YuheXiao_Urban Design Portfolio

PORTFOLIO YUHE XIAO

Urban Design & Landscape Architecture

Selected Academic Works 2017-2022

M.S. in Urban Design | University of Texas at Austin

01 Greening Greenwich

Deptford Creek is located in southeast London between the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham. The creek and the area around it were historically a hub for production and industrial activity and a site of innovation. Today, Deptford Creek is in crisis. The waters are polluted, the streets are filled with loud and dangerous trucks, and the neighborhood feels cold and uninviting. With incredible potential, the project seeks to reinvent the industry of Deptford Creek by shifting the focus from old polluting industrial activities to new, innovative, and carbon-zero technologies. We’re looking for a future that is not so different from the past but is socially, ecologically, and economically sustainable.

Year: Fall 2022

Location: London, UK

Instructors: Simon Atkinson

Collaborators: Aubry Klingler, Mudita Bilay, Sabbir Ahmed

Tower Hamlets

DEPTFORD CREEK

Greenwich

Lewisham

PRODUCTIVE

- Renewable energy production and distribution

- Urban agriculture

- Mass timer manufacturing

IDENTITY

tech

PEOPLE-CENTERED

- Healthy housing

- Streets for people

- Creek revitalization

REGENERATIVE

- Healing land and water

- Rainwater collection

- Barge adaptive reuse

Propose low tech carbon zero technologies to make a sustainable future and build identity for the neighborhood

healthy streets

socially ecologically

adaptive reuse

a sustainable future for deptford creek

newmaterialsbuilding

urban agriculture

economically

healthy homes and affordable housing

human technologies

7

Barges Examples

Job Incubator Barge

Agricutural Barge

Recreation / Market Barge

Systems and key sites of intervention work together to support a greener neighborhood

Concrete Plant Site

The first site of intervention is the concrete plant which is located at the northern end of the creek. The existing conditions of the concrete plant today are quite troubling, and the traffic that the plant creates is very detrimental to the neighborhood. The proposal for this site, which is at a key intersection and acts as an entrance to the creek walk, is a public space filled with a grid of wind turbines and can be turned into a market space.

C'

B'

Regard it as the heart of the community

Encourage residents to grow their own vegetables

Create access for residents to interact better with the creek

Section A-A’

Section B-B’

Section C-C’

The restaurants on the street will be able to use the fresh produce grown on the roofs above.

Greenwich Station Site

The second site is located near Greenwich Station. Currently, this site is very unfriendly. A number of industrial activities are happening here, which add a lot of traffic to the surrounding roads and create unsafe conditions for the residents. This area has huge potential, however, and is being extremely underutilized. Given the proximity to the train station, this has the potential to become a vibrant mixed-use district focused on growing food.

Deptford creek may be under threat now – from pollution, cars, and thoughtless development. However, it has a much brighter, greener future ahead of it – a future that will recapture that vibrant, innovative, and undeniably east-London spirit.

02 Back to Nature

Hangzhou Banshan National Forest Park is located in the northeast of Hangzhou City. There are a bunch of factories at the foot of the western mountain, which have contributed a lot to the urban construction of Hangzhou City in the past few decades and provided hundreds of jobs. However, they caused severe pollution at the same time. The Hangzhou Iron and Steel Plant is a typical representative of them. The relocation of the original factory left many industrial buildings and polluted ground, while many residents still live around. The project aims to transform this unpleasant useless land into a public park by dealing with the soil and water pollution, and creating activity spaces, all while retaining the industrial memory and identity of the site, making it a fantastic gateway connecting to the national park.

Year: Fall 2018

Location: Hangzhou, China

Instructor: Hongjun Zhou

A large amount of rainwater runoff brings the factories’ pollution into the city

rainfall runoff

water system

polluted area industrial site

China Zhejiang Hangzhou SITE

Industrial solid pollution in Hangzhou

Annual rainfall of Hangzhou

Average annual rainfall of China

Runoff pollution

Rainfall runoff is polluted by contaminated soil and flows into the urban water system.

Soil pollution

Industrial wastes and chemical remains lead to the ground being polluted.

Large-scale Industrial Buildings

There are many abandoned industrial buildings on the site.

The masterplan pattern is generated mainly according to the flow of runoff from the mountain, the surrounding roads, and the structure of the remaining buildings. By using a soil replacement strategy to build a series of small hills and designing some elevated paths, residents can enjoy the open spaces and waterfront landscape and reach the mountain more quickly and conveniently.

Step A - Deal With Contaminated Soil

Rainwater passes through and becomes polluted

Step B - Deal With

Pile heavily contaminated soil on top of lightly contaminated soil

Dig up heavily polluted soil

Existing old factory buildings

Plant vegetation and runoff is clean

Add a protective layer and cover with clean soil

Seal heavily contaminated between the walls and with a protective layer

Form open spaces with

A-1

A-3

A-5

A-4

A-2

B-1

B-3-1

B-4

Abandoned Buildings Step C - Deal With Polluted Runoff

buildings

contaminated soil cover it

Retain building walls, and remove other structures

Rain water is polluted through industrial site

trail connections

Seal lightly contaminated soil between other walls and plant vegetation

Runoff changes direction after remodeling the terrain

Runoff is purified through wetlands

B-2

B-3-2

C-1

After A-3

C-2

C-3

A lot of activities can take place between different levels of height.

