WENLIN YANG Landscape Architecture Porfolio Selective Works from 2018 - 2020
TABLE OF CONTENT Parco Del Torrione
01
Marston Innovation Plaza
07
Evolve
13
Additional Work
19
01 | PARCO DEL TORRIONE
Rome As Found | Urban Archeological Design Location: Rome, Italy Spring 2019, Studio Project Instructor: Prof. Marta Bertani, Prof. Consuelo Nunez Ciuffa, Prof. Simone Capra Team: Jordan Denny, Maddie Bany, Wenlin Yang Contribution: diagrams, plans, sections, perspectives, axonometric Rome culture has always considered modernity in urban design in its relation with the past: in continuity or in opposition. The Pigneto neighborhood made up of mostly innovating young population ironically lies on some of the most ancient land in the city of Roma. The aim of the project is to design contemporary architecture elements within a multi-layered landscape to provide an amusing, creative, and affordable living condition by merging together ancient history and the XXth century urban texture. Upon analysis of the site, my team found access, views, and art to be most important to us. In order to preserve the view of the Appennini mountains and cypress trees Cementerio de Verano, we created diagrams of sight lines to differentiate between the buildable space and landscape space, as well as the connection of two roads for better and safer circulation for the neighborhood. We created two stepped platforms connected to our public buildings for creating a better connection between our building to the landscape also the surrounding neighborhood.
Parco Del Torrione | Urban Archeological Design | 01
I. LOCATION
IV. SITE ANALYSIS Terrione Prenestino is surrounded by busy transportation systems, the highway Tangeniziale Est is in front of the south entrance of the park, and two railroads are located next to the west entrance and north side of the site, at the same time, two-way drive lines are parallel with the highway and railroad. The combination of high speed traffic and drive way limited the access into the park, people need to spend 10 minutes minimum to cross the street in danger for getting to the park. In addition, the surrounding sidewalk infrastructure is poorly built and maintained which hinders pedestrian access.
Pigneto neighborhood is located next to the border of the ancient city wall, it is within four kilometers to the most popular tourist area and the major train station Termini. The range of land was on the major economic path to other cities during ancient Rome. The designing site is composed by one public park and archeological ruin Torrione Prenestino with some shacks buildings and residential apartments built after WWII. It is along to the modern city highway Tangeniziale Est and a busy railroads system.
RAI L
ROA
D
RAILROAD
a. city scale location map
b. neighborhood scale location map
II. SITE HISTORY The tomb Torrione was built 28 BC for burying and holding memorial ceremony after the members of imperial family. It is one of the biggest tombs of ancient Rome. According to the first complete study about the monument by P.S. Bartoli in 1697, the monument was settled in an irregular hilly area with engaging surrounding landscape. In the end of the Rome Empire 1600 AD, the Torrione marked just outside of the city for providing food for Rome’s inhabitants. The surrounding area become a vineyard owned by the Rufini Family, a secondary noble family of Rome in XV century. After the vineyard in 1697, the area was donated to the Irish Dominican Order and used as arable land and depot for the barrels of the wine until WWII. During the war the neighborhood damaged by the heavy bomb and the monument collapsed. This ruined neighborhood with shacks was abandoned even after the new highway system built in 1963. The abandoned condition remained until 1980, the city cleaned the ruin and gave to the public as a new park.
WAY
HIGH
a. high speed traffic map
a. timeline of the Torrione and Pigneto neighborhood
b. drive way and pedestrian map
surrounding high speed (>68 mph) traffic
<56 mph drive way
disconnected roads
X
park entrances
III. SITE VISIT The Pigneto neighborhood made up of mostly strong young presence, of students, young professionals, artists, and craftsmen, social innovation, underground culture and association activities. It is embraced by tons of art on the street: large scale or small scale, historical painting or innovative doodle, 2-dimentional drawing or 3-dimentional sculpture. It is the connecting bridge between past and future of Rome Art. a. street arts in the pigneto neighborhood Parco Del Torrione | Urban Archeological Design | 02
V. STRATEGY
In order to achieve our goals of increasing the accessibility for pedestrian, preserving the view of the Appennini mountains, combining the history and modernity into the spaces, my team is proposing the new design based on four strategies.
