NEW VITALITY OF OLD CITY
Master Research Project Huiyuan Li
NEW VITALITY OF OLD CITY
A Thesis Presented to the Graduation Faculty of University of Florida
By Huiyuan Li
Chair: Martin Gundersen Co-Chair: Bradley Walters
University of Florida College of Design, Construction, and Planning Graduate School of Architecture Master of Architecture, Spring 2019
To my dear friends and family who have always given me encouragement. Most of all, to my parents who gave me full support in my pursuit of myself and my dreams. To Professors Martin Gundersen and Bradley Walters, for all the great guidance and inspiration you have given me, and teaching me to believe in myself.
CONTENT
09
Abstract
11
Part 1. Improve city walking experience
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55
81
107
13
Thinking of city renewal
20
Making changes from daily life
Part 2. Movement in a city 24
City linking space —— Precedent analysis & Test
33
Linking space sequence & system
44
Adaptability of the system
50
Movement system in the design practice
Part 3. Moments in the system 56
Light phenomena drawing
60
Moments model develop
70
Moments connections
76
Moments in the design practice
Part 4. Design practice in Chengdu 82
Current Situation of site
86
Changes of the city
93
The final design
Appendices 108
References
110 Images
Abstract 8
ABSTRACT
With the development of society, people have a stronger awareness of historical and cultural protection. Urban renewal has become a hot topic in contemporary society. In addition to urban renewal from the perspective of urban planning and urban design, I hope the vitality of the city can be obtained from daily life. Therefore, my MRP project focuses on how to improve and enhance the street experience to activate the old city. Starting from the humanscale streets, people return to themselves and realize the micro-renewal of the city through the thinking and innovation of walking experience. In the process of research on enhanced experience, I divided the research into three main parts: movement, moments and practice. Movement is the exploration of the street journey. I extracted the walking path in a city and selected one part of it as a journey to enhance the experience. Through the study of these journeys, I obtain a widely used method, space system. This system is composed of many moments. By changing the way the moments are organized, the spatial system can adapt to different cities and meet different needs. I tested the system in several cities, including eastern and western cities, southern and northern cities, and land and water cities. The moments are the elements of the space system. I want to distinguish different moments by the changes of light and shadow. At the same time, I try to use different phenomena of light to constitute the spatial hierarchy and divide different moments. In this part, I focus on how to create different light and shadow atmosphere in a single space, so as to bring different experiences and feelings to people. In addition, how to connect the moments and embed them into the space system is another research content of mine. I explore the integration of moments and the system by thinking about the connection mode. For the practice part, I chose Chengdu, China as my site. Here, I designed a public rest space way, I hope to improve the overcrowding and lack of vitality of the block and provide visitors with a better city experience. 9
Abstract
located in a traditional block by using the space system and moments I studied before. In this
PART 1 IMPROVE CITY WALKING EXPERIENCE
Part 1: Improve City Walking Experience 12
THINKING OF CITY RENEWAL
With the development of social economy and the advancement of urbanization, how to renew the old city has always been a controversial topic. The subject of urban renewal originated in the 19th century when western countries faced the housing differentiation and social conflicts caused by differences in race, religion and income after rapid urbanization, and the renewal movement aimed at slum clearance. In the UK, the earliest industrialized country, the task of urban renewal is more prominent and more inclined to use the word urban regeneration. The meaning of its representation is not only the improvement of urban material environment, but also the broader significance of social and economic revival.1 In the past few decades, rapid urbanization in China has led to the rapid disappearance of historic districts and urban culture. In Beijing, for example, a large number of Siheyuan have been eradicated and replaced by high-rise buildings, only few traditional neighborhoods were remained. The picture on the left shows the of low-slung quadrangle courtyard, the tall bell tower and drum tower standing in the middle can be seen from a distance. By the 1990s, most of this area had been filled with skyscrapers, with the exception of a small block of courtyard houses next to the bell and drum towers, which had disappeared among the mass of tall Image 1.1
buildings.
