Architecture Portfolio 2009 by Kevin Deng

KEVIN DENG ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO 2009

rev 09.06.2009

_INCLUDED: THESIS

H yp er- D om e s ti c i ty

STUDIOS

I llin ois I n st i tu te o f T e c h n o l o g y : C a m p u s Natatorium

C h ron o- H yb r i d s

R e side n t ial H i g h -R i s e , M e x i c o C i ty

L A X R ef u ge : A u d i to r y R e s o n a n c e F i e l d

DRAWINGS AND CONSTRUCTS

E arl V . M oo r e B u i l d i n g C o r n e r D r a w i n g

S an t a M aria d e l F i o r e D r a w i n g

S p an n in g V o l u m e s C o n s tr u c t Parame t ric C o n s tr u c t I Parame t ric C o n s tr u c t I I

J unk S cu lp t u r e

65 67

CHAPTER ONE THE DOMESTIC THEATER

thesis HYPER-DOMESTICITY 2009

I a p p ro ac hed t he f ro n t d oor w i t h s om e u n e a s i n e s s . We’d o nly met twic e befo re I was finally invited to o ne o f h is fa m o us dinner p a r t i e s . From t h e s i d ewa l k of t h e s treet, the ho us e gave me the impres s io n o f a fo r tres s . Na rrow w indow s s cat t e re d a c ros s t h e s t on e f ron t faç ade revealed o nly s mall bands o f o range-yellow light, and giant w o o d e n d o o r s f ro m t h e O l d Wo r l d s t o o d g u a rd to the only access point. They’re telling me I didn’t belong h ere , and I bet t er m ov e a l on g , or else. T h e l a w n wa s quiet and still, not even the leaves dared to rustle in the w in d. I step p e d u p t o t h e f ro n t d o o r. I t wa s o p e n . I c o u l d hear the familiar sounds of a kitc hen, but inside the room was s t ill dark . I hes i t a t e d , b u t a c ow or ke r s u d d e n ly emerged and happily welc o med me ins ide , whis per ing som ething indecip hera b l e . I wa s l e d , c on f u s e d , i n t he dark, alo ng the fro nt wall toward the res t o f the par ty. T heir faces w ere illumi n a t e d by t h e s t a ge , t h e a re n a in whic h o ur ho s t was deliver ing his perfo rmanc e . He sp o ke i n i n s t r u c t i o n s , d e s c r i p t i o n s , a n d e f fe c t s . He never looked up at us , his audience , but maintained co m p let e fo cus o n h i s t a s k. N on e of u s , h i s a u d i e nc e , s aid a wo rd thro ugho ut the entire s how. As if any distur b a n c e w o u l d p o l l u t e t h e p u r i t y o f h i s c ra f t . I t was in this moment that I suddenly felt the weight of my meage r b o t t l e o f w i n e , n ow c h e a p a n d e x p e n d a b l e compared to the performance given. I turned and gently p la ced it o n t he s helf b e h i n d u s , a n on y m ou s a m on g all the o ther o bligato r y gifts .

Advi sor:

J aso n Y o u n g

CHAPTER TWO MEDIATION

- Pull into the garage, park the car, grab the kids out of the car. - Take off their shoes and jackets, take off your shoes and jacket. - Make sure they wash their hands, make sure you wash your hands. This is my practice of arrival, and it will be yours as well.Whether you’re coming in through the garage or through the front door, you’ll know how I feel about the outside. It’s dirty out there, that’s why we have our temporary apparel to shield us from it, and that’s why it should never get too far inside.There’s a place for these things, and you’ll feel the need to shed them as soon as you walk through the door. My house is my sanctuary, and I won’t have your pollutants just lying around. Make your way into the living room or courtyard if you’d like, dinner will be ready soon. A few people are drinking outside if you’d like to join them. If you do go out, though, make sure to leave the slippers in the courtyard and to wash your hands again.