a. re-connecting
disconnected roads drive way
c. shaping a. reconnecting the site with the surrounding neighborhood - Since the neighborhood was abandoned for a long time after the war, there are remaining shacks existing still as well as the poor infrastructural roads with lack of connection. Our proposal is connecting the roads first and linking the park entrances with public roads on the north side, so that the new design could provide a safer and easier access for the neighborhood. b. programing the land usage - After studying the accessibility for drive-way and pedestrian, we decided the building location which is on the intersection of all of connections for easy access and suitability with surrounding buildings. At the same time, we proposed using the abandoned spaces as a vineyard space for memory of ancient history and a collaboration between the young residents. c. shaping the building - The sight lines were created to preserve the view of the Appennini mountains, it helped us to outline the buildable space on the site. We then manipulated the solids formed by these diagrams in order to mimic the shapes of the urban context of the neighborhood, and by doing so, we extended an already built apartment building. d. studying multi-layered access - In order to create a connection from our building to the park as well as enhance the views we found to be important, we created two stepped platforms connected to the surrounding area and the neighborhood behind. We created entrances to the public buildings at every level for an easy access. d. studying multi-layered access
connecting incomplete roads
X park entrances
maintaining Sight, sightlines, and building boundary The building in the middle is young artist apartment and side buildings are workshops for art.
THIRD FLOOR
connecting the park entrances and public street
The second floor is connected with the park by two stepped platforms, there are entrances from two side building in order to create better accessibility.
total buildable area
b. programing abandoned space
SECOND FLOOR
The first floor is proposed as art studio, workshop, and student apartments for young residents.
analyzing spaces
vineyard area buildable area
final shape reassembling building
X park entrances FIRST FLOOR
The ground floor has drive way through with two parking storages and public market area provided. The staircase is in between two side buildings leading visitors to the public park and higher level. GROUND FLOOR
programing spaces
proposed building shape, circulation, and park entrances Parco Del Torrione | Urban Archeological Design | 03
VI. THREE-LEVEL PUBLIC SPACES PLANS The multi-layered landscape design concept is most suitable for the Pigneto Neighborhood because of the limited land area and problems of accessibility. Using layered landscape is providing both vertical and horizontal views to increase the footprint of public outdoor spaces. a. the top level - it is composed by two stepped platforms and two semi-open seating areas for workshops. The rasied space is not only for access between park and building also for a better view to the mountain from the high-skyline city. Visitors can use the space for creating arts, looking at views of nature and the monument, also hanging out with friends. b. middle level - this is the green level of the three, by planting dense trees around the park but opening up around the platforms and monument, visitors can have a view of mountains and monument. Keeping the path straight in open area is leading visitors to the destination of either platforms or vineyards, and for contrast having meandering path in dense planting area for a mystery and privacy park experience. c. base level - since the base level is connected with public with higher car and pedestrian traffic, our proposal is using the space as a public market to providing an easy access for food and daily shopping. By using many thin columns and little grey material to create a modern space also an open space for creating street art.
