[Transformations] YIN ZENG'S PORTFOLIO | SELECTED WORKS 2020-2023 ARCHITECTURE-BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND INTERIORS POLITECNICO DI MILANO
Prologue
Content
This portfolio primarily focuses on projects related to urban renewal. Since the Industrial Revolution, numerous abandoned buildings have been existing in cities. Different strategies are adopted to deal with different situations.
01 Body and Space
There are a wide range of factors that can influence the architecture, such as regulations and codes, site conditions(especilally existing buildings), cultural and historical context, client's requirements and preferences etc. These factors interact and overlap in complex ways, and architects must carefully balance them to create functional, aesthetically pleasing, and contextually appropriate buildings. And in my mind, the essence of architectural design is human needs, including material needs and spiritual needs. From the material level, architecture is a rational product that solves problems and meets various functional needs, while from the spiritual level, it is a sensual art that can bring special experiences and reflections. At the same time, the interrelationship between architecture and people is something I have always been thinking about.
House design for a three-generation family in Shanghai
02 Mutual Effect Store sequence design based on street context
03 Wandering land Industrial heritage complex renovation from the city dimension
04 After school From school to cyclist hostel Yin Zeng Architecture_Built Environment Interiors Master of Science_Politecnico di Milano TEL: +39 3444252881 Email: yin.zeng@mail.polimi.it
05 Other works
01 Body and Space
House design for individual needs
The first design project was a house for a three-generation family, the challenge was to create spaces that can satisfy each member's needs. The design process took the needs of each family member from all aspects including body, hobby, occupation, and behavior into account. At the same time, I promoted visibility and interaction between family members by organizing public and private spaces. During the process, I took serious consideration of sections, through which I can have a clear view of the relationship between the body and space.
2020.07-2020.11 Location:Xu Hui District,Shanghai Individual work Instructor: Qin Wei {397892644@qq.com}
Axon-exploded of staircase
Site plan
N 0m 2m
Public
Private
4m
8m
The project is located in Maoling villa, which is built in 1941.This district is one of the traditional residences in Shanghai,which still has a high density nowadays.
CIRCULATION
Axonometric view
Each people can find the most convenient route without disturbing others.
VERTICAL GARDEN FOR GRANDPA 1 Grandpa's bedroom 2 Vertical garden
TREE HOUSE FOR CHILD 1 Child's bedroom 2 Activity room
Private space
SOHO FOR PARENTS 1 Parents's bedroom 2 Reading room
Tree house for child Soho for parents Vertical garden for Grandpa
Multiple height
acti vity roo m
bed roo m
bed roo m
roo f gard en
read ing bed roo m livin g 2
wor ksh op
dini ng exh ibiti on
pati o livin g 1
PUBLIC 1 Parents's bedroom 2 Reading room Through the window facing the street, people can see the floral works on display.And the public can participate in the workshop activities conveniently.
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1
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9 2 7
6 1
8 3
Exterior view
Vertical garden
1 Entrance 2 Workshop 3 Exhibition 4 Kitchen 5 Bar 6 Dining area 7 Living room 1 8 Courtyard 9 Patio 10 Storage room 11 Toilet
+1.500m Plan
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4
4
3 6
2 5
7
1
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Kitchen and dining space
+4.000m Plan
0m
1m
3m
5m
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Music room Parents' bedroom Toilet Bathroom Living room 2 Grandpa's bedroom Balcony
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3
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7
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4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
+6.500m Plan
Child's bedroom Bathroom Toilet Terrace Reading room Roof garden Planting area
climbing wall
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2
1 slide
3
N
The void space
+9.000m Plan
0m
1m
3m
5m
1 2 3 4
Study area Play area Balcony Planting area
Window of the child's bedroom
Window of the parents' bedroom
Window of the exhibition area
Terrace
Corner window of the living room 2
Window of the dining area
Window of the void space
Window of the reading room
Window of the bathroom
Window of the living room 1
WINDOW LANGUAGES
02
Wandering land
Industrial heritage complex renovation This project is located on an empty industrial site.It starts from giving new life to the abandoned gasholders. Four gasholders were converted from waste containers to a vibrant contemporary center, with exhibiton , wedding hall, amphitheater and other public spaces housed within and around these gasholders .
2021.09-2021.11 Location:Hongkou District,Shanghai Individual work Instructor: Zhang Wei {goldstone00@shu.edu.cn}
Site analysis
Current status of the site
Gasholder 3 The perimeter column of this gasholder was reserved.
