PORTFOLIO DONGWEI CHEN
I am a 3rd year architecture student at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. I am also pursuing an Urban Studies Minor beside the M.Arch Undergraduate degree. Originally from Fuzhou, China, I lived in Holland, MI for two years before arriving at New Orleans. I enjoy cooking, traveling, sketching on the train and embracing new challenges.
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Dongwei (Shirley) Chen
CONTENT DRYADES APARTMENT New Orleans, LA
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MARDI GRAS INDIANS INSTITUTE New Orleans, LA
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MUSEUM OF THE CITY New Orleans, LA
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VISITOR CENTER OF BRION CEMETERY San Vito, Italy
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A-WEEKEND PROJECT TELESCOPING New Orleans, LA
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COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN POST-IT LAMP AIRLINE SENTIMENTS
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38 SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES STUDY New Orleans, LA
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DRYADES APARTMENT The proposed project is a mixed-use multifamily housing complex on O.C. Hayley Boulevard in central city, New Orleans.Taking cues from the urban fabric around the historic site of Dryades Market in the 1900s, the project aims to provide affordable housing to young professionals working in the neighborhood. A central shared space is situated on the 2nd and 3rd floor to provide the residents with gathering space and view to downtown New Orleans. Illuminated at night, it will also create a sense of home and safety for the pedestrians. Inspired by the dynamic relationship between pedestrians and the residential streetscape in the neighborhood, gathering space of varying sizes are designed along circulation path in the apartment. 3rd Year Design Studio Advisor: Bruce Goodwin
left | 1895 vs. 2005 figure-ground map right | sectional perspective
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UNIT AXON
top | exploded axon showing program distribution EXPLODED left | street viewAXON from O.C. Haley and Terpsichore St.
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left | axon of typical unit layout bottom| interior view in a typical unit top right| view from mezzanine into 2nd floor lobby bottom right| interior view in the co-working space
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left top | O.C. Haley elevation left bottom| terpsichore st. elevation bachground | night view from terpsichore
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MARDI GRAS INDIANS INSTITUTE Inspired by a set of formal analysis of the arm piece of a Mardi Gras Indian suit, this proposal for Mardi Gras Indians Institute is intended to provide a place in the city for the special community as well as the general public who are interested in MGI culture. The institute is located at the intersection of Esplanade Ave. and N.Claiborne Ave. Separate entrance are created for visitors and Mardi Gras Indians to accomodate the privacy of the MGI community. The private circulation is a folded path that connect important spatial nodes in the Indians’ daily routine. Visitors have visual connection with the Mardi Gras Indians as they move around the building, but can only have physical contact with them at very specific location such as the performance space. 2nd Year Spring Design Studio Advisor: Marcella Del Signore
background | street view from the intersection of Esplanade Ave. and N.Claiborne Ave left | diagrammatic analysis of sectional relationship between building and the streetscape
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top | exploded axon studying the relationship between human body and the Mardi Gras Indian suit (arm piece) left top | abstract diagram studying the MGI parade route and proportion of the suit left bottom | unfloded detail of the arm piece
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sectional perspective
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ground floor plan
3rd floor plan
2nd floor plan
4th floor plan
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CHANNEL GLASS channel glass
facade
FACADE
MULLIONS mullions
columns COLUMN
STRUCTURE structure
BEAM beams
housing HOUSING UNITS
private volumn VOLUMN
PRIVATE SPACE (MARDI GRAS INDIANS)
public
PUBLIC SPACE (VISITORS)
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top | program distribution diagrams top left | diagrammatic analysis of circulation left | exploded axon of
esplanade elevation
claiborne elevation
section
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MUSEUM OF THE CITY The proposal for Museum of the City of New Orleans is inspired by a series of diagrams studying the topography, natural landform and urban fabric of New Orleans at three different scales. By generating synthesis between the natural and manmade conditions, I start to recognize the unique pattern of growth overtime in New Orleans. The diagonal form is inspired by the angle between Bayou Road, where the site is located at, and the vieux carre grid exteded from French Quater. Informed by the physical and cultural context of the site, the proposal allows visitors to experience and understand the city through a series of dynamic spatial moments. The circulation connect three major programs, including a library in the front, exhibition space in the middle, and meeting space at the back. 2nd Year Fall Design Studio Advisor: Cordula Roser-Gray
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top row|urban fabric diagrams second row|topography diagrams third row|sythesis diagrams
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diagrammatic model of Bayou Road neighborhood
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THIRD FLOOR PLAN
1/8”=1’0”
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
1/8”=1’0”
B
C
A
A’
B’
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
1/8”=1’0”
LONGITUDINAL SECTION A-A’
1/8”=1’0”
CROSS SECTION SECTION B-B’
1/8”=1’0”
C’
CROSS SECTION SECTION C-C’
1/8”=1’0”
top | hand-drawn neighborhood diagrams top right | plan and sections of the museum
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ramp
gallery entrance
lobby
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1st floor gallery
theatre
2nd floor gallery
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staircase 2&3
3rd flooor gallery
BRION CEMETERY VISITOR CENTER The visitor center proposal for Brion Cemetery is inspired by a series of diagrammatic exploration of House VI by Peter Eisenman. By integrating Eisenman’s clear geometry with Scarpa’s dynamic landscape, the proposal creates a dialogue with the existing cemetery by positioning itself at the most celebrated corner. The path to the visitor center draws attention to Scarpa’s perception of “sinking underground” as visitors move along the threshold. The different elevations of the entrance hall and roof terrace allow visitors to appreciate Scarpa’s delicate moment from different perspectives.
