SOPHIE LAN HOU
PORTFOLIO
01
Mulch Poetry PROFILE SIZE
Eco-Art Installation & Temporal Landscape Design
14ft by 26ft
MEDIUM DATE
burlap, straw, manure, compost, cardboard, seeds
2011
DESCRIPTION
Sheet mulching is a simple and under utilized landscaping technique. It is a layered mulch system that has many benefits: it nourishes soil by supporting the growth of new top soil, helps the soil retain nutrients and water, encourages healthy microbial growth and reduces labor and maintenance costs of keeping weeds away. Motivated to get rid of the grass lawn for more native and drought resistant landscaping I utilized sheet mulching as a permaculture design and eco-art opportunity. Alongside its very functional characteristics, I wanted to imbue the sheet mulching with a symbolic meaning that could draw the attention of passersby. My concept went through many iterations, from a simple graphic pattern to a more humorous play on a personals ad. I decided to stay in harmony with the holiday spirit of the time and do something more poetic. I chose a quote from my mentor in faith Daisaku Ikeda. It speaks to the awe and power of life - something sheet mulching functionally does. The real project of course, is in witnessing the landscape change overtime as it decomposes and regenerates new life.
MY ROLE
Research various sheet mulching techniques, develop concept, research and obtain materials, recruit support for the project
ECO-ART INSTALLATION LANDSCAPE DESIGN personal
The Site
Sheet Mulching Layers straw fava bean seeds compost horse manure cardboard horse manure grass
The Hou Family Residence, Glenview Neighborhood in Oakland, California
Before you begin...
GATHER MATERIALS
FIND HELP
HAVE A (rough) PLAN
How to create your own front lawn Mulch Poetry...
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1 Use a pitchfork to crack the soil surface, helping water sink to sink in & loosen the soil 2 Begin layering nutrient-rich manure on the site (horse or chicken are great) 3 Start layering the cardboard, making sure to remove tape 4 Edge the lawn to keep mulch from spilling onto pavement 5 Respond to neighbors curiosity by sharing the benefits of sheet mulching 6 Sprinkle some straw on the cardboard to help bulk it up, add another layer of manure (helps inspire worms to eat through cardboard) and a thick layer of compost 7 Time for seeds, fava and lima are great nitrogen fixers (make sure to presoak) 8 Spread seeds generously 9 Polish the sheet mulching off with a hearty layer of straw 10 Use natural materials that will decompose for letters, such as burlap 11 Compose your poetry and secure with toothpicks 12 Enjoy the delight as sprouts emerge! *Water between every stage & don’t be afraid to experiment
ECO-ART INSTALLATION LANDSCAPE DESIGN personal
02
Food Oriented Development PROFILE SIZE
Urban Design for Sustainable Cities
3ft by 4ft (original panels)
MEDIUM DATE
printed posters
2011
DESCRIPTION
During the UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design [IN]CITY Institute, my final team project focused on the role food could play in catalyzing economic enhancement and building community empowerment. Taking a cue from Transit Oriented Development, our project innovated a new approach to urban design and planning via Food Oriented Development. Though Berkeley is recognized as a leader in developing the local foods movement, not everyone enjoys this access. Southwest Berkeley is one of the city’s most ethnically diverse communities, and also considered the one area in Berkeley considered a “Food Dessert” by the USDA. We identified a site in the heart of Southwest Berkeley at Francis Albrier Park as the ideal location to serve as a F.O.D. incubator. We created a 3-Phase place and program based strategy with the intention of supporting local leadership. Our design proposal was very extensive and though not shared in its entirety, I highlight strategies that show the intention and breadth of our approach.
MY ROLE
Collaborated with team to research the potential of food oriented development, conducted personal interviews with community members and site visits, shared and designed permaculture strategies such as food forests and gray water systems, helped lead in the design and production of our visual boards (including creating the icons and cycles for the existing and sustainable models of food production), encouraged utilizing art as a community building tool conceiving the cross walk artwork, helped design innovative programming to happen alongside the place-based strategies with a particular emphasis on culturally relevant approaches and how to expand the localized informal food economy
Cultivating Southwest Berkeley: Sowing the Seeds for Food Oriented Development
What is FOOD ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT?
