YIDIAN LIU ARCHITECTURE
PORTFOLIO 2018
SYNOPSIS Seeking Public Freedom under Corporate Control We live in a world where the influence of corporations is so integrated with daily destinations that we can hardly discern a true public space from a corporatized ‘public’ space. Traditional corporate spaces such as shops and headquarters are refurbished and reinvented in their spatial orders and aesthetics to encourage more satisfying public engagement and appeal to more users. However, the flourishing of these corporatized public spaces comes along with a scarcity of freedom in which corporations and designers dictate the styles and purposes of a space and leave the public very little control of what they really expect to do within such spaces. This portfolio includes both academic and professional projects to explore the role of architecture within the corporate-oriented urban environment. It aims to not only critique the current corporatized ‘public’ spaces, but also channel the publicness in the eye of corporate identity. ‘A Brand New World’ proposes a possibility of a responsive corporate architecture that bridges the public interface within a corporate environment. Although the conclusion is self-critical, it opens up another debate of privacy and public freedom. The design proposals for Beijing courtyard house and Link Hall atrium channel publicness in two dimensions. The former exhibits in a grand dimension, how community and cultural lineage regain relevance in the transformation of a traditional neighborhood; whilst the later discusses in an intimate dimension, how to promote a free and fluid public component for the users. It is challenging for an architecture to truly integrate with public interest given the limited impact it possibly casts on its users and the society. However, through my work, I aim to emphasize the current fundamentals for architecture: to establish significance beyond merchandising agenda and pure brand aesthetics and to mitigate the disparity between public freedom and corporate control.
CONTENT ACADEMIC WORK
A Brand New World (Thesis Award: Faculty Prize)
Atrium Addition to Link Hall (First Place Awarded)
Revival of Beijing Courtyard House (AIANYS Scholarship)
PROFESSIONAL WORK
Pageone Beijing Fun (Interior Design, Built)
International Park in Den Haag
Design Guidelines for NYCHA
(Landscape Design, Approved)
(Published)
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1. A BRAND NEW WORLD [THESIS] Thesis Award: Faculty Prize San Francisco, CA Spring 2018 Partner: Nathaniel Banks Thesis Advisors: Julie Larsen, Roger Hubeli Responsibilities and Contributions: Concept: 50%, Analysis: 50%, Perspectives: 40%, Physical Models: 90%, Plan&Sections: 100%, Structural Design: 30%
Nowadays, the boundary between public and private spaces becomes undistinctive. For general gathering and socializing purposes, people are not restricted to visit a public park, instead, a mall or a Starbucks is considered by many as alternative destination. Traditional corporate spaces such as shops and headquarters are refurbished and reinvented in their spatial orders and aesthetics to encourage more satisfying public engagement and to appeal to users. However, in contrast to what it proposes, today’s ‘public’ space suggests a scarcity of freedom. There is an invisible hand dictating the styles and purposes of a space and leave the public unprecedented limitation of true engagement. Furthermore, with the disclosure of several incidents within corporates stores and a communal awareness of corporations’ manipulative strategies, the voices against corporate control become noticing on the digital forums. The new generation of digital society seeks to attain not only freedom of their personal realms, but also true responsibility over the development of corporatized ‘public’ spaces. There is a necessity to integrating true public interface in the restrictive physical realm. This thesis aims to critique current corporate space; making one that channels publicness in the eye of corporate identity. One that can adapt and alter itself based on user interests, giving the public true responsibility over the evolution of the building. An architecture whose future is determined by the user, rather than by the corporation.
