Urban Design Portfolio

URBAN DESIGN PORTFOLIO

CHRISTY ZHONG

01 MIGRATORY NESTING

Coastal urban landscape planning and design for solving the problem of EMPTY CITY

Site Area: 2.7km²

Site Location: Hainan island

Hainan, the southernmost island in China, has long been known as Hawaii in the east. However, with the development of tourism and the overexploitation of real estate industry, the natural ecosystem of islands has been irreversibly damaged. At the same time prices remain high level, so many properties are unattractive for resident.So many parts of the city have become empty. In this project, we will explore the solution to this problem by methods of landscape in the selected site.

Thesis Project Urban Landscape Planning

Social background

Haidian Island

Haikou,Hainan

Basic situation

After the Open up and Reform Policy(1978), the urbanism of China has began. Hainan Province was established in 1988, and the process of urban construction has been developing fast, especially in the area along the coastline.

1980 2000 2019

Increase rate of construction land use

Along with the urban development, the urban demands for land have also risen sharply, and between 2006 and 2013 reclamation operations have caused changes to Hainan's coastline.

Haikou bay, Haidian island

Construction Agriculture Forest

Data analysis

The main factors affecting urban problems in Haikou are related to the city's natural environment, economic conditions, and the composition of its citizens.These data are the basis for our next step of design.

A B C

The main climate of Hainan Island is tropical monsoonal, with warm winters and hot summers. Winter is therefore usually the peak season for tourism in Hainan. Since the construction of the International Tourism Island in 2010, the share of tourism in Hainan's total GDP has been increasing.

According to the survey, the largest number of mobile people in Hainan Province are concentrated in the winter season, with those who come to spend the winter being an important group of home buyers in Hainan.

C

80% of the houses are unoccupied in winter

Design Proposal

Design concept Design strategy

Because of its warm winter climate, Hainan Island is an important habitat for migratory birds that migrate southward in winter. It is an significant ecologyical characteristic of Hainan Island.

The people who come to Hainan for the winter because of the warm winter are mostly old people. This kind of people drive the tourism and real estate industry in Hainan. But with seasonal characteristics, so we call them "migratory birds elderly".

Protection of shoreline ecology. One of the important effective practices is to maintain the original shoreline ecosystem while building special ecological attractions.

Focusing and supplemented it creates park where harmony.

Mangrove ecnology system

Significant migratory

Focusing on ecological functions supplemented by social functions, a city coastal landscape where people and nature live in

migratory birds

Ecological activities

Improve the social service function and activate the city's vitality by supplementing the missing social functions around the site..

phase 1 Ecology restoration

Plant mangroves along the coast to build a mangrove ecosystem and restore the ecology while forming an urban character landscape.

phase 2 Ecological city phase 3 Functioning urban life phase 4 Featured city

Combine the ecosystem and the urban life to create an urban public space for harmony between humans and nature.

The addition and reconstruction of urban infrastructure are linked together to form a complete social network of urban life.

Set up special construction to make the site a landmark in the area, attracting people from all over the world.

Landscape Building -Civic Creative Gallery

To rekindle the urban social life in around the site. I lay out the primary functional buildings in the southwest corner of the coastal line, which is the central and highlight point of the site. The available facilities include the Civic Activity Center and the Creative Gallery. They function as the heart of the neighbourhood’s network and the gallery for public art and culture.

Landscape nodes

Natural Gallery - Mangrove Path

Mangrove cafe

Underwater corridor 1 2 1

The Mangrove Coast feature, a sunken corridor of tempered glass, takes visitors deep into the forest. It is as if the mangrove root ecosystem is presented to the visitor in a glass display case.

Final presenting

02 Out of Home

An alternative future for women to access the public space in modern city - Exploring Women’s Public Space in Shanghai’s People’s Square

Site Location: Shanghai, China

The accessibility to public spaces and the sense of belongingness in the city have been important topics in the feminist discourse around the world these years. This project will discuss about an alternative future for women to access public spaces in a particular background. Under the unique cultural and historical background of China, People Square in Shanghai city is a typical and representative public space in the modern city. Therefore, this project will take this site as a practice spot, to propose a potential future of better and comprehensive and accessible public life for Chinese society on and even wider scale.

