Chai's Portfolio

Hanqi Chai Landscape Portfolio|2019

HANQI CHAI 02/07/1998 1622371374@QQ.COM

EDUCATION BACKGROUND 2016-2019

University of Sheffield - Bsc Landscape Architecture

WORKING EXPERIENCE 2018 2017

Aecom, China Landscape Architect Hangzhou Landscape Architecture Design Institute Landscape Architect assistant

RELEVANT SKILLS Adobe Photoshop Adobe Indesign Adobe Illustrator Rhino Sketch up I-movie Autodesk CAD Microsoft Office

2.PLUM’S CO-PODS

4.COHESIVE CREATIVITY

Ideal Habitations in Plum Lane, West Bar

1.BREATHING GREEN LINK Conceptual design competetion

University of Derby campus design

3.‘FLOW'

Torrington square target design

1.0

'Breathing Green Link' Grovensor square Conceptual design - Competetion Poject Level 3 2018 Autumn Semester

‘Explore a city from a leaf’ The inspiration comes from a leaf of an existing Cherry tree in the Gronsvensor Square that the leaf becomes a linking point between the tree and the outside environment. Leaves have features of vivid, breathing and able to exchange materials with the outside world. Considering this, the leaf is just like a special element of connection.

I want to create a new Gronsvensor Square in future that will be able to gather people from the surrounding busy environment, to provide sustainable and biodiversity habitats in the city centre, to work as a linkage between people and nature. Just like a "Breathing Green Link".

Site background Grosvenor Square is a large garden square in the Mayfair district of London.

Grosvenor Square has a rich history that can be traced back to 1726. When created, it was the first of its kind in London and caused a sensation. Local residents and visitors marvelled at its wonderful, classically-inspired landscaping. A piece of the country in the city.

I picked up the shape of the leaf as it just look like a ring. The ring is also an epitome of the surrounding urban elements. The activities and habitats in this area will be a simple reflection of what the outside world happening and holding. People in the ring will have opportunities to communicate and to be close to the natural environment. The square is just like an breathing escape for people and wildlife to find a new habitat of their own.

'Breathing Green Link' Grosvenor square London Provide an 'urban oasis' for all users.

Remained 911 memorial -- An open space with surrounding floras.

Perennial mix.

A space with organized perennial plants.

Water fountain in the corner of the water pond.

Perennial meadow.

Perennial plants will be planted roughly with grass as meadow in this area.

Woodland board walk.

Grassland.

We t l a n d b o a rd walk & stone slabs on the water pond.

River of grasses and wetland area.

An open space on the hill in the woodland, providing an area to hold communal activities.

Woodland grassland with ground cover and shrubs.

An open space down the hill on the grassland. Slopes provide natural seatings for people. People can lay down and enjoy the sunshine.

Long benches on the grassland.

A linear shelter above the seating. This is a part of the design of the front space of the hotel.

Artificial water pond, about 0.4m depth, providing a safe environment for people being close to water.

Woodland Grassland Wetland Perennial meadow Water A transition from shaded to open and bright •

What can people do?

A garden meets what people want.

Linking people to nature.

For all age groups.

The habitatsin the site contains: Woodland, grassland, perennial meadow and wetland.

Play

Avenue for pedestrain & cycling

Learn from vegetation/ Gardening

Main Route Woodland walk Open area •

Circulation: There are 4 main entrances and a circular route in the site. Also there will be a 2m woodland walk through the peripheral area. The surrounding avenue is mainly for pedestrans and cycling.

Specimen street trees Ginkgo biloba Birch woodland Betula ppendula

Existing trees Cherry trees Evergreen hedges Taxus baccata

•

Tree types: The site will contain varies of tree types, and also remain most of the exsiting old trees. Some special trees such as cherry trees are designed to provide seasonal interests and learning opportunities for children.

Seating (Benches) Open space in front of the hotel

•

The site provides lots of seating space for people to have a rest. Also there will be an open space designed for the hotel to connect better to the square.

