PORTFOLIO X u r a n Yu a n
Academic Projects 2015-2017
XURAN YUAN
Content 01 Helix Street
High-Rise Housing For Detroit, MI.
02 City Oasis
Re-Imagining the I-375 Freeway, MI.
03 Wrap VS Unwrap London Public Library, UK.
04 VELO(CITY) Hot Rod Mecca, AZ.
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Helix Street
High-Rise Housing For Detroit DURATION: August -December 2017, System Studio INSTRUCTOR: Craig Borum, Claudia Wigger LOCATION: Detroit, MI.
The site is situated along Baltimore Ave. in between Woodward Ave. and Cass, both major roads through the entire city as well as within the neighborhood of New Center. It is also located directly north of the Amtrak lines, with a station on the existing site. The initial design strategy was to take the city street and make it vertical; creating a sense of community amongst the residents, opting for unique communal spaces over isolated terraces. This “city street” took the shape of a spiral, ascending from the existing street and carving out the high-rise massing, creating the form for the project. The communal programs were placed along this climbing spiral that would bring dynamic, rich experiences to the public as well as to the residents with immediacy and density. The project absorbed both the Greyhound bus station as well as the Amtrak train station, pulling them under the building and allowing for green spaces to surround it to the confines of the block. The project incorporates “green” into the building but in a way that would allow for unique spaces; places with a character of their own that could be enjoyed by all. The spaces were placed in such a way to bleed into another; supporting each other through their adjacency both physically as well as programmatically. Helix Street aspires to become a new anchor to the neighborhood, solidifying its role as both a destination along the train route, but a dynamic place to live. HELIX STREET
Green Space
Parking Space
The existing site has very little green space to be found anywhere in the immediate vicinity.
The existing site is quite bleak, primarily consisting of parking garages and surface parking lots.
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High-Rise and Low-Rise Buildings
Transportation
The existing site is adjacent to high-rise business buildings.
The site is located in the transportation hub of the train, city bus, Q-line, and Greyhound bus.
HELIX STREET
High-rise and compacted form to reduce the footprint area and maximize the green space.
Public programs are placed along the helix space.
Entirely public spaces are located in the lower 30% of the floors, while the upper 70% are communal spaces for the residents only.
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The maintaining spaces are residential spaces.
The public spaces are enclosed or kept open spaces according to the different programs.
Children Playground
Beer Garden
Outdoor Movie
Public Green Space Diagram
HELIX STREET
up
up
up up
up
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Site Plan Scale:1/8”=1’-0”
Ground Floor Plan
Plan Level 21
Plan Level 22
Plan Level 23
Plan Level 24
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Section
HELIX STREET
Studio One Bedroom Unit
Two Bedroom Unit
Loft-One Bedroom
Units Diagram
Public Program Distribution Diagram
Units Distribution Diagram
Studio Unit
Two Bedrooms Unit
Train Station
Farm
Studio Unit
Two Bedrooms Unit
One Bedroom Unit
Loft-One Bedroom Unit
Retail
Famer’s Market
Loft-One Bedroom Unit
Ecological Museum
One Bedroom Unit
Beer Garden
Two Bedroom Unit
Bazaar
Outdoor Movie
Loft-One Bedroom
Hotel
Garden
Public
Restaurant Cafe
Indoor Gym Children’s playground
Outdoor Gallery
Pool Mechanical
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Studio
One Bedroom Unit
GLASS
Facade Diagram
Dense Green Cables Over Exposed Residential Units CONCRETE
Less Dense Cables Over Circulation Area
CORE
PLAN
Circulation Diagram
Residential Elevator Public Elevator
Structure Diagram
Column Shear Wall
Glass METAL MESH
Residential Elevators
Enclosed Stairway
Columns
Beams
Beam
Metal Mesh DENSE GREEN CABLES OVER
Public Elevators
Stairs in Outdoor Space
Shear Wall
Bracing
Bracing
EXPOSED RESIDENTIAL
Enclosed Stairway
Stairs in Outdoor Space Floor Slab
LESS DENSE CABLES
HELIX STREET
Floor Slab
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02
City Oasis
