taole chen
portfolio 2010-15
CV
taole.chen@gmail.com current location: san francisco
ACADEMIC September 2010 - May 2015 September 2014 - May 2015
2002-2010
PROFESSIONAL September 2015 - present
BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE
California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA Graduated May 2015 with High Distinction | GPA: 3.825 (1st in Class) Thesis: “Horizontal Urbanism: Design Agency in a World without Design”. Advisors: Irene Cheng, Christopher Falliers
GERMAN ABITUR
German Embassy School Beijing, Beijing, China Graduated in June 2010
FABRICATION STUDIO ASSISTANT Chambers Art & Design, Oakland California Developed shop drawings for in-studio fabrication. Responsible for 3d modeling, drawings and visualization. General assistance in fabrication, involving cutting, finishing, assembly
ARCHITECTURE INTERN June - September 2014
AECOM, Beijing China Participated in schematic design for a mixed-used-commercial complex; 3d modeling, visualization for said project. Developed analytical work involving diagrams, presentation layout, information visualization. Conducted field analysis work involving site visits, observing and documenting space usage in large-scale office program.
ARCHITECTURE INTERN May - August 2011
AFC Architecture, Beijing China Helped complete drawings, participated in the making of the site model.
SCULPTURE STUDIO ASSISTANT March - April 2007
Wei Xiao Ming Atelier, Beijing China 2007 Worked on clay sculptures, bronze casting and fiber glass mold making.
PUBLICATION/AWARDS 2015 2014-15 2014 2014 2013 2013 2012 2011 2011 2010-15
Recipient of the American Institute of Architects Henry Adams Medal of General Excellence. Honors Program: Acceptance into M. Arch Thesis based on academic performance review and thesis proposal. Jury Prize Nominee Publication: Construct No.2 // Friction All-College Honors Recipient Jury Prize Nominee Jury Prize Nominee Jury Prize Nominee First-Year Honors Recipient CCA Merit Scholarship Recipient
PROFICIENCY
DIGITAL
ANALOGUE
LANGUAGES
Rhino3d
Processing
ZBrush
Photoshop
Arduino
Html/CSS/Javascript
Illustrator
Aftereffects
SketchUp
Indesign
VRay
ArcGIS
Grasshopper
AutoCAD
3dsMax
Model-making
Drawing
Waterjet-cutting
Laser-cutting
Painting
Woodworking
Hand-drafting
3D-Printing
Metalworking
German (Native)
Mandarin
English
Rock climbing
Photography
Tinkering
Guitar
Travel
Martial Arts
French
INTERESTS
Art
academic
professional
other
INDEX
4
learn to grow : grow to learn
project biocatalyst
thesis: horizontal urbanism
tensegrity pavilion
68
nanning entertainment complex
stainless steel bar cabinet
76
drawing
hydroponics project
photography
ACADEMIC
LEARN TO GROW : GROW TO LEARN ARCHITECTURAL PEDAGOGY Year 2014 Location Berkeley Type IBD - High School Extension
0'
8'
16'
32'
80'
LTG : GTL explores the implementation of architecture as a medium of pedagogy. Building on Realm High School’s maker-centric curriculum and the prevalent food culture within Berkeley, the new extension houses an integrated horticultural program that teaches students the responsibilities of care-taking, the benefits of a healthy, sustainable food-lifecycle and also what it means to be connected to a community. Both human and plant inhabitants are celebrated throughout the program, which intertwines to create a shared space for growing - in all senses of the word. Furthermore, a nursery-program allows the students to interact with the community and instill in them a sense of environmental stewardship as they learn about the process of nurturing, sharing and eventually preparing the plants that make up a large part of a healthy diet.
NEW OLD
Bonar St
Curtis St
University Ave
Main Entrance
' Siteplan 0
'8'
16'
32'
80'
The design emphasizes an introverted approach to program and circulation. Understanding the existing architecture as main elements of the massing, the new extension seeks to enhance the student life rather than supplant it with an entirely foreign experience. The new massing further encapsulates an intimate courtyard to provide a sheltered and private learning environment for students, while the inner life of the building is only revealed at a few strategic points to encourage public engagement.
MASSING
Throughout the semester we regularly checked in with the high school students at Realm. From the beginning, we had printed a large scale aerial map and simple massing blocks for each program and brought them to our “client meetings�. We asked many questions, trying to engage and include the students in a discussion about the design. It was interesting to see how the high school students slowly became familiar with the concept of programming and massing, until they confidently moved around the massing blocks while talking about their needs. Back in studio, the team continued to massage the massing, trying to find a good meeting point between function, massing and aesthetics. Over the course of many iterations, we came to a massing that was aesthetic, logical, simple and fulfilled the wishes of the Realm students. Massing had become a central point of debate in this project. I learned the usefulness of simple spatial representation, demonstrated by how even our adolescent clients were able to understand complex spatial challenges, and how it helped our team to constantly move forward.
