New York, December 17th, 2018
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Virginie Stolz and I am the Project Manager and Project Architect at LOT-EK since 2008, an art/architecture/design practice based in New York. I am writing in support of Shengzi Gu application for your practice. We designed various projects while Shengzi (Vivien) joined our team from August 2017 to May 2018.
junior architectural designer jun.2018-now
studio castellano Architecture | Placemaking
jun.2018
For ten months, Shengzi was assiting us on producing carboard Art piece using the laser cut machine for a project made out of shipping containers called THE CUBES in Queens, NY (office); she made a physical model for a roof extension/skylight in Manhattan on 62ORCHARD St; she participated on an important competition in ARKANSAS (Residential/Retail) by producing photo realistic renderings; she ran various studies for stairs for C-HOME (prefabricated house made out of shipping containers) and faรงade schemes for FRANKFORD AVE project in Philadelphia (Art/Commercial/Office) assisting he team on the production of 3D renderings for design approvals with the client and on modeling in Revit a lot of construction details. Her enthusiastic technological approach and original design thinking were extremely appreciated by the team. She has been using the Revit program intensively and quickly got to an excellent level. Shengzi is very skilled with computer programs and learns easily. Throughout the project she was able to contribute professionally and independently, and we were completely satisfied with the results of her drawings and renderings. We support her pursuit for your practice. We feel that through your company she will be able to gain the necessary exposure and academic depth required to generate a positive growth within the Design context as she has already shown to do through her work with LOT-EK. Should you have any questions about Shengzi, please do not hesitate to contact me by email or phone. Sincerely,
Virginie Stolz Project Manager, Project Architect LOT-EK
Other Referees Name: Ignacio Galan Email: igalan@barnard.edu Title: Term Assistant Professor Institution: the Department of Architecture at Barnard+Columbia Colleges
Name: Ada Tolla Email: ada@lot-ek.com Title: Adjunct Assistant Professor of Architecture Institution: GSAPP @ Columbia
competition: offset
a roof extension/skylight in manhattan
lot-ek, fall 2017
lot-ek, spring 2018
pumpkin pritzker at the Center for Architecture’s event Pumpkin-tecture
site location: 62 orchard st, new york contribution: model
this side up :the cubes in queens in collabration with: meghan grimes project type: art exhibition
rainwater collection pyramids
rainwater collection canopy
aviary two
reconnecting canal
Architecture might negotiate the preservation of human and natural ecosystems with the operations of the community. Following these intentions, the project here explores punctual interventions as a new paradigm of water management and preservation. chinampa loop (water management), Our intervention at the UNESCO World Heritage site in Xochimilco utilizes existing infra2017 the peripheries where the urban fabric structures that manages water quality andfallactivates instructor: ignacio g. galรกn interacts with the site. Organized in an incomplete loop, we designed an array of structures to site location: mexico city, mexico phase: concept design mediate the chinampa zones. cooperators: laura blaszczak (barnard) contribution: design, model & render cnc,3d print
62
63
long arkansas islandcrossroads city tower
arkansas crossroads
madgi, lot-ek,summer spring 2018 2017 design: design: montroy lot-ek,andersen ada tollademarco| + giuseppe nyclignano, interior principals design firmteam teamleader: leader:aaron richard mark cohen site location: long bentonville, island, arkansas new york position: position:junior architectural designerintern intern phase: phase:design schematic development design contribution: sitecontribution: analysis, design, rendermodel & render
lot-ek, spring 2018 design: lot-ek, ada tolla + giuseppe lignano, principals team leader: aaron mark site location: bentonville, arkansas position: junior designer intern phase: schematic design contribution: render
MASTERPLAN & ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF NANJING PUKOU SKYSCRAPER ECADI, Summer 2016 Design: ECADI | East China Architecture Design and Research Institute Team Leader: Byron Liu Site Location: Nanjing, China Position: Architectural Intern Phase: Schematic Design Contribution: Design, Model & Floorplans
Mid-Level Office Lobby Area
Mid-Level Office District One
Design Diagram
Step 1 rotot
Lower-Level Office District Two
Higher-Level Lobby Area
Step 2 e
arro ing
Step 3 utting angles
Step 5
Step 4 Basic
assing
Step 6
Step 7
Stairs
tt
Lower-Level Office District One
Higher-Level Lobby Area
Step 8 isting
“An architecture arising out of the deep fascination that draws people towards others; an architecture that recognizes passion, carnality and sociality. The matrix of connected rooms might well be an integral feature of such buildings.” -Robin Evans
Doors, walls and windows, as the separators of space and individuals, are modern definitions of privacy. Certainly, these items are essential for modern residential and commercial buildings. However, under the current gentrification process, National Black Theatre as a traditional gathering place for both Harlem residents and black artists, needs more intimacy than privacy. To break this privacy and foster an intimacy for this theatre, I eliminate all the doors and windows (except for the bathrooms), and construct one continuous wall looking impregnable from outside. Because of that, there is only one path available for all artists, staffs, students and visitors. This means if a visitor wants to attend plays in the main theatre, he or she needs to walk through the artists’ dressing room.
Through producing those houses on wheels, I hope to provide a platform for the communities to share this collective lifestyle despite the uncertainty of deandI relocating. In ordera to reproduce and vivid diary of urban Through producing those housesmolishing on wheels, hope to provide platform forthe thereal communities to share this collective and subsequently become a part of the collective urban village expelifestyle despite the uncertainty village of de-life molishing and relocating. In order to reproduce the real and vivid diary of rience and culture, which could be saved and achieved during this rapid social urban village life and subsequently become a part of the collective urban village expe- rience and culture, which could transformation in China. be saved and achieved during this rapid social transformations in Shanghai, China.
Theatre is a container of emotions. To expand National Black Theatre within the Harlem community, I design these three transportable move-nets in order to celebrate their own culture. Every single of them represents a show that was premiered in NBT. The first one is the Womb, it originated and inspired from the beginning of the script of the show “Seed”, which is “Not to meander myself, at present, I will go back to my birth”. The second one is the Mirror, the broken mirror reflects the characters in the show “Dutchman”. The third one is the Bar/Clinic, it assemble the relationship and conflict between two black generations. from the show
slow house & move-net
peng hu qu - redesigning urban village in shanghai
(national black theatre & nbt performancing cart) columbia design studio ii, spring 2017 instructor: brad samuels site location: harlem, new york phase: concept design contribution: design, model & render
columbia independent study, spring 2018 instructor: karen fairbanks site location: shanghai, china phase: concept design contribution: design, model & render
fashion design selected works
competition: zen
2011-2013
istituto marangoni, spring 2013
portfolio award (honorable mention) at istituto marangoni
print design award (honorable mention) at the ratti fabrics