Xincheng Community Centre
Child-centered community relationships
Suzhou, China
2021
Individual Work
The proposed design entails the establishment of a community center, which aims to create a supportive and secure environment for individuals to engage and interact with their surroundings actively. The focus is on providing a platform for individuals to learn and grow from observing and seeking guidance from the wider community.
To create a responsive and conducive environment for exploration and learning, the design utilizes a multi-agent system that simulates how individuals interact with the built environment and respond to different situations. This enables the creation of a space that is customized to the needs and behaviors of its inhabitants, resulting in an environment that supports and fosters learning and growth.
Shuo Feng, Guosheng Chen
Axon View
In this child-centered community center, children are observers and participants. They should be present everywhere, which allows them to interact with different environments.
Using the multi-agent system aims to simulate their trails and figure out an organic way to interact with the built environment.
Agent Settings (Boid)
Attraction
Agents will be attracted to the targets scattered in the buildings.
Velocity Matching
Agents attempt to match velocity with nearby flockmates
Attraction Strength
Attracting Radius
Flock centering
Each agent attempts to stay close to nearby flockmates;
Collision Avoidance
Each agent avoids collisions with nearby flockmates
Wandering Wandering is a type of random steering which has some long term order.
Trail Searching Radius
Repulsion Radius
Searching Angle
Direction
Stigmergy Agents will chase other agents' trails.
Slide "Forest"
50 cycles 100 cycles 200 cycles 300 cycles 400 cycles 500 cycles Trails Simulation Climbing wall Tunnels Cinema Retail Store Elevator Restaurant Community Activity Room
Old Trails New Trails
Based on the multi-agent system's simulation, volumes are generated according to the trails. These volumes provide children with a place to hold various activities and allow them to interact closely with the real world while still under proper protection.
Rendering
Chunk
Activity room
Open roof
Staircase seating Rope net Floor Entrance Rope net Slope
Glass roof Light
Construction
Robotic fabrication Frame construction Assembling
Beam
Section A-A 1 1 1 2 3 1 2 5 5 6 6 5 8 8 4 7 7 1 1
1 6 3 3 9 7 10 11 11 3 Legend 1 Retail store 2 Restaurant 3 Shared kitchen 4 Restroom 5 Amusement facility 6 Stairway seating 7 Parking lot 8 Park 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 7 4 50m 20 10 0 5 1 Shared kitchen 2 Stairway seating 3 Corridor 4 Park 5 Rope net 6 Restaurant 7 Roof platform 8 Workshop 9 Activity room 10 Slideway 11 Equipment 2 9 7 9 5 8 8 4 Legend A A ±0.000 -0.200 6.000m 11.000m 13.800m 16.000m 19.600m 23.400m
Master Plan
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Ceiling Part Prototype
Robot hot-wire cut EPS foam ceiling prototype
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 2022
Andrew Saunders, Riley Studebaker, Claire Moriarty
Partner: Shunta Moriuchi, Jingyu Luo, Renhu Wu, Shuoxuan Su
Description:
We proposed a 900 square feet speculative ceiling for the Upper Gallery of Meyerson Hall. The ceiling scape deploys a series of hierarchical variations. The variations in the depths of the lilies and the peaks form different zones under the ceiling that resembles an infinite mushroom forest. Peaks stick out like vines and low plants, and lilies bump up to create circular spots on the ground. Like getting lost in the woods, the ceiling scape stimulates the wanderlust and Deja vu feeling of the person below.
Linear Construction in Space
We chose to study the Linear Construction in Space No. 4 by Gabo in which he created ruled surfaces using bronze wires strung between curved steel rails and Pevsner’s Construction of developable Surface which used bronze, oxidized brass, and a black marble base to construct developable surfaces.
Through a careful analysis of both sculptures, we digitally reproduced the ruled surface forms through which we were able to extract and digitally model specific geometric qualities.We transposed those ruled surfaces into volumetric implications of rulings in space to deconstruct the geometric moves made by the sculptures and to depict the geometry in light and shadow for input into neural networks.
Linear Construction in Space
CUT A. x2 CUT B. x2 CUT C. x2 HOT WIRE DIMENSIONS 24 24 24
CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) Generative Design
We fed the images of these new distinct but identifiable and reproducible elements from our sculptures into the Convolutional Neural Network. Through this process, we were able to generate an outline for us to extract the threedimensional unprecedented geometric ceiling arrangements.
From Image To Production
Although CNN excels at creating two-dimensional novel designs from learned arrangements of embedded information, it lacks the knowledge and struggles to produce perfect 3D outcomes that can be built. To overcome these limitations, we modeled explicitly CNN outcome images of the selected geometry to choreographed paths for multi-axis robotic hotwire cutting routines to be prototyped, using our in-depth understanding of distinct identifiable elements and the geometric hierarchy according to shape, brightness, and stacking relationship.
