Yiru Qian_Selected work 2020

Portfolio Of Qian.Yiru

Selected individual works 2020

QIAN. YIRU Motivation letter

yiru@mddm-studio.com.cn / +86 185 0115 9949 Room 721, building 4, south district, ZhonghongXiangsu, Chaoyang, Beijing, China

Education

Konkuk University, South Korea

BFA., Dept.of interior architecture / 2010.3 - 2014.2

Professional experience

MDDM STUDIO, Beijing, China

Project architect / 2018.6 - 2020. 1

StandardArchitecture, Beijing, China Architect / 2016.8 - 2018. 6

Influx: architecture, Beijing, China Architect / 2014.8 - 2016.2

Steven Leach associate LTD.,, Seoul, South Korea Interior Architect / 2013.5 - 2014.6

Academic honors

Golden prize, KOSID(Korea Society of Interior Architects Designers)

Seoul university abandoned swimming pool renovation / 2013.10

Special prize, 23th Degree show, Konkuk University / 2013.9

Seoul university abandoned swimming pool renovation / 2013.10

Special scholarship prize of AIA insurance Ltd., South Korea / 2013.10 Scholarship of each term since 2010, Konkuk University, South Korea / 2010.3 - 2013.12

Competitions and Publication

Honorable Mentions, Tiny house 2015 architecture competition, Influx: architecture / 2015 1st Prize, Ordos Power Plant Campus, Ordos, MDDM STUDIO / 2017.9

Interni design forum participation, Slow Village Workshop Renovation, MDDM STUDIO / 2019.10 Dezeen.com etc,. publication House P MDDM STUDIO / 2020.1

Skills

AutoCAD, Sketchup, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Rhino，Vray

Languages

Chinese (Native), English(Proficient), Korean(Fluent), Japanese(Basic)

Others

About me

I majored in interior architecture at Konkuk University, South Korea and then moved to Beijing after working as an interior designer in Seoul for a year after graduating in 2014. During my staying in Beijing, I worked in three architecture studios as an architect. Working experience includes not only scheme design but also construction landing. I am very interested in social science, philosophy and film. I have experience as an art director in short films and as an art consultant in feature films.

Why city design?

My own upbringing, born in a small mountain village and moved to a small town, a city, and then abroad because of my studies, and now I am working in an international city, Beijing, has influenced my observation and feeling of humanistic environment. Whether from the physical space or from the ideology, I felt different profiles of cities.

This is the seed of curiosity.

City is a carrier As a physical presence, city carries all the moments of each person from birth to death. On an individual scale, a specific spatial atmosphere can give rise to specific emotions and memories, yet on a social scale, space can also develop into revolution and struggle. It is like an ever-changing soul that is hard to define. Looking at a space or architecture is like looking in a mirror, mapping out the different undertones of an individual or an era.

City is not personal Architecture inspires awe. Unlike writing or painting, which can be done independently, city needs to be built together in a collective consciousness, with all parties in the crowd. It requires precise arrangements to ensure implementation, but in some gaps there is a sense of care and compassion for others. City is a love letter to proletariat, hiding care in space. With such a collective collaboration, feel the wisdom, kindness and beauty of human beings.

However, under the tremendous influence of symbolic consumption and the Internet, the diversity of physical space in my childhood memories continued to disappear as grew up. Spatial homogenization, spatial alienation and one-way people fill the present life. retain a firm expectation of city design learning, and I believe that with a strong and powerful learning platform such as the AA, The Architectural Association, we will eventually ask a powerful question that will stir the waters, inspire and change lives.

Why AA?

My earliest impression of AA was when I traveled to UK. I saw a AA student crossing the road and I felt very envious when saw how proud he looked. After following the AA for a while, I found the AA’s research resources and methods fascinating,which keeps me believing that it is possible to change society through AA.

I believe at AA through academic research, critical thinking and examine daily life or historical events from different perspectives, respond to social events in a practical and feasible way with limited conditions can be achieved.

Career plan

If given the opportunity, I would like to work on community building for marginalized people. Build my intellectual framework and habit of thinking through architecture and city. Do the things in hand as much as I can. Use city as a medium and a terminal to mobilize resources and capabilities from all sides, and convey humanitarian care to society through practical projects as much as possible.

