Application for MArch Architectural Design at UCL

MOTIVATION LETTER

(Summary)

Architecture is a convergence of science, technology, culture and art whose logical rigor and sensibility really fascinate me. My past undergraduate education and various academic activities not only lay a solid foundation for me, but also broaden my horizons and redevelop my critical thinking about the society. However, up to now, my exposure to the design project was mainly in the traditional architecture teaching system, which prompted me to expand my design thinking by exploring breakthroughs in construction, deepen my research and experimentation into interdisciplinarity, enrich my knowledge about digital technique and apply it to my design project, like highly advanced coding, fabrication and robotic skills. In this way, my enthusiasm for architecture and my determination to explore further motivates me to apply for the MArch Architectural Design program at UCL at this crucial juncture of my life.

I think my design should be in a logical framework with the intuitive guidance of sensibility. I always start from the macro picture to put forward main contradiction that need to be solved, and then come up with a design strategy with the guidance of my own perceptual intuition, which comes from my usual accumulation of architectural knowledge. Therefore, I need more than my undergraduate studies to support me, like information processing ability, approaches to simulation and interactivity and generative algorithms to quickly develop design logic and more knowledge from other fields, such as art, history, machine learning, artificial intelligence and other advanced technology to help me make intuitive judgments.

Not content with acquiring theoretical knowledge and on-campus practice, I, as the leading designer and graphics director, teamed up with other three students to participate in the Hope Cup 2022 International Undergraduate Architectural Design Competition. As I see it, this project jumps out of the design of building units. Instead, it discusses a “toolbox” to deal with urban and rural conflicts, whose design logic can be applied to any other city in the world. This is my preliminary exploration of automatic information processing logic and and green simulation software I hope I can study further down the road.

Of all the top-notch universities across the globe, UCL is a university that values the exploration of the frontiers of architecture and encourages interdisciplinary research instead of sticking to traditional design discipline, which is always a magnetism for me. Among its many programs, I particularly like the MArch Architectural Design program due to its emphasis on the latest technological advances, particularly computation and robotics, and hope to be down-to-earth to delve in them. I am longing for learning the critical thinking of foreign architects, the application of computation in complex design synthesis and some parametric design methods and software to help me develop open approach thinking. If your esteemed university offers me this wonderful place, I will be very grateful to get the chance to realize my dream. Thanks for your favorable consideration.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Qianchen Yan

Tel.: +86-15000353206

E-mail: qianchen_yan@163.com

Date of Birth: 07/08/2000

Address: Room 301, No. 47, Lane 1581, Chunshen Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, China

[EDUCATION BACKGROUND]

Sep. 2018 - Jun. 2023

Huazhong University of Science and Technology ( HUST )

Major: Architecture | 5 years

GPA: 3.92/4 Average Score:87.7/100 Professional Ranking: 14/74

[ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE]

Jul. 2022 - Oct. 2022

Mar. 2022 - May 2022

UIA-HYP Cup 2022 International Student Competition in Architectural Design

Contestant | Teammate: Tianjin Feng, Siqi Zhao, Qiuyun Du | Supervisor: Kaiwen Yu

- Leading designer; Graphics director

- Contribution: Concept 50%, Analysis 60% Modeling 100%, Post-production 75%, etc.

The Fifth National Green Building Skills Competition of Colleges and Universities

Contestant | Teammate: Yiwei Zong | Supervisor: A.Prof. Kaixiong Guan

- Project Leader; Graphics director

- Contribution: Concept 50%, Green building analysis 80%, Post-production 50%, etc.

Apr. 2021 - Jul. 2021

Research | Design Guidelines for Epidemic and Prevention Combined Hospitals

Participant | Teammate: Jin Liang, Yiwei Zong, Yujie Zhang | Supervisor: A. Prof. Hui Liu

- Contribution: Field investigation 70%, Mapping & Analysis 50%, Literature Review 30%, etc.

[PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE]

Jul. 2022 - Sep. 2022

Shanghai Construction Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd.

