Yuzhang Su. Architecture Portfolio for UCL MArch Architectural Design 2023.

YUZHANG SU SUYUZ@KEAN.EDU (+86) 15257609022

STUDENT WORK PROFESSIONAL WORK

PORTFOLIO YUZHANG SU

PROJECTS

O1

AMPHIBIOUS STINGRAY

SELF-SUSTAINED COMMUNITY

WENZHOU-KEAN UNIVERSITY

ARCH3106 STUDIO

R. SPENCER STEENBLK + DAVID VARDY

ZHOUSHAN

2022

O2

DIGITAL DREAM

VIRTUAL LANDSCAPE COMPETITION ENTRY

SHUCHEN LIU

SHANGHAI

2022

O3

THE 3RD LINE

ELEVATED WALKWAY SYSTEM

ROSSO ART EDUCATION CENTER

XING HUAN

HONGKONG

2021

O4

OFFLINE PARK

INSTALLATION + PARK

WKDL DESIGN LAB

GROUP WORK (RESEARCH, CONCEPT, RENDERING)

PROFESSIONAL/COMPETITION ENTRY

DAVID VARDY

MANNHEIM

2022

MAP OF QUSHAN ISLAND

Qushan is an island of Zhoushan City in Zhejiang province. Due to the government's poverty alleviation policy and competition with the fishing industry from Shanghai, the population structure of the island has changed dramatically in the past decade. Villagers were asked to move to new residential buildings on the island, and some left the island. These resulted in the abandonment of a certain number of villages on the island.

AMPHIBIOUS STINGRAY

This project is a reaction to a possible future of postcovid world and remote work. Technologies that supports remote work are thriving during the pandemic. It provides people opportunities to spend their valuable working hours in the nature. Some of the high salary class, digital content producers are predicted to live in a remote and self-sustain community.

GROW AND DORMANT PERIOD OF IVY

Abandoned houses are cover by boston ivy. It shows how artificial structure is dominant by the nature. Boston ivy has grown and dormant period. The dynamic change of ivy leaves brings abandoned buildings back alive.

RESTURANTROOFWIND TURBINERESIDENTIALFACADE EXPERIMENTS ON NEURAL STYLE TRANSFER

In parallel with site research, footages of architecture, regional culture elements, and urban fabric are fed in AI to generate a new visual style. Salient elements of the new images are the potential form for this project. Specific elements are developed into three dimensional models. Then these models are transferred as architecture elements.

REDESIGN THE FOLK BUILDINGS

The basic framework and building materials of vernacular architecture are kept. New elements like steel frame are added to reinforce the structure. Based on the functions, parts of the design are following the neural style transfer. Some of the parts are repecting the regional culture.

LINNEAR ROOF

The red linear shape is selected to develop the form of the roof that follows the layout of original folk buildings and terrain.

HOUSING

Crystal cubes in the style transfer image is developed into housing area of this project. It is covered by glass, creating a micro-weather inside the building.

DIAGRAM OF ACTIVITIES AND SPACE

The void spaces between selected folk buildings are filled with new structures with different functions. New connections are made to breath new life into dead architectural shells.

PLANS OF LINEAR COMPLEX

ROOF DETAILS EXPLANATION

Being pictured as a futural project, different kinds of advanced technologies are utilized. Drones will be the main method to deliver packages. Opennings on the roof provides an entrance for the drone to land.

POST-PARAMETRICISM FACADE STUDY

Unlike parametricism, which uses virtual shapes and computer-aided representations to create smooth and continuous forms, postparametricism focuses on how architects can play a leading role in the non-linear digital design process. The roof of this project is broken into 4 modules, making the constuction process more practical. The texture of the facade changed from dominated by braced grid to dominated by hexagon cells. 3D printed metal is considered as the building material to reinforce the buildings underneath it.

RESTURANT ROOMMEETING

Organic pattern of the roof provides space for boston ivy to grow on its facade, making the builidng blending into surroundings. It also create posibilities for insects like bee to live in the roof structure, which is beneficial to creating a self-sustain place.

Workplace. Sunlight filters through the roof, creating a texture of light and shadow in the interior.

