Portfolio for UCL - MArch Urban Design

PORTFOLIO CHENXI LUO

Application Number: 23154175

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Email: luochenxi0408@163.com

Architecture

Xi 'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Projects: 2018-2022

Desert Pioneer

A temporary immigrant community

Academic, Individual work

Project location: Gansu, China

Duration: 2021/03-2021/06

Site area: 10000 m2

Tutor: John Latto

Tutor's Email: John.Latto@xjtlu.edu.cn

China has been developing desert areas since the 1990s. This area was once barren, but now afforestation to reduce the desert area has been achieved. Gansu has transformed 300 km2 of desert into habitable oases in the past 20 years.

The project expects to build a temporary community to facilitate re-building for future urban development. The temporary buildings are built according to the needs of the migrants, using containers to put together the buildings like building blocks. The daily life of the immigrants is interspersed between the buildings. Ultimately it is assembled into a diverse temporary community.

Radiant City (Le Corbusier)

The glorious city is a utopia that unites the environment, architecture and human life in an orderly way.

Modern architectural complex

Composing spaces from strres as units. The structure as a unit is more flexie structure as a unit is more flexible and e a stack of similar spaces.

1. Traffic flow line

Unlike traditional community, most of the ground floor of this community's buildings are open public areas, so traffic flows through the buildings and outside.

2. Traffic node

The buildings of a traditional community are cut by roads, but the traffic nodes of this community become points of interaction between buildings.

3. Afforestation planning

The green belt of the traditional community separates the road from the buildings, and the community also plans the plants into the community park.

4. Public area

Traditional neighbourhoods where the common areas are almost carriageways and interactive communities where the focus is more on neighbourhood recreation.

Integrated Community

1 Dwelling Temporary apartments and residential housing

2 Education Public libraries and study rooms

3 Catering Restaurants and cafes

4 Company A variety of businesses and services

5 Recreation Parks and various entertainment industries

6 Others

Residents Demand

The temporary community provides most of the building facilities for daily life while meeting the housing needs of the inhabitants. In addition to this, the community is able to provide accommodation for desert travellers and pioneers and corresponding catering services and research space.

Reseachers

Employees

Pioneers

Complex Unit

This type of unit consists of any public facility container unit. It is intended to serve all residents and outsiders.

Building

Traffic Junction - Ladder

These traffic nodes are the connection points for the individual units, leading to the ground level gardens.

This type of unit belongs to the residents. It has one resident per floor area is common to the residents. The roof is used as a small garden for drinking tea and chatting.

The containers secured with metal tube

Building Structure

containers are assembled and with an external triangular tube structure.

1 Dwelling

2 Education

3 Catering

4 Company

5 Recreation

6 Others

Container

Residence Unit

and the outdoor for drying clothes or

Independent Unit

This type of unit has a single function. The ground floor is a public passageway, and the upper two floors are mostly companies or libraries.

Public Library

The libraries are free to use and provide immigrants with the opportunity to study independently.

Open learning area

There are tables, chairs and bookshelves along the walkway to provide rest areas for pedestrians.

Restaurant

Eating in a communal restaurant allows migrants to interact with each other and reduce the pain of leaving home.

Residence

Any single container can be converted into accommodation for migrants or dormitories for staff.

Pioneers' base

The temporary community was also built as a base for desert pioneers. In the future it will be converted into a formal building and become part of the new city.

Glimmers of Hope Study Lab

Academic, Individual work

Project location: Vallbona, Barcelona

Duration: 2021/03-2021/06

Site area: 2150 m2

Tutor: Sofía Quiroga Fernández

Tutor's Email: Sofia.Quiroga@xjtlu.edu.cn

The project site is in Valbona, which is situated on the northern border of the city of Barcelona. The lack of educational facilities has always been a problem for the population, which has led to high unemployment rates and many young people having to leave their homes to work in the big cities.

