Shenghui Mao Portfolio 2013-2020

Vol.1

现 场

“ TRACE IDENTITY OUT OF UNITY ”

架 空

Shenghui Mao Selected Works 2013-2018 Tianjin University Bachelor of Architecture

Build utopia

架 空

(in)

Vernacular context

Construct

Void (with)

现 场

As my mainly tool of thinking, Chinese characters usually bring new meaning when some individual letters meet each other. It is just in that process, the meaning beyond single vocabulary emerging, which contains not just two old meanings and one new meaning, but also the frozen process of reacting. Reread the vocabulary form this perspective, we can perceive the essence of construction, which is the initial power of architecture.

When I treat architecture as a subject, six major points can be separated. Through constructing ( 架 ) a void ( 空 ) at a certain time ( 现 ) and place ( 场 ), the implication beyond this behavior is try to build an isolated utopia ( 架空 ) within vernacular context ( 现场 ). In that process, new identity is polished from old unity, which form new unity together with its womb ( 架空现场 ).

Present Six points for an architecture as a subject: “ Trace identity out of unity ” Place

毛升辉

CONTENTS:

| SHENGHUI MAO

mrmshmiles@gmail.com | +1 332-201-8319 | 214W 109th St. Apt.5c, New York, NY, 10025

Vol.1 架空 现场 | Trace identity out of unity

EDUCATION: GSAPP, Columbia University, New York, USA Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design

05/2019-05/2020

School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China Bachelor of Architecture | GPA: 3.6/4.0 | Degree with honours

09/2013-07/2018

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Intern Architect, OPEN Architecture, Beijing, China 07/2017-11/2017 Biolab and nature center, ecological observatory design in Shanhaiguan, China (SD/DD/CD) The external & The ephemeral, “Soul of City” Exhibition at Marmomac 2017 (SD/DD/CD) Lakeshore Peaks, housing design in Chengdu, China (SD) Tank Shanghai, art gallery park design in Shanghai, China (CD) School as a Village, school design in Shanghai, China (CD) Chapel of Sound, concert design in Chengde, China (DD) EXHIBITION & SYMPOSIUM: TEAM 20, 6th Exhibition of Excellent Graduation Design in Taiwan and Mainland 1ST Public Art Exhibition in Tianjin, China DADA 2017, International Symposium on Digital Architecture 造家·HOUSING, Tianjin International Design Week Exhibition

01

ONE STREET, TWO YARDS Village activity center in village tourism system, Fujian, China

02

NIGHTSIDE CONSTRUCTION Expansion and renovation of old library, Tianjin, China

03

FOREST IN CLOUD Sharehouse for 14 minimalists, Tokyo, Japan

04

SPONDYLOPLASTY * Exhibition center in urban nervous system, Chongqing, China

* One metaphor about architecture

Vol.2 云雨 风光 | Trace poetry out of thingness 2018 2018 2017 2016

01

CLOUD NURSERY Classic New York landscape reborn with nature, New York, USA

02

FLOWING STILLNESS A lakeside public hall made of concrete, Chicago, USA

03

FIRE ESCAPE STAIRS: SILENT MITOSIS BEHIND THE SCENES Mix-use living complex for artists, Washington DC, USA

04

FAÇADE DETAILING: A MATERIAL UNDERSTANDING Facade detail design based on brick, Fujian, China

05

TENSILE/COMPRESSION SURFACES IN ARCHITECTURE Pavilion design with two kind of forces

HONORS: Outstanding Graduates of Tianjin University, Tianjin, China Excellent Graduation Design of Tianjin University, 3RD-Prize, Tianjin, China JZFZ-Excellent Graduation Design, 2ND-Prize, Tianjin, China Excellent Work in Foreign Exchang, 3RD-Prize, China The Rookies’ Award, BEST 16 & Excellent Student in 3RD-Grade, China The Rookies’ Award, BEST 100, China Excellent Freshman of Tianjin University Scholarship

2018 2018 2018 2017 2016 2015 2013

COMPUTER SKILLS: Rhinoceros, Grasshopper, SketchUp, V-ray, Lumion, AutoCAD, Revit, ArcGIS, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere, Acrobat Pro, Word, Excel, PowerPoint LANGUAGES: Language: Chinese (Native), English (Proficient)

* One questionnaire about architecture

01 ONE STREET, TWO YARDS Village activity center in village tourism system

2017.3-2017.5 Tianjin University 4th-year Academic Project Village Design: Individual Work Architecture Design: Individual Work Instructors: Zou Ying, Yuan Sinan Site: Chengcun Village, Fujian, China

Chengcun is a fading village with features of traditional Chinese settlement, which lies in the famous national scenic spot Wuyi Mountain Area. I refine the framework of Chengcun in multi-dimension, which makes the village work as a scenic spot and attracts young villagers and tourists. By creating a street connecting the village center and the northern tourist living area, the village center allows tourists enjoy the traditional life style of the villagers in the street. Through translate a unique street prototype, which is narrow on general plan but broad on Nolli Map, I create a street-yard system to accommodate different residents' leisure life. One street for tourists, two yards for villagers. Through dialoguing with the specific functional space above, they are leisure places in normal times and provide venues for activities during festivals.

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02

“DILUTION” & “SUPERSATURATION”

NEW CHENGCUN VILLAGE

Following the development of the market economy, more people crowded into cities from the countryside over past decades, leaving so much rural area not fully developed. With less population and more space, this process happening in countryside can be seen as dilution, while the contrary phenomenon supersaturation is happening in urban area with more population and less space.

The impetus behind the movement is the cult of consumerism, which causes the conflict between international style and regionalism. Under this circumstance that no more space can be developed in urban area, we have to say that countryside is definitely future of the world with vast spare tract and immense population loss.

Chengcun, located in Fujian province, is a fading village with features of traditional chinese settlement. Lying under the foot of the famous national scenic spot Wuyi Mountain Area (AAAAA), Chengcun village has very beautiful natural scenery and potential to be developed as a subordinate scenic spot in regional area. Relying on the infrastructure resources of Wuyishan City, tourists can get into the vellage easily. I refine the framework of Chengcun in multi-dimension, which makes the village can work as a scenic spot and attracts local young people and tourists flow back to here.

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REVIVE THROUGH TOURISM

VILLAGE PLAN & TOURISM RESOURCES

Through the integration of Chengcun village resources, the strategy of reviving through tourism is put forward.

Traditional village culture and style are the most tourism-valuable resources. The most prosperous period of traditional villages in the Republic of China will be renovated, providing immersive experience. At the same time, the introduction of the latest concept immersion theater, which means the entire protection area will work as the stage of The Border Town, one of the most famous Chinese stories in the 20th century. At the same time, a large number of businesses will be organized into the protection area to provide jobs for those returnees.

