A RC H I T E C T U R E P O RT F O L I O NG JING W EN M ERI S
N g J i n g We n M e r i s
PROFESSIONAL
19 Dec 1995 House of Three Gables
RT + Q A rc h i t e c t s P t e Lt d
A Midsummer ’s Night Drea m
Architectural Assistant (2018-2021)
Ongoing Projects - H House
Global Rhode Island School of Design Seoul: Housing Hybrids (Summer 2017)
University of Queensland Bachelor of Architectural Design (2014-2017)
Vision Interior Pte Ltd Interior Designer (2013-2014)
- House of Generations
ACADEMIC The Underground Museum Gwangjang Market
E X P L O R AT I O N S P e r s o n a l P o t t e r y Wo r k s
Pioneer Junior College
Architectural Pilgrimage
G C E ’A’ L e v e l s (2011-2013)
- Le Corbusier - to Rome
2018-2021 HO USE O F THREE GA B LE S
w i t h RT + Q A RC H IT E C T S PTE LTD a s l e a d p r oj e c t d esig ner
A m u lt ige n e rat ion h ou s e on a h ill at Cornw all Garde n s , Hou s e of t h e Th re e G a b l e s s ou gh t t o cre at e a h om e t h at con n e c t s a fam ily t h rou gh e xp re s s ion an d m em o r y, w h i l s t p rovidin g p rivat e s p ace s w it h a s e n s e of ow n e rs h ip for e ach of t h e fam i l y m e m b e r s . A s p irin g t o brin g t h e e s s e n ce of t h e p rim it ive h u t t o a m ode rn con t e x t , t h e fe a t u re o f t h e t h re e p it ch e d roof s con n e c t s t h e e xp re s s ion of t h e facade t o t h e h igh a t r i u m s p a c e , lin in g t h e ce n t ral s p in e of t h e h om e . Th e at riu m roof is s h ap e d w it h acce n tu a t e d r a ft e r s t h at adjoin s t wo dorm e r w in dow s , h arke n in g back t o m e m orie s of t h e p re v i o u s h o u s e of t h e fam ily an d cre at in g a con n e c t ion t h e n o s t a l g i c p a s t . Th e h igh foye r s p ace p e r form s a s t h e h e ar t of t h e h ou s e , w h ich bran ch es o u t t o t h e m a s t e r be droom an d t h e t wo ch ildre n block s (e a s t an d we s t o f t h e h o u s e) . Th e s t ark diffe re n ce in t e rrain on s it e cre at e d in t e re s t in g de s ign op p or t u n i t i e s w i t h t h e acce n t u at e d grou n d p lan e allow in g for t h e dram at ic p lay on h e igh t diffe re n c e b e t we e n t h e livin g room , e n t ran ce an d at riu m s p ace s . Wit h e ach ch an ge in le ve l e mp h a s i z i n g t h e ide a of con n e c t ivit y of s p ace s t h rou gh v i s u a l l aye r s . I ac t e d a s t h e m ain p roje c t liais on on t h e h ou s e be t we e n clie n t s an d bu ild e r, u n d e r t h e t u t e lage of de s ign dire c t ors at RT+ Q. I w a s involve d in t h e de s ign , t e n de r a n d c o n s t r u ct ion of a h om e an d w ill con t in u e t o ove rs e e t h e p roje c t t ill it s fu ll c o m p l e t i o n .
