Personal Portfolio

The psycological and symbolic effects of imaginary line of border were more powerful than its physical appearance.

Rem Koolhaas

China and Myanmar share a border close to my hometown, so the national border line is my earliest memory of the boundary. Two places were divided by a line, but people on both sides could exchange goods and ideas by using transportation. The boundary keeps being built and broken, and the cycle goes on and on, presenting a dynamic process.

Boundaries, therefore, could be thought of as active regions of connecting and separating rather than lines of delineation. In one of my studio work, a four-floor collective housing in Tokyo, I tried to clarify a series of spatial boundaries between privacy and publicity existing in people’s dwellings. The necessary in-between realm is thus as much of the individual as it is of the community.

Then I started to explore the boundary of cities in China through the competition of residence design in a countryside area. Instead of transforming rural areas into dense urbanized cores, I focused on establishing a coexistence space that satisfies both the demand of urban life and traditional characteristics of villages. The edge of the city is no longer a hard separation, but a soft, permeable transitional space that can penetrate each other.

Boundary could connect the past and present ideologically as well. In my studio work of replanning an abandoned area near the historical city center of Turin,Italy, I found out that the preserved fortification nowadays is actually composed of several fragments in different periods. The boundary was the result of superposed history, an invisible surface which witnesses the constant development of the city.

Building an inclusive and open urban, social, and cultural boundary truly requires the academic rigor of MSc, which emphasizes a trans-disciplinary attitude connecting architecture and other disciplines. During the two-year program, I could acquire the theory and research-based design approaches that help me ground and justify radical ideas in the theoretical framework and the physical reality to build my own architectural logic. From the creative concept design to the rigorous construction of architecture comprehensively, BK City's strong educational resources across disciplines could allow me to seek more opportunities to improve the built environment.

01 UBUNTO THREADS

TUDelft BK Master Architectural Crossover Studio 2023

Individual work

Archive along the Thames River

Site: Deptford, England

Area: 3 ha

Situated on the south bank of the Thames River, Deptford witnessed a significant influx of African immigrants in the 20th century, seeking new beginnings. Presently, the area embodies a complex landscape rich in diverse cultures, yet plagued by issues of violence and conflict. While art galleries on High Street aim to revitalize the community, neighbor participation remains limited due to a lack of shared cultural understanding. The pressing need is to discover a platform that seamlessly integrates both art and neighbors.

Hence, leveraging the renowned African textile production has emerged as the most effective tool to foster connections and bridge cultural gaps in Deptford.

The concept of massing draws inspiration from the intricate actions of weaving. Similar to the interconnection of yarns in two directions to create diverse patterns, the methods of weaving involve a dynamic interplay of wraping, raising, lowering, stretching, hanging, pushing, twisting, repeating, and passing.

Sky Window window

Glass Balustrade

Within the confines of the Deptford Archiving facility, a compact textile production workshop provides a comprehensive journey through the entire textile-making process – from the creation of the fabric to its final display. Residents in the vicinity are encouraged to bring their own fabrics to the museum, where they can actively engage in crafting their personalized art pieces. The entire creative process is documented and showcased within the museum, becoming a living exhibition that captures the essence of textile artistry from inception to fabric itself.

Textile

Rod

Detail A: Ubunto Tower Exploded View

"the machine weaves your textile journey ."

Image1.

02 COLLIDING DISTRICTS

YAC Art Cathedral Competition 2022

Individual work

Musealization of ruins of Kells Priory

Site: Kells Priory, Ireland

Area: 3 ha

Situating at Ireland's rural landscape area, the Kells priory consists of an immense waning meadow surrounded by tall walls with mighty bastions. To the north, overlooking the river, are the vestiges of a church with the unmistakable features of the Irish Gothic. The monastery has been destroyed and rebuilt three times, due to changes in the contemporary religious regime, and it can be said that the building is a tale about religion and war

Reflect on the future of Kells Abbey, beyond its role as a national monument for visitors and tourism. This ruin should become a place where memories of the past can be exchanged and contemporary culture perpetuated. A place that can be transformed into a place of tradition and innovation, a space of contrast between the ancient and the modern. With respect for the past, the new is integrated into the old, changing the future of the cultural heritage

I was inspired by the broken pointed arches and roofless vaults of the ruins, which evoke the long history of the monastery and sublime spaces. Combined with the rational logic, the arch element was repeated and deformed according to the old church order, forming a new building complex to communicate and continue the history experience

Reclaim ancient cathedaral with comtemporary architecture

The ruins of Kells priory are in fact the product of artists, creative talents and visionaries called to God’s cause to use the best of human technology to celebrate the mystery. The ancient sacred architectures could be reused as places where contemporary cultural innovation can be hosted again, to evoke the historical experience

