Landscape Architecture
PORTFOLIO Selected Work 2018 - 2021
Chenjie Zhang Rhode Island School of Design, MLA
Lower Antelope Canyon, AZ, USA, Photoed in Dec, 2021 by Chenjie Zhang
CONTENTS
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RESUME
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URBAN ARCHIPELAGO Urban System | Core Studio
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SEEKER OF THE SEA Design Principles | Core Studio
020 - 031
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THE DESCENT Constructed Landscape | Core Studio
032 - 047
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THE GREAT MIGRATION OF AMPHIBIANS U.S - Canada Border | Advanced Studio
048 - 075
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THE SCOPE Material Assemblies | Major Elective
076 - 087
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WELCOME CENTER AND CHILDREN CENTER Internship at TAASI EAST
088 - 095
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NORTH CORNER OF XI'AN CITY WALL Internship at Odin Engineer Design Co., Shanghai
096 - 105
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LENS Photography Practices
106 - 117
CHENJIE ZHANG
Shanghai, China | 30, Oct, 1996 czhang05@risd.edu 401-215-0149 instagram:Alfred_zcj
EDUCATION
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, United States Master of Landscape Architecture '22
08.2019 - 06.2022
Shanghai Business School, Shanghai, China Bachlor of Landscape Architecture '19
09.2015 - 06.2019
EXPERIENCE
Odin Engineer Design Co., Shanghai, China Landscape Architect Internship
06.2018 - 08.2018
- Participate in the design of Xi'an Yintai Commercial Plaza - Participate in the design of Xujiahui Subway Exit in Shanghai - Participate in the design of linear park of the Xi'an City Wall - Research, Digital Model Making and Rendering
TAASI EAST, Providence, RI, United States Landscape Architect Internship
06.2020 - 09.2020
- Participate in the research phase of the project in Sri Lanka - Cooperate with the architecture group - Design the children center and community center
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, United States Teaching Assistant / Graduate Assistant
09.2021 - 05.2022
- Constructed Landscape Studio (2021 Fall) - Urban System Studio (2022 Spring) - Principles of Professional Practice Course (2022 Spring) - Monitor of Model Shop (2021 Fall and 2022 Spring) SKILLS
Adobe Creative Suite Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, Aftereffect Professional Skills Rhino, Autocad, Sketchup, Lumion, Arcgis Pro, Windows and Mac OS Office Others Chinese Painting, Photography (Digital and Film), Proficient in Mandarin and English 3
Community Center and Production System
Critical Nodes
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Drawing - "How System Works Together"
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Urban Archipelago
Systematic Research and Design at Urban Scale Project Type: Individual Academic Project Studio: 2021 Spring | Urban System Instructor: Elizabeth Dean Herman Site: the Northend, Newport, Rhode Island, USA
My project is called the urban archipelago, which represent my understanding of Newport and my ambition of turning the Northend of Newport into a more resilient, vitalized place and benefits people who have been living there and who may move to there. It is from the core studio - Urban System in 2021 spring semester. I had a very inspiring and meaningful experience with Doctor Elizabeth Dean Hermann and my final grade is A and become the teaching assistant of this course next year. My instinct of Newport or starting point of understanding how the urban system works in Newport is through water. And in this part, I investigate the settlement history of Newport and how the character of water changes over these periods. After understanding the settlement history of Newport, I would investigate the future of Newport. Newport as a part of Aquidneck Island is challenged a lot by storm surge problem and sea-level rise. Think about when storm coming, all the bridges would be shut down and Newport literally become an isolated island which cannot be supported from other cities in Rhode Island. Then I investigated our site - the Northend. Unlike the downtown and southern Newport which are filled with wealthy and middle-class people. People in Northend are need help. The gentrification, the complicated topography and abandoned development project by government make these communities very vulnerable. Using water as the key to enhance identity of communities, new transportation and propose different infrastructures taking use of the abundant run-offs and provide resources.