Organic structure provides possibilities for creating niches for different creatures.

CHRISTAL DORMITORY

For the housing area, roof is like a shell covered by azure glass window and light yellow steel frame to create a crystal feeling. It helps residents shelter from wind, and creates an open indoor space. There are opennings on the top for the building to release heat during summer. The micro-weather enclosed by the roof also enables exotic plants to grow inside the building.

PLANS OF HOUSING AREA

COLOR CONTRAST BEWTEEN TWO ROOFS

3D PRINT MODEL

The physical model is 3D printed to accomplish the complex roof. It enables lighting tests to be done in the reality. The model is also proving that this kind of structure is viable in the future, which means standard joints may be reduced in this project.

DETAILS OF FACADE

SECTION MODEL

LIGHT TESTRELATION WITH TERRAIN

DIGITAL DREAM

VIRTUAL LANDSCAPE, 2022 IDIVIDUAL WORK

The Metaverse, a widely discussed and controversial concept in 2022. This project is to explore a possibility of metaverse. It is not controlled by private corporations, nor does it indulge in electronic utopian ideals. This will be an open source project, so it will not be monopolized by a few companies. The concept is to let human beings temporarily escape from the increasingly lonely real society through the form of games (the metaverse concept has been embodied in video games for a long time), and re-communicate in the virtual space with the image of pure people.

BACKGROUND

The world is at a turning point of division and communication. Internet was considered as a great tool for people around the world to communicate, but now the fact is that people with different ideas are more fragmented into their respective comfort zones. The first is the single-preference content that the operating company puts on individual users in order to make a profit. The second is political interference and control, which makes the Internet in some areas build up barriers, and ideas cannot be exchanged and understood by different groups. In addition, physical communication in the post-coronavirus era is easy. This has led to increased estrangement between people, prompting new forms of loneliness to swell in Gen Z. But with the centralization of the blockchain, artificial intelligence and the concept of the metaverse are constantly being strengthened, whether the Internet can regain a turnaround, create a more ideal world, and reconnect people.

OVERALL FORM DIAGRAM

M-theory is a theory conjectured by Edward Witten, that unifies all consistent versions of superstring theory. Although these superstring theories initially appeared to be very different, work by many physicists showed that the theories were related in intricate and nontrivial ways. It reconciles general relativity with quantum mechanics. The basic idea of different dimensions could be considered as different functional space in the project.

Atomic I

Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles. The dynamic orbital of atom can be imagined as the overall functioning of the virtual world.

General relativity is a theory of gravitation developed by Albert Einstein between 1907 and 1915. The theory of general relativity says that the observed gravitational effect between masses results from their warping of spacetime. The concept could be utilized to inspire the overall form and space.

Gravity Worn Hole

CASE STUDY I

CASE STUDY II

DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM

Players will play as agents and travel separately through time to save the world in the Time Stories. They can visit a same place repeatly in different time to collect clue At some point, players can exchange information in the conmmunity space. limitation will be set to make communication more challenging.

This board game, Gloom Haven, is divided into 2 layers. The first layer uses a random card system for players to explore the room that contains clue, trap and enemy. The second layer with a center space enables players to exchange information to achieve their goals.

Players should keep the back of the card facing themselves and the front facing their teammates. The team has to make decisions through limited communication to keep the fireworks going.

CASE STUDY III

Match Me tests the player's synesthesia and tacit understanding. Red columns in the diagram represent players. The circles represent players' cognitive range. The yellow walls represent the consensus between different players with different cultural background.

The blue area represents the islands of Forbidden Island. Players need to work togther and understand the island rafting rules to get the treasure (the red spheres).

Areas are overlaped to create more space, which could be used for residential in the project to contain diverse participants.

Curvedwallsintertwinedintoeachother, which creates intersectional spaces as a representation of commonality.

Boundaries between different different zone are set for participants to break. Induce people to communicate.

Cooedinates are set in the world to give participants a purpose to explore the world.

Bohor's ModelAtomic Orbital II

Type IType IIBType IIAE8×E8 HeteroticSO(32) HeteroticString Diagram

NATURAL SCENE

Artificial nature. All the geographic and biological activity is generated by the server. Small coordinates are scattered in every corner, pushing players to explore andunlockthevenue.

