Interior Design Undergraduate Portfolio

Linwen Ni

Summary

Interior designer devoted to hospitality and reesidential design. Has strong ability of presenting information, ideas and good at communicating and collaborating with others. Highly self-discplined with strong willpower. Except for design, also a professional level dancer and continue making impact.

Education

University of Pittsburgh

Studio Art major

2018.01 - 2019.05

Achievements

Pratt Institute

Interior Design major

2019.08 - 2023.06

Skills

30+ dance awards (battle champions, choreography competition awards)

International Merit-Based scholarship 2019-2023

Pratt President List 2019-2022

Graduation with honor

Invited to China national TV shows and events

Performed in Lincoln Center, NYU Skirball, Carnival, NYC dance parade ...

Autocad Rhino

Lumion

Adobe Suite Sketchup Enscape Revit

Hand-made skill

Drafting

3D Printing

Laser Cutting

Driving

Time Management

Chinese & English

Work Experience

Gerber Architekten

Design Intern

2022.06-08, Shanghai

Did renderings, precedents and indesign work for the company. Worked on two luxury hotel projects.

Huaji skincare

Design assistant

2020, Shanghai

Family owned business. Selected furnitures as a design assistant and helped the designer communicate with the client.

S·space dance studio

2020, Shanghai

Designed the brand logo, lesson card and poster.

Dance Group S·sister

Graphic designer Chroegrapher, Producer

2020-2022, Shanghai

Participated in performances, choreography, music and video production. Won nearly 10 champions and got invited to national events and TV shows.

Sun

Kim

Dance theatre

Training Member

2023 - now, New York

Participated in theatrical performances.

Characterized by a central pool, archways, skylight that promote outdoor, openness & allow more natural light.

Aim to provide laid back, peaceful, resting experience to the international tourists while they gain a sense of Mexican history

To provide escape from heat, hot climate in Mexico

Celebrating Mexican art and craftsmanship influenced by its ancient civilizations (Aztec, Maya, European colonization)

Taken inspiration from a traditional, hacienda architecture which is original to Spain and Mexico (stucco, vent, courtyard)

Year: 2022

Type: Hostel

Location: Mexico City

Skill: Photoshop, Rhino, Autocad, Lumion, Illustrator, Revit

1st floor

Pool with Mexican Art

The first floor of the hotel is mainly used as a public area where people can fully rest, socialize, and enjoy the Mexican culture not only from the interior structure, but also interact with Mexican ceramics and natural plants, and enjoy Mexican art.

Flower shop with Mexican species

2nd Floor Corridor

3nd Floor Bedroom

The skylight can be opened to exchange air. The rainfall can be collected to be reused in the pool.

Mexican art collection are placed on the stones.

Growing Garden

The proposal for Harlem Grown’s 131st Street site, titled “Growing Garden”, centers around giving the children of Harlem a space to grow and learn. Through the public versus private design featuring surprise moments for the children throughout, a garden is cultivated that allows for an intersection between plants and people. Through the results in Workshops with Harlem Grown, a garden is created that focuses on multiple programatic moments while still creating a serene learning environment for the community.

After months of fieldwork, interviews with local residents and periodic presentations to clients and revisions based on feedback, we designed the garden to take into account the combined needs of agriculture, people, local culture, and savings.

Year: 2022

Type: Garden

Location: Harlem, New York City

Skill: Photoshop, Rhino, Autocad, Lumion, handmaking, procreate

Research Process

https://www.pratt.edu/news/growing-food-and-people-through-urban-farming/

During the research with Harlem Grown, we designed a series of workshops to elicit feedback and insights about pain points and areas of interest from the Harlem Grown team.

SWOT study with clients

One of the interests for this design is water. The goal is to find a way to collect water for garden usage but also use it as a circulation path. Through the rainwater recycling system, the garden can be got full used of and a water circulation stream can be created that leads to the pond in the back of “Growing Garden”. Starting at the gathering area just beyond the gate, the reclaimed wood trellis system leads you through the planting area and two surprise moments. The ground water trail leads you through a small maze of vertical planting systems in which hides another surprise moment. In the very back of “Growing Garden” lives a small pond and a private, glass library at the center of it, creating a serene space seperated from the hustle and bustle of New York City.

