portfolio
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE + URBAN DESIGN SELECTED WORKS 2013-2017 // kevin lei
1//
Les Deux Plateaux, Paris, France
about me resume
p.3
design the SHARED CITY {work in progress} reROUTE urban jungle
p.5 p.23 p.33
construction // design build Zephyr Institute sit & shralp construction samples
photography
p.41 p.47 p.51 p.57
//2
+ Kevin Lei
a: 28891 Ruus Rd. Hayward, CA 94544 p: (510) 493-0398 e: kevin_lei95@hotmail.com +
issuu.com/kevinlei
+
vimeo.com/kevlei
// EDUCATION // 2013 - 2017
Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Fall 2016
Italy Study Abroad Italart Santa Chiara Study Center - Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
// EXPERIENCE // 2017
Freelance Designer
Design-build for Zephyr Institute Palo Alto, CA
Responsiblities included designing an event space for start-up company Zephyr Institute. Generated design concept, schematic plan, planting plan, irrigation plan, and renderings for client. Took part in construction process after design phase.
Intern Summer 2016
Little Michoacán | Social Practice Internship North Fair Oaks, CA
Responsiblities included a feasibility study on potential locations for a pedestrian bridge. Went into the field to conduct interviews with locals. Generated voting ballots for potentional design locations.
2014 - 2016
Volunteer/Community Work
Dedicated approximately 180+ hours of community service to the Pomona / Los Angeles area. Developed levels of professionalism and comfortability in interacting with diverse groups of people.
// ACCOMPLISHMENTS // 2016
2016
Exhibition
Bureau of Street Services and Public Work Department Construction Exhibition.
Recognized by The City of Los Angeles-Bureau of Street Service for presenting and displaying team’s bench design at the Los Angeles Public Work Deparment.
Competition
Land Art Generator Initiative Competition, Santa Monica 2016.
Team’s project entry placed top 50 globally and published in the competition book, Powering Places. Project featured on http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-2016/01009170/
Nomination 2017
ASLA Southern California Chapter Honors and Merit Award
Nominated by the Cal Poly Pomona Landscape Architecture faculty to present student work to a panel of 5 ASLA professionals. Awarded ASLA membership for outstanding academic achievements, community involvement, and professional leadership.
// INVOLVEMENTS // 2017
ASLA Northern California Chapter
2013 - 2017
CPP ASLA Student Chapter
2015 - 2016
L.A. Forum for Architecture and Urban Design
2014 - 2016
National Coeducational Service Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega
Associate member
Winter 2017
Student member Student member
Former Co-historian
Studio
Urban Design in the Great Northeast with SWA Laguna Beach (Toronto, Canada)
// SKILLS // General + Capability to learn and adapt quickly to new material and software programs. + Ability to work effectively and construct working relationships with team members. + Exceptional problem solving skills with sharp attention to details. + Possess strong visual communication / design skills and willing to experiment with new approaches to develop and generate ideas. + Committed to continual personal growth and learning.
