Sirui Robin Li BArch Architecture Portfolio

Architecture Portfolio Sirui Li

2023 BArch Architecture Loughborough University

Robyn Li Architecture professional who is energetic, optimistic, enthusiastic about the industry. I always maintain a humble attitude towards work, whilst demonstrating excellent listening skills with a willingness to learn as well as contribute to the project team and wider office.

I am a good problem solver and optimistic in my approach to design.

Contact

Work experiences

Phone: 07568223346

09/2021-07/2022

Email: robinli6@yahoo.com

Architectural Assistant - Ben Adams Architects, London.

BAA is a commercial Architecture practice, located in Southwark, London. The practice largely focuses on large scale office buildings, hospitality, residential &,retrofits and is experienced in managing existing and listed buildings, turning them into new spaces to enjoy. Whilst working there I was able to work on a range of projects as listed below:

Education

Salisbury House (£7.5million- Traditional with Contractors Design Portion):

2019-2023 BArch Architecture (Achieved 2:1)

(Stage 2) Grade II Listed building at Finsbury Circus. The proposed reinstated an original lightwell with proposed bar, restaurant and refurbished office spaces. My role included assisting the Project Architect on the revised Planning drawings for the reinstated atrium.

Loughborough University 74 Moorgate (£9 million- Design & Build): (Stage 2- 4) Office refurbishment including new exterior. Located in a conservation area and in between two listed buildings. Assisted with the drawings for the revised Planning set and helped coordinate the pack of drawings for the novated Architects post Tender.

2017-2019 A levels: A*ABB Bethany School

Stradella & Roscomore- Private residential): (Stage 1) High-End private residential properties based in Los Angeles. Working with one of the Partner’s of the LA offices (KAP Studios), I put together a series of material palettes interior and exterior renders for client review.

06/2020-08/2020 Intern - Anhui Conch Cement Company Limited, Anhui.

Professional skills

07/2018-08/2018 Intern - Shanghai Tongji Architecture Design (Group) Co., Ltd, Shanghai.

AutoCAD

Vray

Microstation

Revit

Photoshop

Procreate

Illustrator

Word

Indesign

Excel

SketchUp

PowerPoint

Language

Awards & Honours

English (Fluent)

2022

Mandarin (Native)

Winner, Design Studio C Nottingham Contemporary Competition 2019 Gold Medal for Multi-Disciplinary Collaborative Team Design Challenge 2019

Interests

Undergraduate First Year Scholarship, Loughborough University 2019 Douglas Prize for Senior Art, Bethany School

Photography, Drawing, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Boxing & Travelling

Content

Curriculum Vitae

Work during Education 1 7 9 11

Roam Library Framing the future The lightbox The workspace

Work during Professional Practice 15 16

Minerva House Stradella House

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Roam Library Exclusion/Inclusion in the city Year 2 Design Studio B Project (2021)

Project Narrative In response to the future strategy of the city of Liverpool, the development of tourism, immigrant population growth and low carbon and green living etc. The library is equipped with cultural inheritance and preparation for the future, and helps local residents and migrants interact with each other through reading space.

'Roam' Library is located in the Vauxhall District of Liverpool, surrounded by a lot of cultural attractions such as Tabacco Warehouse, Titanic Hotel, Stanley Dock and Eldonian Village. To the west of the site is the commercial area of Vauxhall and to the east is the residential area.

The design concept of the library aims to connect the commercial and residential areas from a macro perspective and become a place for urban residents to interact with each other. The micro concept (Roam) is to help users create more freedom in reading behavior through various circulation methods, make their way of journey not fixed, and increase the interest of reading behavior and space exploration. In response to the future planning of the city and today's Pandemic situation, in addition to basic reading functions, the library also has functions such as nursing, book storage, interactive space, etc. Indoor and outdoor plantings and rainwater recycling systems better respond to sustainable development strategies. In Liverpool’s future, it is estimated that the economic development of the city will intensify the pressure on the population and the increase of office space, so the library has a large flexible area that can be use flexibly at any time to prepare for future development possibilities.