1. gathering area

2. vertical planting

3. surprise moment - black board

4. surprise moment - hammock

5. surprise moment - art

6. planting area

7. storage

8. library

Gathering Area

Public

As the most active area in the design, and because it is at the entrance, it was desired to create a warm and comfortable atmosphere to make the garden appear more welcoming, and to incorporate the theme of the plantation, wood and lots of plants should be used as accents.

Planting Area

Semi-Public

As the main planting area in the garden, a large number of planter are placed here, and several water tanks are located here to ensure the design concept of . Such design can keep the educational function of the garden while maintaining a high production.

Surprise Moments

Public

This is the special area of our design concept, distributed in the four corners of the garden. Since the garden is mainly for children, we hope to give children some pleasant memory points through these small surprise like activity areas.

Library

Public

As the quietest area in the design, the plan is to use wooden walls, built with a water surround design. Combined with the garden’s planting properties, the building is surrounded by vine mansions, thus creating a quiet, meditative environment for study.

Mobballet

Year: 2021

Type: Library

Location: Brooklyn, New York City

Skill: Rhino, Autocad, Lumion, Illustrator

In addition to traditional library programming, areas of interest supported by new programming include spaces for dance (specifically ballet history, exhibition, rehearsal and performance) and learning (specifically 21st century job training).

The design of this library draws from an in-depth understanding of both our client and the community this public library is intended to serve. By prioritizing accessibility and inclusion the library creates a welcoming environment that encourages patrons to explore new areas of interest.

Mobballet Library

Both accessibility and exploration are encouraged through the use of warm, natural/biophilic design elements and increased visual transparency from the library entrance to the new double-height green garden reading room.

While the neo-classical style and symmetry of this library building has been generally maintained, there is careful consideration of the thresholds across which patrons can connect both visually, physically and virtually. Traditionally rigid boundaries such as interior/exterior, audience/performer and physical/virtual break down at key thresholds throughout the library.

First Floor

1. dance studio / stage

2. green reading area

3. coffee kiosk

4. gift shop

5. check out

6. children's reading area

7. children's storytelling area

Children’s space

5.

7.

Basement

Hallway & Physical therapy room

ME·M·ORY

The installation shows the process of deconstruction of the brickwall

Inspired by the tearing technnique in textile art, this project manipulates the form of bricks deconstructively to keep the memory of the original brick masonry building.

Year: 2021

Type: Retail, Installation

Location: Brooklyn, New York City

Skill: Rhino, Autocad, Lumion,Illustrator, hand making, photoshop, hand drawing

The design provides a progressive and dream-like experience as vistors enter the space deeper. The experience of space will be from colorful to monochromatic, wholeness to fragmentized, which is similar to the fading of memory.

Site Analysis

According to the building analysis, the building has very different lighting condition and acoustics condition from the entrance to the back. Therefore, the design will put more emphasis on the progressive experience.

Lighting & Material Study Product with materials

Concept models 2D & 3D Tearing technique

Concept Drawing

Deconstruction wall Installation

Memory is repetation of the past

Memory is blurry with losed details Memory fades with time

Textile Arts Center uses the memory of textiles to create new memory

Tearing memory, then recombine That's an art of circulation

The building uses memory of itself to create new memory

Tearing brick walls, then recombine That's an art of circulation

People in the space

Scarves in the bricks

Hidden, not hidden

People and bricks become pieces

Memory becomes ME·MO·RY

Entrance

Retail Area

Aluminum

Handrail / Ceiling Frame

Painted Brickwall

Original Site

Natural linoleum

flooring

Bioplastic

boudanry / stairs / furniture

Oak Wood

boudanry / stairs / ceiling

Listen by

This project is designing a contemporary urban residence to explore domestic environment between deaf people and their family after the pandemic.

