Vainno's portfolio

Wei Xiao's Portfolio Urban Planning | Urban Design | Architecture Selected works 2014-2017

Hebei University of Engineering | Bachelor of Urban Planning University of Texas at Austin | Master of Urban Design

I am an urban designer/planner who has experience in town planning, transit oriented development, and Streetscape design. Within my area of study, I am interested in discovering ways in which urban space brings about public engagement and culturally effects urban life.

My previous projects focused on issues including cultural regeneration, district revitalization, and streetscape design in Beijing, London, and Houston. I also assisted in writing form-based code for several towns in the United States.

Along with the projects, I got myself fully involved with steering committee and public engagement to hear the voice from stakeholders and citizens. My horizon for future falls into the enhancement of city vitality and accessibility.

"CONVERGING" A Vision for 2036: Houston Downtown Plan

(Category) Urban Planning, Urban Design (Type) Professional Work (Time) 2016.11-2017.11 (Location) Houston, Texas, U.S. (Project Manager) Zackq Lockrem (Sub-Consultant) Sasaki, TEI, HR&A (Contribution) Public engagement, Renderings

For well beyond a century since Houston’s founding, Downtown was the home of all city life. In response to dramatic growth starting in the 1950s, new centers of activity blossomed across the region such that by the mid-1980s Downtown’s future seemed challenged.

Though it retains its role as the economic engine of the city, today, Downtown’s new entertainment, dining, nightlife and outdoor options are bringing new vitality to the formerly office-centric core. As a walkable, safe and vibrant urban place, Downtown truly stands out with an exciting energy all its own.

But what’s next? Plan Downtown: Conv erging Culture, Lifestyle & Commerce is the product of an 18-month planning process led by Downtown partner organizations and city, county and community leaders.

The leadership group and steering committee, in addition to robust public input, have provided big ideas from 30,000 feet in the air to thoughtful observations from a street level point of view, culminating in both large and small projects that will continue the Downtown transformation for the next five, ten, twenty years.

A Vision for 2036: Downtown is at the forefront in advancing Houston as a great global city.

CONTEXT Independence Heights 45

Spring Branch

610

Kashmere Gardens

Greater Heights 69

White Oak Bayou

MEMORIAL PARK

10

Washinton Ave Buffalo Bayou

Downtown

Second Ward

Midtown

Rice Medical Center

Denver Harbor

Museum District HERMANN PARK

Third Ward

Hunting Bayou

Magnolia Park MASON PARK

Brays Bayou

69

DOWNTOWN EDGE 1

DOWNTOWN SOUTH AND I-45 2

WEST DOWNTOWN AND THE I-45 / BUFFALO BAYOU INTERCHANGE

10

EaDo

Montrose Upper Kirby

Greens Bayou

45

River Oaks Uptown / 610 Galleria

HERMAN BROWN PARK

Greater Fifth Ward

10

3

NORTHSIDE 4

EAST DOWNTOWN/GREATER EAST END

KEY CORRIDOR

TRAVIS STREET

CAROLINE STREET

CAPITOL STREET

n

co Wa

e ns Je

rd Ha y

69

KEY TRANSIT & DESTINATION 59

ian

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Q Nouitm rth an sid Ne e S ar tati on Qu

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ct

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eg

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Delano

69

<Polk

Bell StationLeeland>

St Joseph

Lockwood/Eastwood Station

45

Emanicpation

Fannin

Bagby

Brazos

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Pease Jefferson

McGowen

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ro nt

Mo

McGowen Station

ft Ta

e

27

r5

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69

0-15

61-75

16-30

76-90

31-45

91+

Alabama

45-60

Alabama

(N Ward

t

Elgin

Third Elgin/ ion Stat

Scot

d for an St

Red Line Purple Line Green Line er im

Ennis

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Crawford

Peak Trips Per Hours By Stop Tuam

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Frequent Route 30 minute 60 minute iew v air FRoute Express Wa ugh Park & Ride Greenlink

Milby

York

Sampson

Coffee Plant/2nd Ward Station

<Hamilton

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ney

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Mckin

Mckinney> Discovery Green Dallas>

Main Street Square Station <Lamar

Downtown<St. TC Joseph Station

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Prairie

<Walker

45 en

Convention Center/Capitol Station

Texas> <Capitol

St Emanuel

Central Station

Bagby

er wy Sa

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ial

Buffalo Bayou Park

All

Canal

Commerce

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or

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<La Branch

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ton Preston

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ou lo Bay Buffa Franklin>

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TOYOTA CENTER Wheller Wheeler (NB) vStation