Keys: 1. Exterior render 2. Exploded axonometric

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Site Strategy The history of Liverpool has given rise to its traditional architecture and culture, while the social environment and lifestyle of its people have contributed to and promoted the city's rapid development. One of the main characteristics of Liverpool is its diversity and plurality. Liverpool's cultural policy is designed as a new paradigm: with cultural creativity as the capital, market cultivation as the means, art popularization and cultural education as the path, to achieve the political structure stability, social inclusiveness and harmony, global economic competition and national cultural identity of the diverse social goals.

The reason behind the chosen site is based on a comprehensive macro and micro analysis, Liverpool as an international and diversified metropolis, has a good prospect for the development of tourism. In order to promote the development of tourism in Vauxhall area and provide a reading environment for local residents, The stanley dock site will be the better choice which is located between the commercial area and the residential area.

Site is supported by excellent traffic and surrounding cultural landscape, and the construction of the library here has the potential to become a city landmark of Liverpool.

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N Keys: 1. Library 2. Long staircase 3. Car park 4. Water canal 5. Railway bridge 6. Main entrance 7. Great Howard St. 8. Stanley dock

Keys: 1. Site plan 1:500 @A1 2. Meso scale Vauxhall district analysis 3. Micro scale chosen site analysis

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Site Location

Site

Water

Transportation Area is divided into two by railway bridge. There are pathways on both sides of the road and two main entrances are designed to enter the site. Two tributaries on the north and south sides have the protential to be possible entrances.

Existing Access

Protential Access

Urban greenery

Existing buildings

Because the site is located between commercial and residential area, the protential flow of the library will come from both areas. The site strategy will be based on the existing access and the protential access. I hope the library is a place which helps people's flow to concentrate and becomes a diversified gathering space.

Satellite topography

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Site

Concept drawing

The design considers both existing access to the site and potential access that can be developed.

T h ro u g h t h e s e a c c e s s , t h e l i b r a r y w i l l b e transformed into a space connecting commercial and residential areas, helps link two Area together better. On the other hand, the advantage of large open space can be used flexibly to give full play to the uniqueness of the building. In the future, the surrounding open space may be utilized, and the library will respond to future plans of possibilities.

Concept The design concept of the library is to create a better and more free way for users to visit through the diversified and changing circulation. Compared with the fixed design pattern of tour routes, a variety of traffic will be better to add interest to the library. At the same time let the reading behavior more rich.

Programme The architectural programme mainly differentiates the functions of the library according to the busy extent of people flow. According to the different flow of people, the noise level of different spaces will be different. On this basis, a reading space with different feeling can be better created.

Use different pathways for connections in these different functional spaces. In addition, the library will ensure safe and accessible conditions for all users.

Social context The social significance of library is to create an urban and international reading center. In line with trends in the city of Liverpool, the library will respond to the growth of the city's tourism and immigrant population. The macro meaning of the library is to provide an interactive space for local residents, immigrant population and tourists.

Promote the development of communities and cities.

Design elements & Sustainability The integration of natural elements such as water, trees and sunlight in the design contributes to the building's sustainable concept. The building is well exposed to sunlight, and a large number of trees are planted indoors and outdoors to keep the air fresh. The design of the building's slopes provides a recycling system for rainwater, better helping to recover natural resources for reuse, and helping to achieve green energy and sustainable development strategies.

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The overall architectural design of the library will differentiate the use of the venues. The basement of the library will be used as a place to store and borrow Historical documents, because there will be less sunlight intake, so that the precious Historical books can be better preserved. The books in the open area will be mainly stored as reference books and sold at the same time. The quietest floor, 1st Floor will store all kinds of novels, providing a quiet environment for reading.

Magazines will be placed in the restaurant area and relax area on the top floor for leisure reading.

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Keys: 1. Ground Floor plan 1:100 @A1 2. First Floor plan 1:100 @A1 3. Second Floor plan 1:100 @A1 4. West Pespective Section 1:100 @A 5. North Pespective Section 1:100 @A1 6.Main entrance 7. Lower Ground Floor flexible event space 8. Second Floor restaurant space 9. Site pespective section

The West Perspective section shows the concrete material inside. The steel structure staircases with timber material finished has a strong contrast with concrete. The section simulates the space that can be used by the user.

