Portfolio

Ailun Shi Portfolio

UCLA AUD M.Arch I ellen0753@g.ucla.edu

Oasis of the Soul

Jangala Dunhuang Luxury Hotel

Hotel Jangala Dunhuang, situated in Gansu China, has earned its place in Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ collection since 2021. Crafted as a serene escape from urban chaos, our design respects indegenous culture, echoing vernacular patterns in both massing and detailing. Inspired by the Mogao cave, truncated pyramid ceilings grace the hotel's public spaces, evoking cultural richness and orchestrating dynamic daylight. This not only enhances spatial aesthetics but also offers an immersive retreat experience, fostering a sense of indigenous belonging.

Awards:

The Bund D.E.S.I.G.N. Hotel Awards, 2023 Golden Scale Award for Jangala Hotel, 2022

Practical Project Design Partner, Zhiran Architecture Office

Mogao cave, known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes, were first constructed in the 4th century AD and were used as a site of Buddhist worship and pilgrimage. The Mogao Caves is a system of 500 temples 25 km (16 mi) southeast of the center of Dunhuang, where an oasis located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road.

The caves contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 2,000 years, over 400,000 square feet of frescoes and sculptures, making them one of the largest repositories of Buddhist art in the world.

Cultural Treasure in the World

Typical Mogao Geometry

Mogao Caves

Contemporary Vernacular Exploration Spatial

Sequence

Due to height restrictions, the hotel primarily occupies the ground floor, with partial basement and second-floor areas. The total building area is 44,100 sq ft. It encompasses accommodation, dining, a bar, an outdoor theater, botanical chambers, and meditation spaces.

The circulation in the public areas emphasize truncated pyramid ceilings in multiple scales. The dynamic daylight in spatial order is presented well through skylights and windows.

Entrance Pavilion -

Public Circulation

- Lobby - Restaurant - green pavilion - water theather - menditation room

The Jangala Hotel is nestled within a village with over 4,000 acres of vineyards, just 1.5 miles from the desert. The hotel features a total of 25 guest rooms, categorized into three main types: Courtyard Rooms A, Courtyard Each room maximizes the magnificent natural landscape, with the primary views for the three categories

Additionally, each Courtyard Room includes a private courtyard and a separate bathtub area for guests to Standard Rooms feature balconies, allowing guests to enjoy breathtaking views from the comfort of their

desert.

Courtyard Rooms B, and Standard Rooms C. featuring the starry sky, sand dunes, and vineyards, respectively. to unwind. accommodations.

Temporal Junction

EARTHY MATERIAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

In Santa Monica, LA, an aging concrete plant is slated for transformation into a blend of public leisure spaces and a sustainable materials research institute. This architectural initiative delves into the interplay between the historical and contemporary industrial elements within the same location. The historical industrial factory buildings prioritized functionality and efficiency, whereas contemporary industrial architecture reflects broader societal shifts by considering factors such as environmental awareness and the well-being of occupants.

In response to the sense of place, the project reverses the existing central shed space inside out, changing the interior into an open-air courtyard, attracting occupants from the orderly Northern institution and the dynamic southern public spaces. Overall, the design aims to create a harmonious synthesis of contrasting and engaging experiences for both professionals and the public.

Academic Project, 2023

Instructor: Max Kuo, UCLA

ANATOMICAL AXONOMETRIC DRAWING

With a total area of 27,600 square feet, the building preserves the original shed's walls to maintain a sense of place, and distinct circulations are designated for researchers and visitors.

North Elevation

South Elevation

This building has two main areas: the north section is dedicated to professional use, hosting research functionality in its interior layout. Conversely, the south side is more open and designed with a flexible visitors through transformed industrial silos, encouraging exploration of panoramic views of the building

research labs and offices. It prioritizes open discussion, efficiency, and flexible plan for exhibitions and public events. External ramps guide building landscape and the city of LA.

N-S Section Drawing

Divergent Facade

To create dynamic daylighting, the building’s façade incorporates a hanging veil on its south and west sides, constructed using terra cotta units. Each unit is strategically angled during installation, resulting in a large-scale repetition of patterns that form a pixel pattern. Simultaneously, the folded hanging installation method adds depth to the façade, enhancing the richness of light and shadow interactions.

The four exterior faces exhibit varying levels of transparency to articulate their distinct functions and personalities. The northern side presents a more solid appearance, while the southern side embraces translucent, reflecting a shift in spatial openness towards the public.

Tsingpu Tulou Retreat

Tsingpu Tulou Retreat is a luxury hotel that has been transformed from traditional rammed earth residential buildings. It offers a range of amenities including accommodation, dining, traditional cultural experiences, and art exhibitions.

This project focuses on the restoration and functional optimization of traditional historic buildings. While respecting and preserving the architectural charm of the historic structures, the aim is to enhance their functionality, addressing issues such as poor lighting, cramped interiors, and the lack of modern bathroom facilities. The goal is to improve comfort and privacy for modern living while maintaining respect for the historic context. The design approach is understated to seamlessly integrate with the rural mountain environment.

