building, there are nests designed for birds to rest and breed. Visitors can observe bird activities up close in the nests while walking in the corridor.
specimen preparation area
facade of specimen preparation area
During the flood season, buildings are partially submerged, and people can see different bird activities underwater. People have a richer experience in the building, and the roof of the building is also partially submerged. People can further interact with birds at the large stairs on the roof.
During the dry season, the entire building is exposed to the water surface, providing more ample sunlight. The structural parts below the building are also exposed to the water surface, creating a beautiful light and shadow effect under the sunlight.
SHENZHEN EXPRESS
A Warm Home in The Concrete Jungle
Academic Project
Solo Work
Instructor: Kia
Site: Futian, Shenzhen, China
Winter 2022
Chunking Express is a special film to me. It has influenced my viewpoint on design and architecture. Christopher Doyle's reflection on the filming location of Chungking Express introduced me to the critical role of architectural space in storytelling.
Chungking Express tells the story of two men and women who met and got to know each other in a reinforced concrete forest. What I see in this is that in a city with rapid modernization, communication between people is rare. This reminds me of Shenzhen, a modern but indifferent city. How to create a residence that naturally provides possibilities for communication between people is the main subject of this design.
Through the analysis and translation of the movie, I hope to use the language of the movie Chungking Express to tell a story and build a warm home in the glass skyscraper.
Recollecting Futian district, Shenzhen diagram
Leisure time distribution Analysis of time distribution
For most migrant workers, commuting time takes up 6.25% of the day. The rest time at home after work, on the other hand, is mainly allocated to the online virtual world.
Current problems in urban villages
narrow space lack of privacy scale issues sunlight issues
The bedroom converted from a utility room is so cramped that only a crib can be put down, making it difficult to live there.
Multi-occupancy dormitories converted from living rooms without the necessary separation resulting in a lack of privacy between occupants.
The rooms are too small making it difficult for residents to move around in them and for furniture to be used.
The close proximity of residential buildings leads to a situation of "one line of sky", making it difficult for residents to obtain sunshine.
Non-compliant extensions in urban villages and cluttered environments have an adverse impact on the overall urban environment. urban issues
lack space for children lack space for social security issue lack of essential funtions street issues
There is basically no room for the children to move around and they have to play downstairs on the curb, which is hazardous.
The lack of social space has led to people even chatting only on demolished ruins.
The large number of wires and cables crossing between residential buildings and unauthorized extensions creates a fire risk, which is exacerbated by the excessive use of electricity.
Some residences lack essential features, such as bathrooms and kitchens, and the basic living needs of residents cannot be met.
The street is a mix of stores, with debris occupying the original parking spaces in front of the entrance, and some of the restaurant's dining spaces are also placed on the curb.
Concept of coliving
I want to design a co-living community where can promote human interaction to enhance the well-being of the users, a place of care
Analysis of film structure and plot
The movie Chungking Express consists of two stories about the subtle transformation of feelings between two pairs of men and women under the concrete forest. Its movie structure is symmetrical, with the two stories of night and day heading towards different endings. A lot of contrasts are used in the drama, with fast showing slow and cold showing warm.
But in today's urban life, people are lost in the airtight steel forest, and human relationships have become strange and alienated.
Analysis of needs
Based on the theory of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I conducted the physiological and psychological needs of the four main characters in the film Chungking Express as well as the target users of my design. By analyzing the behavioral and psychological need of different groups, understand the distinctiveneed of living space and public space systematically. These analysis help ME decide which elements should be valuedand expressed in design.
Analysis of time distribution
To decide the proportion of area and function segmentation by the distribution of time in different activities.Using the 8-hour workday as a basis, I explored the allocation of the remaining 16 hours of time to the average urban village resident, along with design goals and hopes for the target users.
On the basis of unit 1, the 3*3 area is further distinguished from other areas. The balcony on the top of the bedroom can be reached through stairs.
Single apartment
This house type is based on a 3*3 free area, which combines bedrooms and bathrooms. The 3*3 area is distinguished by different floor heights
Combination hanging in the hall
Located at the cross-floor area of the office building, such as the hall, connecting the vertical core.
1. stair area for reading
2. shared kitchen
3. balcony for chatting
Combination at corner
Located at the corner of the office building, across floors.
1. small amphitheater
2. shared kitchen
Combination in middle
Located in the middle of the office building, cantilevered above the office area.