Existing structure
Gasholder 4 I reserves only the interior column of this gasholder and enhances the ritual of the original column sequence.
Steel trusses
Column system
iv
er
Iron exterior wall
Existing buildings
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aj
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Concrete base
There are some other nearly abandoned buildings around the gasholders in the site.
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Gasholder 1&2 I reserve the steel trusses of both tanks and follow the original column grid.
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There is a lack of commercial centers and public activities within 1 km of the site, but its proximity to several city roads and subway lines provides easy access and has the potential to become a regional center. Combined with the landmark character of gasholders themselves, I decided to position this area as a vibrant contemporary center.
nt
Combining the existing structural characteristics of the gasholders, I reserve different part of the original structures and adopt different design methods to create rich spatial experiences.
Site Plan
12
9
12 7
South Chezhan Road
As for the landscape, I refer to the Chinese gardens,where I always have new experiences owing to their uncertainty and complexity. And I want to bring this experience into my project. So I use winding paths and undulating terrain to create rich experiences.
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ia n R
oad
Sijin g Rive r
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S h u id
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32 /m
1&2 Museum
5 Entrance to museum 1
8 Entrance to Wedding ceremony
11 Open green space
3 Amphitheater
6 Entrance to museum 1
12 Residence entrance
4 Wedding hall
7 Entrance to amphitheater
9 Parking entrance 10 Parking lot
Design diagram
Gasholder1—Exhibiton
Gasholder2—Exhibiton
Gasholder3—Amphitheater
Gasholder4—Wedding
It emphasizes the roaming experience of passing from block to block.
It emphasizes the continuous experience as walking on the street.
Urban public spaces for largescale events and activities.
It reinforces the ritual of the original columns as a wedding ceremony hall.
Floor plan of the museums
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4
6
2
8 5
3
6 4 9 6 7 6
Entrance Service center Preparation Toilet Multifunctional room Gallary Theater Shop Cafe
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Entrance Foyer Courtyard Exhibition Art gallary Theater Cafe Shop
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4 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
3 6 5
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4 3
2 N
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0m
6m
15m
32m
Section perspective of the museums
03 Mutual Effect
Store sequence design based on street context
Humans give birth to architecture, while architecture influences humans in turn. The subtle interrelationship between can be very interesting. This project is located in a traditional residential area in Shanghai, where people usually build up to the maximum capacity due to the high land price. The renovation was inspired by local existing full and vibrant forms, functions and materials by research. While the case study focused on the spatial diversity created by people, the design focused on how architecture affects human’s experience and behavior.
Main lane D/H 1.5-2
Minor lane
D/H 1/3-5/7
Original material
The impression of site
2021.12-2022.1 Location:Hongkou District,Shanghai Individual work Spanish roof commuters
Street vendor
Laundry rack
Shed domer
Redwood window frame Beige stucco wall
Brick
Instructor: Jianjun Xie {xjj718100@shu.edu.cn}
Research of original retail space 2 Nail salon
1 Dumpling shop
3
0m 1m
3m
The dumpling restaurant increases the height of the store by digging two steps downside, thereby building an additional floor. The main functions of the first floor are storage, kitchen,food preservation and display. The second floor is the dining area for customers.What is more interesting is that the railing on the second floor also serves as a menu.
4
4 Bedding &pancake shop
5 2
3 Shanghai restaurant
0m 1m
0m 1m3m
The nail shop uses the same reconstruction methoddigging downseveral stairs to increase the height of the space. The first floor of the nail salon is mainly used for display, cashier, waiting, nail area and toilet. The height of the toilet retains its original height.And the second floor is a more private area for massage.
5 Tailor shop
3m
From its window facing the street, it can be seen that this is a restaurant, its entrance occupies the public entrance of the original residential building, and the kitchen is the gap between house and house. In addition, the bar dining area added near the window is also very interesting.
6 Fruit shop
6 1
Site
street retail stores 0m 1m
With the high land price in Shanghai, people try to build to the maximum capacity according to their needs. These local architectural forms are extremely interesting, vibrant and deserves reseaching.
3m
The shop is only 1.5m deep, and it was created by adding another wall to the outer wall of the original building. Its door does not serve as the entrance for customers, but its two windows facing the street assume two different functions, one is bedding sale and the other is pancake sale. While the interior of the house is connected.
0m 1m
3m
This tailor shop is relatively small and occupies a corner of the residential building along the street, which is a relatively advantageous location. There is a public kitchen next to it, and the bedroom upstairs was a nanny room in the 1970s .
