Selected Work
Mengna Li monalijob@outlook.com Master of Architecture, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY Master of Landscape Architecture, Penn State University, State College, PA
EDUCATION 2017 – 2020 2013 – 2016 6.2015 – 7.2015
Master of Architecture Master of Landscape Architecture
3.2014 – 4.2014
Semester abroad in Paris, France
2008 – 2013
Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture
Semester abroad in Japan and Korea
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA Sogang University, Seoul, Korea Southwestern University, Chongqing, China
EXPERIENCE 02.2019 –
Pratt Insititute SAVI, New York, NY Graduate Assistant
08.2019–12.2019
Milestone Architecture PLLC, New York, NY Architecture Design Intern
05.2018–08.2018
Lockwood Architecture and Design, New York, NY Architecture Design Intern
02.2017–06.2017
FUTURE GREEN STUDIO, Brooklyn, NY Landscape Architecture Design Intern
08.2016–12.2016
SCAPE Landscape Architecture, New York, NY Landscape Architecture Design Intern
06.2016–08.2016
Counts Studio, New York, NY Landscape Architect Intern
09.2013–05.2014
Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA Teaching Assistant
07.2011–06.2012
Architecture Design and Research Institute of CISDI Group, Chongqing, China Landscape Architect Intern
COMPETITIONS 7.2016 10.2015
AWARDS
Off the Rail Competition (3rd Place) Better Philadelphia Challenge Competition
2017-20 Pratt Institute Graduate Fellowship 2016 ASLA Student Honor Awards Participant 2016 Off the Rail Competition Finalist
SKILL Digital: AutoCAD, Revit, Sketchup, Rhino (Vary, Maxwell, Grasshopper,enscape), Lumion, Blender, 3d Max, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Arc GIS, SWMM, CNC Mill Hand: Free-hand drawing with water color, charcoal, pen and pencil
CONTENT ACADEMIC
01
IN-BETWEEN
PROFESSIONAL
Brooklyn Strand Planning Women’s Building Terrace
Office Renovation
02
THOUGHT UNKNOWN
03
AMAZON NOT
Terrace Design Urban Design
04
THE RIBBON
Elderly House Design
05
THE RIVER AND THE HILL
ACADEMIC
01
In-Between
Mixed-use Residential Building Time: 09-12 / 2018 Professor: Carlos Arnolz Location: Brooklyn Downtown
This project is interested in exploring the application of geology in the architecture and trying to come up with an innovative and healthy typology for the future. Like a natural strata that stores various residues during its formation, building aggregates their conglomeration on a single surface similarly. The similarity between landscape and building opens up a more intricate relationship of form and field. Nowadays, people has enjoyed the convenience which digitalized world is bringing to us. However, this new life style has caused work-life balance, healthy issues, environmental and other social problems. By proposing a new mixed-use residential building to the downtown brooklyn, it aims to avoid these problems in the fulture, and improve individual and communities' health and workflow’s efficiency.
01
In-Between
Concept Idea
Extrusion in NY zone 6. Located near the transportation center, the site faces plaza and road.
If just extruding the building, the densification problem cannot be solved.
Considering different qualities of spaces, assigned each sphere with varied programs, like office, public, and green space.
Locating spheres to create more visual and spatial connections with the neighbourhood.
Floor plates will be influenced by the force of the sphere, generating new surfaces
Considering the sun path, wind direction and viewing factors when designing the biulding shape.
The Mixed-use building started with rethinking the collective-indivudual relation of a office and residential programs, and bringing new trend of working styles to the design. Digital technology has dominated the world since 80s and make it possible for companies to produce more with fewer employees and hire on a short-term project. Advances in technology have created a workforce that would rather be inventors and entrepreneurs rather than employees. Hence, physical alignment is not necessary any more. Taking advantage of the location in downtown brooklyn, the building was designed not only as a office and residential building, but also a public gathering for local residents and tourists.
03 In-Between
Combined Geology/Architecture Types
Compressional Force
skin
Tensional Force
Communal Space
Shearing Force
sharing space
Currently, it is a time of shifts in the physical, digital, and biological worlds , slowly distrupting and reshaping human instritutional structures. Reverse migrations, population growth, limited resources, economic, and the begining of the Fourth Industrial Revolution are all the factors to consider when designing the building. Compared with the tradtional residential buildings, this new type of mixeduse building has used the geological strata as a reference to reconsider the potential changes. The project has located the public realm between office spaces and residential rooms in order to solve the work-life balance problems for fast-paced life style. Like the geological strate, programs other than residential units are different forms, using the in-between space to solve the totally different programs. By sharing the lounge, kitchen and green spaces together, residents, workers and tourists can utlize the most of the space and produce the effeciency harmoniously.
