Portfolio by Anbo Hu

PROLOGUE This portfolio contains 4 selected works from 20202023, with 1group project in my postgraduate study at AA and 3 undergraduate projects. The first 3 projects represent my architectural skills including building design, architectural drawing visualization, and understanding of space and structure. These 3 projects share a similar characteristic which is the strong connection with the environment. In the first project, I focused on the study and transformation of traditional structures, and in the second and third projects, I focused on the study of spatial experience. The last projects represent my knowledge and skills in sustainable environmental design. It is the sustainable renovations for an existing building. Different possibilities of approaches were proposed and tested through the simulation. With the evaluation of affordability, energy consumption, living comfort, and carbon-neutral targets, a conclusive sustainable design approach could be proposed.

CONTENTS [01] Xijiang Qianhu Hmong Village Museum

- The renovation and transformation of vernecular Hmong poeple's architecture

[02] Cubic Community

-Residential community spacial typology under COVID-19

[03] Elderly Community Centre

- A semi-public community for the elderly in the downtown area of Tokyo

[04] One Battersea Bridge - Oasis

The sustainable renovation of an abandoned office building to residential and commercial use

[01] Xijiang Qianhu Hmong Village Museum - The renovation and transformation of vernecular Hmong poeple's architecture Site: Leishan County, Guizhou Province, China Individual Project 2021.6 - 2021.11

The Xijiang Qianhu Hmong Village which is included in China's intangible cultural heritage is a village group built along the river valley, and the Hmong people with a history of more than 5,000 years live here. This village as the largest Hmong village inherited their memory, culture, and history. The museum here invested with the duty of recording their brilliant history and culture. Due to the ideology development of local residents, new vitality needs to be injected into this place while ensuring the protection of vernacular culture. As a result, the renovated museum adopts the contemporary architectural design language which is inspired by the vernacular buildings and culture. It is expected that this renovation can bring fresh cultural vitality to the local residents.

Plan Development Based on the new demands of spatial arrangement, the new site is expanded. The figure-ground composition is based on the site fabric to respond to the context. The building on the street-facing side is demolished to create a new public plaza with a redesigned tree viewing platform for the tourists and residents. In order to retain the impact of the original building, some of the traditional structures and vegetation were reserved. Part of these reserved structures was connected with the modern part to realize the renovation of architecture. Besides, there are some transition spaces between two adjacent buildings to create a well-distributed spatial sequence.

Expand Public Renovation Reservation 9

Vegetation Sequence 7

3.2m

3.1m 6 4

8 3

3.2m

5 Original site

Expanded site

Annotation 1. History gallery 2. Cafe 3. Tree platform 4. Architecture gallery 5. Office 6. Pool 7. Culture gallery 8. Agriculture gallery 9. Clothing gallery 10. Toilet 11. To the Yedong Village

Demolish the front building

Form a new public space

Ground Floor Plan

5 6.37 m 3 Generate blocks based on site fabric

Reservated and new construction 5

Waterpool and corridor

Bridges and platforms

1. Entrance/ History gallery 2. Religion space 3. Public sunken plaza 4. Office building 5. Architecture gallery 6. Toilet 7. Cafe

20m

6.2 m

2 4

- 0.9m Annotation

1 0m Annotation 1. Public gallery 2. Break space 3. Culture gallery 4. Agriculture gallery 5. Clothing gallry

-1 Floor Plan

6 10

20m

First Floor Plan

6 10

20m

The Extraction and Transformation of Original Design language

The traditional structure will consume a lot of wood, and lack of sunshine in the central area.

Modern construction techniques can save materials and make interior spaces more open. Meanwhile, the spatial organization of the original traditional building is retained.

Available space

Available space (New)

The old buildings on the site are all built in a traditional Chuandou structure. Due to the technical limitations of old construction, most of these buildings are in disrepair. Besides, the columns in the original structure take up too many spaces, resulting in low utilization of space and lack of sunshine. Therefore, most of the new space would be built in a new structure to solve these problems.