Technical Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Autocad
Google Sketch Up
Model Making
Adobe Indesign
Adobe Premiere Pro
Land F/X
Mircosoft Office
Hand Drafting
Adobe Lightroom
ArcGIS
Rhinocerous 3D
Vray Rendering
Photography
Language English Cantonese
// REFERENCES // Glenn Matsui Assistant Professor
Barry Lehrman Assistant Professor
Andrew Wilcox Department Chair
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
e: gtmatsui@cpp.edu p: (714) 827-0559
e: blehrman@cpp.edu p: (213) 300-4429
e: aowilcox@cpp.edu p: (909) 869-6943
the
SHARED CITY {
work in progress}
GROUP MEMBERS:
Antonio Martinez Kevin Lei Jeremie McAfee Shuang Chen
PROJECT LOCATION:
Woodbine Racetrack Toronto, Canada
*studio in collaboration with SWA Laguna Beach Located just northwest of downtown Toronto is Woodbine Racetrack, a site bounded by major green corridors, highways, proposed light rail stops, and the Toronto Pearson International Airport. Sitting at 680 acres, Woodbine Racetrack is the biggest privately owned land under the management of Woodbine Entertainment group. With a deep history in horseracing, Woodbine possesses the greatest legacy within the Great North. Year after year, spectators flood the site to experience the highly anticipated Thoroughbred race; the Queen’s Plate. Woodbine is poised for further development though in response to the influx of global citizens within Toronto. It could potentially become a new urban center where horseracing is the heart of the city, This project proposes to explore the ideas of the influx of global citizens migrating into Toronto. This is because it will generate a new demographic of people that would occupy Toronto in the future. Young tech-savy workers and entrepreneurs would use Toronto as a base for their start up businesses and so Woodbine could poise for such economy. A sharing economy will be appropriate for Woodbine due to the emerging trends happening not only within Toronto, but globally as well. The ideas of sharing cars like lyft and uber, sharing homes like airbnb, sharing commerce like etsy, or even sharing office spaces is the future of our cities. Also, by rethinking ideas of sharing natural resources and its integration with infrastructures of our futures cities could potentially establish a SHARED CITY. 5//
ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIVITY Preserving the ecological values of Toronto is an important condition with the rapid urban sprawl. With the help of the greenbelt, urban sprawl is not allowed to affect these sensitive areas. But how can we further improve the state of the ecological values that are present in Toronto? Woodbine poises as a major connector to patch these urban ecological areas. One can hike or bike from woodbine, down the Humber river, along the coast of lake Ontario, and back up into the Don River. This could allow woodbine to have a 1:1 relationship and become a new ecological patch with the greater Toronto area.
7//
URBAN AGRICULUTRE CONNECTIVITY Toronto is a fast sprawling city that due to its urban conditions, it lacks agricultural land. The only functional agricultural land that exists within the greater Toronto area is located at Rouge Park, in the outskirts of the greater Toronto area. So how do the Canadians adapt? Urban farming and use of green roofs allows agriculture to stay alive within the city. Woodbine racetrack is poised for this agricultural connectivity in order to serve the rapid population growth of Toronto’s future. On average, a family of four consumes about 900kg of vegetables a year. With the project site covering about 61 hectares of Woodbine racetrack, it can produce approximately 2.7 million kilograms of vegetables to feed about 3,050 families. But this idea refers to horizontal agriculture; What if vertical agricultural is implemented too? Imagine how much more vegetables that could generate. This allows Woodbine to become a potential leading agricultural connector to the greater Toronto area.
URBAN FRAMEWORK
Grade Change Strategy
Water Intake Strategy
Street Framework Strategy
Parking Lot Strategy
BUILDING TYPES
Subtract
Horizontal Split
Vertical Split
Stack+Step
Stack+Step+Turn
Bridge
Water Re-Use Strategy
Eco-network Strategy
Shared Zoning Strategy
Shared City Framework Strategy
AG + ECO INTEGRATION
Vertical Farming
Public Farming
Sidewalk Farming
Sharing space over time by retrofitting infrastucture into urban agriculture.
sharing space over time by retrofitting infrastucture into urban agriculture.
Utilizing fruit trees as an alternative for street trees to share urban agriculture into the public realm.
Inside-Outside Ecology
Alley Way Ecology
Rooftop Ecology
Infrastructure lifted up to allow ecology siteline to continue through.
Dense planting within alley ways will activate ecological users.
Sharing ecology ontop of infrastuctures in order to allow further green connectivity.
SHARED SPATIAL TACTICS
The selections of archetypes were furthered dissected and rules were applied in order to construct shared spatial strategies. This idea of a shared economy starts out with big dumb boxes where they can be further manipulated in order to accommodate the shared flexible future.
BUILDING DISTRIBUTION
Zoning within the Shared City is distributed in a dynamic way. Rather than having set districts, mixing the programming around allows for greater integration of a shared economy.
11//
The Shared City Master Plan
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4
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1
Sharing Plaza
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Promenade
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Habitat Niches
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Urban Farm
2
BUILDING DISTRIBUTION - in progress Over time, new building types will be implemented on top of existing building masses in order to accommodate this idea of a “work in progress� city. No buildings and programming will be set; instead it will have the flexibility to change over time.
