PORTFOLIO
VENCE(Wenzhuo) CAI
Selected work from 2018 to 2024
Today's urban system is overly functional but underdeveloped for living. In the process of high-speed economic development, the city operates efficiently. But the residents who originally lived there were ruthlessly abandoned, and sweeping demolition measures even left many homeless.
Behind the efficient economic development is a disregard for the people living in the city. The reasons for this contradiction can be traced back to the top-down urbanism in China in the 1950s. Efficient prefabrication techniques and top-down administrative directives in post-war China in 1950 led to the emergence of administrative planning boundaries in the centralized regime state over 20 years. At the Osaka World Expo in the 1970s, attempts were made to critique consumerism with radical mechanical devices. If cities are incredibly efficient in pursuing functionality, like cyberpunk, people will eventually get lost in the siege of machines.
The behavior of people in the city is consistently weakening this boundary spontaneously. For example, in the old town, residents used to bring their daily life to occupy the border, sunbathing in the street, cooking, and playing cards. In a small third-tier city, a kiosk clerk knows most people in the neighborhood.
Xiang Biao, a renowned anthropologist at Oxford University, has proposed border-crossing communities, which refer to complex and cohesive internal community systems that radiate so widely that they can cross the physical boundaries of the community itself. The most typical example is the supply and marketing economy that emerged in China in the 1980s. The community structure formed by people based on trust permeated many areas, such as the service industry and government. The web of human relationships is based on a more significant interaction between people and the spaces they inhabit.
High-speed urbanization is indeed irreversible and has brought about an increase in people's living standards and efficiency. However, the efficiency-oriented urban space has led to regional divisions. As designers, we should think about how to bring urban life back to the people themselves and how to mediate these problems.
01_A MANIFESTO OF STEEL & BRICK
Hanyang Industrial Plant Renovation Cultural Park
Winner of Architwist "Regeneration" competition
Cube design_The 19th Architectural Talent Award_Second Prize
- 2022.3 - 2022.5
- HUST Studio project
- Instructor: professor Wei Zhou
- Collaborator: Ruoxi Li
- Role: 50% plan design, 80% form design
(all drawing except ones annotated with *)
- Site: Wuhan, China
- Industrial Renovation project - 3540㎡
Situated in the center of China alongside the Yangtze River, Wuhan has long been praised for its convenient transportation and rich mineral sources. During the 1890s, Zhang Zhidong realized its marked influence on the whole country and triggered the urban and industrial development of the city. As a result, the original campus of the Hanyang Iron Plant was built. Over the later fifty years, the Hanyang Iron Plant had its time of glory and was relocated west to its original site after being demolished during WWⅡ
However, in the 21st century, the significance of industry decreased, and industrial zones were drawn to the periphery of the city. The enclosed factory areas that were originally in the center of the city were shut down and become forgotten barren places inaccessible to the public. Therefore, the heritage urges the need for transformation.
The project thus aims to resolve the conflict between present urban development and the preservation of old buildings. The primary intervention is to break down the intimidating large-scale blocks and open up the campus to the public. Physical boundaries are eliminated and urban networks are introduced. Moreover, the former steel manufacturing industry is replaced by a digital publishing industry while some factories of historical value are reused as museums that are educational to the public.
The construction of Hanyang Iron and Steel Work triggered Wuhan’s urban development. After WWⅡ the iron plant relocated west to its original site.
A Heritage Withstood the Test of Time
Being relocated west to its original site twenty years after WWⅡ , the Hanyang Iron and Steel Work had its time of glory, providing construction materials nationwide. However, the ironwork was shut down and became an industrial heritage in 2007. With most of its buildings obsolete, the heritage urges the need for transformation.
Public Space Network
After years of regional transformation, the site is currently surrounded by a number of urban public spaces. The infrastructure construction has also provided the site with a possibility of serving as a primary public space.
Considering its close connection to industrial production, the proposal aims to activate the site by inserting a digital production function while also preserving its historical significance.
Workers' memories deserve to be preserved in the factory as a bridge to the past. We have designed a curved volume to logically implant the workers' memories in the factory with publishing function following the volume. The renovated factory manages to bridge the gap between resident and the city by providing public space.
Step1: Preserve Memory
The original workers' experience of entering the plant became the clue, embedding it in the newly renovated factory.
Step2: Rearrange Circulation
The flow line of visitor experience becomes the main flow line through the project. The curvilinear nature of the flow increases the interaction with the original volumes
Step3: Reorganize Program
The building function follows the flow of visitors' visit. Externally, public space has been added to serve the external public, and internally, a new building space for digital publishing functions has been built.