T H ESIS : H Y P ER - DO MEST ICIT Y , 2009 04

[INTRODUCTION] 1 WHAT IF WE IDENTIFIED AND ARTICULATED OUR DOMESTIC SPACES NOT BY THEIR UTILITY (i.e. the kitchen as a place to prepare food), BUT BY SOME ANTICIPATED PERFORMANCE? Dome s t i c p e r fo r m an c e s c a n t a ke s eve r a l fo r m s, this project intends to investigate only a few. The co ntemp orar y kit ch e n h a s b e c o m e th e s ta g e fo r pe rforming culinar y ar ts . No longe r are we s atis fie d with t h e s i m p l e p re p a r a t i o n o f fo o d t o c o n s u m e and digest. Food has become an ever yday source of pleasu re an d in du lg e n c e , f ro m th e s k i l l f u l p re p a ration of ingre d ie nts , to pre s e ntation, to tas ting, and final ly re f le ct ion . T h e k i tc h e n i s w h e re th i s j o u r n ey be gins , and is d e s igne d to inte ns ify this s e que nce . With i n c re a s e d a c c e s s t o i n fo r m a t i o n a n d a n increased degree of control in the domestic , the conte m p o r a r y d we l l e r i s we l l a r m e d t o m e d i a t e the dangerous, uncontrollable outside environment as it p e r p e t u a l ly t r i e s t o i n fe c t h i s o r h e r i n t e rior sanctuar y. Rules and proper behavior are set for maint ain in g order an d hy g i e n e to avo i d d i s e a s e , and chaos .

T H ESIS : H Y P ER - DO MEST ICIT Y , 2009 06

CHAPTER THREE THE PLACE YOU SHOULD NOT BE

Great, another one of these dumb dinners. Last time we were here until past 10PM! What am I supposed to do for three hours, by myself?! I’m not even allowed to bring my iPod. Grown-ups are so boring.They just talk talk, talk talk talk. When we got there I went from the center of attention to getting no attention at all in less than fi ve minutes. I was the only one less than 45, and the only one shorter than 4 feet. Huge smiling faces and pinching fingers, again, then suddenly a forest of tall legs and pleated khakis. I got out of there as quick as I could and started to look around. The house was pretty big and everything was super clean. Nothing was out of place or messy, and I could smell something weird cooking on the stove.Why can’t we just have pizza? Everyone likes pizza, anyway. Hmph. Everything looked really expensive and no fun, so I started getting into the drawers and cabinets, checking things out for hidden treasure. The grown-ups went to another room now. I found a roll of clear tape and began wrapping it around everything: pencils, cups, chairs, you name it; oh and also taping drawers shut. Hah! They didn’t notice, of course, but they will.They hadn’t stopped yapping ever since we got here, and I could still hear them as they disappeared around a hallway corner. Fine, I’ll disappear too. See how they like it to be totally ignored. I looked around for doors to open or closets to get into, and eventually found the stairs down to the basement. The air was different. It was dark. I stepped onto the concrete fl oor but jumped back up to the stairs – the floor was… buzzing. I could feel it under my feet. Moving or... shaking. Nothing making any sounds, I could even hear myself breathing. I held my breath, and it was quiet.

T H ESIS : H Y P ER - DO MEST ICIT Y , 2009 08

CHAPTER FOUR THE JOURNALIST’S NOTEBOOK

Saturday, June 20, 2009 – Dinner Party at 422 Livingston Avenue. 5:00PM – I arrive at the host’s house. No sign of dinner preparation, though everything is ultra clean and organized. 5:14PM – First guests arrives. Man and woman, couple. Gift: red wine. 5:42PM – Final guests arrive. 6 men, 6 women total; and me.The host begins cutting vegetables. 8 gifted bottles of wine now stand on the countertop. 6:30PM – Guests are socializing, groups of 2, 3, 4… talking and watching the host cook.Various locations. 6:42PM – Tame conversations: weather, politics, movies, etc. Caught a strange glance from across the kitchen, between man no. 3 and woman no. 6.They approach each other and without pausing, they exchange small stone figurines: one white, one blue.They are quickly pocketed. 6:55PM – More strange connections.They are exchanging chess pieces.

Dining room - man no. 2, woman no. 5: red bishop for white pawn Living room - man no. 5, man no. 1: white knight for blue rook Balcony - woman no. 1, man no. 3: red queen for black bishop

Many others, but lost track.Tried to make eye contact, but no takers. Have not spoken more than 5 words to any guest.

7:20PM – Dinner is served. Host describes the meal as everyone sits. I anticipated more confusion over seating, but everyone knows their place. 7:55PM – Excellent food. Citrus salmon was favorite. Chatted with woman no.4, to my right. I ask about the exchanges, the chess pieces. She acts confused. Laughs. Man no. 2 calls across the table to her. 8:32PM – Dinner and dessert are consumed, people scatter. More mysterious exchanges. 9:47PM – Wine is affecting people’s volume and clarity of speech. Conversations turn to gossip, philosophy, and poorly re-enacted internet videos. Exchanges continue. Have not yet noticed a pattern. 10:40PM – People getting tired. Exchanges have stopped some time ago. 11:12PM – Most guests have left. Man and woman no. 3 and I stay to help clean up.Work is quickly finished.The process is familiar to them. 11:32PM – I leave the host’s house. Many unanswered questions. Chess pieces. Chess game? Social hierarchy? 12:07AM – Can’t find car. All streets look similar.Went back to house, lights were out. 12:23AM – Found car. Inside, red pawn chess piece atop a note: “07-18, 6PM” The story continues another day.