7 Axis Robot Fabrication
Ceiling Design
We proposed a 900 square feet speculative ceiling for the Upper Gallery of Meyerson Hall. The ceiling scape deploys a series of hierarchical variations. The variations in the depths of the lilies and the peaks form different zones under the ceiling that resembles an infinite mushroom forest. Peaks stick out like vines and low plants, and lilies bump up to create circular spots on the ground. Like getting lost in the woods, the ceiling scape stimulates the wanderlust and Deja vu feeling of the person below.
Ceiling Plan
South Elevation
East Elevation Gallery Rendering
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Home of the Stepwell
Religion, life, and epidemic
Dharavi, Mumbai, India
2020
Zhengwei Xia, Hengliang Tang
Partner: Haoxian Wang
Description:
Popularly known as Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi has active economic activities but poor living conditions. Such a problem is even more evident during the epidemic. People here lack proper medical treatment and a clean housing environment because they cannot protect their interests by speaking with a common voice. Therefore, many of them lost their jobs and struggled to live.
Besides, most residents here have their religious beliefs. Unfortunately they cannot fulfill their rituals because large assemblies are forbidden during the epidemic.
Concept
Based on the local features and slums dwellers' material and spiritual needs, the goal of this design is to improve their current life, maintain their rituals and make the community adaptive to the epidemic.
Lifestyle Analysis
Religious behavior sequence
Pious
Dwellers in Dharavi
Life production
Low shanty towns
Recite Scriptures
Individual Public Group
Private
Living Scaffolding
Large-scale cultural events
Group praying
Playground
Holi Festival
Roof
Commercial Industry
Stepwell: Adaptation Space Transformation
The stepwell is considered an essential monumental structure beyond its functional purpose of the source of water supply.
Besides, people can use it during the dry or rainy season, which shows adaptability due to its vertical stratification.
Commercial Shop
Diwali
Demostration
Bidet
Bath
Pray
ARATI
Space Strategy
Set the center of "stepwell". Split the site by traffic flow. The courtyards. Rectraction for public space. Connections and Platforms. Vertical transportation.
Site Plan
Activity Analysis
Religious Living Community Commercial Production Anti-epidemic
Religious Living Community Commercial Production Anti-epidemic
Behaviors type
Behaviors type
Use time Policies during the pandemic
Religious Living Community Commercial Production Anti-epidemic
Public Space
The basement floor is used for production and storage activities, serving for the stores on the ground floor.
Behaviors type
Use time Policies during the pandemic
People in Dharavi use to stay outside their home and communicate with neighbours or do some work in front of their homes.
New dwellers can buy a container home. Their homes can be installed on the structure by using the tower cranes.
Dewellers can plant vegetables, dry clothes, play, and do some manual work here.
Levels
1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h Pandemic
Moving
Roof Dwellers Ground Wide Corridors
in Open Roof
Production and Storage
Levels
1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h Pandemic
Levels
1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h Pandemic
time
during the pandemic Levels Behaviors type Religious Living Community Commercial Production Anti-epidemic 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h Pandemic Use time Policies during the pandemic Levels Behaviors type Religious Living Community Commercial Production Anti-epidemic 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h Pandemic Use time Policies during the pandemic Levels Behaviors type
1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h 0 Pandemic
Use
Policies
Religious Living Community Commercial Production Anti-epidemic
Behaviors type
Anti-epidemic 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 2F 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 Pandemic
Policies
the pandemic Levels Behaviors type
1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h Pandemic Use time Policies during the pandemic Levels Behaviors type Religious Living Community Commercial Production Anti-epidemic 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h Pandemic Use time Policies during the pandemic Levels Behaviors type Religious Living Community Commercial Production Anti-epidemic 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof 1F 2F 3-6F Roof Pandemic Regular Regular 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h 0 24h Pandemic Use time Policies during the pandemic
Use time Policies during the pandemic Levels
Religious Living Community Commercial Production
Use time
during
Religious Living Community Commercial Production Anti-epidemic
Space distribution Level 1 Level 3 Level 3 Time distribution Perspective No restriction Plantforms Home N Assembly Courtyard Playground Temple Roof Ritual Staying at home Pandemic policies Pandemic policies Pandemic policies Pandemic policies Regular policies Regular policies Regular policies Regular policies Recreation School Ritual Community service Making handicrafting Planting Water collection Planting Water collection Recreation Recreation Religious Assembly Temporary working area Isolation treatment tents Limitation on visitors Maidir (home temple)
Level 2
Explosive View
In this design, the central plaza is the buttom of the "stepwell". It shares similar spatial sequence with the traditional indian stepwell, arousing residents' emotional resonance.
