Portfolio for MArch Application

Selected Works 2010 ~ 2012 .

Li Zhang . [ The University of Edinburgh ] For MArch.

Selected Works

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

Architecture is not only about the conditions of design but also about the design of conditions.

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

[ Photography: Foggy Street ]

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

Content.

RESUME.....................................................................................................................................7

CHAPTER 1...............................................................................................................................8 Architectural Design - Any Place A Dance Centre in Barcelona.

CHAPTER 2.............................................................................................................................14 Drawing Energy Kerrera A Project in West Scotland.

CHAPTER 3.............................................................................................................................24 Fentress Global Challenge 2012 Workplace of the Future. [Honorable Mention]

CHAPTER 4.............................................................................................................................30 HAKKA HOUSE project A Project in Southeast China.

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

[Works fromYear 1 ]

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

RESUME ABOUT Born in GuangDong, China. Li has studied architecture at the University of Edinburgh since 2009.

EDUCATION MA (hons) Architectural Design The University of Edinburgh 2009~present

WORKS

CONTACT

Berman Guedes Stretton August 2008

Li Zhang Email:

URBANUS June~August 2011

zhang_lli@hotmail.com

MAD Architects Summer 2012

Mobile: UK +44(0)7935868983 (UK) +86-13925271219 +86-755-82890452 (China)

SKILLS Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator / Indesign AutoCad / Rhino / Sketchup / ArchiCad Excellent drawing and model making skills.

Excellent skilled in digital photography.

Address: UK 16/2 Simpson Loan, Edinburgh, EH3 9BB.

LANGUAGES

China 2C-1501, Xiyuan, Xiangmihu Road, Shenzhen, 518000.

Mandarin Chinese / Cantonese / English

AWARD Honorable Mention of Fentress Global Challenge 2012 [Workplace of the Future].

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Useful website: chilizl.tumblr.com

2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

CHAPTER 1.

Architectural Design - Any Place A Dance Centre in Barcelona.

T

his diagram shows how Cerda’s plan works when combining the grid and the diagonal.

It also illustrates how it cut through grids as the chosen sun oriented grid became geometrically problem when it coincided with diagonal avenues that all parallel. Therefore, within the urban fabric, many small lots and weird angles can be spotted from the diagram. Some of these left over triangular spaces where unbuilt and some became small and unique urban projects. The site of the project is marked of the map and should originally be part of two grids base on Cerda’s plan.

The site has remarkable landscape of height difference and it gives a sense of feeling that the site itself is a big staircase.

Sunlight has nearly no interference to the site and the pedestrians’ routes across the site lead to the final decision of the building area of the project.

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

Sketches illustrate the combinations of main blocks of functionalities of layers.

Concept is taken from the idea of formation of the site, breaking and intersecting, the circulation will break through the functional block. Also, the outer wall will have the sense of depth in different levels to enrich the complexity of the landscape in terms of levels.

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

The surfaces are cut by the direct incident sunlight path in order to create a complex geometric shape and reduce heat that the surfaces absorb. Steps are generated by slicing the shape horizontally.

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

Diagram shows the interior circulation and different levels of space.

The outer skin generates the inner staircase.

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

[ Model Study ] University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

CHAPTER 2.

Drawing Energy Kerrera A Project in West Scotland.

Drawing Energy Kerrera both challenges

and complements conventions of sustainable architectural design. Focusing less on sustainable metrics and more on the qualitative and experiential dimension of ecological design, this unit uses Kerrera, Scotland as a site of speculation and exploration. Kerrera represents one of many Scottish islands whose autonomy has been under threat first due to industrialisation, and more recently due to deindustrialisation and globalisation.

We will explore the reciprocity between building and landscape through two programmatic elements: an active landscape and a passive building. The active landscape will cultivate economic and social activity on the island; the passive building will provide necessary enclosure for occupation of this landscape.