Step4: Apply Prototype
Three different types of arcs are used to rationalize the flow of people and architectural space. Arcs and orthogonal volumes produce more interactivity
A blend of old and new
The new building volume integrated with the original factory becomes a place for visitors to perceive the memories of workers from the past. At the same time, the additional public space allows more urban residents to enter the site, learning about the history and experiencing the current life.
A route through the equipments and trees indicates passing through the gate.
Tower structure suggests the insignificance of the workers and the power of supervisors.
The character between the workers and the supervisors are reversed. Duty Shift
The Passageway
Along the path is the preserved brick wall.
Surveillance
Windows are inserted into the curve wall, casting visual control over other visitors.
The matrix of vegetation suggests a status of seperation. Isolation
Typology Derives From Arc
Three types of arcs ranging from a quater of circle to a full circle are inserted as the new structure. The inserted structure controls the circulation of visitors for better views and interaction with previous structure.
At the end of the commemorating route is a book shop in the woods. Readers will be leisurely seeing the bustling tourists from a quiet space. And through the plants, visitors can experience the workers who were isolated by the equipment in the past.
An elevated curve ramp is inserted into the factory, serving as a link between the old and new programs and a commemorative route regarding the industrial context. Moving along the path, the visitors can travel between the old and new, experience the difference between the past and present, visite exhibitions of digital publishing and industrial history, and attend a digital media workshop.
Building as an urban space
Another factory relic stood in juxtaposition with the renovated project. Considering their close relationship, a green track is designed as a connection between the two factories while adding more vibrance to the industrial context. As a result, the west part of the architecture has a more private and intimate atmosphere for visitors to enjoy the exhibitions and read. The bare concrete structure of the factory relic also serves as a frame for visitors to appreciate the project.
The exciting thing is that the surrounding residents will enter this area spontaneously. Young people join the tall factory buildings to paint graffiti, and children with skateboards play on the broad road. This spontaneous behavior constantly bridges the relationship between the fractured factory and the city.
So in the transformation of industrial heritage, I tried to open up the boundaries of the factories externally and cut the large factories into a more human scale internally, more adapted to the spontaneous activities of people. Secondly, I integrated different architectural elements such as ramps, water features, plants, skylights, and different scales of spatial combinations to suit different scenarios. For example, the flowing end ramp into the bamboo forest forms a quiet space where people can read books and newspapers on the seats and enjoy the tranquility. The scenic space stimulates spontaneous human activities and constantly blends the boundaries of architecture and life.
02_The Cubes: On Security and Sanctuary
Oakland Affordable Housing
- Berkeley ARCH 201
- Studio project
- Instructor: Mia Zinni
- Individual
- Site: Oakland, CA
- Urban social housing
140 housing units
- 14500㎡
The studio focuses on providing secure spaces for three distinct groups HT(Human Trafficking) DV(Domestic violence) and Youth within the busy urban environment, specifically addressing the needs of individuals facing mental health issues, domestic violence, and human trafficking. The design concept revolves around a rotating box, creating three layers of spaces to cater to different levels of privacy and interaction.
The first level prioritizes intimacy and security, featuring low walls that define open outdoor spaces with hidden entrances to enhance a sense of safety. Greenery and trees are incorporated to provide a calming environment for activities such as reading and small conversations.
The second level serves as an open public space, connecting various residential volumes and promoting communication. Two volumes connect three or four buildings each, acting as a bridge between different sections.
The third level introduces semi-private and semi-public rotating boxes within architectural volumes for small group interactions. Residents can access shared balconies to connect with neighbors, maintaining a balance between privacy and community.
Inside each residence, a shared kitchen is designed for young individuals to foster a sense of shared living, with the Youth group positioned at the center due to their higher activity levels. Various strategies are implemented based on street conditions, such as setting the building back from the street perimeter on Broadway to address specific urban conditions. The ground floor features wider openings facing the street, hosting public spaces like cafes and bookstores to engage with the broader community.
Within the internal organization of units, they all adhere to the same logic, with the central rotating box encircling the vertical circulation core and the horizontal plane of traffic. Boxes positioned at the building's perimeter provide a sense of connection to the surroundings and unobstructed sightlines, allowing individuals to experience the environment. Simultaneously, they can lead people to outdoor platforms. The layout of the corridors similarly follows a comparable logic, with connected small rotating boxes serving as indoor communal areas, shared for public use.