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PRE-HUMAN STUDY
SOIL TYPE SUCCOTASH (ShA) very deep, moderately well drained soils are on barrier islands along the coastal zone ENFIELD (Efb) very deep, well drained loamy soils formed in a silty mantle overlying glacial outwash WALPOLE (Wa) very deep, poorly drained sandy soils formed in outwash and stratified drift
NEWPORT(Ne)
well drained loamy soils formed in lodgement till derived mainly from dark sandstone MERRIMAC (MmA) very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in outwash CANTON (Cec) very deep, well drained soils formed in a loamy mantle underlain by sandy till STISSING (Se) poorly drained soils formed in dense till derived from dark phyllite, slate, shale, and schist PITTSTOWN (PmA) moderately well drained soils formed in lodgement till from slate, phyllite, shale, and schist POQUONOCK (Ps) very deep, well drained, soils formed in sandy glaciofluvial materiall over tills 7
Seasonality
AQUIDNECK ISLAND - The largest archipelago in Rhode Island
Job Oportunity / Vacant Housing / Activities /
CURRENT URBAN PATTERN
Isolation Urban Realm / Facillities / Civic Place /
Inequity Gentrification / Housing / Resources / 8
Main Road Road Effected by SLR in 2100 Railway Ferry Route Developable Area American Indian Settlement Aged Society Seasonal Vaccant Units Commercial Area Educational Area Severe Constraint Land Moderate Constraint Land Slope over 15% Conserved Land Important Water Resources Town Hall
Tourist Attractions
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NEWPORT - The segregated archipelago on aquidneck island Settlement History
Flooding Issue of an Archipelago
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NORTHEND
The emerged archipelago in Newport
Age over 65 High Medium
Population
Promote Social-Ecological Space
High Medium
+ Forest + Westland
STRATEGIES
Create Resilent Ecological System
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Storm and Flood Surging Management
Storm Surge
100 Year Chance Storm
= NEW CANAL SYSTEM Hard-edged Shoreline Floodable Highland Wetland Various Human Experiences Neighborhood Water Collecting Resorvoir
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SLR Flood
Slr by 2100
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URBAN ARCHIPELAGO
Planning
/ Framework / Masterplan
Manifesto
Parti
This project is called the urban archipelago, which represents my understanding of Newport and my ideal concept model of how to turn the Northend of Newport into a more resilient, vitalized place and benefits people the residents with a sense of community, more job opportunities and more convenient accesses to work places.
Nuanced Systems 1. Hydrology System
By creating the new canal system, I want to achieve several goals. The first is to collect the run-offs from the middle hill and roads and communities waste. The second is to prevent the most vulnerable places from potential flooding disaster. Thirdly, canal system providing people a new public transportation option.
Diagram
2. Interface System
Spatially, the Northend can be divided into three parts. The "S" shape hedge including the riverfront commercial, job incubator and new harbor mainly serves the "outsider". There are also community centers including library, job training and town halls that serves the community itself. What's more, the mixed interface provides opportunity of communication for outsiders and residents.
3. Circulation System
Reconnect the Northend to urban main road and make the circulation system more clearly classified. The new proposed boulevard which now is a grey space with fences not only enable people access to the new proposed harbor but also reconnect two communities.
Hydrology System Circulation System
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Proposed New Harbour
Northend Garage
Proposed Boulevard
Semi-Community Center
Riverbank Commercial Complex Productive Farmland Community Center Square The Northend Market Incubator
Wetland
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The slope blocks the existing community and the only grocery stores - Walmart which makes the community segregated and very unwelcoming.
SLOPE AND EDGE CONDITION
By taking use the elevation, I proposed a slope-based housing typology and a set of street shops to vibrant the community, provide job opportunities.
What's more, the solar power and raindrop collecting system not only recycle the energy but also help create the semi-public garden between buildings.
