INVESTIGATING INTERFACES Lyceum 2015 Travel Fellowship
INVESTIGATING INTERFACES An interface is a point of contact at which two or more things interact with each another. The interface itself is the physical manifestation of the facilitation of relationships. A section cut through the built environment reveals the network and structure of crucial relationships that constitute the very human experience. In turn, architects and urban designers shape our senses, experience, culture and our relationship with the environment through the molding of interfaces.
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1. New York, NY 2. Boston, MA Cambridge, MA
a. Ground Zero Memorial, New York, NY b. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY c. High Line, New York, NY d. Lego land on High Line, New York, NY e.Central Park, New York, NY f. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY g. The New Museum, New York, NY. h. MIT Chapel, Cambridge, MA i. Simmon Hall at MIT, Cambridge, MA j. Fogg Museum at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA k. MBTA subway station, Cambridge, MA l. Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston, MA m. The North End, Boston, MA
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a. vegetation ‘seeps’ through the pavement b. the high line activates the streets beneath c. water feature eases the summer heat d. extended urban living room e,f. reintroducing nature to metropolis g. a new platform for urban spectating.
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High Line New York, NY, USA
A PEDESTRIAN OASIS ELEVATED by the disused West Side Freight Line, on which one navigate the city not through its typical hustle and bustle, but through the ease fostered by small patches of constructed nature. This linear park constructs a new relationship between the body and the urban environment, one that is simultaneously engaging and detaching. We are all actors and spectators.
Media Lab, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
VISUAL INTER-CONNECTIVITY breaks down, literary, walls of compartmentalization and encourage collaborations across disciplines. One works with brilliant minds across all fields, constantly amidst creative dialogs, intriguing projects and innovative energy.
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a. lobby/ exhibition space b,c. interdisciplinary studios d. interior atrium e. 3D printed glass
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a. reclaiming public space in the urban center b,c. water feature on the greenway d,e views connecting city center and Boston’s historic waterfront
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The Central Artery and Tunnel Project Boston, MA, USA
DIG WITH BRUTE FORCE sums up the process of constructing the 3.5 mile central artery, which was fueled by colossal concentration of political will and public funding, and took two gruelling decades due to its complexity. As leeks and other engineering problems persist, the corridor and activate Boston’s historic waterfront with a vast amount of public space. Ultimately, questions remain whether the
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3. San Diego, CA 4. Los Angeles, CA 5. San Francisco, CA 6. Seattle, WA
a. Geisel Library at UCSD, La Jolla, CA b. Panama-California Exposition, San Diego, CA c. The Broad Museum, Los Angeles, CA d. Grand Central Market, Los Angeles, CA e. “Urban Light” at LACMA, Los Angeles, CA f. “Levitated Mass” at LACMA, Los ANgeles, CA g. The Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA h. Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, CA i. Pterodactyl, Culver City, CA j. American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco, CA k. Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA l. Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle, WA m. Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA
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a. the stream of ‘infinity’ pointing toward the pacific ocean b. the wood cladded study room, each with views to the ocean c. circulation path along the courtyard traverses through solids and voids d. stair tower bridging study rooms and laboratories e. water fountain at the end of the axis
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Salk Institute La Jolla, California, USA
THE AXIS OF INFINITY framed by the symetrical concrete towers of the study rooms, direct one’s view towards the pacific ocean. Seen from the east entry, the monochromatic use of concrete and travetine conseal the building’s true scale and induces a sense of vastness. However, as one move along the axis, the monithlitic scale disintigrates rythmtically into the poetic contrast betweeen void and solid, silent and light.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles, California, USA
SAWTOOTH ROOF SOFTENED the harsh Los Angeles summer sun through multiple layers of filtrations. The northoriented sawtooth roof shields direct sunlight while reflecting it into its clearstory window. Daylight then goes through a fabric filter and bounce off the underside of the roof once more before entering the gallery space.
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a. fabric filters daylight entered through the clearstory window b,c. softened daylight enters the museum gallery space d,e. the functional and aesthetic expression of the sawtooth roof
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a. large event courtyard b,f. pockets of nature within the copper masses c,d. circulation path along the small vegetated courtyard d. courtyard illuminates the indoor gathering space
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De Young Museum San Francisco, CA, USA
POCKETS OF NATURE seeps through the copper cladded masses of the de Young Museum. One moves along these ‘voids’ of nature as they meander from one exhibition to the next. The dark, muted materiality turns the museum into a enigmatic backdrop for the lively surrounding landscape and the echoing voids within.
Olympic Sculpture Park Seattle, WA, USA
CRISSCROSSING PUBLIC ART AND INFRUSCTURE give rise to the multifaceted function of the Olympic Sculpture Park. It serves simultaneously as a landscape infrastructure, a public art exhibit, a flood-protecting sea wall and revitalization for waterfront. Its zigzagging landform connects an art pavilion on one end with Seattle’s waterfront on the other. As one move along the ‘outdoor gallery’ , one’s view constantly shifts between urban and natural sceneries.
