Duc Anh (Ace) Nguyen - Selected Works 2021

Ace Nguyen Selected Works

the portfolio is consist of curriculum vitae, 6 projects, and an assortment of images. ranging from personal to professional works. developed between 2016 and 2021.

ver. 2021

01

Content

02

Curriculum vitae

1

The Machine

2

Project 2

3

Project 3

4

Project 4

5

Project 5

6

Project 6

7

Collection of Images

8

03

Curriculum vitae

ACE NGUYEN

CONTACT 804 Craig Carrier Court, Missisauga, ON L5W 1A6 204.470.1355 anhduc.nguyen@mail.utoronto.ca

EDUCATION

SOFTWARE

SKILLS

M aster of A rchitecture University of Toronto, Canada 2016 - 2020

Adobe Photoshop Adobe Illustrator Adobe Indesign Adobe Premiere AutoCAD Enscape Render Google Sketchup Grasshopper Microsoft Office Suite Rhino 3D // RhinoCAM V-Ray Render

3D Printing CNC Milling Laser cutting Model making Photography Wood making

Bachelor of D esign in A rchitecture University of Minnesota, USA 2012-2014

PROFESSIONAL University of Toronto, A rchitecture Teaching Assistant //Studio and tech course 2020-present University of Toronto, A rchitecture Toronto, CA Design Assistant // Prof. Brian Boigon 2020 (4 months) B jarke I ngels Group New York, USA Design Assistant 2018-2019 (1 year) Studio North Calgary, CA Architectural Intern 2018 (4 months) O ffice of A drian P hiffer Toronto, CA Designer 2017-2018 (4 months total) University of Toronto, A rchitecture Designer 2017 (2 months total) Fabrication lab University of Toronto, Architecture Workshop Technician 2016-2017 (8 months total)

Developing skills in: Autodesk Revit Blender Cinema4D Octane Render

COMPETITION AND PUBLICATION Skogfinsk Museum Svullrya, Norway // with Office of Adrian Phiffer New KCP (Finalist) Prague, Czech Republic // with Office of Adrian Phiffer Europan 14 C ompetition Barcelona, Catalonia // with Office of Adrian Phiffer The 23rd edition of the D ichotomy Journal Detroit, USA Winter Station C ompetition (2016, 2018) Toronto, CA Big I deas for Small L ots NYC NYC, USA Sacred A rchitecture Senegal

05

Machine of the city

Rail Deck Park has been a controversial topic of discussion in Toronto for a few years. The project tackles to find a solution for involving constituents: Nature Conservancy, Build Toronto, Ontario Food Network, and Metrolinx.

The Machine is an integrated answer that involves four main elements: transit station, residential, aquaponics, and public park. One is there to serve another and the general community. The residential is connected to its own aquaponic units, providing enough crops to support multiple small families. An isolated level of commercial aquaponics feeds produces to one of the transit stations, circulate towards the North and connect the food network. The other transit serves general customers of the city. On top of everything, there is a public park. It does not only act as a green space for the city but also helps to collect grey water for the aquaponics level below.

Overall, the machine hopes to function as a united entity, even though it has come to provide its constituent.

type

master planning // academic project

year

2017

team

Siri Hermaski, Tara Castator, Vinaya Mani, Waiyee Chou

location

toronto, ca

06

01

07

Obit eveleceate nonserferum deruntia pel int.

Consect

atquae

simporporum

corempernam

sequam

ratisque

venda pliquis

animet re dolore licil inis mi, omnis nusDae cum et aces et dis senis des eum verro tem quiberestis et aspe conseque mos accabore,

Obit eveleceate nonserferum deruntia pel int.

Consect

atquae

simporporum

corempernam

sequam

ratisque

venda pliquis

animet re dolore licil inis mi, omnis nusDae cum et aces et dis senis des eum verro tem quiberestis et aspe conseque mos accabore,

Obit eveleceate nonserferum deruntia pel int.

Consect

atquae

simporporum

corempernam

sequam

ratisque

venda pliquis

animet re dolore licil inis mi, omnis nusDae cum et aces et dis senis des eum verro tem quiberestis et aspe conseque mos accabore,

08

Obit eveleceate nonserferum deruntia pel int.