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Inaccessible Slope
y S p ace Gre
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om un
ity
St r ee
s an d Ne w C
m
S
p ho
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PROPOSED COMMUNITY VIEW The existing community in the Northend is segregated from the other parts on the island and there are lots of issues including crimes, community identity, public space, etc. By proposing a new housing typology that engage the in-between space into a water-collecting system and thus make the grey space vibrant and welcoming.
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Concept Model
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Seeker of the Sea
Systematic Design Principle and Methods Study Project Type: Individual Academic Project Studio: 2019 Fall | Design Principle Instructor: Tiago Torres Campos Site: RISD Beach, Barrington, RI
As the first studio of MLA program. Design Principle is an analog studio which means I must build the ability to understand and design landscape with my eyes, feet and hands. The first stage is about understanding what a system is and how a system works by doing paper model. Then I moved into the world of landscape and tried to dig out the invisible system of the landscape. I did a lot of traditional practices in the field of landscape architecture and including mapping, deep mapping, sections and modelling. I finally developed different methods to proceed my own project. My project is about the people's willing to see the see. In the way to the beach, people can experience several moments where the view of sea is constantly revealed and concealed. By placing multi-functioned walls into the ground, important plants are protected, and people have access to some secret part of forest.
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PAPER JOINTS
SYSTEM EXPLORATION
The course starts from the exploration and study of the concept of "System" and how to create a system instead of a "Sculpture".
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SOIL PROFILE Geology Knowledge and Principles Study of the soil.
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DEEP MAPPING Use deep mapping as a tool to dig deeper into the site instead of getting away from it.
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SYNTHESIZE
CONCEPT BUILDING
SEA VIEW
SUDDEN SURPRISE
CONCEAL / REVEAL
LANDFORM 26
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DEVELOPMENT
Use abstract model that derived from the experience of the landscape and sketches to develop my project.
Collaged Section Inspired by the book "the Collaged City", where the weird space happens, where the design opportunity goes.
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Storyboard
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HAND RENDERING
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The Descent
Urban Scale Planning and Design with Analog Design Model Project Type: Individual Academic Project Studio: 2020 Fall | Constructed Landscape Instructor: Jacob Mitchell & Mike Blier Site: Downcity, Providence, RI, USA
My project is called the Descent, which not only means a downward inclination or slope but also means the derivation from the ancestor which, in this project, is the creativeness and art of Providence. It is the first Urban scale core studio at RISD. I am in the session of Jacob Mitchell. In this project, a large extent of mapping and hand-made model as the key method to design instead of a representation. My final grade is A- and become the teaching assistant of this course next year. The first phase of this project is about understanding the urban system and do some urban design and planning for Providence. Then the selected site for design is the entrance of downtown and proposed art hub. My proposals are to first propose missing functions for the community. Though a lot of commercial-used buildings exist, they are basically the dinning and clothes retailing. So, I am proposing the grocery shops, and fitness center for the community, which is near the residential district. Second, is to increase the accessibility of the site, make the site useable and accessible through landscape and architecture. Finally, the Museum, successfully bring the creative art history to the residents, and hold various activities in an artistic atmosphere. In the meantime, I need to deal with vast elevation change and design ADA path through the road to the heart of art hub.
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URBAN STUDY AND PLANNING Providence
PHASE 1 - PLANNING OF PROVIDENCE
Context Mapping
Downcity, Providence Circulation Urban Connector
Public Realms Public Space
City Main Road
Parking
Pedestrian-Friendly
Designing Site
Designing Site
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Programming
FRAMEWORK AND PROPOSAL Planning *This phase is Group Work, Credit: Chenjie Zhang, Mohan Wang, Xiuyan Qin Framework - Providence Hinge
Diagrams and Principles
Street as a corridor connects various nodes which supports programs aggregation and different urban activities happening around.