Kerrera is a site of conflicting dynamics: it is proximate yet isolated; it is battered by weather due to its coastal nature, yet tempered and protected by neighbouring islands; it is low in population and economic activity yet rich in natural resource. This course will engage with the full complexities of Kerrera through five distinct lenses: Drawing, Energy, Landscape, Fieldwork and Scale.(Project Brief Excerpt)

Kerrera, is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, close to the town of Oban. The island currently has a population of about 50 people, and it is linked to the mainland by small passenger ferry on the Gallanach Road.

The highest point on Kerrera is Carn Breugach at 189 metres. The main industries are farming (sheep and Highland cattle) and tourism. At the north end of the island is the 200-berth Oban Marina, which has a complementary ferry service running to/from North Pier, Oban.

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

Wind farm Proposal The wind energy resource is rich on Kerrera, particularly exposure to prevailing south westerly winds. Three wind farm plans are proposed in terms of different scales and locations.

Small scale wind farm locates on the south corner of the island supply energy only for the island. The site is on the highest point of south region.

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

Cultivation drawing sited The Site The high exposed site is located on the very south corner of the island. The high attitude provides abundant wind resource and great view. The valley in the site makes the microclimate complicated and the ground level changed significantly.

We set up three significant drawing points in the site, one in the valley and two on the peaks.

The abstract wind drawings demonstrating the swing amplitudes which related to wind strength and direction.

[Wind Analysis ] University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

From the wind drawings, we can see the tendency of wind speed and directions.

Wind speed is higher in the peaks and lower in the valley. The wind direction changes significantly in the valley and it tends to flow along the valley.

The microclimate test largely reflect the information from the wind drawings. The number represents how many turns of the anemometer in one minute. The high wind speed area is highlighted by yellow colour.

Abstract long section cut view of the valley, the dense of the thin lines demonstrate the strength of wind.

The grey shaded areas highlight the wind changed zone and ground level changed zone.

Building site.

Upper roof level -- wind capture level -- Wind instrument Lower ground level -- wind buffer level -- Art laboratory.

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

The energetic site provides abundant wind energy and the vivid landscape also gives various possibilities. The site strategy is to largely take advantages from the special site condition, considering how to deal with the microclimate and different ground levels and making the design special to the site.

Like anything else on the site the building will also respond to wind. When air passes througn an object, the vibration between them can produce sound. The wind instrument inspired me that the building can be an instrument. Also, the site condition is perfect for wind capture as the opening of the valley is in the high wind speed zone but not the other part of the valley. As the weather condition on the island is underheated, wind should be buffered from the building in order to prevent heat loss. The contradiction between wind capture and wind buffer, and the human experience from outter to

B A

A B

Red lines -- the starting(beside the trees on the south cliff) and ending(the opening of the valley) boundaries of the building.

Black curves -- building touching points to the surrounding cliffs.

Brown route -- route for sheep.

Connecting all the points and form three lines.

Three wind tunnels of different functions cross the valley -- painting lab, musical lab and bridge to the peak.

The intesction of three tunnel will be public area.

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

[ Entrance view ]

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

[ section AA ]

[ section BB ]

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

FGC2012-Q9EFE

The Patch3.WorkCube CHAPTER in Future Beijing

Fentress Global Challenge 2012 Workplace of the Future. [Honorable Mention] collaboration with Jing Liang Post Urbanism: Micro Workplace Intervention for The Future

The central ambition of this project is to The Patch WorkCube_A workplace you can find everywhere.

In the near future, people will not have to spend explore the possibilities of understanding such a long time to get to their office. Instead, people can work in any WorkCube in the city when they are just 5-10 minutes’ walk from home.use of the existing conspace through the Patch WorkCubes are located very textThe and seeks toin some arrive at an understanding interesting corners that people never imagine they will work at(e.g top of the residential buildings, gap of future design in public architecture. Expebetween two buildings, under the bridges, center of parks etc.), and the inner shell of the cube is inrience has been always an integral part of stalled with LCD television glass and architectural display glass allowing people to work in the most our convenient builtway.environment, The outter shell is for protecting which the cultivation use and light penetration. of a sense of place with distinct environment is an essential aspect of how architecture goes beyond buildings. One of the most important aspects of this project is the process of designing, which first examines the city’s existing constraints, then identifies conceptual concerns and finally inserts a proposal into the existing fabric.