The arch is used for circulation and facade construction

The semi-wall is transparent and used in open space

The cycloid dome produces soft sky light for exhibition

The circulation of the old priory is organized along the traditional Latin cross plan. One side for religious use, another side for daily life

The choir for praying with small arch windows is at the intersection of two orthogonal axis. It is the highest tower and accessible to four directions

C: Open north transept

The last bay of transept remains decorated arch windows and continuous arch corridor that connects outdoor courtyard and indoor church

The arches are used for framing the space

Inspired by the ruins of Kells priory, three forms of arches are selected and combined to generate open, semi-open, and enclosed spaces in a continuous motion

A: Typical Latin cross plan B: Centric crossing tower

Kells priory was founded by Geoffrey Fitzrober

Kells priory was burned by Sir William

The 7 houses were built for fortification

Kells Priory became a National Monument

The priory was secondly destoried by Edward

Old Gothihc Art New Comtemporary Art COMMUNICATION

Wall Wall Semi-wall

Semi-wall Dome Dome 1 1 2 3 2 3

The new circulation follows the order of old cross plan

1 Outdoor

2 Arch corridor

3 Ruin

4 Exhibition entrance

5 Pool

6 Exhibition

7 Old nave

8 Old chapel

9 Watchtower

10 Exhibition exit

11 Cafe

12 Manager room

Solid comtemporary exhibition space within the old ruins Outdoor

Section A-A (east-west axis)

The axisis contains comtmporary exhibition space which accommedate "top and bottom" exhibition unit respectively. The two naves are connected by crossing tower, enda at the newly built cafe and offce building

Section B-B (north-south axis)

Transparent corridor connects the old and new

The corridor aligns with the old church vertial axis. Three sizes of arched range from large to small are organized in the open, semi-open, closed space respectively

The arches are arranged rhythmically on the continous wall

"Up-down" exhibition hall with new and old

The old courtyard is enclosed by new walls and arched corridors

To maximize the value of ruins, the new contemporary exhibition box is floating on the old church fragments: The ground floor is totally opened and used as an outdoor exhibition area protected by arched partitions; the upper floor is divided by arch modular walls and used as a contemporary museum

1 Roof

2 layers of bitumen roofing felt

24mm groove boards

100mm ventilation cavity

100*100 rafters

20mm bitumen-impregnated softboard

220mm cellulose insulation

120*220 mm pulins

24mm open boarding

2*10mm plaserboard810

2 Exterior wall

25mm painted mineral render

365mm perforated clay masonry

15mm gypsum board

lime-coat render

3 Floor

Marble floor covering

10mm hot-rolled asphalt

45mm cement screed

20mm impact sound insulation

200mm reinforced concrete floor slab

4 Window Metal window with double glazing

The use of lightweight clay masonry guarantees the structure safety of old ruins

5 Reserved structure

03 SHIFTING PUBLIC EDGE

Individual work 2022

Theater center design

Site: Paris,France

Area: 3400m

"A movie theater needs only a projection booth, an auditorium and a screen; but behind Radio Clty's screen stili exists another realm"

--Radio City Music Hall, Delirious New York,Rem Koolhaas

La Défense and Arc de Triomphe is located on the main axis of the city as a new development area of Paris. The area is crowded with high-rise buildings and countless office buildings. A theater center is needed without delay

As a public building, the flow and function of a traditional theater is not so open. People enter the performance hall from the front hall, the flow is relatively single, and there is no opportunity to communicate with others

The project accommodates a wide variety of performing arts spaces, from a hall suitable for symphonic music to a fully open festival venue that caters to all types of musical events. Meanwhile the public spaces surrounding the theater from top to bottom vertically offer citizens a stage for daily life

The void space is changing according to the adding and subtracting of solid cube

The organization of public area is based on the scale of each theater

Theater: a social condensor for citizen

Main concept: Theater could be accessible for everyone

Theater combined with daily life Vertically organized theater circulation

5 Gallery-Terrace

4 Theater-Theater

3 Square-Sqaure

2 Rehersal-Theater

1 Entrance-Gallery

Singular circulation within traditional theater space

The shifting public edges along the main circulation

In a traditional theater black box, the three main parts of the theater: font house, chamber, backstage, exist independently without any interaction

Chamber

Fronthouse Stage Stage Backstage Audience

BELOW HOUSE CHAMBER ABOVE HOUSE

Redefine the circulation of theater combined with public space Above

Three theaters are independently and interconnected simultaneously: the house below is responsible for the actors, the chamber is for watching and performing, and the above house consists of public space which are linked together in the whole building

Theater variation

Put various sizes and form theaters into cubes at different levels

Void creation

Make the void as a big city stage that consists of theater and daily life

Visitor circulation

Create the loop for public visit, enabling the publicity of the building

Flow diversion

Arrange the main entrance in the west facade, and stuff entrance in the north facade