Tea industry and tea culture are the most commercial-valuable resources. Through the integration of tea museums and tea factories, the current scattered tea merchants in villages will be gathered.

The complex can not only provide services for local tourists, but also indirectly expanding the channels to sale outside, which will become the main local financial support except tourism.

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ONE STREET, TWO YARDS As an important node in the village design, the villagers' activity center not only has the main function of villagers' leisure life, but also serves tourists. By creating a street connecting the village center and the northern tourist living area, the architecture allows tourists enjoy the traditional life style of the villagers in the street. At the same time, it translates the existing particular space type in the village, creates two yard-systems to accommodate different residents' leisure life.

One street for tourists, two yards for villagers.

“NOLLI STREET�

There was a kind of street that was narrow on general plane but broad on Nolli Map, which served as the main life stage for the villagers. Along the historical street, residents voluntarily opened the doors of ground floor, and contributed part of their space to liven up public life, which bringing into being a lifestyle unique to the village. The special street shaped the way villagers lived, endowing the village with cultural characteristics. To some extent, the form of street is the concrete nostalgia of villagers.

In the yard-system, I translated this particular space type to form two yards serving the villagers.

Through dialogue with the specific functional space above, they are leisure places in normal times and provide venues for activities during festivals.

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+4.200M PLAN

+1.200M PLAN

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1. Tea Shop I 2. Greengrocer's 3. Hairdresser's 4. Preparation Room 5. Storeroom 6. Post Office 7. Tea Shop II

+7.200M PLAN

8. Stage 9. Movie Room 10. Reading Room 11. Storeroom 12. Inquiray Office 13. Temporary Exhibition 14. Outdoor Chessboard

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A. [ CHESS AND CARD ] B. [ HUANGMEI-OPERA ] C. [ TWINS TEAHOUSES ] D. [ CHILDREN’S LIBRARY ]

PRESERVATION & NEW-BUILT

SOUTH YARD I

The volume of new architecture is divided into two parts. Both north part and south part contain a grey yard inside, which provide gathering place to villagers. Old wood structures within the site also take part in space narrative. The last abovestreet pavilion is used as the village-side entrance while the largest wood structure of Chengcun village works as a sharing core node of two systems to gather visitors and villagers together. A outdoor plaza is organized beside two old wood structures, it is in here tourists and villagers can share their life styles to each other.

Except for two gray yards and two public yards, an abandoned garden between new architecture and villagers’ living area is designed to create buffer area. Landscape plants and stone plant road bring a leisure area to local people.

SOUTH YARD II

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CHESS AND CARD

HUANGMEI-OPERA

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TWINS TEAHOUSES

CHILDREN’S LIBRARY

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SIDE GARDEN

TEA HOUSE ENTRANCE

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02 NIGHTSIDE CONSTRUCTION Expansion and renovation of old library

2016.4-2016.6 Tianjin University 3th-year Academic Project Architecture Design: Individual Work Instructors: Zhang Xinnan, Wang Di, Dai lu Site: Tianjin University, Tianjin, China 2016 The Rookies’ Award of China TOP 3

This project is located in Tianjin university, in the north of China. Dominated by the campus axis, all the main buildings are oriented to the axis, which left a lot of nightside space in the campus. The site of this design located in the nightside of the old library. As an additional building of the old library, the new volume is tightly combined with the old one. The lack of direct light and dense trees form a gloomy atmosphere over here. I use a polyline to shape the volume, which flexibly adapting to the existing trees on the site. Eventually, it creates a solemn atmosphere, which distinctive with those face-axis architectures. The polyline form plays the role of book-wall in the library system, which effectively increase the number of collection of books by increasing the inside-surface area of the polyline.

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“NIGHTSIDE�

This project is located in Tianjin university, in the north of China. Dominated by the campus axis, all the main buildings in university are oriented to the strong axis, which left a lot of nightside space in campus. Old library is one of the most important architectures in university. New building is designed to expand old library while creating new reading area. With old volume stand at south of site, only a few straight lights can reach here, which left a lot of tall trees grow in site. The gloomy atmosphere makes nobody want to stand by.

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FROM 100M TO 400M

MONUMENT WITHIN NIGHTSIDE I use a polyline to shape the volume, which form a coherent rhythm that fits the context, while flexibly adapting to the existing trees on the site. The polyline creates a solemn atmosphere, distinctive with those axis-oriented building, which provides a prototype for all axis-opposite nightside constructions in the campus. The polyline plays the role of book-wall in the library system, which effectively increase the number of collection of books by increasing the insidesurface area of the polyline. In this way, the length of wall will reach 400m, about four times longer site length. At the same time, 400m is too long to form a comfortable experience for users.

So the new volume is divided into four parts, and four reading slope is putted into the volume to create connection with old library, while creating different hierarchy in the reading behavior.

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FROM 400M TO 25M

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CONNECT OLD LIBRARY The back facade of old library is reformed to create connection with new volume.

Through opening the windows, a corridor is created between original stack and newbuilt platform. At the same time, I remove some short walls to combine several small spaces as a large reading area with desks.

These reading areas within old library have quiet atmosphere, which are suitable for deep reading and self-study. Through reprogramming old library, the original circulation system and rest rooms still work for new library system, which bring larger public space for new-built area.

DOUBLE BOUNDARY, DOUBLE SURFACE The water surface strengthens the solemn atmosphere by reflecting the sky, dense trees and concrete structures. At the same time, the existence of the water surface prevents users from freely crossing the boundary and creates a sense of distance which fits the atmosphere of nightside. By shifting the concrete exterior wall inward, a new book wall is created to accommodate more books. A new space is formed to create a quiet borrowing space between the two walls. At the same time, the new book wall and the back facade of the old library together enclose four bright halls. Interlacing the internal and external walls of different materials creates a rich external facade, while allowing users to constantly go through the internal and external during the borrowing process.