//12
URBAN FARM SITE PLAN
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5 5
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4 2 3 2
3 3
5 4 3
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4 1
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zone 1- plaza farm
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zone 2- alley way farm
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zone 3-livestock farm
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irrigation canal walk
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SWA proposed green corridor
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orchard park
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urban orchard
N 0
15
45
75 meters
ZONE 1 - plaza farm
ZONE 2 - alley farm
ZONE 3 - livestock farm
Irrigation canal walk during winter
21//
//22
NORTH SIDE RE-IMAGINE GROUP MEMBERS:
Andres Raygada Iliana Valenzuela Kevin Lei
PROJECT LOCATION:
Argo Ditch Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is an infrastructural landscape that possesses poetic value, typically disregarded by the urban metabolic system. This poetic rhythm expresses the ecological harmonies and conflicts within the field. There are moments and interactions between the human and non-human species, and the intangible aviation. Conflicts are generated when these rhythms collide, causing one to take over the other. reRoute strives to unify these harmonies and conflicts by redirecting these poetic rhythms. Our team approached these issues by delineating three zones: merging, connection, and discovery. These zones are made possible by re-routing traffic; obliterating Lincoln Boulevard, and sinking Westchester Parkway below the land, poising the extension of the site for more opportunities. Each zone is designated to serve a purpose and enhance experiences in homogenous, yet contrasting ways. Merging is about the initial encounter with the site. This is where people are welcomed and intrigued by compelling forms emerging from the land. Connection is how people will interact with ecology by meandering over bodies of water, and through dense fields of high and soft textures, allowing nature to escort the human experience. Discovery is designated for humans to admire the ecological qualities of the site, and encounter panoramic views of the ambient setting. Distinctive land art will enhance this dynamic landscape, offering a contrasting perspective from night and day. reRoute strives to re-direct the rhythms of the adjacent species of LAX in a unified manner, and enhance experiences by generating temporal moments, and captivating memories. 23//
Los Angeles provides a sensitive field for avian species. Seasonal shifts, urban emergence, ecological disturbances, and being a part of the great Pacific Flyway influences this sensitive field. This temporal fluctuation of bird behavior generates visible patterning of their relationships to the city. Mountains, reservoirs, wetlands, and rivers are prime locations for birds to nest, forage, and breed. Interconnected patterns emerge from this temporal fluctuation of birds as they depend on similar sources to survive and reproduce. Over the years, the decline in certain species has been recorded by the Christmas Bird Count due to bird strikes. With the temporal flux patterning of bird species in the Los Angeles area, we can see why birds are getting strike on a daily basis in relation to the areas that they occupy. BIRD STRIKES LA focuses on five specific bird species that possess great impact within the Los Angeles region. These birds include: California gull, Red-tailed hawk, Great blue heron, Canada goose, and the Brown pelican. The selection of these birds generate a profound impact to strikes due to the size, general habitat location, and flight pattern in relation to Los Angeles International Airport as well as smaller municipal airports.
N 0
20
40
80 miles
SITE CONDITION
PATTERN STRATEGY
Avian Strategy
ZONE PATTERNING Open Space
Accessibility
FAA Regulation
View Points
27//
Human Strategy
Storm Water Runoff Strategy
Wind Strategy
//28
LAX-ARGO DITCH MASTERPLAN
Airfield Land Art
The common cause for most bird strikes is due to the habitability of the interstitial spaces within the airfield. reRoute’s airfield land art proposes LED bird spikes in order for the avian species to be deflected away from the airfield. By strategically placing these LED deflectors, it can also serve as runway lights to guide the airplanes from lift off to landing.
Plaza / Community Space
The plaza/community space within reRoute allows the community to enjoy a spatial common place that can be poised for many programs including: festivals, concerts, farmers market, et cetera. Benches will emerge from the ground plain, providing comfortable seating throughout the plaza space.
29//
N
0
500
1000
2000 feet
Water Basin Walk
The water basin walk allows human species and ecological species to reRoute into a common space. This will enhance the ecological connectivity that Los Angeles lacks most of.
Argo Land Bridge
Argo land bridge is a connection between north Argo Ditch and south Argo Ditch. By amalgamating the infrastructure with the local landscape, this blend allows a closer connection between both human and ecological species at the same scale.
