Portfolio for application by tonychen95

Leith Artel This project is to build a new building that combines multiple accommodation formats, including a hotel, artist studio and gallery, while protecting the original listed building in the core area of Leith. The biggest limitation of this project is undoubtedly the fabric and historical value of the block, so I internalised the topography and urban fabric of Edinburgh into the spatial logic of the building, which naturally formed the counterpoint relationship between existing buildings and new buildings and circulation of tourists, guests, and artists. Simultaneously, some traditional architectural elements are introduced into the new building in a more concise language, and they are organically combined with their functions. The facades and structures of the original buildings on the site and nearby are also used repeatedly as images and patterns into interior furniture design.

Tourists

Guests

Artists

Ground Floor Plan 1:200

Inspired by the City The public area is inspired by the topography and typology of Edinburgh. The introduction of multiple accommodations leads to the demand for multiple intersected circulations to encourage interactions and protect private space at the same time. Thus, on the ground floor, two separated entrance was set for tourists and hotel guests. Then, Edinburgh's topography was initialised as the layout of the architecture: a bridge leads the guests to the reception. At the same time, tourists walked down to the basement through a grand staircase, staying in the gallery. Moreover, the skylight of Waverley Station, the vault in Edinburgh Castle and the arch of the adjacent building were all introduced into space with modern materials and concise language, creating a space for relaxation.

Inspired by Art The design of the corner room for hotel guests was a deconstruction of The Baptism of Christ by Piero Della Francesca. Apart from the arch on the massive copper sliding door echoed with the arch of the painting, its emphasis on "wash" made it different from conventional hotel rooms. Compared with the painting, John the Baptist became taps; the creek became basins, and the baptism vulgarised into the

wash in daily life. On the other hand, the built connection with the painting and its location also made the routine more significant. Moreover, other areas from the bedroom to the toilet were hidden behind the large circular sliding door. The movement of the door created different spaces with different characteristics. It is a playing of the structure of Triptych.

Intersected Space The idea of intersected space to create possibilities for interaction and communication went through the building's design. The gallery guests Room enjoys multiple glazing walls facing the atrium gallery; the cantilevered threshold and bath area provided much more views. The studio guest Rooms were above

the artist studios. At the same time, a group of bridges went through the studios' upper space, creating a glazing corridor. Thus, guests in the studio rooms and other visitors can watch artists' working process without disturbing them. Apropos of the artist studios, the structure cantilevered into the historic building on the site with glazing walls, making the studio intersected with the gallery space.

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Second Floor Plan 1:200

Line of Northumberland Street Northumberland Street is the high street of Newcastle. Although it has been made into a pedestrian zone, it is not friendly to everyone. The research during the Charrette Week with colleagues showed the difficulties that different groups of people may have. Personally, I found the tactile paving did not work here. It became a part of the pattern of the flooring rather than a guide for people with visual impairment. At the end of the Charrette, I have designed a tactile paving system that could inform visually impaired people correctly and work as a wayfinding system for other people at the same time. During the pandemic of COVID-19 and the time waiting for graduation, I thought about going further. The idea of chairlifts on the high street came out. The chairlift will not only become a choice for people with disabilities; those who addicted to their smartphone could enjoy this kind of transport too. The abolished idea of sky city during the 1960s was introduced as well. Thus, a comprehensive system of tactile paving, chairlifts, elevated walkway and several hubs was created. With the detailed design, it became a line connecting the street and a timeline connecting the history of Newcastle.

George Stephenson Tower

William Armstrong Tower

Charles A. Parsons Tower

Hubs The hubs were terminals for the chairlift and intermediate platform for the sky walkway. Five hubs were set in a similar interval, near shopping malls or intersections, so that people can get to anywhere on the high street quickly. Named after influential persons in Newcastle’s history, each hub represented an era of this

T. Dan Smith Tower

city from the early 19th century. Different motives were introduced to the design of the hubs. These include locomotives, light bulbs and turbines, and structures of historical architectures such as Central Station, Tyne Bridge, and Northeast modernism legacy. Some hubs had more functions. For example, a wind turbine was added to Charles A. Parsons Tower, while the “chimney“ of the Stephenson Tower may spread the antiviral spray in the pandemic era.

