LEXIE YISHA LI Portfolio 2018
LEXIE YISHA LI
MArch, University of Pennsylvania lexieli007@gmail.com
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
6/2017 - 8/2017
CEMEX Research Group AG Biel, Switzerland Research & Development in Material Design Intern, working with innovative cement products to design and construct fabric-formed structures
12/2013 - 10/2014
Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong SAR SHK Private Signature Account Department Sales & personal assistant for Senior Vice President of Sales
06/2012 - 11/2013
Financial Partners Limited Hong Kong SAR Operations & Administration Department Junior administrative and sales assistant for a wealth management firm
06/2015 - 05/2018
Master of Architecture University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
08/2008 - 06/2012
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons.) Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR Finance Concentration - First Class
08/2010 - 06/2011
Exchange Program Baylor University, Waco, TX
PUBLICATION
“Hollumn” Pressing Matters 6 PennDesign Department of Architecture 2016 - 2017, Oro Editions, 2018, pp 134-135
EXHIBITION
“Khaju Bridge” Physical Model Lines of Movement, WEISS/MANFREDI, Venice Biennalle, 2018 “Hollumn” & “Thirsty” 12 Objects and 12 Images, Ferda Kolatan, Venice Biennalle, 2018 Thin Tile Vaults & Masonry Cantilevers Masonry Tectonics, Franca Trubiano & Jonathan Dessi-Olive, PennDesign MAT Lab, 2018
SKILLS
Language Mandarin (Native); English (Excellent); Cantonese (Good); Technical Rhino Maya V-Ray
ABOUT ME
• • •
Illustrator InDesign Photoshop
Grasshopper Revit AutoCAD
Physical Modeling Laser Cutting
Seeking a challenging entry-level designer position where I can further my design abilities as I pursue my career and license as an architect; Self-motivated, curious, wide design interest, and a fast learner; Amateur potter
CONTENTS 1 Hollumn
Rock Climbing Center in Canal Park, New York
2 Dewy
Combating Drought through Fabric-Formed Concrete
3 Thirsty
Augmented Water Agents in Seoul, South Korea
4 Thin Tile Vaults & Masonry Cantilevers Fabrication Workshops
5 Blossom
Expansion of Artis-Naples Center for the Performing and Visual Arts, Florida
6 Subverted
Urban Housing in Francisville, Philadelphia
7 Printmaking
Relief and Screen Printing
8 Ceramics
Exploration Of Form and Function
Hollumn Rock Climbing Center in Canal Park, New York Spring 2017 Studio 602 Group Project Critic: Kutan Ayata Partner: John Hilla
Entrance
With this project we negotiate the boundary between nature and culture. Instead of recreating ‘nature’ in the city or referring to the absolute man-made against ‘nature’, we aim to create authentic ‘objects of nature‘ to cultivate unique qualities for outdoor recreational activities.
We utilize a single building element, a column, and explore how this element can change in scale and compose habitable spaces by morphing into other building elements such as walls and ceilings.
Transverse Section
Elevation
Longitudinal Section
These habitable columns create merged spaces above and below an intermediate forest of outdoor climbing and bouldering, with figural sections marking a specific edge condition.
Vertical Climbing In A Column
Top Floor: Indoor bouldering Outdoor bouldering
Ground Floor: Entrances Equipment rental Locker rooms Gym Classroom Cafe Mechanical room
Outdoor Climbing
The surface treatment takes inspiration from nature and aims to provide climbability with levels of difficulties. These patterns are common in nature, but by distorting their scale become strange to one’s perception.
Model _ Bottom & Exterior Pattern
Model _ Whole
Model _ Top Detail
Hold 1
Texture Study
Hold 2
Section Model
Dewy Combating Drought through Fabric-Formed Concrete Summer 2017 Internship CEMEX RGA Switzerland Partners: Zak Al-Haffar, Kaj Marshall
Final Prototype Assembly
With this project we explore the formal and functional potential of fabric-formed concrete. In light of the chronic drought in California, the purpose of the project is to mediate the situation by collecting rain, atmospheric, and run-off water through the use of pervious concrete, and using the collected water to recharge over-exploited aquifers. The project also provides a
cool, shaded resting place that encourages interaction between visitors. With its modular design, the project can be configured to accommodate different site conditions with varying sizes and shapes. The unique anthropomorphic forms of the elements are designed with considerations of the construction method, material limitations, and functional requirements.
Arrangement Iteration (Provisional)
Prototype 1
Prototype 2
Prototype 3 _ First Full Scale Model
Prototype 4 _ Slab
Full Scale Prototype Construction
Canopy (Back) _ Fiber reinforced fast curing concrete
Seat (Butt) _ Fiber reinforced concrete
Tentacles _ Pervious concrete with three different sizes of aggregates
Final Prototype Assembly
Initial experiments were conducted to test the elasticity of fabrics, and to gain additional knowledge of each type of concrete, including its texture, curing time, and workability after pouring. Full scale elements were then built with fabric forms fastened to wood frames, and assembled together
after curing. This whole process has been a truly rewarding experience in terms of design, construction, and collaboration. The finished prototype is now a part of the showroom at CEMEX Switzerland.
Thirsty Augmented Water Agents in Seoul, South Korea Fall 2017 Studio 701 Group Project Critic: Simon Kim Partner: Kyuhun Kim
World Building
In this project we create architectural characters that are sensate and augmented. Here the character Water Agent is motivated by its innate thirst. These characters collect and store water through unique mechanisms that in turn result in the creation of other-than-human environments in which they
grow, evolve, and converge. These agents are essentially rolled up urban wetlands that expand or contract in response to their water supply. Different aspects of their behavioral potentials are examined through various design mediums presented here.