Revitalize the city core and turn it into a critical hinge to its surrounding neighborhoods. Strengthen the distinct identity of Downcity by creating different hubs. Establish a series of commercial, financial and public service nodes
Proposals Proposed Hubs Art Hub
Central Square
Selected Building Typologies The Arcade
Garage 01
Garage 02
Dinning 01
Dinning 02
Dinning 03
Dinning 04
Riverbank Square
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DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT SIte Scale
Street as a corridor connects various nodes which supports programs aggregation and different urban activities happening around.
PHASE 2 - SITE SCALE DESIGN
Grond Floor Use
Zoning
Urban Force
Site Residential Commercial Sevicing Institutional
Topography and Accessibility The site has the most dramatic elevation change in the downtown area. While a bunch of barriers exist on the site, it also offer opportunity to landscape architects. Section A-A'
C' B'
A
A' Section B-B'
C B
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Concept 01
As the entrance of the downtown of Providence, the site now is a vacant parking garage that holds the gap created by the dramatic change of topography.
EXISTING CONSTRUCTION
Parking Garage
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Descent
BUILD-UP MUSEUM
Using a proposed architecture to fill the unaccessible gap and create terraces and ADA path that enable people coming to the proposed arthub.
Proposed Art Hub 03
Vibrate the Community
GATEWAY TO ARTHUB
According to the former analysis, propse the missed programming and turn the museum into a multifunctioned architecture that not only attracts the visitors but also serve the residents.
Proposed Art Hub
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A' A
MAKE "ABANDONED" SITE ALIVE
Exiting Site Imagery
Existing Neighborhood Spatial Relationship Section A - A'
Art Hub Garage and Gallery
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Hotel
Neighborhood Scale Plan
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B'
C
C'
Neighborhood Spatial Relationship Section B - B'
Section C - C'
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DETAILED PLAN - The gateway to the Art Hub and downcity
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1. Entry Plaza 2. Reading Salon 3. Rooftop Restaurant 4. Dinning Area 5. Rooftop Exhibition 6. Outdoor Cafe 7. Memorial Plaza 8. Fitness Center 9. Terrace Park 10. Water-Featured Plaza
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GUIDE PEOPLE TO ART HUB
Rooftop Exhibition
The rooftop outdoor space encourages peop gather and hold outdoor exbition both for the museum and as a foci-point.
Parkin
g
ore Book St
Dinnin Store
g
+ Cafe Art Ex hibiti on
Fitnes
s Cen l Care +
Medica
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ple to e
Proposed Art Hub Change the in-between space into an outdoor art hub including exhibition, gathering and celebrating activities.
nter
+ Clin ic
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ANALOG DESIGN MODEL
DETAILED PLAN - The largest archipelago in Rhode Island
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Overlapping Group Models
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The Migration Corridor of Amphibians
Rethink the U.S. - CANADA Border and Invisible Flows Project Type: Group Academic Project with Xinlei Gu Studio: 2021 Fall | Advanced Studio Instructor: Mengqi Sonny Xu Site: Sault Ste. Marie, ON (MI), Canada (United States)
This is a group project in 2021 Fall semester. Lei and I investigated the ecology flow happening on the US-CANADA border and we are interested with the great migration of the amphibians and especially the frogs and our final grade is A. The bioregion shifts because of the climate change and species have a trend of migrating towards north. We use frogs as a zoom-in lens but not limited to their benefits. However, frogs as our main clients, are researched and examined through their habits, habitats and demands for successful migration. There are two main directions, the community side (take in charge by Lei) - all about subtle design and the central island, which our ambition is to make people aware of this migration. Border is a highly political product, it is drawn by humans, followed by humans and thus becomes a human-only barrier (both physically and socially). Frog, however, as one of the oldest creatures on this planet, existing long before humans appear, have no idea what a “border” is. As we are experiencing global warming and frog migration is becoming inevitable, this is a chance for us to think about ensuring the success of such migration, and at the same time, taking advantage of it to blur the existence of border and eventually forge a stronger linkage to connect both sides.