Due to the particularity of the landscape of the building, I made an extra site section to show the landscape of the sinking stairs and the sinking space. Site section mainly visually shows the height drop of Site. The long staircase has a platform in the middle that acts as an open-air plaza as an interactive area; The staircase measures 1.2m x 10m. Wide steps also acts as seating for reading and posters of the city can be hung on the walls on either side.

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Framing the future Nottingham Contemporary Competition Year 3 Design Studio C Project (2022)

Lack of use - Rooflights (Shut 90% of the time) Lack of natural light - Good for gallery spaces Lace facade pattern Opportunity for views - Pitcher and Piano Wasted opportunity - Staircase Space

Demolishing and redeveloping the Broadmarsh Center in Nottingham provided the opportunity to regenerate pedestrian networks that bind the southside and city center for the first time in fifty years.

Double height gallery space

Our proposals for the Nottingham Contemporary extension and new studio space further celebrate the innovation and rekindled networks of this demolition through the orchestration of a journey between landmarks.

Using abstract architectural values such as voids, harsh geometry and bold aesthetics, the journey between sites encompasses users towards the newly proposed Broadmarsh enhancements and Nottingham Castle Interweaving iconic architecture and socio-economic values across the city.

Small studio space

Exterior public realm - Opportunity for views, interaction, connection

Our interrogation of the surrounding context provided us with the resources to coordinate two impactful architectural interventions that reach out to external collaborators within the city such as graffiti artists, local businesses, tourists and much more. This collaborative effort will ultimately stimulate diversity and socio-economic opportunities across the city of Nottingham. In expansion, our studies highlight that there is an opportunity to encourage religious and ethnic diversity across the city. The interventions we propose will stimulate religious and ethnic diversity through a multi-functional program.

Congested basement space - Lack of storage Tram line - Noise pollution Connection with Picher and Piano

Through the implementation of framed interventions, the journey between sites offers enhanced socio-economic values. Weaving culturally significant principles, such as spaces for local graffiti artists and businesses, provides opportunities for social interaction and the generation of income that can be injected into the surrounding context. Aesthetically, these frames offer familiar merits present in the architectural interventions across both sites such as angular geometry and sharp light perforations.

The diagrams above illustrate a catalogue of multi-functional interventions that will be placed across the journey. Despite some functions being listed, we encourage users to adapt the space to their own needs to further inspire collaboration and social interactivity.

Our project uses the concept of framing to capture social interactions which will ultimately stimulate user interactivity as well as diversity. Inspired by the frames located at Nottingham Caste, where if users look through the frames at a specific angle they can see what Nottingham once looked like many centuries ago, the proposal plays on the idea of framing views across the city - More specifically offering frames for the users to witness the evolution of Nottingham. Highlighted by the sketches below and complimented by the diagram above, our proposal encourages users to follow a journey between the Nottingham Contemporary Gallery, the college park, the new studio space and the Broadmarsh district.

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Keys: 1. Pespective Section 2. Exterior render (Bird eye) 3. Exterior render (Front) 4. Exterior render (Staircase) 5. Exterior render (Street)

Our material palette has been curated to complement the existing façade, with the intention to add a familiar character to the extension - retaining its prominent stature in the city’s skyline. We’ve achieved this by using the contemporary’s moulded concrete flutes and exterior brass frame within our design, whilst also adding steel beams that extend out from the façade, maintaining the structures industrial style. The glazed curtain wall wraps around our two-story studio, allowing plenty of natural light into the space, framing views across the city and connecting the gallery to the surrounding city context. Finally, the timber frames guide visitors along a journey through the gallery and down to the contemporary studios.

The exhibition space placed on the stairs will inform and teach users about the history and heritage of Nottingham frame by frame – From past to future. The program will also include a sensory deprivation space underneath the exterior gallery on the stairs to allow users to reflect on their journey through the gallery space. This key space juxtaposes the surrounding program by eliminating all source of natural light and providing visitors with a blank canvas to draw their own interpretations of the journey. In supplementary to this, the proposal will answer to the client’s desires by enhancing the existing café and studio facilities through the creation of views, natural light and larger space. Moreover, the implementation of a roof-top garden further exposes views to the castle and studio space intertwining the projects interventions with the broader context of Nottingham.

