Portfolio | Selected Works 2016–2021
CV Academic/ Individual Works 01 I Want to Live
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02 Building as City Encounters
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Sanctuary for the Suicidal Restoring the Venetian Field
03 Seclusion and Connection Artist’s Retreat With a Gallery
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Professional/ Other Works 04 Railway Park Kiosk Work in Practice
05 Building a Structure Selected Other Works
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fangzhengxin97@gmail.com 21.06.1997 Dalian, China
EDUCATION
University of Bath | England | 2016.10-2020.07 BSc (Hons) Architecture, RIBA Part I First-Class Honours Bedales School | England | 2014.09-2016.06 GCE A-levels 5A*s in Fine Art/Physics/Maths/Further Maths/Chinese Longridge Towers School | England | 2012.09-2014.06 GCSE 6A*s and 4As including Maths and English
EMPLOYMENT
YUARCHITECTS (formerly called HIL)| Beijing | 2020.08-2021.7 Architectural Assistant RIBA Stage 0-5: strategic definition/brief/concept design/spatial coordination/technical design/construction DL Atelier | Beijing | 2019.07-2019.09 Architectural Assistant RIBA Stage 3-4: spatial coordination/technical design MINOR lab | Beijing | 2019.03-2019.06 Architectural Assistant RIBA Stage 2-4: concept/spatial coordination/technical design PLAT ASIA Architects | Beijing | 2018.03-2018.09 Architectural Assistant RIBA Stage 0-3: strategic/brief/concept/spatial coordination
AWARDS
Basil Spence Competition | University of Bath | 2019.12 Shortlist Studio 4.1. Group project involving interdisciplinary collaboration with civil engineer students. Oculus Design Prize | University of Bath | 2019.01 Winner Studio 3.1. Awarded for the best design within the tutor group. Art & Academic Scholarship | Bedales School | 2014-2016 Scholar
SKILLS
LANGUAGES
INTERESTS
AutoCAD Rhino SketchUp Adobe Photoshop Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign
ArchiCAD Enscape Ecotect Free-hand drawing Model making Wood crafting
Mandarin | Native English | Proficient Latin | Beginner
Art, Photography, Origami, Sudoku, Travelling
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Sanctuary for the Suicidal
Academic/ Individual Work AR30022, Studio 4.2 Thesis Project, First-Class Honours Spring 2020, 5 (Research)+16 (Design) Weeks Bristol, England
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e want them to live because they want to live, not because we ask them to.
My thesis project works with a local charity on suicide prevention. People alternate between the contradicting state of “leave me alone” and “I am so lonely”: the desire for personal space and a sense of community exists simultaneously. The scheme proposes a series of spaces with various scales and levels of intimacy: individuals escape from the unbearable pain, have a moment of their own, and eventually reconnect to the community and find relief in nature. Existing trees are kept on-site as a metaphor for life and a natural layer of protection. The sensitive relationship between buildings and the trees is addressed as the main design consideration. The spatial journey is also a spiritual journey: a journey to hope.
Entrance: A Threshold Most guests arrive at the worst state of their minds. A tree greets us, and from here the journey begins.
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Site
Bristol Station
Urban Sanctuary: Tension and Co-Existence The project sits within the urban context of Bristol. We often have a false stereotype of “us and them”—the tension between individual and communal in both building and urban scales. The project addresses this tension and aims for co-existence: within not only architecture but also our society.
An Oasis: Trees and the Sense of Protection Existing trees bound the L-shaped site and bring a unique atmosphere that distinguishes it from the surroundings. All the trees are kept on-site. The interaction with nature is carefully considered and altered within each space to create a healing spatial experience.
First Layer of Protection Introverted site bounded by trees.
Chapel
Therapy
Respite
Threshold
Second Layer of Protection Orthogonal main buildings.
Community
Soft and Dynamic Core Therapy pavillions scatter in nature.
Existing Ever-Green Trees
Way-Finding Walking as a spatial ritual.
