portfolio

SELF-REFERENCE

Drawing Hands, 1948, M.C.Escher

Wang Meijie No.1239 Siping Road Shanghai, China tjwangmeijie@163.com +86 15821578770

Wang Meijie Architecture, Tongji University

Self-reference occurs in natural or formal languages when a sentence, idea or formula refers to itself. The reference may be expressed either directly —through some intermediate sentence or formula—or by means of some encoding. In mathematics and computability theory, self-reference is the key concept in proving limitations of many systems. Godel's theorem uses it to show that no formal consistent system of mathematics can ever contain all possible mathematics truths, because it can't prove some truths about its own structure. It enlightens me to re-examine architecture as a discipline which continuously look for autonomy within discipline.

In Escher's picture Drawing Hands, a left hand draws a right hand, while at the same time, right hand draws left hand. Once again, levels which ordinarily are seen as hierachical-that which draws, and that which is drawn-turn back on each other, creating a Tangled Hierarchy. Of course, since behind it all lurks the undrawn but drawing hand of M.C.Escher, creator of both left hand and right hand. Escher is out of the two-hand space and at the top of the Tangled Hierarchies.

Claude Nicolas Ledoux is regarded as the first architect who explored the concept of autonomy in architcture history. However, as Godel's Incompleteness Theorem indicates, the completeness and consistency of formal systems can not be proved in the system itself. Exploration of architecture autonomy is within the same hierarchy of formal system and it is impossible to see the limitation of the system without jumping out of the formal system, which resembles left hand and right hand in the picture Drawing Hands.

As an architect, instead of confining myself in the exploration of architectural formal system, I prefer to studying from various interdisciplinary, metaphysical Resources, through speculation, extracting the concept, selecting appropriate new medium, appropriate physical operation of this medium to derive new results. And architecture is one of the mediums. This portfolio selects five representative works, their final presented form is the result of achieving a metaphysical thinking.

They are neither the purpose of operation nor the meaning of design.

· Ouroboros

The ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent eating its own tail.

CONTENTS 01 INFINITE RELATIVITY

1

PERSPECTIVE GRID STUDY & IMPOSSIBLE STAIRS WELL DESIGN

02 'MEMENTO' TRANSLATION

'MEMENTO' MOVIE NARRATION STUDY & INDOOR OUTDOOR INTERSECTED TEA HOUSE DESIGN

03 TANGLED HIERARCHIES

SELF-REPRODUCTION LIVING PARADIGM DESIGN & RESIDENTIAL MARKET TANGLED COMPLEX DESIGN

7 13

04 INVERTED BABEL

23

05 SEMANTIC ILLUSION

28

BORGES PARONOMASIA STUDY & COMMUNITY LIBRARY DESIGN CONCEPTUAL INSTALLATION DESIGN

[ Infinite Relativity ] — Perspective Grid Study & Impossible Stairs Well Design Personal Work Fall 2017

Perspective Grid Study In House Of Stairs

C

a' S b'

C' ZENITH

S

O

V1

HORIZONTAL LINE

N

A C O

v'' v'

d'

N

NADIR

S

c'

HORIZONTAL LINE

d

HORIZONTAL LINE

N

NADIR B

HORIZONTAL LINE

HORIZONTAL LINE

V2

ZENITH

HORIZONTAL LINE

House Of Stairs, 1951, M.C.Escher

Perspective Grid In House Of Stairs

INFINITE HORIZONTAL LINE

Infinite House Of Stairs

NADIR

Concept Diagram

INFINITE

ISOMORPHISM

INFINITE

Transition

RECURSION

ISOMORPHISM

RECURSION

02

Infinite One-point Perspective 'Relativity' Convert 'Relativity' From Three-point Perspective To One-point Perspective

2.

1.

Outward Expansion

Three-Point Perspective

Convert

One-Point Perspective · One-Point Perspective 'Relativity'

· Relativity

Four completely different worlds form a unified whole with a connecting Penrose Stair.

Three completely different worlds form a unified whole.

ISOMORPHISM

Ascending Descending

Expand One-point Perspective Isomorphism To infinite 4.