Configurations as designed by Realm students.
Massing iterations leading up to the final massing. - 10 -
- 11 -
View from a courtyard pod towards the Spine. - 12 -
- 13 -
Spine
Media Lab
!!
Workshop
# "
!"
Section B #%
0'
"$
!
8' !"
32'
16' 0'
8'
80' 32'
16'
80'
Commons Spine
Student Lounge
Section C 0'
8'
32'
16'
80'
D
Classroom
Classroom
Media Lab
Teacher Lounge
Student Lounge
Workshop
Media Lab
0'
8'
0'
8'
32'
16'
Long Section A
80'
32'
16' 0'
8'
80' 16'
32'
80'
- 14 -
Event Space
B
EVENT SPACE
A
C
WORKSHOP
D
TEACHER LOUNGE
STUDENT LOUNGE
B
POD
C
D
OLD HALLWAY LOADING AREA
MEDIA LAB
CLASSROOM
A
CLASSROOM EDUCATIONAL KITCHEN
+12'-0"
COMMONS
KITCHEN
+12'-0"
STORAGE/MECHANICAL
COURT
B
C
D
First Floor 0'
8'
32'
16'
80'
MEDIA LAB B
A
C
CLASSROOM
MEDIA LAB
CLASSROOM
A
Second Floor 0'
8'
32'
16'
80'
- 15 -
0'
8'
16'
32'
80'
D
CLASSROOM
CLASSROOM
Spine second floor, Entrance to Commons.
- 16 -
View into a pod from the spine. - 17 -
- 18 -
Classroom
Commons - 19 -
- 20 -
North-facing Pod.
PARAPET WALL CORTEN STEEL PANEL CONCRETE STEEL DECKING
PREFAB CONCRETE INSERT FOR SKYLIGHT
STEEL BEAM UNISTRUT
FIBERGLASS BATT INSULATION
FIBERGLASS BATT INSULATION GYPSUM BOARD INTERIOR FINISH
SPACER BOARD T4 FLUORESCENT GROW LIGHTS
DOUBLE-GLAZED GLASS
INWARD
FACING
PLANTER MODULES FOR SENSITIVE CROPS
WINDOW SILL
FIBERGLASS BATT INSULATION INTERIOR FINISH
DOUBLE-GLAZED GLASS
SUPPORT PLATE FOR SEATING
POURED CONCRETE SLAB
Section Detail through Pod.
0’
4’
8’
16’
- 21 -
32
FACADE PROTOTYPING
An essential part of this studio was the facade.The intent from the start was to develop it far enough to build a mockup prototype with the help of the Autodesk Pier 9 workshop. We were provided with 2 cold-rolled steel sheets for experimentation and one stainless steel sheet for the final prototype. It was a valuable lesson in designing for construction, as we had to cut and assemble the prototype ourselves. With limited tools and material available, we were forced to design around the constraints. We ended up with a system that employs standard unistruts and slotted connections that minimize gaps between panels. Furthermore, the panels were folded on the sides to provide rigidity and depth to the paneling. We also challenged ourselves by desiging a system that would be able to modulate light and become more than just a facade. We experimented with different designs that would allow the facade to be used as storage, display,
1. BUILD PLANTERS.
2. GERMINATE SEEDLINGS
water catchment. In the final prototype we incorporated a leaf-shaped design that also functions as planter attachments.The planters themselves will be designed and fabricated by Realm students in their design/build curriciculum, thus providing an interactive element to the architecture that could engage the students with their learning environment. We also suggested that the planters be designed in such a manner that they are transportable and biodegradable, possibly introducing a nursery program for after-school activities, in which students would be able to sell seedlings to the community. The planters with the seedlings could then be inserted into a suitable bed and the planters would decompose.
3. GROW SEEDLINGS
4. TRANSPLANT FOR HARVEST
4. SELL TO COMMUNITY
Nursery supply-cycle. - 22 -
Final Prototype.
- 23 -
The final prototype is mounted on standard unistruts. As the panels are slotted together, it was designed that maintenance would be relatively minimal. In order to replace a panel, one would have to remove all panels in the same columns above the affected panel. However, the panels are light enough, and removal simple that it can be done with 2 people.
Assembly Detail of Prototype. - 24 -
- 25 -
Prototype 1-3.
Study models exploring the panel design.
Prototype 4. - 26 -
- 27 -
Final Assembly at CCA’s shops. - 28 -
Fabrication process of the final prototype, starting out at Autodesk’s Pier 9 workshop.