Consect atquae corempernam venda simporporum sequam ratisque pliquis animet re dolore licil inis mi, omnis nusDae cum et aces et dis senis des

Obit eveleceate nonserferum deruntia pel int.

Consect atquae corempernam venda simporporum sequam ratisque pliquis animet re dolore licil inis mi, omnis nusDae cum et aces et dis senis des eum

Obit eveleceate nonserferum deruntia pel int.

Consect atquae corempernam venda simporporum sequam ratisque pliquis animet re dolore licil inis mi, omnis nusDae cum et aces et dis senis des eum

09

Bridge - Exterior Sam ent. Pa sinctur alis maximus, omnihil il evernat iaspis volorec ullabor ehendus sincium arum excea simperunt amet dolestorem comnis simil expe ditio cum d

Bridge - Interior Sam ent. Pa sinctur alis maximus, omnihil il evernat iaspis volorec ullabor ehendus sincium arum excea simperunt amet dolestorem comnis simil expe ditio cum d

Ground Plan Sam ent. Pa sinctur alis maximus, omnihil il evernat iaspis volorec ullabor ehendus sincium arum excea simperunt amet dolestorem comnis simil expe ditio cum d

10

11

12

13

Big Toronto

“What is the big picture, Toronto?” is a large, detailed 25 - foot - long drawing of future of Toronto, looking South to the lake from Steeles Avenue. This image was on display at EDIT Design Expo in late 2017.

One would think that in the age of Google Earth and Big Data, there would be some big pictures that might help people understand their cities beyond the specific lens of their own experience.

Pictures that might place the parts of the city we believe are important to us within a more complex whole.

The image was not only part of the EDIT exhibition, it was also brought into one of the architecture studios as part of the exercise. Students would put their visions on how Toronto would become in the future. After, their drawings were put on display at 1 Spadina, new home of University of Toronto’s Architecture Faculty. Being brought on early in the production of this drawing, I helped create a base drawing that would allow other students to work on, through data collection and grasshopper codes. After that, I moved on to generating details for the drawing. Partially, I helped lead a small team of students to organize the workflow and schedule to make sure the project moves in the right direction.

type

exhibition drawing // EDIT exhibition

year

2017

team

Sommer, Piper, Byrne, Phiffer, Quiros, Freeman, Degirolamo, Madan, Marshall, Poon, Presentey, Roy Taylor, Tymchuk, Ying

location

toronto, ca

14

02

15

16

17

New KCP

The project was an international competition for a new convention centre in Prague. It was part of the six team finalist for stage two. It starts with a very simple ambition: to recuperate the idea of civic-ness usually associated with the construction of large buildings in an European urban context. Taking position vis-a-vis the current urban configuration of the KCP site, which features a clear separation of vehicular and pedestrian circulations, is straightforward - we believe that all types of circulation flows should happen in the same plane: on the ground. Based on observation of other precedents, a well-defined plaza is also a simple stone paved surface that allows for various activities throughout the day.

The architectural design solution is based on a functional determination: the exhibition hall should be one continuous level with optimal dimensions: 40m x 125m x 14m. As part of the team, I helped producing drawingsdetails. However, most of my time was spent creating the physical model, which were 3D printed with a laser cut base. The model was carefully created to fir perfectly on the site, provided by the organizer.

type

congress centre // internship project

year

2017

team

Phiffer,Balagengatharadilak, Camacho, DeGirolamo, Karapoulos, Macdonald

location

prague, czech republic

18

03

19

20

21

22

23

Theatrum

The theme of productive city can be interpreted in many ways, but in association with housing it mostly means: working from home. What excites us here is the idea of proximity of the work space to the living space. But while working from home is definitely an efficient form of living, in the contemporary city it can easily turn into a sad reality. Facilitated by the digital revolution, this reality implies a clear cancellation of social interactions that happen by going to work or by working together. In this context, the proximity is at level zero, and therefore meaningless beyond its empirical qualities. Our project is a play on what that proximity can be.