Architecture Scheme Group, Intern

- Project: Conceptual planning and design of Hainan Shilu National Geopark Museum

- Project: Museum of the old course of the Yellow River

- Produced base model, reported text production, did mapping & analysis diagram

18th, Jul. 2019 - 02rd, Oct.2019

Nikken Sekkei Ltd

Architectural Design Department, Assistant Designer

-Made physical models, collected and sorted data, produced base CAD drawings

[ACADEMIC HONORS]

2021 - 2022

2020 - 2021

2019 - 2020

Scholarship for Self-improvement, Annual People's scholarship in HUST

Scholarship for Academic Progress, Annual People's scholarship in HUST

Scholarship for Academic Excellence, Annual People's scholarship in HUST

[DESIGN COMPETITION AWARDS]

Mar. 2022

May 2021

Bronze Award, Exhibition of Architecture Design in Developing Countries 2021

Third Prize, The First National Architectural Design Competition for the Revitalization of Songyang Countryside "Into the National Traditional Village Park"

[EXTRACURRICULAR/SOCIAL ACTIVITIES]

Dec. 2019 - Dec. 2020

Dec. 2019 - Dec. 2020

Oct. 2019

Minister | The Social Liaison Department of Student Union of SAUP, HUST

Deputy Minister | The Publicity Department of Party Service Center of SAUP, HUST

Volunteer | 7th CISM Military World Games

[RELATE SKILLS & INTERESTS]

3D Modeling

Rhinoceros, SketchUp, Grasshopper ( basic )

Hand-painting

Water Color, Sketch, Marker Pen, Digital Drawing

2D Graphic

AutoCAD, Adobe CS ( Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign )

Other Skills

Adobe Premiere, Laser Cutting, 3D Printing, Microsoft Office

Language

English - TOEFL iBT: 97

Environmental Tools

Ladybug, Honeybee, Ths Ware

3D Render Vray for Rhinoceros, Lumion Interests

Photography, Travel, Badminton

Aggretation of Courtyards

Location:

Category:

Year:

Type of Work:

Supervisor:

Wuhan,Hubei,China Community library 3th year, 5th semester Individual; Schoolwork

A. Prof. Hui Liu ( liuhui@hust.edu.cn )

This project tries to explore and investigate how new urban fabric could have a relation with old urban contexts. I researched different slices of urban texture and conclude the spatial characters from morphological and typological perspective, which can be applied to new sites. As a result, the project forms a meeting point for the neighborhood and provides diverse plazas and patios for the surroundings.

Methodology

In the study of urban texture, four types of grids and two kinds of voids are extracted. Besides, four kinds combined into twenty-four forms of operation with spatial variation. Finally, I choose the most suitable one among

Methodology

of arrangement of slope roofs are extracted from the historical building of Wuhan-Li Fen. All of them are among them to continue my design project.

Functional Diagram

From the noisy road in the south to the quiet community in the north, the decibel in the building reduces. Voids also naturally form various courtyards and plazas to provide daylight and sunshine.

A view from the second floor of the adult reading area, where parents can not only have a good view of the central courtyard, but also keep an eye on their children in the kids' reading area opposite.

Architectural

Architectural

This is a view from the specific reading area with a small yard, providing the sunlight to create a cozy and comfortable reading atmosphere.

Architectural Elevation

Architectural Section

02 Urban Window

Location: Category：

Year: Type of Work: Supervisor:

Wuhan, Hubei, China Urban Complex

4th year, 7th semester Individual; Schoolwork

A. Prof. Kaixiong Guan ( guankaishung@hust.edu.cn )

This project aims to provide the solution for the lack of public space for urban residents and the gradual disappearance of the old city texture due to urban renewal. Through investigation, it is found that the four neighborhoods at the intersection of the main trunk roads in the city center present different living patterns and texture styles. Therefore, I decide to lift the whole building at the intersection for diverse urban public activities without disturbing the original order of the city and design four different transportation cores to make the accessibility of all age groups possible. From the perspective of pattern, the floor plan also reflects different urban textures of the four blocks. At the same time, it is also a new urban landmark which serves as a huge urban view window, showing different city scape from different views.