semi-open outdoor patio
a. top level plan
local market public parking
c. base level plan
b. middle level plan
Parco Del Torrione | Urban Archeological Design | 04
VII. PERSPECTIVES AND SECTIONS RENDERING
stepped platform
street art wall
23.0
19.0
15.0
11.0
7.0
3.0
0.0
monument
open space
view from the base level
art workshop
artist apartment
existing apartment
section of connection between base and middle level
semi-open seating area for workshop
public market
15.0
11.0
7.0
3.0
0.0
driveway view from the middle level
art workshop
open space
monument
section of connection between middle and top level
Parco Del Torrione | Urban Archeological Design | 05
VIII. EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC OF THE FINAL DESIGN
stepped platforms
workshop vineyard
public market
Parco Del Torrione | Urban Archeological Design | 06
02 | MARSTON INNOVATION PLAZA
Water Tower Garden | Innovative Campus Design Location: Iowa State University, Ames, IA Fall 2019, Studio Project Instructor: Prof. Chad Hunter Team: John Noftsker, Abigail Schafer, Wenlin Yang Contribution: diagrams, sections, perspectives, physical models, photography The Student Innovation Center was built with the goal of becoming, “a destination that inspires students to innovate through experimentation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and free exchange of ideas in an inclusive environment.” And the goal of the Marston Innovation Plaza is to create unity within the campus through three words: diversity, collaboration and innovation. This proposal is reaching the goal by three pathways: academic, aesthetic, and social. Academically, we extended the interdisciplinary collaboration happening inside the Innovation Center, by creating a horticultural food production garden. We also created study spaces throughout the landscape. We utilize existing structures to create the base octagonal from that informed all the interventions on site. Aesthetically, we tied Marston Innovation Plaza to the rest of campus through materiality and plantings. We drew different materials from the surrounding buildings and implemented them throughout our design. The planting choices extend existing plantings into the site, while managing this sites specific needs. Socially, Marston Innovation Plaza unifies campus by creating spaces that encourage all students to collaborate and engage. The study space allow flexibility and adjustment for groups and the lawn creates an open space for any activity. Marston Innovation Plaza | Innovative Campus Design | 07
I. LOCATION
II. STUDY MODELS
The project site is located in Iowa State University, Ames, IA. Iowa State’s campus has several buildings and the Marston Water Tower which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the campus is one of the twenty-five most beautiful campuses in the United State. The site is attached with the new Innovation Center and the Marston Water Tower which is the first elevated steel water tank west of the Mississippi River. The Innovation Center is on the busy pedestrian traffic area, because of the central location between buildings and its position along link to the heart of campus.
In order to understand the meaning of those three words in landscape field: diversity, collaboration, and innovation, I used recycled material to express my mental abstract thoughts to physical models.
squaw creek
central campus
Marston Water Tower
lincoln way
central campus laverne lake
a. city scale context map
“diversity”
b. campus scale context map
“collaboration”
“innovation”
III. TIMELINE OF CAMPUS FOOTPRINT Iowa State University has more than 160 years history, it is important for us to understand the surrounding land history. The first building Farm House was built in 1861, then the campus started expanding radially from central campus, also from east to west. The Innovation Center is located on the west side of campus which is newer area and more modern material used.
1880
1895
1910
1925
1940
1955
1970
1985
2000
IV. ASSESSMENT OF CAMPUS LANDSCAPE For all of these sites we noted that there is a prominent landmark or building that is the defining piece in the landscape. For each site specifically the campanile they used plantings to frame the landmark in various ways as you walk around it. Another apparent element within these sites is the vertical elements expressed through plantings. Using trees and shrubs, the space becomes less intimidating with such a large buildings around you and becomes more comfortable with open space provided for students. Also, campus design used native prairie for detention basin and pollinate garden to build both an engaging view and solutions for the sites.
a. detention basin and rain chains
b. pollinate garden in between walls
c. semi-open gathering space created by planting
d. planting as frame of the landmark Marston Innovation Plaza | Innovative Campus Design | 08
V. STRATEGIES
steel limestone
a. site analysis
concrete glass brick
water flow direction detention and swale
water tower
Upon on campus scale study, we did deeper analysis of the surrounding environment. First, we did existing materiality study for our hard infrastructure. Since the Innovation Center is in newer campus, there are more modern structure material such as limestone, concrete, and glass instead of the whole brick building. Second, we received the information from the university facilities that around the building, there is always water-flow problem especially in wet season, so that we added a green belt which is composed by detention basin and bio-swales around the whole Innovation Center and linked with the existing corridor. Last, we are most interested in applying the feature from water tower into our design. The supporting legs of water tower formed as an octagon shape which we used as a grid as the baseline of our proposal as well as the shape of hard infrastructures such as study tables. existing materiality diagram
storm water management
octagon form study
b. sun light study
d. three phases
In order to place studying space, horticultural garden, swales, and plants, we considered sun light is an important fact for all of them specially the Innovation Center is built by all glasses. We mainly studied the noon 12pm and afternoon around 5 pm, those are two peak time of pedestrian traffic and class scheduled, so that the space will be used more often. Based on the sun light diagram, we will place our studying space under the shadow, horticultural garden under the sun, and choose the plants which will grow in the site condition the best.