About this portfolio

The most appropriate state for people living in this mundane world may be your face looking up at the sky, but your feet are always stuck in the mud, up and down. Your hard working efforts prevents your soul from sinking, and also drags your soul back before it drifts too far.

Production design consultant, Independent film <Day Tripper>, Haerbin, China, 2020 Art Director Independent short film, <Deep sleep>, Beijing, China, 2019

I was born into an immigrant family and I watched my father’s back growing up. In these highly financialized times, I watched him physically work and live his life for ten years. But in most cases, because of our migrant status, we are torn between being marginalized and self-marginalized in an environment due to policy or economic or ideological reasons. This collection of works takes the living situation of a mobile population group and responds to their 1). Livelihood situation: market renovation project; 2). Elders living: a multi-generational housing renovation project and 3). Memory and emotional attachment in migration: abandoned space renovation project. 4). A possible way to work in the future. Through different levels of research and different angles of starting points, I hope to respond to these issues that are happening around me in my capacity through the perspective of strategic architectural projects.

UP IN THE AIR

A 2ND GROUND TO DISSOLUTE MARGINALIZATION

market renovation at Danyang city, Jiangsu province, China from 2020 Jan. to 2021 Jan Individual work Plot area: 31,300 sqm

Motivation originated from a family conversation

One day at dinner, got into an argument with my family over the arrangement of my nephew’s study space after school. In that moment, suddenly realized that I had been focusing on distant social issues and had neglected the actual problems around me. If you don’t mind please allow me to introduce you to this place where I grew up. It existed before I was born, and 35 years ago, at the beginning of the reform and opening up, my father came here alone to make a living, then brought his family and made friends who were also foreigners. I remember growing up with the label of being a foreigner in every moment, whether in society or at school. At that time, the market was full of traffic, but few locals came. I played with my little friends weaving through the small streets where cars came and went. When I went back to see it again over the years, the market was still there sturdily under the impact of the Internet, but with fewer cars, quieter, and fewer stores open. My nephew chases and fights with his buddies in the market after school, surprisingly not half as bad as when I was a kid. Time has become a constructed existence here, and I want to do something for these marginalized people, starting with arranging a decent study for my nephew... This project is consist of 2 parts, 1st part, as it is shown in this portfolio and a 2nd part which is still on going, is a thesis documentary, which records the real daily life here.

I. [RESEARCH]: SITE ISSUES

1. A freelancer usually rest on his own tricycle,parking in front of the market, waiting to be called.

2. A high school is located at the rear side of market, most students would take a shortcut through the market heading back home

After internet-based business, real estate business is suffering from a huge declination 4. A typical unit is always bothered by a serious ventilation and lighting problem. What’s more, no isolated space is ready for a private talk which is quite important for business. 5. After school, kids would come to retail first before heading back home. At here, they are supposed to finish homework and dinner for which a decent space is missing. A busy street is also not ideal for kids to run around. Most of people have a belief but a gathering space is always ad lib and crude. 6. During the night, no one would stay here therefore it is dangerous to pass through this dim place. Sometimes husband would also stay longer in order to escape from family life.

II. [STRATEGY]: 2ND GROUND

1. USING ISSUE AND MARKET CHARACTERISTIC EXTRACTED

indigent residence

market chaos separate

immigrations

III. [PROCESS]: AGGREGATION GENERATION

3. INTEGRATED CASE

canopy: extracted from existing space, contributes to interaction

01 demolish original varied extension level and modify partial facade to get access from street

market immigration

level +9.000: roof height of existing peripheral unit

inhabit reshape benefits asacommunity survive from help

2. PROCESS: A NEW SLAB ADDED WITH RESPONSE TO SURROUNDINGS

help indigent

landscape type a: runway slightly below crown, contributes to exercise

landscape type b: new installed green roof on existing building, contributes to accessibility to crown

landscape type c: new installed green roof on existing building, contributes to canopy for parking on ground and sunken garden for 2nd ground

landscape type d: green land on new slab, contributes to flexible using purpose up to vendor in market (farmland, garden etc,.)