Bridges between hills connects different functional areas.

Guided runoff through uncontaminated area

Reinforce connection and provide recreational function

An ecological park connecting residential area and nature

03 Weaving Interbay

Before the regrading of Seattle, Interbay was a coastal zone of tide flats, salt marsh wetlands, and upland coastal forest. Despite the extensive engineering, Interbay is still at risk of liquefaction from earthquakes and the effects of sea level rise. Interbay is also known for fish and industries and is potentially the last land for new housing development in Seattle. The proposal is to integrate urban typologies with natural infrastructures. The topography defines the edge, and the landscape merges the Interbay from north to south. The project imagines a reciprocal future for Interbay by weaving industry, culture, and ecology together.

Year: Fall 2021

Location: Seattle, US

Instructors: Dean Almy, Maggie Hansen

Collaborators: Mohanabrabu B M, Zoe Swartz, Julia Szeto

The density is increased by introducing diverse programs associated with the existing industries. The blocks in the district follow the 300’ x 300’ grid system with the existing context, and the diversification in programs is achieved vertically. The ground space is primarily allocated for industries and commercial uses, and the above floors accommodate housing and offices.

Light rail station Zoning

Concept

Density

A reciprocal future for Interbay by weaving industry, culture, and ecology together.

Engaging with working landscapes

Section C-C'

Section B-B'

Section A-A'

Section D-D'

Waterfront District

Business District

Civic District

Ecological District

04 Journey Through History

The urban viaduct railway is not only regarded as a connection for trade and cultural communication but also witnesses the development of the city in a particular historical period. This project addresses a portion of The Hofpleinlijn, the former elevated railway from Rotterdam to The Hague, which became redundant with new rail lines and Rotterdam’s new Central Station. It has witnessed the development of the whole city of Rotterdam and had a crucial meaning to the elder. The idea is to rediscover the historical and artistic value, comprehensively use the ignored roof space, bring new vitality to the railway itself and the neighborhood, and boost the local economy.

Year: Summer 2018

Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Instructor: Ruohao Wu

Collaborator: Xinyi Mo

Rotterdam Central Station

1906

The Hofpleinlijn was built

Timeline of The Hofpleinlijn

1940 Station Hofplein was destroyed

railway tram art works under the viaduct

1956

Rebuilt a new Rotterdam central station

2002

The Hofpleinlijn became a national monument

2018

The Hofpleinlijn is gradually being forgotten

Arts Under Hofpleinlijn

There are many artworks under the viaduct. Unfortunately, some of them were destroyed for different reasons.

Year: 2013

Type: Graffiti

Condition: Good

Year: 1906

Type: Sculpture

Condition: General

Year: 1904

Type: Sculpture

Condition: General

Year: 1908

Year: 1904

Type: Sculpture Type: Sculpture

Condition: Bad

Condition: Bad

Year: 1904

Type: Sculpture

Condition: General

Year: 1908

Type: Sculpture

Condition: General

Year : 2014

Type : Painting

Condition : General

Year: 1904

Type: Sculpture

Condition: Bad

Year: 1908

Type: Sculpture

Condition: Bad

Year: 1908

Type: Sculpture

Condition: General

Year: 2017

Type: Poster

Condition: Good

Year: 1904

Type: Sculpture

Condition: General

Year: 1980

Type: Building

Condition: General

Year: 2010

Type: Painting

Condition: Good

Well-maintained railroad track

Open space under the viaduct Enjoy

Broken railroad track

Blocked space under the viaduct Cannot

Linear Park

Skateboard Park

Slide

Running Track

Connecting Bridge

Cafe

Stage

Small Business

Site Analysis for Selected Nodes

The number of people to visit museums has increasd year by year.

Children's activity space is inadequate.

There are many craftsmen and vintage markets.

Residents need more green space.

Site Plan & Design Generation

Node A Greenhouse museum

Node B Children's

Node

Node

square

C Open market

D Tulip Garden

1906 Station Hofplein

1930 Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow

1940 German bombing of Rotterdam

Now Brilliant Tulip Indusry

Rebuild the station into a greenhouse museum, using the original structure of the old Hofplein Station to remind people of its history.

Design a children's square between residential buildings to activate the neighborhoods.

The square can serve as a place to hold an open market on specific days, while it is usually a plaza for relaxing and communication.

The tulip garden is at the end of the railway and is a landmark. It provides a place to take a rest as well as take photos. Besides, it connects the surrounding green network.