03_PSI Dichotomy
Permanency/Semi-Permanency/Impermanency Ferry Ternimal
Design Excellence - UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design
- 2024.9 - 2024.12
- UC Berkeley Arch 203
- Integrated Studio
- Instructor: Daniel Spiegel
- Team work with: Vi Chen
- Site: Treasure Island, San Francisco
- 40429.50 sqft
- FAR: 1.52, Height: 45'
The master scheme charts a playful yet thoughtful architectural journey from permanence to semi-permanence to impermanence, seamlessly reflected in its tectonics, form, program, and ideology. At the most permanent end, the concrete sheared wall stands as a colossal windbreaker, a protector for Treasure Island's seafront "against" nature. It houses all things ferry-related, because, that’s the one program we bet isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Like natural ridges standing against the wind, this wall could easily outlast its surroundings, defying time and any reason to be bulldozed.
Moving toward semi-permanence, the open-air middle space becomes a bustling pedestrian zone. While pedestrian traffic might seem more transient than a market, we make the case that markets are the real impermanent spaces, where goods, ideas, and trends roll in and out faster than the latest pop-up store. Reflecting this fleeting nature, the A-frame timber structure is designed for easy disassembly and sustainable reuse—ready to pack up and move on, much like the Golden Gate Expo once did, leaving behind not just memories but, with luck, a stash of recycled timber.
The design incorporates sustainable strategies, including passive and active ventilation systems, solar panels, and geothermal heating, with thoughtfully placed openings for natural light control. Landscaping reflects the same dichotomy: the concrete side embraces shaggy, permanent vegetation, while the timber side features dynamic, movable potted greenery.
Yerba Buena Island Natural / Permanency
Treasure Island Man-Made / Impermanency
Treasure Island 1939 Golden Gate Expo / Impermanency
Treasure Island 1941 Us Naval Station / Impermanency
How do we approach our site — one that sits in between this PERMANENCY / IMPERMANENCY dichotomy ?
Windbreaker ! Dealing with Strong West Wind An Anchor To The Place A Permanent Infrastructure Permanency
Easy-Assembly Timber ! A Market Impermanency
For the building's program, we have divided the functions into three parts: permanency, semi-permanency, and impermanency. For permanency, considering the permanent nature of the concrete structure, we have designated programs related to long-term ferry terminal functions, such as ticketing and waiting halls.
For impermanency, we envisioned functions that allow for easy assembly, such as “market” and “event” spaces that can be quickly reconfigured. In the intermediate semi-permanency area, we included a greenhouse for visitors to explore, allowing people to immerse themselves in the experience as they move through the space.
The site experiences strong westerly winds. The diagram illustrates the existing site axis formed in response to these winds, along with the presence of water breakers designed to create a calm water surface.
We propose a continuous infrastructure composed of windbreakers, consistently providing a comfortable site environment while creating seamless circulation pathways through the building.
The intersection of the slanted architectural form and the rectangular site creates a series of interwoven small spaces. These dynamic external areas serve distinct purposes, including the terminal's entrance, an entry plaza between the main pathway and the building, and other functional outdoor spaces that enhance accessibility and usability.
Within the continuous architectural design, we have also integrated pathways that connect the plazas, fostering effective interaction and seamless connections throughout the site.
The slanted concrete walls are deeply rooted in the ground, serving as a permanent symbol. Here, they form the core structure of the ferry terminal, where the waiting area allows people to gaze out through strategically placed openings, offering stunning views of the sea and the San Francisco skyline. The semi-permanent area serves as the primary circulation zone, accommodating both horizontal and vertical transportation needs. The third floor functions as a greenhouse, creating a linear space for visitors to explore and experience. On the timber side, the structural uniformity symbolizes impermanence, addressing the temporary and transient nature of the market on Treasure Island. The primary structure is designed to adapt over time, allowing for functional changes in response to evolving market demands. Terminal/Permanency Circulation/Semi-Permanency Market/Impermanency
The differences between the landscape in front of the windbreaker and the plaza behind the timber structure can be better understood in the following drawings. It has been from the start our intention for the windbreaker to stay, forever. The shaggy grass that would grow onto the concrete overtime reflect that essence of permanency. On the other end, changes in fact always happen with rigid planning. We therefore put potted trees on this plaza, perhaps for different events they may even be relocated.