vertical circulation

2 kinds of height of existing buildings new relationship between existing height and new mass

a a ii iii:b iv:b d v:c

release to residence release to sqaure release to surroundings

internal circulation new slope

02 add new slab at a height of 8000mm, 2nd ground would separate chaos and garden life

difference space formed in-between existing height and new slab

03 connect stairs with new ground. new aggregation layout would be considered to improve living condition

04 based on new layout, new extension mass would be considered based on family structure

M2 S M1 M2 M3 L a:kitchen d:meeting b:study c:toilet e:dinning A+B+C stairs A+B+C+E A+B+C A+B+C A+C+D+E

unit type m1: single floor, study,negotiation, pantry, kitchen, dinning

unit type s: loft, negotiation, pantry, multi-function

level+9.000 level+8.000 level+7.000

level+4.500

level +8.000: new slab hight level +6.000: roof height of existing inner unit level +4.500: 1st floor height of existing peripheral unit level +3.000: resting height of new added slope level +0.000: ground height level+0.000 level+3.000

unit type l: loft negotiation, pantry, kitchen, dinning room, study, nap room

unit type m2: loft, kitchen, dinning room, negotiation

unit type m3: loft, kitchen, dinning room, negotiation

ON THE GROUND

AN AGGREGATION TO DISSOLUTE CONSANGUINITY

multi-generation living at Wenzhou city, Zhejiang province, China from 2020 Oct. to 2020 Nov Individual work

Plot area: 5,500sqm

Motivation originated from a phone call

When I talked to my grandmother on the phone, I suddenly realized that this was her fifth year living alone. There are more and more elderly people in China who have to live alone because their children are away at work. My friends complained that the rent in the city was getting higher and higher, and perhaps moving to the suburbs might be a better option. Young people who can’t afford to pay rent and older people who live alone might be able to help each other out in a community. Multi-generational neighborhoods are neither traditional family models nor indifferent modern neighborhoods, they are a natural expression of social development, and they go far beyond the concept of aging in place to being an extended family without blood ties. This model not only promotes public participation mechanisms but also dissolves traditional communities based on blood ties. This project aims to study and extract the characteristics of existing social behaviors and social spaces in an urban fringe area, and in doing so, extend the possibilities of a multi-generational collective living.

The challenge of multi-generational living is how to ensure spatial independence while promoting interaction among people of different generations. Behavioral and spatial characteristics are extracted by analyzing the social behaviors of the elderly and the places where they socialize. These two features are used as a starting point to associate spatial prototypes. On this basis, a living space suitable for multi-generational living is developed. According to the field research, the life of the elderly living alone is relatively simple, the

needs of indoor activities are relatively single, and a lot of space is wasted. Most of the time is spent outdoors compared to indoors. This room is called ‘Cuilinglong’ in a classic Chinese garden whose layout contributes to a loose relationship both internally and externally. Therefore, this layout is considered as a prototype for this project to confront the challenge.

III. [PROCESS]: UNIT MASS GENERATION

STEP 01-DEMOLISH

STEP 02-NEW MASS

STEP 03-NEW CONNECTION

STEP 04-FILTER SPACE

STEP 05-EXTENDED TO 1F

FIELD RESEARCH SURVEY

garden 86% gym 75% multi-function 67% canteen 55% medical 48% lounge 35% laundry 34% kiosk 31% shared bath 30% guest meeting 27% library/workshop 15% conference 8% others 1%

STEP 07-HIARACHY DIAGRAM

Demolish the spontaneous extended part, while keep the main building remained. Most likely the south-north faced mass will be remained.

After demolishing the wasted and extended part, by dividing the remained mass, a proper scale for living alone and a new relationship between old and new is created.

IV. [PROCESS]: UNITS GENERATION

within remained mass scope, a transit space with a lower ceiling is added to connect two spaces which will contribute not only an interaction space but also a protection for privacy from public space.

besides the transit space between two spaces, a niche space is created between 2 basic units. therefore another level of privacy and transit space is created to help with transit between privacy and public.

based on the basic model on ground floor, the relationship can be extended to upper floor. a semi-public space functions as a living or kitchen space also functions as a transit and interaction space

ISOMETRIC

in order to have a better understanding on the need of program. a survey regarding on program of shared space is taken.