GRB MINITE MAID PARK

BBVA COMPASS STADIUM

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

PILLARS

STRATEGIES

IS WN TO ON’S N T W S ST DO HOU ATE O BE E T R G CE A PL

Steering Committee #1

IS WN IVE TO VAT N O IN Y W DO E INNDER IVIT TH LEA ECT NN CO

1 Enhance and expand D attractions.

2 Create Downtown’s Gre 3 Enliven Downtown thro engaging places.

S NI OWMIER D T WN RE AN DO HE P ESS ENT T SIN NM N BU OVER ATIO G LOC

4 Support Downtown’s ex promote corporate attr 5 Build Downtown’s inno office of the future.

6 Catalyze Downtown’s e 7 Support a comprehens

IS WN RD TO NDA N N W A A DO E ST URB ITY TH FOR ABIL LIV

8 Capture the value of Do 9 Implement a smart net 10 Be a national leader f

Steering Committee #2

ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN EDGE

14

Steering Committee #3 15 17 9

11

12 16

13

10 8

15

18

Public Workshop 2 1

Public Outreach

The west edge offers an opportunity available in no other area of Downtown: a concentration of City-owned proper land that fronts Buffalo Bayou.

EAST

4 7 6

Downtown’s activities and

reen Loop. ough enhanced walkablity and

1 5 4

xisting businesses and raction. ovation ecosystem and the

3

1

10

emerging neighborhoods. sive Central City Housing Plan.

2

4 8

9

owntown’s central position. twork of great streets. for connectivity innovation.

The North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP), as described under Strategy 2, presents numerous opportunities for Downtown, prompted by the availability of new public land as a part of the highway relocation. Downtown’s eastern edge can be reimagined as a major activity center drawing together the GRB Convention Center, stadiums, and major new investments in public spaces, parks and an entertainment district.

NORTH SOUTHWEST 6 7 3

4

2

12

7

7

12

1

5

6 6

9 5

6

6

10

4

8 9

11

4

12 5

8

3 3

rty with more than 100 acres of prime

Across the northern edge of Downtown, additional opportunities are created by Union Pacific (UP) freight rail relocation, the growth of UH-Downtown, the location of significant County assets, and the unique character of the Historic and Warehouse Districts.

DOWNTOWN GREEN LOOP

BAYOU STEP • Green Loop

• Active Frontag • Tree Alley

• Reprogramme

• Low-impact D

• Signature Des

HIGHWAY CA

• Recreational F

• George R Brow

• Leverage Deve

• Active Park Am

• Green Loop Am

PIERCE STR

• Resilient Edge • Active Edges

• Grade Change

• Four-sided Ar

• Signature Way

The Green Loop provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink Downtown‘s edges. It entails a full rebuild of the three highways encircling Downtown, most notably with the realignment of IH-45 to the north and east of Downtown in shared right-of-ways with IH-10 and IH-69.

P

ge

ed Infrastructure

Development

stinations

EXISTING HIGHWAYS

AP

Field

wn Connection

elopment

FUTURE NHHIP HIGHWAY REALIGNMENT

menities

menities

REET EXISTING ACCESS

es

es

rchitecture

yfind

FUTURE ACCESS

RESILIENT EDGE

ACTIVE EDGE

5 4

6 2

3

1

7

500 year flood 100 year flood

500 year flood 100 year flood

1

1

Provide active access to the Bayou with minimal impact to the ecological systems.

2

Control erosion to support the riparian habitat.

3

Absorb stormwater to reduce flooding.

4

Plan diverse, adaptive vegetation.

5

Engage the bayou architecturally.

6

Create waterfront gathering spaces and trail linkages.

7

Elevate building systems to protect from flooding.

