Jinxin Zhen Portfolio by Jinxin Zhen

Landscape Architecture Portfolio 2018

LIVING WITH ART Urban Public Space Design Individual

P.01

TABLE

MEMORIAL PARK DESIGN

International Cemetery Design Individual

P.11

CONTENTS

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Campus Residential Outdoor Space Design Individual

P. 25

DESIGN & BUILD

Revitalizing Exiting Public Open space Group

P. 35

Hand Drawing Travel Inspiration

P.41

SITE CONTEXT North Carolina State University North Campus

2 MILES

Living with Art Design for human wellness Dorothea Dix Art Center Site Area: 6 acres Location: Southwest Raleigh, NC North Carolina State University Centennial Campus This Project is aiming on creating a new Art Center in Dorothea Dix Properties. As the continuing growth of Raleigh population, demand of open space and pleasure ground is urgent. In such case, a new art center proposal is emerged to fulfill the increasing need from people. The site location is chosen by student within the Dorothea Dix Hospital site. As this project is intended to fund the relocation and expansion of the current Pullen Arts Center (located in Pullen Park directly across from NC State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus), new proposed land will be chosen within a total 306 acres Dix site with a proximately area of 5 acres. This Art Center would operate as a public and private partnership and include a number of inside and outside programs.

Farmers Market

1 MILE

HOW

the neighborhood situation looks like?

Greenway System

Downtown Raleigh

Zoning

Floodplain

Shaw University

WHO will use the place? Employees

Families

Artists Art Center

Tourists

Students

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Entry Plaza Wave-shaped Pedestrain Walkway The Bamboo Place Bamboo Grove Overhead Arc Sculpture Interaction Terrace Backyard Rain Garden Dry Fountain Multi-functional Platform Parking Lot

Buildings

Hardscape 4 3

7 Vegetation

1 8

2 6

Grading

Transportation

Transportation on site Transportation

4 With the original intention of helping people to lease the heavy stress from life and improve their physical condition, my design will offer multiple potential opportunities by creating numerous functional spaces on site.

Bamboo Trail

My design strategy is mainly started based on three main factors: Photograph

Socializing

Walking Wildlife

Exercising Relaxation Terrace

Wetland Path

Flora

Sitting Hammocking

Painting

Sleeping

Walking

Amphitheater

Open Lawn Dining

Yoga

Concert Outdoor Cinema

Picnic Ball Game

Wave-shaped Pedestrain Walkway Wave-shaped path helps with defining subregions, at the meantime, slowing down the travel volume.

Different paving materials help with distinctly identify spaces. It also adds more interest on site.

Seats are following the pattern of ground paving. Surrounding trees and buildings provide enough shade to help with establishing an enjoyable place to stay.

The Bamboo Place Paved open ground surrounded by bamboo create an ideal outdoor gathering space. Cooperating with movable tables and chairs, more options can be chosen from people by preference. Possible functionality of the space could become an outdoor dining room, an exhibition space, and a social place.

Entrance to Art Center building #2

Gift shop entrance

Entrance to Art Center building #1 Restaurant entrance

Bamboo Forest - A Natural Dynamic A Concerto plays between Light and Shadow

Activities

Photo Taking Running

Sketching

Secluded Trail in Bamboo Forest Dog Walking

Experience in the Forest

Bird Singing

Wind Whispering

Bamboo Talking

Environmental Benefits

Tempreture Adjustment

High Oxagen Environment

Socializing

7 Tree Trunk distance range from 15’ to 18’ More opportunities for hammocking

More shading area provided 18’ 20’

14’ 22’ 16’ 20’ 23’

10 8

Place as a Study Rain Garden in Sunny Day

The mix use of multiple rain garden plants creates a tour through wild nature. Benefit from all the different shapes, scales, and colors, more opportunities provided for visitors of taking picture and exploring the nature. The signage with plants detailed information also bring education value to the art center. The deepest drop from the surface of the path to the bottom of the raingarden are 1.5 feet, which ensure no potential safety hazard existence.