The concept of this project is taking the film ‘Play Time’ in 1960s by Jacque Tati as an example, and to arrive an idea of rethinking our future workplace. We concluded two facts from this film: one is new introduced materials were largely used in the most of buildings cross this modern industrialised city, and another one is box office working system. By considering these two issues, therefore it could suggest that there is always a relationship among the past, present and the future.

Beijing has been chosen for our site. In the city like Beijing, the traffic issue is extremely serious and significant, the city is growing un- healthily and the increasing amount of cars bring huge pressure to the traffic. The drawing shows the main business and commercial area where most offices located in Beijing. They are mainly situated along the ring roads and some significant avenues. It is not hard to imagine how busy the traffic will be in rush hours.

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

[ Beijing Site Analysis ] 25

2010 ~ 2012

in Future Beijing in Future Beijing Selected Works

Modern Architecture standardised people’s life style - working in groups in glass tower building. According to a research, 70% of the times that people spend in the office are wasted. In the near future, life style is no longer boring and straight forward. People don’t have to walk in the same street, take the same bus and go to the same office everyday. Instead, life is going to be much more free and efficient. Our one of the most important aspects for the future workplace Future_Free and Efficient is efficiency in relate to our current city’s Modern Architecture standardlised people’s life constraints. In the near future, people will style - working in groups in glass tower building. not have to spend such a long time to get to According to a research, 70% of time people spend their office. Instead, people can work in any in the office are wasted.

WorkCube in the city when they and are just 5-10 Future_Free Efficient In the near future, life style is no longer boring and straight forward.

People don’t have to walk in the minutes walk from home. The Patch Worksame street, take the same bus, Modern standardlised people’s lifego to the same office Cubes can be located in Architecture some very interesteveryday.

Instead, life is going to be much more style - working in groups tower free in andglass efficient.

Go tobuilding. a WorkCube around you ing corners that people never imagine they when you need to work! will work at (e.g. topAccording of thetoresidential a research, 70%buildof time people spend the office are wasted.under the uture Beijing ings, gap between in two buildings, bridges, center of parks etc).

FGC2012-Q9EFE

e Patch WorkCube Cube

In the near future, life style is no longer boring and straight forward. People don’t have to walk in the same street, take the same bus, go to the same office If we zoom in to theeveryday.

Dongzhimen area, we Instead, life is going to be much more can see the new town onefficient. the right dividedaround you free and Go toisa WorkCube whenthat you need to work!distance into some huge blocks largely

FGC2012-Q9EFE

Present

communities. The old town on the left is in much smaller scale. It is much more friendly, but cars can hardly go through. Evenly distributed WorkCubes are able to ease people’s life and make communities more closed when people can meet different persons in the Cube. We believe the idea that a work of architecture will change the society its surroundings, and it acts as a workre_Free andand Efficient place, and simultaneously an approach to n Architecture standardlised people’s life social working in groupsa in new glass tower building. representation of the city.

Present

ing to a research, 70% of time people spend office are wasted.

near future, life style is no longer boring and t forward. People don’t have to walk in the reet, take the same bus, go to the same office ay. Instead, life is going to be much more g.d efficient. Go to a WorkCube around you ou need to work!

nd

and e ffice

u

Present

University of Edinburgh

Future

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Futu

Li Zhang

[Workcube Locating Analysis ] 27

2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

Sustainability is also fundamental to our design, which affects social, usability and economic considerations. Because of WorkCube’s size and its easy assemblage, we suggest that the main structure will be steel framed, and sandwich panel will be used for interior and exterior wall partition (it takes into account of energy-saving, light weight, environment-friendly, water-proof & damp proof & fire- proof, sound-insulation etc.)