In this project, I was primarily involved in site surveying, development of renovation guidelines, hotel room design, and construction drawing production, and lighting design.

Practical Project (2016-2017)

Trace Architecture Office (TAO)

Supervisor: Hua Li

Renovate SITE

The Tulou retreat consists of six buildings, including three square earthen buildings with over a century of history, one individual earth building, and one three-story Qing Republican-era brick building with some ancillary structures.

The total area occupies 1740 square meters. After renovation, the total built-up area is 3700 square meters.

Previous walls

1) Yaodonglou

"Space follows structure"

The hotel maintains its traditional wooden structure.

After the renovation, the ground floor main hall area is opened up as a communal living room. It restores native customs and give hotel guest an opportunity to experience Tulou lifestyle.

On the upper floors, partition walls and ceilings are removed to expand the space while keeping the original wooden structure and roof intact, showcasing it to guests.

Daosunlou Physical Model 1:20

Lobby

Dongfanghong Restaurant

Yaodong Lou

Wenxuan Lou

Daosun Lou

Heyuan Lou

Huiyuan Lou

Self-cooking Room

creamy-white texture coating

moistrue proof primer

108 glue solution

waterproof putty 7mm blockboard 10mm

wood joist 30x50

old ramed earth wall

conduit laminate flooring 20mm blockboard 10mm

vapor barrier

wood joist 50x50 with fiberglass

wool 50mm original pine floor

Adaptations:

1) To provide a comfortable physical environment, existing wood-frame floors are added moisture-proof layer, floor heating system, electrical system upgrades, and other optimizations.

2) Thermal insulation is applied to the existing roof and the wall to increase interior comfortability.

3) Existing windows are enlarged to allow more sunlight into the space.

Socket Chock

F.F. water pipe

Detail A Detail B preheating coil

Raised floor

The hotel corridors are merged into guestrooms, and partition walls are rebuilt to improve insulation. After removing traditional ceiling, roof tiles are shown and more daylight are brought into the guestroom by enlarged window.

Mutually House

The Hakka countryside has witnessed a shift in housing styles from collective living to individual houses in recent decades. This project explores proactive design interventions for countryside community revitalization, consciously preserving the distinct cultural fabric and lifestyle habits of the local populace. By integrating vernacular architecture into contemporary residential design, the project aims to continue the ecological and sustainable rammed earth construction strategies and spatial experiences characteristic of Hakka Weilongwu.

The prototype “Mutually House” is located in my hometown, Taogu Village. In response to the prevalence of elderly and children left behind in contryside areas, the design of detached homes emphasizes a clustered approach that fosters mutual assistance among residents. This includes cooperative efforts in farming activities, childcare, meal preparation, and other communal endeavors, all aimed at encouraging neighborly interactions through spatial design.through spatial design.

Academic Project, 2015

Instructor: He Xiayun, GAFA

Vernacular Collective to Individual Homes

Traditional collective residence

_since 1400s

Weilongwu, literally means to encircle dragons house, is a type of earthen constructed residence. This unique architecture prototype only exists in Hakka area of eastern Guangdong. Taogu village is an ancient settlement which owns 9 Weilongwu and more than 30 ancient buidlings. The oldest one is over 600 years.

Modern living space

_since 1990s

New House Construction has become a trend since 1990s when people from village swarmed into cities, as a consequence of the reform and opening-up policy and urbanization. In the village, people tended to imitate and copy the construction system and spatial layout of cities while discarding traditional craftsmanship and techniques.

Taogu village Contemporaray

Indigenous Housing Research

Traditional vs. Contemporary

Weilongwu is a highly self-development form of architecture containing eco-friendly system, traditional ritual system and defense system. A Weilongwu contained over 100 people of a big family in its heyday.

To improve the privacy and poor sanitary condition, people moved out from their old house and built new one following planned country road. It brings both better and worse changes to villagers' life.

Traditional Collective Residence Plan

Contemporary Individual House Plan

Individual work in 2015

30m²/ P

Guangdong Province, China

Per-capita living area of rural residents

Floor area: 75-100m² House

Taogu Village General Family has 5-6 people 9m 9m

Design idea comes from a piece of original space keeping the same language of Viliongvu.

Parents' Bedroom Dining room

Grandparents' Bedroom

Bedroom

Shared balcony

3F: Children

2F: Parents

1F: Grandparents

Inter-generational stratification

VILLAGE COMMUNITY RENOVATION STRATEGY

Dividing Taogu village into several communities according to its spontaneous enclosing. Replacing original run-down buildings into mutual house successively to achieve community transformation.

Existing Layout

Design Layout

transformation.

Renovation Strategy

[ Strategy 1_ Adjacent ] Forming group in a same scale

[ Strategy 2_ Intersect ] Replacing derelict area into new mutually house

[ Strategy 3_ Separate ] Allocating them near Viliongvu

Journey to Find Spatial Belonging