- 29 -
PROJECT BIO-CATALYST
PRINTING EXPERIMENTAL ECOLOGIES
H T T P S : / / W W W. Y O U T U B E . C O M / WAT C H ? V = R 8 B Y F Y I 6 I I Y Year 2014 Location Type Digital Fabrication Studio
Project Bio-Catalyst co-opts sterile/devastated sites in order to create petridish-like testing beds that serve as catalytic incubators for experimental eco-systems. Project Bio-Catalyst is a comprehensive management system that can be deployed to a number of different environments. It takes control of a site and leads it through several phases, wherein different species are gradually introduced to the experimental eco-system. Being a part of the Digital Craft Lab series at CCA, this studio focused primarily on the fabrication process as a method to test the concept and deepen our understanding of the design. A majority of our time was spent on material research, prototyping and the fabrication of artefacts.
As a test condition, we chose to intervene on a contaminated mining site. These barren sites are found ubiquitiously along the American West Coast and many other parts of the world, inactive and inaccessible, as governments are unwilling to provide the funds to remediate contamination zones. Project Bio-Catalyst promises to solve this issue by supplying alternative incentives in order to kick-start the remediation process. Using the Skyprinter, an experimental ecology would be created over the course of several phases, first injecting remediative layers that infuse benign micro-organisms and subtrates. Eventually, structural layers are inserted, along with various test species, creating a vibrant, but contained ecosystem. As in a petri-dish, it is possible to test different combinations of species and layouts. Once a sustainable, healthy system is established, the boundaries will be lifted and the once contaminated site merges with its surroundings. The scientific value of the project is obvious, but coming from a more twisted angle, one could argue for an economical incentive as well. For example, wilderness tourism could attract people and, thus, economic growth to the region. Perhaps the habitat could be leveraged as a real-life simulation game, where players create habitats and manage them on their computers.
View from inside the habitat.
1. ANALYSIS 1yr
2. REMEDIATION 1-2yrs
CELLULAR STRUCTURES
AREA CLOSED OFF FOR SAFETY
Inorganic Substrate
This phasing diagram shows how the experimental ecosystem is built up over time. The forms are timed to support the introduction of animal and plant species. The sequence is optimized to establish a sustainable food chain in order to prevent the introduction of unsuitable species which could collapse the entire system.
REMEDIATIVE AGGREGATES
WATER RETENTION
TOP SOIL
structures to avoid water contact with ARD
top soil for plants. Metal hyperaccumulators.
HIGH CONTAMINATION AREAS ADDRESSED
Litrotrophs
Autotrophs
Clay
Spirochaeta thermophila
Loam
Spirochaeta americana
Fruit
Fungi
Rosinweed Sand
Glomus mosseae Leaf thistle
Silt
B. subtilis
Pine
Cedar Compost
Streptomyces Oak
Fan palm
MICROFORMS
_cellular structural formwork
_aquatic formwork
_blobby colony
3.CONSTRUCTION 2-5yrs
4.EVALUATION 5-10yrs DEVELOPMENT
MACRO-ARTEFACTS
HIGH GRADE VEGETATION
CATALYZATION
COMPLEXIFICATION
construction of base habitats
build up of eco-system
PARCELS OPENED FOR EXPERIMENTATION
Heterotrophs
TESTING OF EXPERIMENTAL ECOLOGY
Herbivores
OPTIONAL: CATALYZATION TO LARGER ECO-SYSTEM
Primary Predators
Secondary Predators
Cockroach Fisher
Bees
Raven
Mountain lion Coyote
Carpenter Ant
Swallows
Grasshopper
Wolf
Woodpecker
Cricket
Gopher
Ground Squirrels Great horned owl
Bear
Woodrat
MACROFORMS
_cellular star
_bird tower
_basket valleys
_cavern
Section diagram of the Leviathan Mine. - 36 -
SkyPrinter
- 37 -
2389-1235-12355131123-12351235.123.551
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THE SKYPRINTER Although the Skyprinter prints the habitat structure, it woud be more accurate to describe it as a management system. Suspended on wires, it glides above the ecosystem, and serves as eye and hand of the user. We imagine that it has an interchangeable tool set, making it suitable for a variety of tasks and minimizing the need for humans to physically intervene.