Visionary Urban Planning for Wuhan

After investigating diverse urban texture and residents' life in Wuhan, I anticipate the emergence of more public spaces in old streets will improve residents' life quality, in this way, I select the intersection of two main roads as the site, trying to create an urban landmark, which also serves as a large public space to stimulate the vitality of the communication nearby.

Urban Landmark Public Spaces

Historical Urban Texture

Historical Evolution of Urban Landmarks

Since the block has four sides orienting towards the city, I intend to select the characteristics and memories of each neighborhood and gather them into my project for preservation. At the same time, this project can also serve as a urban view window.

Urban Window in Wuhan

Urban Public Space Assessment

I divide all the public spaces into three types according to their sizes and evaluate them in various aspects. Finally I draw the conclusion that they are different in all aspects.

Evolution of Urban Texture Types

From the diagram above, I can draw the conclusion that the urban texture gradually developed from the grids to the integrated type before the founding of China.

First Floor Plan

Referring to the evolution of the urban texture, the building structure is regarded as the main road to divide the floor plan, forming four different clusters to converge to the center which corresponds to different textures in the four neighborhoods mentioned above. This plan order can accomodate to indoor public spaces with different functions and outdoor public spaces with different size and qualities. At the same time, in order to light the city and the building itself, various voids on slabs form a lot of patios and atriums.

Ground Plan

Roof Garden

The Relationship between Facade and the City

Curving Ramps—For Children

Stairs—For Youngers

Escalators—For the Mid-aged Elavators—For the Elderly

Residence can see the new urban landmark from the main road of city.

People can see the whole city through the window of this new landmark.

03 From Wasteland to Wonderland

Location:

Category:

Year:

Type of Work:

Role:

Contribution:

Supervisor:

Kunming, Yunnan, China

Urban Design

4th year, 8th semester

Group work (with Feng tianjin,Zhao siqi, Du qiuyun), Workshop

Leading designer; Graphics director Concept 50%, Analysis diagram 60% Modeling 100%, Post-production 75%,etc.

Kaiwen Yu ( kaiwen.yu@network.rca.ac.uk )

This project tries to provide a solution for the reduced agricultural land occupied by the urban land because of the unordered expansion. Due to the over construction of developers without planning, many buildings are uncompleted. Therefore, we plan to take use of these abandoned urban ruins that cannot be put into use to transform them into a series of vertical planting farms. As a result, this project will present a complete system for the construction process of these farms. First, the user can choose a specific uncompleted building, and the system will automatically select crops suitable for planting according to the climate and living habits of the city. Second, it will match the appropriate planting position for each selected crop in this building according to the sunshine and wind conditions and adjust them again according to the ecological relationship between crops. Finally, the addition of a water resource recycling system allows this building to not only meet the food needs of the urban population with high efficiency and energy conservation, but also become a productive landscape in the city.

Agricultural Society

In this period, the habitations are scattered, and there exists vast areas of farmlands.

Urban Development Residential Concentration

Just before industrialization, people tend to live closer for mutual cooperation.

With the development of industry, urban buildings gradually become high-rise.

Urban Expansion

With the increase of urban population, the urban land encroaches on the farmlands.

Abandoned Urban Ruins

Excessive construction of high-rise buildings has led to many uncompleted buildings.

How to Reuse

Maybe people can take use of the abandoned urban ruins to deal with reduced farms.

The

Development of Abandoned Urban Ruins in China

Climate Zoning in China

China has a vast territory and can be divided into six climate zones, namely, southwest, northwest, south, north, east and central. Each region has its own climate characteristics, so different kinds of crops are planted.

Sankey Diagram of Plant Characteristics

We try to establish a plant information system, which can automatically retrieve the environmental information of the crops, such as soil moisture, sunshine hour, temperature and so on, to select the most suitable plants to grow in a specific city.

Agricultural Production System

We think that the traditional production mode can be further optimized to achieve the internal selfsufficiency of the whole system, which can not only lead to intensive management and thus improve the production efficiency, but also promote the recycling of animal and plant resources, maintain the balance of ecology, and save energy.