//30
Water Basin form study
Wave Land Art form study
Argo Walk
High Soft Field
URBAN JUNGLE GROUP MEMBERS:
Estevan Casteneda Fernanda Suarez Kevin Lei
PROJECT LOCATION:
Rio Hondo Channel El Monte, CA
Rosemead Blvd and the Rio Hondo Channel at Rubio Wash has a feral island of land, left in isolation. This is a result of typical infrastructural leftovers. Adjacent to this site, is the Rio Hondo Channel; a five-mile infrastructural corridor that channelizes water from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Los Angeles River watershed. These two sites share a common idea of a “new nature”. Urban Jungle isn’t tended to be seen as a pristine landscape, but rather as a landscape of mix influences: human intervention, natural occurrences, and wildlife adaptation. The Rio Hondo recognizes the nature within its channels but poises for more new opportunities. This project proposes five strategic urban jungles that will allow for new emergences. The Rio Hondo will no longer just channelize water, but act as a productive infrastructural landscape. It has the potential to provide Angelinos with new, but facilitated experiences; as well as educate them about this ever growing “new nature”. By slowing down the river in five strategic locations, it has the potential to provide habitat to the emerging ecology.
33//
UNDERSTANDING SITE SYSTEMS + PHENOMENA The Rio Hondo channel possesses a unique yet dynamic, complex ecological system. Seen as a nothing more than a concrete channel, its ecological values are sensitive due to its connectivity to the San Gabriel Mountains. Seed particles are washed down from the mountains and into the Rio Hondo, allowing growth to happen between the cracks of the channel. As it slowly descends into Whittier Narrows, the graveyard of the San Gabriel Mountain is seen as an urban jungle. This allows avian species, insects, mammals, and even bacteria to thrive in such a rambunctious nature.
pigeon
++ + ++++ + ++ + ++++++ ++++++++ ++++ + + + ++ ++++++++ + +++++ ++ ++ + +++ seeds
human blood
dragonfly
Flies mosquito mallard Trash
mourning dove
cliff swallow
california gull
killdeer
American crow
snail
earthworm
algae
TAXONOMY OF EMERGENT SPATIAL TYPES
37//
SPATIAL TYPES EXPLORATION
RIO HONDO URBAN JUNGLE SITE PLAN
Site 4 - Peckroad Park
Site 3 - Fletcher Park
Site 2 - Rosemead Blvd/Rio Hondo Channel
Site 1 - Whitter Narrows
Zephyr Institute CLIENT: SIZE:
Zephyr Institute 1,500 sq ft
PROJECT TYPE:
Design-Build
PROJECT LOCATION:
Palo Alto, CA
Zephyr Institute is a start-up company that is motivated to “facilitate research and inquiry at the intersection of emerging technologies and human flourishing”. The term “Zephyr” is known as the West Wind, the wind that blows from west to east. It is also a term used by the popular passenger train, the California Zephyr, which travels from San Francisco to Chicago. These two ideas set by the term “Zephyr” demonstrates a sense of motion for the term, thus, having a major influence in our design. The Zephyr Institute back lot was once an under-utilized space, blooming with feral weeds and disorganized growth of trees. The weeds would flow when a gentle breeze passed by, setting a unique motion to the space. The goal for this space was to design and build an event space that could house lectures, and social events; but also be flexible to accommodate passive programing for casual hangouts and eating lunch. We were able to achieve the integrity of motion by utilizing a variety of materials. White dolomite gravel, red mulch, tan mulch, and a variety of drought-tolerant plants were selected as materials to serve the gathering area due to their low maintenance qualities. With such bold material selections, it generates a unique composition to the space where it allows users to experience more of a dynamic composition. A composition in which has relations to the palette of a train and its perspective as it is set in motion. As a business that set off to improve human flourishing, the idea of “true north” is heavily emphasized as a way to motivate students and business personal. We took this idea of “true north” into our design as a way finder and inspiration to whomever is occupying the site. We aligned the planks of the stage towards the “true north” angle as a way for users to know where their sense of “true north” is. The stage is also fragmented in a way where it sets the motion of going towards “true north”, generating a bold and dynamic event space for Zephyr Institute. 41//
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ZEPHYR SITE PLAN 1
white dolomite entrance
2
white dolomite “river�
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red mulch gathering area
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planting area //A
5
planting area //B
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planting area //C
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planting area //D
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planting area //E
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planting area //F
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tan mulch gathering area
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white dolomite side stage
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bamboo fencing
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fragmented stage
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3 2
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1
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14 vegetated industrial wall
project north
true north
43//
0
5
10
20 feet
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4 7
6 4
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Ficus pumila
Densiflorus myersii
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Senecio serpens
6 7
Lantana sellowiana
6 Nassella tenuissima
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Achillea millefolium
Salvia leucantha
Agave attenuata
2 11
Anigozanthos manglesii
9 Limonium perezii
5 Asparagus aethiopicus
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Anigozanthos manglesii
Lavandula
1 10
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14
8
//44
SHRALP
v. the act of “shredding” and “ripping”, typically on a skateboard.
