ZHANG ZHUAN PORTFOLIO
The University of Hong Kong | BA(AS)
CONTENT 01 Dialogue - high-rise residential tower under extreme climate
02 Joint - silver award in CADSA - outpost for faculty of architecuture as urban intervention
03 Free Structure (groupwork) - prototype climbing framwork for high-rise residential tower
04 Transforming (groupwork) - Top 50 in youngbird plan
- Kiosk for multipurpose public use
Zhang Zhuan Graduate from The University of Hong Kong in 2015 summer. Three-year Curriculum of BA(ArchStud) email: gnndyx0124@126.com u3502174@connect.hku.hk mobile:+852 54948591
05 Hidden Spaces - small scale house in Chinese village
06 Software Skills - images with Vray and Photoshop skills - 3D modeling skills in Rhinoceros and Grasshopper
12-15 ACADEMIC PROJECT SELECTION
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central street inner surfaces dialoguing structures facade systems
Dialogue The project aims at investigation in how housing will respond to a context under extreme temperatures. A particular type of architecture that addresses fierce climatic changes between seasons is the anwser. Answering to the extreme winter climate and the tremendous temperature difference during the year, Solar Radiation, Thermal Resistance and Ventilation are key points. The impact of a high-rise building on the site will always be colossal but disharmonious. Urban connection between the individual architecture and surrounding cluster of existing or coming buildings should be designed delicately to avoid isolation. There are four keywords of my project: Central Street, Inner Surfaces, Dialoguing Structures and Faรงade System. All these keywords are forceful and primary design elements that I employ to form the architecture under such severe environment. This architecture is around 25000 m2 with 30% of public circulation area and commercial areas. 143 units in total consist of 2 penthouses, 63 duplex apartments and 78 simplex apartments.
site analysis diagrams
The project started from the scale of massing form. I enhance the connection between site and the architecture with this central street, which connects two sides of the site and ground level with underground system. The street projects to underground level two and becomes an underground tunnel to introduce vehicles into the architecture from the adjacent tunnel. Above the central street, a crack whittles into the building generating inner surfaces and internal void. It activates the architecture by inviting pedestrians to commercial area. A volume is carved out of the south part. The gap lets sunlight reach central street~ in winter and diffuse daylight to the inner surfaces with its whitepainted pitch roof. It also works in concert with the crack to ventilate the whole building. 2
dialogue2
dialogue1
dialogue3
Dialogue 1: dialogue between structures There are two sequences of shear walls in this structure system. One is orienting spaces to SOUTH to receive more solar radiation, which is crucial in Harbin, espacially in winter. The other is parallel to the short site boundary for the sense of penetration of the slab building in commercial levels, as well as ventilation. The two sequences are joined for load transmission. The crack whittling into the architecture seperates the structure into two parts; makes the shear walls into ringent giant columns. They are facing each other and having dialogues through spaces. Some are leaning against each other on top.
Dialogue 2: dialogue between north and south parts of the architecture All the shear walls are placed in a certain principle with gentle differences. These inner surfaces created by the crack is the platform for the structures to have their dialogue and for two parts of the architecutre as well. Although the south and north facades are back to each other, they are still having dialogue by using different ways to inviting sunlight into interior spaces: Extension and Indentation. Bridges are helping dialogues happen in the spaces of both sides.
Dialogue 3: dialogue between spaces Because of the exsiting of the crack bridges are adopted to connect the spaces of both sides, which gives rich spatial experience to the architecture. The inner surfaces are partially serving as circulation spaces, providing diffused sunlight to interior spaces and ventilating the entire building. The dialogues between spaces also allow interlocking duplext units to happen.
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interlocking duplex unit types
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Joint
urbanism architecture circulation connection soft boundary
- silver award in CADSA The building is an architecture education outpost for the faculty of architecture in HKU, which has the function of exhibition and teaching. By showing the results of architecture education to the public, this outpost can help public gain better understanding of architecture and architecture education. The site of this design is located on Hill Road Garden in Kennedy Town, the northwest of Hong Kong island. There is a highway on the east of Hill Road Garden, which is passed by several bus routes. These bus routes are ended near Central and connect to the network of MTR. The space under the highway is lack of activities, while the people using this area are quite vernacular.
This design aims at breaking through the boundary between the two circulation systems on and under highway to bring this vernacular site into further city context and inspire more activities. A bus stop is built in the building to make the architecture a 'joint' between the two circulation systems. Going through the building can the public reach bus stop, which maximize the building’s function of exhibition and increase the amount of activities happen in site.
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Soft Boundary The architecture is facing the public and contains public programs, while teaching activities require for certain level of privacy. A balance between interactivity and privacy is needed. 'Soft Boundary' is adopted in the envelope system and interior spaces in the architecture. Principle of 'Soft Boundary': - Taking advantage of level difference and slopes to create soft boundaries to separate, define and enclose spaces. - Spaces’ visual accessibility is different from their physical circulation due to soft boundaries between spaces. - With the soft boundaries, spaces reach balance between interactivity and independence. - When the levels of spaces have been changed, mental soft boundaries generate. - Soft boundaries generate where are lifted up. - Soft boundaries generate where the heights of the spaces are changed. - The height of the space affects the properties of space. 10
EX Th -C fro -C -C Th po be of
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Circulation as Key Element of Design For such a vernacular site containning infrastructure that block the sky, the difficulties of dealing with the relationship between existing structures and coming architecture are obvious. To take fully advantage of the infrastructure, I decided to insert a bus stop as the additional program of architecture education outpost. With a bus stop, the two layers of circulation are joined together and provides more opportunities for pedestrians to pass through the architecture, which activates the public programs of research lab. South part of the architecture contains studio, while exhibition room, archive and auditorium are in north part. The bus stop, cafĂŠ and art shop are in the middle part that connects to the highway. This arrangement guarantees the privacy of south wing. One more step to maximize public areas, roof garden is placed on the top of middle part. People can be accessed it through slope roofs of south part.