3.

Popping Hierarchy

Ascending Route Within Hierarchy

Recursion

Infinite

RECURSION 03

Infinitely Ascending Canon

Infinitely Ascending Route Diagram

Infinitely Ascending Canon

By Bach ¡ Infinitely Ascending One-Point Perspective 'Relativity' Resemble the form trick of Infinitely Ascending Canon in 'Musical Offering'

by Bach, Infinite one-point perspective 'Relativity' achieves visual representation of infinitely ascending or infinitely descending, wandering further and further from its starting point, it suddenly is back.

04

Infinite Two-point Perspective 'Relativity' Two-point Perspective 'Relativity' 1.

2.

Two Point Perspective

Expand Two-point Perspective Isomorphism To infinite

ISOMORPHISM

3.

Ascending Descending ISOMORPHISM

4.

5.

RECURSION

Partial Enlarged Detail

05

Two-point Perspective Infinitely Ascending Canon

Infinity and contradictory space are two major themes of Escher's works.

In the project of 'Infinite Relativity', I started from original drawing of 'Relativity', which expresses contradictory space, through a series of perspective grid operations, making 'relativity' infinite.

I want to express my salute to Escher by conveying the significance of the two major themes in his works by means of Escherian operation.

The effect of my final work is similar to Bach's work 'Infinitely Ascending Canon'.

06

[ 'Memento' Translation ] — 'Memento' Movie Narration Study & Indoor-Outdoor Intersected Tea House Design Tongji Core Studio (6 week personal work) Instructor: Weiyan Zhao Fall 2013 3rd Semester

07

‘Memento’ Narration Analysis

Fabula Versus Sujet In Memento

(Fabula / Story Order)

MOVIE START/ 1:45 STORY END 1:30

Cut to Other Timeline Color Sequences Black & White Sequences

1:15 1:00

MOVIE END

0:45 0:30 0:15 STORY START 0:00 0:00

TRANSITION BW TO COLOR 0:15

0:30

0:45

1:00

1:15

1:30

(Sujet / Plot Order)

'Memento' space translation

The movie 'Memento' directed by Christopher Nolan adopted unique narration method that positive sequence and flashback interweaving with each other and Finally converge on the turning point of the story.

By this means viewer's perception of time is obscured.

Inspired by the narration method, in the tea house design, I uniform indoor and outdoor space intertwined, and then organize streamline in indoor and outdoor interwoven topological grid.

By this means, viewer's perception of indoor and outdoor is confused.

Concept Diagram

black and white

colored TURNING POINT

STORY START

STORY START

STORY END CONCRETE (INDOOR)

Nolan's Narration Method

Transition

black and white

TURNING

VOID (OUTDOOR)

Intersected Spatial Experience

POINT STORY END

colored

08

Concrete Void Intersected Map Generation 1.

2.

VOID (OUTDOOR)

3.

VOID (OUTDOOR) 1

2

3

5

4

3

2

1

6

5

4

3

6

1

6

1

2

5

4

2

1

2

3

4

3

3

4

5

6

1

2

SHIFT LEFT

CONCRETE (INDOOR)

CONCRETE (INDOOR)

CONCRETE (INDOOR)

4

Intersected

5

6

SHIFT RIGHT

VOID (OUTDOOR)

4.

Testing Models

Corresponding

GENERATION

RESULT

Simplify

CONCRETE

VOID

Simplify

CONCRETE

LAYOUT

VOID

WALL

09

Indoor Outdoor Intersected Experience Analysis (1)

Space Joint Indoor Path OutdoorPath

10

Indoor Outdoor Intersected Experience Analysis (2)

Space Joint Indoor Path OutdoorPath

11

Isometric Drawing

Indoor-Outdoor Intersected Tea House Resemble the movie 'Memento' where audience's perception of time is obscured, in the tea house, viewer's indoor and outdoor space experience is confused, space perception throughout the tea house is extended.

