Silent Propaganda——Dahan's Portfolio 2023

XIONG DAHAN

Academic ＆ Professional Works

2015-2022

M.Arch 2023, University of California, Berkeley

B.Arch 2020, Southwest Jiaotong University

The

In-betweenness of Identity

It takes 400 years for westerners to experience two different eras but only 40 years for a Chinese due to the reform and opening up of China. Such a magical reality makes it difficult for people to find their position. While Istanbul lies at the meeting point of the two worlds, geographically or in culture. They have worked for centuries to resolve the contradiction of the uncertainty of their national identity, where is neither one thing nor the other. Deep-rooted tensions exist between east and west influence, their strong tradition or cultural pattern, and modernism/secularism. At the same time, under the waves of expression in the blooming online society, people are self-lost and unconscious in-between of different world. The articulated words of mainstream media's propaganda and social medias' pan-entertainment make people more confusing. The identity of modern people is vague and complex in the sociolinguistic environment.

But in the city's "discourse", the universality, ambiguity, and metaphor of Architecture provide a way for people to reorient themselves in certain contexts. The tension of publicity and expression and its monumentality are unmatched by other media.

This silent propaganda allows me to provide a space, an open answer to respond to their city and culture, and to repositionthein-betweennessoftheiridentity;Also it cancarrypeople'sconsciousnessandcollectivememory, which enable me to deliver my understanding and attitude to strengthen my position and self-awareness.

Dam Good [The Three Gorges Immigrants]

The Silent Majority [People in Ethnic Minority Area]

Another Side [Community Funeral Home]

International BLVD. Compound [The Left Behind Public Space]

New Facialism [The Governors and the Residents]

Dangal Pavilion [Community Wrestling Field]

Jinding Tiandi - Gensler [Commercial TOD Landmark]

Weaving Courtyard - Gensler [Post-COVID Future Town Research]

Shilaoren Seaside Park - SWA [Qingdao Oceanfront Park]

Chengdu New Area Oice Campus - Gensler [Chengdu Oice Campus Conceptual Design]

Chinese Ancient Buddhist Temple Study

Paper Architects’ Personal Manifestos

CarpetcollageofGrandBazaar

CarpetcollageofHagiaSophia

The Three Gorges migration problem is not a simple reorganization of a million people. The huge social changes caused by it, the memory of the city and the accumulation of cultural activities can never be copied.

The new dams should be used to protect the cities from the "TG“ dam. Large-scale construction projects should be reconsidered, a new understanding of dam typology should be delivered. Away from the role of isolated hydrological infrastructure, "Dam Good" aim to be a model, integrated with society, changing public perception of the dam and reducing the Three Gorges many disadvantages. Cities will be preserved and hope that society will coexist with the dam.

The Three Gorges Dam Impact, the Lost Identity

In Zhongxian County, half of the city has been submerged owing to the rising of the water level. There are many cities like this up the Yangtze from the Three Gorges Dam.

Use one dam to correct the passive impact from the Three Gorges dam. Millions of immigrants did not have to migrate at the beginning for the “Dam Good” plan is to prevent the 14 cities from being submerged and the new dams are more integrated with their urban life and production.

Also it contains a metaphor as feedback to the "Three Gorges Dam": Ironically, the construction of the "Three Gorges Dam" was meant to radically change their living environment, but the dam's water-retaining function enabled another dam to prevent such changes so that their homes and homelands could be preserved while creating a commemorative space in an urban size for them.

Through the ideal of dam protection, life, and production function, I hope to deal with the social impact and people’s attitude of the "Three Gorges Dam" construction and hope that the survived society can coexist with the dams.

The dams would become a landmark and cultural symbol up the Yangtze River, recording this period of history.

Concept | Preventing the City From Being Submerged

Evolution Diagram | Space and Structure of the New Dam

The initial purpose to build a new dam on this site: Block the water, the basic function of this typology.

Another messege through this similar type is to respond to the three gorges dam

Upper--the new understanding of str-ucture and form of the dam.

Critical level --as a reminder of the current water level, also as a monumental space forthe whole city.

Lower--the original dam is the typical and structural part to resist the rising water level.

In the lower part: The original dam form, the structure is the main body, divided in the vertical direction, and the function is attached to the structure.

Programs on the virtical level of the dam connected with the water utilization.

River Layer City Barrier

To create space and support the upper level, the whole mass is devided into buttresses.

The spaces formed in the middle of the buttress become a place where multiple functions are inserted and attached, and different zones are defined.

