MI K E HO U
LI
P R F T S ELECTED WORKS 2012-2017
Hi, I’m Mike !
Mike is Xiao Hou’s English name. He is a graduate of Michigan State University. He has lots of interests, but he generally considers himself a full-time designer thinker and a part-time explorer dreamer. Mike is originally from Xi’an, China. He thinks in two cultures.
MIKE HOU E: mike_hou@msn.com T: +1 517 599 6252 linkedin.com/in/mikehou001
E D UCATION 09/2012 12/2017
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) / Master of art in Environmental Design (MA) Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI • Dean’s List 2012, 2014-2017 • Michigan ASLA Student Merit Award, in recognition of outstanding academic achievement, Dec 2016 • Stenquist Landscape Architecture Scholarship, May 2015
E XPE RIE NCE & ACT IVIT IES
S K I LLS
05/2015 07/2017
Student Assistant of Campus Planner MSU Infrastructure Planning and Facilities, East Lansing, MI • Finished a report for a pilot study of a campus academic district that influenced a planned new academic building and campus plaza. • Created a variety of graphics and explored alternative planning and design concepts for various internal studies.
Highly Skilled In: AutoCAD PhotoShop Illustrator InDesign SketchUp Lumion
08/2015 07/2017
Alumni liason & Marketing officer MSU Student Chapter of the ASLA • Enhanced student & alumni connections by regularly creating meaningful contents across multiple social media platforms, leading to significant viewership increase and viewer engagement. • Designed posters and wayfinding signages for a departmentwide career day event.
Knowledgeable In: Rhino & Grasshopper ArcGIS Photography & Videography
Spring 2016
Language: Chinese (native) English (proficient)
Teaching Assistant LA 141 Graphics and 3D design studio, Michigan State University
Spring 2016
Spring 2015
Fall 2015
05/2013 08/2013
Graphic designer and general labor “Sparty’s Cabin“: a student-led Tiny House project • Designed posters to communicate the project to sponsors and the greater community. • Designed and built a beautiful step stool with two teammates. LA study abroad participant MSU Landscape Architecture Program • Led two days of the site visit in Europe, generated 50+ pages of sketches and site studies, created a calender and a video from student submitted content. Team leader for design charrette Big Ten Graphic Workshop and Design Charrette, East Lansing, MI • Led a team of seven landscape architecture students in this three-day design event and presented the final product in front of a group of 20+ design professionals. Landsape architecture intern Bestshow Landscape Architecture Group, Xi’an, China
R E F E R E N CES Steve Troost Campus Planner / Supervisor T: 517 884 0773 E: troosts@ipf.msu.edu Jon B. Burley Associate Professor / Thesis Director T: 517 353 7118 E: burleyj@msu.edu Karen Russcher Instructor / LA Program Leader T: 517 884 6690 E: karenrus@anr.msu.edu
01 MSU x Playground 2.0 The Campus of Future
Visit mikehou001.wixsite.com/msufuture
Time: Fall, 2016 Location: East Lansing, MI Course: LA 817 | Environmental Design Studio Instructor: Robert Dalton Softwares and skills: AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, Lumion, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Web Development Introduction: As thinkers and designers, we think about future. For my senior design studio, I chose to rethink what our central campus could be like in the future. The current campus core is dominated by surface parking lots. Does this type of landscape plan serve the mission of the university? Do we have the physical environment ready for the challenges of future? Do we need a giant parking lot at the core of our campus? The proposed plan features an irregular design that brings energy to the campus. At the core of this plan is a proposed innovation hub that brings people together through reconfiguration of the campus public transportation system, careful programming, and visual cues. It is designed to provide a more integrated learning experience for a future campus.