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a. running and biking trail along the edge of waterfront b. the park zigzag across the traffic artery and railways c,d. sculptures of multiple scales e. outdoor amphitheater f. landscape and paths connecting downtown to waterfront
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7. Amsterdam, The Netherlands 8. Rotterdam, The Netherlands 9. Brussels, Belgium 10. Ghent, Belgium
a. De Hallen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands b. Rjiks Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands c. NDSM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands d. NEMO, Amsterdam, The Netherlands e. Atomium, Brussels, Belgium f. Canal in Amsterdam, The Netherlands g. Markthalle, Rotterdam, The Netherlands h. The Lawrence Church, Rotterdam, The Netherlands i. The Luchtsingel Crowdfunded Bridge, Rotterdam, The Netherlands j. Musical Instrument Museum, Brussels, Belgium k. Royal Mint Theater, Brussels, Belgium l. Royal Saint-Hubert Gallery, Brussels, Belgium m. Canal in Ghent, Belgium
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a. De Ceuvel was once an abandoned industrial shipyard b. roof mounted PV panels on retrofitted boathouse c. De Ceuvel Cafe/ Restaurant d. organic waste disposal and biogas generation e,f. windy wooden walkway traversesthrough the purification plants and creative atliers
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De Ceuvel Amsterdam, The Netherlands
GRASSROOTS REGENERATION transform former industrial brownfield into a self-sufficient creative entrepreneur common. Initiated by a small group of landscape architects, artists, designers and creative entrepreneurs, the strategies for urban regeneration includes retrofitting discarded boathouse into creative atelier and offices, purifying the polluted soil using phytoremediation plants and harvesting solar energy, biogas and managing water cycles.
Gare du Nord Restaurant Rotterdam, The Netherlands
SEEING THE FARM FROM YOUR TABLE enrich every single bite with the vivid knowledge of the origin of food. Gare du Nord’s seasonal menu reflects its produce which is harvested entirely from the adjacent vegetable garden. More than a restaurant, it serves as a community center that engages local residents into the culture of organic farming and cooking.
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a. bean curd on couscous with alfalfa sprouts, radish and carrot, all ingredients is harvested from the garden b,d,e. the vegetable garden is situated in a quiet residential neighborhood c. the abandoned train cart is upcycled into a kitchen and a restaurant
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a. a contemporary reinterpretation of vernacular form b. the adjacent St Nicholas Church c,d. market hall seen from the historic center of ghent e. the humble material palette of concrete, wood cladding, and glass shingles f. hundreds of miniature skylights
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Market Hall Ghent, Belgium
A CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION of its surrounding vernacular form, the market hall is written using humble material language -locally sourced wood cladding, glass shingle and heavy concrete pillar. Yet, one is likely to be delightfully surprised as they stand underneath the steep roof lit by hundreds of small strokes of skylight. This humble yet playful urban event space breathes new life to the otherwise stagnating historic city center.
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11. Stuttgart, Germany 12. Munich, Germany 13. Hamburg, Germany 14. Zurich, Switzerland
a.Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany b.Schlossplatz, Stuttgart, Germany c.Stuttgart City Library, Stuttgart, Germany d.The New Sammlung, Munich e.Gallery of Sammlung Goetz, Munich, Germany f.Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, Munich, Germany g.Ohel Jakob Synagogue, Munich, Germany h.Port of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany i.Canal Bridge in Hamburg, Germany j.Hafen City, Hamburg, Germany k.Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall, Hafencity, Hamburg l.ETH, Zurich, Switzerland m.Sihlcity, Zurich, Switzerland
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Mercedes-Benz Museum Stuttgart, Germany collection
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DOUBLE SPIRALS WITH ALTERNATING SOLID/ VOID articulates and intertwines a tale of automotive history with a tale of automotive collections. One ascend to the top floor and arrived at the beginning of their journey. From there, they dive deep into the depths of automotive knowledge. Accompanying one’s movement, the architecture gracefully alternate between solid and void, subtly dictating the ambience of mythological history exhibit and the brightly-lit collections exhibits.
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a. top floor/ the start of the exhibit b. atrium activated by constant movement of exposed elevators c. history/ myth exhibit d. collection exhibit e. stair to collection exhibit f. the facade expresses the alternating solid/ void
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aa. a. clear expressions of primary and secondary tensile members b. the flexible tensile fabric can easily generate spatial variation c. large vertical masts used for hanging the tensile structure d. the dematerialized armature facilitates a variety of programs and activities
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Munich Olympic Park Munich, Germany
SPAN MORE WITH LESS was the design intent behind Frei Otto’s Munich Olympic Park. The tensile fabric, made with steel tension cables and acrylic panels drapes over large vertical masts, effortlessly spans across huge distances. The almost dematerialized structure elegantly undulate across the landscape of the park while delineating a variety of spatial qualities and program activities.