1. shared kitchen
2. balcony for chatting
3. sports platform
Dual-core family apartment
On the basis of unit 2, the apartment is divided into a work and leisure area
on the upper floor and a living area on the lower floor, and two entrances are provided to emphasize the distinction.
Combination with core
Connected to the middle platform of the stairs, different areas of the group can be reached through the stairs.
1. balcony for chatting
2. shared kitchen
3. shared bathroom
Lovers loft
Daytime
During the day, people work in the office. The building blocks create a lounge with a lower height. Functional areas such as conference rooms are separated from the office area. With the curtains drawn, the two are independent of each other.
Nighttime
At night, when office workers return home, they can share dinner in the public kitchen, chat and relax, or they can stay in their own small rooms, read and think. The 3*3 free space gives users unlimited possibilities.
The role of the ancient city walls has faded, neglected by people. Inside the ancient city, conflicts arise between tourist and locals.
Four distincitve city gates and five tourist attractions, forming nine small nodes were selected. Among them, one node serves as a tourist center. Starting from here, cable cars and boat routes will connect them, returning the ancient city to its residents while enhancing tourists' experiences.
We extracting scenes from ancient paintings depicting Suzhou's past, including: boat painting, dye workshops, rice fields, gardens, artificial hills, markets, opera stages, houses, and nistling waterways. A total of nine scenes merging the old with the new, aming to activate node spaces, revive cultural memories, and preserve historial heritage
The ancient city wall of Suzhou has gone through the process of reconstruction from the earthen wall of the Sui Dynasty to the encased brick wall of the Five Dynasties period to the reconstructed wall of the Song Dynasty. During the nearly 700 years of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the city wall was destroyed and rebuilt many times. By 1952, Suzhou's city walls had 23 breaches, 16 collapses, 7 demolitions, 24 protrusions from the outer walls and 2 dangerous places. The walls were gradually encroached upon by factories and residential buildings, and the damage increased year by year. By 1986, only 5.02 kilometers of the old city wall remained, and the internal river was partially filled in.
Current Situation Analysis
Type 1 Restored City Wall
Status Neglected, negative
Treatment strategy To revitalize the space around the restored section of the Citadel, a node can be designed to cater to both tourists and the local community.
Type 2 Ramp
Status: Fabrication, void
Treatment strategy Design a conspicuous node to serve people in and out of the city; while respecting and restoring existing derelict areas.
Type 3 Waterfront
Status: Ignored, wasted
Treatment strategy: A water platform that probes into the water, an intersection that connects multiple nodes, a harbor and a public space.
Type 4 Broken Wall
Status Neglected, messy
Treatment strategy: Reorganize the urban fabric then mend the broken part in the form of installations. Provide services to the surrounding population.
The analysis of conflict flow at key nodes
① S u z h o u Gusu Wi S u z h o u R a l w a y S t a t o n S u z h o u A r t M u s e u m S u z h o u S i k M u s e u m Z h u o z h e n g G a r d e n S u z h o u M u s e u m L o u G a t e X i a n g G a t e S u z h o u N o 6 H g h S c h o o T h e L o n F o r e s t G a r d e n M o u n t i a n V l a o f S e c u d e d T h e G a r d e n o f C u t v a t i o n T h e C o u p e s G a r d e n R e t r e a t T h e M a s t e rO fN e t s G a r d e n T h e C a n g l a n g P a v i i o n P n g i a n g R o a d C h a n g G a t e S u z h o u G y m n a s u m S u z h o u L b r a r y S u
Non-interfering living circles
Site Plan Poetic imagery of Prosperous Suzhou
Properous Suzhou is a famous painting depicting the city of Suzhou in the past, however, many of the images depocted in it are no longer visible in the ancient city of Suzhou today.
Naming and design concept
Therefore, we extracted 9 nodes with strong traditional Suzhou cultural charm, then analyzed and studied the spatial form, functional composition, and crowd dynamics of these nodes. Modern architecture can also narrate the events in the painting.Through translating these 9 nodes and placing them again in the city of Suzhou, we hope that they can activate the surrounding community while linking up a tour path back to the "Properous Suzhou". Therefore, using the old city wall as the main narrative line, we constructed a new tour route to stitch together the scattered and isolated historical areas to tell the story of Suzhou.
Garden - Teahouse
The garden space is extracted and translated into a geometric space, which is then reorganized and arranged to form a new building. As a tea room, it provides a space for the neighboring residents to rest and chat; at the same time, it provides an opportunity for tourists to experience the tea culture.