Multiple functions are placed in the dam, and the dam space produces different programs and spatial forms, creating the diversity of the complete structural space at the bottom.

Horizontal and vertical directions generate the rich urban interface and visual experience.

In the upper part:

The structural functional relationship is reversed.

The internal function space is the main issue, and the structure is no longer the core. Create a linear and more integrated space.

To fragment the buttress structure and create a sense of order while maintaining a structural integrity.

The dam and structure are re-understood, and the integrity is continued while the richness of the whole is given.

The structural transfer layer makes the three different attribute spacesof the upper, middle and lower part of the dam exist.

Upper space - life function of internal space. Topspace - continuous urban function.

Different structural parts ensure the vertical traffic and the accessibility of different dam parts. Make the whole dam a city space with full participation of urban residents,ratherthanan independent and specific national tool.

The "TGD" is about to be built Warningofwaterlevel

ManufactureFactory Farmland/Preservation

Owing to the huge fruit and grain production in Zhongxian County. Citrus processing is a major economic industry in Zhongxian County. Juice companies such as Jungguole and Parsonbai have production lines here.

Zhongxian County is one of the most suitable areas for citrus cultivation in the world. Also, it has a reputation of an advanced county for grain production in China. Besides, to prevent the impact of ecological environment problems, provide constant water temperature for spawning of rare fish, and prevent the eggs from being washed away and died because of the water inflow from the Three Gorges Reservoir.

PowerStation

The city has a large population and developed industries, so there is a lot of electricity for domestic use and industrial use. The local use of the water head for power generation greatly reduces the loss of the power transmission process. At the same time, it solves the problem of lack of electricity and electricity in some parts of China.

ImmigrantsTake-in

There are a total of 130 million people along the Yangtze River. Apart from the larger cities or cities with important production functions, there are still many small-scale settlements. It still needs to provide shelter services for the scattered towns and solitary people and build communities to make such a space through the dam. The crowd is integrated into society.

EducationalFacility

Use the special space formed by the dam to provide education space for the city. Attached to the established dam, a new generation of educated people maintains a connection with this space, what has changed and what has been preserved, the dam is used to record and tell.

CommunityRecreation

For a dam with open urban space, it does not emphasize its control, its independence, its specialization.The image of the original isolated hydrological infrastructure is oriented towards a model that is integrated with society full of functions.

Unlike the Three Gorges Dam – a specialized, separate functional structure – it is close to urban life.

Outward View From the Dam

The "Dam Good" solution is like a meme passing all along the Yangtze from the Three Gorges Dam on, which matches with cities affected by different factors.

--YunyangCounty

Zhangfei temple has existed for more than 1700 years. A large number of precious inscriptions andpaintingsweresubmerged.

--WanzhouCounty

Wanzhou waterway has to be changed.

--FengjieCounty

--WushanCounty

The original diversity of species and a variety of rare animals inhabited here. Now, with the change of water environment,theYangtzeRiverissufferingfromnofish.

Once, there were abundant Baidi cultural relics of ancestors and various archaeological works were carriedouthere.

--Shennong

Before being submerged, Qu Yuan's former residence, Qu Yuan Temple, ancient plank road andotherscenicspotswereherefor1200years.

--ZiguiCounty

theFirstCityofThreeGorgesRelocation

It used to be the "hometown of orange in China" for the advantages of soil, producing bestorangesinChina.

Changshou

Fuling

Fengdu Zhongxian Wanzhou Yunyang

Fengjie

Wushan

Shennong

Zigui

Three Gorges Dam

Carnival and performance are the symbol, the value and the traditional lifestyle of Yi people. Theater is the carrier in modern times.

But theater has gradually become scenery and an image for modern people to excavate the profit in this consumption society. Modern modes collides tradition as well.

And Yi people are one group being observed for an ethnic reason while now being watched in all these booming shows and activities. Their life and value need to be repositioned and the relationship between the "Performer" and "Viewer" should be rethought.

UrbanismbyTourism

Xichang is an area that transitions from the developed areas of western China to the mountainous areas also a transitional zone from modern to traditional. At the same time, it becomes a region of ethnic integration. The excavation of local “carnival” culture and tourism development of ethnic minorities promote the development of the local economy and its urbanism yet at the cost of their original life and values.

Therefore, my solution is a "micro-city" responding to urban form and space, a complex that gives back the traditional activity space on the ground and hides the cultural consumption place above.Through the type of theater as the carrier, it can provide places for traditional ethnic minority life customs and commercial performances in the modern tourism industry. They could coexist in one city.

