Shannon Yeong Academic Portfolio

SHANNON YEONG 杨胜杰

Academic Portfolio

作品集

Shannon Yeong Xen Jie architect

Beijing, China

contact me

shannonyeong@gmail.com

+86 155 1001 5483

professional

mar 2022 - dec 2022

english programme masters in architecture

Tsinghua University, Beijing

mar 2017 - dec 2019

bachelor of sc. (hons) architecture

Taylor's University, Malaysia

mar 2016 - mar 2017

foundation in natural and built environments

Taylor's University, Malaysia

project assistant

Think City

may 2021 - apr 2022

freelance motion graphics creator

Wiki Impact

jan-mar 2019

architectural intern

Veritas Design Group

English native Chinese written & spoken

basic understanding

V-Ray Enscape

Premiere Pro After Effects

Grasshopper Jupyter Notebook

2018-2019 language honors + awards

freelance corporate identity designer

Ant Education

Malay written & spoken

feb 2022

sculpture design competition - first place

KWSP EPF

aug 2017

street installation competition - first place

29th Architectural Student Workshop

sep 2022

pro cient

Revit Rhino Sketchup

Lumion Photoshop Illustrator Indesign Autocad Lightroom Microsoft Suite

skills involvement

jul 2020

project lead of graduate exhibition

so.am.i.c_? graduate exhibition

jan 2020

international live design competition

Anthology Festival, Manila, Phillipines

mar 2018

co-leader of media team

30th Architectural Student Workshop

sculpture design competition - first runner up

The Light City

apr 2023

wildlife pavilion @ torbiere del sebino - finalist

Terra Viva

2019

best student award

Taylor's University

2017-2019

dean's list award for 3 consecutive years

Taylor's University

sept 2019

future thinkers award for art center project

Taylor's University

aug 2019

photography competition - third place

31st Architectural Student Workshop

AN ADAPTIVE RESPONSE TO PERI-URBAN CHANGE

Typology: Masterplan

Location: Sekinchan, Selangor, Malaysia

Status: Proposal

Year: 2023

Peri-Urban Change

In a rapidly urbanizing climate of Malaysia, peri-urban areas are undergoing massive changes to their identity, roles and landscape as urban areas continually expand into the countryside, forming a new urban-rural interface. Sekinchan is a coastal peri-urban town located 50km away from Kuala Lumpur and is known as the village of fish and paddy for its main exports of rice, seafood and other cash crops. In recent years, local government policies and grassroots organizations have championed the way for the development of an emergent tourism industry which functions as an economic diversification strategy for locals during off seasons between harvests.

Masterplan Strategy

The project examines how the roles of peri-urban sites are adapting and diversifying. It aims to respond to the increasing tourist demands by providing public spaces and architecture that is adaptable to the varying needs of both locals and tourists. Additionally, the complex nature of tourism as a form of consumption is ever changing as tourist demands grow. By providing a tourist interpretive path from the paddy to ocean with nodes of adaptive spaces in between, the proposal aims to create a comprehensive strategy for the integration of local lifestyle and productive processes as a means of consumption for the cultural tourism industry. The use of “architecture acupuncture” can serve as a solution to stimulate economic development through minimal interventions at key pressure points. These pressure points are identified based on open space usage, proximity to production industries, correlation to festival routes and intersection between local and tourists.

Rain Curtain

Rain Gutter Smaller section = More efficient

Peri-Urban Change (1990-2010)

Seasonal Chart

Roof Rainwater Collection

Timber Section

Typical Typology

Paddy Pulp Production Space

Yong Tau Fu Production Space

Fish Cracker Production Space

A - Paddy Intersection Paddy Pulp Production Space

B - River Intersection Yong Tau Fu Production Space

C - Beach Intersection Fish Cracker Production Space

Cultural Performances in Sharing Courtyard

Departure Dock from River

Approaching View from Ocean

© Shannon Yeong

Atrium Space for Wet Market

Approach Towards Fish Cracker Factory

Cultural Festival Use of Space

Yong Tau Fu Production Space

Paddy Intersection

River Intersection

Beach Intersection

RECONFIGURE THE GAP

Typology: City Lobby

Location: Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Status: Proposal

Year: 2019

The History of the Gap

Life in Johor Bahru like many other early settlements was built around the river with vast fields of plantations. Through the passage of time, development ensued and caused an uptick in urban blocks that shifted according to cultural and social needs. With each decade, the voids in the city constricted along the invasive urban blocks that increased exponentially. Yet, the built environment that was meant to cater to the people was forsaken for the leftover gaps between them because they were the truly democratic space of the city; space that does not segregate through barriers of privatization and commercialization.