Bell tower and drum tower in old Beijing City, Taken in 1946 1　 Cheng Dalin and Zhang Jingxiang, City Renewal: An Action Beyond Physical Plan
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Part 1: Improve City Walking Experience
area of Bell and Drum Towers in Beijing in 1946. In a large area
Fortunately, since the 1990s, more and more architects began to pay attention to the issue of urban renewal and regeneration. Wu Liangyong once put forward the concept of urban organic renewal, and believed that from the city to the building, from the whole to the part, just like organisms, they are organically connected and coexist in harmony. He argues that urban construction should be in accordance with the order and regularity of inner city, with the texture of the city, using the appropriate scale, the scale of the reasonable, properly handle the relationship between the current and future, on the basis of sustainable development to seek for the renewal of the city development, and continuously improve the quality of the urban planning, makes the city, the environment is consistent with the overall environment. Currently, there are three main ways to renew a city: Redevelopment, Rehabilitation and Conservation.1 • The redevelopment aims to demolish all the existing buildings in the badly damaged blocks, while redesigning and reconstructing the whole area. • Rehabilitation is to repair and maintain old and minor damaged buildings so as to improve the urban environment. • Conservation is aimed at the preservation of well-preserved historical buildings or historical areas of traditional features. In my opinion, the responsibility of an architect is not only to build a building, but also to take some responsibility for the city and society, respect and protect the history and culture, and bring new vitality to city and people. Once a building is built, it will exist for decades or even hundreds of years. Different from other forms of art, architecture is something that people are exposed to all the time in their daily life.
Part 1: Improve City Walking Experience
Therefore, as an architect, considering the needs and experiences of people is an indispensable course. After visiting many cities in China, I found an interesting fact that those historical blocks that have been preserved are always severely polarized. Some of them are over-commercialized and similar to each other all over the country, while others lack basic protection and renovation and lost their vitality and beauty. What I hope to do is to reactivate these areas, improve the living experience and bring new vitality by bringing some small changes to these streets.
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1 Urban Renewal, Baidu Baike, https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%9F%8E%E5%B8%82%E6%9B%B4%E6%96%B0#ref_[1]_1337069
Image 1.2
Bell tower and drum tower in Beijing in 2010
In urban renewal, how to fully explore the cultural and landscape characteristics and update and improve them is often the key to the success or failure of urban renewal. The essence of architecture is the interaction with people. Therefore, from the perspective and scale of people themselves, I hope to study how to utilize and transform the existing buildings on the basis of preserving the original features, so as to improve the existing traditional blocks. Nowadays, many cities are changing the single function of traditional CBD areas with a combination of urban renewal based on historical and cultural preservation. As a result, a new mixed-use concept of RBD (recreational business district) has been proposed. Among them, Shanghai's Xintiandi, Singapore's Clarke Quay and Boston's Quincy Market are all famous examples of "preservation and renewal". Boston's Quincy market, which opened in 1826, has just three buildings, mostly used to store produce and serve as a meat market. Over time, the area became too crowded and the buildings too old, and the
Part 1: Improve City Walking Experience
Quincy market gradually lost its function as a food distribution center. In 1961, Boston included the Quincy
Image 1.3
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Quincy Market, 1852
Image 1.5 Plan of Quincy Market, 1996
Image 1.6
Quincy Market, 1995
market in the city's plan to redevelop the city's waterfront. Instead of scrapping the original market, the plan decided to renovate the three buildings. After the successful transformation of Quincy market into a new business center, it also developed a sufficient tourism market in Boston and became a tourist attraction of shopping. 17
Part 1: Improve City Walking Experience
Image 1.4 Plan of Quincy Market, 1841
Image 1.7
Shikumen Alley Xintiandi, Shanghai
Shanghai Xintiandi is located in the center of Shanghai. It is based on the combination of Chinese and western culture and the combination of old and new culture. It integrates the traditional old shikumen alley in Shanghai with the new buildings full of modern sense to create a gathering place with both traditional style and modern functional facilities, providing catering, retail, entertainment, culture and service apartment and other facilities. Shikumen architecture can be said to be the witness of the golden age of Shanghai history. However, as Shikumen has been through the baptism of many years of history, in the absence of maintenance, the external and internal buildings have become dilapidated. In order to recreate the old scene of Shikumen alley, the engineers built it according to the original plan. Now, the alley, Shikumen door frame, lintel, building height and roof terrace are the same as at that time. Part 1: Improve City Walking Experience