Traditional Chinese Chuandou( 穿斗 ) structure

Religion space (With water screen)

Renovated structure

Connection bridge

The sloped back of the Mei Ren Kao is in the same direction as the slanted column.

Functional Concrete Box at the bottom

Transportation/ Toilet

The double eaves structure can form an open space for visitors to view the landscape.

Shop/ Service

Corridor outside the Architecture gallery

Traditional Clothing Gallery • Display of ethnic costumes/ decorations

Yedong Village Exit to Yedong Village

Public Gallery/ Lecture/ Viewing platform

Agriculture Gallery

• To display some temporary exhibites • Public sharing workshop • Overlooking the village

• Display daily agricultural implements • Common crops, food

Culture & Convention Gallery • To display some traditional life style and customs/ festivals of Hmong people • Display of daily living items

Religion & Belief • An Homong totem coloumn is displayed in the centre. • A water curtain representing the worship of nature surrounds the totem

GF Reception/ Storage • Ticket/ Rest/ Storage

1F History Gallery • To display some pictures and antiques about Hmong’s history.

Cafe • To provide a place to rest for public/ visitors.

Architecture Gallery

Main Entrance

• The old structure was preserved • Some pictures and models will be displayed

Viewing Platform • Spiraling around the old banyan tree • Overlooking the village

Part of the traditional structure has been retained as a response to and respect for the history and culture of the site. In terms of technology, rigid connections ensure a stable combination of traditional and modern structures. Part of the traditional structure (Chuan Dou) has been preserved to preserve local memory without wasting space. A raised roof on one side allows daylight into the interior, compensating for the lack of light in the traditional structure. The double-eaves roof combines the roof of the bridge, which not only responds to the traditional local architectural form, but also enriched the spatial hierarchy.

Feng Yu Bridge (Modern)

Triangular structure to accommodate skylight opening (For old part)

The Bridge is the space for resting and communication

Seats on both sides is converted from Mei Ren Kao (Traditional resting seats )

Rafters sturcture of the modern part

Connect to the Purlin of old structure

Connect to the Beam of old structure

Structural frame of modern part Location

[02] Cubic Community - Residential community spacial typology under COVID-19 Site: Wuhan, Hubei Province, China Individual project 2020.9 - 2021.3

This sustained COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected our lifestyle. It is not just a global health crisis, but a shift in modern life from reality to online. During the pandemic, online media have rapidly developmed, and daily life has become more connected with the Internet. More companies are switching to remote work to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Therefore, this project will focus on the study of household living habits and public sharing space. In terms of home space, this design is supposed to provide a comfortable and warm place for living under the pandemic and designs a family space that can meet most of the needs of normal daily life. In terms of traffic and public space, design different traffic spaces to cope with different routes during normal and COVID-19 periods, aim to reduce cross-infection in the outside transportation under pandemic, and provide a kind environment to help with the mental health of residents.

Problems Under Home Quarantine I wish I had a larger hallway to disinfect my clothes and wash my hand before entering my home.

Hallway

Dining Room

Prototype Units

I need more space t o s t o re f o o d a n d medical supplies.

Linving Room

Living room

Bedroom

All major rooms should be transparent from the South to the North!

All rooms should have windows to connect with the outside.

The Demands of House Types

Outdoor space

Sufficient sunshine and outdoor space are important for my mental health.

I need a quiet place w h e re I c a n n o t b e disturbed by my familly to work.

Balcony Laundry room

Garden

We need an outdoor platform to release our pressure.

A laundry room will save a lot of time for housework.

Problems of Work From Home

Transparent from south to the north

95%

Working in the office feels better

24%

Large hallway

77%

Hard to get into work mode

30%

Sufficient daylightinge

83%

It's hard to calm down to work at home

19%

Enough storag space

45%

Indolence and mental problems

20%

Large hallway

42%

Don't want to work in front of familly

27%

Space Combination Principles

Private Balcony

Sharing Balcony/ Garden

Explore Route

Primary ventilation

Private Garden

Corridor

Express Route

Secondary ventilation

The volume is composed of 4 basic units that fit together in Tetris way. Their composition principle is based on functional requirements and circulation. On the basis of use, to ensure sufficient daylight, ventilation, and independent circulation. There could be some changes of the unit in detail, part of the addition and deletion, to achieve the overall coordination.

