britney yan
research
britney yan
selected works design
storytelling
britney yan
selected works
education
Carleton University (2017-2021) B.A.S. in Design - graduated with distinction Parsons School of Design Course: Healthier Materials & Sustainable Buildings
hello
past experience
Architectural Intern at Campos Studio
(May 2019-Aug.2019, May
2020-Sept.2020)
communicated ideas through hand sketching + building scrap models to present to architects, built 3d models in Sketchup, 2d drafting of floorplans + elevations + sections using Vectorworks . Creative Director for KOSMIC Optic
(Sept. 2019 - Mar. 2020)
collaboration within a small team in the planning + execution of a creative event, in charge of branding, design of logos, and merchandise, created AR face filters for use on Instagram.
publications!
Essay ‘A Home for Holobionts’published in issue 04 of GALT, a student run publication. (2021) A research essay examining the impact of urban environments on human health at the microbial scale, suggesting a multidisciplinary approach to architectural design for a healthier future. Studio project ‘A Public Home’ featured in edition 19 of Bldg 22, a student run publication (2019)
Hi, my name is Britney Yan. I am passionate about human and ecological health, and believe that a collaborative design process has the ability to create positive change. My work begins at the human scale focusing on how people feel. My goal as a designer is to create a softer world for all to live in.
about
interests
toolbox
research
Adobe Creative Suite
Rhinoceros & V-Ray
illustration
AutoCAD
photography
Vectorworks
Hand drafting, drawing & sketching (pencil, ink, watercolor
backpacking
Sketchup 3D
Physical model building
resume
2018
2020
2021
britney yan
selected works
A Home for Holobionts A design-research project that aims to bridge the gap between architectural design and microbiology in order to create spaces that support the mental and physical wellbeing of humans- or, holobionts.
Courtyard Rowhomes A typology of high density homes for low-middle class residents that prioritizes access to the ground level as a means of fostering connections with others.
Together Pavilion A semi enclosed pavilion with minimal forms and materials that facilitates togetherness and creating a sense of warmth via the unexpected gathering of individuals around a hearth.
+ hand drawings contents
britney yan
selected works
More than light and shade, form and function, architecture and the built environment plays a critical role in shaping the health and wellbeing of those who inhabit these designed spaces.
01: A Home for Holobionts Introduction ... 2 Thought process ... 3 Site... 5 Elevation ... 7 Spaces ... 9-11 Concluding thoughts ... 12
A Home for Holobionts is collective living, to the fullest extent Thus,
of the word; it centres on learning to
coexist with life, both human, and non-human, the macro & micro. Such a home welcomes the various life forms that we live with- and which live within us- through design that is connected to its environment and with materials conducive to
1
A Home for Holobionts
microbial life.
introduction
2
britney yan
selected works
→ Just as a diet rich in probiotic bacteria can benefit our microbiome by increasing anti-inflammatory bacteria, the same effects can be gener-
How do we design for microbial diversity in urban contexts?
→ Balance is achieved through diversity.
→ The gut microbiome is the densest site of microbial activity in the human body.
→ A healthy and balanced microbiome is related to decreased stress, anxiety, and depression, whereby dysbiosis (imbalance), in the gut yields the opposite effects.
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A Home for Holobionts
→ The greatest contributor to microbial diversity is rooted in rich & healthy soil.
Thus, the microbial diversity of a home depends greatly on the occupants contact with nature + its microbes, specifically from that of soil.
thought process
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britney yan
selected works
LeBreton Flats, Ottawa, ON. Canada The main premise of this project is to reimagine the relationship between soil and building occupants, seeking to re-establish balance with the land, and, subsequently, the microbial connection between us and the soil.
Map versus ground; By viewing land at the human scale, we can become more conscious to the effects of the built environment on the natural
① Harmony with soil
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② Disruption begins
③ A fire destroys all & contaminants leak into soil
A Home for Holobionts
④ Concrete pavement is invented
⑤ Soil becomes dead
⑥ Pavement is removed
site
Timeline illustrating the history & future of the site, focusing on soil and our relationship with it. 6
britney yan
selected works
→ What might a Home for Holobionts look like then?
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A Home for Holobionts
elevation
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britney yan
selected works
Imagine: Opening up the slab on grade via floor paneling systems for composting activities. It’s kind of like going to the lobby to pick up mail, right? But here, you’re picking up microbes.