Food Ecology
Community Empowerment
Economic Enhancement
Why do we need it?
Food Oriented Development is a strategy that utilizes food ecology as a catalyst in community empowerment & economic enhancement.
Primary Goals:
Existing Model: Corporate Food Industry
FACTORY FARMS
BUY
WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION
• Community Outreach & Empowerment • Adapting to a changing climate
LANDFILL
Grow
Increasing community knowledge through education and training in food ecology
PRODUCTION
Sell
Compost
Using art, food and open space to promote a healthy, active and enjoyable community
DISTRIBUTION
WASTE
Improving environmental equity, ecological sustainability and healthy food access
Eat
CONSUMPTION
• Sustainable Transportation & Land Use
HEAT
Sustainable Model: Integrated, Localized System
Creating opportunities for culinary entrepreneurship
Berkeley Climate Action Plan:
Overview: Why Food?
Cook
PROCESSING
Intersection repair
Precedent Studies: Oakland, CA
USA, England, Hungary, Turkey, Italy
Creating sustainable local food systems to serve urban, economically disadvantaged communities
Making food production a public display
Group action for artistic and ecologically oriented placemaking
Portland, OR
Davis, CA
Diversified marketplace for farmers and the community to sell their products
Emily Gottlieb | Genevieve Wasser | Jo Garst | Jonathan Yee | Nicole Agbayani | Sophie Lan Hou | [IN]City 2011, CED University of California Berkeley | Instructors: Renee Roy and Ricardo Huerta
URBAN DESIGN academic
Cultivating Southwest Berkeley: Sowing the Seeds for Food Oriented Development The Threat of Food Deserts
Background: Why SW Berkeley?
Statistics of Inequity
Regional Map
F.O.D. Target Site
The USDA defines Food Desert as
“A low-income census tract where a substantial
number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store �
Emily Gottlieb | Genevieve Wasser | Jo Garst | Jonathan Yee | Nicole Agbayani | Sophie Lan Hou | [IN]City 2011, CED University of California Berkeley | Instructors: Renee Roy and Ricardo Huerta
Cultivating Southwest Berkeley: Sowing the Seeds for Food Oriented Development Phase ONE
Phase TWO
Sidewalk Art
Edible Lawns Pilot Project
Phase THREE
Convertible Community Space
Existing Food Forest
Indoor Market Place
Proposed
Emily Gottlieb | Genevieve Wasser | Jo Garst | Jonathan Yee | Nicole Agbayani | Sophie Lan Hou | [IN]City 2011, CED University of California Berkeley | Instructors: Renee Roy and Ricardo Huerta
URBAN DESIGN academic
03
Permaculture Meeting House PROFILE SIZE
36� by 40�
MEDIUM DATE
Permaculture Building Design
paper, colored pencil
2010
DESCRIPTION
Permaculture is a regenerative design methodology most specifically aimed at creating more sustainable human settlement patterns, but can be applied to a variety of intentions. It is a process based in natural patterns, founded in a set of ethics and guided by principals of care and equality. At the culmination of the 2-week, full residency certificate program I collaborated with a team to design a new building that would be the main meeting space for the center and their many programs. As the main site at the center, we wanted to apply as many permaculture design principles as possible creating a type of living laboratory for future courses. We were able to integrate the following sustainable strategies into the overall design:
-passive solar -active solar -rainwater catchment -gray water systems -solar thermal scaping -compost toilets -natural wind and noise breaks -passive air conditioning
MY ROLE
-natural building -edible land-designing on contour
Collaborated with a team to develop the concept and design of the building, researched precedent studies, took the lead in designing the gray water, rain water catchments and passive air conditioning systems, supported the site plan drawings
*Adapted from Permaculture: Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability by David Holgren
Sector Map
locating energy sectors to better design with nature and obtain an energy yield that can meet the needs of the building
Base Map
a base map of the existing site, including trees as significant structures which helps inform us about the land and consider other ecosystems in the design such as habitat for birds and animals designed on contour with specific consideration for water, slowing and sinking it back into the ground
Site Plan for roof, patio and landscape
PERMACULTURE DESIGN academic
04
Global Exchange Strategic Planning PROFILE DATE
Experience Design & Change Management
2009
DESCRIPTION
Global Exchange is an international human rights non profit organization with over twenty years of experience. I was on staff with GX for two years before transitioning into a contractor role and recruited by the Executive Director to facilitate the organization’s strategic planning. At the time there were many frustrations and stress with the economic recessions, however a majority of the concerns were identified (by staff and management) as reflecting a dysfunctional organizational culture. Perceiving longer term organizational change was critical to the growth and sustainability of the client, I created a strategic planning process that went beyond developing a standard five-year plan to incorporate team building, capacity building, protocol development and perhaps most importantly inspired consensus and buy-in to keep the momentum going. The planning spanned 10 months of work with three mini-sessions in office and two all day retreats at off site facilities.
