ARCHITECTURAL PORTFOLIO OF YIKAI QIAO
01 MEGA-RESIDENCE A Building Complex Near the Railway Station
02 SUZHOU-REVERSED MEGA-MACHINE I am enthusiastic about observing and documenting our rapidly changing society—the gaps between the old and the new, the conflicts between different interests and the desires for better living environment. Thanks to self-learning of photography, I made my observations into photos and films, but it seems that underneath those visual images, there is a bigger system physically determining these changes. I started to question myself, what defined an ideal living environment? What constituted certain social structure? Was there a physical form of certain social structure and how did it function? I found the value of architecture as a socio-political megamachine within an even more gargantuan network of artificial infrastructure. Not content with being merely an observer, I want to understand more, and eventually find a way to fill the gaps, resolve the conflicts and fulfill the desire.
A Narrative Design of a Dystopian City Fiction
03 AUTONOMY OF A HIGH-RISE A Skyscraper Design of Experimental Structrual System
04 ENCOUNTER ON THE LOOP A Multi-functional Nursing Home Design for the Elderly
05 GATHER AT THE TENT A Gymnasium Design on Campus
06 OTHER WORKS Photography & Design Projects
01 MEGA-RESIDENCE A Building Complex Near the Railway Station Academic Studio Instructor: Gu Zhixing Cooperator: Ning Jing Rong Location: The Railway Station Area in Suzhou City Time: Spring 2018
"We must invent and rebuild the Futurist city like an immense and tumultuous shipyard, agile, mobile and dynamic in every detail; and the Futurist house must be like a gigantic machine. " ——Manifesto of Futurist Architecture Antonio Sant’Elia
For more than a century, megastructure has been discussed by architects as a solution to the future society. From Antonio’s sketches to Peter Cook’s projects, those designs are proposed as manifestos toward a living of high mobility and efficiency. In this project, I try to explore the social value of megastructure, which is discussed in the context of a chaotic contemporary city. I focus on the railway station area where people need more convenience and safety. The space is an embodiment of residence and public space. The project is not a pure manifesto toward a future utopia. Instead, it is a silent and powerful volume which becomes a new shelter for the anxious passer-bys in a chaotic city.
BACKGROUND
OBSERVATION
The railway station of a city serves not just the function as a transportation center, but also a chaotic incubator of human activities. People from different backgrounds pass by each other, and instantly gather here. Nowdays there is a growing number of employees who prefer to live near the train station because they work at another city nearby. If we build apartments just beside the train station, the time these people spend on transportation will be shortend a lot.
Vigilance
Vulnerable Groups
surveilant
Curiosity
A man with lots of luggage waiting for someone People waiting bored
Some migrant workers going to take the train
A vagrant passing by a sanitation worker
Hurried Employees
A women taking photos with policemen standing beside her Secret Corner
A policeman with a hunting dog Child needing care
In addition, for the migrant workers and vagrants who frequent the train station. The lack of shelter space and the feeling of loneliness have long been an important but ignored issue. If we provide instant shelters for them, the public order of the station area might be improved. Our design project aims to address this situation in an architectural way. We plan to build a residential building complex beside the Suzhou railway station, both for the office people and the migrant workers. The project consists of four buildings of megastructure, as well as a fast transportation system and a set of public space which enables people to enjoy break, talks and public activities. The buildings may bring convenience to the people who take trains daily. And through the dialogue from our mega-residence to the railway station, we may rebuild the feeling of safety for those vulnerable groups.
Some people sitting on the bench to kill time
A man waiting for the train and calling with collegue
Two young ladies heading to the station
A couple sitting on a chair
A child walking alone
Apartments Nearby
Temporary Shelter
Public Communication
Private Zone
Fast Transportation
For people who commute by trains daily to live near the train station
For people waiting for the train to get a temporary break
For people from different background to gather and to hold public activities
For the vulnerable group and people requiring secret space to get a private zone
For people to get fast access to surrounding places with convenience
FUNCTIONS & CIRCULATION
Rountine from Apartment to the Railway Station Dwelling for the officemen who take trains daily
The Lift to the Apartment
Public Balcony for the dwellers to share activities and scenery view
The Public Space in the Hemisphere for People to Take Break
The hallway of the overbridge transitting people
Private Rooms for People's Need of Security and Privacy
The stairs & Spectacular Stand around the central square
Corridor Between the Central Square and each Hemisphere
The underground tunnel connecting the community to the train station
Slope Entering the Central Square from the Outside Street
STRUCTURE
MOBILITY
The main structure of the building is an integration of three huge inclined reinforced concrete columns, each containing vertical transportation inside.