Wall, shop the ground and housetop use original old brick and old tile as far as possible to make sure press close to its original appearance. But inside, the building was transformed beyond recognition. The present Shikumen alley of Xintiandi is still a historical building with the former blue brick walkway, clear brick wall and black lacquer gate on the outside, but with central air conditioning, automatic elevator and broadband Internet inside. It has been transformed into a brand-new business and consumption place. Clarke Quay is now in the heart of Singapore's national territory, along the historic Singapore river. The Clarke Quay historic district consists of five colorful buildings with more than 60 warehouses and
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Image 1.8
Elevation of Clarke Quay, Singapore
shophouses. All five buildings retain their original 19th century features, reflecting the vicissitudes of the docks and warehouses. The reconstruction and development of Clarke Quay not only restores and protects the old buildings, but also makes a modern creative design of the exterior color, light and landscape of the architectural space according to the needs of modern cities, presenting the dialogue and coordination between tradition and modernity. It protects the old buildings completely without causing damage; and through the creative design of modern technology landscape, let the old building radiate new elegant demeanor, fully integrate with the modern landscape, and create a unique atmosphere space suitable for the style of modern city. The brick and tile materials of the old warehouse building form a sharp contrast with the glass and plastic ceiling materials, which is a collision between modern and traditional that Clarke Quay wharf is willing to
Image 1.9
Clarke Quay, Singapore
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present.
Part 1: Improve City Walking Experience
MAKING CHANGES FROM DAILY LIFE
Image 1.10
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Dianchi road, Shanghai
“Public space is the new backyard,” says Hamish Dounan, Associate Director of CONTEXT Landscape architects. “Great landscape architecture projects can actually get people out of their apartments and going for walks. It can get them engaging in a social way,” adds Shahana Mackenzie, CEO of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA). Trends to activate public spaces are increasing in popularity around the world; urban parks and gardens, vibrant street places, wider pedestrian walkways, cafes with outdoor seating. 1 Chinese architect Yu Ting has done some micro space revival projects, through which he hopes to let people see "a ray of light" in daily urban life. Since 2015, Yu Ting and Dai Chun, director of operations and senior editor of Time Architecture, jointly launched the "urban micro-space revival plan", calling on architects to find and study the lost Spaces around them, and activate them with design, so as to make the city more dynamic. In the renovation project of Dianchi road in Shanghai, Yu Ting not only tried to improve the living conditions of the householder's family, but also hoped to influence the urban life of Shanghai through such "micro-space". Standing at the downstairs of the house, you can see two very conspicuous yellow canopy, which is specially designed by Yu Ting. "Yellow is very bright in the light or in the sun. During the day, the circle of sunlight will form a golden light on the arc of the canopy, and at night, when the whole building appears gray, the light of this house, because of the yellow reflection, looks like a warm island. Yu Ting said that adding a canopy in this place is not only out of the necessity to shield the light and rain, but efforts of a family or a group of people, it will show an incredible brilliance."2
1 Ariana Zilliacus, 6 Low-Cost Techniques to Activate Underused Urban Space, 23 February, 2017, ArchDaily, https://www.archdaily.com/805639/6-low-costtechniques-to-activate-underused-urban-space 2 Qian Xueer, The century-old building "micro-renewal" activates the "lost" space of the city, https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1718865_1
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also to express the attitude of an architect. "Even in times of hardship or decline, as long as there is the
PART2 MOVEMENT IN A CITY
CITY LINKING SPACE —— PRECEDENT ANALYSIY & TEST
City linking space helps me to focus on pedestrian system of a city. It respects the needs of pedestrians and provides them with a more convenient and safe passage. The pedestrian system includes air walking system, underground walking system and ground walking system. These three systems combine to link different urban facilities or buildings and form a walking network. Linking space emphasizes the establishment of city construction and its affiliated spaces in the system to give priority to the usage of walking. Linking space is not only for providing walkable space, but also for improving the city's walking experience. For example, arcade, a ground walking space, can provide a closed space for pedestrians to resist the bad weather in cold areas. While air walking space, such as various bridges, can reduce people's walking distance, and some occupied bridges also have some social functions and provides space for pedestrians to experience the street.
