PORTFOLIO Academic and Work 2019-2021
RUIQI ZHAO
Contents
Surviving In Between Water
04
Canvas Trail
20
Pixel City
28
Morel Madness
32
SuParkBia
38
Golden Intersections
42
MLA Thesis
Comprehensive Studio
Superstudio
Option Studio
Centre For Landscape Research (CLR)
Superstudio
Academic ML A Thesis Winter 2021
Advisor: Elise Shelley
Surviving In Between Water Guarding the “porpoise habitat” Site: Nanjing, China Area: 0.54 km2 Individual Work
Thesis Statement: This thesis addresses the history of detrimental human activities on the Yangtze River which has resulted in a systematic decline of the Yangtze Finless Porpoise population. The proposed urban porpoise reserve in Nanjing, China will create a unique opportunity to help safeguard this critically endangered species by restoring degraded habitat in a highly visible and public context. Design interventions will construct a public porpoise habitat that helps restore the river’s damaged ecology, encourages biodiversity, and raises awareness by engaging and educating people, all of which will aid in saving this critically endangered species from extinction.
4
5
Yangtze River Cycle
Yangtze Finless Porpoise Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis
Species status in the Yangtze River
6
7
Site Analysis
Yangtze River Basin
Urbanization
Reduction and degradation of the Yangtze Finless Porpoise habitat
Conservation measures
Ecotourism opportunities
Current Yangtze Finless Porpoise Habitats & Challenges
Analysis of 256 Yangtze Finless Porpoise’s death in 2008-2016 (source: China Academy of Sciences) 8
9
Site Analysis & Design Strategies
Area
(54 Ha)
Length
1.1 km
0.7 km
10
11
Tour Map
In-Situ Conservation (Urban context)
Upper Reach Welcome Centre,Yangtze History Corridor
Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Provincial Nature Reserve, Jiangsu Province Area: 86.92 km2 Length: 44.8 km Width: 1 - 3.5 km Depth: 34-36 m
1. Mulberry production & Sericulture 2. Public visitation (Tourism & Education) 3. Yangtze Finless Porpoise behaviour
12
13
Middle Reach Mulberry Fishponds
14
15
Lower Reach Education Facilites & Plaza
Constructed Wetland
Upper Reach
Lower Reach
Middle Reach
16
17
Fish Release Event Encourage biodiversity in the Yangtze River
Public fish release point
18
19
Academic Comprehensive Studio Winter 2020
Instructor: Behnaz Assadi, Francesco Mar tire, Megan Esopenko
Canvas Trail A typical/ atypical linear park Site: Dundas West Railway Path, Toronto, Ontario Collaborator: Ruiqi Zhao, Xueni Hu Major role: Master plan, rendering, grading, model making, detail
This project is to design the second phase of West Toronto Railpath located at the heart of the post-industrial neighborhood in Toronto. By looking into the context of the site, the most significant communities in the neighbourhood are artists. Using landscape architectural language, dynamic paintings with plantings and pavements are created that varies in seasonality and different walking experiences. The two critical moments are the coloured trellis and the light gallery. The coloured trellis allows light to pass through the coloured glass canopy to reflect on the ground’s grey pavements. The light gallery creates different shapes of openings on the canopy. The building is programmed based on the capacity of light within the spaces. Programs include art gallery, art exhibition, film exhibition, mediation chamber, etc.
20
21
Colored Trellis
22
Light Gallery
23
Site Analysis & Master plan
Artist neighbourhood
24
Parti Diagram
Art galleries
Street art
25
Model
26
Colored Trellis
27
Academic Superstudio Fall 2019
Instructor: Fadi Masoud, Dina Sarhane, Petros Babasikas, Monica Hutton
industrial 12x3x5
Accessible through ground level
car 3x6x3 Hydro Corridor public 13x13x13
industrial 20x20x20
car 3x6x3 Mixed Industrial Area Mixed Residen�al Area
Production transfer line linking factories
New accessible route on the roof top
pedestrian 3x3x3
tree 10x10x10
Pixel City Augmenting Industry and Technology
residential 6x6x3
Site: Golden Mile District, Toronto, Ontario Collaborator: Ruiqi Zhao, Aobo Chen, Xinyi (Iris) Wang, Yijie Dai Major role: Site research & analysis, brainstorming, 3d modelling
Part A: Big Pictures Golden Miles’ big low-rise factory boxes had fulfilled Toronto’s suburban dream of living and working in wide-open spaces after WWII. Our core redevelopment of Golden Mile takes on the site’s structural system, open space, programmatic distribution and building typology. Based on existing major roads, we restructured the road system into an equal grid layout. We propose a green belt linking the adjacent open spaces that will bring up to the building roofs of the newly introduced high-density Golden Mile of Productivity Corridor”. Besides, the “Golden Mile of Commerce Corridor ” promotes economic development in the district. Surrounding the major intersections of the LRT stops, programs are also scattered randomly on the site to fulfill local residents with employment opportunities and retail destinations.
industrial 12x3x5
car 3x6x3
industrial 12x3x5
Hydro Corridor public 13x13x13
industrial 20x20x20
car 3x6x3 Mixed Industrial Area Mixed Residen�al Area
pedestrian 3x3x3
car 3x6x3
tree 10x10x10 Hydro Corridor
public 13x13x13
industrial 20x20x20
car 3x6x3 Mixed Industrial Area Mixed Residen�al Area
pedestrian 3x3x3
residential 6x6x3
tree 10x10x10
28
29 residential 6x6x3
The Destiny of a Golden Pig
Part B: Graphic Short Story This graphic short story moves viewers through the developed Golden Pixel Factory from the point of view of the golden pig.
