Zhaohui Wang Portfolio 2019-2022

B.ARCH | University of Southern California | 2016-2021 MSD.AAD | University of Pennsylvania | 2021-2022

CONTENT

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DESERT CHASM

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THE SEAMS

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03

WATERDROP

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PORT REVIVAL

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01 DESERT CHASM A DESERT RESORT

Instructor: Andrew Saunders Teammate: Jessica Lyn 2022 Spring

In this project, we designed an eco-wellness resort that is motivated by relief. Our study starts with the US western desert culture, artifacts, and topography, and we investigate the relief quality of them from three aspects: the bas relief, the high relief, and the figural relief. We then developed a hybrid prototype model that is based on the research, and its later developed into architectural tectonics and detail in different scales.

The resort “Desert Chasm” is located less than 10 miles away from Page, Arizona, and it serves as a destination of spiritual pilgrimage that aligns with the Antelope Canyon nearby. The resort overall features two grids, one orthogonal grid and one 45-degree oblique grid. The oblique grid with a strong figural directionality is designed as a sunken canyon pool that aims to resemble the geographical characteristics of the Antelope Canyon. The canyon pool also aims to provide an immersive experience for the visitors as well as connection among other public amenities. The orthogonal grid part uses the “fringe” relief, as it introduces merging and splitting between surfaces that produce nuance in depth and shadow. The vortex situated within the fringe relief creates transition from the fringe elements into the oblique elements. The fuzziness of the fringe also becomes a vehicle for dissolving the edges of the architecture into the surrounding landscape.

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Desert Artifacts & Relief Convolutional Neural Network Hybrid Relief Prototype 6

For the initial study, we looked into the cultural and artifacts from US western desert. With a reference to Louis Nevelson’s relief sculptures, we developed a series of relives including bas relief, high relief, and figural relief.

Then, we introduced the method of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), which is a Deep Learning algorithm which can take in an input image, assign importance (learnable weights and biases) to various aspects/objects in the image and be able to differentiate one from the other. With a mixture of desert topography and the desert relief study, we generated these image for the visual analysis.

The “Oblique”

In the hybrid relief prototype model, we redistributed the three features as types of relief: the low, the high, and the figure, for new relief. Following the organizational relationship of the CNN image, we stitched an orthogonal grid and a 45-degree grid together. Looking from the elevation, the orthogonal low relief part is situated at a higher level, whereas the 45-degree figural relief part acts as an extended tower. The vortex is used to serve as a transition between the two grids and the two systems.

The “Fringe”

The overall organizational logic is motivated by the Oblique relief. The oblique directionality plays a significant role in our project as it creates two different grids which emphasize the contrast of the present-day environment and the pre-desert environment. The sunken canal pool, which symbolizes the pre-desert environment, is introduced along the diagonal grid. As the key program of the project, the canal pool aims to provide an immersive experience for the visitors as well as connection among other public amenities.

The Fringe relief brings out details on a smaller scale. It introduces merging and splitting between surfaces that produce nuance in depth and shadow. What is more, the vortex situated within the fringe relief creates transition from the fringe elements into the oblique elements.

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Site Plan

Site Section

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Jogged Section

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Lobby Interior

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Defamiliarized Programs & Materiality Relief Transposition

Beyond programs of a typical resorts such as the suites, swimming pools and the lobby, the resort also features an amphitheater, several meditation rooms, and a workshop for craftsmanship. In terms of materiality, we also apply the idea of sand-painting from the Navajo Nation tradition, which is used as a dynamic, living, sacred entity that enables a transformation in the mental and physical states of individual. the modified material is 3d-printed GFRC panels that have texture and color of sand-movement. We would like to include these cultural aspects in programs and materiality to provide the resort with a timeless atmosphere and spiritual experience.

Moving forward to develop architectural details. The design for both suite types were motivated by Fringe relief. From relief walls to relief hand-railings, every architectural detail at different scales demonstrates how we used both reliefs to operate the design.

Guests would also be treated to sweeping views of Arizona desert, and a number of courtyards would frame particular features of the surrounding landscape.

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02 THE SEAMS

THE FUTURE OF THE NY STOCK EXCHANGE

Instructor: Ali Rahim Teammate: Shiyu Jin 2021 FALL

Due to uncertainty in global relations, the NYSE needs to expand its core business to continue its global leadership. If New York City mines Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT’s) that are pegged to Real Estate value in the city, residents and visitors alike can invest in the City’s future. Non-fungible tokens are a unit of data stored on a digital ledger, called a blockchain, that certifies a digital asset to be unique and therefore not interchangeable. If this token is accessible to all its residents and visitors allows for the increase in value to sustain and even develop some of the city’s services, in addition the increase in value over time will monetarily help each resident and tourist who invests in the future of NYC. The site is on the corner of Broad Street and Wall Street in the Financial District New York City. We are designing a project with three programs, a NFT mining facility, a museum to explain blockchain technology with examples of NFT’s and am cryptocurrency exchange developing a new hybrid typology for NYC. The existing Stock Exchange is uniquely equipped to speculate on the future of its development into a precise and novel architecture and urban proposal that are unprecedented that links local finance with global market demands.