Part 2: Movement in a city
Image 2.1
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Site analysis
Brookfield Place, Toronto, Canada Market
Plan analysis
PRECEDENT ANALYSIS OF LINKING SPACE —— ARCADES In some cold area, there are arcades between high-rise buildings to link the whole block. Dense high-rise buildings in the city will block the wind, and all convective air has to cuts through those buildings. In result, when people walk through those buildings, they will be attacked by strong winds and extreme cold. Adding arcades into the block can solve this problem and protect people to keep warm during their walking. The arcades also link to the high-rise buildings around it, so the pedestrian system becomes a net spread on the ground and most people choose to pass by the arcade. That is the reason of why those arcades are all shopping malls. The first case of arcade is the Brookfield Place in Toronto, Canada. It is designed by Santiago Calatrava. The arcade links to three high-rise buildings and their podiums, also an outdoor public plaza. In the arcade, there are two square atriums and their axis points to the main road junction. Considering the arcade is sitting between high buildings, the only light source is from the sky. So, the entire arcade is covered by a huge glass roof to get more daylights. The interior space is fantastic because people can see the new
Site analysis
Prudential Center, Boston, US Market
Plan analysis
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Part 2: Movement in a city
Image 2.2
skeleton structure of the arcade, as well as the old walls of original high-rise buildings. It provides a sharp contrast and an interesting sensory experience for pedestrians. Another arcade is the Prudential Center in Boston, United States. It has three linear roofs filling gaps between high buildings to cover the block, also, it extends one roof and turn it into a pedestrian bridge across the city road to connect the building on the other side. This case is more complex, but it also shows the possibility of different cities linking spaces. The linking space is not only on the ground, it can also be mounted in the air, breaking the restrictions of the road on the block.
PRECEDENT ANALYSIS OF LINKING SPACE —— BRIDEGS The main function of bridges is to transportation. Beyond that, there are some occupiable bridges also carry the social functions. Most of those occupiable bridges are markets, with shops, cafes, and restaurants, because of the inevitable large stream of people passing by. Visitors can stay on the bridge
Part 2: Movement in a city
Image 2.3
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Site analysis
Bridge School, Fujian, China School
Plan analysis
to rest or enjoy the city view. There is also a different type of bridge which is meant to be a bond to link diverse social groups together. The Bridge School in Fujian, China, is one social link space. Each round building called Tulou, a traditional residential building in southeastern China, is a huge family with hundreds of people living in there.The two family in the site linked by the bridge was hereditary enemy. Even though their families are separated only by a creek, the relationship was still tense, and they never interact to each other in the past. Though a long time has passed, the distance between the two families is still not close. So, the bridge is designed for those two families to connect to each other. During the working time, it is a school for children to study together; after working, it becomes a public library, a community theater, or a village living room. Anshun Lounge Bridge is in the leisure entertainment area of the city, Chengdu. The whole area is built for night live. However, this area is bisected by a river; one side of the river is filled by quiet bars, another side is full of nightclubs. The bridge links these two parts together, at the same time, the lounge bridge itself is also a restaurant, so the function of the area is very unified. Besides, the location of the restaurant,
Anshun Lounge Bridge, Chengdu, China Restaurant
Site analysis
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Part 2: Movement in a city
Image 2.4
sitting in the middle of the river, provides visitors a fantastic position to revel in the river scenery. The adjacent areas are mostly residential that provides a large number of tourists for the entertainment area. The Rialto bridge is a famous attraction in Venice, whose function is as a local market.In the middle of the bridge is a passageway for quick passage, and on both sides are various shops and restaurants.On the outside of the store, there is a small observation path, which provides a stop area for visitors to enjoy the boats on the river and the scenery on both sides of the river.The extension of the Rialto bridge connects the two city plazas, as well as the museums and churches, so that the bridge becomes a necessary place and the three constitute a landscape route of the city.
Part 2: Movement in a city
Image 2.5
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Site analysis
Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy Market
Plan analysis
Ponte Vecchio, much like the Rialto bridge, is also a local market. The difference is that Ponte Vecchio is a combination of bridge and arcade. The part above the river is the bridge, and the part on the river bank is the arcade. These two parts are connected to each other and form a whole path. This feature of Ponte Vecchio is highly instructive, combining the road and buildings on both sides of the river organically, and guiding pedestrians to areas that are difficult for cars to reach, forming a characteristic walking system. In a word, whether it is a school or a market, or even arcade, which has been mentioned as the shopping mall, the single transport function cannot bring enough vitality to the city. Therefore, a space is needed to bring more possibilities to the city and streets.