STREET NETWORK

DOWNTOWN LIVABILITY

CAROLINE STREET

MCKINNEY STREET

BAGBY STREET Walk Corridor

Bicycle Corridor

LRT Corridor

Walk District

Auto Flow Corridor

Potential Subway Corridor

Neighborhood Gateways

Bus Corridor

Transit Development Zone

CAROLINE STREET (EXISTING)

CAROLINE STREET (PROPOSED)

MCKINNEY STREET (EXISTING)

MC

Y

CKINNEY STREET (PROPOSED)

DOWNTOWN BUSINESS

BUILD THE 21TH CENTURY ECONOMY

CREATE DOWNTOWN INNOVATION DISTRICT

SHARED CONFERENCE ROOMS

PHONE BOOTHS

SHARED AMENITY AREAS FLEXIBLE WORK SPACES SMALL COMPANY OFFICES

Building upon the current momentum, the seeds are planted in Midtown Atlanta to a sustainable future where innovation, life, and health are brought together to create a premier hi-tech district.

These key pillars are leveraged through the availability of human capital from across Atlanta and Georgia. Innovation is fostered by big ideas from these individuals who are equipped at multiple world class educational institutions across the city. Economies and life of community, finance, and environment grow through the spatial gathering establishing a self-sustaining cycle that will continuously attract new individuals and ideas.

"PLANTING SEEDS" Atlanta Midtown Hi-tech Hub Development

(Category) Urban Design (Type) ULI Competition (Time) 2016.1 (Location) Atlanta, US (Instructor) Simon Atkinson (Contribution) Rendering, Concept/Analysis Diagram (Award) Third Place in UT Austin

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MIDTOWN AT L A N TA

SITE RESEARCH

Atlanta Sprawl (1930-2010)

REGIONAL ANALYSIS

ATLANTA ANALYSIS

MIDTOWN ANALYSIS

Regionally, Atalanta sits in a great position which has one of the BIGGEST AIRPORT in the world that brings versatile people to Atalanta.

W-E and N-S subway lines cover most regional area in Atlanta, providing GOOD ACCESSIBILITY to major parts in Atlanta.

In central Atlanta, having several PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITIES as an input is a strong backup to nurture a hi-tech hub in Midtown Atlanta.

Central Atlanta as an attractive city has numerous tourist attractions while a GAP in site is identified in terms of commerce, and recreation.

Locally, having GIT nearby is a great advantage while the Highway as a PHYSICAL BARRIER needs to be addressed immediately .

Several HOT SPOTS close to the site should be well integrated into site to strengthen the connection and empower the future.

CONCEPT

ON TI

SEEDS

H LTH EA

EDUCATION

INNOVA

BUSINESS

ENVIRONMENT

LIFE ACCESSIBILITY

CULTURE

HOUSING

DESIGN INDICATIONS Taking advantage of brains from surrounding high-quality universities, the site is given expectation to be a Hi-tech Hub to nurture those new ideas by planting seeds of Innovation, Life, and Health.Intertwined within this strategy are the six themes of accessibility, culture, community, education, environment, and business driving the urban design strategy within the project and foster innovative ideas propelling us towards the future and link The Hi-tech Hub at Midtown to Atlanta, Georgia, and the world. Design is guided to create a diverse neighborhood that provides a mixture of uses, affordable housing, linkages to higher education and healthcare to attract all age levels, and an inclusive local community reflecting Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich ethnic landscape. Launching this neighborhood into future is facilitated by the strategic leveraging of existing resources.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

SITE PLAN

SOCIAL TRANFORMATION

MIDTOWN CENTRAL SQUARE

MOBILITY ANALYSIS

Midtown Hotel

GREEN FACILITIES ANALYSIS

Midtown Plaza Community

Bio-swale

Residential Roof Garden Retention

GREEN SYSTEM A

Library

Olympic Park

ANALYSIS

WATER SYSTEM ANALYSIS

FUNCTION ANALYSIS

OFFICE TYPOLOGY

Single module (small business)

Combined module (growing business)

Large module (Established business)

COMMERCIAL TYPOLOGY

Enterprise

Workshop (manufacture and sell)

Commercial broadway

HOUSING TYPOLOGY

Yellow Jacket Park

Student Dormitary

Studio

2 bedroom

Live/work

"MADE IN CHINA" Panjiayuan Antique Market Redevelopment

(Category) Urban Design, Architecture (Type) Academic Work (Time) 2015.9-2015.12 (Location) Beijing, China (Instructor) Wilfried Wang, Junfeng Jiao, Gabriel Diaz Montemayor (Contribution) Master Plan, Rendering, Analysis Diagram

Panjiayuan Market stands as the most relevant antique market among a diverse group of similar smaller markets in the vicinity and Beijing. The redesign and development of Panjiayuan Marketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s site embraces the importance of this market, interprets the realities and dynamics of the market to provide spaces that accommodate the market and highlight its character, and introduces program that reshapes the understanding of the antique object and its quality/ value.