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Scarcity of Freedom in 'Public' Space This thesis began with the question: how have public services been integrated within corporate environments? Whether in a company’s headquarters or retail stores, there is typically an integrated space, used to allow public engagement with a corporation. Nowadays, with better interior furnishing and open layout, ‘corporatized public space’ gradually replaces the role of traditional public space. However, due to its merchandising agenda, these spaces are highly manipulative. Corporations and designers dictates the styles and aesthetics of the space and only present to the public what they wish them to perceive about the brand. The ‘so called’ public component is actually limiting the choices of the public and provides them very little control of what happens within. This thesis project starts with an analysis of successful contemporary corporate buildings across different industries. Through the investigation, a clear pattern of manipulation on public perception can be traced in building tectonics and innovative structures.
Highly Manipulative Details
Iconic Form The CCTV tower was built to function as an icon of Beijing. The unique form was accomplished by layers of engineered structure systems.
CCTV Tower
An Icon of the City
Different Perspectives
Projection of the City
Exoskeleton System
Inversed Core The design of HSBC Tower reversed the traditional office layout, therefore creates an atrium that liberates the floor arrangement and encourages interactions.
HSBC Building
Integrated Module
Central Void
Traditional Office Layout
Liberated Floor Plan
A Built “Macbook Pro” The image of ‘minimal expression’ is achieved by a highly composite roof structure, which concealed all the structure/system members.
Apple Store
Symbolic Approach
Composite Roof System
Traditional Store
Interactive Layout
An Urban Surface The continuous display surface not only creates an intimacy with people, but also exhibited the architect’s attempt of extending the walking surface of the city.
Prada Store
Portable Cabinet
In Store Intelligence
A Sense of Luxury
Concealed Retail Space
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The site for exploration is the brewing headquarters for Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco. It contains both static and dynamic components, which are suitable for the purpose of this design experiment.
User-oriented Building Transformation This space will be achieved through a digital “cloud”, which bridges the digital and physical realm by harvesting and reacting to user preferences, and delivering processed information to the building management system, resulting in an architecture that is always updating its form in response to public needs.
'Anchor Cloud' Iteration Matrix The ‘Anchor Cloud’ provides a selection of different internal enclosures for the users to choose freely on the digital forum. Various volumes are developed to accommodate different activities.
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Projection of Digital Networks (Live presentation during thesis review) The anchor cloud reconfigures the city’s public networks and public nodes. By establishing connection between the digital and the physical, the anchor cloud expanded the public realm by transforming the current ‘corporatized public space’ into an interactive, user-oriented environment. The influence of the ‘Anchor Cloud’ is reinforced by the adaptive building form and portable devices that are sent over to the further ends of the city. The presentation slide visualizes how the building receives information from extended context. Eventually, the kinetics of the digital will be reflected in the physical.
Digital Atmosphere in Section
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Transformation of Urban Nodes
Reconfigured City Atmosphere
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Structural Systems
Public & Private Relationship
Public & Private Circulations
Building Outlines
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'Anchor Cloud' Iteration Matrix
Remote Access
Welcome to the brand new world of “Anchor Cloud’! Imagine having access to a forum, in which the users can browse and vote for what type of space they prefer to stay in, and what activities they are interested to participate.
Fluctuating Building Outline
Closely or remotely, this live stream network will be analyzed by the cloud processor and projected onto the building form, resulting in a constantly updated building outline which symbolizes the free and fluid public interest.
Adaptive Internal Fabric
Once enters the lobby, one will be exposed to the internal fabric structures, dropping from the ceiling and changing their forms and boundaries to accommodate diverse programs.
Cloud Processor
Instant Reaction
As a user, one can decide the events and schedules within the building, anytime, from any device connected to the cloud. A user’s vote and preference will directly affect what is going on in the cloud.
For example, if a person would like to have a taste of anchor craft beer produced on site. After receiving the request, the internal structure will rearrange so that the user gets access to a bar.
New Public Realm
It is a new perspective, a possibility that the brand is not dictating what to provide to its users. Instead, it stands back and merges with today’s expanding digital society, mediating between the interests of the corporation and the public. This will be a brand new world.