Re-Imagining the I-375 Freeway DURATION: January -April 2017, Proposition Studio INSTRUCTOR: Steven Lewis, Christina Hansen LOCATION: Detroit, MI. I-375 is a one mile stretch of freeway connecting I-75 with downtown Detroit and its riverfront, diving the residential neighborhood on the East and Downtown Detroit with its business and entertainment districts. The I-375 Corridor was built in the 1960’s and is in great need of rehabilitation. This project proposes a revitalized and sustainable I-375, cultivating a new green-blue oasis for Detroit. The focus this project is threefold; creating a new stormwater collection and pilot program for sustainable infrastructure, reigniting lost history through cultural and community programming in the cut, and creating distinct residential and commercial developments flanking the cut to invite investment and the germination of new characters. The cut is a meandering edge with two facing sides and central depression that is 20’ deep. The west edge is oriented toward downtown and providing a wealth of attractions commercial and retail; the east edge oriented toward Lafayette park and lined with residential complexes and amenities. A wetland crevasse runs between them, containing stormwater retention basins bridged by strips of wetland, which may be flooded or remain dry, depending on the weather conditions. Through a network of cultural pavilions and public offerings along the new oasis cut, new cultural destinations will come to life, as locals tumble down into a cozy but expansive natural haven. Boardwalks will allow traversal during heavy water conditions through the cut, and alternating soft and hard edges will shape this undulating form along its length, meeting roads with pedestrian walkways that easily connect the two levels. CITY OASIS
Existing Transportation System Bicycle Lines Bus Routes
People Mover Routes Major Streets
Historical District and Structure
Detroit Neighborhood
Existing Green Space Green Space
Race Ethnicity African America
White
Hispanic or Latino
Asian
River and Tributaries
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Present Situation of Land Use Residential
Amusement
Retail
Healthcare
Transportation and Utility
Manufactory
Historical Map of Woodward Plan
Population Distribution 3390-27392
3107-4540
6309-9929
1516-3106
4541-6308
0-1515
Transformation Through Mapping “ Mapping takes as it points of departure the belief that a necessary relationship exists between space of speculation(the drawing) and space of execution ( the building), arguing that the nature of architecture and its contingent spatialities are dependent upon the possibilities in drawing itself and not upon any projected and physical space. Space, in this sense, is made in drawing, it is never merely described by drawing.” ------ Kevin Rhowbotham The project started with using mapping as a tool of investigation, interpretation, and illustration. The project employs ArcGIS to explore background information of Detroit and I-375 areas such as history, transportation, watershed, urban texture, population, and culture. By overlaying these information strategically, the composition of a series of inspiration maps are the base to find “ Land of Opportunity” and to produce the master plan of the development. The composition of the transportation system, green space, land use, and visual connections.
The composition of the historic immigration information, Sanborn Map, Woodward Plan and current city districts. Detroit’s Hastings Street was once a strong cultural axis, a colorful neighborhood of local character, which, once displaced, remains only an echo in the concrete jungle of the modern-day. The effects of this erasure are apparent - among the overwhelming footprints of surface parking are disparate commercial complexes, cut-off residential enclaves, and balkanized identities - something needs to bring this area together and give life back to a culturally diverse.
The composition of the visual connection, watershed, and neighborhoods. Notably, Detroit has many unsustainable practices, in particular, its combined drainage system. The Eastern Market area was heavily affected by citywide flooding from heavy storms in 2014, and a resilient strategy would be a significant climate consideration for Detroit.
CITY OASIS
Present Figure Ground Plan
Site Plan
Future Figure Ground Plan
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Residential community
Field
Rehabilitation
Residential community
Commercial mix use School
Church
Commercial mix use
Residential community
School
Cultural
River front
River front
Parti Diagram
Existing Building Programs
Boardwalk Diagram Boardwalk
Landscape Diagram Grass
Horsetail Reed
Shrub
Birch Tree
Development Diagram Residential Towers
Mixed-use Towers
CITY OASIS
Program Diagram Retails
Educational Pavilion
Cultural Pavilion
Transportation Diagram Existing Sidewalk New Sidewalk Existing Road
Existing Bicycle Path New Bicycle Path
Residential Tower Typology 1
Residential Tower Typology 2
Residential Tower Typology 3
Residential Tower Typology 4
Residential Tower Typology 5
Mixed-use Tower Typology
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Stormwater collection basins are strategically placed at open areas along the cut, where waterfront development will be a critical draw - these will accommodate rainwater drainage from local downspouts, and retain them or allow the water to flow out into the wetland zone itself. This will separate stormwater and sewage. The length of the cut slopes downward slightly, so that water can flow into the Detroit River, the edge of which will be opened up to sculpture and outdoor space, with additional residential development livening the riverfront.