Access ladder
Sensor Module
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Tool Head Socket Building mr concerns servants in he outlived am breeding. He so lain good miss
- 38 -
Exchangeable Tool Set
Exchangeable Tool Set
20.50
SP-00
52.00
36.00
52.00
EXTRUDER
20.50
GRAPPLER
EXTRUDER
GRAPPLER
36.00 19.00
19.00
9.00
DRILL
SPADE
9.00 29.50
DRILL
SPADE
29.50 13.50
13.50
CAMERA
8.00
ANIMAL CONTROL
CAMERA
- 39 -
8.00
ANIMAL CONTROL
PROCESS The Skyprinter is an evolution of conventional 3d-printing. The intention from the start was to go big, but using existing 3d-printing technology would be cost-prohibitive, as the printer must usually be supported by a heay chassis with precision-components. Another limitation is the material technology. Using commercially available parts, we would be limited to plastic filament, which is neither cost-effective nor sensible for large structures. To solve these problems, we had to develop and prototype the project in two directions. First, we needed to develop a constructor that would allow us to create a printing-bed with minimal material-costs. Based on the delta-printer which already uses much less parts than conventional cartesian 3d-printers, we further stripped down the printer to its essence. - 40 -
Instead of mechanically fixed planes for the printhead to move on, we implemented a system that uses three winches and strings to hold the printhead in place, as well as to compute its location in space. Taking advantage of gravity, the system balances itself out while also completely eliminating the need for a frame. Additionally, the move allowed us to set up an adaptable coordinate system that could be installed anywhere with three points that are higher than the print. Second, our material research took us through a range of materials, such as paper, sawdust, flour and fungus, in an effort to minimize cost and environmental impact. After many experiments, we settled with pottery clay due to time constraints, but potentially the research could be continued with concrete for example. - 41 -
We researched with a variety of materials which probably all had potential to be developed further. However, it would have taken much more time and possibly a material expert to even begin to grasp the control factors in using these materials. Ultimately, clay was chosen as the test material. Because previous studios already had provided us with a database, we were given a headstart and able to get it working fast. Retrospectively, it would have made sense to start out with clay and work on other materials concurrently, as we were unable to properly test our early prototypes, because the material was not working. - 42 -
buttermilk 2 : cornstarch 2 : paper 2 : moss 2
glue 2 : water 2 : sawdust 1 : paper 1
glue 1 : water 2 : sawdust 2
buttermilk 2 : cornstarch 2 : sawdust 2 : moss 2
buttermilk 3 : cornstarch 1 : paper 2 : sawdust 1 : moss 6
water 2 : cornstarch 2 : paper 2
glue 1 : water 1 : sawdust 1
glue 2 : water 2 : paper 3
glue 1 : water 2 : paper 3
glue 1 : water 1 : sawdust 1
fungus experiment day 1
fungus experiment day 5
- 43 -
w
Starting out with a two-dimensional system, we slowly managed to build up the code to a point where we could divorce the printer from its gantry. As can be seen above, the virtual representation became gradually more complex in order to increase accuracy. The final prototype was attached to various points in our studio. The setup was so minimal that we had to figure out how to make it more visible for presentations.
The coding was done in Grasshopper, using Firefly and a TinyG motion-control system.
- 44 -
Prototype 1
Prototype 2
WINCH
WINCH WINCH
PRESSURIZED CLAY CHAMBER
TinyG
TOOL HEAD
LAPTOP
AIR COMPRESSOR
Prototype 3 - 45 -
Final Prototype
The printhead evolved over time, changing in dimensions in order to minimize sway while moving. In the second picture one can see the remainder of our experiment with a progressive cavity pump. Because of our limited budget, our only option was to 3d-print the pump, but due to the complex parts and high pressure required, plastic components would not be able to handle the clay. If the project is developed further, the next step would likely be the design of a gyroscope inside the printhead to manage sway and a more sophisticated feed-mechanism.
- 46 -
- 47 -
- 48 -
- 49 -
HORIZONTAL URBANISM
DESIGN AGENCY IN A WORLD WITHOUT DESIGN
H T T P S : / / W W W. Y O U T U B E . C O M / WAT C H ? V = 4 K _ 7 7 P O 4 A I G Year 2015 Location Tenderloin, San Francisco Type Thesis
- 50 -
Horizontal Urbanism is a new approach to understanding the city or, more broadly, human inhabitated space. Based off of populist movements such as Occupy and design approaches such as tactical urbanism, Horizontal Urbanism attempts to create a system that redefines how we use and construct urban spaces through “insurgent� design. Its philosophy and politics aim to break conventional boundaries and hierarchies to install more social spaces. This thesis investigates a new concept of the designer’s agency and expertise in a horizontal society where old hierarchies between architect and user are leveled, and the top-down design method is no longer valid.
- 51 -
INTRODUCTION
In my fourth year at CCA I wrote a research paper on the militarization of contemporary urban spaces. Specifically, I analyzed how militarized language, ideologies and control mechanisms had infiltrated ordinary, domestic life. With the proliferation of high-tech surveillance and the promise of effective counter-terrorist systems, urban spaces are ripped apart into tightly controlled securityscapes that enforce a hierarchy of consumerism, in which the value of citizens is measured by financial ability. Increasingly, we can witness how cityscapes themselves, being the skeleton of urban and civic life, are transformed into control devices that marginalize the underprivileged and undermine the essence of public spaces in a democratic society. Districts of the poor and underprivileged are often singled out, scapegoated, raided and closed off using excusessuch as the ‘war on drugs’, ‘war on crime’, as seen in the cases of McArthur Park in Los Angeles or the banlieues around Paris. Only qualified consumers are seen as full citizens, which in turn has created an underclass of disenfranchised and radicalized citizens that is profiled and marginalized according to race, financial ability and ethnicity.
