Selected Works

TIANHUI LI

Selected Works 2018-2022

[CONTEXT | ARCHITECTURE]

While architecture is often regarded as “immovables,” it has exposed an aspect of spatial flexibility, in response to its local context. In today’s society，─ with rapid changes in lifestyle, society, or environment modern architecture is required to respond to those trends as quickly as possible. Throughout my architectural education in Syracuse University, I have been aware of this concept of architecture that continuously adapting evolving demands. In this portfolio I would like to introduce my journey of exploring responses of when architecture meets its context.

A DEMOCRATIC FORUM BETWEEN THE WALLS

Spring 2022, Comprehensive Design Studio

Instructor: Richard Rosa

Partner: Kaicheng Zhuang

Location: Syracuse, NY

Awards:

ACSA Steel Design Student Competition 2022 Category I, Honourable Mention King + King Leadership by Design Prize 2022, Finalist

A major problem of contemporary architectural education is the elitist top-down pedagogy that focuses on incubated/ isolated abstractions and speculations without addressing the rich entanglement of disciplines and networks crucial to the dynamic civic contexts we operate in. The choice of sitting in an architecture school is a meta critique of our tendency to view the ‘public’ as static scenarios; the intervention of inserting a living archive in its agora, and a campus corridor for the public to access, is a provocation of how the dynamic politics of difference should inform and challenge the way we design for communities. The project introduces two walls of knowledge to replace the original walls which separate professional spaces apart from the public atrium space.

Rhinocerous/Adobe

Slocum Hall School of Architecture

Link Hall School of Engineering

Section East-West Direction

Rhinocerous/Adobe Illustrator

Detailed Sections

Rhinocerous/Adobe Illustrator

Display wall structure

Mechanical archive shelf

Display wall+Archive desk

Roof gardens' access to archive

Axonometric Section View of Slocum Hall with

From our case studies, we realize that in our discipline, there exists a tradition of top-down planning and what we think is the best for the occupants like in the Hutongrenovation project, it makes little difference control.

Display wall+Archive wall

From our case studies, we realize that in our discipline, there exists a tradition of top-down planning and

The new walls primarily serve the function of archive storage and displacement, each time they enter any program in the architecture school. The two glass walls grand auditorium with a campus corridor that sits above it. The corridor enables academic discussion.

These two glass walls are each composed of a display wall and an archive storage panels, where students and facilities can insert drawings and display them on both storage wall interacts with different programs behind it, it can operate as a studio on the first and second floor, and even an exhibition wall inside the marble room. archives can be displayed, lectures can be held, studio crit can take place, and with masterpieces becomes possible. The archives are no longer stored in storehouses the building, and the public.

Renders by Zhuang

with the Glass Walls Intervention

and decision making. Whether it is based on pure idealism like the people’s commune, or stems from difference in the long term. Even our representational tools such as plans and axonometric exudes ration and and decision making. Whether it is based on pure idealism like the people’s commune, or stems from

displacement, they create a grand vertical space for students and faculties to experience walls go down to the space underneath the building, forming the space of a enables public access to the archive and makes them part of the architecture’s storage wall. The display wall is composed of openable double-layered glass both the atrium side and the inside of the wall space. The backside of the studio pin-up space on the fourth floor, a screen for the Selignmen Auditorium room. The two walls work together to form a multifunctional space, where with foldable glass desks, working and studying in front of the displayed storehouses with limited access, instead, they constantly interact with the students,

From our case studies, we realize that in our discipline, there exists a tradition of top-down planning and decision making. Whether it is based on pure idealism like the people’s commune, or stems from what we think is the best for the occupants like in the Hutongrenovation project, it makes little difference in the long term. Even our representational tools such as plans and axonometric exudes ration and control.

Archive Display Studio Crit

13

From our case studies, we realize that in our discipline, there exists a tradition of top-down planning and decision making. Whether it is based on pure idealism like the people’s commune, or stems from what we think is the best for the occupants like in the Hutongrenovation project, it makes little difference in the long term. Even our representational tools such as plans and axonometric exudes ration and control.

From our case studies, we realize that in our discipline, there exists a tradition of top-down planning and decision

TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY REIMAGINED

Spring 2021, Visiting Critique Studio

Instructor: Liang Wang

Partner: Meejan Patel

Location: Ahmedabad, India

The project focuses on reinventing the traditional pol house typology of Ahmedabad, India into temporal housing for student living. With the increase of technology and online classes, we are interested in the ways in which we can provide temporal housing for the younger generation in response to such technological change. Therefore, while maintaining traditional elements essential to the pol typology, the proposed housing reimagines the pol as a more flexible and open community dwelling for students in Ahmedabad.