Office Room

Are there more possibilities such as execersice in the living room?

Tetris Space Concept

Circulation

Massing Generating

Form a hollowed space for building Courtyard at the centre for public activities

Four opennings for outside to entre the building

Those larger composed blocks as the ground floor space

By stacking different units from large to small to form the final space

Circulation and Programme Tour transportation

Public activity space

Direct transportation Normal circulation

Circulation for pandemic

Plans

Senario Collage

6 0.3m

-1.05m

Groud Floor Plan

5 1

Annotation 1. Public rest space 2. Community supermarket 3. Table tenis platform 4. Public lifts and stairs 5. Public central green space 6. Private garden

0.00m 2

20m

3 1 4 3.3m

First Floor Plan Annotation 1. Public gym 2. Public rest space 3. Public lifts and stairs 4. Private gardenAvenir LT 45 Book

Room A 2

20m

Office Space Typology

Indoor Space Axnometric of Room A

To ensure the vision and space independence

3.2m

Camera vision

3.4m

Immutable Wall

Camera

3.1m

3.5m

B 3.8m

Secondary bedroom

10 Reading room --- 10:00 a.m.

Start working/ studying 3.1m

Edge of Floor

11 Courtyard --- 11:50 a.m.

Take a break in the courtyard, get some fresh air 12 Primary bedroom --- 10 p.m

3.8m

Go to sleep/ Self-quarantine under pandemic 13 Double height space

3.1m

3.0m

4.4m

Porch --- 8:00 a.m. Buy the groceries home, disinfection and storage clothes

Living space --- 8:30 a.m. Take a break on the couch, watch the morning news

Kitchen --- 9:00 a.m. Make some breakfast for family

Balcony --- 9:20 a.m. Go to the balcony to make a phone call

Guest room

Laundry room --- 9.30 a.m. Wash clothes and clean room

Toilet

Staircase --- 10 a.m. Go up stair to the reading room, start working/ studying

3.3m

5.1m

Sunlight Room

[03] Elderly Community Centre - A semi-public community for the elderly in the downtown area of Tokyo Site: Kabukicho, Tokyo, Japan Individual project 2020.3 - 2020.6

Aging is already a serious problem in Japan. Many of the aged people here need more accompany and social contact. The Kabukicho area in Tokyo is mainly an entertainment district for the youth, but still the home to many elderly. Therefore, the goal of this project is to provide the elderly a community to socialize and keep away from the hustle and bustle of Kabukicho, while partly preserving the public function of the original site to facilitate communication between the elderly and the surrounding residents. Meanwhile, emphasizing the accessibility of new buildings and the relationship with nature, Integrating the building volume with the site to create a paradise hidden in the city.

Scenario

Physical Model

This is a large square, we can go skateboarding or skate here!

This pavilion is a good place for taking pictures for kids!

Public square

Pavillion

It's nice to see the beautiful scenery outside when I'm dancing.

Glad to see you to join our big family!

Lobby

Corridor

It's great that I can read with sufficient natural light!

Keep calm and carry on Think about your next step carefully.

Reading space

Chess space

The yard looks amazing, Let's go down there! Nice whether, I'm gonna bask in the yard.

Look at me and smile! Cheers!

Meow

Roof garden view

Garden

[04]

One Battersea Bridge - Oasis - The sustainable renovation of an abandoned office building to residential and commercial use Site: London, United Kingdom Cooperation project with Jiaru Ma, Sarab Jot Singh, Sophia Lourdes 2023.2 - 2023.5

The project focuses on developing affordable housing and communal facilities on the site of the Glassmill building near Battersea Bridge. Emphasis is placed on addressing climate change, microclimate, and enhancing occupant comfort through carbon-neutral strategies and adaptive architectural features. Issues identified include poor environmental performance due to artificial conditioning, high solar reflectivity from mirror glass, and noise near a primary road. Mitigation strategies involved fieldwork and computational analysis, experimenting with solutions to improve building functionality, reduce environmental impact, and enhance occupant comfort. In summary, the project aims to create a sustainable living space by tackling environmental challenges and integrating carbon-neutral practices and adaptive features at the Glassmill site.