The disenfranchised find new, deviant ways to co-opt urban spaces for their unmet needs and desires, resulting in spatial experiments in communal/hyperlocal living that promise to challenge the now globalized, neoliberal agenda. My research had raised many questions, but I did not find many answers, the most pressing one being where is the architect in all of this? Architecture is the intermediary discipline that channels all agendas into the physical realm, yet architects are never included in this crucial debate that promises to shape the discourse of the twenty-first century. Architects historically have been complicit in supporting the agendas of the top percentile, simply due to their reliance on the client-architect relationship, resulting in their own marginalization. Architecture has been accused of being a luxury for the rich, but what if architects adapted to actively participate in the disenfranchised communities - the ones that normally cannot afford design? So, in my last year at CCA I decided to apply for the M.Arch thesis program to explore these questions.
From Top Left (clockwise): arricades challenging accepted use of public space. Homeless settlement in Tokyo. Occupy Wallstreet. OccupyHK study groups. - 52 -
- 53 -
WHAT IS HORIZONTAL URBANISM?
Fueled by neglected needs and desires, the new underclass has a modus operandi that comes with its own politics, behaviors and values, manifested in radical populist movements, such as the Occupy Movement for example. Already, the city is understood as a battleground and used in drastically different ways, as various movements and groups co-opt urban space to form their own needs, often in defiance of legal regulations. Novel typologies emerge from continual clashes between these “insurgent citizens” and opposing elements in the urban landscape, suggesting new ways of using urban spaces. On the extreme, it can be argued that in the act of protesting is design. During each protest, protesters devise prototypes (such as a new accessory perhaps that protects against tear gas) and test them out in a real situation. Furthermore, protesters are continually developing a new language, as they appropriate urban structures and reinterpret them for “insurgent usage”, such as street lamps that are repurposed as banner structure. However, open protest is only the most radicalized manifestation of insurgent citizenship. It can be found on all levels of everyday life.
My thesis focuses on this emergent paradigm, attempting to distill the ideas into a more coherent system that I have been calling “Horizontal Urbanism” in my work. The term itself is a marriage of “Horizontalism”, a term first appearing in the 2001 protests in Argentina (“Horizontalidad” in Spanish) to describe the abolishment of traditional political hierarchies in favor of “open spaces for people to voice their concerns and desires” in a direct democratic way (Sitrin); and “Urbanism” to denote the focus on the spatial implications within an urban context. Horizontal Urbanism is a concept that redefines how we use and design urban spaces through deviance and co-optation. It is based on the willingness of actors to break conventional boundaries and hierarchies. The purpose is to arrive at an methodology that ultimately rejects the one-sided and often consumerist agendas of top-down urban planning and affirms social, democratic spatial practices.
- 54 -
15’-30’
>5’-8’ >3’
- 55 -
Given the inherent rejection of hierarchic relationships within Horizontal Urbanism, it also means a breakdown of the conventional relationship between architect and user. The practice of Horizontal Urbanism itself is an act of design when users exapt and adapt to urban spaces. However, design as an expertise has no part in this conversation. The design professional remains largely irrelevant as movements around the world participate in this collective discourse that could influence the composition of urban spaces (an undoubtedly architectural topic). Furthermore, the design professional is in danger of completely falling into irrelevancy if he/she has not already, confined to designing vanity projects for corporate/rich clients while ignoring the majority of the population. My thesis work has essentially been an open-ended investigation into the methodologies and structure of conventional design, looking at how to reinterpret design expertise and agency in a world without the need for designers. How can designers create a dialogue with users when the top-down, privileged design hierarchy is no longer valid? How can we become relevant in the civic discourse between democracy, society and consumerism?
Experiment in the studio as a proxy-environment to explore design agency, using different techniques to illicit interaction and engagement with the “users� (my classmates). - 56 -
5
6
7
INSTRUCTIONS
TECHNIQUE
Opportunistic take-over of existing structures.
THE STRINGBOX
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
TECHNOLOGY
gram for archiving.
2
6
Exploration of design a in a user-generated spa
TECHNIQUE
Ropes are used as sim cheap interface to int with the environment
DOCUMENTATION
I.D. OF OPPORTUNITIES
Throwing device as system to install structure.
Opportunistic take-over of existing structures.
