Portfolio

P O R T F O L I O ARCHITECTURE

Xiaolei Liu Works Selected from 2015-2020

Undergraduate Work

Graduate Work

01. Loop Corridor

03. Form of Knowledge

SPACE CONNECTION

GENERATIVE MORPHOLOGIES

Time: 2017 Spring Designer: Xiaolei Liu, Jingwei Sun

Time: 2019 Spring Designer: Xiaolei Liu

02. Undergroung Pacemaker

04. Crossword Puzzle

INNOVATION OF ANCIENT LIVING AREA

Time: 2016 Summer Designer: Xiaolei Liu, JJ Lee and Siyun Zhao

ENCHANTED MODELS

Time:2020 Spring Designer: Xiaolei Liu

05. Post Wonderland An Ecological Residential Complex

Time:2021 Summer Designer: Xiaolei Liu

CONTENT

01 Loop Corridor

Space Connection And Construction Bridge Time: 2017 semester workshop Instructor: Jizhong Shao Type: 2-people cooperative project Site: Baoan, Shen Zhen, Guang Zhou

In modern time, public space and building increasingly become a wide range of social issue and focus. They are responsible for city cultural and social development by virtue of concerning human mental desires or multiple functionally needs, which benefit for protecting and inheriting local culture and art characteristics.

Baoan, with a incredible history, has already lost its tradition in over exploitation, because of its unopened feature that blocks communication among nearby regions. But now, the government is planning to revive culture atmosphere and rebuild the civil interrelationship by creating a new cultural and art center. Serving as culture complex, this building needs to contain more abundant layers and functions for citizens, rather communicating room, or experience room, than separated building,.

In terms of regenerated strategy, we view the site as a whole space, a big city living room, and insert a lot of boxes in it with different size and function. And the connected platform, a loop space, which is the most important idea in this design, links those boxes and abridges the gap between them. Besides, the loop platform eliminates the meaning of "layer ", making people's behavior more natural and smoothly. By this way, the public space could relatively augment openness of system in city which contribute to prosperity .

Specific Contribution: theory research, experiment, CAD drawing, SU 3D model, analysis diagram, PS for rendering.

CITY OPENNESS ANALYSIS There are several factors that influence city openness, like functions, population type, range of public space.

Thus, when we look at Boan district, we find out its functions including factory, innovation park, residence, due to its remote location from centre of Shenzhen. And its population type, most of which migrated here from other place based on relative low price of house and development of new industry. As for public space, the city remains limited for that but a array of dense buildings.

enclosed area

semi-open area

semi-enclosed area

open area

City Composition

water system

green space

road system

traffic hub

city block

satellite map

Regional Analysis

city system

Population Type

building part

2000

2005

2010

2015

traffic hub

primitive resident exotic worker immigrated people new field worker block part

open space

green space

business organization

Question of Present Situation

isolation

poor square design

no sight center

lack of connection

no interaction

low using frequency

outmoded function

limited traffic line

In order to solve those problems about present situation, we should closely analyze structure of city combining with public open space.

Because of poor connection with environment, and limited effect of the original cultural buildings, it requires urgently to design a new center with more efficient communication and openness with surrounding.

THE FOLD THORY Evironment

System

System boundery

The Fold of Site in the City

Evironment

Evironment

System boundery

System boundery

2. Flatten this box to a flake, and get though the space of square 3.Loop space, the two parts of plan constitute a loop route system

lateral 4.Break down the whole verticle face, and regroup new box.

back

boundery

The Process of Transformation 1.Add a big box into the site covering those three buildings

infront

Evironment

5.Introduce landscape from surrouding to inner space

Vertical Facade Form

Function Link Public Culture Community Art Center

Media

Exhibition Theater Concert Hall Activity Center

Art Gallery Courtyard Coffee

Communication Center Visual and Auditory

Culture Class

Library

Using Frequency

Conference Hall new arch need

spiritual need

New Construction TargetRenewed users Space Citizen users

Cultural Line Interactional Line Traditional Line

Feedback

modern&new functions

Ativity room Artist studio Video Player Art classroom Handmaking room Public culture Exhibition Camping Cafe Communication room Shop Wandering space Gallery Visual & auditory R Film Theater Training room Concert Conference Hall E-book Tea Bar Reserved book room Disccusion room Reading room Liberary

Education

Concert Hall

Entertainment

Community Art Center

A revival of the culture and art center in a such remote district enables to influnence the nearby area or even the whole rangeofcity.