Thesis Project Urban Research and Design

GENERAL BACKGROUND

Dilemma for women in the world

01

Man-made world

For a long time, men have held the world's voice, while women have been secondclass in society as subordinate to men and women's activities are restricted and ignored in the process when men make the world.

Outside of the family 02

In the man-made society, the ideal separation is women being inside of the family and men dominating the public world which causes sociological gender divisio. Women have become aware of their inconvenience and inequality in society and are demanding the rights and freedoms to use public spaces like men.

To localise the general feminist issue to the landing background, I consider the local political, cultural and economic factors, as well as the current social situation which would affect women getting access to the public space. Compared with the western context, women in Chinese urban society are facing the multi-stress in the social transition as the society asks women to " hold up the half sky ” in social production, and meanwhile, they still take the most responsibility as caregivers.

Access the public space 03

However, it is still difficult for women to access the public space equally as their needs have been neglected by the creators of the city for a long time. The need for women not only using them but making them designed for women and men equally.

Situation for Chinese women

About the precinct

Landing location Landing location

Shanghai city

Shanghai is one of the most modern city and the commercial centre in China, also one of the largest cities in the world, with a leading level of urbanisation(World urbanisation prospects 2021). However, resulting from the situation of the overloaded population and heavy pressure of this city in decades, urban renewal might be vital in the next step of urban development.

Huangpu district

Huangpu District is one of the most central and prosperous commercial centres in Shanghai. The People square is not only in the centre of the Huangpu District, but also at the commercial and cultural centre of Shanghai City.

People square

As the urban central square, the People's square plays the role of the urban landmark and represents the identity and the sense of belongingness of Shanghai citizens. From all aspects, the People's Square is the important urban public common in the city.

Function analysis of precinct

The proportion of the urban funcitons

Through my research of the women's situation in urban life, the difference between the public and domestic zone is an important criterion to view a site. From the site analysis, the chosen location mainly functions as a comprehensive public area.

The public functions such as shopping mall and working areas areas make up more than 70% of the district. Also, those functioning areas here are the heart of the economics, politics and cultures of Shanghai. Hence we can undoubtfully say that People's Square is an important central area for Shanghai. It even could represent the city's modernity.

The heart of the city

Inside analysis

The place for civil activities spots are mostly at the north part of site and the south part is more political and more open spatialy with mainly squares attached to functional public buildings.

the buildings inside of the site are all representative functioning venues as the government office, the urban museum and gallery, as well as the city’s theatre.

Users and activities

From the map, we could see the citizen's daily activities here are comprehensive including work, amusement and family activities, and the users include people of all ages, genders and identities who are users of this venue.

In every sense, People's Square should not only be a locational and functional centre, but also a centre of daily activity and spirituality for the neighbouring residents, and indeed for the people of Shanghai.

problem statement

Problem statement

Visible issues Fig 3-18 Stratification analysis of urban issues

Spatial issues Problem

Insufficient lights

Open upground square

Citizen's park

Functional square

Commercial area Green land

Lack of care

Insufficient toilets

Coverd/quite spaces

ISSUE OF CARE

remote on-site and investigation, I the contemporary issues from female use perspective.

issues could be into two parts of infrastructure and care, which emotional issue physical care. These perspectives are highly and build up the sense belongingness of citizens in

ISSUE OF INFRASTRUCTURE

Functional seperation

Seperation of group of people

Ambiguity of the physical boundaries

A mix of spatial styles

Lack of recognisability

No distinction of the space

Infrastrucure are not very interactive

Trivial space planning

Ambiguity of the physical boundaries

Fragmentation of blocks

Inadequate transport planning

Unclear guidance

Too many small and winding paths

Urban threshold

Site is enclosed by urban main road

The surrounding commercial space is too dense making the site a blind spot

Problem analysis

The site's issues could be divided into two parts of infrastructure and care, which are the emotional issue and physical care. These two perspectives are highly related and build up the sense of belongingness of citizens in space.

Combining the specific problems of the site with the theory and background research, the main concern of women in the city could be summarised into three parts, the sense of belongingness, the sense of identity and the sense of security.

Design strategy

Strategy framework Developmentary

According to French philosopher Michel Foucault, power is implemented by the netlike organisation and practised in society by the simultaneous daily activities of individuals(M. Keith and S. Pile,2013). Also, from the conducted research, the plight of women in the city is embodied in every day of daily life.