Site analysis
Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy Market
Plan analysis
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Image 2.6
Area of transportation
A
E B D
Part 2: Movement in a city
C
A: Cruise terminal
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B: Parking garage
C: Bus hub
D: Taxi boat pier
E: Train station
Image 2.7
Image 2.8
TEST OF LINKING SPACE —— TOUR IN VENICE After studying the precedents, I chose a site for linking space testing and practice. The site is located in an area of Santa Croce in Venice, Italy, which is closely related to transportation. In this area, there is a cruise terminal, a parking garage, a bus hub, a train station, and a taxi boat pier. Most tourists arrive in the area before visiting Venice and then transfer. I chose this area as my site precisely because it is an extremely important node to connect different modes of transportation, also there is a large number of people movements will happen here. I chose one of the walking routes in this area as my linking space research object. This journey starts from the train station, follows the river to the west, and takes a pedestrian bridge to the bus station and taxi boat pier. Along the pier, through an alley between the two buildings, the entrance to the underground only be reached by means of transport, such as cars or buses. Therefore, it is not considered in this walking route for the time being.
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passageway leading to the parking garage will appear. However, the cruise terminal is far away and can
Part 2: Movement in a city 32
LINKING SPACE SEQUENCE & SYSTEM
I see this journey in Venice as a series of fragments. The spaces constituting each segment are connected and combined with each other to form a spatial sequence. In this sequence, different spatial scales and proportions, hierarchical relationships, and light and shade variations provide diverse phenomena, spatial personalities, and atmospheres for the entire journey. When visitors wander phenomena, which can bring them different feelings, trigger different emotions, and even wake up some of their own memories. I want to tell a story through the changes of these spaces, a story in which everyone is involved. There is a wellknown Asian proverb, "There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes." I also hope that through people's Space sequence Model #2
participation, they can experience their own stories.
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among various spaces, they can experience changing
Part 2: Movement in a city 34 Space sequence Model #1
Part 2: Movement in a city
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Part 2: Movement in a city 36
37 Part 2: Movement in a city
Light & Shadow Model #1
Part 2: Movement in a city 38
39 Part 2: Movement in a city
Light & Shadow Model #2
In the sequence of the whole space, each fragment is a moment, a moment to stay and stop. The space sequence model can be decomposed into moments, which can be regarded as the units of the space
Part 2: Movement in a city
sequence, and the space sequence is the system carrying multiple units. After recombination and reconstruction of these units, different space sequences that can adapt to various bases can be obtained based on the system.
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Circuitous
Linear
Auxiliary
Part 2: Movement in a city
In this part, I try to discuss and study the geometric relationship between three units.
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Progressive
Interactive
Space Relationship
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Part 2: Movement in a city
Dialogic
ADAPTABILITY OF THE SYSTEM
Based on the site characteristics, history and culture, and behavioral needs of different sites, I reorganized the previous space sequence. The first was a rethink of the site in Venice, and then, the adaptability of the space system was tested in Beijing, Chengdu, Xiamen and Chicago. These cities have different cultural
Part 2: Movement in a city
backgrounds, climatic conditions, social development, and urban texture.
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Venice, Italy
SYSTEM IN VENICE After having the units of space sequence, looking back on the site in Venice, I draw a diagram about the rhythm of light and shadow of the space in the path. In this diagram, the lines with different density are a kind of narration of the change of light and shade. The whole rhythm diagram expresses my thoughts and assumptions on the change of the overall atmosphere of this path. And based on this rhythm diagram, I recombined the model photos and got a spatial diagram of that path. In the whole path, there is a semiopen platform suspended above the water, and also a closed space along the shore used as a pier and ticket selling. There are straight passageways for quick passage and separate spaces on both sides of the passageway for stop and rest. Among them, the part of the bridge focuses on the relationship between
Light & Shadow Rhythm for Venice
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the passageway carrying the movement and the space to stay, which is independent and connected.