These are the coordinates that represent different zones in the world. It's open for participants who unlock all the zones of the world.

This is a portal that allows participants to quickly shuttle todifferentregions. Avenue for testing the completion of participants' local exploration, and participants who meet the requirements canunlocknewareas.

Provide a venue for large gatherings of participants. Aimless competitions, performances, parties can be held here. Limited-time events in the virtual world will also be announced here.

A shell that covers the maze of Landmark. It's also one of the main light source of the world.

Being a private place for each participant. Each private housing is temporary, and only the operation history is kept. When the participant came back, the historical operation will be re-materialized.

The different areas are spatially connected, so that the whole world has an unobstructedcirculation.

MYSTERY TOWER INTERIORCOMMUNITY

GRASSLAND

KAILASHRESIDENTIAL I

TUNNEL I

DESSERT

PORTAL I

RESIDENTIAL II

TUNNEL II

SNOWMOUNTAIN

PORTAL II

BABEL

TUNNEL III

VALLEYPORTAL IIICOLOSSEUM

RESIDENTIAL IIIEQUIPMENT LIBRARY

MYSTERY TOWER

The landscapes in this project is far different from the urban fabric in real world. This can be an experienment on the relation between exaggerated architectural forms and traffic without physical constraints. RESIDENTIAL

Since different players come from different time zones around the world, the concept of time zones will also be applied to different areas of this virtual world. However, players will still be randomly assigned to different areas to explore. The virtual time zone does not refer to the real time zone, and the day and night will be adjusted to 24 hours and 11 minutes according to the human Circadian Cycle.

Since the issue of light pollution is not involved, the effects of light on creatures other than humans do not need to be considered. But some participants will experience the world through future immersive devices, the light will be adjusted to specific participants. This means that the lighting scene that each participant can see is different. If two or more participants voluntarily share a light scene, they can see each other's light scene.

THE 3RD LINE

ELEVATED WALKWAY SYSTEM, HONGKONG, 2022 INDIVIDUAL WORK

A complex system of pedestrian bridges was built in the center of Hong Kong during the 1980s and 1990s, which greatly improved the efficiency of the city's operations. Some of these bridges pass through different areas of civic life at the same time, and have the potential to expand vertically and horizontally to increase connections between different areas. This project selected the pedestrian bridge connecting Central Plaza and Wanchai Computer City to expand its space in the city and establish new connections. Enrich the functions of pedestrian bridges in public life.

ANALYSIS OF SURROUNDINGSSITE LOCATION

There are skyscrapers located in the areas along the bay. These are the workplace for citizens. The area functions as business center.

The buildings at the Lockhart Road are mainly for residential and commercial. This area dominates the richest part of civic life in Hongkong.

The buildings at Hennessy Road have public facilities like sports center. Commercial and residential space are also included.

CENTRAL ELEVATED WALKWAY

This collage is showing the current condition among activities of citizens, the central elevated walkway, and the urban landscape in Hongkong. Questions like how to provide spcae for outdoor markets and resturants, create pocketparks for people to relax and communicate, and open up more opportunities for parade.

HONGKONG

3 SPOTS TO DESIGN

Three spots of the elevated walkway have the potential to be extended, Which have routes of walking can be complicated. They are the red area highlighted in the plan.

ANALYSIS OF PEOPLE ACTIVITIES

In addition to passing-by, people in different regions will have different behavioral biases. The elevated walkway that passes through Hennessy Road, Lockhart Road, and Jaffe Road covers the richest range of human activities in the city.

ANALYSIS OF CIRCULATION

When pursuing efficiency or using vehicles, routes tend to be linear and gridded. When the route is done by human walking, the route tends to be curved and organic. It will affects the form of the project.

JAFFE ROAD

LOCKHART ROAD

HENNESSY ROAD

PUBLIC UTILITIES

Jaffe Road tends to be a public space, a place where crowds gather, and requires a large negative space for sightseeing, parades, performances, etc. It is connected to the entrance of the subway, which means that more channels are needed to evacuate the flow of people.

