PORTFOLIO
YUNG-HSUAN TANG
YUNG-HSUAN, TANG
- E-Mail yt2931@columbia.edu / ayhspace@gmail.com
- Phone (646)331-9140
- Address 214 West, 109th Street, New York City, New York, 10025
\ EDUCATION
2024 - 2025
2017 - 2022
M.S.AAD, GSAPP, Columbia University in the City of New York
B.Arch., Department of Architecture, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)
\ WORK EXPERIENCES
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER
2024 YS SPACEDESIGN (Part-time)
- Healthcare Architecture / Pediatric Clinic, Detail Drawing
- Residential Architecture / House with Angled Roof Studies, Schematic Design
2023 -
- Interior Decoration / MACRONIX Building, NCKU
- Venue Design / Sustainable Formosa Forum, NCKU
- Event Curating / Sustainable Formosa Forum+Workshop+Exhibition, NCKU Freelancer
2022 - 2023 NCKU Design Center
- Exhibition / Actions for our Sustainable Futures
- Furniture Design / Sustainable Modulated Exhibition Rack
- Campus Space Planning Assistant
2018 TEDxTAINAN Spring
- Exhibition / Exhibition Design Group Member
RESEARCH & TEACHING ASSISTANT
2023 - 2024 Freelancer
- Translator / N. John Habraken, Towardsanewprofessionalrole,Designforflexibility, Palladio’schildren,LeavesandFlowers
2022 - 2023 Department of Architecture, NCKU
- Hida Regenerative Summer Design Studio / 2023 NCKU x HIDAKUMA Future Dynamic Program, TA
-"Evaluate and Elevate Co-creative spaces in academic institutions" / RA
- Architectural Design Thesis Project / Compulsory Subject, TA
- Architectural Design Management / Elective Course, TA
INTERNSHIP
2020 - 2021 KRIS YAO ARTHCH, Taipei
- Commercial Architecture / Fubon Tower, ongoing, Taipei
- Cutural Architecture / New Taipei City Art Museum, ongoing, New Taipei City
2020 - 2021 Studio APL, Taipei
- Restaurant Architecture / Project Of Grain Drying Machine, ongoing, PingTung
- Residence Architecture / Hill Villa, ongoing, Taipei
\ PUBLICATION
NATIONAL PUBLICATION
2023
- Second Author / "AGreenBuildingEducationalHubforAll: DesignasaToolforScienceCommunication"
"Evaluate and Elevate Co-creative spaces in academic institutionsDesign and Management strategies at National Cheng Kung University"
2022 - Author /"ObjectsandArchitecture-FromSpacetoPlace"
2021 - Co-author /"Evolution of Dutch Reformed Churches in Java: From VOC to Dutch East Indies"
JOURNAL
2023 - Co-columnist / NCKUArchJournalVol.106"2023RegenerativeDesignStudioinHida"
2022 - Co-columnist / NCKUArchJournalVol.104"WeaponizedCraft-RURArchitectureReport"
\ LEADERSHIP
STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS
2021 - 2022 NCKU Architecture #110 Thesis Review and Exhibition
- General Curator
2019 - 2020 Student Association of Architecture Department
- Chair
2019 NCKU ARCH Summer Camp "Illusory Realm" - Vice Curator
2018 - Curator
NCKU ARCH Orientation Camp
\ VOLUNTEERS & WORKSHOPS
VOLUNTEERS
2020 1st "OPEN TEIPEI"
- Volunteer / Taipei Botanical Garden Station-TRTS Wanda-Zhonghe-Shulin Line Sectional Contract CQ842
Taitung Feng-Tian Junior High School Art Visiting Trip
- Voluntary Docents / Architecture Guiding of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
WORKSHOPS
2020 "New Resilient Grounds"
2nd "Camouflage Island: Re-Imagining the Contested Landscape of Kinmen"
- Student / Based on the concept of 2019 Penny White Project Fund, MLA, GSD
- Student / International Design Workshop in NCKU
2019 NCKU Comprehensive Visual Art Workshop
- Student / Spatial Interpretation Based on Classical Chinese Literature
2018 Campus Renovation "ARCH FOR REAL"
- Student / NCKU ARCH Freshman Year Tectonic Workshop and Exhibition
\ HONORS
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
2022
Competition
- Build UP Taitung / Honorable Mention, Thesis Review Competition
\ PROFICIENCY
3D DESIGN TOOLS 2D DESIGN TOOLS
- Revit
- Rhinoceros
- SketchUp
- Enscape
- VRay
- AutoCAD
- PhotoShop
- Illustartor
- InDesign
- Procreate
CLERICAL SOFTWARES LANGUAGES
- Excel - PowerPoint
- Word
- Mandarin (Native)
- English (C1)
- German (A2)
\ INTERESTS SIDE HUSTLES
Traveling
- English Tourist Guide Licenses
- English Tourist Leader Licenses
Culinary
- National Western Culinary Technician Certificate
Illustrating
- Freelancer Poster Designer
Wine Testing
- WSET Level 1 Awards in Wines
CONTENT
My experiences center on public welfare, addressing diverse needs while balancing ecological concerns. Guided by Gandhi’s words, "you must be the change you want to see in the world," I strive to bridge cultures and foster sustainable development by integrating generational, cultural, and environmental harmony into architecture.