The width of the path is 8 feet, enable the feasibility when heavy traffic appears. The area of the rain garden is roughly 9100 square feet, and it can potentially hold approximately 50,000 gallons of water. The permeability of underground layer of raingarden is strong, which enable the underdrain feature to convey the water to the filter then use the fresh water as part of the source for the dry fountain that located next to rain garden.

Place As a Reservior during the Rain

9 Water feature is one of the main landscape elements that capable of bring pleasure to mankind. With the initial intention of helping people to release the pressure and to have fun, my design provides a dry fountain at the backyard of Art Center. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pleasure heaven to all, especially to the kids. Surrounding seating area enable park users to sit and interact; Parents can keep their eyes on their kids at the meantime as well. Passing by all the terraces established upon the open lawn, the path leads the people directly from the Entry Plaza to the water feature. And, as the Rain garden is right next to it, the water resources that support with dry fountain to operation can be partially coming from it.

Underground Water Circulation system Diagram Dry Fountain

Reservoir + Pump

Rain Garden

Filter

Pipe

Reservoir + Pump

Gift shop

Seating Terrace

30’

116’

Gather Ground Multi-functional Gather Platform Ground 30’

31’

20’

A’

Existing lawn 37’

Multi-functional Platform

HIP HOP

SKATE BOARDING

CONCERT

Memorial Park Design Design for Living, Memorial for Death Zelena Hora Site Area: 43 acres. Location: Zdar nad Sazavou, Prague, Czech Republic. Culture has always been a main factor to be concerned during design processes, especially in the world that global awareness does matter. This project, is an International historical cemetery site redesign, which requires great amount of researching and analyzing. As a site with such a long and rich history and unique cultural background. Challenges and opportunities co-exist. Landscape architect needs always respect the site environment and be well aware of the requirement and restriction. In such case, indepth site analysis, native ritual habitat study, and cultural background investigation in Czech Republic is essential. By collecting, organizing and absorbing practical information, and through incorporating site situation, I help with optimizing site environment, rationalizing land use, and diversifying communication methods. In such case, this whole project promoting many abilities of researching, critical thinking and problem solving to a great extent.

Location: The site is located at the southeast near Central area of Czech Republic.

Sychrova, 591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia

13 The “Tongue” of Saint John of Nepomuk

https://www.flickr.com/photos/calypsospots/ galleries/72157623179664381/

Existing Cemetery

300 years after Saint John of Nepomuk’s tragic death, his body was found by the later generations with his tongue remain intact. Since then, it was believed as a proof of his incorruptibility and sainthood.

Other than the church itself, Santini also design a Lower Cemetery that located nearby the church with a shape of “human skull”. The reason of the establishment of cemetery is preparing for the onslaught of the plague spreading throughout Europe.

Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk

http://www.discover-ce.eu/tourist-products/unesco-heritage/ czech-republic/zdar-nad-sazavou-zelena-hora/

It is a religious building to be built in honor of St John of Nepomuk in Žďár nad Sázavou, Czech Republic. It is designed by a famous Bohemian architect, Jan Santini Aichel, and be well-known by its representative 5 pointed star shape structure with the combined Baroque and Gothic style.

the Number of

https://www.google.com/maps

http://www.discover-ce.eu/tourist-products/unesco-heritage/ czech-republic/zdar-nad-sazavou-zelena-hora/

5 can be find everywhere at Zelena Hora, not only from the inside of the church with 5 altars and 5 statues of angle, but also the outside with 5 entrances, 5 chapels, and 5 pylons. All these elements represent the meaning of light and symbolized eternity.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ Attraction_Review-g274712-d319602-ReviewsThe_Pilgrimage_Church_of_St_John_of_ Nepomuk_at_Zelena_Hora-Moravia.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g274712-d319602-ReviewsThe_Pilgrimage_Church_of_St_John_of_ Nepomuk_at_Zelena_Hora-Moravia.html

