Huai Kuan Chung.
Huai-Kuan Chung 215 W 109TH ST, New York City, NY 10025 | 347-224-1291 | hc2908@columbia.edu | huaikuanchung.com
Education Columbia University, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation | 2016 - 2017 Master of Science Architecture and Urban Design Recipient of Visualization Awards from Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, NY | 2017
Tamkang University, Collage of Engineering, Department of Architecture | 2009 - 2014 Bechelor of Architecture Design Selected Project in Modern Storyteller Design Show, NY | 2016 Selected Outstanding Academic Achievement in Young Talent Awards, TPE | 2015
Experience Teaching Fellow at Urban Design Seminar, Ms. AUD, Columbia University | Jun. 2017 - Aug. 2017 Assisted Weekly Seminar (Summer: Cassim Shepard’s Reading New York Urbanism), Specific tasks included preparing teaching materials, Negotiating collaboration works among class and teaching in digital technique session.
Teaching Assistant at Urban Design Studio, Ms. AUD, Columbia University | Fall 2016 - Spring 2017 Assisted the Fall and Spring GSAPP professors organizing materials for the semester. Specific tasks included teaching in digital technique workshop and creating course materials.
Teaching Assistant at Urban Design Seminar, Ms. AUD, Columbia University | Fall 2016 - Spring 2017 Assisted Weekly Seminar (Fall: Andrea Kahn’s Waterfront Case Study/ Spring: David Shane’s Public Space/ Recombinant Urbanism), Specific tasks included preparing teaching materials, Negotiating collaboration works among class.
Junior Designer at HWCA Architects | Feb. 2016 - Apr. 2016 Working closely to the Principal to Develop parametrical facade pattern and design concept for a technology company, and correspond with the Architect to do the Structural Calculation, participate the meeting with client as well. Also participate on masterplan project in Shanghai, in charge of the Lighting and Ventilation analysis with Autodesk Ecotect.
Junior Designer at Han Kong Architects | Jun. 2015 - Nov. 2015 Working closely to the Architect to develop Design concept and proposal. Specific tasks included site survey , Architecture design for Activities Center of Yuanpei University, Making 3D models, rendering for the meeting with client.
Chair of Student Association of Dept. of Architecture, Tamkang University | Sep. 012 - Sep. 2013 Working closely with a 26 person group to hold various inter- department or inter- universities events, including National Sport Competition/ Academic Workshop of Architecture School in Taiwan (more than 1500+ participants), inviting experts from various fields to the weekly lecture, issuing online and printed semesterly news.
Summer Intern at AECOM Taipei | Jul. 2012 - Sep. 2012 Working closely with the Project Manager to develop Design concept and proposal and construction for an Art Museum. Specific tasks included 3D modeling, Digital Fabrication.
Skills 3D : 2D : Film/ Video : Other :
Rhinoceros + VRay, Autodesk Revit/ Maya/ 3ds Max/ Ecotect, SketchUp Autodesk AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office Adobe After Affect, Adobe Premiere Pro Grasshopper, ArcGIS, Model Making, 3D Printing, Laser Cutting
Language Chinese Mandarin / Taiwanese English
[ Native ] [ Fluent ]
Animation
Invisible Elements of Staten Island Ferry Road Summer 2016 Staten Island Ferry Road, New York Instructor: Phu Duong, Kyle Hovenkotter
The Ferry Road doesn’t present a lot of information. However, this becomes a good opportunity to explore the invisible data of this hustle and bustle body of water. The selected data include the timetable of the ferry, other moving vehicles and their own route, New Jersey’s territory which has been crossed every day, tags for introducing different places, Hurricane Sandy’s flood area, the depth of water and the last and also the most important one, is the movement. I use all different kinds of angle and perspective of views to describe the movement, which includes the view from the ferry itself, the view from helicopters, the view from the top and side and the view from the Statue of Liberty. The overall concept of this model is trying to elaborate all different kinds of information from this body of water as much as I can. After this, demonstrate this data-annotated urban fragment from all different kinds of angle.
Movement of ferry’s surrounding.
Hustle and bustle body of water.
Helicopter’s route.
Movement of helicopter’s surrounding.
Sky Watcher Spring 2016 Instructor: Joseph Brennan, Phillip Crupi Team: Deniz Onder
The use of perspective and rendering is often an afterthought. With the abundance of 3D modeling software and the ability to see every angle of a project instantaneously, renderings are often thought of as a last minute tool for representation. This project challenges the participants to not only think of rendering as a method of presentation, but also a tool for design. Sky Watcher is a project aiming to push the boundary of ultra real images by using realistic rendering style.