Growing up in Taiwan, an island nation, profoundly shaped my understanding of "boundaries." Its diverse landscapes taught me resilience, while the surrounding ocean symbolized both beauty and limitation, sparking my curiosity to explore the world. Immersing myself in different cultures through literature and media, I pursued English and German studies and became a national guide to transcend physical and mental confines.
Years of training have deepened my belief that architecture can create platforms for connection and possibilities for future generations. Designing for those in need remains my ultimate goal as an architect.
GROWING
THE INCUBATION ICE, SEA, SALT ACTIONS FOR OUR SUTAINABLE FUTURE
THE MARK OF TERROIR MEMORY SCAPES
THE
UNBOUND
AGING
- P.06
- P.16
- P.22
1. THE INCUBATION
From Single Learning Pod to Primary School Design
My architectural focus has centered on creating spaces for socially vulnerable populations, a commitment evident from my earliest ventures in this field to my current projects. I have placed particular emphasis on children, recognizing that most architectural designs primarily cater to adults. However, understanding and addressing children’s needs is crucial for nurturing an independent future generation.
Completed in May. 2023
Instructor: N/A
Working Type: Individual Work + 2023 Kaira Looro International Competition (Team Work)
Collaborator: Yung-Hsuan Tang (Early Concept Design + Team Leader )
En-Pei Liu / Hsiao-Jung, Lin / An-Yu Hsu (Competition Team Members)
First Try on Fractal Planning Strategy
I took the “Children’s Library” as my main program because of my deep connection with books during my formative years. I vividly recall the gloomy atmosphere of my community library, weighed down by its bulky concrete design. To cultivate a learning space free from rigid confines and seamlessly integrate the building with its surroundings, I adopted an approach of utilizing separate small cocoons to form a cohesive cluster, rather than erecting a singular structure on the site. This strategy, I believe, is paramount in breaking down the barriers between constructed buildings and their natural environment.
Progress of Learning Cocoons + Library Design
Yung-Hsuan Tang
Site Construction
"Cocoon" Structure Development Children's Library Top View
Reading Pod Design
Roof
Reading Space
Pod Lobby
Second Try: Fractal, Boundary, Flexibility
The fractal planning strategy harmonizes seamlessly with my vision of an ideal learning environment. It erases the confines between spaces, granting learners the freedom to explore diverse environments without rigid boundaries. This approach steered my design process during my tenure at NCKU.
This method is applied in the upcoming competition with my team members, where similar programs are in place. This strategy enables us to reduce the building's volume, transforming it into not just a school for students but also a communal space for the local community. Moreover, its design flexibility ensures adaptability to diverse site conditions, simplifying construction—essential in a country facing unstable financial circumstances and rapidly changing climates.
Materials and Vernacular Architecture
Programs and Units in Senegal School Design
Utilizing local materials, including ferns, palm fibers and bamboo from east Africa, and employing a fractal planning strategy, my team and I aspire to construct a resilient primary school that embodies sustainability across multiple facets. Our choice of local materials serves a dual purpose: honoring the essence of vernacular architecture while reducing transportation costs and distances. Analysizing the site and reorganizing the volumes.
Main Pod
Summer Rains Afternoon
Design
Seperating the volume according to their types. 3. Lab Care Storage
Creating semi-outdoor space to secure the ventilation.
Tunnel
Reservoir/
Clay
Bamboo and Wood
Reed Fiber
ICE, SEA, SALT
A Small Element with Profound Impact
Salt, though modest, has profoundly shaped ecosystems, cultures, and human civilization. Its influence spans from microscopic interactions to global systems, making it a vital subject for design exploration.
Inspired by a photograph in Discovery Magazine (2019), where an Inuit girl drinks seawater, the project examines salt’s dynamic role in natural processes, such as aged sea ice producing drinkable water. While the Inuit historically avoided salt for preservation, its necessity for bodily functions highlights its universal importance.