Spatial and Spiritual Journey Chapel at the highest point.
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Ground Floor 01. Communal Space 02. Dry Landscape 03. Therapy 04. Chapel
05. Cafe 06. Gallery 07. Office 08. Services
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Communal Space: Welcome the Guest This space acts as a small hub: sit down with a cup of tea, and that’s how the conversation begins. The afternoon sun shines in, with a framed view of the garden in the background.
Dry Landscape Garden: Transition Space A buffer zone between the communal area and the more private spaces. This is also a special corner for the guests.
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First Floor 09. Guest Bedroom 10. Staff Room 11. Communal Space 12. Group Therapy 12
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Respite: A Moment of Your Own Here guests can have a temporary escape. The pop-out window allows a intimate relationship with the tree canopy.
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Therapy Pavilion: A Place of Refuge This is a place to cry, meditate, talk openly about suicidal thoughts…or just watch how light shines through a window.
Group Therapy: Reconnect to Community Here guests and visitors come together and express their feelings in a non-verbal way. Welcome back!
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Chapel: Keep Your Head Up
Look Back: Find Relief in Nature The feelings will pass...we have gone through a long way.
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Roof and Ceiling - sedum roof - 100mm soil, gravel - filter fabric - 50mm drainage tray - protection board - damp proof membrane - 150mm thermal insulation - vapour barrier - 350mm concrete slab (spans 7m) - 30mm acoustic insulation - timber suspended ceiling
Window Seat - 140mm pre-cast window sleeve - M20 blots bolted to structure wall - bituminous seal - 2° fall on top, 15*15 drip in concrete - 65mm thermal insulation - 50mm timber lining, sealed - timber frame, waterproof coat - double glazing 14 mm cavity
Floor and Foundation - 20mm recycled timber plank - 50*50mm batten - 65mm screed - underfloor heating pipe - 150mm thermal insulation - 65mm thermal insulation along edge - damp proof membrane - 300mm concrete slab - 250mm ground beam - 200mm pile cap - ø 150mm piles
Wall - 20mm oak cladding, waterproof - 30*40mm batten, 500mm spacing - bituminous sealing layer - 12mm sheathing board - 150 mm thermal insulation between 100/200 mm joists - 15mm plywood - 30*40mm batten, 500mm spacing - 15mm timber cladding finish Floor - 20mm cork floor finish - 20mm plywood - 150 mm thermal insulation between 50/200 mm joists - bituminous sealing layer - 20 mm protection board - 30*50mm battens - concrete plinth 0
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Restoring the Venetian Field
Academic/ Individual Work AR30019, Studio 3.1 Oculus Design Prize Winner Fall 2018, 7 Weeks Venice, Italy
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he building reflects memories of a city: constructing and then travelling again through a space.
My impression of Venice is about wandering around with unexpected encounters: dark sotoportego and bright campo, narrow calle with a mysterious end...They reflect the unique urban tissue of Venice, which is currently under the threat of mass tourism. A hypothetical fire destroys a building on site. The design aims to restore its original functions and return the field to its diminishing local community. City encounters are integrated and reconstructed within the building, intending to evoke a sense of familiarity in terms of spatial experience.
Meet by the Water After going through a door, she finds herself at the waterfront. A gondola is about to stop by.
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House in the City, City in the House Water divides the land; solid defines the void. The void spaces articulate to form an experiential journey. Encounters are transferred from an urban scale to a building scale, capturing an atmosphere and hence the sense of place.
Water Tranquil Gondola dock under arcade
Calle Intricate Retraced stairs/Interlocking spaces
Sotoportego Chiaroscuro/Curiosity Low-ceiling entrance/Threshold
Campo Spacious/Gathering Triple height/Carved garden
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1:50 Physical Model: Moments of Encounters Split levels and retraced circulation create interlocking visual and physical connections between the spaces.