Theatrum is a simple strategy for organizing a space in order to facilitate visual connections. Given the peculiar topography of the Canyelles site, as well as the large program requirements for open spaces dedicated to farming and sports, this seems to be a strategy that can satisfy all senses. The open space is the space of spectacle. The built form is the space to watch the spectacle from. Our proposal is a form of “social bowl”.

type

social housing // internship project

year

2017

team

Adrian Phiffer, Diana Franco Camacho, Dimitrios Karapoulos, Chloe Leung

location

barcelona, catalonia

24

04

25

0

5

10

25

26

27

0 5 10

25

50

28

29

Belly of the monster

Ontario Food Terminal is a busy site, with trucks coming in and out from 3 a.m until noon every day, providing food to the entire Greater Toronto Area. After that, it is quiet, unoccupied, and noninteractive with the rest of its surroundings.

It is now greeted with the Monster.

The monster rested quietly at a corner, giving ways to the truck circulation. Its form soars from the OFT entrance towards the Gardiner Expressway, bringing attention to its existence. In its belly, it hosts an unseemingly, yet surprising natural escape from the busy city with its tropical vegetation. The shell is optimized, with metal frames and fritted glass, bring enough sunlight inside for the trees. In contrast with that experience, its surrounding is covered with wetlands on the South slope, filled with birch trees. When winter comes, the bleak difference is enough to attract visitors inside the monster's belly.

The interior garden seeks to provide a growing experience from the beginning, with a 5-meter entrance. It slowly increases in size, leading to three platforms that join a 50-meter facade, facing the highway as a statement of existence. At that point, the monster provides an unmatchable view, where one will be looking down from its head, watching the greyness of the city, with the back facing a lively green garden.

type

conservatory // academic project

year

2017

advisor

Adrian Phiffer

location

toronto, ca

30

05

31

32

33

34

35

Our place, together

The idea is simple. The project seeks to provide housing for young artist/students, and elders.

The two groups are drastically different, in everyway possible, but somehow, could benefit each other in a co-habitation scenario.

Elders like quietness, but it could get too quiet.

Young artists need space to work, but it gets too expensive in the city.

The system would also want to adapt, and solve the gap between tall mid-rise, skycrappers and small, established neighborhood.

Let the party begin!

type

affordable housing // academic project

year

2019

advisor

Aljosa Dekleva, Tina Gregoric

location

toronto, ca

36

06

37

Exisiting condition

Phase 1

Phase 2

Urban application

38

39

Axonometric Units

40

Unit Breakdown

41

Not in plain site

Hadrian's Villa as a site ...

The project...

type

thesis preparation studio

year

2020

advisor

John Shnier

location

toronto, ca

42

07

43

44

45

SECRET OF THE SUN APPOLO HARPOCRATE JANUS

46

SECRET OF THE LIGHTNING JUPITER

47

48

49

LIGHT OF THE MOON Glass rings with black plate

50

LIGHT PILLARS Collimator device for light concentration

51

52

53

54

55

Hypertopia: Constructing Solitude

Hypertopia is an analogical architecture that accommodates the paradox of solitude with the belief that Architecture can pre-mediate experience; balance trade-offs between compartmentalization and connectivity; modulate senses; create thresholds and transitions and corporealize atmospheres. Both individual and collective experience is heightened by the ardency or absence of the other. It can be understood as part labyrinth and part sanctuary, a place of voluntary exile wherein self-situation dwells. No one can know the entirety of its history, but it has always existed. It involves potential contextual conditions that allow people to experience solitude through the transit of a territory where one pursues the pleasure of being lost.

You are not lost, nor found. You will constantly find yourself in the middle, flow, and pause through the boundless landscape and architecture of the perpetual project of Hypertopia, where solitude is in focus. You will stumble upon routes, chambers, monuments, rooms, towers, plazas, fields, and many other typologies.You will encounter a range of heightened or mundane experiences, with yourself, or with others, while being at peace with the pre-meditated program and atmosphere. Wander, and wonder. There will be potential contextual conditions that allow you to experience solitude through calm and chaos, elucidation and mystery, timeless and momentary. Other embedded, integrated ephemeral artifacts will clue you in, illustrating the space quality, material, construction, and all of its phenomenon, via texture and contrast between black, white, and gray tones.