Sustainability is inherently related to the future of our societies, our cultures and the environment. The design incorporates a New Arts Space and several craft studios, in order to promote authenticity by learning objects that reflect on traditional Chinese culture and puts forward a vision of the future.

Chinese government has identified public health to be a major element to be addressed in the development of a more sustainable future. The site of the New Panjiayuan Market will overlay urban sports and recreational facilities to promote positive social relationships in a community at a local and individual level, enhancing public health and reactivate local economies.

SITE RESEARCH

1970s Some rich people took their values to exchange, forming the original antiques exchange area.

1980s Reform and open boost economy.

People are capable for amusement, enabling market burgeoned.

1990s Panjiayuan market formally started in 1990s, attracting thousands people coming to trade and buy.

2000s Panjiayuan market became one of the biggest cultural gathering place in 2000s.

2015 As Internet and fake goods spread, Market is facing lots of problems and challenges nowadays.

PANJIAYUAN ANTIQUE MARKET grew with folk antique trades, is becoming one of the biggest and influential market in Beijing. The market locates to the third ring road, occupying 48.5 thousands square meter. Most buildings in the market are 2 and 3 floors. Four big canopies standing in the east of the market providing busiest trading areas in the market.

CHINA

PANJIAYUAN ANTIQUE MARKET BEIJING

As one of the biggest city in the world, Beijing is rapidly increasing since new Republic of China has been built in 1949. During these years, numerous developments burgeoned in this city, and the ring roads increasingly expanded out.

As a result, the housing became extremely unfordable, much less open space can be used for public anymore, spare time for exercises has been shorten because of the competitive working environment and much more travel time. In addition, the air quality reaches the limitation due to pollution produced by high-speed developments.

Beijing is really in a dilemma!

Function Layout

Adjacent Condition

Transit Accessibility

STRATEGY PROGRAM

SPACE

ENVIRONMENT

Beijing experience helped us learn some typical commerces that incorporate Hutong and courtyard house as a spatial organization and its composition as inspiration for the market: it provided elements of strong boundaries but also have been transformed into the spaces.

We developed the design thesis for the project around this analysis: to create a market that provides visitors with opportunities for ANTICIPATION, EXPLORATION, and DISCOVERY.

OVERALL

SITE PLAN

3

2 1

1

2

ANTICIPATION

3

EXPLORATION

DISCOVERY

NORTH ELEVATION

FLOOR PLAN

MARKET&ACTIVE LIVING INTERACTION

MULTI-USES MARKET

Based on the analysis of the market, we found that the reason that makes the market unattractive is the current programs existing in the market only targets certain groups of people. In design, to activate the market, we incorporated cultural and healthy programs and spaces like craft studios and running trails that attract people in different age and occupation. By analyzing their spare time, those programs and spaces overlay with the market during day and night in order to maximize the efficiency in time and usage, so that the market is not only face to tourists and seniors, but also sending wellness back to the community.

"PROMENADE" Westchase Livable Center Study

(Category) Urban Planning, Urban Design (Type) Professional Work (Time) 2017.03-2018.01 (Location) Houston, Texas, U.S. (Project Manager) Alex Muller (Sub-Consultant) Water P Moore (Contribution) Public engagement, Renderings, Graphics, Report writing

The Westchase District’s brand reflects the area’s diverse base of job opportunities, retail, and residential living. With over 70,000 jobs, a mix of housing options, major retail corridors, and access to two of the region’s major highways, the area is poised for further growth.

Yet with growth comes new challenges and opportunities. Employers in the District are conveniently located to attract talent from across the Houston region, but increased commuting in single-occupancy vehicles creates traffic and mobility pressures. The District’s residential stock has remained well-maintained, but competitive business districts are working to attract more mixed-use development to attract young employees, and homeownership opportunities to attract families. The Westchase District’s Long-Range Plan, completed in 2006, recognized the need for the District to evolve its mobility strategies and development mix in order to continue its successful trajectory.

