sample-24 by Shijia Huang

Sample Portfolio 2018-2024

Shijia Huang

Microbial Oasis: Architecture for microorganisms

MA Biodesign 2024

Central Saint Martins, UAL

Project description:

In the shadow of climate change, life’s smallest architects— microorganisms—face profound challenges. These unseen members of our ecosystems, essential to both nature and humanity, are threatened by relentless pollution, and human activities.

This project puts a spotlight on the overlooked microscopic majority, inviting us to reconsider our bond with these vital organisms. Imagine a future where we give back to nature by creating habitats from our own cells. By designing microbial architecture incorporating human bone tissue to provide sanctuaries for bacteria and algae, this project seeks to promote biodiversity and foster harmonious coexistence. How does the loss of microbial biodiversity stir your soul? Do you ever think of our invisible neighbours, tirelessly working beyond our sight? Could you imagine yourself as a donor to nature, fostering a legacy of coexistence and mutual flourishing?

Will you consider being a donor to nature?

This project was supported by Making In Bio 2024 and the Making Lab, a collaboration between Central Saint Martins and the Francis Crick Institute.

A sculpture represents the relationship between humans and nature with the architecture for microorganisms in the centre.

It is an invitation for audiences to connect to our overlooked, microbial, planetary neighbours.

Re:Rewilding

Hybrid cacti-machine system

Hollow Pond, Leytonstone

MA Biodesign 2024

Central Saint Martins, UAL

Group Project

Desertification is a type of land degradation in drylands. We were given this brief to challenge ourselves to find a type of solution that would somewhat solve the problem of desertification. We had a series of experiments conducted focused on desertification. We’ve explained the process of each section of our project “Re:Rewilding”.

The role of the machine system is to create and sustain an ideal environment consisting of replinishing nutrients and moisture in the soil before and after the event which involves extensive planting of bio-hybrid plants. These machines are a hybrid between an actual cacti and an artifical machines. They mimic the functionary processes such as entrapment, storage and distribution of moisture and nutrients in cacti and uses membrane sacks, vascular networks developed from the cacti tissues those are connected with spohisticated artifical machines with its own sensors and intellect. They form a complex symbiotic relationship with each other and the environment complex root like network like real organisms in any given environment. The system consists of 4 different cacti-hybrid pods that works in a system together in a root like network spread accross the landscape. Each pod has specific role to play where the pod trapping, storing and distributing water is the central and a set radius where it impacts. Connected to each other with a root like neural network fitted with the sensor they work in a symbiotic harmony that studies the needs of soil and each others needs and perform accordingly by distributing the nutrients throughout the landscape. All pods mimic the vascular system of cacti where one tube transports water from the tank to the culture pods and the other transports cultured algae from the culture pods to the soil.

Stomata plugs for

Living Minerals: Alps wonderland

Swarovski × MA Biodesign 2023

Central Saint Martins, UAL Group Project

‘Alps wonderland’ takes the Austrian Alps, the birthplace of Swarovski, as inspiration for a collection of rings. Bacterial grown liquid dyes are encased in 3D printed glass and represent geometries of mountains. Our group experimented with cellulose extracted from agriculture waste pineapple fibers to explore different materials that could be used in products and packaging, and proposed an interactive customer experience in-store in the form of a ‘Swarovski Bio Lab’ where colours could be customised using the bio pigments.

New opportunities of Color

Color extracted from living organisms

Living Bacteria

Bacterial culture on Petri dish

Bacterial culture on Petri dish (Day 3)

Bacterial culture on plates

Pigments extraction

Into the Coral

Atelier Forest

Location: Shanghai China

The installation attempts to use space and interaction patterns to reflect the mutual influence and dependence of living creatures. As residents of coral reefs, fish cruise through the installation in the form of lights. Children who participating in interaction are physical reflections of the fish: participants can freely explore the special playground creating by different forms of coral on the site. Also, tapping the coral will trigger changes of light and sound.

We hope that the physical experience of interacting with coral installations can trigger participants to pay attention to the living conditions of coral reefs, to feel the close connection between humans and the ocean as well as marine life, and reflect on the impact of human activities on the ecological environment.

The second half of the design is based on my own interests after the research I did about coral. It propose a possibility of symbiotic relationship between human, algae and corals.

Pipe that connects beyond the ocean

Buffer area, where elevator can take people to the living space under the sea

Outer structure, where provide a foundation for coral growth

Second tier structure to hold the container for algae storage, also can be the foundation for coral growth

Modular design, channel to connect different living space

Waterproof and breathable bag to store the algae

Axonometric

Refresh Together!

dongqi Architects × Miller Harris

Location: Shanghai China

Among humans’ five senses, smell is a special one. Believing that the common memory created by sense of smell will not fade as time goes by, we designed this pavilion.

Composed of several sets of inclined cylinders, the pavilion is light and dreamy. As aroma itself is invisible, the pavilion is supported by a carefully designed tensegrity structure system. It is detached, suspended, and almost hidden at the height of the human nose, completely becoming a surreal aroma-carrying space. Each set of aroma-carrying unit is made up of two steel cylinders that act as a tensegrity structure. From different directions may come two strangers. As they run into each other right here, they may activate the aroma reminiscent of nature by chance. From the intersection onwards, strangers will continue to walk in different directions. Smell connects them, in more than one dimension.

Simulate the force situation through grasshopper (kangaroo)

Radical Art: The Weaving Theatre

BA Architecture

Central Saint Martins, UAL

Location: Coldharhour Lane, Brixton, London

The Weaving Theatre is an atypical theatre which includes local shops and a performance space. Taking gender issue as a starting point, the whole project was developed with the focuses of trauma, informal therapy, movement etc. The theatre is designed for the performers as well as those who need curing or relaxing, where they can feel safe and cherished. The building includes spaces for different people and can satisfy different user requirements, from public to private, from quiet and intimate to open and sharing spaces.

The weaving theatre was designed based on a process of healing programmatically and spatially. Weaving is a hair salon service in Brixton for men or women, which at the same time represents the process of “weaving” their lives and improving their quality of life.

Manifesto: Challenge dichotomy between male and female, audience and performers, on stage and off stage. Becoming vocal about new experience in gender and being healed through performance therapy.

Retro Avant-Garde

Self-Motivated Project

This project stems from my thinking on human and nature in my life. I choose to express the relationship between human and nature by learning from Salvador Dali, who was one of the great pioneer artists of last century.