Year: 2021

Type: Home Location: /

Skill: Photoshop, Rhino, Autocad, Lumion

The design gives the interior space dynamic visual accessibility by using open floor levels & interior windows and using transparent and reflective materials.

To introduce more light to the basement, the interior space is extended to the backyard with skylight added.

By exploring the behavior changes after the pandemic, the project considers about sanitation, home working, and higher demand for the only private space at home- bathroom.

Bathroom

Home office

Visual accessibility

The basement serves as an entertainment and storage area, while having a private work space for the photographer.

The first floor is an open common space with a sunken living room and a specially designed children’s room. Large windows allow deaf children to see directly into the kitchen and living room, making it easy to communicate with the family in a timely manner.

On the second floor, there is a master bedroom and a luxurious bathroom to meet the residents’ needs for living after the epidemic.

Cellar

1.garden

2.work place

3.gallery

4.laundry

5.home theatre

6.toilet

7.storage

8.work area

9.photo studio

10.utility rooms

1st floor

2nd floor

1.study room

2.child's bedroom

3.bathroom

4.restwindow

5.living room

6.kitchen

7.sanitary station

8.rear yard

1.master bathroom

2.work area

3.master bedroom

4.rest window

5.closet

The design gives the interior space dynamic visual accessibility by using open floor levels & interior windows and using transparent and reflective materials.

Year: 2022

Type: Office

Location: Manhattan, New York City

Skill: Rhino, Autocad, Lumion, Illustrator, handmaking

Based on clients’ goals, this project puts emphasis on the “softness” of the space to make people feel welcoming and inclusive.

A huggable curtain is specially designed to promote clients’ goal from both inside and outside. Sustainability is also carefully considered in the space. The interior and exterior greenery brings freshness. Inspired from the “office landscape” concept, the layout of the plan features a open space with a central plaza and officers’ “homes” scattering around. The colorful materials enhances officers’ creativity.

2.Conference Room

3.Office

The soft space in the middle of the office serves as a central plaza for workers to relax and meet.

A huggable curtain is designed to make people feel inclusive and healing. The curtain is also inclusive for the disabled to hug.

Work area

Gallery & Reception

Soft plaza & phone booth

Cafe

Herman Miller Lino Chair

Herman Miller Mode Desk

Herman Miller Ruby Chair

Ben soleimani Lulu Sofa

Herman Miller Headway Conference Table

Carpet

Curtain

Oak wood

Glossy white paint

Furry fabric Fabric

Home of Dance

Inspired by street dance and hip-hop culture, “Home of Dance” cultivates skill with and appreciation for people who think they have no talent for dance. It extends the dimension of dance from movement to physical space, allowing people to learn dance from their everyday environment.

Year: 2022-2023 Thesis

Type: Pavillion & Vehicle Interior

Location: Manhattan, New York City

Skill: Rhino, Autocad, Lumion, Illustrator, Photoshop, 3D printing, handmaking

Day - Mobile home: Four trucks trour around the new york city to teach people to dance.

Night - Fixed home: Four trucks stop at the pavillion to charge and combine together to form a dance stage.

Home of dance: A series of furnitures and interior space in the truck are designed to teach people to learn dance.

Object - Pop light switch

Based on the basic element in popping dance - pop, the light switch is designed using the dance move to turn on/off the light.

Leg pop light switch

Arm pop light switch

Walk Out

Do the Walk Out by crossing one leg in front and across from you. With that some foot, step toward the other diagonal.

Leg Roll (Double)

Similar to the single leg roll, the double leg roll is a bigger, smoother circle on your leg. Be aware of the body balance.

Twist-o-flex

The Twist-o-flex is when you put your hands on either side of your hips, then pivot your arms so that your chin is touching one shoulder.

Twist-o-flex Glide

Twist to that direction, then step forward with the back foot. Use the same foot to step behind yourself, then pivot to the front, and bring both feet in.

Glide

Do the glide by lifting the heel of one foot, and sliding the other foot in front of it. Take that same foot, and slide it behind the other foot.