6 2

6 3

5

sharing space with different program living area niche space transit space room garden unit a unit b 1

V.

[DRAWINGS]: FLOOR PLANS

3 4

6 7 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

1 2

7

3 3

7 3 3 3 3 3 12 12 13 12 14 15

3

12 9 10 12 4

11

5

8 7 7 7 8 7

12 3

7 7 7 8

4

3 3 3 3 3 3 3

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 3

living kitchen room 1. 2. 3.

2 1

3 3 2

2

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

gym dinning hall room corridor lounge kitchen garden living transit space niche space workshop medic 40mm mortar 40mm insulation

2mm Alloy sheet cover 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

20mm screed layer double water proof layer

40mm mortar layer 150mm concrete

double waterproof 100mm insulation 100mm insulation

screed slope layer

floor finish material V. [DRAWINGS]: SECTIONS

2mm Alloy sheet cover

120mm insulation 20mm void 20mm void

150mm brick

overhead beam 30mm insulation

double waterproof 150mm brick 150mm brick overhead beam existing slab

THE WAY OF SEEING

A NEW SEQUENCE TO DISSOLUTE STARING AUTHORITY

abandoned building renovation at Guangzhou city, Guangdong province, China from 2020 Nov. to 2021 Jan

Individual work Plot area: 3,000sqm

Motivation originated from a news

In the process of urban development, planning and redevelopment have caused many people to leave their original homes and be placed in new urban areas by the government. During the negotiation process, some people accepted and some resisted. In this project, the abandonment of the target building was due to the resistance of the residents. In the process of the residents’ resistance to the demolition, the government changed the layout of the originally planned lanes, so that a situation arose where one building was surrounded by four overpasses. Due to the low livability of the building, the original residents gradually left the area. The form of the project being dominated by overpasses reminds me of the metaphor of the circular prison of Jeremy Bentham. The building is under constant scrutiny from all aspects from the physical context of the 4 360° overpasses. Because it is too peculiar, people’s hunting scrutiny of this building exists not only off-line, but also full of the Internet. So examining is the first keyword of this project. Secondly, the base itself has the traces of different times that make this area dynamic. Inevitably, many memories will eventually dissipate. But here, maybe we can do something with this building that has been unused for a long time.

I. [RESEARCH]: LIVING TYPES AND ACTIVITIES

LIBRARY WEDDING BANQUET

SKILL LEARNING THEATER

The project site is located in a complex area composed of different types of settlement patterns from different periods. From the high-rise residences that came out in the last two years to the urban village areas formed during urban development due to the influx of labor into the city, to the old houses left behind at the end of the last century. Different memories intersect here.

II. [PROCESS]: SPATIAL SEQUENCE

ELEMENT: COLUMNS

Columns, which resembles site atmosphere, formed a field blurred the boundary inbetween old and new which leading people into the field.

ELEMENT: FACADE F2 keeps the almost every existing element and atmosphere, functions as a free-access sharing living room. It is like an invitation from the past that visiting an old friend after work.

ELEMENT: FACADE

Landing area of F3 is composed with a new facade. However, by turning around the traces of old facade will be noticed and create a contrast of past and now. This is where a new way of seeing gets start.

ELEMENT:

LIVING SWIMMING POOL

STREET LIFE

existingscope extendedscope extendedscope

ROOMS

An extended slab provides an opportunity for users to review this building at a level of 4th floor. By interchange between existing interior and exterior space, the strict boundary is gradually dissoluted.

ELEMENT: MASS

A new mass, as a method to generate the vigor of space is added on 5th floor. The contrast can be felt through transparent facade from the ground. Memories will dissipate and space is always evolving. However by juxtaposition and comparison the past emerges more.

ELEMENT: FACADE

Extended slab provide the space to review the existing facade. By replacing existing residential program with new function, the old building not only stand as a symbol but also functions and melt into new era.

BY 1. interchanging between exterior and interior space

2.disintegrating existing elements,

3. wandering inbetween old and new space,

different layers will be revealed and a new way of seeing is created. Therefore the memory is recalled while new memory will be formed.

ELEMENT:

DEFINITION

Last 2 floors functions as a library. The whole existing building is remained but the slab and roof is taken away. Originally interior space turned into exterior. A new definition is created.