Technical Realization Extendable Floor Slab System This section focuses on technical possibilities to allow the building to adapt in two scales: a grand scale where entire building’s profile constantly updates; and an intimate scale, where the internal spaces adapts to suit individual requests.
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The adaptive building form is supported by the extendable floor slab system. Utilizing an array of inset trusses, certain floor slabs can extend/contract up to 60ft. Each floor slab has embedded pulleys and flexible membrane sheets to allow for the creation of multiple cloud micro environments.
A. Typical Floor Plan
B. Ground Floor Lobby with Fixed Floor
C. Brewing Rooms with Independent Truss System
D. Specialized Ground Floor with Partially Adjustable Floors
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Model Studies of the Floor System
Cloudy Pulley System Dodecahedral pulley array can be utilized to manipulate the cloud membranes to accommodate specific programs. Integrated lighting systems and interstitial air pumps additionally provide luminance and structural integrity.
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Internal 'Cloud' Transformation The flexible membranes can be manipulated by pulleys to create a variety of shapes or aggregate together to form bigger spaces. These can then be filled with pop up furniture and furnishings to create a variety of different programs that can rapidly evolve.
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The Future of Public Realm? This experiment critiques the current, dysfunctional integration of public space within corporate environments whilst proposes an alternative based on contemporary trends, and today’s ever expanding digital society, However, it evokes further ethical and security concerns. With the emerging privacy discrimination and the scandal of Facebook, a responsive corporate architecture adumbrates the potential of becoming intellectual and generating customized prediction of individuals. Eventually, the public gains ownership of specific spaces, however, at the price of losing self-sovereignty to the companies. At the end of this project, we now are beginning to ask new questions, about the nature and ethics of the brand new world we are proposing. Who will be in control of these spaces, and will architecture begin to encroach on privacy for the sake of achieving adaptability?
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2. ATRIUM ADDITION TO LINK HALL Link Hall Atrium Design Competition: First Place 2017 King & King Prize: Honorable Mention Syracuse, NY Spring 2017 Partner: Yuxuan Liu Instructor: Tarek Rakha
This project responds to a design competition regarding an atrium addition to the School of Engineering (Link Hall) at Syracuse University. The current Link Hall exhibits a formulated layout, and a capacity not sufficient to accommodate the expanding needs for student services and interactive study spaces. Learning from Peter Cooper’s idea of providing an education “as free as water and air”, the proposed atrium aims to create a diverse learning experience, allowing for traditional formalistic spaces as well as informal “student to student exchange” spaces. The building form is developed from the existing orders of Link Hall and the perceiving order from the campus promenade. In this new atrium, one can obtain the descent through different spaces of intimate scale and vast scale, and get clash of the old and the new ---- the lightness of steel and glass clashing with the heaviness of the concrete.
Spanish Steps In Rome
Compacted Site
A Campus Carpet Locating along the academic promenade, the new atrium seeks to create a vital campus node, a Syracuse version of Spanish steps in Rome, an interior public plaza, a dynamic space for
Design Strategies
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students and faculties. It will not only serve as an atrium for the engineering school, but also function as an icon inviting the foot traffic from the bus station to the rest of campus. The pedestrian dynamics encourages the main concept of a “campus carpet�. It is a continuous surface that conceptually draws the fabric up from the lobby and into student study spaces suspended above.
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Current Link Hall Plan
First Floor Plan
Ground Floor Logics Despite the concrete requirements of accommodating office areas for the student service department, the scheme maximizes the public component. By efficiently utilizing the transition space between the existing building and the atrium, more than 50 percent of the ground floor is now attributed to the lounge and the inhabitable staircase.
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Second Floor Plan
Inhabitable Staircase The ground level lobby is fully glazed and opens to public egress, inviting pedestrians to treat the space as an enclosed public square. A wooden staircase is developed atop the concrete surface to add a sense of intimacy.