MY ROLE
Researched strategic planning and organizational change strategies, worked with cross-departmental leadership group to identify core issues, researched the history of the organizations strategic planning thus far, engaged staff in process of Appreciate Inquiry to reframe issues and shift low staff morale towards a willingness to explore, utilized community building and visual design tools (such as a life size interactive calendar) to maintain engagement and provide meaningful opportunities with practical impact, designed and facilitated two day-long retreats for twenty staff and board members helping guide the group to share discoveries and solutions, produced a twenty five document package for the organization synthesizing and documenting the planning, provided a set of recommendations to the organization in moving forward.
GX Strategic Planning Report///April 2010 Timeline & Summary of Processes FEB 2009 Open Question Statements
OCT 2009 1st Retreat: Discovery/Dream (focus on external work)
At a staff meeting questions and concerns were vocalized around numerous issues from layoffs and salary to management practices and long-term vision. There was an uneasy tension, reflective of the current economic recession, however many issues were expressed with exasperation as being recurring concerns. It is noteworthy to mention executive leadership was not present at the meeting and questions/ concerns were brought to attention after.
At the 1st retreat we were able to dive from our affirmative topic statements into a long and short-term vision for GX, internally and externally. Many people expressed their appreciation for the retreat, recognizing it as a success. Work-plans were a major desire for the 2nd retreat, reflecting an inspired enthusiasm to “get to work” as well as concrete attention to more sensitive issues of accountability and organizational systems.
MAR-JUNE 2009 Strategic Planning Group
Summary of process for small group breakouts around focus areas: Large group brainstorm for GX e Self organize into focus areas e Small group breakout based on focus area e Brainstorm long term goals e Prioritize top 3 e Short Term steps for top 3 goals
Reps from each department became a planning group to hold the organization accountable to addressing the concerns raised by staff. The planning group primarily facilitated the process of grouping & rating the concerns/question statements and thinking strategically about how to continue moving forward. Question Statement Process: Brainstorm questions e Group questions into themes e Rate questions e Classify answer/meeting/retreat e Begin addressing questions
NOV 2009 2nd Retreat: Dream/Design (focus on practice & internal operations)
SEPT 2009 Appreciative Inquiry Sophie came on as a non-staff contracted facilitator, employing a model of Appreciative Inquiry to continue to guide the strategic visioning. Brief Summary of Appreciative Inquiry (AI): DISCOVERY: positive core of organization; what gives life; inherent strengths DREAM: vision of org if aligned with positive core; what is the world calling us to be? DESIGN: brainstorming, designing, and deciding on organizational practices/processes that ensure GX operates at its optimal DESTINY: from this moment on! Essentially, working towards the first retreat we engaged in a self-reflective, narrative oriented, collaborative process to find the common denominators of experienced strength and expressed goals both organizationally and for staff personally. Related Documents: • Peer-to-Peer Interview Questions
Related Documents: •1st Retreat Focus Area Summary •Focus Areas •Desired Outcomes (2nd Retreat)
With the strong desire for “tangible” results, the 2nd retreat allowed practical opportunities to engage in cross-departmental collaboration, with a heavy emphasis on individual and department work-plans. Major benchmarks were then shared via a large-scale organizational calendar map. After lunch the retreat agenda was altered to meet the request/need/desire expressed by staff to address internal issues of accountability. We broke into small groups with one of the following foci: accountability on an organizational level, on a self-level and on a departmental level. Related Documents: • Organizational Calendar Map • Current and New Practices of Collaboration • Organizational Systems (rated) • Self-accountability focus group Concluding Documents: • Major themes • Facilitator Observations
• Affirmative Topic Statements
Prepared by: Sophie Lan Hou
EXPERIENCE DESIGN professional
05
ESLI: Program Logo & Identity PROFILE DATE
Graphic logo, letterhead, business cards for program
2008
DESCRIPTION
As an innovative new initiative and major collaboration of multiple city agencies, the branding of the program needed to communicate a freshness of spirit and bold statement of action.