1st Year Spring Design Studio Advisor: Tiffany Lin
right | view from Brion Cemetery entrance to the path to vistor center
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left | Eisenman House VI concept models bottom | transitional diagrams from House VI to visitor center
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top left | roof plan top bottom | ground floor plan bottom | sections
A
C
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B
top | model with roof bottom | model ground plan right | model details
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INSTALLATION TELESCOPING A-weekend is a student-organized tradition at Tulane School of Architecture. Working with New York architecture firm SO-IL, the team project started with a group brainstorming of basic typologies of structures and selection of site, followed by a two-day construction process. The installation is inspired by the notion of telescoping nature. The operable woodframes could be transitioned into a set of outdoor furnitures , including benches, clothes hangers, and sun shades. In order to encourage passersby to engage with the installation, the structure is situated on a popular shortcutt that students take on their way to classes. The movable framework transitioned into “furniture� with different purposes: benches, clothes hangers, shading, etc.
2016 A-Weekend Team: SO-IL Directors: Ilias Papageorgiou &Ted Baab Team members: Kyle Graham, Dongwei Chen, Maria Espinoza
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top | site photograph right | site strategy sketches
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POST - IT LAMP shirley chen
GRASSHOPPER POST-IT LAMP
The concept of the post-it lamp, as its name suggested, is inspired by the art created with post-it notes. The base geometry of the lamp is a cuboid lofted from three rectangle. The change in size and rotation create variations. With one corner of each "cell" lifted responding to a single reactor point, the conceiving and revealing of the inner side of the lamp produce interesting moments of light and shadow. The post-it overlaps with each other to create stronger connections. A series of iterations were made to test the base geometry and proper size of surface conditions.
POST - IT LAMP
ween different post it trial 1 widen the division tiral 2 overlap the post it sketches
The concept of the lampshade is inspired by the art created with post-it notes. The base geometry is lofted through three morphed rectangle, varying in size and angles.
POST - IT With one corner of each “cell� lifted responding to a single reactor point, the revealing of the inside of the lamp LAMP
The concept of the post-it lamp, as its name suggested, is inspired by the art created with post-it notes. The base geometry of the lamp is a cuboid lofted from three rectangle. The change in size and rotation create variations.
shirley chen
The concept of the post-it lamp, as its name suggested, is inspired by created with post-it notes. The base geometry of the lamp is a cuboi from three rectangle. The change in size and rotation create variatio
With one corner of each "cell" lifted responding to a single reactor po conceiving and revealing of the inner side of the lamp produce inter moments of light and shadow. The post-it overlaps with each other to stronger connections. A series of iterations were made to test the bas geometry and proper size of surface conditions.
ween different post it trial 1 widen the division tiral 2 overlap the post it sketches
With one corner of each "cell" lifted responding to a single reactor point, the conceiving and revealing of the inner side of the lamp produce interesting
moments of light and shadow. The post-it overlaps with each other to create becomes where light penetrates through and creates an stronger connections. A series of iterations were made to test the base and proper size of surface conditions. shirley chen interplay of light and shadow. The post-it geometry overlaps with each other to create stronger connections while the structure is 3D printed.