New Newcastle Tower At the north end of Northumberland Street, the weathering steel tower is connected to the rebuilt Haymarket Metro Station. It had a silhouette similar to the Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel, the Elder. A finished Babe Tower in Newcastle is a wish for Newcastle’s future – people with different languages and cultures could live in this city and enjoy its harmony and prosper. Its shape also echoed with the new project of BIG in Newcastle.

Final Design The introduction of chairlifts and elevated walkways will inevitably narrow the space of the street. Thus, reflective material such as metals was widely used to reduce the pressure generated by the structure. A slower speed for chairlifts made walking across the ropeway possible. Moreover, the sky walkways and hubs themselves could provide a broad panorama of the street and the city.

Newcastle Jewellery School This project in Newcastle is a vocational school for jewellery and a gathering point for the local community. On the boundary of "Classical Newcastle" and "Modernist Newcastle", it echoed with the heyday of Northeast Modernism and the tradition of the city at the same time. On the one hand, the emphasis on the grid system attributed to the orderliness of a shelf-like megastructure. The structure then integrated with Le Corbusier's concept in Unité d' habitation of boxes in a shelf, defining the private space and public area by "in the box" and "outside the box". On the other hand, it introduced the layout of traditional jewellery workshops similar to the Northern Goldsmiths opposite the street, connecting itself to the history of this industry. The application of materials like stone, timber and copper other than concrete and steel for interior and facades also comply with the tradition and its nature of jewellery school.

Suspended Massing

Metal Cladding Roof

Skylight

Exterior Platform/Gallery

Exterior Staircase

Corner Entrance

Root in the Northeast Modernism According to personal research, the modernist architecture in Newcastle shared some similar features and elements. Aside from the regular rhythm of the fenestration, some of the North-east Modernist buildings used conventional materials rather than concrete for their facade, including the Civic Centre and Hadrian House. Other common features and elements should be the suspended

massing, metal cladding roof, skylight, exterior platform and gallery, and exterior staircase. Moreover, the Bamburgh House close to the site provided the access strategy for buildings at the crossing. All these features were initialised into the new building to echo the heyday of Northeast Modernism. Simultaneously, the application of conventional material on facades similar to some Newcastle modernist architecture made the project both referred to the modernist and historical Newcastle.

Skylight

Exterior Staircase

Metal Cladding Roof

Exterior Gallery

Conventional Materials

Corner Entrance

From Modern to Tradition Compared with the modernist structure, materials were more traditional. At the early stage of the project, the sintered stone had been chosen as the material for facades. It is a response to the historical area opposite the project and the listed modernist Civic Centre. Later, the guide for the shopfront of Granger Town highlighted the gilded window frames as a characteristic feature of the historic area. Thus, copper-like coloured aluminium lines would run through the façade, responding to the old Newcastle. Some of the interior walls may covered with delicate timber cladding. The utilisation of stone, metal and timer also celebrate the craftsmanship of the jewellery school.

Final Design As a result of the combination of modernism and tradition, there are three primary materials for the interior space – concrete, timber and copper or copper-like coloured metals. Except for the façade wall, most of the walls were exposed concrete, while timber cladding would be applied to limited areas as decoration. Metals are used for structure for furniture, handrail and lighting. The floor was covered with terrazzo to add on a more energetic rhythm.

Work Samples: Taoyuan Town Mixed-use Development, Wujiang, China It is the first project I participated in after I joined AAI Shanghai and still undergoing. It is a mixed-use development project including retailing, housing and hotels. I am working with one of the group leader Song Yu on the hotel and apartment in the north of the site. It will be two blocks connected by platforms with sky gardens after finished. I participated in most of the design process, from concept discussion, modelling and development of detailed nodes, text and technical drawing production and rendering. I have gained a lot of professional experiences, including communication with clients, use of different software and general knowledge of materials and hotel design.

Site Plan

Bird's-eye view rendering of the project

Rendering from the view across the river, the hotel is at the back

Rendering of the front facade of the hotel

Notes

建筑 Architecture

结构 Structure

给排水 Plumbing

暖通 HVAC

电气 Electric

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中国船级社质量认证公司

16- 30轴立面图 1:100

CHINA CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY QUALITY ASSURANCE LTD. (CSQA)

ISO9001 : 2015

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Drawing of the front facade of the hotel, key informations are removed under the requirement of the company

Rendering of the rear facade of the hotel

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本建施图,结施图凡未盖注册建筑师或注册结构工程师专用章对外无效。

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