Based on that, the further practice would start with a slight change in our daily environment, to build a network of normal life and then change the situation we are facing to. Hence, to build a multiple, comprehensive and accessible city for all vulnerable groups includes.

Therefore, the practice would carry on with the design concept of MultipliCity(a city with multiple possibilities), with the strategy of MicroMacro intervention, to make the city better for everyone.

Specific intervention

Spatial intervention

Spatial enhancement

Spatial operation

In this step, I propose a multifunctional, systematic lighting and safety device that addresses the public unease of women caused by light and guidance problems. At the same time, this device can be used as an entertainment and monitoring device for public spaces, and the spatial signalling network it creates can also serve to enhance spatial integration.

Then, the next spatial concern is the fixed man-made environment without enough care. Therefore, my major tool is the operabliy spatial insertation. I will propose an movable and flexible infrastructure which could work as safe space, care space and relax or entertainment space.

As mentioned participation women would their work speak

Safe room - Interventionally operable modules

Closed Semi-open Open

Spatial connection

mentioned in the previous part of research, the lack of participation in urban planning is the important factors caused women hardly access to the public zone. The cultural workshopt get women involved to create their imagined world. And work will be presented to public to show their idea and their voice.

SAFE ROOM

lACTATING ROOM

DATING HUB CARING HUB

Design Presenting

Scenario building of daily life

Scenes Presenting

Exhibition at middle square Daily transport hub

Dating at People Square Daily activities at People Square

Site Location: Sheffield, UK

Wicker and Burngreave are urban districts for several international communities. These communities brought various cultural practices to the city, but due to the visible and invisible boundaries, they are facing difficulties to enjoy urban life like a home. The design for this ‘food district’ is strategised to evolve a sense of home with the community and explore the precinct and its cultures through the various activities revolving around cooking and eating food.

Urban Design for Community

Location of precinct

Wicker and Burngreave are urban districts for several international communities. These communities brought various cultural practices to the city, but due to the visible and invisible boundaries, they are facing difficulties to enjoy urban life like a home. its cultures through the various activities revolving around cooking and eating food.

Problem statement

Urban threshold

Physical boundary

The area is separated by the river Don and the ring rode from the rest of the city. The natural and physical boundary make the precinct isolated relatively.

Inconvenience

Lack of communicaiton

Language boundary

Our member come from different countries for different reasons. But the common difficulty they are facing is the language barrier and this situation make the low-income problem. We are the charity to help the women and children here to learn the language and to improve their working skills.

Low income situation

Cultural boundary

Arabic community

Africa and caribbean community

Most of immigration living in this area remain their original lifestyle of home countries, also causing by the language barriers and physical barriers. They have less communication with the other parts of city. Which makes the cultural separation potentially.

Design Strategy

Addressing issues Spatial strategies

Through the research of last semester, we found out the main urban issues of the area which is the spatial and cultural separation. The clear goal of the project is breaking the boundary and strengthen the sence of belongingess of immigrant. Our elementary scheme could be devided into three sub-topics:

Recreations

Along The Edge 01

Taking use of the area along the boundary, supplying the cultural functions to connect the parts of city.

02

De-centralized

Dispersedly setting the cultural functioning spaces to serve the residents. Extenting their acting scales.

03

Cultural center

Offering the space for different kinds of cultural activities and building a community center for residents.

Amenites

Cultural

Design CONCEPT

"Cultural Buffet"

“Food activities have been considered by scholars in the social sciences and many related domains as critical and basic elements that create and reproduce the human's local, national, cultural, and regional sense of identities.” (FOX, 2008)

Food of daily life

Food is the basic element in people's life, and there are series of daily activities around it. To make the communities living in the city feel the sense of home, it is important to bring the culture diversity into the daily life. Then, the process of food consumption is a good point to make the intervention.

Design Preseenting

Detailed Plan

A

Open market

The specificu urban intervention on a small scale is always experimental and practical. We chose the site simply by their natures as an open space or being abandoned. But through the process that intervene the city experimentaly, We will be given the tools and the means to extend the impact to the larger scale.

Scene of life with Cultural Buffet

Dining Mattress

Community Kitchen

Garden Pavilion

Open Market

Community livingroom

04 FOLDING CITY

A conceptual design of future urban landscape based on situation of URBAN ANXIETY.