SYSTEM IN CHICAGO There is an abandoned railway line in Chicago, and part of the railway bridge is between a residential area. In order to improve the negative impact of abandoned railway on residents, I transformed it into a public park. In the park, I put some space units for public activities and leisure. Considering the openness of the park, large space is left between each small space, so that each individual small space can contact more parks and landscapes. At the same time, there is more breathing space between the buildings.
Part 2: Movement in a city
Chicago, US
Light & Shadow Rhythm for Chicago
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SYSTEM IN CHENGDU The site in Chengdu is a preserved traditional architectural block. After the renovation, the area has become a commercial pedestrian street. Traditional residential buildings became shops and restaurants. Because the space between buildings is small and the site is crowded, I choose to connect this path with a virtual connection, that is, to connect several different spaces through the line of sight. When pedestrians emerge from one set of small spaces, they will see another set of small spaces at the other end of the street, thus being attracted to continue to explore the next part.
Light & Shadow Rhythm for Chengdu
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Part 2: Movement in a city
Chengdu, China
SYSTEM IN BEIJING A dilapidated industrial complex that Beijing renovated a few years ago is now a well-known art district. In this area, there are many private art galleries and museums, as well as some handicraft shops and experience shops. I chose the alley between two of the galleries as my site. Because this alley connects the parking lot behind the museum with the plaza in front of the museum entrance, it is a necessary place for many visitors. I hope that the renovation of this alley can provide a transitional space for people and guide them to the entrance of the museum.
Part 2: Movement in a city
Beijing, China
Light & Shadow Rhythm for Beijing
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SYSTEM IN XIAMEN Xiamen is an island city. Its origin is the area where I chose the site. It is a small fishing village and a harbor. The main existing functions of the area are a residential area, an abandoned factory building and a temple for fishermen. I transformed the abandoned factory area into a public plaza to provide an open public activity space for the crowded residential area. Since the factory area and the residential area are located on both sides of the harbor, they must be reached by a detour. So I chose to use a bridge to connect the two areas, so as to reduce the walking distance of residents. At the same time the bridge extended to a shoreline platform connecting the temple at the side of the harbor.
Light & Shadow Rhythm for Xiamen
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Xiamen, China
Part 2: Movement in a city
MOVEMENT SYSTEM IN THE DESIGN PRACTICE
Diagram 1
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In the final design practice, I chose Broad and Narrow Alley, a traditional architectural block in Chengdu, as my site. When reconsidering this area, I tried a variety of ways and scales to put it into the space system and constantly improved it to obtain the final circulation organization. The final solution includes the application of virtual connections that exist on the ground level, while the higher level has more direct and concrete connections. In the main space, the relationship of each moment in the space system is not a simple splicing, but a blurring of each other's boundaries, and to a certain extent, interpenetration,
Diagram 2
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interaction and integration.
Part 2: Movement in a city
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Final plan diagram of design practice
Part 2: Movement in a city
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PART3 MOMENTS IN THE SYSTEM
LIGHT PHENOMENA
People's memory is often closely related to the place. Because the occurrence of any event requires a Part 3: Moments in the system
place to host the event. A place provides us with an experience and a relevant memory. Therefore, I hope that the different moments I study can bring people interesting and vivid experiences and give them better memories of cities and streets.1
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1　Edward S. Casey, Remembering: A Phenomenological Study, Indiana University Press, 2nd edition, 2000, P181-187
Seven moments in the tour in Venice
In the exploration of the site in Venice, I extracted seven moments from that journey based on the moments have different lighting atmospheres and lighting patterns. These seven moments also have their corresponding positions in the rhythm diagram.
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Part 3: Moments in the system
spatial rhythm diagram and presented them as the light and shadow effect in the section. The seven
Part 3: Moments in the system 58
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Part 3: Moments in the system
Moments in the rhythm diagram
MOMENTS MODEL DEVELOP
In order to further study light and shadow, I transformed the two-dimensional light and shadow effect into three-dimensional space. I made some diagram models to study the occurrence and change of light in real space, and recorded the light and shadow in the form of photos. On the basis of diagram model, they will evolve through digital model, and get more different models by changing scale, direction and proportion.