0m 1m
3m
This fruit shop was added in the second lane next to the block. Its space is fully utilized. The outside of the wall is the fruit display, and the inside is the refrigeration, display and storage area of the fruits. The circular streamline design can increase the time that customers spent in the shop.
Design Concept
Elevation
The wine store is relatively traditional and the coffee shop is relatively modern, so when dealing with their facades and interior space, the opposite strategies are adopted based on their different spatial properties. Meanwhile, Strangers can communicate with each other through the openings between the stores.
Through the contrast between the concave and convex facade and different density of the glass blocks, I try to create different street experience.
Plan
N 0m
1m
3m
Fermented glutinous rice (left) 1 Entrance to the store 2 Residential entrance 3 Selling window
Fermented glutinous rice
Cat&Cafe
Exploded axonometric diagram
4 Kitchen 5 Preparation 6 Drinking
Cat&Cafe (right) 7 Diy 8 Display 9 Storage
1 Public entrance 2 Stair to the residential flour 3 Public stair
4 Bar 5 Reading&cafe 6 Kitchen
7 Sunken cafe 8 Cat hotel 9 Water supply
The coffee shop is more open with high density of the glass blocks and the fermented glutinous rice store is more private with low density of glass blocks.
Design Concept
Elevation
The form of beauty salon originates from times when haircutting was done on the porches of private houses, or by roadside hairdressers. the dish store originates from the needs of the dish vendor and is designed to meet both selling and living functions. The form of the rotating shelves also originated from the original dish retail tricycle.
The design of the beauty salon blurs the boundary between indoor and outdoor spaces through the reflection of mirrors, and the dish store use rotatable cargo shelves to create continuous experience between inside and outside.
Ground flour plan Dishes retail (left) 1 Entrance 2 Rotating shelves 3 Flexible dishes display 4 Cargo storage 5 Flexible bar counter 6 Folding dining table 7 Seating 8 Folding spare bed 9 Kitchen 10 Home storage
Beauty salon 1 Entrance 2 Outdoor cutting 3 Indoor cutting 4 Waiting 5 Reception 6 Shampoo 7 Toilet
N 0m
1m
3m
Second flour plan
0m
Dishes retail
Beauty salon
Exploded axonometric diagram
1m
3m
Dishes retail
(left)
1 Bed 2 TV cabinet 3 Balcony
4 Toilet 5 Chandelier
Beauty salon 1 Waiting 2 Nail 3 Storage
(right)
4 Facial 5 Rotating display 6 Rest room
(right)
04 AFTERSCHOOL
From school to cyclist hostel
2023.02-2023.06 Location: Caloziocorte, Lecco, Italy Group work (Yin Zeng, Xin Qiu, Baiyi Wang) Instructor: Prof.Lorenzo Bini, Prof.Francesca Albani
Site Analysis
The existing building
Advantages and opportunities
T h e b u i l d i n g w a s a p ri ma ry s c h o o l constructed by a famous group of italian architects, Giorgio Zenoni, Walter Barbero, Giuseppe Gambirasio and Baran Ciagà in 1968. Site
Camping
Hiking
Accommodation
Bike route
Core quality I The relationship between architecture and soil
The project is located at Caloziocorte, which has wonderful landscape resources for outdoor activities like climbing, hiking and riding. There are many hiking spots and bike routes in Calolziocorte. And several bike routes even pass through the road west of the site.
Core quality II Modular space
Howerver, there is no hotel within 500 meters of the site, and few service buildings. Only six lodgings are available in Calolziocorte, of which five are whole-house rental apartments and one is a hotel. The existing types of accommodation is similar, lack of variety of hotel types, the demand for accommodation exceeds supply. There is a big opportunity for the site to develop as a cyclist hostel.
Cyclists' daily activities
t1
Site plan
Bicycle Service
Restaurant
Breakfast Riding
Sleep
t2
Room
t3
Lunch
CheckBicycle
Break Riding
Lunch
Riding
Restaurant
Restaurant
0
1
2
Riding Breakfast 3
4
5
6
7
Room
Dinner
Sleep
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CheckBicycle Dinner
Bicycle Service Gym
Living Room Restaurant
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Dinner
Riding
Lunch
Riding
Break
We aim to create a home for cyclists and create a new living experience. Through the understanding of the cycling routes at the site, it will take a few weeks to experience the surrounding cycling routes, so we chose the cyclists who will live here for a few months as our design typology, and transform this building to create new functions to meet their needs.
