Stephanie_Zhao_Portfolio

STEPHANIE ZHAO. PORTFOLIO

master of architecture, cornell university 2014

CONTENTS EAST RIVER PERFORMING SCHOOL - SCHOOL FOR ARTISTS nyc_academic | spring 2013

03-06

LIGHT FESTIVAL - LIBRARY ithaca_academic | fall 2013

07-17

FIVE SENSES FOREST ithaca_academic | fall 2013

18-20

STACK IN THE WOODS - HERBARIUM ithaca_academic | spring 2012

21-28

CARLTON THEATER - THEATER melbourne_academic| fall 2010

29-31

NEW MUSEUM uiuc_academic | spring 2010

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RESIDENCE chengdu_professional | summer 2009

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URBAN RESEARCH melbourne_academic | spring 2009

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CHAOS uiuc_academic | spring 2010

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EAST RIVER PERFORMING SCHOOL PIER 14, NEW YORK CITY After Hurricane Sandy, the issue of flooding in Lower Manhattan becomes a primary concern for many buildings. East River Performing School is a project that is situated at pier 14. The program includes a 24/7 public space, an enclosed space for classes and exhibitions, and a public roof garden. #PHYSICAL_MODEL#

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BACKSTAGE PREPARATION ROOMS EROOMS PREPARATION ROOMS

SWIMMING POOL

CTRL RM COAT RM

CTRL RM COAT RM

OPEN AIR AUDITORIUM OPEN AIR AUDITORIUM OPEN AIR AUDITORIUM

CTRL RM

SAUNA

LOBBY

SAUNA

COAT RM

SAUNA

OPEN SPACE MULTIFUNCTIONAL MULTIFUNCTIONAL OPEN SPACE MULTIFUNCTIONAL OPEN SPACE

SWIMMING POOL

LOBBY

VIEW DANCE ROOMS RIVER VIEW DANCE RIVER ROOMS VIEW DANCERIVER ROOMS

DINING

DINING

MUSIC ROOM MUSIC ROOM

ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT

DINING

REST AREA

VOID

SCHOOL RECEPTION

REST AREA

SCHOOL RECEPTION

TO ROOF

MUSIC ROOM

SCHOOL RECEPTION

PRACTICE ROOM PRACTICE ROOM PRACTICE ROOM

CENTRAL GATHERING SPACE

FLEXIBLE FLEXIBLE FLEXIBLE REHERSAL ROOM REHERSAL ROOM REHERSAL ROOM

PRACTICE ROOM PRACTICE ROOM PRACTICE ROOM

TO ROOF

CENTRAL GATHERING SPACE

CLASSROOM

CENTRAL GATHERING SPACE

CLASSROOM CLASSROOM

TO ROOF

REST AREA

VOID

OPEN CLASSROOM OPEN CLASSROOMOPEN CLASSROOM

VOID

COFFEE

REST AREA REST AREA

CENTRAL ROOF RAMP

GREEN SPACES GREEN SPACES

CENTRAL ROOF RAMP

COFFEE

CENTRAL ROOF RAMP

COFFEE

The project started by analyzing various school projects.

The open air school in amesterdam was designed to accommodate children during the war. Disease was spreaded everywhere thus the architect created a school with maximum amount of open area to allow natural light and fresh air in.

CENTRAL STAIRS CENTRAL STAIRS CENTRAL STAIRS

SWIMMING POOL

LOBBY

REST AREA

GREEN SPACES

The east river performing school took this idea and redeveloped the project was added concepts such as providing wide steps not only for circulation purpose but also serve as useful space for the students. The walking experience throughout the building is quite different depends on where the person is at.

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The second level of the school is designated for the use of the students. Each classroom is enclosed with thick walls running from the bottom to the top of the building. These walls are solid, but they are also built in with shelves, mirrors and kitchen table etc. 窶電epends on the use of the space.

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LIGHT FESTIVAL LIBRARY ST JOHN’S CATHEDRAL, NEW YORK CITY Attaching to one of New York’s greatest churches, the light festival project climbs up on the cathedral’s building façade, and gives itself a solid yet speculator contexts. #SCRIPTING# #DIGITAL_MODEL# #PHYSICAL_MODEL# #3D_PRINTING#

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CORE STUDIO II shadow redux 1

The project was designed with the help of many scripting tools including grasshopper and python. The idea is first to take the rose window at the cathedral, analyzing its colors as separate layers, and turn the colors of these elements into a meaning scene.

To test this idea, a site at Cornell was chosen to generate the images below. A few images were taken at various times of the day to capture different light conditions. From there, grasshopper scripts were wrote to turn them into abstract scenes seeing below. These images give an abstract idea of how light are perceived with our eyes and how each “dot� becomes a fragment of each image. Without the dots, the images are incomplete.

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LIGHT FESTIVAL LIBRARY ST JOHN CATHEDRAL, NEW YORK CITY

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The next few steps were looking at the shadow conditions at the actual site. Studying the relationships between the surrounding buildings. With the Cathedral being a dominate structure on the site, the idea of having proper amount of light for the library was challenging.

Through these light and shadow studies, the project was able to have a layered shadow image, which lead to the arrangement of the programs later.

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The notation drawing generated using the strategy of previous “dots� and the shadow map, carefully crafted a model that is based on the 2D image of the site. When the box model gets unfolded, it returns to the flat image.

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The building literally took the arrangement of the threads and located the programs carefully based on the light spots.