The Assessment of Wind and Solar Condition in the Plan

Take Kunming in southwest China as an example, the wind is mainly southwesterly, so the force is gradually weakened from southwest to northeast. At the same time, the sunshine gradually weakens from south to north. Therefore, the building plan in Kunming can be divided into five levels in terms of wind and sunshine conditions.

The Most Suitable Area for Each Crop of Different Types in the Plan

Take Kunming in southwest China as an example, since we can know the most suitable crop for growing and get the growth environmental information of each crop from the Sankey diagram, we can raise them in the most appropriate area in the building plan according to the assessment of wind and sunshine condition mentioned above.

Step1: Calculate Crop Yield

Allocate the raising area of all crops selected from the Sankey diagram in proportion to the demand.

Step2: Choose Proper Height

The higher the location is, the smaller the crops are, and have higher demand for sunshine.

Step3: Adjust the Crops

According to the production system above, we adjust the position between crops to obtain maximum benefits.

Functional Module for Different Activities

Different crops have different planting methods, different animals have different living environments and feeding patterns, and there will also exist mutual transformation of bioenergy between them. We anticipate that these various activities can revitalize the abandoned ruins.

User Interface

Users only need to select an abandoned building on the map, and the APP will automatically select suitable agricultural products and put them in the appropriate location of the building for users to rent in order to generate economic benefits.

Self-Sufficient Food Supply System

We try to match the planting quantity of various crops according to the nutritional diet pyramid. We find that the food provided by a high-rise abandoned building can completely meet the food demand of a small community.

Pedestrian Traffic System

Eventually, many different vertical planting farms will emerge in the city

Vegetable planting, animal, fish and bird breeding are carried out simultaneously.

Housing for Ukrainian Refugees

Location: Category：

Year: Type of Work:

Supervisor:

Przemyśl, Poland

Congregated Residence

5th year, 9th semester

Individual; Academic project

Haoyu Shi ( haoyu.shi13@gmail.com )

The war between Russian and Ukrainian has led to a large number of homeless Ukrainian women, children and the elderly. In order to provide them with housing abroad, which will also be a transit station for them to return to their motherland in the future as well, this project is built in a city near the border of Poland and Ukraine, where a lot of refugees remain. Through refugees’ demand analysis, site research, and form extraction of Ukrainian housing prototypes, I designed a congregated residence whose housing units can be installed directly after modular prefabrication. which is convenient for rapid installation and disassembly. As a result, this project provides diverse housing units for selection and forms set-back balconies to bring vitality.

Site Selection for Ukrainian Refugees

Since the outbreak of war, tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees have poured into Poland, crossing the border and arriving in the nearest city - Przemyśl through main roads to get settled or wait to go to other countries for help. Therefore, I plan to choose a site in this town to provide housing for them.

Site Selection

Refugees will gather around the railway station, from which the site is within 500m.

Surrounding Buildings

The site is located in the residential area, with hospitals, schools and markets around.

Pedestrian Flow Line

Determine the main entrance of the site according to the crowd flow line.

Children - Study Room

Women - Workshop

The Elderly- Health Care

Refugees - Canteen

Refugees - Roof Garden

Neighbourhood - Market

About 50% of Ukrainian refugees are children, 40% are women and 10% are the elderly. This housing will meet their different needs of life and make them connect with their neighbors.

A view from the public space on the fourth floor, where the residents can enjoy the leisure time in the afternoon and chat with each other.

This is a view from the balcony of the house, where we can feel the vitality of the central courtyard and greet our neighbors.

Housing

There are four types of units in this community. The higher the floor, the smaller the length. Units of different areas

Housing Unit areas can meet the needs of various groups of people.

Construction Process

All housing units in this project are made of cross-laminated timber, which can be installed directly at the site after modular prefabrication and thus very convenient for rapid installation and disassembly. In this way, the number of housing unit modules can be adjusted according to population to save construction costs.

PORTFOLIO

Application No.:23160577