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GREAT MIGRATION OF ANIMALS DELIMMA OF AMPHIBIANS
BAKCGROUND OF THE PROJECT
Amphibians are highly sensitive to the climate change because of their water-permeable skin and ectothermic lifespan.
PREDICTED BIOREGION
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GREAT MIGRATION OF ANIMALS This collaged timeline synthesizes different angles we take in this project. Usually, it takes half year for frogs to grow from an egg to a mature frog, and the life span of a frog is usually 5-10 years. Comparing to the larger time scale of climate change, which may be counted by 50 or 100 years, it might take several generations for frogs to migrate from an existing habitat to a more ideal one. There are several barriers they may encounter during their migration northwards including the urbanization, the farmer's and the natural barrier.
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#1 Sault Sainte Marie, MI, USA Sault Ste Marie, ON, CA
#2 Superior National Park, MN, USA Quetico Provincial Park, ON, CA
FINDING ANOMOLIES #3 Alburgh, VT, USA Noyan, QC, CA
#2 #1 #3
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#1 BARRIER | URABN DEVELOPED AREA
#2 DESTINATIONS
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#3 BARRIER | FARMLAND
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SYNTHESIZED MIGRATING CHART Credit: Conservation Planning for Amphibian species with complex habitat
HABITATS WHEN FROGS MIGRATE
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URBAN BARRIER TO FROGS
MAPPING FLOW
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FRAMEWORK Apart from connecting the breeding pool and postbreeding habitat, we proposed several programs in the city and try to integrate them into the network, we have programs in the community on both sides to allow the migration go more smoothly, and a central land art at the border to celebrate this great migration, we want to let flow become visible at the border
Central Pop-up Soo Lock Gates Migration Bridge Landart
Community Scale
Taken in charged by teamate Education Backyard Garden Finger Valley
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Community-based design for education, observation and preservation
COMMUNITY DESIGN ON BOTH SIDES OF SAULT STE MARIE
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NEW MIGRATION BRIDGE FOR AMPHIBIANS AND PEOPLE
GESTURAL DESIGN TO VISUALIZE THE FLOW
VIEW
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FROGS / MIGRATE
PEOPLE / OBSERVE
ECOLOGY
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REIMAGINE OF THE SOO LOCK GATES
ENGINEERING PROPOSAL
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LAND ART THAT HELP FROGS MIGRATION
MODEL OF CENTRAL LAND ART
SENDIMENT CATCHMENT
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FROG-EYE VIEW The central land art is manipulated by rocks in different sizes and shapes to block out their predators - salmon when they fall into the water.
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CENTRAL LAND ART In the center of the Saint Mary's River, there are no protecting rocks for migrating frogs and their predators salmons would populate and attract people to fish and birds to prey. I want to use various activities by humans and animals to visualize the invisible migration flow.
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Design Development (DD) Model 76
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The Scope
Through A Concept till Construction Documents Project Type: Individual Academic Project Studio: 2021 Fall | Major Elective Instructor: Theodore Hoerr Site: the Market Square, Providence, Rhode
The major elective is a course that encourage you to design an artwork with the function of seating at the historic Market Square through a concept till the construction documents. Besides a lot of design practices, I need to think about how to build it. My project is called the SCOPE. The concept is quite simple - about frame people's view and guide people through the site which has a long colonial history to the skyline of Providence. In the scope, light would cast amazing shadows on the ground and create an artistic walking experience for people. The waffle structure is what I am interested with to lightweight the whole artwork but with great strength and ability to pass the light.