Green Roof
New Drains
Water Drainage Diagram
Upland Zone
Wet Meadow Emergent Zone
Submergent Zone
Dry Season
Rainy Season
CITY OASIS
Plant Filtration
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Wrap VS Unwrap London Public Library
DURATION: August -December 2015 INSTRUCTOR: SPendleton-Jullian Ann LOCATION: London, United Kingdom The City of London Public Library project is a testament to the seamless co-existence of old and new. Situated near the River Thames in the city’s bustling financial district, the proposed building adds to the profile of the area by blending with and even replicating features of storied landmarks. For instance, it offers the same “wrap” effect of City Hall, the area’s most arresting building because of its bulbous shape. A glimpse at the City Hall and the library reaffirms the idea that inspired architecture can actually help buildings communicate visually with each other, despite their differences. A closer look at the library reveals a unique design well suited to the individual needs of its users and reflective of the site. The space inside unwraps around a central garden that faces both the city and river. Because the design’s pathways or wrappers allow for easy public access, they also make the building more attractive to a broader population in terms of age, educational background, and economic status. In other words, I hope this structure will invite people of all stripes from pre-schoolers to researchers and everyone in between to come in, utilize and enjoy.
WRAP VS UNWRAP
Tooley Street The bulbous shape separates City Hall from many other cube-like buildings surrounding it, especially along Tooley Street. The bulbous shape of the library has the same “wrap” character of City Hall and visually communicate with it.
Entrance From Riverfront Entrance From Urban Side The space inside “unwraps” around a central garden that faces the river and outside “unwraps” to the city.
Riverfront Landscape The urban side main entrance offers typical street access while the Thames’ Riverfront entrance incorporates natural landscapes that extend to the central courtyard through the lifted first-floor of the building.
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The Seventh Floor
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12. Children’s Center 10. Auditorium 11. Leisure Center
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The Sixth Floor 6. Book Stacks Area 8. Video Library Rooms
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The Fifth Floor 9.Stage for Shows and Musical Performances 9
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The Fourth Floor 6. Book Stacks Area 8. Video Library Rooms
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The Third Floor 6. Book Stacks Area 7. Computer Rooms
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The Second Floor 3. Restaurant 4. Exhibition Space 5. Working Area
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The Ground Floor A
B
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1 A B
WRAP VS UNWRAP
1. Gathering Hall 2. Administration Offices
The urban side main entrance, to the lobby on the ground floor. The ramp leads to a gallery and restaurant on the second floor.
From Thames’ Riverfront side entrance, the circulator pathways around the central garden, offering access to the computer lab, video rooms and working areas on various floors.
The elevators and enclosed stairs meet the code of egress requirements.
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The spiraling upwards pathways lead to the floors of book stacks and other services.