MOMENTS MODELS & LIGHT EFFECTION
Part 3: Moments in the system
Group 1: Tunnel
Model #1
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Model #2
Part 3: Moments in the system
Group 2: Fortress
Model #3
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Model #4
Part 3: Moments in the system
Model #5
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Model #6
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Group 3: Station
Part 3: Moments in the system
Model #7
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Model #8
Part 3: Moments in the system
MODEL DEVELOP
Model #3
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Model #8
Model #7
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Model #6
MOMENTS CONNECTIONS
Because moments are fragments in the space system, they need to be connected into a system that responds to the previous space system. In groups of two moments, I try to connect them in a variety of ways. I have done research on geometric relations of space before, and these connections are also a kind of deep thinking and practice on geometric relations.
Part 3: Moments in the system
Connection 2
Connection 1
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Connection 3
Connection 5
Connections and geometric relations
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Part 3: Moments in the system
Connection 4
By connecting the different moment groups together, a space is created that combines the system with the moment. In some specific sites, I tried to combine and connect multiple moments in a spatial system.
Part 3: Moments in the system
From both the plan and the section, you can break them down into different moments.
System + Moments #1 Plan
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System + Moments #2 Plan
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System + Moments #2 Section
Part 3: Moments in the system
MOMENTS IN THE DESIGN PRACTICE
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In the final design practice, considering the crowded ground floor, I set the main space above the traditional buildings. In this design, the diagram model of moments is stretched into different scales. The whole building can be seen as a model of a whole moment, with a single small moment models placed in the middle. Some elements in the light and shadow test were cut out and recombined to form a new
System + Moments in design practice
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spatial system.
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Part 3: Moments in the system
Moments photos of design practice
PART4 DESIGN PRACTICE IN CHENGDU, CHINA
CURRENT SITUATION OF SITE
Broad and Narrow Alley is one of the 3 Key Conservation Areas in Chengdu. It is also an only area which recorded rich Architectural and Social characteristic feature of Residential Building from Qing Dynasty till now. This Project‘s core area is about 6.6 ha. Proposed Building area (above ground) is about 70,000 sq.m.. Original building constructions are wood and most of them are in bad condition. As an area which maintained huge amount of wood buildings sitting at the heart of city, it reflects a history from flourish in
Part 4: Design practice in Chengdu
the past and hard time now. 1
Image 4.1
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1　Kuanzhai Xiangzi ,Chengdu,China / An-design Architects, https://www.gooood.cn/kuanzhai-xiangzi-by-an-design.htm
Image 4.4
Image 4.3
Image 4.5
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Image 4.2
The scale of buildings and alleys in the whole area is small, and it is especially crowded when there is a large flow of people. There are many shops and snack bars on both sides of the alley, but there is no corresponding space for staying. There is no public rest space in the whole block. Except for some tables and chairs in the coffee shop and restaurant which are accessible for consumption, tourists can only walk or stop at the street corner for a short time.
Part 4: Design practice in Chengdu
Image 4.7
Image 4.6
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Image 4.8
Image 4.10
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Image 4.9
CHANGES OF THE CITY
Contrast 1
Part 4: Design practice in Chengdu
Image 4.11
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Image 4.12
Broad and Narrow Alley is the aggregate of wood residential construction which sited close to the center of big city in an unwontedly way. Different from the conservation of countryside or historic village, this site had to face an environment which was undergoing a rapid change period. Architects had to think about creating a sustainable relationship between people and substantial environment while the site always inevitably impacted by the urbanized surroundings. Today, urbanism is accelerating in many countries, the design group tried to find some executable way for Traditional City Fragments Conservation through this project.1
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1　Kuanzhai Xiangzi ,Chengdu,China / An-design Architects, https://www.gooood.cn/kuanzhai-xiangzi-by-an-design.htm
Image 4.14
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Image 4.15
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THE FINAL DESIGN
The original intention was to provide a public rest space for this area. Considering the existing space scale and the crowded crowd gathered on the ground floor, I hope to frame the public rest space above the original building, so that the building and tourists can get a breath. At the same time, the placement of this space can create more fun to the block, enhance people’s vitality to the street.
