Transcending boundries

Porter Brook, Sheffield

2019

Team: Imogen van ruiten, Oliver Pike, Fangchen Liu, Siqi Wang, Yu Chen

The project aims to transform an underutilized site in Sheffield city center, adjacent to Porter Brook and part of the cultural industries quarter, into a public green space that complements new residential buildings and serves as housing for both local people and refugees. The design will prioritize connections with the surrounding area, highlight the cultural character of the city, and consider ethnic and social factors. The overall goal is to create an urban ecological park that enhances the livability of the site, promotes connectivity with local green ecology, and fosters a sense of community. The project will be executed in three stages, including site research, overall concept planning in small groups, and detailed individual design.

Using graffiti pigments and drawing inspiration from the unique characteristics of the site, we created a design centered around the theme of 'Protest'. Incorporating elements of human and natural interventions in the site, the final result is depicted above.

Stage Two

Whole Design & Exhibition

Theme: Break the boundries

Our exhibition project features a combination of models and diagrams, enhanced with recycled plastic screens and projectors to create a captivating multi-sensory experience for visitors.

This conceptual experiment aims to understand the design objectives by using different colors of pigments to represent diverse people groups. The idea is to create a space where individuals from diverse backgrounds can meet and live together, fostering inclusivity and diversity.

The concept model features extensive use of recycled materials, making up 70% of the project, with a base created through laser cutting techniques. Red acrylics are incorporated to highlight the main road, also known as the fast pass, which connects the new housing with its surroundings, adding visual emphasis and significance to the overall design.

The green space will be thoughtfully divided into three levels, connected by gentle slopes and stairs, providing a seamless transition between the different heights of the new building and the original communities. This design approach ensures that each level serves a distinct purpose while harmoniously integrating with the site's topography and surrounding community.

Level one - surrounded by the new buildings, will provide a space for people to meet and engage in exercise activities.

Level two - will be transformed to a multi-functional space for outdoor exhibitions and visually-focused activities.

Level three - adjacent to the river, will primarily be utilized for ecological recovery, promoting the restoration of the natural environment.

Stage Three

Detailed Design

Theme: Connection

A waterside platform links the seating steps and basin area. Made by permeable stoneenameled steel grid which is not easily rusted after special treatment. Old wheel stones as site character will be placed as stepping stones.

The original Porter Brook channel will be widened and shaped to new form, the riverside area will become basin sas a part of SUDs. The Basins will be covered by the moist tolerant plants.

The base structure of the mound will be made by the materials from building the basin. That will reduce the transportation cost and form more changeable landform. Multi-stem Amelanchier lamarckii will give the lushly vegetated area more architectural structure.

Connecting channel separating from the main bridge to connect the mound, visitors can choose to enter the park from here. Non-slip aggregated pebble stone path is located at the gentle side of the mound.

Wide steps are also provided as a seating area. The seat will be made by precast concrete stones.

The walkway will be made by non-slip aggregated pebble stones, and the edge will be defined by the red bricks from the existing walls in site.

The main path without level change not only will become fast pass and also a symble of the park.

The walkway is made by stove-enameled steel grid which is not easily rusted.The bridge surface will be transparent, to solve the drainage problem, reduce the weight of the bridge, and the area under the bridge will not be too dark.

The model of the purposed Defra building characters of detailed area

Other works seletions

2019-2022

This section shows my explorations in recent years as continue to practice and become a professional and creative designer. It includes the research works, field research projects in Lisbon with course tutors and classmates, the Chatsworth Flower Show designed with other landscape designers, training projects have participated in the work, as well as my personal hobby of photography, which also helps me to re-examine design through the lens.

01 Street Gardens Related Research

Shanghai, London

2021-2022

Individul Works

Based on personal experiences in Shanghai and London, I conducted research on street parks, exploring how landscape design reflects social issues. Through a diary-format project on a renovated street park in Shanghai, I realized that landscape design is challenging in solving social issues, but these parks often reflect social problems. This led me to question how abstract landscape problems can be materialized in practical applications without ambiguity. My thesis project analyzed user experience in small parks in London and their application in China, aiming to better understand user demands and serve society through landscape design in future projects.

01 Street Gardens Related Research 2021-2022

02 RHS Chatworth Flower Show ‘Then The Moon Forgot’ 2020

03 Hand Drawing 'Imagination & impression' Field Trip in Lisbon 2019

02 RHS Chatworth Flower Show

‘Then The Moon Forgot’

Chatworth House, Sheffield 2020

Team Fangchen Liu, Elina, Yu Chen

04 Fieldwork activities 2021

05 Photography works selections 2019-2022 ȇ Shanghai Street garden observations and analysis 2022

The theme of the 2020 flower show is 'Emotional States', focusing on the impact of plantings on individuals with mental health issues. The aim is to provide warmth and mindfulness to those struggling with low moods and distress. The arrangement of plants from left to right represents the process of self-seeking, with the intention of the moon symbolizing individuals seeking light despite their vulnerabilities.

03 Imagination & impression

Field Trip in Lisbon

Lison, Portugal 2019 Individual Work

This project is inspired by a one-week department field trip to Lisbon, exploring the contrast between the objective reality of landscapes and the subjective memories of landscapes. The initial impressions of a green space are often based on second-hand resources like articles and photos, but the actual experience of visiting the site can be influenced by multiple senses such as sight, smell, sound, and weather. This creates a unique and individual impression of the landscape in each person's mind.