Y1S1 Architecture Portfolio

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Table of Content

This is the Cornell University B. Arch

program first semester portfolio of David Ni.

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Email: dn297@cornell.edu Phone: 917 826 9216

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Assignment 1A

Rock Documentation

The rock was discovered near a

cliff surface with a series of indents and fractured parts. Due to natural processes the rock fell from one of the walls and landed where I discovered it.

Clockwise: Falling rock montage; Rock close up.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Assignment 1B

Resisting Loss

Following the falling narrative of the

previous project, the rock stand is designed on the concept of defying gravity. As such, the stand allows for the rock to cantilever off of itself in any orientation; as if the rock is in free fall.

Clockwise: Drawings of rock; Stand with rock; Drawing of stand with rock.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Assignment 1C

Taking Measures

Developing from the principles of

gravity, the tool that I designed follows the concepts of a level.

Using the speed of the air bubble’s movement and pivoting from a given point on the rock, I mapped the perimeter of the rock’s surfaces of relative flatness. The resulting scaled drawing shows the rock being rotated on its primary vertices.

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Clockwise: Scaled drawing of rock; Close up of tool; Tool in action.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Assignment 2A

The Rock Not There

Inspired by the shape of the

measuring device and the rotation used in measuring the rock, this project is designed around the concept of radial symmetry.

The negative model with the imprint of the rock inside is composed of a series of rotated 2�x2�x2� sliced printer tubes in a 5x5x5 arrangement.

The positive uses metal sheets cut into the 10

shape of the rock if it were sliced into sheets radially. Metal piano wire holds the tension of the individual pieces.

Clockwise: Closeups of the negative and positive; Negative and positive; Negative; Positive;.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Assignment 2B

The Site and its Other

Continuing on the work of the

previous assignment, this project selects two of each piece’s quadrants and combines them. The negative (site) was selected due to the inclusion of a tunnel through the piece and positive (set piece) due to its contrast in length.

The first set piece is placed outside to mimic the cantilever of the first project. The second is positioned to break up the cave space of 12

the site.

The piano wire is replaced with a smaller tube that simultaneously holds the metal sheets in place and allows for ease of attachment to the larger tubes.

Elevation from sliced surface.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

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Clockwise: Elevation from sliced surface; Elevation; Closeup of set piece in site.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Assignment 3A

Scaling Rocks

Th e a x o n o m e t r i c d r a w i n g o f

the island and the islet feature a set of pathways. They are designed to go through the cave and out to the side facade of the rock or up to the top of the islet where the wanderer can view the peak of the island.

The model is of a portion of the cliff face of the island. The plaster strips serve to mimic the texture of the rock and are inspired by the porosity of the previous project.

16 Clockwise: Collaged axon drawing; 1/8� = 1’ Closeups of model.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Assignment 3B

Light / Smoke

Th e p r i m a r y c o n d i t i o n s o f t h i s

project revolve around the properties of the elements of smoke, light, and water -especially how it is affected by gravity.

The two inhabitants, the Tea Maker and a Relic Keeper, are the initiators of the elements’ movements.

Clockwise: 1/8” = 1’ Cut plan; 1/8” = 1’ Full island section.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

In Detail

The smoke is generated by the incense

burned by the Relic Keeper and guided by a series of slanted roofs meandering up to smoke the tea leaves hanging from the ceiling of the top tower.

The light shafts illuminate the bottom tower by allowing light to cut through the island. However, when the trees are in full bloom, the openings are blocked. Only when the Tea Maker prunes the tree leaves are the shafts functional.

The water is collected from the rain by the Tea 20

Maker to not only clean the leaves but also to provide water for the tea making process. When the water is released, it trickles down through the central pipe along slanted roofs, pooling at the bottom. This is the cleaning site for the Relic Keeper who has been working in smoke.

Additional rooms exist to isolate the smoke from clean air for leisure purposes.

Clockwise: 1/8” = 1’ Upper tower cut plan; 1/8” = 1’ Lower tower cut plan; 1/8” = 1’ Lower tower section; 1/8” = 1’ Upper tower section.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

It is important to the project that the

humans maintain the flow of elements, but they do not interrupt it. As such, the axonometric drawing of the tower focuses on the movement of the people with the goal of utilizing the already existing exterior structural forms (slanted roofs and flush surfaces) of the tower.

In addition, due to the location constraints, the openings of the light tubes must be located on the upper half of the island. The island’s back also faces south-west to maximize the sun exposure.

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Clockwise: 1/4” = 1’ Lower tower axon; 1/8” = 1’ Plan; 1/4 = 1’ Upper tower axon.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Th e p e r s p e c t i v e d r a w i n g a i m s t o

further the spatial understanding of the project.

The section drawings locate the area of the illustration.

The elevation clarifies the position of the shafts as they relate to each others’ positions in the island.

A rockite model of the lower tower defines a more accurate version of the spatial and material relationships.

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Clockwise: 1/8” = 1’ Cave side elevation; 1/4” = 1’ Rockite section model; Perspective with 1/4” = 1’ section.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

Model

The model demonstrates the flow as

well as spatial connections of the project. On the left, the white tube represents the light shafts; on the right, the black tube represents the central shaft for smoke and water.

Clockwise: 1�:8’ Full model; Detail of structures.

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297

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Studio 01 | McDowell | Ni David | DN297