Site location & boundaries Sun track Sunshine

Shading area Wind direction (Urban heat island effect)

Wetland & Water feature 'River of grasses' Wetland area is designed with varies types of grasses, forming an 'River of grasses', which brings visitors dynamic feelings when they walk through them. The water feature and soft landscape gives people opportunities to be close to water, plantings and natural elemts. Also the grasses provides great habitats for varies of species. The wetland area is also designed to be a rain garden where gathers the rain water from ground surface.

• River of grasses species.

Anemanthele lessnoiana, Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl foerster', Miscanthus sinensis with Sesleria autumnalis as border.

SUDs & Rain garden Wetland Form habitats for wildlife, store the water and prevent the pollution.

Wetland species

The wetland here is supposed to attract species such as Kingfishers, Sand martins, Ducks, Frogs, Lizards, Dragonflies, Butterflies and Water voles etc.

They will bring lively atmosphere to the site, also provide opportunities for people to interact with them, creating a harmonious environment linking human and nature.

Inte

eract with animals

Grasses

• Miscanthus sinensis

•

Anemanthele lessnoiana

• Sesleria autumnalis

Have a pinic

Take photography

Walk the dog

Have a rest

Meet

Sit amougst the flowers

Perennial meadow rest

The organized perennial planting mix will create a strong colors contrasts, bringing all year round interests, attracting people coming into the site and stay for a while in the central open area. Also the other part will be perennial meadows, the free style of the meadow and the organized planting mix forms a contrast, bringing people a sense of dynamic.

The group of plantation includes • Perennial mix Astilbe mix, Galium odoratum, Geranium × johnsonii Johnson's Blue, Geranium phaeum var. phaeum Samobor, Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra 'Summer Nights', Helleborus × hybridus Harvington double white, Heuvhera mix, Liriope muscari, Phlomis russeliana, Polygonatum × hybridum and Tiarella ‘Spring symphony’.

• Trees Betula pendula and existing trees.

Perennial meadow species The meadow will be a great habitat for insects, such as moths, bees, butterflies and beetles etc. Also there will create habitats for amphibians and reptiles such as frogs, lizards and spiders. Few birds are exclusively associated with meadow habitats.

A wide variety of mammals like rabbits, field mice, field voles and shrews take advantage of the bounty offered by a meadow.

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Varies of sesonal interests of colours and textures of vegetations in the floral mix as the season changes.

Early spring view

'Woodland stage' 'Birds' house' A

This is an open space on the hill surounding by existing old trees, birch woodland and cherry trees with strong seasonal interests. Organized small houses are provided for birds and squirrels. Those will create opportunities for people to interact with them and bring educational opportunities for children to explore.

This area also have potential to hold community activities.

Visu

Enclose

Transition

'Lawn stairs' There will have continuous and circular shape of the lawn stairs, providing natural grass seatings for people. This will provide more opportunities for people to interact more with natural elements. Cherry trees will be planted in this area, providing brilliant vision in spring. Also large spaces is available for communal activities.

'Wetland SUDs'

'Sloped river bank'

This area will be a wetland habitat planted with grasses and some water plant. The grasses in this area will be planted on permeable soil to create a SUDs system gathering the water from ground surface.

The sloped lawn will form a river bank facing the water pond. Hence people will have a full vision of the water features and the wetland area, which attracts and draws people coming into the space and being close to the water features. Also there will be a small planting barrier between the slope and the pond for safty issue.

ual sight

'Artificial water pond'

Open

A'

2.0

Plum’s Co-Pods Ideal Habitations in Plum Lane, West Bar Housing project

Level 3 2018 Autumn Semester

• Meet your needs

There will be target design for all year groups as well as disabled people. Residents can pick special designs for their living environment that match their needs.

• Meet new friends

‘We will provide 5 communities each will have its special character, allocated with distinctive design, targeting for different groups of people. The communities just like the beans in the pods, connect with each other by the green spaces as well as the communal areas for social.’

The aim is to create a safe and harmonic living environment for all year groups and different families. There will be mixed communities in different housing types. Also pubic areas area provided for people to gather and also encourage holding communal activities.

• Meet new live

The habitation will provide responsive and safe environment, encouraging people to have social and environmental interaction.