Imagine: Walking through the garden egress stairs, picking up soil and plant microbes onto your body.
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A Home for Holobionts
spaces
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britney yan
selected works
Viewing humans as holobionts urges us to consider the built environment at all scales. It reveals that we cannot build our way out of living, breathing relationships, because
we can never be separate from them. Like the dynamics of a forest and its mycelial partnerships formed over millenia,
balance and symbiosis
with the built environment will Imagine: Carrying a diverse range of plant and soil microbes on your body which are brought back into your home.
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A Home for Holobionts
take time to form, but with time, will become more resilient. spaces
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britney yan
selected works
With the majority of the existing population being made up of
immigrants
and young families, I wondered how to redevelop the land gently.
02: Courtyard Rowhomes Introduction ... 14 Site ... 15-18 Plans ... 20 Elevations ... 22 Section Elevation ... 24 Views ... 26
Back-to-back courtyard rowhomes create a low rise, high density community with
ease of access to the
ground level, encouraging being outdoors and connecting with others in the community. 13
Courtyard Rowhomes
introduction
14
britney yan
selected works
Site: Parkwood Hills neighborhood in Ottawa, ON. Canada Site statistics • Significant number of immigrants and non-permanent residents • 1 in 2 residents are a visible minority • Median household income in neighborhood 34% lower than city average • 54.4% of population spend more than 30% of income on housing
Fieldnotes • Little girl and father learning to ride a bicycle in the parking lot • Many women with strollers enjoying the sun • Over half of the site is asphalt pavement for parking Ashpalt parking lots surround the freestanding dwellings and have become spaces where children play and adults stroll. Though cost effective, the vastness of on-grade parking lots create a desolate environment.
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Courtyard Rowhomes
• Not enough gathering points, besides 1 playground • Many beautiful old age deciduous trees colour the site
site
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britney yan
selected works
New site plan creates more defined public spaces. On-grade parking is kept with green fingers running through to create a more defined connection to the park.
N
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Courtyard Rowhomes
site plan
18
britney yan
selected works Upstairs floor plan
① Harmony with soil
Ground floor plan
N GL plan 19
Courtyard Rowhomes
plans
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britney yan
selected works Roof plan & Elevations showing materiality; brick & patterned vertical wood paneling.
Axonometric sketch 21
Courtyard Rowhomes
elevations & roof plan
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britney yan
selected works
With the kitchen facing the pedestrian street, the ground level becomes a space where the sights, sounds, and smells of the community can interact.
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Courtyard Rowhomes
section perspective
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britney yan
selected works
View looking North
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View looking East
Courtyard Rowhomes
views
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britney yan
selected works
Together Pavilion is a seasonal pavilion along the Rideau Canal in Ottawa. Popular for skating in the winter and boating in the summer, the structure opens
03: Together Pavilion Introduction ... 28 Plans & Sections ... 30 Axonometric ... 31 Model ... 32
itself up to the elements with only a few orthogonal planes that fend off wind and sometimes rain. Centered around 3 hearths, it is meant to be gathered around intimately in the winter, where
warmth is produced
through a sense of community and togetherness. 27
Together Pavilion
introduction
28
britney yan
selected works
plan showing walkway
Upper level plan
process 16
section
Section
plan beneath walkway
Can you imagine skating by this structure in the winter and gathering around a hearth with strangers seated beside and above you?
Ground level plan
section
Section
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Together Pavilion
plans & sections
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britney yan
selected works
“warmth is produced through a sense of community and togetherness.”
Axonometric drawing of people gathered around a hearth 31
Together Pavilion
Model constructed of balsa wood, rice paper & string axonometric drawing & model
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britney yan
selected works
Hand Drawing
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Hand Drawing
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britney yan
selected works
Life by a River Inspired by the stories of my mothers childhood hometown in northern China.
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Hand Drawing
Life by a River
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britney yan
selected works
Under the Trees, in Spring A scene of children playing in nature during Spring, when the leaves are still light green.
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Hand Drawing
Under the Trees, in Spring
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britney yan
selected works
What life feels like while reading under a tree in the spring time (on a good day).
Reading Under the Tree, in Spring
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Hand Drawing
sketches
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britney yan
contact
research
design
+1(604)-358-9899
storytelling
britney.eh@gmail.com