CONSUMPTION

Lockhart Road has close relation to civic life, and the circulation needs to become diversified and provide opportunities for people to experience the space. While connecting the restaurant and the store on the first floor, an activity space on the second floor is created.

COMMUTE

Hennessy Road is surrounded by office buildings, the flow of people tends to be more efficient. This causes the circulation to become simple and linear. Point to point.

PASSERS-BY

PASSERS-BY

PASSERS-BY

RESIDENT CONSUMER

TRAVELER WORKER

RESIDENT

DETAILED SECTION OF ROOF CAFE

AXO OF ELEVATED WALKWAY ON HENNESSY ROAD

AXO OF ELEVATED WALKWAY ON LOCKHART ROAD

AXO OF ELEVATED WALKWAY ON JAFFE ROAD

+ GENERATE ENERGY - COMSUME ENERGY

ENERGY FLOW OF THE ELEVATED WALKWAY

The whole elevated walkway utilizes different technology to generate green energy. These technologies are placed in different layers, making the project a tabular power system.

GENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM SOLAR ENERY

ELEVATED MARKET

All the electricity for the market is expected to be generated from sunlight by the solar panel on the roof. This means that the power consumption of the market will be limited. Electricity is used to provide lighting, coffee makers, ovens, etc. Pavegen floor tiles are also used to generate electricity for other parts of the elevated walkway.

DIAGRAM OF FACILITIES

Tesla solar tiles can be used for pursuing the aesthetics of building materials while generating more energy.

TRANSPORTING ELECTRICITY ELECTRICITY COMSUMED BY SOCKETS AND ELEVATORS

SOLAR ROOF TILESOLAR PANEL ROOF

STEELCOLUMNS&GLASSWALLS

SUPPORTPILLAR&ELEVATOR

For being a bridge with a huge flow of people, the sky bridge system has great potential to convert footsteps into electricity. Pavegen floor tile is suitable for this situation.

ENERGY GENERATED FROM FOOT STEPS AT ROOF GARDEN

ROOFGARDEN&CAFE

ELEVATOR

COLUMN WITH SOCKET PAVEGEN FLOOR TILESTAIRS

Pavegen tiles are also placed at the roof garden, generating energy for cafe nearby.

Elevator comsume the major electricity of the whole system. Socket is the seond largest power consumer. They provides basic function for circulation and entertainment space of this project.

ENERGY GENERATED FROM FOOT STEPS AT STAIRS

ROOF GARDEN

PAVEGENTILES&STAIRS

ELEVATED WALKWAY

SOLAR PANEL ROOF +

PAVEGEN FLOOR TILES +

SOCKET -

COFFEE MAKER -

View from roof garden to walkway.Urban view framed by the walkways.

Bird view of the extension at lockhart road.

Physical model, Hennessy Road.

Physical model, whole walkway system.

Physical model, Jaffe Road.

View from Hennessy Road.

OFFLINE PARK

Sustainable development should be two pronged— generative and reductive. A public park is a public good. The schrebergärten was the late nineteenth century garden-asantidote prescription to the rapid growth of the industrial city, a greenescape for mental wellbeing among the suffocation of the metropolis. Todayourmental-healthproblemisnot the industrial city, but the new culture of data and our inability to switch-off. The park of the 21st century will be an OFFLINE PARK; an urban space shielding electromagnetic radiation (blocking phone signal). This new type of public (and private off-grid) park-as-antidote is too a prescription for mental wellbeing and a greenescape, this time from the suffocation of an always-alert life. Our project is fundamentally the reinvention of the park(inthespiritofDrSchrebergärten) as an entirely new type of energylandscape-infrastructure. Our project generates solar-energy (a solar canopy) at the same time as reducing energy-in-use (placing smartphones and data consumption on pause). Our solar canopy (a woven 96% open mesh incorporating a multitude of micro spherical solar cells) forms a healthyshieldagainstelectromagnetic