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+1.200M PLAN

1. Front Entrance 2. Entrance Hall 3. E-reading Area 4. Gallery 5. Deposits 6. Book Return 7. Study Area 8. Magazine Area 9. Book Area 10. Cafe 11. Reading Area 12. Bookstore 13. Back Entrance

+5.700M PLAN

+11.100M PLAN

1. Tea Shop I 2. Greengrocer's 3. Hairdresser's 4. Preparation Room 5. Storeroom 6. Post Office 7. Tea Shop II

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STAIRS FOR LEISURE READING

FOUR TYPES OF READING SPACE

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SECTIONAL RENDERING

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SECTION OF OUTWARD YARD

SECTION OF BACK ENTRANCE

SECTION OF INWARD HALL

STRUCTURE HIDES IN BOOK-WALL

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st1 40 Fine stone concrete waterproof 20 1:2.5 cement mortar leveling

Connecting bracket

st2

60 Rubber powder polystyrene insulation layer 4 SBS Modified Asphalt Roll

8%

60 Fine Concrete Slope-finding Layer 400 H steel girder 400*350

st2 400 H steel girder 400*350 20 Double tempered glass 10*2

st3 30 Granite surface 20 1:3 Cement Mortar Bonding Layer

st1 5%

140 Cast-in-place reinforced concrete floor 60 Rubber powder polystyrene insulation layer 20 1:2.5 cement mortar leveling 400 H steel girder 400*350

st4 Bookcase partition

400 130 50 60 100

Cast-in-place cellular concrete

H steel girder 400*350 C15-Concrete wrapped column root Anchor bolster Anchor bolt C15 Fine Concrete Plain soil compaction

st5 st3

30 30 120 20 1.5

Stone slab 1:2 Waterproof Cement Mortar leveling Reinforced concrete floor 1:3Cement Mortar Protective Layer Polymer cement-based waterproof coatings

20 1:2.5 cement mortar leveling 100 C15 Fine Concrete Plain soil compaction

DETAIL & MODEL PHOTO Whole building is loaded by steel structure hid within book wall. Cellular concrete wall is fixed on the structure by cantilever.

Small discussion areas are set between concrete surface and wood shelf surface to ease the continuous tension, and to keep discussion area away from studying area.

Large area inclined glass roof is supported by steel truss, which brings enough natural light to four halls. And through concealed pool, the water boundary connects with street smoothly. The new volume ‘s steel structure system is completely separated from the old building's shear wall structure system, and the climate boundary is sealed by glass at every junction.

st6 30 Stone slab 20 1:2.5 cement mortar leveling 100 C15 Fine Concrete

Double layer low-e glass

Plain soil compaction

st4

st6 st5

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03 FOREST IN CLOUD Sharehouse for 14 minimalists

2016.3-2016.4 Tianjin University 3th-year Academic Project Architecture Design: Individual Work Instructors: Zhang Xinnan, Wang Di, Dai lu Site: Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Exhibited inTianjin International Design Week

Located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, one of the densest metropolitan areas in the world, the sharehouse seeks to create a new lifestyle in crowded metropolitan. Facing the west and located at the intersection of three main roads, this project has the potential to be a landscape. Strong light from west side will bring not only heat but also beautiful scenery. Fabric curtain make space boundary changing all the time. Architecture will be in a breathing condition. Continuous floor makes the architecture like a vertical park. People can wander around like walking in nature. In this structure, flat columns are used as tension member to bear the horizontal loading, while other stiff parts to bear the vertical loading. Through the tearing operation of floor slab, slope and platform are distinguished, and the ambiguous connection between public and private is created.

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POETRY IN METROPOLIS Located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, one of the densest metropolitan areas in the world, the project seeks to create a new lifestyle in such crowded metropolitan area to fit the increasing minimalists in Japan. And at the same time, facing the west and located at the intersection of three main roads, this project has the possible to be a landscape.

The strong light from west side will bring not only heat but also very beautiful scenery. So, I try to create a kind of architecture system which will help the people who live in here have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of light and shadow and the change of time shown through the changing of light. In this way, a brand-new poetic in metropolis is created.

POETRY IN LIVING West light problem in city reminds me about beautiful sunset scenery in forest.

Long shadows of tree trunks softened by slope into moving curves. I try to use slim columns insist of solid walls to resist those light before sunset. In that way, a natural poetry can be recognized in dense urban area. People living in this building can enjoy unique sunset scenery in city, and the building itself will end up as a scenery on the site.

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STATIC SPACE

ESCAPING SPACE

HORIZONTAL

VERTICAL

SHAREHOUSE

LIVING IN CLOUD

Sharehouse is an exploration of the way of living, which means more space for public is essential. Limited to the narrow site, the traditional way to fold up a same plan seems like the most efficient way to finish this project, which will kill a lot of chance to build social relations among residents. In order to realize the farthest share in 120m2, I try to broke the separate of spaces in a building to make them present an escaping condition, connecting private and public, architecture and city. In this condition, the ever-changing boundaries within the architectural system will make the architecture behave like an escaping cloud, which is trying to integrate with the outside world. The minimalists who live in here will enjoy a lifestyle fit them most.

In order to maximize share space in project, fabric curtains play an important role in defining private space. When residents in their own room, they can draw their curtains close, which will cut down the awareness towards public area. When they are out, they will open the curtains, which will let the public space flow into the private space and merge into a single whole. In this circumstance, the more people act in the sharing space, the more space they can enjoy, which is an elastic sharing system. In this way, the boundary of spaces is constantly changing all the time, and the whole architectural system will be in a breathing condition, which makes the space inside the building seem like trying to escape into outside world all the time. The space itself will end up as the landmark on site.

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1. Front Entrance 2. Back Entrance 3. Reading Slope 4. Cafe Area 5. Movie Area 6. Toilet 7. Bookshelf 8. Room

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9. Leisure slope 10. Foyer 11. Bathroom 12. Kithcen 13. Movie slope 14. Indoor garden 15. Music area 16. Laundry

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STRUCTURE OF CLOUD The weight of the building is shared by the elevator barrel, three square columns and two mirror-surface stiff walls. And a number of elastic flat steel column with different angle connect continuous floors with the load-bearing structure as a whole.

In this structural system, flat columns are used as tension member to bear the horizontal loading, while other stiff parts to bear the vertical loading. The poetic forest-like atmosphere and ambiguous space is created through this way. People could feel different scenery while they wandering around in the architecture. In this space filled with columns with different angle and continuous gentle slopes, they will feel the inward power to wander around in the architecture.

SECTIONAL DRAWING

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TOPOLOGICAL TERRAIN Through the tearing operation of floor slab, slope and platform are distinguished, and the ambiguous connection between public and private is created. On slope, residents can sit on the floor with freedom. The human-scale curve makes slope a comfortable place for behavior like reading books, listening music, or watching movies. Private space is placed on the smaller platform, and the necessary furniture defines the private space of each resident. Users adjust their perception of outside world by controlling their curtains.

Functional sharing spaces like kitchen, laundry and so on are placed on larger platforms to ensure adequate group space.