Salt also regulates ocean currents, with Arctic ice melt altering salinity and disrupting ecosystems and climate patterns, threatening food security. Beyond ecology, salt is integral in food preservation, therapy, and industry, such as dyeing textiles.
This project envisions a global salinity detection network, featuring iconic stations in extreme environments, showcasing salt’s ecological and societal significance.
Completed in Dec. 2024
Instructor: Leslie Gill + Khoi Nguyen
Working Type: Advanced Studio V, M.S. AAD, GSAPP, Columbia University
Collaborator: Individual Work
Frosty Environment | Arctic Bay Salinity Station, Nunavut, Canada
Flavor of Salt
| Sodium (Na): Salty
| Calcium (Ca): Sweet
| Magnesium (Mg): Bitter
| Iron (Fe): Sour
| Potassium (K): Sour
| Pink or Red Hues:
- Dunaliella salina
- Halobacterium
| Green or Blue Tints: - Spirulina
| Evaporation Rate
| Weather Patterns
Heated Environment | Punta Gallinas Salinity Station, La Guajira, Colombia
Caribbean Sea
Black Lava Salt Smoked Sea Salt Hawaiian Red Salt Himalayan Salt Himalayan Salt
Persian Blue Salt Fleur de Sel Hawaiian Red Salt Kosher Salt Table Salt
Bay Town
Kitchen Shade Playground
Traditions and Activities
Yung-Hsuan Tang
Punta Gallinas, La
Arctic Bay, Nunavut,
Guajira, Colombia
Local Section
Local Program: Sauna
The Arctic Bay station embodies the theme of absence, symbolizing the stark salinity-free environment of the Arctic. A Trombe wall forms the station’s focal point, its interior clad in salt panels to reflect the global salinity theme. This station functions as a research hub, combining salinity observation and laboratory spaces. At its core is a communal kitchen and dining area, representing salt’s universal significance in sustaining life and connecting cultures. Unique to Arctic Bay is a therapy space, designed to harness the restorative properties of salt in a serene environment. The integration of salt in both form and function underscores its importance while providing comfort and wellness in the extreme Arctic conditions.
Local Section
Local Program: Weaving Workshop
The Punta Gallinas station highlights the historical and cultural significance of salt, known as “white gold” by the Wayuu people. Its design features walls built from salt bricks, blending seamlessly with the arid landscape and emphasizing salt’s value in the region. Similar to Arctic Bay, it includes a salinity monitoring hub and a central kitchen and dining space, celebrating salt’s universal role in daily life. The site-specific program is a weaving workshop, paying homage to the Wayuu’s vibrant textile traditions. Here, visitors can engage with the intricate art of weaving, fostering cultural exchange and appreciation. This station connects the scientific and cultural aspects of salt, symbolizing its deep ties to identity and heritage.
Hottest
ACTIONS FOR OUR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
MSGT Permanent Exhibition Redesign + Sustainable Modular Exhibition Rack Design
Exhibition
In 2022, the IPCC published its sixth assessment report, which highlights net-zero carbon buildings, including the Y.S. Sun Green Building (MSGT) located in National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. MSGT is a living installation of net-zero action and has received over two hundred thousand visitors in the last decade. The site organizers hope to update the permanent exhibition in the building's atrium to reflect this accomplishment and raise awareness among visitors about urban heat island effects and global green building practices.
Design Principles
Completed in: Mar. 2023
Instructor: Chia-Yin, Hsu, Design Director, NCKU Design Center
Working Type:
- Exhibition Rack: Professional Project, Main Designer
- Exhibition Execution: Professional Project, Executive Assistant
Collaborator: NCKU Design Center, MSGT
The
The
Exhibition Lamp / C-Clamp
Poster / Indication / Screen
Model / Book / Souvenir
Modular Exhibition Rack Design
The new exhibition rack replaces the old metal frame in the atrium and was designed with sustainability in mind. We chose wood for its warm and durable qualities, and a modular design was prioritized for easy assembly and portability. The display rack consists of L-type and I-type elements that can be stacked and assembled without machinery. Additionally, a hollow-frame design was used to balance structural lightness and visual appeal while addressing concerns about heavy and inaccessible racks.
Combining racks together strengthens stability.
Filleting the corners ensures both user safety and aesthetic appeal.
Using screwdrivers and bolts to construct, increasing the convenience.
Yung-Hsuan Tang
Phase 1 | Designing, Adjusting, and Modeling
Phase 2 | Planning, Producing, and Calculating
Phase 3 | Transforming, Applying, and Exhibiting
Working Record
Sitting
Exhibiting
Building the Venue
MARK OF TERROIR
The Redesign Of Taimali Train Station
My thesis explores the relationship between landmarks, landscapes, and place names, envisioning architecture as a catalyst for new opportunities in aging communities.