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The Lightbox

Keys:

Project 1 Digbeth Birmingham Year 3 Design Studio C Project (2022)

1. Exterior render 2. Exterior render 3. Exploded axonometric 4. Interior render (Dojo)

5. Site photo (From street) 6. Site photo (Demolished factory) 7. Site photo (From street)

Project Narrative Through my own personal experience, I think whether the site can be designed as a Martial arts center as an activity place where people in the community can communicate and heal physical/mental health through exercise. When there is a high crime rate in Digbeth, many of them are violent incidents, and one of the reasons for the start of violent incidents is that the perpetrators may not be able to properly vent their emotions and lack proper education, such as how to use themselves the power of.

Therefore, Martial arts may help the community reduce the crime rate through correct education, and become a healthy place for activities in the community to promote communication.

After analyzing the site from all angles, the way I thought about the design was to ask what exactly Digbeth/Birmingham needed. Therefore, through the previous takeaways, it can be seen that the lack of quality of residents in digbeth has brought a lot of garbage around the site, and at the same time caused some potential safety hazards. Therefore, when responding to the theme - ‘health and wellbeing’, it is necessary to solve the hidden dangers. In addition, in digbeth at night, due to the lack of light, the slope of the terrain, and the rainy climate of Birmingham, it often leads to slippery roads, a lack of security, and a high crime rate. Therefore, the design will focus on solving safety hazards, improving street visibility at night, and recycling waste to respond to sustainable development strategies.

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After testing how to apply the design idea to the site, I chose to protect the original factory building and add a Martial Arts center to the original factory building. Transform the original factory building into a garbage recycling station, and recycle garbage to create new energy-electric energy. Therefore, the designed building’s own light source can be manufactured by recycling waste, without the need for additional artificial light sources. The original factory building and the inner atrium can be used as a good process function for garbage collection vehicles. The top of the covered extension acts as a Lightbox to provide light to the community from above.

Keys: 8. Pespective section 9. Pespective section 10. G floor plan 11. First floor plan

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12. Second floor plan 13. Structure model 14. Building model 15. Building model (Lights on)

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The workspace The graduation project Year 3 Design Studio C Project (2023)

Project Narrative

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This project is a mixed use workspace meaning developing future’s nutrition research located in Digbeth, Birmingham. The building includes a nutrition lab, a food hall and a market etc. and is designed for local residents and workers.

The design background from a macro perspective comes from the food shortage caused by global warming in the future, and the resilient urban issues that cities need to consider after COVID-19. From a meso and micro point of view, it is due to the poor health of most of the living population in the Digbeth area of Birmingham due to the history of industrial areas and living habits. Therefore, the design considers the big problem of global warming and focuses on solving the health problems of local people, responding to the above problems through a nutrition research laboratory and using vertical farms as architectural elements.

The vertical farming model starts from the definition of three-dimensional agriculture, rationally utilizes natural resources, biological resources and human production skills, and realizes the optimization of a three-dimensional model composed of elements such as species, levels, energy cycles, material transformation, and technology.

Eradicating global hunger, a key UN Sustainable Development Goal for 2030 announced in the 2015 Agenda for Sustainable Development, has changed dramatically. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, more than 720 million people faced hunger in 2020, and despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on production and mounting environmental pressures, global demand for food continues to grow. Therefore, studying the nutrition needed by human beings and starting experiments and practices from cities is a necessary consideration for building future cities.

This project starts from creating an urban workplace, and implements the nutrition laboratory and urban farm as the design concept of this project.

The project includes a health test site to allow local residents to check their physical condition, while providing experimental data for the workplace.

It also includes vertical farms that can provide local residents with selfgrown vegetable food, and the interaction between public buildings and local residents has also improved the education and popularization of such knowledge. When they grow their own vegetables under the guidance of professionals, they can choose to let the food hall process them, so as to taste the vegetables they grow. The food hall also provides more job opportunities for small restaurants and private chefs around Digbeth.