Bring Outside In
Bring Inside Out
Exterior Zones
Spatial Zones
Residential Office Commercial
Green Canopy
Circultion _ Workers
Circulation _ Residents
Rainwater Collections
Linear Visual Relation
Solar Energy Collection
In order to create a more sustainable building in the future, the project has tried to use the landscape as a ribbon to link the building with the ground and other infrastructure in the city. Green Infrastructure and grey infrastructure have all weaved together to have the building function more effectively.
05 In-Between
Although the advancement in information technology is blurring the geograohical barriers among people, having smaller booth whose use is flexible depends on how people are gonna use it is significant. The individual booth can allow people from distant places to talk or work with each other. What is more, the cubic working spaces would cost less and be more attractive for start-ups, they can rent the booth depends on the specific needs. the flexible working hours and working spaces allow the communication among people easier and more frequent since the public spaces are more accessbile and scattered.
Architecture Prototype Studios and cubic working spaces are all for rental in the lower ground, people can rent these spaces to communicate better and work more effeciently. Number of sharing spaces have been created to increase the working up would benefit from living in the rental apartments since finding hotels and traffic would be time-consuming and expansive.
Single Bedroom
Residential Living
Connection Relaxing
Office Working
07 In-Between
Double Bedroom
effeciency and communication better. People travelled to work and the start-
Level 03 Sharing Space
4
5
2 4 5 1
6 5
Level 07 1
2 1
5
2
6
5
3 1. Office 2. Sharing Lounge 3. Residential Room 4. Public Realm 5. Circulation(public) 6. Elevator(residential)
4B4B (18th - 19th floor)
4B4B / 2B2B / Public Plaza (12th - 17th floor)
1B1B /OFFICE /EDU (6th - 11th floor)
COMMERCIAL/PUBLIC PLAZA (1st - 5th floor)
09 In-Between
Level 10
3 3
5 2 6 5 3
Level 14
3
2
3
3
5
5
6 4
1. Office 2. Sharing Lounge 3. Residential Room 4. Public Realm 5. Circulation(public) 6. Elevator(residential) Higher floors are more for long-term rentals for the family which would provide them better view and quiter living enviroment.
11
In-Between
1
ACADEMIC
02
Thought Unknown Incinerator with Natatorium
Time: 02-04 / 2019 Professor: Daisy Ames Location: Brooklyn Downtown
The main goal of the project is foremost to create an awareness that promotes acceptance within the community for waste incineration and healthy community, whilst at the same time minimising impedance to the visual connection to Manhattan. We aim to achieve this through creating visually accessible space via the use of light steel frame structure with transparent glazing. In this sense the transparency is used as a tool to create knowledge which may lead to a wider acceptance throughout the community. It also conforms to our maintaining of visual continuity to Manhattan across the river. Our second goal is to create a curiosity of space where the patrons are encouraged to explore areas that draw them in through a unique formal juxtaposition. To achieve this we paired the orthogonal transparent form of the WTE plant with bulbous, solid forms which will house the natatorium programs. These forms are intended to be visible from the transparent front facade of the building.
13
THOUGHT UNKNOWN
Waste Landfill
Infrastructure and WTE system
+
Regenerative Energy Center
Community Center (Education, Leisure, Technology)
Educational Technology Leisure
15
THOUGHT UNKNOWN
“I do not claim to know what space is. The longer I think about it, the more mysterious it becomes. About one thing, however, I am sure: when we, as architects are concerned with space, we are contending with but a tiny part of the infinity that surrounds the earth and yet each and every building marks a unique place in that infinity”. — Peter Zumthor
First Stage for Community - putting the history back to the community
Brownstone House
Second Stage for Community - bringing in the incinerator and recycling center to process the waste
Third Stages for Community - community engaged in the incinarator proccess
Fourth Stage for Community - education engaged in the reusable energy process
17
THOUGHT UNKNOWN
Brooklyn Community
WTE (Waste to Energy) Process
Filter
ing
Gene
rating
Incie n Boilin rating & g
Wast e proc ess
Sensational Exploration
Through Time
Through Spatial movement
Through Lighting Experience
Through Visual Experience
Purpose
? Focused
Contemplating
Spatial Sequence
19
THOUGHT UNKNOWN
Directional
Side-focused
Being Watched