JB: The Make-Shift City

Every corner of Johor Bahru is filled with public life. Pockets of temporary ephemera pop up through the gaps between buildings and facilitate a culture of lingering. However, these pop-up programmes take place in afterthoughts of spaces in often rundown, unsanitary and overall poor conditions; yet the presence of community uplifts and reinforces the gaps to be filled with life. How then can we reconfigure and empower these afterthoughts of space into civic spaces shaped by the communities dependent on them?

Reconfiguring and Empowering the Gap

The City Lobby aims to create a space for all regardless of background, empowering them through programmes that sustain and enrich their livelihoods through the use of landscaping and the familiarity of gaps. The intent is to draw in people to inhibit an empty canvas of space and begin the process of adding value to the space itself as well as its surroundings. Thus, the gaps will have qualities of place-making, sustainability of community and ecology and upholds values of equity through space.

A NEW PROXEMIC

Typology: Transport-Oriented-Development

Location: Burnaby, Greater Vancouver, Canada

Status: Proposal

Year: 2020

Proxemics as Methodology

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed an inequality of space as capitalism drives low-income groups to housing not suitable for “stay-at-home” situations. Thus, we are proposing a mass customizable affordable housing based on the study of proxemics, built on leftover plots in the city. Proxemics are the study of interpersonal space and its relation to human behaviour and social interaction. Different cultural groups prefer different distances between them for private to social settings, dividing them into contact and non-contact groups.

During Covid-19, a new proxemics of social distancing (6ft apart) was imposed and thus saw different cultures reacting to it differently. Some cultures adapted to it, repurposing streets to incorporate further-distance social interactions. However, other cultures struggled to cope and it was largely due to the constraints of their spaces of quarantine in high-density cities.

Multiculturalism on Site: Repurpose Leftover Space

Our post-pandemic housing aims to provide a dynamic buffer space for social distancing while still encouraging social

interaction tailored to different cultures. Vancouver, Canada is one of the most multicultural cities in the world with over 50% of the residents being from migrant backgrounds. They live in mid-rise apartments which are under threat of eviction from escalating land prices and developmental pressure. Therefore, our scheme takes advantage of the leftover amenity lanes along the linear Metroline train station; repurposing rather than participating in the demolition of homes.

Creating New Datum of Public Life

We create a transit-oriented linear block by using a methodology that incorporates the percentage of household sizes and culture groups on site to design a variety of household configurations from simple room units. The walls, doors and windows allow for varying visual privacy and opportunities for chance contact. They form blocks of communities placed on an elevated datum of public space with ramps and sky bridges connecting them to the station and surrounding context. A double-skin façade is placed facing the station to create a noise barrier that doubles as circ ulation space. Voids are punctured through the block connected to a secondary circulation that functions as a social corridor facing the neighbourhood on site. All circulation corridors are naturally-ventilated and living spaces are daylit, reducing the time spent in enclosed spaces and transmission possibilities.

COLLAGE & OVERLAP

Typology: Art Center

Location: Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Status: Proposal

Year: 2019

Collage as Concept

In the 1580’s, Kajang’s community and main demographic has been shifting due to political, geographical and economic factors. And each period brought about a different community which displaces its last, leaving behind physical manifestation in buildings. This physical framework of old and new facilitates the functional uses of the city. The amalgamation of elements of contrast in Kajang fit like a puzzle into the whole context of Kajang. Thus, leading the project to interpret the contrast as a collage of varying elements.

The Typology of the 5-foot-way

The streets of Kajang are understood by its public life which are facilitated by the main vessel of thoroughfare in the form of the 5-foot walkway. This typology allows for the osmosis between public storefronts and private interiors, there is no clear line of demarcation between in and out.

An intention is then derived from the current typology of streets and their purpose of facilitating more than movement. A spiral into space pursues the idea of allowing street to extend into space by incorporating the typology of 5-foot walkways that blur the boundary between in and out. The main draw for the building will be facilitated through a functional programme and the performing arts will play a supplementary role to it. This increased contact between the utilitarian and recreational will normalize the spontaneity found within performing arts, celebrating public life even on a street scale.

Overlap as Opportunity

The chosen site is situated right in between the old and new districts of town and opens up the opportunity to ease and mediate the disconnect between the different demographics. An alley that is currently under-utilised harbors the potential for rejuvenation and activation as a linkage between the two districts.

BLUR THE BOUNDARIES

Typology: Single-Parent Community Center

Location: Kinta River, Ipoh Perak, Malaysia

Status: Proposal

Year: 2018

Blurring the boundaries ...

... integrating different user groups together through architectural spaces that extend beyond itself for a social developmental programme.

