Collective Works of 2016-2019. M. Arch 3 Virginia Tech

Mengnan Cheng Collective works of 2016 - 2019 Master of Architecture in Virginia Tech

Mengnan Cheng Email: mgnn.cheng@gmail.com Cell: 540.588.5258 Address: 4720 Center Blvd, Apt 3001, Long Island City, NY 11109 Web: http://issuu.com/mengnancheng8

Education 2016 - 2019

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Master of Architecture Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, VA Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Riva San Vitale, Switzerland

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Design Discovery Summer School | Architecture Harvard Graduate School of Design | Cambridge, MA

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Master of Accounting Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, VA

2014-2016

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Bachelor of Financial Management Tianjin University of Commerce | Tianjin, China

2009-2013

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Graduate Teaching Assistant in Architecture Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, VA

08/2017 - 05/2019

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Staff Accountant Better Agreements, Inc | Blacksburg, VA

06/2015 - 05/2016

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Softwares: Revit, Rhino 3D, Autocad, V-ray, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign, Adobe lightroom, Sketchup, Microsoft Office

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Graphics: pen sketch, charcoal, marker, watercolor, screen printing, photography

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Language: Mandarin, English (working proficiency)

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2016-2017 Studio Outstanding Student, Virginia Tech

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2017-2018 Studio Outstanding Student, Virginia Tech

2016 Summer

Employment

Skills

Accomplishments

Projects 01. Furniture Showroom 02. Architecture School Extension 03. Terrace House 04. Alpine Hut 05. Model Stand 06. Boston library 07. Additional Drawings

01. Furniture Showroom Thesis, 2018 - 2019

This study of a furniture showroom demonstrates the expression of the relationships of two basic forms of art: furniture and architecture. The geometric form of the work of architecture stands in both harmony and tension with and against its furnishings. Harmony is present through the union of solid forms and the hollows of the rooms and its parts. Through the union of cylindrical, conical, helical and cubic forms, static and dynamic relations activate moments of rest in the fluid movement. the furniture stands against this harmonic background and expresses tension through its own form and arrangement.

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Section Roof Plan

Exhibition Tower Elevation Plan

Spiraling Exhibition Tower The exhibition tower is the union of two solids: cone and cylinder. A solid spiraling ramp moves from the first floor to the roof terrace. The ramp will be cut from solid marble blocks using the techniques of stereotomy. Advancing digital fabrication techniques will reduce the time required for cutting the stones and for improving the accuracy of complex shapes.

The cone is capped with a dome made from cast glass blocks.

Exhibition Tower Perspective

02. Architecture School Extension Blacksburg, Virginia. 2018

Cowgill extension is an extension building to the existing architecture department in Virginia Tech. Sitting on the slope with Cowgill as a background and open road as a foreground, The building is intended to provide lightness to the massive surround environment. The building is collaboratively comprised of three forms which are consistent with its functions. In the center is a cubic solid within which a smaller cube is 45 degrees rotated and extruding out from the top of the utter cube. This form serves as a library, creating the public study space on the perimeter and intimate reading area within the smaller cube lit from the top by a skylight. Embracing library are two L-shaped flanks, serving as workshops and instructional area individually.

For the convenient loading purpose, two-story workshops expand along with the slope so that two loading decks are located on each level. Instructional space shares easy access to the Cowgill, promising a close relation. Two corridors are the medium connecting cubic and longitudinal space.

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1. plastic shop 2. metal shop 3. office 4. book tower 5. plaza

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1. wood shop 2. robotic shop 3. plastic shop 4.office 5. auditorium 6. gallery 7. study area

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Perspective in Book Tower

Perspective in Plastic Shop

Perspective in Study Zone

Auditorium

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Shops Section b-b

Bookshelf Study Zone

Stairs

Book Tower

Stairs

Office Bookshelf Study Zone

Bookshelf

Study Zone

Book Tower

Gallery Plaza

Study Zone Bookshelf Study Zone

Egress

West Elevation

South Elevation

2. Roof Construction: - Gravel, 2” - Synthetic roofing felt - Thermal insulation, 6” - Vapor barrier, 1/2” - Metal deck with concrete infilled, 8” - Transverse I beam S 8x23 - Longitudinal I beam S 12x31.8 - C channel C 12x 30 3. Wall Construction: - Steel I beam S 12x31.8 - Double-glazed glass - Gypsum Board, 1” thickness 4. Floor Construction: - Floor covering, 1/4” - Impact sound insulation,3/4” - Metal deck with concrete infilled, 8” - Transverse I beam S 8x23 - Longitudinal I beam S 12x31.8 - Drop ceiling - gypsum board, 1”