A set of steel overbridges connect each of the buildings, linking the space of every hemisphere zone.
The transportation system circulates through the whole community, linking the private space to the public space, as well as the train station outside. People move and gather around.
DETAILS
MASTER PLAN
The main structure serve as tunnels for the elevators to go upstairs. People may enjoy sightseeing when coming home.
There are escalators in the overbridges enabling people to move around fast. People can take transport machines from home till the train station.
SCALE 1:650
The plan of the hemisphere zone includes the private rooms for the migrant people at the station area to get an instant shelter.
TRANSPORTATION
INSPIRATION
A fast transportation system circulates through the whole community
From the innovation of the steel structure of the Eiffel Tower, an era started with an enthusiasm toward a future world with advanced technology of megastructure. Over the decades, high mobility of buildings became a symbol of efficiency and convenience. Inspired by the prospects of previous architects, we explore the possibility of megastructure in a social sense.
Apartment owners go back home Go to the hemisphere for break People gather at the central square
The elevator of the Eiffel Tower 1889
Sketch of a Futurist City The Vertical City --Antonio Sant’Elia --Harvey Wiley Corbett 1925 1914
The Walking City --Ron Herron 1964
First Floor Plan
Apartment Plan I
Four buildings are connected by the overbridges. Each building contains a hemisphere of public space. Overview of the Community Inside the Hemisphere Public Space of the Building
Ground Floor Plan A set of underground paths connect the buildings, the central square and the city outside.
Apartment Floor II
02 SUZHOU-REVERSED A Narrative Design of a Dystopian City Fiction Academic Studio Instructor: Dong Jiang Cooperator: Ning Jing Rong Location: North Suzhou City Time: Spring 2018
“Deep below the earth’s surface, lay the workers’ city.” “As deep as lay the workers’ city below the earth, so high above it towered the complex known as the “Club of the Sons.” —— Metropolis,1927 Directed by Fritz Lang
There has been a history of social gap between the civilians and the upper class, and there is a trend of continuity ( in another more unperceivable way, though.) By depicting an underground world of dramatic contrast -- an underground amusement zone in which wealthy people enjoy, neighbouring the infrastructure factories where civilians earn a job, we try to illustrate a new Suzhou City with dramatic social gap, making the potential conflict explicit.
Above & Under the Ground
ABOVE GROUND: SUPERFICIAL HARMONY
dwellings of citizens -- at present
ABOVE & UNDER THE GROUND: MAKING THE SOCIAL GAP EXPLICIT Through illustrating what the Suzhou City would be like in the near future, we try to reveal the relationship of serving and being served between the citizens and the upper class. At present, the block consists of two parts: the elaborate villas in the middle area and the residential buildings of high density surrounding them, each accomodating either the wealthy people or the citizens. Based on the observation of the situation and potential conflicts in nortern Suzhou City, we developed a new system of city block, in which the city has two sides: the living space above ground and the underground city where social gaps are explicit to see.
villas for wealthy people -- at present
In near future, the social gap would be enlarged. As more and more citizens come to live in the area and the space for the wealthy people gets inadequate to satisfy their enjoyment, A need would arise for the citizens to build more infrastructure of energy supply, and for the wealthy people to expand more space for entertainment. However, the height of the city has been restricted by the government. With such a litmited space, exploring underground might be the solution.
UNDERGROUND: CONTRAST
The underground world consisits of two parts: One is the amusement park containing the entertainment facilities which can only be built underground because there would have been no adequate space above ground to fit these facilities. These are for the wealthy men who can get into the fun world through the elaborate lifts in their courtyards. The other part, which embraces the fun world, is an aggregation of infrastructure of underground energy facilities. It enables the community above ground to sustain people’s daily life and supplies the underground fun world with abundant energy source as well. The citizens would go underground to operate the energy facilities, which would have been part of their jobs. The two classes of people would seldom meet in the underground world, though in distance very close to each other.