30
31
Academic Option Studio Fall 2020
Instructor: Alissa Nor th
Longitudinal
Morel Madness Creature in the ravine Site: Evergreen Brick Works. Toronto Ravine, Toronto, Ontario Collaborator: Ruiqi Zhao, Yufei Zhao, Andrew Taylor Major role: Competition panel, mapping, infographic, model making
Morels have symbiotic relationships with specific tree species to obtain nutrients. Sycamore, hickory, ash, elm, or apple trees are good indicators when hunting for morels. This underground relationship with mycelium filaments can take three to five years to develop wild patches of above ground fruiting bodies of morel. Invasive species such as Norway Maple dominate Toronto’s ravine forest canopy, and the dense shade they cast does not allow enough light to penetrate to the ground for most native species. Disturbed ground, such as from wildfire burns, which reduce invasive species and support native forest growth, often precedes a boom in morel growth. Morels will decompose dead leaves and wood as saprobes, which replenishes the soil with organic matter and nutrients, also supporting the growth of native species. As highly prized, wild morel mushrooms can provide the needed impetus to help restore the ravine’s ecosystem.
Lateral
Vertical 32
33
34
35
Snapping Morel Bison Serpentina morchella bison
Diet
Conceptual Model
Spanning 1.5m long and 1m tall, the snapping morel bison is an omnivore that is a mix of the black morel fungi, snapping turtle and plains bison. It is mostly a solitary creature living in riverine habitats during the winter and spring, while later assembling in herds in open meadow and prairie habitats during the summer to mate. In the fall the creature moves into forested areas where it releases spores that are produced in its morel skin under its
Seasonal Migration & Habitats
shell for reproduction. The spores connect to the creature’s underground mycelium network to germinate that spans the ravine forest system. The adult creatures connect to this intelligence network through their feet which provides the creature with ecological knowledge of its surroundings for survival.
Lifecycle
36
37
Work Work-Study Program 2020-2021
Instructor: Fadi Masoud
SuParkBia Towers in the park Site: Toronto watershed - Black Creek, Humber Creek, etc. Collaborator: Ruiqi Zhao, Louisa Kennett, Alex Sheinbaum, Tina Cui, Ambika Pharma Major role: Analysis mapping, data collection, site plan, typology
This project focuses on the suburban portion of the Black Creek Subwatershed between Steeles. Ave and Eglinton Ave. in Toronto, ON. It provides an in-depth exploration and indexing of parks in this area, accompanied by an investigation of the subwatershed’s demographics and infrastructure. This work will help inform the project’s broader research question: Are parks in the Black Creek Subwatershed serving communities to their full potential?
38
39
Tower Typologies
40
Typology: Railway Location: Weston Rd./ Wright Ave.
Typology: Highway Location: Jane St./ Hwy 401
Typology: Park Location: Finch Ave. W/ Weston Rd.
Adjacencies: 1. Weston GO/ UP Station 2. Humber River 3. Weston Lions Park 4. Raymore Park 5. Community Place Hub
Adjacencies: 1. Hwy 401 2. Black Creek Parkland 3. Falstaff Community Centre 4. Falstaff Park 5. Rustic Park
Adjacencies: 1. Community Plaza 2. Lindy Lou Park 3. Hydro Corridor 4. Gas Station
41
Academic Superstudio Fall 2019
Instructor: Fadi Masoud, Mauricio Quiros Pacheco
[political] | Toronto Zoo
Golden Intersections Urban planning of the Golden Mile district
[social] Site: Golden Mile District, Toronto, Ontario Collaborator: Ruiqi Zhao, Wesley Kwong, Lina Kostoff, James Bird Major role: Site plan, axonometric, rendering, 3d model, typology
A master plan formed by mundane obligations in accordance to the conditions and needs of three diverse constituents all have a claim on the land, a post-war industrial hub now converted into a big-box store centre. The Toronto Zoo, Tree Chain Network and Bombardier for a unique community that is home to local business and residents of Toronto. Golden Intersections promote existing industrial development. Bombardier sets the stage for contemporary and modern innovations to be implemented into the community. Treechain Network addresses the large portion of grayscape overwhelming urban areas and rethinks the idea of a greener cityscape. Toronto Zoo develops a sustainable urban wildlife corridor to connect to larger urban green infrastructure in the city. The community aims to blend the boundary between existing fabric and new development while simultaneously bring out the unique character of the three constituents at play.
42
| Treechain Network
[economic] | Bombardier
43
Woodland/ Forested Area
Treechain’s way to tree planting
0-1 yr planting
> 60%
minimum area for a woodland to be defined as a forest
of canopy coverage is required to be considered as a forest
300 m2
3200 m2
smallest wetland from Evergreen Brick Works
largest wetland from Evergreen Brick Works
0.3 km2
< 25%
of meadow habitat are considered valuable and placed in a high priority
of tree or shrub coverage
Wetland
2-3 yrs establishment
Meadow
Tree Canopy Coverage in Toronto
TOTAL area
1000 m2
5-7 yrs growth
661 km 2 2010 2019
44
11% 27%
10-15 yrs limited productivity
45
Treechain network
Land use
Transpor tation
Grid framework
Wildlife corridor
46
47
Infrastructure Typology
48
Architecture Typology
49
Ruiqi Zhao University of Toronto | 2021