3

2

6

2

6

1 1 1 1 6 5 4

2 2 2 2

3

1

6

3 3 3 3

4

2 2

4 4 4 8

6 6 6 7 7

3 3

1 1

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 4

6 6

2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3

1 1 1 1

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 5 5

5 5 5 5 4

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1

04 BEIJING VARIATION

A BRIDGE TO DISSOLUTE DISTRICT BOUNDARY

extension in a residential compound at Beijing, China from 2020 Dec. to 2021 Feb

Individual work Plot area: 280,000 sqm

Motivation originated during lock down of COVID

The imbalance of living and working has always been the disease of big cities. A part of pioneering young people, under the influence of the Internet, have chosen a more flexible way of working such as freelances. The traditional model of commuting and working in a fixed office space is being dissolved step by step. After the epidemic some companies decided to work from home permanently.

The boundary between living and working is gradually blurring. We are working in cafe, using our living rooms as studios for live broadcasts, and more office environments are designed to be more home-like. Will there be a subtle change in urban planning in the future as well since the typology or the boundary of space is blurred? What about changing the whole city by a small motivation?

This project takes the existing “residential compound” type of living in China as an example, discusses and speculates the upcoming changes in the relationship between work and living. But most importantly, while we enjoy the escape from the pain of commuting, we also need to be alert to the encroachment of private time by blurred boundaries.

I.[RESEARCH]: PHYSICAL SPACE BASED WORKING MODE

is something that every new immigrant must experience.

activities

This part of the survey was designed to understand the needs and characteristics of the work scenarios of freelance workers.

The research shows that people who work freely will mainly choose these kinds of places to work. Each scenario has its own advantages and disadvantages. Even though originally design to be fully enclosed, residential compound nowadays are forced to gradually open up, driven by spontaneous economic activities.

[Conclusion] among them the residential compound option has the most potential to respond to the issue of imbalance of living and working.

20-29

Residential compounds have been closed since their emergence. But with the increase of social trust and catalyzed by spontaneous economic actions, the closed state of the compound is gradually dissolved. The survey examines the various types of public activities as well as the types of economic activities in different types of neighborhoods. Here, economic activities are divided into three types of activities: production, exchange, and community, and the relationship between them is discussed. [Conclusion] : Community activity can be used as a medium for coordinating the production type of activity with the exchange type of activity and it should be around 30%.

The share of the three economic activities is equal. Exchange-type activities, supported by community-type activities, create a sense of security for residents and a vibrant community.

III. [INTERVENTION]: TARGET

The share of productive economic activities is high. Less community-type activities make community life sometimes chaotic.

The project is in the middle of Beijing’s 5th and 6th Ring Roads. It is a typical dense residential compound built around 2010. commercial activities target scope commercial point river residential compound green land

1. GENERATION OF MOTIF

Motivation starts from program analysis. Three program typos are summarized and are used to dominate the theme of the floor: production, community, exchange. The most basic functional requirements are also summarized as the motif of the space: key space, comfort space.

small company workshop training class gym printing shop living room agency laundry barber shop massage shop flower shop bar / pet shop pub / cafe canteen entertaining theater playroom mart market retails

gym mart market workshop small company retails printing shop agency laundry barber shop massage shop flower shop bar pet shop pub cafe / canteen entertaining training class theater playroom living room

bathing kitchen staircase elevator dark room balcony light well

The beauty of homogeneous space is that it is a blank sheet of paper, where the different functional needs of the space can be defined by the furniture. But some functions are irreplaceable, and these spaces are defined in two ways: key space and comfort space. Different ratios are combined to form different functional towers. These functional towers have two variations: the service radius and the interaction between floors. The different radial scales are divided into four types: xs,s,m and l. The different interactions between floors are divided into three types, forming a total of 12 functional towers to organize the free space and control the rhythm and density of the whole paragraph.

OF

buffer zone bicycle slope semi-outdoor corridor bathroom elevator stairs kitchen balcony light well darkroom existing entrance office community gym Tower L-A Tower S-B Tower M-C Tower XS-A Tower L-B Tower S-C Tower M-A Tower XS-B Tower L-C Tower S-A Tower M-B Tower XS-C