Frame of the houses with a tube containing pipelines inside
Adding stairs
Housing units are fixed onto the frame and easy to install and tear down
Pipelines connect to the underground Infrastructure
Housing for citizens
The Underground Infrastructure
Drainage System
Ventilation System
Waste System
Energy Recycle & Heating
COMMUNITY OF THE UPPER CLASS
COMMUNITY OF THE CITIZENS
03 AUTONOMY OF A HIGH-RISE A Skyscraper Design of Experimental Structural System Academic Studio Instructor: Bin Wang Independent Work, Fall 2017
Although most of the high-rise buildings are based on the vertical frame-core wall structural system, the structural logic of a skyscraper can be various. In this studio, I explored an innovative way of developing the structural system of a skycraper: generating a system from geometric figures, and achieving a condition of AUTONOMY, which refers to a state of self-governing as a system. In the context of autonomy, a simple component grows into various forms but keep accordant in language.
Geometry Grid of the Structural Plan
DEVELOPMENT
STRUCTURE & FLOORS
SECTION
BOTTOM PART
HEAD PART
BRANCH STRUCTURE
B
CENTRAL STRUCTURE
MIDDLE PART
MIDDLE PART
A
MIDDLE PART
A-A SECTION BOTTOM PART
AUTONOMY IN STRUCTURE AND PLAN Operations are performed on the basic X-shape component, such as rotating, copy and combination after cuting half part off, etc. Through various changes, it grows as a constant structrual system. Since the structural changes are self-controlled within accordant language, the plans cut from the structure can also fit into a geometric grid.
HEAD PART
STRUCTURE
FLOORS
The structure consists of the central structure and the branches, both of which weave together to form a growing system. Accompanied with the growth of the structure, the floors show a constant change in shape and direction. The huge columns may run through each floor at different positions, resulting in various space. The functions of spaces vary based on the feature of the plans.
BOTTOM PART
B-B SECTION
STANDARD PLANS WITHIN A CONSISTENT GEOMETRIC GRID SCALE: 1: 1170
GROUND FLOOR
OFFICE STANDARD PLAN I
OFFICE STANDARD PLAN II
OFFICE STANDARD PLAN III
The ground floor is a ten-meter high lobby of entrance and receptionist.
The 4 directions of the central structure enclose a set of offices and meeting rooms.
Eight main columns define the boundary of eight office spaces, and the branches outside divide the curtain walls.
The central and branch structure together enclose a long and thin plan of office, including elliptical space.
SHAPE OF EACH FLOOR
HOTEL STANDARD PLAN I
HOTEL STANDARD PLAN II
HOTEL STANDARD PLAN III
APARTMENT STANDARD PLAN
The long plan of office turn 90° to a plan of hotel. The long facade facing south enables more sunlight to go into the hotel rooms.
As the structure grows upwards, the hotel plan shrinks gradually.
The smallest plan of the whole building. The structural columns fuse together and shape a rhombus.
On the top floors of the building, the main structure stand as corners of a rectangular. The square plan is devided into eight apartments.
04 ENCOUNTER ON THE LOOP A Multi-functional Nursing Home Design for the Elderly Academic Studio Instructor: Alexandre Sadeghi Independent Work Location: A hill village, Chongqing, China Time: Summer 2018
The nursing institutes are places for the elderly to spend the last period of their lives. I believe this is a place offering a sense of participation and vitality. However, the present architectural form of nursing institutes is rather an isolated hospital instead of places for vitality, which partly result in the fact that many young people are unwilling to go to nursing homes to look after their parents, although they have the duty. In this project, I don’t consider nursing home as an independent building. I design it as part of a comprehensive community centre. If the building becomes attractive to the local people. people may receive true affinity toward each other through the encounter.
THE ELDERLY ARE FEELING LONELY There will be a significant descent on the number of young adults in the future. Official data implies that the elderly will take up 35% of the whole population in 2050, leading to an issue of caring the elderly for the whole society.
Birth Control in China since 1982
Chinese population in the near future
Two ordinary plans for the nursing homes
Isolated Rooms
Being cared in isolation
Maslow's hierarchy of needs *
The ordinary architectural form of modern nursing homes tend to stand independently outside the community and protect the old people into every single rooms, which potentially resulted in the loneliness of the elderly. The old people lack interaction with the surrounding communities and the young people. We may need to reconsider on the architectrual form if we aim to make a better living for the elderly.