Kunqu carries a strong implication of spatial topology as an explanation of the mixture of scene and character relationships, thus using the kunqu set as a body language, compressing the traditional theater stage on the wall while the audience is on the opposite side of the river.
Cornices - Cable car station
Using the imagery of the cascading rooftops of the Jiangnan houses, a new path on the rooftops has been constructed. As a main cable car station, it connects to other nodes, and provides efficient traffic way for travellers. The cable car offers visitors the possibility to admire the fifth façade of the old city of Suzhou from the air.
Utilizing the scene and form of ancient roadside markets, it breaks the traditional trade space where the vendors are inside and the customers are outside. This allows customers to freely enter and choose what to buy.
Stage - Theater
Fairs - Store
Farmlan - Waterfront platform
Taking inspiration from the forgotten imagery of paddy fields and integrating the ripples created by water droplets, a waterfront platform was crafted for individuals to leisurely stroll, offering an experience of the ancient charm of waterside villages.
Dyehouse - Waterfront interactive installation
The grouping of tanning racks in the dye houses used to be impressive, but nowadays they have disappeared from the city of Suzhou. Combining this imagery with the waterfront crossing, it brings back the forgotten images and provides opportunities for people to experience and interact with them.
Painted pleasure boat - Waterborne installation
Nowadays, it is difficult to reproduce the large painted pleasure boat, since the river have been filled and compressed in the city, so it is simplified into a platform for drinking tea and chatting, or a water installation for commentary performances, which provides fun for the neighboring residential areas.
Hills - Mechanical car parking
Although mountains are the most common imagery in ancient Chinese paintings, yet today it is difficult to see distant mountains from the city. The mechanical structure is designed to imitate a mountain and serve as a parking lot, freeing up the city's parking pressure and serving both residents and visitors.
Translation from Prosperous Suzhou
We hope to bring the past scenes back to the present ancient city of Suzhou through this translation of ancient paintings, and people can naturally recall those forgotten Suzhou stories when then they walk through these scenes. We wish to be the narrator of the memories of city wall.
ICELAND BATH
A Spiritual Fortress on Black Beach
Academic Project
Solo Work
Instructor: Muchi Chen
Site: Black Beach, Iceland Winter 2023
The Roman Baths were the source of inspiration for this project. Baths in ancient Rome were not only for bathing, but also for socializing. They even had libraries, gyms, art galleries, etc., and were a complex of entertainment and public activities in the city.
But perhaps, the bathhouse can have more special attributes. Imagine soaking in warm water in the ice and snow, surrounded by silent black sand beaches, and looking up at the aurora in the sky. This is the best place for natural enlightenment. Therefore, I tried to combine theology, nature, enlightenment and bathing in this design. I try to use light and shadow to tell a story about enlightenment.
Walking through the narrow stairs to the underground, walking through the arcade of intertwined light and shadow, the huge dome space is revealed in front of you, the light shines from the circular hole in the dome, and time crawls through the circular wall. After bathing, you go up the huge steps. The light passes through the gap in the end wall and becomes a guiding point. Going around the wall, the transparent dome presents everything outside in front of you.The story reaches its climax here.
Project introduction
As a seaside bathing beach, this project extracts and translates the plane, structure, space, form and other elements of the church, trying to create a spiritual fortress on the black sand beach of Iceland and provide a new way of communication between people and nature. I hope to use light and shadow to design a special divine space and achieve natural enlightenment.
Loneliness is the first impression given by Iceland's black sand beaches. The ocean, black sand and white waves form a strong contrast. At the same time, the strong wind, snowy mountains and broken ice give the place a spotless and mysterious feeling. This reminds one of the monasteries built far away from the city in the past.
Site elements extraction ICE REEF BEACH CRUSHED ICE CLIFF MOUNTAIN
Site plan
SEABIRD
Spatial sequence
Along the downward staircase from entering the bath, the light goes from bright to dark and the space is compressed. The arcade in the shower area creates a varied experience of light and shadow; the overhead light in the cold water pool creates a sense of sanctity; and finally the dome space reached up the grand staircase reveals the full extent of the outdoor landscape.
shawer area cold water bath
Entering along the downward steps, the water screen blocks part of the view and light is shed into the room from the water screen.
RIPPLE
The steam room is only open to a thin strip of overhead light along one side of the wall, and the light changes over time on the wall. The shower area on the side of the arcade is a small, self-contained, half-vaulted space, where the shadow of the space arch is cast on the rough walls.