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01. Gondola Workshop 02. Pet Grooming 03. Gallery 04. Intergenerational Workshop 05. Studio
06. Community Healthcare 07. Private Apartment I 08. Private Apartment II 09. Private Apartment III 10. Private Apartment IV
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2nd Floor & Mezzanine
3rd Floor
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4th Floor
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1:50 Physical Model: A Spatial Sequence Transiting from a dark entrance to the triple-height space is like going through a sotoportego and suddenly ending in a campo. People can take a sneak peek at a higher level and reencounter this journey.
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Artist’s Retreat With a Gallery
Academic/ Individual Work Personal Research Inspired Project Fall 2021, 8 Weeks Beijing, China
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n ideal hermit lives in the busy streets rather than a distant land.
The project is inspired by my experience living in Hutong (narrow streets) in Beijing. The design sits within the busy Hutong and is surrounded by densely built low-rise houses. A long corridor meanders its way through gaps between the houses, connecting two streets at ground level. People can walk through it; this is a gallery where the artist communicates via displayed pieces. A hidden stair leads to the retreat below, where the artist lives and works. Here the gallery appears as a beam, defining the space with its structures. The design has distinctive but interlocking parts. Others can only feel a corridor by the street; a complete experience belongs only to the artist.
Street View Sketch The design appears as a corridor-like gallery by the street. Artist’s retreat hides underneath.
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Distinctive but Interlocking Spaces
House as a Projection of Its Inhabitant
The linear gallery above is public and fits the urban pattern. The dynamic retreat below is private, as a sheltered cave. The tube-like gallery appears as a beam in the retreat space, held by columns and supports the roof. These bring strong characteristics to the space and define its hierarchy.
The artist shows the gallery to the outside, whereas the retreat below is a rich inner world. While providing strength to interact with the outside, the inner world is also held and affected by it. The building’s meaning is only complete when the two parts are interpreted together, just like interpreting the person.
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Ground Floor: Gallery 01. Gallery 02. Private Garden
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Underground Floor: Artist’s Retreat 03. Bedroom 04. Living Space 05. Studio 06. Water Courtyard
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Ligh
Seclusion and Connection ht pours into the space. The inner world provides one with the strength to interact with the outside.
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Planting Roof - 100mm growing medium - filter fabric; drainage tray - protection board; dpm - 120mm thermal insulation - vapour barrier - 300mm concrete slab, 2% fall
Floor - 20mm polished concrete - 65mm screed - underfloor heating pipe - 120mm thermal insulation - 250mm concrete slab
Typical Roof & Wall - 150mm concrete, 2%fall - waterproof layer - 120mm thermal insulation - 150mm concrete
drip in concrete
Glazing - double glazing with air cavity - thermal break aluminium sliding frame attached to subframe profile - waterproof layer - 80mm insulation along the edge edge finish
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Work in Practice
Professional Work at YUARCHITECTS Principal Architect: Dao Yu Team: Zhengxin Fang (Team Leader), Mingli Chen, Yilu Luo RIBA Stage 0-4 Fall 2020-Spring 2021 Beijing, China
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he design is a modern homage to the country’s first self-built railway.
Inspired by traditional railway structure, the proposal transfers structure of a railway into that of a building. Components are articulated to emphasise this corresponding relationship. My role in this project was the team leader. I attended meetings with the client and consultants, developed the scheme with other members, built 3D models in ArchiCAD, and produced visual images and technical drawings.
* Please note: the design was developed under the instruction of the principal architect Dao Yu. Copyright belongs to YUARCHITECTS.
Kiosk by the Railway The kiosk provides visitors with a place to sit down and rest.
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Selected Other Works
Academic/ Group Work AR10015, Studio 1.1 Tutor: Vanessa Warnes Fall 2016, 4 Weeks Bath, England
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e explored the relationship between form, structure, and forces through making and crafting.
This interdisciplinary collaboration with two architecture students and three engineer students allowed us to build a 1:1 model of our design for the first time. The outcome was constructed using timber, fabric and rope. I was involved in the whole design and construction process as a team member. I contributed to the concept idea and made the final structure with my team.
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