14 Religious

PRAGU Largest city in Czech Republic

Podebrady Distance: 97.5 miles Time spend by:

Kolin

2 hours, 10 mins

Site Surrounding Analysis Map (Surrounding Townships and Connections)

Protestantism

Tourists

Judaism

Minister

Muslim

Mourners

Caslav

8 hours, 53 mins

Township

Potential Users

Chotebor

Roadway

Families

Zelena Hora 5 miles ZELENA HORA

Exercisers

3 miles

1 mile

Velka Bites

Distance: 49.2 miles Time spend by:

Žďár nad Sázavou

1 hours, 11 mins 4 hours, 48 mins

BRNO Second Largest city in Czech Republic

Original Site Look

Proposed Master Plan

1 3 2

“The Hope Garden” (West Entry)

Connecting Bridge

“Flying” (Arc Structure)

Church Yard Cemetery (Open)

Central Fountain

“The Candle Place” (Enclosed Meditation Cemetery)

Proposed Parking Lot

Existing Cemetery

Proposed Stairs

Transportation in cemetery

5 4 6

17 The establishment of Hope Garden is inspired by a growing tree. The shape of garden looks like a treeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s branch with 5 fruits. Although the site is mainly designed for a cemetery, I believe that there should be a place near cemetery represent life and joy. In addition, Zelena hora as a historical place draws lots of tourists in and out every season. A great number of residents live nearby as well. The establishment of this garden can both serves as a main entry to cemetery and a separated ornamental landscape for all those potential users.

18 LIGHT, SAFETY, AND INTEREST

Types of lights: Ground light & Path Light

19 The Bridge on site is connecting the Hope Garden and the Cemetery. As one of the main way to reach cemetery, proposed bridge does not only serve as a transportation connection method, but more offer a symbolic bonding between people and their beloved parting relatives and friends.

21 The Five “Flying” Sculptures are in the shape of flying Bird. I Intended to provide them with the meaning of “Hope” and “Free”. Hope the living will continue live and enjoy their lives. Free the soul of deceased into heaven and be in peace. Several paved areas in round shape next to the sculpture serve as places for mourning. These areas enable the visitors to put flowers and light candles to mourn the deceased. Candles, as a symbol of emotion carrier will bring all the good wishes to the deceased by riding the “Flying” sculpture. The Sculptures themselves can also become seating options for people to interact.

The reason that I call this place the “Blessing Loop” is due to that the shape of the path looks like a Blessing Angle. As the original cemetery created by Architect Jan Santini Aichel is in a form of Human head, I propose this new path with a shape of closed angel wings. In this way, I make the whole site intact. In Addition, as the original site Church is a Roman Catholic Church, angel as a pure spirit created by God blessing all the spirit to heaven. With such intention, all the cemeteries are within the boundary of the Blessing Loop.

The Infinite Path includes 5 new proposed paths on site. These new paths are the continue extension of the existing church’s 5 stars’ ending points. The intention of this move is to extend the blessing meaning of the church, and those paths in here, symbolically, infinitely enlarge that meaning. At the meantime, new paths create more entry points that enable people to enter the church from different location. As the church is located at the hilltop, three of the paths are actually with stairs and seats. As the seats are established at different altitudes, people who are resting on them will have a good open view from various perspectives toward different directions.

23 In my deisgn, there are two types of cemeteries that respectively for cremation and burial. European Holly (Ilex aquifolium) as type of tree that symbolizes peace and goodwill is designed to be located at the center of this enclosed cemetery. The shape of the cemetery structure from top view is generated from the shape of galaxy. The center of galaxy is the place where holds the most power. European Holly by located at the center will bring all the good wishes to the cemetery. Between every structure pieces, there are several narrow water channels matching with the shape of structure, connecting with each other, and gathering at the central pond of the cemetery, where the Holly tree locate at. The meaning behind this part of my entire design is that I want to bring all the spirit into the center and under the protection from Holly tree and wish all the spirit be in peace.