T H ESIS : H Y P ER - DO MEST ICIT Y , 2009 10

CHAPTER FIVE HOME ALONE (the condition of no audience)

“Hm, it’s Thursday.There’s a game on tonight.” In his youth, friends would gather at his doorstep almost every night. He hosted poker nights, game nights, dinners, parties, after parties, and morning-after parties. At any decent hour there would be anywhere from three to fi fteen people around his house drinking and talking, watching a movie, football in the back yard, and so on. A high paying job and flexible hours afforded him this degree of socialization, as well as the equipment to support it. The big house with big kitchen and big living room; long dining table with seats for ten; couch, loveseat, AND recliner; widescreen TV with surround sound; Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Wii, each with four controllers; and so on. In recent years, though, friends came less and less. Responsibilities piled up, people moved across the city or across the country, new friendships were made. The internet and cell phones made it easy to keep up with old friends without actually having to see them. People were excited to hear about Daniel and Sara’s engagement, Samantha’s baby, Greg’s new job in London, and so on everything and anything through Facebook.Tom also commented on Jack’s note: “I got a new car!” So it goes. But he doesn’t want things to change. He keeps the light on, buys the new TV, new games and movies, and keeps too much beer in the fridge. Not waiting, really, perhaps hoping, though. Hoping, that open curtains, bright kitchen lights, and the flicker of a widescreen at 11PM are still signs of action, of entertainment, of life.

T H ESIS : H Y P ER - DO MEST ICIT Y , 2009 12

Mapping Surfaces Representing Routine

[ORIENTATION] 2 WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE ALWAYS WORKING . Even at home in supposedly relaxed conditions, away from the office or jobsite, productivity and management of progress continues. This industry makes itself known in the way we design spaces cognizant of cultural trends and derived expectations.

Within the framework of domestic events, spatial experiences are crafted as a series of scenes to articulate these trends and performances. At stake is a deeper understanding of our domestic relationship with emerging trends, and a new consciousness in the domestic frontier. This is architecture that creates hyper-consciousness: hyper-awareness of architecture in domesticity because it challenges conventional domestic design and traditional programming.

T H ESIS : H Y P ER - DO MEST ICIT Y , 2009 14

CHAPTER SIX THE MORNING AFTER

Immediately I knew I had a rough day ahead of me, but I had no regrets. When you wake up in your own bed wearing the same clothes you did the previous night, with your shoes still on, it’s a sign. A sign that you’re still young, dammit, that you have the stamina to stay up until dawn and sleep in until noon and still get away with it. So kick off your shoes and pull the covers over your eyes; the sun isn’t even over the trees yet. But I can’t. As dysfunctionally romantic as it would be, my brain doesn’t escape the immediate responsibilities of the day. What time is it? Ugh, what year even? My mind is floating, detached from my body, but my senses eventually land on the chaos that awaits me: dry leaves in the kitchen, plates and cups in the living room, forgotten sweaters, coats, and smudged footprints all narrate a past density of bodies in motion. Twenty-three empty wine bottles. Nine wine glasses. I’m almost proud. I didn’t even know I had so many plates. A set of keys and a jacket, standard party lost and founds. Dammit, did I leave the back door open? Of course it had to rain, too. My house, my supposed sanctuary, now contaminated by the glut of hospitality. Oh god, the bathroom. I’ll leave that for later. Etcetera, Etcetera; the morning after: the archive of a domestic indulgence.

T H ESIS : H Y P ER - DO MEST ICIT Y , 2009 16

[BEGINNING] 3 DOMESTIC SPACES ARE APPROPRIATED FOR A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF EVENT PERFORMANCE. Hosting such an event consumes enormous amounts

In moments of intense public engagement,

of energy and attention, leaving room for unintended appropriations and the breakdown of traditional boundaries. Domestic spaces after such events become the archeological sites of adaptive and commutative program, under the pressure of the event. Artifacts, discovered and archived, articulate past actions and densities of bodies in an uncommonly public domestic environment.