The Westchase District Livable Centers Study represents a step in the continued evolution of this effort. Read on to discover the purpose of this study, the context in which it was conducted, and the concepts and recommendations that will help shape the District’s future.

40%

Increase in study area population between 2000 and 2015.

48%

of all housing units in the Westchase District are located in the study area.

60%

Increase in Westchase District population between 2000 and 2015.

67%

of all housing units in the study area were constructed 1970-1989.

12% Relative Growth in African-American Population

7% Relative Growth in Hispanic Population

Area

Median Household Income in 2015

Westchase

$37,000

Study area

$38,982

City of Houston

$45,728

Harris County

$53,822

West Houston

$60,489

12%

Westchase District

Study Area

Live in Westchase

44%

Owner - Occupied

Study Area

88%

Owner - Occupied

Westchase District

Houston City

76%

56%

Renter - Occupied

Renter - Occupied

Does not Work in Westchase

35%

67%

33%

50 and over

43%

65% 30-49 Does not Live in Westchase

Metro Green Line

Metro Purple Line

Two Way HOV

Westheimer BRT

Transit Center

Metro Red Line

Local Routes

Uptown BRT

Westheimer Route 82

Park and Ride

4% Growth in households earning >$100,000

24%

Owner - Occupied

Renter - Occupied

8% Increase in households in poverty

Work in Westchase

Park Space

8% Under 30

49%

Add Class A rental options, new homeownership options, and family-oriented assets while preserving existing affordable options for residents.

expanding programming opportunities associated with trails and parks, and ensuring that all landscape-designs incorporate multi-functional benefits for people and the environment.

Develop High Quality Housing for all Residents

Advance Community Health and Sustainability

WESTCHASE LIVABLE CENTERS CONCEPT

Create a Walkable Public Realm for People

Provide Transportation Options for Commuters, Visitors, and Residents

Build the Future Westchase District

Promoting design opportunities that will improve the interface between the public realm and private properties, thereby making walking a more appealing mode of travel in the study area.

This concept identifies discrete opportunities to promote alternative transportation modes.

Build on the area’s core assets by actively fostering mixed-use, walkable development. Recommendations target four specific “redevelopment areas” that were identified with help from local stakeholders and developers.

DEVELOPMENTS PROMENADE

West he

Road

West p

Ges sne rR oad

Sa m

Ho

us to n

To l

lw ay

imer

The Promenade builds on the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision established in the Westchase District Mobility Plan to introduce infill streets that reduce block lengths and create a more walkable street grid, with a premier walkable corridor that sets a new frontage for commercial and residential development.

ark D

TRANSIT-ORIENTED

A walkable, mixed-use redevelopment of the property would increase street activity and walkability in the area. This would feature ground-floor, retail uses fronting the sidewalk with transparent and engaging facades, and residencies on upper floors.

The underperforming public site can be leveraged to attract private investment and catalyze redevelopment in the surrounding area. In turn, increments in property valuation can be used to finance additional transit capital improvements in the surrounding area and/or enhanced service.

Pa rk

ing

MIXED-USE

Residential Commercial Sidewalk WayďŹ nding

Mea dow glen Ln

Elm side Dr

rive

PROMENADE PLAN

CHARACTER

CONNECTIVITY

PROMENADE PERSPECTIVE

LAND USE&PARKING

WALKABILITY PUBLIC REALM AND UNIVERSAL DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS

Access can be improved significantly to both the Gessner PR and Gessner Route 46 bus stops by piloting universal design improvements at the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major intersections. These improvements also support enhanced access from the newly developed Westpark Loop Trail, to continue building on prior investments in the District.

BREAKING SUPERBLOCKS

PROPOSED SIDEWALK BETWEEN PROPERTIES

"CENTRAL BEAT" Start Zone Of Langfang Beisan County CBD

(Category) Urban Design (Type) Intern Work (Time) 2015.6-2015.7 (Location) Langfang, Hebei, China (Project Manager) Bob Wang (Contribution) Site Research, Anaylsis/Concept Diagram

Beijing, as one of the most developing cities in the past years, is increasingly expanding its effects and requirements to outside areas. After Tongzhou, which is 18km away from central CBD in Beijing has been developed as secondary center for Beijing. Beisan county, where locates in Hebei provinces and 36km away from Beijing, has been selected and developed as a new CBD to work for the area where Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei are within.