The exterior wall of the building is composed of vertical farms, so the plants planted are also the second facade of the building besides the glass curtain wall. The roof of the building is a greenhouse. Through different locations and different sunlight intake schemes, a multi-possible experiment and planting environment is comprehensively created. The project is committed to responding to the sustainable development strategy. The building body is made of timber frame structure, the interior is decorated with wood and bamboo, and the farm structure is supported by steel structure. At the same time, in order to inherit Birmingham's red brick culture, bricks and stones are also used on the exterior walls of the building.

The overall project goal is to meet the physical and mental health needs of the staff, while allowing local residents to interact with this public large building, and to set an example for Digbeth and Birmingham to increase green coverage and sustainable healthy development. At the same time, respond to the theme of the project, health and wellbeing.

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Keys: 1. Exterior render (Balcony view) 2. Interior render 3. Exterior render (Street view) 4. Workspace's system diagram 5. Elevations 6. Birdeye view 7. Pespective section 1:100@A1

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Axonometric exploded visualization

Building A 3rd floor

Connect platform Building A 2nd floor Building B 2nd floor

Building A 1st floor

Building B 1st floor

Building A Ground floor Building B Ground floor

Connect platform structure

Building A structure

Building B structure

Ground surface

Basement car park

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To demonstrate and enhance understanding of the project, I laser cut wood boards, arcylic boards also used 3d print to collect all materilas and assembled three models by hand. They are 1:100 architectural and structural models, and one 1:500 site model. This chapter mainly shows the photography of the final assembly of these models.

1:100 Structure model

1:500 Site model

1:100 Building model

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Minerva House 5 Montague Cl, London, SE1 9DF, United Kingdom Minerva house is a large public building located in Central London. The project is mainly about office refurbishment, building facade renovation, interior design, design of additional floors and roof terrace, etc. The current work stage is stage 3, and I helped 136 hours during stage 2 + Developed Design.

My main task is helping the BAA Minerva team on both internal and external visualisations and document drawings for design documents and meeting with the client. I was able to help the Minerva House team complete the renderings through Vray of a series of structural options. The modelling included three options (CLT, Concrete, Comfloor) for the structural slabs using SketchUp, to help the client and the internal design team for the final structure selection. Due to the accuracy of ductwork modelling, I needed to imitate modelling based on Revit drawings, so I was able to gain preliminary knowledge of Revit software. In addition, our internal design team went to Miverva House many times for site visits.

Done by Robyn Li - Architectural Assistant at Ben Adams Architects.

All images are owned by BAA, and the use rights are permitted by both BAA and the client.

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From understanding the conservation/ p ro t e c t e d v i e w s t h a t b u i l d L o n d o n buildings need to take into consideration and communicating with clients and the city council, we have been making adjustments to what is scalable in the most environmentally friendly way whether in design or future construction. During the design phase at the time, we worked with the client, engineers and planners and discussed which of Concrete, ComFloor and CLT would be the best option for the main structure, and finally decided to use the concrete structure for the roof extension. Many factors need to be considered in the design process, such as the planning of surrounding roads and greenery, protected buildings, and protect views in central London, etc. Through this work experience, I also have a better understanding of the responsibilities and roles of various partners in the design process.

Stradella House 960 Stradella Road, Los Angeles, CA 90077, USA 960 Stradella Road is a private residential project which is located close to Beverly Hills in Los Angeles.

This is my first private residential project at BAA, which is very different from the commercial projects I have participated in before. I joined the Stradella team when at the feasibility stage and only showing massing concepts. I have helped the team design a number of façade options by hand sketch and using SketchUp. I have been designing some massing ideas and layouts and produced different material options for the team.

We presented different options to the client every week. By having routine submission dates made our work more orderly and efficient. At the same time while working on Stradella I also learned that when working on international projects, we need to be aware of different measuring units and building regulations.

Done by Robyn Li - Architectural Assistant at Ben Adams Architects.

All images are owned by BAA, and the use rights are permitted by both BAA and the client.

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Sirui Li