T H ESIS : H Y P ER - DO MEST ICIT Y , 2009 18

[EFFECT] 4 DOMESTICITY IS NOT DESIGNED TO HOUSE OUR BODIES AND ITS NECESSITIES ANYMORE ; rathe r, t h ey a re c o m p o s e d t o a n t i c i p a t e c u l t u r a l ly derived performances through the integration of new trend s a n d a m a n i p u l a t e d d e l i ve r y o f s p a t i a l s e quences. The result of this is the elasticity of domestic progr a m s fo r t h e i n t e g r a t i o n o f m o re p e r fo r mative and projective functions. Our familiarity with the pro d u c t s , ro u t i n e s , a n d f u n c t i o n s o f t h e s e new industries provide the potential for transcendent experien ces of h ou s e h o l d eve n ts ; a hy p e r-aw a re ne s s of the d e s igne d re ality.

T H ESIS : H Y P ER - DO MEST ICIT Y , 2009 20

STUDIOS

I llin ois I n st i tu te o f T e c h n o l o g y : C a m p u s Natatorium

C h ron o- H yb r i d s

R e side n t ial H i g h -R i s e , M e x i c o C i ty

L A X R ef u ge : A u d i to r y R e s o n a n c e F i e l d

ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (IIT) CAMPUS NATATORIUM 2007

STRUCTURE ACTS AS A PHYSICAL REGISTRATION FOR THE VARIOUS MODES OF SPEED found

in the s i t e a n d p r o g r a m : t h e C h i c a g o ‘ L ’ t r a i n d i rectly adjacent to the East, the swimmers and runners w i thin t h e n at at ori u m , a s w e l l a s th e p e d e s tr i ans and ve hicle s trave rs ing imme d iate ly to the W e s t. Thi s r e gist rat ion wa s a p p l i e d to th e r e q u i r e m e n ts of ape rture for e ach z one of program.

The a p ert u res we re c r e a te d th r o u g h th e d e v e l opme nt of mod ule s for the fabrication of the build ing, and a p p l i e d t o t h e s t r u c t u r e s u r f a c e s . T h i s a p p l i cation allowed for surfaces to become multi-functional, servi n g as t h e sp an , f l o o r , w a l l s , a n d p r o g r a m m a tic e le me nts . The g e o m e t r y o f t h e s t r u c t u r e w a s d e r i v e d f rom the reaction to loading of meshes. The mesh struc t u re de f orm s a s f o r c e s a r e a p p l i e d . T h i s d e formation is a d ire ct re gis tration of the s e force s and can b e ob se rve d t h r o u g h o u t i ts s y s te m .

Teammat e: Advi sor:

J am e s Wi th e r s p o o n J am e s B a s s e tt

L o w e r L e v el

M ain L ev el

U p p er L ev el

IIT CA MP US NA T A T O R IUM, 2007 26

IIT CA MP US NA T A T O R IUM, 2007 28

IIT CA MP US NA T A T O R IUM, 2007 30

CHRONO-HYBRIDS 2007

ABANDONED BUILDINGS AND VACANT LOTS POPULATE THE DECAYING ENVIRONMENT OF BORDERLANDS, D e tr o i t, M i c h i g a n , a n d o f te n a s s ume a d ual e xis te nce . For s ome , the y are s igns of a rottin g e c o n o m y a n d a n o n c o m i n g r e c e s s i o n . F o r others they are icons of a forgotten culture, with the po ten t ial t o adap t to n e w c o n d i ti o n s a n d o n c e again be come active participants in the urban fabric.

The A m b assador Br i d g e d e l i v e r s a s tr e a m o f i n f o rmation to chore ograph this trans formation, without regard t o p re viou s p r o g r a m m a ti c o r s tr u c tu r a l cond itions . Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only conce rn is the s pe e d and e fficie ncy of its o w n d e l i v e r y . T h e s e a b a n d o n e d v e s s e l s g e nerate new program housed in appropriated structures as a r e sp on se t o t he c o n d i ti o n s b r o u g h t b y th i s s tre am. The a b a n d o n e d M i c h i g a n C e n t r a l S t a t i o n , o n c e the symbol of a bustling industrial metropolis, escapes its con dit ion t h rou g h e x p o s u r e i n a n e w v e s s e l ; a s tructure tributary to the Station, s ite d on a ne arby vacan t l o t , s i m u l t a n e o u s l y c a u s i n g t h e S t a t i o n i t self to be forgotten. The once stagnant urban condition is no w act ivat e d b y th e Sta ti o n â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s r e l e a s e , d e l i v e ring ne w forms of urbanis m.

Advi sor:

Pe rr y K u l p e r

CH R O NO - H Y BR IDS, 2007

RESIDENTIAL HIGH-RISE, MEXICO CITY 2008

SITED IN MEXICO CITY NEAR CHAPULTAPEC PARK, three images describe the key experiences of

the hi g h - r i s e : a d i s t a n c e d v i e w f r o m t h e p a r k , v iew from interior, and the view as one approaches the entran ce f rom t h e s tr e e t.

