Worksample by Gretchen

YUCHEN GAO B. Arch, Tongji University M. Arch II, Yale University

Selected Works 2014-2021

A tomographic EBSD study of the 3D microstructure of Copper S. Zaefferer, D. Raabe, A. Khorashadizadeh, Tomographic orientation microscopy (3D EBSD) on steels using a joint FIB SEM technique

CONTENT

PROFESSIONAL WORKS Shenzhen, China

V Headquarter SUPER TALL

New York, U.S. Gonarezhou, Zimbabwe

MoMA Tower Vertical Reserve Park COMMERCIAL

Hamburg, German

Building Fat Percentage RESIDENTIAL

Shanghai, China

Affordable Utopia for Labor Fmaily CULTURAL

Shanghai, China

Unexpected Routes between Walls

Luoyang, China Athens, Greece

From Urban Inclave to Water Plant Park

[SUPER TALL] MoMA TWISTING TOWER

loo 0F

ors Flo 90

Tall Building Seminar, Yale University Project: Pair work with Iting Tsai Instructor: Kyongsun Moon Critics: Gregg Jones, Nathaniel Hadley, Peter Follett Fall 2018

ors Flo

with a restaurant located within the lobby. The site has a narrow footprint, if extrude directly, the tower will have the short side facing the central park. In seeking the best use of views and make the most value, MoMA Tower develops a twist form, elegantly and gradually turned 90 degree on the top, ending with a typical hotel plan facing the central park on the long side.

even has a great advantage in real estate, making best use of the land value and view value.

Residence

Hotel Skylobby MoMA Skylobby

336.8 75F

74F 73F 72F 71F 316.8 70F 69F 68F 67F 66F 65F 64F 63F 62F 61F 276.8 60F 59F 268.8 58F

260.8 57F

56F 55F 54F 53F 52F 51F 232.8 50F 49F 48F 47F 46F 45F 44F 43F 42F 41F 192.8 40F 39F 38F 37F 36F 172.8 35F

Residence

164.0 34F

31F

144.4 30F

29F

28F 27F

74F 73F 72F 71F

316.8 70F

Residence

69F 68F 67F 66F 65F 64F 63F 62F 61F 276.8 60F 59F 268.8 58F

260.8 57F

Residence

56F 55F 54F 53F 52F 51F 232.8 50F 49F 48F 47F 46F 45F 44F 43F 42F 41F 192.8 40F 39F 38F 37F 36F 172.8 35F

164.0 34F 33F 32F 31F

144.4 30F 29F Office 2

28F 27F 26F

25F 24F 23F

162.8

77F

347.4 76F 336.8 75F

27F

22F 21F

95.4 20F 90.5 19F

83.5 18F

17F 16F

15F

14F

13F 12F

11F 44.3 10F

11F 10F

Office 1

44.3

15F 14F 13F 12F Office 1

11F

44.3 10F 9F

B1F B2F B3F

6F 5F 4F

10.0 3F

10.0 3F 10.0

0.0 1F

Grand Lobby

12.0

10.0 3F 10.0

79F

357.4 78F

25F 24F

21F

12.0

114F 113F 112F 111F 110F 109F 108F 107F 106F 105F 104F 103F 102F 101F 448.8 100F 99F 98F 97F 96F 95F 94F 93F 92F 91F 408.8 90F 89F 88F 87F 86F 85F 84F 83F 82F 81F 368.8 80F

26F

23F

Parking

Hotel Skylobby MoMA Skylobby

28F

Office 2

118F 117F 116F

26F

22F

Grand Lobby

Hotel

32F

31F

144.4 30F

527.0

508.8 115F

33F

32F

Office 1

Observation Deck

164.0 34F

33F

Office 2

16.5

77F

347.4 76F

336.8 75F

Residence

14.5

79F

357.4 78F

21.4

Hotel

114F 113F 112F 111F 110F 109F 108F 107F 106F 105F 104F 103F 102F 101F 448.8 100F 99F 98F 97F 96F 95F 94F 93F 92F 91F 408.8 90F 89F 88F 87F 86F 85F 84F 83F 82F 81F 368.8 80F

140.0

508.8 115F

Crown/Garden

174.6

16.5 77F

347.4 76F

118F 117F 116F

162.8

174.6

Residence

79F

357.4 78F

527.0

Observation Deck

Parking

0.0 1F B1F B2F B3F

10.0

MoMA Skylobby

Crown/Garden

Grand Lobby

12.0

Hotel Skylobby

114F 113F 112F 111F 110F 109F 108F 107F 106F 105F 104F 103F 102F 101F 448.8 100F 99F 98F 97F 96F 95F 94F 93F 92F 91F 408.8 90F 89F 88F 87F 86F 85F 84F 83F 82F 81F 368.8 80F

14.5

508.8 115F

Hotel

540.0

118F 117F 116F

140.0

527.0

21.4

Observation Deck

174.6

21.4

140.0

14.5

16.5

540.0 Crown/Garden

Parking

0.0 1F B1F B2F B3F

Twisting Form A twist form, elegantly and gradually turned 90 degree on the top, ending with a typical hotel plan facing the central park on the long side.