Also it is aim to create a new environmental sustainable live style.

Housing typologies

Design concept There are mainly 5 communities with different characters, connected by the green open spaces as a whole. The communities are individual islands ‘River’ Pod - with river don character ‘Green’ Pod - with grey to green character ‘Love’ Pod - with social character ‘Steel’ Pod - with urban character ‘Blossom’ Pod - with green character Green linkage

Circulation

There will be an external public loop which links to the River Don area. Also in the site there will have walking and cycling loops for the communities.

Public loop Public cycling path (to River Communal cycling loop Communal walking loop

Green corriders-Vegetation • • • • •

Provide good views Reduce microclimate effects Create shelters and hedges to block the community Reduce noise polluion Hedges are designed to create a safe environment with sense of ownership

Ownership Each community will have communal areas, and there will have large communal spaces for all people as a connection. Private gardens are provided for small scale housing.

Public area

Semi-public/communal area Private area

Commnal centre: 2 sto-

reys, contain activity room, cafe, laundry room, reception, and a large garbage clearance centre at background.

Commnal storage, bike parking area and small garbage clearence centre Small scale house in Pod C: 2 storeys, 5.2m wide house

Medium scale house with roofs in Pod D: 2 storeys, 6m wide house Medium scale apartment in Pod A: 3-4 storeys with an communal activity room and workshop at ground floor (offering facilities) Large scale apartment in Pod B: 5 storeys with an communal activity room and workshop at ground floor (offering

facilities)

Flooding risk from surface water 1 in 100 1 in 50 >1 in 25 P ro b a b l i t y o f events (yrs)

Water pond

• Gather the water from surface and reduce the flood risk • Provide natural playing elements for children

SUDs (Swale) • • • •

Gather the water from surface or roof h Reduce the flood risk, some water from Varies plantings in Swale become a new A extension of the ‘Grey to Green’

hence water can flow to the pond m surface can be managed in the process w landscape

Landform (Grass mounds)

• Create natural barriers between communities.

• Provide natural playing elements for children • Create natural seatings

Pedestrain design “The crossing protrudes into street to slow cars and make street more pedestrain friendly.” (Responsive Environment)

3.0

'Flow'

Torrington Square target design

Part of Green infrastructure assessment - Habitat creation Level 3 2018 Autumn Semester

Site background

London

The site locates at an area in Bloomsbury, one part of the London Borough of Camden. Much of the site is in the University of London's campus, the spaces between differernt collages.

Surround the site there are a number of existing London squares, landmarks, educational buildings and churches with long histories, hence the region has strong history and culture. The character might be influenced by the historical surrounding environments.

Also this area is just 5-10 minutes walk to the surrounding tube and railway station, and the location forms the area becoming an important connection point from the Euston station, Kings Cross St Pancras through to the British Museum.

Apart from this, the area is also in the city centre of London with high flow of people and vehicle, surrounded by high dense of commercial spaces.Therefore, this is also an exciting area with potential not only provided for the students in the University of London, but also the citizens and visitors in London.

Bloomsbury

CURRENT LAND USE

TRANSPORT & ACCESS

KEYS Movement routes

Woodland board walk Main movement route Movement on Ribbon Movement in woodland with grasses

Move with vegetation

Birch tree avenue Strip of Beech tree Oak woodland from dense to sparse River of grasses Red planting strip Yellow planting strip Green wall Move with materials

Timber screen Timber seating Red clay paving Move with changing landforms

Movement route with landform

Site boundary 200m buffer around site Existing roads Three mainly design area

Primary Roads

Green surfaces UCL campus Pavement Existing buildings for commercial Railway station Tube station

Secondary Roads

Educational buildings Medical centre (hospital, GP) Landmark (British Museum)

Branch Roads

HISTORY

Historical buildings

Churches Urban signage

TRANSPORT

UCL DEVELOPMENT’

People

Educational institutions

‘SUSTAINABLE GREEN

Parks and Squares

The British Museum

‘URBAN REGENERATION’

CULTURE

Railway Station Tube Station

Flow

Torrington Square Torrington square is a open linear gap space between the educational buildings of UCL. The paving and the loction make this area a potentail space becoimg dramatic and exicting. I want this area to be multifunctional combining biodiversity value and social schemes with the theme 'Flow', which is not only represents the shape, but also a epitome of the people flow, season change and the migrate of wildlife.