Roof
Canopy
Fixed roof
Above
Stairs
The 'temple'
Container home
First Floor
The 'temple'
Stairs
School
Ground Floor
The 'temple'
Courtyard
Playground
Retail store
Tower crane
Open plantform
Community service
Production area
Rendering
Container Home
Family members: one pair of parents, three children
Containers used: 6m*2.1m*2.7m*2
Decoration elements
Originated from Hinduism
Family members: one pair of parents, two teenagers, four children
Containers used: 6m*2.1m*2.7m*1, 12m*2.1m*2.7m*2 Center
Section A-A
Storage
Seat modules Shelves Hidden table Hidden beds
home Variable modules
modules
Temple in the
Dining room & living room
Living room & bedroom
space
and tables Storage Personal area Sub center Temple in the home Intensively living Privicy Room for teenagers of different genders Located in the north-east of the home. Room for 4 children 1 Stores 2 Courtyard 3 Playground 4 Corridor 5 School 6 Entrance hall 7 Container home 8 Vacant position 9 Roof 10 Open platform 11 Staircase Legend ±0.000 5.000m -0.200m 9.000m 12.000m 15.000m 18.000m 20.900m 23.600m 1 2 2 3 4 4 6 1 1 1 5 7 7 11 9 10 10 10 9 9 9 7 7 5 5 5
Seats
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Description:
Reindustry Center
The renaissance of automotive industry
Detroit, United States
2021
In this context, we predict boldly that the model of internal-centralized production will regain its importance in the near future. The Detroit, which was trying hard to return to its roots as a vibrant city center in the past decades, was emptied the streets again by pandemic.
Therefore, we decide to propose our skyscraper design solution in the motor city Detroit, aiming to revive the development and transformation of traditional industrial cities.
Guosheng Chen
Yifei Fan, Wenxuan Tang, Yiyue Su
Due to the pandemic, the industrial globalization was impacted heavily. However, the current situation provides an opportunity for those industrial cities which declined under globalization to revive again. In terms of production, the pandemic will certainly not terminate the industrial globalization, but it will help transform the globalization into a new form, a form of regional, limited globalization. Strikes and lockouts happening all around world right now reminds every country that it is important to have its own industrial chain.
During this crisis, however, Tesla, a new giant of car industry emerged. Apart from its main service of electric vehicles showing its concern on the environment, the key factor that contribute Tesla's being a game changer is the Tesla Gigafactory, which is designed to be a net zero energy factory and one of the largest building on earth. The Gigafactory include not only the assembly line, but also the production of batteries and electricity generation. In the Gigafactory, the designing apartment work closely with the producing apartment, which make it easier for new technoloy to put in to use and get the feedback in the first moment. All of these could are good examples for the traditional car makers to imitate.
As one of the biggest cities in the United States, Detroit was the symbol and prize of American industry. However, due to the decline of the motor industry, the factories were discarded, and the population declined rapidly downtown. The once prosperous city was filled with violent crimes, a high unemployment rate and a severe financial crisis. The pandemic made people try so hard to change back to the original point.
Industrial chain process
Considering the current situation, we propose to establish a vertical factory in the form of skyscrapers, which allows for a complete production chain of the automobile. The skyscraper is armed with energy production, raw material transportation, product development, production and assembly, performance testing, tourist etc.
Cost of production Economic level Poverty rate Unemployment rate
Site analysis
Global industry recession
Social changes
In terms of the design, we decide to revive the famous high-tech style after combing the historical facers and industrial background of Detroit. The goal is to change the current situation of the city by emphasizing on the development of science and technology, as well as making it regain its confidence.
The newest fusion generator on the roof will provide clean energy for the operation for the whole skyscraper. The production workshops in the center each have their own responsibilities to produce assembly component for the assembly line.
On both sides of the tower are office area for staff. The side-building also serves the function of transporting people to different higher platform.
The assembled car will be temporarily stored in the cylindrical parking area at the bottom, waiting to be tested and sold.
South Facade
Fission Reactor
Office area
Container elevator
Assembly line
Testing Track
Car lifter
Sales center
Cylindrical parking
The main body of the building with the spiral conveyor belt around makes all the steps of production and the assembly more efficient.
At the bottom is a user experience center where the public interact with the product. People can see the testing and professional equipment of the cars. Moreover, they can complete test drive experience on the outdoor runway directly.