The "Glimmers of Hope" learning centre will go a long way towards solving these problems and bringing hope to the suburb. It breaks with the traditional brick buildings of the area and features a reinforced concrete and light-sensitive glass facade. The modern appearance of the building will satisfy young people's aspirations for the big city and will attract them to the Learning Centre.

Dental Hospital

Viaduct

Project Site

Public School

Catholic Church

Migrant workers : Labour force 10% More attracted to life in the city center

Football Field

Canal

Farmer : Labour force 30% Rich land but not economically developed

Unemployment rate 30%

Lack of jobs

Graduation rate 8%

Lack of educational facilities

Public facilities 60% Quality of life to be improved

Barcelona:

Downtown buildings are standardized and distributed in a grid pattern. Vallbona:

Vallbona is located on the outskirts of the city with relatively flat land and is a major agricultural area.

Transportation Junction:

Vallbona is next to a number of motorways and is the junction between Barcelona and cities to the north.

Boundary:

Highways and railways encircled Vallbona to form a border, separating it from neighboring cities.

Suburban City:

Vallbona is far from the centre of Barcelona and is also a long way from the famous local attractions.

Inadequate Facilities:

Valbona lacks tourist, recreational and educational facilities.

Space

Located in the central area of the town, next to the main road.

Volume

The

Ladder

Stepped building setbacks to create roof gardens.

Landscape

Street greening to create a public garden.

Public

Curtain Wall

Glass

Architectural function

On the ground and ground floors of the building, a number of craft rooms and experimental rooms are available for visits and social practice by local residents.

The 2nd and upper floors are dedicated learning centres with agricultural studies courses. A rooftop farming base and indoor library are available for the use of participants.

five-storey building stands in the middle of the town.

curtain wall instead of concrete wall.

Returning the public space, the building's profile is taking shape.

The space between architecture and the city

The external contours of the buildings are cut and distributed according to the local neighbourhood. The green park in front and behind the building reduces the oppressiveness of the crowded complex and provides a space for residents to relax. Residents can take a leisurely stroll alongside the building while learning about agriculture and graffiti culture through the glass walls.

Volcanic suspended island

Volcanic Culture Research Center

Academic, Individual work

Project location: La Palma Island, Spain

Duration: 2021/09-2021/12

Site area: 4500 m2

Tutor: Teo Hidalgo Nacher

Tutor's Email: Teo.Nacher@xjtlu.edu.cn

Situated at the junction of the Atlantic Ocean and the African plate, La Palma is a typical marine volcanic island. The volcanic landscape covers the whole island, creating many volcanic forest parks, underground hot springs and natural mineral pools.

The volcanic landscape attracts many visitors and the richness of the resources is of great scientific value and the project will create an open research exhibition centre. The project should respect nature. The volcanic hover island is built in the air, while the rocky beach on the volcanic island floor will be an unmodified natural landscape.

Tourism features

The southernmost tip of the island has natural mineral-rich swimming pools, ancient tombs and sunny beaches for travelers.

Utilization of volcanic ash

Volcanic ash can be used not only as a building material and an ingredient in skin care products, but also as an agricultural fertilizer. At the same time, volcanic ash also has micro scientific research value.

La Palma Island

The project

The project site is located directly above the sacred spring, which was a medical clinic for the ancients and a research object for modern scientists.

Volcanoes in different states

The soil around the volcanoes is rich in nutrients and plants grow vigorously.

Volcanoes spew out huge amounts of ash, covering the sky and polluting the air.

Hot lava spreads from the crater, melting everything in its path.

Material sustainability: Concrete made from volcanic ash

The magma solidified and brought minerals underground, but the ash also covered the surface.

Vegetation regrows to form the volcanic forest park, and the volcano goes to sleep again.

Site Geography

Over the years, the island has experienced several volcanic eruptions and layers of rock from these different periods have accumulated on the surface.

All footpaths and carriageways at the project address have been cut and built into the natural terrain, except for the main road, which is poured by hand.