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D F
C B
A
E
Diverse Study Spaces Six types of student space are available along the “campus carpet “--- formal spaces such as reading room as well as informal spaces like the “cave“ and the “sky bridge“. By blurring the boundary between spaces, the boundary between departments, faculties and students will disappear as well.
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The open space in the atrium allows student to quickly sit down and have a coffee.
The sky bridge atop the atrium enables students to take a rest and enjoy the view from outside.
A. Atrium Lounge
D. Sky Bridge
The big wooden staircase is an informal gathering space. It also serves as an auditorium for student events.
The “cave“ is enclosed by the concrete surface and floor. It is a more private space for studying and reading.
B. Inhabitable Staircase
E. Cave
The classrooms are designed to accommodate group discussion/individual meetings with advisors.
The reading room locates at a quiet corner on the top floor . Professional books are available for engineering students.
C. Classrooms
F. Reading Room
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Central Skylight with Triangulated Glass
Square Skylights
Circular Skylights
Stripped Skylights
Ceremonial Skylight The atrium space requires sufficient daylight to encourage interactive activities. 4 types of skylights are tested by DIVA simulations for best illuminance patterns, and the most unified skylight is selected.
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Independent Systems
Existing Grid Extension
New Grid
Space Frames
Independent Structure Two structure systems are developed independently. Space frame is utilized for the 60 feet column free space and I-beam is utilized for the office block.
Beam Bending Moment
Column Bending Moment
RISA 3D Model
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Critical beam and column which carry the maximum bending moment are tested by RISA 3D, which indicates no slender for local bucking.
Facade Construction The suspended sky-bridge is supported by pre-engineered steel frames with a thin veneer of concrete cladding on top. Therefore, although it is perceived as concrete from the exterior, the actual structure is much lighter and enabled the irregular form of the sky-bridge to be constructed.
a. 4 ft truss for roof support b. Concrete cladding c. Window sill, weatherproofed titanium zinc, 0.8mm d. Interior vapor barrier e. Double glazing: 0.3in tempered glass, 0.5in cavity f. Sun-shading mounted within the ceil- ing: roller blind g. Aluminum central fin, top shoe for 3/4 in glass brushed steel h. Return air duct for lower floor i. Water sprinkle j. 3 ft deep truss for cantilever support k. Spider point support fitting l. Flashing m. Precast concrete panel n. 4in gravel layer
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A Dialogue Between the Old and the New The atrium will not only be an independent object, but more likely a connector between the traditional looking link hall and the energetic campus. Through this design, what is currently missing in link hall gets accommodated in the atrium. The interlocking of the two components could be further read as a dialogue between the old and the new.
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3.REVIVAL OF BEIJING COURTYARD HOUSE 2017AIANYS Scholarship Awarded: Best Community Engagement Summer 2016 Beijing, China Partner: Nathaniel Banks
‘Siheyuan’ is a metaphor of old Chinese society. Historically, it served as the typical housing type for Beijing inhabitants, as varying room orientations reflected the family hierarchy and provided a private courtyard for daily uses. However, due to lack of preservation, the historical districts and “Siheyuan” traditional courtyard housing have become derelict and subsequently demolished. This has led to the recession and deterioration of the once intimate “Hutong” community which is endemic to Siheyuan housing. In order to revive the historical Siheyuan and the Hutong communities, this project studies the formulation of traditional courtyard architecture, and focuses on renovating one of the abandoned Siheyuan in Qianchaoshou neighborhood. By creating an internal street within the site, the proposed concept removes niches that are prone to deterioration, and links the old neighborhood with arts amenities. This project aims to revive not only the traditional structures, but also the long-lost cultural heritage that once exhibited in ‘Hutong’ community.
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Traditional Siheyuan The traditional Siheyuan and Hutong communit y have become derelict and demolished because of the lack of preservation and the illegal private renovations.
Historical Fabric Site Illegal Addition
Derelict Siheyuan and Illegal Renovations The Qianchaoshou neighborhood is one of the few survived historical districts in Beijing. It is congested with damaged Siheyuan fragments and illegal additions.