02 [SUPER TALL] VERTICAL RESERVE PARK CTBUH Student Competition Semi-Finalist Partner: Qiyuan Liu Summer 2019

More and more natural reserves are founded in Africa nowadays to protect the endangered wild animals and the local ecosystem. However, these reserves are not just bringing positive impact to the environment. Tourism and poaching come along with the improvement of infrastructure in these areas. Increased number of natural reserves unexpectedly results in decreased number of wildlife. In fact, the local government is unable to totally sweep poachers out of the reserves and is taking a welcoming attitude toward tourism as it would bring income to the country. Controlling poaching, developing tourism in a sustainable way and protecting the wildlife are always the main three topics people would be facing when trying to preserve the environment by setting up natural reserves. search center, caring station for wildlife, tourist facilities and headquarters for the forces against poaching. Instead of letting the three activities mentioned above running individually, we hope be able to enjoy the convenience brought by this construction while the tourists would be able to have a safer and more educational trip in the reserve. scape, this building aims to provide access to the ecosystem on both levels of this land. The continuous sloping circulation system in the building would help the scientist to guide the animals into the building for research, sheltering or treatment.

Ramp as Interior The continuous void space penetrating through the building would enable the natural ventilation to cool down the building, which could decrease the energy consumption. On the external facade, thousands of club-shaped vortex wind turbine are suspended from the sun-bracing system to generate electricity for the running of this building. 20

1. Natural Reserves in Africa

4. Old Mode in Reserve

5. Site Analysis

2. Incresed

03 [COMMERCIAL] DE-FAT THICK BUILDING IN HAMBURG Master Studio, Technical University Munich Project: Individual design Research Collaborator: Leon Lesoine, Taimur J.EI. Instructor: Stephen Bates, Bruno Krucker Summer 2017

Thickness, is not referred to the thickness of the wall, but the fat or poché of the architecture.

space of the neo-classical plan due to structural masonry is untenable within a modern design ethos: continuity and transparency. This project is attempting to trace a lineage from thick, fat architecture to thin, non-fat architecture. I ically through an analysis of their treatment of the wall, and the grid; poche and transparency. I also

would interpret the Altes Museum.Combining these analyses, I created two types of transformation: “De-fat” the thick architecture and “A-fat” the thin architecture.

buildings docked on either side of the canals. The warehouses were built with different support structure, but the architect Andreas Meyer created brick outer layer to cover them for conservation facade, however the section inside the outer layer is heterogeneous due to the changing plan.

Lineage from Thick to Thin If we use Body Fat Percentage [BFP] to describe the thickness of architecture, the BFP reduced gradually with the triumph of the structural technology. The fat become unnessary and untenable within a modern design ethos: transparnecy.

[De_Fat]

[A_Fat]

Altes Museum

How would SANAA design Altes Museum?

How would Schinkel Century Museum of Art?

Thick Plan with BFP=90% The thickness give each room a shape and character. It is structurally dense, programmatically complex and ambiguous in its language.

Thin Plan with BFP=10% The thin plan is generated from the thick plan by eliminating the fat, and the space is consistent with the modern design ethos: continuity and transparency.

Staircase in the Thick When you enter into the large hall in the thick plan, you know there are more depth to explore. You step on a heavy concrete staircase and the space become more dense.

Staircase in the Thin

04 [RESIDENTIAL] AN AFFORDABLE UTOPIA FOR LABOR FAMILY Advanced Studio, Tongji University Personal Work, 14 Weeks Instructor: Bin Zhang, Summer 2015

Henri Lefebvre analyses the mode of production of space as a three-part dialectic between spatial practices [le perçu], representations of space [le conçu] and space of representation [le vécu]. Under the control of Capitalism, spatial practices and space of representation are hidden into the representations of space,or in other words, the self-repetition code system. The project is intended to break the representations of space, bring the spatial practice and the space of representation back to everyday life. This project is a speculation of the urban cottage family industry, a vision that favors these labor families at the economic level. From the very beginning, I noticed the inhabitants innate ability to expand the possibilities potential for their spaces by constructing illegal boxes in this site. By providing a third space which is the roof the potential space to be used and appropriated with pre-assembly structure. and ways of constructing to lower the expense of living and working. Considering the open, informal, do-it-yourself ethos, the system evolved as steel structure conceived as a kit of rapidly erectable parts. Based on heterogenity other than homogenity, the system itself is less about space than about the potential of space. The system works like a software interface of every parts of their house, based on the user-ship and application of the space.

Start Yours

Affordable Utopia In affordable utopia, inhabitant set up a room with a sofa, two tables, three armchairs; a sort of transparent room that soon became the most used part of this community, although it is not usually heated.