OUTDOOR RENDERING

Sharehouse is an exploration of new lifestyle in metropolis, and a targeted p oe t i c s o l u t i o n fo r c o n t e m p o r a r y minimalist. By breaking the stiff wall and column of traditional apartment space with thin columns, the architecture creates continuous and vertical spreading artificial terrain. Poetic structure makes the space itself a landscape, which enclose the ocean of air. And as boundaries of private space and public space, soft fabrics constantly change the face of landscape all the time.

Located at the intersection of three main roads, share forest is like a vertical park, and appears like an artificial nature in the high-density and fast-paced metropolitan area.

INTERIOR RENDERING

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04 SPONDYLOPLASTY* Exhibition center in urban nervous system

2018.3-2018.6 Tianjin University 5th-year Graduation Design Urban Design Collaborators: Yang Junchen, Luo Junlin Architecture Design: Individual Work Instructors: Kong Yuhang, Zhang Xinnan, Xin Shanchao Site: Huang Jueping, Chongqing, China JZFZ-Excellent Graduation Design, 2ND-Prize

Nowadays the vertical movement of architecture has become the driving force of urban development, which brings about the elimination of urban boundary. We created a linear mega-system on the site, Huangjueping, which is rich in natural topography and artifical topography, while bridging the separation of urban context. The boundary closed in phenomenon is reversed into infrastructure tape, which plays an important role in urban environment. The southern part, Center of Contemporary Art, built on the border of a local residential area which contains the contradiction between cosmopolitism and regionalism naturally. By providing exhibition space for art and new life sytle to local people, the architecture gradually polishes out eternal and ephemeral which lie within itself.

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HUANGJUEPING, CHONGQING, CHINA

DEPRESSION

Influenced by natural terrain, Chongqing has gradually formed a multi-center urban structure in the process of its historical development. And Chongqing has become the key city of transportation and industry by this advantage. The Huangjueping, where the site is located, was one of the concentrated areas of Chongqing, which declined after the 21st century with the adjustment of industry.

In the process of development of Huang Jueping area in Chongqing, China, it has experienced three stages: marginalization, industrialization and artistry. Nowadays, the withdrawal of regional economic engine, the power plants, leaves tract blocking the development of this area, and takes away the source of artistic creation at the same time, which indirectly led to the decline of the art market.

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ORIGIONAL ROAD

ORIGIONAL FUNCTION

TOPOGRAPHY

TOPOGRAPHIC FORTRESS BESIEGED Huangjueping topography falling three times from inland down to the river. Traffic accessibility is greatly restricted by terrain. People living in this area can be divided into three groups, students and teachers of the Academy of Fine Arts, travelling virtuoso, and local residents. In this circumstances, we conclude that students and teachers of the Academy of Fine Arts are main resources of Huangjueping for futher development based on data analysis. Our urban design strategy is to retain the existing layout, and according to the refined road framwork to reprogramme urban space. The site will be divided into three major areas, the Art of the arts and cultural areas as the leading one, the residential area mainly lied on slope, and the southern original industrial remains which will be transformed into a business area in future.

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TWO INFRASTRUCTURE TAPES

AMBITION OF URBAN POETICS

To merge different levels of ground, two infrastructure tapes will work as the spines of new system.

The dormitory of the Academy of Fine Arts will be relocated along with graffiti street to forming the first giant belt of living infrastructure, which connect main street with local residential area. The second spine will load entertainment and art exhibition function, which cooperate with northern living area to drive the development of southern tract.

Megaform, which was proposed by Kenneth Frampton at the beginning of 20th century blurs the boundary between architecture and urban design, and emphasizes the construction of urban environment. The two horizontal megaform-spine indicate the coming new artistic age (2020-) of Huangjueping, work as an urban landscape in site. The poetry come into being in the dialogue with the two vertical chimney-relics of the industrial age (1952-2014).

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NEW ROAD

NEW FUNCTION

SYSTEM & NODES

SPINE, NERVE, SYNAPSE As the most famous mountain city in China, Chongqing's drastic topographic fluctuation has become the decisive factor of urban form. The terrain inside the site presents a clear three-tier platform. By introducing two mega-infrastructural adhesive tapes in the geographically depressed areas, a new economic engine of creative industry and tourism will be brought to the regional economic development. The megaform enlarge the influence of creative industry, and create a dialogue between the two chimneys, the two giant industrial relics. Finally, the megaform work as the spine, many industrial relics were reconstructed as the synapses, and a pedestrian walking system was used as the nerve to connect every node in the urban spine system. The new system create a tourist destination and transform left tract into new commerical land, that is what we called as “Spondyloplasty�.

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SPONDYLOPLASTY* In the critique of this development trend, Megaform, which was proposed

by Kenneth Frampton at the beginning of the 20th century as the result of the horizontal movement of architecture and urban environment, blurs the boundary between architecture and urban design, and emphasizes the construction of the urban environment. We created a linear mega-system on the site, Huangjueping, which is rich in natural geography and artifical geography, while bridging the natural separation of geographical texture.

The boundary closed in phenomenon is reversed to infrastructure complex belt, which plays a important role in urban environment. At the same time, the giant work as new landmark and economic engine, which drive the development of the left tract.

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ATTITUDE TOWARDS LOCAL

AXON FROM NORTH

As the most cosmopolitan part, the southeastern megaform takes the contemporary art exhibition hall as its main function, which focuses on the shaping of landscape identity. Bath and park also provided to local people. The north facade connects with the main living areas, so I hope to show a modest attitude and provide open public green space for local residents. The magnificent volume is hidden behind the plants.

Facing northern residential area, north facade can be just recognized as three hidden volumes.

Showing modesty and respect to local life, dozens of local trees are applied to blur the boundary between monument and living area. Quiet atmosphere in north contrast sharply with southern attitude which fully expresses architecture’s power.

ATTITUDE TOWARDS WORLD

AXON FROM SOUTH

The site gradually declined from west to east with a height difference of 33m. The gradient gradually slows down from west to east, and the vertical and horizontal experience changes on the 350m-long site. The main exhibition part is set on the west to enhance the sense of eternity through vertical drop, while the identity of landscape is emphasized through horizontal lines on east part.

The use of large area waterspace on south strengthens the massive magnificent volume, and maintains a certain distance with the development zone. South attitude highlights the role architecture play as a world-level art center and an eternal monument. The east sharp corner volume provides a powerful identity to architecture, which creates an icon can be spread in landscape society.

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+33.300M PLAN

+29.700M PLAN

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+22.500M PLAN

PROGRAMMING The whole building is divided into three main parts: temporary exhibition area for theme exhibition, permanent exhibition area for permanent exhibition, and bathroom garden for residents. The two parts of the exhibition area constitute The Center of Contemporary Art and interact with the park in the permanent exhibition part. Natural systems infiltrate into buildings multi-dimensionally and participate in the construction of landscape.