Smellling without Hearing Recycling Tour - Sorting
Education Center - Combustion
Filtration Pond - Scrubber Water
Seeing without Touching Gym - Ash Belt
Peeping - Scrubber
Sauna - Boiler
Water Fall - Scrubber
Tree in the Green House - Filter Room
Hearing without Smelling Swimming - Machine
Feeling without Seeing Charging Booth - Generating Room
Walk Bridge Vibration - Factory
Path Walk- Recycled Glass
Hearing the sound of machine running while swimming
21
THOUGHT UNKNOWN
Feeling the vibration of machine running while walking
Seeing the machine composition while charging the phone
Smelling the odor of machine working while touring
3F + 40’ 2F + 20’ 1F + 00’ BF - 20’
5 8 9 4
11 1 3
2
3
12
10
6
7
Cooling/Heating System 1. Floor Heating 2. Wall Heating/Cooling system 3. Air to Water Heat Pump 4. Accumulation Tank Reusable 5. Solar panel 6. Ash Refill 7. Recycling Waste
23 THOUGHT UNKNOWN
Hydraulic 8. Rainwater 9. Black Water 10. Gray Water 11. Filtration Tank 12. Garden Irrigation
25
THOUGHT UNKNOWN
First Floor
27
THOUGHT UNKNOWN
Second Floor
Third Floor
29 THOUGHT UNKNOWN
Supports Glass Panel
1
Joint Stack Solar Glass
Waterproofing Membrane
+60.00’ Roof
+40.00’ Level 3 I-beam Ventilation Lighting Ceiling Substructure Ceiling System substructure and rails Acoustic absorption
Vertical Window
Insulation
Travertine Paving tile Insulation under floor system type Elevated floor substructure Concrete on Metal Deck
+20.00’ Level 2
Primary Truss System Lighting Fixture
Concrete Foundation Beam Water Drain pipes protected with Gravel Gravel Finish Reinforced Concrete Slab Water Drain below the slab +00.00’ Ground Level
31
THOUGHT UNKNOWN
ACADEMIC
03
Amazon Not
Mixed-use Community Center Time: 09-12 / 2019 Professor: Henry Smith Miller Location: Long Island City, NY
This project is interested in exploring architecture's role in the community, what the architecture could provide for the city, either agitating or mitigating various social issues. The rejection and failure of Amazon’s bid to develop Annabel Basin challenged the customary, normative and evolutionary modes of urban development usual to the City, left the City with a “failed site”. By proposing a theater for the city, Instead of having a traditional shoe-box theater design, this project has redefined the theater's relationship between the public outside and interior spaces. While inviting people from the public spaces inside the building, the theater has become a media to connect people from all parts of the city. The building has revealed itself without being too obvious, and cast a new light to the city.
33 Amazon-not
Opportunity Map
Specific View Place of interest Water management 35
Amazon-not
+
Strategy
12
09
05
09 06 01. Lobby 02. Shoe-box Theater 03. View Point 04. Flexible Perfomance Space 05. Conventional Theater 06. Terrace 07. Rehearsal Room 08. Restaurant 09. Bar 10. Education Room 11. Restroom 12. Harbor
04 11
08
07 02
01/10
03
It is conceived as a simple mass hollowed out end-to-end from the solid form of the building, the project also contains a smaller, more flexible performance space with no fixed seating, rehearsal rooms, recording studios, an educational area, a restaurant, terrace, bars, a VIP room, administration areas, and an underground car park.
Section with Typology
Tide parks
floodable surface
Harbar Breakwarer
37
Amazon-not
sustainable interior design
adaptive roof surface
Rolling Door
39 Amazon-not
ACADEMIC
04
The Ribbon Parametric Facade Design
Time: 04/ 2019 Professor: Brian Ringly Location: New York, New York
The goal of the project is to create a building that signifiies robustness, openness and dynamism and aims to design a transparent, and responsive facade system. The circular shape of the building body explores the potential of a 360-degree panoramic view of the surrounding, and the buliding will stand out regardless of where in the city and at what distance you are experiencing it. The facade design of the building is about transforming and unfolding. By unfolding the The ground floor is accessible to all and become a communal space for the surrounding neighbourhood. By adjusting facade panel rotation length and direction based on the solar radiation analysis, the building will present different appearances to the people outside and inside and at the same time achieve energy-effecient performance. Hence, the repetition of twisted fins gives the elevation energy and unity.
41
The Ribbon
FACADE DESIGN
Split the Rectangular Grid into Even Number of Fins Label Panels
Some rooms’ windows will alter the facade rotation based on the specific openning. The solar radiation analysis will help designer design the facade better.