The site is the start zone for CBD, sitting at a crucial intersection with three major roads in the southwest of the CBD area. The site is surrounded by villages and a city park.

Beisan county CBD is mostly developed for innovative industry for high-tech, high-knowledge, and high-skilled people, providing them working, living, recreational space involving with ecology.

The design aims to connect the site with surrounding areas by creating three pedestrian routes that link the site itself as well. The central beat, which is a pubic space with green roof is created to promote activities, generate environmental benefits, and also respond to the city park on the north of the site.

SITE RESEARCH

Location

Surrounding area

Transit

Strength

Weakness

1. The subway line is extending through the site providing a great accessibility to other places.

2. The site is next to three major roads which connect to Dachang, Beijing, and Yanjiao.

1. The major road separates the city park and the site into two parts. It's not convenient for people to pass through.

2. The existed green space is enclosed without recognition, should be connected northeast and southwest.

Opportunity

Threat

1. The site is very suitable for making a walkable environment by creating a self-sustainable area.

2. The site is next to city park on the north and river on the South, which provides a good visual resource.

1. The existing village impacts the CBD start zone , the roads in village need to be reorganized.

2. The planning guide requires setbacks from the site. This decreases the construction area of the site.

STRATEGIES

C rea te ped est ri an ro ute s o n t hre e leve l s to strengthen the connection inside and outside .

The sky walk is served as a link and view area, providing commercial-shared space.

Green spaces spread on the site as park, green roof, and exterior garden.

The buildings facing towards the intersection are designed as landmarks to form gateways .

The big idea of the design is strengthening the connection of itself on the site and with adjacent sites. To achieve the goal, the existing central green space is elevated from the original flat park with programs and pubic spaces inserting to it. It serves as the central point and visual focus, connecting surroundings from the underground. Secondly, other two pedestrian routes are created on the ground, and above the ground as links to better serve for people.

SITE PLAN

Underground Floor Plan

Lobby Commerce Business office Technology office Parking lots Conference room Stair/elevator Equipment room

First Floor Plan

Lobby Commerce Business office Soho office Technology office Exhibition Hall Conference room Equipment room

DESIGN OVERVIEW

Second Floor Plan

Lobby Commerce Soho office Business office Headquater office Technology office Sky deck

Standard Floor Plan

Soho office Business office Headquater office Technology office Sky deck

The design strikes to make a sense of place by creating gateways from every perspective of the intersection, the central beat is visually connected with the urban park as well by having a axis through the site.

VIEW FROM SKYWALK TO CENTRAL BEAT

VIEW FROM SKYDECK TO CENTRAL BEAT

"BRIDING THE FUTURE" Hongji Bridge Landscape & Vllige Planning

(Category) Urban Planning/Landscape (Type) Academic Work (Time) 2014.4-2014.6 (Location) Guangfu, Hebei, China (Instructor) Haiying Huo (Contribution) Master Plan, Modeling, Concept Diagrams

Hongji bridge, the second largest scale bridge in China, locates in Guangfu county where Taiji culture derived from. The site sits with rich landscape resources. The main river in Handan-fuyang river goes through the site, which brings biodiversity. The village on the site has a long history and lots of problems as well.

The design strives to take advantage of natural resources and solve potential problems by reorganizing the village form and roads, absorbing landscape into the site from the river, inserting cultural nodes, and transforming industry type. The goal of doing this is to extend the cultural effect of Hongji bridge so that more people can be attracted to the site. In the meantime, the living quality of residences on the site can be extremely improved and the bank along fuyang river is protected so that the ecology in the whole area can be beneficial from it.

The general concept directing the design is Taiji culture that makes two separate items into one after long fusing process. The site is categorized as natural and human environment. Respective strategies endeavor to finally make the natural environment and human environment achieve harmony.

SITE RESEARCH SITE OVERVIEW ¡

¡ SITE CONDITION Agricultural Area Majority are greenhouses planting vegetables while they are disordered, low technological, and undeservedly preserved.

Hongji Bridge Cultural Area Buildings adjacent to Hongji Bridge need to be offset beyond cultural protection area.

Dongqiao Village The quality of buildings vary while most of them are worthy protecting. They should primarily renovated rather than demolished.