Building onto the current construction, phase one of Marston Innovation Plaza is the installation of the lawn, swale, and grove. This assures that topography works and vital plantings are installed as soon as possible so that space can return to a functional space for students. Phase two implements the sixteen octagonal lamp pillars; eight in front and eight in the back. Funding for this can be sourced through each college’s respective donors. Phase three, the final phase, will implement the horticultural garden and the built in study spaces, bringing additional programed function to the space and encouraging students to bring their collaboration and innovation outdoors. phase three water tower desk horticulture crop
phase two octagonal monument lamps
sun diagram - noon
sun diagram - 5 pm
c. programming
phase one lawn swale and detention grove trees
Based on the research and analysis diagrams, this proposal is suggesting one horticultural garden and three studying spaces in the back side of Innovation Center. For the green belt, there are three forms of landscape: grove for blocking the bad view of end zone, swale and detention for control the storm water, and open lawn for entertaining and preserved event spaces.
study spaces horticultural crop lawn swale and detention grove programming diagram
axonometric of phasing diagram Marston Innovation Plaza | Innovative Campus Design | 09
VI. SECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES RENDERING A study desk framing three sides of the water tower allows students to interact with the historical structure in a new, and productive way. A small prairie planting in the center fosters interesting views and lightweight acrylic stools allow for groups of any size to collaborate.
the corridor between Innovation Center and Hoover forms an aesthetic and functional extension of the existing corridor between Bio-renewables and Howe.
similar plantings aesthetically extend the Biorenewables/Howe corridor, while rain gardens tie this corridor to the rest of the Marston Innovation Plaza.
Innovation Center
sidewalk
a. section of the corridor
bike rack
swale
hoover
b. view from the Innovation Center to water tower study space
Marston Innovation Plaza | Innovative Campus Design | 10
VI. SECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES RENDERING c. planting palette For planting, our decision is based on the campus existing trees which could match with the corridor and reach the goal of unity design, and for the horticultural plants, we chose the native growth plants which are easy grow and take care for students.
Cercis canadensis
Populus tremuloides
Taxodium distichum
Pinus nigra
Zea mays
Lactuca sativa
Liriodendron tulipifera
Acer saccharum
Amelanchier x grandiflora
Betula nigra
Cucurbita pepo
Daucus carota
e. we extended the interdisciplinary collaboration happening inside the Innovation Center to the outdoors, by creating a horticultural food production garden. Here the horticulture department can experiment with urban food growth and partner with the chef and cafe inside Innovation Center. an elevated grove blocks views and access to the Innovation Center’s loading dock to prevent students from attempting to cut through. instead of managing storm-water below ground and out of sight, a swale and detention basin create visibly interesting and educational storm-water management process.
Innovation Center
lawn
swale
study nook
horticultural food production
d. view of the horticultural nook
the horticultural department can experiment with food growth in urban settings and partnering with the cafe and chef in the Innovation Center to demonstrate farm-totable practices.