Volcanic Landform

Natural, formed by the cooling and solidification of magma from volcanic eruptions.

Cobblestone Pedestrian Walkway

Artificial laying, convenient for passengers to walk.

Mineral Pool

Naturally occurring, minerals come from rocks beneath volcanoes.

The Compositional Process

Respect the Geography: The building is built over the original volcanic terrain without excavating and filling the mountain.

Flowing Floor and Roof: Enhancing the connection and continuity of space and breaking the traditional perception of architecture.

Follow the Terrain: Connection of building blocks according to the slope of the terrain.

Without Load-bearing Walls: Only the floor slabs of buildings without load-bearing walls have been retained to reduce the oppressiveness of the building.

Volcanic ash:

Architecture learns irregular but continuous appearance from the microstructure of volcanic ash

Nature Landscape

Floor-to-ceiling Glass and Tiny Support Columns: Strengthening the connection between the building and its environment and keeping the building space light.

The mountain surface of the site is dominated by layers of rock left over from volcanic eruptions, with almost no natural plant growth.

Most of the island's active volcanoes are very active. Underground heat sources draw seawater to the surface, creating mineral hot springs.

They form a rocky beach that becomes a gathering place for tourists.

Ground Floor

First Floor

2 Original Driverway (Leading to the Beach)

3 Entrance to the Research Center

6 Rock observation platform 1

Roof Floor

The concrete ceiling is considered oppressive, but becomes light in the curved design, providing shade for the ground activity area.

Visitors to the research exhibition can access the ground view from the footpath or straight elevator. One side leads to the observation platform for a close view of the natural rock park, while the other side leads to the rock beach for an underground mineral hot spring.

Section 1: 200

The summit of the volcano looms in the distance in the clouds, and near by the waves crash on the rocky beach.

Volcanic Suspended Island uses steel structure to support above the rock beach. The wooden exterior walls are shielded from intense direct light, and the interior has a wide view of the sea and sky.

Elevation 1: 200

Curtain Wall Design Ginkgo Leaf

Academic, Group work

Project location:

Duration: 2022/03-2022/06

Tutor: Abdullah Ebraheem

Tutor's Email: Abdullah.Ibrahim@xjtlu.edu.cn

Digital tools have invaded the discipline of architecture, and the point of respect has gradually shifted from the harem or digital drawing to digital simulation. This project is a multi-person cooperation project of an academic group to design an adaptive surface that can be applied to general buildings.

Direct light from the sun directly affects how people feel in a building. Excessive direct light will cause dizziness, and too weak light will make the room dark and increase the energy consumption of lighting facilities such as electric lights. Ginkgo Leaf will automatically adjust the indoor light according to the different light in different regions and at different times.

Design concept

The shape and texture of ginkgo tree are transformed into external sunshade fan leaves, and the different shading relationship.

Geometric strategy

When fully unfolded, the blades overlap to maximize sunlight coverage.

Depending on the intensity and direction of sunlight, the blades open and close.

Arrangement, staggered front and back, reduce mutual shielding, and increase the entry of the fully expanded sun.

Forming process

-The diversity of fan hollow -Hollow film coated photosensitive material

-Distribute the exterior walls evenly -Front and rear double structure

-Distribution of grid -Photosensitive sensor controls opening and closing

Explosion axonometric - Construction detail Working principle

FIXED COMPONENT

GEAR

SHORT SHAFT

FIXED COMPONENT HINGE

TUBE

LONG SHAFT RACK

FIXED JOINT

FIXED PLATE

FIXED MOUNT

Sightseeing restaurant

The fan blades will cover the glass curtain wall of the building when the sun is strong at noon, and the photosensitive material in the hollow will reduce the penetration rate of direct light. People who dine in the viewing restaurant will feel like dining under the shade of trees. If they need to enjoy sunbathing and dining, they can manually control the sensor to open the fan blades.