UrbanBlocks--OriginalCity

ChangeofSkyline--Urbanism CityPublicTheater--

Ground Public Theater

Section of City Blocks

Upper Indoor Auditorium

Section of Double Theaters

These two theaters represent the transformation and integration of urban culture from traditional to modern.

An upper indoor theater of cultural consumption, capital turns local activitiesintoaperformance;

A traditional activity theater in the lower part of the city provides a placeforspontaneousactivitiesofethnicminorities.

Chapel Underneath

Upper

Preparation for entering the monumental space

Urban farm day as the community gathering event

Community side courtyard Coffin corridor

04| International BLVD. Compound

[Community Vitality Pacemaker/Affordable Housing]

Advisor: René Davids

Oakland, California

Individual Academic Work Fall, 2020

Mainly concerned about the problems of urban public space, medical services, and the welfare of the homeless, the plan is to bring a courtyard to the site for the whole neighborhood, as a switch of different rhythms of life along the International BLVD. Several ways to access the building for different people, which also separates the circulation of the different groups of people. The walking experience is again cherished. Different levels of green spaces are provided from the ground floor to the roof. The courtyard brings people back to the community on the street. The building strategy put forward a corresponding urban strategy, which is to reorganize the walking space and activity space of the city, extend the greens to the road as well as the roof.

Diagram | Programming of Site and Context

Secondfloorcommunitysquaretoresidentialunits

From public space to private space, the second floor platform provides activities and green space for residents, and the entrance garden increases the privacy of each residential unit. The circulation of residents and other people are distinguished at this level.

Thirdfloorlivingunitsinbetweenpublicspace

The importance that managers attach to the façade of urban arterial roads, and the rectification of façades to form a continuous homogeneous interface is actually a barrier to block internal and external connections-in order to hide the old urban areas, but not solve the problems left by the planning and the vitality of the community keeps sapped, and the external image facade hides them all.

Aiming at such "hidden", the functional spatial design of the external facade of the city will bring extension space and functions to the original community; And through the research on the openness and boundary of the triangle space, the original site wasdivided according to traffic needs and functional zoning. The cuts produced more regional plots, and the edges and frontages of the blocks were added to introduce vitality. This kind of "face", for the simultaneous concealment and exposure, meets the needs of governors' visual pleasant and residents' life quality requirements.

05| New Facialism

Chengdu, China

Academic Teamwork With Xu Yuxing

My role: Conceptual Design, Analysis Drawing, Technical Drawing

Advisor: Lillian Li Fall, 2019

[Urban Image Project Redesign]

Urban Background | Development of Urban Interface

The image problems related to the fast-moving road in the urban ring road cannot match the social and economic development. The government pays attention to the image of the city and invests a lot of money in the project construction.

Chengdu

Social Background | Facialism in Chinese Key Cities

Urban image project has become a huge financial consumption "farce" to achieve the goal of leaders' inspection and governors' achievements, which has made China go through a great wave of construction in the past ten years

Constructions | The "FACE"

The prominent problem of these “face projects” is essentially the problem of power. Urban managers need rapid achievements, lack of perspective for regional needs and long-term attitude of responsibility for local areas, which leads to such flashy, extravagant and wasteful image projects.

Outlook of the Cities

1.Renovateandrepaintthefacadeoftheoldhouse

2.Urban"culture"landmarkbuilding

3.EstablishmentofTourismDevelopmentZone

4.Giantmonumentalproject

Consequences | The "LINING"

Governors attach great importance to the image of the city and build luxurious "wonders" of the city, often in order to hide the old urban areas and problem areas. Behind the huge cost, the remaining problems of planning and more community vitality declines are left behind to the original residents.

Behind these "Faces"

1.Unevendevelopmentofresidentialarea

2.Constructionimpactonlocalresidents

3.Lowpracticabilityofhugeinvestmentprojects

4.Internalcommunitycorruption

OrigianlUrbanForm CityExpansion UrbanLoopTraffic

Leaders'Inspection

UrbanMainRoadInterface

ViewofUrbanMainRoad

UNDER THE FACE

GovernmentAppropriation

UrbanMainRoadImageProjects

Interface Construction

Site Situation | Main Road Interface Construcion

Site Analysis | Hongwasi District

Spactial Strategy | Two "Faces" to Meet the Expectation

New Urban External Interface

Goal 1: To ensure the visual integrity of the main road interface; Goal 2: Provide functional space for the expansion of original buildings, including housing, office expansion and community public space.