1st storey floor plan
sectional perspective
2nd storey floor plan
enlarged section at the double height atrium at foyer
the central spine of the house
weekly site visit with colleagues at the double height atrium
in discussion with
front view from the driveway (t wo dormers adjoin into the main gable roof )
contractor on site mock up of the main staircase
v i e w o f j u n i o r m a s t e r 2 ’s fa m i l y ro o m (e a s t o f t he house)
rear view of the house
view from Cornwall Gardens
2019 A M IDSUM M ER NIGHT ’ S DR E AM
w i t h RT + Q A RC H IT E C T S PTE LTD a s a rc h i t e c t u ra l assistant ( 2 0 2 0 S IA DE S IG N AWARD)
Th e s t age s e t de s ign w a s com m is s ion e d by N e w O p e ra S in gap ore for a t wo -n i g h t o p e r a p e r form an ce of A M ids u m m e r N igh t ’s D re am by Be n jam in B rit t e n in Vic t o r i a Th e a t re , Si n g a p o re . Th e con ce p t w a s t o ap p ly an arch it e c t u ral ap p roach t o fu s e fan t a s y w it hi n t h e re a l m of t h e s t a g e s e t . I n s p ire d by bot h S h ake s p e are’s t h e at rical h om e , t h e Global Th e at re in Lo n d o n a n d A n dre a Palladio’s Te at ro O lim p ico in Vice n z a , my t e am an d I e xp lore d a s e r i e s o f r a m p s a s a ce n t ral e le m e n t t o cre at e a fals e illu s ion of de p t h an d a dis t or t ion o f t h e re a l i t y. I t s t rip s all orn am e n t s w it h p u re s im p le t rap e zoidal form t h at draw s t h e at t e n t i o n o f t h e au die n ce t o p roje c t t h e ir ow n im agin at ion du rin g t h e p e r fo r m a n c e . Fu n dam e n t al is s u e s of s cale , p rop or t ion an d h arm ony we re ardu ou s ly s t u d i e d t h ro u g h de t aile d draw in gs a n d m o d e l s . Th e ram p s are als o de s ign e d t o be m ove able t o accom m odat e t h e vari o u s s e t t i n g s re q u ire d fo r t h e o p e r a . D u e t o t h e t im e con s t rain t s on s it e , it w a s ch alle n gin g t o e n s u re t h e p rop e r a s s e m b l y for e a s y an d q u ick m an oe u vrin g be t we e n s e t ch an ge s . We h ad t o be q u ic k t o p rov i d e s olu t ion s on s it e t o fin e t u n e t h e m ovin g p ar t s of t h e ram p an d t o e n s u re th e s u c c e s s fu l e xe cu t ion o f t h e o p e r a . I w a s able t o le ad t h e p roje c t w it h my t e am t h rou gh t h e w h ole p roc e s s f ro m t h e de s ign in g s t age t o t h e con s t ru c t ion p roce s s t o t h e re h e ars al an d la s t ly t o c u r t a i n c a l l .
s i t e p l a n (s t a g e c l o s e)
abstract design (a m b ig u i t y v s c l a r i t y)
exploration of massing models
construction process:
fi n a l p hy s i c a l m o d e l (s t a g e c l o s e)
fi n a l p hy s i c a l m o d e l (s t a g e o p e n)
from the left to the right: 1 . O f f s i t e C o n s t r u c t i o n - We l d i n g s t e e l s t r u c t u r e 2. Cladding ply wood onto the steel structure 3. Use of crane truck to unload the ramps at Victoria Theatre 4. Use of physical labour to transport the ramps onto the stage 5. Alignment of each ramps 6. Reinforced step-on stopper to prevent movement during the set
ON G OIN G PROJ E C TS
H Ho use (2018-2021)
H o us e fo r t he Generat i ons (2019-2022)
spring 2016 THE UNDERGRO UND M U S E U M
a c a dem i c des i g n stud io H i s t o r y a n d M e mor y ; B a s e d o n F r a n k L l oyd Wr i g h t ’s H o l l y h ock H ouse
Th e ide a w a s t o e n gage t h e arch it e c t u ral can on s de rive d f rom Fran k Ll oyd Wr i g h t . I ch os e t o u s e t h e orn am e n t t h at is re p e at e d arou n d Holly h ock Hou s e a s my d e s i g n e t h os . Th e orn am e n t w a s abs t rac t e d in t o fou r diffe re n t it e rat ion s (a s s h ow n i n my p hy s i c a l m o d e l s) . Sy m m e t rical e le m e n t s t h at are p lace d in t o a s y m m e t rical form , laye rin g e l e m e n t s t o diffe re n t iat e t h e s p at ial q u alit ie s an d u n ifie d t h rou gh t h e e n dle s s l i n e wo r k s . Th e Un de rgrou n d m u s e u m is s p lit in t o t h re e diffe re n t le ve ls ba s e d on t h e i r s p a t i a l q u alit ie s , w h e re t h e grou n d le ve l e n com p a s s e s w h e re m os t of t h e p u blic s p a c e s a re . Ba s e m e n t on e e n com p a s s e s t h e p rivat e s p ace s , s u ch a s t h e t oile t an d offi c e , fo l l owe d by ba s e m e n t t wo, h ou s in g t h e e xh i b i t i o n s p a c e . Th rou gh t h e s e s p ace s , it is u n ifie d by t h e roof form an d t h e ce n t ral s t a i r s , w h i c h i s t h e m ain circu lat ion s p ace . Th e roof form is h igh ligh t e d t h rou gh t h e p la n n i n g o f t h e layou t an d t h e in de n t s on t h e floor. Th e s p ace w it h in t h e s t airs is de fin e d by a c e n t r a l ligh t we ll an d t h e e xcit in g p rot ru s ion of lan din g t o allow t h e vis it ors t o gla n c e t h ro u g h t h e e xh ibit ion s p ace be fore le avin g . Fu r t h e rm ore , t o e m p h a s ize on t h e in fini t e n e s s f ro m my p h a s e s , t h e lin e work s of t h e roof form are e x t ru din g all t h e w ay t h ro u g h t h e s i t e . I t cre at e s an in de n t on t h e floor, t h at is lit du ri n g t h e n i g h t . Th e m u s e u m is m ade of gla s s , con cre t e an d in s u lat e d t e n s ion e d m e m bran e w i t h s t e e l s t ru c t u re t o com p le m e n t it s ae s t h e t ical an d s p at ial e xp e rie n ce s . Be it in t he m u s e u m o r ou t s ide of t h e w h ole form , t h e arch it e c t u ral can on s can be s e e n t h ro u g h o u t .