River Landscape Only the area around Hongji bridge has been used. There is a big potential to redevelop the landscaping along the river.

Xiamatou Village Most Buildings are constructed recently and have no characters. Big renovation needs to be done in planning.

Industry

Settlement

Environment

Culture

Exisiting Building Analysis Figure-ground Relation

Exisiting Buildings

Building Story

Building Quality

Building Time

One Story

Good Quality

Old Buildings

Muti-stories

Medium Quality

Modern Buildings

Poor Quality

CONCEPT Human Environment (YANG)

Self-improving

Connect with water system

Connect with green system

Taiji is a Chinese cosmological term for the "Supreme Ultimate" state of undifferentiated absolute and infinite potential, the oneness before duality, from which Yin and Yang originate.

Yin

Scattered&Discreted

Isolated&Separated

Fuse&Penetrate

Traverse&Interact Yang

Natural Environment (YIN)

Self-improving

Connect with roads

Connect with buildings and green houses

Human and natural environment presents Yang and Yin. The design seeks to make oneness finally becomes duality after fusing them in terms of every aspect.

STRATEGIES Circulation System

Water System

Buildings

Reorganize roads to connet internally and externally.

Evacuate the river to inner spaces as a water system.

Reserve valuable buildings, Renovate existed buldings, and add new buildings.

Landscape

Greenhouse

Reorganize the landscape Remove redudant green to make it systematically. houses and add other programs.

SITE PLAN

Function Layout Entrance Square Agriculture Experience Cultural Village Bridge Cultural Street Hongji Bridge Park

Circulation System Roadway Major Sidewalk

Parking Lot

Water System Water The river is extexded to the site, forming several watery nodes that provides amenities and promote activities. Each node is connected by the water, finally tie back to the river, creating a senic water system.

Open Space Open Space To improve the living quality of the village and attractions to tourists, infrastructures are redistributed. Valuable vacant areas are identified and inserted new open spaces to residences and tourists, making resources more available.

Village Transformation

Existing village condition

Demolish negative elements

One courtyard

Renovate reseverd buildings Front yard&Back yard

Add new architectural elements

Two units&Two yards

Final village planning

Enclosed courtyard To improve the living quality of the village and attractions to tourists, infrastructures are redistributed.

Valuable vacant areas are identified and inserted new open spaces to residences and tourists, making resources more available.

Cultural Nodes

Cultural exhibition hall

Town godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s temple

Dongqiao historic museum

Agricultural exhibition

Folk house experience Innovative craft yard Food cultural space

Paper-cut gallery

To fully improve the tourism based on Hongji bridge and the recreational activities in villages, cultural nodes are inserted into the site including food, traditional arts, and cultural exhibition.

This strategy attempts to transform the industry from agricultural to tourism gradually.

Shadow play art Space

Hongji bridge museum

Design Outcomes

Rebuild roads

Reorganize village form

Create protective area for bridge

Add bridge to release traffic load

Landscape Nodes

1

2 3

1 Stimulate the economy

2 Protect the culture

608,572kg

foods are produced every year

are

1.3million

revenue are generated

36,308

tourists are increased

Section 1: small alleys with a green buffer serves for orchard and neighborhood.

Section 2: protective area with large open spaces working for tourists visiting the bridge.

Section 3: open market space with banks to the river provides gathering area for residences.

3 Improve the living quality 435

156

trees are planted

houses are repaired and built

673m²

e reclaimed around Hongji Bridge

57%

water runoff reduced

"VISUAL COMMUNICATION" Hand drawing& Analytique

Urban design works

· QUICK DESIGN EXPRESSION

Historic District Planning, 2014,3

¡ ANALYTIQUE

The central window serves as people's eyes that brings people in and takes people out to immerse people in the combination of natural and human environment that created by a great architect - I.M. Pei Motif Experience, 2015,4

"CONSTRUCTION VOLUMN" Architectural Construction CAD Drawings

Miller Building Shell Renovation, Plan, Austin Commerce Capital, 2015,12

Miller Building Shell Renovation, Wall Section, Austin Commerce Capital, 2016,1

Miller Building Shell Renovation, Elevation, Austin Commerce Capital, 2016,1

Wei Xiao University of Texas at Austin Master of Science in Urban Design