Far view.
Middle view.
Close view.
Animation
This project is aiming to discuss Taipei’s urban renewal issue. Based on current renewal policy, the government plays a relatively passive role, using floor area ration preference as an incentive for contractors. However, the monetary incentive nature in this urban renewal policy has also caused a series of urban problems. Within urban renewal is an urban scale movement: instead of promoting the rebuild of old buildings, this project demonstrates a renewal process that starts from infrastructure. By deconstructing the paths above, which are crossing the old area of Taipei using an algorithm tool, there is more space in between paths for locating new public programs. In the 1960s, the city of Taipei experienced a population expansion due to post-war baby boomers and population migration from rural areas. As a result, numerous 5-story walk-up apartments were built. The building units provided shelters for more than half of the population in the City, even to modern day. 40 years later, these units require maintenance and upgrades, which has led to the need for urban renewal. To promote urban renewal, the government has used floor area ration preference as an incentive for contractors. However, the monetary incentive nature in this urban renewal policy has also caused a series of urban problems. Floor area ration is a professional term: it is a mechanism to control the population of city. Floor area ration preference is the application of this term. Contractors rely on this preference to make money: simultaneously, what Taipei actually receives is more floor area for more resident population. For example, floor area ration preference brings more floor space, which leads to higher population capacity in Taipei City. According to our statistics, if we took every single qualified district in Taipei for urban renewal,
Beyond Big Project 2014 ZhongZheng Bridge, Taipei Instructor: Sheng-Ming Wu
we could increase the population capacity by 210,000 without changing any infrastructure. That is close to the population of a district. The calculation of floor area ration preference is no longer population capacity; it is investment value.
house. Although the above-ground bridge has solved the traffic issue effectively, the problem of the old area may get even worse. While all the people and cars crossing this area, the function and industry would never be able to recover such condition.
We all know that the current floor area ration preference is a no longer a way to renew our city.
The first thing that any designer needs to be concerned about regarding the slope of the bridge is about the driving safety of the vehicle . In this proposal, the common user, such as cars, motorcycles, and buses has been divided into different paths by each of their speeds. Additional kind of users, such as pedestrian and bikers, are also considered. All different kinds of users are arranged to three kinds of different path based on different slopes. With simple slope rules and complex parametric algorithm by computer, the new paths created not only follows their own slope requirement, but also realizes the largest volume in between paths after considering all the possible options by the computer. The bridge, which cuts through this area, is redesigned as the connector to combine two sides of it, providing new space to fill in new programs.
Take micro urban renewal as an example. Unlike major urban renewals, micro urban renewal emphasizes on the urban acupuncture approach. Its method is to use a smaller scale and more organized dot-style renewal. This approach can unclog the meridian in an area. In Taipei City, however, it becomes the size of 100 square-meter renewal. This type of urban renewal proposal, which lacks a wholism approach, is unhelpful with elevating the city urban standard. For more effective urban renewals, architects must take on a new thinking and approach for urban renewal proposal and execution. What we need is a new and innovative way of thinking and approach, an approach that is more effective on urban renewal and focuses on the bigger picture of infrastructure. Zhongzheng Bridge plays a crucial role in connecting places. It penetrates deep into the heart of Taipei City. The bridge becomes above-ground from the intersection at He-Pin E Road, and it runs across the south part of Taipei City by 700-800 meters before crossing the river. Under the 700-800 meter stretch, is home of Zi-Qiang Market, an old-time famous market with a variety of household supplies, produces, and meat. However, with the shifting city center, the Zi-Qiang Market is now a ghost town. It’s now occupied a by a handful of second hand furniture stores, for storefront and ware-
To solve the traffic issue of an area that was lacking a public program and was planned too early, the Zhongzheng bridge crosses over the old area, enabling people to pass without entering the area. This kind of condition formed a vacuum belt of commerce. Through the use of the parametrical algorithm, the bridge is deconstructed to form the new volume to contain new public programs for this area and connect the old furniture stores located beside into new industrial belt. Since the ground level’s condition is too difficult to be renewed in the traditional way, this methodology can provide new programs for both citizens and local industry. Furthermore, software improvement can lead to hardware renewal.
Dispositif of Social Units Fall 2012 Non-site Instructor: Wei-Hsiang Sung
This project aims to approach the public issue through a post-earthquake recovery. The design subject is the elementary school, which has the first priority to be reconstructed. Through modulizing the basic educational program, which compose school, this prototype will be easy to adapt to various contexts and meet the requirement at different locations. The core thinking of this project is not only to help the children get back to their school as soon as possible, but also through the innovate design strategy to recover the regional public program.