+16.200M PLAN

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+11.700M PLAN

SECTIONS FROM WEST TO EAST Five features of megaform are clearly demonstrated in project, a new urban landscape of artifical topography, closely linked with the region, has been created.

International, eternal, vertical, gravity.

Regional, ephemeral, horizontal, support force.

The role of a megaform plays in the city has become clearer.

+4.500M PLAN

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INWARD GARDEN & OUTWARD CAVE As the main entrance to the exhibition hall, inward garden provides a soothing and quiet prelude to the exhibition sequence, crossing the long wall as if to reach another eternal world. As a secondary entrance, outward cave provides a wide green space outside, which accommodate different behavior of residents. At the moment of entering cave, the light corridor beside brings a quiet and eternal feeling.

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MAIN EXHIBITION HALL & INFINITY SLOPE Through the exaggeration of scale, the tension of time is created in main exhibition hall. Huge white wall has entrance and exit at two ends,which makes the hall can be sensed at different heights.

The wall also provides enough diffuse light for the space, and clerestory bring sharp light into the space to create light tension. The infinity slope create dramatic space through continuous mirror reflection, providing excellent exhibition place for contemporary artists.

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UNDERGROUND BATH & FLOATING GARDEN As the core node of park system, floating Garden create a vibrant urban landscape with natural element. At the same time, linear windows of bath is hidden in the garden, which provides straight light to bath. As part of park system, Bath create a new leisure lifestyle for local residents, by connecting with urban pedestrian system. The interior of bath lightened by “light column” and “light beam” through structure design.

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* One questionnaire about architecture RCR’s test of an architecture exam plays an important role in the evolution process of my design argument thinking. Brief questions and fragmented answers construct a values-collage together which can be perceptual reading by others. Based on old questionnaire, some ambiguous answers are clarified while some convincing answers are denied in the process of self-argument. New questions waiting their own clear answers also emerge. If you can agree with me the truth that same words usually evoke different echoes in different minds, I believe that a fragmented questionnaire can convey my real feeling about architecture and the world compared with a carefully written manifesto.

[ EMERGING SYMBOL ] Identity out of unity Architecture as media Architecture as art

[ ENSUING ANTS GROUP ] Users’ life around architecture Refined trace of users

[ SYRUP-TRACING ] Physical architecture Architecture as product Solidified trace of users

[ MARBLING ] Context Vernacular unity

Vol.2

风 光

“ TRACE POETRY OUT OF THINGNESS ”

云 雨

Shenghui Mao Selected Works 2019-2020 Columbia University M.S. Advanced Architectural Design

Inward emtional feeling

云 雨

Cloud

Rain

(within)

Outward natural landscape

风 光

As my mainly tool of thinking, Chinese characters usually bring new meaning when some individual letters meet each other. It is just in that process, the meaning beyond single vocabulary emerging, which contains not just two old meanings and one new meaning, but also the frozen process of reacting. Reread the vocabulary form this perspective, we can perceive the essence of construction, which is the initial power of architecture.

When I treat architecture as an object, six major points can be separated. While cloud ( 云 ) devours its clear edges to reveal material’s thingness, and rain ( 雨 ) moistens its skin to entice people’s touch, architecture shows its inward emotional feeling ( 云雨 ). While blowing wind ( 风 ) imply its silence, and pouring light ( 光 ) plate it with poetry, architecture end up as outward landscape ( 风 光 ). It is between internal and external where thingness is identified as poetry ( 云雨风光 ).

Wind Six points for an architecture as a object: “ Trace poetry out of thingness” Light

01 CLOUD NURSERY Classic New York landscape reborn with nature

2019.6-2019.8 GSAPP Summer Project Collaborator: Qifneg Gao Instructors: Jorge Ambrosi, Gabriela Etchegaray Site: Central Park, New York, USA Published in GSAPP’S ABSTRACT 2020

With the development of Urbanization, we are trapped in steel and concrete, and our connection with nature is greatly weakened. Today, we get water from pipes rather than rivers, and we can feel the wind from air conditioning rather than fields. In this studio, we think It is necessary for contemporary citizens rediscover the relationship between urban and nature. Steam, as a kind of water contain energy, running below NYC to transfer energy from nature to metropolis. Through releasing steam in Central Park, the monument of nature, a heat-landscape is created to nurture the awareness of city in relation to its natural origin. In this way, the Cloud Nursery serves as a receptacle for the natural conditions from which the city emerged, and connects us with a paradigmatic vision of nature and city as a whole.

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STARTING WITH STEAM IN NEW YORK CITY Will more than 100 miles steam pipes, the NYC steam system is the largest commercial steam system in the world, in fact bigger than the next nine combined. Before the establishment of the steam system, every building had to install its own gas boiler for heating, which made the skyline of Manhattan totally different from now days. So much smog floated above the city, which had caused a lot of climate problems. Nowadays, the steaming orange-white stakes show the existence of steam system to visitors and local residents. I never seen a streetscape like this before in other cities. Even artists will create some interesting works around them. This kind of spectacle offers NYC a distinctive identity from other cities. Starting with steam in NYC, we try use design to make people rediscover the relationship between nature and urban.

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(06) WATER + ENERGY = STEAM = ENERGY + WATER Steam, as a status of water, contains huge amount of energy and conveys them from nature to urban area. We perceive water as the vessel of energy, which work as steam state. The New York State consumes 34 million cube meters of water per day, among which most part (23 million) are used to generate electricity. Compared with other cities in New York state, New York City consumes the biggest part of water, that is 3.8 million cube meters. We use red color to represent energy involvement. The energy is filled into its vessel through electric cogeneration and steam generation. As we also can see that steam system distributes mainly in downtown and midtown area, which are buried underground and invisible to citizens.

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Pins and lines model on canvas 30cm x 40cm

MANHATAN AND ITS WATER Domestic water in Manhattan is constantly transported from northern part reservoirs including Castkill/ Delaware Watersheds and Croton Watersheds, through tunnels, aqueducts and pump stations. The NYC is nourished by tracts of natural land. The blue line representing water is gradually transformed into red line representing the road, which imply how our city extract natural resources as a crazy machine.

The concept model illustrates the water and energy flow in nature and the Manhattan. The blue lines represent natural water and red ones are energy. The combination of the two elements turns out to be invisible steam in blocks, supporting the running of Manhattan. Detached from nature, we always acquire water from water pipes, but not river; acquire breeze from air conditioner, but not field. What our project do is to pour the energy contained in steam into nature again. Through a heatinglandscape, we try to discuss new relationship between nature and city.