DESIGN INPUT:
EXPERIMENT #01.0 THE STRINGBOX LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1
EXPERIMENT #01.0
THE STRINGBOX
5
Interaction is time-sensitive.
The printed instructions on the wall were seen, but rarely consciously read. As a result, the installation generated a lot of curiosity and questions, but was not seen as something to actively modify.
Unless the participants were heavily invested into the project, the effort required to learn knotting techniques proved as a deterrent for actually using the knots.
Most participants engaged in a playful manner - e.g. sometimes role-playing as bartender - completely ignoring any type of instructions. More involved engagement was discouraged by safety concerns - participants were very sceptical of the ropes’ load limits.
Once the novelty subsided (after ca. 1 week), it was mostly experienced as an obstacle to the fridge in the corner. The interactive INSTRUCTIONS nature completely vanished. Hy-Short pothesis: Interaction maydescription prolong of Project -Catalog of knots and loops if there is a practical function. -Whiteboard for comments
1
3
3
TECHNIQUE
I.D. OF OPPORTUNITIE
Throwing device as system to install structure.
2
Interaction 02: Participants “play” with the structure, but are hesistant to modify it.
Nobody reads instructions.
Knots are too complicated to learn.
The printed instructions on the wall were seen, but rarely consciously read. As a result, the installation generated a lot of curiosity and questions, but was not seen as something to actively Exploration of design agency modify. in a user-generated space.
Unless the participants were heavily invested into the project, the effort required to learn knotting techniques proved as a deterrent for actually using the knots. CCA Grad Studio as contained environment to mimick conditions of public space.
WHAT
2 6
WHERE
WHERE
2
DESIGN INPUT:
1
INSTRUCTIONS
Ropes are used as simple, cheap interface to interact with the environment.
Nobody TECHNOLOGY
INSTRUCTIONS
-Short description of Project -Catalog of knots and loops -Whiteboard for comments
WHERE
reads instructions.
BASE STRUCTURE
Ropes are used as simple, cheap interface to interact with the environment.
Intuitive anchor The printed instructionsease on the system walldevised to interaction with participants. were seen, but rarely consciously read. As a result, the installation generated a lot of curiosity and questions, but was not seen as something to actively modify.
CCA Grad Studio as con5 6 tained environment to mimick conditions of public space.
4
Intuitive anchor system devised to ease interaction with participants.
DESIGN INPUT:
7
Throwing device as system to install structure.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Interaction 02: Participants “play” with the structure, but are hesistant to modify it.
I.D. OF OPPORTUNITIES Knots are too complicated
to learn.
WHO
Design/Fabrication of “wedge”
Unless the participants were heavily invested into the project, the effort required to learn knotting techniques proved as a deterrent for actually using the knots.
conditions.
Design/Fabrication of “wedge” conditions.
TECHNIQUE Throwing device as system to install structure.
I.D. OF OPPORTUNITIES Opportunistic take-over of existing structures.
DOCUMENTATION Invitation to Instagram for archiving.
Interaction 01: Someone used plywood to make a bar counter.
7
2 I.D. OF OPPORTUNITIES Opportunistic take-over of existing structures.
Nobody reads instructions.
#stringboxatcca
1 LEARNING OUTCOMES:
TECHNIQUE
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
6
TECHNIQUE
6
Students as insurgent #stringboxatcca citizens
- 57 5
WHO
I.D. OF OPPORTUNITIES
BASE STRUCTURE
TECHNOLOGY
-Short description of Project -Catalog of knots and loops -Whiteboard for comments
Most participants engaged in a playful manner - e.g. sometimes role-playing as bartender - completely ignoring any type of instructions. More involved engagement was discouraged by safety concerns - particiStudents insurgent pants wereas very sceptical of the ropes’ load citizens limits.
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WHO
Students as insurgent citizens
Exploration of design agency 2 3 in a user-generated space.
Interaction occurs as natural behaviour.
Throwing device as system to install structure.
Interaction 01: Someone used plywood to make a bar counter.
CCA Grad Studio as contained environment to mimick conditions of public space.
Interaction 03: 2x2s were added spontaneously by participant, transforming the bar into a bench.
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DESIGN INPUT:
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WHAT
Opportunistic take-over of exis ing structures.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Interaction 01: Someone used plywood to make a bar counter.
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Exploration of design agency in a user-generated space.
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Interaction occurs as natural behaviour.
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WHAT
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Interaction 04: Participants reluctantly test out the bench.
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Knots are too complicated to learn.
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Interaction 03: 2x2s were added spontaneously by participant, transforming the bar into a bench.
Invitation to Instagram for archiving.
Nobody reads instructions.
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TECHNOLOGY
-Short description of Project -Catalog of knots and loops -Whiteboard for comments
Interaction 02: Participants “play” with the structure, but are hesistant to modify it.