radiation, so as both to block phone signal(afaradaycage,incombination with mesh screen walls), as well as to protect butterflies (and other insects) that are suffering species decline in Germany due partly to the harm of electromagnetic radiation, and which are so essential to biodiversity as pollinators. A micro spherical solar mesh is able to receive the suns beam from varying directions, and so can be incorporated into an undulating surface such as that formed by a mesh or textile. The act of reforestation contributes carbon sequestration, flora and fauna habitat, and in the situation of the former Spinelli barracks, contributes even further to the mitigation of the heat island effect (the sites development goal). Our solar canopy is supported by a living-willow-structure (instead of an energy-intensive concrete and steel foundation and sub-structure for example), and is inspired formally by the art nouveau light stands of Wasserturm Water Tower Mannheim. Our park is a forest, a faraday cage, a butterfly garden, and the protective veiling of various multi-purpose platforms and courtyards that can be consideredflexibleinfourways:1.the space is inherently flexible in use,

01. Art nouveaux lamp post, Wasserturm Water Tower, Friedrichsplatz square, Mannheim

02. Living-sculpture willow tree, Luisenpark, Mannheim

03. Mannheim Multihalle, long-span gridshell, Frei Otto, 1975, “The Wonder of Mannheim”

GENERATEREDUCE

A LIVING STRUCTURE, A WILD SOLAR FOREST DISCONNECT ONLINE TO RECONNECT OFFLINE

SOLAR MESHMICROBIAL FUEL CELLFARADAY CAGE

TECHNOLOGY:

Woven open solar mesh incorporating multitude of micro spherical solar cells (flexible suspended canopy surface)

ENERGY GENERATED PER YEAR:

3,045.38 MWh

DESCRIPTION:

The suns position is always moving, and light does not fall uniformly (it is dispersed and reflected by the environment). Spherical solar cells, such as those developed by ‘Sphelar’, are able to receive light from multiple directions. This opens newpossibilitiesforalargesolararray to be both a flexible curved surface, and also a surface that may change formally over time. Micro engineering of such solar cells, to around 1mm diameter, may be incorporated into a woven mesh designed for maximum transparency (in our design this is a 98.4% open mesh).

TECHNOLOGY:

Plantmicrobialfuelcellsandurinepoweredmicrobialfuelcellpublictoilets

ENERGY GENERATED PER YEAR:

39.42 MWh

DESCRIPTION:

Plant microbial fuel cells are a bioelectrochemical system that integrates the photosynthetic reaction from living plants to generate electricity via microorganisms at the rhizosphere of the plant roots. The fuel cell essentially uses organic matter in the soil as fuel, converting solar energy into electrical power by using microorganisms, which degrade root exudates and pollutants at the anode and pass the electrons to acceptors at the cathode. Further, human waste such as urine contains organic compounds that can also be utilised as fuel for a microbial fuel cell system, along with disposing of the waste from toilets.

TECHNOLOGY:

Woven open ‘faraday cage’ mesh blocking electromagnetic radiation through enclosure (as part of the solar mesh canopy)

ENERGY REDUCED PER YEAR:

6.72 MWh

DESCRIPTION:

A faraday cage is essentially a container, or a shield, that blocks out electromagneticradiationfromacross the electromagnetic spectrum, such as radio waves and microwaves. A faraday cage can be made of any material that can conduct electricity, such as a wire mesh, and is perfect safe with a grounding wire. The mesh can be fine and thin, and engineered to be open whilst also blocking phone signal and access to the internet. A faraday cage will block the entry or escape of electromagnetic fields, meaning both downloading and uploading to the internet from smartphones for example. A faraday cage may also be designed to block particular frequencies and radiation harmful to insects such as butterflies.

LIVING STRUCTURE

TECHNOLOGY:

Living willow structure (supporting the solar canopy) recycling and remediating the horticultural waste of BUGA 23

CARBON REDUCTION:

Carbon sequestration + significant reduction of embodied-carbon

DESCRIPTION:

Installing energy generating technology such as solar panels, usually requires the construction of energy expensive steel framing and concrete foundations. Alternatively it can be possible to engineer living plants as an architectural structure. The advantages are multiple; instead of a carbon cost, plants and trees provide carbon sequestration and are a natural and renewable resource; growing a structure reduces many energy costs and waste involved in manufacture and transportation; a forest or garden provides habitat for flora and fauna, and contributes to biodiversity. Willow structures and sculptures have a history and culture in Germany, not unlike the culture of creative cultivation of the schrebergarten.