Reading Room

The courtyard, which connects the space between inner and outer through loop corridor, enriches the feeling of space experience for users with entertainment function. It is a bridge as well to strengthen communication between different culture and improve interaction among users or other residents.

02 Underground Pacemaker

Innovation And Reformation In A Traditional And Ancient Living Area Time: 2016 summer camp Instructor: Alex Shao Type: 3-people cooperative project(partner: JJ Lee and Siyun Zhao) Site: Nanjing, Jiang Su

As we know, with the fast pace of social development, more towering skyscrapers and new buildings are rising up, to meet the contemporary life style and working mode. But in this process, we have to harness with a serious problem that we should transform old living area, where the environment and housing condition are not eligible for city growth any more. Instead of overturn, we try to reserve the local culture features and promote the level of quality of buildings. So, we carry out this project in Nanjing, a splendid city with a long history.

The reason of charisma of ancient region is that in the traditional atmosphere, we could slow down pace and enjoy ourselves, imaging we walking there to experience the cultural surrounding. Based on this concept, we won't even break all the scene of old buildings, but combine the modern desires and traditional culture. Thus, an idea of underground pacemaker hits my head. We try to seek rooms under land to protect primitive space structure and save ground space to add new functions.

In the underground public space, people could walk across streets freely, and experience the Chinese history and art in exhibition space, as well as going up to ground floor if you want. When it turns to ground part, we cover much vegetation there to increase green rate and promote the quality of living environment. Therefore, we could realize the revival of ancient region.

Specific Contribution: theory research, maping, report material, CAD drawing for 2 plans, SU 3D model, analysis diagram, PS for section.

SITE ANALYSIS

site

green

building

road

Section

In part of the link of underground floor and ground floor, there are many tunnels divided into three kinds. First of all is activity place underground between houses.

Additionally, there is a road net system across the whole site underground. Finally, we create new public functions which we could get there by ramp way.

now

dismantle

animate

before

before

street

hollow

sink

after

after

03 Form of Knowledge Generative Morphologies

Time: 2019 Spring workshop Instructor: Jackilin Bloom Type: Individual project Site: Downtown Atlanta, USA

A library is a physical container of knowledge and all the mediums in which knowledge is distributed. As these mediums transition from physical books to be taken off shelves to intangible bits to be stored and accessed remotely, the library’s role as a public asset and destination for information, will inevitably change. How do we envision an ever changing paradigm of information and its formal container? Our studio starts by reasserting the library as a cultural monolith in the city, but with precarious postures.

Unlike the existing Atlanta Central Library by Marcel Breuer, a singular stepped mass that accommodates the historic decorum of the site through its monolithic materiality, we’ll examine tenuous agglomerations through collage and assembly of multiple volumes to redefine a library’s monolithic posture in the city.

Geometry Synthesis The world we live in is composed of various simple geometric shapes, which are combined into an orderly and aesthetic plane through different rotation, amplification and reduction, and movement, and then transformed from a two-dimensional space to a volumetric three-dimensional space. At the same time, color is also one of the characteristics of nature. In geometry, it can stimulate different senses, such as ferocity, softness, collision and compatibility.

For the library of the future, imagine that it is roaming in the space of different geometric composition, irregular and mysterious. It's a new creation, but it also brings a new experience. The building is a multi-functional library, which combines the traditional reading space and primary school. On the ground floor, there is a large book reading room. In the middle, there is a transportation space and a core for information transmission. On both sides, there are small classrooms with different shapes corresponding to different functions. This scheme attempts to rationalize the combination of simple geometry

COLLAGES OF A SET OF CONTAINERS First Version of Containers Arrangement

Activity in different Time

10am From container volumn to architecture massing

1pm

From container volumn to architecture massing

Process of Massing Development 4pm

Elevation of Library

Phase 1 Arrange bottles, boxes or packages to be a whole and produce consequences to the way in which they position themselves on the ground. How they relate to one another.

Phase 2 Transfer the containers combo to normal geometries.

Combine close ones and use simple mass to intersect masses which makes more intersting relations between items.

Phase 3 Translate the geometries to architecture language. Recombine the objects and adjust the scale and position to make a resonable architectural program.

Phase 4 Plus and minus. According to actual program requirement, add or substract some parts to ensure the building demand and people behavior.

And get the final version of library.

7pm The elevation design happens through collage.

Compared with different approaches of arrangement of objects, painting orange, light blue and dark grey for parts to distinguish specific spaces.