Photo of final model
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experience in the old city, and bring new
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APPENDICES
REFERENCES
01
Juhani Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses, John Wiley & Sons, 3rd edition, 2012
02
Steven Holl, Juhani Pallasmaa, Alberto Pérez Gómez, Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture, William Stout, California, 1994
03
Steen Eiler Rasmussen, Experiencing Architecture, The MIT Press, 2nd edition, 1964
04
Francis D. K. Chin, Architecture: Form, Space, and Order, Wiley, 4th edition, 2014
05
Maurice Merleau-Ponty, The Visible and the Invisible, Northwestern University Press, 1st edition, 1968
06
Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Phenomenology of Perception, Routledge, 2013
07
Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space, Penguin Classics, 2014
08
Edward S. Casey, Remembering: A Phenomenological Study, Indiana University Press, 2nd edition, 2000
09
Edward S. Casey, Imagining: A Phenomenological Study, Indiana University Press, 2nd edition,
APPENDICES
2000
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10
Steven Holl, Parallax, Princeton Architectural Press, 2000
11
Flora Samuel, Le Corbusier and the Architectural Promenade, Birkhäuser Architecture, 2010
12
Carlo Scarpa, The Brion Cemetery in San Vito D'Altivole, Wilhelm Ernst & Sohn Verlag fur Architektur und technische Wissenschaften, 1989
13
Guido Beltramini, Carlo Scarpa: Architecture and Design, Rizzoli, 2007
14
Anthony di Mari and Nora Yoo, Operative Design: A Catalog of Spatial Verbs, BIS Publishers, 2012
15
Luca Molinari, Architecture: Movements and Trends from the 19th Century to the Present, Skira, 2016
16
Peter Blundell Jones, Architecture and Movement: The Dynamic Experience of Buildings and Landscapes, Routledge, 2014
17
Alexander Tzonis, Santiago Calatrava: The Poetics of Movement, Universe, 1999
18
Jordan B. Peterson, Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief, Routledge, 1999
19
Norvin Richards, Movement in Language: Interactions and Architectures, Oxford University Press, 2001 Annette Svaneklink Jakobsen, Experience in-between architecture and context: The New Acropolis Museum, Athens, Journal of Aesthetics & Culture, Volume 4, 2012 - Issue 1
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IMAGES
01
Image 1.1 Bell tower and drum tower in old Beijing in 1946, https://kknews.cc/history/qj4q9by.html
02
Image 1.2 Bell tower and drum tower in old Beijing in 2010, https://www.flickr.com/photos/cxbjsddw/6883330824
03
Image 1.3 – 1.6 Report on the Potential Designation of QUINCY MARKET as a Landmark under Chapter 772 of the Acts of 1975, (Image 1.3, P9, Image 1.4, P8, Image 1.5, P3, Image 1.6, P15), https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/quincy-market-study-report.pdf
04
Image 1.7 Shikumen Alley, Xintiandi, Shanghai, http://www.315.sh.cn/Culture/detail.aspx?id=107
05
Image 1.8 Elevation of Clarke Quay, Singapore, https://www.chinese-architects.com/zh/spark-beijing/project/clarke-quay
06
Image 1.9 Clarke Quay, Singapore, http://www.archcy.com/focus/block_transformation/d5b52cf31738dc8c
07
Image 1.10 Dianchi road, Shanghai,
APPENDICES
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1718865_1
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08
Image 2.1 – 2.8 Screen shots from Google Earth
09
Image 4.1 Screen shot from Google Earth
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Image 4.2, 4.4, 4.5, 4.9, 4.10, Photos of Broad and Narrow Alley current situation, http://www.szzjwx.com/m/info.asp?id=862
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Image 4.3, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.16, 4.18, Photos of Broad and Narrow Alley current situation, http://www.yododo.com/area/guide/013D54C22A0F2A7EFF8080813D50CC1A
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Image 4.11, 4.13, 4.17, 4.19, 4.21, Photos of Broad and Narrow Alley before renewal in 2003, http://travel.sina.com.cn/news/2014-08-29/1111274477.shtml
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Image 4.12, Image 4.14, Image 4.22, Photos of Broad and Narrow Alley current situation, https://www.gooood.cn/kuanzhai-xiangzi-by-an-design.htm
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Image 4.15, Photo of Broad and Narrow Alley before renewal, http://www.sohu.com/a/307927363_167948 Image 4.20, Photo of crowds in Broad and Narrow Alley in 2013, http://travel.sina.com.cn/news/2014-08-29/1111274477.shtml
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