SITE PLAN Monorail Connection to BRT @ Grand River Corridor
Amphitheatre
r te wa t m en or m St eat Tr
Sunset Plaza
Monorail Connection to Amtrak Station Transit Station
"The Cloud"
Event Center
BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF SUNSET PLAZA The central open space on the western entrance of "The Cloud" creates opportunities for social gatherings
ms
dfor
Lan
"The Cloud"
Proposed Buildings
Sunset Plaza
Stormwater Park
Green Space
Site Circulation
Master Plan
Existing Condition
To create an engaged, integrated learning experience that prepares students to solve our society’s biggest problems.
DESIGN PROCESS
Student Input 1
Functional Use Diagram 1
Student Input 3
Student Input 2
Functional Use Diagram 2
Functional Use Diagram 3
Circulation Synthesis Functional Use Diagram 4
Professor Input 1
Functional Use Diagram 5 Campus Planner Input
Functional Use Diagram 6
Site Design 4
Site Design 3 Site Design 1
Site Design 2
Student Input 4
Existing Circulation Pattern
I had in mind a circulation pattern that also goes into the 3D space. The process is back and forth between model building and site diagrams.
Architecture Design in Rhino
Site Design 5
AutoCAD Drawing
T
Proposed Circulation Pattern
O
R DE N RE
TAKING THE MONORAIL TO SCHOOL In the future, you take public transportation. The proposed monorail passes through the open space that links the central campus with the Grand River Corridor and the East Lansing Amtrak Station. Even though there is a mobility lost with the removal of the surface parking lot, the new type of transportation will connect the campus to the larger region in Michigan.
GREETING FRIENDS AT THE PLAZA After your trip to school, you arrive at the student plaza. You see people, lots of people. The irregular site design will create informal meeting spaces for the students.
GOING UP "THE CLOUD" "The Cloud" is the center of campus. It provides faculties and students an integrated experience. Events, meetings, food, study. In the future, we will value face to face interactions even more, and this is the place for that.
SITTING AND ENJOYING SUNSET When classes are over, you walk out of "The Cloud". There, you see lots of people, you see the beautiful Michigan clouds. The plaza could serve as an event space for student organizations. The irregular site design will create informal meeting spaces for the students.
CONTEMPLATING ATTHE AMPHITHEATRE When weather is good, you want to sit outside. The amphitheater overlooking the stormwater treatment wetland will help you with that. It also helps with the environment by collecting and treating rainwater before it goes into Red Cedar River.
SEEING NATURE AT THE WETLAND Need a better spot? Go around the wetland and come to the deck. Study, watch people, or just hang out with your friends. Or you can go even further. You can sit at the berm, which is constructed by using the extra soil taken from the wetland site. This creates winter opportunities too.
WALKING THROUGH "THE CLOUD" Sitting on the center of campus, "The Cloud" takes in the energy from multiple directions. It is the iconography that defines the newly developed place. It takes clue from the cloud and organisms. It serves as an inspiration for the people within and outside. It is a place to learn from each other.
DRIVING UNDER "THE CLOUD" The important east-west pedestrian corridor is in "The Cloud". It avoids the important north-south vehicular connection at Farm Lane.
CONCEPT OF "THE CLOUD"
"My goal is to generate some thoughts and materials for us to discuss the future of our campus, instead of giving [a solution]."
Preliminary masterplan
Major destinations
Green Connection
Urban Connection
Site Circulation
Figure Ground Study
Existing Condition
02 THE GREEN FABRIC Boyne City Waterfront Masterplan
Time: Fall, 2015 Location: Boyne City, MI Course: LA 447 | Juried Design Studio Instructor: Karen Russcher Teammate: Haoxuan Xu Softwares and skills: SketchUp, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, teamwork, public speaking, community-centered design
Introduction: We see a roadway system that is woven both longitudinal and latitudinal similar to a piece of fabric. The two-way connections that can be seen in the architecture of a piece of fabric can represent the design philosophy by weaving the city and the waterfront into a connected green and "blue" fabric. Currently, there are two distinct areas, the beautiful natural waterfront and the hard urban areas. By connecting the city with the waterfront through a continuous greenway system and a series of green infrastructure, we hope to not only create a better place for the residents but also to help the city establish the beautiful waterfront area as a catalyst to draw visitors to the city.