Fragmentation as Metaphor

Fragmentation can be seen in the site through an absence of overlap between the residential, commercial and recreational zones. The zones cater only to user groups exclusive to each other, drawing a boundary between them. Likewise, singleparent family groups are often singled out of society due to negative preconceptions about them. How then does the center take leverage on the close proximity between the zones on site to create an open and safe environment for these single-parent families?

Programmatic Blurring

Studies show that a healthy work-life balance results in improved productivity through having a flexible schedule to better organizational commitment. By blurring the boundaries between the programmes on site, both the user group and community will mutually benefit and in the process assimilate together.

Spatial Blurring

The concept thus brings forth ideas of opening up the architecture to the public and the single-parent user group through a language that “extends outwards”. A subtracted horizontal plane was first considered to open up visual connection between floors but maintaining privacy and outward-looking views. A transitional quality was then formed through the permeability of space that allows for fluidity on the ground level.

When considering walls, the aim was to limit the confinement of “rooms” and allow the interlock of planes to form the spaces. These planes also “stretch out” to the surrounding context of the zones through a progressive blur from the landscape towards hardscape, planes then volumes. This bleeding of exterior into interior spaces forms a contextual response to the natural context – developing courtyard spaces in between.

The goal is to blur the boundaries between the fragmentation on site to aid these fragmented families find order and acceptance in their lives.

SHARING SMART CITIES

Typology: Urban Masterplan

Location: Shangdi Hi-Tech District, Beijing, China

Status: Proposal

Year: 2021

Sharing Smart Cities

In the 21st century, as cities continue to become further densified and commodities become limited due to climate change, an apparent trend of “sharing” has become ubiquitous among city dwellers found in apps such as Uber or Airbnb. Similarly, with the rise of 5g and the Internet of Things, Covid-19 has expedited the decline of brick and mortar and brought forth a new hybrid of physical and virtual spaces in the public realm. This studio conducted virtually among 20 students internationally from over 8 different countries tests the limits of the hypothesis brought up by the project brief.

A Hi-Tech District

Situated in the Silicon Valley of China, Shangdi District is one of the fastest growing tech playgrounds of the new era. With companies such as Tencent having their own tech campuses with a complete hybrid of living, working and leisure, the site presents an opportunity to explore a new smart city masterplan. The project was divided into 7 categories to explore the implications of sharing through green infrastructure, mobility, living, working, public service, commerce and leisure. Guided by a new initiative by local government to leave 10% of each new development as wild area – a green spine was first established on site to connect to the surrounding habitat network of wetlands. Then, a futuristic mobility network that relies on big data and smart systems helps establish a hierarchy of roads from a main circulation loop offset from the boundaries of site, a path through the green spine and smaller branching “woonerfs” – which are streets that can be cohabitated by people and vehicles.

With the concept of a 5,10 and 15-minute city, the placement of public services, commerce and leisure become integrated into a lifestyle-development model. We foresee the integration of apps and the further hybridization of online and offline spaces through AR or VR technology to usher in flexible public spaces that can adapt to market seasons and the changing Beijing climate.

site green + mobility extending outwards

Finally, living and working will be more integrated than ever as evidenced by the pandemic. In a highly innovative environment such as Shangdi, the convenience of the route between working and living should be prioritized. A hierarchy from the outer layer to the inner layer is formed through a gradient of working to living. Towards the boundary, a podium is used as a buffer zone for tech startups as it slowly breaks down into finer urban grains for living spaces towards the center – where residents will be able to enjoy the privacy of the green spine.

Behind the Walls

The wall has always been seen as delimiter, almost not traversable. However, with Beijing’s history of being a walled city, the project aims to reclaim the oppressiveness of walls and reinterpret it as a connective border between the existing and the proposal. Its porosity in fact will lead visitors and inhabitants from the chaotic environment of the outer ring to the more private center through a series of open gathering spaces.

RINGS OF UNITY

Typology: Sculpture

Location: KWSP Headquarters, Malaysia

Status: Constructed

Year: 2021

The Rings of Unity sculpture sits on the reflective pool of the new KWSP complex. Derived from the logo of EPF, a dynamic metallic sculpture was designed to represent the brighter future that results from the close relationship between EPF and its members.

Construction

The base of the structure is bolted to a podium that sits just above the surface of water. It supports the spirals made of a rebar cage that is then cladded with steel sheets. Its surface is treated with weather resistant chrome paint.

Sculptural Narrative

Composed of the simple geometry of lines and circles, 2 spirals rise upwards in synchrony - representing the mutualistic growth journey between EPF and its members. The gold and silver spiral both originate and end at the top and bottom of the sculpture respectively, forming only one continuous loop. It signifies the established trust between EPF and its members throughout their partnership. The spherical orbs found on the individual rods represent the prospective financial future where everyone receives returns of their investment. Ultimately, the iconic sculpture becomes a statement of trusted partnership and smart financial investment akin to the idea of “sikit-sikit lama jadi bukit”.