At the lower part of every structures, there are three rows of square boxes to place jars of bone ash. Construction Detail of Bone Ash Jar Placing Box

Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Another type of cemetery is established for burial. The boundary of this cemetery is followed by the shape of paths. Each tombstones in cemetery are alighed perfectly with certain distance of 2.8 meters (9.18 feet) horizontally and 1 meter (3.28 feet) vertically.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE Revitalizing the Space Bargaw Residence Hall Backyard Site Area: 0.83 acre Location: 210 Dan Allen Drive, NC State University, Raleigh, NC. Bargaw Residence Hall Backyard has been served as a residential shared open space for students, parents, campus faculties and visitors for over 50 years. Unfortunately, the backyard has been suffered with multiple issues during its long using history. What is once a popular campus gathering spot turned to be a highly underused place. As a challenging project, we need to use any necessary landscape design strategies to help with solving its most urgent problem, the stormwater management issue, for the long run, and revitalize the place for anyone to use. This project required us to periodically discuss with the campus housing people, and campus engineers, progressively update design and really tackle the site problem in detail.

SITE PROBLEM

North Carolina State University North Campus Central Campus South Campus Site Location

According to the existing site topography, the stromwater is coming from northeast side and will be stopped at several points at the southeast side near Bragaw residence hall to become water ponds. Three main locations that such situation is most serious are shown as the images at the left side.

Water Flow Direction

Water Ponding Location

Rain Garden Part 1

Rain Garden Part 2

Rain Garden Part 3

Seating Wall Resting Area

Semi-enclosed Seating Area

Bragaw Residence Hall Entrance

Existing Concrete Path

Proposed Brick Paving

South Side Entry

North Side Entry

2 7 4 3 5

8 6

Campus Residential Project Artist’s Backyard & Owen Refuge Site Area:0.43 acres Location: 2720 Cates Avenue, NC State University, Raleigh, NC.

Artist’s Backyard

Design & Build

The Artist’s Backyard and Owen Refuge are originally intended to be designed for the students who live in the surrounding. Since the location of these two areas are near some of the busiest university spots, they become more and more popular for everyone to use. This project is divided into 5 phases and I was honored to participate in its final phase. The goal of phase 5 is to solve the detected site problems and reanimate the location. To create an enjoyable space for people to hang out in Artist’s Backyard and a total planting design at Owen refuge, we as a team need to go through multiple processes to reach the final goal. This project as a team project includes multiple stages with stake holder meeting, site investigation, collected data analysis, team design, budgeting and procurement, and site construction.

Owen Refuge

Before

After Project Processes Site Visit Site Research Stakeholder Meeting

Design

Design Ideation Design Review and Modification Master Plan Plan Documentation

Grid Layout Pathway Boundary Mark Existing Plant Removing and Transplanting Soil Tilling

Build

Planting Mulching Boulder set up Stormw ater Channel renovation Bench installation

DESIGN PHASE

SITE WORK ARTISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BACK YARD

SITE VISIT & STAKEHOLDER MEETING

DESIGN IDEATION & MASTER PLAN

EXISTING PLANTS REMOVAL

POWER WASHING

MARK TREE POSITION

BOULDER SETTING

TREE PLANTING

SITE WORK ARTISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BACK YARD PLANTS INSTALLATION

OWEN REFUGE MULCHING

EXISTING TREE ROOT ZONE PROTECTION

PATH CONSTRUCTION

TILLING THE EXISTING SOIL

PLANTS INSTALLATION

Hand Drawing

Switzerland 6 - Nov - 2015

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

JINXIN ZHEN Master of landscape architecture College of Design North Carolina State University Email: jzhen@ncsu.edu Phone: 919-455-1601 Address: 1701 Gorman Street Apt 206 Raleigh, NC 27606 United States Switzerland 8 - Nov - 2015