For now, enjoy your journey.

type

thesis project

year

2020

advisor

John Shnier

location

hypertopia territory

56

08

57

58

59

60

61

62

Deep in the woods, but not hiding Exposed to the sun, but not others The chambers sit stills, behind the walls Waiting in silence, for its visitor.

63

64

The bubble capturing the space in-between Separating, and connecting personal space The cloud dome glows, but dim Shadows are fleeting, as travellers come and go.

65

66

Lost in a big city, found in an isolated room Enter the tall room, close the door Across the river The same tower, similar feelings, apart.

67

68

Unrelated objects, perfect in forms, rugged in exterior, Imbalance platform, rested in equilibrium Chaos is stationary Calmness exists.

69

70

Flow through the space Leads to a pause Frozen in time Hidden away from nature. To be, with my own. Solitude.

71

WILDFLOWER

A 650,000 square foot studio, to be built in new york. designed for developer wildflower, the $400 million project seeks to establish a hub for the creation of film, television, augmented reality, and virtual reality. located along steinway creek in queens, the facility sits on land previously home to a steinway & sons piano storage facility, and is projected to create more than 1,000 daily union jobs.

In order to procreate an inclusive project for the people of the city, representatives from Wildflower Studios “have been meeting with local officials and incorporating community feedback on the proposal”. The project will give back to the neighborhood with the installation of parking, public water access, and land conservation areas. With a design based on interconnecting different types of spaces and generating a creative working environment, the building will include various cultural programs such as stages, production-support areas, open and private offices, lounges, etc.

type

film studio

year

2019 - ongoing

team

BIG

location

queens, ny

72

09

73

74

street level

level 1

level 2

level 3

level 4

level 5

level 6

roof

75

EPIQ

Described as a "vertical city", the 24-storey EPIQ will provide residential, commercial, and office space on a plot in the city's Parque La Carolina neighbourhood. Its design draws on details found in nearby area Old City – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

EPIQ comprises two interlocking structures covered in pinkish tiles, as a reference to the hues of the Old City's salmon pink buildings that date back to the 16th century. Tiles in varying tones will cover different portions of the fragmented building.

the design of EPIQ reflects the colors and patterns of ecuador, expressing in its façade the earth tones and herringbone-patterned tilework of quito’s old city, a UNESCO world heritage site. the facade further echoes the colors of the city’s striking sunsets, the andean flora and fauna, and the weavings of the toquilla straw. EPIQ features clusters of shared exterior spaces throughout the building, rather than one singular rooftop. these areas generate a communal atmosphere and opportunities for interaction between the residents of the building. showcasing a sweeping view over the city, the andes mountain range, and the nearby pichincha volcano, EPIQ is immersed in nature in the midst of the city.

Personally, I have been a part of this project since day one, and was involved in every part of the project.

type

residential tower

year

2018 - ongoing

team

BIG

location

queens, ny

76

10

77

78

79

WHUB

Described as a "vertical city", the 24-storey EPIQ will provide residential, commercial, and office space on a plot in the city's Parque La Carolina neighbourhood. Its design draws on details found in nearby area Old City – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

EPIQ comprises two interlocking structures covered in pinkish tiles, as a reference to the hues of the Old City's salmon pink buildings that date back to the 16th century. Tiles in varying tones will cover different portions of the fragmented building.

the design of EPIQ reflects the colors and patterns of ecuador, expressing in its façade the earth tones and herringbone-patterned tilework of quito’s old city, a UNESCO world heritage site. the facade further echoes the colors of the city’s striking sunsets, the andean flora and fauna, and the weavings of the toquilla straw. EPIQ features clusters of shared exterior spaces throughout the building, rather than one singular rooftop. these areas generate a communal atmosphere and opportunities for interaction between the residents of the building. showcasing a sweeping view over the city, the andes mountain range, and the nearby pichincha volcano, EPIQ is immersed in nature in the midst of the city.

Personally, I have been a part of this project since day one, and was involved in every part of the project.

type

residential tower

year

2018 - ongoing

team

BIG

location

queens, ny

80

11

81

82

83

Assortment of images

photography

type

personal photography projects

year

ongoing

location

worldwide

84

09

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

T

204-470-1355

@

ducanhnguyen.ace@gmail.com

V

2021 // Duc Anh (Ace) Nguyen