This is also an exciting area that people can organize activities in open spaces, sitting in the meadow or under the shady tree canopy and even plant their own vegetations in the vegetation patches.

Perennial meadow Woodland shrub Shrub mix Strip of kitchen garden River of grasses Mown grass

Sunny perennial mix Sunny perennial mix Existing trees

Grass decks

Existing trees

Paving

Grass decks

HABITAT

-Plantings good for habitats.

-SUDs to buffer waste water.

-Educational opportunities.

USABLE OPEN SPACE -Potential to hold activities -Educational opportunities.

-Enhance permeable circulation

USABLE PLAZA -Large open spaces for entrance -Shady trees and steps for seating -Remain existing landform

Seating Habitat for insects

Layers

Flows Public loop

Meadow Flow

--'Ecosystem' Sunny perennial meadow

Public area/Route

Planting opportunities Seating Kitchen garden

Habitation

Shady perennial meadow -Target meadow habitats in different area with different characters.

-'Sunny perennial meadow' and 'Shady woodland meadow'

Habitat Flow

--'Ecological' Shrub mix

Perennial mix for insects

Habitation for insects

Vegetation

-Target habitats for target species.

Sunny perennial mix Existing trees -Special designed habitat facilities for wildlifes.

-Create dynamic and diversified vision and seaonal interests using varies of vegetation.

Sunny perennial meadow River of grasses Shady perennial meadow Shrub mix --'Dyversity' Mown grass land with kitchen garden

Planting Flow

Kitchen garden

Shrub mix

Mown grass

'3 Layers of plantings'

-The strip shape allows the paving. Each planting strip is about 2.5 m.

-Different height of the strip has different functions.

-Vegetation patches in the small kitchen garden provide opportunities for people to interact with nature.

Educational open plaza USABLE PLAZA

Concrete slabs

This area is an important connecting point between Torrington square and SOAS of UCL, hence this is agood space for gathering.

This is an urban style plaza combining concrete paved steps, mown grasslands and shrub mix.

It is a mix of hard and soft landscape, and the steps provide seatings for people passing by.

USABLE OPEN SPACE

This is an open circular space with potential to hold activies, and it is designed to provide space for students to gather and chat.

Seatings are set under the shady trees for people to have a relax or even deal with the lunch between the class.

On the left there are strips of plantings designed allowing the paving and several strips are working as kitchen garden with veg pathes in it, providing opportunites for students to do some gardening after class.

The small island contains vegetation mix, habitat facilities and seating area, not only provide habitats for wildlife with biodiversity value, but also provide opportunities for social and for people to have interaction with wildlife.

The habitat facilities here will mainly for butterflies and small mammals like rabbits.

Cobblestones

MULTIFUNCTIONAL 'HEART' SPACE This is a multi-functional area setting in the centre of the square and it is also an important area that connects to one of the main entrance, just like the heart of Torrington square.

Habitat landscape

Habitat Facilities

--Hexagonal insect boxes

--For butterflies and bees

Habitat Flow

The insect boxes will be fixed with each other to form a small 'nest wall' in the concealing area in the vegetation mix, providing habitats for butterflies, bees and other insects.

-Perennial mix for butterflies, bees and birds.

• • • •

Dipsacus fullonum Centaurea scabiosa Ajuga reptans Echium vulgare foerster'

-Shrub mix

• Liriope muscari • Heuchera mix • Sesleria autumnalis • Fern Polystichum setiferum • Shrub Fatsia japonica.

• • • •

-River of grasses

Miscanthus sinensis Anemanthele lessnoiana Sesleria autumnalis Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl foerster'

Green wall

Hedera mix: • • • •

Hedera helix 'Oro di Bogliasco' Hedera helix 'Glacier' Hedera helix 'Goldchild' Hedera hibernica Hedera also attracts butterflies. Hence the green wall can also become good habitats for butterflies. Small butterfliy feeding station will be established in some concealed point under the planting cover.