Rings of Unity

HOW TRUSTING ARE WE?

Typology: Urban Analytical Tool

Location: Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Status: Proposal

Year: 2021

Quantifying Goodness

“How Good Are We?” is a joint studio between Tsinghua and MVRDV Next that explores the quantification of goodness and the methods to assess parameters through computational means. It is done through a 4-week workshop measuring the context and impact of a design proposal of varying scales (from a room to a city). The project entails usage of basic scripting tools (Rhino & Grasshopper) in order to articulate a personal vision of a digital design tool.

How Close Are We?

In a group of 4, students select a key parameter that matters to them and would like to further explore upon. My chosen parameter was the question of “closeness”, an idea first introduced by Edward Hall in the term he coined “proxemics”. I wanted to explore the correlation of proxemics and different cultures as they express different preferences to what each perceive as their “social distances”. Together in a group, closeness became a key parameter to observe the bigger topic of “trust” expressed within an urban street environment.

How Trusting Are We?

As a group, we developed a computational tool to measure the chosen parameter of trust by developing an early metagram. The key topic of trust can be derived from the parameters of closeness, equity, accessibility and visibility. The goal of the tool was to measure the trust of a 1sqkm neighborhood. The main project statement was “a trusting neighborhood is a vibrant and active one that supports all kinds of users to foster different kinds of interactions through the physical and visual connection of a variety of spaces”.

We then enlisted a domain under the 4 parameters of specific measurable items such as dimensions of space, porosity of streets, proximity to third places or the presence of street lights. These different dimensions helped us quantify a heat map that could be projected unto the site as well as provide an overall score for the trust of a neighborhood. The locality was also considered to determine the variations of culture and density.

Generative Design

The projected heat map helped us identify problematic areas on site to be addressed with a catalogue of an urban tool kit. We proposed 3 levels of design (humble, comprehensive, radical) that ranges based on project budget, speed and degree of change. The corresponding design changes were then fed back into the measurement tool to reevaluate a site’s trust score.

(IN)HABITATE

Typology: Wildlife Pavilion

Location: Torbiere del Sebino, Lombardy, Italy

Status: Proposal (FINALIST)

Year: 2023

INVASIVE

The Natural Reserve of Sebino has long had a history of invasive practices such as the peat extraction that destroyed this millennia-old carbon sink between the end of the 1700s to the middle of the 1900s as use for fuel. However, with the protection of local wildlife under the Natura 2000 network, the bog has become a sanctuary for local wildlife.

INVISIBLE

The design intends to minimize the impact humans have on the environment through the strategy of mimicking natural elements on site such as the tree, the mountain and the bog. Within these constructed settings, they will play a role that fits into the larger ecosystem through a study of local food webs and provision of habitats to the 3 types of bird species in the area – bog migrators, bog nesters and non-bog nesters. Although an emphasis is placed on sheltering wildlife, the activity of bird-watching is achieved through the design of open, semienclosed and enclosed spaces for the different bird-watching requirements. An anthropometric methodology was undertaken to determine openings and dimensions of spaces as used by a variety of visitors from hobbyists, to professional photographers and even student groups.

The materials chosen are also locally sourced from the Lombardy region and many even from the marsh itself through the selective use of only invasive species such as the Black Locust tree. In its essence, the design then seeks less to inhabit space but instead intends to create habitat within the space it inhabits.

platform mimic bog

Pavilion 1 - In the Trees

Pavilion 1 - In the Trees

Pavilion 2 - In the Mountain

Pavilion 3 - In the Bog

Pavilion 2 - In the Mountains

Pavilion 3 - In the Bogs

Pavilion 2 - View from Water

Pavilion 1 - View from Water

Pavilion 3 - View from Water

Bird Watching Box

Bird Watching Path Balcony

Light Well

DATARAN MERDEKA HERITAGE AREA MASTERPLAN

Typology: Heritage Masterplan

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Status: Proposal to Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture Malaysia

Year: 2022

Dataran Merdeka Heritage Area (DMHA) Masterplan I worked on alongside Think City and Aga Khan Trust for Culture consultant - Francesco Siravo. The DMHA is a nationally recognised heritage zone, thus there is a need for a holistic conservation management. The plan is to capture the potential to prompt the area’s conservation and economic planning, project implementation and management, stakeholder coordination, and financial management.

Assisted on:

- Site Analysis Work

- Production of Masterplan Drawings

- Production of Before and After Renders

- Preparation of Pitch Decks to Government Officials and Private Stakeholders.

- Design of Public Realm using Sketchup and AutoCad

Site Analysis

Green areas

Upgraded open spaces

Pedestrian links

New boulevards

Existing open spaces

Zebra crossing