SECTION AND FUNCTION OF LIBRARY

FREE READING SPACE FREE READING SPACE SMALL CLASSROOM

ART PUBLIC STUDIO

SMALL CLASSROOM

ART PUBLIC STUDIO

STAIRS SPACE

EXHIBITION ROOM

STAIRS SPACE BOOK SHOP

EXHIBITION ROOM

BOOK SHOP

OFFICE OFFICE

HANDCRAFT CLASSROOM HANDCRAFT CLASSROOM GALARY GALARY ACTIVITY ROOM

MULTIPLE MEDIA CLASSROOM MULTIPLE MEDIA CLASSROOM

ACTIVITY ROOM DATA TRANSPORTAION DATA TRANSPORTAION

SCIENCE CLASSROOM SCIENCE CLASSROOM DATA STORATION DATA STORATION LIBRARY LIBRARY

03 Crossword Puzzle

術 芸 オ リ タ 学 ン オ 大 ン R デ ザイ TE CEN

Enchanted Models

R TE CEN

ple com g da an s an y ch ma l kit ode duct a of m pro nuf ma 含 set r this が fo rom one f s ンボ ins ion arts コ nta cat ar p 完全 e e co pecifi e cl ットと s kag h 可能 pac in t and 1セ t れる 。 ing This sen キット 更さ ない e r kag く変 しれ ep デル Pac e. 告な かも ay b はモ ic not bles m ジに は予 ある 仕様 泡が ケー Bub ッ ジや には パ ケー 部分 この パッ かな 。 商品の 明ら の この 业から 制造

The thing about architectural models is that they are intended to represent things at another scale. We accept that and imagine things that are much bigger, although we of course know that the model itself is a specific and irreducible entity that does more than just point at the "real" thing. Model kits-- often from outside architecture-- are a special kind of model. They have the dual quality of both being kits of parts that make a "scale" model, but the "set" is also crucial to the overall understanding of the thing. Further, beyond the set is the box, which is often as crafted and bespoke as the model kit itself, and designed to specifically pack, nestle, and display the parts inside. Other things accompany model kits as well, special decals, instruction manuals, and posters.

S D CA

P R HA

The total experience of the model kit is somewhere in between all of these parts, and assembled together into something which both points at the final scale model which in turn point to the real ENCHANTED MODELS II SP20 thing, but it also exists as a cornucopia of parts and pieces that can be laid out like treasures on a table-- a flat ontology of vastly different styles and scales of things.

O

P R HA

Time: 2020 Spring Vertical Studio Instructor: Thom Wiscomb Type: Individual project Site: OBM Headquaters extension, Columbus, Ohio

The process of taking physical things to be abstract, and forming to physical again is a interesting way to view the building as a toy. What is the most attractive thing in the crossword puzzle is the vacant area between the solid, which is an available space for developing. When you fill in the letters is the way to think elements combined with the d. uire illustra d up req building.

5 an bly s and 1 m s e o e t ss

o g a Kit, rom ph del f Mo y vary ckage, is a a a This ents m n the p t o Con hown ss tion

For a he of t . out tore ears old y be s d an Ma 5y care than 1 parts.

TION h U it r ll A e arp C ma le w ng e sh and en you ntain s hav r o se h that s Plea of child t may c t r inpa h uc ed. ting reac is prod allow contain get sw may Th void if a l t u o f uc yt harm is prod dges. arefull Th and e le it c ts nd poin ase ha Ple d. jure

PROCESS OF KITS TRANSFORMATION 1. Elements in existing building OCAD University

PHYSICAL MODEL PHASE

2. Reorganization of parts

3. Model Kits Combo

TRANSITION PHASE

OBM Headquaters extension, Columbus, Ohio

Phase two is going to utilize model kits from last phase to generate new construction for physical project. Through recombination and reorganization, we pick up three groups of units to stand on the ground and relate to each other. The main concepts of OCAD university: column, box, bridge are kept for new building operation.

ASSEMBLE SPECIFICATION

04 Post Wonderland Ecological Residential Complex

Time: 2021 Summer Thesis Instructor: Marcelyn Gow Type: Individual project Site: West Los Angeles Civic Center, Santa Monica, CA

The post wonderland is a mixed-use complex that responds to the Covid pandemic,a context that has introduced many changes to our lifestyle. This project explores the assumed understanding of public/private, indoor/outdoor, landscape/architecture and natural/man-made binaries. And it integrates fantastical and absurd imaging exercise into architectural exploration of the mixed-use low-rise. It is designed for a 170,945 sq feet site in Santa Monica that is currently slated for urban redevelopment and densification of housing unites. The thesis proposes an aesthetic of absurdism, an alternative logic of mixed-use programmatic distribution, as well as a rethinking of symbiosis and hierarchies and applies city-wide throughout the urban landscape.