Twist Chair

Turn your upper torso to meet the plane of your hand placements there, then step forward to your base position.

Neck-o-flex

The Neck-o-flex is when you touch your chin to a shoulder as you extend it out, then pivot your lower body around your arms as your head stays facing that direction. Then, turn your upper body and head to the opposite arm.

The leg part is fixed and you can twist your body to do tasks.

Mop

Glide

Glide

Do the glide by lifting the heel of one foot, and sliding the other foot in front of it. Take that same foot, and slide it behind the other foot.

Leg Roll (Single)

Do the seperat fixed point leg first then try to connect them smoothly like a half circle from one direction to the other.

Arm Wave

Isolate your body parts and move it while the rest of your body stays still.

To clean the floor, you have to do the glide.

Leg Roll (Double)

Waving Faucet

Arm Wave

body around your arms as your head stays facing that direction.

To do a high quality arm wave, you have to lift each part of your arm while other parts stay in a straight line and stay still.

Then, turn your upper body and head to the opposite arm.

Walk Out

Do the Walk Out by crossing one leg in front and across from you. With that some foot, step toward the other diagonal.

It’s important to break down each point of the wave before blending it all together to create a smooth movement.

Glide

Twist to that direction, then step forward with the back foot. Use the same foot to step behind yourself, then pivot to the front, and bring both feet in.

Do the glide by lifting the heel of one foot, and sliding the other foot in front of it. Take that same foot, and slide it behind the other foot.

Similar to the single leg roll, the double leg roll is a bigger, smoother circle on your leg. Be aware of the body balance.

Pop Light

Leg Roll Cabinet Leg Roll

Leg Roll (Single)

Do the seperat fixed point leg first then try to connect them smoothly like a half circle from one direction to the other.

Leg Roll (Double)

Isolate your body parts and move it while the rest of your body stays still.

Isolate your body parts and move it while the rest of your body stays still.

Similar to the single leg roll, the double leg roll is a bigger, smoother circle on your leg. Be aware of the body balance.

Arm Wave

Walk Out Tiles

It’s important to break down each point of the wave before blending it all together to create a smooth movement.

To do a high quality arm wave, you have to lift each part of your arm while other parts stay in a straight line and stay still.

8910

Walk Out

It’s important to break down each point of the wave before blending it all together to create a smooth movement.

Walk Out

Do the Walk Out by crossing one leg in front and across from you. With that some foot, step toward the other diagonal.

Glide

Twist to that direction, then step forward with the back foot. Use the same foot to step behind yourself, then pivot to the front, and bring both feet in.

Twist to that direction, then step forward with the back foot. Use the same foot to step behind yourself, then pivot to the front, and bring both feet in.

Do the glide by lifting the heel of one foot, and sliding the other foot in front of it. Take that same foot, and slide it behind the other foot.

Twist-o-flex

The Twist-o-flex is when you put your hands on either side of your hips, then pivot your arms so that your chin is touching one shoulder.

Neck-o-flex

Turn your upper torso to meet the plane of your hand placements there, then step forward to your base position.

Turn your upper torso to meet the plane of your hand placements there, then step forward to your base position.

The Neck-o-flex is when you touch your chin to a shoulder as you extend it out, then pivot your lower body around your arms as your head stays facing that direction. Then, turn your upper body and head to the opposite arm.

The tiles and lights will generate light when you touch it.

You have to do a pop when turning on the light.

Use leg roll to open the seal of the cabinet.

Fixed Home

During night time, the trucks will stop at the designedpavillion to charge. The trucks can combine with the pavillion to form a big dance stage. The pathway and lighting will guide the trucks stop at designated location.

With trucks

Party, Charge, Stop

Mobile

Huaji Skin

Care

This is a built project located in Shanghai. I was design assistant in this project.

Painting

Drawing Curtain Design

Curtain Design

Mocha on the rocks

The cafe and bar project features detailed design and a complete series of construction drawings.

Wall System

The flexible wall system can be blended with the window and creates illusion by mirrors. Each module can be pushed back and forward to form different positions.