MASTER PLAN LAKE CHARLEVOIX
COMMUNITY BEACH PARK
1 2 3 18 Fro nt
Stre e
t
12 9
4 7
5 S Lake Street
11
6
N Lake Street 8 10
SITE ELEMENTS 1. Shade structure 2. Skatepark 3. Terraced seating and walkway 4. Green mixed-use parking structure 5. Lake-view alleyway 6. Central element at the intersection 7. Landforms for watching sunset 8. Riverwalk linking the businesses 9. Redesigned Dock 10. Proposed green corridor
11. Continuous multi-use pathway 12. Addition of the city marina 13. Open space for city programs 14. Veteran's Memorial 15. Farmer's Market 16. Redesigned playground 17. Terraced wetland 18. Breakwater structure as walkway 19. Continuous outdoor greenway 20. Chamber of Commerce plaza
21. Lakeside boardwalk 22. New city hall 23. Concentrated parking lot 24. Baseball field with lakeview 25. Terraced wetland amphitheatre 26. Restored beach access 27. Existing Honeywell Factory 28. Community gathering spaces 29. Site furniture as visual cues 30. Pedestrian pier
21 17
25
20
14
23
28 27
19
22
THE GREEN CORRIDOR
Vogel Street
13
29
North Street
15
31
30
24
THE GREEN CORRIDOR
16
COMMUNITY WETLAND PARK
26
0
Expand downtown across the natural river and street barrier
Central green space and community green space
125'
250'
500'
Street parking for more access points
THE CITY CONNECTION
8
10
9
13
7
2 12
14
10 5
2
2 6
4
15 13
13
3
1
16
0
PROGRAMS 1. Ice rink / pedestrian pathway 2. Terraced Wetland 3. Customed bench 4. Mound / sliding hill 5. Shade structure 6. Multi-use boardwalk 7. Viewing deck 8. Kayak storage / water plaza
11
9. Kayak launch 10. Special paved crossing 11. Infilled park / underground parking 12. Pedestrian bridge 13. Outdoor dining or activities 14. Lookout deck 15. Central water feature 16. Small town alleyway
40’
80’
160’
ACTIVE CENTRAL PARK
LAKE CHARLEVOIX
Green space COMMUNITY GREENSPACE
GREEN CORRIDOR
THE PROPOSED CITY CONNECTION
CURRENT CITY CENTER
Site connectivity
Paved area
Preliminary plan
Thought process
EXISTING GREENSPACE
03 WAREHOUSE HOSTEL
Abandoned Infrastructure Adaptive Reuse
PARIS
Time: Spring, 2015 Location: East Lansing, MI Course: LA 345 | Detailed Design Development Studio Instructor: Karen Russcher Softwares and skills: SketchUp, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Detail Design, Booklet production Introduction: Sometimes infrastructures got abandoned. When we don’t need them anymore, it is our responsibility to reuse the remaining materials and minimize the waste in the process of renovation. This design attempts to transform the abandoned human built structure left by the industrial era into a lively and social environment for modern youth. By harvesting and reusing the cold industrial materials such as steel and concrete, this design seeks to not only minimize waste but also to remind people of our industrial past.
SITE DESIGN
Concept plan
Railway Tie Bench
Corten Steel Lighting
Moveable railway planter
Water Fountain
Entrance Signage
Vertical Planting prototypes
SECTION VIEW
04
URBAN HIVE
Stadium District Transit Oriented Development
Time: Fall, 2014 Location: Lansing, MI Course: LA 332: Connections of Scale Studio Instructor: Paul Nieratko Teammates: Yanzhi Xu, Collin Manns Softwares and Skills: AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, Digital and physical modeling, Teamwork
Introduction: Biomimicry is the imitation of systems and elements of nature for the purpose of solving human problems. The problem posed here is the construction of a multi-modal transportation terminal (MMTT). The purpose of the MMTT is to create a central hub to accommodate all of the nearby residence transportation needs while building a sense of community amongst the people. The Urban Hive takes concept from the natural beehive. The beehive's internal structure is a densely packed group of hexagonal cells, creating a wonderful and efficient structure. By connecting many of these hexagonal cells together, they are able create a sense of community.