VAPOR
DRIP WAVE
The spa room is a narrow, high-ceilinged space with rough-textured walls and sunlight cast through a circular opening at the top. The baths are in a larger domed space to the side of the main bath, with overhead light bringing a sense of sanctity as people lie in the pool and look up at the sky.
The long strip of pool under the arcade goes from shallow to deep, bringing guidance, sunshine and breeze are the theme here.
FLOW ARCADE
A wide, open space under an almost fully open roof, where one experiences the transformation from a warm indoor to a semioutdoor space.
A dim transition space, the shape of light is clearly projected on the wall.
The large steps leading upwards only have a light-transmitting gap on the highest wall, giving it a strong sense of sanctity.
STAIR
Central bath
The original idea of the Icelandic baths came from the Roman baths. I hope that this design can bring more experience to the simple act of "bathing". Since ancient times, monasteries have been built in places far away from crowds of people to help ascetics
achieve enlightenment. The project chose the black sand beach of Iceland as the site, hoping that the sharp contrast between the indoor warmth of the bathhouse and the extremely cold outdoor climate would enhance people's spiritual feelings. When
people soak in the central bath, the circular wall made of fair-faced concrete blocks the line of sight, allowing people to focus more on the current environment. The huge dome is unreachable, with a large circular hole cut out of the top. Sunlight shines in from
here and moves slowly with the movement of the sun, filling this space with a sacred atmosphere. The rough surface contrasts with the fair-faced concrete, making it feel like you are in a huge natural cave. Loneliness is the theme here, and here we
explore theology, man and nature , and natural enlightenment. I hope this spiritual fortress will allow people to rediscover themselves and the world.
Some Projects with Deep Memory
Fall 2016 - Fall 2019
Work Experience
Summer 2021- Spring2023
In addition to professional architectural design courses, some other meaningful ideas or projects in the undergraduate study life will be elaborated in this collection.
The Pervasive Mountains
Mountain rocks are always an important part of Chinese traditional architectureal culture
Starting from a piece of ancient poetry, according to the time and space of the story, the imagination and connection of different spaces are completed, and mountains and rocks are used as elements to form the space of different scenes. The spatial scale of the scene is different, but the scales of the rocks in the real space are the same. Therefore, the rocks of the same scale are used to refer to the elements of different scales, and four scale spaces of bonsai, rockery, landscape painting and mountains are created respectively.
The scene features simple time and space transitions as well as euphemistic sentiments, with the central theme being "The caring is being upset by the uncaring." By combining the solidity of a wall with the ethereal quality of a rockery, an atmosphere reminiscent of traditional Chinese landscape paintings was created.
The Frame | Lighting Installation Design
Frame scenery is one of the common landscaping techniques in Suzhou gardens. Viewers can dialogue with the scenery through the "frame". Through the placement of light art installations, we slightly intervene in the campus night scene environment to brighten up the historical buildings and realize the dialogue between people, architecture and the environment.
The Pervasive Mountains PVC expansion sheet, wood, rocks Team work Winter,2020
2021 Asian Design Award
Excellent Award Team work Winter,2021
Work Experience at UDG Architects
Kunming FuDe Village Urban Village Resconstruction Project | City Complex
Project Architect: Chao Wu
Contribution: As a team member, I joined the project in its competition phase, when we receive the basic information from the clients. This project is mainly divided into a commercial part and a residential part. The design of the commercial part follow the concept of office cluster with creative space, which is proposed by me. So in this process, I particited deeply from modeling to technical drawing. Besides I also particited in the plan of residential units
Team Member: Chao Wu, Meilan Li, Liusheng Song, Chalermrak Tearana, Luriya Lilo
Time of Participation: September - October, 2021
Project Location: Kunming, China
Haikou Happy Valley Planning & Design Project | Resident
Project Architect: Chao Wu
Contribution: I joined the project from its schee design phase to construction design phase. This project is a comprehensive hotel and residential project, and our team is responsible for the residential part. I mainly designed a villa unit in a residential area, including plan, elevation design, plan drawing, modeling and rendering. In addition to this, the general floor plan of the project was also drawn by me.
Team Member: Chao Wu, Meilan Li, Liusheng Song, Chalermrak Tearana, Luriya Lilo
Time of Participation: March - September, 2022
Project Location: Sanya China
Note: the design & concept are mainly my proposal, and the drawings are done by me.
Note: all the drawings and renders are done by me.