MY ROLE
I facilitated creative processes with the staff to help distill the essence of the program identity, synthesizing every ones input into the concept of the city skylineline dynamically transforming into leaves representing our environmental focus. I then worked with a graphic designer to actualize the concept, guiding the process with clear direction such as the diagonal layout and color palette.
GRAPHIC DESIGN MARKETING professional
06
ESLI: Website PROFILE DATE
Program Web Design and Marketing
2008
DESCRIPTION
Like the program itself, the website needed to serve multiple functions: community outreach, fund raising, events and updates for seven site locations, a forum for student dialogue and a curriculum database for teachers.
MY ROLE
I worked with the Program Director to identify the functional and strategic needs of the website and then collaborated with a webdesigner to develop a visual strategy that could meet those needs. I managed all content for the website; gathering, editing, inputting and uploading it via a content management system
WEB DESIGN MARKETING professional
07
ESLI: Outreach Materials PROFILE SIZE
24in by 36in
MEDIUM DATE
Posters used to outreach at various community events
Digital printed poster
2008
MY ROLE Conceive, design and produce posters
POSTER DESIGN professional
08
ESLI: Quarterly Newsletters PROFILE SIZE
8.5in by 11in
MEDIUM DATE
Print Design and Layout
print media
2008-2010
DESCRIPTION
Similar to the program website, the quarterly newsletters allowed us to communicate with all stakeholders, have resources to support fund raising and outreach, maintain a cohesive program identity and ensured a clear chronological documentation of the program
MY ROLE
Worked with a designer to develop a template for the newsletter, managed all materials, layout and design, communicated with printers to choose paper types and place orders, photographed & edited images best suited to communicate the impact of the program
Cover of Fall 2009 Newsletter
Spread from Fall 2009 Newsletter
PRINT DESIGN professional
09
The Story of Astrology PROFILE SIZE
11in by 84in
MEDIUM DATE
Visual Narrative Design & Drawing
paper, pencil
2010
DESCRIPTION
The final project for my Rapid Visualization class was to design and draw a visual narrative on a topic of my choice and use it as a visual aid in a verbal presentation. I chose astrology, knowing my passion could sustain the energy required for the project and that visual communication was already a prime factor in studying the field. I wanted to give an overview of “the basics� of a natal chart, while highlighting a planetary aspect by contextualizing it within current happenings. As an archetypal language I utilized historical figures to represent the different characters of our planets and constellations.
visual studies 5 min brainstorm sketch
VISUAL NARRATIVE DESIGN academic
10
Carry All PROFILE SIZE
3ft by 7ft
MEDIUM DATE
Eco-Art Sculpture and Installation
330 polyethylene bags
2010
DESCRIPTION
As the final project for an Eco-Art class I wanted to honor the ethic of eco-art and create work that was simultaneously symbolic and practical. I chose to focus on plastic, feeling it has become somewhat of an epidemic in our consumer-oriented lifestyles. By designing an exact replica of a plastic bag at a larger than life scale, I wanted to surprise and intrigue viewers by juxtaposing the everyday familiarity of the object with an unexpected enormity in size. My goals was to provide audiences a visceral experience of how small things add up. Something as simple as a short stop by the convenient store, compounded by hundreds of visits, and billions of people across the globe, can result in the 2nd largest pollutant of our worlds oceans: Plastic. The “average� American family consumes and disposes approximately 1500 plastic shopping bags per year, culminating in a national rate of 100 billion. These unnoticed but every-day occurring plastic shopping bags require a minimum of 12 million barrels of oil for manufacture.
