Li Yirun's Application Portfolio for UCL MA Architecture and Historic Urban Environments

RE-BALANCE

LI YIRUN

SELECTED WORKS 2018-2022

Bachelor of Architecture

Guangzhou University

Application number: 23191573

Apply for MA Architecture and Historic Urban Environments in Bartlett, University College London

CONTENTS

01 Gates to Community

Re-balance commertial and residential

02 Sea Fort

Re-balance industrial heritage and nature

03 Bubbles of Minds

Re-balance physical and psychological

04 Tide Buffer in the CBD

Re-balance density and vacancy

Most of the architectural spaces have been shaped by a unique era. Their form and function are closely related to the development process of the city or region.

Today the built environment and human needs are still changing. The relationship between space, architecture and people still waiting to be constantly re-evaluated, as well as re-balanced.

05

Other Works

Bamboo comstruction design, mountain hotel design, watercolour exercises

Gates to Community

Re-balance commertial and residential

Location: Haizhu District, Guangzhou, China

Type: Studio / Individual Work

Tutor: Jianan Zhang

Date: Spring 2021

Haizhu District accommodates over 1.7 million residents due to the prosperous of real estate industry, showing a growing need of high quality community life experience. Marketplace, highly correlated to residential community, has always been an imporant carrier of civil life throughout the history. Experienced its prosperity and modernization, markets now is going through a period of over-normalization, which result in the loss of dynamic. The project located at Bingjiang East Market, aiming to activate its front square. Wood structures are used to create containers of common people’s daily ativities, showing phenomena of society in various “Gates”. Spaces are shaped into different scale according to their usages.

BINGJIANG Chess Room

The scale of “Gates” are decided by the activities that take place in the community.

Chat Room

N 0 10 50 100m Mapping Residential Fence Site Residential with market on 1st floor Site Problem and Solution Market Area Market Area Public Activity Space Residential Area Residential Area Scale of gates in community Small shops Medium-sized shops Public cultural spaces Medium-sized shops Stalls 8.1m 4.5m 2.4m 0

Axonometric

Using wood structure, pedestrian routes are redrawed and spaces for activities are placed, alowing people to meet and interact with each other in a new way. Several gardens are divided. Also, the structures provides spaces to build a roof gardem with abundent hight difference for resients to wander and explore.

Leisure Activities Space

Performance Space

Public

Sea Fort

Re-balance industrial heritage and nature

Location: South China Sea

Type: Studio / Individual Work

Tutor: Manrong Liang

Date: Summer 2022

The world economy is moving towards globalization, and the importance of maritime affairs is gradually increasing. However, in recent years, maritime conflicts, terrorist attacks and pirate looting have occurred frequently, which have had a disastrous impact on international trade, distantwater fishing and transnational transportation; behind this are political disputes, terrorism and interests-driven crimes.A large number of offshore oil and gas rigs built at the end of the 20th century are now approaching the end of their life; leaving them in place for retrofitting is a more economical (and ecological) approach than completely dismantling them. The project will explore the feasibility of transforming offshore drilling platforms into military support bases and reconstruct these "maintenance machines" for maritime security, reflecting the value of peace and security.

SIite Analysis

The project is located in South China Sea. The South China Sea is rich in oil and gas resources, for which a large number of drilling platforms have been established; at the same time, it is also an important shipping and trade route. In recent years, maritime security issues in the region have become increasingly prominent.

Status of drilling platform

The construction of offshore drilling platform has a long history. Today, retired platforms present a range of resource useing and ecological problem.

China

Today

History of drilling platform

Drilling operations started in South China Sea.

1972

1960's Offshore oil and gas engineering has entered a stage of rapid development.

Nowadays

South China Sea has become one of the largest producers of oil and gas.

20-30 years later

A large number of offshore oil and gas platforms reach their design life.

After WWII

Future of drilling platform

1897

The world's first offshore drilling was built in Summerland Beach in California.

The wooden structure platform is changed to the steel tube frame platform.

Many drilling platforms were built in the 80s and 90s.

Number of offshore platforms Increasing of offshore platforms

they arrive at 20 to 30 years of service life The old platform has generated a lot of connection with the marine ecology

Manyla

Pillipine

Spratly Islands

Paracel Islands

Brunei

Hainan

Vietnan

crane water treatment station residential & office

Design Concept

By converting retired drilling platforms into military support bases, maritime security protection can be enhanced while making proper use of decommissioned platforms.