#stringboxatc
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INSTRUCTIONS
Interaction 01: Someone used plywood to make a bar counter.
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WHAT
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ease interaction with participa
DOCUMENTATION
DESIGN INPUT:Invitation to Insta-
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CCA Gra tained BASE mimick STRUCTURE public sp Intuitive anchor system devise
Ropes are used as simple, cheap interface to interact with the environment.
I.D. OF OPPORTUNITIES
Throwing device as system to install structure.
W
Exploration of design agency in a user-generated space.
-Short description of Project -Catalog of knots and loops -Whiteboard for comments
EXPERIMENT #01.0
#stringboxatcca
WHAT
The printed instructions on the wall were seen, but rarely consciously read. As a result, the installation generated a lot of curiosity and questions, but was not seen as something to actively modify.
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DOCUMENTATION Invitation to Instagram for archiving. Interaction 01: Someone used plywood to make a bar counter.
Interaction 02: Participants “play” with the structure, but are hesistant to modify it.
Interaction 03: 2x2s were added spontaneously by participant, transforming the bar into a bench.
Interaction 04: Participants reluctantly test out the bench.
Nobody reads instructions.
Knots are too complicated to learn.
Interaction occurs as natural behaviour.
Interaction is time-sensitive.
The printed instructions on the wall were seen, but rarely consciously read.
Unless the participants were heavily invested into the project, the effort
Most participants engaged in a playful manner - e.g. sometimes role-playing as bar-
Once the novelty subsided (after ca. 1 week), it was mostly experi-
Iterations of a design manual. Experimentation with ways to communicate as a designer without assigning a prescriptive form.
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The thesis was an investigation into the agency of design. In other words, rather than designing a project, I sought to redefine the methods and principles which govern the way we approach design. To me, it was more about asking questions and becoming more aware of the limitations of the profession. In this regard, I had found myself in a conundrum, as the thesis approach generally requires a specific site and program, in order to effectively critique a project. I had chosen the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco as a testing ground. However, even with a specified site, it was hard, if not impossible, to validate my ideas, especially given the time constraints of the curriculum. In the end, I focused on the representation/inspiration aspect of the designer’s skill repertoire. I made a video showcasing what might happen if the Tenderloin is taken over by an insurgent architecture, linking it with the aforementioned manual and an oversized axonometric drawing (seen on right) to provide an educational, yet inspirational experience to the viewer. Much was left unanswered, but a foundation is laid on which I hope to be able to expand in the future.
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TENSEGRITY PAVILION Year 2015 Location San Francisco Type Temporary Structure
The Tensegrity Pavilion was designed in partnership with Off-The-Grid, a local food truck organization. The brief was to design a temporary pavilion that can be erected for special events and disassembled afterwards for storage. As part of a design-build seminar, our main goal was to design for fabrication. Thus, the design was kept relatively simple in order to be able to build a full-scale prototype. The pavilion retains its shape thanks to the principles of tensegrity. Rows of compression member are sewn into the tensile membrane, which in turn acts as the counter-balancing tension members. The shell is simultaneously the structure, thus eliminating the need for columns.
Stiff Geometry.
Relaxed Geometry.
Kangaroo iterations, testing different tensile factors and dimensions. Most collapsed.
Stress Test.
I was responsible for visualization and building the grasshopper script and testing the structure in a digital milieu. Using RhinoMembrane, I was able to relax the tensegrity assembly and find the optimal shape for the membrane in order to minimize stress. In Kangaroo, the assembly was then subjected to gravity in order to test whether the tension and compression forces would be in balance. However, during the entire process we relied heavily on physical models in order to understand and test the tensegrity structure, scaling up with each iteration. Unfortunately, due to a budget delivery failure from the sponsor, we lacked the funding to build the final, full-scale prototype. - 64 -
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PROFESSIONAL
NANNING ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX
Year 2014 Location Nanning, China Type Mixed-use Commercial
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I participated in this project during my summer internship at Aecom. Due to the relatively short duration, I was only present for the schematic design. We worked mainly on the facade design and the articulation of the concept within the general massing. The project is a mixed-use complex, that contains a mall, a movie theatre, a theme park and office/residential towers. There were three initial concepts of which one was selected by the client to be further developed. My responsibilities included participation in the design discussion, concept drawings, 3d-modeling, scripting in grasshopper and a majority of the post-production.
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At one point, the idea was brought up to incorporate the almond tree into the design, as it was the official city tree. Using Grasshopper, I designed a perforated paneling system that displays said tree. When viewed from up-close, it would just be a series of perforations, but from a distance they would morph into a forest panorama.