MY ROLE
Develop concept, research issues and materials, recruit support, produce and install the sculpture
ECO-ART SCULPTURE academic
11
The Lotus Only Blossoms in a Muddy Pond PROFILE SIZE
4.5ft by 3ft
MEDIUM DATE
Mixed Media Painting
acrylic paint, canvas, paper
2003
DESCRIPTION
The lotus flower is a significant symbol in Buddhist ideology for many reasons, one of my favorites is that it can only grow in a muddy pond. The muddy pond can be understood as our negative patterns or challenging obstacles and the lotus flower is our Buddha nature or inherent greatness. By firmly facing the negativity in our lives we can transform it into opportunities that catalyze our growth, allowing our greatest selves to emerge. I applied this hopeful idea to the mounting challenges accompanying rapid urbanization around the globe. It is an expression of my solemn vow to find sustainable solutions within the severe realities of cities
PAINTING personal
12
Calvin Simmons Ancient Hip Hop Symphony PROFILE SIZE
100ft by 25ft
MEDIUM DATE
Public Mural for Middle School
acrylic paint on cement wall
1999
DESCRIPTION
The Calvin Simmons Ancient Hip Hop Symphony was a practice in community-based art making, led by the former non-profit organization The East Bay Institute for Urban Arts and produced by Laney Community College students who engaged various constituencies impacted by the mural through a methodology of collaborative community art making, “CRAFT�.
Contact - Cultivate trust, mutual understanding and commitment as a foundation for the creative partnership Research - Gather information about the people, places and issues you are working with Action - Produce a new work of art that benefits the community Feedback - Spark community reflection, dialogue and organizing to spread the impact of the new work Teaching - Pass on new community-building skills to others to sustain the impact
MY ROLE
Collaborated with classmate in strategizing our implementation of the CRAFT model, organize community gatherings, synthesize community input, develop design for mural, manage resources and paint (mostly the top panel)
MURAL ART academic
13
Gangsta Geishas PROFILE
Narrative Photography
MEDIUM
digital photographs
DATE
2007
DESCRIPTION
Intrigued by a statement that Japan was “Modernized but not Westernized,” I decided to explore this perspective with my own experience, and moved to Osaka, Japan as an English Language Teacher. Over the duration of two years I offered this statement to Japanese nationals and foreigners alike to survey opinion and gain insight. Indeed, all sides of the argument issued forth. Interestingly Kimono remained a consistent example of traditional and modern culture alike. Aside from the opportunity to surround myself with the sheer beauty of Kimono textile, I wanted to bring the concepts of traditional and modern into dialogue at a site I had yet to witness: Hip Hop. I felt in the projected imaginations of “East” and “West”, Hip Hop and Kimono culture both converged in a complicated intersection of costume, fetish, caricature and empowerment. I was curious how these two fashions and cultures could reflect, juxtapose and influence each other.
MY ROLE
In preparation for the one-day photo-shoot I conducted interviews with Japanese women of all ages regarding their attitude and feelings wearing Kimono, attended classes learning the proper way of dressing oneself in Kimono, assembled a team of 4 models, 2 translators and 3 stylists and secured the sponsorship of a Kimono shop and Urban clothing store.