The typical schrebergärten has good access to direct sunlight, and is used both as a space for the cultivation of plants (particularly agricultural cultivation) and as a space for living (sitting, talking, reading, dining, exercising, resting, playing, etc).

Each schrebergärten has various and varying requirements; for shelter, protection, security, storage, and furniture. Although there can be found to be general conditions— such as tall planted boundaries (hedges and planted fencing), trees, a terrace, and a small outbuilding or shed— it can also be argued that the ideal system for the schrebergärten module, would beasystemthatcouldsimultaneously meet the needs of shelter, protection, security, storage, and furniture, whilst at the same time generating energy from the sun, and to do so through an adaptable and customisable system (not a repeating module), and even to be a personable system that allows for individual specificity, complexity and self-expression. Our system of a micro spherical solar mesh textile can be such a system (examples shown opposite), tied between trees, connected to boundaries, and covering new living-structures such as peoples creative willow sculptures. The possibilities are as varied as the schrebergärten itself.

2.therootballsofthestructurecanbe pushed and pulled to reposition over time, 3. the rootball bags themselves can be deformed by peoples sitting and leaning, and 4. the canopy can be designed with sections of waterproof or with various beneficial microclimates under special conditions of diffused light for plant growth and the clear illumination of flora and fauna (a museum of sorts with nature amplified). Taking an archaeological approach, the plan is detailed as a palimpsest memorial like tracing of the revolutionary site history, producing a ghosted synthesis of previous structures and cultivations, as a new (yet familiar) and distinct pattern of some meaning and idiosyncrasy. Our living-willowstructurestartslifeasawillowrecycling bin (a basket) for the organic (and also non-organic) waste generated during BUGA 23 (waste remediation), and is subsequently transported and installed as a base of exposed rootballs (for excellent soil oxidation) fortheplantingoftheforest,whichcan bealtered,shifted,shaped,andgrown (scalable), by people and by nature, over time. Finally, plant microbial fuel cells utilise areas of planting within the forest for energy generation and, as sited around public toilets, for wastewater purification. In the future, all cities will have an OFFLINE PARK; a public place which is also private (no data); and where new cultures of disconnection and reconnection and grown.

01. woven open solar mesh incorporating multitude of micro spherical solar cells (flexible canopy textile)

02. woven open mesh (flexible textile to match canopy), suspended and weighted at base, vertical cuts every 450mm (as doorway)

03. the existing soil contains the remains and waste of previous structures and their demolition operations

04. woven willow basket rootball, sited at BUGA 23 as an horticultural recycling bin, then transferred (gripable and loadbearing) to the site of the new forest

05. biodegradable and breathable soft textile bag outer-covering for fresh soil packing around the basket, and deformed by peoples sitting, resting, and leaning over time

06. rigid structural stake willow rods, bundled and woven to form arches, ballasted by the willow basket root-ball

07. fresh willow cutting strands, woven around the stake willow arches, and rooted into the willow basket rootball

08. planted open top of willow basket root-ball, as a plant pot

09. harvested rainwater piped irrigation system (as supplement) supported by the willow arches structure, with outlet to each root-ball

10. micro lighting system within mesh (as supplement) to provide ideal lighting for growth

OTHER WORKS

ADRIFT SERIES

EXHIBITIONS

INSTALLATIONS

FUTURE LAB / WEST BUND

Exhibition Design, 2021

Wenzhou Kean Design Lab

Leaded by David Vardy

Shanghai

COMPUTATIONAL IMPRESSIONISM

Art Exhibition, 2022

Longxi Art Museum

Leaded by R. Spencer Steenbilk

Wenzhou

PROJECTION MAPPING INSTALLATION

Art Exhibition, 2022

Gehekai Building, Wenzhou-Kean University

Leaded by R. Spencer Steenbilk

CONSTRUCTION WORK

Stone Bar, 2021

Maolan, Guizhou

LIGHT INSTALLATION

Swirl, 2020

Shaoxing, Zhejiang