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STEAM CONSUMPTION IN NYC

TRANSFER STATION IN CENTRAL PARK

According to the collective data from Co. Edison, the major clients of steam system are the massive buildings like skyscrapers and public buildings. The larger the building is, the more steam it consumes.

The amount of used steam varies from season to season. mainly used in Winter. Based on these facts, we visualized the variation of steam consumption in different seasons by quantifying the steam volume. The Z axis represents the amount of steam used per hour, so the Winter cloud floats in a highest place, then the summer, and Spring and Fall clouds’ height are similar. The distribution in z axis also coordinate with the skyline of Manhattan showed on one side. Meanwhile, as we can see, all the clouds float above the downtown and midtown Manhattan. It matches the location of steam system at present.

Steam system is a environmental-friendly, and also an economical system. With cogeneration technology, it both reduce air pollutants and carbon dioxide emissions. But it is inefficient in low rise buildings compared with hot water. We want to transfer steam system into hot water system in northern Manhattan through creating a convert-node to connect two systems. Central Park, a highly controlled nature area, and a monument of nature, will be the site of our project. We hope that the process of separating water vapor and energy can create a new landscape in the most famous natural landscape.

Located in the lower terrain near the midtown, the project is easy to reach old steam system and form contrast with midtown skyscrapers.

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RELEASING HEAT-LANDSCAPE

CLIMATE CLOUD

In order to get deep understanding of different status of water in urban space, we categorized different status of water in one coordination system. The x, y, z axis separately represents temperature, coagulation nodule concentration and height. Different status of water including haze, stratus cloud, fog/mist, steam in pipe and in street, locates separately in the coordination. The red volume shows the heating-landscape existance potential during the process pouring energy within steam back to nature. With the rapid decrease of steam temperature, its visibility is greatly enhanced.

Discovering that steam is the vessel of energy and the symbol of industrial civilization, we want to separate them apart within a natural area. Making full use of the released heat and saturated water vapor, we give more bio-diversity back in central park, which bio-diversity exterminated by industrial civilization when it extorts energy and water from whole natural world. In the process of releasing high-temperature steam from steam pipeline to our environment, energy and water will be separated rapidly. Energy will heat the air. Saturated water vapor will combine with suspended particulate matter in the air to form visible mist. In this way, a new high-temperature and 100% humidity micro-climate will be created in city.

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ABOVE MIST OCEAN

CLOUD NURSERY Our project works as a plant nursery. We use helium balloons to create a boundary with everchanging gaps, which keeping most of water vapor below but also allowing some can escape to form floating mist ocean. Energy contained in steam is released as heat under it, with the humidity that steam creates, a new ecosystem within the temperature range of 16 centigrade to 20 centigrade is formulated. For citizens running in the upper layer in the central park, they will see steam permeate upward through the gaps between balloons, they rise, diffuse and form a sea of steam. Visitors are able to be aware of the steam sea but have no conscious of what is happening downside. Below balloons, human can wander in nursery without clear sight of surroundings while seeing unusual plants in NYC.

UNDER MIST OCEAN

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SPECIES & HOW SYSTEM WORK This micro-climate is suitable for some species which never appears in the NYC to survive. Some rare species of plants normally live in cloud forest have possibility to be nourished under our floating boundary.

The station get steam from the system and lower the pressure which releasing hot water and low temperature steam at the same time. The released water and energy will cooperate to maintain the temperature and humidity of our micro-climate. Low-temperature steam is transported to concrete islands and released into the air. Mist condensate collected under balloons and then transported back to pool through underground pipelines.

Coordinating with the organic ecosystem inside our project, the steam vents are designed as concrete island, spreading on the ground. After cooled down, steam is released from the organically shaped boundary slowly and then fulfill the entire space. The island also serves as infrastructure, people can lean on it, sit beside it and touch its warm surface.

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MODEL PHOTO FROM HUMAN VIEWPOINT

DETAIL OF FLOATING BOUNDARY All balloons will have its own Carbon fibre skeleton and PVC surface. Most of them will be white one, which can diffuse sunlight within mist, providing enough light for plants to grow. Some of them will be transparent one with anti-water curtain, which creates spaces with clear sky without mist. When people under balloons drag the string, the slight sway will change the gap space and furthermore the light condition, at the same time releasing more mist and change the scene of mist ocean above balloons. This interaction between human being and balloons make this scenery even more vivid and vibrant.

MODEL PHOTO FROM BIRD VIEWPOINT

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02 FLOWING STILLNESS A lakeside public hall made of concrete

2019.9-2019.12 GSAPP Fall Project Architecture Design: Individual Project Instructors: Paul Preissner, Melissa J Frost Site: Oakwood Beach, Chicago, USA Published in GSAPP’S ABSTRACT 2020

This project starts from the research of one material. With my choice, concrete, I focus on its essence as artificial mixture of sand and aggregates. Knowing that two main factors decide the final form is its aggregates and formwork, I develop my material trial based on two reversed concept, temporary aggregate and fixed formwork. A standard box(6m*6m) filled with sand is used as the units’ formwork. Through digging in negative void space in wet sand, concrete’s fluidity can be expressed with the help of gravity.

Every unit have clean surface, which shows its identity as artificial thing, and cave-like surface, which shows its essence as a fluid stone. Based on these units, a new building language of concrete is developed.

Architects can write brand new composition with nature and human together.

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STARTING WITH CONCRETE As an artificial mixture material, concrete can be spread and poured into molds to form a stone-like mass on hardening. The most important materiality of concrete is its fluidity and hardenability. When we look at a concrete block, we will notice that the section shows its essence as a mixture, and its stonelike hardness. At the same time, we will notice that its plane faรงade, which shows its nature as an artificial material. In the process of casting, formwork is the most important thing which define the form of concrete. Except that, physical treatment on surface and chemical reaction under surface can also bring changes of form to concrete. When we look back to when concrete first used in human history, roman usually built formwork and concrete together, which means the formwork also express itself with concrete.

(01) TEMPORARY AGGREGATE: ICE

(02) TEMPORARY AGGREGATE: WAX (01)

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(03) TEMPORARY AGGREGATE: PAPER

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(06) TEMPORARY AGGREGATE Based on the research of concrete, aggregate and formwork are two major things which define form of concrete. I choose two concepts to develop my material trials, which are temporary aggregates and fixed formwork. In most of time, we use solid aggregates to make concrete can resist strong compression.

Through using ice as aggregate, the releasing heat of hardening melt the ice. The clean section of the block shows the fact that cement use every water within it, which bring water can be used in creating new concrete casting process. Melted wax and burned paper bring two kinds of different space within concrete blocks, which enlighten me use intermediate state of concrete to create marvelous space.