PHOTOGRAPHY
personal
14
Untitled 1 (from the series Gangsta Geisha Remixed) PROFILE SIZE
1.5ft by 3ft
MEDIUM DATE
Mixed Media
wood, marker, acrylic, varnish, photo transfer
2009
DESCRIPTION
(For the series) I wanted to continue working with the Gangsta Geisha photographs, exploring the intersection between Kimono and Hip Hop cultures not only conceptually but via materials as well. Like the Kimono, each piece has many layers, sometimes very subtly visible. I created each layering with distinct attention, often using repetition as a technique mirroring the “ritual” of dressing in kimono. Each piece also features graffiti style text, used as a Hip Hop inspired form of “textile”
MIXED MEDIA personal
15
Untitled 2 (from the series Gangsta Geisha Remixed) PROFILE SIZE
3ft by 1.5ft
MEDIUM DATE
Mixed Media
wood, marker, acrylic, varnish, photo transfer
2009
DESCRIPTION
previous page
MIXED MEDIA personal
16
Untitled 3 (from the series Gangsta Geisha Remixed) PROFILE SIZE
Mixed Media
3ft by 1.5ft
MEDIUM
wood, marker, acrylic, varnish, photo transfer
DATE 2009 DESCRIPTION
previous page
MIXED MEDIA personal
17
Mr. Gay Vaquero PROFILE
Documentary/Editorial Photography
MEDIUM
Digital Photographs
DATE
2007
DESCRIPTION
Every year in Oakland, there is a contest for Mr. Gay Vaquero of the year; a beauty pageant for gay, Mexican cowboys. At one point in the performance the host announced our project and the crowd all clapped enthusiastically. Later contestants and audience members personally thanked me for being there. As a marginalized community I am sure the audience appreciated the respectful attention our project brought to their identities. The experience was a great reminder of how powerful a role photographers play simply by what we choose to photograph.
MY ROLE
Communicated with writer to develop conceptual approach to project, photographed behind the scenes at contest while maintaining a comfortable environment for subjects
PHOTOGRAPHY
professional
PHOTOGRAPHY
professional
18
International Boulevard aka East 14th Street aka E One Four PROFILE SIZE
9in by 12in
MEDIUM DATE
Documentary Photography Series
digital photographs
2010
DESCRIPTION
International Boulevard is a main artery in Oakland connecting the downtown city center, through one hundred and six avenues, with the town next door. Originally named East 14th, the street was renamed International Boulevard in the late nineties as part of the mayors development plan. True to its title, International Boulevard cuts through a multitude of diverse ethnic neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the re-branding effort did little to change the reputation of International Boulevard as the go-to location for less-than-glorious services such as car detailing and underage prostitution. Through documenting the daily life of the street over a span of 3 months I hoped to explore the identity of such an infamous location, beyond its reputation and towards its humanity. Furthermore I wanted to challenge my own personal boundaries of comfort with photography somewhere close to home.
MY ROLE
Researched locations, conducted personal interviews, recorded observations, created photographs
PHOTOGRAPHY
academic
PHOTOGRAPHY
academic
19
Homegrown Histories PROFILE SIZE
8.5in by 11in
MEDIUM DATE
Photo-Based Oral History Project
Digital Photographs and Personal Interviews
2009
DESCRIPTION
A prime focus of interest for me is the relationship between location and identity. Recently returned to my hometown after eight years of being gone the rapid development and gentrification of the city was palpable. In a place with such a diverse cultural and geographical landscape as Oakland, I wanted to invigorate a living history of the city and offer the opportunity for reflection and dialogue with its inhabitants - new and old. Furthermore I consistently explore ways photography can be a co-creative process that challenges the inherent power dynamics of spectator and subject. Towards these ends the project demanded outreach and collaboration across ethnic, economic and geographical boundaries. Teaming up with a friend in journalism school, interested participants engaged in a pre-interview, opened their family albums with us and shared their story of and hopes for Oakland in a 1 to 1.5 hour interview at the site of the location. Post interview all participants expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to engage in such a creative and reflective experience.
MY ROLE
Developed original concept, collaborated with partner to design an outreach strategy to diverse communities, helped participants choose a location snapshot, photographed and interviewed participants
PHOTOGRAPHY
professional
PHOTOGRAPHY
professional
S
SOPHIE LAN HOU
sophielanhou@gmail.com 510 529 6884