The main material for building’s roof and window will apply photovoltaic. It serves as the exterior weather skin, and because it gains solar energy directly from the sun that most of electricity for the office will be supplied by this renewable energy technology.

(Reduces energy costs) Display glass screen will be used instead of using computer and other larger digital equipment in the future.

FGC2012-Q9EFE

Every WorkCube will have rainwater colThewillPatch WorkCube lection system. Rainwater be collected in Future Beijing then through building surface and filtrated, filled into a collection tank for reuse. The recycled water will serve to the office as well as its near community.

WorkCubes in the old town

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

CHAPTER 4.

HAKKA HOUSE project A Project in Southeast China.

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his is a residential housing project in my hometown, Meizhou, which is in the Hakka area in southeast China. The use of the house is for gathering family members during holidays.

The mapping drawing on the right illustrates the research of Hongkeng, a self-contained tulou wonderland in Yongding County as an example of Hakka village. Hongkeng is a long village lying along both banks of a river that winds between fertile, sunny mountain slopes with terraced rice fields. In places where it is impractical to create terraces are found camphor and pine trees, tea, hemp, banana, bamboo and tobacco.

Villages are rarely planned, and nowhere is this more apparent than in China. The belief behind fengshui, wind and water, the principles of the earth, is that any change can evoke positive or negative forces and it is important to maintain the balance. Any change in the landscape has a series of consequences that must be controlled in order to maintain the balance.

[ HongkengVillage plan ]

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

In Hakkas Tradition, A tulou is usually a large, enclosed and fortified earth building, most commonly rectangular or circular in configuration, with very thick load-bearing rammed earth walls between three and five storeys high and housing up to 80 families.

The layout of Fujian tulou followed the Chinese dwelling tradition of “closed outside, open inside� concept: an enclosure wall with living quarters around the peripheral and a common courtyard at the center. A small building at the center with open front served as an ancestral hall for ancestry worshipping, festivals, meetings, weddings, funerals and other ceremonial functions.

Ground floor plan includes circle, semicircle, oval, square, rectangle, and irregular pentagon.

The tulou complement the surrounding landscape. Not only are their form and scale impressive but their building materials and color reinforce the sense of complete contextual synthesis in this mountain soil, lying among fields of rice, tea and tobacco and the surrounding forest slopes of pine, bamboo and the occasional banana palm.

These great buildings have the appearance of forts, completely closed to their surroundings. Under large overhanging eaves, small windows are set high into the massive outer walls on the third and fourth floors. A village quite often consists of only two or three, or even one, of these giants, each surrounded by a handful of huts and inhabited exclusively by a single clan. As we shall see, each tulou contains many of the functions normally necessary for a village. In many respects, a tulou is a village.

[ Tulou Form Study ]

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2010 ~ 2012

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The site is situated in the rural area of Meizhou .

According to Fengshui, the building is proposed to sit in the col of a slope facing to a lake [as shown on the site map].

[ site map ]

[ conceptual drawing ]

[ first floor plan ]

University of Edinburgh

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Three aspects drive the architectural design of the house: inspiration from the Tulou, site condition and Fengshui. Opposite to the Tulou’s characteristic of ‘closed outside, open inside’, the modern Hakka house is designed to have open facades with 90% glass and relatively closed courtyard in the center of the house. Indoors car park and storage occupy 30% of ground floor area, and the others are public open space closed to the nature. First floor has divided parts in multiple levels when they are lifting up coherent to the landscape. In order to improve the view from the southwest part of the house, the northwest corner of the roof is adjusted downwards to create sight space in that direction. For the room distribution, all rooms are arranged to sit along the corridor surrounding the courtyard, which is similar to the Tulou’s arrangement. The purpose of all these design concepts is to create a modern form of Hakka house that has traditional architectural style but is suitable for modern life style.

Li Zhang

[ isometric illustration ] 33

2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

[ render ]

University of Edinburgh

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Li Zhang

[ The End ]

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2010 ~ 2012

Selected Works

December. 2012

University of Edinburgh

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