Stadelhofen Station Zurich, Switzerland
THE SUNKEN ELEGENCE of the Stadelhofen Station emerged from the architectural solution which gracefully tucks the station underneath the foot of a curvilinear hillside. The station gently curve along the existing hillside, with its structure elegantly delineate the outline of the excavated hill. Largely hidden from its surroudning neighborhood, the station itself provides multiple levels of walkways and platforms with expanded public space and views to the surrounding urban context.
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a. multi-level walkway b,c. the station is largely hidden from the surrounding residential neighborhood d,e. station platform f. underground retail and shops
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a. canals traverses through Hafen City b,d. all new buildings are elevated on the flood- protected plinth c. the plinth carves out new public space at the water front e. Hafen City’s waterfront plaza
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Hafen City Master Planning Hamburg, Germany
THE (IN)VISIBLE PLINTH protects Hamburg’s regenerative district -Hafen city from the periodic flooding and storm surges. The master plan abandon the traditional use of dykes in favor of preserving the charm of the district’s waterfront. The plinth, made by mounds of compacted fills, elevates buildings to a safe height, while carving out public spaces by the waterfront and provide ample amount of underground parking.
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15. Turin, Italy 16. Milan, Italy 17. Venice, Italy 18. Ljubljana, Slovenia
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a. Porta Palazzo, Turin, Italy b. Olympic Bridge, Turin c. National Automobile Museum, Turin, Italy d. Urban Sculpture in Turin, Italy e. Duomo, Milan, Italy f. Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery, Milan, Italy g. Bosco Verticale, Milan, Italy h. British Pavilion in 2015 Milan World Expo, Milan, Italy i. Brazilian Pavilion in 2015 Milan World Expo, Milan, Italy j. Canal in Venice, Italy k. St Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy l. View of Festa del Redentore, Venice, Italy m. Contemporary bridge in Ljubljana, Slovenia n. City center, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Turino Porta Susa Railway Station Turin, Italy
THE TRANSPARENT SKIN THAT SWEATS fills the railway station with daylight without trapping excessive heat. Computerized nozzles along the structural frame monitor the indoor temperature, sporadically misting the space with water. Mist evaporates to carry excessive heat through the roof vent while cool air replenish the space through intake vents on the lower facade.
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a. computerized misting nozzle b. PV embedded roof glazing filters daylight into the station c. misting and evaporative cooling d. cool air intake on the lower facade
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ac. a. inspecting plants and flows through the digital microscope b,c. a hybrid between nature and architecture d. breathe, air is food e. misting nozzles accelerates the transpiration of leave surface
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Austria Pavilion in 2015 Milan World Expo Milan, Italy
BREATHING THE HYBRID AIR via the synergy of a planted Austrian forest and building technology. The summer heat of Milan is moderated through dense leave coverage and plant transpiration while misting nozzle, roof PV panels and the architectural enclosure augment the micro climate through shading and evaporative cooling. Breathe, smell and taste while the exhibition becomes entirely one’s sensorial experience.
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19. London, UK 20. Manchester, UK 21, Edinburgh, UK
a. Tate Modern, London, UK b. More London Place, London, UK c. Millennium Bridge, London, UK d. Rothschild Bank Headquarters, London, UK e. Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, London, UK f. Diana Memorial Fountain, Hyde Park, London, UK g. National Football Museum, Manchester, UK h. Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, UK i. Manchester Central Library, Manchester, UK j. John Reynolds Library, Manchester, UK k. National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, UK l. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, UK m. Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh, UK
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a. King Cross’s iconic double arch facade b. adaptive reuse of the main train shed c.new western concourse canopy d. canopy radiates out from the existing west range facade e,f. the largest single span structure creates a column free interior
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King’s Cross Station London, UK
THE AMPLIFYING CANOPY radiate out from the restored facade of the western range of King’s Cross and spans across the new western concourse. As the largest single span structure in Europe, this expressive canopy become a new architectural icon in addition to the iconic King’s Cross Station.
The Great Court of the British Museum London, UK
A GRACEFUL MERGING between the geometry of the round Reading Room and the square courtyard gave birth to the new canopy for the great court in the British museum. The glazed canopy, held up by lightweight, elegant steel lattice, shelters the courtyard from London’s rainy weather while maximizing indoor daylight. This fundamentally transform the formerly disused courtyard of the British Museum into a year round public living room.
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a. stair spiral around the reading room b. Great Court c. added volumes on the back of the reading room d. museum shop and cafe
Austrian Pavilion at 2015 Milan World Expo
Finally, I would like to thank the entire Lyceum Board, the Jury of the 2015 Lyceum Competition, and my studio professor Nancy Yen Wen Cheng, for this life changing opportunity.
Sincerely, Jiawei Vincent Mai