The building’s structural system is composed of two main parts: a massive mat slab foundation poured together with the angled concrete wall, essentially stabilizing the young bay mud on-site. On the other side, the A-frame heavy timber structure is designed for easy disassembly and potential reuse, aligning with the idea of impermanence.
Integrated Section
The building incorporates both active and passive ventilation strategies. Operable windows at the top and bottom of the timber structure and greenhouse enable effective natural airflow, supplemented by a mechanical ventilation system. A geothermal radiant floor slab directs airflow upwards, enhancing indoor comfort and efficiency.
For natural lighting, different strategies are applied across materials. The concrete side uses strategically placed openings for spotlight patterns and massive concrete walls to shield against intense western sunlight while still allowing controlled light into key areas. The greenhouse facilitates linear light penetration across three floors, while the timber side features milky glass and operable mechanical shading systems, creating a bright yet softly diffused light environment.
Wall Sections
The building integrates adjustable shading devices to minimize glare from direct sunlight. Calculations ensure the blinds can remain open 80% of the year, optimizing natural light. On the semi-permanent structure, west-facing solar panels on the roof generate low-carbon energy. The third floor includes a linear greenhouse, creating a sunlit walking experience while enhancing the building's sustainable design.
The main timber structure is shielded by a uniform layer of glass shingles, protecting it from rain. These shingles feature two types of joints: vented joints at the top and bottom for airflow and moisture control, and sealed joints in the middle to regulate airflow and direct moisture away effectively. For the façade construction, uniform-sized glass panels are mounted on the main structure. The connecting nodes are strategically placed near the top of each panel, ensuring stable two-point support during both installation and removal.
The axonometric model highlights the clear separation between the two material systems: concrete and timber. On the timber side, tension rods provide essential lateral support, ensuring structural stability.
In a proposed Phase Two, concrete windbreakers could extend along the long, narrow seafront of Treasure Island. These structures would not only serve as protective barriers but also create dynamic pedestrian experiences with pathways that weave “in and out” and “cut through” the spaces. As the symbolic “face” of Treasure Island, these windbreakers could evoke the imagery of mountains, visually continuing the landscape of Yerba Buena Island down to the waterfront.
04_New Realm of Publics
Minzhong District urban renovation project
- 2022 Summer
- Studio project
- Instructor: Zhe Dong
- Individual
- Site: Wuhan, China
- Urban space renovation - 6580㎡
The Minzhong Paradise was an important historical building in the Republic of China in the 1930s, serving as a place for people to gather and watch plays. Over the past 100 years, the Minzhong Paradise has undergone several generations of change, becoming a commercial complex after serving as a theater. Today the building has fallen into disrepair and has become a memory card of Wuhan, and the adjacent Zhongshan Avenue is also used as a historical tour route with many visitors every year.
But the tall building volume divides the two sides of the street into two completely different spaces. The side of the historic building facing the street is full of businesses, while the back side of the building is inhabited by Wuhan's poor working population. Most of them are service workers from other cities who come to Wuhan to work, living in rented houses of less than 20 square meters each. The huge contrast made me enter the back of the building like entering a completely different urban space. This discontinuous spatial experience is formed by the hard border of tall buildings located on the street. How can we weaken the boundary so that people on both sides can have better communication?
The focus of this design is on how to activate the public space at the border of the urban area, so that the residents on both sides of the border can communicate and integrate better. I first connect the inner texture of the area to the surrounding urban texture, and introduce the function of urban landscape and marketplace, so that the residents inside and outside the building can gather and communicate.
Uneven development of urban areas
The administrative boundaries of cities were created for efficient planning, but there is often a broad brush approach to urban area boundaries. The two sides of the border create two completely different states, where the tourist population on one side and the poor people on the other struggle to make ends meet. The phenomenon of duality emerged, severely fragmenting human life and cities.
This process is exacerbated by the presence of important historic buildings on the boundary, where the front side of the building is admired and the back side can be left alone, a symptom of sloppy urban design.
There are two sides to the historic building. One side of Zhongshan Avenue faces visitors with lush roads and a steady stream of pedestrians. But the tall trees organize the visitors into the area behind the building. The residents there lead a completely different life.
Boundaries and Open Space Analysis
Public Space Evolution
In 1919, the People's Paradise was established as a theater and became one of the public spaces where residents gathered in large numbers. 1989, the People's Paradise fell into disrepair and the building was closed. The proposal is to break the original hard boundary, increase the introduction of urban roads and traffic within the building, thus increasing the accessibility of the site.