At the end of my internship, we started working through the details of the retail street to the northeast of the main complex. Illustrated is a screenshot of some of the elements. - 70 -
Massing iterations.
Sketching through ideas.
Perspective views of the final Iteration - 71 -
STAINLESS STEEL BAR CABINET
Year Ongoing Location Oakland Type Furniture
ALUMINIUM LID
ASSISTED-CLOSE LEVER
STAINLESS PIANO HINGE
EXTERIOR SHELL
CUTTING BOARD INTERIOR PARTITIONS
LATHED ALUMINIUM LEG
WOODEN DRAWERS
STAINLESS DOORS
This project entails the design and fabrication of a custom bar cabinet for a private client. It is done for Chambers Art & Design and is ongoing. The original concept was given to us by an interior designer. However, aside from the general form and function nothing else was worked out. We took the idea and designed the cabinet from the ground-up for fabrication. The design was quite challenging, as it has a minimalist aesthetic, with no hardware visible on the outside. Furthermore, a large percentage of the inside surfaces is mirror-polished and the outside is painted black, which means it cannot simply be welded together, as the heat of a welder would destroy both mirror-finish and paint. Any weld would be visible in the mirrored surfaces. For it to work, we had to come up with novel techniques that are unheard of in the world of stainless steel, and most of the hardware, such as hinges and legs, are custom-made. I partook in design discussions and decisions, and I was responsible for the 3d-modeling, shop drawings, visualization of the design, preparation for the lasercutter, as well as the finish on the final object.
In order to minimize welding, we developed a slotting system that gives structural stability to the assembly. Aesthetically, the finger joints on the exterior also provide a nice detail that sets it apart and give it a sophisticated touch. Additionally, keeping fabrication in mind, the exterior shell and the interior partitions are two separate entitities in order to keep weight manageable. The fully assembled cabinet weighs 800lbs (360kg), meaning special equipment and professional movers would be required to install it in the client’s home. By keeping it separate, two people can move the cabinet. Also, the interior partitions sit perfectly inside the shell, thus no welding is needed.
EXTERIOR SHELL
Mirror-polishing process, going from grit 60 to 1200 + buffing.
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INTERIOR PARTITIONS
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OTHER
DRAWING Year Ongoing Location Type Personal
Drawing and art have always been a central part of my life. My thinking is expressed in drawing and I love the technical side of drawing. Although I graduated highschool with the intention of studying fine art, I have decided to pursue architecture and design, as it speaks more to my logical side as well as my passion for creation.
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HYDROPONICS PROJECT
Year Ongoing Location Type Personal
I like to spend my free time on side projects. One of them is a hydroponics system I have been working on and off for about a year. It has gone through four iterations at this point and is far from perfect. With no prior experience or knowledge of gardening, this project has been a steep learning curve for me. It allowed me to expand my knowledge base on an intellectual and functional level, as well as to gain more experience in electronics and coding. Ultimately, I would like to get to a system that is modular, low-maintenance and able to provide vegetables year long. The idea of self-sufficiency has been a constant topic of conversation for me, and I see this project as perhaps the first step towards exploring self-sufficiency from the capacity of a designer.
LIGHT SENSOR GROW LIGHT
TEMPERATURE SENSOR
HUMIDITY SENSOR 12V PLANT
GUI
?V WIRELESS
REMOVEABLE NET CUPS
ARD GROWING MEDIUM
D9 D8 D7
A0 A1 A2
PVC PIPE SPRAY NOZZLE NUTRIENTS FOOD-SAFE CONTAINER
PH-UP PH-DOWN DISPENSER
NUTRIENT SOLUTION
PH SENSOR
WATER PUMP
Prototype 01
1 THE HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLUINO BLOCK DIAGRAM - ITERATION 03
Prototype 02 Concept - 84 -
GROWLIGHT
BRASS CAP
5/8” PVC TUBING
3” MESH NET
MICRO SPRAY NOZZLE
CLAY HYDROPONIC GROW MEDIA
WATER CATCHER
TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY SENSOR
PH SENSOR
SUMBERSIBLE PUMP
Prototype 04
ARDUINO WITH REAL-TIME CLOCK
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Instagram taole.chen Year Ongoing Location Type Personal
Photography is framework that allows me to connect my different interests. It is not only a tool that helps me document my work, but it encourages me to experience the world with a more deliberate awareness. Inside the viewfinder, instances in time and space become compositions that are to be found and constructed. For example, it allows me to analyze how architecture is experienced aesthetically on an intuitive level, as I walk through a space; it provides a framework through which my travels gain a deeper meaning, new experiences are captured as compositions in form and color. Photographing rock climbers is an exercise in capturing movement and the connection to nature. I think as a designer and artist, it is essential to understand how reality comes together to form visual experiences and also to express such experiences.
thank you.