Bridging in the Inner Block

1: To cut open the existing crowded residential area and create new street surfaces; Goal 2: Provide intact and continuous traffic space in the upper part and various activity spaces for residents in the lower part.

Preserved Removed Rebuilt

Thetwotypesoffacadesandcorridors,onewithacompleteexternalform,areexposedontheinterfaceofthecity'smainroads,while theinternalspaceisrichandhiddenbetweenthefaceandtheoriginalbuilding;adilapidatedoldcommunitythatclearsurbantraffic Make the block space more open. The interface of the entire upper space is exposed, concealing the various real life activities of the residentsinthelowerpart.

Thisrelationshipofconcealmentandexposure,insideandoutside,andupanddown,dissolvestheviewingsurfaceoriginallyusedby thecityto"hide",makingitfragmented,penetrative,highlyaccessible,andfeature-rich.Inthisway,thepurposeofunifiedupdatingof purefacadesiseliminatedand"hidden".

On the external corner, the facade is combined with the corridor in a form of extension and rotation, becoming the gateway for the public to enter the inner district while providing accessible public exhibitions.

The facades in the crossing area will enclose a space at the lower part for commercial activities, while the upper part will bridge the facades on both sides to provide rest and view for the public and residents.

A plaza will be formed at the inner corner of the district, as the gathering place of the public, while the combination of corridor and facade creates different-height space for the school students and the elderly to carry out activities.

Within the region, the corridor system will bring rich top-down relationships through penetration, branching, bridging and filling, and become a catalyst for the separation, proximity, and connection of residents and outsiders. Also they become the unified platforms for the government to supervise.

Work with Quan Li, Luoyu Zhang, Zeling Chen

Structure Instructor: Simon Schleicher

Varanasi, India

Spring, 2021

We developed the structure and space through the central field and the skylight, with the timber frame structure as the main body and the rammed earth and brick wall as the enclosure structure to separate the inner and outer space.

Thatch Roof

Roof Panel

Rammed Earth Wall

Wood Structure

DANGAL PAVILION [Community Wrestling Field]

Jinding

Tiandi [M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc.]

Professional Work: Commercial Landmark, TOD

Site: Pudong, Shanghai, China

My role: SD Phase - Designed the TOD central plaza; Collaborated with Design Principle on offi ce towers/podiums facade and commercial space; Iterated plans; Created SD phase presentation packages and urban planning consulting package; Communicated with contractors; Modeling with Rhino and Revit

Summer, 2021

Reflecting constant movement and aero flowing dynamics indoor/outdoor spaces layer the circular ‘vortex hoop’ producing ‘experiential people spaces’, providing the ability to interconnect across all four plots on all upper levels to create one clear retail circulation system and to engage with the public courtyard spaces below.

Plot 19 is the most important gateway plot of Jinding 9 plots. In order to shape the overall architectural image and comfortable and pleasant shopping environment, and improve the brand level of investment promotion, it is designed to add a roof cover above the inclined axis space to shelter from the wind and rain. The lower space remains open and accessible, breaking through the original planning plan. Here are two environment studies of it.

Unity Ring

Connector

Podium 1F

Podium 3F

Podium 5F

Podium 4F

Podium 6F

Podium 2F

The Central Plaza is the heart of the below ground retail, it acts as a hub of community activities, linking all 4 plots together with series of events and leisure activities depending on the season.

Jindinng Tiandi is a TOD for the 9 plot of Pudong New District with six towers and several functions and ancher servicce for the community. Also it has 9 plots basement connecting with each other and the subway.

Basement B1F

Basement B3F

Basement B2F

Basement B1/B2 Central Plaza

9 Blocks Basement Connection Planning

Central Plaza Concept

Basement B4F

Weaving Courtyard [M. Arthur Gensler Jr. &

Professional Work: Greentown Post-COVID Future Town Research

Site: Hangzhou, China

My role: Produced/Developed scheme, 3D models and presentation package, designed multimedia

Winter, 2021

Associates, Inc.]