SIT& SHRALP GROUP MEMBERS:
PROJECT TYPE: PROJECT LOCATION:
Kevin Lei Andres Raygada Antonio De Jesus Design-Build Neutra Plaza, Cal Poly Pomona Pomona, CA
*BUREAU OF STREET SERVICES: STUDENT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION EXHIBITION APRIL 28 - JUNE 8, 2016 The concept of Sit & Shralp is to welcome skateboarding rather than criminalizing it. Skateboarders, for decades, have a bad reputation throughout communities in imposing damages to property while they street skate. Sit & Shralp poises a critic in which how can we redefine the urban landscape in order to incorporate a function for skateboarding? Cal Poly Pomona has a large population of skateboarders that have the urge to skate during their breaks and in between classes. Sit & Shralp welcomes them to skate as well as sit and relax after a good session. The kicker serves as a ramp for the skaters but may also serve as a footrest for guests. The rail allows skateboarders to grind on one side, but allows seating opportunities on the other. Lastly, the bench can be manipulated into a linear form or “L” shape in order to allow various seating options.
47//
49//
1
BENCH “L” SHAPE PLAN VIEW
2
BENCH FRAME “L” SHAPE FORM
SCALE: 3/4” = 1’-0”
SCALE: 3/4” = 1’-0”
A
BENCH FRAMING SECTION A-A
B
BENCH FRAMING + RAMP SECTION B-B
3
BENCH FRAME LINEAR FORM
SCALE: 3/4” = 1’-0”
SCALE: 3/4” = 1’-0”
SCALE: 3/4” = 1’-0”
//50
CONSTRUCTION SAMPLES PROJECT LOCATION:
1. Japanese Friendship Garden extension San Diego, CA 2. Canoga Park High School Canoga Park, CA
The following are some samples of construction details and plans. This set is apart of a working construction document produced throughout my junior year at Cal Poly Pomona.
51//
53//
A
WOOD DECK FRAMING PLAN
B
OVER HEAD SHADE STRUCTURE
SCALE: 3/16” = 1’-0”
SCALE: 3/16” = 1’-0”
C
DECK FRAMING DETAIL SCALE: 3/16” = 1’-0”
E
DECK TO STEP DETAIL
F
STAIR AND DECK HANDRAIL DETAIL
J
WOOD DECK SECTION
SCALE: 3/16” = 1’-0”
SCALE: 3/16” = 1’-0”
SCALE: 3/16” = 1’-0”
//54
CANOGA PARK HIGHSCHOOL
NATIVE HILL PLANTING PLAN
NATIVE HILL PLANTING SCHEDULE
1
SECTION A-A
2
SECTION B-B
3
SECTION C-C
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM - DG PATH
BIO SWALE BRIDGE
ECOLOGICAL BASIN
//56
PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT LOCATION:
57//
Places that have inspired me as a designer.
Piazza del Campo, Siena, Italy
//58
Bixby Creek Bridge, Big Sur, CA
Sutro Baths, San Francisco, CA
Superkilen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Simcoe Wave Deck, Toronto, Canada
+ Kevin Lei p: (510) 493-0398
e: kevin_lei95@hotmail.com +
issuu.com/kevinlei
+
vimeo.com/kevlei