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SHEET L101
PLAN OF THE SCOPE
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SHEET L102
JOINTS TO BASE
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SHEET L103
JOINTS TO GROUND
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SHEET L104
ASSEMBLE METHOD
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WAFFLE STRUCTURE MODEL
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The Contry of Water - Sri Lanka
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Welcoming Center and Children Center
Research and Architectural Concept Design Project Type: Academic & Professional Practice Studio: 2020 Summer | Internship Instructor: Elizebath Dean Hermann Site: Parai Nilam, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka
The internship in 2020 Summer is with professor Elizabeth Dean Hermann. We focus on a non-profitable project in Parai Nilam including planning, housing and landscape design. At the first stage, I was interested in the hydrology system in Sri Lanka. the tank cascading system, which was developed by the ancient people in Sri Lanka to manage the limited storm water and use them for farming or daily use. Then I was assigned an architectural project - the welcoming center and children center because of my interest and worked with a local person - Sathya who later became an alumnus of RISD too. She talked about how the lotus and lily shape mean to them and I thus use this as a concept to design a series of architecture that break the boundary of interior and landscape. These separate but connected architecture lie on the heart of Parai Nilam and as a landscape architect, I want to blend it into the beautiful landscape out there and create a sacred atmosphere.
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Intership at Odin Engineer Design Co. in 2018 96
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North Corner of Xi'an City Wall
Civic urban space design in a historical site Project Type: Professional Practice Studio: 2018 Summer | Internship Supervisor: Zhengzhou Su Site: Xi'an, Jiangxi Province, China
My first internship goes back to 2018 Summer when I was in the third year of my undergraduate education. It is a medium size firm that not only deals with landscape design but also focuses on construction, engineering and architectures. The internship was quite intense because of the very fast working pace and huge number of projects undergoing. I participated in several different projects, some were just started, and some were about to finish. This project, the north corner of Xi'an City Wall was the first project that was on my responsibility which was super meaningful to me in the professional field. My concept is using the form of ancient Chinese currency to create a vibrant public space and to make a contrast with the very rigid form of city wall. In this process, I practiced a lot in digital modelling and rendering and started to practice fast and efficient ways of communication to clients. Although these drawings are less satisfying for me right now, I still consider it as a must-have skill for a designer and meaningful in a fast-working flow.
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NORTH CORNER OF XI'AN CITY WALL AND CIVIC PLAZA
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The Chinese coins, first invented in Qin Dynasty (about 200 B.C.), was the only currency for almost 2000 years. The shape of the coins indicates the Chinese philosophy that the sky and God can be summarazed as a circle while the ground and reality can be summarized as a square. What’s more, this philosophy also means a good person should be kind outside and strong-minded inside. Chinese coins thus become a very important part in its culture and have a great place in people's mind like the city wall. Besides, this shape can make the site more vibrant because the landscape designing style in Xi'an is rigid copying the pattern of the emperor city inside the city wall.
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LUMION RENDERING
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SUNKEN PLAZA AND SQUARE DANCE Square dance is one of the most popular activities among middle-aged people in China. The sunken plaza provide them with the place to dance, to meet each other and to rest.
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CITY WALK Square dance is one of the most popular activities among middle-aged people in China. The sunken plaza provide them with the place to dance, to meet each other and to rest. 104
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Road trip in Utah, USA in 2021 Winter
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LENS
Photography Practice Project Type: Individual Work Studio: Intro to Darkroom and Intro to Digital Photography | Electives
Photography became a very important part of my life, not only because it can document my brilliant extracurricular life but also it provides me new lens in the professional work. Photography, as landscape architecture, create artworks that intendedly affect people's feeling when they see it. For me, it helps me rethink the phenomena in landscape design and our landscape architects’ relationships between the nature world. My work covers both the film photography including developing and printing and covers digital photography using DSLR camera.
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DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
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MY MAJESTY, LANDSCAPE Selected Photography during the Road trip in Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
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RECREATE
FILM PHOTOGRAPHY
Final Project of Intro to Darkroom. All printed on 5" * 8" RC papers.
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“DON’T be sleeping on your level because it's beauty in the struggle” - Jermaine Cole
THANK YOU 118
Lower Antelope Canyon, AZ, USA, Photoed in Dec, 2021 by Chenjie Zhang