A Delaunaian Method for Urban Pattern Fall 2013 Taipei Instructor: Li-Chun Chang
This is an architecture design project that is based on the analysis of the urban context, mainly focusing on connecting the different urban pattern between the east and west side, each with their own unique character. Through the algorithm tool, a pattern as the transition between each side can be realized. With a new type of urban pattern, a new type of architecture and program will be formed at the same time.
Animation
Analysis Walker Fall 2016 Instructor: Dan Taeyoung
Analysis Walker is an analysis driven design tool. It helps urban designers play with route planning and data collection, using GIS and grasshopper. Examples are demonstrated in the following video showing two different ways to use this tool. The first case shows the analytical process from the existing route navigation to data collection, whereas the second one shows the efficient route planning based on the GIS data input.
From Route and GIS data analysis.
From GIS data to Route navigation.
What if the Jordan River Border was re-conceptualized to convert dangerous minefields into an evolving landscape?
Animation
The Militarized Border The border between Jordan, on the east and Israel and Palestine’s West Bank, on the west, is defined by the Jordan River - a border that is demarcated as a militarized zone. To prevent border crossings, landmines have been arranged in large bands on either side with military posts positioned strategically. This enforces the borderline, and allows only those with a permit to access the river. The threat of the landmines has deterred investments in the valley inhibiting economic growth and harming local communities. The Border Effect The superimposition of political boundaries has diverted freshwater resources from the larger ecosystem of the Jordan River Valley and divided it among different states. All of which extract natural resources but are not held accountable for the consequences of these actions. This has resulted in the river becoming a thin stream of pollution, thus turning the lush valley into a deteriorating fragmented ecosystem. To address the failing system, a widening of the border through the reshaping of the riverbed is proposed. In this way, the Jordan River itself, and the border that traces it, can be transformed from a divisive tool to a shared, productive resource benefiting all sides. By demining the border we can facilitate ecological and cultural regeneration. To do this, we propose two necessary phases: 1_DEMINING THE VALLEY National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation
Borderfield Spring 2017 Jordan River Valley, Jordan Instructor: Kate Orff Team: Bridgett Cruz, Shuman Wu, Jiahong Lu
will remove the remaining 20% of landmines that were leftover from the original demining initiative from 1993 to 2008. The landmines remain in the valley because their exact location was not known. Lack of knowledge about original placement, and repositioning due to flooding, erosion, and growth of vegetation has made their location hard to predict. In unfarmed pockets where landmines are suspected, a swarm of drones will plant Thale-Cress seeds, spray fertilizer, and water growing plants. The engineered plant reacts to the nitrogen dioxide emitted from unexploded landmines causing a change in color from green to red signifying the location of landmines. Over the course of three to five weeks, the drones will be used to monitor color changes and help the Jordanian Army plan safe demining paths. The landmines will be detonated and with their explosive elimination, a new cratered landscape will emerge. 2_DESIGNING THE RIVERBED Using the water flow analysis, grey water from the local town will be channeled to the river pockets for purification.This influx of water will help to reshape the riverbed by naturally connecting craters to the river. The greywater path will be planted with several water filtration species that will help to densify the fragmented biotic components of the riverbed ecology. The purified water will be used to irrigate the agricultural lands that run adjacent to the river, eliminating the need to truck water from far distances. With a nationwide approach towards a decentralized water infrastructure system [ie: local waste water recycling, rainwater capture, and fog harvesting] less water will be diverted from the Jordan River Basin allowing for the increase of water to flow in the river and to the Dead Sea. The increase of water will help dilute existing pollutants
and help the river to naturally re-meander in the cratered pockets which are outfitted to help further purify water. A NEW WATER NETWORK As the process of demining is happening, the JORDAN VALLEY AUTHORITY will monitor the quality of the abiotic components of the Jordan River Valley. JORDANIAN VALLEY AUTHORITY will monitor the quality of the abiotic components of the Jordan River Valley. JORDANIAN UNIVERSITIES will work with LOCAL FARMERS to establish experimental agricultural greenhouse laboratories within the newly created ecology that researches water-reduction techniques in crops types, farming and irrigation. The new techniques will be shared with the local farmers. Implementation will result in the lower dependency of water, increase of profitability and significant reduction of pollution in the river creating a more holistic and sustainable farming culture. Within the net of the river, natural meanders, and water craters, the rehabilitation of fragmented ecosystem will be forefronted as essential in the support of the new water purification ecology. The densification of native plants and the fortification of bird habitats will ensure birds assist in the rehabilitation by spreading seeds.This will strengthen the threatened ecology of the Jordan River Valley. ECOPARK, a not-for-profit organization will work with LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS to monitor the biotic components of the Jordan River Valley. By appropriating the landmine we invert the tool that was used to crystallize the border into a tool to expand it, giving it an instinctive and unpredictable width, thus creating a new lens from which to understand the existing condition.