Central Plaza Eco EduPark

Community Plaza

Retail Street

Shopping Mall

E-Bus Terminal

Highline Park

Creative Co-working Office

Working Office

Art Museum

Eco-Tech Park

Innovation Center

Mixed Use Complex

Multi-level Living Community

Tower Living Community

Talent Apartment

Ecological Park

Lifestyle & Wellness Park

Leisure Canal Park

Opera House

Community Walking Axis

Community E-bus Routes

North-south for sunshine

Privacy and diversity

Density adjusted for needs Shared area and housing rate

Introduces commercial facilities Multifunctional space

More terrace Adds shared space

North-south for sunshine

Privacy and diversity

Different combinations Adjustable for needs

Introduces commercial facilities Multifunctional space

More terrace Adds shared space

Type 1 High Density Residential

Type 2 Stack Residential

Type 3 Community Center

Type 4 Community Retail

Shilaoren Seaside Park

[SWA Group]

Professional Work: Qingdao Oceanfront Park Concept Proposal

Site: Qingdao, Shandong, China

My role: Iterated oceanfront building/landscape schemes; Created presentation package; Developed 3D modeling and multi-media

Spring, 2022

Landscape Structure

Development Intensity

Open Space System

10| Chengdu New Area Office Campus

[M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc.]

Professional Work: Chengdu Jiangxi South Area Conceptual Design

Site: Chengdu, China

My role: Developed facade design;Created presentation package

Fall, 2021

Boutique Office

Apartment

Sketches/Collages

Collage of the in-betweenness of the two spaces

Collecting Hagia Sophia-as the coordinate Carpet collage of Grand Bazaar

Carpet collage of Hagia Sophia

Ancient Temple Mapping

Advisor: Zhang Yu

Site: Qionglai, Sichuan, China

[Research on Temple Structure in Ming Dynasty]

Collaborators: Hu Lin, Liu Zijing, Fu Jingdian, Xiong Ziwei, Liu Yu, Li Kuan, Zhang Bowen

My role: Measurement, Technical Drawing, Modeling

Summer, 2018

Pantuo temple was built in 820 A.D., with a history of 1200 years. From Tang Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, it is a famous Buddhist resort. After liberation, monasteries have been destroyed and monks have disappeared. At present, the three holy halls of pantuo temple are in the form of single eaves and Xieshan, with four columns and three bays in width and depth, so the examples of wooden structures before the end of Ming Dynasty are very rare now. At the same time, taking pantuo temple as an example, it expounds the functions of transparency, mandala and multiple screen in the layout of architectural groups and the design of individual buildings.

Mapping and Reaserch | TechnicalDrawings and Structure Analysis

Temple Sections

Mapping and Reaserch | Bas-reliefs on Precipices

Mapping and Reaserch | Current Situation and Restoration Imagination

Mapping and Reaserch | Typology Study

Back | The "Linguistic Expression" and "Publicity" of Postcard

Postcards represent a kind of communication, a kind of interaction between people through this kind of media. The intermediate documents of this kind of communication are usually words and images.

First of all, its front side should be very good-looking or attractive. Only in this way can it survive and spread in the consumerism oriented society, whether it is used as a greeting card or a souvenir. Secondly, in addition to the basic functions of the card on the back, there should be a response to the front. Through this combination, the two sides of the postcard will have different information functions. On the front, it marks the architect's gesture, design object, and personal thinking output. On the back, the sender w-rites down information that may not be relevant to the front, but I leave a space for comments to the front side so that they can participate in the thinking of the building and spread it out. Let it become a kind of industrial era's Post and Reply on the “Internet" mode on paper. This will certainly lead to a variety of different voices, forming a kind of discussion and attention. In this way, the attention and response of architects to urban problems will have solid significance.

In my opinion, postcards are also a response to the current high-speed, fast-food language environment. This is an opportunity to create another kind of information. The understanding or not of the cultural identity of architectural form and space is the response of residents to a specific context. The person who wrote the card left some strokes or a simple impression of the building, which was sent along with the architect's message. The person who receives the postcard receives the blessing and the objective (font) and subjective (back) information about the building, and he responds, and a unit of binary discussion is born. And then the process is produced and replicated in large numbers. This communicationprocessis open and concrete, and the voice is not single. In this way, the purpose of the architect's voice and architectural publicity is achieved.

Strategy | Why and How to Deliver Architects'Idea

information 1.0 information 0.5 information 1.5 information 2.5 arch's information information

issuing space space

information 1.0 postcard sending

public public publicpublic

Issuer, architecture company or agency of the postcard (may add more information like website, etc.).

Propaganda.

Material choosing.

Site image indication.

Fragmented key words description of the building.

Building detail. Function distribution conceptual explosion diagram. Architectural design and construction schedule.

Building location, service area. Expectation perspective of the building.

Architect's basic information.

Building structure reference.

Simplified plan.

Space for the people who will send this postcard to leave a comment or anything respond to the front side.

Greetings or anything the sender want to say, express, share to the people he is sending to.

The sender's message and the sender's address information.

Hint pictures of the building on the front.

The place to put stamps.