Daily life insertion

Integrate daily life activities which encircling the theater black boxes vertically

Outdoor connection

Connect the building with the surrounding to make views of Seine River

The atrium is the stage for the city and citizen

Juxtaposition of two theaters: The atrium connects Grand theater and nightclub

Standard Floor Plan 1:300

Proscenium-arch Stage in spherical playhouse

Entrance hall space

Rehersal room& Open area

Sky terrace & Roof garden

Lower part

Section Diagram Plan

Middle part

Upper part

Theater as actor of daily life

Theater and daily life are connected by void space

Theater as daily life

04 SENSORY INTERFACE

Politecnico di Torino 2022 Spring Design studio

-Architectural and urban design in Aurora,Turin Individual work

Instructor: Carlo Deregibus carlo.deregibus@polito.it

Site:Turin,Italy Area: 8.5ha

The aurora area is about one the most intriguing areas in Torino, the Royal Gardens. There, an historical wall divides two sides of the city:a physical,social,economic and perceptive separation enhanced by the architectural and functional between the upper and lower gardens

The project renovated the abandoned public park under the royal garden through defining functional and nonfunctional requirements for various types of users whose preferences rarely were consistent with each other, and to define the cultural values of the area. The historical architectural elements are extracted and transcripted into present language, to create an imaginary past and collective memory of locals

Between the real present and real history, People are placed in a fictional past, a historical memory processed through architectural elements.By understanding the difference between the imaginary past and the real past, people can locate where the world is today

Abandonded park at historical city center

The Aurora area is located at the historical center of Turin, closed by ruins of ancient fortification and one main road of the city. The origin of the fortification wall dates back to the Roman empire period, undergoing three times of enlargement and several times of redesign for defending. The overlapping fortifications provide evidence of technology of the military in different periods. Then in the 19th century, affected by "European phenomenon" that means the island-like urbanism reached the end, the wall was gradually demolished

1st century B.C. Middle Ages

The Romans founded Augusta Taurinorum about 25 B.C. The city was enclosed within a powerful defensive square, and four gates were built on the four sides and connected two streets. The forum was located at the intersection of two axes

The French dominated the city in the 16th century and planned Turin as the capital city of the Savoy dynasty. In order to adapt the appearance of gunpowder, the triangular shaped fortress and thicker walls were designed for stronger fortification. A pentagonal citadel was planned at the west-north corner of the city

Early Modern Ages 19th Century to our age

In this period the city has undergone three-times enlargement. Piazza Reale, Palazzo Reale, and Via Nuova were added along with the first enlargement of the walls.And the building arcaded Via Po, connecting Piazza Castello with the bridge on the Po through the regular street grid in the second enlargement

The fortification was demolished, only some segments were preserved near the Royal Palace. The old city area changed from a princely privilege to a space of public service and pleasure. Turin was once planned for the capital city of Italy, further districts were developed for salubrity and convenience

Wall segregation:

Abandonded park&Royal garden

Nowadays, the preserved wall has become a tourist point for visitors and the boundary of the royal palace and royal garden. In this sense, the six meter height wall separates the area into two parts: The upper garden which was designed by André Le Nôtre. He proposed two axes in two directions in the garden. The lower garden came out after the corso Regina margherita was built as the outring of Turin. The prototype of the lower garden was given by the moat, and it was used to be the expansion of the royal garden, the royal zoo. However, it was almost abandoned until in 1867 reprogrammed in a centrosymmetric style

2nd Enlargement

3rd Enlargement

The wall witness the history of Turin

SITE

Typology

Reinterpretation

The heritage is activated by transcripted them within new spaces

Four types of elements range from urban scale to architectural scale are extracted from the context of the wall, and transcripted into different forms to reproduce the history with social requirement

Public park Market University Factory

Walk the dog in the morning

Procurement of living materials Activities in campus Work from day to night

Royal

museum Royal garden Shopping center

Two kinds of target people along the wall:Tourist and local

The wall divides two sides of the city: a physical,social,economic and perceptive separation enhanced by the architectural and functional difference

The Order

Forum wtih old and new

Tower as mirrored history Tower as vertical connection Tower in plan organization

Order for facade expression Order for enclosed space Order as viewfounder

Forum with various floors Forum in human scale

Axis as intersection Axis as visual corridor Axis as building

The axis

The Forum

The Tower

The spaces on three nodes imply the historical spatial logic combining reality

The method is to help to create a completely new approach to designing with ancient ruins, but also to create new way of forming spatiality

Site as public park(1914-2022)

Site as royal zoo(1861-1886)

Site as moat(17th century)

Define corridors

a:respecting of history

Three Axis connect history and present. They start from the historical monument, and end at the present functional building

b:continued urban texture

The grid continues the urban texture of two sides to break the separation

Divide symbolic area

The site is divided into three parts following the developing sequence of upper garden