Pre-assembly Structure Considering the open, informal, do-it-yourself ethos, the system evolved as steel structure conceived as a kit of rapidly erectable parts.

Heterogeneous Informality Based on heterogenity other than homogenity, the system itself is less about space than about the potential of space.

05 [CULTURAL] COMMUNITY LIBRARY IN HISTORIC CONTECT Advanced Studio, Tongji University Personal Work, 8 Weeks Instructor: Xiaofeng Zhu Summer 2016

depository of books and periodicals, the modern library has become a multi-use environment for the community and an important part of an ever-decreasing public realm. According to Louis I. Kahn, the ‘emphasis in (library) design should not be on housing books brary should establish a balance between a clear and functional organisational infrastructure and a variety of spaces— some quiet and introspective, others lively and open. In other words, it is a balance between homogeneous structure and heterogeneous space.

by respecting fragmental architural languages in the neighborhood. Homogeneity lies in the layers of walls which repeated according to the rhythm of the neighborhood. The openness of the wall was carefully designed to create various of unexpected routes, which resluted in a heterogeneity. By pushing the design beyond its formal limitation, renderings are used as a tool

[Hetero] the Route The openness of the wall was carefully designed to create various of unexpected routes.

Various Spaces

Some spaces are quiet and introspective, others are lively and open, each dedicated to a

1.Library 2.Gallery Ramp 3.Reading Garden

+1 1.Workshop 2.Reading Garden 3.Learning Space 4.Gallery Ramp 5.Corridor

0 1.Public Garden 2.Entrance 3.Cafe 4.Children Space 5.Exhibition 6.Theater 7.Inner Garden

0 1

10m

[Homo] the Form Layers of walls repeated according to the rhythm of the neighborhood.

Space between the Wall

Material Transparency The use of expanded metal mesh and double layers of glass articulate the transparency in material level, which also create different interior atmosphere.

Urban Transparency The building is completely opaque from one side and totally transparent in the opposite view, which connect the historic district with new cultural area.

06 [CULTURAL] CONVERGENCE OF SITE MEMORY

Graduation Thesis, Tongji University Personal Work, 14 Weeks Instructor: Lili Fall 2017

The Erlitou site is located in Yanshi Zhai Town in the west of Henan Province and the east of Luoyang Basin. It is the ruins of the capital of the kingdom from the 19th century BC to the 16th century of about 300 hectares, and found the earliest known Miyagi and the earliest crossroads in China.

With the excavation of the Erlitou site and the construction of the site park, comprehensively considering the current needs, it is now planned to build the Erlitou site park visitor center in the adjacent

On the one hand, it will serve tourists in the ruins park, on the other hand, it will provide a public

Excavate the past history of this base with research on “archaeology of architecture”. The identity of the site, the original muscle of the village. The recognition of rationality is still easy to be forgotten by many people. Facing the history of the Xia Dynasty represented by Erlitou, rather than pure nostalgia, the designer chose to “converge” here. The main axis of Erlitou Gongcheng Visitor Center become the “archaeology” of the site’s new landscape.

Converge The main axis of Erlitou Gongcheng District and the main axis of Ranzhuang’s old residential texture continue to intersect on the site. Visitor Center become the “archaeology” of the site’s new landscape.

07 [INFRASTRUCTURE] FROM URBAN INCLAVE TO WATER PLANT PARK

Advanced Studio, Yale University Personal Work,12 Weeks Instructor: Elia Zengelis Fall 2019

Water Plant Park is an infrastructural line of water leisure and municipal equipment within the new masterplan by a private developer, LAMDA for Hellenikon Park. Water Line Park reuses a from the foothills of Hymettus as fountain house to the Hellenikon Park as water treatment plant, civic life. Hellinikon used to be an international airport, but it has been abandoned,since the government runway has not only kept people from accessing this territory but also the waterfront beyond. issues, Greek government sold this land to a private developer: LAMDA as 8 billion euros, which is the largest privately funded investment ever carried in Greece. LAMDA claimed the new master their website. Above all, is all the history after the international airport. However, before the construction of airport, three natural streams used to cross this area, running from the foothills of Ymittos Mountain all the way down to the waterfront. All of them are covered today by the tarmac surface of the runway, preventing the stream from draining naturally to the soil. In addition, the dense urban fabric and poor water treatment system let the water drain contaminated to the aquifer and the waterfront. suburban communities could draw water from here. Tons of wastewater from the dense

Water Plant

Bath House

Leisure and Municipal Equipment A line of water leisure and municipal equipment to bring water back to the site. Three water equipments act as smallest intervention to clean the water and also bring people to the water front.

Street view from water plant

A Journey of Water Cleaning to the harbor bath for swimming, and then drained to the aquifer.

Bath House

Water Plant

A Journey of citizens entertaining This is not only a journey of water, but also a journey of tourists and citizens. The monorail system could take people from the disconnected suburban communities to the sea