SIte Prototype

underground storage room rig crane upper module lower support pipeline

Retired Drilling Platform: Having large amount of available space, such as concrete foundation and steel superstructure.

Sea Fort: With a complete functional system to support a long period of independent life at sea.

Compronent Function

Oil Extraction Procedure

Gaurd Band Generation

Grilling Platform Elevation

Step 1: Retrofit a single platform. Step 2: Retrofit multiple platforms. Step 3: Form a gaurd band.

Sea Bird

Human

rig storage tank processing factory

The drill string entering the seabed from the rig and reach the oil producing layer.

Oil entering the upper module through the delivery pipe.

Oil being processed in the factory in the upper module.

Loading oil into ship by crane and transported to land.

subsea sealing device

Fish Sheildfish

Seaweed Coral

Fire Stairs

Removing of the drilling rig from the tower and insertiing new features within the tower structure

Sentry Posts

7-8F: Scouting Room

5-6F: Telecommunications Room

3-4F: Command Office

1-2F: Broadcast Studio

sectional position

Retaining the original electrical installations to ensure the energy cycle

Retention of the original ventilation on top of the upper module

Equipment Storage

Training Grounds

New load-bearing structures are added to reinforce the platform

Incorporating a lift in the centre of the platform running between the tower and the upper module

Central Command Facilities

Reprogramming of the internal layout of the upper modules according to functional needs

Ventilation

Living Facilities

Dormitories

Lifeboats

Offices

Cranes

Security Room

Using existing lifts to connect lower module

Logistics and Storage

Space Usage Analysis

Keyword

The platform supports the daily work and activities of the base through spaces of different charateristic

Drilling Tower

Usage Scenarios

Military installations are the mainstay of maritime security, monitoring the state of the sea and standing ready to take on criminal forces; as the need for military protection increases, more security facilities need to be built.Troops will maintain a strict and collectivist daily routine to ensure the operation of this "maritime security machine", making the platform work again and securing the sea.

The Bubbles of Mind

Re-balance physical and psychological

Location: Shanghai City, China

Type: Studio / Individual Work

Tutor: Meizi Li

Date: Summer 2022

From January to April 2022, a corona epidemic broke out in Shanghai, China. The city government adopted tough control measures, and all citizens entered the isolation process. During the epidemic, Shanghai's economy declined and people's health suffered; however, the damage caused by the epidemic did not stop there. Not only the infected were affected; from the top decision-makers to the bottom citizens, everyone was involved in the secondary disaster of lockdown: Although this disaster has passed, people's psychology still needs to be repaired, and the lessons of this time still need to be remembered. Through the psychological classification of various groups involved in the epidemic, 12 psychological archetypes were obtained; this architecture designed different healing spaces for each psychological archetype; at the same time, they were connected with larger spaces for communication and commemoration. A corridor surrounds the entire site, connecting all spaces to each other and connecting people's hearts to each other. The whole program is a sanctuary for everyone's soul and a memorial for collective pain. It will continue to heal people's hearts in the post-pandemic era.

Shanghai Epidemic Timeline

02/28 Shanghai reports its first local confirmed case of the epidemic.

03/17 A citizen died due to delay in treatment due to living in a closed area.

03/23 A nurse of Oriental Hospital suffered an asthma attack, but the hospital refused to accept it on the grounds of epidemic prevention and control.

03/28 Pudong, Punan and adjacent areas are locked down.

03/29 Migrant workers are collectively expelled by community residents because they do not have nucleic acid certificates.

04/01 Video of several infants and young children being isolated from their parents in Shanghai circulated on the Internet.

04/02 The property manager of Songjiang Lemoyuan Community, who worked continuously during the epidemic lockdown, died suddenly from overwork in the office.

04/05 Community drones fly to broadcast: "Controlling the soul's desire for freedom".

04/06 A woman in Shanghai's Hongkou District asked for a deliveryman to deliver food to her hearing-impaired father. She fell from the building after being subjected to cyber violence because she gave the deliveryman too little "tips".

04/07 A medical staff at a centralized isolation point in Shanghai fainted due to overwork.

04/09 Elderly man who couldn't take care of himself dies after his caregiver being quarantined.

04/10 The captain of the security team of the third phase of Shanghai Hongkang Garden was overworked and died suddenly in the security room.

Typical Population Analysis

04/12 Director of the Information Center of the Hongkou District Health and Health Commission, it was reported on the Internet that he committed suicide due to the pressure, and his death was confirmed by the relevant departments, but the reason is unknown

04/13 An old man from Xuhui District, Shanghai made a recording of his phone call to the neighborhood committee, and his speeches such as "Why did Shanghai become like this" resonated widely.

04/17 Several protest signs appeared on Huashan Road: "People are dying"

04/19 2022 Global Chinese College Students

Short Poem Contest, some of the creations aimed at the epidemic, such as Unnecessary School Leaving, have been widely forwarded

04/27 More than 200 deaths in Shanghai.

04/30 Although the country reported an average of nearly 5,800 new infections per day, it has dropped by 80% from the peak period.

05 Shanghai begins to gradually relax lockdown measures.

06/01 The whole city of Shanghai has entered the stage of full resumption of work, production and market, and normal production and life order.

Crowd Status Illustration

Everyone is isolated within the 'four walls' and it is difficult to communicate inner feelings and thoughts

According to the Big Five personality trait theory, human personality traits can be summarised in five factors: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism. By categorising the twelve typical groups of people in the epidemic containment and describing them using these five factors, the psychological dilemmas faced by the different typical groups are summarised.

A gradual loss of empathy in decision-making

Taking responsibility comes with fatigue

Confusion with nowhere to go

Have to perform tasks rigidly

Providing help spontaneously

Lack of ability to speak up for themselves

Distinguish truth from fiction

Depression of long-term isolation

Numbness due to lack of understanding of environment

Nevertheless, the ability to cope with the current situation varies between the different social roles played by different groups of people, resulting in different levels of stress and types of psychological distress for each group.

Therefore, the spiritual healing spaces will be individually designed for different groups of people.

Running around in the city

Shopping leader among residents

Childlike innocence in the face of adversity

Single Space: Designed specifically for each typical population, each unit is for a single person

Communication Node: Nodes where different groups of people meet, each single unit can accommodate 3-5 people

Administor Plantation

Sharp triangles show aggression, but plants make people friendly.

Basic Unit

Message Wall

Circles symbolize closure, while messages from others open minds.

Node 1

Views Communication

Panels and folded corners create divisions and transitions, symbolising the presence and intersection of different opinions

Node 2

Emotional Communication

Rounded and curved surfaces connect people emotionally with each other in a soft and free atmosphere

Node 3 Information Communication

Flat surfaces and blocks create an environment where people can exchange information in an organised and clear manner

Collective Space: Public spaces that allow the full presence of others to be felt and for multiple users

Expressman Meditation Hall

In undulating streamlines, meditation makes people calm.

Medical Persinel Lounge

Rigorous board is a place to rest.

Volunteer Meditation Hall

Floating soft objects promote relaxation and friendliness.

Non-native Archives

In the clutter of geometry, organize thoughts through archives.

Elder Projection Room

In numb cubes, the screening of film restores people's perception of the status quo.

Group-buying Manager

Mirror Room

Mirrors make people look at themselves as well as affirm themselves.

Garden

People come together in different dimensions, meeting and greeting each other or visiting each other, rebuilding their trust in the collective in the process of "feeling each other's presence"

Monument

The long curved wall with the names of the victims is a place to walk around and feel the tributes to the victims

Media Bookstore

In the half-covered wall, books bring clues to the truth.

Infant Sand table

Floating discs protect imaginative playgrounds.

Resident Water Featuer

The undulating surface hides the calming water.

Disabled Recording Booth

The open chamber welcomes people to record their voices in it.

Chatroom

Each cubicle will record people's voices and transmit them randomly to another cubicle, so that human contact is established in communication

Museum

Gathering all the elements in the Single Space, spiralling them into paths, increasing the understanding of different people by passing through the spaces to which they belong

Suspension bridge and Connecting Corridor

Suspension bridges and corridors connect people's wandering paths, allowing people to move freely through different spaces.

Sectional View

In the spaces people meet or are alone, watch or talk to each other, with a variety of ways to experience.

Spaces of Different Scales

The combination of spaces of different scales and functions creates a rich spatial experience during the tour.

tempered glass

concrete

top coat

The entrances to the underground world are located by the windows of buildings, on roofs and in the streets and are marked by balloons; the inhabitants of the city can easily access this fantasy space by climbing ladders whenever they feel the need to do so.

During the shutdown of the above-ground city, people enter the psychological healing space through the passages; after the epidemic in the above-ground city, these passages become the entrance to this underground public place of remembrance.

The underground complex is a group of spheres of three different scales, interconnected by connecting corridors and drawbridges. During the city's closure, this fantasy underground world provides a place to relieve psychological stress; after the closure, the underground world will become a memorial and a wake-up call in the post-epidemic era.

Scenario Illustration

People first enter the Single Space dedicated to each specific group of people via a climbing ladder for exclusive relaxation and healing activities; Then they enter a Communication Node via a suspension bridge or corridor to return to the presence of others and break the isolation;And finally, they enter a Collective Space to reflect on the current situation in an activity.

1. People enter underground spaces from the city by climbing ladders.

2. There, the suspension bridges connects the different spaces.

3. At the same time, the corridor connects all spaces in a series.

4. Through different spatial experiences, people are able to heal their hearts and minds.

Tide Buffer in the CBD

Re-balance density and vacancy

Location: Futian District, Shenzhen, China

Type: Competition / Team Work

Tutor: Xiaolin Yang, Yukai Zou, Jianan Zhang

Date: Spring 2022

The function of the central office area in the city is too single, and the time of personnel activities highly coincides, which leads to excessive aggregation. This is manifested as the dense flow of people to work and lunch in the morning and evening, and the long queuing time for taking the elevator. At theesame time, in high-density cities, there is a relatively lack of social and leisure activity space with high accessibility.This phenomenon affects the efficiency of people’s work and life and leads to a lack of vitality in the CBD area.The project located at the Intersection of Fuhua Road and Yitian Road, which is a central location in Shenzhen’s urban CBD. The concept of three-dimensional market is introduced to solve the tidal difficulties of the existing CBD flow, integrate the mobility, gathering and leisure of the traditional market into the vertical space, and create a harmonious CBD community environment.

Mapping

Demographic Analysis

About Tide

Tide Phenomenon in High-rise Buildings: people gather in high-rise buildings during working hours, and then migrate to the outside of the building during lunch break or after get off work, which often causes vertical traffic jams, brings inconvenience to the work and life of office workers, and causes the lack of regional vitality.

Strategy

Scenerio Conception

Futian District, located in the middle of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, is the central urban area of Shenzhen's key development and will be built into the business center of Shenzhen.

The working population of Futian Sub-district reaches 274,900, while the residential population of the block where the site is located is very small. The main users of the site are office workers.

Morning: Breakfast, Coffee Afternoon: Light Meal, Tea Break, Exhibition, Park Evening: Light Meal, Market, Indoor Sports Field, Express Station

Model Promoting

This model has universal significance and can be promoted in different streets, serving the street where it is located by placing buffers

Linked by multiple buffers, the flow of people is fully dredge, forming a service network, covering business areas, and improving regional vitality

Design Generation

Vertical Transportation Systems: Adding additional cores and interconnecting them by means of corridors to efficient distribution of traffic resources.

Subsistence Supply System Systems: Embedded with a variety of functional spaces to facilitate the use of people in the high-rise buildings.

Vibrant Bazaar System: Liven up the CBD atmosphere with event spaces and platforms to create a relaxed environment.

Application Assistant Function

Make reservations or order food, get information on vertical traffic flow, event information, etc. via the app

Space Function

① Transport core

② Corridor

③ Goods shelves

④ Dining area

⑤ Stall area

⑥ Exhibition area

⑦ Outdoor platform

Exhibition

Corridor

Restaurants

Market & Sport

ExpressStation

Platform Stalls

Vertical Traffic Core

View of Indoor Sports Field

Shutter Structure

solar panel

waterproof layer

insulation layer

lightweight cellings

steel ricet

spindle

steel frame

spindle

floor tiles

mortar bonding layer

warerproof coating

lightweight floor slabs

external wall coating

Shutter Details

aluminium

Monoblock Platform

Breakfast, Coffee shop, Fuel up for the day Lunchtime activities, Light meals, Tea breaks, Exhibition Food markets, Courier stops, Off-duty activities

Rotation of louvered blades

spindle

steel frame

steel ricet

Corridor

Lifting of the shutter fan

Indoors

The louvres adjust the light according to the sunlight.

louvre blade

Greenery, Fresh air, Vibrance

Relax, Unwind, Leisure activities

Lighted landscape, Post-dinner walk

Other Works

01 Bamboo Construction Design (2021)

Guangzhou University Constructing Competition

02 Mountain Hotel (2020) Model Making Week

03 Watercolour Exercises (2019)