Typical plan
Rooftop Equipment
Vertical Parking
Ground Floor
Testing Track
Cylindrical parking
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Suzhou Art Museum
Modern transformaion of tradition building style
Suzhou, China 2020
Guosheng Chen, Zhengwei Xia
Individual Work
Suzhou is a city with profound cultural deposits, including classical gardens, ancient buildings and old streets. And the site is located in Suzhou Industrial Area that has been developing rapidly since 1994.
Next to the site is the Xietang Old Street, a famous antique commercial street that attracts visitors from all over the city. The art museum is designed to respond to the history of the site and combine it with the modern way of design.
Site Analysis
GARDEN
RESIDENTIAL
MUSEUM
XIETANGRIVERHISTORICDISTRICT BIKE PARKING
Space Strategy
Functional arrangement
The museum is located next to the historic district, offering parking lots for this area. The garden plays a transitional role.
RESIDENTIAL
XIETANGRIVERHISTORICDISTRICT
Auxiliary area
The auxiliary area half-encloses the visiting area, allowing more connections.
Main exhibition
The main exhibition room is a spirling linear space. Visitors can enjoy the view of the river and the historic district at the end.
Temporary exhibition
The temporary exhibition room is the reverse extension of the main exibition room, which is semi-underground.
Space optimization
Smooth the surface for the entrance and extrude new volume, a slope, connect the exit of the main exhibition room and the ground level.
The lecture hall
The volume of the lecture hall is extruded near the starting point of the main exhibition. Its roof can be used as a garden for the visitors.
THE SITE is located in Soochow Industrial Area that has been developing rapidly since 1994. Soochow is a city with profound cultural deposits. There are many classical gardens and ancient buildings here.
SURROUNDING the site is Xietang Old Street, which has a history of more than 760 years and has been rebuilt several times. Nowadays, it is an antique commercial street that has been completely rebuilt in the past few years.
THE CONCEPT
The exhibition space is spirling linear space, which reminds the visitors of traditional scroll painting. They can enjoy the art work and the view of Xietang Old Street at the same time.
The new buildings are incompatible with the old street.
Space Evolution
Through addition, overlapping, reduction, and separation, the intersection of two linear spaces, one spirling and one semicircular, generates multiple space types.
We do not want our life to be disturbed by tourists.
Methods
Addition Overlapping
It takes hours to come here.
It is enjoyable to sit by the river.
I feel like I was in a traditional chinese painting.
Prototypes Combination
Exhibition rooms Exhibition rooms Gathering space Exhibition rooms Office rooms
THE BEGINNING THE END SHOW CONTINUES TAKE A BREAK REDISCOVER FULLY REVEALED EMERGE SHOW BEGINS TRANSITION
LINEAR SPACE HORIZONTAL ROTATION VERTICAL STRETCH
CAR PARKING BIKE PARKING GARDEN
MUSEUM BIKE PARKING
MUSEUM RESIDENTIAL XIETANGRIVERHISTORICDISTRICT CAR PARKING
GARDEN
XIETANGRIVER DISTRICT
CAR PARKING
Reduction Seperation
Floor Plan
Explosive View
SECOND FLOOR
GROUND FLOOR
BASEMENT FLOOR
1 Cafe 2 Lobby 3 Tickets 4 Gift Shop 5 Guard 6 Lecture Hall 7 Restroom 8 Long-term Exhibitions 9 Temporary Exhibitions 10 Research Center 11 Over the Atrium 12 Atrium 13 Office 14 Workshop 15 Storage 16 Monitor Room 17 Temporary Storage Room 18 Reception Room 19 Meeting Room 20 Over the Lobby 21 Auxiliary 11 20 18 13 13 13 13 13 7 7 7 7 1 2 3 5 6 9 9 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 5 21 12 7 7 7 7 10 10 10 19 4 19 9 8 11 9 9 9 9
Office corridor Temporary exhibition Transition area Entrance hall Basement Ground Floor Second Floor Collection Cultural center Auxiliary Exhibition Exhibition Exhibition Storage Cataloging room Photo studio Mounting room Repairing room Monitor room Office Library Workshop Digital experience Lecture hall Office Meeting room Reception room Parking lot Temporary exhibition Parking lot Temporary exhibition Long-term exhibition Cafe Gift shop Long-term exhibition A A
Temporary
The Art Museum creates different exhibition spaces. Through penetration and dislocation of different kinds of space, the design breaks the isolation of different rooms. The whole museum is covered by the roof, which inherits traditional Chinese roofs' basic form and structure but differs from that in material and building techniques. So the new roof can be more stable and versatile to provide more possibilities to the space under the roof.
Internal Courtyard
Details
Exhibitions ±0.00m +5.00m -4.00m
Section A-A Construction
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Biao Wang, Hengliang Tang Individual Work