Conceptural Design

The ground level was opened up to allow for cross connection through the site.

Illuminance Analysis of the Communal Space

Propose to demolish the slab at ground level and incorporate the basement into the ground floor and create a passive barrier between the road and the green space.

To create more volume and to allow for deeper sunlight penetration and better sky view, the massing on the first floor level removed along the southwest facing facade, and a mezzanine is created at this level. First Floor

Ground Floor

Basement

First Floor

Ground Floor

Basement

These results lead to some considerations regarding passive energy and artificial lightening which can be applied to the space to make it operational and more accessible during certain periods throughout the year. The con-sideration will be discussed in later sections.

Microclimate Simulation Demolishing the ground level slab

Creating mezzanine.

Islands are created at different levels.

The proposed ramp creates cross connection through the green space/

Original (Without Trees)

Extreme Hot Week Hot Sentasion

The central portion in the plaza created in the basement will be a green landscaped space with trees planted through the space to allow for a better experiential quality for the space. Commercial spaces are proposed along the north-east facade to create a transitionary zone from the oasis to the open space that is shared by the other buildings in the vicinity. To activate this space, a courtyard is proposed in this space.

CFD Simulation

Extreme Cold Week Cold Sentasion

People are encouraged to use certain areas in the green space, like the seating nooks, etc., but it is not predicted to be long term occupancy. The proposed vegetation in the space also provides additional opportunities for adaptive measures, i.e. one can perhaps rest under the shade of a tree during hotter periods in the year.

After (With Trees)

The tests confirm that the installment of vegetation in this space would diminish some areas of concerns, allowing the design to achieve petter performance.

Indoor Design Concept Typology (Schematic):

Studio

Circulation Modularity:

One Bedroom

Two Bedroom

50%

25%

The three types schematic modules are further explored, in relation to plans, in order to understand scope of possibilities in terms of planning.

Percentage:

25%

Catering to:

North Garth Extended Stairs

Floor Massing: Roof +25m

Area Considered (Regulation for Affordable Housing): 30-45m²

61-70m²

74-95m²

5th Floor +21.4m

Design Brief 1

Studio 30-45m²

One Bedroom 61-70m²

Two Bedroom 74-95m²

Typical floor plan is analyzed and areas as per regulations and details that were proposed are then crossed referenced with areas available on floor space of structure.

4th Floor +17.8m

3th Floor +14.2m

Massing Development

2th Floor +10.6m

1th Floor +7m

Existing Exsi Building

Keeping Structure

Functional Grid

Amenties +3.7m

THE OASIS

Unit Block

Typologies

Variation

The building was majorly bifurcated into 2 parts, the ground floor and the residential floors. In order to integrated the design with the context, we created the OASIS on the ground floor to attract visitors. Furthermore, we connected the circulation of the ground floor with the upper floors by providing strategically located staircases in order to increase connectivity for the residents as well.

Contextual Placement

Existing Stairs

Void Creation

Window Floor Ratio Simulation

Energy Loads

NE Heating Load (kWh/m²)

Window-Floor Ratio

Energy Loads

SW Heating Load (kWh/m²)

Window-Floor Ratio

Typical Plan and Typology

Thermal Study for Studio in NE

Typical Winter Week Thermal Study

Basic Simulation Parameter Occupants: 1 for 12hrs/day Heating set point: 18°C Cooling set point: 26°C Infiltration: 0.1ach Lighting Load: 6.5W/m² Equipment Load: 10W/m²

Typical Summer Week Thermal Study

Daylighting Simulation Typical Winter Day Jan. 1st. 12:00p.m.

Overcast

Sunny

Typical Summer Day Jan. 1st. 12:00p.m.

Overcast

Sunny

Illuminance (Lux) 0

100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000