Room
Sleep Room
Sleep +0.00m
Water point
Restaurant
Sleep
Restaurant
Break Riding Lunch CheckBicycle Fitness Plan
Breakfast Riding
Sleep
Gym
Fitness
Bicycle Service Restaurant
Breakfast Riding
Room
t4
Break Riding
Restaurant
Sleep
Core quality III A corridor connecting all spaces
Riding
Dinner Sleep
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
+5.10m
+11.05m
24
+7.65m
Cyclist 1
Cyclist 2
Start from home, ride for a morning, then arrive at the hotel in the afternoon, and stay here at night.
Live here and ride all day. Come back at night.
Cyclist 3
Cyclist 4
Live here, ride a half-day, and have activities at the hotel in the afternoon.
Started from home, passed by the hotel for breakfast. Then pass by the hotel again in the afternoon have a break and go home.
N 0m 2m
6m
12m
20m
In spite of changes in the walls and functions, we added bicycle ramps to the original building, these ramps connect the different functions of the building and address accessibility issues at the same time. Every room in the renovated building can be reached by bicycle. To truly be friendly to cyclists and lead this healthy lifestyle.
GROUND FLOOR More open public space The ground floor is more public space such as garden cafeteria, supply station for food and drinks, bike repair and storage. We created circurlar flows both for walking and cycling. The cafeteria is easily accessible for people go hiking and cycling and cyclists who live here can directly drive to their bedroom.
+0.00m
5 1 +1.55m
+1.25m
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B 2
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cafeteria
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entrance platform
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bicycle storage and repair
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outside cafeteria
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public toilet
0m 2m
6m
12m
20m
FIRST FLOOR + MEZZANINE Shared space, Medical office,Reception room,Sports Corridor The first floor is mainly shared space for people living here. There is entrance and reception of the hostel. And there are enough space for them to communicate and enjoy time with each other.
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+5.10m
+5.10m +5.10m
+4.20m
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8
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8 +4.20m
+4.00m
+5.10m
10
Original wall
Demolition
11
New construction
9
SECOND FLOOR
6
Residential space
7
The third floor are more private space_the bedroom for cyclists. Basically, we have three types of living modules based on the number of people and function organization. People can enter their room using the ramp.
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gym reception shared space
ramp administration room 11 medical care 9
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14
14
0m 1m
12
13
3m
6m
10m
3m
6m
10m
12
+6.30m
15
+7.65m
Original wall
Demolition
New construction
12 storage
13 toilet
14
sauna 15 Indoor cycling
0m 1m
SECTIONS The existing building are originally spread out on a slope, creating an interesting relationship between the inside and outside.
Section A-A
West facade
+11.6m +11.05m +9.15m
+7.65m +6.30m +5.10m +4.20m
Section B-B
+11.6m +11.05m
+7.65m
+7.65m
+5.10m
+5.10m
+4.20m
+1.55m
+4.00m
+1.25m
+0.00m
0m 1m
3m
6m
10m
Unit type A
Unit type B
Number of unit: 4
Number of unit: 4
Maximum people in each unit: 4
Maximum people in each unit: 2
This type of unit can accommodate 4 people. People share the balcony and bathroom.
This type of unit can accommodate 2 people.
This type of unit can accommodate maximum 4 people.
In this type, the bathroom is very near the entrance of their rooms so it will be very convenient for the cyclist to take a shower after they come back. Meanwhile, there is comfortable bedroom in this type.
This type of unit is more flexible. These two modules own sliding doors between different space, such as bedroom and living room. In this case, people can change the layout of the room according to their needs.
Bathroom in type B
Bedroom in type B
We focus on the experience of shower because what cyclists need most is a good shower after a whole day's cycling. The bathroom is very bright and spacious in this type of unit.
Bathroom in type A & C
Unit type C Number of unit: 1 Maximum people in each unit: 4
Details
Detail about the wall 1:20
Detail about the adding ramp 1:20
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1
70/30/3mm steel channel handrail.
2
40/20mm flat steel post.
1 mullion transom facade: triple glazing in aluminium frame.
3
stainless steel cable net,40mm mesh width, in diameter10mm steel bar framing.
2 140mm XPS thermal insulation 2-ply root-proof elastomeric bituminous sealant 250mm reinforced concrete slab to falls
4
38/128mm spruce floorboard fastened to steel main beam.horizontal 400mm steel tapered beam.
3
5
steel beam attached to exterior wall and to existing structure with anchor bolts
triple glazing in aluminium frame.
05 Other works
Hand make models
Sketches