The building not only has its programs based on these powerful studies, but the form of the building also took the 2d threads and turned into 3d. The form of the building is a 3D illustration of the thread map- just like the box model.

1. cafeteria 2-3. grand stairs to upper level 4. mid level reading area 5-7. reading room 8-11. stacks 12. bridge connecting library and public space 15

By taking the idea of light into consideration, the library optimizes its various functions through the careful planning of each program. For instance, the light in the actual stack level is very subtle and soft, whereas the reading rooms get more bright but gentle light that is suitable for reading. The cafeteria took advantage of its location, and provides warm and cozy environment Each program has its own features although everything is connected and can be seen through.

By layering glass and introduce heavy materials such as concrete and by having the cathedral’s façade on the south side. The building benefits from sophisticated lighting conditions.

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Complex structure and organization. The building does not restrict itself from its form. By organizing program based on the amount of light required, it is easy and comfortable for the users to find their own favorite spots in the building. The 3d print model shows the most complicated portion of the building. Yet, if one takes a close look at it, he or she may instantly realizes that the hierarchy of the building cannot be simpler. Three levels, one building.

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FIVE SENSES FOREST THE PAPER FACTORY, PARIS Located in the old paper factory in Nanterre Paris, the project aims to recreate the abandoned industrial space into a meaningful, fun environment for all users including local residents, students and general public. #HAND_CRAFT# #PHOTOGRPHY# #DRAWING#

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Started with tracing building footprints of the existing buildings, the diagrams above illustrated the process of shifting and recreating spaces by keeping the idea of honoring old spaces in mind.

The contours of the forest, which were created to separate each program in the forest, becomes a new landscape on the site. With the umbrella pavilions inserted in, open or close, new spaces for all kinds of purposes were created.

FOUR SEASONS FRESHNESS SHADOW

TRANSPARENCY REFLECTION

SOUND

TRANSIT

AQUA BREATH SCENT

DESERT

LUMION

The five senses of human was the idea behind the park. Programs such as sound garden, artificial desert, aqua territory etc. were created based on the location of each sense. The columns supporting the umbrella pavilions all have unique design and functions with them. Yet, the function of the space stays flexible because the users will decide how to use the umbrella and the columns.

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STACKS IN THE WOODS HERBARIUM MANN LIBRARY, CORNELL UNIVERSITY Stacks in the woods is a project that is located behind Cornell’s Mann Library. A forest with dense trees located and the slope challenging the site, the project seeks its position through climbing up and competing with the tall trees.

PROJECT INCLUDES: TOPOLOGICAL DRAWING MODELS ON TOPOLOGY Topology is the mathematical study of shapes and spaces. It is an area of mathematics concerned with the properties of space that are preserved under continuous deformations including stretching and bending, but not tearing or gluing. This includes such properties as connectedness, continuity and boundary.

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LIGHT ANALYSIS Light studies on the ag quad looks at shadow of the side from a creative perspective. Models and drawings were created to challenging the dark condition of the site.

SPRING 12

#INSTALLATION# #RESEARCH# #DRAWING#

building elevation

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STACKS IN THE WOODS. Topology

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topological drawing top layer

STACKS IN THE WOODS. Topology

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The installation was done at the dome space in milstein hall, ithaca, ny.

Started by tracing the precedent plans, reinterpret them into various redux models and topological drawings, the installation is an ultimate illustration of the central concept of the precedent--the big library of france.

The topological models look at shadows as layers, both vertically and horizontally. Spaces are defined by shadows. Therefore, how does the change of light recreate and redefine the space?

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CARLTON THEATER. PERFORMING THEATER CARLTON, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Carlton Theater was designed exclusively for a play written by an Australian play writer on the stories of the dolls. #PHYSCIAL_MODEL#

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KITCHEN COFFEE

GALLERY

PERFORMANCE

REHEARSAL ROOM

WARDROBE

TECHNICIAN'S OFFICE

A sad story, the project represented the complicated relationship between the characters. Through layering and shifting, the theater was able to have bright public spaces and dark theater spaces inside. The upper level galleries and public spaces, which were also based on the play, extended the form of the exterior shell and turned into meaning for architectural space. The 250-seat theater benefits from its high ceilings and carefully considered acoustics design, making it a wonderful space for all kinds of performance and also the play. With the back stage rooms conveniently connected with the stage, the actors will be able to get in and out to the back stage through the building exterior.

ENTRANCE

DIRECTOR'S OFFICE

SHOWER

TICKETS DRESS ROOM

KITCHEN COFFEE

GALLERY

ENTRANCE

STAGE

CARPENTRY ROOM

PERFORMANCE

CONTROL ROOM

LOADING DOCK

REHEARSAL ROOM

WARDROBE

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NEW MUSEUM ROCKEFELLER CENTER, NEW YORK CITY Manhattan Community Districts Districts Proportional to Income Zoning Incentives by Category Categories Scaled Proportionally Perpendicular Distances from Central Park Number of Plazas Built Marginal Public Spaces

Upper Manhattan

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Midtown

Lower Manhattan

Downtown

1961

1966

1970

1975

1981

1988

1994

1999

PRIVATE RESIDENCE CHENGDU, CHINA #CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS#

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URBAN RESEARCH #Mapping#

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CHAOS CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS #SCULPTURE#

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CONTACT INFO: 607-319-9595 yz577@cornell.edu