The Hedera mix will provide a diverse vision with different colors and forms. Hence create a sense of dynamic and provide a sense of vivid in the campus,

STRIP PLANTING BLOCKS Shrub mix Kitchen garden with veg patches Permeable paving

Flow of 'Strip planting blocks' is a multi-functional area designed following the rectangular shape of paving. The strip blocks contain mown grass, shrub mix and kitchen garden with vegtation mix. It provides opportunites for students to do some gardening. And the seatings offer them spaces to have a relax or have lunch after class.

Sustainable strategies

It include bioswales, permeable paving, and native plantings to provide water management and conservation.

BIOSWALE A A'

The 'Habitat Flows' also have the fuction of bioswale in the site.

The site bioswales are a key component of the site stormwater management systems. Stormwater collected from the building rooftops and surrounding site discharges into the swales. The soils in the swales have been engineered and layerd in a specfic manner hence can do the cleasing and infiltration process while the native planting add to the diversity of the site.

Bio swale plantings

Stormwater run off

Stormwater run off

A'

A

Cleansing & Infiltration

Target species

Birch woodland

Butterfly Red Admiral: Vanessa atalanta Bird Tree Sparrow: Passer montanus & Goldfinches Bees Early bumblebee: Bombus pratorum Squirrels and other insects.

Target hatbitat facilities Butterfly Butterfly feeding station Bird Bird house on trees Bees and other insects Hexagonal insect boxes Squirrels Squirrel drey

Ecosystems & Eco-benefits Shrub mix

Perennial meadow

Ecological value (for species) as time change

The second year

Implanting shrub layer to appeal to more species such as small mammals, amphibians and reptiles and birds; squirrels, skylarks and so on.

The third to fourth year

Implanting herbs which can survive for many years to construct a grassland vegetation which is similar to the nature, thus attracting richer species, for example, butterflies, woodpackers and frogs.

Four years later

Its forms favorable forest land, which is a whole ecological habitat suitable for more species to survive naturally, such as rabbits and bird of prey.

4.0

'Cohesive creativity' Derby, Friargate station

A design project for new campus of The University of Derby Level 3 2018 Autumn Semester

It is a Journey about Exploring your creativity and Share your experiences.

A site for cohesion in the city The site itself is supposed to be an area for cohesion and an indispensable connection and transition from the redeveloped area to a wider public including Derby city center, the local residential area, schools and University campus meanwhile attracting new visitors from elsewhere.

• Collecting Collect your Creativity from nature • Response Talking to nature; Move with nature • Sharing Share your emotions and creativity

The aim is to guide cohesion using the power of nature and draw people's route leading them into a focal point for gathering and improving contact meanwhile stimulate their creativity. People can collect inspirations and explore the creativity in the process and on their way, then share their experiences and what they have gained at the gathering point.

Creativity comes from Nature and Daily Life.

Movement

Cohesion

=

+ Spaces

Exhibition space

Sharing space

Outdoor Performance studio events space

Cohesive creativity

• Spacial strategy The design concepts Focal points Moving route Entrance

Focal area: A space for people gathering

There will be several gathering spaces around the main building.

• Material strategy • Vegetation strategy • Microclimate strategy Timber screens Red clay paving Board walk

The building is a diversified place for cohesion that gathers people and creativities.

• Movement strategy Slopes and landform changes draw people's movement.

Existing Sycamore woodland (Patially remained) New British woodland (Mix of Oak, Beech and Birch) Perennial flowering mix

Movement with slopes Movement through steps Moving along Vegetations Focal points

Meadow from sunny to shady High fruit value woodland River of grasses Grassland

Entrance A vegetation palette based on existing species and colours; Use vegetations in different colours and densities to draw people's route.

Shaded area Sunny area Sun track

People will move with the vegetations deisgn including planting strips, woodland and avenues.

Shadow pattern: The design based on existing shadow pattern and aims to lead people gathering in sunny open spaces.