Site Location: Haidian district, Beijing

As cities develop faster and faster, people living in cities also face increasing pressure. The time and space of urban life are limited. Here we propose the concept of folding cities, and try to fold the psychological space of people in the city from the view of landscape. Create unlimited possibilities in a limited space.

Conceptual Design

Problem statement

URBAN ANXIETY is a serious problem in today's society.

The incidence of mental illness in large cities is as high as 14% , particularly with depression and anxiety . Among them, the cases caused by WORK AND LIFE PRESSURE are as high as 70%.

Air pollution not only affects people's health, but also affects people's MENTAL HEALTH.

The commuting time in China's megacities is 53 MINUTES longer than other cities of the same type.

Common features of industrial clusters in large cities: HIGH living costs, LOW greening rates, and SERIOUS traffic congestion.

Site Location

China Beijing Haidian District

Site Context

As the capital of China, a populous country, Beijing is not only a political center, but also an economic and cultural center, with a large influx of migration. High housing prices, competitive pressures and air quality are concentrated in this· city. As a high-tech development center and education center in Beijing, Haidian District is home to a large number of foreign talents and is also a high-risk area for urban anxiety.

Social analysis

The Migrant Population is the main body of urban anxiety in Beijing.and their share of Beijing's total population is as high as 37%. Therefore, the migratory population can be said to be the main group of urban anxiety in Beijing, and we have conducted research and analysis of them.

B AS I C DATADIAGRAM

PM2.5.

Anxiety level

Problem analysis Data analysis

Deisgn strategy

Idea 1 Folding city

Expand the range of people's activities within the city. Increase the per capita green area by distributing scattered landscapes by region to reduce people’s psychological pressure distance.

Idea 2 City Rubik's Cube

The urban space is molecularized into modules and then combined into a whole again. Different time and space have different combinations, and the changing and combining method depend on the time and users.

Idea 3 Virtual reality

The virtual reality technology based on the method above. People walk in the city. You can match different urban landscapes in different modules according to your own needs.

The design concept of this solution comes from a science fiction novel called "BEIJING FOLDING." The content of this novel is that in the future world, the land in Beijing can no longer bear the excessive urban pressure. The social stratum was divided into three spaces by way with land turning and folding.

According to the intention of urban folding, the form of origami was adopted to consider the form of the plan. Origami has strong variability and large shape space. In this solution, we use the most basic equilateral triangle as a design element, which is stable and infinitely variable.

Construction design

We divide urban greening into countless modules. In future cities, urban greening will no longer be a piece of land fixed on a certain plot, but can be freely changed, moved and combined. In special times, the city's greening modules will aggregate into a whole, forming a number of greening centers, each of which forms a network in the city, radiating to each plot. Strengthen the psychological interaction between man and nature, and relieve urban anxiety.

Higher

anxiety

Data analysis

When the usual index of urban anxiety is not high, the collection of green modules is scattered on towers in fixed locations in the city, and their functions radiate the surrounding urban areas.Each tower offers a different range of services and functionalities.

In combination with Internet technology, people can check the location and radius of the surrounding modular towers from their mobile devices.`

A life of a thousand things living alone. I wish there was something different outside the window.

People's behavioral footprints when recording and browsing the towers online are counted as urban anxiety values, and only numerical values are used in the counting process. When the value reaches a certain level, the module function will change automatically.

In combination with Internet technology, people can check the location and radius of the surrounding modular towers from their mobile devices.`

Having a change of scenery relaxes my mind and eases my anxiety

The concentrated class time stresses me out and the scenery around me is always the same.

The commute to work was not only crowded but also long and I felt very anxious.

The concentrated class time stresses me out and the scenery around me is always the same.

05 Other works

This part presents my other work besides urban design. The results in this part are primarily from my experience as a freelance illustrator and interior designer, my art training background, and my interest in art and design. The contents include

Progress in work

Interior design work Illustration work

Photography/ Hand drawing

Commercial Design - Themed Club

This is an interior project for a Upscale Leisure Club by Tai Lake in Suzhou city. Based on the task requirement and the aimed group, young people, the design concept I chose was the rock and roll culture. Based on the idea, the visual elements are extracted from the standout rock and roll bands in history, such as Queen, Beatles and Rolling Rock

Entrance Lobby and Reception

Rock and roll themed pub

Member's tea room Music Restaurant

1

Drawing and illustration work

Drawing and illustration work

Signage system design