XPLODED DIAGRAM here are three main circulation in the research lab. Circulation for pedestrains and visitors to reach bus stop om both sides of the building. Circulation for people to reach roof top garden. Circulation for research lab interior private space. hese three circulations connect with each other at specific oints. A balance between independence and interactivity has een reached with the methods of above. taking advantage f soft boundaries.
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two dimensional arch-structure free periphery ceiling plan
Free Structure (groupwork)
New criteria are set up for the housing prototype. First, housing ought to allow flexibility for possible informal transformation and inhabitation. Second, we highlight on the credibility of the housing model in allowing sufficient light penetration. Third, efficiency in terms of the floor area and circulation would justify the prototype. We see arch structure as an oppurtunity to fulfill housing requirements. Its load bearing capacity allows large span that can free up interior structural components. Free plan allows flexibility in space arrangment and effective light penetration. Circular profile presents structure as a totality and dissolves distinction between wall and slab. Different peripheries are suggested as to anticipate with ideas of enclosure and inside-outside relationships. We set a principle for a single-floor structure to transform the number of tunnels and change its periphery. More potentials will emerge when the flexible prototype structure stacking into a highrise residential tower.
Ceiling Plan Ceiling plans inform spatial organization thus different numbers of tunnel extrusion implys possible number of unit subdivisions. Interior space usage is defined by dimension standards and furnitures. The feasibility of the free plan is tested and structure of the ribs implicitly govern internal arrangements.
Free Peripheries The highest points of two dimensional arch-structure are free of changing positions. The potential of differentiating peripheries emerge when the prototype climbing into highrise framework. When stacking, periphery of each floor transforms and generates double height spaces and exterior balconies which can be used as private garden spaces. Double-height spaces facilitate the generation of duplex units by connecting upper and lower floors. Interlocking units are designed to articulate different spatial experiences.
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multi-functional movable elements public attractive
Transforming
(groupwork) - Top 50 in youngbird plan The Kiosk is designed for a practicing competition in Shenzhen. It requires flexibility of taking multiple public functions. It is capable of exhibiting, selling and resting the public. The functions are not all simultaneous. Transformation of the form is correspoding to the requirement of shifting functions between exhibiting, selling and resting. Shove, pull, rotate and fold are four basic human movements that are applied in this transformable Kiosk to change its form. With the flexibility of the structure, one single installation can adapt itself to complex and diversified background. The choosen site is originally an open mini-square where unordered activities happen spontaneously. The existing of the Kiosk is to induct all the activities in order and inspire specific activities that need physical facilities.
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Scene1 Selling+Resting
Scene2 Entrance for Exhibition+Resting
Scene3 Exhibiting+Resting
This Kiosk contains a selling area hidden behind moveable storage shelf. Two double-folding doors enclose the space for booth. Platforms turn over for selling and purchasing activities. Panels on the other side are open by rotating for ventilation and view. The public and seat on the staircases to have a rest in shadow.
After restoring all movable elements back to the original location, the Kiosk is an entrance for exhibition or simply a pavilion for the public to take shelter from rain or fierce sunshine. Enough seating areas are provided.
Apart from other buildings or structures, the Kiosk itself is capable of holding a small exhibition by rearranging all movable elements. Metal platforms extend out to place the exhibits. Panels are opened to seperate them. Exhibits are visible from a certain distance as well as to attract the public.
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tranditional housing remould tectonic detail hierarchy of spaces
Hidden Spaces
The project locates in a traditional village in Guangdong Province of China. The aim of the project is to remould a universal pitch roof house and build unique spaces for new living style. The house is playing with sequence of walls both tectonicly and spacially. Several conceptual lines depicts the relationship between the choose site and surrounding. Then they are transformed into walls. The walls stretch out of roof and touch surrounding houses. Portals are developed by interrupting walls. Thickness of single wall is gradually changing towards the other end. The top line of roof is shifted to change the symmetry form of the house and increase the number of grey levels of inside space. Tearing house has a semiprivate courtyard. This courtyard is shared with neighbours by involving their openings into it. The walls stretch out change the traffic streamline around tearing house by connaction and blocking pathways. 22
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TECTONIC: ‘Hidden space’ in and behind layers of walls that block the view. PORTAL: Portals cannot be revealed at first glance.They are hidden behind movable walls. ANATOMY: Space is divided by series of walls. TEXTURE: Visitor can never figure out the whole image of tearing house from any angle. Walls cut into surrounding houses. MOTIF: ‘Walls’ tear the space. Instead of using walls to enclose space, tearing house uses walls to divide existing space.
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Rhinoceros Vray and Photoshop Grasshopper
Software Skills
Skills of 3D modelling in Rhinoceros and plugins for Rhino such as T-spline. Basic Vray rendeing skills and Photoshop skills for expression images. Basic Grasshopper modelling skills。 26