We envision the block as a populated and vibrant community where residents can interact amongst themselves, but also with the surrounding community and informal economies that circulate onto the site.

Traditional Pol House Community Reimagined Community for College Students

Site Context

Traditional Pol House Typology

Type 1 Module Aggregation

Type 1I Module Aggregation

Mode of Aggregation

Updating the Modules

The project proposes two types of modules in order to fit both residential and commercial needs. One of the main differences between type 1 (residential) and type 2 (commercial) is the inner "garden" space. This concept of an inner garden originally came from the traditional pol house typology where the garden serves as an air tunnel to release hot air inside the house. This space is also regarded as an in-between space, which loosely connects public and private spaces within the house. While the inner garden is situated in each module of type 1, the garden seen in type 2 is generated by combining modules. In order to respond to the collective character of the type 2 modules, we decided to create a larger inner garden, rather than having small gardens inside of each module.

The main material of the project is wood since it is light and suitable for humid climates. While the traditional pol house uses walls as a spatial guide to separate units or programs, in our project, we used frames, which consist of wooden columns and beams, to create more spatial flexibility.

Life in the Students Community

An Axonometric View of the Community

With the development of (digital) technologies, the importance We further argue that programs are now not defined by architectural of the space they are at/in. In other words, multi-purpose is Although the modules we designed to have only two types, for various purposes.

importance of physical existence has been getting less and less. architectural spaces, rather, users define temporal programs a keyword for responding to a rapid-changing society. by changing elements of the interior, modules can function

Type I Module

Type II Module

Project Process Phases

Phase 1: Aging existing site

Phase 2: Demolition of the project site

Phase 3: Foundation construction

Phase 7: Secondary beams construction

Phase 8: Roof construction

Phase 9: Floor construction

Phase 13: Reimagined community during daytime

Phase 13.1: Daytime activities

Phase 13.2: Evening/night time activities

Phase 4: Wooden frames assembly

Phase 5: Construction of the frames

Phase 6: Wooden beams construction

Phase 10: Building facade construction

Phase 11: Building walls construction

Phase 12: Repeating process for the rest of the modules

Phase 14: Demolition due to deterioration

Phase 15: Reconstruction of new community

Phase 16: Repeated demolitions as needed

URBAN IN-FILL MODULAR LIVING

Fall 2021, Intern at SPG Architects, NYC

Location: New York City

One of the major themes that SPG Architects is interested in is modular construction as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable means. SPG brings this modular constructioin to NYC's affordable housing crisis context to propose alternative way to construct urban fabric. The project is a small multi-family building which is inserted in urban streetscapes. SPG sees each floor unit as a module, and by stacking the prefabricated modules, the project provides cost-effective construction.

The ground floor is designed for shared community facilities, with one module containing public services oriented toward the street, and the second containing residents’ common area that is oriented toward the shared garden. The scheme maximizes FAR for the site but a modern curving and dynamic outdoor fire escape provides both egress and access to shared outdoor living areas at the garden and roof levels.

Backyard Elevation

3D Model for Rendering

Backyard View Render Progress

Adobe Photoshop/Rhino/V-ray

#1 Render

#2 Render

#3 Render

Final Render

A WELL-BEING LANE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE

Fall 2021, NYC design studio

Instructor: David Vega-Barachowitz, Robert Daurio, Crystal Eksi

Teammates: Javier Lam, Shangkun Zhong

In East Flatbush, Broocklyn, NY lies Utica Avenue, an important north-south road that anchors many major roads. It is a commercial corridor, with a large variety of programs. Many of the stores are served for cars, although there is a good mix of different stores along the road. Along Utica Avenue is an intersection of Canarsie Lane, which was built in 1842. The combination of Canarsie Lane and Utica Avenue brought prosperity to the neighborhood. However, by 1980, Canarsie Lane had been abandoned, and are vacant till this day. This Canarsie Lane Revival project, a reintroduction of a once historic lane, seeks to provide health and overall wellbeing for the community.