UNROLLED FACADE DETAILS (1’=1/4”)
N
N
S
43 The Ribbon
Panels Distances Vary Based on Attractors
Loft Lines along the Panels
Generate Hexagon Gap between Each Fin
PANEL DETAILS (1’=1/8”) Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Combine All Panels Together
PANEL SECTION
45
The Ribbon
PANEL SECTION
IGU Panel
Aluminum Grate Fastner Rolled Brake-formed Stainless Steel
Steel Bracket Bolt Hard-formed Solid Surface Fin Steel Beam
SOLAR RADIATION Energy Gain according to angle and orientation of facade in summer 0째
30째
60째
90째
East
93%
90%
78%
< 60%
South-east
93%
96%
88%
66%
South
93%
100%
91%
68%
South-west
93%
96%
88%
66%
West
93%
90%
78%
< 60%
North-West
93%
85%
68%
45%
North
93%
80%
60%
40%
Angle
Orientation
ACADEMIC
05
The River & The Hill
Integrating Water Urbanism to Cultural Landscape Preservation Time: 02 - 05 / 2016 Professor: Peter Aeschbacher Location: Strip District, Pittsburgh, PA
Due to global warming and the ever-expanding reach of urbanization, traditional engineering approaches, such as levees and dikes, can no longer solely prevent flooding. In recent years, the field of water urbanism has emerged as a new perspective on sustainable urbanism. However, the crucial element that has been missing is the need to preserve historical
cultural landscape. This project will address the opportunities and challenges of integrating cultural landscapes into water urbanism. To analyze specific water urbanism
strategies that preserve aspects
of cultural heritage, this paper discusses several prototypes, a flood wall, a polder, a water square, etc. The application of the prototypes to the Strip District, Pittsburgh, whose existing city plans were unable to meet requirements of flood prevention, would provide a new paradigm for industrial cultural landscape preservation that would focus on water urbanism.
47
THE RIVER AND THE HILL
1907
1892 1933
Population -- peaked at 699,814
Railraod has grown rapidly thanks for the industry
A rupture in industrial underpinnings.
1966
Becoming the capital of the steel
Shipbuilding -- most important industry
1790
1758
Pittsburgh came into being
SAMPLING STRIP Prevention
Transportation
Store
Steal Making
Coal (Raw Material)
Purification + Store
Market
Store
Process
Cultivate
Store
Prevention
Storage/Purification
Store
Water Square
+
Architecture
49 THE RIVER AND THE HILL
PROTOTYPE Productive Land
Mist Garden
+
+
Water Steps
Bioswale
Elvevated Path
ECOLOGY SECTION ANALYSIS
Purification +
Prevention
Ohio Buckeye
Chara
51
Shagbark Hickory
Scirpus spp.
Typha spp
THE RIVER AND THE HILL
Baptisia australis
American Beech
Lindera benzoin
Ilex glabra
Hamamelis virginiana
Sugar Maple
Echinacea purpurea Aster novae
Store
Purification
Tulip Poplar
e-angliae
American Sycamore
Aquilegia canadensis
Heliopsis helianthoides
Sugar Maple
Eupatorium rugosum
Tulip Poplar
Dryopteris marginalis
Virginia Pine
Sedum ternatum Sorghastrum nutans
PROFESSIONAL
01
Brooklyn Strand Master Plan Urban Planning
Time: 04-05 / 2017 PM: Lee Altman Location: Brooklyn, New York
Open space, development, multimodal and connectivity 01
Brooklyn Strand Master Plan
Public space under BQE has increased the connection to the neighbouring area Redesign park edge as open space instead of barrier for residents
PROFESSIONAL
02
Women’s Building Terrace Historic Rooftop Garden Design
TIme: 10-12 / 2016 PM: Michy McMreary Location: New York, New York
03 Women’s Building Terrace
GROWTH CYCLE = SPACE
SSECCA ECARRET HTIW DESOLCNE YLLUF :YPONAC GNIVIL GNIDLIUB S’NEMOW EHT 6102 ,03 rebmevoN
37
CUTTING GARDEN: BIRD’S EYE THE WOMEN’S BUILDING November 30, 2016
56
04 Women’s Building Terrace Design
PROFESSIONAL
03
UBS Office Building Renovation Interior Design
TIme: 05-07 / 2018 Project Manager: Alexjandra Murrilo Location: Richmond, Virginia
05 UBS Office Building Renovation
04
South Downtown Master Plan Urban Planning Development
Time: 04 / 2016 PM: David Seiter Location: Atlanta, Georgia
By identifying opportunities of reclaiming Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic status, multimodal of new development and services, public parks, plazas and streetscape improvements, Atlantic city will be reboosted. I helped the whole team with the plan making and documents organization.
06 South Downtown Master Plan
PROFESSIONAL
05
Beauty of Sunset Elderly Community Design
TIme: 06-08 / 2012 PM: Yuan Hong (Team with Tu Yin) Location: Huaxi Street, Baâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nan District, Chongqing, China Entrance
07 Beauty of Sunset
Zen Garden