ween different post it trial 1 widen the division tiral 2 overlap the post it
Computational Design Elective Instructor: David Merlin
sketches
top | grasshopper iterations bottom | 3D printed lamp shade models left | concept sketches
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AIRLINE SENTIMENT Data processing and visualization is central to thsi project. Raw data of twitter sentiments U.S. airwayson February 2015 was collected and I focus on the analysis of relationship between airline sentiment and the length of each tweet through a week. The spiral timeline compares data between same hours in different days. Each 360 degrees represent the duration of a day. The time that each tweet along the spiral were the original coordinates of each points. Depending on the sentiment, the Z coordinate beomce negaitve or positive The length of tweet is represented by the distance from core to the corresponding point on the original spiral. Computational Design Elective Instructor: David Merlin
top left | plan shwoing tweet length vs. time bottom left| top view showing transitions left | elevation showing positive and negative
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SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES STUDY Commissioned by the Recovery School District of New Orleans, the project aims to facilitate conversations between mental health professionals and school officials. The team conducted an investigation that presents the relationship between geographical locations of behavioral health facilities and schools in New Orleans through GIS. We interviewed a number of mental health professionals, school consolers, and non-profit organizations to get a fuller picture of the issue. Several group meetings were hosted when the maps sparked conversations among professionals from different backgrounds. The maps and infographics were compiled into a booklet and distributed through the Recovery School Districts. The visualizations will be used as a tool for policy makers to provide better behavioral health resources to students in New Orleans.
Public Interest Design Fellowship 2016 The Albert Jr. & Tina Small City Center Collaborator: Alvin David ( Recovery School District ) Project Manager: Jody Towers Design Lead: Nick Jenisch Student Fellows: Javior Gonzalez & Dongwei Chen
top right | school conselors and mental health professionals observing the GIS maps 2nd right| team meetings 3rd right | student fellows bottom right| a map in the booklet
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NATIONAL DATA Overview of Children Mental Health Disorders Mental Health Disorders are common for children and youth in the U.S.
AGE
14 1
IN
5
young people in the U.S. have had a diagnosable psychiatric disorder
ADHD and Gender Boys are twice as likely to be diagnosed of ADHD as girls between age 4 and 17.
75% of mental health disorders begin before age 24
AGE
24
5.5%
12.1%
boys currently diagnosed of ADHD
girls currently diagnosed of ADHD
50% of mental health disorders begin before age 14
Age 6
Age 11
Age 13
median age of onset for Anxiety Disorder
median age of onset for ADHD and Behavioral Disorders
median age of onset for Mood Disorders
8.4%
3.7%
girls currently taking ADHD medication
boys currently taking ADHD medication
The Gap between Need and Care
Mental Health at School
40% of kids with diagnosable ADHD are not getting treatment; 60% of kids with diagnosable depression are not getting treatment; 80% of kids with diagnosable anxiety disorder are not getting treatment.
Mental Health Disorders are closely associated with lower academic performances, suspensions and expulsions and higher dropout rate at school.
40%
ADHD
60%
Depression
80%
Anxiety
The shortage of mental health professionals is one of the leading factors that cause the gap between need and care.
12600 estimated number of practising child psychiatrists needed 6
Median Age of Onsets Anxiety Disorder, ADHD and Mood Disorders are among the most common mental health disorders for children.
8300 approximate number of practising child psychiatrists
Source: 2016 Child Mind Institute Children’s Mental Health Report.
5%
Being at risk for mental health problems in first grade leads to a 5% drop in academic performances in 2 years.
Dropout rate due to learning, attention or emotional problems for school age children are as high as 40% among those enrolled in special education program.
77,000
40%
More than 77,000 children in special education receive suspensions or expulsions for 10 cumulative days in a year.
Young people with access to mental health services in school-based health center are 10 times more likely to seek care for mental health or substance abuse.
10 x
Mental Illness in Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
4300
High-school dropouts are 63 times more likely to be jailed than four-year college graduates.
gap between existing and needed child psychiatrists
70.4%
of youth in the juvenile justice settings meet criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis.
Source: 2015 Child Mind Institute Children’s Mental Health Report.
68 %
of state prison inmates have not completed high school
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top | national mental health data infographics bottom | infographic about difficulties in the process of youth seeking mentaldhealth support
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PORTFOLIO DONGWEI CHEN