Site Plan

Existing Conditions of Canarsie Lane (Remaining Traces)

Remaining Traces as Toolkits

Lifestyle of Surrounding Blocks

Rhinocerous/Arc GIS/Grasshopper/Adobe Illustrator/Adobe Photoshop

Vacancy Rate and Land Ownerships

deeper blue area shows higher vacancy rate

C mark:company-owned

House: privately-owned

Pink:public-owned

Canarsie Lane Revival is split into four zones: Meandering Park, Canarsie and Utica Square, Art and Sculpture Path, and Family Lifestyle Zone. Most of the development around Canarsie Lane has occured before 1980, which was when the road was removed. Since 1980, the lots on Canarsie Lane are either vacant or under-utilized. Along Utica Avenue, there are buildings that will be removed and existing services will be rearranged. The lifestyles of the neighbors are integral to how the spaces work. The age, amount of exercise, and meal consumptions of residents are surveyed, and are taken into consideration of their needs, to provide adequate amenities to these people. Traces of art are also seen within the site. A park, gathering spaces, and the arts are integrated within the neighborhood. The proposal looks into the remains along Canarsie Lane and identifies these as traces.. Each zone speaks to transform an element along Canarsie Lane into the design, which are either trees, walls, or fences.

Four Zones Development/Design Processes

Existing Conditions

Existing Programs

Zone 1: Meandering Park

A piece of vacant land is used as a car entryway, while the other two pieces are fenced. Existing trees are kept and are used to guide the meandering park walkway. The

Zone 2: Canarsie and Utica Square

Many of the current commercial activities along Canarsie Lane and Utica Avenue’s intersection are either misplaced or already exist along Utica Avenue. These buildings at different heights along Utica Avenue.

Zone 3: Art and Sculpture Path

The Art and Sculpture Path goes across multiple gardens and garages along the former Canarsie Lane. The land is under-utilized and will be bought from the land owners the lanes.

Zone 4: Family Lifestyle Zone

A few schools exist around this area, but commercial activities are not beneficial to children and families. These buildings are taken down and traces are left behind and

Traces

Reintroduced Programs

Renders

The park preserves the car entryway and introduces a running trail, a low-intensity exercise zone, and a set of seats under tree coverage.

buildings are redesigned, keeping some walls as traces of previously existing buildings along the intersection. The ground is redesigned to allow users to walk, stand, and sit

owners to develop a public path. The path, guided by fences, is redesigned to bring back art and life into the community. Cafes, art pavilions, and seats are integrated along

and modified along the site. The Family Lifestyle Zone provides different amenities for group activities and gatherings.

VISUAL LITERACY

Summer 2019/Summer 2020

Intern at Syracuse University Mech and Aerospace Engineering/ Takano Landscape Planning CO., LTD.

Location: Syracuse, NY/ Hokkaido, Japan

In architectural industry, representation is an important way to inform/present one's design. As an architecture major intern at a landscape architecture studio and Syracuse University engineering department, I was expected to produce various presentations which should be understandable for people from non-architecture industry. These valuable experiences allowed me to perceive architecture from different perspectives.

Tsukisappu Shopping Mall Project at Takano Landscape

Construction Site Visit

Drawing Editing

Physical Site Model with Designed Garden

Syracuse University Center of Excellence Renovation

Mechanical System Diagrams

TINY HOUSE PROJECT

Fall 2019, Building structure class

Instructor: Daekwon Park

Teammates: Bryce Edwards, Nicholas Chung, Leyla Ramelmeier

Location: Indian Head and Fish HawkCliffs, NY

A project of designing a tiny house. We designed a glampers' portaledge, which can accomodate 1 to 4 people. The programs include kitchen,toilet, sleeping space, etc.

The primary structure of the project consists of four cantilevers. There are secondary turnbuckle systems to resist the buckling forces from the cantilevers. Since this project is hung from the cliff, users use ladders to access the house. The house is a two-story building with its upper floor being public space and the lower floor is private space. The front face of the house is a big glass curtain wall, providing a magnificent view from the cliff. In order to control lighting/shading from the curtain wall, we introduced a movable steel panel supported by a gear system. Users can manually open and close the steel panel by rolling the gear.

Steel Beams and Floor Framing

Wood Joists, Held in Place by Joist Hangers, and Plat-form Frame Walls

Plywood Finish and Shelving

Steel and Glass Curtain Wall

Ladders and Appliances, Including Wood Stove

Corrugated Steel Panels

Works Done by Revit