a large lawn creates a multi-functional space that can be used for recreation, relaxation, or events
lawn
sidewalk
lawn
durham
section of the Marston Innovation Plaza
Marston Innovation Plaza | Innovative Campus Design | 11
VII. FINAL MODEL OF MARSTON INNOVATION PLAZA
Marston Innovation Plaza | Innovative Campus Design | 12
03 | EVOLVE
How The Land Has Changed | Rest Stop Design Location: Mills County, IA Fall 2019, Studio Project Instructor: Prof. Chad Hunter Individual Project The project evolve aims to create a meandering entertaining rest area on highway i-29 in between Iowa and Nebraska. Through the design, I am reconnecting the rest stop to the surrounding landscape environment with the story of land changes before and after channelization due to the agriculture movement in 1960s. The paved sidewalk represented as Missouri river dividing natural and artificial landforms as well as leading visitors to different destinations. The organic form of planting and playground reflects the untouched Losse Hills before the 20th century to provide a mystery sight experience. The gird form design inspired by the shape of farming land to create a series of different color and feelings of view. The project all together creates an appealing environment on the ground with restrooms, snacks, shelters provided for a space to get out stretching legs or walking dogs after a long trip. The design aims to reconnect the rest area physically and visually through the landscape design intervention.
Evolve | Rest Stop Design | 13
I. LOCATION
IV. THE LOESS HILLS
The rest stop area is located on the boundary of Iowa State and Nebraska State, it is within 65 miles away from the capital of Nebraska city Lincoln and 25 miles away from the city Omaha, Council Bluffs and Pacific Junction. It is a northbound rest area on Interstate 29 in western Iowa, as well as the first rest area into the state from the south on I-29. Ecologically, the Missouri River, Folsom Lake and a hunting wildlife management area are surrounding to the rest area.
a. introduction
SOUTH DAKOTA
IOWA des moines
NEBRASKA
omaha lincoln
The Loess Hills are a formation of wind deposited loess soil in the western side of Iowa and Missouri state, as well as eastern side of Nebraska and Kansas state, along the Missouri River. During the last Ice Age, glaciers advanced into the North American and then since the temperature warmed by the time, the glaciers melted to water and sediments which is the reason of loess soil in the region. It is composed by a set of steep, rippled bluffs, and rolling hills on the Iowa lowland. On the Loess hills, there are abundant oak and hickory hardwood forests with Iowa local prairie such as big bluestem, Indian grass, or pasque flower etc. Since there is wildlife management near the rest stop, the list of common wildlife on Loess Hills is: white-tail deer, coyote, bobcat, or red fox etc.
plymouth woodbury monona harrison pottawattamie mills fremont
Loess Hills region map b. agriculture in Loess Hills Because of the loess soils made by the glacier movement, the deposit in this region is light and easy to dig into. In order to use the land more sustainable for agricultural, farmers in this region installed terraces system and grass waterway to control the soil and wind erosion.
kansas city KANSAS
a. state scale location map
b. city scale location map
II. TIMELINE OF MISSOURI RIVER CHANNELIZATION The Missouri River is the longest river in North America, it is total 2,341 miles from Rocky Mountains to Mississippi River. People have depended on the Missouri River for over 12,000 years started from the Native Americans to current agriculture farming land. During the 20th century, the Missouri River was extensively developed for irrigation, flood control and hydroelectric power, which caused the meanders have been cut and the river channelized, reducing its 1/12 length 200 miles. Zooming in to the project site, the river branch was running next to the rest stop before 1930s, and finally disappeared in 1980s. The shape of the flood plain is still showing the history of the Missouri River between Nebraska and Iowa State.
plan view of terrace farming
bird view of terrace farming
c. form study of the Loess Hills In order to reflect the Loess Hill into the design, I did the form shape study from the nature in the region: farm land, terrace, Missouri River.
1930
1960
1990
III. ANALYSIS OF NARRATIVE LANDSCAPE terrace farming
river shape
national park service
henry doorly zoo
fountain grass
fountain grass
lilac
silver cassia
d. native prairie plants on Loess Hills
terrace farming section
rose bush
grid farming
feather reed grass
In order to understand loess hills landscape deeply, I visited the city Omaha for inspiration and study. There are one common planting method for urban experience in this region is that using narrow and human-size tall prairie planting for hidden privacy walking experience which is what the rest stop need, a relax nature walk.