exploded axonometric view
section one
section two
site plan with contours
basement two plan
physical models
basement one plan
ground plan
summer 2017 GWAN GJANG M A R KE T
a c a dem i c des i g n st u di o in Seo ul w i t h Rh o d e I s l a n d S c h o o l of De si g n Ur b a n t r a n s fo r m a t i o n o f t h e o l d c i t y of S e oul A s S e ou l be com e s m ore m e t rop olit an , it is e a s y t o los e s igh t of it s h e r i t a g e t o t e ch n olog y an d e con omy. He n ce , in t h e m ode rn world, it is im p or t an t t o p re s e r ve an d re vit alize t h e cu lt u ral valu e of h is t oric bu ildin gs , w h ile m e e t in g t h e d e m a n d s o f mo d e r n i z a t i o n . Th e s it e is locat e d at Gw an g jan g m arke t , t h e olde s t m arke t in S e ou l t h at s p e c i a l i s e s i n Han bok (t radit ion al Kore an dre s s), s ilk , fabric an d Kore an s t re e t food. I n t h i s p ro j e c t , we h ad t o an aly s e t h e s it e be t we e n t h e 1 9 7 0 s an d t h e p re s e n t , n ot in g dow n t h e c h a n g e s . We t h e n s ou gh t t o in t e r vie w m e rch an t s op e rat in g w it h in t h e m arke t , ga i n i n g a c o m p re h e n s ive u n de rs t an din g of t h e ir n e e ds an d t h e variou s is s u e s t h e y we re p l a g u e d w i t h . S om e p roble m s t h at we re s u r face d in clu de d t h e lack of crowd on t h e s e co n d l e ve l d u e t o t h e in acce s s ibilit y an d is olat ion . Th e re we re als o n o p rop e r am e n it ie s a n d fa c i l i t i e s for t h e m e rch an t s , e ve n t h ou gh t h e y h ad t o s p e n d m any h ou rs in a day in t h e m a r ke t . Th u s , t h e con ce p t is t o im p rove on t h e circu lat ion f rom t h e grou n d le ve l t o t h e s e c o n d le ve l an d t h e am e n it ie s an d facilit ie s for t h e m e rch an t s . Th e s e we re e xp la i n e d t h ro u g h a s e rie s of p h ot o collage s . We ch an ge d t h e roof t o a s e rie s of t radit ion al p a t t e r n a l u m in u m p an e ls t o allow m ore n at u ral ligh t an d ve n t ilat ion in t o t h e m arke t . To i n c re a s e acce s s ibilit y in t o t h e s e con d an d t h ird le ve ls , we adde d a ce n t ral circu lat io n s p a c e a n d ch an ge d all t h e w alls t o a w in dow w all s y s t e m . A t t h e t h ird le ve l, we in corp o r a t e d l i v i n g u n it s w it h am e n it ie s for t h e m e rch an t s t o im p rove t h e ir s t an dard of livin g in t h e m a r ke t .
E XPLOR AT ION S
perso na l po t ter y work s (2019-2021)
a rc h itc tu r a l pilg rima g e - Le C o r b u si e r (2019)
- t o Ro me (2018)
T H A N K YO U