In order to retain several of the current architectural programs on the site, including library, civic center and courthouse,the existing buildings are integrated into the project to protect and respect the local context. This strategy provides the platform and environment for developing a mixed-use residential prototype.In the adaptive re-use of these buildings, the application of a curvilinear fantasy logic breaks down the traditional organization. The curvilinear forms reflect a synthetic nature as they are based on plastiglomerate formations.They appear neither fully as landscape elements, nor do they resemble familiar architectural forms. These curvilinear forms are sometimes enclosed by the rectilinear formal logic; at other times they spill over the perimeter of the cubic volumes.This produces the effect of the site landscape being swallowed into the interior of the project. The vegetation grows on the undulating surfaces that are being absorbed into what more closely resembles familiar building massing--the traditional apartment blocks. The formal logic is rendered surreal-fractured ruptured, torn and remixed into oddly-irrational arrangements. This generates a hybrid project containing a sequential mirroring on different scales. When this strange system is applied to apartment blocks, it produces the effect of a ‘post- wonderland’.This new ‘post-wonderland’ challenges conventional definitions of architecture and landscape.

BACKGROUND ANALYSIS On the use of this mixed-use complex to urban area revives the city boxes with natural components and creates an more interactive and integrated communities to response to the rehabilitation of post-pandemic period within architectural sphere.

Plastiglomerates are the inspiration for this new form of synthetic nature. Mesh sample having various morphogenic shapes are used to create combinations of blended textures that resemble natural and synthetic forms.

Curvilinear Form

SANTA MONICA

A

B

PANDEMIC

QUARANTINE

DISINFECT

QUESTION

WORK AT HOME

MEETING ONLINE

MASK UP

SHOPPING ONLINE

SOCIAL DISTANCE

WORKING MODE TEST

DENSITY

VEGETATION

VACCINE

VACCINE

EMPTY CITY

C

Units in Vectron

MARKETING

LANDSCAPE

POST-PANDEMIC RESIDENCE

combine units with curvilinear form

In this project, pink inspires a joyful mood related to sharing love and energy.

The texture of the material imitates oil painting of landscapes that provoke the aesthetic of abstraction mixed with nature components.

Furthermore, the layers of the texture are complicated with mandelbrot fractal formula blended with the pink curvilinear form, which is dynamic, transformative and flexible. It can manifest itself in many ways, like an infinite,branching tree.

1. Existing building 2. Apartment units first layer 3. Apartment units second layer 4. Bottom bubble form 5. Curvilinear form 6. Interior waved surface 7. Crystal 8. Roof garden 9. Vegetation on the curved surface

Mandelbrot Fractal Formula

Process of Adding Building Layers

The aesthetic of the project suggests peculiar recombinations and resolutions that are produced through the absurd logic. Conventional architectural systems are transformed and broken up to produce new kind of fractured spaces.

auditorium activity room garden cafe public library

courtyard unit small auditorium

lounge

bar

SECTION PERSPECTIVE

existing building

EDUCATION Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) Los Angeles, CA Master of Architecture 2, Overall GPA: 2.85/4.0 Jul.2018-Sep.2021 Nanjing Tech University Nanjing, CHN Bachelor of Architecture in Architecture, Overall GPA: 3.5/4.0 Sep.2012Jun.2017 Technische Universität München (TUM) Bavaria, Germany Research on Solar System applied in Domestic Area Jul.-Aug.2015 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Junior Architect, China Academy of Building Research Sep.2017-Jun.2018 Responsible for architectural design, site planning, and overall design of road traffic Went on CAD drawing, each floor plan, as well as furniture, landscaping, parking lot drawing Reasonably planned the detailed design of the scheme, such as materials, water and electricity lines, and seismic structure planning arrangement Intern, China Academy of Building Research Sep.-Dec.2016 Did preliminary research for Beijing Xiagezhuang Residence Community planning Took charge of construction drawing, including staircases, the downgrade of the car park, etc.

Assisted the project chief designer in the fire control acceptance and planning acceptance Xiaolei Liu +86 13077305812| xiaoleiliu_2022@163.com Shanshuiyinglun Community, Leifeng Town, Yuelu Dist., Changsha, Hunan, 410001, CHN

SKILLS & INTERESTS Languages: Chinese (Native), English (Fluent), French (Elementary) Professional Skills: Proficient in C4D (Cinema 4D), Sketch-Up, AI, Photoshop, Rhino, InDesign, Maya Interests: Piano (Level 10), Dancing (participated in WOD competition in China and Prelude in the USA many times)