In terms of the sense of involvement, only few of the old people are happy with the living condition, indicating that the feeling of being not involved into the society has been a widespread problem for the old people. * Survey Data referred from
PENG Ya，PENG Tao: “Service Quality and Its Influencing Factors of“Combination of Medical and Health Care” ———The Fieldwork Based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Journal of Changsha University, 2018
DISSOLVE THE NURSING HOME & BLEND IN THE COMMUNITY PUBLIC CENTER
LOOP CIRCULATION & FUNCTIONS A Multi-Functional Community Center with the function of nursing DISSOLVE into function zones
Old People
Traditional Plan Mode
New Plan Mode
Independent Nursing Home
FUSION CREATE a Public center
Local Recreation Young Adults of the Community
Exposure to Sunlight
Loop Space
Encircled Public Space
Encounter at the Loop
Grid
Public to Private
Vertical Transportation
Multi-Functional Zones
Site: A Hill Village in Chongqing, China
Mr. Ming Age: 35 A local resident in the town
The town locates at the hillside.
The government planned to build a nursing center at the middle of the hill. Like many young adults, I also have my old man to look after.
But one thing has always troubled me...
Should I spare more time to stay with dad? Or my personal life? To tell the truth, it confused me.
Until the new center was built...
Ming! Is that your new girlfriend? why didn’t tell me?
Ming, why not go to the theater with your dad?
Dad! I came again!
The central hall is convenient for parties. Actually we often enjoy the time with the youth.
That will be nice. You seldom go to theaters with me, after you grow up
Mr. Yao Age: 70 Ming’s father
Before the film starts, I think we can walk around.
To the theater?
Living in the nursing home Dad, are you gonna watch the movie with us tonight?
The private rooms for old people.
Leaving the room and going to the public hall, we often chat about daily life.
With the loop ramps, people on wheelchairs can get access to everywhere easily.
How’s your daughter recently?
When I wake up everyday, I would go to the balcony and sit for a while, watching the scenery downhill.
There are about 200 old people living here like me. We all live in the private rooms which are arranged like rings.
That boy is mixing drinks. Last night I drunk with him.
Mr. Yao! Come play billiards!
It seems you are having nice days with young people. Boys, which song to play today?
How was the meal last night?
It attrac
The ung peo theater is at u p ple of th e whole stairs. town.
ts the yo
My husband cooks better.
What about the meals? I wanna taste your dishes, just like when I was a child
Ming, are you finished with your work?
The gentle slope allows people on wheelchairs to go freely.
Still a little stuff to do... But I can finish them at the library.
Come to the canteen. I cook for you.
That man is uncle Lee. He seems not good these days... the nurses are sending him to the caring room.
Immediate Health Care is ready for the old people.
XiaoFang, help me hold her arm !
Doctor, Mrs Lin needs help!
About to finish... By the way, I bet you will love this new novel !
Sometimes when I go to the gym, I though about exercising with my dad together.
Ming, how's your work going?
Oh! I found the book I donated last year!
05 GATHER AT THE TENT Design of a Gymnasium on Campus Instructor: FrĂŠdĂŠric Bereder Independent Work Location: The Campus of Soochow University Time: Winter 2017
Gymnasiums are huge containers of instant activities. They require long-span space for big events, as well as convenient circulation for massive passenger flow. In this project, I got my concept from tents, which are aimed at providing shelters of instant needs. I interpreted the membrane and keel of the tent into the truss and skin of the gymnasium structure.It can function as a field for professional sports games, as well as training and activity space for students on campus in daily time.
STRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
1F PLAN
AUDITORIUM SECTION
2F PLAN
3F PLAN
BUILDING SECTION
06 OTHER WORKS Photography & Design Projects
Photography is my tool for observing and documenting the world. Through the lenses of my camera, I explore the beauty of architecture and record the daily lives of people living in the city. This exprience gave me deeper understanding of the society and enriched me on my architectural design.
MADNESS Photography & Collage of the School's Library, 2017 1st Prize of Soochow University's Photography Contest
During my visit to some universiy campuses, I found an interesting pattern of them: the open square in front of the gate and a magnificent axisymmetric library building behind the square. This pattern is very elegant, but in fact it is not so friendly to use. There is no room for people to stay in the square and the libraries are more like a monument to highlight the status of the school. The symbolic meaning of the library is greater than its practical significance. It is the embodiment of the ambition of the planners. So I made this ironic work expressing the overflowing ambition of building developers.
NEO-COMMUNE Academic Studio, Spring 2017 An exploration of residence building with mechanical operation
Planning and Design of Gaoli Village in Nanjing, Fall 2018 Cooperator: Yu Shanshan
Construction Project, Wood & Cardboards Spring 2015
Paintings Spring 2015
Tel: +86 18862193213 E-mail: qiaomu1995@outlook.com