Evolve | Rest Stop Design | 14
V. STRATEGIES a. layout study In order to make a fluent circulation for three traffics: pedestrian, cars, and trucks in highway i-29 rest area, I have addressed several common rest area layout based on the Landscape Form Principles to find the best form for this specific location.
symmetrical form
grid form
combination of grid and symmetrical form
car parking in the back side of the building folsom lake
b. final layout For this narrow and long shape of site, I am using the linear form principle to place different land functions with the meandering path went through the whole site to make a continuity of pedestrian flow. For the cars and trucks parking, I am using a stripe as divider for a safer route and privacy space since some times the truck drivers need take a nap on the highway. The rest stop building is located in the center of the site so that visitors would have the same opportunities to experience either the nature side to the lake or open space to the playgrounds. As the project statement, I am addressing the river form as the path shape as well as a divider of two designed land forms: organic shape and grid shape which are representing the Loess Hill land history. Since in the north side, there is wildlife management, so I am using different heights of planting to block visitors from the boundary physically and visually.
DNR land for wildlife management detention basin for storm water
mixed-prairie
detention basin for storm water semi-open gathering area
grid prairie
playground
detention basin and swales for storm water
detention basin for storm water
track parking
detention basin for storm water
Evolve | Rest Stop Design | 15 detention basin for storm water
VI. DETAILS OF THE EVOLVE a. site furniture design In order to create an inclusive and enjoyable space, the furniture as hard infrastructure is very important for the rest stop. In this proposal, I am trying to bring the story of land changing due to channelization not only into the landscape also the hard infrastructure: shelters, tables, chairs, and the light poles. The roof of shelter is inspired by the terrace farming to create a simple but aesthetic shape, and using thin poles as supporters to keep the design clean so that visitors will not have a heavy and stress experience. The table and light organic shape is for having contrast with the artificial shape, the whole set of furniture is able to stand by itself for a story. In addition, the hard infrastructure is using minimal number materials: translucent green glass, concrete, and copper color steel. sketch model 1
sketch model 2
sketch model 3 drawing of the furniture set
b. grid prairie design
In order to bring into the story of farming movement, I used the grid shape from the common agricultural form as the boundary of different planting. Each grid has different color and height prairie plants to provide a relaxing and mystery walking experience for visitors. This is the nature portion of the rest stop all the way to the destination Folsom Lake.
detail plan of grid prairie
view of experience in grid prairie Evolve | Rest Stop Design | 16
c. open gathering space design In the west side of the rest area, this proposal is suggesting an open gathering space with several programs in it, in order to contrast with the nature side design, there are rubber paved playground and more artificial structures such as the shelters. I designed two shapes of playground for representing the two nature land form, nature hills and terrace farming. Visitors can have more than one options to take a break from the long trip. For the background of open space, I planted layered landscape for an engaging view.
Ginkgo Biloba Hackberry
terraced playground
sidewalk
hills playground
lawn
detail plan of the playground
section of the playground d. semi-open gathering area The rest stop building is most of visitors destination, so that I created a contrast design of living infrastructure and hard infrastructure. In the front entrance, three different pavement open gathering space for a clean first impression of this rest stop, and prairie-planting semi-open space in the back side of building entrance for providing a surprise after a long distance driving and visitors can take a short break in the nature. Using planting plants makes people have a relaxing visual and physical break.
English Oak
Honey Locust Sugar Maple
mixed-prairie planting
sidewalk
prairie gathering area
section of the semi-open gathering spaces
rest area building
open area
parking
detail plan of the semi-open gathering space
Evolve | Rest Stop Design | 17
view of the playground on the top hill
view of the backside of rest stop building
Evolve | Rest Stop Design | 18
04 | ADDITIONAL WORK Physical Site Modeling
Location: Bensley Point, Providence, Rhode Island Fall 2020, Studio Project Material: Cardboard, Clay, Wax, Wooden Stick, Noodles, Salt and Pepper The purpose of this model is experimenting with materials to create the existing site topography and site conditions including surface condition, hydrology phenomenon, and forest canopy.
Riverside Cemetery
Post-extraction Field
Seekonk River
Max Read Sports Field
Additional Work | Physical Site Modeling | 19
THANK YOU e: wyang02@risd.edu t: +1.515.715.3917