05 Urban Heart

The Zhongguancun area in Beijing is a highdensity central business district with many universities. The high-rise building occupies many venues that initially belonged to citizens’ recreation. However, there are not enough open spaces for social and recreational purposes. The diverse groups of users have increasing demands and expectations. However, the area is limited, and this district’s land cost is high. This project proposes bold, innovative design strategies to create variables to meet different needs and scenarios by designing a folding lawn and a lifting platform. Meanwhile, with this novel and interesting character, the plaza could be a new landmark in the city to get economic profit.

Year: Spring 2017

Location: Beijing, China

Instructor: Yujia Zhai

Complex Context Around the Site

Peking University

Peking University is the most famous and top university in China. It is not only an educational institution but also attracts many tourists to pay a visit.

main users:

‘Zhongguancun’ CBD

Zhongguancun CBD is known as China's "Silicon Valley". It is China's densest area of science, education, intelligence, and talent resources. It is the region with the most significant number of enterprises established by returnees studying abroad in China. It is one of the most important business districts in Beijing.

main users:

Location

Beijing

one of the most popular area in China.

Haidian District

gathering China's top universities and companies

Zhongguancun Core

known as China's "Silicon Valley"

Cultural Sights

There are some cultural and historical sights in the surroundings. The most famous two are one Christian Church and a historically protected patio which attract students, residents, and some of the citizens from other districts.

main users:

Residential Area

There is a large residential area next to the base. Residents have a wide range of ages, prosperous occupations, and a variety of activities.

main users:

Commercial Core

Around the site there are some big shopping malls and famous restaurants which attract a lot of citizens and tourists.

citizen

resident

student tourist businessman 51

Compound Users & Activities, Limited Space

High Technology

258 technology firms around

36 types of companies

4,080,940 million gross income

80% workers under 40 years old

13 top universities around

The plaza consists of three simple parts: a lawn, a stair platform, and a tree array square. Changing the status of the lawn and platform could fit different scenes.

The paving pattern implies the direction of the flow of people on the site and also attracts the crowd from the crossroads to the site.

A Folding Lawn

Status1 Completely flat

Status2 Fold to become four slopes

Variable Possibilities

Daily Use

Playground

A Lifting Platform

Big Events

Party

Exhibition

Concert Cinema

Status1 Completely flat

Status2 Lift up stairs

Status3 Lift up the stage

The flexibility of the lawn and platform offers the possibility of a variety of activities to meet the needs of different groups. When the lawn is folded, the hidden bar table beneath it can also be lifted, serving drinks and snacks when hosting big events like concerts or movies, making the venue even more attractive.

Section A-A'

Section B-B'

A vibrant plaza in the CBD area

YUHE XIAO

yuhexiao807@gmail.com

512.806.5004

The University of Texas at Austin

M.S. in Urban Design

2021 - present, Austin, Texas

Current GPA: 3.73

Anticipated graduation: May 2023

Tongji University

B.E. in Landscape Architecture

2014 - 2019, Shanghai, China

Cumulative GPA: 3.66

EXPERIENCE

PMA+Plasma Studio

Landscape Design Intern | Jan-Jul 2021 | Beijing, China

- Created diagrams and drawings for multiple civic and master planning projects, including site analyses, design generations, master plans and renderings of various views

- Assisted with the schematic design of a hospitality project through sketching and 3D modeling, especially dealing with topography

- Produced materials for two projects for three award submissions and improved original drawings, and all of them won prizes

Shanghai Tongji Urban Planning & Design Institute Co, LTD.

Urban Design Intern | Sep-Dec 2020 | Shanghai, China

Technical:

AutoCAD

Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

Rhinoceros

Sketchup

Soft: Self-motivated Creative Collaborative

EDUCATION SKILLS LEADERSHIP

ArcGIS

Lumion

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Sketching

Model Making

CAUP Student Union, Arts & Culture Department

Associate Director

- Assisted with two architectural exhibitions

- Contributed to three school-wide celebration galas

UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development Volunteer

- Attended two conferences on the topic of climate change and sustainability

- Researched implications of economic, demographic, and industrial data, as well as policy-related documents, for a new airport development zone planning project

- Proofread planning documents for approval and publication

- Contributed to the planning and design process and developed diagrams for presentation

Shanghai Modern Architectural Decoration & Landscape Design Research Institute

Landscape Design Intern | Jun-Aug 2018 | Shanghai, China

- Collaborated with team on commercial and waterfront projects

- Drafted schematic design for a hospital project

- Improved drawings for multiple projects at all level of design process

COMPETITIONS & WORKSHOPS

International Architectural Workshop in Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Renovation of Segovia Viaduct | Second prize

- Led a five-person team through the conceptual design phase of an open infrastructure renovation project in one week and conducted the presentation

Tongji University International Construction Festival

Cardboard Architectural Design Competition |Third prize

- Collaborated with teammates and built up a cardboard cabin that can accommodate about ten people by using hemp rope as the only fixing tool