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Precedent Study

For the initial study we analyzed two projects: The Yale University Art Gallery by Louis Kahn, and the Long Museum by Atelier Dashaus. Both projects presented unique tectonics characteristics. Also, both utilized apparent geometry for structural and decorative performance.

Hybrid Prototype

Yale University Art Gallery, Louis Kahn, 1953

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With a close look into the precedents, we extracted and re-assembled elements and geometrical characteristics into a hybrid prototype model.

This prototype model assesses different facade techniques and interiality.

Long Museum, Atelier Dashaus, 2014

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In this project, the New York Stock Exchange NFT museums is re-imagined as an embodiment of the most advanced and futuristic technology. The museum serves to educate people not only through housing the servers but also through representing the mechanics of the sophisticated connectivity of the NFT system through architectural form. Our NYSE project design explores the implementation of seams. We use the seam and the vault as vehicles to navigate the structure and the aesthetics.

The genesis of the vault features the characteristics of conceal and reveal. The vaults are either concealed as mechanical space that houses the air circulation, HVAC, or servers. Or revealed to the public and serves as human occupiable space.

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On the facade, the seams and the vault constitute the arrangement of different facade patterns. The occasional opening of the vault revealed on the facade serves as the air duct that circulates the air from inside out. The lower part of the building is elevated through four pillars that draw a reference to the existing stock exchange market’s columns. By doing this we create a public space and open entry to the interior.

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For the interior, There are three types of spaces: the human space, defined by the large vault geometries where people can move through the cavity; the server space, placed around the vault structures and wraps around the central human spaces; the third is the seams, that are the service space for ventilation and air circulation. The continuous seams navigate through space and stitch together all programs but still allow connections between each.

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PEEL-AWAY MODEL

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03 WATERDROP

A PUBLIC AQUATIC CENTRE

Instructor: Maria Esnaola 2019 Spring

“Water-drop” is an aquatic center comprehensive design project featuring the study of long-span cable structure. The structural innovation was inspired by the Portugal National Pavilion designed by Alvaro Siza, which uses an impossibly thin concrete canopy supported by post tension cables to pursue the extreme material potential and to capture the harmonious view of the water-front. With an adopted post tension cable structure enclosed by FRP facade in an organic shape of water-drop, this project houses a multi-utility public swimming pool that engages in the urban landscape and local communities.

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Scheme Genesis

The schematic design takes on the metaphor of a water drop, where the fluidity and continuity of surface becomes the key elements when designing the shell and the interior structure.

Site Analysis

The site is located in southern Los Angeles suburban. With a shortage of public recreational facilities, the swimming pool project aims to improve the connectivity of the neighborhood, and becomes a point of attraction to the larger district.

Program

Traffic

Greenary

Wind

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Long-span Structure

The Long-span structural design was inspired by Alvaro Siza’s Expo’98 Portuguese National Pavilion, which features a thin concrete canopy hanging by catenary arc of steel cable. Using the same technology as a suspension bridge, it is designed as a stressed-ribbon structure, wherein the loose cables are stiffened with concrete to eliminate sway and bounce.

This project adapted the technique of catenary steel cable and pre-stress concrete, and modified the supporting structure into Glulam Arches, which can coorporate freely with the curvature of the shell. This also creates unique interior spatial quality.

Structural Bar Study

Srtuctural Grid

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Roof Plan

Section

Elevation

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04 LA MARINA DE PORT

A INDUSTRIAL PORT RENOVATION

Instructor: Roger Paez i Blanch Teammate: Weijia Sun 2019 Fall This project aims to renovate the disused textile factory located in La Marina de Port in Barcelon, in reaction of the pressure of urban expansion and climate crisis. The original site has a compact organization, which provides an existing condition that can be appropriated into housing. Since each of these warehouses has different circumstances, different method of appropriation was applied.

The complex mainly consists of three parts: family housing, single housing and co-living housing. They can satisfy all living expectations for all kinds of residents. To keep the historical traces, some parts such as brick façade and steel structure are remained, but new material and tectonic method are applied. For instance, the family housing part is an aggregation of several individual two-story houses that are covered with a shell structure that control the internal climate.

The inspiration came from French Architects Lacaton & Vassal, who use polycarbonate sheet façade to achieve sustainable living environment.

The result is an operable shell with open windows and curtains that control the shading and ventilation. Overall, the project aims to provide a solution for factory repurposing to adapt the incoming global climate emergency, operable shell with open windows and curtains that control the shading and ventilation. Overall, the project aims to provide a solution for factory repurposing to adapt the incoming global climate emergency.

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CIRCULATION

GREENS

PROGRAM

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TYPOLOGY STUDY

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GROUND FLOOR PLAN

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UPPERFLOOR PLAN

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portfolio

2021_2022