12

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13

Grid System Study In Print Gallery Escher's Method

Tangled Drawing & Gallery

Fitting The Straight Squares Onto The Curved Grid

Grid System In Print Gallery

DRAWING

Exhibit DRAWING GALLERY GALLERY

Tangled Grid System Study Print Gallery, 1956, M.C.Escher

Print Gallery, 1956, M.C.Escher

Original Print Gallery Before Grid System Operation

Concept Diagram

GRID SYSTEM

DRAWING

GRID SYSTEM

GALLERY

TANGLED HIERARCHIES DRAWING

Transition

RESIDENCE

MARKET

TANGLED HIERARCHIES

GALLERY

14

Self-Reproduction Paradigm Grid System

Residential Units Grid System Study

Residential Units Grid System Transformation

Self-Reproduction Units Plan

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Self-Reproduction living paradigm design tries to set up a grid system where the living units are concatenation units,indicating prefabricated units in architecture.

The first floor works as public space. Lift connects upstair and downstair for each unit. The second floor consists of livingrooms and bedrooms for four families. Living rooms share the same entering platform. Bedrooms share the same patio for ventilation and lighting. The third floor consists of dining rooms and private yards.

Master Plan 15

Self-Reproduction Living Paradigm (2nd Floor)

Living Room

Living Room

Shared Courtyard

Living Room

Living Room

Bedroom

Single Living Unit Consisted Of 4 Families

Bedroom

Shared Lighting Patio Bedroom Bedroom

16

Self-Reproduction Living Paradigm (3rd Floor)

Private Yard Private Yard

Private Yard Private Yard

Dining Room

Single Living Unit Consisted Of 4 Families

Dining Room

Dining Room

Dining Room

17

Site & Program Adaptive Grid System For Residential

Site Plan

Site Adaptive Grid System

Site adaptive grid system incorprates several grids into the plan at different angles that run parallel to the surrounding roads and river. This multiple grid system generates units with diverse individual forms and is intended to provide each residence with independence, privacy, and variety.

To make the grid system adapt to residential program, internal patios are adopted to take in light and ventilation. The patios were adjusted to avoid conflicting sightlines between residences. Light passing through the patios projects various light patterns into the downstair market, creating a bright common area.

The irregularly shaped yards are adjusted to different site relationship, providing residence a quiet place for returning home.

Overall Top View

The 3rd Floor Top View

1

2

3

4

Program Adaptive Grid System

1

2

3

The 2nd Floor Top View

4

5

6

7

The 1st Floor Top View

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

18

Tangled Hierarchies From Residential To Market 1.

Tangled Hierarchies Operation

Residential Grid System Riverside Scenery

Lighting Patio Selection

Pillars Generation

Frontier Relationship

2. Crowd Aggregation Analysis

Booth Arrangement

TIME

HIGH MID LOW

18:00 16:00 14:00 12:00 10:00

RESERVATION BUYING WINDOW SHOPPING BARGAIN

8:00 6:00

Fish

Streetside Scenery

Crabs

AQUATIC PRODUCT 3.

Market Scenery

Shrimps

Chicken Beef

Pork

Mutton Beans Semi-Finished Nuts

MEAT PRODUCT

COOKED

Tea

Noodles

FOOD

Eggs

Fruits

Corn

Organic

FOOD TYPE

VEGETABLE

Public Square

Yards For Residential

19

Residential Market Tangled Complex STREET SIDE

RIVER SIDE

Physical Model 1:100 Yards For Residential

No.1 Yard Near Square—Transition

No.2 Yard Backward—Introversion

No.3 Yard Towards Street—Adduction

No.4 Yard Towards River—Openness 20

Residential Axonometric Drawing (2nd Floor)

Market Axonometric Drawing (1st Floor)

Shared Lighting Patio Shared Platform 21

Residential Axonometric Drawing (3rd Floor)

Market Axonometric Drawing (1st Floor)

Shared Lighting Patio Shared Platform

22

[ Inverted Babel ] — Borges Paronomasia Study & Community Library Design Tongji Core Studio (8 week personal work) Instructor: Xiaofeng Zhu Spring 2015 6th Semester

23

Borges Paronomasia Representation " The universe is composed of an indefinite and perhaps infinite number of hexagonal galleries, with vast air shafts between, surrounded by very low railings."