6. Roof Construction: - Low plants - Erosion control - 3” - 6” growth medium - Filler fabric - Drainage layer, 2” - Aluminum curb - Gravel - Thermal insulation - Lek detection system - Roof barrier - Water proof membrane - Roof deck with concrete infilled, 8” - C channel, C12x30 7. Wall Section: - CMU blocks, 6”x8”x16” - Insulation, 4” - 2” air space - Seamless corrugated metal panel in Ivory, 1/4” x 12”

1. Skylight: - Steel curb, 6”x 3’ - Timber curb, 4”x6” - 1/4” laminated glass.

5. 1/4” laminated safety glass

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19'-5" 3

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ESTCODE

ESTCODE

14'-8"

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13'-4"

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03. Terrace House

Blacksburg, Virginia. 2018

These terrace houses are situated on the sloping terrain on the edge of Blacksburg county in Virginia, United States. Laid out in three rows towards the east-northern direction, the houses respond to their surroundings and express their stepping character in various ways. Every two houses out of three share the wall in between and the three houses, as a group, are intertwined with public stairways, together composing the entire complex. From the outside, the houses have a monolithic appearance. Three circular openings on the back wall form the entrance from the road. Going down along the stairways, each house is approached from the side. Each house is a two and a half story space. Public areas, such as kitchen, dining room, and living room are on the second floor, where the entrance is. Private spaces, like two bedrooms and main bathroom, are on the bottom floor. On the top of the roof is a small lantern space, serving as an office with a generous view of the landscape. Views and light in the house are provided by the courtyard in a private zone, and a balcony exists in a more public zone.

The solid roof and floor structure are reinforced concrete, and the walls on the upper floor are made of CMU blocks. The lantern space is constructed with steel columns and glass finishing.

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Axonometric View

1.UV-resistant roofing felt 2.Steel section 3.Air space 4.Insulation 5.Facing brickwork 6.Loading bearing CMU wall 7.Mansory lintel 8.Metal window frame 9.Foil slip joint 10.Reinforced concrete slab 11.Diffusion-tight membrane

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Interior Perspective

Entrance Perspective

04.Alpine Hut

Matterhorn, Switzerland. 2017

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A hut, originally a primitive dwelling, is a protective space against harsh climate. As it grows from a type of vernacular architecture, the modern hut is added on consideration of experience besides the dwelling quality. With this understanding in mind, The Alpine Hut embodies the character of simple and practical.

Alpine Hut situates on Riffelsee, Zermatt in Switzerland. With the beautiful Matterhorn as a backdrop, the hut joins into nature through its form and material. Pitches roof speaks for the Matterhorn behind it and the combination of light birch wood and dark ribbed metal roof make the hut completely emerged into the surrounding vibe. The structure is a light timber frame, considering the convenience of construction. The hut is a two-story space that is orientated around the fireplace sitting in the center. Fireplace, as a core, provides the basic life necessities for the hut.

As reaching the hut through an open-aired and shelter corridor, visitors would walk into the sharing space with seat, table, and bathroom. The stairs, on the one end, twine the fireplace, leading to the sleeping zone on the second floor. Balcony on the second floor brings in the light and tremendous landscape into the hut.

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First Floor Plan

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View on second living space towards balcony

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View on first floor from entrance

Second Floor Plan

Level 4 19' - 9 23/32"

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Level 4 19' - 9 23/32"

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05. Model Stand

Fall semester, 2016

When an object is intended to serve multiple functions it sometimes loses its formal beauty . This project was an attempt to design and build an object that could be sat on, carried, carry things in it, and used as a model stand, without sacrificing an initial formal desire. Four functions , one object. There is no mechanical action that takes place with the object. However, the object can simply be rotated in different directions to allow for a different function to occur.

The object was designed using an axonometric drawing technique through which all side of the stool/stand could be view at once, and in three-dimensions.

06. Boston Library

Summer school at GSD, 2016

“Permanent” archival collection of books, objects and digital medias within the scale of the institution as well as the “ temporary” accumulation of urbanites in a series of indoor and outdoor spaces at the scale of the city site. Object, Subject and urban identity are intertwined in the design of a new library for the New-market/Dudley Sq. Neighborhood of South Boston, MA.

View to Residential

theater

First Floor Plan:

shop lobby

coffee lounge View to School

gallery

Second Floor Plan: reading zone conference room classroom

Third Floor Plan: reading zone seminar

offices

View in Library

factory

residentials

school

Conceptual Models

Library

Office + Theater

Facet towards Factory Main Entrance

Facet towards School

Bird-eye View

Facet towards residential

07. Additional Drawings

Marker Pen Charcoal