Taimali Station, nestled between mountains and sea, is celebrated for its stunning sunrise views and its role as a gateway to Taimali Township. Known for its high-quality agricultural products, the vibrant orchard in front of the station is a unique feature. However, youth migration has created challenges, threatening both agricultural production and the preservation of cultural heritage.
This project reimagines the train station as a multi-purpose community hub, addressing the lack of spaces for elderly farmers to sell their goods and connect with others. By incorporating a restaurant and kitchen, the redesign enhances the town’s identity and visitor experience. The station becomes a focal point that supports local needs while elevating the township’s image, showcasing how architecture can foster connection, continuity, and pride in place.
Completed in: May. 2022
Instructor: Yu-Lin Chen, Principal, MAYU architects
Working Type: Thesis Project, NCKU
Collaborator: Individual Work
Station Lobby / Agricultural Products Selling Orchard Classrooms / Storage
Subtropical Broadleaf Forests Central Mountains Range Orchards
Railways Orchards
TIMBER/
GLASS STRUCTURE
Passive House Design
Thermal Insulation
Ventilation
Airtightness
Thermal-Bridge-Free
Orchards Pedestrian
Pacific Ocean Coastal Highways
SECTION AA' | Face to the Pacific Ocean
1. Main Entrance 2. Core Kitchen 3. Station Farm
Rest Area
Platform
Yung-Hsuan Tang Restaurant Terrace Farm
Kitchen
SECTION BB' | Face to the Central Mountain Range
Agricultural Products in the Station Farm
Sugar Apple Atemoya
Mango
Guava
Physical Model
Kitchen View
Lounge & Balcony
Train Lobby Parking Lot
Toward Taimali Town
City Island of Inclusive Communities for an Aging Future
This project addresses Alzheimer’s disease and urban disconnection by reimagining Coney Island as a model for future caring spaces. Our design integrates existing facilities with new programs to create a vibrant, inclusive environment that caters to the needs of an aging society while fostering community connections. We explore the challenges of transitioning from familiar living spaces to care centers, emphasizing the impact on patients’ memories and identities.
By introducing multi-generational programs, including art therapy, physical care, and educational activities, we aim to bridge the gap between different age groups, encouraging interaction and mutual support.
Completed in Aug. 2024
Instructor: David Eugene Moon, Principal, N H D M
Working Type: Advanced Architecture Tutorial, M.S. AAD, GSAPP, Columbia University
Collaborator: Ka Heun Hyun
The design incorporates spaces that stimulate and engage Alzheimer’s patients, transforming the physical environment into one that promotes well-being and social integration. Additionally, we address educational inequality by providing spaces that support diverse learning opportunities.
By blending the unique elements of Coney Island with innovative architectural solutions, our project offers a blueprint for urban areas facing similar challenges, ensuring that vulnerable populations are not isolated but integrated into the broader community.
Coney Island
Caregiving
Physical Medication
Mental Support
Caring Supervisor
Educational Spaces
Adult Day Care Facility
Dementia Care Facility
NORC
Hospital / Clinic
Urgent Care
Sanatorium
Pharmacy
Conseling Center
Hospital / Clinic
Religious Spaces
Social Service Agency
Home Care Services
Government Office
Sports and Activities
Secondary Education
Primary Education
Pre-School
Amusement Park Park Parking Lot Boardwalk Bus Subway Grocery
Site Analysis
24/7 Care with New Co-Living Space
South Section
Residences
Adult Day Care
Theater Community GYM Lobby Community Main Entrance Coney Island Ave., Connecting to Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach
216.5 ft
367.5 ft
Riegelmann Boardwalk
Entrance
Riegelmann
6. THE UNBOUND
Those that have shaped the person I am today.
Architecture captures the experiences and illusions of everyday life, transforming them into physical spaces. I believe that everything I have explored and encountered— whether through photography, culinary arts training, language studies, or professional tour guide experiences— serves as essential nourishment for my architectural creations.
Over the years, my training has reinforced the idea that architecture is a powerful tool for fostering connections and creating opportunities for future generations. With this understanding, I am committed to designing spaces that not only meet the needs of others but also leave a meaningful and lasting impact.
Completed: From Sep. 2017 to Dec. 2024
Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennal
Setouchi Triennale
Timber Works in Taiwan
Infrastructures in Taiwan
Madrid / Paris / Rotterdam
Tokyo / Zao Onsen / Sendai Coney Island
Antwerp, Luxemburg
Toyama / Kanazawa
Artech, Taipei
LINCOLN ROAD
Thesis Exhibition in Taipei
Thesis Exhibition in Tainan