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(01) FIXED FORMWORK: DIRT

(02) FIXED FORMWORK: WAX

(03) FIXED FORMWORK: SAND

FIXED FORMWORK

HUMAN-SCALE SAND BOX

In three experiments with the concept of fixed formwork, I choose dirt, wax and sand as formwork.

Gravity bring natural shape to concrete with the help of loose formwork material. In the second experiment with wax, concrete’s temporary materiality as a kind of fluid was frozen by time. In the first experiment and the third one, the invisible gravity was shown by two kinds of material with fluidity.

In these six experiments, I work with earth materials and basic processes and configure them into a structure that does not reference or represent anything, it’s not an abstraction or a metaphor, but exists as a physical reality, it is it. The very reality of the architecture lays with the material produced and the process of its production.

Bring the scale into human size, I crated a huge sand box(6m*6m*6m) to cast several structures shaped by sand and box inner façade. In the process to create void in sand, I have to add water into sand to make them can be shaped. The loose and porous nature of top surface sand makes the ceiling of structure present an ancient cave-like surface.

With cave-like inner surface and clean outer surface, the contrast between concrete as an artificial material and its nature as a mixture of natural materials is emerging. Brief columns and walls bring the reality of construction without redundant reference and representation.

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DEVELOPE SAND BOX PROPOSAL Human-scale sand box allow people to dig out a structure form earth. The manmade structure can be gradually seen as a natural object by people in the digging process. With 6m as the basic modular, I make several units to show different way of resisting gravity. Different units can be assembled together to create a sequence. In this way, the new building method can be viewed as the way to create letters, architects can use the new language to write their own composition.

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LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION

Based on the ratio of area connected with earth to area of ceiling, I develop a alphabet to help architects to find the specific self-standing letter they need. I chose some of them and write my own composition on right. Through the contrast between sand surface and clean surface, the finished structure has a contradictory space sequence compared with the sequence we read from plan. Through organizing the contrast as rhetoric, I create a new building in a real site.

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SITE PLAN

LAKESIDE FACADE

THE FIRST FLOOR PLAN

THE PUBLIC HAL The history of modernity is the history of democracies and this history of democracies is the history of the Public Hall, which exists as possibly the most confused of all contemporary programs; lost of any purpose, both intended to soften interactions and formalize them. The hall is the truly inauthentic program in todays world, unable to be anything else but a host to communal social space, collective experience and unpracticed democracy. It is an embassy of expectation within the urban space; always populated by locals. Located in Oakwood beach in Chicago, the architecture work as a public hall. The design using unadulterated excavated materials, and simply approaches towards structure. The user populations of weary residents, recreating foreigners and goal-driven transients opens a world of confusing social space, transactions and negotiations which needs a proper home.

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A-A SECTION

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FLOWING STILLNESS Using sand on beach and artificial panels as formworks, the entrance platform seems like flowing out from inner space. The natural curve of boundary implies the powerful tension of time. Stairs on left cut the panel like a knife shows Human behavior's intervention to nature. Clear roof boundary also implies how we lift a brief shelter to resist natural power from anywhere.

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HALL SHAPED BY GRAVITY Continuous cave-like surface in first part of the structure creates a gloomy space for gathering. Gravity brings rough texture to the ceiling in the building process.

Rough ceiling contrasts with smooth floor. Clean surfaces of every units in this part are used as connecting parts, which means to form longer walls with sand surface. A linear fire place filled with sand connect beach and hall space. It also leads people’s vision into a hidden inner plaza, which is filled with light and surrounded by clean surfaces of every units.

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THE HIDDEN ROOM

TO INFINITY

The central plaza with a rectangular fireplace using sky as its ceiling. Clean surfaces of surrounding units create an ancient colonnade and define a space full of artificial marks. Although only this area not covered by roof, the pure void contained within whole volume miraculously creates a space which can be recognized as a room in infinite nature.

A stair with 40 steps connecting with “the room”. People can walk up to feel magnificent lake and the infinity of nature. From a cave-like space to a room-like space and eventually reach a space only have a plane under foot, the whole sequence end with nothing but nature’s grandeur.

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LAKESIDE PAVILION Except for the grand stair, the room plaza also provides two corridors lead to a pool lies in shadow, which connects Michigan lake. Water in pool rises and falls along with the lake, the roar of tide is restricted lively in an artificial boundary.

People can enjoy peace and rethink the history of how human gradually conquer the nature instead of shocked by nature’s grandness.

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SLAB FORMWORK PLAN

B-B SECTION

GRAVITY-PLANE All behaviors organized between two huge planes. The upper plane is combined by 50 units with same size. And the lower plane is casted one time which have no seams on it. Both of these two planes are shaped by gravity. We just define its boundary and gravity will bring the surface which human can live on to us.

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SOUTHEAST VIEW

MEET OF THREE LIQUID Concrete, sand and water meet each other in this project. Concrete, as a temporary liquid is frozen by time. Sand, as a lazy liquid gradually shaped by water and people’s movement. Water, the eternal liquid representing nature lap against the artificial structure forever.

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NORTHWEST VIEW

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TEMPLE OF HUMAN & NATURE Consider the possibility of a world where buildings have never existed; a place ignorant to the single-family home or the shiny steel skyscraper.

Here there has never been the concept of classicism nor modernism. There is no idea of what an office or a subdivision or a museum should be.

How could we design an architecture if anything was possible and nothing had been established as conventional construction? This project looks to advance the nature of compositional arrangements without the facility of engineered materials, structures, frames and other ways to reinvent the notion of architecture. The relationship of human and nature is gradually polished by washing of lake.

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03 FIRE ESCAPE STAIRS: SILENT MITOSIS BEHIND THE SCENES Mix-use living complex for artists

2020.1-2020.4 GSAPP Spring Project Architecture Design: Individual Project Instructors: Hilary Sample Site: City Center DC, Washington DC, USA

Derive from ground plan and grow in different directions, stairs can be seen as a time-lapse mitosis process, a collective form of self-replication. When treated as a basic architectural vocabulary, what stairs do is freezing beauty and order of vertical growth. But not every mitosis process of stairs has the chance to be viewed as an exhibit. Different from daily sculptural interior/exterior stairs which are closely related to architectural plot, fire escape stairs are usually absent from our vision with other equipment. The existence of these hidden parts makes architecture can be viewed as a stage play. One part is decorated meticulously to be seen while another part is sealed as a black box and hidden out of sight.