Photosensing

Each fan blade is individually distributed with a photosensitive sensor device, which automatically controls the fan blades to cover the glass curtain wall when the sun is strong. Even on the same surface, different light intensities can cause fan blades to appear at different angles.

Finxing Point 1

2700mm

Finxing Point 2

Finxing Point 3

Glazing System

Facade System

GLAZING SYSTEM

STEEL SCREW STEEL FLAT FRAME BEAM

FIXING BRACKET (FIX THE FRAME AND BEAM)

TWO PANELS OF GLAZING JOINT CONNECTION

FACADE SYSTEM

GLAZING FRAME

FACADEINNER FRAME

STEELBOLT STEEL NUT

STEEL GEAR STEEL SHAFTS

FACADE OUTER FRAME

STEEL BOLT

STEEL NUT

STEEL GEAR STEEL SHAFTS

STEEL TUBE STEEL BRACES MOULDED PLATE

Computational design

Using Grasshopper to carry out digital simulation experiments on the ginkgo leaf curtain wall under different lighting conditions.

Bridge Campus Cantilever

Academic, Group work

Project location: Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

Duration: 2022/03-2022/06

Tutor: Christiane M. Herr

Tutor's Email: Christiane.Herr@xjtlu.edu.cn

Co-teacher: Iasef Md Rian, Nicola Pagnano

In the context of architectural design, structural design describes the concept and articulation of building structure, combining building quality with structural requirements. The project is a collaborative project of a multi-member academic team to analyze and design a bridge model by studying simple structures.

The project is located at Xi 'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou. Since the univerity establishment, the north and south campuses have been cut by an artificial river. The cantilevered bridge was designed to enhance the interaction between the two campuses.

Site Plan

Site Section

Wider River Bank Influence to building

Site Plan - Bridge with Campus

Site Section - Site context analysis

Bridge Material

Cantilever Bridge

The south side of the river has limited foundation, so the cantilever bridge is designed and constructed. The bridge has two routes, and pedestrians can enjoy some interactive activities between them.

Bridge Material

Greener Hardwood

Modulus of elasticity/E/Gpa; 0.5-0.98

Modulus of rigidity/G/Gpa: 0.44-0.64

Density/ρ/g.cm³: 0.5-0.7

Poisson's ratio/μ: -

Advantage: sustainable, corrosion resistant, sound absorption

Alloy Steel

Modulus of elasticity/E/Gpa; 206-210

Modulus of rigidity/G/Gpa: 79.38-81

Density/ρ/g.cm³: 7.85-7.9

Poisson's ratio/μ: 0.25-0.3

Advantage: high strength, low temperature performance, lightweight

High Tenacity Polyester Fabric

Modulus of elasticity/E/Gpa; 14-17

Modulus of rigidity/G/Gpa: 3.7-10.4

Density/ρ/g.cm³: 1.38-1.40

Poisson's ratio/μ: 0.13-0.3

Advantage: high strength, ductility, abrasion resistant

1: 50 Cross Section, A-A' 1: 5

Detail Section 1, Handrail

1: 5 Detail Section 2, Deck

The construction of the bridge strengthens the link between the North and South campuses and revitalizes two sparsely populated but tree-lined trails. The bridge has two channels, and two nodes are added between the channels to prevent single channel congestion.

The foundation of the bridge is located on the wide river bank on the south side, and the bridge is cantilevered with lightweight concrete. The steel structure under the bridge is reinforced to bear the lateral load of the bridge.

Other Works

First understanding of architecture (2018/9)

Initially entered the field of architecture, using wax molds to explore the interaction of space.

Freehand sketching (2019/3)

Record some of the buildings in life and enhance the hand-drawing skills.

Exploration of mortise and tenon structure (2019/9)

Build physical models in groups and explore the building mortise and tenon structure.

Suzhou ancient city renovation project (2020/3)

The open space beside the Yuncheng River in the ancient city will be transformed into a complex building.