Meandering simulation.
Agricultural testing ground on Jordan-Israel border.
Plan of argricultural testing ground.
Plan of argricultural testing ground.
Landmine layout.
Detection simulation of plant demining method.
Demining grid and route.
Runoff analysis and potential connection of water.
The Jordan River floodplain and the purified water connection back into town.
Systematic Axo along different phases.
Animation footages.
Animation footages.
Animation
Data Flows Spring 2016 Cheonggyecheon, Seoul Instructor: Biayna Bogosian, Maider Llaguno Team: Deniz Onder
Spring is notorious for its poor air quality here. The combination of smog and the yellow dust that descends from Mongolia’s Gobi Desert every spring has produced pollution so thick that on the worst days — and there have been many of them — Seoul has looked like a city shrouded in a toxic gray blanket. In this project, we’re aiming to use data representation to raise the awareness about the air pollution in Seoul. Along the most important river in the city, where is also surrounded by roads and expressway, we use colored dots and lines to represent the density of CO & NO2.
Colored dots and lines for representation of the air quality of Seoul City.
Colored dots and lines for representation of the air quality of Seoul City.
Cutting the Edge of South Bronx Summer 2016 South Bronx, New York Instructor: Kaja Kühl, Thad Pawlowski Team: Majed Samad, Jiaqi Sun
We are suggesting a transit-oriented development that addresses the social and environmental problems in Port Morris while maintaining and enhancing its industrial character. The goal is to make Port Morris an attractive destination for commercial investments and new industries by restoring its links to other south Bronx neighborhoods, and to Queens and Brooklyn. Introducing transit infrastructure will do more than improving regional mobility. It also will address environmental issues in the area, create opportunities for future developments in South Bronx, and give more people access to jobs. It will also improve the transportation network in NYC and make it more resilient to daily disruptions and upcoming environmental challenges. What we’re introducing is a port, a freight train station, and an added passenger train stop on the proposed Triboro Train plan. Aside from the development focus on improving regional mobility for cargo and passengers, the transit-oriented development would open doors for future developments in the area making it an attractive destination for new industries and commercial investments in the city. The proposal consists of three main components, a small-scale industrial port, a freight train station on the existing underutilized rails, and a passenger train station on the currently-proposed Triboro line. By activating the existing transit infrastructure in the neighborhood, and investing in a waterfront development, “Re-linking Port Morris” aims to improve the NYC transportation network and the resiliency of the system from daily disruptions and upcoming environmental challenges. Cutting the edge of South Bronx is a development pro-
posal aiming to enhance the South Bronx connectivity to the neighboring boroughs by providing alternative transit means from and to Port Morris.
Context analysis of proposed Tri-Borough line.
More than 90% of the context is residential use area.
Transportation hub as a way to maintain Port Morris continually being a work hub for Tri-Borough Line.
A mix-use transportation hub including ferry, road, train and subway trasportation system.
Video
Shifting Gear Fall 2016 Poughkeepsie, New York Instructor: Lee Altman Team: Ying Ping, Nabi Agzamov, Jiaqi Sun
1 out of 4 prisoners in the world lives in the land of the free. 75% of these inmates are high school dropouts. However, expenditure on prisons has tripled compared to education since 1980. NY state spends $60,000 per inmate vs $18,000 per student annually. Recently a quarter of a billion-dollar Dutchess County Jail expansion has been approved in the city of Poughkeepsie. Meanwhile, Poughkeepsie school district’s performance is in the lowest 10% in the state, with a graduation rate of 57%. The district has been underfunded for years and lacks simple services such as bus network for highschool students. How can we reinvest in and rethink the failing industrial educational model, so it stops funneling students into prisons? Can public schools be more focused on collaboration and creativity like schools in Finland, and use design and design thinking as a vehicle for public education as Project H did in North Carolina. We want to adopt a project-based educational model in Poughkeepsie that would address local issues such as, drop out rate, lack of social services in schools, and the community and law enforcement relation. Therefore, we first propose a bike sharing system that is produced by students, and could serve as an alternative way of transportation for everyone including Poughkeepsie high school and the police department.
Regional analysis of the Shifting Gear Project.
Biking network and related programs.
Biking network and related programs.
Underutilized garage as headquarter and fabrication shop for Shifting Gear Educational Center.
Design intervention.
Huai Kuan Chung Columbia University MsAUD, GSAPP