UNIVERSE " Man, the imperfect librarian, may be the product of chance or of malevolent demiurgi " " To perceive the distance between the divine and the human, ......."

" The library is a sphere whose exact center is any one of its hexagons and whose circumstance is inaccessible. " " There are five shelves for each of the hexagon's walls;......"

Jorge Luis Borges

" When it was proclaimed that the Library contained all books, the first impression was one of extravagant happiness. There was no personal or world problem whose eloquent solution did not exist in some hexagon. The universe was justified, the universe suddenly usurped the unlimited dimensions of hope."

Hexagon Unit

Concept Diagram

Invert HUMANIST PERSONALITY

UNIVERSE UNIFORMITY SEGREGATION

INTEGRATION

INTEGRATION

SEGREGATION

24

Invert From Integration To Segregation Operation Method To Segregate

Original Structure System

Dislodge Couryard

Truncate Pillars

Add Roof Truss System

Segregation Type Selection

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

6

Inverted Babel

Inverted Babel Deistic belief, infinity, uniformity are main characteristics of the library in Borges's story 'Babel library'. For Borges, book is lofty and library means the universe, while man is tiny when faced up with library. However, my imaginative library is opposite to Borges' Babel. It's humanistic and personal.

To convey my speculativeness, in the project of community library design, Instead of directly designing a new building, I take advantage of remainng structure system of an integrated buiding, and invert integration to segregation, invert uniformity to personality.

D VE ER ES PR GS D OL ILDIN U B

T

E RE

ST

MAIN ENTRANCE

R

VE

RI

25

Invert From Uniformity To Personality

BOOK STORAGE

READING SPACE

REST AREA

Invert

1:50 Partial Perspective Model

UNIFORMITY

PERSONALITY

COURTYARD

26

Circulation

Courtyards

2F

1F

27

Axonometric Drawing

[ Semantic Illusion ] — Conceptual Installation Design Theory Course Project ( 2 week Group Work ) Contribution: Concept & Construction Collaborator: Li Zhenshen, Wei jiabin Fall 2014 5th Semester 28

Concept Conversion From Picture To Object

This is not a pillar ? ? ?

Perspective Plane Installation Location This Is Not A Pipe, Rene Magritte Describe

1

Mutual Contradiction

2 Corridor Streamline

Viewer's Position

Semantic Illusion Resemble the paradox of signified and signifier in Rene Magritte's drawing ' This is not a pipe', the installation seeks to create a phenomenon in which structure and space refer to each other but lead to paradoxes, enabling viewers to reflect on the relationship between structure and space.

WORD

IMAGE

3 Installation Position

Negate

Concept Diagram

Shape Describe

IMAGE

Mutual Contradiction

WORD

Mutual Contradiction

Transition

Negate PILLAR

Negate

corridor space

VISUAL ILLUSION

29

Principle And Effect

Visual Extension Effect

Exploded Axonometric Drawing

9:00

11:00

13:00

15:00

17:00

Optical Path Principle

BEARING STRUCTURE

SINGLE MEMBRANE

REFLECTION SPECULARITY

OPTICAL PATH

BEARING STRUCTURE

REFLECTION SPECULARITY

D

D

SINGLE MEMBRANE

C

C

B

B

A

A 200mm

200mm

400mm

Semantic Illusion Principle 1 Corridor Space

2 Emergent Pillar

3 This is not a pillar ?

4 Penetrating Sightline

30

Dragon, 1952, M.C.Escher

Jumping Out Of The System The dragon tries very hard to fight his two-dimensionality. He defies the twodimensionality of the paper on which he thinks he is drawn, by sticking his head through it; and yet all the while, we outside the drawing can see the pathetic futility of it all, for the dragon and the holes and the folds are all merely two-dimensional simulation of those concepts, and not a one of them is real. But the dragon can not step out of his two-dimensional space, and can not know it as we do. let me re-examine myself with this Escherian metaphor, If my body is the twodimensional paper, my mind is the dragon that strives to break away from its twodimensionality. Jumping out of the system, going beyond my body may never be possible, but I will not give up trying to explore the limits of my mind.