East Elevation
Section A-A
Section B-B
WRAP VS UNWRAP
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VELO(CITY) Hot Rod Mecca
DURATION: September 2017-April 2018, Thesis Studio INSTRUCTOR: Geoffrey Thun LOCATION: Jerome, AZ. The abandoned Gold King Mine in Jerome AZ operates in part within the logic’s of Berger’s ‘drosscape’ as a byproduct of industrial extraction and is simultaneously a catalyst of Lerups’ ‘stim’ where events/motion/ time are points of stimulation, that drive urban transformation. This thesis examines how extreme programming might reconfigure and catalyze ignored, undervalued, economic residues of the metropolitan machine through the unique lens of hot-rod culture in the Sonoran Desert. During its extractive peak, Jerome earned the title “The Wickedest Town in America” with 15000 wild citizens. Following its decline to a population of 100, Jerome became a locus for counter-culture types during the 50’s and 60’s, reframing the city as an enclave of artistic/craft production and mechanical museological curation. During the 1990’s, Maynard James Keenan, former lead singer of Tool launched a series vineyards, bars and consumer consumption depots that recast Jerome as a site of ‘wicked’ touristic consumption. Against this historic backdrop, Jerome is poised once again as a city of rabid hot-rod fantasies. Velo(City) aims to amplify and distribute Jerome’s hot-rod urbanism, gathering a multitude of hot-rod enthusiasts to modify, compete, recline, become unglued, lose grip and unhinge… New structures that sponsor a range of formal and informal rod-based events are distributed across the loose fabric of Jerome to test this potential and play out new operatic spectacles in the dying light of a post-fuel future. Within this framework, public spectacle, intimate infill, and new commercial typologies are overlaid upon Jerome, aiming to intensify and expose its potential as a unique and exploitive form of American Urbanism – a Hot Rod Mecca. VELO(CITY)
Drosscape--Alen Berger
-Dross or waste is “ scape� that can be resurfaced and reprogrammed for adaptive reuse. - Drosscapes are inevitable wasted landscapes. - Drosscapes are the results of current rapid horizontal urbanization and the previous economic, industrial processes.
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Stim--Lars Lerup
- Stim can be interpreted as stimulation or stimulator. - Events/motion/ time are points of stimulation or stimulator. -These stimulators can drive an undervalued, ignored, economic residue place transformation.
VELO(CITY)
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
During the extractive peak, because of Jerome’s reputation for gambling, alcohol, drug abuse, gunfights, and brothels, Jerome earned the title “The Wickedest Town in America” with 15000 wild citizens.
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1940
1950
In the 1950s, because of the decline of the mine demand and deindustrialization, the mine was abandoned in 1953. Jerome’s population declined to 100. Jerome became a ghost town.
1960
1970
During the 50s and 60s, Jerome became a locus for counter-culture types. Hippies reframed the city as an enclave of artistic/craft production.
1980
During the 1990’s, Maynard James Keenan, former lead singer of Tool launched a series vineyards, bars and consumer consumption depots that recast Jerome as a site of ‘wicked’ touristic consumption.
1990
2000
2010
Today, Ghost town, Jerome still keeps the tone of wild and has abundant cultural narratives about automobile culture. Gold King Mine Open Air Museum has the exhibitions include antique mine equipment, traditional gas engines, restored antique trucks, and a sawmill. The most famous automobile event-Jerome Jamboree. This is an event organized by a bus club by seeking for old Volkswagen buses and restoring it and raffling it off at the event called Jerome Jamboree. Vietnam Veterans Day’s motorcycle celebration: on April First, Vietnam Veterans Day bikers start from Sedona and ride through Jerome in honor of the veterans.
VELO(CITY)
VELO(CITY)
Velo(City) aims to amplify and distribute Jerome’s hot-rod urbanism, gathering a multitude of hot-rod enthusiasts to modify hot rods, conduct competitions, and performances such as car drifting, motorcycle, burnout, off-road racing and rock climbing.
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1 B
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1 Quarter Mile Drag Racing Track 5 Hot-Rodders’ Porch 2 Burnout “ Water Box”
6 Bar
3 Rock Climbing Trail
7 Observation Platform
4 Hot-Rod Workshop
8 Drive-in Theater
Site Plan
Section A-A
Section B-B
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VELO(CITY)
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VELO(CITY)
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27’
16.5’ 6
10
7 24’
4 Motorcycle Modification Workshop
8 Auto Parts Storage
6 Hot-Rod Exhibition
9 Hot-Rod Modification Workshop
7 Tool Storage
10 Drive-in Roof Observation
19.5’
Level 1
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10
1 Bar
6 Hot-Rod Exhibition
2 Band Performance Stage
7 Tool Storage
3 Outdoor BBQ
8 Auto Parts Storage
4 Motorcycle Modification Workshop
9 Hot-Rod Modification Workshop
5 Storage
10 Drive-in Roof Observation
Level 2
VELO(CITY)
7 9
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Portfolio. Xuran Yuan Student Individual & Group Projects This portfolio is written & designed by Xuran Yuan