SITE DESIGN
1
2
1
2
05 GRAND RIVER GREENWAY Revitalizing Our Relationship with Nature
Time: Spring, 2016 Location: Grand River Watershed, MI Course: LA 448 | Regional Environemtal Design Studio Instructor: Karen Russcher Teammate: Brock Downs Softwares and skills: Data driven design with Arc GIS and Excel Introduction: The purpose of this project is to develop a greenway network throughout a portion of the Grand River Watershed. Utilizing GIS as a platform for regional investigation, this report focuses on identifying the best areas for greenway connections and regional education centers. These centers, combined with components along the greenway, will seek to educate the public about water pollution and its effect on human and environmental health. Through promotion of civic participation and environmental stewardship in the design process, the Grand River Greenway will emerge as an interactive social learning experience that seeks to create a more symbiotic relationship between humans and their natural surroundings.
SITE ANALYSIS WITH GIS
REGIONAL EDUCATION CENTER
GREEN NETWORK
The proposed green network in the grand river watershed flows across the areas where more nonwhite population, low-income families, low education leveled people lives. A regional education center is porposed as a first step towards a better community.
06 PROJECTS OTHER
SPARTY'S CABIN
IN STUDENT B A C S ’ STORY Y T R SPA
SPARTY’S CABIN
GREEN PRODUCT SERIES
Sparty's cabin is an interdisplinary project I participated in the second half of my fourth year. In the core team that consist of seven talented students from various backgrounds in the School of Planning, Design and Construction, I was mainly working on providing graphic materials for display. I also worked part-time as the project photographer and general laborer who helps with the building process. I was so proud to make a beautiful step stool out of no previous woodworking experience!
BRANDING DESIGN
HAND DRAWING
SIGNAGE STUDIES in the campus planning office
MASTER'S THESIS
RE: Recommendation Letter for Xiao (Mike) Hou
January 14, 2017
To Whom It May Concern: Xiao (Mike) has demonstrated his passion, interest and dedication to the study of Landscape Architecture here at MSU. I have had Mike in four of my classes; LA 230 Site Construction Materials and Methods, LA 345 Design Development Studio, LA 448 Regional Ecological Design and LA447 Capstone juried Studio. Mike’s dedication and interest in Landscape Architecture has grown over the four years that I have had him as a student. He has a very good grasp of design principles as well as a mind for critical thinking, analysis and problem solving. He excels in conceptual design, site design, and the use of computer graphic programs such as Photoshop, InDesign and Sketch Up. Mike is a very creative designer of a much higher level than most of his peers. He comes across as quiet, but he is always thinking, and researching to learn the most about a topic or solve a problem with a cutting edge level. Mike has greatly improved his communication and presentation skills and he would benefit from furthering her experience in an internship with your office. As a young dedicated Landscape Architecture student and future graduate, he will successfully represent the quality education he received at MSU’s School of Planning Design and Construction. I recommend him without reservation. SCHOOL OF PLANNING, DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Landscape Architecture Michigan State University 203-G Human Ecology Building 552 West Circle Drive East Lansing, MI 48824-1221 517.515.1117 Fax: 517.432.8108 Web: www.ssc.msu.edu/~la/ Karen L. Russcher Landscape Architecture Program Leader / Instructor Email: karenrus@msu.edu
MSU is an affirmative-action, Equal-opportunity institution.
Please let me know if there is anything more you require, or if I can clarify any of the above. I can be also be reached via email at: karenrus@msu.edu Sincerely,
Karen L. Russcher, ASLA, RLA, Instructor Landscape Architecture Program Leader
MIKE HOU E: mike_hou@msn.com T: +1 517 599 6252 linkedin.com/in/mikehou001