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The White Pagoda
Qianchaoshou Neighborhood
Baitasi Temple
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Congested Site The current site is packed by illegal structures. The previous connection to the Hutong community is blocked.
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Internal Street By creating an internal street that connects to courtyards and art amenities, the once lost connection with the neighborhood is rebuilt.
Connect the Voids Borrowing from Hutong, the intervention extends a linear public access way to the east/west extent of the site, reopening the traditional throughway for commuters as well as a gathering space for community members.
Revive Historic Structures The primary structure is a traditional wooden frame atop a concrete floor slab. The exposed space consists of two courtyards for both communal and private uses.
Introduce Art Amentities The developed site is divided into 3 zones. Firstly, a glass clad studio zone where residents can work in an open plan environment.
Parti Diagram
Roof System
Circulation
Courtyard Hierachy
Structure Grid
Amentities
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An Entering Experience
A. Corridor
B. Corridor + Central Courtyard
B
A
C b
a D
d c
D
C
B
Ground Floor Plan
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A
a. Art Studio b. Lounge c. Gallery d. Artist’s Unit
C. Gallery + Secondary Courtyard
D. Gallery and Exit
Roof Plan
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Rebuild Cultural Signficance The design accommodates a regular traditional Siheyuan layout within an irregular site boundary, as well as defines an internal street which connects the development with surrounding neighborhoods. Instead of simply replacing the aged Siheyuan and Hutong, it recalls the layout and the philosophy of the vernacular neighborhood. Furthermore, it provides the old courtyard house with new amenities and programs that correspond with the contemporary needs of Beijing, and could be popularized to a larger context.
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PROFESSIONAL WORK 46
4. PAGEONE BEIJING FUN (PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE) Beijing, China Intern Project at Vector Architects Summer 2018
* Sketch by Gong Dong, Founder of Vector Architects
Locating at the Qianmen square, Pageone bookstore overlooks the historical districts near Tian’an Men square. The design challenges the general reading experience by introducing thirteen identical structures into the existing building. Appearing as installations, pop ups, or cafÊ, the developed structures offer the visitors with diverse reading or relaxing environment and visual connection to the cultural significant district. The internship started during the construction phase of the project, which involved plan development, producing 3D construction models and other support documentation, material negotiation and site visits.
Axon of Internal Features
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Tian'an Men Square & Historical District
Qian'men Area and Beijing Fun Development Borrowed from a traditional Chinese Siheyuan, courtyard accommodates most everyday events and represents the lifestyle of Beijing People. In this project, due to the site limitation, the traditional external courtyards are interpreted as internal structures where readers gather or rest in. The connection with the old districts creates not only restrictions on design, but also opportunities for readers to explore the history of Beijing.
Visual Connection to the Historical Gate
B
A
C
D
A. Book Pagoda B. Vinyl Record Room C. Café D. Art Display
First Floor Plan
Book Pagoda
Café
Lifestyle Popup
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5. DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR REHABILITATION OF NYCHA RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS Internship at NYCHA, Office of Design New York City, United States Fall 2016
Ground Floor Activation Carver Neighborhood: Clinic Room
Design Excellence Initiatives NYCHA is the nation’s oldest and largest public housing authority, which serves one of every 14 New Yorkers, over 600,000 people. NYCHA’s mission is to provide the low- and moderate-income New Yorkers with permanent, affordable housing and to facilitate access to social and community services. The Design Excellence Initiatives internship project seeks to use design to integrate with communities, create safe, accessible and attractive neighborhoods, preserve existing public housing as well as foster an efficient, well qualified and sustainable design for future public housing projects.