Generate new identity

Three new cores were sited such that they would not obstruct views from within the historical building

Ground Floor Plan 1:3000

New spatial organization surrounding the monument

Node 1: Enclosed space at the end of wall

Node 2: See and be seen

Node 3: Watch tower

The linear stair and amphitheater connect the upper Royal Garden, Bastion verde, and Theater Rai

Three historical axes converge at the node. The triangular pavilion provides a view with an arched frame to the old wall far away

The tower provides the highest view point of the surrounding area. The horizontal building accommodates neighborhood life

05 IN-BETWEEN REALM

Politecnico di Torino 2021 Fall Design studio

-Building Construction Studio

Corperated with Xing tongxin, Lin juan, Wu kexin Role in team: reasoning, modeling,design and drawing

Instructor: Walter Nicolino

walter.nicolino@polito.it

Site: Tokyo, Japan Area: 320m

The bubble economy in Japan triggered a rise in housing prices and the spread of single culture, and the new generation in Japan gradually moved from the one-family buildings that were everywhere to compact apartments in the city. But the small apartment does not allow two generations to live together, and the relationship between parents and children becomes distant

The site is located on the outskirts of Tokyo, the edge of the city center and the countryside, implying a constant turnover of housing.There is a need for closer communication between the new generation and the older generation, I tried to address the issue focusing on the combined ways of each units

The three-floor mix-used building provides four units for two families, connecting with the big terrace in different heights above the ground. The particular layout balances the demand of both privacy and publicity. And on the ground floor, the office and public space offer a "free-space" in the society. All neighbors could share the cafe behind the office, chatting with friends

Social changes have led to changes in Japan's housing structure

In the past fifty years, large changes have happened among Japanese families. The land price in Japan increased rapidly because of the economic bubble;Elderly people passing away and young people moving to cities increased vacancy rates. The housing market is gradually leaning towards apartments instead of single family houses

Apartment buildings with shared space combine the best of both housing types

During the 20th century, most Japanese lived in one single house with their family members. They owned a large shared outdoor courtyard in the form of closed or semi closed. And roominess which provided more area for double height, attic,storage space

Compared to the single family house, apartment blocks accommodate more inhabitants per unit and decrease the construction cost. The simple layout also satisfies all kinds of users like students, couples, singles. They can choose personalized housing according to their requirement

People tend to move from one-family buildings to apartment buildings

High quality public space

A: Single family house

Flexible staking units

B: Multiple-unit building

MAXIMUM VOLUME

The resulting volume meets the requirement of setback (2m north and 3m from east)

UPPER APARTMENT

Two apartmetns are arranged in th rest of space

GROUND FLOOR OFFICE

SHARED TERRACE

The terrace connects two single apartments for the young and the old in a family

An architecture studio and retail are arranged on the ground floor 1

STREET-FACING FACADE

The outdoor stairs are tapered to continue the notion of connection

OPENNING & SHADING SYSTEM

The renovated "Engawa" are created according to the function

Unit 1a

Floor: 1th -2th

Area: 60m2

User: Mika 26yrs

Description:

The living room equips with flexible furniture and the small movie room provides a relatively private space for user

Unit 1a

Floor: 1th

Area: 80m2

User: Kato 71yrs

Description:

Good lighting and ventilation with semitransparent glass for activities of elderly people from day to night The

Mikuto

Unit 2a

Floor: 3th

Area: 55m2

User: Yuri 60years

Description:

Linear plan with mezznine which accomodates

Chashitsu (Japanese tea room) for friends

Unit 2b

Floor: 2th-3th

Area: 124m2

User: Mikuto and Juro Young couple

Description:

The lower floor is planned for working and public use. The study room is divided into two parts for two people which is independent. The upper floor is used as bedroom and leads to terrace

Window:

Aluminum sash

Wired glass 6.8mm

Clear glass 5mm

Perforated Aluminum louver

Sliding door:

Aluminum sash

Vertical standing seam

Polycarbonate panel 3mm

Floor:

Janpanese oak flooring 15mm

Underfloor heating 12mm

Structural plywood 12mm

Rigid insulation foam 30mm

Structural plywood 12mm

Roof:

Wood beam 120*150mm

Rigid insulation foam 30mm

Structural plywood 12mm

Rigid insulation foam 30mm

Cement excelsior board 12mm

Adjusting bolt stainless steel M12 @910mm

Alaska cedar 27mm @110mm

Exterior Wall:

White metal panel 3mm

Aluminum supporting profile

Vertical ventilation furring strips

Vapor-permeable membrance

Structural plywood 12mm

Glass wool insulation 120mm

Structural plywood 12mm

Cement borad 15mm