World of Water Agents
Water Agent Section
Agents in a family interact and share resources in ways much like in the rhizome model. Different families thrive in different conditions, whether human-made or not, and share conjoined areas where they evolve into hybrid forms among families. The
agents cycle through various states of existence in both macro and micro scale, i.e. different components go through life stages independently from the whole, be it floating, drinking, aging, or gathering.
Hair (plant fiber)
Hydrogel Metal Pipe (support & transport water)
Membrane
Waste Water Processing Unit Membrane Hydrogel
Skin
Water Collection Device Water Collection Device
Hydrogel Hair (plant fiber) Hydrogel
Seoul Head
Water Pavilions
Sitting In The River
Water Processing Units
Plaza
Head
A New World
Thin Tile Vaults & Masonry Cantilevers Fabrication Workshops Full 2017 Masonry Tectonics Course Group Project Critic: Franca Trubiano
Formworks
Finished Vault (Back)
Step 1: Arches
Finished Vaults (Side)
In this project we explored the formal and building potential of vaults and tiles with a design generated through digital parametric tools. We built three vaults from three types of a total of six arches. The vaults overlap slightly at their edges, creating a layering effect. The building process started with the
Step 2: Filling Up Between Arches
construction of the arches, then the space between the arches was closed save an intentionally designed opening in the middle of the first vault. Complexity of design was complimented by precision of execution when the right parameters were utilized to generate effective construction guidelines.
Formworks
Finished Rotation Cantilever (Overall)
Step 1: Laying Bricks & Reinforcement Rods
Finished Rotation Cantilever (Zoomed In)
In this project each team is responsible for the fabrication of one end of a cantilever table. The one I worked on as shown in images above is called the Rotation Table, and is designed to test the tensile strength of pivoted reinforced masonry cantilever. The reinforcing systems including metal fiber
Step 2: Pouring Grout & Adding Metal Ties
reinforced grout, fiber glass resin rods, and metal ties were designed to accommodate the change in surface curvature and provide stronger resistance to tensile forces in both micro (fiber in grout) and macro (rods) scales. The project successfully held in place after CMU supports were removed.
Blossom High Performance Performing and Visual Arts Center, Artis-Naples, Florida Spring 2018 Studio 702 Group Project Critic: Marion Weiss Partner: Pingle Li, Julianna Haahs
Section Perspective 1
This project explores new possibilities of high performance architecture by combining infrastructure, culture, and architecture. Naples Florida as a site presents unique environmental and cultural challenges. To tackle these problems, we drew inspiration from past precedents of high performance architecture such as the Sydney Opera House, Khaju Bridge, and Car-
penter Center, and came up with three site specific solutions: berming (earthwork) to form fortification against flooding, giant roofs to protect against blazing sun and heavy rain, and shared public spaces of different scales including courtyard, podiums, and roof top amphitheaters to introduce a sense of community.
The project consists of four pedals housing three theaters and one museum, one central courtyard/ lobby to connect all four major programs, giant stair cases cutting through the site along two main axes to provide connection to surrounding neighbor-
hoods, and semi open air roof top terraces to honor the tradition of sunset watching. The pedal roofs and wide podiums form an iconic silhouette compliments this exciting new cultural and recreational destination in Naples.
Bird Eye View
Courtyard
Section Perspective 2
Khaju Bridge Case Study Spring 2018 Studio 702 Individual Project Critic: Marion Weiss
Front View
Section Perspective 1
Top View
Perspective
Details & Reflection
Section Perspective 2
Subverted Urban Housing in Francisville, Philadelphia Fall 2016 Studio 601 Individual Project Critic: Brian Phillips
Night View
As a result of communities’ negative impression of subculture being destructive and insolent, subculture is consistently fighting to maintain its place in the city. In addition, subculture today faces threats coming from within. The temptation to be popularized and commodified is slowly taking the ‘sub’ away from subculture.
Subverted creates a mutual supportive system where the linear street-to-household arrangement is bent up in the middle, allowing a gradient between mainstream and subculture to take place. Pure subculture spaces are located below grade and pure mainstream spaces are raised up, allowing a mixed area to situate at street level.
Section 1
Roof Top 102’ Roof Top (L) 81’
Platform 34’
Residential units for young entrepreneurs, students, etc.
Mixed area for Airbnb, skateboarders, home office, etc.
Basement -20’
Subculture area for bands, rehearsal studios, etc.
Section 2
Original Units
Re-attach
New Units
The aggregation started with simple forms. Pairs composed of a main space and a supportive space will re-attach with other pairs, forming new units. By arranging the units in plan, a circuit-like fabric is created. The fabric is then bent up to form vertical towers, and different programs such as bathroom and
Initial Aggregation
Blimp View
Add Glazing
Fabric
Bend
Programs
living room are assigned to each tower. This helps to define the boundaries of each apartment and provide parameters for further alterations of the overall form. From initial aggregation, the complex is edited with consideration of edge conditions, traffic, and programs.
Edge Condition
Program (height)
Plaza
19th St. _6/f Plan
Ground Plan
Site Plan
Cameron St. _3/f Plan
Living Pod Platform Interior Interior to basement
Printmaking Relief and Screen Printing Fall 2017 Fine Art Studio Individual Projects Critic: Lindsay Buchman
“Melting Creation”_ Experimental Time Flow Screen Printing & Paint Ice Cube
“War”_ Fact/ Fiction: A Time Form CMYK Screen Printing
“Chaos”_ Color Interaction: Text/ Image Screen Printing
“____ Is Good All The Time”_ Notes to Omission Linoleum Cut
Ceramics Exploration Of Form and Function Selected Works from 2015 - 2016 UCAL Individual Projects
Vase, 2016
THANK YOU
LEXIE YISHA LI lexieli007@gmail.com (267) 530 8552 2930 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, USA 19104