Always located in backstage of architectural space, fire escape stairs never really been organized into spatial plot because of its inherent low utilization property. Based on its nature, I try to use fire escape stairs as a tool to break the traditional dichotomy of the stage and backstage in architecture. Cutting through as the new relationship between architecture and fire escape stairs makes backstage space can be viewed as the skeleton of front stage in a kind of “perceptible hidden� state. Fire escape stairs regain its historic urbanity in city and take part in architectural plot in an implicative way.

If we treated architecture as an organic body, we already get used to design the torso with thin cladding like an endoskeleton mammal with smooth skin like us. But in this building, I try to find out the possibility of creating an exoskeleton body form. Shells, snails, and tortoises are the objects I learn from. With minimum essential cladding to protect fragile organs, the building is identified by its ecosystem with rough shape of bones rather than smooth surface of skin. Such a building has an innate sense of permanence, which is durable in the dimension of time. Even if time has wiped out its flesh, human can still read its identity and story from its skeleton, like read an ancient oracle bone.

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(1). Typical old apartment, New York, USA, 1900s

(2). Richards Medical Center, Philadelphia, USA, 1957

(3). Arts Tower, Sheffield, UK, 1 965

Vary with scale and times, the relationship between fire escape stairs and main body of architecture presents three basic states.

(1). Old fashioned steel stairs hang on exterior walls of typical NYC old apartments share the original relationship with architecture. Treated as an additional component, these fire escape stairs are isolated from the pre-organized space plot of the building. But they unexpectedly show vigorous vitality in urban space at that time. The behavior of residents sleep outside on the landings triggered the plot premise of Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 movie “Rear Window�.

(2). In Richard medical center designed by Louis Kahn, fire escape stairs started work as parts of building volume and being juxtaposed with main functional space within architecture. The traces of life are sealed into several boxes and disappear from urban space. Fire escape stairs of different elevations organized efficiently as a volume and became an independent formal vocabulary in the context of architecture. At the same time, they play calm roles in spatial plot and add unique identity to the architecture.

(3). With the rise of skyscrapers and the explosive growth of interior space, one architecture started being horizontally divided into hundreds of independent stories. The break of vertical continuity of spatial plot deprive the role fire escape stairs could have been played. In now days, they are integrated into the core tube structure, which makes them completely isolated from spatial plot and imperceptible without a fire. The order and beauty of the silent vertical growth no longer has an interface to be read.

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(1). Attached to：Urban interface

(2). Juxtaposition: Architectural identity

(4). Cut through

(3). Hidden: Circulation as structure

FIRE ESCAPE STAIRS & ARCHITECTURE

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INSERT INTO DC'S BAROQUE FRAME

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AXONOMETRIC DRAWING

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MONUMENTAL ATTITUDE

+2.800M PLAN 51

GRAY GARDEN CONTAINED 52

+8.200M PLAN 53

STUDIO WITHIN LIGHT WELL 54

EXHIBITION AREA II

+19.000M PLAN EXHIBITION AREA III 55

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+22.600M PLAN 57

COURTYARD IN SUNSET 58

HORIZONTAL SECTION I

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HORIZONTAL SECTION II

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VERTICAL SECTION I

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VERTICAL SECTION II

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STRUCTURE, LIGHT, CIRCULATION

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HOUSING UNIT TYPE A

ABOVE MIST OCEAN

HOUSING UNIT TYPE B

ABOVE MIST OCEAN 69

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ASSEMBLE CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM 71

MONUMENTAL ATTITUDE 72

MONUMENTAL ATTITUDE

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04 FAÇADE DETAILING: A MATERIAL UNDERSTANDING Facade detail design based on brick 2020.9-2020.12 GSAPP Tech Seminar Project Collaborator: Qifeng Gao Instructors: Kevin Schorn Site: Chengcun Village, Fujian, China

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1/4”=1’-0” SECTION

1/24”=1’-0” SECTION 77

1/4”=1’-0” A-A PLAN 78

05 TENSILE/COMPRESSION SURFACES IN ARCHITECTURE Pavilion design with two kind of forces 2020.1-2020.4 GSAPP Tech Seminar Project Collaborator: Qifeng Gao, Shengyang He Instructors: Robert Marino

TENSILE PAVILION

COMPRESSION PAVILION

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COMPRESSION PAVILION

COMPRESSION PAVILION

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* One questionnaire about architecture RCR’s test of an architecture exam plays an important role in the evolution process of my design argument thinking. Brief questions and fragmented answers construct a values-collage together which can be perceptual reading by others.

Based on old questionnaire, some ambiguous answers are clarified while some convincing answers are denied in the process of self-argument. New questions waiting their own clear answers also emerge. If you can agree with me the truth that same words usually evoke different echoes in different minds, I believe that a fragmented questionnaire can convey my real feeling about architecture and the world compared with a carefully written manifesto.

TEST FOR AN ARCHITECTURE EXAM: (some new emerging questions and old questions whose original answers have been denied)

Q10: What differ space and place?

A10: It clearly in last answer, it’s culture, history, society, memory, which can conclude to human.

Q1: To start with the most classic but also the most boring one: what is architecture?

A1: A void constructed in a specific time and a specific place.

Q11: Compare architecture’s body with organic body.

A11: We get used to design architecture’s body with thin cladding like an endoskeleton mammal with smooth skin like us. I ‘m looking for new reference like shells, snails, and tortoises, whose body is durable in the dimension of time naturally.

Q2: Where is the beginning A2: Usually catching the vibe within time and context.

Q3: How a vibe materializes into an architecture?

A3: Through mediating in residence.

Q4: Does architecture end up as architecture?

A4: No, architecture must end up as landscape.

Q5: What should architecture do?

A5: Architecture do totally different thing in city and countryside and nature at present.

Q12: What will be left after we take both temporal context and spatial context off from architecture?

A12: Solidified trace of human.

Q13: Give a definition of architect’s work.

A13: Trace identity out of unity.

Q14: Do you have an clear direction for your future work after school?

A14: Towards a priori.

Q15: Find a word to illustrate your work.

A15: Mo[nu]ment, monument of moment.

Q6: If in city?

A6: To work as a political tool for balancing capital and public spirit.

Q7: If in countryside?

A7: To work as a silent dialogue between individual and community.

Q8: If in nature?

A8: To work as an artificial niche to contain the spark of human culture.

Q9: Do we create, find or organize?

A9: We find space. We organize culture. We create place. Then we can be found and organized and created.

Shenghui Mao 10, May, 2020 Answered at the night before graduating from GSAPP

毛升辉 | SHENGHUI MAO M.S.AAD, Columbia University, USA | BArch, Tianjin University, China mrmshmiles@gmail.com | +1 332-201-8319