As de s i g n e r s w e m u s t d e v e l o p o u r s e n s i b i l i t y to the nature of observation and human experience, throu g h t h e i n v e s t ig a t i o n o f c r e a t i v i t y a n d a r t to transcend passive forms of identification toward a more act ive awaren e s s a n d d i s c o v e r y o f s tr u c tu re and meaning. The term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;interestingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; takes on a new under s t a n d i n g w i t h r e g a r d t o c o m p o s i t i o n a n d form. These principles applied to architecture will ultim a t e l y e n h a n c e t h e e x p e r i e n c e a n d i n f l u e n c e of built works in our efforts to achieve a transcendence of stasis, kn owab ilit y , a n d f u n c ti o n a l f i x e d n e s s .

Advi sor:

C oy H o w a r d

MEXICO CIT Y H IGH - R ISE, 2008 40

MEXICO CIT Y H IGH - R ISE, 2008 42

LAX REFUGE - AUDITORY RESONANCE FIELD 2008

THE EXPERIENCE MOVING THROUGH LOS ANGELES, IS ONE OF OVERSATURATION THROUGH DIVERSE AUDIO AND VISUAL STIMULI. I n a n LAX terminal, this experience is compressed through

intens i v e n e t w o r k s . T h i s c o m p r e s s i o n c r e a t e s an unsettling experience. A nomadic traveler caught in the syst em, du e t o d e l a y o r l a y o v e r , c u r r e n tl y is unable to d e tach from the s e ne twork s . A typical remed y f o r t h i s c on d i t i o n i s a v o l u n t a r y n u m b ing of the senses, a mechanical repetition of actions, until f i n a l l y r e l e a s e d f r o m t h e s t r e a m l i n e d , c a c ophonous machine that is LAX. This project seeks an al tern at ive en gage m e n t th r o u g h a n e w s p a ti a l e x pe rie nce .

Delay e d t r a v e l e r s f r o m t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l t e r m inal seek either highly public social outlets, or more privat e s e c l u s i o n t o t e m p o r a r i l y a l l e v i a t e t h e t u rbulent pressures of the airport. This project redefines the la n d s c a p e t o a l l o w t r a v e l e r s t o b e t t e r m a n age their experience of these pressures. Appropriating so und e n ergy, ou r n e w l a n d s c a p e p r o v i d e s a r e fine d e nvironme nt for re s pite . The p r o j e c t c r e a t e s s p a c e s f o r r e f i n e d e n g a g e m ent through the guidance of external sounds. Users are able t o n a v i g a t e t h r o u g h t h e l a n d s c a p e b a s e d u p on experiential desires (public congregation or private solitu d e ) . B y u s i n g t h e s i t e ’ s s o u n d p a r a m e t e r s we created areas of occupation—loud zones for more so cial p rogram, q u ie t zo n e s f o r p r i v a te p r o g r a m .

Teammat e: Advi sor:

Pat r i c k L y n c h J aso n J o h n s o n

LA X R EFUGE - A CO UST IC P A R K, 2008 46

LA X R EFUGE - A CO UST IC P A R K, 2008 48

LA X R EFUGE - A CO UST IC P A R K, 2008 50

LA X R EFUGE - A CO UST IC P A R K, 2008 52

LA X R EFUGE - A CO UST IC P A R K, 2008 54

LA X R EFUGE - A CO UST IC P A R K, 2008 56

DRAWINGS AND CONSTRUCTS

E arl V . M oo r e B u i l d i n g C o r n e r D r a w i n g

S an t a M aria d e l F i o r e D r a w i n g

S p an n in g V o l u m e s C o n s tr u c t

Parame t ric C o n s tr u c t I I

J unk S cu lp t u r e

Parame t ric C o n s tr u c t I

EA R L V . MO O R E BUILDING CO R NER DR A W ING 60

SA NT A MA R IA d e l FIO R E DR A W ING 62

SP A NNING V O LUMES CO NST R UCT Team mat e:

M ich a e l L i n d s tr o m

P A R A MET R IC CO NST R UCT I

PARAMETRIC CONSTRUCT II Team mat e:

K at i e D r o ta r T u c k e r

JU NK SCULP T UR E 70

CONTACT

K evin J eou c h i D e n g

kden g@u m i c h . e d u

2 4 8 5 6 3 5 0 5 4 (U SA )

All pr o j e c t s p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s p o r t f o l i o w e r e c onceived and completed in the Master of Architecture 3G program at t h e U n i v e r s i ty o f M i c h i g a n - T a u bman Colle ge of A rchite cture and Urban P lanning.