Detailed design: Response to nature A +1m

+0m

Wood and boardwalk

+1m

Vegtation strips

Green wall

Timber screen -2m

Timber screen

+0m

Workshop area -1m

Steps

+0.4m +0.8m

River of grasses

+1.2m +1.6m +2.0m +2.4m

A'

Lawn steps

A flowing space for movement.

+0m

Detailed plan 1:200 @ A2

The detailed design area is mainly focused on the theme 'Movement', with strips of vegetations and materials designed in a flowing way. Here landscape will play an important role in leading a journey for people to collect inspirations and explore the creativity in nature.

Ribbon: Move With Vegetation & Material

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Cascade viewing hill: Move with Landform

British native woodland The British woodland is designed based on the existing woodland consisted of Sycamore and other species.

The existing Sycamore will be par tially removed with adding species containing British native Beech, Birch, and Oak, providing native habitats for wildlife. Also, the trees will provide seasonal interests, turning yellow and red in Autumn, creating layered and diversified vision.

'Talking to the tree'

'Talking to the blossoms'

Flowing 'Ribbon' Planting strips The Flowing Ribbon is an accessible strip corridor based on the landform of the existing platform. It contains the curved red clay paved pathway, warm-colour vegetation strips, linear timber screens, and seatings. The seatings are mostly in semi-enclosed spaces surrounded by high vegetations mix, trees, and screens, providing people a sense of safety and enclosure while sitting and chatting.

A dramatic high point

'Lawn stairs'

This is a flat space on the hill surrounding by large weeping Beech trees. The large trees with branches falling to the ground will create a semi-enclosed space. Dynamic Dramatic and dynamic scenes will occur while light passes through the gaps of the branches and forms shadow on the ground. The area also has the potential to hold community activities, promoting contact among people with offering a sense of enclosure, safety and belongingness.

There will have continuous and circular shape of the lawn stairs, providing natural grass seatings for people. This will provide more opportunities for people to interact more with natural elements. Bulbs will be planted in grassland, providing brilliant vision in spring. Also large spaces is available for communal activities.

Woodland board walk

A' A Shaded

1:200 Section @ A2

Open Sunny

Shaded

Semi - shade Dynamic

Open Sunny

Exhibition space

Viewing hill

Exhibition space

Outdoor studio

Performance events space

LIVE

SHARE

STUDY & WORK

A Sharing space for dynamic publics.

SHARE

VISIT

A Dynamic Sharing space .

Dynamic Light & Shade

Share more in somewhere providing senses of ownership and belongingness In Day time.

A higher landform with plantings form a natural barrier to publics.

The vision of the 'Siunken outdoor studio' in summer after 5yrs.

Sunken outdoor studio'- An extension of building A space gathering the most sunshine: Providing a dynamic and safe space for people to share.

This area allows light to become the dominant elements as it is found beneath the canopies of the large weeping Beech. The space will have different atmospheres in the morning, afternoon and night as the direction of the light shine down is changing during the day. Shadows forms while the lights pass through the vegetations and projects into the site, creating a sense of dynamic and enclosure, providing spaces for people to communicate and work together.

While the natural light from the sun passes through the gap of tree branches during the morning and afternoons, shadows will be projected into the indoor studio through the glass of the building, creating dynamic projections over time.

At Nights.

During the nights, the light source comes from indoor lighting. These lights will be the only bright spots in the dark. They will shine outward, through trees and plants, and project on the ground of the outdoor studio. The projected shadows will create a sense of safety and increase the sense of enclosure and ownership, which promote a better atmosphere for people to have contacts.

Changing landform Stand higher, see farther, experience more The Cascade viewing hill is a great space for people to have a relax and see the events happening in the central sunken stage as it is a higher point with more clear sights. Observing what others are doing and some events and activities about art occurring in the stage is also a way to share and collect creativities.

Large weeping Beech as specimen tree.

Curved timber screens provide shelter and exhbition wall.

Landform and vegetations as natural backing.

Wood deck paving

A centural stage for Performance events.

River of grasses as barriers

The sight viewing from the hill to the central stage in early autumn.

OTHER WORKS

THE LAST ‘ISLAND'