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Farragut Neighborhood: Laundry Room
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YIDIAN LIU
+852 91659980 yliu31@syr.edu 31/F, One Island East, 18 Westlands Rd, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
Academic Experiences
Hi! My name is Yidian Liu. I am a recent graduate from Syracuse University [B.Arch Program]. I am interested in exploring how publicness is addressed in architecture and re-
Syracuse, USA Graduated May, 2018
thinking how public freedom has exhibited or diminished
GPA: 3.74 out of 4.0 | Magna Cum Laude Dean’s list 2014-2018 | Thesis Award: Faculty Prize
in the corporate-oriented society. During each break of academic years, I volunteered to excavate evidences of publicness within contexts across the world whilst practicing architecture with distinct scopes and objectives. My curiosity of corporate structure also
Florence, IT Spring 2016 New York City, USA Fall 2016
drove me to my first formal position at Aedas, one of the
termined to continue my exploration in SMArchS. I expect to hear the differences and exchange values of what I believe the fundamentals of architecture.
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*International Study Program GPA: 3.95 out of 4.0
*Urban Studio GPA: 4.0 out of 4.0
Affiliations
bigger design companies. By assessing the realities from both academic and professional experiences, I am now de-
Bachelor of Architecture Syracuse University, School of Architecture
Syracuse, USA Spring 2018 Todmorden, UK Summer 2016
FST 422 Wine Appreciation | Teaching Assistant Voluntary organization for urban agriculture
Incredible Edible | Volunteer Voluntary organization for urban agriculture
Hong Kong, CN Fall 2018 -
Beijing, CN Summer 2017
New York City, USA Fall 2016
London, UK Summer 2016 & 2018
Professional Experiences
Awards
Aedas | Architectural Assistant
2018 James A. Britton Memorial Award
Longfor Qinghaihu Retail Project(DD): produced 3D models and CAD packages for interior details Nanjing G98 Project (SD): produced ppt presentation, researched and developed traditional facades for the retail area
Vector Architects | Architectural Intern “Page One” bookstore (DD): produced and delivered construction model and documents, attended construction meeting with contractor and client Longhu Campus (SD): assisted in research on passive design strategies, delivered preliminary design drawings and models
NYC Housing Authority | Design Excellence Intern Produced drawings for NYCHA Design Guidelines; prepared and hosted Charrette on Aging-in-place Design Principles with Enterprise Community Partners and AIANY; research assistant for Ground Floor Activation Studies
Faculty Prize (Thesis Design)
Link Hall Atrium Design Competition First Place
2017 King & King Prize Honorable Mention
2017 AIANYS Student Scholarship
Best community attribution, awarded by American Institute of Architects
William J. Slivers Competition Honorable Mention
Publications Design Guidelines
Rehabilitation of NYCHA Residential Buildings Publication Assistant
West Architecture | Architectural Intern
Urban Environment Design Magazine
Vincent Terrace (SD + DD): renovation of late Victorian house in central London, produced drawings, digital and physical models for council permission Provost Road (DD): renovation for private house in London. Produced constructional drawings and internal elevations Roland Gardens (SD): renovation for private apartment within traditional row houses in London; assisted in producing rendering, reports and physical models
‘Before Vector Architects: An Interview with Dong Gong’ Editor ‘Suochengli: Pocket Urbanism’ Translator and Editor ‘Renovation of the Captain’s House’ Editor
Vector Architects, Volume 111
The Parliamentary Review:
Syracuse, USA Fall 2015
“Big Will and Friends” Exhibition | Exhibition Assistant Entry to FAV competition in France Team leader for graphic design, digital representation
Produced 3D Rendering used in the publication
Rotterdam, NL Summer 2015
Lola Landscape Architects | Architectural Intern
Languages
International Park Den Haag (SD): produced drawings, digital models for city council & community permission, involved in main entrance design Adidas Campus (SD): produced rhino models for visualizing different gate options
English Mandarin Italian
West Architecture
Professional Native Fluent
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YIDIAN LIU +852 91659980 | yliu31@syr.edu 31/F, One Island East, 18 Westlands Rd, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong