ELEMENTS
Selected Works 2021-2024
University of Pennsylvania | Weitzman School of Design
Master of Architecture
HEDI MAO
01. 209 Vine Street
Robin’s Nest Too
I // THE NEXUS BEAM HUB
Structural Design Research | Generative Prefabrication Group Project | Instructor: Masoud Akbarzadeh Hudson Yard, New York City, NY Spring 2023, ARCH 602
“Value is not based on the quality of material, but on creative and distinctive use instead.”
The architecture and construction industry is indeed responsible for serious waste problems. The construction process leaves significant waste and debris, including demolishing structures to construct new buildings at the end of the life cycle and the waste and debris resulting from the material processing and preparation for new construction. They all contribute significantly to the waste problems globally. To address this problem and eliminate waste, the continual use and reuse of resources should be at the core of the design process. Moreover, the building design and use characteristics should also be involved in this process. Only then, a circular design process may be established, which would be at the intersection of the material properties and building design and use (Geldermans, 2016; Van den Berg et al., 2019). This design approach values the ”creative and distinctive use” rather than the quality of material (Aravena, 2011).
The project follows the structural principle of hammer beams, but changes parameters, especially in the horizontal direction, to break the symmetry of the original structure to form diverse spaces with different qualities. By organizing mega structures in different ways, buildings can achieve large-span space and cantilever structures, but at the same time the mega structure will generate outward thrust, which needs to be offset by the tension provided by the secondary structure.
In addition, by following the structural language of the innovative hammer beam system, not only can form columnless large-span spaces of different qualities, but also eliminate corners of building floor slabs and achieve curving floor , thereby obtaining spaces with different publicity and diversity.
Structure Assembly Diagram - Main Structure
Structure Assembly Diagram - Secondary Structure
By organizing main structures in different ways, buildings can achieve large-span space, but at the same time the mega structure will generate outward thrust, which needs to be offset by the tension provided by the secondary structure.
1 CLT Structural Unit
2 CLT Bidirectional Joint
3 Metal Bolt
4 T-shape Steel Joint
5 Reversed CLT Structural Unit
6 CLT Multi-directional Joint
7 Assembled Structural Unit
ETFE Section Detail
ETFE Plan Detail
EPD
Cont
Glazing Section Detail
ETFE / Glazing Plan Detail
Stee with ETF
Silic (Typ
3-La
Serv Floo
Extru Alum Silico (Typ
Curv Lam Floo
Plyw Unde
Acou
ETFE
Silico (Typi
Stee with Concealed Fasteners
Curv Silico (Typi
ETFE
Stee with
CONFERENCE ROOM
Lobby & Main Entrance
PLAZA
LOUNGE MUSEUM
LOBBY
1’ = 1/32”
EXHIBITION
AUDITORIUM
ATRIUM
GALLERY
LOUNGE
1’ = 1/32”
Urban Choreography: Navigating the Interplay of Architectural Space and City Pulse
From the entry way to a open columless space, a open space to a public program. The Hammer-beam Roof structure, which is a decorative, open timber roof truss typical of English Gothic architecture and has been called “...the most spectacular endeavor of the English Medieval carpenter”.
II // MIXER
Music Creator Residential Design
Individual Project | Instructor: Scott Erdy
4548 Market St., Philadelphia, PA Fall 2022, ARCH 601
In the spirit of American Bandstand, our architecture vibrates with community life, turning every gesture into a note in the grand symphony of togetherness
The goal of this architectural project is to foster a sense of community by using music as a means of connection. The location of the project is the former site of the American Bandstand Studio, which was a popular music-performance and dance television program. The program became an icon of teen culture and helped to promote multi-cultural music to a wider audience. The project seeks to recreate the Bandstand as a public space that can be utilized both on-site and as a pop-up phenomenon.
The building itself is designed as a metaphor for an 8-track magnetic tape recorder. Each user is viewed as a musical notation, and their movements, conversations, and gestures become part of the process of music creation. The main entrance of the building faces Market Street, drawing people in, while the main performance stage faces the original parking lot, providing a gathering space for the community. Each level of the building offers secondary studios and performance spaces where artists can share their music with other residents. Their performances will be recorded and stored on the tape-wall, which the master DJ can use to select sounds for mixing and playing to the community on the main performance stage.
The building’s facade is designed to resemble a curtain, with its shape following the form of the main building. The use of gravity is an important tool in the design process.
Ultimately, the Mixer, the master DJ’s performance, is intended to represent the life and spirit of the entire community. By using music as a means of connection, the project aims to create a sense of community and foster a positive social atmosphere.
Conceptual Diagram
Public Space
Main Music Venue
Living Units
Studios
Concert Hall
Mechanical Room
Column Vertical Circulation
Horizontal Circulation
1’ = 1/8”
1’ = 1/8”
1’ = 1/8”
Building Section - Using Sound to Bond the Community
Building Section - Living in the Mixer
Dancing Facade
South Elevation
Music Venue - Night View
Market Street Access
III // TRACE
Automated Market Design
Individual Project | Instructor: Ezio Blasetti
Callowhill, Philadelphia, PA
Spring 2022, ARCH 502
Humans are four-dimentinal creatures caught in the web of time.
The main focus of this architectural project is the utilization of generative computational methods in the design process. These methods are applied as a framework for the development of urban morphology and as a physical infrastructure within the city.
The project is set in Callowhill, which was once an industrial area that transported locally produced goods all over the world by rail. Today, the area has transformed into a post-industrial marketplace where products from other locations are sold. This reversal of the shipping process represents a new story of the past unfolding in the future.
The project, named Trace, aims to provide a public common space that encourages citizens to walk outside of their homes. With the increasing dominance of online shopping and logistics, people tend to spend more time in the digital world rather than in the real world. Trace intends to blur the line between interior and exterior spaces, inviting users to enjoy the natural sunlight, surrounding nature, and Callowhill’s unique culture.
RESTAURANT FRESHMARKET
DRONEDELIVERY
SKYWALK
LOUNGE
MAINTENANCEAREA
STORAGE
PICK-UP AREA
MAIN ACCESS
RECEPTION
OPERATING ROOM
TRUCK ACCESS
Dissection Perspective - An Architectural Ode to Sound and Community
PICK-UP AREA
FARMING GARDEN
LOADING DECK
OPERATING ROOM
STORAGE OFFICE DRONE DELIVERY CENTER
- Dominique Perrault
IV // HORIZON
Educational Institution Design
Internship | ZHUBO Design
Fenghuang Mountain, Shenzhen, China
Summer 2021
The distant line where the land and sky seem to touch.
Lucid as to the perpetual transformation of urban landscapes and the inevitable movement of the city, we have chosen to be part of a logic that will accommodate and enrich future real estate developments.
The program and the needs of the university will continue to evolve, to be more precise.
Adaptations and revisions of all kinds are to come. The architecture must allow these iterations, be enriched by this consubstantial dialectic with ambitious and demanding programs and be able to react and adapt to the moment when the project environment will qualify.
Connected or isolated, concentrated or dispersed, dense or diffuse, universities have difficulty in finding their organizational model and defining their place in the city. At the time of the internationalization of research, the transversality of disciplines, the digitization of knowledge, metropolization and the competition of territories, in what sense can the territorialization of the university community be a structuring principle of the incessant expansion of the metropolitan?
Site Analysis
V // 01. 209 Vine Street
Multi-family
Internship | Canno Design
Philadelphia, PA Summer 2023
Red brick was the obvious contextual choice in the historic Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia. The large grid formed by the loft-like windows is further defined by a series of projections and reveals that articulate the facade. The use of triple brick along with a standard modular brick adds another layer of scale to the overall composition.
In this project, I focused on the innovative design of a vestibule wall, utilizing Grasshopper to create intricate patterns. Under the guidance of my supervisor, I generated detailed Construction Documents (CD) drawings and contributed to the markup modifications of the CD drawing set. This project allowed me to apply advanced computational design techniques and enhance my proficiency in technical documentation.
Vestibule Plans
Vestibule Interior Elevations
V // 02. Robin’s Nest Too
Preschool Design
Internship | Canno Design
Philadelphia, PA Summer 2023
In this project, I specialized in the interior design of several projects, employing advanced computational design techniques to enhance both functionality and aesthetic appeal. I also took on the responsibility of creating high-quality visualizations, utilizing Enscape to produce realistic renderings that effectively communicated the design intent to clients and stakeholders. This experience allowed me to deepen my skills in both innovative design methodologies and architectural visualization.
VI // CHAMBER OF SHADOWS
Installation Design
Group Project | Instructor: Dorian Booth
Weitzman School of Design, Philadelphia, PA Fall 2021, ARCH 501
Revealing an interior universe and challenging our perception of mass and volume through the poetic interplay of illumination and obscurity
The subject of “Chamber of Shadows” focuses on developing surfaces for light projection and expression. Each surface, formed by the shrink wrap, is a mediator of the interior lighting phenomena and the exterior shadow projections – asserting the material to develop its own language, have its own voice. The interior projections: the interior shadows capture not only the intricacies of the containers but also the interior framework of the project. Exposing the void of the interior, the play of light and shadows reveals the inner skeleton of the project. The exterior perception: the shadows apparent from the exterior surfaces ultimately play with our understanding of the mass. While the shrink wrap conceals the interior structure, it also reveals the interior shadow projections. Thus, the relationship between the shadows and the shrink wrap informs the observer of the form, mass, and volume of the project.
The overall form of the project gives the illusion of a large mass suspended by a smaller framework. Although the chamber might appear as a solid, the interior is only comprised of its supporting framework. Additionally, the cabinet contains three artifacts with its reflections imagined unto a larger container. Again, distorting our perception of the object, the projected shadows start to break down the reading of a heavy mass. With framed viewports exposing its inner secrets, the observer witnesses the phenomena of light and shadow play within the cabinet. Floating above its own shadow, these chambers are only a part of a whole – with the extension of this project suggested through the extending framework.
SUPPORTING COLUMN
HANDLE
EXTENSION NODE
WOOD FRAME
Ar tifact 1
Ar tifact 2
Ar tifact 3
VII // BREATHING CLOUDS
Eatery Design
Group Project | Schenk Woodman Competition
Callowhill, Philadelphia, PA
Spring 2022, ARCH 502
New urban typologies have merged as city life has expanded feverishly to the exterior throughout the pandemic
This project focuses on the transformable module system that could serve as multiple functions with different arrangements. They each could serve different programs from library, outdoor stage, eatery and bicycle station by various combinations. The units are made out of light, reinforced plastic that is easy to assemble and transport to different areas.
Each unit can be moved and rotated along the axis to open up the space for more outdoor programs like stage performance. In addition, the three different types of units could rotate and connect to each other to form a continuous circulation. Users could travel through different layers by using elevators. There are two entrances located at the street level. The idea behind the chosen location is to turn the whole site into a walking street for public gathering and entertainment. The eateries are mainly located on the second level. On the third floor, there is a public library connected to the Rail Park. The rooftop of modules are outdoor farms that allow users to go out and interact with each other. The facade is a ventilation system that composed by multiple air pillows with sensors. These air pillows could clean the exhausted gas and PM 2.5 to fresh air. The facade also acts as a partition to block the polluted air out. The interior light will become dimmer as more and more polluted air absorbed by the air pillows. Thus bringing attention to the importance of fresh air to human health and environment.
Transformation Diagram
Surrounding Context
Vertical Experience
Callowhill, Philadelphia, PA
The purpose of this design is to reactivate the Callowhill community after pandemic. Carving out room for social distancing, restaurants, bars, and cafes have spilled into the streets and public domain, expanding beyond the sidewalks, hungry for as much space as they can claim, occupying parking spaces, vehicle lanes, and sometimes even parks, plazas, among other interstitial and underused city plots. Named “Streeteries” in Philadelphia, they can be understood as the intersection of many evolutions of outdoor dinning typologies.
Thernolithe: Geo-thermal Power Facility
VIII // 01. Thermolithe: Geo-thermal Power Facility
Photography
Group Project | Instructor: Ferda Kolatan
Selçuk, İzmir, Türkiye Fall 2023, ARCH 701
“Everything changes, nothing perishes.” (Ovid, Metamorphoses)
In the narrative of “GEO-Aesthetics”, the Anthropocene is redefined through the transformative power of geothermal energy, reinvigorating the dormant quarries of Turkey. This project leverages the scars of past extractions — the drilled depths and the industrial remnants — and envisions them as foundations for sustainable rebirth. The quarry, once a symbol of the Anthropocene’s impact, is now the stage for a green energy revolution.
We harnessed the quarry’s pre-existing infrastructure, repurposing it into the backbone of a geothermal power plant. This strategy minimizes additional environmental disturbance, making a profound statement on land use in our era. It’s a thoughtful continuation of the site’s narrative, demonstrating how the Anthropocene’s imprints can be channels for innovation rather than merely marks of consumption.
Within this revived landscape, the geothermal plant does more than generate clean energy. The warm waters, a byproduct of our power generation, are ingeniously redirected to create hammams, reviving the age-old tradition of Turkish baths. This integration requires only minimal adjustments to the existing ventilation shafts, embedding wellness and community into the very fabric of the site.
“GEO-Aesthetics” thus evolves to not only interpret but actively sculpt the Anthropocene, marrying the quarry’s industrial past with a sustainable vision. It becomes a place where the steam that once signified exertion now cleanses, relaxes, and connects — where energy production coexists with cultural expression. Our project is a commitment to a future where the marks we leave on the earth are not just thoughtful but regenerative, providing warmth and light in the most literal and metaphorical senses.
The operational mechanical structure of the geothermal power facility
Thernolithe: Geo-thermal Power Facility
The operational logic of the geothermal power facility
Quarry Terrain Morphology
Mechanical Structure
Within this revived landscape, the geothermal plant does more than generate clean energy. The warm waters, a byproduct of our power generation, are ingeniously redirected to create hammams, reviving the age-old tradition of Turkish baths.
Thernolithe: Geo-thermal Power Facility
Interior Shot: Turkish Bath
Aerial View
VIII // 02. PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography
Individual Project
Mirrorless Camera | Film Camera | Instant Film Camera 2021 - 2024
Photography is the story I fail to put into words.
Photography, to me, is not just an act of capturing moments; it is a profound medium through which the essence and emotions of architecture are distilled and communicated. It goes beyond mere documentation to interpret spaces and structures, highlighting the intricate interplay of light, shadow, form, and texture. Through the lens, I explore the narrative of buildings and environments, uncovering layers of meaning and context that might otherwise remain unseen. This practice enriches my architectural design process, encouraging a deeper understanding of how spaces are perceived and experienced. Photography sharpens my sensitivity to the nuances of composition and perspective, fostering a design approach that prioritizes the aesthetic and emotional impact of architectural spaces on their inhabitants. Ultimately, it bridges the gap between the tangible and the intangible, allowing me to create designs that resonate on a profoundly human level.
